Dr James Anderson Loughridge. Information needed.

[Wesley29]

On a recent trip to Amble's west cemetery, I noticed a grave just to to the left as you enter the gates.

The inscription on the headstone is for a Dr James Anderson Loughridge who served the town from 1907 to 42. The headstone was erected following a public subscription. Does anyone know anything about this man?

[Alan J.]

As stated he was a long serving doctor to the town and was, I think , medical officer of health to Amble.

[Wesley29]

Do you know if he had any family?

[Coquet]

He's aged 32 and single on the 1911 census.
others on the census return are his house-keeper and two servants.

He was born about 1879 in Coleraine,County Derry.

He appears on the absent voters list (WW1) as a Lieutenant in the Royal Army Medical Corps. He must have served overseas post 31/12/1915 as he is entitled to the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. (his rank on the medal index card is Captain)

It's quite possible his WW1 service papers have survived at the National Archives, which should show next of kin.

[hollydog]

A little bit more which suggests that he possibly had no close family?
http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issu.../2234/page.pdf

[janwhin]

According to the Probate Calendar, the executor was John Canning Loughridge, which ties up with the London Gazette entry. This seems to have been his brother, living in Ireland.

[Morph]

Originally Posted by Alan J.

As stated he was a long serving doctor to the town and was, I think , medical officer of health to Amble.

Just found one of his (Dr James Anderson Loughridge) reports compiled in 1937 in his role as Medical Officer of Health:

https://archive.org/details/b28803796

[Sleighbelle]

This report makes fascinating reading. Might there be one around for Radcliffe?

[janwhin]

I may be going senile but I can swear I saw a post from Coquet the other day about the Amble Council's remembrance book "The Fallen" and a reference to Dr Loughridge

[Coquet]

That was my fault, I decided to merge it with the main Dr Loughridge thread, but deleted it instead by accident. (fat fingers)

Main points were:

council book now available

From book Loughridge was taken POW, likely OC of a field ambulance, he and a few of his RAMC chaps out collecting the wounded got themselves surrounded by a German patrol..(Original source appears to be the Gazette, 1917? 1918?)

and I linked to a 'Naval and Military Press' website, http://www.nmarchive.com/ that has the war diaries photographed. (£4.50 for a month's access) they also have the Medal Rolls which can occasionally give a bit more info such as battalion number, discharge reason as per the King's Regulations ref numbers. BUT....the latter have also appeared on the Ancestry site.


Regarding Loughridge, if PoW, on repatriation the war office would expect a written explanation regarding the nature of his capture. Doubt it has survived, I have some documents to an officer (Durham LI) that was taken PoW, and the document is with what is left of his service papers.

I have learned that all the TA RAMC officer papers are destroyed, so there is now't for Loughridge, unless by some miracle he served in WW2 in some capacity that required the War Office to move his file or copy some of it. If you bung the MOD at glasgow £30, send his death certificate, tell them he had no issue, and if they have anything they will, I believe, send you a copy. But if there is nothing they will keep your £30 anyway.

[Coquet]

Shall I merge this with the main Dr. Loughridge thread?

[Coquet]

ANYWAY.....

I've emailed the Army Medical Services museum to ask if they can ID Loughridge's Field Ambulance, it they can we can look for the War Diary over on that 'NMP' site. But perhaps the Germans got Loughridge's war diary and set fire to it to grill their Knockwurst.

[janwhin]

I did spend £30 at Glasgow on each of the WW2 army records for my dad and uncle, fantastic amount of info. However, looking at the local papers, I don't think Dr Loughridge had a WW2 role. Interestingly he was president of the local British Legion branch in 1935. Now would they have any records?

I don't know about grilling their knockwurst, they could have done with toasting your fat fingers.....giving me a senior moment like that