War Diary 7 Somerset Light Infantry

[Honora]

Dear All 

 

Is it just me not able to locate the war diary for 7th Bn Somerset Light Infantry on Ancestry, or has it not been uploaded onto the site?

 

All is not lost because I could download from TNA - and in any case I have the excellent

 Moorhouse, Brendan. 'Forged by Fire - The battle tactics and soldiers of a world war one battalion - the 7th Somerset Light Infantry' Pen and Sword 2003, and re-released in 2015 as a paperback and Kindle e-book.

Which I will probably use instead.

 

(However I've just been informed the last village cricket match of the season is on despite yesterday's appalling weather and I will need to go and make the teas!!)

 

Many thanks 

 

Honora

 

 

Edited 4 September , 2016 by Honora

[TomW]

Does anyone have a copy/transcript  of the diary entry for 17th September 1916?

[Ron Clifton]

Hello Honora

 

The War Diary is at Kew and should be downloadable for £3.50. Here is the reference:

WO 95/2127 7 Battalion Somerset Light Infantry 1915 July - 1919 May  
 

There are other diaries in the same box so you may have to add /1 after the reference.

 

What trips many people up when searching is the syntax: 7 Battalion, not 7th Bn.

 

Ron

[Honora]

Dear Ron

 

Many  thanks for this - have not been on the forum for a few days

 

Honora

 

[Jon1906]

I had the same problem with ancestry, and ended up paying for it from the National Archives. 

But... I did find the war diary of the 7th Somersets after I'd already paid for it. Ancestry has hidden it well. Go down the list to "Various (Infantry Brigades, 20th Division)" then select "20th Division" and then you'll find the last three options are for the 61st Brigade. The war diaries for all of the battalions of the brigade are in there. 7th Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, 7th Somerset Light Infantry, etc.

Jonathan