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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: chell on Sunday 12 October 08 04:05 BST (UK)
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Hi chatters,
I was wondering if anyone out there could tell me how I get the death records for a soldier who died in Boston 15 May 1857. He had previously served in Van Diemens Land Australia and had only just arrived over there (boston) when he died from a long illness. That is what a newspaper orbituary states. Is there any way of finding out if a particular hospital was used by soldiers during that time in Boston? Any help with this would be greatly appreciated.
Name "Thomas Browne" born around 1812. Wife was Catherine Jemott. Parents possible Joseph and Mary.
Thank you so much
Regards
Michelle
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Hi Michelle
I don't understand what a British soldier was doing in Boston in 1857. Could he have been discharged from the British army and then emigrated? If so, I would try and find him on US Immigration records. Maybe you will get a place of birth.
You have to hope this is what happened as if he died in service hey would have routinely destroyed his papers 20 years after his death.
In the meantime I will see which regiments served in Australia from 1830 onwards.
Ken
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Hi Ken,
Thanks for your response.
I am not sure why he would be over there either which is why I thought I would post on the Armed Forces board so that someone might know better than me. I guess he could have been discharged but I think I was assuming he hadn't as he left his wife and quite a number of kids behind in Tasmania. They moved to Queensland a couple of years after his death. I was kind of hoping that there would be a good reason for a British regiment to be over there at that time. I am not sure how to go about finding info in USA.
He was the deputy commissary officer in Tasmania if that sheds any light. I am really not knowledgable about these things at all.
Thanks for your help.
Cheers
Michelle
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Hi Michelle
Theres a Thomas Browne of the 73rd regiment who is listed as a soldier who was in Australia on Garrison Duty
You might like to look through this site and see what you can see !
http://freepages.history.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~garter1/b73rd.htm
Can you tell us what else the obituary said ?
Annie :)
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Hi Annie,
I took a look at the site - thanks so much for posting it for me. I don't think it is the same Thomas though because it appears to be too early for him. He was born about 1812.
Here are two little hints about him that might help out. I just don't know how to go about it. :-\
Commissary Officers Index
1. Appointed 2nd Class Clerk at Oatlands in 1830. 1st Class 1836? DAC Gen 1847. Stationed Tasman's Peninsula 1847. In Charge there from 2.8.1848 to 1857, Stationed at Hobart Town in 1852. Left colony on---------------(there is an empty space here). Died Boston USA on 15.5.57 Aged 44 years.
Entry in Launceston Examiner on 10 Dec 1857
2. DN (Death Notice). BROWNE, Thomas, Deputy ACG (Assistant Commissary General), formerly of VDL, on 15th May at Boston US after a lingering illness, 44th year.
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Hi Again
He was an officer in the Commissariat Department. In the 1850 Army List he is described as a Deputy Assistant Commissaries-General (that will be your DAC Gen), serving in VDL. He achieved the rank on 26 December 1846. His uniform was blue with facings (collars and cuffs) of black velvet. There were nine other DACGs in VDL at the time.
It gives a description of their Duties and Organization, which I will post later. DACG was the equivalent of Lieutenant. Commissariat Clerk was equal to an Ensign.
Ken