18th Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps

[TParker96]

Hi,

One of my relatives called Rifleman James Arthur Gardiner R/24410 served with the 18th Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps until he was killed in action on 14th June 1917. i was wondering if anyone can tell me anything to do with the unit from when they started off in late 1915 until about late 1917. In particular I would like to find out about this unit's time during The Battle of Messines as he was killed on the last day of that battle and whether he may be mentioned in any books for anything.

Tom

[battiscombe]

18th KRRC (Arts and Crafts) Bn - its foundation linked to Sir Herbert H Raphael MP - commisioned to raise 18th KRRC June 7th 1915.. successfully done and a Bn of 10 officers and 900 men was handed over to the War Office Sept 4th 1918.. commanded by LtCol G A J Soltau-Symons. Trained mainly at Gidea Park Witley and Aldershot. That is all I know from a KRRC history of 1755-1915. There are posts about the unit on the Forum, so worth searching for..

best wishes

[KevinBattle]

... in the meantime, have you already got this information?

Name: GARDINER, JAMES ARTHUR. Rank: Rifleman

Regiment/Service: King's Royal Rifle Corps. Unit Text: 18th Bn.

Age: 30. Date of Death: 14/06/1917. Service No: R/24410

Additional information: Husband of Emma Gardiner, of 58, Ormside St., Old Kent Rd., London.

Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 51 and 53. Memorial: YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

Name: James Arthur Gardiner. Birth Place: Blackfriars, Surrey. Residence: Old Kent Rd., Surrey

Death Date: 14 Jun 1917. Death Location: France & Flanders. Enlistment Location: Camberwell, Surrey

Rank: Rifleman. Regiment: King's Royal Rifle Corps. Battalion: 18th Battalion. Number: R/24410

Type of Casualty: Killed in action. Theatre of War: Western European Theatre

His Medal Index Card shows entitlement to “just” the British War and Victory medals, so he didn’t arrive in France until after 1915 (obviously, as 18th Battn not formed until 1915).

Name: James Arthur Gardiner. Age: 23. Estimated Birth Year: about 1886

Spouse Name: Emma Smith. Spouse Age: 23. Record Type: Marriage

Marriage Date: 29 Jan 1909. Parish: Christ Church, Camberwell. County: Surrey

Father Name: James Arthur Gardiner. Spouse Father Name: John William Smith

Birth 3rd Qtr 1886. Name: James Arthur Gardiner. Date of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1886

Registration district: Lambeth. Inferred County: London. Volume: 1d Page: 342

1901 Census: Family living at 22, Haydock Road, Deptford.

James Gardiner, 55; Maryanne Gardiner, 45; James A Gardiner, 14; George H Gardiner, 9; Alfred C Gardiner, 7 Months

[TParker96]

Hi,

Yes I did know that he was killed in action as I went to see his memorial in ypres a few months ago. He was killed on the last day of the battle of messines. According to the whole of my family, he was fighting on the front line when he layed on top of his commanding officer to save his life and then he had his head blown off from possibly machine gun fire or shell from a bomb. The only reason they identifiied his body was because he still had all his papers in his pocket.

This is a big reason why I am researching the unit as I want to know what happened during that time and i want to see if I can prove this story which i have been told.

Tom

[Ron Clifton]

Hello Tom

I have given details of 18/KRRC's War Diary in a reply (#19) to your other thread, "Being mentioned in despatches."

Ron

[Longboat]

Tom,

A snippet of information which may help. Its taken from the War Diaries of the 11th Royal West Kent's.

"14/6/1917 Battalion attacked OBLIQUE ROW and OPTIC TRENCH in conjunction with 18th K.R.R.C on right, and 24th Div on left.. Operation entirely succesful..."

I have a few war diaries from the 41st Division, but not the 18th K.R.R.C unfortunately. I'll have a dig around to see if anything crops up.

Stuart.