7th Middlesex 1914 - 1916

[kenmorrison]

Can anyone help me please with whereabouts of the 1/7th Middlesex Regt. upto October 1916.

I have a Corporal 2772 Arthur Maxwell Niven who a local newspaper reported had enlisted in September 1914 and was posted to Gibraltar then Egypt. He was transferred as Lance Sergeant 10887 & 304278 to the 1/5th London Regiment and died on 9 October 1916.

Medal Rolls appear to confirm this with one (1915) showing disembarkation code 3 on 1/9/1915 and the other (V+B) as

Cpl 2772 Code 4a 1/9/15 – 8/5/16, Code 1a 15/5/16 – 2/7/16, L/Sgt 10887 & 304278 Code 1a 3/7/16 - 9/10/16.

 

However LLT shows the 7th Middlesex leaving Gib. in February 1915 for France to join the 8th Division.

My head is beginning to hurt!

Ken

 

[ss002d6252]

Just to add - the war gratuity would confirm the Sep 14 date.

Craig

[sotonmate]

A posting to Gibraltar was to an overseas Garrison not in a war zone, so no Theatre code. Posted to Egypt before mid-March 1916 was where the code 4A comes in. It also seems that the 1914-15 Star had code 3 which also means Egypt ! (LLT)

Later code 1A uses were for France and Flanders.

Head feeling better ?

Edited 5 October , 2016 by sotonmate

[kenmorrison]

Well it's a bit better cause that's what I thought (I'd even worked out the change of code for Egypt!) but reading LLT the battalion did not go any where near Egypt but went from Gib to Le Havre (via Barnet - the "pretty way"?)

 

September 1914 : left the Division and moved to Gibraltar, arriving 17 September.
February 1915 : returned to England. Moved to Barnet.
13 March 1915 : landed at Le Havre and two days later attached to 23rd Brigade in 8th Division.

 

Ken

[ss002d6252]

The star rolls shows other men of the battalion with the same date of entry and theatre - maybe some of their records survive which can be checked.

Craig

[NigelS]

I suspect he may have been with 2/7th Middx not 1/7th. My grandfather was with 2/7th which returned from Egypt & was disbanded in  France  with a large number of its men (my GF included) drafted to 1/5th London's (The London Rifle Brigade) on 3/7/16 to make up that battalions strength following losses after the diversionary attack on Gommecourt on the 1st July. Not conclusive proof by any means, but my GF's initial number with the LRB, which must have been assigned at the time of the draft, was 10943  & not that far removed from 10887. Incidentally my GF's MIC & Medal roll entries for the 1915 Star also give entry into theatre as 1/9/15 (3) 

 

NigelS

[chrrip]

Can confirm he was with 2/7 Mx transferred 1/5 London 3.7.16. He was KIA 9.10.16 Les Boeufs; CWGC record confirms 5Th Londons

[kenmorrison]

Thanks guys!

I had the flash of inspiration in the wee small hours and checked the LLT for 2/7th Battalion and the dates match!

I had not expected to see a second line unit go overseas so early.

LLT

2/7th Battalion
Formed at Hornsey in September 1914 as a second line unit. Moved to Barnet and then Egham, where attached to 2/Middlesex Brigade (201st), 2/Home Counties Division (67th). Left the Division in February 1915 and moved to Gibraltar.
August 1915: moved to Egypt. Formed part of the Western Frontier Force.
May 1916 : moved to France, arriving Marseilles on 15 May 1916. Whole Bn went into quarantine camp for Typhus.
Disbanded in France on 10 June 1916.....

 

Ken