The World War Forum (Page 1)

Dear Alan,
I have just found a reference to this soldier, and as a descendant of his will be visiting from New Zealand at the beginning of October, I think it would be nice to be able to give him more information if possible. I should be grateful for your help once again. 7563 Pte Ernest Pottage, 2nd Bn, East Yorkshire Regt. King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, KOYLI, WW1 Remembrance Wednesday, 16 December 2009
He was born on 20 Dec 1885 to John and Maria Pottage in Hull.

I believe he had a brother John William Pottage who died in Turkey onb 22 August 1915 serving as a L/Cpl in the Yorks Reg He was born on in 1880 and married Elizabeth Hendery in 1903.

Any information on these two brothers would be very grateful

Kind regards

Joe

I have seen some remarkable pieces of research on this site and wonder if you can please help me. I am researching my wife's paternal ancestors and am stuck on one individual named Frank Herbert Elliott, son of William and Anne, born 1883 at Shere, Surrey. He married Alice Maud in Sep 1908 and appears on 1911 census as living at Douglas Road, Tolworth, Surrey working as a gardener and with a one year old son. We believe he was lost in WW1 but can find no definitive record. He does not appear in Commonwealth War Graves Commission records. There is an inscription on Peaslake war memorial but this is inconclusive. We have no record of his unit but believe he served in the army. He would very likely have enlisted at Kingston-upon-Thames barracks. Can anyone please shed any light on his war service and demise. Thank you. Norman.

---

Reply from: Alan Greveson
Date: Friday 3rd September 2010 at 5:33 PM
Dear Norman,
I think I have just trodden the same path as the person who researched the Peaslake Memorial with the entry "Frank Elliot, Army Service Corps, inconclusive".
The birth, census and marriage records for Frank Herbert Elliott were consistent and recorded his name as Frank which showed it was not an abbreviation of Francis. The Army Medal Rolls Index cards showed there were 89 men called Frank Elliott who served in the First World War. There were six with the name spelled Elliot.
Of the 95, nineteen died and were recorded in "Soldiers Died in the Great War" (HMSO 1921).
Of the four men named Elliot in "Soldiers Died" two had different middle names and the two called simply Frank lived in Manchester or Scotland. That left 15 men called Frank Elliott who had died.

The CWGC Debt of Honour cannot be comprehensively searched using a forename. The aim of the Imperial War Graves Commission (later the CWGC) was simply to record the burial place of each soldier. Therefore many are recorded by initials and surname only as, accompanied by their regiment and number that would identify their grave. In the 1920s some families provided the CWGC with additional information such as parents' or wives' names and address.
A search of the Debt of Honour for F. Elliott (and Elliot) produced 63 results.
By cross referencing the 15 men called Frank Elliott with the entries in the CWGC Debt of Honour it was possible to eliminate nine of them as having named relatives that were different to William and Ann as parents or Alice Maud as a wife.
Of the six remaining deaths, one man had Phelps as a middle name and came from Manchester. One was called Sidney Frank Elliott and another called Frank Edward Elliott from Northamptonshire.
There were then three unidentified Frank Elliotts. One Frank Elliott was shown as living in Union Road, Nottingham. Of the two remaining Frank Elliotts one could not initially be found in the CWGC index. However, he was listed as George Frank Elliott with relatives in Kelvedon in Essex.

That left only F. Elliott who has not been accounted for. He was Sgt F. Elliott no. M2/147597 of the Army Service Corps attached to the 94th Field Ambulance of the Royal Army Medical Corps. His number prefix indicated he was in the Mechanical Transport section of the ASC. It seems he may have been a motor ambulance driver. He appears to have been killed in the Battle of Hazebrouk as the 94th Field Ambulance was there supporting the 31st Division. This man was buried at Outtersteene which was captured by the Germans on 12th April 1918 during their "Kaiserschlact" Offensive and was retaken by the 9th, 29th and 31st Divisions on 18th and 19th August 1918.

It cannot be claimed that this must be the Frank Elliott you are looking for. It can only be stated that it could be the man. His entry in "Soldiers Died in the Great War" showed he was called Frank Elliott who died of wounds on April 12th 1918. The entry also recorded that his birthplace was "Battersea" his residence was West Kensington and he enlisted in London. This might eliminate him. However, the Frank Elliott you are looking for married Alice Maud White at Wandsworth and Alice was born in Battersea. There is no record after 1911 to show where they lived.

There is no record which further identifies Sgt Frank Elliott.

His death certificate will be a war-time certificate which may not have any details in addition to those of the CWGC. It is available from the General Register Office (for a fee). It is indexed in "Army (other ranks) Index to War Deaths 1914-1921" as Elliott Frank Sgt M2/147597 RASC 1918 Vol M1 page 261.

Searching local newspapers for the town where he lived might reveal an obituary. There may also be a local Absent Voters List for the 1918 election which may have survived. That might record his address and military unit. The starting point would be the local studies library at Kingston upon Thames. See:
http://www.kingston.gov.uk/leisure/museums/local_history_and_archives.htm
Kind regards
Alan

---

Reply from: Alan Greveson
Date: Friday 3rd September 2010 at 8:33 PM
It would be worth trying to discover if the Peaslake Memorial shows only the name Frank Elliot or whther it shows his unit also. If if showed his unit as Army service Corps, there is further evidence that this is the same man. However, the researcher of the Peaslake roll of honour may have added Army service Corps as a possible unit. See
http://ww1research.wetpaint.com/page/PEASLAKE
and click on andys320 to send a message
and see
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/101739

Hello, I am trying to find out a little bit more about an uncle RICHARD STOPFORTH whose CWGC record shows:
Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Private Regiment/Service: The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment Unit Text: 10th Bn. Age: 21 Date of Death: 04/05/1916
Service No: 12641
I understand the 10th btn LNLR was attached to the 112th division, but I haven't been able to find anything to suggest where my uncle was when he died (other than a medal record which suggests KIA with service in France). I am building up a family history and it would really help if I had more information. His name is not included on the war memorial in Liverpool town hall and I don't want his sacrifice to be totally forgotten.

---

Reply from: Alan Greveson
Date: Wednesday 1st September 2010 at 6:32 PM
Dear Alec,
Richard Stopforth volunteered to join Kitchener's New Army on September 1st 1914, less than a month after the outbreak of war. He lived at Bootle and before the war had been a paper-hanger's apprentice. He was shown in the pre-war census living with his parents Richard and Margaret with their family. Richard enlisted at Seaforth and was sent to the depot of the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment at Fulwood Barracks, Preston where he was posted to the 10th Battalion which was being raised at that time. See:
http://litherland-digital.co.uk/album_9/pages/seaforth_recruiting_office_1917.html
In October 1914 the 10th Battalion moved to the South Downs and the area around Eastbourne where it trained with the 22nd Division. In February 1915 the Battalion was at Eastbourne. On 12th April 1915 the Battalion was transferred to the 112th Brigade in the 37th Infantry Division and continued brigade training while based at Windmill Hill, Andover. The Division was inspected on 25th June by King George V at Sidbury Hill. At 5.50 p.m. on July 31st 1915 the Battalion left Ludgershall station in two trains for Folkestone and arrived at Boulogne at 2 a.m. on August 1st 1915.
After becoming familiar with trench routine the Battalion moved into the Hannescamps sector South-west of Arras and North of the Somme region. Hannescamps was a small village on the road linking Humbercamps, Pommier, Bienvillers-au-Bois, Hannescamps and Essarts. Behind them was the village of Foncquevillers. To their front, the enemy was entrenched a few yards West of Essarts village (on the British right). The enemy line ran Northwards along the high ground towards Monchy, a little village in a cup-shaped hollow. Here the enemy line was just 200 yards from the British line. Elsewhere, no-man's-land was a thousand yards wide.
When not in the trenches, the men would retire to the local villages to be billeted in buildings and outhouses. Pommier, la Cauchie, and occasionally Humbercamps were rest billets. Beyond them a large farm, la Bazéque, was the home of all the Brigade transport and Q.M. Stores.
These trenches at Hannescamps were to be the Battalion's home for the next seven months. The trenches were often flooded with water and in need of repair throughout the winter of 1915/16. In February 1916 Richard was given two days' fatigues duties as punishment for "W on AS Dirty ..." which would have been "Whilst on Active Service having a Dirty rifle".

When Richard enlisted he stated his age was 19. In fact he appears to have been 18 (GRO Births Q2 1896 West Derby, Lancashire, vol 8b page 401). He was 5ft 6ins tall, had a ruddy complexion; blue eyes and fair hair. During his time in training and in France he qualified as a machine gunner. In 1915 each British battalion on the Western Front had four Lewis Guns.

In April 1916 the 10th Bn Loyal North Lancashire Regiment was given a rest. It moved out of the trenches at Hannescamps and moved into billets at Humbercamps where it was inspected by the GOC on April 1st 1916. On April 9th 1916 the battalion marched to Warluzel where it took billets. It remained in Warluzel for the rest of the month, celebrating Easter Day on April 23rd. The time was spent on fatigues and training but it would have been enjoyable, away from the front line.
On May 1st 1916 the battalion returned to the front, and after a three-hour march from Warluzel they arrived at billets in Pommier. The next evening, 9 p.m. on May 2nd 1916, they moved into the trenches in a line between Bienvillers, Hannescamps and Foncquevillers. They spent a quiet first night back in the trenches, a thousand yards from the enemy. The next day the Battalion received orders that the Brigade disposition in the trenches was to be changed that evening, May 3rd 1916. Of the four battalions in the Brigade, the 10th Loyal North Lancashire Regiment was to go into reserve in Bienvillers. However, they were tasked with providing two companies of men to support the 6th Battalion Bedordshire Regiment who were to go forward and man strong-points on the Hannescamps-Mochy road and in the support line behind the Monchy salient. These were the positions much closer to the enemy where the opposing trenches were about 200 yards apart.

The CWGC records that Richard Stopforth died on May 4th 1916. "Soldiers Died in the Great War" (HMSO 1921) recorded that he was killed in action on May 4th. It also showed that only two men of the 10th Battalion died on that date: one an officer 2nd Lt O'Keeffe; one a soldier, Richard Stopforth.

At 8.30 p.m. on May 3rd 1916 "C" Company of the 10th Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment was tasked to move in support of the Bedfordshire Regiment at the close-support trenches at Monchy Salient. The move was completed by 10.30 p.m. on the night of Wednesday 3rd May. At 2.30 a.m. on the Thursday morning, May 4th 1916, the enemy started a heavy artillery bombardment of the whole British line in this sector. The area of greatest threat to the enemy was the salient around Monchy where the two sides each had a bulge in the line facing the enemy's positions. The artillery concentrated on the Monchy salient and then lifted as the enemy infantry went forward and attacked the two close-support trenches held by the 10th Battalion. The two platoons of "C" Company sustained 11 men wounded; one officer killed, 2nd Lieutenant J.R. O'Keeffe and one Other Rank killed. That one other rank was Richard Stopforth.
Richard was buried in the 37th Division's cemetery at Bienvillers. See http://www.cwgc.org/CWGCImgs/Bienvillers%20Mil%20Cem.JPG
A service record for Richard Stopforth is available at the National Archives at Kew or it can be downloaded (charges apply) from the ancestry.co.uk website.
The war diary of the 10th Battalion is available to download from the National Archives for a cost of GBP 3-50. It is Catalogue reference WO 95/2538. See:
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/
Richard's personal effects were: 1 Prayer Book; 1 Lewis Gun Book; 1 wristlet watch; 12 photos and six postcards.
Kind regards,
Alan

---

Reply from: Alec Crawford
Date: Thursday 2nd September 2010 at 12:05 PM
Alan,
I never expected to receive such a comprehensive reply. I am really amazed and truly grateful for all the information you have been able to give me.
Thank you very much indeed.

Alec

Hello - I am looking for more information / records regarding my Grandfather, James Theodore Underhill, commissioned 2Lt 19 March 1915, landed Suvla Bay with 6th (Service) Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment (Pioneers), wounded 8/9 August 1915.

In particular I am looking for photographic records, admission lists to convalesent hospitals etc.

It is thought further that he served with the 12th (Service) Battalion Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (Miners)(Pioneers) at Somme. Again, looking for any records / photographs - group photos etc.

I do have enquiries into the National Archives but pending search and copying result. What I am woefully lacking in is supporting records.

Any help much appreciated.

cheers, Ted Underhill

Hello - I'm trying to find out more about L/Corporal Thomas Henry Boor M2/034481 in the Motor Boat Corp of the (R)ASC (MT). I have his service record from ancestry.co.uk which is fairly difficult to read. The Casualty Form suggests he was at Alexandria (from 1915) and Port Said (from 1918). Could anyone enlighten me as to what he would have been doing. When he enlisted in 1915 he was 44 years and 10 months old so I can't imagine he was running around too much! Thanks.

---

Reply from: Alan Greveson
Date: Wednesday 1st September 2010 at 11:31 AM
Dear Victoria,
Lance-Corporal Thomas Boor may have been 44 years old but he did plenty of leaping about. In fact he was 47 years old (GRO Births Q1 1868 Mutford Suffolk Vol 4a page 713) when he enlisted at Cambridge on January 19th 1915. At the age of 48 he was in charge of a motor launch under fire at Suvla Bay off Gallipoli and was later Mentioned in Despatches.
On his attestation paper Thomas stated he had previously served seven and a half years with the Norfolk Volunteers: the predecessors of the part-time Territorial Army. In the pre-war census he was shown as a 43 year old engineer at a motor works at Lowestoft and he was a motor driver when he enlisted which was still rather unique in 1915 so his skills would have been in demand by the Army Service Corps which was rapidly expanding its Mechanical Transport section. (The Eastern Coach Works traces its origins back to a pool of skilled builders of horse drawn carriages who had turned their hands to building motor bus bodies at Lowestoft just before the First World War).
The upper age limit for enlistment in January 1915 was 38 so the ASC must have wanted him to join them.
The day after enlisting he was despatched to Grove Park. This was the Grove Park at Lewisham in London where the Greenwich Workhouse in Marvels Lane was taken over by the ASC as a mobilization and training centre under the title of Mechanical Transport Reserve Depot. He remained in England until September 5th 1915 when he set sail for Alexandria in Egypt on board SS "Grampian" from Devonport. He landed on the 18th September and went to the BMT (Base Mechanical Transport) Depot, Alexandria. On 22nd September 1915 he set sail on board SS "Clan" to go to Mudros, which was the British harbour on the Greek island of Lemnos and was used as a stepping-off point for troops fighting on Gallipoli. On October 9th 1915 he joined a Motor Boat Company and was detached from the Mudros base to Suvla, one of the bays on the Aegean Coast of the Dardanelles where the British and ANZACs were fighting the Turks. The entry reads: "To motor boat section Suvla". The next entry is partially illegible but it says Alexandria with a date that may be 4.2.16. This would have placed him at Suvla during the evacuation from Gallipoli. The actions at Suvla are well documented. He was appointed Lance Corporal at Mudros on 16 January 1916.
The motor boats which were relatively small would have been used to take men and equipment ashore from the larger vessels during the campaign and to withdraw men off the beaches during the evacuation (Dec 1915 – January 1916). Thomas was a coxswain of a motor boat. A coxswain was in charge of the boat and responsible for steering and navigation. He appears to have returned to Alexandria from Mudros on the island Lemnos early in February 1916.
On 11th February 1916 Thomas left the base depot at Alexandria for Ismailia a city on the Suez Canal in Egypt and the site of the head office of the Suez Canal Company. It is not clear which Motor Boat Company he was with but this would have involved more pleasant duties. Lieutenant-Colonel R.H. Beadon, writing "The Royal Army Service Corps: A History of Transport and Supply, Volume 2" (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1932) said: "the motor boat company had been transferred from Lemnos to Ismailia on the evacuation of the Gallipoli Peninsula. This unit, which comprised some one hundred and forty all ranks, operated thirty-six boats of various descriptions and was used for the Embarkation Staff and other port officers on the canal and for the carriage of supplies and for patrol work." Patrol work was defending the canal from incursions by the Turks from the desert to the East.
Thomas's service record then becomes illegible although there is a reference to 376 Motor Boat Company at Ismailia. The next entry is for Port Said on 25 October 1917. On 9.12.17 Thomas was re-classified as B1. This was a medical category which showed the war had taken its toll. It meant he was able to work on Lines of Communications or in Garrisons; was free of disease; was able to march 5 miles and could shoot with the aid of spectacles if needed. The entry does have L of C to the left. Lines of Communications were the docks, road and rail links from the coast to the front. On 26.12.17 he "joined for duty – attached" to a unit at Port Said. The unit is illegible. He was probably still in motor boats but working on port duties.
On January 16th 1918 Thomas was Mentioned in Despatches. The reason was not stated. It may have been for a specific act or for prolonged good service. A supplement to the official government publication "The London Gazette" published on January 16th 1918 stated: "War Office,
I6th January, 1918. The names of the undermentioned Officers, Ladies, Warrant and Non-commissioned Officers and Men have been brought to the notice of the Secretary of State for War by General Sir Edmund Allenby, G.C.M.G., K.C.B., Commanding-in-Chief, Egyptian Expeditionary Force, for distinguished service in connection with military operations under his command... Army Service Corps; Boor, No. M2/034481 Pte (actg. Lce.-Corpl) T. H. ("London Gazette" Issue 30480 published 15 January 1918 pages 929 and 935). See
http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/search
Thomas appears to have remained at Port Said as the next legible entry in his record is dated 9.8.18:
Admitted to hospital [suffering] debility. The location appears to be 14 AGH which could have been the 14th [Australian] General Hospital located at Abbassia, Cairo. He returned to his base depot unit at Port Said on August 23rd 1918 and the same day he was sent South via Kantara West (Al Qantarah El Sharqiyya) where there was a large railway station. This was a major railhead and warehousing area on the coast for the Egyptian Force. Al qantara means "the bridge" in Arabic and it was the main base for operations in the Sinai from 1916 until 1920. Thomas moved via Kantara West to the MT Depot (Mechanical Transport Depot) Port Tewfick on August 26th 1918. Port Tewfick (Taufiq) is at Suez at the southern end of the Suez Canal about 170km South of Port Said. Port Tewfik today is used to accommodate passenger ships and vessels transiting the Suez Canal.
Thomas remained on detachment to Port Tewfik until 16 January 1919 when he appears to have returned to Port Said, possibly on leave. He returned to Port Tewfik from 19th until 26th February 1919 when he returned to Kantara on February 26th 1919. His service ended on the 27th and on the 28th he was posted to the demobilization camp at Kantara where he reverted to the rank of private "on relinquishing his duties". He sailed home on HT "Caledonia" on March 3rd 1919.
He had been employed as a coxswain and (?) Motor engineer. He was described as sober, very reliable and very intelligent. He had good power of command and control as an NCO and was tactful in his way of handling men. He "had an aptitude for" motor engineering and Coxswain of motor launch.
Thomas Boor earned the 1914-15 Star for service abroad before December 31st 1915; the Victory Medal with oak leaf emblem (for the Mention In Despatches) and the British War Medal.
He was 50 at the end of his war service. He survived the war and died in 1922 (GRO Deaths Thomas H Boor Q4 1922 Mutford Suffolk Volume: 4a Page: 1057).
Kind regards,
Alan

---

Reply from: Victoria
Date: Wednesday 1st September 2010 at 12:19 PM
Alan - I am stunned and hugely grateful for this information. WWI has suddenly come alive for me. I have made a small donation to the Royal British Legion as a token of thanks. Will you be attending the Festival of Remembrance this year? Victoria.

Dear Alan
I have found two references to a Charles Pottage and wonder if they are the same person.
1) Charles Pottage was born in Pontefract and served in the74th Foot Regt. for a short time being discharged at the age of 24. He served between 1838 and 1846

2) Charles Pottage - Attestation papers to serve in the Royal Marines at Portsmouth at the age of 57 in 1852, which makes him born in 1795. I have on my tree a Charles Pottage baptised in Pontefract on 5 Oct 1794. I believe he was a Chelsea Pensioner.
I should be most grateful if you could give me any further information about the two Charles Pottage.

I am also interested in George E Pottage of the E Yorks Regt No 30522 He was a Private and served 1914-1920

With many thanks

Jo

---

Reply from: Alan Greveson
Date: Tuesday 31st August 2010 at 7:07 PM
Dear Jo,
The documents you mention appear to belong to two different people both named Charles Pottage.
By age, the attestation papers for the Royal Marines at Portsmouth could to refer to Charles Pottage, son of Matthew and Grace, baptised 5 October 1794 at Pontefract. His age was stated as 57 which was rather old to be enlisting. However, an entry in the 1851 England census shows a Charles Pottage of Pontefract aged 53 with a wife Ann who had been born at Portsea. He was shown as a Chelsea pensioner. This meant he was in receipt of an army pension, so his attestation in 1852 might have been for re-enlisting.
The Charles Pottage who enlisted in the 74th Regiment of Foot between 1838 and 1846 stated his age on entry as 19 years six months. That would give him a birth date of about 1819. A Charles John Pottage was baptised at Pontefract on 27 Jun 1819, the son of George and Mary.
There are two deaths registered at Pontefract which match these two men. The first was Charles Pottage, died 1868 aged 73 (GRO Deaths Q1 1868 Pontefract vol 9c page 48) and the second was Charles Pottage died 1881 aged 63 (GRO Deaths Q1 1881 Pontefract vol 9c page 66).
It seems likely then that there were two men who had different service records, one in the Royal Marines and the other in the 74th Foot.

George Ernest Pottage MM enlisted in the Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own (Yorkshire Regiment) on November 2nd 1915 at Middlesbrough. He joined the regiment at Marton the next day and was allotted the regimental number 25056. Marton was Marton Hall where a camp had been set-up in the grounds. George was 20 years old and had worked with his father as a draper. He was appointed acting Lance-Corporal within three weeks and within a year was an acting Sergeant. He became a musketry (rifle) instructor with the 14th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment which was re-numbered the 81st Training Reserve Battalion on September 1st 1916. The battalions trained the large number of men who by then were being compulsorily conscripted into the Army. The battalion was based at Newcastle upon Tyne and George remained with them until October 1917. He then served briefly with the 3rd Bn West Yorkshire Regiment at Hartlepool between 3 October 1917 and 8 December 1917. While there he reverted to the rank of private soldier, apparently no longer an instructor. On 9th December 1917 he was transferred to the 4th Bn West Riding Regiment at Cannock Chase where he was made a corporal at Rugeley Camp on December 14th 1917. He remained there until the end of March 1918 when on March 31st he was sent to France via Folkestone and Boulogne. He passed through one of the Infantry Base Depots where he was transferred to the 11th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment on April 2nd 1918 and given the regimental number 30522. The next day he joined the Battalion in the trenches. The 11th Battalion was serving in the 92nd Brigade with the 31st Infantry Division. The Division fought at the Battle of Estaires, on the Lys, in April 1918 and on April 12th George was wounded. He was shot (GSW – gun shot wound) in the left hip and forearm. He was treated in hospitals at Etaples and Trouville and spent some time at No 6 Convalescent Depot (camp) at Etaples. He eventually rejoined his battalion on August 13th 1918. On 8th September 1918 he was reported as missing.
The Battalion was serving in the Ypres Salient at the time at Ploegsteert Wood.
George was not officially reported as dead until a year later when he was regarded for official purposes as dead. His mother, Elizabeth, had received letters from prisoners of war that claimed they had seen him killed on September 8th.
He is commemorated on the Ploegsteert memorial. The CWGC says: "Those commemorated by the memorial did not die in major offensives, such as those which took place around Ypres to the north, or Loos to the south. Most were killed in the course of the day-to-day trench warfare which characterised this part of the line, or in small scale set engagements, usually carried out in support of the major attacks taking place elsewhere."
In December 1918 the official publication "The London Gazette" recorded George had been awarded the Military Medal. "His Majesty the KING has been graciously pleased to approve of the award of the Military Medal for bravery in the Field to the undermentioned Warrant Officers, Non-Commissioned
Officers and Men ... East Yorkshire Regiment 30522 Pte. Pottage, G. E. (Middlesbrough) llth Bn.
(London Gazette 3rd Supplement Weds 11th Dec Gazette Issue 31061 published on the 10 December 1918). See:
http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/search
No citation was reported. The Military Medal may have been for the action in April when he was wounded or in September when he was killed. Local newspapers of the time may have recorded the award.
George qualified for the Victory Medal and the British War Medal.
His service record can be seen on microfilm at the National Archives at Kew or can be downloaded (charges apply) from the Ancestry.co.uk website.
Kind regards,
Alan

---

Reply from: Joe
Date: Tuesday 31st August 2010 at 7:57 PM
May I thank you for the tremendous work done on my behalf. It is amazing just how much detail you managed to find. Regarding the two Charles'. Are there any further details to say where they actually served?

Kind regards

Joe

---

Reply from: Alan Greveson
Date: Wednesday 1st September 2010 at 11:44 AM
Dear Joe,
You would need to see the individual records to establish where the men served. The records for Charles Pottage in the Royal Marines are kept by the National Archives at Kew in ADM 157/386/292. They can be ordered via their website (charges apply). The records for the other Charles Pottage, 74th Foot, are available to download from the findmypast.co.uk website (charges apply).
Special enlistment (or re-enlistment) into the Marines could have been caused by the 8th Xhosa War (then called the "Kaffir War") in 1852. I think the 74th Foot were at home in the UK during the time Charles Pottage (junior) was with them.
Kind regards,
Alan

---

Reply from: Joe
Date: Wednesday 1st September 2010 at 4:19 PM
Once again Alan, many thanks and I will look out the information you have given me
Kind regards

Joe

Dear Andy, on 21st August you kindly replied to my enquiry about Wilfred Albert Barber Baker who was in the South Staffordshire Regiment during WWI. I wonder if you could direct me to where I could find the details you sent me in your reply, or whether there is a book I could read with his details in. I am busy putting my family tree together and would like to get as many references and as much information, as I can. I will understand if it is not possible.

Thank you.
Jules

---

Reply from: Jules
Date: Monday 30th August 2010 at 6:19 PM
Sorry, I meant to say Dear "Alan", I do apologise.
Jules

---

Reply from: Alan Greveson
Date: Monday 30th August 2010 at 11:01 PM
Dear Jules,
I don't mind being called Andy.
Most of the information was taken from Wilfred's service record available on the ancestry.co.uk website (subscription or charges apply). Some of the images are difficult to read and I was able to provide specific detail only after I had computer-enhanced the faded images and enlarged them.
The specific dates about the 2nd/6th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment and details of which Brigade and Division it served in are taken from the academic work of Brigadier E. A. James "British Regiments 1914 -18" first published in 1974 after many years' work and re-printed by the Naval and Military Press. The book is "a book of lists" and while it is essential for researchers it is of little value to someone who is interested only in one battalion as you now have that information.
The constitution and movements of Brigades and Divisions are a mystery to many family historians but they are the essential foundations for researching a battalion's history. A soldier fought for his mates. He and his mates lived in a battalion. The battalion fought as part of a Brigade of four (later three) battalions which co-operated and relieved and supported each other.
Three brigades formed the infantry of a Division with its additional artillery, engineer and medical and veterinary support. So knowing the history of a division is to know the history of its brigades and battalions until you bore down to the man himself through his service record.
The academic source of all this information is Chris Baker's website: "The Long, Long Trail"
http://www.1914-1918.net/index.html
which enlarges on E.A. James's work in much greater detail.
Once I can establish where a man was, much of the information comes from personal knowledge. So, for example, March 21st 1918 means "Operation Michael" and rings a loud bell and I can expand on that. If I use only one source for a large amount of information I always credit it but generally I might use many sources to compile what appears to be a simple paragraph.
For books about the South Staffordshire Regiment you could try the Regimental Museum.
http://x.staffordshireregimentmuseum.com/index.php
The Naval and Military Press have their own website at
http://www.naval-military-press.com/
Historical books can be found on the reputable second-hand dealers' website
http://www.abebooks.co.uk/
If I can be of any more help, just ask.
Kind regards,
Alan

---

Reply from: Jules
Date: Tuesday 31st August 2010 at 6:22 PM
Again, thank you Alan for the information you sent. You have been very helpful.
Jules

Dear Alan, I was hoping to find out any information on my Great Grandfather Noble McCormack, he served in WW1 ,Army number 123127 Pioneer division, Royal Irish Rifles . We believe he suffered from a gas attack and died not long after he was sent home to Belfast , would be glad of any help to find out more.
Thanks
Barbara

---

Reply from: Alan Greveson
Date: Monday 30th August 2010 at 5:15 PM
Dear Barbara,
The regimental number 123127 for Noble McCormack was allotted by the Corps of Royal Engineers.
This soldier was a "pioneer" which was the title given to a private soldier in the Royal Engineers who had no skilled engineering trade. Skilled tradesmen were called "Sappers".
Noble McCormack stated his age as 44 when he enlisted in 1915. This was probably an under-estimate as the 1911 census of Ireland showed he was 44 in 1911 (born 1867) and the 1901 census showed him aged 32 (born 1869). In August 1917 he stated his age was 50 years and 10 months (born 1866). The official maximum age for enlistment was 40, so Noble McCormack was over-age when he volunteered in September 1915.
For that reason he was enlisted into the Labour Section of the Royal Engineers which had a depot at Southampton. The Labour Section employed men who were over-age or not fit enough for the infantry. The men were employed in Labour Battalions which had been created in July 1915. The men worked mainly on repairing and constructing roads in the fighting areas of France and Belgium. They were paid a special rate of three shillings a day, compared to the infantryman's one shilling a day. Eventually there were eleven Labour Battalions working in France for the Royal Engineers, reflecting the volume of construction that had to be undertaken.
Noble McCormack enlisted at Whitehall in London on September 22nd 1915. On October 1st his enlistment was approved at Southampton. His attestation paper (swearing an oath to the King) showed his address as 59 Boyne Square, Belfast. He joined the 9th Labour Battalion at Southampton and was immediately sent to France on October 2nd 1915. The exact movements of the 9th Labour Battalion are not clear but it eventually came under the control of the Reserve Army (later called the 5th Army) and in March 1916 was in the St Omer district in the Pas de Calais. The Fifth Army was created on 30 October 1916 by renaming the British Reserve Army of General Sir Hubert Gough and as such it fought the Battle of the Ancre which became the final British effort in the Battle of the Somme.
In the Spring of 1917 the 9th Labour Battalion was working in the area between Arras and Bapaume.
Noble McCormack was sent home from France on March 12th 1917. He probably had been wounded as he then came under the administration of the Labour Depot (Southampton) of the Royal Engineers until his discharge from army on August 3rd 1917 as "no longer physically fit for war service". He was awarded the Silver War Badge for being discharged early because of wounds or sickness. The Silver War Badge was meant to be worn on civilian clothes to show a man not in uniform had served his country.
The cause of his discharge was shown as "debility" which meant weak in health and body. He was "unable to state the date or place of origin" of his illness for pension purposes. It was "not the result of but aggravated by Active Service". He was granted a pension of eight shillings and threepence a week plus six shillings for his children. Seven children were named. His wife was Eliza Hawkes whom he had married on 4th December 1897 at University Road Church, Belfast. Noble died on May 18th 1918.
He had qualified for the 1914-15 Star, the Victory Medal and the British War Medal.
His military character was "very good" and his conduct was "very satisfactory". Before enlisting he had been "employed as a clerk for 4 years by Harland and Wolff". The 1911 Census showed him as a postman. See:
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/search/
Noble's Medal Rolls index card is available from the National Archives (cost GBP 2) or the ancestery.co.uk website (charges apply). Four pages of his service record have survived. They can be downloaded from the ancestry website for a charge. The site states there are two images however there are in fact four images, numbered from 24606 to 24609.
Kind regards,
Alan

---

Reply from: Barbara
Date: Tuesday 31st August 2010 at 6:18 AM
Dear Alan , Thank you very much ,for all this interesting information, its great to find out more about Noble , I wonder why at his age he joined up, was there pressure in Ireland to go to War , also why were Engineers paid more than Infantry men ,who would have been in the front line? .
Thanks again
Barbara

Is there a medal roll card for the Chinese Labour Corps? I have a medal No.55774 and would like to know who it was issued to.
Regards David

---

Reply from: Alan Greveson
Date: Sunday 29th August 2010 at 3:24 PM
Dear David,
The medal rolls you require are not available online.
While British medals were impressed with the recipient's name, number and regiment, those issued to the Chinese Labour Corps were impressed with only the regimental number. The men generally received the Victory and British War medals.
The medal rolls for the Chinese Labour Corps contain 95,000 names and are held in ten sections at the UK National Archives in Catalogue references W0 329/ 2374 to 2383. Each section contains about 300 pages.
It would be a question of paying a researcher to look up the number for you. See:
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/paid_research.htm
Kind regards,
Alan

---

Reply from: David
Date: Monday 30th August 2010 at 6:08 AM
Hi Alan
Many thanks for that.Will contact a researcher.
Regards David

---

Reply from: Philip Vanhaelemeersch
Date: Friday 3rd September 2010 at 1:05 AM
Dear David,

You may want to contact Gregory James, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, who compiled a full, searchable database of all labourers serving with the CLC.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/photo/2010-04/24/c_13265413_5.htm

Philip Vanhaelemeersch

---

Reply from: Philip Vanhaelemeersch
Date: Friday 3rd September 2010 at 12:07 AM
Gregory James, e-mail address:

(lcgjames at ust dot hk)

---

Reply from: David
Date: Friday 3rd September 2010 at 4:15 AM
Hi Philip
Thanks for that,had seen his name mentioned on posts but had no contact details.
Regards David

Hi Alan,

I am looking for information on my maternal grandfather, James Osborne who was from Belfast. I believe he joined the Royal Engineers/bomb disposal in WW2. I think he would have been in his late thirties to mid forties when he joined up and I know he made it through the war. He was married to Margaret (Maggie Ann). When demobbed he returned to Belfast. Any information you may be able to find out would be a great help.

Many thanks
Carol

---

Reply from: Alan Greveson
Date: Saturday 28th August 2010 at 10:49 PM
Dear Carol,
Unfortunately I am not able to research soldiers who served in the Second World War as their records are held securely by the Ministry of Defence. The MoD will release certain amounts of information depending on whether you are next of kin or not. You can apply using the forms for next of kin, or with permission of next of kin, or as a general enquirer. See:
http://www.veterans-uk.info/service_records/service_records.html
You may need proof of death; date of birth; next of kin's permission unless you are the direct next of kin; a cheque and completed forms Part 1 and 2. The next of kin form (Part 1) is for completion by the next of kin (or enquirers with the consent of next of kin) of deceased service personnel. Look for "Service records publications" under "Related pages" and follow the instructions. The Part 2 form is entitled: "Request forms for service personnel – Army" found under "Related Pages". A cheque for GBP 30 should be made payable to "The MoD Accounting Officer" and sent to Army Personnel Centre Secretariat, Disclosures 2, Mail Point 515, Kentigern House, 65 Brown Street, Glasgow G2 8EX Scotland with all the paperwork.
Kind regards,
Alan

Dear Alan,

Many thanks for your quick reply. The information was very helpful.

Regards,

Irene

Hi, I wondered if you could help me concerning my husbands grandads war records. He was name Michael Masterson and he was born on 14th April 1889, in Longton Staffs. I have a copy from Ancestry of his Brithish Army WW1 Pension Record 1914-1920. It gives his address as 16 Pitt Street, Longton, and regimental number 6984, corps Kings & Rifles. We would like to know where he would have served and if he was injured, as he told a story of ending up in the morgue and frightening someone when he got up. Also an Allied Victory Medal was found after his death, it is inscribed around the rim with Private M Masterton not Masterson and the number 284395 raf, what does the number and raf mean, Hope you can help.

Regards
Maxine.

---

Reply from: Alan Greveson
Date: Sunday 29th August 2010 at 2:19 PM
Dear Maxine,
The information you have found raises some questions I have not been able to answer.
The service record for Michael Masterson showed he enlisted at Longton and was posted to the depot of the King's Royal Rifle Corps at Winchester on November 12th 1914 with the regimental number R/6984. He was posted to the 9th Battalion KRRC on November 23rd.. He became "non effective" on January 1st 1915 and was discharged from the Army and struck off the strength on January 27th 1915 under Paragraph 392 (iii) (cc) of King's Regulations which referred to "recruits with more than three months' service considered medically unfit for further military service." The instructions stated that "under (cc) men with between three and six months' service who, in the opinion of ...a medical inspector of recruits, are unlikely to become efficient soldiers may be discharged."
On the face of it, that meant he did not serve in the Army during the First World War.
However, his service record was filed in those records that were held by the Ministry of Pensions. Only soldiers who had been wounded or had died leaving dependents received a pension for service in the First World War. It is possible Michael had made a claim against the Army if he had been injured during training. Otherwise, there seems no reason for the Ministry of Pensions to have required his records unless he had later re-enlisted and his later documents were among those that were destroyed during the Blitz in 1940.
I can find no record for this soldier receiving any medals.
The Victory Medal you have appears to be that of someone with the regimental number 284395 who served in the Royal Air Force. The RAF was created from the Royal Flying Corps on April 1st 1918. It is possible this medal belonged to Michael Masterson if he had later re-enlisted in the forces. It is also feasible that it belonged to his father, Michael Masterson, born about 1862.
Service records for RAF personnel with numbers between 284371 - 284470 are held at the National Archives at Kew in catalogue reference AIR 79/2477.
Kind regards,
Alan

---

Reply from: Maxine
Date: Sunday 29th August 2010 at 5:35 PM
Hi Alan, Thanks for the reply, it seems i will have to get in touch with the National Archives. The medal cannot be Michael's Fathers as he died in 1911 at age 49. Thanks for the info, by all accounts he was a bit of a rogue, and no one knew that he had been discharged, perhaps the morgue story was to cover the truth.I will let you know if i find anything out.
Regards
Maxine

Dear Alan
Many thanks again for the info on my Grandfather Henry Cosby,i wonder if you had the time could you have a look for his brothers? Samuel Cosby R.I.R number 5590 and James Cosby 14232 (W B R U V corps)?,any info would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in anticipation
Jim

---

Reply from: Alan Greveson
Date: Saturday 28th August 2010 at 4:24 PM
Dear Jim,
Samuel Cosby served in the regular army seeing action in the Second Anglo-Boer War and the First World War. He enlisted in the 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Rifles on July 8th 1898 at the age of 19. He was 5ft 5ins tall had blue eyes and brown hair. Samuel enlisted at Belfast initially for seven years with the colours and five on reserve. A year after his enlistment he deserted from the battalion in August 1899 while it was stationed at Holywood. He was arrested by the civil power in Belfast and returned to serve 21 days imprisonment with hard labour. By December 1899 the battalion was in South Africa where it fought at the battle of Stormberg. The Battalion saw action at Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Belfast (South Africa), Ladysmith, Paardeberg, Transvaal, and Tugela Heights. Samuel qualified for the Queen's South Africa Medal and the King's South Africa Medal (which was awarded to those who had more than 18 months' service in the colony). He returned to the UK on February 3rd 1903 and spent the next 11 years serving at British garrisons in Ireland and England.
On his return to the UK, Samuel qualified as a shoeing smith and as a mounted infantryman. Mounted Infantry were a product of the South African war and were companies of infantrymen who travelled by horse but fought dismounted.
Samuel was a bit of a character. His regimental conduct sheet showed he got into fights and got drunk. His punishments were spells of Confinement to Barracks while stationed at Dublin, Aldershot, Tidworth and Dover. His Good Conduct pay was forfeited and re-instated on a regular basis.
In 1904 he extended his service in the Army by a year. In 1909 he decided to stay on for a full 21 years.
The 2nd Battalion went to France on 13th August 1914 at the outbreak of the First World War. Its members were among the "Old Contemptibles" who fought at Mons, took part in the retreat from Mons and fought the battles of the Marne and the Aisne before moving north to Flanders. He qualified for the 1914 Star with the dated Mons Clasp which was the least-awarded Campaign medal of the First World War. The 2nd Bn RIR fought with the 7th Brigade in the 3rd Division until October 1915. The Division fought at the Battles of La Bassee and Messines 1914; the First Battle of Ypres; the Winter Operations 1914-15; the First Attack on Bellewaarde, the Actions of Hooge; the Second Attack on Bellewaarde in support of the opening attack in the Battle of Loos in September 1915.
In October 1915 the 2nd RIR joined the 25th Division to add some experience to the newly formed division. They fought throughout the Battle of the Somme in 1916. See:
http://www.1914-1918.net/25div.htm
On 13th November 1917 the 2nd RIR joined the 108th Brigade in the 36th (Ulster) Division. In 1918 they fought at the Battle of St Quentin; the Actions at the Somme Crossings; the Battle of Rosieres; the Battle of Messines; the Battle of Bailleul; the Battle of Kemmel Ridge; the Battle of Ypres; the Battle of Courtrai; and the action of Ooteghem. On 11 November the Division was at Mouscron, north east of Tourcoing.
Samuel was demobilized on 13th August 1919 after 21 years' service. He may have qualified for the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, though there is some doubt whether it was actually awarded, owing to his conduct sheet.
He was twice wounded in France: he was shot (slight wound) on the 6th September 1914 and he later received a shrapnel wound in the buttock on September 10th 1914.
He qualified for the Queen's South Africa Medal, the King's South Africa Medal, the 1914 Star with Mons clasp; the Victory Medal and the British War Medal. .

James Cosby enlisted in the West Belfast Regiment of the Ulster Volunteer Force which at the outbreak of the First World War became the 9th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles. He volunteered on September 10th 1914 at Belfast. He was 5ft 9ins tall, had hazel eyes and fair hair. He was 22 years old. However, he was deemed medically unfit for military service and was discharged on October 10th 1914 after 31 days.
Kind regards,
Alan

---

Reply from: Jimchelsea
Date: Sunday 29th August 2010 at 1:18 AM
Dear Alan
Thats brilliant! .I cant thank you enough mate for taking the time and trouble to do that for a stranger! Samuel is a branch of the family i have only recently discovered.
The info though raises a few questions, you stated that Samuel was awarded the King and Queens South Africa Medal as he had served 18 months in South Africa,would my Grandfather Henry Cosby also have been awarded that medal?, as you say he had served 2 years in South Africa?(or was the Boar War over
during my Grandfathers time there?}.Could i also ask if you found any details of Samuel Cosbys family? i.e. if he was married and had children? from the records you found?. I have found out from the on-line cencus that he lived at 144 argyle street belfast,but cant find anything about any family he had.
Again many thanks
Jim

---

Reply from: Alan Greveson
Date: Sunday 29th August 2010 at 3:31 PM
Dear Jim,
Henry would not have earned medals for service in South Africa as he was there after the war had ended.
Samuel's record showed his father as his next of kin. There was no other record of his family up to the time he left the Army in 1919.
Kind regards,
Alan

Hi i am trying to get information on my great grandfather PTE.T.HENNESSEY he was in the boar war,( was a volunteer?) with the middx regiment his medal has 5 bars 2 have dates 1901 1902 (has Queen Victoria on one side,Brittania on the other the wreath pointing towards the F and has ships and soldiers as well, i would really appreciate any information about him. Thank you in advance.

---

Reply from: Alan Greveson
Date: Saturday 28th August 2010 at 1:25 PM
Dear Dominic,
It is difficult to positively identify a soldier by his surname and initial only. A search of Meurig Jones's database does show a Private T. Hennessey No. 8369 who served with the 2nd Battalion Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment) in the 2nd Volunteer Company.
He qualified for the Queen's South Africa Medal.
The 2nd Battalion Middlesex Regiment was a regular army battalion which served in South Africa during the Second Anglo-Boer War from December 1899 to May 1902. The Volunteers were the fore-runners of the present Territorial Army which was formed in 1908. The history of the Middlesex volunteers is very complex. They had four battalions with 8,300 men at the end of the 19th Century and recruited at Hampstead, Barnet, Hornsey, Highgate, Tottenham and Enfield (including the Royal Small Arms factory) to name but a few places. The unit which became known as the 2nd Volunteer Battalion the Middlesex Regiment was descended from the 16th Middlesex Rifle Volunteers with companies at Twickenham, Isleworth, Teddington, Brentford and a headquarters at Hounslow. The men were civilian part-time volunteers who trained at weekends, drill-nights and annual camp.
After the outbreak of the Second Anglo-Boer War the British suffered a thousand casualties at the Battle of Colenso. The British commander General Sir Redvers Buller was recalled and replaced by Field Marshall Lord Roberts of Kandahar with Lord Kitchener, the Sirdar of Egypt, as his Chief of Staff. These men realised that the British infantry was not well suited to fighting the Boers who were highly manoeuvrable on horse-back. In December 1899 the Army declared it would raise a force of volunteers known as the Imperial Yeomanry. Meanwhile, infantry volunteers were trained to ride horses and became known as Mounted Infantry, meaning they rode horses but fought dismounted as infantrymen. In London the Lord Mayor promoted the yeomanry and the City Imperial Volunteers were created. The City Corporation paid for horses and equipment for one thousand volunteers. Queues formed outside the recruiting office in London. The men of the 2nd Volunteer Battalion Middlesex Regiment were quick to raise a small company of 40 men who served with the City Imperial Volunteers while the others joined the "war-service" volunteer companies to fight with the Regular Army's 2nd Battalion Middlesex Regiment.
The designation of T. Hennessey as being in the 2nd Volunteer Company with the 2nd Battalion Middlesex Regiment implies he had joined one of the war-service companies which was despatched to fight with the 2nd regular battalion. The Battalion fought notably at Spion Kop, Vaal Krantz, Pieter's, Botha's Pass, Alleman's Nek, and Graskop . It lost 52 men killed in action and 51 died of disease.
For more on the Middlesex Regiment in the war see: http://www.angloboerwar.com/units%20imperial/middlesex_regt.htm
and
http://www.prole.demon.co.uk/middlesex/saw.htm
The medal you have is the Queen's South Africa Medal. For an explanation of the clasps see:
http://www.northeastmedals.co.uk/britishguide/queens_south_africa_medal.htm
For further research and Meurig Jones's database see:
http://www.casus-belli.co.uk/

Kind regards,
Alan

---

Reply from: Dominic
Date: Thursday 2nd September 2010 at 3:06 AM
Amazing,thank you so much the Hennesseys still live in Teddington,I will check the number on the medal but i would'nt be surprised if this is him. Again my thanks. Dominic

Dear Alan,

I have been trying to find infomation on two of my uncles' service records. Private John Harvey 9899 7th Battalion South Staffs. Regiment, died of wounds 6th October,1916. Buried Boulogne Eastern Cemetery aged 21. Awarded Victory, British and Star medals. Served in Balkans and France.

Private John Burt 20600 of 1st Battalion South Staffs. Regiment, killed 31st August, 1916. Remembered at Thiepval Memorial, aged 26. Awarded Victory and British medals.

Any other information would be appreciated.

---

Reply from: Alan Greveson
Date: Saturday 28th August 2010 at 2:29 PM
Dear Irene,
No service record appears to have survived for John Harvey. An Army Medal Rolls index card showed he left England for service abroad on 21st July 1915. When he died he was shown as serving with the 7th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment. The date John left the UK matches the date the battalion sailed for Gallipoli so it seems John served with that battalion throughout his war service.
The 7th Bn South Staffordshire Regiment was formed at Lichfield in August 1914 as part of the first "hundred thousand men" demanded by Kitchener. The battalion joined the 33rd Brigade in the 11th Infantry Division at Grantham. In April 1915 they completed their training in the Frensham area near Farnham. They embarked at Liverpool to sail to the Dardanelles where they landed on August 7th 1915 near Lala Baba at Suvla Bay. Along with the rest of the Allied force they were withdrawn from Gallipoli in December 1915 and were sent to Imbros from where they sailed for Alexandria in Egypt arriving on 2nd February 1916. They were camped at Sidi Bishr from where they took over part of the Suez Canal Defences. The Division received orders on 17 June 1916 to move to France. Embarkation at Alexandria was completed on 3rd July and by 7th July the Divisional Headquarters had been set up at Flesselles which is North of Amiens in Picardy on the Somme.
They took part in the Battle of Flers-Courcelette between 15 and 22 September 1916 and then the Battle of Thiepval Ridge between 26 and 28 September 1916. The 11th Division were attacking northwards and quickly over-ran the remains of Mouquet Farm but experienced difficulty overcoming its defenders. The eventual surrender of the enemy at Mouquet Farm allowed 11th Division to move against Zollern Redoubt but severe casualties slowed progress and by evening the attackers had halted at the edge of the redoubt.
John died of wounds on October 6th 1916 at Boulogne which is on the coast. This indicated he had been wounded and transported back to a general hospital at Boulogne, so it is likely he was wounded in the attack on Mouquet Farm or in the days immediately afterwards.

No service record appears to have survived for John Burt. His medal card showed he qualified for the Victory Medal and the British War Medal but not the 1914-15 Star for service abroad before December 31st 1915. Therefore he went to France in 1916. The 1st Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment was a regular army battalion and had been in France since 1914, so it would appear that John was part of a draft of replacements sent to reinforce the battalion in France. The 1st Battalion served with the 91st Brigade in the 7th Infantry Division. The 7th Division captured Mametz on 1 July 1916 on the opening day of the Battle of the Somme. By 13 July the British advance had taken it to a point where it encountered the second German defensive lines. A night attack on 14th July took British troops over that line but they then encountered enemy defences at High Wood and Delville Wood. The 7th Division fought at Delville Wood until September 3rd 1916 so it is likely that John was killed in that battle on August 31st 1916.
Kind regards,
Alan

---

Reply from: Irene
Date: Monday 30th August 2010 at 5:32 PM
Dear Alan,

Thank you for your prompt reply, the information is much appreciated.

Sorry my first reply was wrongly placed.

Irene.