No 6 COY 2nd Grenadier Guards

[Frank Churchill]

Good afternoon,

I'm attempting to trace my grandfather's service history. Pte 14837 Edwin J ("Ted") Churchill served with 2nd Grenadier Guards 1910-19, having joined from the Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars.

Our family has a (possibly pre-war) photograph of him in No 6 Company, 2nd GG. As I understand it, a wartime Guards Battalion consisted of 4 Companies. So is it possible to find out in which company he served during the war?

I'm awaiting his service records from the Guards archive but In the meantime what I know, or have been told by my family, is that he served throughout 14-18 on the Western Front. His MIC shows he qualified for the 1914 Star and Clasp, giving a qualifying date of 13.8.14. A newspaper cutting of his retirement in 1952 mentions that he left England in September 1914 (this appears to be contradicted by the MIC date of 13.8.14) and saw action at 1st Ypres, Flers-Courcelette (where he witnessed the death of Raymond Asquith), 3rd Ypres (Picklen Ridge), Cambrai among others. He was wounded at least 3 times (blown up twice, shot, and gassed). Are there any hospital records I could search to verify this or would it show in his service history?

I also have a postcard depicting the execution of Edith Cavell (so post-Oct 1915) on the reverse of which is written in his hand "Address: attached to 7th Entrenching Battalion". Can anyone shed any further light on this unit, where it was and when. There is another thread on this unit in these forums, but unfortunately the external link it gives is broken.

I have also heard that he was one of only four men from his battalion's original 1914 establishment to have survived the war. How likely is this? I do know that after 1st Ypres, 2nd GG strength had been reduced by 80%.

I'd be most grateful for any further information

TIA,

Frank

[tullybrone]

Hi,

As I understand it when 8 companies converted to 4 companies No 6 Company likely became part of No 3 Company.

Regards

Steve Y

[Frank Churchill]

Thanks for the info Steve,

Do you by any chance have a reference for that - it would be fascinating to know more about the Guards' organisation and activities 1910-14 and the immediate run up to the war.

I'm currently reading Crastor's edition of Fifteen Rounds a Minute and have Ponsonby, and Headlam's History of Guards Division on order, but info on early century Guards is not so easy to come by.

Frank

[tullybrone]

Hi,

Sorry no reference .... just applying what I have read elsewhere in respect of "line" regiment reorganisation to "The Guards".

Regards

Steve Y