Invalided Soldier

Post by **Pandabean** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 10:57 am

Just wondering if Invalided soldiers who later died of their illness that they had, should or will be mentioned on the CWGC?

The reason I ask is someone mentioned it to me on the Great War Forum and was wondering if anyone here also know of anything about it. My Great Grandfather was invalided from the R.N.R due to TB and then died in 1917 because of Pulmonary TB.

Also would he then be mentioned on a War Memorial as well?

Regards,
Andy

Rach · Post by **Rach** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 3:21 pm

Hi Andy,
I have someone who was invalided out of the Canadian Expeditionary Force and died in 1916. Unfortunately I can't find the information about his illness at the moment but he is mentioned on the CWGC and on the Canadian Roll of Honour.
Rae

Post by **Pandabean** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 5:08 pm

Thanks Rach. Do you know if he was discharged prior to his death or was he still enlisted/registered with the army?

My Great Grandfather, Robert T Greenlees (5010) Trimmer in the Royal Naval Reserve enlisted on the 17th Jan 1916. He served on the H.T Marie (Harbour Tug) and then on the Attentive III and discharged from that ship on the 21st May 1916. The grounds of discharge were Invalided. He was finally disposed of on the 25th of August 1916. Robert then died on the 22nd April 1917 in Livingstone,Linlithgow.

On his service record there is a letter (dated 1919 as she has remarried) from his Widow saying that he died in 1917. Also on the service record it mentions that:

25.8.16 Greenlees suffering from Pulmonary Tuberculosis. Sanatroium Treatment (Contracted in Attentive III)

Hope this all makes sense to someone.

Regards,
Andy

Rach · Post by **Rach** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 8:02 pm

Hi Andy,
I think I have misled you. On looking again at his attestation papers I see that he has two sets. He joined up in 1914 but was discharged due to chronic endocarditis in July 1915. Then he applied and was accepted again in Nov 1915 and died in 1916. I have no idea yet what the cause of death was that time.
Sorry about that. You can have a look on collections canada: Laing, George; d.o.b. 29.11.1886.
Good hunting,
Rae

StewL · Post by **StewL** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 2:42 am

Hello Andy

I did a search of the CWGC site and unfortunately there was no record of a Greenlees R T on the site who died in 1917.

Perhaps because he was officially discharged when he died, and even though he died of illness/injuries as a result of his service. As he was now officially a civilian he did not qualify for entry into the CWGC. How this would affect those who subsequently died of their injuries caused in combat I really have no idea, perhaps there is a different classification for those poor individuals.

apanderson · Post by **apanderson** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 10:45 am

Hi Andy,

As you know, I do a lot of voluntary photography for the British War Memorial Project and have found many 'family' gravestones mentioning men who were killed in action, went missing in action, presumed dead or died after they were discharged who are not mentioned on the CWGC site or any War Memorials.

I don't think there's any hard and fast rules. (Don't quote me on that though!)

I don't know the reason why they're not listed, there just doesn't seem to be one.

This might seem a bit of a long way for a short cut, but if you knew where he was buried, took the details from the stone's inscription and a photo (if there is a stone), got a copy of his death certificate (to verify the cause of his death - stating it was 'contracted during active service'. it's possible his name would then be added. I've submitted photos and transcriptions to the BWMP of unknowns or unconfirmed casualties of war and I presume that once they have this information, they can then identify them at a later date and their names and details added.

As for War Memorials, I've found this is a wee bit more complicated. To give you an example of what I mean . . . . A man born in Denny, married a Larbert lassie, lived in Larbert, is mentioned on a family memorial in Camelon Cemetery. Isn't on Denny or Larbert War Memorials, isn't on any of the Church Memorials, turns up on Bonnybridge War Memorial. The reason - he actually lived with his parents in Bonnybridge before getting married and moving to Larbert!

I don't suppose this is much help to you at the moment but maybe if you got in touch with the BWMP, found out if any of their volunteers have covered the areas your Gt. Grandfather lived, there's a possibility you could eventually solve your mystery.

I wish you the best of luck!

Anne

Post by **Pandabean** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 10:00 am

Thanks all for the help.

I have recently been in contact with someone from the Great War Forum and they said that I had a good case for putting him forward as a candidate for the CWGC. Apparently there is no set standard for soldiers discharged because of an illness they contracted in the war. But some of them do get through and it takes a while, mainly because of the MoD

I have everything on him - birth, marriage and death certificates and his service record which does state that it was contracted on the Attentive III.

I will keep you posted if anything comes of this.

Rach · Post by **Rach** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 12:55 pm

That would be something so worthwhile to explore and an excellent outcome if you are successful. Good luck and please let us know what happens.

Post by **joette** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 2:05 pm

My Mother's Uncle David Ross died three plus years after the bullet that ended his Army Service.
He was given (1919) a full Military Funeral-horses,flag draped hearse etc.He was then buried in a CWGC grave in Kilbowie Cemetery.
I know the grave is now just an ordinary one -can't remember the full facts but do know that two of his siblings never spoke to each other again because of it.
I am going to visit it for the first time over the hols & add it to my collection of photos of War Memorials etc with my rellies names on them.

Post by **Pandabean** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 8:07 pm

It was only submitted yesterday and there there is some progress. The person submitting it for me has heard from the CWGC that they have passed it on to the MoD for further study. So heres hoping.