Special Reservist Died of Alcoholic Poisoning at the end of December 1914: How could it have happened?

[rolt968]

I think I should be discrete about this man as there may be descendants and the war memorial on which he is commemorated says that he was killed in action. I will therefore not mention name, number or unit or the exact date of his death in the open forum. (I am willing to supply that information in a PM if anyone is inteserested.)

I came across this man by accident looking for someone with with a similar name.

He died during the "festive period" 1914. Many of the records give the cause of death as bluntly "alcoholic poisoning". These include a pension card, a medal roll and the death record at Scotlandspeople. The pension ledger says "drinking" and the Resister of Sodliers' Effects says "in the field through drinking".

He was in his mid 40s and a special reservist. (I haven't found out when he enlisted in the Special Reserve yet.) He had previous service as a regular from the autumn of 1887 to 1899, having possibly added a few months to his age when he enlisted. He did not go to France until just over a month before his death. He has no known grave.

I have looked at the war diary of his battalion for the date(s) involved. I think that at least three of the four companies were in the line over the festive period. There is no mention of his death or indiscipline or Christmas or New Year celebrations.

Can anyone suggest how his death might have happened. I would have expected that at the front someone would have noticed that he was drinking so much as to poison himself. (Come to think of it, I'm not sure that I have evidence that he reached the Front. "In the field"?)

RM

[high wood]

He may have had long term alcoholism but equally could have drunk some illicit spirit distilled illegally, probably in a barn behind the front lines. It happens a lot, even today where people drink illegal booze.

Edited 12 July by high wood

[rolt968]

3 minutes ago, high wood said:

He may have had long term alcoholism but equally could have drunk some illicit spirit distilled illegally, probably in a barn behind the front lines. It happens a lot, even today where people drink illegal booze.

Thank you,

I had wondered about illegally distilled spirit since it could be impure or contain the wrong kind of alcohol. (Interesting, I can remember being warned by one of my chemistry teachers to avoid home distilled alcohol.)

Could he (and possibly others) have found a local civilian store like a (chateau?) wine cellar?

His serial number seems to suggest that he enlisted about the end of September or beginning of October 1914. I had originally thought that he had gone to France quite late. But enlisting relatively late it looks normal or even a bit early.

RM

 

[Matlock1418]

26 minutes ago, rolt968 said:

Could he (and possibly others) have found a local civilian store like a (chateau?) wine cellar?

I suppose it's a possibility

Death can occur by drinking excesssively large amounts of alcohol [even the better stuff containing ethanol I believe, whether from beer, wine or spirits, and not even the bad methanol that can be found in home-distilled hooch] through the aspiration of vomit into the lungs, amongst other dubiously joyeous side-effects.

M

Edit I bet @Dai Bach y Sowldiwr could give us chapter and verse on alcohol poisoning etc. - As a professional medic of course [certainly no innuendo intended anywhere in there Dai!]

Edited 12 July by Matlock1418
edit

[high wood]

Have you looked for him on the 1911 Census? It might reveal his occupation, which might possibly show easy access to alcohol such as a publican or in the brewery trade. If he was an alcoholic there may well be reports of drunken behaviour in the local newspapers. I obviously cannot look him up without his name, so if you do not have access to FMP, please send me a P.M.

[rolt968]

17 minutes ago, high wood said:

Have you looked for him on the 1911 Census? It might reveal his occupation, which might possibly show easy access to alcohol such as a publican or in the brewery trade. If he was an alcoholic there may well be reports of drunken behaviour in the local newspapers. I obviously cannot look him up without his name, so if you do not have access to FMP, please send me a P.M.

He married in 1913 giving his occupation as "General Labourer". When he enlisted in the 1880s he was a factory worker. I will check the newpapers.

I was a bit surprised that the army had taken him in 1914 as he forty three. I  wonder if he gave a lower age.

I think I am going to add the war memorial he is on to my research list. According to the memorial another man was serving in the Liverpool Regiment when he was actually serving in a New Zealand regiment.

RM

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

12 hours ago, Matlock1418 said:

I bet @Dai Bach y Sowldiwr could give us chapter and verse on alcohol poisoning etc. 

Well, if we're betting, I'd put my money on accidental overdose with an alcohol that was in used somewhere in the lines for a bona fide reason, like meths, industrial alcohol, perhaps from a medical/ nursing source. Alternatively a strong alcohol pilfered from  civilian sources  or home distilling in France.

Even if he were a pre-existing alcoholic with access to cheap spirits in civvy street, I fail to see how he could have accumulated and stored a sufficient quantity in a military setting, that he could consume a fatal dose. I suppose that home distilleries  out in rural France could have been accessible of sorts to the soldiers. It still goes on there legally today, as they do in Crete with home made raki (as I know only too well...)

On balance, it's likely to be industrial or clinical alcohol or meths doesnt it? Such things still happen in this country from time to time, but there are regular mass deaths  in countries like India, Iran, Peru, Mexico.

Edited 13 July by Dai Bach y Sowldiwr

[Matlock1418]

7 minutes ago, Dai Bach y Sowldiwr said:

Well, if we're betting, I'd put my money on accidental overdose with an alcohol that was in used somewhere in the lines for a bona fide reason, like meths, industrial alcohol, perhaps from a medical/ nursing source. Alternatively a strong alcohol pilfered from  civilian sources  or home distilling in France.

Even if he were a pre-existing alcoholic with access to cheap spirits in civvy street, I fail to see how he could have accumulated and stored a sufficient quantity in a military setting, that he could consume a fatal dose. I suppose that home distilleries  out in rural France could have been accessible of sorts to the soldiers. It still goes on there legally today, as they do in Crete with home made raki (as I know only too well...)

Cheers Dai. 

M

[Keith_history_buff]

9 hours ago, rolt968 said:

He was in his mid 40s and a special reservist. (I haven't found out when he enlisted in the Special Reserve yet.) He had previous service as a regular from the autumn of 1887 to 1899, having possibly added a few months to his age when he enlisted. He did not go to France until just over a month before his death. He has no known grave.

The 3rd (Reserve) Battalion of most county infantry regiments was a pool of trained men, used to send drafts to the BEF. 

The demographic of the Special Reserve changed very quickly. Ex-soldiers were able to enlist in the Special Reserve. For a limited time, from 6 August 1914 to 7 November 1914, supplementary terms of service were in place, to mop up the pool of ex-soldiers. (Army Order 295.) They were quickly sent across the English Channel. A year later, a lot of these men were transferred to garrison battalions. The manpower crisis of autumn and winter 1914 had been and gone.

Those younger men with no military training or experience were put in the New Army battalions, for a prolonged period of training.

[stevenbecker]

Mate,

All to common in that age but also across the board.

My records are full of such men and not all died but suffered from it.

As old soldiers we all know the problems drink can and does cause, and many late nights in the Sgts mess 

Here's some I recorded

GILL    George Richard    412    Pte    6 LHR    C Sqn C Troop tos B Sqn 7-15 (G) to 2 LHTR 3-16 to AProvC Police HQ 8-16 rtn 2 LHTR 12-16 FGCM 11-4-17 AWol sentenced 90 days HL to Citadel 4-17 rtn CSqn/6 LHR 7-17 to batman 2 LHTR 5-18 rtn 8-18 to hosp (scabies & peonphigus) 8-18 died acute alcoholism & heart failure at 14 AGH buried Port Said War Memorial Cemetery Egypt Ex 01 LHR (861) DNE

BOLAND    Sinon Bernard         Capt    02 LHR    8R Tos 10-15 (G) to hosp (sick) 1-16 RTA MU alcoholism disch 8-3-16  (Boer War 6 QIB DSO MID WIA 1-12-01 minor at Tinter's Kop) wrote book "I Should Smile" 1910 AKA Simon Bernard Boland

GRIBBON    William    725    Pte    7 LHR    2R tos B Sqn 8-15 (G) to hosp (alcoholic) 1-16 rtn 2-16 to 2 LHTR 3-16 FGCM 24-4-16 drunk sentenced 6 months HL RTA discipllinary under escort as prisoner reemb 22R to isol camp 1-17 to 2 LHTR 1-17 Tos A Sqn 2-17 att 7 MVS 2-17 rtn 3-17 to hosp (fish bone throat) 5-17 to 2 LHTR 5-17 FGCM 9-6-17 drunk sentenced loss 9 days pay rtn A Sqn 7-17 t/att rest camp Marakeb 8-17 to hosp (VD) 3-18 to 2 LHTR 4-18 to hosp (gastro) 5-18 rtn 6-18 FGCM 9-6-18 AWoL sentenced loss 14 days pay to hosp (pyrexia) 10-18 rtn 11-18 to hosp (influ) 12-18 to 2 LHTR 1-19 to hosp bronchitis) 1-19 RTA invalided MU disch 21-5-19 alcoholic

DILLON    John Joseph    1009    Pte    02 LHR    6R to rear Dtls 7-15 to B Sqn 10-15 o Mudros 11-15 to (1 FAmb) hosp Mudros (synovitis) 12-15 (G) rtn 1-16 att WFF 1-16 to hosp (VD) 1-16 to Arty Dtls 5-16 to AATD UK 6-16 to 4 DAC 8-16 to Gnr HQ/11 FAB 10-16 to 41Bty/11 FAB 1-17 to hosp (influ) 7-17 rtn 7-17 to hosp (mental alcohic insantiy) 9-17 rtn 10-17 MM - for his actions at Dernancourt 5-4-18 WIA 12-8-18 chest shrapnel at Amiens rtn 10-18 to T/Bdr 11-18 revert 11-18 FGCM AWoL 25-2-19 sentenced 60 days detn to Lewes Detn Bks 3-19 F&B to AIF depot (4 com) UK 5-19 

GALVIN    John James    1721    Pte    03 LHR    12R to OS Base 12-15 to hosp (salivary calcalus) 1-16 to 1 LHTR 3-16 to Arty Dtls Tel el Kebir 5-16 to 1 ADBD Etaples 6-16 to hosp (alcoholism - injury to shoulder) 6-16 to hosp (epilepsy) 7-16 F&B to AIF depit (2 com) Weymouth UK 9-16 RTA MU epilepsy disch 14-2-17 brother Thomas 3 LHR

KENWARD    Thomas Gloyien    3056    L/Sgt    6 LHR    23R to Dtls camp 3-17 to AASC Trg Dtls 4-17 to hosp (mental alcoholism) 5-17 RTA invalided MU old wound & defective vision disch 22-9-17 Ex Sgt 7Co AASC (1164) WIA 15-5-15 L/arm shrapnel (G) RTA wounded disch 30-8-16 relist shown relist AAMC Sea Transport "HMAS Encounter" Samoa Relief Expertion (95922) Sgt to Wo2 disch 3-2-19 (British TA 2 years) AKA Thomas Glazier Kenward
 

[RaySearching]

There is  a number of soldiers and sailors listed as having died from alcohol poisoning during the Great War

I have come across several sailors who were found dead  in there bunks the following morning after a heavy drinking session

and also a soldier who was in hospital having been wounded in action. a comrade having smuggled in and provided him with a bottle of spirits  he died in hospital of alcohol poisoning 

I am sure a number  of cases of Alcohol Poisoning by soldiers during the Great War could be found if the will is there

a quick search found  a couple of examples

Source Ancestry

Ray

[mancpal]

This may be simplistic but could he, given his age, have been utilised within range of the services Rum stores?

Simon

[rolt968]

Thank you to everyone for the extremely valuable suggestions so far. They give me a lot to think about.

I can't help feeling that somewhere I have been missing something.

26 minutes ago, mancpal said:

This may be simplistic but could he, given his age, have been utilised within range of the services Rum stores?

Simon

That's an interesting suggestion.

When I first started to open this thread I realised that I don't have any evidence that he actually reached the front line. It's an interesting thought that he might have been found a job which wasn't in the front line.

RM

[mancpal]

If there is any mileage in my suggestion I would have thought that a man of his age (though no doubt experienced) would be more likely to fulfil a role away from the front line which is why I thought of stores.

Simon

[rolt968]

4 minutes ago, mancpal said:

If there is any mileage in my suggestion I would have thought that a man of his age (though no doubt experienced) would be more likely to fulfil a role away from the front line which is why I thought of stores.

Simon

I agree. As far as I can find out so far he had no military experience after 1899.

RM

[WilliamRev]

On 12/07/2024 at 21:08, rolt968 said:

I was a bit surprised that the army had taken him in 1914 as he forty three. I  wonder if he gave a lower age.

Just a small detail: ex-Reservists who signed up for the National Reserve, and were passed fit for foreign service, were fed into the Special Reserve and were able to serve abroad until the age of forty-five (raised from forty-two at the end of August 1914), as long as they had some military experience.

 (From Ian W. Beckett, Britain’s Part-Time Soldiers: The Amateur Military Tradition 1558-1945 (Barnsley: Pen & Sword, 2011 [1991]), p.2220

William

[Keith_history_buff]

Up to 30 September 1914, 74,846 men re-enlisted under Special Reserve terms of service, for 1 year or duration of war, AO 295 supplemental terms. Of these 64,223 were in the infantry.
Source: GARBA

The man who died of alcohol poisoning is one of these men, having enlisted mid Sep 1914.

In many instances, given they are time expired, it will be in excess of 12 years since they had enlisted.

[DavidOwen]

My friend's grandfather died 25th December 1916 at Le Havre from alcohol poisoning too. We visited his grave in May. He was a Boer war veteran recalled to the colours, served in Essex Regt and MGC was wounded and re-deployed to the base at Le Havre.

Nearby was another soldier's grave who died on the same date - his cause of death was listed as "accidental"  so could be completely unrelated.

[JMB1943]

On 12/07/2024 at 06:49, rolt968 said:

The pension ledger says "drinking" and the Resister of Sodliers' Effects says "in the field through drinking".

Can anyone suggest how his death might have happened. I would have expected that at the front someone would have noticed that he was drinking so much as to poison himself. (Come to think of it, I'm not sure that I have evidence that he reached the Front. "In the field"?)

RM

The only occasion that I have seen place of death listed as “ in the field” is for a soldier who was one of those shot at dawn .

This would have been well behind the front line, and was presumably described as such to spare the feelings of the man’s family.

Regards,

JMB

[Keith_history_buff]

Commemorated on a CWGC memorial in France.

Were 1st Battalion Black Watch out of the line as at 31 December 1914? Presumably so, as being intoxicated in the front line won't have been seen in a positive light.

[Gunner Bailey]

On 12/07/2024 at 22:07, mancpal said:

This may be simplistic but could he, given his age, have been utilised within range of the services Rum stores?

Simon

There were a few cases where individual soldiers drank a large proportion of an SRD jar and died. There was once a case where a man downed a few gulps from an SRD jar and died but in that instance the contents were disinfectant. 

[mancpal]

I understand that SRD jars could contain any number of liquids, a bit like a water container that had previously contained fuel. As someone who has learned a little about addiction over many years (friends and family) his ‘problem/illness’ may have been completely unknown to those closest to him. Addicts are frequently devious though not necessarily bad people.

Simon

[rolt968]

3 hours ago, Keith_history_buff said:

Commemorated on a CWGC memorial in France.

Were 1st Battalion Black Watch out of the line as at 31 December 1914? Presumably so, as being intoxicated in the front line won't have been seen in a positive light.

They were in the line. I will need to check, one company might have been in reserve.

[rolt968]

6 hours ago, WilliamRev said:

Just a small detail: ex-Reservists who signed up for the National Reserve, and were passed fit for foreign service, were fed into the Special Reserve and were able to serve abroad until the age of forty-five (raised from forty-two at the end of August 1914), as long as they had some military experience.

 (From Ian W. Beckett, Britain’s Part-Time Soldiers: The Amateur Military Tradition 1558-1945 (Barnsley: Pen & Sword, 2011 [1991]), p.2220

William

This is very interesting.

Strictly speaking (unless he re-enlisted after 1899) he wasn't ever a reservist. He served twelve years with the colours.

Assuming that when he enlisted in 1914 he gave details of his previous service, the army would believe that he was at least 44. since he had lied about his age in 1887. (I must look up exactly when he enlisted in 1887 and exactly how old he siad he was.)

RM

[rolt968]

3 hours ago, JMB1943 said:

The only occasion that I have seen place of death listed as “ in the field” is for a soldier who was one of those shot at dawn .

This would have been well behind the front line, and was presumably described as such to spare the feelings of the man’s family.

 

That's interesting. I had tried to work out what the phrase was meant to mean. The only implication that I could think of was that he did not die in hospital (or equivalent).

RM