Albert Thomas Batchelor 4th Battalion KRRC

[Yeomanterry]

Hello all, This year, at our remembrance church service on the evening 9th November the Mayor of our town wants to talk about some of the men on the War memorial in front of the Church. On the memorial is my Great Uncle, Rifleman Albert Thomas Batchelor Y/1251 who died of wounds on the 9th of November 1918 and is buried in Ghissignes Cemetery. I am trying to find out where he was fighting and if possible where he was injured, So far I know he was in the 4th Battalion and they were attacking near the St. Remy area early in November.

I would appreciate anyone who can add to this info for use on the 9th and of course for the family.

Many Thanks

Terry

[ralphjd]

Terry. Soldiers Died Great War lists 14 men of the 4th Batt kia on 7th November 1918, 10 of these are buried in St Remy Chaussee Communal Cemetery along with 5 others whose names are not on SDGW disc,of the remaining four 2 are buried in Dourlers Communal Cemetery, 1 in Ecuelin Churchyard and 1 commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial, you need to look at the CWGC site for these cemetery locations and it might help pinpoint the area you are looking for, unless a KRRC expert can be more helpful. Regards. Ralph.

[Yeomanterry]

Thank you Ralph for your help

The following is from the CWGC. Unfortunately as Albert was wounded, the rumour from his sisters before they passed away was that he was injured on the7th, but it is difficult to trace where he was wounded and then why he was buried at Ghissignes? He is in Row B so he may have been transferred from one of these two other cemeteries, we have no info on this apart from what it says on CWGC. Many thanks

In Ghissignies British Cemetery, Row A was made after the capture of the village and contains almost exclusively the graves of soldiers of the 37th Division; Row B was made, and one grave was added to Row A, by the concentration of graves after the Armistice. 


All but three of the graves concentrated to Ghissignies British Cemetery came from the two following burial grounds: -



LOCQUIGNOL COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION, in the middle of the Forest of Mormal, was made by a German medical unit and used by British units after the capture of the village on the 4 November 1918. It contained the graves of 142 German soldiers, later reburied at Le Cateau; one soldier from the United Kingdom buried by the enemy; and 24 soldiers from the United Kingdom buried by their comrades.

LOUVIGNIES BRITISH CEMETERY was on the East side of the village of Le Quesnoy. It was made by the 13th Rifle Brigade in November 1918, and it contained the graves of 22 soldiers of that battalion and four others from the United Kingdom. Twenty-three German graves, brought in by the French in 1920, were later removed to Le Cateau. 



[Sandie Hayes]

The cemetery at St Remy-Chaussee only has 14 CWGC burials, All the soldiers were killed on 07.11.18, with one exception, he was killed on the 4th.

12 men are KRRC, 1 is London Regiment and the chap killed on the 4th is Northumberland Fusiliers.

It might help you to know that Lieutenant Colonel George Arthur Tryon M.C. was killed on the 7th and is buried with his men. He was commanding the 4th Battalion, attached from 6th Btn. He was killed by a single bullet during the attack towards Maubeuge, near a place named St. Aubin. His body was taken to St Remy-Chaussee when the battalion was relieved on the 9th November.

Looking on a French map St Remy is about 10 kilometres from Maubeuge.

Sandie