The Queens Own Royal West Kent R

The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment

Private R J Bright

Photograph taken by darealjolo

Private Richard John BRIGHT, G/987, 6th Battalion, Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment, died of rheumatic fever, at Shorncliffe Military Hospital, 27th January 1915.

Born Gravesend, Kent.

1911 Census - 8 Brunswick Retreat, Gravesend, Kent - Thomas Woodley, head, age 49, single, general labourer, born Gravesend, Kent; Mary Ann Bright, age 47, widow, boarder, born Northfleet, Kent; Richard John Bright, boarder, age 17, single, general labourer, born Gravesend, Kent; Cissie Bright, boarder, age 15, born Gravesend, Kent; Mary Bright, boarder, age 13, born Gravesend, Kent; Annie Bright, boarder, age 11, born Gravesend, Kent.

Enlisted Gravesend, Kent, age 20, height 5ft 5½ inches, weight 124lbs, fresh complexion, grey eyes, brown hair, mole left shoulder blade. Formerly labourer.

Next of Kin (eldest sister) - Miss Abigail Bright, 88 Elm Road, Grays, Essex / 17 Campbell Road, Gravesend, Kent.

Home 1st September 1914 to 27th January 1915.

1st September 1914, enlisted & posted Depot, Royal West Kent Regiment; 4th September 1914, posted 6th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment.

17th December 1914, in the evening, admitted to Shorncliffe Military Hospital, having been lying sick for four days before admission. He was in a comatose state, with a purplish rash blotchy and widespread affecting the whole body and well marked on the palms of the hands. The headache was persistent and localized to the back of the head and there was marked pain and stiffness in the neck. The aspect was one of misery with intolerance of handling and photophobia. His hands were continually handling his genitals. His mental state varied from restlessness and crying out every minute for food and drink to a delirium or a nightmare character when he would exclaim against being late for parade or against having to go for a long route march in bad weather. His condition remained unchanged until a large amount of red cloudy fluid containing streptococci was removed by aspiration from his left lung. He died of exhaustion 41 days after admission.

3rd July 1919, Statement of Relatives - Sisters - Miss Abigail Bright, age 23, 17 Campbell Road, Gravesend, Kent.; Miss Mary Jessie Bright, age 21, 50 Coventry Road, Ilford; Miss Annie Elizabeth Bright, age 19, 62 TheDrive, Ilford.

Buried at Thurrock (Grays) New Cemetery, 6.187., Essex.

This page was last updated on 01-Apr-2017.