New Data unearthed

momat · Post by **momat** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 8:01 am

Found this on a search .

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7940540.stm

Ted · Post by **Ted** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 8:41 am

Maureen

That is brilliant news - well done for spotting it. What huge task it will be - and of significant benefit to genealogists and historians. Not forgetting those who do not know where lost soldier relatives lie.

Ted.

Lorna Allison · Post by **Lorna Allison** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 3:17 pm

Thanks for that Maureen. Maybe by 2014 I will be able to find the final piece of the puzzle of my family's particular sad tale.

Lorna

Post by **Anne H** » Sat Mar 14, 2009 4:42 pm

Hi Maureen,

I caught a little bit on this fantastic find on BBC America new's report last night. Thanks for sharing the link.

Roll 2014...there are sure to be a lot of happy people who might have the chance of finding one of their own.

Regards,
Anne H

Currie · Post by **Currie** » Sun Mar 15, 2009 2:20 am

Thanks for that Maureen,

It’s like one of those “old trunk in the attic” stories. I wonder what happened to the U.K. WW1 Red Cross records. The news item just said that the U.K. copies no longer exist.

During WW1 the Wounded and Missing Enquiry Bureau of the Australian Red Cross (describes as a branch of the British Red Cross) was responding to enquiries made regarding the fate of Australian personnel. The resultant case files include eyewitness accounts of deaths. They can be downloaded from the Australian War Memorial. I don’t know whether the enquiries were made by the British Red Cross or by Australian Red Cross personnel in Europe. http://www.awm.gov.au/redcross/intro.asp

I’ve only had reason to look at a couple of these but more than likely some of the material from the Swiss Red Cross ended up in these records. Here are some of the eyewitness reports from a file I’ve seen. The records in the Swiss database, because they are concerned with communications between opposing sides, are unlikely to include this sort of eyewitness to death in action type of material. This fellow was killed New Years Day on his first day at the front.

A.I.F. 20
Corner, C.A. 6849
K. Jan. 1st. 1918. Det. D/B
On the night of Jan. 2nd, at the Frolinghien front, Armentieres sector, we were on patrol. We were seen and m.gs. opened on us with a cross fire. We lay down, but Corner got it in the head and was killed at once. We had to leave him and get back as we could. Next night I and Cpl. Sparks and two S/Bs. Sutton and Spies went out and brought Corner in, and he was buried in the cemetery at Cantankerous Farm just behind the lines. He came from Cessnock N.S.W., a very good clean living lad, every one liked him. A marksman too he was, in XII platoon. His father is a sergt. of police.
Inf. Sergt. A.H. Johnson 6799. C.XI. 55 Gen. Hosp. Boulogne. 4.3.18.

20th Battn. A.I.F.
Corner Cpl. 6849
“Killed in Action 1-1-18”
Re 6849 Pte. Corner C.A. 20th Battn., A.I.F. He was killed by a machine gun bullet while on patrol on the night of 1-1-18, and was buried in the Military Cemetery at Tancrez Farm, Le Bizet Capt. Hope, who was our Chaplain read the service. I and some of his mates attended. The grave was done up and a Cross put up by his mates.
Letter from:- Sutton J.L. In the field. 24-3-18
London 3-4-18

20th A.I.F.
Corner. C.A. 6849 C Coy.
K. Jan. 1/18
“We were on patrol at Frelinghien near Armentieres, when Corner got sniped, hit in the head, and died in a few seconds. He was buried in the cemetery at “Motor Car Corner” not more than two miles from where he was killed. I have seen his grave it is marked with a wooden cross with his name No. etc. on it.”
Eyewitness: Yes, when he was killed, right alongside.
Description: Tall, dark, just joined the Batt. first time he had been in the line.
Informant: Pte. Robert Jones. 4453 20th A.I.F. C Coy. XII Pl.
Coombe Lodge Hospital, Great Varley, Essex.
Home address: Windsor Rd, Riverstone, N.S.W. Australia.
E. Wontner. 17/4/18.

Hope that’s interesting,
Alan