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Pte H Stevenson 204208 York & Lancs ~ West Riding Rgt War Diaries


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Hi Everyone

Calling all York & Lancs ~ West Riding Rgt Experts ~ Can you please help

I have just aquired a set of medals for Pte Henry Stevenson 204208 (16996) 2/4th Battalion York & Lancs who DOW 17/04/1917. Looking at his service records on Ancestry there is a telegram which mentions three soldiers who were involved in a incident.

The telegram is not very clear and subsequently difficult to read ~ could read 4135 or 11135 Pte Sharp 2/7 West Riding Rgt. I am trying to identify the soldier from the West Riding Rgt

I have searched the National Archive and also looked on the CWGC ~ nothing coming up

The telegram lists

(1) Pte H Stevenson 16996 York & Lancs Rgt ~ DOW

(2) Pte T Appleton 7102 West Yorkshire Rgt ~ DOW

(3) Pte ??? 4135 (11135) West Riding Rgt

The incident occured on the 15th April 1917 ~ Does anyone have a copy of the war diaries either for the Y & L or West Riding Rgt for this period ~ if so could you please have look to see if it lists the man I am trying to Identify.

If no one has the war diaries could someone who is upto speed with N/A war diaries please give me a reference for the Y & L and West Riding Rgt diaries covering this period

I struggle to find diaries in the N/A ~ must be me not using the search engine properly

Last question ~ Does anyone know where the 2/4th Battalion Yorks & Lancs were located at this time ???

Hope I have made myself clear and someone can help

Many thanks in anticipation

Regards..Colin

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Could this be your man?

SHARP, F

Rank: Private

Service No: 306622

Date of Death: 16/04/1917

Regiment/Service: Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)

2nd/7th Bn.

Grave Reference I. C. 4.

Cemetery ACHIET-LE-GRAND COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION

Name: Fred Sharp Residence: Liversedge, Yorks Death Date: 16 Apr 1917 Death Location: France & Flanders Enlistment Location: Heckmondwike, Yorks Rank: Private Regiment: Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment) Battalion: 2/7th Battalion Number: 306622 Type of Casualty: Died Theatre of War: Western European Theatre

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Hi Colin

I can only find one soldier from the West Riding Regt (Duke of Wellington) who died between 15th and 30th April 1917. He is Pte F Sharp 306622 of the 2nd/7th died 16.4.17.CWGC Grave Ref ICF 4 Achiet-le-grand Communal Cemetery Extension.

Regards Barry

MUST LEARN TO TYPE FASTER!!!

This must be him. Stevenson is in grave 5 and Tom Appleton is in grave 8,died 17th

Edited by The Inspector
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All 3 men are buried in Achiet-le-Grand Cemetery.

APPLETON, TOM

Rank: Rifleman Service No: 307794 Date of Death: 17/04/1917 Age: 24 Regiment/Service: West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own) (7102). 2nd/8th Bn. Grave Reference I. C. 8. Cemetery ACHIET-LE-GRAND COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION

Additional Information:

Husband of Mrs. L. H. Appleton, of 129, The Avenue, Starbeck, Harrogate.

Name: Tom Appleton Birth Place: Starbeck, Yorks Residence: Starbeck Death Date: 17 Apr 1917 Death Location: France & Flanders Enlistment Location: Harrogate, Yorks Rank: Private Regiment: Prince of Wales's Own (West Yorkshire Regiment) Battalion: 2/8th Battalion Number: 307794 Type of Casualty: Died of wounds Theatre of War: Western European Theatre

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Name: Henry Stevenson Death Date: 17 Apr 1917 Death Location: France & Flanders Enlistment Location: Leicester Rank: Private Regiment: York and Lancaster Regiment Battalion: 2/4th (Hallamshire) (T.F.) Battalion Number: 204208 Type of Casualty: Died of wounds Theatre of War: Western European Theatre Comments:

Formerly 32671, Leicestershire Regiment.

STEVENSON, H

Rank: Private Service No: 204208 Date of Death: 17/04/1917 Regiment/Service: York and Lancaster Regiment 2nd/4th Bn. Grave Reference I. C. 5. Cemetery ACHIET-LE-GRAND COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION

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Thanks Guys

Looks like you have found my man ~ it's got to be him all in the same cemetery and buried next to each other

Still be interested if there are any reference to the incident within the two regiments war diaries

Thanks once again

Colin

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Hi Colin

Just looked at the Service Records for 32671 H.Stevenson ,Leicestershire Regt.(16996 York and Lancs) When blowing it up I think you will see the telegram does list the soldiers BUT it doesn't refer to an incident it refers to an accident in which "Pte.Sharp died of acute appendicitis.H.Stephenson GSW Leg R (Amp) accident. Pte 7102 T.Appleton GSW Head. "

Regards Barry

If you look further at the records a letter confirms the GSW Leg accidentally received 17.4.17 and a request for a copy of the proceedings of the Court of enquiry. The letter is on the next page and shows Stevenson was carrying "defective" bombs with 11 other men from the Battalion dump to the stores when one went off. The typewritten witness statements to the Court of enquiry are also recorded.

Edited by The Inspector
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Hi Colin

Just looked at the Service Records for 32671 H.Stevenson ,Leicestershire Regt.(16996 York and Lancs) When blowing it up I think you will see the telegram does list the soldiers BUT it doesn't refer to an incident it refers to an accident in which "Pte.Sharp died of acute appendicitis.H.Stephenson GSW Leg R (Amp) accident. Pte 7102 T.Appleton GSW Head. "

Regards Barry

If you look further at the records a letter confirms the GSW Leg accidentally received 17.4.17 and a request for a copy of the proceedings of the Court of enquiry. The letter is on the next page and shows Stevenson was carrying "defective" bombs with 11 other men from the Battalion dump to the stores when one went off. The typewritten witness statements to the Court of enquiry are also recorded.

#

Hi

Thanks for taking the time to try look at the telegram ~ in view of you reading the reference to the appendicitis I'm now wondering if there are four soldiers listed.

The first section on the telegram seems to record the appendicitis on 16th Aprill and finishes with a number 4135 (full stop) Then goes on to list Pte F Sharp who we now have his regt no etc who died on the 17th April followed by the two soldiers

I'll keep trying to interpret the telegram wording

Probably me a bit thick ~ what does GSW mean (Gun Shot Wound) ??? which is not correct in the case of Pte Stevenson who appears to have been injured/killed when grenades exploded.

Many Thanks

Colin

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Carrying defective bombs !!! no wonder they were casualties, poor souls, I would have chucked 'em in no mans land and suffered the consequences.

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Thanks for the Info on Fred Sharp...I have him on the Spenborough Roll Of Honour dying of appendicitis Lived Holme Street Liversedge.

I have a photo if interested

Ady

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Fred Sharp is listed as 'Died' which would usually mean illness, disease etc (appendicitis)

Henry Stevenson & Tom Appleton are listed as 'Died of Wounds' which is self explanatory (often injured in action but died later)

,

It is probable that they died at the same place a day apart, a Field Hospital or Stationary Hospital perhaps, but Sharp's death was not connected to the death of the other 2 men.

Sandie

From CWGC:

Historical Information

Achiet-le-Grand was occupied by the 7th Bedfords on 17 March 1917, lost on 25 March 1918 after a defence by the 1st/6th Manchesters, and recaptured on 23 August 1918. From April 1917 to March 1918, the village was occupied by the 45th and 49th Casualty Clearing Stations. Achiet station was an allied railhead.

The communal cemetery and extension were used by Commonwealth medical units from April 1917 to March 1918. The extension was also used by the Germans to a small extent in March and April 1918, and again by Commonwealth troops in August 1918. After the Armistice Plot III and most of Plot IV were made when 645 graves, mainly of 1916 and March and August 1918, were brought in from the battlefields around Achiet and from the following small burial grounds

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Hi All

Stevenson died in 49th CCS, as per records. I wonder if his wife was told how he died? She got a pension of 18sh.9d a week for her and her daughter who was born exactly one week after Henry died. His brother Herbert was 41280 Kings Own Royal Lancaster Regt.

Barry

Colin, It appears that Henry was already a wounded man and was employed with 11 other injured to transport the ammo. (see letter) According to his Casualty Form he had an injured right hand on 1st April, accident. The explosion happened on the 15th April (see witness statements) and he died on 17th. The telegram shows the numbers before each of the names. The writing on the first line is referring to the 49th CCS. There aren't any other soldiers mentioned.

Edited by The Inspector
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Thanks for the Info on Fred Sharp...I have him on the Spenborough Roll Of Honour dying of appendicitis Lived Holme Street Liversedge.

I have a photo if interested

Ady

Hi Ady

Yes please !! ~ it would be nice to put a face to all this information

Thank you

Colin

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Thanks to you all once again ~ between us all we've just managed to interpret the telegram

Don't suppose anyone out there has a photograph of Pte Henry Stevenson 204208 (16996) formerly 32671 Leicestershire Regt

Thanks you

Colin

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