RammyLad1 Posted 27 August , 2011 Share Posted 27 August , 2011 Frank Nuttall, Pte 24461, Lancs Fusiliers died on 9th May 1917, aged 19. I can't find any service papers for him but I have a local newspaper report that he was listed as missing on 3rd May 1917. He was subsequently known to have been taken as a POW . The newspaper report states that he died in Germany on May 9th 1917. However he is buried in Douai communal cemetery, Nord, France. Would there be any record to confirm that Frank was a POW ? If so where was he taken to? Also if he died in Germany, why would he be buried in France.( A joint grave) Duncan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Johnson Posted 27 August , 2011 Share Posted 27 August , 2011 The cemetery was a German one at the time. Frank was probably wounded but may also have been killed by friendy fire if he was held working behind the lines. TNA have PoW death certificates which are incomplete but worth exploring if you are able. Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corisande Posted 27 August , 2011 Share Posted 27 August , 2011 Yes he was a POW This is the chap The ref to WO161 is to the Nat Archives Emsdetten was a working camp in the district of Steinfurt, Germany. Doug probably can tell you more about it than I can Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RammyLad1 Posted 27 August , 2011 Author Share Posted 27 August , 2011 Doug Given the short amount of time between being a POW and his death, it would suggest that he may have been wounded as you stated, the fact that this cemetery was a German held one never even crossed my mind, Having checked the cemetery on CWGC it does confirm that the cemetery was used for burials of POW's. As his grave is a joint grave I think that whoever is mentioned on the gravestone will also have been a POW and died around the same time. I think the next step is to obtain a photo of the grave to confirm this. many thanks Duncan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RammyLad1 Posted 27 August , 2011 Author Share Posted 27 August , 2011 Corisande Thank you for that link Duncan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Johnson Posted 28 August , 2011 Share Posted 28 August , 2011 Duncan, I think that the Nuttall in WO161 is not your man. Yours was a prisoner of war for only about six days before he died. The Nuttall in the WO161 reference was a prisoner quite some time and the reference to him concerns him spending some time in prison. Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RammyLad1 Posted 28 August , 2011 Author Share Posted 28 August , 2011 Doug That eliminates the Emsdetten Nuttall, ( sorry Corisande), the National Archives are out of my reach at the moment. The time scale does suggest that he may have been wounded but if so why would the Germans have taken him in and used their resources instead of leaving him to the British to look after. I think that the war diary for the 2nd Lancs Fusiliers may provide some details, ie trench raid for information etc, also as Frank Nuttall is buried in a joint grave are the other names with him also Lancs Fusiliers from the same date? Intriguing Thanks Duncan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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