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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

10th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment, Grimsby Chums.


Bingo794

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Chaps,

Just going through a some papers on the 10th Lincs., and the question popped up in my mind, what would constitute being one of the 'originals' of the Grimsby Chums battalion? :huh:

Is it the first contingent of men sent out to France?

If so, how many went out in that group?

Is it the first 1000 or 2000 men, having the lower numbers?

Is it men of Grimsby?

Or is it plainly, the first battalion that a soldier was sent to and appears on his Medal Roll as his initial unit?

I would be interested to hear what people think on this one.

I have come accross a soldier with a 307** number listed as an original, and then men who served, for example, with the 1/4th and were returning wounded, sent to the 10th. Is this man a Chum, but not an Original.

How is this split down?

Dick W

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Dick

Formed by the Mayor and town of Grimsby on 9.9.1914 says the Long Long Trail. 10th Service Battalion (Grimsby Pals). No other elements of the Lincolns were labelled Grimsby Pals so it has to be this Battalion at raising. Whether any reinforcements were deemed GPs as well ????

There is a book on the Pals Battalions which you might get to read from your local Library, which is where I borrowed my copy a couple of years ago. I can't remeber the exact title,but someone here will. It goes into each one of the Pals Battalions.

Sotonmate

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There are 2 books published on the Battalion.

Grimsby Chums by Peter Bryant

Story of the Chums by Peter Chapman

Regards

Martin

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Gents,

I have both books on the 10th and a number of papers gathered over the years on the subject, plus quite a library of battalion diaries.

What I want/need to know, is how from a collector/dealer/student point of view the men of the unit are seen.

What is the cut off point where someone is deemed to be 'an original', numerically, geographically, or the fact that a man served in the unit from day one of his service. The books don't give this sort of information.

What constitutes an original?

It is just that I have seen medals up for sale, advertised as 'Original Grimsby Chum', when they do not even have the low numbers No.1 to No.2000 or so, and men who were transferred in as replacements with New Army, TF, or pre-war regular numbers.

What is the criteria?

If there is any at all, of course.............. Cheers,

Dick

Am I digging a hole here? :blink::blush:

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I reckon if you went over the top with them on 1st July 1916, you were a Grimsby Chum. I suspect the battalion may have agreed with that even if you were not a geographical qualifier e.g Lt Hendin was from my home city of Southampton but attacked La Boiselle as a Chum , survived but died at Arras with the Chums in 1917. Not sure when he joined the battalion.

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Dick

I go along with Ian here. The 10 Lincs lost 502 in the 1 July attack,101 Brigade didn't seem to feature again as an entity until early August 1916 when they seem to be a part (composite?)of 23 Division as they are shown as attacking towards High Wood. Maybe someone here can say what replacements were received or whether they joined other composites as I have seen elsewhere.

There IS an ominous gap in the Long Long Trail info on 10 Lincs between this time and 1918.

Sotonmate

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502 lost in the first phase?!

That does seem an awful lot, but it was the worst day in british military history.

Has anyone any idea of the number of men sent out on the 10th's qualifying date, which escapes me at the moment?

Or how many were to take part in the offensive on 1st July, 1916?

Dick

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Well Howdy Dick,

I know where your coming from here. Perhaps the September 1914 A and B Companies made up mostly of the local lads from the Municipal College would be considered by some as the 'most' original Chums especially when admiring their low service numbers. But perhaps those Municipal lads would consider the October men from Wakefield, Worksop, Staffordshire and other parts of Lincolnshire, that brought the battalion up to full strength, true Chums and better Grimbarians than those in the town who resisted the call to arms?

I visited Roeux British Cemetery with CB on our annual trip last summer. I was very moved by the 70 plus headstones belonging to 10th Battalion lads there who died as a result of the attack on the Chemical works. These lads all had various service numbers and I have struggled to find one man from the town itself. These lads are worthy Chums to me however an I'm proud of their sacrifice given under the name of 'our' battalion. Major Vignoles was still part of the Chums during the attack and I like to think that some espirit de corps existed.

The casualty rate at Roeux was higher incidently than that of 1st July at La Boiselle. Strength on the morning of 28 April 1917 was 626, 204 were killed and 229 wounded, 67%.

Personally I value their service and sacrifice very highly.

Cheers mate,

Steve.

BTW did you know that almost everybody in Grimsby today, who had a relative who served in the Great War did so with the Chums, it's a fact ;)

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Hi Steve

Some interesting points and info there.

As an ex-service type myself, I understand your angle with esprit de corps and the point that all the men were in it together. I was thinking of it purely as an outsider, collector and student, whatever you will, and how others see it.

The sacrifices these - and all the others made, is not in doubt.

It is just a case of knowing how many men were in the first contingent sent to France and how many were taking part in the initial stages of the Somme battles.

Big Dick ;) Nice to hear from you again, Steve.

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  • 3 years later...

Well Howdy Dick,

I know where your coming from here. Perhaps the September 1914 A and B Companies made up mostly of the local lads from the Municipal College would be considered by some as the 'most' original Chums especially when admiring their low service numbers. But perhaps those Municipal lads would consider the October men from Wakefield, Worksop, Staffordshire and other parts of Lincolnshire, that brought the battalion up to full strength, true Chums and better Grimbarians than those in the town who resisted the call to arms?

I visited Roeux British Cemetery with CB on our annual trip last summer. I was very moved by the 70 plus headstones belonging to 10th Battalion lads there who died as a result of the attack on the Chemical works. These lads all had various service numbers and I have struggled to find one man from the town itself. These lads are worthy Chums to me however an I'm proud of their sacrifice given under the name of 'our' battalion. Major Vignoles was still part of the Chums during the attack and I like to think that some espirit de corps existed.

The casualty rate at Roeux was higher incidently than that of 1st July at La Boiselle. Strength on the morning of 28 April 1917 was 626, 204 were killed and 229 wounded, 67%.

Personally I value their service and sacrifice very highly.

Cheers mate,

Steve.

BTW did you know that almost everybody in Grimsby today, who had a relative who served in the Great War did so with the Chums, it's a fact wink.gif

i went to roeux recently and was proud to visist my great great uncles war grave there, as well as all the others there with him ,i am currently researching more into his and his brothers (who made it home ) war years

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Hi,

What were their names and regiments.....someone maybe able to help with your research.

Dick W

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hello

both were with the lincs regiment (chums)

great grandad was called james enoch pearson (he made it home) army number 152695

great uncle albert henry pearson 1502

ive been given lots of help and info ,ive now got a copy of the regiments diary from april 17(when albert died ), a copy of james army papers,but am looking to get a copy of alberts army papers only got a small part of them so far.

might join ancestry and see what i can find on there,

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  • 2 months later...

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