1914-15 Star;W.I.A issued to 69361 DVR. S. LANSFIELD R.F.A.

1914-15 star issued to 69361 DVR. S. LANSFIELD R.F.A.

Luckily this mans records still exist giving a though history.

Who he was

• Born about 1895, near London, in the county of Middlesex. The parish name is hard to read.
• Before the war he served an apprenticeship with the Boston Deep Sea Fishing Co., which ended in August 1914. In 1917 he described his work there as "seaman, 3 years" at Boston, Lincolnshire.
• Description on enlistment: 19 years old, about 5 ft 3 in, 124 lbs, 36 in chest. Fresh complexion, grey eyes, dark brown hair, birthmark on his left upper arm. Roman Catholic. Single.
• Next of kin: his parents, Bella and Edward Lansfield, 9 Laurel Terrace, Park Lane, Tottenham, London N. Sidney lived at the same address.

Timeline

• 10 Feb 1915: Enlisted at Holloway, London, on a short service attestation for the Royal Field Artillery, as a driver. He passed his medical and was approved the same day.
• 11 Feb 1915: Joined at Woolwich, No. 4 Depot RFA.
• 19 Mar 1915: Posted to a reserve brigade, possibly 2B. Handwriting unclear.
• 23 Apr 1915: Posted to 4A Reserve Brigade. His papers were sent from Brighton that day by the major commanding 11th Reserve Battery.
• 29 Apr 1915: Last day of home service.
• 30 Apr 1915: Posted to the Expeditionary Force Base Depot, France. His medal card gives 1 May 1915 as his date of entry, which is the date that earned the 1914-15 Star.
• 31 May 1915: Posted from what looks like the A.H.T. depot to the 2nd D.A.C., most likely the 2nd Divisional Ammunition Column. The driver's job there was taking ammunition up to the guns by horse team.
• 27 Sep 1916: Wounded in France. Gunshot wounds with fractures. The entries are hard to read, but they mention the right femur (thigh), the chest, and the right hand or thumb.
• About 3 Oct 1916: X-rayed in hospital, entry no. 269. His right thigh and right chest were checked for foreign bodies, meaning metal fragments. One was found lying in the buttock, and another near the lesser trochanter, which is at the top of the thigh bone near the hip.
• 4 Nov 1916: Last day in France, after about 18 months overseas.
• 5 Nov 1916: Back in England, posted to 5C Reserve Brigade RFA.
• 9 Feb 1917: Filled in the pre-discharge form while in hospital. Employment wanted: "not known". No approved society.
• 2 Mar 1917: Discharged as no longer physically fit for war service, under King's Regulations para 392 (xvi). Signed off by the RAMC registrar at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley, so that's where he was treated in England. His conduct sheet has no offences recorded.
• 3 Mar 1917: His pension of 25 shillings starts. It was awarded on 21 Feb 1917.
• 17 Mar 1917: Listed on Silver War Badge roll RA/266 at Woolwich. Badge no. 153,229, cause of discharge: wounds, served overseas: yes.
• 27 Mar 1917: Badge and certificate issued.

Totals

• Total service: 2 years 21 days.
• Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal and Silver War Badge.

Still open

• The possible 25 March 1926 date on the pension card, which could be a pension change, final settlement or death. A search of deaths from that period would help.