7 replies to this topic

[ward1703]

HI THERE EVERYONE I NEED HELP
MY GREAT GRANDFATHER WAS IN "A" COMPANY 2ND BATTALION OF SOUTH STAFFORSHIRE REGIMENT
DIED IN BATTLE OF LANGEMARCK
THE ADVICE I NEED IS ID LOVE TO BE ABLE TO FIND EXACTLY WHERE THIS BATTALION WERE ON THE 24TH OCTOBER 1914 THE DAY HE DIED I KNOW HE IS IN CEMENT HOUSE CEMETERY AND HIS GRAVE REFERENCE
I ALSO KNOW 9 BRITISH SOLDIERS WERE MOVED FROM ELVERDIGNE CHURCHYARD IN 1973 AND I GUESS HE WAS ONE OF THEM
BUT I NEED TO FIND THE MOVEMENTS OF THIS REGIMENT ON THESE FEW DAYS SO I CAN FIND OUT WHERE HE WAS WHEN KILLED IN RELATION TO THE REST OF BATTALIONS

REGARDS
MARK

[sotonmate]

Mark

It's always best to add a name/number as you never know what someone else knows here !
Your GGFs Battalion was part of 6 Brigade of 2 Division in the Battles of 1st Ypres.
You can read about where he fought from the Battalion War Diary which is at the National Archives under WO95/1362.
I will get info from it in the next few days and post it here.

Sotonmate

[Chris_Baker]

Mark, it would not be wise to assume that he was one of the men brought into Cement House from Elverdinghe. Much of Cement House filled after the war when individual bodies and small plots were brought in from the battlefields. You could contact CWGC to see what details they have of his original place of burial.

If he does not see this, contact member Roy Evans. He has the diary.

[RoyEvans]

If he does not see this, contact member Roy Evans. He has the diary.

He has seen this   - here is the diary for October 1914:


1st 6 p.m. A & D Companies moved up from their positions to the trenches, the whole Battalion now occupying the trenches with 2 Companies 1st K.R.R. Corps in support taking the old positions of B & C Coys.
2nd Battalion in same position as yesterday.
3rd Battalion in same position as yesterday.
4th Battalion relieved in the trenches by 1st K.R.R.C.  B & C Companies remaining in support, A & D Companies returned to the wood 1 mile N of SOUPIR.
5th Battalion in same position as yesterday.
6th 6 p.m. B & C Coys were withdrawn from support of 1st K.R.R.C. in trenches, then the whole Battalion marched to MOUSSY to relieve 1st Kings Liverpool Regt. A & D Companies occupied the trenches W of the BEAULINE Spur. B & C Companies were billeted in MOUSSY in support.
MOUSSY
7th Battalion in same position.
8th At 10 p.m. the Companies interchanged, the two reserve companies going up to the trenches and A & D going into billets at MOUSSY.
9th Battalion in same position.
10th At 10 p.m. the Companies interchanged, the two reserve companies going up to the trenches
11th Companies in same position.
12th At 10 p.m. the Companies interchanged.
13th Companies in the same position. The section on our left which was occupied by 1st Royal Berkshire Regt. Was taken over by the 6th Battn, 267th French Regt. At 12 Midnight.
14th Companies interchanged.
15th 11.30 p.m. The Battalion was relieved by the 148th French Regt.  C Coy & ½ of B left at 11.45 p.m. for FISMES.                                                      Ref. Map RHEIMS
16th After the French had taken over from the Companies in the trenches A, D and ½ B Companies, which was about 4.30 a.m., these Companies with Battn. Head Qrs. Marched to FISMES, arriving at 9 a.m. The Battalion entrained at 12 noon & left at 3.30 p.m. Destination unknown.
ENTRAINED
17th The train passed through AMIENS, BOULOGNE at 5 p.m. CALAIS arrived at  STRAZELLE at 12 mid-night 17/18th October 1914 & marched to Billets – HAZEBROUCK arriving at 4.15 18th                                      Ref. Map  St. Omer
HAZEBROUCK
18th Billeted at HAZEBROUCK
19th 4 p.m. Marched in Brigade out of HAZEBROUCK via REECHE to GODE-WAERSVELDE arriving 8.50 p.m. and billeted.
GODE-WAERSVELDE
20th 6 a.m. Advanced in Brigade via BOESCHEPE – RENENHELST – VLANERTINGHE to YPRES and went into billets at 5 p.m. ( a peculiar incident, the battalion occupying the same billets as the 1st Battalion had 3 days previous).
YPRES
21st   6 a.m. Advanced in Brigade and remained in reserve just N of WIELTJE at 7 p.m. the brigade returned to billets at POTIJZIE, (The 1st Battalion are now in the 22nd Brigade & in the firing line about 2 miles to our front.)
POTIJZIE
22nd Battalion in billets except for C Coy who were escort sent out to FREZENBERG as escort to a Battery returning about 9 p.m.
23rd 2.30 a.m. The battalion marched to PILKEM to the assistance of the 2nd Brigade and at 8.30 a.m. assisted the Queens Regt. to regain the advanced trenches, which they had left the previous evening. A & D Coys were the two Coys in the firing line and done some severe fighting before the trenches were regained.
2/Lieut. B.J.H. Scott was killed, Capt. Savage, Lieut. Dent and Lieut. Haylewood were wounded and 40 Other Ranks killed and wounded, and at 4 p.m. these two Coys were withdrawn & the whole Battalion were in reserve just North of PILKEM.
PILKEM
24th 5.30 a.m. The battalion withdrew to PILKEM for breakfasts, and at 9.15 a.m. marched out to join our own Brigade at FREZENBERG, thence to a farm in the Wood on the road due NORTH of the wood about 3 Kilometres North of the O in HOLDHOEK


Roy

[Graeme Clarke]

Hi

I see from your other thread that he was Jeremiah WARD, born and resided in Blakenall and enlisted in Wolverhampton (SDGW)

The 1911 census has a Jeremiah residing in Zoar Street, Wolverhampton, a 'tonsorial artist' (google says 'Provides customers with barbering services').

His MIC and SDGW state that he 'died of wounds' so you cannot be exactly sure when he was wounded (although, looking at the War Diary - it was probably the day before his death).

Is this the address you have ?

What is the Blakenall connection ?

Regards,

Graeme

[Doug Lewis]

Hi Mark
Jeremiah Ward is commemorated on the St.Lukes Church War Memorial Blakenhall see here on my site-                     http://www.wolverhamptonwarmemorials.org.u..._blakenhall.htm

Regards Doug

[Doug Lewis]

Mark
Information taken from "A History of The South Staaffordshire Regiment" by Jones

The Battalion was in reserve at Potijze for the 21st and 22nd October, but on the 23rd, at 1.30 a.m., they moved further North to Pilkem to reinforce the 1st Brigade entrenched there. On arrival, as soon as it was light, the Battalion moved out in the direction of Bixschoote, heavy firing going on all round.
On arrival at Pilkem, a counter-attack was made against the Germans, who had forced the 1st Queen's back from the line they were holding. In this attack, "A" and "D" Companies
of the South Staffords were sent into the firing line with the 1st Queen's, the rest of the Battalion being in reserve.
"We remained in the road in support for some time. The Loyal North Lancashires, who were in the front line, moved out to attack the German trenches, which lay more or less
parallel to the Bixschoote—Langemarck road, a mile to the North of Pilkem; and the Battalion went forward in support,'A* Company on the right and 'D' Company on the left.
We advanced under a heavy rifle fire, but there were several large farms which assisted us very much in our advance, screening us from view and rifle fire. Eventually we located the German trenches, and by cutting holes through, hedges we were able to get up to within about 200 yards of the enemy's trenches. Lieut. J. L. Dent brought up his Platoon to my support, although badly wounded in knee, but he could go no further. Heard later that 2nd Lieut. F. L. Hazlewood had been shot through the chest, and Lieut.B. J. H. Scott killed. He had been sent with, the CO. of the Loyal North Lancashires to bring us word regarding the place we were to reinforce them. A Platoon from another Company tried to come up to my support on the left, a machine gun got on to them and I saw a number of men bowled over, only one Officer and one man reaching the cover of the hedge. Sent a Platoon under Captain Wilson (of the 3rd Battalion South Staffs. Regiment) to hold a farm near."(1)
The work of the 2nd South Staffords helped the 1st Queen's Regiment to regain the advanced trenches from which they had retired the previous evening.In this sector these two
Companies had a rather heavy casualty list, for 2nd Lieut.B. J. H. Scott was killed, Captain M. B. Savage, Lieuts.J. L. Dent and Hazelgrove were wounded, with 45 other ranks
killed and wounded. At 4 p.m. these two Companies were withdrawn, and the whole Battalion remained in reserve just North of Pilkem.
For this good work the 2nd Battalion received the following message from the G.O.C. 6th Infantry Brigade:—
"General Munro desires that the following extract from a letter he has received from the G.O.C. 1st Division be communicated to the 2nd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment."
"I should like to congratulate the South Staffords on their prompt and rapid night march and their gallant action in the attack, which resulted in the original line being occupied by the 1st Division.
(Signed) S. H. LOMAX, M.G.,"Commanding 1st Division."

(1) Diary, Captain M. B. Savage.


Regards Doug

[mansemum]

Mark

If you are still accessing this site or if anyone can get in touch with him please urgently let me know.  I am related - Jeremiah Ward and my great grandfather Hezekiah were brothers. (Hezekiah served with the South Staffs too.    My son visited Jeremiah's grave earlier this week and paid his respects as part of a school history visit.  We have photos and would love to share them with you.

Mandy