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Remembered Today:

Durham Light Infantry


SMG65

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With having an interest in the Durham Light Infantry I have a bit of info on them.

I have the following books and would be willing to do look ups:

'The Durham Forces In The Field 1914-18' - History of the 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th,16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 25th, 29th, 51st, 52nd and 53rd battalions.

'Faithful' - History of the Durham Light Infantry up to 1945. The Great War is extensively covered.

The History of the Twentieth Light Division

The Fiftieth Division 1914 - 1919

The Faithful Sixth - History of 6 BN DLI

I also have extracts of war diaries for 5 Bn and 11 Bn.

SEAN

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Sean

Could you please do a couple of look ups, I'm looking for information on-

The 12th Btn around Sept 1917

The 20th Btn 30/1/17

Where were they and what were they were doing. Thanks

Regards Doug.

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Sean,

It's a bit of a long shot, but could I please request a look up for Lieutenant William Proud, who was Quartermaster of the 15th Service Battalion. Thank you

Regards

Gavin

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Sean

I am considering adding the " The Durham Forces in the Field 1914-1918' to my book collection.

Is a recommended buy? How much detail is there in the individual battalion sections.

Thanks

Peter

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Doug

On August 25th, the 12th were at Cornwall Camp, Ouderdom.

They then moved up to huts near Dickebusch where the battle line was reconnoitred. On Sept 5th the 12th was at Noordpeene, west of Cassel, training. On Sept 18th the 12th were in the line at Observatory Ridge, east of Zillebeke.

On Sept 21st, during the attack on Menin Road Ridge the 12th were in reserve but became involved in heavy fighting in support of 11 Northumberland Fusiliers. They were relieved on Sept 24th having lost 9 officers and 140 other ranks.

There is no specific mention of what the 20th were doing on 30/01/17.

They spent that period in trenches near St Eloi.

The losses for the battalion during the whole month of January were only 20.

Hope this helps

SEAN

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Gavin

There is a lot of information on the 15th Bn and a lot of names mentioned.

To go through them all would take about two hours so if you can wait a couple of days I'll bang through it.

Do you have dates when he was with the battalion, this would make searching easier.

SEAN

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Sean

Thank you very much for the information.

Regards Doug.

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Sean

Thanks very much for your reply, and for the offering to check. He was an original member of the Battalion, and went to France as a Quartermaster Sergeant on 11/09/1915. He was promoted to Quartermaster and Lieutenant on 21/07/1916. He was commissioned into the 3rd Manchesters, but the Army lists show that he remained on the General List attached to the 15th DLI. He returned to England on 06/10/1918, and recieved a MBE on 01/01/1919.

I hope this dosen't cause you too much trouble.

Thanks again

Gavin

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Peter

I consider it an excellent buy.

It breaks the war down into periods varying from two to nine months, depending on what was going on.

For example, the Battle of the Somme takes up 60 pages. The next section, 'Trench Warfare - July 16 to March 17 takes up 27 pages.

It is well set out. It goes through what each battalion was doing during each period in chronological order and has an excellent index. Detail depends on the actions, but the battalions are well covered.

I find it is best used in conjunction with the DLI book 'Faithful'.

SEAN

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Sean

Thanks for your reply, I will order this one.

I have n't come across the book 'Faithful' but will do a search on google.

Kind Regards

Peter

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Peter

'Faithful' was published in 1962 and covers the History of the DLI from 1745 to 1958. The Great War is well covered. An original will set you back about £60.00 but a reprint has now come out.

You can purchase 'Faithful' and 'Durham Forces in the Field' from the Light Infantry Office (Durham) at a good price. The office can be contacted on 0191 3865496.

SEAN

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  • 2 weeks later...

Gavin

No luck with Lieutenant Proud I'm afraid.

He must be about the only Officer not mentioned.

There are numerous Officers mentioned, either as casualties or medal winners.

I bet he's mentioned in the war diary though, almost certainly when he gained his commission.

Have you looked at the diary?

Best of luck

SEAN

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With having an interest in the Durham Light Infantry I have a bit of info on them.

I have the following books and would be willing to do look ups:

'The Durham Forces In The Field 1914-18' - History of the 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th,16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 25th, 29th, 51st, 52nd and 53rd battalions.

'Faithful' - History of the Durham Light Infantry up to 1945. The Great War is extensively covered.

The History of the Twentieth Light Division

The Fiftieth Division 1914 - 1919

The Faithful Sixth - History of 6 BN DLI

I also have extracts of war diaries for 5 Bn and 11 Bn.

SEAN

Hi SMG65 I have poetry book of P.H. B. Lyon MC 6 batt DLI hes in the book i am happy to post some of it cheers themonsstar
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Gavin

No luck with Lieutenant Proud I'm afraid.

Sean,

Thanks very much for looking. The unit War Diary is high on my list of things to do. I've have had a look at his service records, and he had an interesting career. He was born in 1876, served with the 2/Border Regiment from 1895 to 1904, and then worked as a miner. He re-enlisted into the DLI in August 1914, was commissioned in 1916, and was eventually discharged from the Army in 1920 as a Captain.

Thanks again

Gavin

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  • 2 weeks later...

The Monsstar

Thanks for the offer of the poetry, but it's not my thing.

I have the book on the history of 6 DLI by Harry Moses and Lyon gets a few mentions, if I can help you with anything then let me know.

SEAN

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Hi SMG65 I have poetry book of P.H. B. Lyon MC 6 batt DLI hes in the book i am happy to post some of it cheers themonsstar

I wouldn't mind seeing a bit of that, Monsstar, if you have the time.

Marina

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Hi SMG65 I have poetry book of P.H. B. Lyon MC 6 batt DLI hes in the book i am happy to post some of it cheers themonsstar

Themonsstar,

During my researches on DLI battalions raised in the First World War, I came across Hugh Lyon's diary, among other things, in the Liddle Collection held by the Special Collections section of Leeds University Library (reference: GS 0994), so I, too, would be interested in some of his poetry.

David T.

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  • 3 months later...

Hi Sean,

Any chance of a look up for 15 Bn DLI for 9/918 in particular anything on 2nd Lt Edwin J Brinkworth.

Many Thanks

James

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  • 7 months later...

Sean,

I was wanting to buy The History of the 20th Light Division, until I saw the price! Do you know where I could find 2nd hand copies? I don't want to bombard you with another look up. There is so much Id like to know its hard to know where to begin! My ancestor was Sergeant John Doyle, 11th Btn DLI but was a POW in 1918! If you could shed a little light on this Id really appreciate it,

Emma ( new to the forum )

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  • 2 weeks later...

Emma

Firstly, welcome to the Forum.

The book that best covers 11 DLI is 'The Durham Forces In The Field 1914-18' by Captain Wilfrid Miles.

You can get a reprint of this and the book on 20 Division through the Naval and Military Press for about £22.00 each, thay have a website.

My Great Uncle served with 11DLI and was killed on the Somme in Sept 1916.

If you give me what details you have on Sgt Doyle I'll do some digging for you.

Sean

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  • 3 weeks later...

Sean

It's taken me ages to get back to you about a search, couldn't find my way around the forum!!!

Thanks for offering to help me. My great grandfather was Sergeant John Doyle 16996 11th Btn DLI.

Since I last spoke to you I have now discovered that he was a POW in an unknown enemy camp ( stated on the absent voters list 1 Oct 1918 ) I've been told he escaped with others by a tunnel! They ended up in American Lines. He was bedridden after the war and died in 1922.I am desperate to find out more. What he must have gone through. Any info would be gratefully received.

Emma

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Sean

It's taken me ages to get back to you about a search, couldn't find my way around the forum!!!

Thanks for offering to help me. My great grandfather was Sergeant John Doyle 16996 11th Btn DLI.

Since I last spoke to you I have now discovered that he was a POW in an unknown enemy camp ( stated on the absent voters list 1 Oct 1918 ) I've been told he escaped with others by a tunnel! They ended up in American Lines. He was bedridden after the war and died in 1922.I am desperate to find out more. What he must have gone through. Any info would be gratefully received.

Emma

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  • 1 year later...

With having an interest in the Durham Light Infantry I have a bit of info on them.

I have the following books and would be willing to do look ups:

'The Durham Forces In The Field 1914-18' - History of the 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th,16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 25th, 29th, 51st, 52nd and 53rd battalions.

...I have bttn war diaries for 14th from Oct 1916 to Dec 1917 as my grandfather was with 14th during that period having been drafted in from 2/1st Derbyshire yeomanry .. he was taken pow at Cambrai.

Any information about that draft of 165+ men and 4+ officers from the Dby yeomanry that occurs in the books you have would be welcome. I'm currently researching the batch from 42918 to 43101 of DLI who seem to mathc with that draft.

Thanks

Colin Alsbury

willing to check the 14th's war diaries for others...

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  • 2 years later...

With having an interest in the Durham Light Infantry I have a bit of info on them.

I have the following books and would be willing to do look ups:

'The Durham Forces In The Field 1914-18' - History of the 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th,16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 25th, 29th, 51st, 52nd and 53rd battalions.

'Faithful' - History of the Durham Light Infantry up to 1945. The Great War is extensively covered.

The History of the Twentieth Light Division

The Fiftieth Division 1914 - 1919

The Faithful Sixth - History of 6 BN DLI

I also have extracts of war diaries for 5 Bn and 11 Bn.

SEAN

Hello Sean,

I am making a study about the last days of WWI on a frontline between Audenarde and the Tournai area on 8/9/10 and 11 november. I saw the 2/6 Bn, 18th Bn, 19th Bn and 29th Bns were involved. So I would be grateful if you could help me with info on them

Kind regards and thanks from Flanders,

Jef

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