Aurel Sercu Posted 11 September , 2016 Share Posted 11 September , 2016 I would appreciate if someone has the 1/5th KOYLI War Diary and would take the trouble to see what it written for 1-15 July 1915. (1-10 July would be fine too.) The reason why I ask. I am looking at some pages from a soldier's personal diary, especially the days he was in Flanders. From 1st July (Watou) till the day he died (Boezinge, 10 July 1915). He stopped writing on 7 July. I would like to compare what he writes with what is in the War Diary. He does not write much though. E.g. 4 July: Nothing unusual 5th July : Still stationed at Watou. 6th July : ditto 7 July: Still at Watou. And then it stops ... But I know William Pike's headstone, in Talana Farm Cemetery. Aurel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger H Posted 11 September , 2016 Share Posted 11 September , 2016 Aurel i have electronic copies but I am busy tonight. Will tomorrow do? Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurel Sercu Posted 12 September , 2016 Author Share Posted 12 September , 2016 Roger, Of course tomorrow (or the day after tomorrow etc.?) will do. These pages have been lying here in front of me for 3 weeks. So it can wait. Thanks ! Aurel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger H Posted 12 September , 2016 Share Posted 12 September , 2016 Aurel Here we are: 1st July: (8pm Fletres) Marched out of billets to WATOU where we arrived about 12.30am on the 2nd. 2nd July: Arrived at WATOU and went into billets outside the town. 3rd July: Remained in billets. General Sir H Plumer Cmdg 2nd Army inspected the Brigade and seemed well pleased. Draft of 50 NCO's and men arrived from 2/5 Battalion. 4th July: Sunday. Day of rest. 5th July: Major General Sir John Keir Cmdg 6th Corps inspected the Battalion. All well! 6th July: Remained at WATOU 7th July: Remained at WATOU 8th July: The Senior Major and Officers and NCO's to represent each company went for 24 hours instruction in the trenches. Battalion marched out at 8pm and bivouacked in wood near ELVERDINGHE 9th July: (Boesinghe) Took over trenches previously held by 1st East Lancashire Regiment. Several dead bodies still remaining in trenches on left of our sector. Lieut M M Wadsworth, Machine Gun Officer, killed. 10th July: In trenches. Enemy bombarded heavily during the day. Six NCO's and men killed, 30 wounded. 11th July: In trenches. Fairly quiet day. 2nd Lieut A B H Clayton slightly wounded. One man killed and six wounded. 12th July: In trenches. Nothing unusual. 4 men wounded. 13th July: In trenches. Very heavy bombardment by enemy commenced about 7pm apparently with idea of attacking. Gas shells used freely. Our artillery replied effectively (Which included my Grandfather's Battery Aurel - I mention the action in my book!) and bombardment died down about 10.45 pm without attack coming off. 2nd Lieut J O Atchison killed in the afternoon. Other Ranks 1 man killed, 23 wounded, also a few more slightly gassed. 14th July: In trenches. Fairly peaceful day except for a little shelling. 2 men killed, 5 wounded. Relieved by 1 company 5th York and Lancaster Regiment and part of Battalion of 147th Infantry Brigade. Very wet night and relief slow and difficult. 15th July: In rest area near ELVERDINGHE Chateau. Major R F Turner, 2nd Lieut's E H O Keats and S M Matthews arrived from England. Also Captain N S Walker and 2nd Lieut W R Atkin from Base. I hope this helps Aurel - it looks like you man was one of six men killed on the 10th. If you want any more details please let me know. It has been a pleasure to actually answer a question from you - rather than me pestering you!! Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurel Sercu Posted 12 September , 2016 Author Share Posted 12 September , 2016 (edited) Roger, Thank you so much. That is very useful ! I intend to write a short article about this man's last 10 days. As soon as it is finished, I'll send you a (digital) copy. Aurel P.S. Roger, I forgot ... You pestering me ? OK, if you did, now it is my turn : "Quintana won the Vuelta. Chris Froome did not." :-) Edited 12 September , 2016 by Aurel Sercu Forgot something Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger H Posted 12 September , 2016 Share Posted 12 September , 2016 I would be very interested to see the article Aurel. As for the cycling.....no comment! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oggy2378 Posted 1 January , 2017 Share Posted 1 January , 2017 Roger, Would you be able to extend the diary coverage by a couple of days please? My Great grandfather Robert Clegg Hutchinson died of wounds received "a day or two" before the 17th July 1915 according to some information I received only this week. Little by litlle I am uncovering his story and sharing it as shown in the link below. Many thanks Wayne https://livesofthefirstworldwar.org/lifestory/2029058 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger H Posted 1 January , 2017 Share Posted 1 January , 2017 Wayne I am afraid what I have doesn't help, but here it is anyway: 16th July: Rest Area. Private G. (Indecipherable) (No. 4041) B Coy wounded on a working party. 17th July: Rest Area. 2 Coys moved up from Reserve to Support area I would hazard a guess that your man was one of the ones wounded on either the 13th or the 14th July? Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oggy2378 Posted 1 January , 2017 Share Posted 1 January , 2017 Roger, That would be my guess too. There are 21 other KOYLI's in total buried together with the same date of death in Voormezeele Enc No 3. I wonder if they all died of wounds? (Just realised they were 2nd battalion, so would that put them in another place than the 1st/5th of Aurel's enquiry?) Sorry for the confusion on my behalf. Many thanks Wayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger H Posted 1 January , 2017 Share Posted 1 January , 2017 The 2nd Battalion of KOYLI was a regular army Battalion. I'm afraid I don't have their War Diary so I am unable to confirm their whereabouts. Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurel Sercu Posted 1 January , 2017 Author Share Posted 1 January , 2017 Wayne, I'm afraid I can't help you either. The KOYLI's I am interested in were 1/5th Bn. They were 148th Brigade (49th (West Riding) Division). In July 1915 they were in Boezinge (north of Ypres). Robert Hutchinson was 2nd Bn KOYLI (13th Brigade, 5th Division). And Voormezele is SE of Ypres. Aurel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oggy2378 Posted 1 January , 2017 Share Posted 1 January , 2017 Thank you both for your time. Aurel, thank you, I have visited his grave at Voormezeele and my mother laid a wreath and memorial. You also took some photos for me at Talana Farm last June of Ernest Trewartha's grave who I have been researching.You may remember his grandson lives just three doors from me. He sends his thanks. It's just a little confusing now as to how he could end up in a regular unit. He enlisted in August 1915 and was a miner at Houghton Main colliery, near Barnsley. They were recruited at the pit head and would therefore go into the volunteer battalions. Possibly because of his birthplace of Bishop Auckland he initially joined the Durham L I and transferred to the KOYLI in May 1915. Looks like more digging to be done. Best wishes for 2017 to you both. Wayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurel Sercu Posted 2 January , 2017 Author Share Posted 2 January , 2017 Wayne, I have just sent a PM. Aurel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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