sastimos Posted 29 October , 2013 Share Posted 29 October , 2013 Please forgive me as this is my first post on this sight and I was not sure if this post should be here or in another forum. My great great uncle(Pte. Arthur Seymour) was in the 19th( The Bantams) and at 5 foot and a half inch, he truly was a Bantam.I know he was KIA on 18.7.1916 and I know this was just after Bazentin ridge but was trying to find out in more detail where he would have been. I found out he was in "W" company at the time. I would be glad of any help or suggestions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EDWARD1 Posted 29 October , 2013 Share Posted 29 October , 2013 From the War Diary after 3 days in reserve trenches. 18th July 1916. Orders to move to Longueval to reinforce the remaining units of the 26th Inf Btn and assist in regaining old positions , gradually. Care being taken that the flanks are well protected. OIC 19DLI will report to OIC A&SH . Touch with the 18th Divn must be maintained throughout at S18c5.7. Every effort is to be made to finally re- occupy Delville Wood which is to be held at all costs 19th July Spent in same trenches (Longeuval) Eddie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sastimos Posted 29 October , 2013 Author Share Posted 29 October , 2013 Thanks Eddie, found out that his name is on the Thiepval memorial. Clive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamRev Posted 29 October , 2013 Share Posted 29 October , 2013 In his excellent book "Durham Pals - 18th 19th and 22nd Battalions of the Durham Light Infantry", John Sheen writes of the 18th July 1916 about the 19th DLI: "...late in the afternoon a signal was received for the battalion to move forward [see Eddie's post above]. Very quickly the men were gathered together and by 7.00 p.m. they were on the move [from Montauban] towards the village of Longueval. The German bombardment was so heavy and the confusion was so great that the battalion could do nothing that night, they moved into trenches in the village and the wood but casualties were mounting from the heavy artillery fire. Amongst the officers 2nd Lieutenant L. Millar was killed and 2nd Lieutenant H. Heaton was wounded. Also wounded was Captain J. W. Waller......Whilst 9 Other Ranks were killed and an unspecified number wounded." William Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sastimos Posted 30 October , 2013 Author Share Posted 30 October , 2013 Thank you William. Clive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddy 60th Posted 30 October , 2013 Share Posted 30 October , 2013 In his excellent book "Durham Pals - 18th 19th and 22nd Battalions of the Durham Light Infantry", John Sheen writes of the 18th July 1916 about the 19th DLI: "...late in the afternoon a signal was received for the battalion to move forward [see Eddie's post above]. Very quickly the men were gathered together and by 7.00 p.m. they were on the move [from Montauban] towards the village of Longueval. The German bombardment was so heavy and the confusion was so great that the battalion could do nothing that night, they moved into trenches in the village and the wood but casualties were mounting from the heavy artillery fire. Amongst the officers 2nd Lieutenant L. Millar was killed and 2nd Lieutenant H. Heaton was wounded. Also wounded was Captain J. W. Waller......Whilst 9 Other Ranks were killed and an unspecified number wounded." William I was also interested in this post as my Gt. Uncle, Captain and then Major Charles William Howes was in the 19th DLI. He was killed on the Somme in April 1918 having served throughout the war. He is mentioned a few times in the 'Durham Pals' which I agree is a really excellent book. Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamRev Posted 1 November , 2013 Share Posted 1 November , 2013 I was also interested in this post as my Gt. Uncle, Captain and then Major Charles William Howes was in the 19th DLI. He was killed on the Somme in April 1918 having served throughout the war. He is mentioned a few times in the 'Durham Pals' which I agree is a really excellent book. Roger Hi Roger I have found your Gt. Uncle in both Durham Pals and The Durham Forces in the Field by Captain Wilfrid Miles (not quite as good, but all we had until the former book came along!). My maternal grandfather, Private L.R. Kendall, 19th DLI, (aged 19 in spring 1918) told me about this time, and the fragments I remember (he talked to me a lot about the war in his last three years - he died in 1989 aged 91 when I was aged 25) were in early April 1918 a dash from Ypres down to the Somme sometimes in trains and then constant marching, hardly any sleep, desperate fighting, holding trenches, and above all lack of sleep. The books make it sound far more orderly than the muddy sleep-deprived living hour-by-hour existance he described! But it seemed to me (and still does) that he was very proud of what he felt they achieved at this time against the odds - a job well done; no sense of futility. William Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddy 60th Posted 1 November , 2013 Share Posted 1 November , 2013 Hi William Thanks for the reply to my post and for the interesting bits of information about your grandfather's experience in 1918 in the DLI. It must have been good to have been able to talk to him about his time in WW1. I'm sure, as you say, that he and his comrades were indeed very proud of what they acheived during those horrendous times. A lesson to us all I think. Kind regards, Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyneside Chinaman Posted 1 November , 2013 Share Posted 1 November , 2013 Gents, I almost blush siting reading your comments about the book but the statement below puts it all in context for me. The books make it sound far more orderly than the muddy sleep-deprived living hour-by-hour existance he described! Without the actual voices and only the war diary and newspaper cuttings to go on it will always sound orderly, How I wish I could have spent an hour or so in his company. Thanks again regards John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Valerie Posted 11 November , 2013 Share Posted 11 November , 2013 I am desperate to make contact with Roger, who appears on this site under 'paddy60th' regarding the Parry brothers. He put a message on Forum in May 2008 regarding the medals of these brothers and I am interested in one of them Anthony Robert Parry. I have sent him a couple of messages but don't appear to have a reply. If however Roger has sent me a reply I have no idea where I can find it. I do believe Roger has probably looked at my entry on the members list under 'Valerie'. Roger appears on this forum so hope he sees this message. Please can someone help me. Valerie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddy 60th Posted 11 November , 2013 Share Posted 11 November , 2013 I am desperate to make contact with Roger, who appears on this site under 'paddy60th' regarding the Parry brothers. He put a message on Forum in May 2008 regarding the medals of these brothers and I am interested in one of them Anthony Robert Parry. I have sent him a couple of messages but don't appear to have a reply. If however Roger has sent me a reply I have no idea where I can find it. I do believe Roger has probably looked at my entry on the members list under 'Valerie'. Roger appears on this forum so hope he sees this message. Please can someone help me. Valerie Hi Valerie I have tried messaging you several times but it seems you are not receiving them. I can certainly help on pictures of the Parry brothers medals. My e.mail address is rogerguitartech@googlemail.com. Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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