Medal Card detail

[sarahjane412]

I have downloaded a copy of the medal card for Herbert Charles COLLINGBOURNE which hopefully is attached.  I know rather a lot about how Bert died (which I posted in a thread entitled 'Finding Gunner Collingbourne' in the Common Room).

Is the qualifying date when he went over to France or when he enlisted?

Sorry if this is a silly question.. and rather morbid but I am guessing the 'D of wds' refers to 'died of wounds', what if anything is the difference between this and killed in action?


Sarah

[Wendi]

Hi sarahjane

The qualifying date is the date of arrival in France.

Died of wounds means that he sustained an injury and subsequently died, maybe days, weeks or months later.

Killed in action means, by the time the medics, or whom ever found him he was already dead.

I'm sure others may have more to add.

Wendi 

[harribobs]

You may have a noticed a TF next to RHA, this stands for territorial force, a forerunner of the territorial army we have now, add that to his low service number and the fact that he was in france/flanders by october 1914 and you can say 99% sure he was a prewar part time soldier, accepted the imperial obligation and volunteered to fight abroad

[sarahjane412]

Thanks Wendi

Bert died on 4 January 1916 and the incident which led to his injuries was about 1st January so I thought that might be it.  Also thanks for the clarification about the qualifying date.

Thanks harribobs

That's just the sort in intel that it would probably have taken months to find out left to my own devices!

I requested some pages from the National Archives for around the dates of the incident from the War Diary for the 1/1 Warwickshire Battery RHA. I got the reply today but unfortunately the information from this diary has been incorporated into the 7th Brigade RHA War Diary. 

Oh well...two steps forward, one step back! 

They did send the scan of the letter stating that the diaries had been merged though (from Captain R H Osbourne, General Staff, 1st Cavalry Division) which is a lot nicer than just telling me! 

Best wishes

Sarah

 

[harribobs]

from the long long trail

" Originally raised by Lord Brooke at Warwick Castle. Battery HQ was at Clarendon Place, Leamington Spa, with a section at Coventry. The ammunition column was divided between Leamington and Henley-in-Arden. The unit was allocated as artillery support to the 1st South Midland Mounted Brigade.

The battery was duplicated in 1914 forming 1/1st and 2/1st Warwickshire Batteries.

The 1/1st was the first Territorial artillery unit to go overseas on active service spending the whole war in France. In 1915 the battery joined 7th Brigade RHA moving in 1917 to 15th Brigade RHA.

2/1st served in the UK from 1914 to 1918."

[sarahjane412]

Just posted this and it seems to have evaporated.. Here we go again and many apologies if it turns up 3 times!



Thanks again!

I've just been to look at the long long trail and will definitely be going back again. What a brilliant site.

Just in case anyone in interested I am reposting the newpaper report that took my breath away last year when I found it.  It will probably be of more interest to the folk on this forum.

best wishes

Sarah


The Coventry Herald
January 7th & 8th 1916

WARWICKSHIRE R.H.A. UNDER FIRE.
COVENTRY MEN AMONG THE FIRST CASUALTIES

The remarkable immunity from casualties experienced by the Coventry section of the Warwickshire R.H.A. during the fourteen months they have been in France has been broken at last as the result of a recent bombardment, when several Coventry men were injured by the bursting of a high explosive shell. The incident occurred at the beginning of last week when, in consequence of a German bombardment, the men sought safety in an old cellar protested by sandbags. One of the enemy shells forced its way through the structure and played havoc among the men. The son of Mr. Chattaway, architect of this city, was among the most seriously injured, and has been visited in hospital in France by his father. Latest reports state that a successful operation has been performed. Gunner Croydon, son of Richard Croydon, has been brought back to Colchester Hospital, while others injured who are well known locally are: Collingbourne, Short, Traherne (Chapel Fields), Reg. Fletcher (son of Mr. C. H. Fletcher). Except in the case of Chattaway, the official notifications of injury have not been received.
The battery, it will be remembered, was the first Territorial Regiment to go to France, arriving there on Nov. 1, 1914. They claim to have been more in action than any other battery, and have been complimented on their splendid work by General French.
Another account of the disastrous bombardment referred to is given in a letter from Gunner Croydon, who, in writing home says:- “ We all went down a cellar for safety, because they were shelling us and as soon as we got down there one of the (5.9) came in and burst. The result was bricks and bits of shrapnel were flying all over the place. About six of us got hurt – Fletcher, Short, Wiliday, Collingbourne, Barklett, and myself. I believe Chattaway was hit, but I don’t know. “Spot” (Phillips) was not there at all , so was not hurt, thank God! I was the only one able to stand, so got out and went for help. I believe I am on my way for England but don’t know. I must look funny. I was hit in the face and you can only see one eye and enough of my mouth to put a ‘fag’ in. The nurses are very good to me, and the doctor, a Leamington man (Dr. Gibbons Ward, Medical Officer of Health for Leamington) is one of the best. I am on a barge on a canal on the way to the coast. Chattaway, it is believed, is seriously hurt.”

[harribobs]

tremendous story and you are lucky to have that knowledge of how he died, it wouldn't take a lot of detective work to find out where they actually were, you just need find someone with access to the War diares ( a visit to the GWF forum might be an idea)

[sarahjane412]

hello again harribobs

I felt like I'd used all my luck up at once!  I doubt I'll get that much detail on anyone else on my entire tree.

I have just posted a message on GWF.  I realise that I have actually posted there before but with the combination of moving house, chasing too many rellies up and down branches, and a new PC I had lost the link!!   I will get more organised one day...

Anyway, fingers crossed and here's Bert