Military Hospital records

[Mandywhit]

Hi

My grandparents met when Nan was a nurse at Brindley Heath Military Hosp in WWI. Their wedding certificate gives the base as his home address and I think his military records are lost in the WWII bombing as I cannot find his record anywhere. I think he was in hosp after being gassed somewhere in France and died relativley young in 1935 so my mum never knew much about him or his family. His surname is Embleton from County Durham and there are loads of 'em!

Any hospital records will probably give his battalion or at very least his serivce reference. Any idea where I can access military hosp records, if there is such a thing?

Many thanks.

[MarkCDodd]

His Medal Card will give his battalion details.

What was his full name?

[Mandywhit]

Hi

Thanks for the reply; I realised after posting that I know his regiment (KOYLI), he embroidered the insignia when he was hospitalised. It is his origins that I am stuggling to uncover, I have gone down the usual route of Ancestry/Rootsweb/Findmypast etc and just about everywhere else, so I am thinking a trip to the National Archives is in order, so really I am trying to get as much info before I visit. I also want to get a real background feel of him, most of our ancestry we are very familiar with, being very localised, but he was from up t' north so a bit of a mystery.

His name is Robert Embleton born cira 1885, he was a miner and his marriage cert gives his rank/profession as miner I have just looked at the medal card and it states he is in the labour corps, so presumably digging out trenches? Next to this is a 6 digit number, would that be his service reference number?

[peterd]

poss his reference number please post, there were quite a few miners who worked with enginners to build tunnel under the enemies posistion fill them with explosive next attack blow up the trench above them ?

[Mandywhit]

Hi Pete,

I see you are in the right neck of the woods; his number is 613419, I think he was born at Wingate near Peterlee to John & JoAnna (sometimes Joe Hannah), but have nothing to confirm this yet.

thanks

Mandy

[apowell]

Hi Mandy,

Yes it sadly looks like his service & pension records (including medical records) were destroyed during the Blitz but all's not lost because I've found his Medal Index Card which gives us some information. He enlisted most likely with the Labour Corp on the 8th September 1914 and discharged from the Army on the 6th March 1919 due to sickness. We know this because he was awarded the Silver War Badge which gives us a little more information. The Silver War Badge would be worn by ex servicemen to show to the public that they had served and done there duty.

We know from his Medal card he first served abroad on the 10th September 1915 in France and was awarded the 1915 Star, British & Victory medals.

Robert served in the Labour Corp but was transfered to the Yorkshire Light Infantry at some stage because it states on his Medal Card- York L Reg no.16314 but he was discharged in 1919 while serving with the Labour Corp ??

Hope this helps a little.
Adrian

[Mandywhit]

Thanks Adrian, this is useful. I presumed some corps had labour/engineering corps within them, I didn't realise they was also a seperate arm for this.

He had been in the KOYLI when he was in hospital as we have the emblem he made on the wall. This gives me something to work on.

Many thanks

Mandy

[apowell]

Hi Mandy,

I'm glad I helped a little.

Soldiers who served with the Labour Corp are very difficult to trace due to the large number of Companies and varied jobs they undertook.

This is interesting:

The Labour Corps is formed

Formed in January 1917, the Corps grew to some 389,900 men (more than 10% of the total size of the Army) by the Armistice. Of this total, around 175,000 were working in the United Kingdom and the rest in the theatres of war. The Corps was manned by officers and other ranks who had been medically rated below the "A1" condition needed for front line service. Many were returned wounded. Labour Corps units were often deployed for work within range of the enemy guns, sometimes for lengthy periods. In April 1917, a number of infantry battalions were transferred to the Corps. The Labour Corps absorbed the 28 ASC Labour Companies between February and June 1917.

It's possible that Robert was in one of the pioneer Battalions (due to his mining experience) part of the Yorkshire Light Infantry prior to 1917 and when the Labour Corp was formed in 1917 transferred from the Yorkshire Light Infantry. It's also possible due to wounds received he wasn't A1 fit to rejoin his infantry Battalion and was then transferred the Labour Corp.

The problem is without his service records it's very difficult to work out.

Try and post on this forum:

Forums - Royal Pioneer Corps & Royal Pioneer Association

http://www.royalpioneercorps.co.uk

This forum is run by a very knowledgable man who maybe able to help further.

I would be very interested if you find any further information.

Good luck.
Adrian

[apowell]

Hi again,

It depends which website you check some say the Labour Corp was formed 1915 and some say 1917 ??

Very difficult to work out
Regards
Adrian

[Mandywhit]

Many thanks, gives me lots to investigate, but quickly going back to my original enquiry; if his military records have been destroyed does this mean his medical/hospital records are gone also?

Mandy

[apowell]

Hi Mandy,

Yes most of the service records would have included a brief record of the servicemans medical history, where treated and actual treatment. The pension records also would have included lots of information on any disabilites, wounds etc received while on active service.

Sadly without his service or pension records there is to my knowledge no other sources available

Regards
Adrian

[Mandywhit]

Bah! Same goes for a couple of Nan's brothers.

Thanks for you help Adrian.

Mandy

[apowell]

Hi Mandy,

It's a real shame all those records were lost during the Blitz because the wealth of information they could have given us would have been priceless.

Good luck in your research.
Adrian