Author Topic: 5th Battalion man  (Read 2678 times)

Offline degsie

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5th Battalion man
« on: July 13, 2022, 02:42:05 PM »
Hello, just joined and I am concerned about the condition of the mans grave. I have no connection with him other than putting a Poppy on his grave each year. The man in question is CSM Blyth DCM MM MiD and he is buried in Lower Ince (Wigan Crematorium) Cemetery. I have been visiting his grave regularly over the last 3 and a bit years. The first year there was some signs of someone visiting but there has been no activity for the last 2 years that I have noticed. The grave has a plain wooden cross with a small brass plaque with his and his wifes name on. On my last visit a few days ago I saw the horizontal arm of the cross had fallen off and was lying face down on the grave. The wood in rotten and it has pulled away from the screws.
All I know of the man is he won the DCM in Gallipoli organising snipers. He caught enteric fever and returned to the UK for 4 months recovery in hospital then rejoined 5th Battalion in France. It was there he won his MiD and MM. Is there anything that can be done to restore the grave of this very brave man.

Offline Tim Bell

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Re: 5th Battalion man
« Reply #1 on: July 13, 2022, 05:11:08 PM »
If there is no legible inscription then he should receive a new CWGC headstone. Otherwise they will probably tidy up the plot but they can’t repair private memorials. Send a photo to [email protected] & see what they say.
Welcome to the forum.
Tim
Following one Platoon and everything around them....
http://17thmanchesters.wordpress.com/about/

Offline degsie

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Re: 5th Battalion man
« Reply #2 on: July 13, 2022, 07:18:37 PM »
Thanks Tim, it is not a CWGC headstone but a private memorial. I think the Sergeant Major survived the war. The main purpose of the post was to get some advice on how to proceed and a faint hope that someone on here might know his family. I am involved with the Wigan Armed Forces HQ and it might be possible to get them involved somehow if we could get clearance to refurbish the grave. Just hoping someone knows the procedure for this sort of thing.

Offline Tim Bell

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Re: 5th Battalion man
« Reply #3 on: July 14, 2022, 12:02:47 PM »
Understood. If he died after 31/08/1921 this is not a war grave under CWGC criteria. Perhaps a fellow Wigan researcher may have ideas on family members. Poor headstone maintenance is a common issue.
Tim
Following one Platoon and everything around them....
http://17thmanchesters.wordpress.com/about/

Offline degsie

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Re: 5th Battalion man
« Reply #4 on: July 14, 2022, 06:21:17 PM »
Had a word with the Armed Forces HQ today. They are happy to get involved once we have established if there are any family about. Next stop Wigan Local History Museum to see if they have anything on him.

Offline Gingerfreak

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Re: 5th Battalion man
« Reply #5 on: August 16, 2024, 10:31:26 AM »
I'm not sure what progress you've made on this.

However, here is some detail on this man. George was both on August 26, 1881. He enlisted on August 6, 1914 and his age is given as 33 years old. He was a Wesleyan, and he served in 8 platoon B Company. His address was 4 Russell Street, Wigan. He was known as 'Jock' Blyth. There is a discrepancy in the spelling of his surname. In many documents, his surname is spelled 'Blythe'.

From his age and the fact that he flew up the ranks, I think that he was a re-enlistment, possibly a territorial that enlisted in 1908 and left by 1912. His DCM was awarded at Galipoli. The Turkish snipers were highly effective; men stayed behind as the British line advanced. Throughout May, there were a number of men from the 1/5th battalion who were severely wounded or killed by headshots. The officers and men from the East Lancashire Division were secreted to regular battalions belonging to the 29th Division, or regular officers were attached to them for instruction on how to deal with this menace.
From a notebook belonging to a Sgt from the same platoon, George's weapon and kit number was 430.
He was suffering from dysentery and was evacuated, clearly, this was a severe case, (possibly the bacterial and viral version), and he was transferred back to the UK.
I do have an image of this man, he is in the Wigan Observer. This can be obtained by searching the online, Wigan Archive.