10th Bn West yorkshire Regt (Prince of Wales own)

[munchkin]

Hi Kevin,

Some of the pals have told me that you might be able to do a look up for me, concerning a slight problem that i have.

I have recently come across another of my ancestors that died in the greta war.

He is buried at Mont Huon Military Cemetary Le Treport, which the pals have suggested that he died of wounds and not KIA. If this is tre then it is likely that he was wounded in a battle just preceding this date.

Have you got any information concerning where abouts the bAttallion were just prior to this date. His particulars are as follows:-

Name Heald, William Bagshaw

Initials W B

Nationality United Kingdom

Rank Private

Regiment West Yorkshire Regt. (Prince of Wales Own)

Unit Text 10th Bn

Age 21

Date of Death 15/09/1918

Service Number 56530

Additional Information Son of William and Ann Elizabeth Heald; Husband of Mary E Heald, of 14 Harrington Road,

Heeley Sheffield

Casualty Type Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial ref V111.F.1A

Cemetary Mont Huon Military Cemetary, Le Treport

Any help would be greatfully appreciated.

Thanks Andy

Glynn.

[kevin]

Andy

28/29th Aug,Divisional Reserve,between Martinpuich and Eaucourt l'Abbaye.

30/31st Aug,Moved forewared in positions north and north-east of Flers.

1st Sept,Objective was to attack Le Transloy.

So on the 1st Sept at 5a.m the 10th attacked and finding the village stronly held by the enemy, was unable to reach the Bapaume-Peronne road. The attack was to be resumed on the morning of the 2nd so during the night the 10th moved closer and took to the high ground west of Le Transloy.

2nd Sept,So was again the attack on the village was begun at 5a.m.Soon after mid-day the whole of Le Transloy was captured.

5p.m. received orders to attack Rocquinny at 8p.m.

6.25p.m. moved off to assembly positions.(south-west of Villers-au-Flos.map ref."O.13.d.5.0 to 0.14.C.2.9.,")North -West of Rocquigny.

8.08p.m. The attacking infantry began their advance,Rocuingny was found weakly held, and after some hand to hand fighting ,the village was captured by 10p.m.

3rd Sept,Advance to the Western banks of the Canal du Nord, between Ypres and Etricourt.(heavy machine gun fire from the eastern bank).

4th Sept,Crossed the canal and reached the North-Eastern edge of Vallulart Wood.

Gradually the line advanced but the West Yorks were not involed in any majour attack's.

10/11th Sept, Relieved and moved back to Rocquigny.

16th Sept, After six days rest in Rocguingny moved forward and took up assembly positions for the operation to begin on the 18th.(assembled on the Fins Ridge)

Hope this is of some help.

Regards Kevin

Andy by records was not KIA and did DOW's.

Other infomation that may be of some use

Other Ranks kia.

from the 28th Aug till the 2nd Sept there where no KIA for the battalion prior to this there was lot of KIA at the end of Aug say from the 24th.

3rd Sept, 2 KIA

4th Sept, 12 KIA

5th Sept, 9 KIA

6th Sept, 1 KIA

7/8th Sept, nil

9th Sept, 4 KIA

10th Sept, 2 KIA

If i find anything else will let you know.

Regards again Kevin

[GrenPen]

Below is a summary from the war diary for 1918; I do not understand why, but the details for Sept-Dec 1918 were not in the box (WO 95/2004)

5th April Pernois

On the 5th the Battn received a draft of 7 officers and 174 O.R.

Temp Capt A.A.Adams, Temp Capt H F Lawton, Temp Lt F Firth, Temp 2nd Lt H Knight M.C., Temp 2nd Lt S Moulson, Temp 2nd Lt M Daysh, Temp 2nd Lt B Baker

8th April Montrelet

The Battn received a draft of 185 O.R

10th April Montrelet

The Battn received a draft of 79 O.R

17 April Mesnil

Battn relieved the 6th Dorsetshire Regt in the front line, right battn left brigade at 830pm

23 April Mesnil

The Battn was relieved at 9pm by the 10th Lancashire Fusiliers, and marched into billets at Forceville.

29 April Mesnil

The Battn relieved the 7th Battn Border Regt at 830pm

8 May Mesnil

The Battn was relieved by the Artists Rifles, and deployed to billets at Arqueves

26 May Arqueves

The Brigade deployed to Acheux Wood

31 May Acheux Wood

The battalion was relieved by the Lincolnshire Regt, and deployed to the Purple Line

09 June

50th Brigade to relieve the 52nd Brigade, 10th Battn to relieve Duke of Wellington's Regiment specifically (Q15c24).

15 June

The battalion was relieved by the East Yorks Regt, and deployed to the Purple Line (Q13b28)

18 June

The battalion relieved the East Yorks Regt, deploying via Newbury Avenue and Trigger Avenue (Q15c24).

23 June

The battalion was relieved by the Hood Battalion, Royal Naval Division, and proceeded to billets at Acheux Wood

1st July Rubempre

Battalion training and route march

24th July

The Battalion relieved 7th (S) Bn East Yorkshire Regt

27th July

The battalion was relieved by the 7th (S) Bn East Yorkshire Regt in the main forward zone, and deployed to the reserve, map ref V12c40 (ref map 57DSE) [between Beaussart and mailly-Maillet]

05 Aug

The battalion was relieved by the 10th South Wales Borderers, and proceeded to Herissart

12 Aug

The 50th relieved the 10th Australian Brigade

16 Aug

The Battalion was relieved by the 55th Australian Battn, and proceeded to Aubigny.

22 Aug

Relieved the 7th Leicester Regt in the old British front line& posts in Q16 & Q17 (Ref Map 57DSE)

23 Aug

Battalion deployed to Common Lane in Q24 & R19.

24 Aug

Battalion attacked Thiepval Ridge, and subsequent capture of Pozieres

27 Aug

Fighting at Flers

29 Aug

The battalion was relieved by the 10th (S) Notts & Derby Regt in the main forward zone, and deployed to the rest area at Martinpuich

[GrenPen]

18th Sept 1918 [assembled on the Fins Ridge]

0520 Zero [Hour].Bn moved forward to the attack behind a creeping barrage. A, B & C Coys in front line, C in support. Going forward rapidly, first objective was reached at the same time as the 12 th Manchester Regt. Pushing on the Bn met with little oposition & reached the final objective in the Green Line

The objective was consolidated & the dugouts cleared. Prisoners amounted to 4 officers & 315 ORs, 11 MGs & 1 Trench Mortar were captured. Bn HQ established at W5d13. Bn HQ moved to W6db2

19 Sept 1918

At daybreak C & D Coys moved forward across X1c & occupied Gauche Alley. Heavy shelling all day. At dusk A & B Coys relieved the 6th Dorset Regt & units of the 51st Inf Bde in Lancashire Trench & Somme Alley (X1 & 2 map ref 57CSE). C & D took up a position in support in Somme Alley

20 Sept 1918

At dawn a patrol of A Coy pushed up & occuped a further 120 yards of Lancashire Trench in X2. Intermittent shelling throughout the day.

At dusk enemy attacked up Lancashire Trench & madea frontal attack on it under cover of a heavy barrage. Attack was broken up by artillery, Lewis Gun & rifle fire but the enemy succeeded in retaking 50 yards of Lancashire Trench. Lt S G Isherwood died of wounds.

21st Sept 1918

0130 Enemy made a determined bombing attack supported with flammenwerfer up Lancashire Trench (X2) & gained 200 yards of this trench. Here it was held up by Stokes [mortar] & Lewis Gun fire & 100 yards of trench regained by a bombing attack. Bombing continued up and down the trench for 12 hours.

0530-1130 Heavy shelling of Lancashire Trench

Source: WO95/2004

[KevinBattle]

Given that he died in Le Treport, it would have taken at least a day o two to reach the Base Hospital, passing through Aid Stations, Casualty Clearing Stations, Field Ambulances etc.

Once "stabilised" they would be moved to UK for further surgery and convalescence.

So, as surmised, it occurred before the 19th September.

The attack on 24th produced 33 killed, and had he been severely wounded then, would probably either have stabilised and moved to UK or have died within a week or two.... they didn't have time to "keep" patients, as the casualties from the next attack would be arriving daily.

There is this casualty:-

Name: JACKSON, TOM. Rank: Private

Regiment/Service: West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own). Unit Text: 10th Bn.

Age: 21. Date of Death: 05/09/1918. Service No: 56531

Additional information: Son of Sam and Elizabeth Jackson, of 6, Honey Hole, Todmorden, Yorks.

Grave/Memorial Reference: IV. D. 15. Cemetery: LEBUCQUIERE COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION

CWGC Cemetery info:-

Lebucquiere village was occupied by Commonwealth forces on 19 March 1917, following the German withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line. It was recaptured by the Germans on 23 March 1918, after fierce resistance by the 19th (Western) Division, and was finally reoccupied by the 5th Division on 3 September 1918. The communal cemetery extension was begun on 24 March 1917 and was used by the 1st Australian Division and other units for almost a year. After the reoccupation of the village in September 1918, it was used again for a fortnight.

Now, it's tempting to jump to the assumption that just because he has the very next Regimental Number, they must be pals, and probably together when wounded/killed, but life isn't always that straightforward.... Nonetheless, being gravely wounded about the 5th September would possibly tie in with reaching Le Treport before succumbing to septacemia etc...

Maybe his Service or Pension records survive, might have further info.... Yes, they do, there is a Family Tree on Ancestry which links to them...

Born 21st February aged 18 years and 9 months when enlisting in 10th December 1915, but not mobilised until 26th April 1918. He was 5 ft 5 and a half inches tall; fair hair and fresh complexion. Living at 14, Addington Road, Heeley, Sheffield (Harrington Road on CWGC)

Civilian occupation: Universal Miller (?). Scar left foream and left cheek, mole on right shoulder

Married Mary Ellen Tew? 4th August 1918, at St Barnabas Church, Sheffield. Address confirmed as Harrington Road.

His son, also William Bagshaw Heald, was born Christmas Day, 1918.

He was wounded with shrapnel wound (SW) to the head either 4th or 11th September (guess 4th but very faint).

Mary remarried, signing for his Victory and British War medals as Mrs E Pinder.

On 12th May 1921 she wrote to the Army confirming she had remarried and was then living at 9 Court, Oak Grove, Oak Street, Heeley. She was awarded a pension of 20 shillings and 5 pence for herself and one child from 29th March 1919.

His Service Record survives, only joined the Battalion (after leave to get married?) on 31st August, then wounded on 8th or 9th September, dying of wounds on 15th at 2nd Canadian General Hospital, Le Treport, described in telegram as GSW head followed by a word which looks like Phoelicas...Ave????....

He had 3 sisters, Ethel Shaw aged 29; Edith Annie Clayton aged 26 and Ada Froggatt aged 24 (in February 1919).

If he only commenced training in the April, and married in August 1918, it sounds as if it was his first experience at the Front....

Hmmmm, resurrecting a 2004 thread, is that a record???