7th Btn KRRC 1914 - 1916

[Game pat]

I am looking to see if anyone has any photos of men of the 7th Btn KRRC, my great uncle was with this unit, I would like to put a face to him, or photo of A Coy

I do have Williams MIC and Army Service Records.

DONALD, WILLIAM ALEXANDER Rifleman

A/3083 A Coy

KIA 15/09/1916 Delville Wood

King's Royal Rifle Corps

Thiepval Memorial Pier and Face 13 A and 13 B.

The information I have of William is as follows:

Mr. & Mrs Donald have been informed that their son Rifleman William Donald has been posted as wounded and missing after an engagement on the 15th ult. William enlisted at the outbreak of war and went to France the following March. Captain St Aubyn, who was wounded at the same time, writes as follows to Mrs. Donald "I am afraid that there is now no alternative but to presume that your son was killed in action on September the 15th, he was my servant for over a year, he was always cheerful even when things were most uncomfortable, when I was wounded he assisted me back to the nearest trench, which was a few hundred yards distant. We crossed the open ground all right and were within a few yards of the trench when he was hit by a bullet, which went through his back, it must have pierced his lung. Regular medical parties come up as soon as possible after a position has been captured, and had he been alive when they arrived they would have brought him in.

Any help appreciated.

Regards Pat

[sotonmate]

Pat

No pics of the soldiers,other than one of the Captain E G St AUBYN of 7 KRRC at the time,but later rose to Brigadier-General of 3rd Infantry Brigade in 1918-1919.

In WW1 he received MID,Croix de Guerre and at war's end DSO. Served beyond WW1 and was Colonel of 128 Infantry Brigade from 1928-1932.

Died Dec 1960. Also served in the Anglo-Boer War 1901-1902.

If you google Brigadier-General Edward Geoffrey ST AUBYN you will get a link to photos of him,in fact there is only one part way down the phalanx of photos.

[Game pat]

Thank you, well I do have another enquiry which would be nice if anyone can help, I have been in touch with an elderly gentleman who is trying to find information on his fathers service record, I have been able to give him the war diaries, which will of course give him his fathers footsteps, Mr. Giles informs me his father was wounded two or three times, he would like to know where and when he was wounded, the information he has given me is as follows

Charles Giles Rflm

7TH Battalion KRRC

No. R6264

Enlisted Woolwich Kent

Oct. 31st 1914

Aged 19. 2months

Born Deptford London

Father: William

Mother: Ethel

Living at 131 Ladywood Road, Lewisham

[BFBSM]

I am looking to see if anyone has any photos of men of the 7th Btn KRRC, my great uncle was with this unit, I would like to put a face to him, or photo of A Coy

I do have Williams MIC and Army Service Records.

DONALD, WILLIAM ALEXANDER Rifleman

A/3083 A Coy

KIA 15/09/1916 Delville Wood

King's Royal Rifle Corps

Thiepval Memorial Pier and Face 13 A and 13 B.

The information I have of William is as follows:

Mr. & Mrs Donald have been informed that their son Rifleman William Donald has been posted as wounded and missing after an engagement on the 15th ult. William enlisted at the outbreak of war and went to France the following March. Captain St Aubyn, who was wounded at the same time, writes as follows to Mrs. Donald "I am afraid that there is now no alternative but to presume that your son was killed in action on September the 15th, he was my servant for over a year, he was always cheerful even when things were most uncomfortable, when I was wounded he assisted me back to the nearest trench, which was a few hundred yards distant. We crossed the open ground all right and were within a few yards of the trench when he was hit by a bullet, which went through his back, it must have pierced his lung. Regular medical parties come up as soon as possible after a position has been captured, and had he been alive when they arrived they would have brought him in.

Any help appreciated.

Regards Pat

From the Casualty Lists on TheGenealogist:

Forename W A

Surname Donald

Casualty Status Wounded

Rank Private

Service Number 3083

Regiment K. R. R. C.

Daily List Date 14th October 1916

Category N.C.O.'s & Men

Casualty Status Wounded

Source Daily Casualty Lists

Mark

[MBrockway]

Pat

No pics of the soldiers,other than one of the Captain E G St AUBYN of 7 KRRC at the time,but later rose to Brigadier-General of 3rd Infantry Brigade in 1918-1919.

In WW1 he received MID,Croix de Guerre and at war's end DSO. Served beyond WW1 and was Colonel of 128 Infantry Brigade from 1928-1932.

Died Dec 1960. Also served in the Anglo-Boer War 1901-1902.

If you google Brigadier-General Edward Geoffrey ST AUBYN you will get a link to photos of him,in fact there is only one part way down the phalanx of photos.

The Captain ST AUBYN in 7/KRRC that was wounded on 15 Sep 1916 was in fact Capt. Morice Julian ST AUBYN. He went out with the battalion as Signalling Officer, eventually becoming Adjutant. He was killed in action on 23 Mar 1918.

Brig. Edward Geoffrey ST AUBYN, who you refer to above, was indeed also in 7/KRRC. He went out with the battalion as 'D' Coy commander, but by Sep 1916.he had left to become OC 1st/4th West Riding Regt. He returned to the regiment in 1918 to take command of 2/KRRC. There's a full obituary for him in the 1960 KRRC Chronicle.

The two men were half brothers. Another half brother was Lt-Col Guy Stewart ST AUBYN, who commanded 15/KRRC and later 5/KRRC, reserve battalions in the UK. All three were sons of Col. Edward ST AUBYN, who had been OC 3/DCLI, but had three different mothers as their father was widowed twice in succession.

The ST AUBYN family is a bit of a Guards & Rifles dynasty, as well as being all Etonians. Another five brothers, cousins of our three here, all served - one in the Grenadier Guards, three in the KRRC and one in the RB. One was KiA in 1914, another drowned when the SS Persia was torpedoed. Later generations served with GG and KRRC in WW2.

They were also cousins to the various members of the WAKE family who served in the KRRC.

Lastly, just to further muddy the waters, 2/Lt Francis Joseph ST AUBYN, (his MIC has 'James') was KiA also with 7/KRRC on 10 Apr 1917. He had been commissioned into 15/KRRC from the ranks having been a private in the 2nd Division Ammunition Park, ASC. As far as I can ascertain, he was not a relation, though it is quite a coincidence that he went into 15/KRRC where a St Aubyn was officer commanding and then into 7/KRRC where a St Aubyn was Adjutant!.

Cheers,

Mark