4th Bn Grenadier Guards war diary 1915

[chaz]

looking for some information on a recent addition to my collection.

4th Batalion Grenadier Guards Machine gun regiment.

I can  find the diaries for 1918 on but looking for ones to cover October 1915, he died of wounds on 4th, looking for more information as to where and when he possibly got injured.

[PRC]

I'm assuming from your thread title that you are after the War Diary for the 4th Battalion Grenadier Guards, rather than any Guards Machine Gun unit.

 

If so the diary for August 1915 to January 1918 can be downloaded from the National Archive here: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7351850

 

The three volumes of "The Grenadier Guards in the Great War" by Edward Ponsonby can also be read \ downloaded for free from Archive. Org correction Archive Org had to take it down, but it's still on Project Gutenberg.

For October 1915 you want Volume 1. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/60677

October 1915 for the 4th Battalion starts on page 344. Out of the line till the 3rd, then in trenches on the left of the Hulluch-Vermelles road, working on preparing communication trenches and subject to a "certain amount of shelling".

 

Hope that helps,

Peter

 

 

[chaz]

thanks Peter.

yes, the Guards are on his medal and paperwork but the MG part of it came from one of the rolls.

I looked on Ancestry but their records for the 4th only start on the later years.

 

as he is remembered at Loos it ties in

Edited 28 November , 2020 by chaz

[battle of loos]

Good evening,

 

subject that appeals to me because I study the battle of Loos from all angles.
I live in Loos and I travel up and down the battlefield in search of objects related to this battle.

Here are 4 items found on Hill 70 related to your subject :

 

Lee Enfield Identification Disc : 1st Welsh Guard

 

 

 

2 button + 1 cap badge : Grenadier Guard (certainly the 1st & 4th Battalion)

Kind regards

Michel

 

[chaz]

Hello Michel, 

As the soldier that died is on a plaque presumably he is still lying in the ground, or what is left of him. Hopefully he is one of the unidentified ones.

We used to travel around Loos a lot up until this year. As we are selling our house we will not be over as often, wish we had more time to explore the area

Happy hunting.

[RegHannay]

2 hours ago, battle of loos said:

Good evening,

 

subject that appeals to me because I study the battle of Loos from all angles.
I live in Loos and I travel up and down the battlefield in search of objects related to this battle.

Here are 4 items found on Hill 70 related to your subject :

 

Lee Enfield Identification Disc : 1st Welsh Guard

 

 

 

2 button + 1 cap badge : Grenadier Guard (certainly the 1st & 4th Battalion)

Kind regards

Michel

 

Good evening Michel, I am looking for information on the fighting in the Loos area 13th/15th October 1915. In particular the part the 7th ESR played. Would it be ok to message you.

Warm regards.

Dave (sorry for hijacking this thread)

 

[BarbaraG]

George William Allen, served with the Grenadier Guards during WW1. His MIC (Medal Index Card) records that he served in France from 30 November 1915. After much searching a Pension Record Card confirmed both his Regiment, the Grenadier Guards and his Regimental Number, Guardsman 21879. Further details show he was discharged on the 30 March 1919. 

 

Having seen the references to the 4th Bn War Diaries, could anyone advise me as to whether this is the place to focus my search for details of where he might have served?

 

(I also came across a book available on Kindle for the 1st Bn 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Great-War-Diaries-Grenadier-Guards-ebook/dp/B01MY5MPAM)

Edited 3 December , 2020 by BarbaraG

[PRC]

1 hour ago, BarbaraG said:

My paternal grandfather, George William Allen, served with the Grenadier Guards during WW1. His MIC (Medal Index Card) records that he served in France from 30 November 1915. After much searching a Pension Record Card confirmed both his Regiment, the Grenadier Guards and his Regimental Number, Pte 21879, also confirming his home address.

 

His Medal Index Card shows he first landed in France on the 30th November 1915 so that gives you a firm date to start from. The war diaries, (currently free to down load from the National Archive, so nothing to lose by getting the ones you need), may reference the arrival of a draft in the week / 10 days after that, so again another good starting point to follow his likely war service.  After that I'd suggest the Regimental History probably is a more fluid read. Like most of the period they are more concerned with the doings of officers rather than the mostly nameless other ranks, but they will provide a framework to then look again at the War Diaries.

On 28/11/2020 at 17:46, PRC said:

The three volumes of "The Grenadier Guards in the Great War" by Edward Ponsonby can also be read \ downloaded for free from Archive. Org correction Archive Org had to take it down, but it's still on Project Gutenberg.

For October 1915 you want Volume 1. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/60677

 

Volume 1 takes you to the end of 1915 for all four battalions, and to the start of September 1916 for the 1st and 2nd Battalions.

Volume 2 covers from January 1916 for the 3rd and 4th Battalion,  and ends with all four battalions in March 1918. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/61216

Volume 3 covers from April 1918 onto the subsequent occupation of Germany, along with chapters on the 7th Entrenching Battalion and the Reserve Battalions.

http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/63111

 

Hope that helps,

Peter

[BarbaraG]

Many thanks for your reply and guidance Peter.

 

Barbara