Harry Duffell DCM MM The Queen's and Royal Irish Regiment

[steve shepherd]

Im researching my family tree and came across HARRY DUFFELL DCM MM

He was in the 8th The queens R,  Service number 2254  and the 2nd Bat Royal Irish Regiment. service number 18562.

He K.I.A 21 August 1918 

Can anyone shine some light on him and his regiment

Any help appreciated

Stephen 

[spof]

Hello Stephen and welcome to the Great War Forum.

 

I have moved your post into a thread of its own to make it more visible to people who are knowledgeable about these units.

 

Regards

 

Glen

GWF Admin Team

[mancpal]

Stephen,

you can download the war diary for the RIR from the National Archive (subject to it having been digitised) for free at present. This will give you his units movements day by day.

Have you looked at the long long trail linked above? It’s a great research tool.

He has 2 Medal Index Cards (free to view/download from Ancestry).

He first entered a theatre of war 31/8/15 (France) and is buried at Achiet-Le Grand.

 

Simon

[museumtom]

Below from-

[steve shepherd]

2 hours ago, mancpal said:

Stephen,

you can download the war diary for the RIR from the National Archive (subject to it having been digitised) for free at present. This will give you his units movements day by day.

Have you looked at the long long trail linked above? It’s a great research tool.

He has 2 Medal Index Cards (free to view/download from Ancestry).

He first entered a theatre of war 31/8/15 (France) and is buried at Achiet-Le Grand.

 

Simon

Thanks guys and very helpful

[steve shepherd]

44 minutes ago, museumtom said:

Below from-

Absolutely Brilliant thanks 

[clk]

Hi Stephen,

 

His 14/!5 Star medal roll record indicates that Harry disembarked in France on 31.8.1915 initially serving overseas with the 8/Royal West Surrey Regiment, before serving with the 2/Royal Irish Regiment. His Soldiers Died record says that he enlisted in Cranleigh. The amount of War Gratuity shown as paid in his Soldiers’ Effects records (link) is indicative of service counting from the month starting from 21.8.1914. By way of example the near number 2217 Ashford (8/RWS) shows…

 

Image sourced from Findmypast

 

Harry appears to have been wounded at some time in September 1915

 

Image sourced from Findmypast

 

He may have been transferred to the 2/Royal Irish Regiment in April 1918. The record for 18588 Munday shows:

 

Image sourced from Findmypast

 

His Soldiers’ Effect record shows that he left a ‘will’ in favour of his mother. That may consist of very little, but is available from here.

 

If you wanted one it looks like British War Graves would be able to send you an image of his currenting place on a free of charge basis.

 

His CWGC records indicate that he was originally buried at map reference 57c.G.3.c.3.4. It is likely to be much nearer to where he originally fell than his current resting place. It can be mapped using this website.

 

There is advice on how to research a Military Medal here.

 

His DCM appears to be for his actions on 19^th/20^th July 1918, west of Beaumont Hamel.

Image sourced from the National Archives

 

Unit war diaries for the Battalions he served with will be available to download from the National Archives. Their search page is here. It might also be worth getting higher level diaries (Brigade HQ and Division HQ) as they often add more context to the Battalion diary by having things such as orders, maps, and reports on operations.

 

Regards

Chris

Edited 21 May , 2020 by clk

[steve shepherd]

Hi Chris

You, and others have been really helpful and really appropriate the help  

Regards

Steve

[FROGSMILE]

5 minutes ago, steve shepherd said:

Hi Chris

You, and others have been really helpful and really appropriate the help  

Regards

Steve

To put things in some perspective, the DCM was second only to the Victoria Cross.  His action was extraordinary and he was clearly a very brave man.

[steve shepherd]

Thank you for kind words. I have found photo of his medals so now is find them and pay my respects. All i know is its hanging in some church so hunt is on lol.

[sadbrewer]

Harry Duffell been discussed before on here....some useful information in there.

 

 

[steve shepherd]

Awww i thought I had posted something long way back. Rejoined so lost track. but thanks