How reliable are dates of death? The case of Arbroath man James Milne

I came across the story of James Milne when I was looking for details of men of the 4/5th Battalion of the Black watch who died as a result of a German attack on 22 March 1918. Some of them have the dates of their death given erroneously as 1 April 1918. I spotted Milne as he is not buried in France, as the rest of them were, but in Belgium. Something did not look right at all, and I decided to take a look.

James Milne’s entry in the cemetery register of Voormezele Enclosure Number 3, not far from Ypres in Belgium. (Commonwealth War Graves Commission). It provides his basic details and the date of death of 1 April 1918. The same date carried over into “Soldiers Died in the Great War” and the published regimental history.

The original registration of James’s grave in Voormezele Enclosure Number 3. (Commonwealth War Graves Commission). Note that no date of death is given for him or for the man buried next to him, Sergeant 240145 G. Hosie of the same battalion.

An exhumation and reburial report dated 22 August 1919 shows that the two men were brought to the cemetery at Voormezele, having been found at the same location elsewhere. A wooden cross had marked Hosie’s grave, and it is written, possibly from his cross, that he had died between 24 April 1918 and 3 May 1918. No details appear against James’s name except that his paybook was found on him and was returned to base. Hopefully it found its way to his family. The men were found at grid location I.31.c.8.8, which is in Voormezele village.

George Hosie’s date of death was given in the cemetery register as 3 May 1918.

The war graves records raise questions regarding the dates of death of both men.

The battalion’s circumstances

The war diary of the 4/5th Battalion is held at the National Archives but the crucial month of April 1918 is missing. That of the headquarters of 118th Infantry Brigade (WO95/2589) fills the gap. On 31 March 1918, the battalion arrived at Longeau near Amiens, having been withdrawn from fighting in defence against German offensive Operation “Michael”. At 6am next day, it marched to Guignemicourt and it remained in that area of France until 9 April. It then moved by railway to Arques, and marched across the border to Reninghelst in Belgium. This brought it in to the rear of an area currently under attack by German offensive Operation “Georgette”. Later, merged with others to form a composite battalion, it went into action not far from Voormezele and remained so until 5 May 1918.

In other words, to be buried at Voormezele, it is most unlikely that James Milne died on 1 April 1918. The battalion was not even in Belgium at the time. So when did he die?

Aftermath

Casualty list included in the “Aberdeen Daily Journal” on 25 June 1918 (British Newspaper Archive). The deaths of Charles Butchart, David Croall and Andrew Ritchie are all given as 3 May 1918 in other records.

From the “Arbroath Guide” of Saturday 25 May 1918 (British Newspaper Archive). The same page included mentions of Charles Butchart and David Croall. Neither mentions a specific date of death.

The “Dundee Evening Telegraph” of Wednesday 22 May 1918 was more definite, giving the date of Butchart and Croall’s deaths as 24 April.

Pension record card (Western Front Assiciation via Fold3). A slightly confusing document as it also includes details of Jame Milne’s brother, but they key point is that the date of his death is not given as 1 April 1918, but in the period 24 April to 3 May 1918: in other words, the same information given for George Hosie, above. Hosie’s own pension record also gives this range of dates.

From “Roll of honour, Arbroath and district, 1914-1919” Second edition, published 1921 in Arbroath Page 183 (uploaded to “Lives of the First World War”). This includes specific dates and in the case of Daviod Croall even how he came to die. The roll is likely to have been compiled from information that the families had received. Mount Kemmel (or Kemmelberg) is close to the battalion’s action and was a better-known place to the public than Voormezele.

In conclusion, I believe that the 1 April 1918 date given by the cemetery register and replicated in other sources to be erroneous. The actual date of James’s death is indeed likely to be in the period 24 April to 3 May. It is difficult to know whether the specific information given in the Arbroath roll of honour is correct, but it is tempting to believe that it is. And if so, it begs the question as to whether George Hosie’s official date of 3 May 1918 is also incorrect. And it also asks why David Croall’s death was also given as 3 May 1918.

Moral of the story? The dates of death in the records of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission are not always correct. That they are literally set in stone should not be accepted as the whole truth, and should you find solid documentary evidence of a mistake, then I encourage you to contact the CWGC with a view to the date being reconsidered.

Links

Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)

What happened to soldiers who died?