WW1 PoW record - need help translating

[alison300]

Can anyone read the attached which relates to Henry Pepper.  According to Ancestry and CGW records he served with 12th Suffolk's (Pte. 40345) but this mentions Essex Regt.  I can see his dob and death of death but the rest is probably in German or Swiss.

[MaxD]

The record is a list of deaths in POW camps.  It has a question mark against 12 Suffolks as if there was some question as to his regiment.  It records his birth 13 3 1885 at Ardleagh (sic) Essex and his death from a lung inflammation on 6 Dec 1917 in POW camp Hirson and his burial in the local cemetery.

This is one record only - do you see the other one for him in 12 Suffolks which has a large number of additional records associated  - too late to translate tonight.

MaxD

[alison300]

I don't know what to say except THANK YOU.  This is absolutely amazing.  I'm going to start reading through it all now.  This is the first time I've seen a PoW record (I didn't think there were any for WW1).  At first glance it looks like he was captured on 27 Nov 1917 at Bourlon - but that's a guess for now. 

I'm researching the Copford War Memorial (as well as the one for St George in the East) and hope to create a blog but I'm very much an amateur with war records and learning every day. 

My granddad was captured too so I'll now look for him as well.

Thank you so much MaxD 

[MaxD]

You are most welcome.  Please don't hesitate to ask if any of the other records need translating.  27 Nov 17 was indeed the date of capture. 

MaxD

[alison300]

Thanks - i'm sure I will be back as this site as Rootschatteers are the most amazing people.

[MaxD]

The date of his capture is a couple of days after the action at Bourlon Wood.  On 27 Nov the battalion were out of the line on their way to new billets having fought hard in an attack on  Bourlon Wood on 24 November.  The last record of B Company's position on that day is almost exactly where the Canadian Bourlon Monument to later actions was erected.  On this link
http://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=15&lat=50.1727&lon=3.1155&layers=101465164&right=BingHyb
the Canadian Monument is the circle at the Bourlon Wood end of the Avenue de Bois on todays map.

MaxD

[alison300]

Thanks MaxD.