2nd Battalion Royal West Kent

[SteveB]

Hi,

I am tring to find out more about 8873 Alfred Harold Barnard, 2nd Battalion Royal West Kent Regiment.

I understand that 2 companies of this regiment were taken POW at Kut.

Any idea if there is a way I can find out if he was in the detachment at Kut? He died 29th July 1916, and is buried in Baghdad North Gate War Cemetary. He is in section XX1 R11. Am I right in thinking that this section was for used for POWs of the Turks, re-intered at Baghdad after the war?

Thanks for any help that can be offered.

Cheers

SteveB

[Jonathan Saunders]

Hi,

I am tring to find out more about 8873 Alfred Harold Barnard, 2nd Battalion Royal West Kent Regiment.

I understand that 2 companies of this regiment were taken POW at Kut.

Any idea if there is a way I can find out if he was in the detachment at Kut? He died 29th July 1916, and is buried in Baghdad North Gate War Cemetary. He is in section XX1 R11. Am I right in thinking that this section was for used for POWs of the Turks, re-intered at Baghdad after the war?

Thanks for any help that can be offered.

Cheers

SteveB

I looked into Queen's Own Kut Prisoners of War a few years back - I cant recall my sources, but 8873 Barnard appears on my list. (Also 8560 H. Barnard).

I hope this helps.

Regards,

Jonathan S

[SteveB]

Thanks Jonathan.

Really appreciate your reply.

Cheers

SteveB

[SteveB]

Hi Jonathan

I don't suppose you could check your list to see if Pte. Charles Green, L/10354, is on it please?

Cheers

Steve

[Jonathan Saunders]

Steve - his name doesnt appear on my list but also I checked his MiC and he receives an IGS with Afghanistan NWF 1919 clasp. If he had been a Turkish PoW I very much doubt he would have been on the NWF in 1919, so I take this as a corroboration that he was not at Kut.

Regards,

Jonathan S

[westkent78]

Steve,

Forgot to bid on this one recently.

It was up for sale at DNW in June where the seller must have won it in a mixed lot. Bit of bad form not to include the research with it.

The description was "Charles Green was born in Bishops Stortford and on 18 February 1908, aged 17 joined the Royal West Kent Regiment at Maidstone. In October 1911 he transferred to the 8th (The Kings Royal Irish) Regt. of (Light) Dragoons (Hussars) but transferred back to the 2nd Bn R.W.K. in April 1914 in Multan, India. On 30 January 1915 the Battalion left Bombay and arrived in Basra as part of the 12th Indian Brigade on 6 February 1915. Two companies of the Battalion were captured in the Siege of Kut, the remainder fought through the Mesopotamian Campaign and then returned to India where Pte Green qualified for the I.G.S. with clasp Afghanistan N.W.F. 1919. He retired from the Army on 19 December 1919. With copied m.i.c."

I'd suggest there are some service papers on him to be had somewhere.

Best regards,

Matthew

[SteveB]

Thanks Matthew/Jonathan

Appreciated your contributions.

Matthew, you are right. I initially didn't find his service records, but have re-tried, and he is there under his pre-war service number. There a nice ream of records, but it's one of those funny ones where the majority are to be found by going backwards through the records.

All the best

Steve

[teepee]

I believe that this photo is of the 2nd Batt RWK in India. My grandfather Cpl Percy V. O'Connell is in the middle row just off of the left shoulder of the Commanding Officer

He may have been using the surname Connell. I hope that this photo may be of some assistance to others as I am not aware of the identity of any of the other chaps in the photo. Any information/feedback about this photo would be welcomed. ................Regards teepee Canada