d_vriesema Posted 8 July , 2011 Share Posted 8 July , 2011 Hi folks Can anyone shed a bit of light on Alfred Youngs born about 1889 in Lowestoft, Suffolk, who died at Boom ravine on 17/02/1917 serving with 6th Btn Northamptonshire Regiment. I have checked the usual sources and have the CWGC reference to his grave in regina Trench cemetry. Also got his medal card which is where the mystery started for me. The card shows him in bedford Reg with Regimental no 26391 and later in the Northampton with regimental no 43293. I have checked the numbers (where I can) and they do not seem to match up with any relevant dates or regiments .I know he was in lowestoft working as a market labourer in 1911. I have tried to get the service records but believe they are part of the set destroyed in 1940. Any help with decifering the numbers would be of gret help in trying to pinpoint his wherabouts between 1911 and 1917 Thanks in advance DawnV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roughdiamond Posted 8 July , 2011 Share Posted 8 July , 2011 Dawn, is there a "Date of entry therein" or "qualifying Date" on the Medal Card? Sam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 8 July , 2011 Share Posted 8 July , 2011 Dawn, Numbers 43001 to 43294 in the Northamptonshire Regiment refer to a group if men who trained with the Bedfordshire Regiment and who went overseas with the intention of being posted to the 7th or 8th Bedfords, but who were diverted to the 6th Northamptons on arrival in France. In exact terms they followed the following path: To France on 7th July 1916. Awarded British War Medal and Victory Medal. Arrived at 17th Infantry Base Dept at Etaples on 7th July 1916. Posted to 8th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment on 17th July 1916, but did not join that battalion. (8th Battalion shown per Medal Roll page) Attached to 6th Battalion of the Northamptonshire Regiment on 17th July 1916. Officially transferred to the Northamptonshire Regiment under Authority of A.C.I. (Army Council Instruction) 1499 of 1916, and renumbered No. 43001 Leonard Atkins to 43294 Richard Youngs (i.e. in alphabetical order by surname) on 1st september 1916. They were amongst the first men "compulsorily" transferred between Regiments following the Military Service Act of 1916 which enabled the Army to post men where they were required, regardless of the preference of the individual soldiers. In this case the 6th Northamptons had taken very heavy casualties in their succesful capture of Trones Wood on the 14th July 1916, and urgently required reinforcements. As far as I can tell the Bedfordshire Regiment number dates to January/February 1916. The 6th Northamptons would go on to take part in the capture of Thiepval on 26th September 1916, before the battle of Boom Ravine on 17th February 1917. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d_vriesema Posted 8 July , 2011 Author Share Posted 8 July , 2011 Hi Sam All that is on the medal card is as follows: Name: Youngs, Alfred Corps: Bedf R Rank: Pte Regtl No 26391 Corps: North'n R Rank: Regtl no 43293 Victory: Roll: K/1/101 B21 Page:3623 British: Roll: do page: do After the roll entry it has Retd (1743.K.R.1912) 8270/Adt bottom right of card also has 8270/Adt regards DawnV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 8 July , 2011 Share Posted 8 July , 2011 On the Bedfordshire Regiment service: No. 26390 Jonathan Walter Warne attested as a volunteer under the Derby Scheme on 10th December 1915 and was mobilised on 14th February 1916. He did his training with the 3rd Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment. No. 26396 John Henry Johnson attested as a volunteer under the Derby Scheme on 14th January 1916 and was mobilised on 15th February 1916. He also did his training with the 3rd Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment. Taking those men as a guideline it seems likely that Alfred Youngs volunteered in late 1915/early 1916 and was mobilised in the middle of February 1916. Though we can't be certain it seems likely that he trained with the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment at Felixstowe. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d_vriesema Posted 8 July , 2011 Author Share Posted 8 July , 2011 Steve That is more than I was hopeing for, and so quick - your knowledge must be encyclopedic. Thanks ever so much DawnV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 8 July , 2011 Share Posted 8 July , 2011 The Northamptons (especially the 6th Battalion) are my specialist subject, Dawn. The batch of men transferring from the Bedfords are a group I have seen regularly in my research, so I do recognise the combination of numbers when I see it. The bad news is that, despite visiting Regina Trench Cemetery and Boom Ravine in April, I do not have a photo of his grave. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d_vriesema Posted 8 July , 2011 Author Share Posted 8 July , 2011 Bless you Steve But why didn't you get a photo? there are only 2279 graves there so it wouldn't take that long to photograph Alfred's grave is: Grave/Memorial Reference: VI. D. 27. Cemetery: REGINA TRENCH CEMETERY, GRANDCOURT We plan to go there at some point this year. So how bad is the 1.5km walk down the track and do we need to take a picnic. Dawn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 8 July , 2011 Share Posted 8 July , 2011 The walk is probably better than the drive! The track is passable to a car.... just! We followed the track NW from Courcelette and to be honest we nearly turned back. The road was made from big chunks of aggregate and was a 2 mph drive (or maybe 1 mph). It is certainly worth getting there to get an idea of the terrain, even if you haven't got a relative there. The attack went in northwards from a spot a hundred yards or so north of the cemetery. I was not able to prepare for the trip as well as a had hoped due to work issues, so I ended up at Regina Trench Cemetery without a proper list of Northamptons*. I did photograph as many as I could find, but I did miss a batch. You can get to the ravine itself (it was apparently filled with junk a year or two ago, but has now been cleared out), which would give you a German perspective. Steve. * EDIT: Well, I had a list - just not who was buried where! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d_vriesema Posted 8 July , 2011 Author Share Posted 8 July , 2011 Steve As mentioned earlier we are planning a trip later this year. I'll PM you in advance and let you know when we are going. With a list of the graves you still want photographs of I am sure we can return the favour for the helpful information you have given today. Again many thanks dawn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d_vriesema Posted 25 September , 2011 Author Share Posted 25 September , 2011 Hi Steve As mentioned in earlier this year we are planning to go over to Holland next week (4th Oct) and plan to detour via the Regina Trench Cemetry to get a picture of Alfred Youngs Grave. I did promise I would PM you when we were going so that we could get some of the photos you wanted. (tried a PM but it would not let me) If you want to send me a list to dawn.vriesema AT btinternet.com we will see what we can do. Regards Dawn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitchener's Bugle Posted 28 May , 2014 Share Posted 28 May , 2014 Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wo4pdhKL4b4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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