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Remembered Today:

2nd Lieutenant John Coulsdon Hannon Liverpool Regt


GJW

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Hi,

 

Having some difficulty establishing which battalion of The Kings (Liverpool) regiment the above was serving with when he died on 18th August 1916. CWGC quotes the 3rd but that was a reserve battalion and did not serve abroad in WW1 - so I believe. There is also mention of the 4th and 1/7th. His brother Norman Leslie served in and was KIA with the 1/7th in 1915. 

 

His medal card and rolls to include effects register just say Liverpool Regiment. 

 

I have tried going through battalion war diaries to see mention of him but no luck so far. Hoping someone here might have the knowledge to cast some light on this.

 

Cheers,

 

Gerard

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3rd Btn from the British Newspaper Archive

Dave

1718552561_Screenshot2020-05-23at20_42_20.png.6a5450f08e0b92458a363002958a36a7.png

 

 

 

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Thank you everybody. Most helpful. 

 

The war diary makes no mention of him although it is very good at detailing officer movements, injury and death. This I find quite stange....

 

Gerard

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I recognised the date - at High Wood when the 4th Bn was cut to pieces. My great uncle (a subaltern in 4KLR) was also killed on that day.  I went there 10 years ago - I'm not a military man but even I realised that the attack was a foregone conclusion.

 

4th Bn WD:

Trenches

17-08-16

Took over right half of 4th Suffolk line - relief complete 7.30A.M. - heavies shelling enemy's front line - men in front line withdrawn to supports - Heavy shelling all night - Lt SHARPE wounded by shrapnel. 21 wounded, 3 missing.

18-08-16

Fine - Heavies shelling enemy's lines. Men in front line withdrawn to Supports - Barrage on enemy's lines 2.45 p.m. - B & D Coys went over in 2 waves followed by C Coy in support and A Coy in reserve. Attack held up by enemy in false line & machine gun fire. 20th R. Fus came up between 6 & 8 p.m. & took over front line & supports. Survivors of Battalion came in at dusk & battalion was collected in trench behind supports.

Captains SIMMANCE & BECK, 2/Lts GAULTER, NICKALLS, & REID killed - 2/Lts GOODMAN & GRAY missing, - 2/Lts VARNDELL & W.R.IRVING wounded. 48 men killed, 148 wounded, 22 missing, 2 men to hospital. 1 man to base under age, 4 men struck off & taken on establishments of other units.

Mametz Wood

19-08-16

Relieved by 1st Cameronians who took over the whole line - Battalion moved out at 2A.M. to MAMETZ WOOD - search party sent out to get in wounded & Officers bodies - Fine day - moved to position S. of FRICOURT WOOD - Bn HQ in woods in position 9p.m.

 

I was puzzled by the absence of Coulson in this list of officers but then I note that ...

Hannon, 2/Lt John Coulson, D Coy (attd from 3rd Bn) , KIA 18.8.1916

 

Coulson and my Gt Uncle (and lots of 4KLR men) ended up in the same cemetery - Cattterpillar Cemetery, Longueval

 

 

PS Do you know if he was commissioned through the 16th (Training) Bn KLR - my g'father and his bro (ie the one KIA 18.8.16) were in the 16th - I have photographs of the 16th and some notes somewhere - I'll try and dig them out.

 

 

Edited by JulianB
PS etc
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Cheers Julian,

 

He originally applied to the Army Service Corps but ended up in the 3rd (reserve) Batt KLR. Maybe because his Brother Norman had already signed up to the 1/7th KLR and was killed at Festubert, 1915.

 

What did you mean my the below? Is this something you found in the WD or the like?

 

image.png.cf7eebaef2b37de9c9f7ada68416412e.png

 

Gerard

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No, I've been looking at all the officers of the 4th Bn - there were quite a few attached from the 3rd !

I just checked that Hannon does not appear in g'father or gt uncle's letters home.

I'll try to find the photographs

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Cheers Julian. Much appreciated.

 

Gerard

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