Royal Sussex Regiment

[Colinmspeller]

Hi guys wondering if anyone can help me I’m trying to find out what battalion Ernest Finch was in he was in the Royal Sussex Regiment service number  3761 many thanks Colin 

[Mark1959]

On enlistment  (29/1/15) he went into 13th battalion (3rd South Down). Born Tunbridge Wells. Enlisted Bexhill. Source: Southdown Battalion 1914-18. Of course he may not have stayed with that battalion

He was later in the  Labour Corps, 534265

He appears on a War Office wounded list published 26/9/17. Still with the regiment then but does not specify battalion

edit

Found surviving service papers that ancestry has under 634265

He went to 14th in Aug 1915

15th in Dec 1915

Back to the 14th March 1916

Back to 13th June 1916

Posted to Depot Aug 1917

3rd Battn - Jan 1918

to Labour Corps (572 Agricultural Company) March 1918

Overseas 16/6/16 to 26/8/17

Wounded 16/8/17 GSW Chest

Demobbed May 1919. 

So his overseas service was with the 13th. Depot probably an admin posting as may have been recuperating from his wound

War Diary shows 13th at Bois Confluent, Dickebusch on 16/8/17. The unit was at work on trench improvement. There had been some nearby shelling the previous evening. So looks like wounding was one of these events outside of the major actions or the date is not accurate. GSW can mean shrapnel or gunshot. Reading the WD wil give you some idea where he went. Available on ancestry and from the national archives.

Edited 5 October , 2019 by Mark1959

[Colinmspeller]

Mark that’s great many thanks Colin 

[PRC]

7 hours ago, Mark1959 said:

Available on ancestry and from the national archives.

 

And on the West Sussex County Council website :-)

http://www2.westsussex.gov.uk/learning-resources/LR/learning/learning_resources/great_war_west_sussex_1914-18/the_royal_sussex_regiment/battalion_war_diaries.html

 

Cheers,

Peter

[Philip]

Hi,

Ernest Finch was my Great Grandad. What’s your connection?

Philip Finch