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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

2/8 Royal Warwickshire


Tony Cox

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;) I now have on CDROM the complete war diary for the 2/8 Royal Warwicks, covering 22 May 1916-28 Feb 1917, 1st March 1917- 30 Sept 1917, 1st Oct 1917-31 Jan 1918.

If anyone wants information from the diary, between those dates, don't hesitate to ask.

Tony.

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Hi Tony, I found your post using a google search. My interest is not actually in the 2/8th but the 1/6th Royal Wawicks Regt. I notice you mention a soldier at the bottom of your post who was in the 1/6th; my Great grandfather served in france with 1/6th from 22 mar 1915 until 31 may 1916. He was discharged on this date but later flew with the RAF in 1918, never completeing his training before the armistice. He was Pte 2778 Herbert Edward Airey. I was wondering if you had any battalion history, I have read 1/7th which is on line and they mention 1/6th as being on their flank at Gommecourt Wood in Dec 1915. This ties in with a photo I have of a group of soldiers in a trench with a hand written note "Snipers 1/6th R War R facing Gommecourt Wood Dec 1915". If you have any information or advice it would be much appreciated! Thanks

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;) Hi Andy

The history of the 1/6th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment was published by Cornish Brothers Ltd 1922, which i have a copy of.

April 1915 to June 1915 Bn was at Messines-''Plugstreet'' July 1915 to June 1916

Hebuterne-Foncquevillers.

If you contact me off forum, i will send you copies of these pages if you wish

Hope ive helped.

Tony

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Cheers Tony. I was on the Royal Warwickshire Regt website today and followed a link to the museum. It turns out it is very close to a hotel I will be staying at in August for a wedding reception, I spoke to them and will be visiting them much to my girlfriends delight! My scanner is bust but I will see what I can do, the picture is a bit worn.

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That worked better than expected!! Very large though but I am surprised how much clearer it looks than even the original. I am not sure if one of these is my gt grandfather as I am not currently in possesion of a contempory picture of him. Believe he may have been a sniper too based on comments in a letter from one of his mates who was still serving with the Regt after Herbert had left. Unfortunately it is many years since I saw the letter.

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;) Thanks Andy, for putting up the pic, the photo must have been taken during the winter of 1915/16 because of the type of soft cap they are wearing.

This photo is of a group of guys from the same Battalion, i can only pick out my Gt uncle who was K.I.A 1/7/16, i have yet to id the rest.

Wish you luck in your search.

Tony

post-15-1091120577.jpg

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;) Andy

Thought you would like to see a photo of the Steamer that took the 1/6th Warwicks from Southampton to Le Harve, the Empress Queen.

Tony

post-15-1091126615.jpg

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Cheers Tony for those pics. I think I will be seeing my grandmother at a wedding reception in Warwick in August, I will see if she has any more info or pictures. I will also be visiting the Regiments museum whilst I am there. The picture I posted was taken in Dec 1915, Gommecourt Wood. If you have any further info on the Battalion I would be greatful; if I turf anything else up in my research I will let you know. Andy B

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;) Hi Andy

I tried sending you those files, but there is some trouble with your e.mail, keep geting them back, check your mail address have you changed it, if not send me your address.

Tony

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  • 1 month later...

Hi Tony

Is there a date published/available for the Steamer that took the 1/6th Warwicks from Southampton to Le Harve, the Empress Queen.

Regards

Richard

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  • 11 months later...

Hi Tony,

In the war diary you have of the 2/8th Warwicks is there any mention of 2nd Lt. C. F. Bushnell.

Looking forward to your reply.

Thanks,

Steve.

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Steve,

I have the 2003 reprint of H G Chidgey's history of the 2/8 Warwicks (published 1924) on my lap. There is no Bushnell included in the list of officers who served with the battalion at the end of the text.

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Many thanks for the look up Kate, very confusing......this is the entry for the December 1918 Army List next to Bushnells name:

2 Lieut - 22 Nov 1916, Royal Warwickshire Regt, 2-8 Service Battns.

I also had a look at the MIC for this man which also confirms Warwicks as his Regiment........no mention of the 8th on the card though.

It must be noted that Bushnell finished the war with the RAF attached from the Warwicks.......maybe for some reason that is why he is not included in the history?

Steve.

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Sorry to say that the 2/8 Bttalion history has no index, just the list of officers and a roll of honour. The author states in his introduction:

"It would have seemed the right thing to have incorporated a complete roll of all ranks who served with, or were attached in any way to the 2/8th RWR. I fear it would have been quite impossible to compile a roll which could have been definately stated to be complete in every way, so the next best thing has been done - to include a complete roll of officers and a roll of all other ranks known to have been killed or died during the war period during or after attachment to the 2/8th Battalion."

Perhaps your man only had an administrative attachment, before secondment elsewhere?

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The RAF entry I have found for him in the 1919 LG states Technical Branch. So probably he was some how involved in the up keep of aircraft. One wonders if perhaps he was attached from the Warwicks because he maybe wanted to be a pilot or observer?

There are no Army Officers papers for him at the NA so perhaps he has RAF papers instead.

Steve.

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Guest KiwiKeith

Hi Andy,

Where can I find the online info about the 1/7ththat you mention in your first post ?

My grandfather was with the 1/7th and me being in New Zealand has meant this research busines has become very expensive.

Could you please give me a website address.

Regards

Keith

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Tony

Any mentions of Captain Septimus Eric Parsons.

I know that he went to the 2/7th Battalion upon the disbanding of the 2/8th.

He was killed on 14.4.18.

Thanks

Dave

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