Hospitalised with Malaria

On the 26^th March 1918, 100 years ago today, James Othen, who had married Annie Cobbold (my great grand aunt in law), was admitted to hospital in Lahore suffering from Malaria. James had travelled to India with the 1/4^th Battalion Royal West Surrey Regiment in October 1916 arriving in Bombay in late December that year.

The 1/4^th Queen’s moved to Tank to join the Waziristan Field Force in early 1917. However, the battalion was so stricken by illness that soon after its arrival it was withdrawn and despatched to Dagshai and Jutogh in the Simla Hills to recover.

James was stationed in Dagshai and then moved with the rest of the battalion to Lahore in the spring of 1918.

James, aged 42, was admitted to hospital suffering from Malaria on the 26^th March 1918 and after blood tests was given in total 300 grams of quinine over the next few days to treat the effects until his release on the 6^th April. Research suggests that around 1.5 Million soldiers from all sides fell victim to Malaria (Malaria Journal 2014) with between 0.2 and 5% of cases proving fatal.

At home his wife Annie was looking after their seven children. Rosey (aged 13), Mabel (11), Alfred (9), Florence (7), Charles (6), Sydney (3) and their youngest Daughter, Edith (1) who had been born between Oct and December 1916, just as her father was embarking for India

Meanwhile over 5,000 miles away in Reigate, Surrey James’ sister in law, May Rosetta Cobbold (nee Graffham) and her husband Alfred George Cobbold (My Great Grandfather in law) were going through both joyous and harrowing times.

Between April and June 1918 their eighth child Lily was born in Reigate and during the same period their youngest child James J Cobbold passed away aged 3. May was also looking after her six other children, Doris (aged 14), Maud (13), Alfred (11), William (9), George (7) and Ethel (5). [Alfred George Cobbold was most likely serving with the 1st Divisional Signal Company, Army Service Corps, but research is on-going to confirm this]

May’s brother Corporal John Joseph Graffham had been killed in July 1915 serving with the 2^nd Battalion The Queens Royal West Surrey Regiment.

Life goes on

Whilst the war raged on across the globe, the natural cycle of life carried on in spite of the hardships at home.

Alfred George Cobbold (my Great grandfather in law) was celebrating the birth of another son between October and December 1915. 

James J Cobbold was born in Reigate, Surrey and was the seventh child of Alfred George and May Rosetta Cobbold (nee Graffham). Alfred was born in Burnham, Essex in 1884, he married his wife May Rosetta Graffham in 1902 in Reigate, Surrey. Their six other children were Doris May (Born 1904 Great Bookham), Maud Winifred (born 1905, Dorking), Alfred Peter (Born 1907 Great Bookham), William Fred (Born 1909, Reigate), George Edward (Born 1911, Reigate) and Ethel (Born 1913, Reigate).

In 1911 the family were living at 10 Irrigation Road, Earlswood, Reigate, with Alfred working as a Carter in the sewage works.

May’s brother JohnJoseph Graffham had been killed on the 28^th July 1915, whilst serving with the 2^nd Batallion, The Queens, Royal West Surrey Regiment.

Alfred’s brother, Frederick Cobbold had recently celebrated the birth of another son. On the 12^th October 1915 in Bromley, Herbert Leslie J Cobbold, the fifth child Frederick and Lily Cobbold (nee Penny) was born. 

Frederick was my Great Grand Uncle in law and was born in Braintree , Essex in 1874, he married his wife Lily Penny in 1900 in Epsom, Surrey. They had four other children Lily (born in 1903 in Leatherhead), Frederick (born in 1905 in Dorking), William Albert (born in 1907 in Little Bookham) and Elsie Edith (born in 1909 also in Little Bookham).

In 1911, Frederick Cobbold was working as a cowman on a farm.

As yet I’ve not been able to confirm if either Alfred or Frederick served in the military during the Great War.