Information on Gloucestershire Regiment member

[Mark Taylor]

Hi everyone. I am researching a family member, Stephen Ealey who was tragically killed on 10th May 1915, just 13 days after arriving in France. There is no known grave but he is remembered on the Menin Gate. He was in the 2nd Battalion of the Gloucestershire Regiment and I was hoping to find out more about where he may have been, what he would have been doing for the 2 weeks he was in France and if possible what was happening with his regiment when he died. From some research, it seems that his regiment may have taken part in the first battle where poison gas was used around this time? We have been to the Regimental museum but unfortunately, they did not have any records. Any guidance on my search would be most welcome.

 

Many thanks

 

Mark 

[Glen]

The printed war diary is available (with a 25% discount up to the end of July). I also believe you can order a digital download at a reduced price

War Diary

 

The regiment were in Sanctuary Wood at the time and the entries in the diary hold a lot more information than many of the others I have seen

[clk]

Hi Mark,

 

You could download the Battalion war diary from the National Archives for £3.45. Alternatively, I think that I read on the Forum, that Ancestry are doing a couple of free days access to their WW1 records this weekend, in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the start of the Somme. In which case the diary is here. 27 Division HQ (general staff) diary is here and is well worth looking at. Amongst other things it includes location plans for the time that you are interested in. The 81 Brigade HQ diary is here.

 

His Soldier's Effects record has his death as being killed in action 9th/10th May 1915.

 

Regards

Chris

[Mark Taylor]

Thanks you so much for that both. I didn't realise war diaries have now been digitised so I will definitely be following up on this and I have an Ancestry subscription so can see the efects record, very moving. 

 

Mark