RootsChat.Com
General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: chloerog on Tuesday 30 May 17 15:26 BST (UK)
-
i have a ancestor that died in 1917, I'm not sure wether he served during ww1. Ive tried to search ancestry war records and can not find anyone of the same name. all i know about him is his name birth and death. i have his death certificate that shows he died at West Ham Union Infirmary. All the details are shown in the photo. i was wondering if his cause of death could have been caused by Mustard gas. wondering if anyone could help or offer some advice into searching for him.
thank you.
-
No Silver War Badge recipient under that name. There is an A. Browning discharged (wounds) 18/8/16 Rifle Bde. His MIC gives first name as Alfred. He attested shortly after the outbreak of war.
No way of knowing if it's him though.
A bit more on him. Soldiers effects gives NOK as brother Frederick, also mentioned are Richard, George & Alfred.
Different A. Browning.
-
At the time of his death his death cert says he is a costermonger so not serving then. Aged 37 when the war started, if he had not volunteered previously, he was in the age bracket for conscription in 1916. However, if he had served and been gassed and invalided out there would be a medal card for him and as jim1 says a Silver War Badge even if his detailed record was lost in the second war bombing.
Like you (and jim), I find no identifiable service record so would be inclined to say that he didn't serve, perhaps because of his lung condition?.
maxD
-
Thank you very much for your help. I do have a photo of someone from my family in uniform, I'm trying to figure out who it could be, but nobody in my family seems to know who it is. I thought it could have been Alfred as he died in 1917. I guess this rules him out.
-
You need to put up a decent photo of his cap badge if there's one visible.
-
The photo I have does not Show the cap badge clearly, here is the link to the photo I have https://flic.kr/s/aHskDoRBEN, sorry I would post it but this site doesn't allow me to post images from my phone or iPad.
-
The photo isn't of a Rifle Brigade man so not jim1's man (I hope he will agree). As we don't think your man served then not him either.
maxD
-
This man has the DCM.
The Alfred Browning I mentioned was in the 1st. Batt. RB no. Z1878 meaning a Special Reservist.
He was discharged well before your Alfred Browning's death in 1917.
I wouldn't completely rule him out but there's no way of offering anything provable.
-
This is all I know about Alfred
Born: Sep 1877 Islington
Death: 3rd Jan 1917 West Ham
Father: Stephen Browning 1852-1890
Mother: Elizabeth Faulkner 1854-1921
Wife: Carrie Palmer 1875-1910
Children:
William Charles Browning 1901-1961
Henry Richard Browning 1905-1981
George Stephen Browning 1906- 1989
Albert Edward Browning 1910- 1989
-
I see him in 1911 with his mother and the four boys all under 7.
Given he was a widow with four dependents I doubt if he would have been conscripted after 1916 and, for the same reasons, it would seem unlikely he would volunteer.
-
I agree with mirl, and given the cause of death, I doubt he would have been medically fit to serve anyway.
-
I agree with mirl, and given the cause of death, I doubt he would have been medically fit to serve anyway.
Yes, exactly...He would have failed the medical. In addition, he died in the "Union Infirmary", the Workhouse Infirmary.... If in the services, he would have been in a military/Red Cross / VAD hospital, or convalescent home, not in "the bun"
-
Chloe,
Your man is wearing an economy tunic introducing in 1915. The photo dates form 1915 onwards.
However he has previous military service as he has a medal ribbon on his pocket. This appears to be Boer War but you would need to check.
The cap badge is indistinct as it appears blurred but it is likely to be Essex Regt or Northamptonshire Regt or possibly Norfolks. Unfortunately the detail is lost by his movement or its reflection.
-
I stand to be corrected, but the cap badge looks very much like the Royal Engineers to me.
-
Chloe,
Your man is wearing an economy tunic introducing in 1915. The photo dates form 1915 onwards.
However he has previous military service as he has a medal ribbon on his pocket. This appears to be Boer War but you would need to check.
The cap badge is indistinct as it appears blurred but it is likely to be Essex Regt or Northamptonshire Regt or possibly Norfolks. Unfortunately the detail is lost by his movement or its reflection.
Any chance you would know what the medal ribbon could be? :)
-
The Queens South Africa Medal African Boer War 1899 -1902.
-
It's none of the badges mentioned... I am certain this is a VTC badge.... I'll try and look it up... It would explain his death in the bun...
-
The VTC were not wearing 1915 economy tunics as they were not allowed to wear Regular Army khaki as VTCs. They had their own pattern of uniforms in a variety of shades and cuts such as the Norfolk jackets.
The VTCs became Volunteer battalions of the Army late war and were then allowed to wear khaki tunics with the Royal Coat of Arms as a cap badge or their associated battalions. In fact for a number of regts they were authorised to wear the obsolete TF battalion cap badges with blank honour scrolls that the TF had ceased to wear in 1916.
It's possible but unlikely, it is VTC and probably not Alfred. I don't suppose the photo is dated?
A blurred RE cap badge is a strong contender; although the wreath looks wide and the crown is not clear at all.
-
My mums cousin has the original photo,she found the photo when clearing out my Great Uncles house when he died, I will have to get in touch and see if she still has it, and wether it has any info on the back :)