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Help Please! Pte John Westwood -

G

goldfinch

knowlegable brummie
Can anyone help please? I am researching my husband's Great Uncle John who served in the Yorks Light Infantry and was killed in 1915. Born in Pontefract 1895, I have his regimental no 22117 and a copy of his medal card, but searched for hours for his military record and cannot find this on ancestry.com. I have located his burial site via commonwealth graves, but he is listed as G Westwood and the family would like to amend this. However, unless I produce his military record, there is little we can do. Grateful thanks in advance! Jo
 
Jo, if you are armed with his medal documents (not only the card but the two entries in the medal rolls to which it refers, both of which can be found at Kew) then I would have thought that CWGC would view this case sympathetically. They have corrected lots that I have found in the past.

The "G" on their database is likely to be a simple transcription error from the original paper cemetery register, but you could check this by actually looking at his gravestone. If you don't fancy a quick trip to Carnoy, you could always buy a photo from the excellent War Graves Photographic project for the princely sum of £3. Here: https://twgpp.org/information.php?id=1556716

He is also given as John in the 1921 HMSO publication, "Soldiers died in the Great War", which says he was born in Pontefract and enlisted in Hull.

Hope that helps.
 
thanks Alan - I had forgotton I had sent an email to Doncaster Museum and a very friendly and helpful young man rang me at work to say that he would photocopy details of the conflict in which John died (war diaries?) I have also found his inscription on the Pontefract memorial which is very pleasing - again - thanks for your help - Jo
 
Hi Chris - Many thanks for your very detailed response (and for taking the time to research our ancestor) I have had a response from Doncaster Museum and the gentleman there was incredibly helpful and offered to photocopy war diaries which will detail what occurred during the conflict in which he was killed. We have a photograph of John and his brother (hubbie's grandfather who served in the 2nd WW too!) and his nieces are very interested in this information. I have also located John's inscription on the Pontefract War Memorial - very poignant. We will definately visit Carnoy and take our sons - both of whom are older than he, when he enlisted, so it will be a very moving journey. This board is briliant - even when you wrongly post!! (see comment above yours!!) kind regards Jo
Chris_Baker said:
Jo, if you are armed with his medal documents (not only the card but the two entries in the medal rolls to which it refers, both of which can be found at Kew) then I would have thought that CWGC would view this case sympathetically. They have corrected lots that I have found in the past.

The "G" on their database is likely to be a simple transcription error from the original paper cemetery register, but you could check this by actually looking at his gravestone. If you don't fancy a quick trip to Carnoy, you could always buy a photo from the excellent War Graves Photographic project for the princely sum of £3. Here: https://twgpp.org/information.php?id=1556716

He is also given as John in the 1921 HMSO publication, "Soldiers died in the Great War", which says he was born in Pontefract and enlisted in Hull.

Hope that helps.
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