Patesian Posted 22 January , 2009 Share Posted 22 January , 2009 Can any member help me please? I am writing an article about a Great War soldier - a regular, with the 2nd Essex, who enlisted in 1912 and was later transferred to the MGC in 1916 (severely wounded at the Scarpe 1917 and discharged). A relative has supplied me with a very poor photocopy of a photograph taken, apparently, at Borden Camp in 1913, of "B" Company (Capt AC Halahan), which includes that soldier. Can anyone tell me if this photo was taken from a book, and if so, which one? Better still, could anyone who has a copy let me have a decent scan? "Honourable Mention" given to anyone assisting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owen4256 Posted 22 January , 2009 Share Posted 22 January , 2009 The book is: Title Second Battalion, the Essex Regiment : the Pompadours. Publisher / Date W.H. Smith, 1913. Physical Description [30] leaves. Photographs I have a couple of copies from it: Cpls Mess, Sgts Mess, Colour Sgts with Colours but not the one of B Company. There is a copy in the Local Studies Gallery in Colchester Library. I have copies of the Regimental Gazettes from that period. If you post the name and numbert I might be able to get you some further details on your man Regards Owen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patesian Posted 22 January , 2009 Author Share Posted 22 January , 2009 Thank you very much Owen - I felt sure it must be a Regimental History. The man concerned was 9935 L/Cpl WVJ Denley, later 18836 L/Cpl WVJ Denley 12 Bde MG Coy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owen4256 Posted 22 January , 2009 Share Posted 22 January , 2009 Following extracts from the gazette: 9935 Denley William J V Pte 2 Bn 10.3.13 Appointed Unpaid Lance Corporal 9935 Denley William J V LCpl 2 Bn 18.6.13 Awarded 3rd Class education certificate Since he should have been a LCpl in the Bordon photo, if you PM me your email I will send you the best scan I have of the Cpl's mess photo and you can see if he's in there Regards Owen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patesian Posted 22 January , 2009 Author Share Posted 22 January , 2009 You're a brick! My e-mail is gs.promenade@btinternet.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 22 January , 2009 Share Posted 22 January , 2009 I have copies of the Regimental Gazettes from that period. If you post the name and numbert I might be able to get you some further details on your man Regards Owen Hi Owen - anything on my great uncle, 10120 Pte Daniel Boyles? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owen4256 Posted 23 January , 2009 Share Posted 23 January , 2009 Paul There is a reference in the October 1913 edition to Pte Boyles of the 2Bn taking part in the Pompadour Rifle Meeting on 19th June 1913. I'lll dig out the relevant issue and see what there is. I have traced the casualty lists which confirm his wounds in Gallipoli and Beamont Hamel (where my avatar was killed) Do you by any chance know when his January 1915 wound and 1917 gassing were reported? Particularly interested in the January 1915 one. A draft of 2nd Battalion men were posted to 1st Essex in May 1915 and landed in Gallipoli in June. A lot of them appear in the published casualty list for 1914 and early 1915. I'm trying to determine if the others were wounded as well. I seem to be missing at least one list. Also be interested to know if you have the exact dates for his wounds apart from 1st July. I am steadily tying in the reported lists to the actual dates and any grist to the mill would be welcome. On a final point , do you have the details from the Essex Regiment description books? The early ones usually give a fair bit of career detail including dates of wounds. Regards Owen "Dan was a regular who joined from the TF in 1912, and served on the Western Front from August 1914 until the end of the war with the 2nd, 1st and 11th Essex Regiment. He also served at Gallipoli in 1915. He was wounded three times (Plugstreet January 1915, Krithia July 1915, Beaumont Hamel 1st July 1916), and was gassed at Bourlon Wood in 1917. After recovering from the gas, he served in an Agricultural Coy of the Labour Corps, doing the job he had done in civvie street. He went back to the Essex Regiment in 1919, and served until the late 1920s. This photo was taken in France in 1918; despite being in the LC he continued to produly wear his Essex Regiment badge!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 23 January , 2009 Share Posted 23 January , 2009 Hi Owen - thanks for that! Would be interested in that reference to him. I have a typed summary of his service record (because of his service into the 20s it is still one that is closed), which confirms the wounds, but I don't know when they were reported. I am pretty sure he went to Gallipoli in June. My grandmother always remembered them taking him to a shop in Colchester to get a "sun helmet" when he was warned for a move to the Dardenelles! Thanks for your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owen4256 Posted 23 January , 2009 Share Posted 23 January , 2009 Patesian PM sent Regards Owen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SFayers Posted 23 January , 2009 Share Posted 23 January , 2009 I have copies of the Regimental Gazettes from that period. If you post the name and numbert I might be able to get you some further details on your man Regards Owen Hi Owen, I have a QSA to a man in the 2nd Battalion Essex Regiment - Private 4722 C. Turner (I know that in 1902 he was seconded to the Burma Mounted Infantry whilst in South Africa). I wonder on the off-chance if he might get a mention anywhere? Having contacted the NA they told me they couldn't find his service papers, so I don't even know his first name and I've not been able to ascertain if he subsequently went on to fight with the regiment in WWI. 'C' of course could be his first or a middle initial. Kind regards Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
owen4256 Posted 23 January , 2009 Share Posted 23 January , 2009 Steve Nothing on Turner other that his secondment to the Burma Mounted infantry on 27.2.02 as shown on the medal roll. The Essex Regiment Gazette only started in 1909 and was suspended from 1914-1921. Turner's service number indicates that he enlisted around September 1896. If he only did the standard 12 year engagement he would have gone to the reserve in 1903 and discharge in 1908 so would never appear. If he had gone on to serve 21 years I would be very surprised if there was no mention of him in the ERG. Have you checked the Essex Militia papers in WO 96 for Turners joining the Regular Army in 1896? Most regulars at that time had prior militia service and the militia papers have a lot of biographical detail that might help you trace his first war service. Owen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Marshall Posted 23 January , 2009 Share Posted 23 January , 2009 Just a small point, but possibly an important one. The camp you mention in your first post is probably Bordon, in Hampshire. The garrison is still there and mainly used for training REME personnel on courses at various levels of technicality, from Basic trade through to Artificer. The place is riddled with history, and rich in WWI heritage. Not many buildings left from our period, but many, many units passed through. I spent three (with 20/20 hindsight) very happy years at Louisburg Barracks. If I remember rightly, the building which housed one of the Sergeants messes on the garrison at that time was Broxhead House. If you find any mention of that it will put you in Louisburg Barracks. Google Maps has this location for it 51.123630, -0.860984 Cheers, Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SFayers Posted 23 January , 2009 Share Posted 23 January , 2009 Hi Owen, Many thanks for checking for me. When I get the chance I'll give WO 96 a go! Kind regards Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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