1/8th Bn London Reg - Post office Rifles

[mjsl]

Researching Wallis Bristow Riddiford, rifleman in the 1/8th London Regiment. He died of wounds on 26 August 1917 but is listed as having no know grave, which seems strange. Does anyone have any information from the Regiments war diary for August 1917 that might shed any light his death. I think the regiment was involved in the Third Battles of Ypres during this time.

[EDWARD1]

His Soldiers Effects state  died 42 FA whose diary for the 26/8/17 has them at H27C1.9 (28NW3)

[kenf48]

The 1/8 diary, regrettably is not very informative.  Shows the Battalion relieved the 23rd London in the line on the 26th, Battalion HQ at Bellewarde Ridge.  “Casualties during period 27 - 30 ......1 OR killed 16 OR wounded on the 27th....”.  They came out of the line on the 30th.

 

Ken

[mjsl]

Thanks for the information, I presume that the 42 FA refers to the 42nd Fields Ambulance. This FA unit looks like it was associated with the 14^th (Light) Division. The Post Office Rifles were in the 140^th Brigade 47^th Division. I am not sure what the location H27C1.9 (28NW3) exactly refers to but I guess the 14th division must have been fighting close to the PO Rifles during this period. 

[kenf48]

29 minutes ago, mjsl said:

Thanks for the information, I presume that the 42 FA refers to the 42nd Fields Ambulance. This FA unit looks like it was associated with the 14^th (Light) Division. The Post Office Rifles were in the 140^th Brigade 47^th Division. I am not sure what the location H27C1.9 (28NW3) exactly refers to but I guess the 14th division must have been fighting close to the PO Rifles during this period. 

 

Not necessarily, he was evacuated to the Field Ambulance which was located at the map reference given (there is a page on interpreting trench maps on the LLT)

The map is here

 

The 1/8 war diary talks about a Company occupying a post without opposition on the 27 -30 August at J 8 a 92 (Sheet Hooge 1:10000). I can't find this sheet but seems quite close in terms of evacuation of the wounded.

 

Ken

[mjsl]

Once again thanks for the help. The map reference is just northwest of Dickebusch and close by the CWGC Huts Cemetery, which took its name from a line of huts strung along the road from Dickebusch to Brandhoek used by field ambulances during the 1917 Allied offensive, so it all makes sense. The area had many artillery positions nearby and must have been heavy shelled since nearly two-thirds of the burials are of gunners, which may the reason that the location of the grave was lost.