Minerva Posted 18 March , 2011 Share Posted 18 March , 2011 During my research of the Barnard Castle School ROH, I have come across two Old Boys who ended up joining the same Battalion and dying on the same day. Does anyone have access to Regimental Diaries which would show what the action was on 30 October 1917? They are both on the Tyne Cot Memorial. The School are doing a Battlefield trip shortly and I am doing short biographies of the old boys who are buried/remembered at location they will visit, so the present generation can pay their respects to the lost generation. Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaySearching Posted 18 March , 2011 Share Posted 18 March , 2011 Hi The Regimental Roll of Honour and war record of the artist rifles which can be read as a E book here on Page xxiv can be found a what the artists were up to in Oct 17 regards Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottsGreys Posted 18 March , 2011 Share Posted 18 March , 2011 You may know this--Henry Jefferson's service papers are on Ancestry.com The records state "death presumed on 30 October, 1917," and on another page, "Missing 30-10-17 Death presumed." Let me know if you want hard copies, and I will send them to you if you PM me your address Chris 764992 Henry Jefferson Born Whitby, Yorks Banker's clerk, age 31 Mobilized 15/01/17 Posted to 28th Londons, 18/01/17 Embarked Southampton, 19/03/17 Disembarked Havre 20/03/17 Joined unit 01/04/17 Missing 30/10/17, Death presumed widow: Marion Jefferson, 4 Westbourne Park, Scarborough personal items returned to her: Pipe, tobacco pouch, safety razor & blades in case Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaeldr Posted 18 March , 2011 Share Posted 18 March , 2011 On 30th October 1917 the Artists Rifles were part of the 190th Brigade of the 63rd (RN) Division at Passchendaele. That day the attack was launched at 5.50am and started badly; '..the enemy unexpectedly altered their barrage line on the morning of the battle, and our troops suffered cruel losses in the opening seconds. When after the initial disaster, the assaulting battalions were reorganized, they had lost the barrage. On the left of the front, the Artists Rifles, despite cruel losses, advanced on Source Trench, but were held up in front of it knee-deep in mud, by close range machine guns. Here, one company of this fine battalion was annihilated…………..Through the day the Brigade had a hard struggle to hold their own, but they gave little ground, ……………When the Artists had done all that was possible by frontal attack, the Division was asked early in the afternoon to try an attack from the right……..' The final line that day 'established a defensive flank from that point (Source Farm) to the Artists' right at Varlet Farm. The total casualties of the Division in their two advances had been 32 officers and 954 men killed or missing and 83 officers and 2,057 men wounded; and their task was still uncompleted.' Details from Douglas Jerrold's history, 'The Royal Naval Division' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaySearching Posted 18 March , 2011 Share Posted 18 March , 2011 Hi Both Barker and Jefferson were presumed to have been Killed on the 30th Oct on what was to become Known as the Battle for Passchendaele Ridge Regards Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaeldr Posted 18 March , 2011 Share Posted 18 March , 2011 If you have time, then try to get hold of 'War is War' by Ex-Private X, published in 1930 by Victor Gollancz Ltd., London. There was an extract covering this action, reprinted in Len Sellers' magazine 'RND' issue No. 22, Sept. 2002 You may also find it worthwhile to contact The Artists Rifles Association Good luck Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaeldr Posted 19 March , 2011 Share Posted 19 March , 2011 This is part of a sketch map from Jerrold's divisional history The solid line represents the position taken over from the 9th Division The line of dashes represents the position after the first attack on 26th October The dotted line represents the position after the second attack on 30th October 1917 Heights are given in metres regards Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minerva Posted 20 March , 2011 Author Share Posted 20 March , 2011 Thanks for this wonderful stuff, although harrowing Regards Pat Hi The Regimental Roll of Honour and war record of the artist rifles which can be read as a E book here on Page xxiv can be found a what the artists were up to in Oct 17 regards Ray Brilliant - thank you. Pat This is part of a sketch map from Jerrold's divisional history The solid line represents the position taken over from the 9th Division The line of dashes represents the position after the first attack on 26th October The dotted line represents the position after the second attack on 30th October 1917 Heights are given in metres regards Michael Yes, they were obviously lost in the mud. Hi Both Barker and Jefferson were presumed to have been Killed on the 30th Oct on what was to become Known as the Battle for Passchendaele Ridge Regards Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bluebells Posted 16 July , 2013 Share Posted 16 July , 2013 We are also researching an individual from the Artists Rifles who died on October 30th 1917 in the Battle for Passchendaele Ridge. His name was Robert Ashley Crowder and he was 21 when he died. All the letters he wrote home to his parents were kept. When are hoping to make a short film about Robert's family during the war to mark the centenary of the outbreak next year. We will not attempt to tell his story from the battle field, but from the home front. Here is a taste if one of his letters: We are still raising the funds to make this film, so (apart from this preview) we have not started filming. I have so many small questions I need answers to and I thought the Great War Forum would be the best place to get answers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bluebells Posted 16 July , 2013 Share Posted 16 July , 2013 PS - the explanation for my user name is that in one of his letters, when Robert was in training in London, he mentions that the Artists are nicknamed 'Blubells'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 16 July , 2013 Share Posted 16 July , 2013 Who is "we", Bluebells? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spconnolly007 Posted 16 July , 2013 Share Posted 16 July , 2013 Thanks for posting that Bluebells. You should post it on a seperate thread for a wider audience. Regards, Sean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now