W.D.C.C.

[Jonathan D'Hooghe]

Sorry if I am missing the obvious, but I have a record that states the chap was 'Formerly 276 W.D.C.C'

I have checked all of my abbreviation lists and Williamson's book, but I can't find W.D.C.C. Can anyone please help decipher this?

Thanks

Jonathan

[Acknown]

Do you have the context? Random searching revealed this: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C15078398. Could 'WDCC' be a Devon Enumeration District?

Acknown

[Jonathan D'Hooghe]

Hi Acknown,

It was in a Soldiers Died in the Great War record. The chap is 44938 Private Arthur Bentley, 16/NF. The record ends 'Formerly 276 W.D.C.C'

[Acknown]

Grasping at straws. Western Division Cycling Company? https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/9d2d9e19a6914078b759e17bf872d0d1. Could the 276 be a pre-war regimental number?

Acknown

[charlie962]

54 minutes ago, Acknown said:

Cycling

Cyclist. 

Agreed I think it is 13th Western Division Cyclist Company.

276 was his old service number.

[Toontraveller]

Had a quick look in the book  Newcastle Commercials 16 th Service Battalion , Northumberland Fusiliers by Ian Johnson.

There were 5 fatalities noted for the 5 th April 1917 including 44938 Arthur James Bentley. In the Roll of Honour he is noted as  Aged 19 years of age when he died. 

It’s not very clear if there was any specific attack that he was involved in resulting in his death but possibly was due heavy shelling or machine gun fire.

War Diary is possibly the best source of information to ascertain how he died on the  5 th .

I will check later to see if I have it downloaded and see what is available.

The ROH states the Bentley family were living in Preston in 1911 where he was employed in a Cotton Mill aged 13 years of age according to 1911 Census . No mention of WDCC.

 

Edited 23 September , 2022 by Toontraveller
Spelling error.

[Jonathan D'Hooghe]

Thank you to everyone for your replies. I can confirm that Bentley was a victim of Daily Wastage - one of 9 men killed by 'desultory' artillery fire according to the War Diary between 5 and 7 April.

Thank you again for the suggestion that WDCC is Western Div Cyclist Coy. It may well be the case, he enlisted in Lancashire and perhaps found himself in a Cyclist Company at the start of his short soldiering career.

Regards to all

Jonathan 

[owen4256]

In this context, “W.D.C.C” is Welsh Divisional Cyclist Company. Bentley was part of a draft of 123 men from the former 3/1^st Welsh Divisional Cyclist Company  posted to the 18^th and 19^th Battalions, Northumberland Fusiliers on the 11^th December 1916. They were re-numbered in the range 44926 to 45048 on joining the Northumberland Fusiliers.

 

The 3/1^st WDCC was raised in Stockport in October 1915, which would account for the Lancashire enlistment. The Company moved to Oswestry in February 1916 and was posted to the Army Cyclist Corps at Chisledon  in November 1916 where it was disbanded and most of its 159 men were posted to the Northumberland Fusiliers on the 11^th December.

Regards

Clive

 

 

[charlie962]

Authority speaks! 

Discharge papers exist for 275 Harold Wilson and 273Harry Unsworth. Both attested to TF July 1915.

Edited 24 September , 2022 by charlie962

[Jonathan D'Hooghe]

Thank you Clive. That has certainly nailed it!