This is a First World War issue, but I am hoping someone could come up with the answer for me. I have been looking into one of my ancestors who was killed at the beginning of the Great War during the Battle of the Marne, He was Pte Mark Lockwood of the 3rd Battalion Coldstream Guards, The 3CG where in Action around the 9th of September 1914 at a place called Rebis, the Battalion went down into a valley to cross a small River (Pitit Morin) and to head up a steep hill towards La Tretoire then on to the village of Boitron their reason was to push a german cavalry unit out of the area, During the fight my Great-Uncle was wounded. He was taken to a Field Hospital which was set up at the Railway Sidings in Coulommiers but later died on that day, according to later reports his body was laid to rest at the corner of a field and a "Small Cross Erected” He is know buried in a small cemetery at Boitron with one other Coldstreamer one Worcester and 2 unknown soldiers. What I do not understand is why he was taken all the way back there to be buried and why there should be so few soldiers buried there when a lot of them died during the action.
As Mark was wounded, he would have been removed to somewhere nearby for medical treatment. At that stage of the War, there were no First Aid Posts, Casualty Clearing Stations or the like, so he would have been attended to wherever the MO decided sheltered enough. Obviously he died from his wounds, and rather than abandon him at the roadside or wherever, he was buried in the nearest Churchyard, not where he was wounded, but where he died. There are 5 casualties at Boitron, of the three identified, they all have the same date of death, indicating they may have been treated at the same temporary medical facility. That they haven't been "concentrated" to a CWGC cemetery indicates to me that these men have been "adopted" by the village. I do hope you have an opportunity soon to discover if that is the case. If so, the mayor and townsfolk would be delighted to know that one of "their" men is being honoured by a visit from his family.
I do hope you have an opportunity soon to discover if that is the case. If so, the mayor and townsfolk would be delighted to know that one of "their" men is being honoured by a visit from his family. I did make contact with the Mayor of Boitron who kindly sent me photos of his grave At that stage of the War, there were no First Aid Posts, Casualty Clearing Stations or the like, According to the records from the Guards archive, He died in the No1 General Hospital, I have little information on this unit, I think they may have re-disignated this Hospital ? I am unable to find any photos of my Great-Uncle but have an image of the other Coldstreamer who is buried alongside him Pte Albert Tessdale
