Mike Tonkin Posted 8 October , 2013 Share Posted 8 October , 2013 Hi , I have just started researching my Great Grandad Private Percy Paull service no 3/7717 who I understand died at Ypres on the 2/5/1915 at Hill 60 & was in the first Battalion Dorset Regiment. Can anyone steer me in the best way to progress my search... Thankyou Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Linham Posted 8 October , 2013 Share Posted 8 October , 2013 Mike Welcome to the forum, you haven't said what you have got so I would start with his medal index card and a check with Ancestry to see if his service papers exists. Then a copy of the 1st Battalion war diary. Also very good is " A Sergeant-Majors War " by Ernest Sheppard it gives a good account of what happened at Hill 60. If you want any further help just ask Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrjustinhayward Posted 8 October , 2013 Share Posted 8 October , 2013 Hello mike welcome to the forum. It depends on how far you've got! If you expand on what you know so far and where you've looked, I'm sure someone will help. NB Were you aware that there was a 3/8394 Pte T Paull. 1Btn Dorsets who was KIA on 3/5/15. A relation? Justin H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Tonkin Posted 8 October , 2013 Author Share Posted 8 October , 2013 Thanks both really kind............I have literally only started today, utilising army numbers on his medals....basic i know. Also a basic search of his name & service number, linked me to this site, where it gave me the info on Hill60 at Ypres & his killed in action date...........I am completley new to this & would welcome any guidance..........thanks...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin kenf48 Posted 8 October , 2013 Admin Share Posted 8 October , 2013 The best place to start is the parent site the Long Long Trail (link top right) or http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/research/index.php/find-your-soldier/ You are also in luck his service record has survived and there are 18 pages on Ancestry ('died of poison gas') if you don't have a subscription you can try their free trial or usually acces it at your local library. Looks like he enlisted in the Special Reserve 24/08/1914, and went to France 23/10/1914 on enlistment he belonged to the National Reserve and had previously served in the '?(burnt) Dorset Volunteers'. Unfortunately a lot of blank pages among the 18. Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Linham Posted 8 October , 2013 Share Posted 8 October , 2013 Mike Have you carried out a Commonwealth War Graves Commission check on CWGC.Org this will tell you whether Private Paull is buried in the vicinity or if he is commemorated on the Menin Gate. I have done a Soldiers Died in the Great War check for you and can add that he was born in Beaminster and also enlisted at Beaminster Dorset. Refering to his medal index card in my previous post, this should include the date that he first entered into France & Flanders and should confirm his medal entitlement of a 1914/1915 Star War & Victory medals. Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Tonkin Posted 8 October , 2013 Author Share Posted 8 October , 2013 Malcolm/Ken thank you so much...........I am in possession of 3 medals & the death plaque with accompanying letter, so thanks for your guidance..........Fascinating & amazing way for my children to understand History in a personal way........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin kenf48 Posted 8 October , 2013 Admin Share Posted 8 October , 2013 Until someone comes along with the war diary you may find Sir John French's despatch on the LLT informative esp. para 3 http://www.1914-1918.net/french_eighth_despatch.html I hesitate to cite Wikipedia but there is quite a good article on Chemical weapons in WW1 a nice day out for you all might be the Regimental Museum in Dorchester http://www.keepmilitarymuseum.org Ken PS sorry about the Paull you (obviously) had it right it was me that was wrong - doh! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrjustinhayward Posted 8 October , 2013 Share Posted 8 October , 2013 Why not do a family visit? http://www.keepmilitarymuseum.org The Regimental History is excellent http://www.amazon.co.uk/History-Dorsetshire-Regiment-1914-1919-Volumes/dp/1843422093 If you buy it through the link on the forum you can help support the GWF Justin H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Tonkin Posted 8 October , 2013 Author Share Posted 8 October , 2013 Wow, didnt expect a response like that. Thank you all for your kind guidance.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin kenf48 Posted 8 October , 2013 Admin Share Posted 8 October , 2013 It looks like the Brigade war diary is available from the TNA http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=C4554723 as a digital download for £3.36 - it's not often as straightforward as this! (A little bit cheaper than the History.) The link takes a bit of time to load and is indexed under the Cheshire Regiment but if you look at the box Description' you will see it includes the 1st Dorsetshire. The Order of Battle (ORBAT) of the 5th Division is on the LLT http://www.1914-1918.net/5div.htm Next you book a trip to Belgium and the Menin Gate taking in the Last Post Ceremony http://www.greatwar.co.uk/events/menin-gate-last-post-ceremony.htm see also http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/91800/YPRES%20(MENIN%20GATE)%20MEMORIAL for updates... then you walk in his footsteps...and you keep going back and by then you're almost certainly as hooked as the rest of us here - good luck with your quest! Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 9 October , 2013 Admin Share Posted 9 October , 2013 http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1623601/PAULL,%20PERCY I thoroughly endorse the recommendation to read A Sgt Majors War Michelle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Tonkin Posted 9 October , 2013 Author Share Posted 9 October , 2013 Superb thankyou Ken & Michelle.................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bantamforgot Posted 9 October , 2013 Share Posted 9 October , 2013 Mike , Your relative is mentioned in a reply to a query from 2005, look up the new contents today re. the 1st. Battalion Dorsets . Colin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Tonkin Posted 9 October , 2013 Author Share Posted 9 October , 2013 Thanks Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 18 November , 2017 Share Posted 18 November , 2017 I am Great Granddaughter of T.Paull 3/8394 who died in gas attack on Hill 60 on 3/5/15. Born in Broadwindsor. Lived in Bridport. Looks like they may have been related, maybe brothers? Wondering why he would sign up - he was 37 when killed and had a wife and family. Maybe explained by both being reservists? Would like to know a lot more of the circumstances of him being there and being in the Army. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clk Posted 18 November , 2017 Share Posted 18 November , 2017 Hi Helen, Welcome to the forum. There is good advice on how to research a soldier here. If you don't already have them, Thomas has some surviving papers here on Findmypast - they should also be on Ancestry. The Battalion war diary is here at the National Archives. It will also be on Ancestry. It would also be worth considering getting a copy of the Brigade HQ, and Division HQ (General Staff) diaries as the will most probably have things in them that augment the Battalion diary, and add extra context. The National Archives search page is here, and the Ancestry page here. Thomas appears to have a surviving will - £10 from here. Be warned though it may only consist of a very few words. If you did decide to get a copy, it comes as a low resolution black and white scan of the original - as a pdf file. If you haven't got one already, and you'd like a decent quality image of his headstone, it looks like the good folk at British War Graves (here) will be able to send you one on a free of charge basis. They may need Thomas' CWGC details to locate the correct image to send to you. Regards Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 18 November , 2017 Share Posted 18 November , 2017 Thanks for that... Will start doing more research. BR. Helen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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