markankers Posted 12 September , 2012 Share Posted 12 September , 2012 Hello can anyone tell me what my g/grandfather was doing to suffer gas poisoning on or around the 6th of june 1915 his service record still exists on ansestry but i find it hard to read and understand he was in the cheshire regiment and his name was WIlliam Heath number 13125. many thanks mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 12 September , 2012 Admin Share Posted 12 September , 2012 Hi Mark The war diaries will be able to let you know where the Cheshires were and what they were doing at that time- I looked at his ervice papers and from what I can see he got wounded in the left cheek 25/5/15.Do you make that out as well? Michelle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EDWARD1 Posted 12 September , 2012 Share Posted 12 September , 2012 He was also a labourer in a chemical plumbers Group 30 according to his papers.He was a chemical worker prior to enlistment. Eddie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EDWARD1 Posted 12 September , 2012 Share Posted 12 September , 2012 He was discharged from " 1st G.B. The Cheshire Regt" Any forum memberknow what the G B means? Eddie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hywyn Posted 12 September , 2012 Share Posted 12 September , 2012 Garrison Battalion Hywyn edit: from LLT 1st Garrison Battalion Formed at Chester on 1 August 1915, then to Gibraltar where it remained throughout the war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markankers Posted 12 September , 2012 Author Share Posted 12 September , 2012 was group 30 something he was doing at the 1st garrson battalion? i know he was burnt on the cheek properly the gas caused this. do his papers say were he fought? many thanks to all for your help regards mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IPT Posted 12 September , 2012 Share Posted 12 September , 2012 As far as I can tell, he enlisted in September 1914 and served in Gibralta He was in the 2nd Bn when on active service from 9th May 1915. He then suffered a gunshot wound to the left cheek (this can also mean shell fragments) and also the effects of gas and was hospitalised on 25/5/1915. Returned to England 31/5/1915 and later spent the remainder of the war in Gibraltar again until demob 25/9/1919. There were 21 casualties in the 2nd Battalion on the day that William received his injuries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IPT Posted 12 September , 2012 Share Posted 12 September , 2012 Battle of Bellewaarde - 24/25th September 1915 A determined attempt was at once made to recapture the line of trenches from which they had been forced. The 84th Brigade (Bowes), hitherto in reserve, was ordered to move along the south of the line, while the whole artillery of the Fifth Corps supported the advance. Meanwhile, the 80th Brigade (Fortescue) was pushed forward on the right of the 84th, with orders to advance upon Hooge and restore the situation there. It was evening before all arrangements were completed. About seven o'clock the 84th advanced with the 2nd Cheshires upon the left and the 2nd Northumberland Fusiliers upon the right, supported by the 1st Welsh, the Monmouths, and the feeble remains of the 1st Suffolks. Darkness had fallen before the lines came into contact, and a long and obstinate fight followed, which swayed back and forwards under the light of flares and the sudden red glare of bursting shells. So murderous was the engagement that the 84th Brigade came out of it without a senior officer left standing out of six battalions, and with a loss of 75 per cent of the numbers with which it began. The machine-gun fire of the Germans was extremely intense, and was responsible for most of the heavy losses. At one time men of the Welsh, the Suffolks, and the Northumberland Fusiliers were actually in the German trenches, but at dawn they were compelled to retire. Late in the evening the 3rd and 4th Brigades of Cavalry were pushed into the trenches on the extreme right of the British position, near Hooge, to relieve the 1st and 2nd Brigades, who had sustained heavy losses for the second time within ten days. http://gutenberg.net...2/1202561h.html - See 2nd Battle of Ypres Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markankers Posted 12 September , 2012 Author Share Posted 12 September , 2012 thankyou very much for looking, i didnt know they were using gas so early 1 year into the war. regards mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EDWARD1 Posted 13 September , 2012 Share Posted 13 September , 2012 Here is a copy of his casualty form Eddie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EDWARD1 Posted 13 September , 2012 Share Posted 13 September , 2012 The handwritten section I think reads;- 6/6/15 4 Sty Hosp Effects of Gas Aa 4 Sty Hosp 25/5/15 to 25/5/15 6/6/15 4 Sty Hosp G S W Cheek L Trans to Base 25/5/15 to 25/5/15 12 GH Gas Poisoning to other Hospital 30/5/15 to 30/5/15 24/6/15 St Andrew Gas to England 31/5/15 4Sty Hosp=4th Stationary Hospital 12GH=12th General Hospital Rouen St Andrew= Hospital Ship to England In England he was admitted to the 2nd Western General Hospital Manchester(possibly WIlbraham) Eddie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markankers Posted 13 September , 2012 Author Share Posted 13 September , 2012 thankyou to all for looking , he must have been quite badly injured as he was not sent back to the front again, having said that he was charged a few times for drinking in Gibraltar. what was life like at the 1st garison batalion cheshire regiment? . he was only 65 when he died is it possible that this was from the affects of the gas in 1915? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hartley Posted 13 September , 2012 Share Posted 13 September , 2012 There were 21 casualties in the 2nd Battalion on the day that William received his injuries. Three Stockport men who died in this engagement are commemorated on memorials in the borough. http://www.stockport1914-1918.co.uk/soldier.php?name_id=1332 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markankers Posted 13 September , 2012 Author Share Posted 13 September , 2012 looks like my g/grandad was re-enforcing 2nd cheshire as he got there on the 9/05/15, and was injured on the 24th or 25th of the same month. many thanks mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markankers Posted 17 September , 2012 Author Share Posted 17 September , 2012 does anyone know what sort of gas was uses in september 1915, would my g/grandad have a gas mask? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markankers Posted 17 September , 2012 Author Share Posted 17 September , 2012 i just noticed william was in the 3rd battalion on active service not the 2nd. doe anyone know what engagment he was part of to be injured on the 25/05/15. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IPT Posted 17 September , 2012 Share Posted 17 September , 2012 No, the 3rd was only a reserve battalion and never went abroad. He would started out in the 3rd for training. He was in the 2nd when in France. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markankers Posted 27 November , 2012 Author Share Posted 27 November , 2012 was there a gas attack during the battle on the 25/5/1915? if so would my g/ grandad have a gas mask issued at that time.many thanks to all mark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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