WilliamRev Posted 12 September , 2018 Share Posted 12 September , 2018 (edited) I am researching the British 3rd Infantry Division in the Great War, and am trying to find as many personal diaries, memoirs and autobiographies (i.e. that can be used as primary sources) that feature 3rd Division in a major or minor capacity. Ones that I already have thought of: There’s a Devil in the Drum by J.F. Lucy (3rd Div at Mons and after) The Devil’s Carnival (personal diaries of officers of 1st Northumberland Fusiliers, 3rd Div at Mons) Into Battle by John Glubb (whose unit of the RE worked with 3rd Division early-mid 1916 at St. Eloi) The Long Weekend by Wilfred Bion, (whose tank supported 3rd Div at Polygon Wood, Sept 1917) Trekking On by Deneys Reitz (who commanded 1st Royal Scots Fusiliers, 3rd Div, in last months of the war) Armageddon Road - Billy Congrieve VC’s diary 1914-16 (part of his army career was spent in 3rd Div, but can’t lay my hands on my copy at present) Are there others that Forum members can think of? Thanks, William Edited 12 September , 2018 by WilliamRev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunga Din Posted 12 September , 2018 Share Posted 12 September , 2018 2 Bn Royal Irish Rifles - Brig Gen Bird's personal diary 4th Bn Middlesex regt - Lt Woolacombe's personal diary both 1914-15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Maria Posted 12 September , 2018 Share Posted 12 September , 2018 The Burgoyne Diaries- 2nd Royal Irish Rifles 1914-15 The Phantom Brigade - 4th Middlesex 1914 The immortal first -4th Royal Fusiliers 1914 Wounded and a prisoner of war -1st Gordon Highlanders 1914 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamRev Posted 13 September , 2018 Author Share Posted 13 September , 2018 13 hours ago, Gunga Din said: 2 Bn Royal Irish Rifles - Brig Gen Bird's personal diary 4th Bn Middlesex regt - Lt Woolacombe's personal diary both 1914-15 Thanks for alerting me to the existence of these two. Have they been published? I couldn't find them in the National Archives records or the IWM, but I'm not sure that I have completely mastered the dark art of using the websites of either. Thanks BM for those four - I'm sure that I have a copy of the Burgoyne Diaries somewhere... Any other suggestions would be gratefully received, especially (like Into Battle by John Glubb) where it is not initially obvious that the book has a 3rd Division connection. Thanks, William Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin W Taylor Posted 13 September , 2018 Share Posted 13 September , 2018 Destiny - by Archie Browne - 4th RF 1916 - 1918 Have you delved into the CAB 45 files at Kew - these do not differentiate by division but there will be plenty of sources on 3 Division found within if you have the time to search. Kind regards Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamRev Posted 13 September , 2018 Author Share Posted 13 September , 2018 Dear Gunga Din and Colin, Many thanks for these posts - there is some great stuff here from both of you that gives me good leads for further research. William Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Wayman Posted 13 September , 2018 Share Posted 13 September , 2018 (edited) Hi William I have a couple of suggestions: 'A Quartermaster at the Front - the Diary of Lt-Col Allen Whitty, Worcestershire Regiment 1914-1919'. Notes, Maps & Editing by Edwin Astill. [Published by Tommies Guides]. 'An Unremarked Sacrifice - Pte Jimmy Aspley, the Story of an Old Contemptible'. I wrote the latter! Jimmy died on 27th November 1914 with 3/Worcestershire near Kemmel. I have tried to reconstruct his short army service - he was at Mons, Le Cateau, the Retreat, The Aisne, La Bassee and Ypres. Much of the story is based on the war diaries of his 3/Battalion, Worcestershire (7 Brigade and 3rd Division). I also have the war diaries on disc - I'm happy to do look-ups if you need them. Cheers Ken Edited 13 September , 2018 by Ken Wayman Correction Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Wayman Posted 13 September , 2018 Share Posted 13 September , 2018 Have just remembered another source I used: "The Great War Diaries of Brig-Gen Alexander Johnston 1914-1917". By Edwin Astill. Initially signals officer with 7 Brigade then with 3rd Division. Plenty of first-hand stuff here. Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamRev Posted 13 September , 2018 Author Share Posted 13 September , 2018 Hi Ken, Many thanks indeed for these pointers - there were very cheap secondhand copies of the Johnson and Whitty on Amazon which I have just this moment snapped up. I have found copies of your book - slightly more expensive, so I will explore this when funds have been refreshed! William Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 13 September , 2018 Share Posted 13 September , 2018 William, Just looked at the CAB45 files following Colin's suggestions in CAB45/194 various bits from 4th Royal Fusiliers 2nd South Lancs 2nd Royal Irish Rifles 3rd Worcesters CAB45/195 1st Lincolnshires 2nd Royal Irish Rifles 1st Royal Scots Fusiliers CAB45/196 1st Gordon Highlanders CAB45/197 3rd Division, GSO1 1st Gordon Highlanders 1st Wiltshires CAB45/198 9th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Division 4th Middlesex 1st Northumberland Fusiliers 3rd Worcesters Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin W Taylor Posted 14 September , 2018 Share Posted 14 September , 2018 William, A few additions: Honour Satisfied by Frank Warren, I believe some of his service in late 1916-early 1917 was with 20th KRRC - I haven't got my copy to hand to confirm though. In Good Company, William Fraser, covers 1st Gordons in late 1918. These papers at the IWM will be worth a look as the author was both with 76th Bde and GSO3 of the division - I've only seen the pages from early 1918 though - https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1030010897 There is a diary by Lt Robinson of 8th Fd Amb for parts of 1914 in WO95/1407. This book includes the letters of a chap from 2nd S Lancs - ignore the paranormal bits - https://archive.org/search.php?query=raymond life after death I'm frustrated I forgot Johnstone's book! Are you looking to write a history of the division? I'm sure there would be a few who would welcome one being written beyond the potted history already produced. It's probably still got plenty of interest being our only surviving fighting division. I've come across a few letters in the CAB 45 papers to Edmunds from Deverell who commanded 3rd Division; I don't have a full set though. Kind regards Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamRev Posted 14 September , 2018 Author Share Posted 14 September , 2018 Hi Colin, thanks for these. I have long been obsessed with 3rd Division. I started to write about the division 4 years ago, and then realised that I lacked the necessary skills, so I took the part-time MA in Britain and the First World War at University of Wolverhampton. My dissertation was on 3rd Division at the Battle of Polygon Wood, and all going well it will appear as a chapter in a book sometime soon. I now have a chance of doing a PhD there (this is by no means a done-deal - I'm still in negotiations!), and it will be on some aspect of the 3rd Division. So yes, in the long term I may well return to my idea of writing the history of 3rd Division if no one else has done so by then. William Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamRev Posted 15 September , 2018 Author Share Posted 15 September , 2018 Just to add to my own list (in case anyone else is interested), I have come across Alec Waugh's The Early Years of Alec Waugh. He was Evelyn Waugh's elder brother, and a well-known novelist in his day; he was a lieutenant in 233rd Machine Gun Company with 3rd Division from mid 1917 until his capture during the March 1918 offensive. William Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Taylor Posted 15 December , 2018 Share Posted 15 December , 2018 Here's a few more sources: Gill, Fr H.V. SJ, DSO, MC, War Reminiscences of, 1914–1918, held by Irish Jesuit Archives, Dublin, unpublished. Lowry, Captain Gerald (1933), From Mons to 1933, London. Prisoner of War Statements, National Archives, WO161/98. Taylor, James W. (2005), The 2nd Royal Irish Rifles in the Great War, Dublin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edwin astill Posted 15 December , 2018 Share Posted 15 December , 2018 (edited) Thanks to those who mentioned my editing of Johnston & Whitty. There will be a lot of good material in archives - Leeds University Liddle Collection for instance. You could probably spend a useful week there. I'm always surprised that there does not seem to be a history of the 3rd Div in the Great War. Good luck and let us know how you get on. Edwin Edited 15 December , 2018 by edwin astill Typo fixed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamRev Posted 4 January , 2019 Author Share Posted 4 January , 2019 Jimmy - I have only just found your reply; I will investigate all these in due course (although I have already found a very cheap copy of the Gerald Lowry book online and have purchased it). Many thanks! William Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBrockway Posted 4 January , 2019 Share Posted 4 January , 2019 More of a battalion history than you're probably looking for, but Turberville's A Short History of the 20th Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps (B.E.L. Pioneers) 1915-1919 does have a fair bit of eye witness material. It's available on archive.org IIRC. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamRev Posted 5 January , 2019 Author Share Posted 5 January , 2019 Mark, yes you are right - it is on archive.org and has some very interesting details. Many thanks! William Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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