28 March 1918 - B Coy 2/8 Batt Royal Warwickshires

[Maureen015150]

For many years now, I have been looking for information about what happened to my Uncle's regiment leading up to his death on 28th March 1918.

He was Jeremiah Reid b. 27th Feb 1899. The family lived at 196 Hornby St, Liverpool when Jeremiah enlisted with Kings Liverpool Regt. (reg.no. 46128) on . He was aged 16 1/2 when he enlisted on 18th Sept 1915 and sent to Seaforth Barracks (Liverpool) for training.

I'm not sure why, but the pages of his WW1 army records that I was lucky to find appear to be blank as follows:

Descriptive Report of Enlistment - section entitled Military History Sheet

2. Campaigns............ B E 7 1917

including Actions........

From the papers I have copies of, my uncle was transferred several times i.e. Herefordshire, Monmouth, Base Depot, Royal Warwickshires.

One untitled document shows he was 'Home' from 24th August 1916 to 15 June 1917 which is just under 10 months. This means that my Dad (Jeremiah's youngest brother) would have been 5 years old when he last saw his big brother.

The documents shows:- France 15. 6. 17 underneath the dated home leave period.

Pte Jeremiah Reid was tansferred to the Royal Warwickshire Regt., "B" Coy 2/8th Battalion in 1917 and was given a new number = Pte 325136

He was Killed in Action EXD^dy (or EXD^0y) Force, France (aged 19) on 28th March 1918 and his body is interred at Roye New British Cemetery (near Noyon) France.

We have photographs of the grave and cemetery and my sister and I have been over there to visit him in our Dad's memory.

I think one of the documents - Casualty form - shows that he was 'gassed' on 9th Dec 1917 then the last line on the form appears to say same but gives the place as Abbeville and the date of casualty as 10th Dec 1917.

As a non-military person I am really confused by the paperwork and although several people have very kindly given me various pieces of information relating to the Royal Warwickshire around the time of my Uncle's death, there is nothing to actually pinpoint what happened to my uncle and his fellow soldiers on that fateful morning!

Can anybody please explain what EXD^dy (or EXD^0y) France means?

I am writing our family history book and would like to be able to piece together those last days for our future generations.

I believe that my grandmother was told that her son, Jeremiah, was killed as he 'went over the top' and was mown down by machine gun bullets ripping him across his chest and nearly cutting his body in two. Where would she have gotten this kind of information from and would the military have been that graphic?

I'd really appreciate any help I can get on this please. Regards

[connaughtranger]

For many years now, I have been looking for information about what happened to my Uncle's regiment leading up to his death on 28th March 1918.

He was Jeremiah Reid b. 27th Feb 1899. The family lived at 196 Hornby St, Liverpool when Jeremiah enlisted with Kings Liverpool Regt. (reg.no. 46128) on . He was aged 16 1/2 when he enlisted on 18th Sept 1915 and sent to Seaforth Barracks (Liverpool) for training.

I'm not sure why, but the pages of his WW1 army records that I was lucky to find appear to be blank as follows:

Descriptive Report of Enlistment - section entitled Military History Sheet

2. Campaigns............ B E 7 1917

including Actions........

From the papers I have copies of, my uncle was transferred several times i.e. Herefordshire, Monmouth, Base Depot, Royal Warwickshires.

One untitled document shows he was 'Home' from 24th August 1916 to 15 June 1917 which is just under 10 months. This means that my Dad (Jeremiah's youngest brother) would have been 5 years old when he last saw his big brother.

The documents shows:- France 15. 6. 17 underneath the dated home leave period.

Pte Jeremiah Reid was tansferred to the Royal Warwickshire Regt., "B" Coy 2/8th Battalion in 1917 and was given a new number = Pte 325136

He was Killed in Action EXD^dy (or EXD^0y) Force, France (aged 19) on 28th March 1918 and his body is interred at Roye New British Cemetery (near Noyon) France.

We have photographs of the grave and cemetery and my sister and I have been over there to visit him in our Dad's memory.

I think one of the documents - Casualty form - shows that he was 'gassed' on 9th Dec 1917 then the last line on the form appears to say same but gives the place as Abbeville and the date of casualty as 10th Dec 1917.

As a non-military person I am really confused by the paperwork and although several people have very kindly given me various pieces of information relating to the Royal Warwickshire around the time of my Uncle's death, there is nothing to actually pinpoint what happened to my uncle and his fellow soldiers on that fateful morning!

Can anybody please explain what EXD^dy (or EXD^0y) France means?

I am writing our family history book and would like to be able to piece together those last days for our future generations.

I believe that my grandmother was told that her son, Jeremiah, was killed as he 'went over the top' and was mown down by machine gun bullets ripping him across his chest and nearly cutting his body in two. Where would she have gotten this kind of information from and would the military have been that graphic?

I'd really appreciate any help I can get on this please. Regards

[Chris_Baker]

EXPdy = Expeditionary

BE7 actually - BEF - British Expeditionary Force

I'm sure someone will come up with the 2/8th's war diary for you.

[connaughtranger]

Hi

First of all, EXDdy/EXDoy means Expeditionary.

The date of Jeremiah's death leaves a bit of a quandary because the 2/8th Royal Warwicks was disbanded in February 1918. On the 13th February 17 Officers and 350 OR's left the Battalion and joined the 2/7th. On 14th Feb much of the remains, together with a surplus of the 2/1st Bucks Battalion, were formed into the 25th Entrenching Battalion. On 22nd February the remainder joined a group of the 2/1st Bucks near Nesle. Most of this last group was drafted to the 2/7th in the opening days of the German Offensive.

On the 6th December 1917 the 2/8th Battalion were in the line about Welsh Ridge and in tents in Havrincourt Wood. The only mention of gassing was suffered by 'D' Company who were returning to Havrincourt Wood when they were hit by gas shelling. 3 Officers and a number of men were slightly gas-poisoned and out of action "for a considerable time".

I hope this. has helped but it would seem you've got plenty of research yet to do

Regards

Martin

[Steven Broomfield]

I believe that my grandmother was told that her son, Jeremiah, was killed as he 'went over the top' and was mown down by machine gun bullets ripping him across his chest and nearly cutting his body in two. Where would she have gotten this kind of information from and would the military have been that graphic?

Family myth, possibly, or a colleague writing or visiting after the event.

I assume Martin has taken details from Black Square Memories, the history of the 2/8th, by H T Chidgey. In the appendix, your great uncle is listed in the Roll of Honour as died on 28th March, '18. Oddly, there is another appendix listing men of the Bn who died subsequent to disbandment: he's not in this, but in the 'main body', so to speak.

[Stebie9173]

His records state that he was attached to 25th Entrenching battalion when he was "killed in action" on 24th March 1918. bearing in mind he died on the 28th, the KIA is probably wrong but the date and unit are probably correct.

Steve.

[Stebie9173]

I thought I would try and do an interpretation of the records:

He attested under the Derby Scheme, age 18 years (give or take a few days) on 22nd November 1915.

After attesting he was posted to Army Reserve and sent home to await his turn for call-up.

He was called up on 24th August 1916, reporting to Seaforth, where he was posted to The King's (Liverpool Regiment)

The next couple of lines are uncleared but appear to show him posted to "3 Battalion", possibly of the King's.

He was transferred to the 2/1st Herefordshire Regiment on 10th Decmber 1916

Soon afterwards he was transferred to 2/1st Monmouthshire Regiment, No. 228873, on 29th December 1916.

He was again transferred, this time between battalions in the same Regiment, being posted to the 2/2nd Monmouthsire Regiment on 6th April 1917

Embarked to France (B.E.F.) via Southampton and Havre 15 & 16th June 1917

Awarded British War Medal and Victory Medal

On arrival in France he was sent to No. 4 Infantry base Depot to await posting to a battalion at the Front.

Joined No. 29 Infantry Base Depot from No. 4 Infantry Base Depot on 7th July 1917.

Transferred to Warwickshire Regiment, No. 325136, in France on 7th July 1917

Proceeded to join 2/8th Warwickshire Regiment on 8th July 1917

Admitted to No. 8 Casualty Clearing Station with scabies on 2nd November 1917

Returned to duty on 14th November 1917

Rejoined 2/8th Warwickshire Regiment on 16th November 1917

Admitted to 2/1 South Midland Field Ambulance suffering from gassing on 9th December 1917

Transferred to No. 4 Casualty Clearing Station on 9th December 1917

Admiited to No. 5 Australian General Hospital at Abbeville on 10th December 1917

Admitted to No. 5 Convalescent Depot, Cayeux, 28th December 1917

Admitted to No. 2 Stationary Hospital, Abbeville with "Impetigo", 5th January 1918.

Joined DRBD (Divisional Reinforcement Base Depot, I think) at Rouen on 25th January 1918

Very faint - Joined ????? in the Field, date unreadable

Admitted to 110 Field Ambulance with scabies on 24th February 1918, returning to duty on 1st or 4th (?) March 1918.

Killed in action (report from Officer Commanding 25th Entrenching Battalion) on 24th March 1918.

Sheet reference 18501 does seem to list gunshot wounds in the chest as his cause of death.

I hope that helps, or at least provides a springboard for others to help.

The reson that some of these documents appear blank is that many of them were dowsed in water by the fire brigade when the warehouse containing them was hit by an incendiary bomb in the Blitz.

The Entrenching battalions were short lived units, but fortunately most kept war diaries. No 25's War Dairy is under reference:

WO 95/957 25 Entrenching Battalion 1918 Feb. - Mar.

Steve.

[Maureen015150]

Hi Everyone, firstly, please accept my apologies for not getting back to you all to thank you for your kind help but I had no idea they were waiting for me as I haven't received any emails to alert me to the responses.

Having said that, I've just been reading all responses and am very grateful for all of them and all the helpful/useful information they involve. I really do very much appreciate everyone's help with this and will try searching the WO95/957 25 section as advised by Steve.

Thanks to all of you

[Maureen015150]

EXPdy = Expeditionary

BE7 actually - BEF - British Expeditionary Force

I'm sure someone will come up with the 2/8th's war diary for you.

Thank you very much for deciphering this for me. Regards