553 replies to this topic

[Ian Bowbrick]

Just a suggestion but how about starting a post inviting members to list relatives who served in the war and their units, or just their units?
It might come to light that some members had relatives who served in the same Battalions/Coys at the same time?
Ian

{Edit: If members go to post numbers 420 to 426, you will find a list of relatives who served in alphabetical surname order }

Edited by MagicRat, 08 July 2009 - 11:06 AM.
Post numbers updated

[Chris_Baker]

Good idea. Why not start right here?

[BRIAN TALMER]

I had two great uncles who served in the Great War:
Private Harry Talmer 265937 who served with the 1st/1st Bucks Battalion, Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry. Killed in action at Pozieres 21/7/1916 and Private Charlie Talmer 5772 who served with 70th coy. Machine Gun corps. Infantry. Died of wounds age 18  24/9/1916.

[Conor Dodd]

Sgt. William Dodd 2nd Batt. Royal Dublin Fusiliers (served from the very start of the war Killed on the 01/07/1916)

Pte. Patrick Roe M.M. 2nd Batt. Royal Dublin Fusiliers (served from the very start of the war wounded and later had his leg amputated on the 01/07/1916)

Gnr. Daniel Roe Royal Field Artillery (I don't know what Bt

Micheal Roe

Pte. Stephen Mealy 1st Batt. Leinster Regiment (Killed the 12/05/1915)

Spr. John Mealy Royal Engineers

Gnr. H. Tresson Royal Field Artillery



Conor

[Ian Bowbrick]

Two great-uncles:
1599 Pte Charles Bowbrick 9th Bn East Surrey Regt - Fought at the Battle of Loos & then right through to the Armistice.
106259 Pte John Bowbrick 178th Coy Labour Corps (Prev 35160 1st Infantry Labour Coy Hampshire Regt)
Grandfather:
62029 Cpl William Bowbrick 26 & A Flight 110 Sqd RFC/RAF
Their Cousins:
5518 Pte Sidney Bowbrick 5th Duke of Cornwalls LI - Western Front 1914-1918
178887 Pte Gerald Bowbrick MGC - Missed the Western Front but went to Russia
SD/1690 Pte Albert Grenyer 12th Bn Royal Sussex Regt - Killed in Action 30 June 1916 at Loos
Wife's Grandfather:
33081 Pte Geoffrey Hall 185th & 187th Coy MGC - Mespot (Prev 18985 2nd Bn Royal Irish Fusiliers - Western Front)
Wife's Great-Uncle:
Pte Reginald Latter Hampshire Regt - Egypt
Ian

[Chris_Baker]

Gunner Frank Wilson, 3rd South Midland (242) Brigade Royal Field Artillery, with 48th (South Midland) Division.

Private Jim McSloy, 14th (Service) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers, the Pioneers of 21st Division. Died of wounds received somewhere near L'Epinette, in CCS in Bailleul, January 1916. Buried in Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension.

Private William Townsend, 5th (Service) battalion, King's Shropshire Light Infantry, 42nd Brigade, 14th (Light) Division.

Private Gabriel Townsend, same. Killed in action near Bellewaarde on 25th september 1915. Commemorated on the Menin Gate.

Albert Baker. Saw much service in the Crocodile Works in Aston near Birmingham. Believed to have been making bayonets and other edged weapons and tools.

[Annette Burgoyne]

My father’s Uncle
Pte. Trow, Sidney, 19662, 6/K.S.L.I.

My Grandfather’s Uncle
Pte. Powell, Charles, 23864, 1/K.S.L.I., K. in A. 20/11/17.

My Grandmother’s Cousin
Pte. William, Mellor, 14480, 11/Ches., K. in A. 3/7/16.

My Grandmother’s Uncle
Pte. Harold, Hewitt, 2293, 1/6/Ches., K. in A. 14/10/16.

Descendants of my Great Great Grandfather
Cpl. Trow, Daniel, 18661, 9/Worcs. D. of W. 9/8/15.
L/Cpl. Trow, Edwin Albert, 16639, 11/Worcs. K. in A. 19/12/17.
Pte. Trow, Thomas Walter, 18937, 11/Worcs. Regt., died 27/10/18 at Depot.
Sgt. Trow, George, 62016, R.F.A.
Pte. Trow, Benjamin, 40892, 9th Leics. (P.O.W.).

Husband’s Grandfather
Pte. Everall, James, Shropshire Yeomanry

Husband’s Great Grandfather
Pte. Burgoyne, Thomas, 1/4/K.S.L.I.

[Terry Denham]

Here is my contribution

Grandfather
Pte Albert Ferguson, Essex Regt, Wounded 1917 Ypres - survived

Great Uncle
Pte George Joseph Denham, 1 Bn Essex Regt KiA 16.08.17 Ypres

My wife's family
Dvr Frederick Hall, RHA, Served Aug 1914 to Nov 1918 in F&F
Cpl John Hall MM, 'Z' 5th TM Bty RFA KiA 04.06.16 Arras
Sjt Thomas Howarth, 10 Bn Loyal North Lancs KiA 11.08.16 Somme

[John Milner]

My grandfather:

10879 Rifleman, Horace Womble, 11th (Service) Battalion, The Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)

Transferred to the Labour Corps late 1917/early1918.

John Milner

[Jonathan Saunders]

Great Grandfather was CYS Oscar Charlton Cox - died when HMS Vanguard blew up at anchor 9 July 1917. My Great Grandmother remarried CSM (I think) Harry Lethbridge RE who was invalided back to Blighty after being gassed.

Of the Cox family Private Percy Leopold Cox 1/Royal Berks killed in action in the attack on Arleux 29 April 1917.  (Percy's son won MM in May 1940 with 1/Royal Berks - possibly first MM of WW2). Another Cox brother, Leonard Alfonso Cox is believed to have been in the first BEF - Regiment unknown at present.

Great Grandmother's brother-in-law was Chief Stoker Francis Newcombe who served aboard the famous HMS Shark and was one of a handful of survivors in what is now known as the "Shark's Dash at Jutland".  Commander Loftus Jones received a posthumous VC.  Unfortunately Francis Newcombe died of his wounds about 6 hours after landing at Hull.  The six survivors that lived were all awarded the DSM.

Her brother George Wilson was part of the first BEF.  He was taken prisoner in either 1916 or 1917.  Regiment unknown at present.  (As a matter of interest her mother survived the Indian Mutiny when hidden under an apple barrel by her ayah at a critical moment - her Grandfather then being a Gunner in the Bengal Horse Artillery).

My Grandfather - Albert Victor Saunders - joined RMLI 14 October 1914 and from March 1916 served aboard HMS Achilles that was involved in the saving of the Dundee when she sank the German raider Leopold in 1917.   (He also served a period as batman to Louis Mountbatten during WW2 and for all but 2 months in mid-1939 did 31 years unbroken service in the RM and had a very poor pension for it!)

One of my Grandfathers brothers - George Saunders - was in the first BEF with the Wiltshire Regiment.  I am nit sure of the other brothers but his sister married an AIF - Fred Percival - who joined up in June 1916 thus missing Gallipoli, proceeded to France and was accidently shot in the hand (!!) having been in the field for just 1 week.  He served the rest of his war in England.

[bydand]

Here is my contribution :

Grandfather :

6143 Dvr. Archibald Neill Drysdale
52nd. Lowland Divisional Train, A.S.C.
Served in Gallipoli and Egypt.

Great Uncle :

2/Lt ( promoted Captain ) John Drysdale M.C.
4th. Bn. ( Territorial ) Gordon Highlanders.
K.I.A. 11th. April 1918 near Vielle Chapelle whilst defending a Bridgehead.
London Gazette 26th. July 1918.

Neil Drysdale

[Kate Wills]

My grandfather:

Pte Alfred Ernest Lines, 7th Ox & Bucks until mid 1917, then 660 MT Coy ASC (mostly Salonika; survived)

Husband's grandfather:

Francis (Frank) White, Pte 1/20 Londons (wounded 25/9 Loos) and subsequently Lt RE Signals attd. RFC and RAF (Wireless Experimental Establishment Joyce Green Dartford and later at Biggin Hill) (survived)

[CROONAERT]

36224 Pte.John Lavin , 7/Border Regt  ,1918-19 (survived)

15558 Sgt. James O'Mara , 11/East Lancs. ,1914-18 (survived)

[michaeldr]

My grandfathers:

AB Daniel Dunn, RNVR (number:TZ 89) served 11 Sep 1914 to 19 Mar 1919
in Nelson Battalion, Royal Naval Division, wounded (B. W. Neck) Gallipoli
4 Jun 1915 and in Hawke Battalion, Royal Naval Division from 1917
survived

Pte George Thomas Robson (number: DM2-179565) served in A.S.C.
further details to be ascertained
survived


re photographs: r to l; Daniel c1914, George [and Michael] c1950

Edited by michaeldr, 27 January 2004 - 12:51 PM.

[Hill_60]

My great grandfathers:

10311 Pte George William Dean, RAMC. Enlisted 15 October 1914, Discharged 23 April 1917 (unfit).

59312 Pte Samuel Farmer, 21st Bn CEF. Enlisted 6 November 1914, Discharged 31 January 1917 (shell shock).

Great Uncles:

6946 Pte Edward Swain, 12th Bn Royal Fusiliers. Enlisted in 1914. KiA at Sanctuary Wood, Ypres on 2 February 1916. First saw action at Loos in 1915.
Buried: Menin Road South Military Cemetery, Ypres, grave I.F.11.

41652 Pte William George Swain, (last Bn served in) 2nd Bn Bedfordshire Regiment. Enlisted underage (15 years) in 1914. Wounded (shot in foot) and gassed in 1915 and sent home. Discharged when his real age came to light but recalled in 1917 and killed in action 21 March 1918. He had considered deserting but was talked out of it by his sister (my Nan) who 'escorted' him and his mate to Southall Railway Station; she was the last family member to see him alive.
Buried: Chapelle British Cemetery, Holnon, France, grave IV.A.14.

Grandfather:

22379 A/Cpl George Bradbury, 7th Bn (?) The Buffs. Enlisted in 1917. Severely wounded in 1918. After recovering he was transferred to the Labour Corps but, in his words, "Rode round on an 'orse and guarded Germans in a camp, prodded a few with a bayonet an' all".

[HERITAGE PLUS]

My maternal grandmother's uncles:

Pte.Charlie FIllis 3/301 6 Wilts d.  6 Nov. 1916 age 42
Bro of A.F.Fillis, 15 Church Walk, Devizes, Wilts
Puchevillers Brit. Cem III.C.18

Pte.Eli Fillis 202228 'C' Coy 1/4 Wilts d. 5 May 1918 age 37
Son of Aaron Fillis, 6 Sutton Place, Devizes, Wilts
Kantara Memorial E145

[AndrewThornton]

My maternal GreaT-Grandfather and his three brothers:

1612/240107 CSM William Thompson M.M.
Joined C Coy, 6th North Staffords at Tamworth in January 1912
Served with 1/6th North Staffords in France and Flanders 3/3/15-11/7/17
Awarded Military Medal for acts of gallantry during unit's attack on "Nash Alley", S.E. of Loos on 24th May 1917
Wounded 6/6/17

9686/242565 Lance Corporal John Thompson
Joined C Coy, 6th North Staffords at Tamworth January 1912
Enlisted into 15th Hussars at Lichfield January 1913
Transferred to 1st Bn North Staffords January 1914
Landed in France 12/9/14
Wounded August 1915 (Hooge) and Wulverghem on 30/4/16
Posted to D Coy 1/6th North Staffords January 1917
Killed in Action 24th May 1917

17714 Private Walter Thompson
Joined 7th North Staffords in Autumn 1914
Served at Suvla - evacuated with frostbite November 1915
Posted to 1st North Staffords  - wounded at Delville Wood August 1916
Wounded "near Bapaume" - March 1917

Gunner Joseph Thompson
Royal Garrison Artillery - evacuated with frostbite January 1917

[David_Bluestein]

My great uncle:

6244 Private Samuel BLUESTEIN 1st Bn., London Regt (Royal Fusiliers)

Killed on the Somme, 15 September 1916 . Age 28.

[Bob Coulson]

My Grandfather,

Gunner Herbert Coulson.
280th Siege Battery
Royal Garrison Artillery.

Gassed but survived the war and came home in 1919.

Grandma and my Dad got dressed up to meet him off the train home but he wasn't on it so they went home.
He arrived on a later train and apparently gave Grandma a rollicking for not waiting for him.
This told to me by my Dad a few years ago just before he died.

[jim_davies]

My great-grandfather Sidney James Lee, (Royal Artillery), India and later Western Front. 1916-1918.

Great grand-uncle Fred Lee, (Leceisters) 1917-1918.

Great grand-uncle L/Clp Charles Jarvis, (5/ Connaught Rangers), KIA 27.8.1915, Gallipoli.

Great grand-uncle George Jarvis (no idea of which unit !)

Great grand-uncle George William Boyall, (1/ Lincolns), KIA 29.9.1918. F & F.

Grandfather William Davies and great uncles Tom and Sam Davies, Mercantile Marine.

[Cynthia]

Although they are not blood relatives, I have been made an honourary family member, so I very much feel they are part of my own family:

G/7190 Pte Robert James Stark, 7th Battalion, The Queen's Royal West Surrey Regiment.  Enlisted London, November 15, 1915.  Posted January 21, 1916 to 3rd Queen's.  To France August 24, 1916.  Posted to 7th Queen's September 3, 1916 at Magnicourt et Comte.  KIA September 28, 1916 at the Schwaben Redoubt at the age of 23.

Driver HMT 349980 Sydney Charles Stark, Army Service Corps, 69th Steam Company.  Service 1916-1920.  Died at the age of 98 in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Thanks to Ian Whitlock, I was able to obtain Robert's service record at the PRO, but not his brother Sydney's.  It was an amazing experience to follow Robert's final steps through Magnicourt, Lucheux and Puchevillers, before being sent to Blighty Valley and then the killing fields near Thiepval. I felt as close to him as if he were my own flesh and blood.

Cynthia

[Alison Arnold]

Here is my contribution

24486 Pte George ARNOLD   11 BN Cheshire Reg  KIA 3rd July 1916

G/1822 Pte A H Bourne     8 BN Royal Sussex Reg Died 13th May 1917.


Ali