1/7 Northumberland Fusiliers

[zace66]

Hi there I hope someone can help me out in working out what happened to my ancestor.

Pte Ernest Short
Service No 291259
Enlisted 7/4/16
Wounded December 1916
Discharged 21/3/17   discharged due to wounds

The thing is as far as i can work out 1/7 Northumberland were at a lull in December 1916
Findmypast gave notes as   Fmly 7/4508, Silver War badge No.201617, what does that mean?

Any idea how i trace this.  I have his death in 1956, so his wounds were not fatal (well not in 1917)

Any further help appreciated.

[KGarrad]

The Long Long Trail (www.1914-1918.net) has this to say:

1/7th Battalion
August 1914 : in Alnwick. Part of Northumberland Brigade, Northumbrian Division.
Record same as 1/4th Battalion up to February 1918.
12 February 1918 : transferred to 42nd (East Lancashire) Division and converted to Pioneer Battalion.

1/4th Battalion
August 1914 : in Hexham. Part of Northumberland Brigade, Northumbrian Division.
April 1915 : landed in France.
May 1915 : became 149th Brigade, 50th (Northumbrian) Division, in France.
15 July 1918 : reduced to cadre strength and transferred to Lines of Communication.
16 August 1918 : transferred to 118th Brigade, 39th Division.
10 November 1918 : disbanded in France.

50th (Northumbrian) Division
1915

In early April the Division was warned that it would go on overseas service and entrainment began on 16 April. By 23 April the Division had concentrated in the area of Steenvoorde. It had arrived just as the German army had attacked at nearby Ypres, using poison gas for the first time, and was rushed into the battle. The Division then remained in France and Flanders and took part in the following engagements:

The Battle of St Julien=
The Battle of Frezenburg Ridge=
The Battle of Bellewaarde Ridge=
= the battles marked = are phases of the Second Battles of Ypres

1916

The Battle of Flers-Courcelette*
The Battle of Morval*
The Battle of the Transloy Ridges*
* the battles marked * are phases of the Battles of the Somme 1916

The Silver War Badge was given to those invalided out, to wear as a reminder to others as to why they weren't actually serving. I.E. they weren't to be branded as cowards!

See:
http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/northumberland-fusiliers/
http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/order-of-battle-of-divisions/50th-northumbrian-division/
http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/how-to-research-a-soldier/campaign-medal-records/records-of-the-silver-war-badge/

[zace66]

yup yup - still trying to work out specifics.
Ive found these 2 images - but no idea where to go now to find the actual injury.

[KGarrad]

G.S.W. = Gun Shot Wound

K.R. = King's Regulations.
Para 392 (xvi) = No longer physically fit for war service.

[RRTB]

Another interesting link too: http://www.1914-1918.net/soldiers/swbrecords.html

[km1971]

You may find the battalion war diary here - http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/british-army-war-diaries-1914-1922/

Other Ranks are rarely mentioned but it may say that two men were wounded by snipers (for example). Or during a trench raid.

Ken

[jim1]

Other Ranks are rarely mentioned

Absolutely right of course but you should take a look at this one.
The CO of the 1/7th.  has listed every man with rank & number on a monthly basis as to where they were.
Intake of new men,men on courses & men in hospital with dates.
I've not seen any diary like this one.

I'm not sure who we are looking for Ernest or Herbert.
Also the SWB card is a different Herbert Short.
As far as I can tell we're looking for Herbert Short 7/4506 renumbered (1917) 291259.
Is this correct ?

I've looked at the musters in the diary from Nov. 1916-Mar. 1917 & your man isn't listed as being wounded or going to hospital. during that period.
Could he have been wounded prior to Dec. 1916?

[zace66]

wow thanks, makes great reading.
No, the only info I have is the above documentation.   and the findmypast record stating wounded/sick Dec16

From what i can tell he enlisted at a deadly time going though some of the worst battles, so maybe they were behind on the paperwork?

Poor Herbert (yes its Herbert Im looking into (his brothers were Cpt Walter, leonard, Henry Hisher, james Horace, George Albert, Ernest, William Percy (sister was Ada) most were ministers too!)

Thanks again.

[jim1]

Had another look & there was only 1 OR reported sick Dec. 1916.
In the diary itself it names him as Pte. Harris. He died of wounds at no. 5 CCS on the 5th.
What were you looking at on FindMyPast?