George DIGHTON, RMLI d1900 China, HMS Terrible

[High Wood]

This rather faded photograph shows the lonely grave of Pte George Dighton, R.M.L.I. in Wei-Hai-Wai, China. George Dighton was born on the 10th October 1879 and enlisted on the 11th October 1897. The headstone shows that he died on the 12th August 1900. I do not know the circumstances of his death.

The medal roll, ADM 171/55, shows him to have been a Portsmouth Division enlistment with the service number PO/9278 and that his China War Medal was issued to his father W.W. Dighton on the 2nd September 1902.

It would be interesting to know if his grave has survived or has been lost.

[FROGSMILE]

This rather faded photograph shows the lonely grave of Pte George Dighton, R.M.L.I. in Wei-Hai-Wai, China. George Dighton was born on the 10th October 1879 and enlisted on the 11th October 1897. The headstone shows that he died on the 12th August 1900. I do not know the circumstances of his death.

The medal roll, ADM 171/55, shows him to have been a Portsmouth Division enlistment with the service number PO/9278 and that his China War Medal was issued to his father W.W. Dighton on the 2nd September 1902.

It would be interesting to know if his grave has survived or has been lost.

According to the date on his grave, he seems to have died during the final advance by a Multi-National force to to relieve the besieged Foreign Legations in Pekin, which commenced on August 3rd.

This link is to a contemporary British book that has been e-archived and relates to the adventures of HMS Terrible's detachment's contribution to the campaign:
http://archive.org/stream/commissionhms ... al+Marines

Private Dighton is mentioned only in the list of RMLI personnel at the back of the book, but it is notable that a day after he ostensibly died (i.e. on 13 August) mention is made of an un-named sergeant of marines who took ill and died suddenly, being buried nearby after a brief service by a RN Chaplain. Perhaps Dighton met his end in a similar way, but was overlooked in the record of events due to his more junior status.

[High Wood]

Thank you for your informative reply. I will attempt to find out if a war diary exists for this period. I would assume that one was kept but whether it has survived is a different matter.