Casualty Lists

[beardie]

hello jim.
checked my clippings , have nothing on him

just in case you dont know! the papers you need to check are 'the county express' at stourbridge library or dudley herald (coseley history centre)

beardie

[jimwilliams]

Thanks Beardie!
Those are the kind of leads I needed. When newspapers no longer exist it is is hard for relative newcomers like myself to know where to start looking.

My wife and I are off to Ypres in May for our second visit to Langemark where we hope to re-trace great uncle George's footsteps to the front line trenches which, I believe, were situated where the rear wall of the Langemark German Cemetery now stands. Then we will visit his grave in Cement House Cemetery on the Boezinghe to Langemark Road.

Many thanks

[beardie]

jim,
forgot to say, phone and book the microfilm reader in advance

he is listed on st pauls memorial in blackheath, but not listed in rowley regis roll of honour (blackheath ward)?

let me know if you need any help?

steve

[jimwilliams]

Thanks Steve. I thought I might have to book as we are all at this genealogy thing these days!

St Paul's sounds right as he was living with his parents in Beet Street Blackheath at the time of his enlistment at Halesowen.

A few years ago the family tradition had it that he was "blown up by a shell" but I have found his marked grave and visited it near Langemark. I now know he was killed during the action to take Namur Crossing with the 4th Battalion.

I will let you know how I get on over the next few weeks - we are off to re-trace his steps to the front line in May.

Many many thanks
Jim

[jimwilliams]

Hi Steve
I booked the microfiche reader at Stourbridge Library and trawled through the 'County Express' for 1917 and 18 but to no avail I'm afraid. It was a good idea though as I found a number of men from Blackheath.

I know that information was censored and strictly controlled but by looking at some of the papers you would have hardly known there was a major war on! It's a bit different today when journalists are embedded with regiments on the front line. Most of the references in the papers were for men who had perfomed some act of gallantry - or who were local officers / sons of dignitaries, and then it was difficult to identify exactly where the event took place due to censorship. It was an interesting morning at the LIbrary nonetheless. Thanks for suggesting it.

Have checked out St Paul's and you are right his name is there so thanks for that.
regards
Jim

[beardie]

sorry you did not find him in the county express

i always on the look out for information on rowley regis council area men,
me moms family come from blackheath and me dads from oldbury ! im still in the area!! i will keep a eye out for him.

if you need any more help, email me at bottom of page

steve

[jimwilliams]

My great uncle's regimental number was 38312 as shown above.

How can I tell if he was a conscript (under the Derby Scheme) or a volunteer?

Does his five digit number indicate that he enlisted after January 1916 and that he was likely to be a conscript?

Many thanks

Jim

[Pete Thomas]

Hi Jim, please accept my apologies if you have already tried this but you can find out whether he enlisted before or after 1st Jan 1916 by checking his medal index card (search "national archives medal - costs about £2). This will tell you whether he was entitled to the Trio (1914 or 1914/1915 star, British War Medal and Victory Medal) or the Pair (British War Medal and Victory Medal). If he was entitled to a star this will tell you when he first served in a theatre of war and which theatre he first served in. If he falls into this bracket please post the relevant information and it can be interpreted by a member.

Have you asked someone to search Ancestry.com? His service records may have survived (2/3rds were lost in the WW2 Blitz). I haven't got access otherwise I would check but maybe one of the other members can help?

Hope this helps

Good luck
Pete

[jimwilliams]

Hi Pete

Many thanks for that suggestion - I have not tried to do that but will do so. My wife and I will be off to Ypres next week to trace my great uncle's footsteps and we have pieced together a good deal of what happened to him at Poelcappelle but, of course, we do not know how he got there or what other actions he may have fought in, if any.

I have tried ancestery but he seems to have popped up from nowhere although I now have his birth certificate (for 19.09.1898) which puts him at just 19 when he died.

Many thanks - I really value ideas provided on this forum and they have already given me a lot of information.

Cheers
Jim

[beardie]

jim,

found a clipping on 38173 pte wilfred perks of the 4th worcesters killed the same day as your relative! the newspaper article states he was enlisted aged 18 and had been in france for 6 months.

hope this is some help?
steve

p.s. pte perks was also 19 when killed

[beardie]

forgot to say pte perks was from lye

[jimwilliams]

Hi Steve

Thanks for that information

I think my great uncle would have followed a similar route to the front - we know he enlisted in Halesowen and was 18 in September 1916.

I am off to find the site of Namur Crossing near Langemark next week - the 4th's objective on 9th October 1917. When I get back, I intend to write up my notes on the movements of the 4th Bat between 6th - 10th October 1917 so if you or anyone else is interested in an email copy then I have no problems with sharing the information I have found. Just let me know if it is of any interest.

Thanks again

[jimwilliams]

Hi Steve

Just one interesting bit of information I have on Pte Perks

He does not have a marked grave but his name is on the Worcestershire Regt panels (75 - 77) of the Memorial to the Missing (ie the curved wall) at Tyne Cot Cemetery.

We will be going there next week so I will see if I can find his name.

Regards
Jim

[beardie]

hi jim,
the newspaper article states pte perks was killed by a shell! might be the reason he doesnt have grave. i will be happy to receive a copy of your notes! have you read stacke's history on the movements of the 4th at the time?

steve

[jimwilliams]

Hi Steve

No I haven't read Stacke - but I will follow that up. Thanks for the information again - you are a veritable mine of it!!

I will let you have a copy of my notes when I have them written up

Regards

Jim