Self inflicted wound?

[John_Hartley]

I know you cannot libel the dead, but I won't mention the name of the chap I've come across.

I know he went overseas joining the 1/6th Cheshires as part of a draft on 29 January 1915.

The press reports that on 16 February, whilst in the trenches, a rifle was accidentally discharged wounding him in both legs. He went through the casualty chain, reaching hospital in England where he appeared to making a recovery, but deteriorated and died some weeks later. Nothing mentioned in either the Bn history or the War Diary extract on the mother site.

Nothing particularly unusual so far.

However, the press went on to report that whilst he was being buried with military honours "owing to certain circumstances, it was not expected that any of the deceased's regiment would be able to attend the funeral." Struck me as most odd as, certainly in 1915, the Reserve Battalion of the 6th Cheshires liked nothing more than a turn-out for a good funeral.

What do you reckon? Disgust at him shooting himself or something much less sinister (or more)?

John

[Max]

Hello John

On the face of it, it looks like a tragic accident. I would have thought that to shoot yourself through both legs with a Lee-Enfield would be quite difficult.

Andy

[harribobs]

Just a thought, if it wasn't a self-inflicted wound and it was the cause of some shame......

http://1914-1918.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=17550

???

[Kate Wills]

You might well have to treat yourself to a copy of his death certificate to get further to the truth. As you say it is unfair to draw unfavourable conclusions, but I wondered like Harribobs if he had done something to find himself on the wrong end of a Lee-Enfield. An accident leading to death should have prompted attendance from his mates in the unit - maybe he didn't have any, or maybe the we are scandalmongering because of bad reporting by the local press.

[Annette Burgoyne]

Hi John

Have you looked at his 1914-15 Star medal roll entery, that may tell you if he self inflicked, I have been looking through the Shropshires 1914-15 Star medal roll and have come across serveral self inflicked wounds.

I have just been looking at one lad of 20 who died of self inflicked wound on 2-12-15, with a bit of a twist to it. His unit's war diary records that he committed suicide on the 1-12-15 while in the front line. He is buried at Estaires, which is some distance behind the lines which makes me think that his mates and officers must have throught he was dead but he was found to be still alive at some point have being carried from the battalions lines and died next day at c.c.s.

Annette

[John_Hartley]

Gwyn

No - I'm sure there's something odd here.

The paper is quite happy to report about the injury and the fact that he is to be buried with miltary honours. Normally, in such circumstances, the Cheshires' Reserve Bn would parade; provide the escort; firing party and bugler. But in this case they seem to be saying that they are not coming out to play. There doesnt seem to be a follow-up newspaper report of the funeral so can't check if they did actually parade.

John

[Guest Ian Bowbrick]

John,

There would have been a court of enquiry to establish the cause of his death and whether it was an SIW or not, but as Andy has said to shoot yourself in both legs must have been quite awkward. If hi service record has survived there may be a copy of the enquiry transcript in it.

Ian

[Max]

Thinking about it, it is quite a wonder that more incidents such as this did not occur, or maybe they did and I just haven't noticed them. A combination of semi-trained men, explosives and firearms is a very dangerous combination.

John

Have you checked the movements of the reserve battalion for the period....maybe they were on maneuvers or some other training commitment.

Andy

[Guest Ian Bowbrick]

Perhaps they did but were recorded as something else at the time. What has always surprised me is the level of detail of individual records that I have seen considering the number of men in the forces, the commonality of surnames and the level of technology available ie no computers, typed letters and manual searches for files and records.

Ian

[John_Hartley]

OK. Thanks for the tips. I agree self-inflicted doesnt seem right. I'll have to add this to my list of "stuff to do" for whenever I can next get to the NA.

John

[chris.wight]

I was reading through the 2nd Division, Canadian Corps' War Diary for October 1915, and came across this appended page about the procedures to be followed when dealing with self-inflicted wounds.

[Annette Burgoyne]

Chris thank for posting the procedures to be followed when dealing with self-inflicted wounds. I would guess that all the British Divisions also got such orders. It is usual to know that there were special hospitals for self-inflicted wounds.

Annette