griffy Posted 16 February , 2013 Share Posted 16 February , 2013 I would be grateful if members could help with a little detective work. I have just bought a house built in 1935 by a chap called John Creese, the then county architect for West Suffolk. The house is called Saint Leger and according to the lady we have purchased the house from (who bought the house in the 1960s from JC) Creese lost his leg in the war and named the house after where he had served. A quick google shows St Leger is a village approximately 12 km south of Arras and 8km north of Bapaume. St. Leger village was occupied by Commonwealth troops in the middle of March 1917, lost after obstinate defence by the 40th and 34th Divisions a year later, and recaptured towards the end of the following August, after severe fighting, by the 62nd (West Riding) and Guards Divisions. I assume this was the Battle of Albert. My appeals for help are… Before the 1918 offensive the village would have been 3-4 miles behind the front line can anyone shed any light as to what activity was going on in the village at this time. I assume it would have been a logistics hub perhaps with a field hospital, Brigade HQ etc. Secondly I can find no detailed account of either the defence or retaking of Saint Leger in 1918. Again can anyone provide or point me in the right direction of further information. Finally I have checked the Medal Roll and there are 3 John Creese named. L/Cpl John Creese MM Coldstream Guards Private John Creese Warwickshire Regiment Sgt John Creese North Staffs (Pioneer) As far as I can tell there were no battalions of the Warwickshire’s or North Staffs in 40th, 34th 62nd Divisions during 1918 so might my man be the Guardsman? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 16 February , 2013 Share Posted 16 February , 2013 Beware, griffy: although it was in the rear area of the Somme, there is also a Saint-Léger-lès-Authie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigelcave Posted 16 February , 2013 Share Posted 16 February , 2013 The Guards Division took it on 24 August 1918 - there is a shortish account (a couple of pages) in the Guards Division history, Vol 2, 124 - 127; and 2/Coldstream had a difficult day coming out of St Leger wood (they seem not to have been involved in the capture of the village itself on the 24th) on the 27th, ibid, p.135 - 136. If I remember correctly, the interesting little cemetery there has a fair number of Guardsmen in it as well as several German graves, the latter suffering from persistent vandalism ten or more years ago, doubtless easy prey to those so minded, as it is rather off the beaten path. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griffy Posted 23 February , 2013 Author Share Posted 23 February , 2013 It occurred to me that St Leger could be a person and not the village. A quick check of the CWGC shows a single record for St Leger. Lieutenant William Brett St Leger of 2nd Bn Coldsream Guards, died 27/4/18 and buried at Ayette cemetery. Would anyone know if L/Cpl John Creese MM Coldstream Guards served in the same platoon as St Leger. Do such detailed records exist? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigelcave Posted 23 February , 2013 Share Posted 23 February , 2013 I think you'll find the village is the more likely option, especially give that the CG fought there in 1918, quite a notable Guards Division action. Probably worth getting hold of this guy's records. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griffy Posted 23 February , 2013 Author Share Posted 23 February , 2013 Thanks Nigel i am planning to do that. I'ts like an itch I cant scratch at the moment trying to link the man to the house. I'm also going to the local records office as in WW2 he was the Air Raid Precautions Department Controller for West Suffolk District Council so there should be a wealth of information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian_C Posted 24 February , 2013 Share Posted 24 February , 2013 Hi All, I think I am in a position to help you out since John Creese was my grandfather. Your assumption of the Coldstream Guards was correct. I do not know which battalion, but my father might. Although I knew my grandfather (he passed away when I was about seven), I must always have visited the bungalow nearby where he and my grandmother moved in retirement. However, I do know the story of the house being named after the battle (not the horse race!). I always thought that rather macabre. My grandfather was a proud soldier (I believe the MM on the record being Military Medal), who attended Coldstream reunions in Windsor in later life. As you say, he also had a key civilian role in the 2nd war, heading Civil defence for West Suffolk. If you google that, you will find some interesting snippets. My father recalls the air raid shelter in the garden, has it since been removed? Best wishes, Ian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griffy Posted 26 February , 2013 Author Share Posted 26 February , 2013 That's great Ian, thank you so much for the confirmation. The air raid shelter is still there complete with asbestos roof! As are the original architect plans which he drew. I will send you a PM later. Best wishes Griffy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian_C Posted 26 February , 2013 Share Posted 26 February , 2013 Happy to help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 5 December , 2018 Share Posted 5 December , 2018 Do any of you have any records relating to the Lt St Leger, he was my great great uncle and I am trying to do a little more research on him, I know he was South African and fought in what was then South West Africa before joining the guards, and I know at some point he won the Military Cross, and where he died/is buried, but I come up a bit blank there. Any help would be appreciated, Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulianR Posted 6 December , 2018 Share Posted 6 December , 2018 (edited) Try this link https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/2706/40465_291210-00011?pid=254154&backurl=https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv%3D1%26dbid%3D2706%26h%3D254154%26tid%3D%26pid%3D%26usePUB%3Dtrue%26_phsrc%3DPzZ4132%26_phstart%3DsuccessSource&treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=PzZ4132&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true If you cannot read it, son of Major R.A. St Leger of South African Medical Corps, of George, Cape Province, student at Cape Town (presumably university) but left to join Cape Town Highlanders for GWSA where he was a Cpl. After campaign went to England and trained with Inns of Court Regt for commission. 2nd Bn CG, aged 23 kia 27th April, 1918 MIC below https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/1262/30850_A001360-02911?pid=4824150&backurl=https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv%3D1%26dbid%3D1262%26h%3D4824150%26tid%3D%26pid%3D%26usePUB%3Dtrue%26_phsrc%3DPzZ4133%26_phstart%3DsuccessSource&treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=PzZ4133&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true 1915 Star to be issued by South Africans, served 6th South African Infantry Julian Edited 6 December , 2018 by JulianR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulianR Posted 6 December , 2018 Share Posted 6 December , 2018 (edited) https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=9841&h=2267149&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=PzZ4135&_phstart=successSource Son of Robert Arthur and Annie Beatrice baptised 17th Apr, 1895, St Mary's Watford, Herts, still in Watford in 1901 census Return from Durban arriving in London on 22nd Oct, 1915 https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=1518&h=26420121&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=PzZ4137&_phstart=successSource Edited 6 December , 2018 by JulianR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulianR Posted 6 December , 2018 Share Posted 6 December , 2018 MC Citation https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30466/supplement/641 date of award https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30308/supplement/9979 Commission https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29497/supplement/2444 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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