Kings Shropshire Light Infantry

[6th Shropshires]

Hi Michele6y

Sorry for delay in replying been busy working on casualty lists (wounded) and watch the games. I would be interested in photograph of your great uncle Claude Brooks thanks.

Annette

[sebennett]

Hi Annette

I was wondering if you can help me trace my Grandfather his name was Frederick Arthur Cooke. I would really love to be able to find out more about his time with the KSLI, I am also trying to find his date of birth and address at enlistment. He is a bit of an enigma to us!!

The following is all I know of him and I am trying to find his war records and his date and place of birth and where he was living when he enlisted. He was killed in the Coventry blitz 15/11/1940. He was also mentioned in a book about the KSLI, written by W De B Wood, I think he was mentioned in despatches but am not sure.

SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 21 DECEMBER, 1917. 13355

War Office, 21st December, 1917.

REGULAR FORCES.

The undermentioned Cadets to be temp. 2nd Lts. (attd.):—

28 Nov. 1917.

INFANTRY.

Shrops. L.I.— Frederick Arthur Cooke

SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 12 FEBRUARY, 1919. 2229

Shrops. L.I.

Temp. 2nd Lt. F. A. Cooke to- be actg.Capt. while comdg. a Co. 22 July 1918.

5256 SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 25 APRIL, 1919.

Shrops. L.I.

Temp. 2nd Lt. F. A. Cooke relinquishes the actg. rank of Capt. on ceasing to comd. a Co. 16 Feb. 1919.

SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 18 JUNE, 1917. 6017

His Majesty the KING has been graciously pleased to award the Military Medal for bravery in the field to the undermentioned Non-commissioned Officers and Men:—

21349 Pte. F. A. Cooke, Shrops. L.I.

On ancestry.com.au I found a medal record card with the following details on it but am not sure if it relates to my grandfather

Name COOKE Frederick

Corps ?? Shrop LI

Rank Pte

Regtl. No. 10149

Medal

Victory & British Roll J/1/102B3 Page 765

14 Star Roll J/1/4 Page 20

Date of entry therein 10/09/14

Thank you in advance for your help

[Chris_Baker]

Frederick Arthur Cooke's army service record is still held by the Ministry of Defence. Quote his personal number P136366 when applying for a copy.

[sebennett]

Hi Chris

Thanks for the prompt reply, I live in Australia and would be grateful if you could advise how I could apply for his army service record from the MoD

Kind Regards

[Chris_Baker]

No problem All details are at http://www.veterans-...cords/army.html. It is the oddly named "certificate of kinship" you need to fill in, not the "subject access request".

[sebennett]

Thank you so much for your help, I just hope I don't get a blank page back from the MoD!!

[6th Shropshires]

Hi sebennett

Hopefully your will get his papers from the MOD, which will tell you all you want to know.

I am sure 2nd Lt Frederick Arthur Cooke was formerly 21349 A/Sgt F. A. Cooke, M.M. who was discharged to commission on 27-11-17 (which fits your above info.) I think 21349 A/Sgt F. A. Cooke was in the Shropshire Yeomanry before being transferred to K.S.L.I. and joining the 7th Battalion on about 18th Dec. 1916. I would be greatful if once you get his records you could let me know if I am correct about him being with the Shropshire Yeomanry and the date he joined the K.S.L.I.

Regards

Annette

[tharkin56]

Trevor Harkin Author of Coventry 14th/15th November 1940 casualties awards and accounts

Frederick died at Union Chambers, aged 48. he resided at 29A Union Chambers, Union Street. Husband of M.S. Cooke. Building contractor. Buried in mass grave, grave ref A. 21/5 on the 23rd November 1940. one person from 29 was injured and treated at Evesham hospital. He was formally identified by his wife.

His civilian war death records our held in the Coventry archives

[jhall]

hi do you have a

frank wright pte 15478 ksli

later 636446 lab coprs

enterd theatre 7/8/15

and

james william hinchliffe pte 22437

silver war badge enlisted 18/11/15/ discharge 3/4/19

any info would be great

james

[6th Shropshires]

Hi James

Here is what I have on 15478 Pte. Frank Wright (some is guess work based on other men near is number). He is very likely to have enlisted on 11th November 1914 at Shrewsbury. Absent Voters 1918 gives his address as 16, Quarry Bank, Market Drayton.

I do not have his medal roll information but he is recorded as 6th Battalion in several of the sources of information I have, and I do not have much to pinpoint when he was transfarred to labour coprs but can say latter part of 1918.

He was wounded at least three times, to date I have found him in following newspapers -Times 20-01-16 (Shell Shocked), Ludlow Advertiser 22-01-16 (under date 10th Jan), Ludlow Adv. 11-03-16 (dated under 26th Feb) & Ludlow Adv. 22-07-16 (Shell shock).

I have been working on casualty lists from the papers, so I can place the dates men were wounded using mainly service papers of other men in each list. Please bear in mind that these dates are not precise dates they must only be used as a guide, I advise you to try and find more sources of information.

First wound (Shell shocked) about 29th to 31st Dec 1915 (the 6th Batt. had 2 coys front line in Croix Marechal sector from map ref. N.10.b.8.1. to N.10.c.0.6. and 2 coys in reserve)

Second wound about 12th or 13th Feb. 1916 (the 6th Batt. K.S.L.I. relieved the 5th Batt. K.S.L.I. on the night of 11th/12th Feb. from trenches and supports near Pilckem Ridge, and during the early hours the 12th the Canal Bank was heavy shelled killing and wounded meny when a dugout was hit), more shelling on 13th)

Third wound (Shell shocked) some time between 24th & 28th June 1916 (6th Batt. were in Trenches & supports in Railway Wood sector).

Here is what I have on 22437 Pte James William Hinchliffe- Enlisted 18th November 1915 and mobilised about the 2nd March 1916. Absent Voters 1918 gives his address as 40 Station Rd., Whitchurch.

I do not have his medal rolls information yet but Absent Voters record his Battalion as 7th Batt. plus he is recorded in a casualty list in a book called Trekking On by Deneys Reitz, who commanded the 7th Batt. for a short time in late 1918.

I have found his name in casualty lists in following papers Ludlow Adv. 27-04-18 & 16-11-18, I have not worked on these lists yet but think he was wounded between the 21st - 28th March 1918 and early to mid October 1918.

Annette

[jhall]

many thanks annette

for the information you

provided me

james

[Orvejam]

Hi James

Here is what I have on 15478 Pte. Frank Wright (some is guess work based on other men near is number). He is very likely to have enlisted on 11th November 1914 at Shrewsbury. Absent Voters 1918 gives his address as 16, Quarry Bank, Market Drayton.

I do not have his medal roll information but he is recorded as 6th Battalion in several of the sources of information I have, and I do not have much to pinpoint when he was transfarred to labour coprs but can say latter part of 1918.

He was wounded at least three times, to date I have found him in following newspapers -Times 20-01-16 (Shell Shocked), Ludlow Advertiser 22-01-16 (under date 10th Jan), Ludlow Adv. 11-03-16 (dated under 26th Feb) & Ludlow Adv. 22-07-16 (Shell shock).

I have been working on casualty lists from the papers, so I can place the dates men were wounded using mainly service papers of other men in each list. Please bear in mind that these dates are not precise dates they must only be used as a guide, I advise you to try and find more sources of information.

First wound (Shell shocked) about 29th to 31st Dec 1915 (the 6th Batt. had 2 coys front line in Croix Marechal sector from map ref. N.10.b.8.1. to N.10.c.0.6. and 2 coys in reserve)

Second wound about 12th or 13th Feb. 1916 (the 6th Batt. K.S.L.I. relieved the 5th Batt. K.S.L.I. on the night of 11th/12th Feb. from trenches and supports near Pilckem Ridge, and during the early hours the 12th the Canal Bank was heavy shelled killing and wounded meny when a dugout was hit), more shelling on 13th)

Third wound (Shell shocked) some time between 24th & 28th June 1916 (6th Batt. were in Trenches & supports in Railway Wood sector).

Here is what I have on 22437 Pte James William Hinchliffe- Enlisted 18th November 1915 and mobilised about the 2nd March 1916. Absent Voters 1918 gives his address as 40 Station Rd., Whitchurch.

I do not have his medal rolls information yet but Absent Voters record his Battalion as 7th Batt. plus he is recorded in a casualty list in a book called Trekking On by Deneys Reitz, who commanded the 7th Batt. for a short time in late 1918.

I have found his name in casualty lists in following papers Ludlow Adv. 27-04-18 & 16-11-18, I have not worked on these lists yet but think he was wounded between the 21st - 28th March 1918 and early to mid October 1918.

Annette

Dear Annette,

DO you have anything on James William Reeves Private 22477 KIA 18/08/1916. He was in the KSLI 7th Service Battallion?

Kind regards

Jim Orves

[6th Shropshires]

Hi Jim

I do not have a lot on Pte. 22477 James William Reeves, Soldiers Died records he enlisted at Wolverhampton but does not record where he born or resided.

I am not sure when he enlisted but from info. on other men near his Regimental number can say he was mobilised around about the 3rd March 1916.

On the 18th August 1916 the 7th K.S.L.I. were placed under orders of 76th Brigade and ordered to support the 10th R.W.F.(Regimental history incorrectly records 13th R.W.F.) in an attack on the German Line near Maltzhorn Farm, S-E of Montauban. The 10th R.W.F. swept over the southern part of Lonely Trench and some reached the road beyond but troops on the left flank could make little progress leaving their left flank in the air. The 10th R.W.F. were attacked from this flank and forced back. The 76th Brigade's line was heavily shelled during the evening. During the early hours of the 19th August a 3rd Division Staff Officer carried out a reconnaissance of German line and found the Germans in front of the 76th Brigade had withdrawn to the Falfemont Farm-Wedge Wood line, the 7th K.S.L.I. were detailed to take Lonely Trench which they did, this Trench was renamed Shropshire Trench.

If you have any info. on where James William Reeves was born or resided I would be greatful to know.

Annette

[nikkstercricket]

Just stumbled on this thread and am interested because my Great-Great-Uncle Private Frederick Charles Guegan 28638 of 7th Bn KSLI was killed on 23/08/1918 and is commemorated on the Vis-En-Artois memorial, Harcourt. Incidentally I am writing this in Ypres and am on a visit having photographed Frederick's name earlier this week. What puzzles me is that Frederick, like myself, was born in Jersey, joined a Training Battalion (don't have the exact info to hand at the moment) but ended up in the KSLI rather than the Channel Islands Militia? Any ideas? Any further info on him would also be much appreciated. I have the bronze plaque but sadly no photo/scroll etc and believe he was killed taking the Arras-Bapaume railway line near Moyenneville? Thank you!

[6th Shropshires]

Hi nikkstcricket

I can't say why he did not end up with the Channel Islands Militia but as the war went on men were no longer sent to their local Training Battalion, all the men near your Great-Great-Uncle's K.S.L.I. number came from Training Battalions. I have the papers of a few of them and most that I know about came from the 52nd (Devon Regt.) and 53rd Training Battalions, and the men seem to come from a wide area of the UK. Those that went to the 7th Battalion landed in France between 6th & 8th July 1918 and transfarred to the K.S.L.I. on the 13th July.

The 7th Battalion captured their section of the Railway line beyond Courcelles-et-Comte on the 21st August, they continued the advance on the 23rd August reaching their part of second objective north of Gomiecourt. That's all I have sorry.

Annette

[nikkstercricket]

Thank you Annette - every little helps!

[zippy1036]

Hi Wayne

I will email you later but quick reply here both James and William are likely to have been with Army Reserve by start of war, being called up on 5th August (most of the K.S.L.I. Army Reservists were called up on 5th). Both were posted to the 1st Battalion K.S.L.I. on 9th November 1914. I am 99% James was wounded on 9th August 1915 at Hooge (his names is recorded in Ludlow Advertiser on 17th August 1915 along with all the others wounded and killed on or very near the 9th Augugh). James went on to be trans. to South Lancs with No. 40804 on or near 27-05-17 (I have papers of another K.S.L.I. man who was trans to South Lancs with No 40807).

William medal roll records discharged but gives no date, I found from other men's records that he is likely to have been discharged T. of E. around September-October 1915 (but he may have gone on later into war)

Annette

Hi Annette

Many thanks for your reply to my requests. My Grandfather (James Henry) had two brothers, who I have been unable to trace as yet. Their names were Joseph and Richard. I have come across members of KSLI with the names Joseph # 19444, and Richard # 16704. There appears to be a connection with Bolton/Bury as there is with James Henry (born in Bolton, recruited in Bury). Could Joseph and Richard be the elusive brothers that I am searching for. Is thee any way of tracing the records of these two men. Their Service Records do not appear to have survived.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Once again, MANY thanks for your assistance.

Best Regards,

Wayne.

[6th Shropshires]

Hi Wayne

The only info. I have on them is from Soldiers Died & C.W.G.C. which I am guessing you have (if you do not just like me know and I will post it here.

Annette

[zippy1036]

Hi Wayne

The only info. I have on them is from Soldiers Died & C.W.G.C. which I am guessing you have (if you do not just like me know and I will post it here.

Annette.

Hi Anette,

Thanks for your prompt reply, I guess I will have to keep looking. Problem is from this side of the world, my options are limited.

Best Regards,

Wayne.

[6th Shropshires]

I will keep my eyes open Wayne and good luck.

[sebennett]

Hi Annette

Re Frederick Arthur Cooke

I had a search carried out at Kew Archives and they came up with the following, it appears that there were two Frederick Arthur Cookes in the KSLI one in 7th Battalion and on in the 1st Battalion. My grandfather is the one who served in the 7th Battalion.

I hope this information is of use for you.

1. There are no surviving Other Ranks' papers or pension docs. in The National Archives for this soldier (in archive series WO.363 and WO. 364); this is a common occurrence.

2. Pte. 21349 F A Cooke who was awarded the Military Medal in 1917 is the same man as the officer in 7 KSLI

3. 10149 Frederick Cooke (for whom a Medal Card was found and quoted) is NOT the same man! This Cooke was killed in action with 1 KSLI later in the war.

4. I attach a medal card for the correct man - it does not show that he is "MM" but not all simple medal award cards have these gallantry awards shown. He was awarded the British War and Victory Medals i.e. served "in a theatre of war" only after 1.1.16.

5. As is already indicated in the paperwork you sent to me, the papers for Cooke are still in "closed" MoD archives in Glasgow - not at Kew. Next of kin can write for copies of papers to :

MoD

Mailpoint 555

Kentigern House

Brown St

Glasgow G2 8EX

(Simply ask for a records' search application form in the first instance and fill it in when it comes)

6. We have no evidence here that Cooke was in the Shrops. Yeomanry - unless the family has some separate reference.

8. Citations for the MM are not available (i.e. no longer exist - were not preserved) for 1914-18 so the circumstances of the award are not known; given that it was gazetted in June 1917, it could be for early Spring of 1917 - but his KSLI battalion then is not known; most men who were commissoined went into another battalion - so he MIGHT not have been in 7 KSLI when he won the MM and none of our sources state his battalion earlier in 1917.

I am sorry this is all rather negative, but it is all that can be done now with the surviving archives. Hopefully, his papers from Glasgow will fill in some of the bgaps.

[6th Shropshires]

Hi sebennett

"it could be for early Spring of 1917 - but his KSLI battalion then is not known; most men who were commissoined went into another battalion - so he MIGHT not have been in 7 KSLI when he won the MM and none of our sources state his battalion earlier in 1917"

I think Kew have not looked with their eyes open his Victory/British medal roll entry records 7th Battalion, by the way it does not mention the Yeomanry but I still think he was with the Yeomanry in the UK (or possibly 4th K.S.L.I. because there are also lots of men who I know were in T.A. near his number, their medal rolls also do not record them being in the T.A.).

Also I have found that a lot of K.S.L.I. other ranks who were commissioned did return to their old battalion.

Annette

[RLacroix]

Looking for more info on:

Pvt. J. Harris

KSLI, 2nd Bn.

Service No. 7324

Died 8 July 1915, age 39.

Son of William and Jane Harris of Yeovil

Buried at Plot C.1., Ferme Buterne, Houplines, Nord, France.

Ancestry.co.uk does not have anything on this person. All I know comes from CWGC.

[6th Shropshires]

Hi RLacroix

I do not have much more on him. He enlisted in Nuneaton about early September 1914. He landed in France on 5th Feb 1915 and joined the 2nd Battalion.

Sorry thats all I have on him.

Annette

[Dot]

My email: aston.thomas59@live.co.uk Any contact to this post please alert by email (Ref Page 38 Great War Forum)

With regards to John (Jack) Persival Smith late Yeomanry and KSLI Army No.2807 & 26691.

I was doing some research on my grandfather Arthur Charles Gordon Smith of The Villa, Withington,Shropshire when I ran across the request for anyone who had any connections

with Jack. From the information we have and that supplied by you I am certain that these two men were brothers, please feel free to make contact.

All we know of my grandfather Arthur Charles Gordon Smith's army service is that at the time of WW1 he lived at The Villa, Whithington, Shropshire and believe that he would have served in the Yeomanry or KSLI along with his brother John but am not sure. We have tried searching army records but can find no trace of him amongst survivers. I would be most grateful if anyone could supply me with any information.