A SOLDIER who drowned after falling into a river in full kit could be officially classed as one of the war dead.

The army court-martialed Private Gilbert Hardy Midgley in his absence, just one month after he disappeared during the First World War.

But in reality he had died after falling into the River Yare while walking back to his camp in Great Yarmouth after posting his civilian clothes home.

Volunteers from Keighley’s Men of Worth Project have researched Private Midgley’s story and believe he should be classed as ‘in-service’ at the time of his death.

This would qualify the Royal Garrison Artillery member for a special gravestone – to be erected at Utley cemetery – from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

The process could take up to three years and the Men of Worth may have to give permission from Private Midgley’s descendants to install the new stone.

The group last month (January) submitted information about Private Midgley to the CWGC for consideration.

Men of Worth spokesman Andy Wade said: “We are pretty confident he will be accepted since he was in service at the time of his death.

“We know he was wearing his uniform at the time, including his greatcoat and army boots which would probably have contributed to him not surviving the accident.

“His full uniform was listed in the court martial as missing equipment as part of the charge against him. It’s puzzling that the Army court martialled him a month after his death.

“We cannot understand how they could not have known about it by then and it will probably remain a puzzle

“They found him guilty of ‘illegally absenting himself without permission’ on May 24 when as we know, he had drowned.

“We have a copy of his death certificate, which clearly says he was a Gunner in the Royal Garrison Artillery at the time of his death.”

Men of Worth researchers I’ve looked into what happened to Private Midgley’s body, and believe his ashes may have been scattered at Utley cemetery.