Michael Posted 6 December , 2003 Share Posted 6 December , 2003 I don't have SDGW to hand but I'm guessing that John died of wounds sustained in the German counter attack at Cambrai in November/December 1917. After a very succesful attack by the British, the Germans counter attacked on 30 November. The 6th Buffs were part of the 37th Brigade, 12th Division. The right of the Battalion was breached and the Germans attacked the brigade HQ behind them. They were beaten off by brigade staff but by now the left flank of the Buffs was also heavily engaged. The battalion made a succesful counter attack on Pam Pam Farm and held it for 3 hours. They couldn't hold on any longer and had to retreat with desperate hand to hand fighting in shell holes as they tried to reform a line. Confusion reigned as the Germans were on their flanks aswell as in front and behind them. They managed to reform their line but the action had cost the Battalion 14 officers and 317 other rank casualties. The Buffs were relieved the next day and were again shelled, tthis time by gas shells. They then moved out of the line to await re-inforcements Also lost in this action was Capt HL Morley MC. He had his upper jaw smashed by a projectile and was captured on the 30th. He died in a German field hospital on 2nd December. I often wonder what went through his mind. If I'm down in the dumps I remind myself that nothing can ever be worse than what Harold went through for the last 2 days of his life. Steady the Buffs Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted 6 December , 2003 Author Share Posted 6 December , 2003 (edited) I'm back at home now after my night shift and have been looking at the circumstances of John's death. SDGW states that John was born and bred in Broadstairs, Kent. It also states that he was killed in action but I believe that this incorrect for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the war diary states that the battalion was marching to Albert on the 6th and preparing to move by train to Thiennes. The diary is shown below. Secondly, two of the men from the battalion that died of wounds on the 5th and 6th are buried in the same cemetery. There were a number of men buried in these plots by Germans. Were they captured in the fighting and died in German hands ? Michael One more thought before I get some well deserved kip. Could he have actually been KIA on the 30th Nov and found by the Germans on the 6th Dec? That date would then become his date of death because nobody knew better. Terry D - is there anything you could add from the registers? Interestingly, the youngest John Granger in Kent for the 1901 Census was a 19 year old postman ! He born in was from Ian B's manor at Southwark, not Broadstairs. Edited 6 December , 2003 by Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christine liava'a Posted 6 December , 2003 Share Posted 6 December , 2003 Name: GRANGER Initials: J A Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Private Regiment: The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) Unit Text: 6th Bn. Date of Death: 06/12/1917 Service No: 203530 Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: V. E. 11. Cemetery: LE CATEAU MILITARY CEMETERY With no age given, this makes it harder Using Ancestry search ( which is the same as FreeBMD) England and Wales, Civil Registration Index: 1837-1983 has 3 matches for: John Alexander Granger In England A collection of indexes to Birth, Marriage, and Death records for England and Wales, between 1837 and 1983. Name Year Quarter Record Type County Volume Page Granger, John Alexander 1850 March Births Kent 5 535 GRANGER, John Alexander 1875 March Marriages Kent 2a 1081 Granger, John Alexander 1876 September Births Kent 2a 850 Checking each of these gives 1)Name: Granger, John Alexander Record Type: Births Quarter: March Year: 1850 District: Thanet County: Kent Volume: 5 Page: 535 2)Name: GRANGER, John Alexander Record Type: Marriages Quarter: March Year: 1875 District: Thanet County: Kent Volume: 2a Page: 1081 3)Name: Granger, John Alexander Record Type: Births Quarter: September Year: 1876 District: Thanet County: Kent Volume: 2a Page: 850 Possibly no 3 is our man, and the other 2 are his father If he is no 3, he should be in the 1881 census aged 5, and the 1891 aged 15, with faher also John Alexander, in Kent. In the 1881 census is the entry Dwelling: No 2 Chandos Place Census Place: St Peters, Kent, England Source: FHL Film 1341236 PRO Ref RG11 Piece 0991 Folio 4 Page 2 Marr Age Sex Birthplace John A. GRANGER M 31 M Broadstairs, Kent, England Rel: Head Occ: Plasterer Mary GRANGER M 36 F Monkton, Kent, England Rel: Wife Occ: Plasterer Wife John A. GRANGER 4 M Broadstairs, Kent, England Rel: Son Jacob H. GRANGER 1 M Broadstairs, Kent, England Rel: Son Elizabeth PITTOCK W 64 F Preston, Kent, England This could be young John Alexander living with his parents John Alexander senior and Mary Granger, and an aunt,- a widow, Elizabeth Pittock, and younger brother Jacob H Granger. If this is him, and he was born in 1875, then he was 42 in 1917 More checking would be needed to confirm that this is him, and there could possibly be a wife and family There are 2 Granger pages ; Granger Genforum and Granger Message board[ Neither mentions this family although other Grangers living in Kent are mentioned From the IGI on Familysearch , several John Grangers are found being registered in Minster on Thanet, Kent, in the1600s , so he may come from an old Kent family JOHN GRANGER - International Genealogical Index Gender: Male Christening: 15 APR 1610 St Mary, Minster On Thanet, Kent, England 330. JOHN GRANGER - International Genealogical Index Gender: Male Christening: 19 FEB 1645 St Mary, Minster On Thanet, Kent, England 331. JOHN GRANGER - International Genealogical Index Gender: Male Christening: 09 AUG 1674 St Mary, Minster On Thanet, Kent, England Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 6 December , 2003 Share Posted 6 December , 2003 The original CWGC register adds nothing - not even n-o-k. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christine liava'a Posted 6 December , 2003 Share Posted 6 December , 2003 While checking the 1881 census, I discovered that the street John A Granger lived in was full of uninhabited houses, as was the next one he lived in No 2 Chandos Place Census Place: St Peters, Kent, England No 1 was inhabited by the Bearman family, no 3 uninhabited, no 4 the Walters , nos 5, 6, 7 uninhabited no 8 the Chapmans, no 9 jane Green and Wm Volekman nos 10, 11, 12, 13 uninhabited no 14 the minister Mr Wallsted and family no 15 2 families then Chandos Cottage- inhabited then Chandos Square- 10 buildings only one inhabited. Strange! Can anyone explain this? The ones that are there seem respectable people, I don't think it is a slum area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pete Wood Posted 6 December , 2003 Share Posted 6 December , 2003 The street might have just been built....?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alison Arnold Posted 6 December , 2003 Share Posted 6 December , 2003 Got him on the 1901 census age 24 occupation house decorator. Unmarried and he has also left home. If he married it was after 1901. I'll keep digging. Ali Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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