A thread which many with varying POV!
Good on it!
(This post was last modified: 2017-08-29, 04:29 PM by Pssst.)
Good on it!
A thread which many with varying POV!
(This post was last modified: 2017-08-29, 04:29 PM by Pssst.)
Good on it! (2017-08-28, 01:38 AM)jkmac Wrote: 1. Cages don't filter out magnetic fields. But where we do filter out magnetic fields we sometimes observe unusual effects. Thanks for the efforts!
Re-reading the Saunders case more closely, it's now become apparent that it doesn't say he died in August 1917, only that he joined the war that month. (So he died sometime between August '17 and November '18).
(This post was last modified: 2017-08-29, 05:26 AM by Ninshub.)
"He told my brother he had been killed in France, and my brother asked him when he had gone out. He replied that he had gone with the 'Big Draft in August 1917'. My brother asked him why he called it the Big Draft, and he said: 'Don't you remember the Big Draft, when the Colonel came on the parade ground and made a speech?' This reference was to a particularly large draft sent out to France that month (...)" (p. 90) And a little later concerning the bit that Obiwan referred to: "(The Corporal) pulled (his diary) out of his pocket, and together they looked back until they came to records of 'B' Company during 1917. Sure enough, the name appeared there, Eric Saunders, f.q., August '17' with a red-ink line drawn through it; f.q stood for fully qualified, and, though my brother knew the meaning of the red-link line, he asked the Coporal what it meant. He replied: 'Don't you remember, Mr. Findlay, I always drew a line through the men's names when they went away. This shows that Saunders went out in August 1917.' (p. 91) This other bit is also of interest: "Unfortunately my brother did not ask Saunders the name of his regiment, and consequently I could not trace his death, the War Office, without this information, being unable to supply me with any details beyond the fact that over 4,000 men of the name of Saunders fell in the War. Men came to Lowestoft from all over the country for training, so my brother had no record of Saunder's regiment." (p. 91) Earlier in the chapter, p. 89, the deceased gave the name "Macnamara" as to the Company commander he was attached to during training. ---- From this site: http://www.greatwar.co.uk/research/milit...wealthdead Quote:Soldiers and Officers Died in the Great War 1914-1919The listings for “Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914-1918” can be consulted in person for free at the Imperial War Museum London (Department of Printed Books) or The National Archives, Kew, Surrey. So obviously one of the PQ UK members will have to travel to London and visit the War Museum this coming weekend. Waiting for your report. (2017-08-28, 11:44 PM)Obiwan Wrote: I don't know if this helps but I've found a couple of Ernest Saunders, died in France in 1917 after August. My understanding is that the august date was the date the draft left the UK training centre, not the date he died. In fact I'm not sure whether Saunders said when he actually died. I think the 'fq' in the corporals notebook meant "fully qualified" so unless old Ernest was very unlucky, he perhaps died after August. Did I miss something? Does that help? I'm happy to fish out my copy of Edge Of The Etheric if it would help Yes, I agree - I posted earlier that I had stupidly understood "gone out" to mean died, whereas in fact it means "gone out to France", so the death could have been after August 1917. The "Soldiers Died" database that Ninshub mentions is the one I tried initially. It can be searched for free online, in response to which dates of death are displayed. But I think the Commonwealth War Graves Commission database (free online) is likely to be more complete, as there are ongoing efforts to make it as accurate as possible. And it includes, for example, people who died prematurely owing to the war, even after the war had ended. I can't find an Eric Saunders who died in or after August 1917. It would be possible to check soldiers' documents for men named Eric Saunders who survived (they are also on ancestry.co.uk), as those might mention Kessingland. But otherwise I'm not sure what could be done. Perhaps a specialist on First World War research might be able to suggest something.
I don't think it was 'stupid' of you at all. We're exploring and discussing it. I found at least two Eric Saunders between August 1917 and August 1918 who died in France. I'll try to copy and paste the search result later.
(2017-08-29, 02:16 AM)Ninshub Wrote: Are there records of soldiers that died in specific battles - like looking through the battles that occurred in France in August '17? Or which regiments were involved?I'm sure that info is held somewhere. Possibly not online. It's interesting. I'm glad chris is asking questions and searching the records. (2017-08-29, 09:48 AM)Obiwan Wrote: I don't think it was 'stupid' of you at all. We're exploring and discussing it. I found at least two Eric Saunders between August 1917 and August 1918 who died in France. I'll try to copy and paste the search result later. No, it was stupid. I had a vague thought that "going out" might be a peculiarly spiritualist expression, something like "passing over". However, it was quite late and my critical faculties may have been dulled by the odd glass of wine. If you've found some Erics that I missed for some reason, that will obviously be interesting. I understand there are quite detailed diaries recording the movement of different army units, so maybe the "going out" date could be confirmed.
It would help if I searched for the right name of course <eye rolling> ERIC not ERNEST. Sorry.... checking...
(This post was last modified: 2017-08-29, 06:31 PM by Obiwan.)
What do you think of this..
(This post was last modified: 2017-08-29, 06:54 PM by Obiwan.)
SAUNDERS, E Private 116024 21/10/191 Gun Corps (Infantry) United Kingdom I. A. 9. HIGHLAND CEMETERY, LE CATEAU (sorry if it is one you've already mentioned) The only other info I could get was this: "SAUNDERS, Pte. E., 116024 18thBn. Machine Gun Corps (inf). 21st Oct., 1918. Age 24.Son of Henry and Mary Saunders, of "South View" Mulfoirds Hill, Tadley, Basingstoke. " Apparently this is the name on the gravestone too. I am guessing he'd have been born around 1894? I'll try and check the census for 1911 and see if he appears in full name on it. |
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