L/Cpl 4843 Thomas Garn -16th Lancers

[16th Lancer]

My great uncle served in the 16th Lancers, he was killed in action on the 23rd March 1918 during the German Spring Offensive, and has no known grave but is commemorated on a plaque at Pozzierre Cemetary. I have access to the War Diary and have read through the entry for this date. I am trying to narrow down the area where he died, can anyone suggest any other sources of information that may help me?

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated by this novice researcher.

Many thanks.

Daryl

[Michelle Young]

Welcome to the forum, the Official  History puts them near Mennessis/Jussy. Google  Earth screen shot attached.

Michelle 

[16th Lancer]

Excellent Michelle, really appreciate your assistance.

Regards 

Daryl

[PRC]

Hi @16th Lancer and welcome to the forum.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission, (CWGC) website lists 37 men of the 16th Lancers as having died on the 23rd March 1918. All bar two have no known grave.

The first of the two exceptions is Private 11619 Sidney Thomas Lewis who is buried in the Allied Section at Guise (La Desolation) French National Cemetery, Flavigny-Le-Petit, France. https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2912055/
Soldiers Died in the Great War records him as Killed in Action.
The CWGC webpage for that cemetery locates shows :-  Guise is a small and historic town in the Department of the Aisne, on the River Oise, 27 kilometres north-east of St Quentin. The Cemetery (Cimetiere National Mixte de la Desolation) is approximately 4 kilometres south of the town on the Marle road in the neighbouring commune of Flavigny-le-Petit.. However in the history of the cemetery it notes it was started by the Germans in 1914. https://www.cwgc.org/visit-us/find-cemeteries-memorials/cemetery-details/2096857/guise-la-desolation-french-national-cemetery-flavigny-le-petit/
The International Commitee of the Red Cross, (ICRC), did receive a Missing Persons enquiry from his wife. He was serving with 3rd Troop, 'D' Squadron, 16th Lancers when he went missing on the 23rd March 1918.  Sadly the ICRC would have to reply early in June 1918 that nothing had been received from the German authorities. https://grandeguerre.icrc.org/en/File/Details/936275/3/2/

The second man with a known grave is Lance Corporal L/5187 Albert Samuel Blissett. He now lies in Chauny Communal Cemetery British Extension, but a look at his CWGC webpage will show there is a Concentration Report - it looks like he was moved to Chauny in July 1919. His body was either in an isolated grave or more likely it was still on the battlefield as he was identifed by his disc and paybook. The cross on his grave may simply have been a marker placed by the Graves Registration Unit.

Image courtesy Commonwealth War Graves Commission. https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/328337/

The ICRC don't appear to have received a family query for him, nor any notification from the Germans of his capture or being found dead on the battlefield. They did however receive something in connection with a 4843 Garn of the 16 Lancers.
Record card can be found here:- https://grandeguerre.icrc.org/en/File/Details/1070426/3/2/

If you put the P.A. reference number into the search box on the right hand side of the screen, (it will make sense when you look ) it will tale you to the original document. The report was prepared by the Germans post-war and he is simply on a list of those whose deaths were notified by units in the field but for whom there were no additional details such as when and where.

It seems likely that Thomas Garn along with Sidney Lewis and probably Albert Blissitt were originally recorded as missing. Some of those listed as missing in the relevant casualty list may actually have been taken prisoner, so there may be more information in the ICRC records, or even the repatriation interview, (if it has survived).

It may also be worthwhile both going up a level with the war diaries to get the Brigade one for the period, and also sideways to look at other units that made up the Brigade, as they may contain maps or in the narrative refer to where they are in relation to the 16th Lancers.

Hope that's of interest,
Peter

[charlie962]

A few more D Squadron men captured that day include:

7802  Reynolds        D Squadron       taken Jussy
11929 Mitchinson    D Squadron                 Jussy
11031 Clarkson       D Squadron                 Friers Wd ?(could this be Frieres, just below Jussy

info sourced from the ICRC PA sheets

This confirms Michelle's suggestion. Most men just have 'St Quentin' which is not very helpful.

Charlie

[16th Lancer]

Charlie,

Many thanks for taking the time to respond to me, I really appreciate your assistance.

How do you confirm which Squadron Tom was in? His short will starts that he was originally in A squadron, then at some point moved to C Squadron, presumably when he was promoted to Lance Corporal?

Regards

Daryl

[charlie962]

1 hour ago, 16th Lancer said:

How do you confirm which Squadron Tom was in?

I have clearly misread what Peter wrote above because when he referred to 'The International Commitee of the Red Cross, (ICRC), did receive a Missing Persons enquiry from his wife. He was serving with 3rd Troop, 'D' Squadron, 16th Lancers when he went missing on the 23rd March 1918.'  I thought he was referring to Garn but he was clearly referring to Lewis.

The only ICRC record for Garn is PA43047 which confirms he died but despite a check no further details are known. It doesn't confirm squadron.

This is the doc referred to by Peter above.

So my concentration on D Squadron may be a red herring. Sorry. I will look out for some C Squadron men.

Charlie

 

Edited 19 October , 2021 by charlie962

[charlie962]

A couple of C Squardron men, source ICRC

5257 Atkins    C squadron  Somme 22/3/18  (another card says Frieres Wood)
   ?   Baker    C Squadron  St Quentin  24/3/18 (BRC Enq gives missing 23/3/18, No 655)

[16th Lancer]

Charlie, many thanks for looking up C Squadron men, another lead to follow up.

[PRC]

The Roll of Honour in the edition of the Walsall Observer, and South Staffordshire Chronicle dated April 27, 1918 records that: “Lance Corporal Thomas Garn who lived with his parents at 35, Long Street, is officially reported to have been killed in action in France on March 23. Formerly employed at the Grove Laundry, he enlisted in the Lancers in 1913, and on August 17, 1914, went out to France, where he has served ever since. He was formerly a member of St. James’ Misson Church. A brother is serving in France”. An associated photo gallery includes a very dark and low grade quality picture of him – at least in the version available on FindMyPast.

So sounds like his fate was known at the time.

A further bit of tinkering with the search criteria then brought up this article from the edition of The Walsall Advertiser dated Saturday, October 31, 1914.

Image courtesy of FindMyPast.

Forum member @GraemeClarke takes a keen interest I believe in matters of a Walsall nature, so may have more.

Cheers,
Peter

 

Edited 22 October , 2021 by PRC
Typo

[16th Lancer]

Peter, I'm absolutely bowled over with what you have found out. I cannot thank you enough for taking the time to do some research on my behalf. I've got plenty of follow up work to do. I'll certainly be following this lead up and checking the 16th Lancers War Diary for this period.

Regards

Daryl

[GraemeClarke]

Morning,

I have this on him,

Regards,

Graeme

      Born in Walsall, Thomas was the son of Albert Edward Allen and Mary Harriett (née Turner) Garn of 1 Court, 2 House, Long Street, Walsall and later of 35, Long Street, Walsall, his father’s occupation being that of a bit and spur polisher.

     Thomas was employed at the Grove Laundry and was formerly a member of the St. James’s Mission Church where he sang in the choir.

     Enlisting in the Army at Wolverhampton in 1913, Thomas was drafted to France on Monday 17 August 1914 and served there until his death.

     He was invalided to hospital on Sunday 21 February 1915 suffering from frostbite and was returned home to convalesce shortly afterwards. It was not until Friday 31 December 1915 that he was fit enough to rejoin his unit in the field. Thomas is also recorded as suffering from influenza in January 1918, returning to his unit on Friday 15 February 1918 after treatment in hospital.

     On Thursday 21 March 1918 the Germans commenced their spring offensive at which time Thomas was billeted in or around Grandru. The German attacks fell to the north of these positions and the Lancers were not engaged during this day or the following.

     During the morning of Thomas’s death there was contact between the Lancers and the advancing Germans who had made a crossing of the canal at Menessis. The Lancers resisted the crossing but were forced to retire first to Faillouel and finally to Villequier Aumont, five miles north of Chauny. By nightfall the Lancers had been broken up into three parties and it was not until the following morning that the survivors were collected together at Bethencourt. When a roll call was made it was found that 21 men had been killed and 20 wounded.

     The War Diary records,

    “14 to 19 March 1918 - Remained in billets at Grandru.

     20 March 1918 - Dismounted party told off ready to move. Bombardment started on our front at 10pm.

     21 March 1918 - Intense bombardment started at 4.30am. Gas alarm received at 5am.

     At 2.20pm dismounted party paraded. 8 officers and 208 other ranks formed Dismounted Company of the 16^th Lancers. This party marched to La Bretelle and embossed.

     22 March 1918 - Remainder of regiment and horses stopped at Grandru.

     23 March 1918 - Lt. Sparrow and 33 other ranks with 6 Hotchkiss guns left mounted to join Colonel Cooke, 20^th Hussars. Remainder of regiment and all led horses left Grandru at 3.30pm and marched via Baboeuf and Couarcy to bivouac in Bois de Carlepont arriving there at 7pm.

     At 11.30pm Lt. Thornton was sent on patrol with 3 men to Quesnoy.

     24 March 1918 - Moved at 2pm via Carlepont to camp at Bailly. Lt. Johnson with 25 other ranks and 75 led horses were sent to pick up dismounted party from Bois de Carlepont.”

     Thomas has no known grave and is now commemorated on the Pozières Memorial on Panel 5, the Walsall roll of honour and on the roll of honour at St. John’s Church, Pleck. He was 24 years of age.

     His brother Frank served for a short time. He enlisted in the Army Service Corps at Walsall on Tuesday 19 October 1915, at that time residing at 242, Sandwell Street, Walsall. He was discharged on Saturday 23 October 1915 as ‘not likely to become an efficient soldier’.

 

 

[16th Lancer]

Graeme, Many thanks for taking the time to send me your research, it's very much appreciated. I've got more information to process. Thanks again.