Mametz Wood 7 July 2016

[Hedley Malloch]

For those interested:

pdfresizer.com_2016-06-08_12-10.pdf

[J Banning]

Thanks Hedley. I will be there as am guiding a group of ex-Royal Regiment of Wales officers on a 4 day cycling tour of the Somme and Arras battlefields. This is our only day not spent on the bikes! I am sure it will be well attended and a tremendous occasion with, one hopes, slightly less of the security restrictions that those attending events on 1 July will face.

JB

[The Scorer]

I'll be there as part of the WFA South Wales Branch party, who will be on The Somme until the following Sunday.

It is important that people who would like to go realise that there will be security, and it is highly unlikely that people will just be able to turn up on the day. Therefore, if you want to go, please apply to the address shown by 20th June .... otherwise, if your name's not on the list, you (probably) won't get in!

[Mikedrinkall123]

I am trying to find information about my wife's granddad who was in the South Irish Horse (SIH)  and we believe he was injured during this action. I am trying to find his Medical Records but no luck so far. I can't find his service records. The only information I have to go on is his name (Richard James Carr) rank (private) and his army number (1566). According to the family he received a head injury caused by shrapnel and was repatriated back to the UK. Any suggestions how I should go about locating his medical records or information on advanced dressing stations would be most appreciated.       

[kenf48]

10 hours ago, Mikedrinkall123 said:

I am trying to find information about my wife's granddad who was in the South Irish Horse (SIH)  and we believe he was injured during this action. I am trying to find his Medical Records but no luck so far. I can't find his service records. The only information I have to go on is his name (Richard James Carr) rank (private) and his army number (1566). According to the family he received a head injury caused by shrapnel and was repatriated back to the UK. Any suggestions how I should go about locating his medical records or information on advanced dressing stations would be most appreciated.       

 

 

Welcome to the forum, you might have more luck if you post a new thread enquiring about this soldier In the soldiers subforum where you will find advice advice on researching a soldier and a link to the parent site the Long Long Trail http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/

 

It’s also considered good practice not to tack on to existing threads, this one for example is highlighting a memorial service. There are many other threads on the Battle.

 

That said his medal index card shows he was in the South Irish Horse when posted overseas some time after December 31 1915.

 

He enlisted in the SIH, probably in Dublin, and the terms of Service was in the Reservists (Special Reserve), between the 26 October 1915 and the 2nd November 1915.

 

On the 1st September 1917 the South Irish Horse was converted to Infantry and formed the 7th (Service) Battalion (South Irish Horse) Royal Irish Regiment. It’s difficult to be certain but probable Pte Carr was transferred around this date, or a couple of months later and allocated the number 25107

 

The medal rolls indicate he later transferred to the 5th Bn.  I suspect this was in April/May 1918, when the 7th Bn was reduced to a cadre and the 5th Bn was posted to France  from Salonica.  The latter were Pioneers.

 

He was discharged to the ‘Z’ Class Reserve on the 15th April 1919.

This implies he was still medically fit enough to be recalled to the Army.

 

The 2nd Bn Royal Irish Regiment were engaged at Mametz on the 5th July 1916, unfortunately there is no indication in the surviving records that Pte Carr served with that Battalion.  It’s possible he was attached to the Battalion but there is no evidence for this.

 

Forces War records have the Admission and Discharge Registers for Hospitals which are searchable, although incomplete.  He doesn’t appear on a search.

 

Ken

 

 

[The Scorer]

I'm given to understand that the security will not be as strict as originally planned for this event.

 

This means that people will be able to turn up and see the ceremony without having booked, although I would suggest that this is done anyway to make sure. One thing that will still be enforced, though, is that there will be no public parking at the monument before and during the ceremony. Visitors will have to park in the village (car parks are being provided) and get a shuttle bus to and from the monument.

[Seadog]

A relic of the battle for the wood, from a French friend who lives locally.

 

 

 

Norman

[Mikedrinkall123]

Many that's for sending Norman. Is it OK to include these photos in a family history book I'm writing? If it is how should they be acknowledged? 

Many thanks

Mike

[Seadog]

Mike feel free to use any of my pics including this lot.

 

Lots more here

https://www.flickr.com/photos/glosters/albums/72157603237480463

And here

https://www.flickr.com/photos/glosters/albums/72157602287640999

And here

https://www.flickr.com/photos/glosters/albums/72157665493141850

And here

https://www.flickr.com/photos/glosters/albums/72157601071707940

In fact all over the place!

 

Alright then just one more

https://www.flickr.com/photos/glosters/albums/72157649010292818

 

Norman

[The Scorer]

Having now returned from the WFA South Wales Branch visit to the Somme (of which more in the Battlefield Touring section later), I would like to say that this was an excellent and at times very moving event.

 

The service was compered by Dean Powell of the Treorchy Male Voice Choir and led by the Most Reverend Dr Barry Morgan, the Archbishop of Wales. We began with a welcome and then sang the hymn "O Valiant Hearts" accompanied by the Treorchy Male Voice Choir and the Band and Drums of the Royal Welsh. Bidding Prayers from Dr Morgan were then followed by the second hymn, which was "Jesu Lover of My Soul". This, of course, is sung to the tune "Aberyswyth" and was sung before the troops went over the top 100 years ago.

 

Addresses were given by Major General Jonathon Riley CB DSO and the First Minister of Wales, the Rt Hon. Carwyn Jones AM. The secretary of state for Wales, the Rt Hon. Alun Cairns MP should also have given as address, but was unable to be present. Prayers were then led by Dr Morgan, Abbe Joel Dulin (Notre-Dame de Brebieres, Albert) and Revd Stephen Whiting MBE CF.

 

After a performance of "O Iesu Mawr" by the Treorchy Male Voice Choir and the Band and Drums of the Royal Welsh, Phil Davies of the WFA read from St John Chapter 15, Verses 7 to 17, Abbe Joel Dulin led the prayers of thanksgiving and reconciliation, Marietta Chrichton-Stuart red "A Mothers Letter". The Exhortation was read by Harold Evans of the WFA which was followed by The Last Post, the One Minute's Silence, Reveille and the Kohima Epitaph read by Gareth Pennell of the Royal British Legion.

 

A final reading (Harry Fellows' "Reflections on two visits to Mametz Wood, 1916 and 1984") was given by Professor Sir Deian Hopkins. This was followed by the laying of the wreaths and the blessings. The service concluded with the singing of the National Anthems of Great Britain, Wales, France and Germany.

 

As I said above, it was an excellent and at times very moving event. I felt privileged to be present, and I will remember it for a long time. I'd like to finish by thanking everyone who worked so hard to make the event a success; I won't name names, as I'm bound to miss someone out as I don't have a full list, but they know who they are - thank you very much! I will say, though, that the person who organised the excellent weather deserves our special thanks; it was made all the better by the unbroken sunshine with just enough of a breeze at times to be reasonably comfortable!