How do I confirm a WW1 war record

[SusanDoc65]

I have just been looking at the Commonwealth War Graves site (even when buried in the UK, casualties are normally on the CWGC site). 2694 is listed as having died on 02 Mar 1916, aged 26. 8 Btn DLI.
He's listed as at the New Irish Farm Cemetery, XXX.B.3. Belgium. Son of William Coxon, 4 Joicey Sq. West Stanley, Co Durham.

Because so few records survived, it's a good idea to hunt round and see what agrees with other info, if only to eliminate possibilities.

The other one we've discussed, 27911, is also on CWGC for 2016. He was 20th Btn DLI, d. 14 Oct 1916 age 24. He's buried at Chester-Le-Street (Ropery Lane) Cemetery A.318. UK. They give his parents as Matthew Edward and Mary Jane of Chester le Street.

Of course, if your Grandfather had been ill for a while before he died, he might have slipped between the cracks. Before you saw that Anc record, had you heard about his having a war record? The reason I'm asking is that a lot of men who joined up didn't make it past training - there was a scandal in the papers about the poor level of health discovered by army medics among the working classes. It's claimed that up to 40% of volunteers between 1914-1916 were rejected for medical reasons.
Does his death cert give his heart or liver as the primary cause?

My Great Grandfather died in 1916 and my grandfather was only 9 at the time so no one knows much about him. All that has ever been said that he was an alcoholic but I started to wonder if this was because he had been to war or didnt he go to war because he was already ill. His profession was a Marine Store Dealer - I am now finding out that this was a term for gypsies! The plot thickens!!

[Lesley Robertson]

Have you seen the 1911 census? He's listed as the employer of his step dau, Mary Jane, who's a rag sorter. They have a postal address in Gateshead. Being an alcoholic would fit his liver problem. It was pretty common - the water wasn't exactly safe.

[SusanDoc65]

Yes, his wife, my great grandmother was a rag sorter and I was told many years ago that she socialised with gypsies (not that there is anything wrong with that!) Aunt Jane (Mary Jane) was my mams aunt. I am going in a new direction now! Its so addictive!

[Peter Goodey]

His profession was a Marine Store Dealer - I am now finding out that this was a term for gypsies!

Gypsy is an ethnicity, surely. A marine store dealer bought and sold naval surplus stuff and by extension general junk.

[Peter Goodey]

Susan

You say you have his death certificate. I take it it doesn't mention soldier as his occupation. If you know his date of death and if there's nobody of that name listed on the CWGC site nor in the "Soldiers died" database with that date of death. You can fairly safely assume that he wasn't in the army. Conscription didn't come in until 1916.