Guest mtown Posted 3 February , 2003 Share Posted 3 February , 2003 Does anyone have any information re the 2nd bttn's movements from April to 9th May 1915? According to this web site, they were at the battle of Aubers ridge (as part of the 8th division), but the battle description does not mention them. Neither does the casualty list. My Grandfather (missing 9th May 1915)is listed on the Ploegsteert memorial, Hainaut, Belgium, but this seems to be some distance away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted 3 February , 2003 Share Posted 3 February , 2003 Ray Westlake's ' British Bn's in France and Belgium 1915: 25th. Bde, 8th Div. April 1915 1st. To Croix -Blanche and began tours in trenches near Rue Petillon. 12th. Divisional Reserve at Bac St. Maur. 13th. Bde Res, near Fleurbaix. Spent three days in trenches Bois-Grenier Fleurbaix. Bac St. Maur. Laventie. 30th. Fauquissart sector relieved 2nd. Rifle Bde. May 5th. Bac St.Maur. 8th. Moved into assembly trenches and attacked. Battle of Aubers Ridge. 9th. Total casualties: 18 officers, 276 other ranks killed, wounded or missing. Arthur Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Saunders Posted 3 February , 2003 Share Posted 3 February , 2003 If this is any help two local lads I was investigating I found were born within a couple of weeks of each other, lived within a couple of hundred yards of each other, went to school together, enlisted together in the same battalion, crossed the channel together and died together at the very same place, probably within minutes of each other and certainly no more than hours. Neither have a grave but it was seen fit that they should be commemorated on different memorials. One near where he fell in 1918 near Hangard Wood and the other the other side of Albert on the Poziers memorial. So place of death and commemoration unfortunately doesnt always fit! Hope this helps and sorry it was a bit long winded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 4 February , 2003 Share Posted 4 February , 2003 War Diaries for all battalions of the Royal Berks are on-line at: http://www.thewardrobe.org.uk/main.php3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted 4 February , 2003 Share Posted 4 February , 2003 It might pay you to try and get hold of a copy of ‘The Eighth Division in War 1914-1918 by Lt Col JH Boraston and Capt. E. O. Bax Cyril.’ This book was reprinted by ‘Naval & Military Press 1999‘, ISBN 1 897632 673 Arthur Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Furnell Posted 5 February , 2003 Share Posted 5 February , 2003 Evening all. I was interested to see your reference to Hangard wood and the Pozieres memorial,Signals. I have a great-grandad who was KIA at Hangard wood and is on the memorial at Pozieres. He was killed in April of 1918 and was also a Berkshire man. Very strange coincidences with this thread. The Wardrobe at Salisbury is a wonderfull museum and well worth a look. They will also undertake research for you,for a small donation i seem to remember. They were very helpfull when i found out that my realation had spent some time with the RB in 1916. Good luck with your research Mtown. Regards. Simon Furnell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted 6 February , 2003 Share Posted 6 February , 2003 Signals My Gt Uncle was KIA at Hangard Wood on 24/4/18 and is remembered on the Pozieres Memorial. Would be interested in anything you have for this period if possible. Cheers MARK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mtown Posted 18 February , 2003 Share Posted 18 February , 2003 Thanks to all above for information and taking the trouble to reply. I am currently trying to follow up. I am planning a visit to Ploegstaart and the battlefields in May 2003, so if any of you want me to check out a name please let me know the details. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 18 February , 2003 Share Posted 18 February , 2003 Thanks for your off post message; having thought they had all the war diaries on there, seems they only have some! And this doesn't include the 2nd Royal Berks! However, I know they are currently doing a project on the regular battalions, so they should be able to answer your query by email. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Furnell Posted 18 February , 2003 Share Posted 18 February , 2003 Evening all. The guy that sent me the info on my Great-grandad by e.mail was Mr Rob Chapman. I left a message in the guest book and he replied within a couple of weeks. Regards. Simon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Thompson Posted 18 February , 2003 Share Posted 18 February , 2003 Another source that you can try for information on the Royal Berkshire Regiment is Martin Mcintrye (mac@mcintyre6.freeserve.co.uk). He posted an offer for help on the WFA Helpline and managed to furnish me with a large amount of data on soldiers that I was researching. As Paul has pointed out the curator of the Wardrobe Lt Col Chilton is in the process of doing all the War diaries for the Royal Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiments during the Great War. Regards Marc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mtown Posted 22 March , 2003 Share Posted 22 March , 2003 Courtesy of the PRO, Kew I now have a copy of the appendix from the Royal Berks Reg. war diary for 9th May 1915. Which covers their participation at Aubers Ridge for that date. Happy to share with anyone who needs it. Margaret Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purley Posted 11 January , 2004 Share Posted 11 January , 2004 If anyone is interested I will e-mail the text of our account of the 2nd battalion in this period - requests by e-mail please John Chapman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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