WW1 South Lancashire Lance Corporal WA Dickens WW!

[Guest]

Hi

I am researching my GGF, Lance Corporal William Alfred Dickens, Service number 8838, who served in B Coy South Lancashire Regiment.  He was born in Essex and was killed in action on 20 September 2014 and is buried in Vailly British Cemeetry.

 

With the help of the Lancashire Infantry museum I know that he joined service in March 1908 and served in Buttevant Ireland.

He must have moved to Dublin at some point, as  he married my GGM, an Irish woman, and they had two children before he left for WW1 in 2014.

 

If anyone has details of where South Lancs were based in Ireland from 1908-14 and/or details of B Companys engagement in WW1 up to his death I would be grateful.

 

Many thanks

Mark.

 

 

 

 

[Mark1959]

Welcome. 

I would suggest you read

http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/how-to-research-a-soldier/

This will help your research.

The best source is the unit war diary for the brief period he was overseas. This is available on Ancestry if you have it. Or can be downloaded from the national Archives. His Medal indicates he went to France on 14/8/14. This was when the battalion, 2SLancs of which B Company was a part, went. The diary for the battalion is brief. However, it shows he and many others in his battalion lost their lives during a German attack on Sunday 20/9/14. 

The CWGC record shows he was exhumed from his battlefield burial site in 1923 before being moved to where he now lies. He was identified because his regiment and number were stamped on a piece of his boot found with the body.

Effects records shows enlisted 5/3/08 and was a shop assistant at the time. Born Leyton. 

He has a brief entry in De Ruvigny’s Roll of Honour. Sadly no photo. Adds nothing in detail.

Edited 19 January , 2018 by Mark1959

[Guest]

Thanks Mark 1959.

 

That is very helpful.

 

Regards

Mark