Ernest BALLARD, 9th Battalion, Died of Wounds in Gallipoli.

[Jane Jackson]

I am currently researching the BALLARD family, born in Sambourne, Alcester and Redditch, the family of my Grandfather's first cousin Sarah Jane FOSTER and her husband Thomas.

There were 3 sons. The youngest, Arthur served in the Royal Warwickshires 1918 to 1919. The middle one, Ernest was in the 9th Battalion, the Worcestershires, and I have been unable to find if the oldest, Thomas, served in either regiment.

Ernest, who was born in 1897 in Alcester joined the 9th Battalion and was posted to Gallipoli (as was the entire Battalion I believe) in June 1915. He was Private Ernest BALLARD, no 19178. He died there on 30 November. His Medal Card on Ancestry says that he died of wounds (I think it is DOW not POW). He has no grave, but is commemorated on the Helles Memorial. He has an entry on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission site, which refers to his mother living in Studley at the time.

I would be very grateful for any information that adds to this rather sparse history. When did Arthur join the Regiment? Are the letters on the Medal Card DOW or are they POW? How is it that he died of wounds so long after the main fighting ended in late August, or did he in fact die of disease or illness brought on by the dreadful winter? If he died of wounds, why does he have no grave - or is it that they could not bury his body in the frozen or waterlogged ground? If he was a POW, what happened to him? Does his name or his picture appear anywhere?

My other question is about his older brother, Thomas BALLARD. He was born in nearby Sambourne in 1895. Is there any trace that I have overlooked of him serving in the Worcestershires?

Many thanks

Jane

[allanp]

Hi Jane

Ernest is reported in the 1st January 1916 edition of the Worcester Herald as Died of Wounds, DOW.

I have searched my Casualty information for Thomas Ballard and I have found in the 8th June 1918 edition the following information.

241431 Pte T. Ballard of Studley - Missing.

As you probable already know, Studley is only a few miles from Redditch and was probable part of Redditch in the early 1900's.

Hope this helps.

Regards Allan

[Jane Jackson]

Hi Allan,

Thank you VERY much for both items of information.

DoW seemed far more likely than PoW with regard to Ernest, but it is really useful to have it confirmed. I am still VERY puzzled as to why, if he died of wounds, he had no grave so that he only appears on the Helles Memorial.

The information about Private T BALLARD of Studley is CERTAINLY Thomas. Ernest's mother is said to be living in Studley in the CWGC information about Ernest's death.

I have now located Thomas on the Medal Cards on Ancestry. He has 2 numbers there, 241431 AND 4401, but no Battalion is mentioned. He was awarded the Victory and War medals. However, there is no reference there to his being dead or missing. I know the cards do not always reflect this information.

But I have 2 questions:

1. Why did Thomas have 2 numbers? And do the numbers help me trace his Battalion, and therefore where he was serving?

2. Is it possible to establish whether he was ever 'found', or whether 'missing' was finally translated into 'dead'.

Best wishes

Jane

[Kevin Lynott]

Jane,

there maybe a couple of reasons why Ernest is commerated on the Helles Memorial. 1. He was evacuated from the peninsula because of wounds or illness and died on the hospital ship. He would have been buried at sea and his name recorded on the memorial. 2. He DoW on the peninsula and was buried, his grave may have then been 'lost' when either it was disinterned by shellfire or by the the time the IWGC returned after the war they were unable to locate his original burial site.

There is no trace of Thomas in the SDitGW which means he may have subsequently been reported as a PoW.

Kevin

[allanp]

Hi Jane

I have checked the number 4401 on my casualty records but Thomas is not there with this number. I am sure that someone on the forum will be able to give you this information.

In the confusion of battle it was not uncommon for men to be wrongly identified. I have other cases where men have been reported killed and then end up in hospital. It is more likley that Thomas was missing (KIA) than DOW. Hense no grave.

Regards Allan

[Jane Jackson]

Hi Kevin and Allan,

Thank you both for your replies and help regarding my queries on Ernest and Thomas BALLARD. Your helpful information and suggestions have moved me a long way forward. I might well post some subsequent questions on related but specific topics. As you suggest Allan, someone might be able to help regarding the 'double number' puzzle.

Interestingly, I am beginning to think Thomas might have finally re-appeared, (I am aware that men might be wounded or POW and only found to be alive after some lapse of time), as I think I have found his actual death in Bromsgrove Registration District in the last quarter of 1966. The name, place and age all look right, though that part of Worcestershire is a hotspot for the name BALLARD. But a Death Certificate should prove if I am right.

Many thanks again,

Jane

[Kevin Lynott]

Jane,

the Red Cross in Switzerland will be able to assist you in establishing if he was ever taken PoW

Kevin

[smitd09]

I have photographs of all the Worcestershire tablets on Helles. I'll find the right one for you and email it if you'll give me you email address. You'll see on the roll of honour on this site I've provided some Gallipoli pictures already.

[Jane Jackson]

Hi there, that's a very kind offer, many thanks. My email address is whitechapelgreen@gmail.com.

Thank you again,

Jane Jackson.

[Jane Jackson]

I visited the Alcester/Reddich area last weekend, and appart from finding new information which helped me establish the fate of Ernest's brother Thomas, which I have posted separately, I also found the War Memorial in Studley, Warwickshire, where their parents were living during WW1. I was so delighted to see that Ernest was commemorated there.

If anyone wants a copy of the picture infuture, I am happy to provide it in an email. My email address is further up the posting.

Thanks to all who gave me advice on this whole set of questions.