A WW1 Private described "General Labourer" by wife - Is that... a thing?

[Annbee]

My query is about a wife's description of her husband's occupation on their child's birth certificate in WW1. He was a Private with 2/8th Battalion Warwickshire, these details most of which she recorded. But then she added "(General Labourer)"at the end. This was in Dec 1915 when I think his battalion was probably still in England. (Happy to be corrected)

I believe the 2/8th Warwickshire arrived in France in May 1916. Her husband was killed "in action", 6 months after the birth, on 26th June.

He was killed just before the Battle of the Somme started, so I guess he was at the front between Givenchy and Arras or Amiens. (The location I am just guessing from information in newspapers and his subsequent burial at Pont Du Hem). From Soldiers Effects registers I can tell that only a handful of soldiers from the 2/8th died on the same day as my uncle.

I am curious about "General Labourer". I realise that trenches had to be dug, structures built and general tasks had to be done. Was this something most Privates had to pitch in with - or was it a formal job given to a few? I have read that Labour Corps were being formed early 1916 to support Battalions.

I've also read that "From early 1916 onwards conscripted men with health too poor for fighting were also assigned to these battalions (ie Labour Corps), twelve of which had been formed by June that year". In his civilian life he was a salesman, probably on the skinny side from unemployment - not obvious manual labourer material. Perhaps they managed to feed him up in the Army.

As far as I know, he wasn't conscripted, his number was reg no 3730 and in the few records of his service still existing, I haven't found any reference to his Corps other than he was in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment. He would have enlisted in Birmingham and was older than the average soldier, he was 37 when he died. (Although his age is incorrectly recorded as 27 by the Army).

Has anyone come across "General Labourer" as a soldier's description before and does anyone know more details of what this may have meant?

Your thoughts are much appreciated.

[jim1]

It's not usual to put down civilian occupation if the father
was in the army.
It may be she was unsure which was the more accurate so put both.

[Annbee]

It's not usual to put down civilian occupation if the father
was in the army.
It may be she was unsure which was the more accurate so put both.

Thanks Jim, you may have a point. I've assumed he was a salesman in 1914 (my last record was him self describing as " gentleman's outfitter" in 1911). But he was at the Loveday Street Working Man's Home, so perhaps he had to find labouring work instead.

Glad you replied. A few years back you'd posted a little tree of the Beach family of Tanworth, one which Avery Scales once had, but no longer had, on their company website you'd posted in response to someone else's query. And finding that tree became THE key to my solving a decade long puzzle to my Beach ancestors. (I'm descended from that tree's 'Richard of Winson Green', the brother of Thomas Beach the Scale Maker if that makes sense). Anyway - big thank you! (I should add, lots of research and evidence, I'm not just clutching at that tree as if it were a last straw )

[jim1]

You're welcome.
I can tell you he fell while manning a section of trenches just S.W. of
Armentieres in the Laventie sector.

[Annbee]

he fell while manning a section of trenches just S.W. of
Armentieres in the Laventie sector.

I can't believe it, Jim, you've done it again! How?! How do you know this? Are there more details to be had? Am I able to access the source?

Thomas Richard Beach, his life and his death, has been the main motivator behind all my research. I've been wanting to 'clear his name' from family judgement calling him a black sheep, which was passed down from his own father. Contemporary family has literally been describing him as this, which is no way to remember a man who had his struggles and, from what I've found, he should be admired for his efforts. The nature and location of his death has been the last piece of the puzzle.

Gee, thank you AGAIN Jim.

UPDATE: Probably the trench line of Fauquissart in Laventie? The ANZACS were there too, they refer to it as the Nursery trenches (but of course soldiers still died there). It's far more north than I had thought earlier. Great to know!

[jim1]

you need to go to this map & look for M.29 thru' to M.24
https://maps.nls.uk/view/101464978

[jim1]

I don't want to throw maps at you but this is a better than the one above.

[Annbee]

Throw as many maps as you want Jim, I'm a mapaholic. I use the national maps archive all the time. Didn't realise they had a war section.

Is that second map from the same archive - and I can trace where Chapigny Farm is on another zoom able map?

I will have to do it tomorrow though. It's pumpkin hour here so I must stop for now.

So... He was at or near Chapigny Farm do you think?

[jim1]

The 2nd. map is from elsewhere.
The farm is at the northernmost end of where they were.
He could have been anywhere along the yellow line.
Enjoy your hour with your pumpkin.