George Wignall- Cameronians

[Red Tom]

I was hoping to discover more about an ancestor in the Scottish Rifles. 40014 Pte George Wignall,1st/8th bn. From what I can tell was on the wounded list published on 09/11/1917. I think they were in Egypt when he died,so am looking to fill out the info I do have,and any assistance would be gratefully accepted.

[crisane]

On the CWGC site

Private
WIGNALL, GEORGE
Service Number 40014
Died 20/10/1917
1st/8th Bn. Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
Son of William and Anna Wignall, of 67, Canterbury St., Garston, Liverpool.
Buried at ALEXANDRIA (HADRA) War Memorial Cemetery Egypt
Cemetery/memorial reference: D. 196.

You know the regiment and battalion so can look on The National Archives site for the War Diaries which will give you a general idea of where they were when he died
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk  Use the Red drop down Menu then the Research Guides A-Z

[Red Tom]

Thank you crisane,I'll follow that up.

[MaxD]

The battalion war diary forms part of 156 Infantry Brigade's diary for 1916-1918 and has not been digitised  http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4557763 so you would need to arrange for it to be copied. The brigade was in the 52nd (Lowland) Division, a broad outline of their involvement in the Palestine campaign is here:http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/order-of-battle-of-divisions/52nd-lowland-division-2/ 

You man had served previously in the 6th/7th Royal Scots Fusiliers and 2nd Cameronians, presumably in France, before the 1st/8th Cameronians.  As his full service record has not survived we don't know when he moved from each one.  From his entry in the Register of Soldiers' Effects we know he died of his wounds in No 17 General Hospital Alexandria to where presumably he had been evacuated from the fighting in Palestine.

MaxD

[Red Tom]

MaxD,thanks,I appreciate you doing that for me,I have more info than I expected to find,thank you both.

[ainslie]

In case this is not known already, the name of George Wignall is on the WW1 memorial in St. Michael's, Garston Parish Church, which was researched a few years ago by members of the Garston & District Historical Society.
A

[Red Tom]

Thank you Ainslie,I believe that's where my info originated from...