Guest Posted 21 May , 2020 Share Posted 21 May , 2020 I’m interested in obtaining information on the 12th Battalion Sherwood Foresters during the time frame on or around August 1916. The 12th was a Pioneer battalion in which my great uncle Henry Peel (15077) served, joining up in 1914 as a private and holding the rank of Serjeant by the time of his death on 20 August 1916 on the Somme. He is buried in Dantzig Alley Cemetery at Mametz. I do not know the circumstances of his death, such as what action he may have been involved in nor where exactly he was killed. Would there be a record held somewhere of such information? Most grateful for any guidance or further information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jrmh Posted 21 May , 2020 Share Posted 21 May , 2020 (edited) Hi Roger The Battalion War Diary (free to download once registered) is available here: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7353293 and the CWGC shows that he was moved from grid reference 62D.F.12.b.7.7 (initial burial) just south east of Mametz: https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/548163/peel,-/ Good luck Edited 21 May , 2020 by Jrmh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhiteStarLine Posted 21 May , 2020 Share Posted 21 May , 2020 Roger, welcome to the forum. I just had a look at the Official History but couldn't find anything specific. The Commonwealth War Graves web site confirms that his body was exhumed around 1.5km east of Mametz and that nothing was found with it (ie no personal effects). His remains were then moved 1,000 metres away as you have noted. Speculating, pioneers did a lot of work during the night enhancing trenches and were frequently shelled. The blue pin denotes where he was initially buried. The war diary will have more information and if you need any help from the forum interpreting it, just post. Credits: tMapper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jrmh Posted 21 May , 2020 Share Posted 21 May , 2020 The War Diary entry for 20 Aug records "1 O.R.killed by shell" while digging trenches on the WSW edge of Guillemont: https://maps.nls.uk/view/101465170 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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