23rd Btn Sportsman's - First Casualty ?

[gurkharifles]

I've been looking into the records of one of the war graves I look after - Private Hamlyn Horwood Perham - 23rd Btn Royal Fusiliers Spts/548. He died on 20 Feb 1915 from meningitis. Thanks to an excellent link on the forum, I realised that he was in the nominal roll of the Btn when it was formed in Hornchurch at the outbreak of the war in 1914. However he was not on the Regiments Roll of Honour for their war dead. Indeed the earliest fatality I could find for the Btn was 1916 ( they didn't move to France until Nov 1915 ) - So it got me wondering as to whether Perham was the Btn's first "casualty" of the war ? Tim

[mike_vee]

I wonder if the Battalion's "macho" attitude prevented soldiers from seeking 'early' medical care ?

Quite as important, too, was the fact that a member of the "hard as nails" Battalion had to prove he was capable of acting up to it. So it was just a matter of honour that every man should keep off the sick parades, and not come home in the ambulance when a long route march or a field day was indulged in.

PS: Here is a link (you've probably seen this Tim) which may be of interest to other members.

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/2037...-h/20377-h.htm

.

[gurkharifles]

Thanks Mike - that was the link I was referring to ( very useful and interesting ) - but I must admit I missed that particular quote and it does make you think. Very poignant and sad. His grave is the only war grave in a tiny churchyard in Flax Bourton ( a private memorial ) .

[mike_vee]

Originally Posted by gurkharifles

So it got me wondering as to whether Perham was the Btn's first "casualty" of the war ? Tim

PRIVATE Edward Archibald Willett

Service Number: 1015

Royal Fusiliers 23rd Bn

Died 09 February 1915

Age 35 years old

Buried or commemorated at:
BROMLEY (LONDON ROAD OR OLD) CEMETERY

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/fi...ibald-willett/


.