East Yorkshire Regiment to Machine Gun Corps

[Wend]

Hi Everyone

Well you have helped me with 1 of my great uncles Arthur Clayton now for his brother who also lost his life, Fred Clayton died 25 April 1918 of wounds and buried at Morbecque Cemetery, Nord, France. I think he was buried in that cemetery as it was most likely the closest to where he died, I cannot find any other MGC graves there.

I have his Service Records and would like to know more about the following please:

He signed up with East Yorkshire Reg 21546 Dec 12 1915 and transferred to Army Reserve and then:

mobilized 24.01.16

14.06.1916 9th EYR, embarked to serve with 8th EYR - OC 21 IBD Etaples 03.07.16

07.07.16 posted to 11th EYR

Transferred to Machine Gun Corps 70351.

There is also noted Capt W P Deane For Officer 1/c REG INFY Sect No3 3rd Echelon 6 12/16

I hope the above makes sense ???

It states on his SR ""Transferred to Machine Gun Corps and allotted new Reg No 70351 29.11.1916 Auth. C.R.No 18530/360 A d/29.11.16"". On another sheet it states he was with 92nd Coy and upon death was with 21st Bn.

Would he most likely have been a gunner in the EY Reg and then requested a transfer to the MGC or have been transferred by the army as an order ???

Was soldiers moved around as much as Fred appears to have done within a tiny timescale ???

Was there fighting within the area of Morbecque for him to be buried there or was there a Field Ambulance / Clearing Station where he would have been treated etc.. ???

I have a letter he sent home before going to France he was at Rugely Camp, Crannock Chase, Staffs, 23 Feb 1916.

Kind regards

Wend

[sotonmate]

East Yorkshire : 9th was a Reserve Battalion where he probably trained.When ready for action he ŵas sent to France to 8 Battalion but on arrival at Etaples Infantry Base Depot (IBD) it was necessary to post him to 11 Battalion instead. 11 Battalion were part of 92 Brigade of 31 Division,and his later transfer to MGC 92 Company was in fact to the same Brigade he served as an infantry soldier with 11Battalion. So he is likely to have either volunteered for the MGC or transferred there to the greater good. His later transfer to 21 Battalion in 1918, was when the MGC decided to make a Battalion in each Division.If in fact 21 is correct he would have moved to 21 Division,or,if you have mis-read 31 for 21 then he would have stayed in the same place, 31 Division,again !

You may be confused ! Others here may make it better,or worse !

Later: I just took a peek at the War Graves site at Morbecque,he was in fact 31 Battalion !

[Wend]

Hi sotonmate

Many thanks for responding.

It was thought by the family he had volunteered for the MGC, but I guess we will never know for certain. What I do know is that if he had volunteered he was a very brave man.

21 or 31... I have had another look at his SR and enlarged the image, I do have sight problems too !!, now it could be that is is a scrawled 3 on the bottom part, so I will defer to yourself that it is most likely 31st Bn.

Thank you

Wend

[Wend]

We don't have a photograph of Fred in the army, this one was taken when he was at school, aged about 8-11 yrs we think.

[Graham Stewart]

Hi Everyone

Well you have helped me with 1 of my great uncles Arthur Clayton now for his brother who also lost his life, Fred Clayton died 25 April 1918 of wounds and buried at Morbecque Cemetery, Nord, France. I think he was buried in that cemetery as it was most likely the closest to where he died, I cannot find any other MGC graves there.

I have his Service Records and would like to know more about the following please:

He signed up with East Yorkshire Reg 21546 Dec 12 1915 and transferred to Army Reserve and then:

mobilized 24.01.16

14.06.1916 9th EYR, embarked to serve with 8th EYR - OC 21 IBD Etaples 03.07.16

07.07.16 posted to 11th EYR

Transferred to Machine Gun Corps 70351.

There is also noted Capt W P Deane For Officer 1/c REG INFY Sect No3 3rd Echelon 6 12/16

I hope the above makes sense ???

It states on his SR ""Transferred to Machine Gun Corps and allotted new Reg No 70351 29.11.1916 Auth. C.R.No 18530/360 A d/29.11.16"". On another sheet it states he was with 92nd Coy and upon death was with 21st Bn.

Kind regards

Wendy

Always a great help when you can actually view the Service Records and in this case it would appear that Fred may actually have enlisted with one of the final batches of the 'Derby' Scheme. My reasoning behind this is the fact that he was placed on the 'Army Reserve', soon after enlisting - in effect he was actually sent back home until the 24th January 1916, when he was 'Mobilised'. January is a very significant date regarding those who were Derby Scheme lads, as this was the first month in which they were 'called-up'.

I think the Long, Long Trail button at the top of the Forum page will take you good reference describing the Derby Scheme and how it actually worked. All of those who joined this Scheme were themselves 'Volunteers' and not Conscripts, who were called up later on under the Military Services Act.