Cologne Southern Cemetery / Royal Fusiliers

[charlie962]

If you have access to fmp newspapers and search for drowned Rhine there are a number of incidents recorded but not your man. Various ranks and scenarios- most of which have already been suggested earlier in this thread. Examples:

Pte Boulton 23RF attd AOC drowned 17/8/19 attempting to save two Germans.

Cpl Sidney Williams, presumed drowned. Clothes found on river bank.

 

 

[charlie962]

Boulton that I mention is presumably same as Bolton named by charlie2 much earlier?

[seaforths]

The problem is, and what we tend to forget is that the WW1 files, including the War Diaries have been heavily weeded on more than one occasion over the years since that war. The weeding was pretty indiscriminate. The paper trail we would like to see has quite possibly been removed in that weeding process. Given that they may not have known why he disappeared and it may have taken some time for the body to be recovered, any inquiry instigated into his death could have taken place later than 12th August and may not have concluded until much later because they couldn’t start an inquiry until they had a body. Once they had a body, which may have been later than 12th August (as the date of death could be retrospective), they would then have to try to determine the circumstances surrounding his death. I would be looking at the diaries of Bn, Bde & Div. for August, September through to the end of October. If such an inquiry was conducted by Provost then the result may have filtered through to Division at some point - whether that record survives…I would also be looking at the bigger picture regarding the diaries of other Bns. sometimes a unit might make comment on something that happened with another unit - something along the lines of body of a man found because some diarists were more meticulous than others.

 

Once I have dinner out the way tomorrow and Boxing Day soup made on the morning, I will pull my maps and lappy downstairs and see what I can find out…I did copy/photograph some British Army occupation maps of Germany at Kew some time ago from 1919 so will take a look at those too.

Till then y’all have a merry one!

 

[seaforths]

On 24/12/2021 at 09:38, charlie2 said:

The War Diary for July/August records the Bn was in the Marialinden sector and mentions the villages/towns of Drabenderhöhe, Höhe, Grützenbach and Marialinden itself, all of which are 30-40 Kms east of Cologne. D Coy moved to Cologne-Kalk on the east bank of the Rhine on the 8th August. The nearest river to the Marialinden sector is the river Agger but as you pointed out, one doesn‘t need a river to drown.

Charlie

Had a good look at the info. I can find Drabenderhohe, Hohe & Marialinden but not Grutzenbach in Meyer's Orts which is unusual and I have tried various spellings. As you say, the river Agger is the main body of water in the area with a few streams round and about. They liked the word Hohe and there are about 24 entries for that but looking at a map the one of interest is right by Marialinden. It's a pity these maps are not colour because they are wonderfully detailed and unfortunately, I don't have the corresponding map to the east of this to show Drabenderhohe...

 

This one, courtesey of TNA...

[seaforths]

This is probably the second best map I have of Coln/Kalk. Unfortunately, the most detailed map I have is 102Mb so the file size is too big for it to go here...

 

[seaforths]

This is a small section of the east bank from the big map that shows some detail of the river and looking particularly at Deutz where the barracks were, there seems to be a swimming platform there?

 

[seaforths]

A lot of industrial stuff going on along the east bank and a lot of boating/shipping on the west. There are also a number of ponds/lakes on the west side of the city - plenty of places for accidents to happen with the river a major factor - although rivers running through major cities tend to suffer from polution from industry and boating traffic and not very pleasant places to swim.

 

[charlie2]

7 hours ago, seaforths said:

I can find Drabenderhohe, Hohe & Marialinden but not Grutzenbach in Meyer's Orts

Grützenbach is probably listed as Ober/Niedergrützenbach in the directory.

 

[seaforths]

Thanks Charlie, I will take another look at the maps. I had photographed the entries from the book that I had checked and was going to post them knowing you would probably be able to translate them but they are riddled with a lot of abbreviations that are mainly for the locations of amenities and the key of abbreviations is at the front of the books and I'm guessing that you don't have the list.

Also, if they were stationed at Kalk, who was occupying the garrison at Deutz, I wonder?

I also think that the best option would be to apply for a death cert from the Records Office which I think I mentioned in a previous post and someone else did mention it too (I think). I did order about 4 or 5 in the past and the cost a few pounds each. I ordered and paid over the phone so it was quite easy to do. They came in a couple of weeks but weren't that helpful for me as they were for POWs and as the Germans determined the cause of death, I don't think the British believed them and in all but one case the British version just said 'Died'. However, after the hostilities had ceased, the death certs might be a bit more informative.

[KizmeRD]

Sorry, I’ve no information for you regarding the drownings, but you may be interested in seeing a few photos of the British Occupation Army Camp in Overath (1919). 

MB

Believed to be ‘London Division’ camp (formed from elements of wartime 41st Division).

Edited 30 December , 2021 by KizmeRD