9/South Staffordshire

[Ken Wayman]

Hi Pals

Could a kind soul please let me know where 9/South Staffordshire (23rd Division Pioneers) was located (and their main tasks if possible) during the week from 5th to 12th February 1916?

Many thanks

Ken

[sotonmate]

Ken

The War Diary will cover this. WO95/2178,but it doesn't seem to be downloadable as a digital record (so much cheaper than having docs processed at Kew.viz 8.50 for 10 pages as opposed to 3.50 for large digital sections of Diary).

Sotonmate

[Ken Wayman]

Hi

Thanks for the WO reference. I was hoping that one of the Pals might have access to the diary as I can't really afford to wait for NA's occasionally slow processes! Just me being optimistic!

Cheers

Ken

[Doug Lewis]

Ken

From the 1st February the diary records them being at Rue Marle, it gives general information like this.

Regards Doug

[Doug Lewis]

Ken

This might be of interest to you.

Regards Doug.

[Ken Wayman]

Ken

This might be of interest to you.

Regards Doug.

Doug

You are an absolute star! My man is on there - J.H. Cope of Bloxwich - if you look at the 'Canadian 3rd Division' thread you'll see how it fits. The war memorial is that of Elmore Green School in Bloxwich and it used to proudly stand in the TP Riley School library - until it was replaced by the Walsall Academy. While we search for it, I'm trying to put together some details for the friends/family/anyone at all who might be interested in it being available and the memorial displayed.

Many, many thanks for pages.

All the very best

Ken

[Doug Lewis]

Ken

Glad to be of help, this is the further information you requested.

Regards Doug.

[Ken Wayman]

Many thanks Doug, I'm very much in your debt!

All the best

Ken

[Jon6640]

Doug

You are an absolute star! My man is on there - J.H. Cope of Bloxwich - if you look at the 'Canadian 3rd Division' thread you'll see how it fits. The war memorial is that of Elmore Green School in Bloxwich and it used to proudly stand in the TP Riley School library - until it was replaced by the Walsall Academy. While we search for it, I'm trying to put together some details for the friends/family/anyone at all who might be interested in it being available and the memorial displayed.

Many, many thanks for pages.

All the very best

Ken

Where is the memorial now?

Jon

[Ken Wayman]

Where is the memorial now?

Jon

Hi Jon

How are you keeping?

A good friend of mine is helping me track down the memorial. We have approached Walsall Council and a kind soul who seems very interested in the search believes she has traced it to a stonemason's yard in Cannock. This is yet to be confirmed. Then the job will be to ascertain its condition and finally (hopefully!) to find an appropriate home for it. Several possibilities exist, among them the school whose old boys are commemorated (Elmore Green), Bloxwich Church and the new Bloxwich library. I'm sure there are other possibles that we haven't considered and I'd be interested to hear them. To coin a terrible pun - nothing's set in stone! Sorry!

How's the research going? Solved any of the 'impossibles'?

All the very best

Ken

[GraemeClarke]

ken

He is on the Walsall RoH

Born in Cannock, John resided with his parents at 33, The Flats, Bloxwich and was employed at the Huntingdon Colliery.

At only seventeen years of age John enlisted in the Army at Hednesford in August 1915 and was in France for only eight weeks before he died. The 9th Battalion was a ‘Pioneer’ battalion and was used on improvements on trenches and so forth, very often in the front line and within sight of the enemy. At the time of John’s death they were in the region of Armentières in an area the War Diary refers to as ‘La Belle Hotesse’.

A comrade of John’s, a Lance Corporal Gough, wrote to the family with a detailed account of what had happened to John. He stated that on Monday 21 February 1916 John had been very badly wounded in the legs and was removed to hospital. The injury to his right leg was so severe that it was amputated. John did not recover from the operation and passed away at 8.30pm on Wednesday 23 February 1916.

The War Diary makes no mention of any casualties although 1 other rank was killed the day of John’s wounding,

“20 February 1916 - Headquarters and machine gun section marched today in accordance with orders. Arrived Vieuxberquin at 6.15pm. Left Vieuxberquin at 8.30am this morning. Arrived La Belle Hotesse 12.50pm.

21 February 1916 - Fine day but very cold wind. Day spent in cleaning up, rifle inspections, cleaning equipment etc.”

John is buried at Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension in Grave II.C.172 and is also commemorated on the Bloxwich roll of honour.

John’s elder brother, Ernest, enlisted at the same time as John and served in the same battalion.

Have you a list of names from the memorial at all?

Regards,

Graeme

[Ken Wayman]

Hi Graeme

Excellent info on John Cope - as ever! Thank you.

I'll e-mail you the list of names - those in light type and underlined are the ones that I have not precisely identified from the memorial. Some are 'either/or' while two, Mains and Malpass, I have yet to find in any shape or form on MIC, SDGW, CWGC or Walsall Observer.

Cheers for your help.

Ken

[Jon6640]

Hi Graeme

Excellent info on John Cope - as ever! Thank you.

I'll e-mail you the list of names - those in light type and underlined are the ones that I have not precisely identified from the memorial. Some are 'either/or' while two, Mains and Malpass, I have yet to find in any shape or form on MIC, SDGW, CWGC or Walsall Observer.

Cheers for your help.

Ken

Ken,

Was the RoH ever tracked down?

Jon