Richard William Boxall of the Tank Corps

[MrG]

I am trying to build some family pictures around the men on our war memorial who died in the Great War and this chap popped up in the MICs when looking for Richard William Boxall b Sussex 1877, brother of "our" Arthur Jesse Boxall.

Problem is I have been as yet unable to find any more on this man and the only tenuous link I have is that "my" Richard William Boxall was a motor engineer before the war. Can anyone offer any help/thoughts

Thanls

[ralphjd]

Richard Wm Boxall b 1878 Emsworth an agent mechanical engineers lived Kingsland Road with his wife Agnes Augusta in 1911. Son of Edward/Constance siblings - Edward, George Harry, Ellen Francis , Albert Alan, Henry Thomas Sidney.

[MrG]

That's "my" Richard but is he the one on the MIC?

[MrG]

This chap is proving elusive. The Tank Museum have found him for me as a Equipment Officer 11th Battalion Tank Corps in 1917 and the London Gazette charts his progress to acting Major in 1919 but I cant find any service records in Kew. Any ideas?

Thanks

[johntaylor]

Hi, if you can't find his service record at Kew then it could well be that he served in WW2 and his file has been retained by the MoD. You can confirm this by checking the index files under WO 338 which are available online. The relevant section can be downloaded here but it's a big file, i.e. 85Mb: http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=C3063264

If you find him in the index and it shows a reference number beginning "P/..." then you have to apply to the MoD for a copy of the record. There are various conditions, plus a fee, and I think you have to be able to prove you're a relative.

Hope this is helpful,

John

[MrG]

Very. I'll give it a go

Many Thanks

Merve

[Philip Wilson]

Extract page 8 Tank Corps Honours and Awards - Honours, Other than Immediate Awards

Major BOXALL R. W., E.Officer 3rd Group. M.C.

Extract page 131 'Honour the Officers WW1 Awards'

BOXALL Richard T/Captain M.C., Tank Corps (1 Bde) FF+ London Gaz 1.1.19 page 23

[MrG]

Getting closer all the time! I now know the wife of "my" R W Boxall - Agnes Augusta - died in the Bournemouth registration district in 1974 which is pretty close to Bovington where the Tank Corps were based. Now if I can just find Richard's death!

[MickLeeds]

There is a death registered for a Richard W Boxall born abt 1880, died Apr-May-Jun 1954, Exeter, Devon.

Mick.

[delta]

He must have served as aRegular officer after 1919.

From the Army lists

In 1919 and 1920 editions he is shown as an Equipment officer in the rank of captain with seniority from 17 Jul 1917.

In 1922 edition shown as a quartermaster (QM) in the rank of Lt with seniority 21 Jan 21

In 1923 edition shown as QM at the Central Schools (Bovington)

[MrG]

Thanks for all the above. Its clear now that the MOD still have his records but it looks like he was a "tank man" in some shape or form for all of his career.

I have still not managed to make the link with "my" Richard from Sussex but is it feasible that a mechanic could sign up to do his bit and end up getting promoted right up to acting Major?

[johntaylor]

Hi, this wouldn't be at all unusual - being newly formed, the Tank Corps was quite 'democratic' and many of its officers had started out in the ranks. In the case of Richard Boxall, you say he was an "agent mechanical engineers" which in any case sounds a cut above an ordinary mechanic! The medal card shows he originally joined the Motor Machine Gun Corps (MMGC), which should properly be called the Machine Gun Corps (Motors), though I suspect he actually joined something called the Motor Machine Gun Service (MMGS) in view of the date he went abroad, i.e. December 1914. Both these units were in effect predecessors of the Tank Corps as described in this useful summary: http://www.1914-1918.net/mmg.htm He was originally a Battery Sergeant Major, which means he was a senior NCO and from there it would be a short step to a commission. Incidentally he was also quite senior in terms of years, being well into his thirties at the beginning of the war.

If you can get your hands on the service record it should show which battery of the MMGS or MGC(M) he belonged to, and you should be able to find their War Diary - these were quite small units and there's a good chance he will be mentioned by name.

Good luck!

John

[Phil Evans]

His record is definitely with the MoD. The extract below, from WO 338, has the dreaded P number against his entry.

Phil

[Guest tonkin gulf]

G'day Old Sweat,

Just joined from sunny Australia.

RW Boxall was my paternal grandfather.

My memory of him is sketchy as I left UK for Singapore with my family in 1946. My dad was RAF and had been posted there. Then on to Australia.

Grandfather, I believe ended up as a Lt Colonel in the British Army. At the outbreak of WW2 he applied to go back into the Army but, was knocked back. He then joined the RAF as a Flying Officer and was involved in airfield defence, possibly Aintree.

He was awarded the MBE (Military Division) but, I have been having difficulties accessing the RAF records.

I have his MC from WW1 and the MBE in my possesion, plus a letter from King George V1 regretting that he could not present the MBE to him personally.

My dad, Richard Gerald Boxall was one of four children of RW Boxall. and Agnes Augusta Boxall (nee Emery) There were three girls Peggy, Iris and one other whose name escapes me.

It would be good to find out more as time goes on.

Tonkin Gulf

[delta]

Thanks for adding to the story

and also welcome to the Forum (nearly forgot my manners)

[Guest Daisy123]

Hello, I am trying to find out more about Iris Boxall as I'm her grandaughter. She left England for Australia when my mother was young and they lost contact. The only record I have is a marriage certificate in 1937 when she married John Leeming. Richard William Boxall is named as Iris's father on the certificate. I have heard from my grandfather (before he died) that Iris's father was at Bovington at some stage in the tank corps. Iris and John were married in Poole, Dorset and they had one daughter - Gillian. Gillian had 3 children of which I'm the eldest daughter. We grew up in Swanage, Dorset and I now live in New Zealand. I do know that Iris moved to Melbourne and died there. If anyone has any information about her I would be very greatful. I would also be very interested in finding out more about Iris's side of the family as we know nothing apart from Richard being her father.

Thanks

[MrG]

Sorry for the delay in replying but my WW1 project is nearing completion (and the book is at the printers) so I am not visiting the forum so frequently.

I have amassed quite a bit on info on the Boxalls and can confirm that Richard completed his highly successful military career as Major Richard William Boxall, Quartermaster to the Central Tank School in Bovington in 1932 and eventually died in Exeter in 1954.

Wife was Agnes Augusta Emery (marr Londonderry 1910) and Children were Iris (1912), Agnes (1913), Richard Gerald (1916) and one other (see tonkin gulf's post above)

There is a record of Agnes visiting Australia 1953/1954.

Hope this is useful and any photos or images of memorabilia related to Richard would be most welcome.

Also I would be happy to try and dig into the early background of the Boxalls (when they were living here in Sussex pre WW1) if that would be of interest. Just PM me.

[Gareth Davies]

From the War Diaries and Bn Histories:

11th Bn History:

The 11th Tank Battalion, or as it was called at the time K Battalion, was formed at Bovington Camp, Wareham, Dorset, on July 1st 1917..............Lt Col R Pigot DSO MC (Rifle Brigade) took over command; Lieut R.W.Boxall was appointed Equipment Officer.

4th Bn WD:

20th January 1919: A lecture by Major Boxall, 3rd Tank Group was delivered on "Re-engagement". I have no idea if this is the same man, I have simply searched for Boxall.

5th Bn WD:

23rd January 1919: Lecture on Re-enlistment given by Major Boxall. As above.

[MrG]

Thats our man! Excellent stuff (might have to rewrite his entry in my book now :-) )

[david murdoch]

See attached photo of R W Boxall (4th from left) Published in The Motorcycle 31st December 1914. He was the original Battery Sgt Major of  the 1st MMG Battery, going to France with them on 24th December 1914. Note at this point they are still badged Royal Artillery.

 

In the process of researching all the men in the photo .

Chap in the middle is Frank Phillip - well known pre war motorcycle TT racer and motorcycle engineer. He was a factory rider for Scott Motorcycles (first man to lap the Isle of Man at over 50 mph!) and was at Bisley for some time early on as a technical instructor for the original batteries equipped with Scott machines

- below what I have on him.

WO II / Major Richard William Boxall MC,MBE. He was born 4^th February 1877 in Thorney, Sussex. He appears to have enlisted around 1900 (as he had 15 years of service in the ranks by time of commission) and appears likely to have served in South Africa (note two medal ribbons in photo). He is missing from 1901 Census so may have been overseas. He married Agnes Augusta Emery on 6^th December 1910 in Londonderry, Northern Ireland. His profession at this time being Civil Engineer. On 1911 Census he was back in England and working as a mechanical engineer. It’s possible he was a reservist or territorial and mobilised at the start of WW1. He was serving as a Sgt, in 9^th (Service) battalion Devonshire Regiment when he attended the 56th Machine Gun Class at Hythe in October/November 1914. 9th Devons were only formed in September 1914 in Exeter. He then transferred to MMGS as WO11 service number 280. His medal roll also notes him as previously  WO II 7235 Devon Regiment  He was the original Battery Sgt Major of 1^st MMG and embarked to France with them on 24^th December 1914. He is noted in the War Diary 28^th October 1915 promoted (in the field) to 2^nd Lt (within the battery) As a section officer he then shows up regularly in the diary. Promoted to Lieutenant -  noted in the diary 17^th November 1916 (but with effect from 5^th July) He left the battery “to Grantham” on 21^st November 1916. Possibly with Heavy Branch then K Battalion and then a long career with the Tank Corps/RTC until 1932. He died in Exeter in 1954.

 

Regarding his children, I noted in Northern Ireland newspaper records a birth notice (of a daughter) from 1918. Checking the Irish records. Eleanor Kathleen Boxall born 22nd July 1918 in Coleraine. She married Nicholas Herbert Standfield Marsh in  Poole 1940. Not  sure what became of her as Nicholas Marsh emigrated to New Zealand in 1957 with another wife and three children.

 

Trying to trace his pre war medals  - going by Military Campaign Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1949 there is no R W Boxall listed but may have served as William Boxall.

 

The MG Course at Hythe in October/November 1914 was a pivotal career move. Most of the Senior NCOs appear coming from newly formed service battalions but indicators are they were mostly pre war regulars or mobilised reservists. They were selected and became the core of the MMGS. In his class group alone he became BSM of 1st MMG, John Frederick Alfred Ballard became BSM of 3rd MMG and David Grubb BSM of 9th MMG. 

 

Edited 28 June , 2020 by david murdoch

[delta]

Great addition David Murdoch - thanks for adding