Hi folks, There is a William Edward Davies named on the war memorial at St Anne's Church in Ormskirk, his date of death given as 7 August 1947. I haven't seen the burial records but he appears to be buried with his parents in the same churchyard. This man is not listed in the CWGC database. I've checked the local newspaper but there's no report of his death, only a family notice on the anniversary of his death which doesn't give much away. The paper printed lists of local men serving overseas during the war, his name was on those lists but they don't indicate which branch of the armed forces he served with. His DC gives the following information: 7 August 1947, 107 Rice Lane U.D. William Edward Davies, male, 33 years of 13 Clucas Gardens, Ormskirk; ordnance factory clerk Cause of death: pulmonary tuberculosis Informant: Patrick Davies, brother, 91 Wigan Road, Ormskirk Registered: 8 August 1947, Walton Park, Liverpool North Looks like a post-discharge death. Just wondering if there's any way forward with this?
After more than three years I've been able to follow up on this one... I now know that this man was Pte William Edward Davies 7593140 Royal Army Ordnance Corps. He was discharged on 29 June 1943 under King's Regulations 1940 para 390 (xvi) after being in hospital. Unfortunately his service record doesn't elaborate any further and there are no medical reports. There's certainly no mention of tuberculosis. Looks like a dead end, unless there's some way of obtaining his medical records.
Well spotted! He was overseas BEF from 1 Feb 1940 to 28 Apr 1940, then posted to "Y" List Blind School Leatherhead on 12 Jun 1940 and discharged from hospital on 17 Jul 1940. He spent the remainder of his service at home.
Do you know who he was with in the BEF. If he was blinded in France before 10th May the circumstances of his injury may well be recorded in the war diary.
He was initially with the 55th Div RAOC then on 21 November 1939 was posted to the 51st Medium Regt RA. His record doesn't suggest that he was blinded though, certainly not permanently. Wouldn't the hospital have been requisitioned for military use during the war?
