Kings Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) 8th Battalion

[Mary Carter]

My Great Uncle was William Charles Cass..... number 28264.  He joined his regt. on 14th January 1915.  Killed in action 6th July 1918.  He is buried in a cemetery in Bethune, France.  Any info would be gratefully received.

[DavidOwen]

Hello Mary and welcome to the forum

 

The diary for the 8th Battalion for the period of his death can be downloaded from the National Archives for a small fee https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7352095

If you have Ancestry it should also be available there.

 

Don't expect him to be mentioned by name, other ranks rarely were but the diary should give you an idea of what was happening at the time of his death. The CWGC have him as died on 7th July.

 

I have edited your title to change Lancashire to Lancaster.

 

Take a look at the Long Long Trail link above as there is plenty of information on how to research a soldier there. Feel free to ask questions and good luck with your research.

 

David

[Mary Carter]

Many thanks David.

[MaxD]

Part of his service record is on Findmypast showing he started in the Army Service Corps and was later compulsorily transferred to the KORL first to 11 Battalion then 8 Battalion. If you have a subscription:

https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=gbm%2fwo363-4%2f007285032%2f00050&parentid=gbm%2fwo363-4%2f7285032%2f3%2f47

 

Ancestry also has records but again a sub is needed.

 

Max

[Mary Carter]

  I am on Ancestry but not seen any of this info so thank you very much.  

[MaxD]

As you have Ancestry here are some links:

Service record (no need for FMP)  https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=1219&h=327148&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=MvA4575&_phstart=successSource

 

Medal card https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/1262/30850_A000297-01991?pid=2283824&backurl=https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv%3D1%26dbid%3D1262%26h%3D2283824%26tid%3D%26pid%3D%26usePUB%3Dtrue%26_phsrc%3DMvA4576%26_phstart%3DsuccessSource&treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=MvA4576&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true

 

8 Battalion war diary https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/60779/43112_1436_0-00000?backurl=&ssrc=&backlabel=Return

 

Register of soldiers' Effects https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/60506/42511_6117462_0163-00131?pid=225036&backurl=https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?_phsrc%3DMvA4578%26_phstart%3DsuccessSource%26usePUBJs%3Dtrue%26indiv%3D1%26db%3Dukarmyregisterseffects%26gsln%3Dcass%26cp%3D0%26_F8007A65%3D28264%26new%3D1%26rank%3D1%26uidh%3D6x5%26redir%3Dfalse%26gss%3Dangs-d%26pcat%3D39%26fh%3D0%26h%3D225036%26recoff%3D%26ml_rpos%3D1&treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=MvA4578&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true

 

Sorry about the long links, rubbish at shortening them!

 

Do ask as David has said if any of the above prompts questions.

 

Max

[MaxD]

When you get to the diary entries for the first week of July 1918,  the map and image at https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=14&lat=50.5741&lon=2.6224&layers=101723830&right=BingHyb will be of use.  The trenches the battalion were occupying were in the Hinges (just north of Bethune) sector, all easily identifiable on the map (the diary mentions the Lancaster line which I believe is shown on the trench map as Lancashire line.

 

Max.

Edited 10 May , 2019 by MaxD
Spelling of Bethune

[Mary Carter]

Thank you so much.......that should keep me busy for a while.