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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

13th Bn., Royal Fusiliers


Stephen Nulty

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I have the above in case anybody needs anyhting checking.

I did note that there are a lot of references in the diary to MM awards. For example.....

"The undermentioned were awarded decorations for gallantry in action during the period 1st – 6th April 1918 at BUCQUOY.

Military Medal

19987 L/Cpl H L L Marrian

205116 Pte A Day

5984 Pte C J Bond

53198 Pte W W Walker

27735 Pte A W Wilson

63381 Pte W R Siggers

228112 Pte L Fisher

14265 Cpl J Dodkins

66711 Pte A Grafton

229690 Sgt A N Goodman

Bar to MM

2974 L/Cpl W Ormsby, MM"

I know how rare it is to see reference to OR in diaries, so I was pleased to see this, and there are lots of smiliar entries throughout.

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Hi Steve,

I am interested in a death occurring on Tuesday 8 October 1918.

Is it possible to post on the thread, I dont know how much detail there is ?

Many thanks,

Graeme

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Morning Graeme

The following is an extract of all diary entries dated 08/10/1918.

08/10/1918

3 a.m.

Battn. Assembled in (hard to read) after great difficulties, due to alterations in assembly positions, the darkness of the night and a certain amount of hostile artillery fire, caused by the attack of the corps on the right.

4.30 a.m.

Zero Hour

5.00 a.m.

Battn. Moved forward towards jumping off line (RED LINE). Battn. Had pract6ically to fight its way to the jumping off line owing to the failure of the 111th Inf. Bde. to clear BEL AISLE FARM and parts of the MASNIERES – BEAUREVOIR system.

6.00 a.m.

Battn. Moved from jumping off line and advanced directly on objectives. Owing tot the fact that there was still fighting going on to the south of the first objective and also to the fact that the enemy from the high ground in the N.S. & 14 were able to use their machine guns before the barrage reached them, the advance was for a time held up, almost 800 yards short of the objective. Nos 2 & 3 Coys were able to push right on and eventually reached the GREEN LINE about 7.15 a.m. and consolidated. There was no enemy reaction but No 2 Coy was forced to withdraw from the Southern & Eastern sides of the farm and take up a position on the N. side for a time owing to heavy enemy fore from N.21.

The 21st Dvvn. Did not reach the HURTEBISE FARM line until 10.30 a.m. – 3 hours after scheduled time. The 1/1 Herts regt. Passed through ther Battn. To the BRISEUX WOOD line during consolidation. 13th Bn. R. Fus. H.Q. were established at N.13.d.5.9. There was very little fire after 10 a.m. and the companies rested on the objective.

On the 11th, an entry reads,

"Total casualties 8th - 10th inclusive. 2nd Lieut. E. M. Rees (killed), 2nd Lieut J. Kenahan (died of wounds), Capt. P. E. Lewis, 2nd Lieut. H. E. Mills, 2nd Lieut. H. J. Newland, 2nd Lieut. J. F. Keefe, 2nd Lieut. R. Y. Daniel, 2nd Lieut. E. W. Parker, M.C., A/Capt. R. W. Cunliffe, M.C., 2nd Lieut. C. S. Jones, 2nd Lieut. J. L. Boyle, 2nd Lieut. H. C. Crosby (all wounded) & 104 O.R. "

Hope this is of some use, but let me know if you need any more.

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  • 4 years later...

Hi Steve

I hope you are still available to do a lookup for me please.

It's a Pte William Goddard, died (or KIA) 10th December 1915.

Can you please tell me what the battalion was up to on this date and if there's any indication how he died?

Many thanks for your help

Alec

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  • 4 years later...

If I may hijack this thread for a question ... 

 

I'm reading "Wounded: from Battlefield to Blighty" by Emily Mayhew. Nice read, nice stories and a very good way to realise how the medical chain worked. 

in her chapter abour medical orderlies, she tells the story of Lance Corporal Harold Foakes, as it is kept at the IWM. Foakes was posted as an orderly for the M.O. of the 13th Bn, Royal Fusiliers, stationned at Monchy le Preux in April 1917. 

on Easter Monday, word came through the SBs had been killed. the MO then strapped two medical panniers over his shoulders and went out to look for casualties, leaving Foakes alone. The MO never came back and Foakes had to hold the medical post until another MO couls be sent up. 

Problem Mayhew never gives us the name of that MO... 

 

I've done a search on the CWGC database: MO's were mostly subaltern officers; taking date of death between 9-4-17 and 15-4-17 (large), it came up with 2 possibilities for the 13th Bn: Captain Donald S. Harding, who's buried at Monchy le Preux and Pendarves christophe Foll GIBSON, on the Arras Memorial. Research showed that both of them were INFANTRYMEN, who died in battle...  

 

Now maybe the MO did not die and was found later... 

 

is there any way the diaries could tell us WHO that MO was, that dissappeared into the blizzard of Monchy on the 7th April 1917 ??? 

 

Marilyne

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Hi Marilyne

 

I'm afraid I can't find any reference to the MO by name in the diary for April 1917 or the few months before that

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hmmm... then I guess there's no way to figure this one out... Thanks for looking!!

 

M.

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