George Henry Wrigglesworth (18667, KOSB and 542364 Labour Corps)

[AlanWrigglesworth]

Hello All,

I seek some information regarding the above.

(1) his MIC gives no indication of battalion. Taking 20 regimental numbers above and below I found all those with a specified battalion to be 1st KOSB. May I realistically assume that 1st KOSB was GHW's battalion ? Does anyone categorically know that it was or that he served elsewhere if it was not ?

(2) I was unable to trace regimental numbers 18661, and 18670 through 18673, does anyone know who 'owned' these numbers ? Or is possible to find out who they were at the National Archive ? *****

(3) about 95% of the MICs regimental numbers examined, 18647/ 18867, entered Theatre of War, 2B or 2B Balkans, on 03-08-1915, with one going to Egypt and one to France, except GHW, who entered on 24-09-1915. Am I correct in assuming that all these people would have gone to Suvla and Scimitar Hill. Why would GHW have been 7 weeks late ?

(4) I understand that illness, wounding may have prompted transfer to the Labour Corps. His MIC does not indicate an SWB, so there is no knowledge of the latter. Form Z21 indicated Transfer to the Reserve, 13-04-1919 from 804 Company Labour Corps, which Starling and Lee indicate was formed September 1917, in Egypt. If GHW was with 1st KOSB is there any way of finding out about his missing 18 months, as 1st KOSB left Egypt, post Gallipoli, in March 1916. Are there records which might show where he was for part of that time ? Or would he have gone to the Somme with 1st KOSB, then ended up, back where he started in Egypt 18 months later ?

My grateful thanks to anyone who can shed any light on the above or advise on possible lines of enquiry.

Finally I have details on about 40 KOSB soldiers (18647- 18687, though missing the numbers listed above: 9200 Lawson: 18524 Precious and 18528 Gray), more details on some than others, which I am happy to let anyone have who feels that they may be of use.

Thanks,

Alan W

*** The reason I ask this is that family folklore had GHW working for York City Tramways and 6 of them are supposed to have enlisted on the same day. York City Council Minutes indicate that 6 Tramways staff all left together. I am keen to wrap the 'mystery' up and these missing numbers hold the key.I have established the following:

18663, Frank Knowles lived in York and in 1911 worked for York Library.

18665, Charles A. Barstow lived in York and in 1911 worked for York Tramways.

18666, Edward Hunter lived in York and in 1911 worked as a Boot Repairer. Wounded and discharged.

18667, George Edward Wrigglesworth lived in York and in 1911 worked for York Tramways.

18669, Robert Henry Drew lived in York and in 1911 worked for York Tramways. Killed.

[PPCLI]

18663, Frank Knowles lived in York and in 1911 worked for York Library.

Hi Alan,

Only have time for a quick reply at the moment, but just to say that the 'pension' service file has survived for 18663 Frank Knowles and on it states that his employer before joining the army was 'City Tramways York', where he was employed as a 'Clerk'. Enlisted 14 April 1915.

Will try and sort out more for you later.

Stuart

[AlanWrigglesworth]

Hello Stuart,

My thanks to you for what you achieved in just a few lines.

The 1911 Census had him at 42a Huntington Road, York as 'Librarian's Assistant'.

I had tracked down a one sheet cover of Army Form 3997, which indicated that he had moved around the corner, to 01, Lowther Street, York. There was nothing more, so date of enlistment (which is different to GHW's) and the connection to York City Tramways are new, and bring the research closer to its finale.

Thank you.

Alan

[PPCLI]

Hi Alan,

Finally found some time to reply to you properly. A few answers to your original questions:

1. The medal rolls show that for dozens of men either side (with the very odd exception) of 18667, they all first served with the 1st KOSB. However, even without that information there is enough evidence on his MIC to allow us to be certain that he was a 1st Bn man - 2B signifies Gallipoli; only three KOSB battalions at Gallipoli, two of which were the regiment's territorial battalions; 18667 is not a TF number, therefore GHW was a 1st KOSB man.

2. I don't have them in my KOSB files and can't find any service records.

3. The date given on a MIC is supposed to be the date of disembarkation, but this is not the case for men being posted further afield than the Western Front. For the KOSB MICs at least, for men who were not part of the battalion's original contingent on landing at Gallipoli (1st KOSB 25.4.1915; 1/5th 6.6.1915; 1/4th 14.6.1915) the date given is quite often the date the troopship sailed from England i.e. 3.8.1915 and 24.9.1915 are embarkation dates, not disembarkation. So, the 3.8.1915 men would not have been involved at Suvla and Scimitar Hill.

GHW could have been late for a variety of reasons, including not up to speed with training, ill health near date of posting, on a course of instruction etc. One of the reason's I know the dates above are for embarkation is that my two great uncles were part of the same reinforcement draft as GHW; these men landed at Gallipoli on 9 Oct 1915.

4. The Labour Corps info isn't easy to reconcile. In fact, I don't have an answer. I searched the casualty lists on The Scotsman archive for GHW by surname and regt. number but with no hits. So can't show him being in France with the 1st KOSB in the interim.

With regards to York Tramways, I suppose you will already have tried to research 18664 Vincent May and 18668 Charles E Glanfield? I can add a small bit of extra on Glanfield and 18669 RH Drew. Searching the casualty lists shows that Drew was wounded in April 1917 at Arras (probably 23rd); Glanfield is listed as wounded under his Y&L number (date indicates mid-Oct 1917). A soldier's casualty entry included a town/parish which usually indicated residence of next-of-kin. So for these two men we have: Drew, 18669, R. (York) and Glanfield, 34122, C. (Edinburgh). A Scots connection for the men enlisting with the KOSB?

Re info on KOSB men - Yes, please. I will send you a PM with my email address.

Cheers,

Stuart

[AlanWrigglesworth]

Dear Stuart,

Thanks for your hard work.

Please message me- I have widened my research net, so I now have some biographical information on approximately 30 KOSB soldiers with connections to York, as well as some information on regimental numbers 18647 through 18687, though obviously the two lists overlap a little.

Best Wishes,

Alan W