Pvt. Louis Reginald Guy, Northamptonshire Rgt.

[Melf1918]

Hello, I would really like to find more information about Pvt. Louis Reginald Guy, from Northamptonshire Regiment. I recently bought an Mk1 helmet which is most likely his.

 

Here's his Medal Index Card, there's also another document on that site but it needs a paid membership. https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?_phsrc=ECL10&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&indiv=1&_phtarg=ECL1&dbid=1262&gsfn=Louis Reginald&gsln=Guy&cp=0&_F00061C3=Northamptonshire Regiment&new=1&rank=1&uidh=qq2&redir=false&msT=1&gss=angs-d&pcat=39&fh=0&h=3217553&recoff=&ml_rpos=1

 

Is it possible to know when he enlisted and were he served (most likely Western Front since arround 1916/17)? I would also like to find more personal info about him, I have found a few possible british men with the same names from that time, but none of them were from Northamptonshire. If you have any info or advice to search I would be really grateful.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

[ForeignGong]

Hi The other doc is the medal roll itself and states what is on his MIC and notes Class Z 19 Jul 19

[mancpal]

hhello, he would not necessarily have had to have come from Northamptonshire to be part of that regiment. After a certain point in the war men were posted to where they were most needed either as new recruits or those returning after injury or sickness.

 

Simon

Edited 16 August , 2019 by mancpal

[MaxD]

The medal roll for the Northamptonshire Regiment has him serving in 2nd Battalion. He has no 1914 or 1914/1915 Star so served overseas after the end of 1915.

 

There are four war diaries at National Archives.  Three of them (note the dates) cover the period he was most likely with them:https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_aq=WO 95&_ep=2 battalion northamptonshire regiment&_dss=range&_ro=any&_st=adv

 

All of the diary on Ancestry at:

 

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/60779/43112_1722_0-00000?backurl=&ssrc=&backlabel=Return

 

Max

 

PS  He came from Wolverhampton (census returns)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 16 August , 2019 by MaxD
census

[Stebie9173]

The notes in Mike Chappell's British Battle insignia, page 12, noted that the units of 24th Brigade, 8th Division (of which 2nd Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment were part) wore halved circles as battle patches on their shoulders. The illustration there matches the insignia on the helmet.

 

41435 Louis Reginald Guy appears to be (by analysis of service records with nearby numbers) part of a large group of men diverted from other battalions at the Infantry Base Depot in June 1918 to replace the entire 2nd Battalion lost at the Chemin des Dames on 27 May 1918. They were transferred and renumbered on the 17 June 1918 and joined 2nd Battalion on 20 June 1918. Due to the number of men needed to replace such heavy losses they came from a variety of Regiments, but a lot seem to have come through the Sherwood Foresters having been mobilised in January 1918.

 

 

Steve.

[Melf1918]

Hello and thank you very much to everyone who helped me, Im glad I decided to post this here.

 

I saw it on the Osprey book too, I woud love to find period photographs of it being worn in helmets, as far as I know this was a later war (or even early post-war) practice.

 

So he served in 8th Division, 24th Brigade, 48th Regiment "Northamptonshire". Here's a list of actions each batallion was involved in https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/units/277/northamptonshire-regiment

If he joined the 2nd Batallion on 20 June 1918, he would have fought in the Battle of The Scarpe and Artois.

 

Louis Reginald Guy appears on the 1901 and 1911 census, although some sites say he was born in 1899 and others that he was born in 1900.

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/27S5-9HZ

Interestingly, he was 91st Mayor of Wolverhampton in 1950-51 but sadly I couldn't find any pictures of him yet. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mayors_of_Wolverhampton

 

Only have one doubt left, what does "Class Z 19 Jul 19" mean?

[kenf48]

4 hours ago, Melf1918 said:

Only have one doubt left, what does "Class Z 19 Jul 19" mean?

 

 

When researching a soldier it's always worth looking at the parent site, the Long Long Trail, the answer is usually there

https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/a-soldiers-life-1914-1918/enlisting-into-the-army/british-army-reserves-and-reservists/

 

There is a picture of him, probably taken in the 1950s on this page

http://www.historywebsite.co.uk/articles/Billinghams/cardealer.htm

 

In 1970-71 his son G.A.Guy (pictured) was also Mayor, and he asked his sister to be Mayoress, she died in 2012.  The article notes they buried a 'time capsule' wonder if there were any more WW1 artefacts in it?

 

Ken

[Stebie9173]

His death record in 1974 states that he was born on 10 July 1899. The 1939 Register confirms that date. There is a family picture taken in 1910 on an Ancestry family tree. His father ran the Molineux Hotel in 1911 so the picture may have been taken there.

 

 

Steve.

[Melf1918]

12 hours ago, kenf48 said:

There is a picture of him, probably taken in the 1950s on this page

http://www.historywebsite.co.uk/articles/Billinghams/cardealer.htm

9 hours ago, Stebie9173 said:

His death record in 1974 states that he was born on 10 July 1899. The 1939 Register confirms that date. There is a family picture taken in 1910 on an Ancestry family tree. His father ran the Molineux Hotel in 1911 so the picture may have been taken there.

 

 

Thank you very much, very interesting info, exactly what I was looking for.

 

12 hours ago, kenf48 said:

When researching a soldier it's always worth looking at the parent site, the Long Long Trail, the answer is usually there

https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/a-soldiers-life-1914-1918/enlisting-into-the-army/british-army-reserves-and-reservists/

 

So that would mean he was posted to Class Z Reserve on July 19, 1919 if I'm correct.

I will keep looking for info, if I find anything more I will post it here.