St Pierre Cemetery Amiens

[mikeysgran]

My g uncle William Fletcher (King's Shropshire Light Infantry) died of wounds on 28 August 1916 and was buried at St Pierre Cemetery, Amiens. Can anyone give me a clue to which battle he might have been involved in. Was there a field hospital in Amiens at that time? Any information would be gratefully received. Thanks

 

[darkcrystal]

Hello,

I'm not 100% sure, I was going to say the somme, I had a quick look and have found this. (perhaps a google would help verify)

Somme July - November, 1916.
Gorizia August, 1916.

hopefully it helps

 

[mikeysgran]

Thanks darkcrystal. I'll have a look at those possibilities.

 

[liz Stokes]

Hi There,

The Battle of the Somme started 1st July 1916 and continued until November 1916. I don't know if this regiment was involved.
Liz

 

[liz Stokes]

Hi again,
Sorry I meant to add that ancestry.com have a list of WW1 service records. Do you subscribe to ancestry.com? As you have some information on him it might be worth a trying. I subscribe to it so if you want to give me as much info as possible I would be happy to check it out for you.
Liz

 

[mikeysgran]

Thanks Liz. I don't have a subscription to Ancestry.com so would be very grateful for any information you can find. He was born in 1893 in Donnington Wood, Shropshire, father Edward, mother Emma (she was dead by the time he was killed). He was Private W. Fletcher, 19073 5th battalion KSLI. Home address 265 Waxall (or Waxhill) Houses, Donnington Wood. Hope this is enough information.

 

[liz Stokes]

Hi there,

Thanks for the information. I have searched ancestry and have not been able to find a srvice record for your William Fletcher, despite all the details you have provided. He is mentioned in the Medal Roll list - although I don't know what he awarded. It may be worth contacting the old regiment for details of action they were involved in at the time - I come from a service family and I can assure you that all regiments are very proud of their history and most have a wealth of information. I know that the regiment doesn't exist in it's current form but if you google the name details do come up. I did check with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and there are details of his grave there. I suspect that, going by the information you have given, that you have already done this. Just in case you havn't he died 28th August 1916 and is grave/plot 111.A.10 St Pierre cemetery. It would seem likely that,going by the dates, he may have been part of The Battle of the Somme.Records are updated all the time so something may yet come to light - after all he is on the Medal Roll List so he will have to be there somewhere!

Service records are also available for personnel who served after 1920 and families wishing to request info on deceased soldiers can contact:

Army Personnel Centre,
Historical Disclosures,
Mail Point 555,
Kentigern House,
65 Brown Street,
Glasgow,
G2 8EX

There are certain criteria to be met and a payment but it is a useful address. I am applying for my dad's service record as I know he had a particularly interesting career. Naval and Air Force records are also available.

Sorry I can't be of any more help to you but good luck in your quest.

Liz

 

[liz Stokes]

Hi Mikeysgran,

I went down to our local library today (new one - only opened on monday!) and found a large series of WW1 regimental casualties. I looked at the King's Shropshire Light Infantry volumn and naturally William Fletcher was listed. Unfortunately it did not give the details of where he was killed. It stated that he was born in Newport,Shropshire, enlisted in Wellington, Donnington Park and ,as you know, died 28th August 1916 of his wounds. It also said that he served in France and Flanders. It was sobering to see all those volumns full of names of those who died. All somebody's son, hushand, father, brother and in your case, uncle. I don't think any of us can really grasp the enormity of it!.

The book is called

SOLDIERS of the GREAT WAR
1914-1919
Part 55
The King's Shropshire Light Infantry
ISBN 1 85464 054 2

It would seem that most libraries have the books. I am sorry that I have not been able to fing out any more.

Liz

 

[mikeysgran]

Liz

Thank you so much for all the work you have put in. That book looks really interesting so I think I'll try to get hold of a copy, and I'll also contact the KSLI, or the modern-day equivalent. It all becomes so much more real when it's your own family involved doesn't it.

Regards, Mikeysgran

 

[liz Stokes]

Hi mikeysgran

The book I told you about is just a list of casualties but I am sure that just seeing your relatives name in it really brings home the reality and scale of it. I hope that you manage to find out more. Ancestry.com is making all the WW1records freely available to all for the month of November in recognition of the 90th anniversary. Have a look - you may find it interesting and maybe you know of other family members who were involved in the war.

Liz

 

[mikeysgran]

Hi Liz

Thanks for the information about Ancestry.com - I hadn't heard about that but I'll certainly go and look.

Regards, mikeysgran

 

[J_BURNS8@sky.com]

Hi, Mikey

I don't think you mentioned what Batt your uncle was in. Reading Batt on the Somme,The 7th movedd to Bethune on the 25/8.The hospital in Amiens at that time was in St Famille and Lycee girls school.Run by the New Zealand No1 Stationary Hospital.

 

[mikeysgran]

Thanks very much for that information. He was in the 5th battalion.