23 august 1914

[Estienne]

Hello,

 

We call on volunteer specialists.

In order to complete our research on August 23, 1914 in our villages, we would like to focus on the 1st Battalion of the King's Royal Rifle Corps.

- We have already obtained the unit's diary (WO95/1358/3) and the "Annals of the KRRC" from Majore General Sir Stewart Mare - Volume 5.

- Contacted by us, the unit museum sent us a private diary from Lt-Col. E. Northey, who gives some details not mentioned in the "official" diary.

- However, at our request for letters from officers or soldiers present in Belgium on 23-24 August 1914, we were told that we had to call on someone professional.

- The problem is that I myself am a passionate volunteer in an association, and we can't afford such a professional research.

So we are appealing to goodwill, if anyone has knowledge of one or more letters from a member of the 1st Battalion of the KRRC, would he be so kind as to give us a copy?

 

Thank you in advance

[MBrockway]

On 13/10/2019 at 12:54, Estienne said:

Hello,

 

 

 

In order to finalize our study on the English presence in Haulchin (Belgium) on 22, 23 and 24 August 1914 we would like to ask for some help again.

 

We are looking for, if possible:

 

- a photo and a brief biography of E. Bertram Denison, Captain at the time of A Company of the ^1st Battalion, King's Royal Rifles Corps;

 

- a photograph of Lieutenant-Colonel Alexander Fraser Campbell, Captain in 1914 with B Company of the ^1st Battalion, King's Royal Rifles Corps;

 

- a photograph of Lieutenant-Colonel Frank Godfrey Willan, Captain in 1914 with C Company of the ^1st Battalion, King's Royal Rifles Corps;

 

- a photograph of Colonel Alfred Digby Legard, Captain in 1914 with D Company of the ^1st Battalion, King's Royal Rifles Corps.

 

Thank you in advance for your help

 

 

Denison ...

 

 

Willan ...

 

HTH

Mark

 

[MBrockway]

This picture of Denison is from 1918.

 

Incidentally, Major (temp Lt.-Col.) Denison was Edward Bridgeman DENISON, not E. Bertram.  Later in the war he had a spell from Jan to Jun 1916 as CO of the 21st (4th Public Schools) battalion, Royal Fusiliers, then served as CO of 1/KRRC from 03 Jun 1916 to 09 Jul 1917 when he was wounded and repatriated.  After recovery he acted as CO to 109th Training Reserve battalion (formerly 19/KRRC) on Wimbledon Common from 15 Oct 1917 until 11 Apr 1918. He then served as CO 11/KRRC from 12 Apr 1918 to the end of the war.

 

He was mentioned in despatches in 1915, 1916, 1917 and 1919 and was awarded the MC and DSO.

 

He was born 25 Sep 1880 an died in 1966.

 

He was a son of Brigadier General Henry Denison, C.B, C.B.E, of the Royal Engineers, and then, on retirement, the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry.

 

The family were distant descendants of King Edward III!

 

Lieutenant Colonel Edward Bridgeman Denison. © IWM (HU 121170) IWM Non Commercial License

 

 

 

Edited 5 December , 2019 by MBrockway

[stiletto_33853]

From The Royal Green Jackets Chronicle 1966.

[MBrockway]

Thanks Andy - as you know, the last KRRC Chronicle was 1965!

 

For the benefit of overseas Pals, the "In and Out" is the nickname for the Naval and Military Club, then in Piccadilly.

 

There are excellent photos of Denison with 7th (Militia) Bn., KRRC from 1900 and mounted in polo garb with 2/KRRC from 1902 in the members' posts section of Ancestry, but I cannot reproduce them here due to copyright.

 

Mark

[stiletto_33853]

No Problem Mark,

 

Eton Cricket v Harrow 1899

[Estienne]

Hello,

 

many thanks for these informations & pictures, very interesting

 

 

[Estienne]

Hello,

During our searches we found 3 extracts from a private diary of Lieutenant Francis Hemery Le Breton, officer at the 50th RFA Battery, present in Vellereille-le-Sec on 23 August 1914,

We found these extracts in the following two books:

- Peter Hart's "Fire & movement" - 2015
and
- Mons an Artillery battle by David Hutchinson

These two books indicate as a reference: "IWM private papers of Lt Francis Henry Le Breton, document 15384

Unfortunately, the document is not available online, and we would like to avoid having to go on site from Belgium, just for consulting the one (or, at best, very few) relevant pages.

 

Would anyone, by luck, have a copy or an easy way for us to get one ?

 

Regards

[Estienne]

On August 23, 1914, the day of the Battle of Mons, a violent artillery duel opposed the English and the Germans on the left of the 1st Corps of the B.E.F., almost at its junction with the 2nd Corps which was fighting in Mons. Never documented or barely mentioned in the specialized literature, this confrontation takes place in the middle of our rural villages.

 

During my research I discovered 3 extracts from a personal diary of a certain lieutenant Francis Henry Le Breton, officer in the 50th battery of the 34th brigade RFA [Royal Field Artillery], present at Vellereille-le-Sec on August 23 afternoon.

 

1st author: David Hutchison "Mons an artillery battle"

                                               (Helion & Colld - November 2018 - pages 97 and 98 and also page 112.)

2nd author: Peter Hart "Fire and Movement"

                                               (Oxford - University Press - 2015 - page110)

These 2 authors refer to the following reference:

                         “I.W.M. private papers of Lt Francis Henry Le Breton - 23 & 24 August 1914 -

                                                                                                                                        document 15.384 "

In order to access it on google :

write: "Lieutenant Le Breton Francis Henry 1914"

                on the 1st line: Private papers of lieutenant F.H. Le Breton / imperial war museum

                we arrive at: W.W.W.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/objet//1030015170

On this site we learn that the described diary begins on August 17, 1914 and ends on November 8, 1914 but that it is not digitized and therefore cannot be accessed online.

 

The pandemic no longer authorizes me to travel there. I am looking for the support of someone (a volunteer) who has a contact with a person or who can personally go there and scan, photograph or transcribe the pages relating to August 23 and 24, 1914 only.

 

Thank you

Léon Estienne (Belgium)