2nd (Garrison) Bn Northumberland Fusliers

[Chester837]

Can anyone clear up a bit of an anomaly for me (probably me being thick though!)?

Someone I'm researching died in Basra in 1918. He was originally a regular in the 2nd Bn Royal West Kent Regiment but is shown on CWGC as a Pte in the 2nd (Garrison) Bn Northumberland Fusiliers at the time of his death. Everything I have read has shown them as being formed in Oct 1915 then moving to India for the duration of the war. However, some research using the CWGC database shows that 1 member of the 2nd (Garrison) Bn was buried in Iraq in 1915, 33 in 1917 & 29 in 1918; 63 men in total. By contrast, only (sorry, terrible use of the word) 31 men are shown as having died in India in the same period of time.

Can anyone explain why so many men from a Bn posted to India died / were killed in Mesopotamia?

Cheers.

[sotonmate]

Hoping to have pointed you to the War Diary where you might have got an explanation,but there isn't one for 2 Garrison Battalion,or any other,except 2/7 Garrison Battalion which served in Egypt,Palestine and Syria. 1 and 2 Garrison Battalions are shown as serving in India and thus I wouldn't expect to find a War Diary. I am wondering if sections of 2 GB were attached in Mespot.

[Graham Stewart]

Regimental Garrison Battalions are notorious to research, the 2nd(Gsn)Bn,N.F., probably being one of the worst, as the only information generally about the unit, is that they did move to India in February 1916, after their formation in Newcastle in October 1915 and if my memory is correct they were formed from the unfit members of the Depot Companies from the Locally Raised Battalions(i.e. Tyneside Scottish, Irish & Pioneers). However somewhere in my files at home I believe I have a short account of the unit, written by a Battalion member on the role of the Battalion, when serving in India, plus a a group photograph. If I remember correctly they did indeed send Garrison drafts to Mesopotamia. Ironically what I lack in information on the Battalion is complimented by an almost complete Nominal Roll of those who served with the Battalion taken from the Medal Rolls.

[Chester837]

Thanks for both your responses. I guess then, without turning up a definitive record we'll never know 1) what the Northumberlands were doing in Basra & 2) why a pre war regular has ended up with them.

Ho hum, the joys of Great War research!!