Ivor Anderson Posted 23 April , 2020 Share Posted 23 April , 2020 (edited) William George Daniels G/3505 - L/Cpl. 1st Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment Born 1884/5, Rogate, Surrey (from censuses). Cannot find his birth entry! Father William b.27-10-1861 Midhurst, Sussex (his parents James & Mary) 1891 Census - Parents William (29) & Harriett (26) Daniels - North Street, Midhurst. Father - ‘bricklayers labourer’. Siblings: Maud b.1883, Midhurst, Sussex, Annie b.1886, Midhurst, Sussex, Alice Helen, b.1891 Midhurst, Sussex, Horace James b.1892, Midhurst, Sussex, Frederick Arthur, b.1894 Midhurst, Sussex. 1901 - 9 Railway Terrace, Midhurst, Sussex. Gardener, aged 16, Father James aged 40, mother Mary 36 1911 - William working as Gardener at Normanhurst Court, Battle, Sussex 1912 - Parents (and younger siblings) emigrated to Emerson, Manitoba, Canada - there in 1926 WW1 - Enlisted 21-11-1914 (29 years 10 months) with 1st Battalion QRWS Regiment, at Guildford, Surrey. Arrived in France 23-02-1915 with 1st Battalion QRWS Regiment (Entitled to 1914-15 star & BWN & Victory Medal). MM listed in London Gazette no. 29731, 1st September 1916, p.8655 Schedule no. 41513. For gallantry in action during 15-21st July 1916 near Bazentin and Mametz Wood - attacking High Wood & Switch Trench. At some time during late 1916 to 1917 - Transferred to the 3/4th Battalion QRWS Regiment, no. T/206816 Killed in Action 4th October 1917 while serving with 3/4th Queen’s T/206816 aged 32, during action from trenches SE of Polygon Wood. Crossing toward 'Polygon Beek' and dug in at 'Jetty Warren'. 49 'other ranks' killed that day, 184 wounded, 19 missing (3 officers killed, 6 wounded). No known grave. Named on the Tyne Cot Memorial Wall. Seeking photo of panel! Death (including photo) recorded in Sussex Agricultural Express, Friday 7th December 1917, but online image very dark. 'Foreman gardener at Normanhurst'. PHOTOS: Two of his MM, Trench map re 4-10-1917 (date of death) and War diary page showing entry for MM end of July 1916 (no. 2505 instead of 3505). Edited 20 February by Ivor Anderson Additional information Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PRC Posted 23 April , 2020 Share Posted 23 April , 2020 2 hours ago, Ivor Anderson said: Born 1884/5, Rogate, Surrey (from censuses). Cannot find his birth entry! I've PM'd you, Cheers, Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivor Anderson Posted 23 April , 2020 Author Share Posted 23 April , 2020 (edited) Thanks Peter. Great stuff re. his birth - looks correct to me. What Peter discovered: The most likely marriage of William and Harriett was recorded in the Midhurst Civil Registration District of Sussex in the April to June quarter, (Q2), of 1885. The marriage of a William Daniels, a 23 year old widower, to Harriett Aylward, a 20 year old spinster, took place at St Bartholomew, Rogate, Sussex, on the 19th April 1885. William was a Labourer. His father was James Daniels, a Bricklayer. Harrietts’ father was George Aylward, a Labourer. Witnesses were George Aylward and Delora Aylward (her parents on 1881 census?). The marriage followed the reading of the Banns. N.B. The Birth of a William George Aylward was registered in the Midhurst District in the April to June quarter, (Q2), of 1885 – the same quarter as the 2nd marriage. Other children born to the couple after the marriage, · the birth of a Florence Annie Daniels, mothers maiden name Aylward, was registered Midhurst Distrist, Q4 1886. (Annie is 4 on the 1891 census, but d.1899). · the birth of an Alice Ellen Daniels, mothers maiden name Aylward, was registered Midhurst District, Q1 1891. · the birth of a Horace James Daniels, mothers maiden name Aylward, was registered Midhurst District, Q1 1892. · the birth of a Frederick Arthur Daniels, mothers maiden name Aylward, was registered Midhurst District, Q1 1894. William Daniels had previously married Annie Selvage on 24th March 1883 in Sussex, but she died later that year (after giving birth to twins Thomas & Maud). The twins were baptised on 18-11-1883. A Maud Jessie Daniels married a Charles Alexander White in Midhurst, Sussex in Q1 1908, they were living in Midhurst with a 2 year old son in 1911. Edited 24 April , 2020 by Ivor Anderson Additional information Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clk Posted 23 April , 2020 Share Posted 23 April , 2020 (edited) Hi Ivor, 5 hours ago, Ivor Anderson said: At some time during late 1916 to 1917 - Transferred to the 3/4th Battalion QRWS Regiment, no. T/206816 Possibly in January 1917. The service number is one that is associated with the number block allocated to the line units of the 4th Bn under the general renumber of the TF in 1917 - link. Records exist for a couple of near number 3/4 Bn men who bracket his 206816 number (206811 Butcher, and 206835 McLaren), both of whom seem to have been transferred/posted on 24.1.1917. Do you know if prior to that time if William might have been wounded/hospitalised, as I guess that might be an explanation for a transfer from a Regular to a TF unit? Regards Chris Edit: He left a 'Will' - link Edited 23 April , 2020 by clk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivor Anderson Posted 23 April , 2020 Author Share Posted 23 April , 2020 (edited) Thanks Chris, Unfortunately his personal service record does not seem to have survived? The casualty theory may well explain his battalion move, as the 1st battalion had 262 'other ranks' wounded between 15-21st July 1916 - WD page for end of July 1916 attached. Most of these casualties were during an attack west of High Wood, near Bazentin on 15th July 1916. WD records: 5 officers killed & 11 wounded, 28 ORs killed, 52 missing and 207 wounded ('20 sergeants and 58 other NCOs being among the casualties'). Their new positions were heavily shelled by the enemy and many of their own shells fell short, even landing behind them. They eventually withdrew under shell-fire. William's effects went to a Mary J. Longley - see 'soldier's effects' entry below. P.S. Apparently his brother Frederick served in the 8th Canadian Infantry (460765 A.CPL F. DANIELS) during WW1. He returned from Canada after WW1 and lived in north London, spent part of WW2 in local Home Guard (A.A. gunner). This brother had a son in the RN who was killed in a convoy which strayed into a minefield off Iceland. Daniel's military medal was purchased from his brother's family. Edited 4 May , 2020 by Ivor Anderson Additional information Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivor Anderson Posted 4 May , 2020 Author Share Posted 4 May , 2020 (edited) Killed in Action 4th October 1917 during the Battle of Broonseinde while serving as a L/Cpl. with 3/4th Queen’s T/206816, aged 32, during action from trenches SE of Polygon Wood. They had great difficulty crossing 'Polygon Beek' (a mud churned stream) and then withdrawing under heavy shell-fire to dug in at 'Jetty Warren'. 49 'other ranks' killed that day, 184 wounded, 19 missing (3 officers killed, 6 wounded). There were 9 VCs awarded for the Battle of Broonseinde on 4th October 1917: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Broodseinde William was one of the 19 missing that day. He has no known grave. Named on the Tyne Cot Memorial Wall. I have no photo of the panel (15). WD page for 4-10-1917 below: Edited 4 May , 2020 by Ivor Anderson Additional information Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivor Anderson Posted 4 May , 2020 Author Share Posted 4 May , 2020 (edited) Re. 4th October 1917. According to: https://www.wartimememoriesproject.com/greatwar/allied/division.php?pid=11552 the 3/4th Queen's were part of 62nd Brigade, 21st Division from August 1917 and took part in the Battle of Polygon Wood & Broodseinde as part of 3rd Ypres. This shows the barrage map section for 21st Division, east of Polygon Wood, for October 1917. 4th October was the 'Battle of Broodseinde'. This describes the 34th QRWS Regt. : https://ww1geek.com/2017/10/04/the-bayonet-was-freely-used/ 'Jetty Warren' where the 3/4th Queen's dug in is marked in the centre of this map extract: Edited 4 May , 2020 by Ivor Anderson Additional information Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivor Anderson Posted 19 August , 2020 Author Share Posted 19 August , 2020 (edited) The MM Index Card for Pte. W. G. Daniels G3505 - LG 1-9-1916, Schedule no. 41513 Consecutive schedule nos. for MMs were 9211 Pte T. Cook (R. Fus. att'd 1st QRWS) 41514 and 8756 L/Cpl P. Jones 41515. Other MMs (listed in WD, end July) were 41312 Hammond, 41313 Pelham, 41314 Downes, 41383 Batten & 41384 Linegar. Edited 19 August , 2020 by Ivor Anderson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medals93 Posted 19 February Share Posted 19 February Morning Ivor, I have confirmation that the MM was sent from the Infantry Records Office, Hanwell (QE.1923) on 29 July 1919 to 'Mrs M J Longley, 3 Mount St, Battle, Sussex'. Happy to share more information on this soldier if you have further research. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivor Anderson Posted 19 February Author Share Posted 19 February Hi, Any further info would be great. I have not added anything to his story since 2020. The MM came direct from a family member via Nottingham Coins & Medals. Ivor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivor Anderson Posted 20 February Author Share Posted 20 February (edited) 1911 - William George Daniels was working as Gardener at Normanhurst Court, Battle, Sussex Census - Ancestry: Edited 20 February by Ivor Anderson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivor Anderson Posted 21 February Author Share Posted 21 February On 23/04/2020 at 17:35, Ivor Anderson said: Death (including photo) recorded in Sussex Agricultural Express, Friday 7th December 1917, but online image very dark. 'Foreman gardener at Normanhurst'. Source BNA: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivor Anderson Posted 22 February Author Share Posted 22 February (edited) I am pleased to report that William George Daniel's MM has gone to a dedicated QRWS medal collector and has been reunited with his BWM & VM: His medals were divided among his family at some point in the past. His star and memorial plaque are still separated. Edited 22 February by Ivor Anderson Additional Info Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivor Anderson Posted 23 February Author Share Posted 23 February The William George Daniel's MM reunited with his BWM & VM - what medal custodianship is all about! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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