13th Battalion Cheshire Regiment 7/7/16

[Guest SteveL]

My great Grandfather Pte W Shore was killed on the 7/7/16 and is buried in Ovilliers Military Cemetry.

Can any body tell me about that day when the Cheshires were involved.

I have been to visit his grave and will again do so on the 100th Aniversary of his death.

it feels strange that he was found and was buried, maybe he didn't make it out of the trench.

Any help would be great.

Regards

Steve

[dannyboy1807]

The Regimental History describes the attack

It had been arranged that the attack should be protected by smoke and by an intense barrage. But there was no smoke and our men thought the barrage particularly feeble. It is probable that, as the wind dropped, the smoke rose at once. Our advance, being thus unscreened, drew heavy artillery fire. This fire, together with machine gun fire from front and flanks, stopped the attack about half way to Ovillers.......The 13^th Battalion lost eight officers killed...eleven other officers were wounded. 243 NCOs and men were killed or wounded. "

also see this thread for some more info

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=134997

the 13th Battalion the officers killed on that day a Major, two captains, 3 Lieutenants and 2 2nd Lieutenants,

also Colonel Finch and 11 other officers wounded.

another interesting bit of information Serjeant John Joesph Bell DCM was sadly also killed on the same day he was one of 4 brothers who lost their lives in the War heres a letter than his father wrote to the War office.

Dear Sir,
I hereby respectfully apply for gratuity due to the estate of my Son the late second Lieutenant Henry Bell 8th Yorkshire Regt under Article 497 of the Army Pay Warrant...

This is now my fourth son lost in this War. Sergeant John Joseph Bell DCM 13th Cheshire Regt Killed in Action 6 July 1916. First Class Boy William Bell HMS Indefatigable Killed in Action Jutland 31 May 1916. Merchant Service Seaman Andrew Bell torpedoed & lost near Bay of Biscay on SS Cavinstrath of Newcastle-on-Tyne on the 4th August 1917. I respectfully make this claim as the father & next of kin of the Late 2/Lieut H Bell.

Yours respectfully

John Joseph Bell".

more info can be found here http://www.westernfrontassociation.com/great-war-people/48-brothers-arms/196-dulce-et-d.html

Edited 19 September , 2013 by dannyboy1807

[Guest SteveL]

Did the cheshires fight in Mespotamia? For years I had a Mess Price list from That region. I donated this to the Cheshire Military museum in Chester along with the Death Plaque which they said would be put on the wall in the Officers mess. My Grandfather had his letters written by him to My Great Grandmother but alas My Grandad destroyed them saying they belong to mum and Dad,I do remember reading basically his last payslip to my Great Grandmother, It had a total owed to him at the top and then a list of deductions, the final item was for 10 schilling for the Blanket they buried him, After the deductions it didn't leave much.

A book called "Tommy goes to War" by Malcolm Brown describes the action of one of the companies who took part that fatefull day'

This is is a great web site and no doubt I will get to learn more before my trip to the Somme in 2016.

LEST WE FORGET.

Steve

[dannyboy1807]

I believe the 8th Battalion did they were the first regiment into Baghdad when it fell in 1917.

[bantamforgot]

The 8th. Cheshires were the first to the Middle East, also the 1/4th were at Gallipoli, part of the 53rd. Div(Welsh)

Colin.

[abbrover]

I have been researching the 13th Cheshires for many years, with a view to putting together a book on the subject. I have an extensive archive of photographs and biographical information on the vast majority of the men serving in the battalion. If I can help, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Many thanks

Pete Threlfall

[Guest]

I am putting together my family history and have a Photograph of what i think is the 13th Battalion Cheshire regiment at Leasowe. I am interested in my Grans brother he was killed in action 07/07/1916

aged 36  service number 25158 private Leonard william Davis

I checked on the website commonwealth  war Graves his name i understand is on the Thiepval memorial.if anyone can add more please do  i will send you the photo

many thanks

Edited 26 November , 2019 by Guest

[GraemeClarke]

Hi

 

He is on the CWGC and all documents as 'Davies' (not Davis)

 

His MiC is here (may need to join Ancestry to see it)

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/1262/30850_A000420-03121?pid=4587886&backurl=https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?_phsrc%3DDJg11%26_phstart%3DsuccessSource%26usePUBJs%3Dtrue%26indiv%3D1%26dbid%3D1262%26gsln%3Ddavies%26gsfn_x%3DNN%26gsln_x%3DNN%26cp%3D0%26_F8007A65%3D25158%26_F8007A65_x%3D1%26new%3D1%26rank%3D1%26uidh%3Dya4%26redir%3Dfalse%26msT%3D1%26gss%3Dangs-d%26pcat%3D39%26fh%3D0%26h%3D4587886%26recoff%3D%26ml_rpos%3D1&treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=DJg11&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&_ga=2.76116757.1671913364.1574669565-2085325838.1574669565

 

showing that he was drafted to France on 5 May 1915.

 

The War Diary from September 1915 onwards is here for a small fee. You can see what he did every day till his death

 

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7353375

 

I do not have the WD for early July 1916 but they attacked Ovillers at 8.05 am and took all objectives at a cost of 261 men killed, wounded or missing.

 

Regards,

 

Graeme

 

 

 

 

Edited 26 November , 2019 by GraemeClarke

[abbrover]

He's not an original 13th Cheshire, his number doesn't have a W prefix. He was originally serving with the 2nd Bn.

Edited 26 November , 2019 by abbrover

[Guest]

Thankyou for your  posts very much appreciated ,I have much work to do! very interesting comments.

[fellop]

Hi my Great Uncle, Grandmothers younger brother, also served in 13 Bn Cheshire's and he too was killed on the morning of the 7 July 1916. I have the war dairy and other information if you wish, PM or E mail me. Are you in contact with the Cheshire Memorial Web Page.

 

Regards

 

[Matt_OConnor]

Hi All,

 

First time Poster. 

 

I am looking for information on the 13th Battalion of the Cheshire Regiment. My Great Grand Uncle, Private John Potter from Co. Meath, Ireland (Service Number W/65) died on 7th July 1916. He is commemorated at the Thiepval Monument which I plan to visit this summer. 

 

I would greatly appreciate any information on the Regiment itself or information regarding the days/hours before he died. From googling the topic I understand that they went over the top at 8.05am and suffered huge losses. Other than that, I understand very little.

 

Regards,

 

Matt

 

 

 

 

[clk]

Hi Matt,

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

At the National Archives the battalion war diary is here; the brigade HQ diary here; and the division HQ diary is here. On Ancestry they are here, here, and here. There is help on reading trench map references here, and how to research a soldier here.

 

Good luck

Chris