Could anyone help me find out more about what happened to my Great Grandfather during World War 1 or point me in the right direction please?
I’ve not been able to find his service number, don’t know which regiment he was in or anything but assume he was in the Army.
His name was: Thomas Cole (sometimes with the middle name William but I’m not sure where this comes from because it’s not on his baptism record.)
Date of Birth: 21/06/1893 Bethnal Green
Father: William Cole
Mother: Leah Cole neé Nathan
1911 Census: 8 St Marks Building, Tagg Street, Bethnal Green, London
He had 2 brothers also living at the same address in 1911 who both served in the Army in World War 1 -
Michael Cole Private 47287 2nd Squadron Machine Gun Corps (Cavalry) Died 21st August 1918 at the second Battle of the Somme, The Battle of Albert.
Herbert Cole - Date of Birth 24/09/1895 Bethnal Green (I’ve seen his Attestation papers and thought I’d saved it but now can’t find it, I know the address was Tagg Street but don’t know what regiment he joined.)
At some point during the war (I’ll come back to when and where) Thomas Cole was captured by the Germans, chained to the wheel of a gun carriage, machine gunned and left for dead. When he was found he was still alive, I believe I was once told he ate snow or was fed snow to keep him alive but I’m not 100% sure, he was taken to a field hospital or something but he was in such a bad way that they didn’t think he would survive and word was sent to my Great Grandmother, Elizabeth Cole that if she wanted to see him before he died she must come immediately (something I never knew they did during the war.) She boarded a ship along with my Great Uncle, Thomas George Cole, I don’t know the name of the ship, if records exist or if their names would appear on a passenger list or something but I do know the ship was torpedoed, I don’t know if they ever made it as far as seeing my GGF but they survived the torpedo attack.
My Great Uncle is described as being “a babe in arms” when they boarded the ship, he was born on 08/10/1914 so going back to when this took place I would say it was most likely very late 1914 or early 1915 and I’m guessing Thomas Cole was in France because anywhere else seems too far away for my GGM to travel to to see him for what she was being told would be the last time.
My GGF survived whatever injuries he had, presumably gun shot wounds and as far as I know he was medically discharged from the Army (?) and returned to Bethnal Green, he had 4 more children (although 2 died in infancy) and eventually died in 1956 at the age of 63.
It’s a fascinating story and I would love to know more I just hope some records still exist that can fill in the blanks. Any help, info, pointers, greatly received.
