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General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: RobinRedBreast on Wednesday 07 June 17 21:58 BST (UK)
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Hello There,
I have just found out that this above person was one of my 2x Great Grandad's. He was born in April 1884, in Pancras London. His parents were Alfred Henry Thomas Smith (born 1858 in Watford) and Mary Alice Hewett (born 1857 in Pancras, London).
I have found out that he enlisted on the 11th of December 1915, at Mill Hill, New Southgate, Middlesex, I think into the Durham Light Infantry. He had a previous service number of 6704, from the Durham infantry, according to a Transcription of Soldiers Died In The Great War.
At some point he was transferred to the 7th Battalion of The Yorkshire, and Lancaster Regiment.
He was killed and died of wounds received at the 5th General field Hospital, France, on the 4th of June 1918.
While in the 7th battalion, he was given the service number I have put in the title: 235884.
It says on his record that he was in: "A Company" of that regiment.
Does anyone know what his regiment and battalion were doing in early June, and where they were when William received his wounds please? Any information about battles they were involved in?
Any information would be gratefully accepted.
Thank you very much. :) ;)
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You can download the war diary of the battalion from the National Archives for £3.50 here http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7352917. It is also available on Ancestry of you have a sub. Best to start there.
The diary does record casualties on 3rd and 4th June although, as is normal, names are not recorded. He may have been wounded some time before his death. Just seen his pension record which confirms, as you said, that he died in hospital on 4 June so it would have been earlier when he was wounded.
maxD
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You can download the war diary of the battalion from the National Archives for £3.50 here http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7352917. It is also available on Ancestry of you have a sub. Best to start there.
The diary does record casualties on 3rd and 4th June although, as is normal, names are not recorded. He may have been wounded some time before his death. Just seen his pension record which confirms, as you said, that he died in hospital on 4 June so it would have been earlier when he was wounded.
maxD
Thank you for this.
Cheers. :)
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The area the battalion was working in was near the village of Acheux-en-Amienois. Acheux Wood lies immediately to the east of the village. 5 men of 7th Bn York and Lancs who died in late May/early Jun 1918 are buried in the Acheux Military Cemetery which suggests that he was one of the casualties in the last few days of May.
maxD
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The area the battalion was working in was near the village of Acheux-en-Amienois. Acheux Wood lies immediately to the east of the village. 5 men of 7th Bn York and Lancs who died in late May/early Jun 1918 are buried in the Acheux Military Cemetery which suggests that he was one of the casualties in the last few days of May.
maxD
Thanks very much again max.
Cheers.
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My dad was actually going through some old files on Computer today. He found a scan of a letter that my Great Grandma had passed on to us. It was actually a letter from the Nurse who nursed William, and was there when he died at no.5 General Hospital. It was addressed to William's Mother, Mary Alice Smith. I now know how he died:
"...the terrible complications which are the danger of gas poisoning developed, and though he had every attention nothing could have saved him. The poison had too thoroughly permeated his system".
We did not realise who this person actually was until a few days ago, and what ancestor William was to us.
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That is a marvellous find!
It would seem clear that he was one of the casualties on 27th May "one OR wounded and gassed" or 28th May "8 ORs wounded and gassed". The telegraph from the hospital at Rouen lists wounding in the thigh, arm and feet in addition to the effects of gas. The war diary is clear also about exactly where A Company was on those days.
I have sent you a PM.
maxD
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That is a marvellous find!
It would seem clear that he was one of the casualties on 27th May "one OR wounded and gassed" or 28th May "8 ORs wounded and gassed". The telegraph from the hospital at Rouen lists wounding in the thigh, arm and feet in addition to the effects of gas. The war diary is clear also about exactly where A Company was on those days.
I have sent you a PM.
maxD
Thanks very much for that Max.
I will send you back a PM shortly.
Cheers. :)