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General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: lough81 on Sunday 27 May 18 23:46 BST (UK)
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Hi all, I'm looking for death cert of my gguncle Kia ,aubers ridge 090515 any ideas?
Thanks I
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http://www.researchingww1.co.uk/how-to-order-a-death-certificate might be useful.
I've never used that site, I generally get the information from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website (CWGC) https://www.cwgc.org/
Philip
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Thanks Philipsearching I will try that, I have been on the CWGC site to establish where he is buried but would love to know more about the morning of his death as he has a mid in the gazette 010116,
And I believe a previous MID. Unfortunately his regiment the munster fusiliers were disbanded in 1922 so the records are difficult to access
J
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The battalion war diary http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14052741 (also on Ancestry) carries a detailed account of the Battle of Aubers Ridge noting that other rank casualties were 50 killed, 191 wounded and 129 missing.
The entry for 15 Jan 1916 lists the honours and mentions related to the battle with no detail other than the names. Guesswork says he is Private Barry but I may have got the wrong one! With his name one may be able to find another MID.
MaxD
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Should have added that the death cert is likely to say only killed in action, it will give no detail.
MaxD
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Thanks MaxD, I am wondering where first of all the death cert is, is it in the GRO in the UK of in the Irish GRO?. His name O'Donoghue Andrew Sjt. 5459
Rgds J
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ROI was part of the UK WW1, so UK GRO
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From GRO War Death Army Other Ranks (1914-1921)
Andrew O'Donoghue Year 1915, page 429, line 9. Death year 1915, service no. 4/5459
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I guessed wrong! He is among those listed in the diary on 15 Jan 1916 as MID for the Aubers Ridge.
The diary actually lists him as missing rather than killed in action. The CWGC site confirms that he was found after the war, identified by his clothing and boots and the name on his watch and reburied where he now lies. It also gives his company (B Coy) which helps when one reads the diary.
MaxD
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Hi all and thanks for those replies. I must get a copy of the war diaries to see if there is an entry relating to the Mid(s) and also must get on to uk gro although I know the Irish gro has pre independence records but perhaps the military ones stayed in the UK. I read how he was identified but am wondering what happened to his watch after it was returned to the army? Was a sergeant provided with an army issue watch or was it a personal possession?
Rgds J
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A little more. Longlongtrail has a good piece on the battle including a map showing the "southern pincer" where 2 RMF were deployed
http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/battles/battles-of-the-western-front-in-france-and-flanders/the-battle-of-aubers/.
In close up the map/image at:
http://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=15&lat=50.5696&lon=2.7660&layers=101464978&right=BingHyb
shows the section of the Rue du Bois from square 9 to square 10 which was the section for 2 RMF across which the attack took place (ignore the trench markings, they are from 1917, can't find a 1915 one!) The place where Sjt O'Donoghue was found after the war is in square S 16, where the ploughed field is today.
The only entry relating to the MID is, as I posted before, the listing in the war diary for 15 Jan 1916.
It will be interesting to see what the certificate says in that officially, until he was found, he was "missing presumed dead".
MaxD
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There were issue pocket watches (wrist watches came later, 1917 onwards) but my guess is that his would have been a personal item engraved with his name, an issue watch would not have his name and any serial number would be untraceable after the war.
There is by the way no sign of another MID in the London Gazette.
MaxD
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Thanks for all your hard work MaxD, it is greatly appreciated. The information that there was a second mid came from a source in an association working to remember those on the western front, but when I checked back with them they couldn't find the record. The burial at Cabaret Rouge clearly states identified by uniform, boots and watch and clearly states the watch was returned, but to whom (Info from CWGC site)?,regards and thanks j