John Gilbert RIMELL of Stewarts Grove, Chelsea

16 December 1919

WW1 Service Record

Enlisted 10th May 1915 in Chelsea. He gave his birthplace as Fulham, his age as 19yrs 1 month and his occupation as hall porter. His medical gave his chest as 33 inches when expanded with 3-inch expansion. Physical development was described as fair with 3 vaccination marks on his left arm, given in 1911. Vision in both eyes was D/6. He was accepted into the 18th Regiment 3rd Batn. (C of L) London Regt (London Irish Rifles) - regtl No 3372 - 591351.

On August 11th 1916 he was transferred to the 1st Batn.
On August 12th 1916 he embarked at Southampton.
On August 13th 1916 he disembarked at Le Havre.

His Casualty Form - Active Service has 7 dates on it (19 Sept 1916, 21 Aug 1917, 26 Aug 1917, 15 Oct 1917, 6 Apr 1918, 9 Jun 1918 and 1 Oct 1918). I can only read the last two which are "Bronchitis" and "To England (Influenza)" respectively. This sheet gives his mother's name as Elizabeth Rimell of 177 Sutton Dwellings, Chelsea. He returned to England on October 1st 1918 and was admitted to Norfolk War Hospital, Thorpe, Norwich with Bronchitis. He was discharged from the hospital on January 23rd 1919 as "Quite Recovered".

In his statement on 24th January 1919 he declared that he had served in France from August 14th 1916 to September 30th 1918 as a Rifleman and that he had contracted Bronchitis in September 1918 due to "Active Service Conditions". He had been treated in the 2nd Canadian Hospital, France and the Norfolk War Hospital. He said that before the war he had been a photographer and that his employer was Mr Hart, Moscow Mansions, Kensington, London.

He was "Disembodied on Demobilisation on February 20th 1919" and gave his address as 5 Stewarts Grove, Chelsea.

His overall service was 3 years 251 days of which 2 years 51 days was in France

His Regimental Conduct Sheet reported "Certified that there is no record of the above mentioned soldier having incurred any regimental entry during his service."

CONTENTS

P1 - Cover for Discharge Documents

Date at top 19 Dec 1919     Regtl No. 591351     Rank Rifleman
John Gilbert RIMELL ( with an extra "M")
18th Battn. London Regiment
Date of Disembodiment 20th February 1919
"Documents to Ministry of Pensions Chelsea. Address on disembodiment 5 Stewarts Grove, Chelsea."
             Stamp dated 16 December 1919

P2 - Descriptive return of a Soldier Discharged …..

RIMELL, John Gilbert     18th Battn London Regiment
591351 Rifleman     Age on discharge 22     Single     Hall Porter
5 Stewarts Grove, Chelsea, SW
Approved Society -      Civil Service Employees Approved Society
18th London Rifles     3 years 287 days
France                      2 years 51 days
Pension service         3 years 287 days
Disembodied             20 February 1919
Born in Fulham, London, 1896            Mother - Elizabeth

P3 -

2/London/41980
Enlistment - Chelsea 10th May 1915
Demobilization 20th February 1919
Stamp dated 16th December 1919

P4 - Medical Report on a Soldier……. (in the sequence microfilmed which is out of order)

2/London 41980 and date stamped on 23rd and 24th January 1919
18th London Regiment      Regtl No. 591351     Rifleman
Age last birthday 22
Posted for duty on January 1915 at Chelsea
Former trade Photographer
Invalidity - Bronchitis
Date of origin - 28 September 1918 in France
No Medical History sheet available

P5 -

Disablement   - Nil      Grade - B1
Is treatment recommended - No
Does the soldier require … - No
Dated 21st January 1919 at Norfolk War Hospital, Thorpe, Norwich

P6 -

Only the section under "To be attached to…." Down to "(4582.) S.B. Ltd." The information lower down and on the right under "(b) aggravated by" all appears on the next page.
Was an operation performed - No           Dated 18th January 1919

P7 -

Disability attributed to Service in the present war
Active Service Conditions
Heart - Nothing to Note
Lungs - No moist sounds heard
Temptr - Normal
??????????
Was an operation performed - No
Dispersal                     Dated 20 January 1919 at Norfolk War Hospital, Thorpe, Norwich.

P8 - Opinion of the Medical Board

No Disability                      Not applicable

P9 - Statement by a Soldier ………..

Regtl No 591351 Rifleman                      Rimell, John Gilbert - 18th London Regt
France from August 14th 1916 to September 30th 1918
Rifleman
Bronchitis ???????? debility
September 1918
Active Service Conditions

P10 -

2nd Canadian Hospital, France
Norfolk War Hospital
Did you have the disease before joining the army - No
Doctors and Hospitals attended before joining the army - None
Civil Service Employees Approved Society
Employer - Mr Hart, Moscow Mansions, Kensington, London
Occupation - Photographer
Signed J G Rimell at Norfolk War Hospital, Thorpe, Norwich - No date

P11 - Medical History form B.178

RIMMEL, John Gilbert            Birthplace, Fulham, London       Examined 10th May 1915
Occupation- Hall Porter          Height 5 feet 6.5 inches
Expanded chest 33 inches with 3 inches range                       Physical development - Fair
Vaccination marks 3 on left arm given in 1911                         Vision D/6 in both eyes
Enlisted 10th May 1915
18th battn (C of L) London Regiment (London Irish Rifles) Regt No 3373 - 591351
Disembodied on demobilization 20th February 1919

P12

Date stamped 21st January 1919

P13 - Table 11. - Only for Admissions to Hospital

Norfolk War Hospital, Thorpe, Norwich      Admitted -1st October 1918
Discharged - 23 January 1919                  Bronchitis
Number of days in hospital 114                "Quite Recovered"

P14 -

"Quite Recovered"

P15 - Casualty Form - Active Service

18th Battn London Regiment (London Irish Rifles) - "A" Company - 591351 - 3373
Rifleman Rimell, John Gilbert
Church of England       Age on Enlistment - 19 years      Enlisted 10th May 1915 on War Service
18th London Regt 3rd Battn      -      posted 10th May 1915
18th London Regt 3rd Battn             embodied 10th may 1915
18th London Regt 1st Battn             transferred 11th August 1916
Embarked Southampton                 12th August 1916
Disembarked Le Havre                    13 August 1916
19 Sep 1916     OC Unit                  Joined Unit      15 Sep 1916      B213
26 Aug 1917     ???????                 ????????      21 Aug 1917      A 36
21 Aug 1917     2 Can CCS             ????????      21 Aug 1917 A 36
15 Oct 1917     2 Can CCS              ????????      15 Oct 1917      A 36
6 Apr 1918       o/c 2 Can CCS        ????????      ???????      1 Apr 1918      A 36
9 Jun 1918       2 Can CCS              Bronchitis      Field       1 Apr 1918     
1 Oct 1918       56 Gen Hosp           To England      (Influenza) Etaples      1 Oct 1918      AFW 3083
          SS Ville de Liege      ???/18
           Attached Depot (supply)       1 Oct 1918
Next of Kin (Mother) Elizabeth Rimell, 17F Sutton Dwellings, Chelsea

P 16

Depot      Attached (supply)     ??????      1 Oct 1918     AFO 1810. 240/18
Disembodied on demobilisation
20 February 1919 - London
Home address - 5 Stewarts grove, Chelsea, SW
Home 10 May 1915 to 11 Aug 1916     - 1 Year  94 days
France 12 Aug 1916 to 1 Oct 1918     - 2 Years   51 days
Home 2 Oct 1918 to 20 Feb 1919      -      142 days
-     3 Years 287 days

Certified checked and brought up to date

P17 - Punishment Record

Empty

P18 - Regimental Conduct Sheet

18th Battn London Regiment, Infantry Record Office, London
591351 Rfn J G Rimell, Attested 10th May 1915, Joined 10th May 1915
Certified that there is no record of the above mentioned soldier having incurred any regimental entry during his service

 Transcribed from records at The National Archive

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