libster Posted 23 August , 2008 Share Posted 23 August , 2008 Jon, I can't take all the credit. "ZimRich" on the forum had a list of POWs from Kut and I've been amending/correcting/adding to it since then. Libster, I've freed up some space in the pm box. Best regards, Matthew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libster Posted 23 August , 2008 Share Posted 23 August , 2008 Matthew If you send me your email address, I'll happily forward a photo of Darley. I'm afraid my computer skills are'nt up to posting a picture on the forum. You can contact me at michael@msherrington.freeserve.co.uk Regards Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Saunders Posted 25 August , 2008 Share Posted 25 August , 2008 Matthew If you send me your email address, I'll happily forward a photo of Darley. I'm afraid my computer skills are'nt up to posting a picture on the forum. You can contact me at michael@msherrington.freeserve.co.uk Regards Mick Mick, Thanks for sending the pictures through. A little more on Darley. He was serving in India with 1/5 Bn when a request was made for volunteers for service with 2 Bn in Mesopotamia. Darley duly volunteered and left Jhansi around 14 Aug 1915. The draft was led by Lt TD Marshall and Sgt-Instructor Darley was the senior NCO of a draft of 40 ORs. Regards, Jonathan S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Saunders Posted 26 August , 2008 Share Posted 26 August , 2008 As a correction to my statement above regarding the draft from 4th Bn to 2nd Bn, it now appears that it was actually a batch of 1/5th men who were attached to 2nd Bn (which I should have noticed from their 6 digit 1917 numbers.) Matt, You wasnt wrong in your first deduction. On or about 7 Sept 1915 the 2nd Bn received drafts of officers and ORs from 1/4 Bn, 1/5 Bn (including Darley) , 1/5 Buffs, 2/4 Devons and 2/6 Devons. I've stopped looking at the "died" list for Neil as it appears you are ahead of me and no point us duplicating efforts. How do you want to take this forward? Regards, Jonathan S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westkent78 Posted 27 August , 2008 Share Posted 27 August , 2008 I've stopped looking at the "died" list for Neil as it appears you are ahead of me and no point us duplicating efforts. How do you want to take this forward? Jonathan, Has your work email changed from last year? If not, then I'll send the list to you to cross-check while I'm away. Best regards, Matthew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Saunders Posted 27 August , 2008 Share Posted 27 August , 2008 Matt - same email address. Regards, Jonathan S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gee9 Posted 3 March , 2014 Share Posted 3 March , 2014 Hello, have you any information on Pte 2nd William Yardley Rgtl. No. 10008, who died in Turkey 20/08/1916 of dysentery? He was my Great Uncle and I would be very appreciative of any infromation. He was only 23 years of age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutterboyuk Posted 14 September , 2019 Share Posted 14 September , 2019 (edited) Hello, sorry clearly an old post but it appears there has already been research on what I’m looking at. my great uncle, George William POTT TF2288 volunteered for service with the Royal West Kent regiment in 1914. His service record indicates he was posted o 1/5th battalion and went to India. I have a press cutting detailing railing his last letter home that he had volunteered to join a detachment to support Townsends 6th Division. The records show he joined 2nd Battalion. i have a copy of 2nd battalions war diary which shows volunteers joining them from 1/5th under a captain Nelson, then later captain Nelson taking a detachment of two companies to go to Kut-Al-Amara. Townsends book makes reference to being joined by these two companies and the ensuing siege. I know the garrison surrendered on 29/04/16. George’s service record has two entries concerning his death, a typed war graves entry lists him as dying of wounds on 04/06/16 at Bagdad. There is a hand written entry on the casualty register saying he died a POW of disease in hospital in Bagdad on 04/06/16. CWWG list him as interred at Bagdad Northgate Cemetery. 1/5, att 2nd Bat QORWKR. The press cutting concludes he almost certainly survived the Siege at Kut but as with most of the pow’s died of mistreatment and neglect in captivity. The back of the post card attached was a letter home, “the fellows chosen for the Guard of Honour”. George is the boy, seated front rank left. Any my info would be appreciated. Edited 14 September , 2019 by cutterboyuk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 14 September , 2019 Share Posted 14 September , 2019 (edited) Welcome to the Forum CutterboyUK G W Pott was certainly taken prisoner at the Fall of Kut on 29/4/16. So he endured the Siege. By the early date of his death he was probably already amongst the sick or wounded of Kut who were shipped up by boat to Baghdad and remained there when the rest were marched on. Care of these sick and wounded was minimal (by the Turks) and most died. Lt col Spackman RAMC gives a little detail in Captured at Kut, Prisoner of the Turks. Charlie 4 hours ago, cutterboyuk said: The back of the post card attached was a letter home, “the fellows chosen for the Guard of Honour”. What was the postcard date ? Edit -you will see from his MIC that he entered Mesopotamia as a reinforcement 26/8/15. Does this coincide with the others under Capt Nelson (I don't have my notes with me) edit edit- that date seems to fall in pith post 28 and 29 above. Edited 14 September , 2019 by charlie962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 14 September , 2019 Share Posted 14 September , 2019 Because his death was so soon after the Kut surrender there is typically no PoW record on the ICRC files. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 14 September , 2019 Share Posted 14 September , 2019 I see he has a surviving service record on FindmyPast (and perhaps Ancestry) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 14 September , 2019 Share Posted 14 September , 2019 (edited) 6 hours ago, cutterboyuk said: casualty register Do you mean Soldiers Effects ? -where he has two entries : Edited 14 September , 2019 by charlie962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutterboyuk Posted 14 September , 2019 Share Posted 14 September , 2019 24 minutes ago, charlie962 said: Do you mean Soldiers Effects ? 1 hour ago, charlie962 said: Welcome to the Forum CutterboyUK G W Pott was certainly taken prisoner at the Fall of Kut on 29/4/16. So he endured the Siege. By the early date of his death he was probably already amongst the sick or wounded of Kut who were shipped up by boat to Baghdad and remained there when the rest were marched on. Care of these sick and wounded was minimal (by the Turks) and most died. Lt col Spackman RAMC gives a little detail in Captured at Kut, Prisoner of the Turks. Charlie What was the postcard date ? Edit -you will see from his MIC that he entered Mesopotamia as a reinforcement 26/8/15. Does this coincide with the others under Capt Nelson (I don't have my notes with me) edit edit- that date seems to fall in pith post 28 and 29 above. Hello, Thanks for the replies. Sadly the postcard isn’t dated, and doesn’t name the others present. The comment regarding his death was on his ‘statement of service’. That he died in hospital as a prisoner of war. So looking at his time line, it’s similar to the above chap in #28, no doubt they would have known one another from the 1/5th and Bromley. Military history sheet: 05/09/14 - 28/10/14 Home 29/10/14 - 21/08/15 Jhansi, India. 22/08/15 - 04/06/16 Force ‘W’ Press cutting of reporting on his death: States in August 15 a call for volunteers to reinforce the West Kent’s in the Persian Gulf, knowing he was a returned a first class shot he felt it was his duty to volunteer. War Diary 2nd Battalion RWK: 07/09/15 page 34, 2nd battalion receive reinforcements, 5 officers and 199 other ranks from 1/4th and 1/5th RWK, 1/5th Buffs, 2/4th and 2/6th Devon’s. 09/11/15 page 41, double company of RWK under Major Nelson detached to Kut Al Amara. Last contact home: 18/11/15 letter sent from Basra, he was moving up the Tigris to join General Townsend. i will look for Lt Col Spackmans notes. Is there any other recommend reading to understand what they did during and after the siege? I’ve read that Gen. Mellis wrote a report complimenting the efforts of 2nd RWK during the siege but the comments were not referenced. I had assumed he would have been on the march as I read they exchanged all the sick and wounded for Turkish POW’s at the point of surrender. I assumed those exchanged were back in the care of the British army so they would be a few more records. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 14 September , 2019 Share Posted 14 September , 2019 (edited) 21 minutes ago, cutterboyuk said: I had assumed he would have been on the march as I read they exchanged all the sick and wounded for Turkish POW’s at the point of surrender. I assumed those exchanged were back in the care of the British army so they would be a few more records. The original intention was that those sick and wounded at the time of the surrender would be exchanged. In the event the Turks changed their minds and only exchanged a few of the British worst cases. Those exchanged were mostly Indian troops as the Turks were trying to encourage them (particularly Muslim) to defect; As I said above, the rest (ie the majority) were taken by boat (a terrible slow trip on which a number died) from Kut to Baghdad and transferred to a so-called hospital where most died. All those ORs capable of walking had to make it on foot. Patrick Crowley's 'Kut, Courage and Failure in Iraq' is good for background. Charlie Edited 14 September , 2019 by charlie962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 14 September , 2019 Share Posted 14 September , 2019 For information this is a thread I started on Kut exchanges You will note that only 7 RWKs were in that first exchange. The Gazette for the West Kents is here and you may find an article of interest. Charlie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutterboyuk Posted 14 September , 2019 Share Posted 14 September , 2019 Brilliant thanks I’ll have a read and see where it takes it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaureenE Posted 15 September , 2019 Share Posted 15 September , 2019 3 hours ago, cutterboyuk said: i will look for Lt Col Spackmans notes. Is there any other recommend reading to understand what they did during and after the siege? There was a book published in 2009 by Pen and Sword, Captured at Kut, Prisoner of the Turks. The Great War Diaries of Colonel W C Spackman, edited by Tony Spakman. https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Captured-at-Kut-Prisoner-of-the-Turks-Hardback/p/1829 For general information including online books see the FIBIS Fibiwiki pages Prisoners of the Turks (First World War) https://wiki.fibis.org/w/Prisoners_of_the_Turks_(First_World_War) and Mesopotamia Campaign https://wiki.fibis.org/w/Mesopotamia_Campaign#External_links Cheers Maureen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutterboyuk Posted 16 September , 2019 Share Posted 16 September , 2019 Thanks.. I read and come back. Poor lad deserves to be remembered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutterboyuk Posted 21 July , 2020 Share Posted 21 July , 2020 (edited) Adding to this thread I found this letter in my mums papers, it appears to be from a CO, I can’t make out the name sent to my great grandmother. It’s appears he was having some limited success in tracing the survivors from Kut following the retaking of Baghdad. Edited 21 July , 2020 by cutterboyuk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wexflyer Posted 21 July , 2020 Share Posted 21 July , 2020 Perhaps appropriate to bear in mind that British commanders are on record as having Turkish prisoners slaughtered? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutterboyuk Posted 21 July , 2020 Share Posted 21 July , 2020 Sorry, I don’t understand what that means or what context it relates to what I posted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 21 July , 2020 Share Posted 21 July , 2020 (edited) s Edited 21 July , 2020 by charlie962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 21 July , 2020 Share Posted 21 July , 2020 (edited) The information was from Major Bilbrough. There is a Major Arthur Henry Brooks Bilbrough of the Army Ordnance Corps. His medal index card shows he went to Galllipoli so it is quite possible he went to Mespot afterwards. I shall search further. Charlie Edit udate- The Leightonian school magazine of April 1917 p120 tells us he is serving in Mesopotamia Edited 21 July , 2020 by charlie962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutterboyuk Posted 21 July , 2020 Share Posted 21 July , 2020 Thanks.. imagine having that nurses diary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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