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General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: jack1601 on Monday 03 November 14 18:09 GMT (UK)
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Hi
I have been trying for some time to locate a Joseph Lee born c1885 in Leeds. On the Leeds Roll of Honour there is listed a Joseph Lee, killed, 1915 with service as follows
R4/089753 Royal Army Service Corps (RASC)
However, I have located a gravestone, at St Peter & St Paul, Ormskirk, Lancashire, showing the same service number but with the following
Private J. Lee, Army Service Corps. Died 10th November 1915, aged 28.
I am confused why it is on the Leeds Roll of Honour, with the burial in Lancashire, but with the same service number.
Any additional information or clarification would be appreciated
Thank you Jack
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The details match so they must be the same chap.
As to the reasons for burial in Ormskirk and commemoration in Leeds - there are several explanations.
Four possibilities:
1 He was a Leeds lad who was wounded and treated in an Ormskirk hospital, where he died and was buried as his family (if he had any) couldn'y/wouldn't pay for the body to be brought back to Leeds and buried.
2 He was an Ormskirk lad who went to work in Leeds before the war, enlisting there etc - when he died (presumably in the UK) his parents brought him home for burial.
3 He was a Leeds lad whose parents moved to Ormskirk and wanted his burial close to them.
4 He was an Ormskirk lad who married a Leeds lass, who put forward his name for inclusion on the Leeds roll of honour.
His death certificate might help.
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A check of CWGC shows that he served with the Army Remount Depot at Ormskirk (I think it was actually at Lathom), and that he was a native of Leeds.
The original hard copy CWGC register also confirms that he was "accidentally killed".
As he died in the UK, his family would have been offered the option of having him brought home (to Leeds) for burial, as Newburychap says, but declined for whatever reason, so he was buried in Ormskirk.
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As he died in the UK, his family would have been offered the option of having him brought home (to Leeds) for burial, as Newburychap says, but declined for whatever reason, so he was buried in Ormskirk.
The usual reason to decline was financial - the family had to pay for the transport and burial if they did it at home, in Ormskirk the Army would pay for the burial.
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Hi
Can I thank everyone for the very useful information. I am sorry I have not responded sooner but I have been out of the UK for a couple of weeks
Jack