George Saunders - Warwickshire Regiment

[DavoT]

562 Private George Saunders - Royal Warwickshire Regiment KIA 19 December 1914.

His medals are impressed 1st Battalion but he is listed under 2nd Battalion when he was killed.

- when would he have transferred to the 2nd Bn given that he arrived in France on 8 Nov 1914?

- where would the 2nd Bn have been on the day he was killed?

- are there any forum Pals that live in or near Dover to see if his name is commemorated on a memorial/cenotaph as he was born and resided there?

Any snippets of information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Cheers,

David

[Terry Carter]

They were in trenches around the Bailleul area. Places mentioned in war diary... Merris, Sailly, trenches south of Fleurbaix. trenches at La Boutillerie, then to Rue de Bataille, billets Rue de Biache.

Took part in an unsuccessful attack on German line near Bas Maisnil (18 December) The dead were later found only a few yards from the German trenches. Casualties came to 363 Officers & OR's killed, wounded or missing. Including CO LT Col R H W Brewis.

His name and number appeared in newspaper casulaty list on 22 Feb 1915

I see his MIC is on the National Archives site, but no results on Ancestry UK

Terry

Dover War memorial

http://www.doverwarmemorialproject.org.uk/...I/SurnamesS.htm

[DavoT]

Terry,

many thanks for your prompt reply. All info greatly received. Some more pieces of the puzzle solved. Also interesting about the George Saunders on the Dover War memorial.

Cheers,

David

[Alan Tucker]

3 figure service number suggests he was a pre-war Regular. Both 1st and 2nd battalions were regular units.

[DavoT]

Hi Alan,

thanks for your reply. Yes I had noted that and I'm interested in when he changed from the 1st to 2nd in just a short period of time. I also presumed him a pre war regular given his 3 digit number. On that note I have a group to another chap with a 2 digit number.

Cheers,

David

[Terry Carter]

He may have been a Reservist. 1st Bn man but sent to the 2nd if they were short of men.

Terry

[DavoT]

Hi Terry,

that could well be as I've another 1914 trio with a very similar situation!

David

[DavoT]

There is also the possibility that he was killed in the battalions actions on the 18th December but it was not recorded until a roll call the next day!

David

[Alan Tucker]

On the day he died he was one of 92 2nd Bn deaths in the Ploegsteert area. The date November 8 1914 would fit in as part of drafts of 408 men which the war diary (2nd Bn) says arrived November 11-12 after their First Ypres mauling. He may have been a 1st Bn reservist who was sent as part of a 2nd Bn draft to add experience. Or the 1st Bn may be a clerical error red herring.

[DavoT]

Alan,

thanks for that little extra piece of information. He is commemorated on the Ploegsteert memorial (no known grave). Fully understand the clerical error concept. It would have been an administrative nightmare to try to maintain accurate details to 100%. I have found numerous anomalies over the years. Each little bit adds to the story of the man behind the medals.

Cheers,

David