8th Batt. Green Howards In Belgium, 1918

#1 Deleted_Jeff Blyth_*

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Posted 30 October 2002 - 04:32 PM

Can anyone help me?

I'm trying to find out details of how my Great Grandfather, 17760 Sgt. George Miller Blyth (who served with the 8th Battalion, Yorkshire Regt.) won the Croix de Guerre in April 1918 whilst serving in Belgium.

Is there anybody there who has a connection to the Green Howards so I could try to build up a picture of the 8th Battalion's movements (particularly where they fought) before they were posted to Italy?

#2 Greenwoodman

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2,272 posts

Posted 30 October 2002 - 08:29 PM

No connections to the Green Howards (69th Bde, 23 Div), but I have the 23rd Division's history. I'm not clear from your post whether your Great Grandfather was still with his battalion in April 1918 - if so he should have been in Italy!

In 1917, the division was in the line as follows:-
6 to 29/04/17 Hill 60 (9th there was the German attack)
12/05 to 13/06/17 Hill 60 (7th was Battle of Messines)
30/06 to 23/07/17 Hill 60
26/08/17 to 02/09/17 Menin Road
14/09 to 24/09 Menin Road (20th Inverness Copse & Tower Hamlets)
27/09 to 03/10/17 Menin Road (30th Sep 1st German attack, 1st Oct 2nd German attack)
10/10 to 23/10/17 Polygon Wood
November off to sunny Italy - to sighs of relief I would think!

The history also records a total of 16 Croix de Guerre awarded to members of the division.

#3 Bob Coulson

Brigadier-General

R.I.P.
2,566 posts

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Posted 30 October 2002 - 08:53 PM

Jeff,
The Green Howards have an excellent regimental museum at Richmond in North Yorkshire who may be able to help you.
Just search for "Green Howards" on Google and you will find it.

#4 Deleted_Jeff Blyth_*

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Posted 31 October 2002 - 07:48 PM

Thanks very much for the replies!

I'll follow them up and try to post my findings as there were a few from the Battalion mentioned in the London Gazette (12/04/18) as winning the medal. You never know, I might save somebody a bit of time!

I know I need to contact the PRO for his service record. That in itself could read as an almost complete history of the war as I understand (from my great aunt) he signed up in 1914 and was killed in action 29/10/18 on a bridge near Venice.

By the way, do you know how long it would have taken for the Gazette to publish details?

#1 Deleted_Jeff Blyth_*

#2 Greenwoodman

#3 Bob Coulson

#4 Deleted_Jeff Blyth_*

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