15th R War R Dispatch Rider - L Cpl Ernest Rudd George

[ian_george]

Hi

I had earlier asked for information about my grandfather Ernest Rudd George and I received a lot of great replies and very useful information.

Rather than trying to continue that 5-year old thread, I thought I would shift focus a bit and ask if anyone would be able to help figure out what his role as a dispatch rider for 15th R War R (#235 2nd Birmingham Battation) would have been.

I found out recently from one of my cousins that he definitely was a dispatch rider, but I don't understand how this would be possible if he never seved outside the Warwicks (as evidenced by his medal card).

I'd also love to see any dispatch rider pictures that people might have - especially if they might involve the Birmingham Pals

Thanks for anything you might be able to offer here

[Terry Carter]

Hello Ian

The 15th Royal Warwicks were an infantry Battalion and E R George was serving in A Coy 3 platoon. The only way I could imagine him being a Despatch Rider would be if he was attached to Brigade HQ or similar. I see he was wounded around August 1917 as L/Cpl

Terry

[ian_george]

Thanks for the quick reply, Terry

So you think he would still have been attached to R War R if he was working for Brigade HQ then?

I'm not clear on how the Brigade HQ is associated to the Regiment - guessing multiple regiments within a brigade. Is that right?

I'm guessing that the HQ would be located far behind the lines and the dispatch rider would go back and forth between the two. Would that be all he would do?

I've heard that it was a very dangerous job - likely because he would have been very exposed to fire when near the trenches and because whatever roads he travelled on would be prime targets

You and I spoke about my grandfather about 5 years ago on an older thread titled "Corporal Ernest Rudd George" - and you provided a lot of great information

I'm trying to reimagine things now with in the context of his being a dispatch rider - I had previously pictured him as a sergeant in command of various trenches, leading raids, assaults, etc

[Terry Carter]

Hello Ian

You need to establish if the information regarding his duties as being a Despatch Rider are correct. I am not saying he was at a Brigade HQ only surmising what an infantry soldier would be doing as a despatch rider.

Terry

[Terry Carter]

Hello Ian

Have read the old thread from 2008 and have seen the picture of your grandfather at the camp in Ireland in March 1918. The Warwicks used this camp for men who had been wounded and presumably getting them ready for active service again.

His duties as a despatch rider may have been taken up after returning to France. Towards the end of the war the 15th Warwicks were disbanded and the men were dispersed amongst the 14th Warwicks (at the same time made a Pioneer Bn) and the 16th Warwicks. After the war the final group of men were not demobilised until April 1919. he could have been acting as a despatch rider during this period.

Terry

[ian_george]

Hi again Terry

From what I understand, my grandfather never returned to France (after he was wounded at Oppy in Aug 1917). He was sent to Scotland for Convalescence and then to Ireland "at the time of Sinn Feiners burning houses" - as my grandmother put it. She also said that he was "captain of the guard" at Dover Castle and I expect this would have been just before he was finally demobbed in April 1919.

Does this fit in with the disbandment of the 15th towards the end of the war - as you mentioned above?

I'm also wondering how his service in Ireland and at Dover would have been classified.

Would he still have been 15th R War R with other soldiers from the same regiment or would he just have been lumped in with men from all sorts of different regiments?