Jojessholli Posted 23 May , 2019 Share Posted 23 May , 2019 Hi Guys, Can anyone put me a link on here to the war diary (either on Ancestry or N/A) for the 3rd Battalion, East Surrey - July 1916 - I have a subscription to Ancestry, but can't locate the diary. Same on the Nat A! Or at least tell me they don't exist lol! I'm looking in particular for the link to the diary for July 1916. Please someone help this dimwit! Regards Vic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonbem Posted 23 May , 2019 Share Posted 23 May , 2019 From Long Long Trail at https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/east-surrey-regiment/ 3rd (Reserve) Battalion August 1914 : in Kingston-upon-Thames. A depot/training unit, it moved to Grand Shaft Barracks at Dover and remained there throughout the war. 19 November 1918: moved to Bridge of Allan. February 1919: moved to Glasgow. so therefore is it 3/5th? 3/5th and 3/6th Battalions Formed at Wimbledon and Kingston-upon-Thames respectively in July 1915 as depot/training (“third line”) units. Moved to Cambridge 1 January 1916. 3 April 1916 : moved to Crowborough and became Reserve Bns. 5th then absorbed 6th on 1 September 1916. Moved to Tonbridge in October 1916 and finally Tunbridge Wells in September 1918. War diary mentioned HERE on Nat Archives, but not digitised for download, Surrey History Centre, not available at The National Archives Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jojessholli Posted 23 May , 2019 Author Share Posted 23 May , 2019 21 minutes ago, jonbem said: From Long Long Trail at https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/east-surrey-regiment/ 3rd (Reserve) Battalion August 1914 : in Kingston-upon-Thames. A depot/training unit, it moved to Grand Shaft Barracks at Dover and remained there throughout the war. 19 November 1918: moved to Bridge of Allan. February 1919: moved to Glasgow. so therefore is it 3/5th? 3/5th and 3/6th Battalions Formed at Wimbledon and Kingston-upon-Thames respectively in July 1915 as depot/training (“third line”) units. Moved to Cambridge 1 January 1916. 3 April 1916 : moved to Crowborough and became Reserve Bns. 5th then absorbed 6th on 1 September 1916. Moved to Tonbridge in October 1916 and finally Tunbridge Wells in September 1918. War diary mentioned HERE on Nat Archives, but not digitised for download, Surrey History Centre, not available at The National Archives Thanks for the information - I'm looking at a soldier (a relative) who went into the army under an alias (John William Andrew Emms - alias John Robertson) - it would appear from his records that he originally enlisted with the Worcesters and left in 1913 (discharged). On 14th August 1914, he reenlisted in Bristol with the Hussars, but was moved to the 1st Bat, East Surrey then to the 3rd Bat East Surrey - where he was killed exactly a year after entering into theatre (France - entered 20/7/15 and died 20/7/16). His three regimental numbers are 14016, 10185, 12782 - there is tons of stuff on him - even an obituary of how he died. What I want is to read the diary for the month leading up to his death and to see if he was mentioned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clk Posted 23 May , 2019 Share Posted 23 May , 2019 Hi Vic, 48 minutes ago, jonbem said: so therefore is it 3/5th? 3/5th and 3/6th Battalions Formed at Wimbledon and Kingston-upon-Thames respectively in July 1915 as depot/training (“third line”) units. Moved to Cambridge 1 January 1916. 3 April 1916 : moved to Crowborough and became Reserve Bns. 5th then absorbed 6th on 1 September 1916. Moved to Tonbridge in October 1916 and finally Tunbridge Wells in September 1918. I think that is irrelevant. The 3rd Battalion was a reserve battalion in the Regular Army. The 3/5 Bn (3rd line, 5th Bn) was a reserve battalion in the Territorial Force, They were not the same unit. As the 3rd Bn was UK based, there was no requirement to keep a war diary, so you won't find one at the National Archives or on Ancestry. I haven't seen the records you refer to, but his CWGC record suggests that he died whilst serving with the 1st Bn. On Ancestry their war diary for July 1916 starts here, and the 95 Infantry Brigade HQ diary starts here. Regards Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jojessholli Posted 24 May , 2019 Author Share Posted 24 May , 2019 13 hours ago, clk said: Hi Vic, I think that is irrelevant. The 3rd Battalion was a reserve battalion in the Regular Army. The 3/5 Bn (3rd line, 5th Bn) was a reserve battalion in the Territorial Force, They were not the same unit. As the 3rd Bn was UK based, there was no requirement to keep a war diary, so you won't find one at the National Archives or on Ancestry. I haven't seen the records you refer to, but his CWGC record suggests that he died whilst serving with the 1st Bn. On Ancestry their war diary for July 1916 starts here, and the 95 Infantry Brigade HQ diary starts here. Regards Chris Hi Chris - I think you are right it was 1st Battalion - I've been going through his records and found a page that refers (I'm sure) to the 1st Battalion - it looks like he was transferred back and forth a bit. Please see the image: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clk Posted 24 May , 2019 Share Posted 24 May , 2019 Hi Vic, So... 12.8.1914 - joined up, and posted to Southern Cavalry Depot 26.8.1914 - posted 9 Reserve Cavalry Regiment 2.6.1915 - transferred (from the cavalry to the army) to 3/East Surrey 20.7.1915 - posted 1/East Surrey (for active overseas service) 20.9.1915 - posted Depot (possibly as the result of sickness, or a wounding. Is there anything in the file that might indicate that?) 11.3.1916 - posted 3/East Surrey 6.4.1916 - posted 1/East Surrey (for active overseas service) 20.7.1916 - KiA Regards Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jojessholli Posted 24 May , 2019 Author Share Posted 24 May , 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, clk said: Hi Vic, So... 12.8.1914 - joined up, and posted to Southern Cavalry Depot 26.8.1914 - posted 9 Reserve Cavalry Regiment 2.6.1915 - transferred (from the cavalry to the army) to 3/East Surrey 20.7.1915 - posted 1/East Surrey (for active overseas service) 20.9.1915 - posted Depot (possibly as the result of sickness, or a wounding. Is there anything in the file that might indicate that?) 11.3.1916 - posted 3/East Surrey 6.4.1916 - posted 1/East Surrey (for active overseas service) 20.7.1916 - KiA Regards Chris Thanks Chris - from his obituary, it states he was wounded at La Basse - but I can't find anything that relates to that in his records. Image taken from The roll Of Honour (Ancestry.co.uk) Edited 24 May , 2019 by Jojessholli Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 24 May , 2019 Admin Share Posted 24 May , 2019 (Please don't forget to credit the sources images are taken from.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jojessholli Posted 24 May , 2019 Author Share Posted 24 May , 2019 6 minutes ago, DavidOwen said: (Please don't forget to credit the sources images are taken from.) Sorry - is what I've done okay David? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 24 May , 2019 Admin Share Posted 24 May , 2019 1 minute ago, Jojessholli said: Sorry - is what I've done okay David? Yes thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clk Posted 24 May , 2019 Share Posted 24 May , 2019 Hi Vic, Taking the obituary at face value, and that he was wounded and invalided home, I would tend to look at the Battalion war diary for the period shortly before when he was posted to the Depot in September 1915. In administrative terms, when men were seriously wounded it is common to see the same thing. This took them off the strength of the fighting unit, and would allow for a reinforcement to be claimed. A Depot posting in those circumstances would allow for hospitalisation, any ongoing treatment and a period of recuperation, before a medical board assessed whether a man was fit enough to return to full or reduced duties, or should be discharged. Regards Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jojessholli Posted 25 May , 2019 Author Share Posted 25 May , 2019 Thanks Chris - as always much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Eyden Posted 19 May , 2020 Share Posted 19 May , 2020 Sorry if I am a year late, but a War Diary for the 3rd East Surreys (at Dover) does exist, but only from August 1914 to June 1916. You can read it here: http://queensroyalsurreys.org.uk/war_diaries/local/3Bn_East_Surrey.shtml Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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