39 Div. 117 Infantry Brigade 16 Battalion Rifle Brigade

[trevor.weekes]

I have a copy of war diary 1916 Mar to 1919 June if anyone wants a look up.

[high wood]

If I could take you up on your kind offer; I have a BWM to S/14658 Rifleman George A Powell, 16th Btn, Rifle Brigade, who died of wounds at home on 29th December 1916.

I was wondering if the war diary shows any actions or incidents up to two weeks before 29th December 1916 when George Powell might have been injured.

I have just had a quick look at various books and found that 39th Division was involved in the Battle of Thiepval Ridge between 26th - 28th September, the capture of the Schwaben Redoubt and Stuff Trench between the 14th and 20th October and the advance towards St Pierre Divion and the Hansa line on 13th and 14th November. He could have been wounded at anyone of these actions.

Thank you,

Simon.

[trevor.weekes]

Sorry have just looked through Sept Oct Nov & Dec 1916 and no mention of S/14658 Rifleman George A Powell. You are right however as to where the regiment was fighting prior to December. Looks as if they were Divisional training at the begining of December at Bollezeele moving to Poperinge on the 12th then Ypres for the rest of the month.

[high wood]

Thank you for taking the trouble to look for me. I wasn't expecting him to be mentioned by name but thought that there might have been a "two other ranks wounded by shell fire" type of entry a few weeks before his death. My guess is that he was wounded in one of the bigger actions that I mentioned and succumbed to his wounds a few months later.

My best way of finding out when he was wounded, if his service papers haven't survived, is to trawl through the daily casualty lists.

[trevor.weekes]

Hello Simon

I would be pleased to copy the pages from the war diary between say Sept and Dec 1916. Unfortunately the document cannot be emailed but could use snail mail if it would be of help to you.

Thank you for taking the trouble to look for me. I wasn't expecting him to be mentioned by name but thought that there might have been a "two other ranks wounded by shell fire" type of entry a few weeks before his death. My guess is that he was wounded in one of the bigger actions that I mentioned and succumbed to his wounds a few months later.

My best way of finding out when he was wounded, if his service papers haven't survived, is to trawl through the daily casualty lists.