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General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: lorrainec on Sunday 23 February 14 15:02 GMT (UK)
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Hello everyone!
I am looking to find information on John Wallace. B. about 1879 and d. 1942. He is a family conundrum and I am now trying to find information by going the military route! This is what I have so far:
1. he enlisted (or was volunteered - depending on the story you like!) in the H.L.I, Tramways Division, Glasgow Scotland. My mum tried to get info on him by visiting the HLI headquarters years ago but was unsuccessful. His # is 13929. He survived the war - is there someplace I can search pension records?
2. my mum has a pic of him in the hospital - he was gassed and sent home in 1917. The pic was taken at the Stockport Hospital in England and he is wearing a blue butterfly pin on his tie to signify he was gassed. This is the story. Does this sound right to you? Is there any info on the blue butterfly significance?
Any help is grately appreciated!
Lorraine
Canada
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hi Lorraine
can,t find anything about soldiers wearing butterfly pins , but that's not to say they didn,t may be something to do with that particular hospital !! .
as to service /pension records what remains are on ancestry but be aware upwards of 60% were destroyed in a bombing raid in ww2 you may be one of the lucky ones but you should find a medal index card for him as these were kept separately in another building these also on ancestry .
just did a google search about stockport hospitals and apparently not only hospitals but large houses were used for wounded soldiers as well out of curiosity would it be possible to post the photo on here please .
regards
trevor
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Hi Trevor
I have a pic with the butterfly pin - will upload when I get home.
The other pic I have is on my there thread ... not sure how to copy from there to here ...
Will try...
nope... no luck. You can view the pic here:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=676081.msg5227418#msg5227418
MOD COMMENT - I uploaded the pic for you
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Being a Stockport girl I would love to see the hospital photo too. As Trevor says there were a few hospitals in Stockport from proper hospitals to houses and even local schools.
Milly
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I have the photo and will upload tonight!
Cheers
Lorraine
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Here is John Wallace with the blue butterfly c.1917
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You may already have this by now, but the butterfly was the emblem of the 19th Division:
http://www.firstworldwar.com/today/19thdivisionmemorial.htm
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Well that makes no sense.
John was definitely in the 15 battalion HLI, Tramways division.
Can anyone help?
The butterfly was supposed to commemorate a soldier who survived being gassed.
Is this not true?
argh!!
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hi Lorraine
the earlier post re 19th div I think neb was only pointing out the fact that the divisional insignia is or was a butterfly nothing more .
for what it,s worth I forgot earlier to say that injured soldiers wore what were known as hospital blues , as john does in your second pic a uniform blue on the outside with a white lining so when the collar is turned back ie lapels they show white also they wore a bright red tie as in the pic although imagination is needed for black and white ;D I,ve just googled hospital blues and looked at several sites but none of them either mention or show any body wearing a butterfly pin/badge , so maybe it is just a family myth .
best wishes
trevor
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It is odd he is wearing something purely decorative on his uniform though. Perhaps it was just a local thing - maybe a prize for some activity in the hospital? Or maybe just a gift from a sweetheart he put on just for the photo and then took off again?
Milly
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I agree Milly , I did wonder if it was something that maybe the men in the hospital who survived being gassed started a club with the butterfly as an emblem , similar to what the pilots did with the guinea pig club those that were the first to have plastic surgery pioneered by dr Harold gillies .!!
regards
trevor
ps if it was a national thing you,d imagine some sort of recognition could be found on the net
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Something local like that does seem the most likely explanation. You would think there would be some reference to it somewhere though..although now I guess there is (on Rootschat!)
Milly
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Being a Stockport girl I would love to see the hospital photo too. As Trevor says there were a few hospitals in Stockport from proper hospitals to houses and even local schools.
Milly
Some background info about the buildings used as military hosps in Stockport
http://gm1914.wordpress.com/2014/03/13/stockport-schools-and-military-hospitals/
http://gm1914.wordpress.com/category/world-war-one/page/2/
Front view of the infimary now converted to offices. The hospital is now at Stepping Hill!!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/10413717@N08/2755013874/
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Hello everyone!
I have just learned that the hospital that JOhn was at is the Stepping Hill Military hospital.
Still wondering if any of the medical records were kept? I am still attempting to pinpoint a date of birth for him!
I like the idea that the butterfly is local - perhaps local only to Stepping Hill?
I am just back from France - I was there to be a part of the 100 annivesary celebrations at Vimy.
Was wonderful.
Cheers
Lorraine
Canada
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My Grandad was gassed during the war too, however he didn't have a blue butterfly.
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Blue Butteryflys are used in some hospitals today as a
sign of respect,or for a event.
Do you know of any friends John had ,or have any pictures of them as they could have known the reason at that time
for the Blue Butterfly.
;)
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Hi Scribble. That's a good idea but unfortunately, I don't have anything like that.