Would anybody know who was the first soldier to die in the 2nd World War

[Guest]

My Uncle died on the 4th September 1939 I understood the War started on the 3rd September , although he did not die by enemy fighting, he got thrown from the Truck that was carrying his Platoon in Hong Kong.
I often think how sad it was he was so determined to fight for his country yet got killed before he could.

[grumpy]

Val,
The earliest soldier that I could find was Corporal Thomas W Priday of the KSLI who was KIA 9 December 1939. Whilst this is just over three months from the declaration of war
in September, as far as I can ascertain there was no ground action involving troops prior to this. In reality there would have been naval casualities and certainly RAF casualities long
before this date.

[Janet in Yorkshire]

I think the circumstances may hold the clue - Val's uncle died because of war (if there hadn't been a war, he wouldn't have been undertaking that journey and wouldn't have had the accident) whilst the man David quoted was kia.
i.e definition of terms.

Jay

[Guest]

Thanks Grumpy, and Janet yes thats true he would not have been in Hong Kong thats for sure, his story is quite unusual I have two scrolls of honour for him, one under the name Private C H Miller the under under Private Charles Stevens , and both surnames on his Headstone ,as he enlisted under an assumed name , I have the photos from his State funeral too ,very moving.