Remembered today Died tomorrow?

[I W Rifleman]

Gentlemen,

Pleased to see an I o W Rifleman remembered. Do we have wrong information though? According to "Soldiers Died" Rfn. Rann died TOMORROW 12th. August (Anafarta - Suvla Bay).

Can someone explain this discrepancy and please "shed some light on this darkness".

Chris.

[Terry Denham]

CWGC records show his dying on 11.08.08.

[grantowi]

Chris,

The info comes from the CWGC site

Grant

[Marc Thompson]

The 14/15 Star medal roll entry for Rfn Rann states "Died on or since 12.8.15". According to Geoff's CWGC search engine Rfn Rann is the only member of 1/8th Hants to be killed on the 11th although the battalion didn't see action until the 12th. I suspect that the only way to be sure would be to obtain a death certificate for Rfn Rann. The battalion war diary makes no mention of any casualties on the 11th but it is perfectly possible that he may have been killed on this date.

Marc

[SFayers]

Certainly a strange one Chris,

I've come across a number of 1/5th Suffolk men on the Helles Memorial who, according to the Battalion history, were killed / missing on the 12th August, though the CWGC (and SDGW) record them as being killed on the 21st. From an earlier thread I gather a similar discrepancy occurs with some men of the 1/5th Norfolks who went missing on the 12th. Can't say I've ever come across one listed as before the 12th though!

cheers

Steve

[Marc Thompson]

I should add that from my experience there is little point in looking for a service record for Rfn Rann. Surviving service records for Hampshire Regiment other rank fatalities are rarer than hens teeth - a statement made having looked for several hundred Hampshire Regiment dead whose names are listed on local war memorials.

Marc

[T8HANTS]

Hi All

My records show that Rfn Arther Alfred Rann aged 23, 1343 of B Coy

Was mentioned in the local paper of the time the I W County Press, as sailing with the Battalion in the Aquitania.

In the edition of 11/9/15, he is reported missing.

In the edition of 18/9/15, he is reported prisoner, (in error).

and in the edition 29/7/16 he is report missing presumed killed.

Soldiers Died (printed) have him listed as killed on the 12th of August which was the first action of 163 Brigade.

There are no reported casualties in the war diary for the time from landing to prior to the attack.

There is one mention in a letter that somebody was shot through the spine by an accidental discharge, when moving off the beach, but this incident has not been reported that I can find, and the victim may be among the Norfolk's or Suffolk's.

There is one another anomaly, that is Rfn Arthur Saunders 1137, who is listed in printed Soldiers Died as killed on 10/8/15, but is reported missing along with the others in the C.P. edition of 18/9/15.

From casualty reports B Coy was the hardest hit and suffered the greatest number of MIA's.

It is my belief that both records for Rann and Saunders are incorrect and both men went missing on the 12th, along with Rfn Rann's younger brother Earnest, also of B Coy.

Turkish accounts state that only wounded men were taken prisoner and the others were killed by the bayonet.

None of the audio accounts I have, mention casualties before the 12th.

Gareth

[I W Rifleman]

Thank you Gentlemen,

Oh dear! "The plot thickens" Two Rifles killed before going into action on the 12th.

Might be able to shed some light on the "Shot through the spine" story Gareth .... was there something in the reminiscences of Sgt. Reynard? I think Gareth has a copy.

Chris

[Marc Thompson]

Chris,

I have just supplied some information to another forum member on 1311 Sgt Reynard 1/8th Hants who I assume is one and the same with the Sgt Reynard you mention. Do you or Gareth have any further information on him?

Marc

[T8HANTS]

Hi Mark I will PM you on Sgt Reynard

Gareth