Royal Sussex Regiment service numbers

[tjp28blue]

Hello,

I am researching a soldier from the 9th Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment, Private Austin George Henry Bartlett G1369.

I know he enrolled sometime in 1914 and entered France on January 11th 1915. His medal card shows two service numbers 1. G/1569 2. G/1369. This could be a typo or he trained with another battalion. He enlisted in Petworth Sussex which usually meant D Company, 4th Battalion RSR, but I cannot get either of the numbers to match up with either the 4th or the 9th battalion. Grateful for any ideas or comments.

Regards,

TJP

[JMB1943]

TJP,

9th Bn. did not land in France until Sep. 1st, 1915.

4th Bn. became 1/4th Bn which initially went to Gallipoli, Aug. 1915.

I think that your man joined 2nd Bn in France on Jan. 11, 1915, as did my grandfather.

Regards,

JMB

[JMB1943]

TJP,

To follow up regarding service numbers,

G/1570, Pte. J. Terry, 2nd Bn. RSR was KiA 25-Sep-15.

G/1582, L/Cpl. J.L.H. Smyth, 2nd Bn. RSR was KiA 9-May-15.

Regards,

JMB

[tjp28blue]

JMB,

Many thanks for your two replies. I agree with you that at some point he was with the 2nd Battalion with the service number G/1569. However, from a good deal of trusted source material CWGC, Roll of Honour for our village he was with the 9th Battalion when he was KIA on 13th Feb 1916. So could he have been posted at a later date to the 9th and given the service number G/1369. But it looks like an early enrolment number. Its all very confusing.

Best regards,

TJP

[Phil Evans]

TJP,

I'll try again, as my first version got dumped when the Forum dropped out on me.

I think the G/1569 is an error on the card. The actual roll should clarify it, but unfortunately I don't have a copy of that one. Jim Hastings or Mandy Hall may have.

However, he was a duration of war, general enlistment and an early one, probably August 1914, as JMB said and possibly part of a January 1915 draft to the 2nd, but later transferred to the 9th. I have RSR men that were posted up to 7 or 8 times within the Regiment.

The 2nd Battalion diary for the 13th Jan 1915 reads:

"GUINCHY

A draft of 210 arrived at 2-10pm + Lt. Granshawe. These went straight into the trenches when they arrived from ANNEQUIN where they had billeted the night before. All Kitchener's August recruits. They seemed to be a good lot."

Phil

[tjp28blue]

Phil

Your reply has helped a great deal. I am going to TNA next Tuesday so will check the roll when (fingers crossed) all should be clarified.

One piece of information that I did not mention in my first post was that a month after arriving in France Pte Bartlett got frost bite and was invalided home to recover. He returned on October 11th 1915 and probably at this time he was posted to the 9th who were resting near Proven in Belgium.

Many thanks for your help

Regards

TJP

[Phil Evans]

TJP,

Please post the roll entry and have a profitable day at Kew.

Don't forget that you can download both the 2nd & 9th Battalion diaries while you are there. A slow and painful process usually, but free.

Phil

[mandy hall]

Here is the page from the medal roll

NA ref WO329/1246

Mandy

[tjp28blue]

Mandy,

Many thanks that was very kind of you. It looks like the medal card is a typo and with both battalions he was G/1369. Still, enrolling in Petworth he should have gone through the 4th battalion, rather than straight into the 2nd. Presumably that was possible?

Regards,

TJP

[Jim Hastings]

Hi TJP,

My area had a local TF unit too, F Coy of the 5th RSR, but on war's outbreak many opted to join the newly forming 7th RSR or Lowther's Lambs Southdowns Bns, as TF units at that time were reserved for Home Service duties only (4th were sent to guard Newhaven port for example), so men wishing to fight opted for the Kitchener Service Bns. Indeed some men left the TF to join the Service Bns. As Phil mentions, not unusual to find RSR men in a number of Bns - in my small village one started in 2nd, moved to 9th and ended up in 7th and another, a Reservist, started in 2nd and died with the 9th. I'd guess, from his number, Bartlett went for 7th RSR but it was soon full up (G1-G1200 numbered men seem to be the 7th RSR men so he just missed it. A lot of the overspill went into the formation of the 8th and then 9th, but as 2nd's casualties mounted a lot of Kitchener volunteers were sent their way, especially after Aubers Ridge in May 1915.

Hope this helps explain why he opted not to join the 4th a bit for you

Cheers

Jim

[tjp28blue]

JMB,

Went to the TNA yesterday and found your grandfather's medal roll which is attached.

Regards,

TJP

[JMB1943]

Trevor,

Thanks a million !!! I can't begin to tell you how much it means to me to see that.

Very best regards,

JMB