How much training

[snooker]

My Dad, Private Charles William Walsh (42901) joined the colours on 25 April 1918, and was transferred for training.

I have a post card which indicates he was in C Company, 10 Platoon, 5th Royal Berkshires.

The Regiment's War Diaries state that 49 other ranks joined the Battalion on the 14 - 19th May 1918.

I don't see any other transfers. Would it be reasonable to assume he was one of the 49?.

How much training would a soldier have received before being sent abroad?

He suffered from gassing - probably at the Somme on the 22nd August 1918.

Is there any way I can trace his movements during the Spring and Summer of that year.

[kenf48]

The normal period of basic training at this stage of the war was twelve weeks, after the losses of the German Spring Offensive in March 1918 there are accounts of 'untrained men' being sent to France as replacements, but less than four weeks seems very unlikely and probably refers to recruits with a minimum of basic training.

You say he 'joined the colours on 25 April'. What do you mean?

If that is the date he joined his Regiment then it's quite possible as he would have come from the Training Reserve, and three weeks is a reasonable time for being sent overseas. if it's his date of enlistment then it's very unlikely he went overseas after such a short period. His mic shows he transferred to the Warwickshire Regiment a quick trawl through the records suggests this was before August 1918 though difficult to be certain.

Ken

[jbw541]

Hello,

Have you seen your fathers service papers (40 pages)? His service/casualty form state 2/4 R Berkshire Regt and his record of service paper indicates 3 R Berkshire Regt.

Joe.

[snooker]

Thank you Ken and Joe

Ken. In 1932 Dad requested a replacement for his Discharge Certificate and I have a copy of the reply from the War Office. This states he was called up for service 25/26/20? April 1918 and discharged 31 March 1920.

He was transferred to or from the Warwickshire regiments - his no was 44734 but I don't know when.

The form also states his service with the colours was from 25 April 1918 to 1 December 1919.

Joe. I have not seen his service papers. How would I get sight of them?

Am I wrong in thinking he was in the 5th Royal Berkshires?

Any further information would be appreciated.

[kenf48]

His service record is on Ancestry which you can usually access from the local library or through their free trial if you're not a subscriber. Unfortunately although there are 40 pages a lot of them are ration documents etc and are not much help. However the headlines are:-

'Deemed to have enlisted' (under the Military Service Act) 13.6.1917 (Statement of Service form Doc 1115)

'Called up for Service' 25.4.1918

Posted to 3rd Bn R Berks Rgt. 27.4.1917 (This was the Depot/Training Battalion) on his Attestation Form

There is reference to the 2/4th Bn R. Berkshire on another form but the ink has faded on the next two entries on the 'Statement of Services' form and unfortunately there is no date of entry into France that can be read. All that is visible is '30' and '11'

Posted to 5th Bn (R. Berkshire? - no Regiment visible) on 1/9/1918

Posted to 2/4 Bn (R. Berkshire? - no Regiment visible) on 20/2/1919

Completely and permanently transferred to the R. Warwicks w.e.f. 27.4.19. and posted to the 2/7th Bn

where he remained until discharge in November 1919, on discharge his medical category was A1. There is nothing in the surviving papers to suggest he was gassed.

The 2/4 R Berks and 2/7th R Warwicks were in the same Division, albeit different Brigades. (See LLT)

Ken

[snooker]

Many thanks Ken

I have been to the local library and had a quick look at ancestry but this was before I read your reply which summarised the records very clearly.

But, Posted to 3rd Bn R Berks Rgt. 27.4.1917-- shouldn't this be 1918?

Posted to 5th Bn (R. Berkshire? - no Regiment visible) on 1/9/1918.--- The postcard I have may well have been sent after this date.

[snooker]

Sorry Ken. my reply was posted before I intended.

I understand the 2nd/4th suffered much gassing in the Patte-Becque area in august 1918. Perhaps Dad was there.

regards

Snooker

[kenf48]

Posted to 3rd Bn R Berks Rgt. 27.4.1917-- shouldn't this be 1918?

Yes it should be 1918 - apologies for the confusing typo

Ken

[kenf48]

I understand the 2nd/4th suffered much gassing in the Patte-Becque area in august 1918. Perhaps Dad was there.

Unfortunately there is a gap in his record from his call up on 27.4.1918. until his posting to the 5th Bn in September, his posting to the 2/4th was after the Armistice so he was unlikely to have been with them in August 1918 unless he had been attached to the 2/4th prior to his posting which seems unlikely. It's possible to speculate the '30' reference was for a posting at the end of his training i.e. 12 weeks from 27.4.1918. but doesn't take it much further. If he had been 'gassed' rather than in a gas attack it's unlikely he would have been in category A1 when discharged, and his 'statement of disability' form appears blank.

Ken

[purley]

According to the National Roll of the Great War (Birmingham) he was 'gassed at Vyres' which I suspect is an error for Ypres. As he came back to the same regiment I doubt he went via a Training Reserve Unit but was treated in France or Belgium and posted back to the 2nd/4th. The reason he moved to the 2/7th Warwicks was that they were forming a young soldiers battalion and the 2/4th R Berks were going to be sent to Egypt to guard Turkish prisoners with all the older men. The 2/7th were then destined to be part of the army of occupation of Germany but I cant see much evidence of this actually happening. He was 44734 in the R Warwicks

[Chris_Baker]

The various forms on his record are not too legible as you have seen, but from what is there I don't think there is much doubt that he was posted to join the 5th (Service) Battalion of the Royal Berkshire in France on 1 September 1918. He was not posted to the 2/4th until 20 February 1919 and was transferred to the Warwicks on 27 April 1919.

The 5th (Service) Battalion was under command of 36th Infantry Brigade of 12th (Eastern) Division. If you have a look at the war diary for say 1-5 days after 1 September 1918 you may spot the arrival of his draft. His service in France before the Armistice may not have been long but he would have seen a bit of action: see http://www.1914-1918.net/12div.htm. They did not go anywhere near Ypres so goodness knows what Vyres is. The main action the battalion fought after his arrival was around Epehy.

[snooker]

Many thanks to you all for the information you have provided.

My own copy of the National Roll of the Great War Section VI Birmingham states;

Walsh, C., Private Royal Berkshire Regiment,

He was drafted to France shortly after joining the Colours in

April 1918,and took part in severe fighting at several centres

during the Advance in the later part of that year. He was

gassed in action at Ypres, but remained overseas until his

demobilisation in November 1919, holding the General Service

and Victory Medals.

24, Clarence Road, Handsworth, Birmingham.

In my edition

Ypres is spelt correctly.

Dad always maintained that this record did not show the full extent of his Service.

He also had a scar on his neck which he claimed was a bayonet wound.

[snooker]

Dad suffered until he died, in 1961, from the affects of the gas attack with blurred vision and runny eyes..

I notice that on one medical record form, against the date 1.7.18 a Captain in the R.A.M.C. has recorded that Dad 'has a high degree of astigmatism in both eyes.' This could be blurred vision.

I wonder if any Royal Berkshire Regiment were subject to a gas attack in June 1918.