Guest Hangleton Posted 15 August , 2004 Share Posted 15 August , 2004 Hi All I'm new to the forum and have been researching family history now for many years, recently started on "my lot" in the great war. I found one of my ancestors (via CWGC site), buried in Cambridge, died age 23, 1 Dec 1916, a Driver as per the title of this post. Number was T4/23649 (does "T" mean training?) My question is, were servicemen invalided back to Cambridge after being wounded (i.e could he have been wounded elsewhere but died in Cambridge or nearby - seems a bit unlikely to me), or would the brigade have been training near Cambridge? I really can't understand how he came to be buried in Cambridge Having read other posts I'm sure someone will point me in the right direction Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 15 August , 2004 Share Posted 15 August , 2004 Hello Hangleton, welcome to the forum T4 indicates that your man had been enlisted into a unit of the new army. It does not stand for training. The unit name, 4th Provisional Brigade Train, indicates service in the UK. It is quite likely that he died of an injury, sickness or natural causes in the Cambridge area. Whether he had returned from overseas is difficult to say from these facts. A good early step to take would be to visit the National Archives website (here) and see if you can find his medal index card. If he is not there at all, there is a good chance he never made it overseas. If he is, he did so. If he did not qualify for a Star, he did not go overseas before 1 January 1916. Hope that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 15 August , 2004 Share Posted 15 August , 2004 When a serviceman died in the UK (whether by wounds, accident or illness etc), the relatives were allowed to select the burial location. However, they had to pay the cost of transporting the body from where the death had occurred. Many could not do this and so the body was buried in a local cemetery near where they had died or in a military cemetery if one was available nearby. Where was his family at the time if they did not live in Cambridge? It is possible that they could not afford the cost of returning the man home or did not want to for some reason. As to why he was in Cambridge - possibly in hospital there or was based there. I am sure someone will know if there was an appropriate base nearby. Welcome to the Forum. You have found the right place for answers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hangleton Posted 15 August , 2004 Share Posted 15 August , 2004 Ok, thanks He has no medal index card, I just thought I'd missed it or it was misindexed, or indexed under his initial or something - I ran out of time at the PRO because I'd found the complete service record for my gt grandfather so I was rather engrossed in that and getting a copy of it before I left! In fact his family were from the area, but were not living there at the time. Thanks again for your help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Pattenden Posted 15 August , 2004 Share Posted 15 August , 2004 The 1st Eastern General Hospital (1,173 beds) was based in Cambridge during the First World War. It is possible that he died there. Hope this is of help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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