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Remembered Today:

1st Bn Scots Guards War Diary Jan 1915


The Guardroom

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Does anyone have a copy of the 1st Bn Scots Guards war Diary for January 1915.

The Regimental History states very little during this period and I am trying to find their location between the 15th - 25th of January that year.

I am paticluar intesrested in the 25th as the date of a KIA I am researching. No major activity, so must have been during daily trench life that he was killed by shelling or sniping.

Any help most welcome.

Rgds,

Alan

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did they have many killed on the 25th ? It was a busy day for the Coldstream with many casualties - I will see if there is a mention of who was on the flanks

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1st btn of the CG mentions Scots Guards on the right - if you need a copy pm me your email

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The Coldstream regimental history is a good addition to but no substitute for the war diaries - apart from the war diary is harder to read!

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Thanks Coldstreamer will do.

on the way

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Alan

The war diary says the following: 'At 6.30 a German deserter reported that an attack was going to be made in 1/2 an hour, bombardment first, and then our trenches were to be blown in by previously made mines. After an hour all happened as deserter had said. 5 RF [presumably Right Flank] and 40 [L Flank] got away. - Their story is as follows - The Germans first shelled them, then got out of their trench and attacked half right, then threw bombs in, got to the lip of the parapet and shot down into the trenches. The Germans afterwards swarmed up to the 'Keep' where Major Romilly was. There they were checked and held. Reinforcements came up and a counter attack was delivered at 1 pm but did not retake much ground. Battalion was relieved at 4pm by Sussex Regt.'

The battalion lost one officer killed, one wounded and seven officers missing. 27 men killed, 120 wounded and 235 missing.

It states the battalion were in trenches at Cuinchy with LF and RF companies were in the front line.

I hope this is of assistance. There may be more in the Scots Guards regimental history.

Kind regards

Colin

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Thanks Colin.

I had not heard of the Cuinchy brickstakes before, so this and the inform from Coldtreamer has led me on massively into searching the web and google earth to see the location today.

I am presuming my man who has no known grave (remembered on Le Touret Memorial) was either killed in the mine blasts or fell int he frontline trench that was later taken by the attacking Germans.

Many thanks.

Alan

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Hi Alan,

One of Carshalton's casualties was also killed with the Scots Guards on this day. Was the man you are researching by any chance an NCO? Forum member High Wood posted a fantastic picture of some of the battalion NCOs on this thread - http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=127417. 'My' man is on there, unfortunately I just don't know which one he is...

Andy

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Andy, thanks for link and taken a look. My man was L/Corpl and seems the men in the photo are all Sergts.

It also appears from my man's MIC, he landed in France only on the 14th Jan 1915 and was killed 11 days later.

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  • 7 months later...

Dunno if anyone is still following this thread, but just for the record...

I am researching local men who died and are remembered on my local war memorials and I have discovered 4 men from Leyland and Lostock Hall (in Lancashire) who served in 1/Scots Guards and were all killed on Jan 25 1915, having arrived in France just 11 days previously.

9983 Robert Holmes

9986 William Collinge

10125 James Fairclough (B Coy)

10650 Harold Southworth

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Dunno if anyone is still following this thread, but just for the record...

I am researching local men who died and are remembered on my local war memorials and I have discovered 4 men from Leyland and Lostock Hall (in Lancashire) who served in 1/Scots Guards and were all killed on Jan 25 1915, having arrived in France just 11 days previously.

9983 Robert Holmes

9986 William Collinge

10125 James Fairclough (B Coy)

10650 Harold Southworth

My Great Great Uncle was Harold Southworth, indeed my Grandfather was named after him. If you want any details would be happy to fill you in.I also have a picture of him on parade whilst training, a letter he wrote, his cap badge and shoulder title. He is remembered on the Le Touret Memorial, and also on the memorial in Leyland.

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  • 4 weeks later...
Guest Leyland01

Hi,

My great uncle was Robert Holmes...he's remembered at Canadian Cemetery No.2, Neuville-St. Vaast. I have a copy of the letter from the War Office advising that he was KIA. Kind regards, David

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