Genealogy Forum UK

There is a tale in our family that a (Possibly James Patrick) Gillen born abt 1868 Leeds and a Charles Henry Baxter born abt 1867 Leicester got into some kind of trouble and were given the choice of going to prison or joining up. They supposedly joined the Leicestershire Regiment, got sent overseas to the "Indies", where Charles Henry Baxter cut his leg on some coral. This turned gangarene and the leg was amputated. He survived this and went on to marry the sister of the Gillen. They married in Leicestershire in 15th Aug 1888. It is true he only had one leg but how he lost it is a mystery, the story could be true. Any ideas?

There is a Charles Henry Baxter born abt 1865 in St. Margarets, Leicester who joined the Leicestershire Regiment in 1883.

His discharge papers say he was never wounded yet his service deatail says in 1884 he was wounded and a little later had a "local accident".

He was recommended for discharge on the 6th March 1890 due to Osteo Arthritis.

Sometime between the 14-05-1890 and 17-06-1890 his leg was amputated (doesn't say which) from the lower 1/3 of his thigh and the stump sealed.

This was due to degeneration of cartilage of articular surface of bone.

So he lost his leg to arthritis.

This was in Tetley. Before that he was in Bermuda.

Apprently he commited some crime in Sep 1932 and his pension was stopped.

Sned me a personal message with your e-mail address and I can send you his records.

James Gillen, born abt 1867 St Marys, Leed, Yorkshire, joined the Leicetershire Regiment early 1885.

He fought in Burma 1887-1889 and the Boer War in South Africa 1900-1902.

First of all, may I apologise for late reply. The recent storms have done extensive damage to my garden, big clean up ongoing.

For over 20 years I have been searching for these ancestors and never found anything to confirm the story of "Army or Jail".

It was also my first post on this site and I cannot believe you found them for us. Many Many thanks.

Regards Jean