spconnolly007 Posted 28 December , 2011 Share Posted 28 December , 2011 An old family friend(he was actually married to my great grandfathers second wife)by the name of Joseph Thomas Frampton 3201 L/Cpl, was medically discharged from the Buff's due to a gunshot wound to the head/face on 30/08/1915 in Albert. I can vividly remember the many visits we made to see him and Fay, his wife, when I was a child, down in Yalding, Kent. I can still remember his permanantly happy demeanour even after years of constantly wiping a weeping eye and dribbling mouth on the side of his distorted face. I am now in possession of his service history, but what I would like to know is, what exactly were the Buff's involved in around this date? Many thanks for any help, regards Sean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonmate Posted 28 December , 2011 Share Posted 28 December , 2011 Sean 7 EKR were part of 55 Brigade of 18 Division,which concentrated in Flesselles (13kms N of Arras) on arrival in France in July 1915. Albert is around 25 kms east of Flesselles so we might assume that they took to front line/reserve duties thereabouts. The Long Long Trail gives no set battles at the time of his wounding,so we also might assume that his wounds were due to the day-to-day attrition of the trenches,such as shellfire, sniping or maybe raids. To be sure about this you might wish to get the story from the unit War Diary which is at Kew under WO95/2049. It is not yet digital,so either a visit or a request here for more details. Sotonmate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spconnolly007 Posted 28 December , 2011 Author Share Posted 28 December , 2011 Thanks sotonmate, I was aware of the Brigade/Division but not the Flesselles connection, so thanks for that. His service history has a note at the bottom of a page stating the date that I mentioned, but this could well be the date that he was transfered to Albert and then 4 days later to Rouen where he is noted as 'seriously ill' but a month later he is transfered to England on a hospital ship. I did check LLT before posting, but I think the war diary is a good line to follow. Having purchased one before to then realised that OR's hardly ever get a mention Ive not considered them since, but as Joe was a L/Cpl there is every chance that he would be mentioned. Regards Sean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonmate Posted 28 December , 2011 Share Posted 28 December , 2011 Sean The season of goodwill might allow that I say leave it to me for two or three weeks and I will photo the relevant page(s) and pass them to you. Otherwise you might only get to see where the unit was and no info on your L/Cpl by name. If you wish me to do this send me your e-mail by PM. Sotonmate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spconnolly007 Posted 28 December , 2011 Author Share Posted 28 December , 2011 What a gentlman. The season of good will is all about recieving so I shall PM you immediately,many thanks sotonmate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Garnett Posted 28 December , 2011 Share Posted 28 December , 2011 Hi Sean, In late August, the infantry battalions of the 18th (Eastern) Division were beginning their first independent tours of trench duty on the Somme. I do not have the 7/Buffs War Diary to hand (due to a computer failure last week) but Joseph would likely have been in the vicinity of the village of Fricourt when he was wounded. As sotonmate has said, routine action, most likely sniping, would have caused his wound. The first burials in the Norfolk Cemetery reflect the Division's work in these sectors during the summer and autumn of 1915, most from sniping and shelling though some were due to mining on the ridge SSE of Fricourt. Kind regards, Steve Garnett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spconnolly007 Posted 28 December , 2011 Author Share Posted 28 December , 2011 Hi Steve, many thanks for your reply. Joseph never had any children so hopefully he will appreciate that he has not been forgotten after all these years. My parents still have a few photos of him(usually taken from his handsome side he would say)which I shall scan into his service details. I shall have to ask my dad if he remembers Joe ever elaborating on what happened regarding sniper fire etc, he was a 6 footer, so its a good chance sniper!! Kind Regards Sean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin W Taylor Posted 28 December , 2011 Share Posted 28 December , 2011 Sean The war diary states that two men were wounded by sniper fire on the 30th. If you would like a copy of the page please message me with an email address and I'll send it right over. Kind regards. Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spconnolly007 Posted 28 December , 2011 Author Share Posted 28 December , 2011 Many thanks Colin, your message box is full at the moment, let me know once you have cleared it and I shall PM you asap, regards Sean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin W Taylor Posted 29 December , 2011 Share Posted 29 December , 2011 Messages Culled Apologies CWT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spconnolly007 Posted 29 December , 2011 Author Share Posted 29 December , 2011 Thanks to Colin W Taylor, I now have copies of the days in question. The Buff's arrive in Boulogne 28/07/15, billet in Bertangles for a week before being inspected by General Munro and marched out to Bonnay. They then spend a week in Bray, in trenches under instruction. Marched back to Bonnay and 2 days later on to Dernancourt, then Meaulte on 25/08/15. On the night 29/30 they relieve the West Kent Regiment in the trenches and at some point during that day Joseph and another soldier are wounded by sniper fire. Many thanks for your contributions, kind regards Sean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerrymurland Posted 28 February , 2012 Share Posted 28 February , 2012 Colin, your message box is full so I'll message you via this thread. Do you by any chance have the WD of the 7 East Kents? If so could I possibly have the entry for 21-23 March 1918 please? Why have I have got an awful feeling that the WD is actually missing! Jerry Murland Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest deborahr Posted 20 August , 2015 Share Posted 20 August , 2015 Hi, I have been following these posts as I am looking for details of my great Uncles time during August 1918. His name was Ernest Traunter, although he is commemorated as Ernest Tranter on the Vis0en-Artois memorial. He died on 27th August 1918. I have been looking at the WW1 diaries on ancestry and they are fascinating. Anyway, I have found the pages up to the 21st August and the next one appears to be September. Does anyone know where the missing pages are or what happened during that time. Years ago, someone once told me that there was a verbally recorded incident in which virtually all the 7th battalion was wiped out and only 3 men returned. Obviously I have no idea if this is true and I have never been able to find any details. I realise that I may never find out how Ernest died, but it would be good to add to his story of what happened on that day. Any help would be great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drew-1918 Posted 21 August , 2015 Share Posted 21 August , 2015 Hello and welcome to the Forum, I found the pages for the 27th August on Naval & Military Archive. I haven't checked Ancestry yet. The 7th Buffs attacked on the morning of the 26th. 'A' Company were on the left (with a map reference of x.30.a and S.19.b.), 'B' & 'C' companies were on the right of this, and 'D' Company were in support in "the ravine". 'A' company went forward and eventually held the line S.21.c, 'D' Company filled the gap and held the line S.27.a., and 'B' & 'C' Companies pushed forward to MONTAUBAN and took approx. 50 prisoners and 4 machine guns, they then held the line S.27.c. and also pushed patrols into MONTAUBAN. This was all completed by 6 p.m.. At 7 pm the enemy counter attacked on the left but this was broken up. With regard to the 27th, the war diary merely says, "...During the day the companies stayed where they were...". Then at 7 p.m. a readjustment took place: 'A' Company S.27.b.2.5. 'B' & 'C' Coys in Ravine X.30.a.5.8 'D' Coy in S.28.a.1.2. to S.21.d.8.5. If you take a look in the brigade or division war diaries, you might be able to find a map to which these coordinates refer. The Regimental History adds that: The ground east of Montauban was very suitble for machine-gun rear guards, and each little position occupied by these had to be located before they could be first outflanked and then rushed in front...". Also, on the 27th, "...the Buffs remianed east of Montauban, with Bernafay Wood full of Germans just in front of them...". I don't know if this might offer a possible clue as to what may have happened to Ernest. I hope you don't mind me saying, but it might help if you start your own thread on Ernest. As you start to collect more information, it may help to have it all under one heading and may attract more interest. Hope the above helps for now. Regards, Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8055Bell Posted 1 September , 2015 Share Posted 1 September , 2015 Thanks for the details of the 1918 action at Montauban. I think you should be looking at Map 57C or possibly some of 62C. It's an area I know well from the footsteps of the Manchester Pals in July 1916. It's amazing to think about the lives lost in this quiet corner of Picardy. I think I have my next research interest... Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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