Durham Light Infantry.

[WK1937]

I am assisting a friend with her father's service records. He served with the Durham Light Infantry and was brought back with other soldiers and died in 1943 from carcinoma of bronchus.

Firstly I would like to enquire whether this may have been as a consequence of his time in the army and secondly his service number does not appear to have been a DLI one. It is C/14379682.

The records have not yet been sent for but I would like to acquaint my friend with a little bit of information first, as she was only 5 yrs old when he died.

Many thanks, Maureen.

[simmo1]

Hi

Can you give us a name, it may help
His service number indicates - General Service Corps 14200001 - 15000000 , but not sure of the C/?
Unless he was long term in the army, I doubt if carcinoma of the broncus would be that quick- see- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lung_cancer
Was he a smoker?

regards

Robert

[WK1937]

Thank you Robert for your kind reply. The name is George Henry Carrad. Age 35 when he died. The C/ quoted is what is shown on the death certificate before the number I mentioned. I believe he must have joined up late and I do not know whether he was a smoker. I have been informed he was brought back, from where I have no knowledge, with a lot of other injured soldiers by train, and then taken to hospital where he passed away. The service records will be able to tell us more obviously as we do not know where he was posted. I did expect died of wounds but this isn't the case.

In the meantime any other little bits of information you are able to give would be very useful and taken with gratitude. Maureen.

[simmo1]

Hi

I had hoped to pick him up in Commonwealth War Graves Commission - https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead.aspx?cpage=1 , but not listed.
Here is his death index-

Name: George H Carrad
Birth Date: abt 1908
Date of Registration: Dec 1943
Age at Death: 35
Registration district: Chelsea
Inferred County: London
Volume: 1a
Page: 425

You could apply for his death certificate, which should state cause.
Here is his birth too -

Name: George Henry Carrad
Registration Year: 1908
Registration Quarter: Apr-May-Jun
Registration district: St George Hanover Square
Inferred County: London
Volume: 1a
Page: 452

His is listed in a few electoral rolls, here is an example-

Name: George Henry Carrad
Year: 1934
County or Borough: Lambeth
Ward or Division/Constituency: Norwood and North
Street address: 10 Providence Place

also in the 1911 census, just under George Carrad

Also marriage -

Name: George H Carrad
Spouse Surname: Fisher
Date of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep 1930
Registration district: Lambeth
Inferred County: Surrey
Volume Number: 1d
Page Number: 746

and his grave-

Name: Pvt G. H. Carrad
Death Date: 4 Oct 1943
Burial Place: Tooting, Greater London, England
All this information is on Ancestry.
It would seem the death certificate may help and the service records will be the only other way to get more answers.
Let us know what you find.

regards

Robert

[WK1937]

Thank you for taking the time to give me the information Robert. I probably didn't make it clear initially but I already have a copy of the death certificate hence my enquiry regarding the cause of death. However, we shall now proceed with obtaining the records to satisfy our minds.

Again many thanks, Maureen.

[simmo1]

Hi

Does it not say the cause of death? What does it say?

regards

Robert

[WK1937]

Hi Robert, it states carcinoma of bronchus as previously mentioned. There's no mention of any wounds/injuries he may have suffered whilst away.

Regards Maureen.

[thewideeyedowl]

Hi Maureen, and a very warm welcome to Brit Gen...

I have just discovered this website, which is all about the Durham Light Infantry between 1920-1946: https://durhamlightinfantry.webs.com. The link should take you to the Home Page, and at the bottom you will see that the site owner invites information and queries. Could be worth contacting him?

You will also notice in the Menu on the left-hand side that there is a page entitled Sicily 1943. So perhaps George Carrad was shipped home from there?

Have also checked the roll-of-honour page ('And their guns fell silent', if I remember aright) but his name is not there.

Please keep us posted - this thread is starting to get interesting.

Owl

[WK1937]

How very interesting, I shall certainly contact the site thank you. I've already looked into the DLI but it can be rather confusing at times. The one you mentioned was new to me. I shall now encourage my friend to send off for the service records post haste as they take some while to come through.

If I glean anything else I will post again.

Regards Maureen.

[WK1937]

I have received a response from the website you mentioned Owl and am in communication with the gentleman. However he did mention that Pte. Carrad is on the their guns now silent site, at the very bottom of the page. Extraordinarily his service number is there as well. It was the lack of the number which drove me to apply for the death certificate which gave it and opened up a story yet to be told.

Best wishes Maureen.