I am trying to find out how Sgt Clive Marshall Oldham 1885412 R.E. died on 10 Sept 1944 aged 29. He is buried at Caserta War Cemetery, Grave Ref: I,D,4. According to information I have heard it was not straight forward. Can anybody cast any light on it?
researchingreg I presume this is the man ? OLDHAM, CLIVE MARSHALL Rank: Serjeant Service No: 1885412 Date of Death: 10/09/1944 Age: 29 Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers 11 Map Reproduction Sec. Awards: Mentioned in Despatches and 2 Bars Grave Reference I, D, 4. Cemetery CASERTA WAR CEMETERY Additional Information: Son of John Stanley Marshall Oldham, and of Alice Oldham, of Southampton. You will need to supply the info you have that contradicts or queries the CWGC details Ron
Researchinggreg The fact that the date of death is listed at 10th September 1944 when the war at that time was hundreds of miles North at the Gothic Line would indicate that Caserta being close to Naples had something to do with mines etc which were still being discovered since Naples had been freed on 1st October 1943 - we were still subject to the normal sicknesses and accidents as anyone else so if you think there was something untoward about his death then please let us know as we then might be able to ease your thinking... Cheers
It would make sense that he was in a Map Reproduction Section as he was an artist. My mother has one of his pictures. She knew him quite well and she heard that (and this may not be true), he committed suicide on guard duty. I wanted to find out whether this was true. Also did he serve in North Africa?
You can apply for his service records from the MoD , cost 30 quid but it'll help answer your questions.
Thanks to Lee's Arcre search engine, War Diary references if you haven't already got them: http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=C961304 Reference:WO 170/1897 Description:Map Reproduction Sections: 11 and 12 Date: 1944 Jan.- Dec. http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=C1011869 Reference:WO 169/11062 Description:11 Map Reproduction Sec. Date: 1943 July- Dec. [WO 169 is for forces serving in the Middle East, including Aden, East Africa, Sudan, Malta, Persia and Iraq.] From Army RoH: Name: Clive Oldham Given Initials: C M Rank: Serjeant Death Date: 10 Sep 1944 Number: 1885412 Birth Place: Hampshire Residence: Southampton Branch at Enlistment: Other Corps Theatre of War: Italy Regiment at Death: Royal Engineers Branch at Death: Other Corps Probably his Birth : Name: Clive M Oldham Mother's Maiden Name: Manns Date of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar 1915 Registration District: Andover Inferred County: Hampshire Volume: 2c Page: 455
researchingreg A further thought on the subject. You mention: In my own Regiment's Diaries there is the following entry: Quote GSW is shorthand for Gunshot wound. I just wonder if the same type of entry would have been made in the Regimental Diary of the regiment he was serving in at the time in question ? Ron
THREE gunshot wounds to the head? Must have been a determined suicide, but if the first was fatal, who fired the other two? Don't worry, it doesn't merit a response, any death during the War is as good (or bad) as any other, we have no idea of the pressures or influences on someone 70 years ago.
Kevin Not to dwell on the matter, but it could have been fired from a Tommy-gun, which were standard issue. Ron
A Sergeant on Guard duty…corporals were usually stuck with that a job - with Sergeants hovering with the Orderly Officer…and a full night's sleep…! Cheers
