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Remembered Today:

CSM Robert Morrow Rea KLR - photo of grave


davidbohl

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This cutting from the Larne Times dated 17th Dec 1921 from the BNA shows the grave of CSM Robert Morrow Rea, King's Liverpool. 

I've stared at the middle grave and can make out 26.6.1916 but cwgc says he died 27th June 1916 https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/260765/rea,-/

Can we confirm this is him, front middle ?

thanks

Dave

 

ReaRM_NewFamilyInfo_19211217.png.0ec8e08385e29dbe2d2ac607649f43a9.png

 

 

 

 

 

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CWGC have 27/6/1916, but the original grave registration report and burial returns from Cerisy Gailly Military Cemetery, and the grave registration report from Maricourt, all have 26/6/1916.

 

I'd say 27/6/1916 is an error.

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Interesting photo.  Occasionally the MIC shows a date of death (albeit from sources already explored by IPT) but his simply notes "Deceased".  War Diaries rarely mention an OR by name the fact he was a CSM may make this an exception?

Edited by TullochArd
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The war diary describes an enemy bombardment on the front line trenches on the night of 26/27th June, resulting in 17 ORs killed and 57 wounded.

 

SDGW has 17 casualties on 27/6/1916.

 

 

 

Edited by IPT
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To me it looks like "26.6.16" on the cross

Seems like a potential error on GR c/w other CWGC docs - and OCR transcribed to the modern website - CWGC are often easy to go with such a changes as from their own documents

Might the 27th have alternatively come from the Casualty Return of the following morning? - 0600hrs for the previous 24hrs seems to stick in my mind - thus for a 26 June death as per cross [and most of the other documents] ??

:-) M

 

Edit:  Or are you trying to see the name on the cross for clarification? - that seems harder than the date!

Edited by Matlock1418
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Thank's for the input, I think I can make out the first word on the top row as "King's" or am I just being hopeful ?

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It does look like 26.6.16. The German counter-barrage on 17th Bn and 20th Bn, in response to the overall British bombardment on 24th, began on 26th and went on into the 27th.  As Matlock helpfully points out, the 27th was the date of the Casualty Return which provided a consolidation of the losses from this particular event.

 

I would offer that the original grave marker works on the "event" start date .......  and provided that initial reference for IWGC records on the ground.  Subsequent IWGC decisions in the 1920's used the formal notification date from the Casualty Return which we know see on the existing grave marker.

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4 minutes ago, davidbohl said:

Thank's for the input, I think I can make out the first word on the top row as "King's" or am I just being hopeful ?

 

...... you are just being hopeful David. 

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9 hours ago, TullochArd said:

As Matlock helpfully points out, the 27th was the date of the Casualty Return which provided a consolidation of the losses from this particular event.

 

I would offer that the original grave marker works on the "event" start date .......  and provided that initial reference for IWGC records on the ground.  Subsequent IWGC decisions in the 1920's used the formal notification date from the Casualty Return which we know see on the existing grave marker.

Thanks for your appreciation

Perhaps, seems quite plausible - it may be a case of 26th or 27th, but perhaps they did know when he was killed or perhaps nobody really knew/knows better now so went for the latter as more certainly dead by then = ???

[I have a relative buried with a 19th date - for an action 18/19th]

9 hours ago, davidbohl said:

I think I can make out the first word on the top row as "King's" or am I just being hopeful ?

You are not totally alone [thought so earlier] - top left??

But auto-suggestion is always a potential cause for concern!  As it can be for dates too!!

Bigger issue for me now probably would be - Do they have a body/the right body under the headstone? :-/

Maybe that is another story, for another day ...

:-) M

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  • 1 year later...

CSM Robert Morrow Rea #26106 KLR CWGC

According to this newspaper report he was 3rd Battn. Grenadier Guards before "attaching" to the KLR.

Adding to his bio can anyone tell me where he may have been with the Grenadiers before ww1, we know for certain he served during the Boer War.

Thanks

Dave

ReaRM_ExtraFamilyInfo_1916Jul13.png

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58 minutes ago, davidbohl said:

can anyone tell me where he may have been with the Grenadiers before ww1, we know for certain he served during the Boer War.

Might the Guards Museum not be able to help you? - At least with the regimental/battlion deployments [even if not details for the soldier himself]

M

 

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3 hours ago, Matlock1418 said:

Might the Guards Museum not be able to help you?

I'll keep that in mind, thanks

I've just found a useful tool in the Lloyds Weekly News on the BNA, I'll have a trawl through them tomorrow

 

 

Screenshot 2022-05-08 19.33.35.png

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