RootsChat.Com
General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: Coffey on Monday 19 March 12 21:36 GMT (UK)
-
Hi
I have found my gt grandfathers death on the WW1 graves roll, he was a merchant Navy seaman from Southern Ireland. He died in 1915.
Listed as;
"Killed or Died by means other than disease, accident, or Enemy Action"
Location of grave:- Not recorded
Cemetery Address:- Body not recovered for Burial
I was wondering if anyone would know if there would be a cenotaph with his name on it? Or if you had to die in action? Also, would he have received any medals?
Thanks for any help on this matter.
-
CWGC will tell you the memorial he's commemorated on.
http://www.cwgc.org/
And medal cards here:
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/browse-refine.asp?CatID=45&searchType=browserefine&pagenumber=1&query=*&queryType=1
-
Thank you for this, I got very excited. However, no info on either memorial site or war medals.
What could this mean? Maybe he died of natural causes and was not entitled?
Many Thanks :)
-
Easiest if you give us a name (and date of birth, place of birth etc) and we can check around for you.
-
Coffey have you a name for him?
-
His name is Thomas Kiely. He died 7th Dec 1915 and his death was registered in Ireland. His age is listed as 36 (however I think this is wrong)
He served on the HMS Orbita Royals Naval reserve, 2221C Dev
His rank is SMN
Thank you all for interest/help :)
-
http://www.cwgc.org/search-for-war-dead/casualty/3042491/KIELY,%20THOMAS
Ah, Royal Naval Reserve!
Not merchant navy after all, I imagine that's what was causing confusion
He died of illness.
http://www.naval-history.net/xDKCas1915-12Dec.htm
-
Wow!!! Thank you so much :D
My mistake :-\ Sorry about that! I can't even read my own handwritting :)
I am SO happy....thank you for your help! I have been banging my head against a brick wall :-)
-
I guess you've found this by now: http://www.dropbox.com/gallery/46109062/1/HMS%20Orbita?h=7d2ef0 and also the basics on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Orbita
The Ship's Log might just shed some light. It's at the National Archives at Kew, not digitised; for the one covering this death you need
ADM 53/53490 1915 December 1 - 1915 December 31
-
Thank you GrahamSimons :) I haven't seen those photos before, they are fantastic.
I will have to head to Kew and have a look at the log.
:D
-
Don't get too excited about the log. It may say absolutely nothing about the ship's company and only state position, speed and course, stocks of coal and water, possibly names of officers joining/leaving the ship. I went looking for one death some time back and - despite it being an officer - not even mentioned by name but the fact they'd sent a burial detail ashore was mentioned. However you will find out where the ship was at the time and what she was doing.
Oher very long shots might include finding the officers' names and investigating whether they had left memoirs or notes or investigating the Imperial War Museum's holdings. There is correspondence there from a very distant relative of mine who was killed in action when HMS Monmouth was lost with all hands, for example. In this case the Record of Service was very thin indeed: the one-word report "Promising" and then "DD" - Discharged Dead.
I have just discovered that service records are available for RNR Ratings in the series BT377 - see this link http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/royalnavalreserve.htm - so there's another target for you
-
Hi
You should be able to get a copy of his Royal Naval Reserve record from the Fleet Air Arm Museum, RNAS Yeovilton, Ilchester. Google for their website and email address. They charge around £20 for a copy for an individual.
Where was Thomas Kiely born?
Hope this helps
best wishes
ernestjames