Nelson Shears, 11th Battalion, East Yorkshire Regt

[johnshears@btinternet.com]

I have started researching my late Grandfather's WW1 service. I know his service number was 30434, and that he was in the East Yorks Regt. He survived his military service and died in 1965 aged 66. He was probably mobilised to France on 31st March, 1918, aged 18, (almost 19) and through service records (his being lost) of soldiers with service numbers very close to his, we believe he was posted to the 11th Battalion East Yorks on 2 April, 1918. Help from 'fourteeneighteen/research' tells me that the 11th Battalion East Yorks moved into the area of Vieux Berquin, near the River Lys on 10th April, following a significant German offensive in that area. We have uncovered his medal index card, and discharge papers. We know he was wounded (I have the shrapnel!), and spent some time back in the Huddersfield War Hospital during July 1918. He was discharged from the Army in Feb 1919.

I would be very grateful for any further information, where he spent his relatively short time in France, where and when he was wounded, and of course any photographs of him and his pals from that time. Any suggestions for further avenues of research would be much appreciated. I hope to visit the Vieux Berquin area in the near future.

Many thanks.

[sotonmate]

JS

Welcome to the Forum !

I have also looked for a service record,and a pension record,but the same result,nothing.

I see from the Medal Index Card that it doesn't record the issue of a Silver War Badge,given to those discharged to wounds or sickness and no longer fit to serve,so he must have made a full recovery from his shrapnel and been discharged normally at the end of his service.

You can download the War Diary of the 11 EYR from here:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/search.asp

enter WO95/2357 in "type reference here" box at top left of page,several results but select the line for 11EYR,next screen click on "request this" on right side of screen,select digital copy option on next screen and follow the system through.

If it doesn't work today it might be because it's a holiday,try a work day !

Sotonmate

[johnshears@btinternet.com]

Thanks to both ATNOMIS and Sotonmate. I have the MIC, but many thanks anyway. I shall follow up on the 11 EYR War Diary.

Thanks again, much appreciate both of your efforts, John.

[johnshears@btinternet.com]

Attached is my best attempt to summarise the information I have uncovered about my late Grandfather, Nelson Shears, and the engagements involving 11th Battalion, East Yorks after he joined them. (Assuming the up load worked!!)Nelson_Shears_Service_History.doc

I would appreciate any opinions on which of these engagements he was wounded in, and what is likely to have happened between him receiving his injury (shrapnel wound to right thigh), and him being in Huddersfield War Hospital in early July 1918. Could he have been involved in the attack around La Becque on 28th June, and have been in Huddersfield by 4th July? Sounds too quick to me. Do the engagements during 11th - 13th April sound more likely?

Any thoughts most welcome.

Thanks and Regards

John

[sotonmate]

John

He could have been wounded at any time from approaching the front line prior to the attack of the 28th. It was almost standard for the enemy to shell trench changeovers,even at night,as they had twice as many targets more densely populated. It is also unlikely that,once you read the War Diary,his name won't be listed in the wounded,merely the number of casualties,so that will also gravitate against you knowing when.

I have read a few bits about the wounded and their recovery/rehab,and it is my opinion that a shrapnel in the thigh would have made too much deep muscle (maybe bone too) damage for him to be at A1 fitness to return to the front before the Armistice. The fact that they shipped him home,as opposed to keeping him under treatment in a Theatre Base Hospital,would probably bear this out.

The speed in returning him home in that comparitively short time would have a lot to do with

the number of casualties being created at the time of the Lys,overnight Ambulance Trains collecting wounded and shipping them to ports for return to the UK were very efficient.

Sotonmate

[johnshears@btinternet.com]

Many thanks Sotonmate for your helpful thoughts and comments. I shall continue my efforts to find out more about Nelson's experiences both at the front and following his wounding and return to the UK.

I am interested in visiting the area around the Lys and Vieux Berquin, and understanding more about what the 11th Bn East Yorks were doing in April-June, 1918. Has anyone any experience of using guided visits to this area? I'd appreciate any help/advice on this.

Thanks and Regards

John

[sotonmate]

John

The last time I saw our No 1 member here ,Chris Baker,at Kew,he was working on a book about the Battles of the Lys,which I fancy must be near to publication. You might like to enquire of him as I think it would be a good read for you and might lead you to more knowledge of that time,maybe more detail for your own enquiries.

Sotonmate

[shaymen]

I shall follow up on the 11 EYR War Diary.

John

Got the diary mate, PM me your e-mail and I'll whizz it over to you, what months would you like

Glyn

edit - not sure you can use the PM system until you have more posts....post some more and PM me

[johnshears@btinternet.com]

I managed the War Diary downloads from the National Archives no probs, but thanks for the kind offer Glyn.

Chris Baker compiled the 'fourteeneighteen' report which gave me my start, so look forward to finding out more about his book on the Battle of the Lys. Thanks for your prompt Sotonmate, as I tracked down some useful info on the Battle on the Long Long Trail, and the overall strategic assessment in Sir Douglas Haig's Despatch on the Spring Offensive, 1918.

Any further info on guided visits to the area, especially around the areas of 11th Bn East Yorks positions in Apr-Jun 1918 appreciated.

Still a novice at using this site, but many thanks to all for your much valued help.

Best Regards, John

[kenf48]

In your wanderings around the LLT you may have come across this section

http://www.1914-1918.net/wounded.htm where there is an account given by a wounded soldier.

It was quite possible Nelson could be evacuated to Huddersfield in a week. If he was wounded at Le Brequeon the morning of the 28th he would probably have been given the postcard at the CCS /base hospital, perhaps by a voluntary organisation. The field Post Office was very efficient although soldiers were only permitted to send brief information (I recall seeing a parody, somewhere). So the fact it's postmarked the 29th would seem to confirm he was wounded on the 28th, there were relatively few casualties in the 11th Bn before that date but this would also strengthen your assumption he was in the 11th Bn.

There were special conditions on soldiers discharged to the W reserve, these were usually on medical or occupational grounds,e.g. his job was considered vital to the war effort, and it was not unusual for them to be recalled if those circumstances changed, but as has been said above it's doubtful he returned to France. However, those discharged to the Z reserve (the majority) were considered fit for active duty. So it seems he was discharged and then recalled.

Ken

[johnshears@btinternet.com]

Thanks Ken, that is most interesting.

Certainly on his Post Card, Nelson was only permitted to cross out phrases, leaving very limited information available to his Mother, to whom he sent the card. The card states at the top 'Nothing to be written on this side except date and signature'. Fairly bland statements are then pre printed, with the sender crossing out those phrases which did not apply to them. In Nelson's case the card reads,

'I am quite well.

I have been admitted to hospital, wounded, and am going on well.

I am being sent down to the base.

Letter follows at earliest opportunity.'

For your info Nelson was a coal miner before and following WW1. This explains his transfer to Class W of the Army Reserve, from 3rd (Reserve) Bn East Yorks, in which he found himself after being wounded during service with 11th Bn East Yorks.

Following up on some research links recommended by 'Sotonmate', I found an interesting reference on the web to a Cemetery at Aval Wood, near Vieux Berquin. Link below.

http://www.ww1cemeteries.com/ww1frenchceme...es/avalwood.htm

I'll certainly visit here on my trip to the area, as it mentions the 11th Bn East Yorks. I am particularly interested to discover whether two soldiers whom my Grandfather most probably knew are there. Good work by fourteeneighteen/research uncovered that Privates 30427 Horace Fearn and 30525 Frederick Groves, both 18 yrs old, and both of 11th Bn East Yorks, were killed on 17th May, and 12th April, 1918 respectively. Since Nelson's regtl no was 30434, we assume he was in the same draft as Horace and Frederick.

Thank you again all who are reading these messages, and especially to those replying and helping by sharing their amazing knowledge. Much appreciated.

[kenf48]

The parody of the field office postcard which was readily available is illustrated in Richard Holmes 'Tommy' and dates from 1917 (you can imagine the content - e.g. I am suffering from slight/severe/x/ wound shellshock fright for x state disease if whole sentence is crossed out subject is deceased or well -etc). Not hilarious but a much more gentle time and an interesting oddity.

btw I'm sure if there is a number on the postmark there must be list somewhere of the Field Post Office, so that would give you an idea of where he was when he sent it.

Coal miner would explain it, I've been trying to find out more about miners in WW1 but so far with limited success as my ancestors enlisted although they were miners from South Wales

Ken

[johnshears@btinternet.com]

Thanks Ken.

The only detail I can make out on the post card stamp mark, apart from the date, 29 June, 1918, is a number as follows; '4.X' I have no idea what this means.