J Lane 2nd Battalion Royal Fusiliers

[ZIL]

The above is scratched on the wall of the cellar at Ocean Villas Tea Rooms..Auchonvillers .Somme.I am trying to find out more .The cellar was taken over by the British in 1915 used as a stretcher bearers post also a detention room for the 36th Division..a dressing station on 1.7.16..then later ammo storage and finally in 1918 a signallers post.The war diary for the 2nd shows them attacking The Hawthorne Ridge area 1.7.16 then a shorthand time after moving elsewhere.The CWGC shows two Lanes...one dieing in 1918 in the UK..one in 1917 name on the Menin Gate.

i have tried Ancestry and Find my Past with negative results.It would be great to trace any relatives so they are aware where their relative was.

Any help..ideas..guidance really appreciated.

Zil

[MaxD]

Of the two on CWGC, one is 12th Bn the other 1st Bn.  

 

Is here any reason why you think he didn't survive?  Of the 13  J Lane in the Royal Fusiliers for whom I find records on Fndmypast,  (others may find more),  only one 2nd Bn man turns up  - 8005 J Lane has a medical record at 34 CCS in Feb 1917.  Your man may have been in another battalion or regiment later.

 

Max

[ZIL]

Thanks Max...No ..no reason it was just an avenue to explore.I appreciate your information and agree with your other battalion or regiment. My searching skills need to improve!!!

Could you give me a link to 34 CCS info...obviously J Lane was in the cellar but for what reason & when is unknown.

Regards Zil

[MaxD]

CCS locations from LLT here:

 

https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/locations-of-british-casualty-clearing-stations/

 

2nd Bn was in 29 Div which returned to France in March 1916 from Gallipoli which narrows the dates a little.  29 Div had, among others, 87 (1st West Lancs) Field Ambulance.  34 CCS was known as 1st West Lancs CCS - bit of a connection there?.  Try looking at 87 FA locations: war diary:

 

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7353557

 

Auchonvillers fits the general area of 29 Div in 1916.

 

Max

[ZIL]

Thanks Max, Really appreciated...I’ll do a bit more digging and see what surfaces .Appreciate it’s a long shot but you never know.

Thanks again,

Zil

[sotonmate]

8005s Medal Roll shows 1st Battalion only, this for the 1914-15 Star. Maybe the BWM and VM Roll will show if he served in other units.

[MaxD]

2nd Bn RF deployed to the Mailly-Mallet area immediately on arrival in France in early March 1916, less than 2 miles from Auchonvillers.  They were past there on 1 July 1916 around Beaumont Hamel until leaving the area at the end of July for the Poperinghe area.

 

86 Brigade (in which 2 RF were) had its brigade HQ at Auchonvillers immediately after before and after 1 July.

 

Auchonvillers figures often in the 29 Div ADMS diary Jun/July 1916.  34 CCS about 19 miles south west of south of Auchonvillers in that time period although the medical record is from Feb 1917 so a red herring here I think.   8005 is listed as 2nd Bn in the CCS record with a goodly number of 2 RF men.

 

I'd suggest this (Mar to Jul 1916) is when J Lane left his mark in the cellar but how you get from there to identifyng the right man and then his relatives I'll leave to you!

 

Max

[ZIL]

Thanks sotonmate....and once again Max...all the info is invaluable...yes..leave it with me to fine tune and identify...will post any results.

Cannot  thank you enough
Zil