18222 G. Snell - 1st Bn. Essex Regiment

[greatbeanbags]

George was my wifes grandfather - we recently found his medals & bar in an old yoghurt pot! Have no image in uniform but attach one of him in 1955 a few years before he died.

Amongst some of his other memorobilia was a small pocket diary, complete for 1918 when his Bn. were in action around Achiet-le-Grande in France. For 18 out of 52 weeks he was being 'shelled' or 'going over the top'! He even recounts 'scavenging' for German guns & ammunition & coming back with thousands of rifles & shells! Will post some images from this when I can reduce in size.

Can't find his War Service Record - can any of you please?

Georges Medal card is also shown.

[greatbeanbags]

George's medals.

[sotonmate]

gladiator

I had no luck either.

He landed in Egypt on 4.11.1915,and was probably as a replacement for losses at Gallipoli,but I don't know when 1 Essex left that place,most did in Jan 1916. The War Diary for that time comes under WO95/4312 (Apr 1915 to Feb 1916). The Battalion was part of 88 Brigade of 29 Division,same as my G/Uncle (2 Hampshires). From Mar 1916 to Jan 1918 they moved to France,satill in 29 Division,War Dairy WO95/2309. From Feb 1918 they changed Division to 37 and came under War Dairy WO95/2537,also down as entering Germany at the end of the War.

Quite a story if you can stitch it all together !

Sotonmate

[owen4256]

All I can offer is my usual party trick with the casualty returns.

18222 Pte G Snell is listed as wounded in the casualty list published in The Times on 14th October 1916. This list contains casualties from the 1st Battalion's assault on Grease Trench near Guedecourt on 12th October 1916.

Since he was a 1st Battalion replacement in November 1915 and still with the 1st in October 1916, it is a fair bet that he was with them at Beaumont Hamel on 1st July 1916.

On both occasions the 1st was brigaded with the Newfoundlanders so there are lots of references on the web to both actions

Love to see scans of the diary

Regards

Clive

[Ali Hollington]

With regards Gallipoli, X Company was evacuated on 7th January 1916 the rest of the battalion on the 8th- source war diary.

I have a copy of the war diary covering their service in Gallipoli and then again from February 1918 to December- PM if you want a copy.

Regards

Ali

[greatbeanbags]

Hi sotonmate, owen4256, Ali Hollington

Thank you so much for your contributions that are adding so much more detail to Georges story.

Ali - to have a copy of the Feb - Dec 1918 War Diary would be great as I can perhaps tie up some info from Georges own Diary. Will send you a PM.

Owen 2456 - thanks for the references to Guedecourt & Beaumont Hamel - will certainly search the web & think I have a Battleground Europe book on one or both at home! Will scan a few relevant diary pages later today & post for you. Is there a way of getting a copy of the Times casualty list for 14th October, 1916? Perhaps you have & can email me a copy please?

sotonmate - I agree quite a story - Georges Diary makes no mention at the end of the year of being posted back to the UK so perhaps he went right through the war finishing up in Germany!

Clive

[greatbeanbags]

These are extracts from Georges own 1918 War Diary - posted in case I can't reduce the pages down in size so they are legible!

It is only a very small 'Soldiers & Sailors' pocket diary & written in pencil - a lot of text very faint now.

Weds 21 - Advanced about 5klm with the transport up to Foncquevillers. Slept in the trenches near transport. No letters

Thurs 22 - Weather still fine. Still advancing slowly. No letters yet.

Fri 23 - No letter. Regiment in action. Took railway? Found few casualties? Still advancing.

Sat 24 - Went up to Achiet le Petit on fatigue salvage. No letters.

Sun 25 - Still advancing. No letters. Went to ? for rations. Buried 26 of our fellows.

Mon 26 - Arrived Block East ? . Burried 22 of our felllows - Bucquoy. No letters. Raining.

Tues 27 - Went salvaging at Achiet le Grand. 16 machine guns & thousands of rifles & bombs. Papers from home. Slight rain all day

Weds 28 - Still raining a little. Draught for Reg. 286 Notts & Derbys. 59 Dur? Went up the line with rations & saw Harry Stone. No letters. P Card to Mother.

His daily entries go on to show that he was in action up till 1st October when the regiment were relieved & they returned to Ligny? Later entries show he & the Regiment were in action again - Mon 4 Nov has the following entry 'Went over the top & are expecting to get relieved. If not I am to go up with rations'. Tues 4 Nov states ' Got back about 7.30pm after walking about 40 miles. Batt advanced about 10 miles yesterday & 50 ms today'. The next 2 days his entries are 'billets at Chessingnes? & having a rest'.

[greatbeanbags]

Images of George's Diary that show the above extracts.

[owen4256]

One further nugget. The Essex Chronicle reprinted the casualty lists with a slightly different set of details. The Guedecourt list in the Chronicle shows Pte G Snell's next of kin resident at Grays.

The Chronicle published list of 12th October 1917 no longer has service numbers but does still have details of the address of next of kin. It lists a Pte G Snell Essex Regiment with next of kin at Grays as being wounded. Although there were two G Snells in the Essex the chance of them both being from Grays is pretty remote so I believe that this entry also refers to George.

In the same list is LCpl Charles Percival of 1st Essex who was killed on 16th August 1917 so George would have been wounded again sometime in August 1917, probably still with 1st Essex.

Clive

[greatbeanbags]

Wow - wounded twice - such courage to keep on fighting! He must have had a guardian angel watching over him for 4 or more years!!

Thank you for such interesting information - I will try & contact the paper for copies.

Our George Snell was definitely a resident of Grays in Essex both before & after the war. Later in life he was a Laboratory Assistant working as a Chemist for Thomas Hedley & Co. Soap manufacturers. Interestingly enough Thomas Hedley were acquired by Proctor & Gamble Ltd (Newcastle upon Tyne) who I worked for in their Soaps & Detergents Division as a N. London then Sheffield then Lincolnshire salesman 30 odd years ago - before I met my wife, George's grand daughter.

[greatbeanbags]

Will soon be able to post a casualty list for George ..... see message to me below.

Dear Clive

Thank you for your recent telephone call. I have managed to find a casualty listing for George Ernest Snell in the following paper;

Friday Oct 12 1917 Essex Chronicle

I have sent a copy of this entry in the post to you today.

I hope that you find this useful and please do not hesitate to get in touch if I can be of any further help to you.

Regards

Wendy Finch

Enquiry Officer LCAL Essex Gov

[owen4256]

Extract from the Times list

Regards

C

[greatbeanbags]

Thank you very much for doing this. I don't supose you could post the whole page showing the Times title & date with Georges details for me? If not here you can always send to me at clive@full-of-beans.com if this is easier & of course possible. It would be nice to have an A4 size piece that I can acetate cover with other documents about George. These will be with his memorabilia currently being framed & much easier for people to read if looking at what will go on our wall!

Clive

[owen4256]

Clive

No but PM sent.

Clive

[greatbeanbags]

All I can offer is my usual party trick with the casualty returns.

18222 Pte G Snell is listed as wounded in the casualty list published in The Times on 14th October 1916. This list contains casualties from the 1st Battalion's assault on Grease Trench near Guedecourt on 12th October 1916.

Since he was a 1st Battalion replacement in November 1915 and still with the 1st in October 1916, it is a fair bet that he was with them at Beaumont Hamel on 1st July 1916.

On both occasions the 1st was brigaded with the Newfoundlanders so there are lots of references on the web to both actions

Love to see scans of the diary

Regards

Clive

The Times date was 14th November 1916 not October.

[greatbeanbags]

Can someone answer some questions for me please?

We know George was wounded twice during his service with the 1st Essex. See extracts from the Essex Chronicle below for 1916 & 1917. What we don't know is how badly & if he returned to England to recover. As his own personal diary indicates that he was fully fit & in action during the whole of 1918 we assume his injuries were not severe & he was not sent home for any period whilst serving with the Essex Regiment from late 1915 through to 1918/19.

My questions are:

1. Would George have been awarded with Silver War badges as a result of being injured? I assume not if there was no need for him to show he was a injured serving soldier (& not a 'white feather') at home recovering!

2. Could I find out how serious his injuries were? No one has yet been able to find his actual War Service Record at the NA through Ancestry! Ali has sent me the Bn. War Diaries for Gallipoli (late 1915/early 1916) & whilst on the Somme (1918/early 1919). Could someone see if he is mentioned wounded in the War Diaries of Sept/Oct/Nov 1916 & Aug/Sept/Oct 1917 & post anything relevant for me here please?

If George did have a Silver War badge or two I believe they were numbered & are these recorded somewhere?

Thank you.

Clive

Can someone answer some questions for me please?

We know George was wounded twice during his service with the 1st Essex. See extracts from the Essex Chronicle below for 1916 & 1917. What we don't know is how badly & if he returned to England to recover. As his own personal diary indicates that he was fully fit & in action during the whole of 1918 we assume his injuries were not severe & he was not sent home for any period whilst serving with the Essex Regiment from late 1915 through to 1918/19.

My questions are:

1. Would George have been awarded with Silver War badges as a result of being injured? I assume not if there was no need for him to show he was a injured serving soldier (& not a 'white feather') at home recovering!

2. Could I find out how serious his injuries were? No one has yet been able to find his actual War Service Record at the NA through Ancestry! Ali has sent me the Bn. War Diaries for Gallipoli (late 1915/early 1916) & whilst on the Somme (1918/early 1919). Could someone see if he is mentioned wounded in the War Diaries of Sept/Oct/Nov 1916 & Aug/Sept/Oct 1917 & post anything relevant for me here please?

If George did have a Silver War badge or two I believe they were numbered & are these recorded somewhere?

Thank you.

Clive

[greatbeanbags]

Can someone answer some questions for me please?

We know George was wounded twice during his service with the 1st Essex. See extracts from the Essex Chronicle below for 1916 & 1917. What we don't know is how badly & if he returned to England to recover. As his own personal diary indicates that he was fully fit & in action during the whole of 1918 we assume his injuries were not severe & he was not sent home for any period whilst serving with the Essex Regiment from late 1915 through to 1918/19.

My questions are:

1. Would George have been awarded with Silver War badges as a result of being injured? I assume not if there was no need for him to show he was a injured serving soldier (& not a 'white feather') at home recovering!

2. Could I find out how serious his injuries were? No one has yet been able to find his actual War Service Record at the NA through Ancestry! Ali has sent me the Bn. War Diaries for Gallipoli (late 1915/early 1916) & whilst on the Somme (1918/early 1919). Could someone see if he is mentioned wounded in the War Diaries of Sept/Oct/Nov 1916 & Aug/Sept/Oct 1917 & post anything relevant for me here please?

If George did have a Silver War badge or two I believe they were numbered & are these recorded somewhere?

Thank you.

Clive

A member of The Manchester Regiment forum has been in touch to say that George would not have had a Silver War Badge unless he was returned home discharged because of his wounds. He would have worn 2 Wound Stripes on his sleeve. Do hope we can find the illusive pictureof him in uniform that definitely exists somewhere in Essex!

[greatbeanbags]

George is now remembered like this!

[shaymen]

Very nicely done.

[greatbeanbags]

Gleaned some more info about George's theatre of war in the 1st Essex which ties in with MIC

21 March 1915 : sailed from Avonmouth for Gallipoli, going via Egypt and Mudros. Landed at Cape Helles 25 April 1915

8 January 1916 : evacuated from Gallipoli and moved to Egypt
16 March 1915 : sailed from Alexandria for France
4 February 1918 : transferred to 112th Brigade in 37th Division

If anyone has group pictures of the 1st Essex 1915 - 1918 it would be great to see them posted here please....as would like to find an image of George in uniform if possible. Thanks in anticipation.

Interestingly the IWM are interested in George's story as we have his Diary for 1918.