Hi,

My great uncle was killed on 4th March 1918, and is buried in Baghdad.
Can anybody give me a rough idea of what was happening in that neck of the woods at that time, and what he might have been caught up in?

Any comments appreciated.

Cheers
SteveB

Hi Steve

This area of ops is sadly neglected Im sorry to say, & Ive always had trouble finding extra detail myself mate.

Ive been browsing the books I have & am afraid to say that i cant find reference to any action taking place that day at all. I believe the 'Dunsterforce' was in & around Baghdad during March (Maj-Gen Dunsterville & his gang) but even that gave no clues Im afraid. Later that month saw a battle at Khan Baghdadi (see here http://www.1914-1918.net/mesopot.htm) but again it doesnt relate directly.

Theres a snippet here fromm the Hampshires in the area at the time http://www.pauljerrard.com/ww1/DiaryAug200...m#_Toc522196725 but its not the Welch boys ... may relate if you look into it a bit futher praps????

Another indirect snippet about the Oxfords can be seen here http://home.clara.net/wfha/flbbiog/ww1b.htm. That puts them at 'Uqbah' which from memory is north of Baghdad(?)

In general, the Infantry were road & rail builders & 'holders' around this time, but thats really based on the lack of firm info stating otherwise! So unless Ive missed a battle or skirmish, your Gt Uncle was likely killed on duty at an outpost or similar???

Id suggest 'Googling it' & trawling through the results Steve!! Try the Battalion he served in & maybe 'Sharqat' & 'Khan Baghdadi' & see what happens following those threads.

Sorry I cant give you anything firmer but good luck to you
Steve

Also, you should remember that a high proportion of men in the Mespot theatre died of illness rather than by enemy action.

If you can give us his name, we may find more.

The period late-Feb to March 26th 1918 was when the British were preparing for the advance to Khan Baghdadi and patrols were operating towards Hit which , on 8th March, they discovered was unoccupied. I presume that your great uncle was killed during one of these reconnaissances.
Regards
Ron

The Turkish officials state the British 15th Division launched an attack along the Euphrates River near the village of Hanbağdadi (which could be translated as ‘Bagdad’s Inn; sometimes called Khan Bagdad) on 26th March against the Ottoman Euphrates Group (the 50th Division). It appears there was some skirmishing in the area from 1 March on, but the officials don’t provide any details.

If your Great Uncle was part of the 12th, 42nd or 50th Infantry Brigades, 11 Cavalry Brigade, or an armored car unit (the history has one squadron present), this might be the area. Hanbağdadi is about 120 kms west of Bagdad on the Euphrates River.

Jeff

Thanks for all those replies!

Steve, I shall try your suggestions.

Terry, his name was William Frank Pearce, of the Welsh Regiment.

I'm trying to piece together as much as possible for my grandmother (as well as me of course), who remembers him going off to war when she was a little girl, and who gave me his death plaque when i was about 10. (24 years ago).

Cheers all
SteveB

CWGC provides us with:

Name: PEARCE
Initials: W F
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment: Welsh Regiment
Unit Text: 1st/4th Bn.
Age: 25
Date of Death: 04/03/1918
Service No: 201291
Additional information: Son of James and Mary Ann Pearce, of 19, Great Western Terrace, Llanelly, Carmarthenshire.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: XXI. F. 14.
Cemetery: BAGHDAD (NORTH GATE) WAR CEMETERY

SDGW adds:
Born: Lydney, Glos.
Enlisted: Llanelly
Died
Theatre of war: Egypt

As Terry has indicated above this would indicate that he died of illness rather than by enemy action. Theatre of war may suggest that he was a prisoner of war?

Marc

Thanks Marc,

I'd never seen those SDGW details before.
And I've never heard my grandmother mention the Egypt link. I'll ask her when I see her at Xmas.

Cheers
SteveB