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General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: taffie01 on Friday 31 October 14 11:34 GMT (UK)
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I know this is a long shot.
Matthew O'Brien born Ushaw Moor, Durham.
Living South Shields from before WW1 until his death.
We are unable to find any service details, probably among the burnt records? Also we do not know either service no. or regiment (did say it was a long shot)
Guesswork says DLI or perhaps a Tyneside Irish regiment as his father was Irish.
The only fact we have is that he was injured at the Somme 1916, was brought to England to a hospital ? where his wife and 2 children were able to visit. The youngest a small baby born March that year. The family stayed at a boarding house for that visit. there was also talk of French nurse he remembered, possibly in France before being sent to England.
The only clue, the boarding house suggests the hospital was not in the local area.
Hope someone out there might shed some light as all of his children are now deceased and the grandchildren are unable to help either.
living in hope!
taffie
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The Somme battles lasted 4-5 months in 1916 and also in August/September 1918.
If you know a family address you should research the electoral roll for 1918-19. Absent soldiers may be listed, along with regiment and number. Failing that there appears to be no alternative but to trawl through the list of wounded in local newspapers for the periods mentioned.
Ken
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Looking at the SWB list there appears to be 2 possibilities based on the Battle of the Somme 1916 starting on 1/7/16.
2457 M.O'Brien Pte. D.L.I. attested 7/9/14 discharged 4/10/16 due to sickness.
46871 M.C. O'Brien Pioneer R.E. attested 7/9/14 discharged 5/9/16 due to sickness.
Coincidence they both attested on the same day.
Located these 2 & they're not called Matthew.
There's only 1 Matthew O'Brien but he was discharged due to wounds in 1918.
With regards to your question he could have been sent anywhere.
Soldiers suffering the effects of gas were sent to places where the air was fresher pretty much in the same way that TB sufferers were dealt with.
So it may depend on the nature of his injuries.
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In case it helps.
My grandparents lived in Hull, East Riding, Yorkshire and as a child my grandmother told me that when her husband was injured she travelled down to London to visit him in the hospital down there. The Almoner arranged everything, even to organising the lodging house just around the corner from the hospital. Unfortunately I can't recall how long she stayed, whether it was one week or longer. At the time they had one young child and I wish I'd asked if she went too.
I now know he was in the RAMC which was the Northumbrian Army and he trained in Newcastle. His army record wasn't burnt so I know he was gassed in April 1916 and was treated in "1st London General Hospital".
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hi and thanks for help so far,
I know that the injuries were caused by shrapnel, some of which could not be removed so he took them to the grave.
what we don't know is whether he ever returned to the front line. He did return to his former employment as a miner after the war.
Rena; thanks that explains how is wife was able to go with their 2 children
jim1; thanks for eliminating those 2 M O'Briens. Matthew had no middle name which helps to narrow it down a little. I have given the correct spelling of his name which has been mistranscribed as o'brian in a census.
km1971; Thanks I hadn't thought about the electoral roll it is certainly worth following up. Don't know why I didn't think of the newspapers either.
taffie
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Still a longshot, but my husband's ancestor was also injured at the Somme (4 July 1916) and returned to England where he was hospitalised, but he was not discharged until 6 Aug 1918 at which point he gained his Silver War Badge.
The Corporal Matthew O'Brien of the Northumberland Fusiliers referred to below (discharged with SWB 1918) was reported as injured in The Times, August 10th 1916.
His medal card is on TNA but I cant seem to find it on Ancestry - perhaps someone else can have more luck?
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D4421972
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I can't see him on Ancestry either.
The Matthew that was discharged 1918 attested 10/11/14 so his birth should be 1896 or before if he's any chance of being yours.
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Matthew was born 1888 so it might be him.
Thanks jim1 where did you get info about the attestation date? he was married then, did it show next of kin?
Thanks Jomot for the ref to The Times, is it part o FindMyPast site as I have not found that?
cheers
taffie
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Thanks Jomot for the ref to The Times, is it part o FindMyPast site as I have not found that?
No, it was from The Genealogist & I checked the original page to be sure.
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Thanks Jomot I don't have a subscription to that site.
It could be a piece of this puzzle
taffie
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His attestation date came from the SWB Roll.No other info I'm afraid.
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Might be of help:
http://www.ww1photos.com/NorthumberlandFusiliers.html
Added: Think we might be barking up the wrong tree here as looking at the SWB records this Matthew was aged 21 on discharge, which makes him too young. Reason for Discharge looks like gunshot wounds.
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thanks for that, our Matthew was much older so I would agree - wrong tree :(
there is still the electoral roll but with my luck he was probably a civilian before end of war, plus I need to find an address.
Also I need to find local newspapers who may have reported/listed names
taffie
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My Grandfather was also gassed, my sister thinks he was in a house in France, where his eyes were bathed. She also thinks he was in the army for a short time and did not get a Medal.
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She also thinks he was in the army for a short time and did not get a Medal.
If he served overseas he would have got medals. It wasn't determined by length of service.