13/Essex Regt - Somme area.

[AGWR]

Giles,

I have got about 30 pages of stuff that might be of interest from Brigade and Divisional Diaries for the Delville Wood/ Guillemont period. If you PM me your address, I will copy them and post them to you . My A4 scanner is a bit cheap and tempermental.

I have only been to Monchy once, and I remember thinking what a formidable obstacle, it must have presented to attacking troops in 1917.

The 17th were not involved, due to their mauling in April. In fact, they were effectively out of action for several months.

Regards,

AGWR

[shaymen]

All

Firstly sorry if this appears that I am hijacking the thread but since Michael has mentioned the coincidence of a recent bit of research I thought it might need a bit more explaining.

As Michael has mentioned I am researching my local war Mem and have recently met a wife of one of the WW2 men remembered on the Mem - During our chat she mentioned that her father had won a DCM.Please tell me more was my reponse - His name was Pte Henry Walter Prior 26962 Essex Reg and he always spoke of his friend George Pitches.

On further investigation and with much help from Michael ( My Essex Regiment Expert - Please don't deny it Michael ) who managed to find them both in Burrows 9th Bn book.

Both fought with great bravery during the Long Trench / Hook Trench attacks.

We also got his DCM citation from the London Gazette and both ther MICs.

Over to you Michael.

Giles any additional info on this would be much appreciated

Glyn

[Max Poilu]

Hi everyone,

I have square eyes...just spent the last couple of hours scanning stuff for the 9th Bn at Monchy and it's around 23 pages....

I will try and get it up on the forum on a seperate thread for tomorrow.

Glyn,

Which memorial is this? All sounds very interesting! A few years ago I was asked by a local lady to help with the research of a gentleman who once owned her house and whose name did not appear on our local memorial a few hundred yards away. It ended up with Mr Ciclitira (1/16th London Rgt - QWRs) and eleven other missing names of the Great War being added on bronze plaques together with 119 casualties of the Second World War at the same time. You never know where one small piece of research will end up!

[GrandsonMichael]

Pals,

This is one great Essex Regimental happening and let's keep it up!

Giles, I think it's a very good idea to start a new thread on the Monchy Battle. I know what you mean by square eyes. Does your information cover roughly the time the 12th Division took over the Monchy sector at the end of May to October 1917?

Same question to AGWR?

Proposal: let's try to gather as much information as possible on this particular time period. The focus remaining on the 9th Essex, but it could be interesting to know if there is information from War Diaries of other regiments which fought the same trench battles.

I’m willing to transcribe the original War Diary entries using a template in Word format that has been developed for the CEF Study Group. It contains a complete listing of each day and date from Saturday August 1st, 1914 to Monday 30th June 1919.

Perhaps we can return the focus of this thread to the 13th Battalion and the original question posed by Scott (mea culpa) and gather all information available on the Delville Wood period and later, say July & August 1916. Again and while I’m at it, I can transcribe the material.

Every one who is interested could benefit by an easy to access War Diary transcription. Who knows we can slowly expand on both Essex Battalions.

Cheers,

Michael

[shaymen]

Giles

The Memorial I am researching is in my local village of Stansted Essex - I have begun a book on the subject which I hope in time to publish.

I am researching all the names inc. WW2 and also am finding quite a few names that maybe should be on it.

As you know my man in question Henry Walter Prior survived the war but as I said came to light because his daughters first husband (From WW2) was killed in action.

Glyn

[AGWR]

Michael/ Giles,

My stuff covers Brigade/ Divisional stuff between Dec 15 - Feb 18, although obviously most of it relates to the 17th. I am still in the process of collating and writing up my research, so I won't be in a position to share any info for the time being. Once this process is complete, I will gladly send you copies of anything that relates to the 13th Essex.

Regards,

AGWR

[GrandsonMichael]

AGWR,

Thanks, that would be great as you have a large period covered.

Good luck with your research work, is there an E.T.A.?

Cheers,

Michael

[AGWR]

Michael,

I am aiming [somewhat optimistically!] for the end of the year....

Regards,

AGWR

[Guest scott leader]

Hi Guys

Great Stuff, back to my original question on the 13/Essex - Anybody have an idea what a L/G date of 21/10/1916 would be for, Deville Wood, with many many super research been done, is - 18094 Pte. F.A.James mentioned around late July/August??

[GrandsonMichael]

Good for you...problem is he is not mentioned in Burrows, the Chapter on the 13th Essex Regiment is minimal. Burrows was obviously running out of time or interest or whatever. Possibly the War Diary of the 13th might cough up some info, if there is an appendix on medal winners for this period for instance.....

Give us some more bread, even crumbs? Is this the only information you have?

Do you have his M.I.C., the L.G. entries, etc.

I'm quite curious to know what your interest is by now

The search is still on...

Cheers, Michael

[Alan Johnson]

Hi AGWR

I have just joined the forum and picked up this old thread about the 13th Essex and what dates they were in Delville Wood. My grandfather was in the 13th and was killed in Delville Wood on 28th July 1916 although no body was recovered. The CWGC entry confirms the place and date. I have visited the Essex Regiment museum and transcribed the pages for the last days of July, and they are just as Max Poilu states. In the Delville Wood cemetery just by the entrance to the South African memorial, there are several graves of Essex regiment men - some marked simply 'A Soldier of the Essex Regiment' - I often wonder whether that could be him. I didn't realise the 13th had been in the front line earlier - I had assumed Delville Wood was their first action - so I have got some more hunting to do now to track their footsteps!

Cheers

Alan

Giles/ Michael,

I have been through the Brigade/ Divisional Diaries for this period, although I have to confess that I was not looking for anything specific to 13 Essex.

My understanding was that all troops, apart from 2nd South Staffs and 17th Middlesex were withdrawn from the wood by 6 a.m. on 28th July.

After two days of counter-attacks and intense artillery activity, the Middlesex War Diary then speaks of being relieved by 13 Essex at 9 p.m on the night of 29th July.

According to SDGW, the 13th Essex had 10 ORS killed on the 28th, 10 on the 29th and 28 on the 30th.

By way of comparison, 2nd South Staffs had 10 ORS killed on the 28th, 30 on the 29th and 3 on the 30th.

17th Middlesex had 38 ORS killed on the 28th, 4 killed on the 29th and 5 on the 30th.

These figures would appear to show that the 13th Essex were, at the very least, in the immediate vicinity of Delville Wood on the 28th July. The diary entry that you provide would certainly suggest that B & D Coys (in support of the Staffs) were actually attacked by the enemy in Delville Wood.

Regards,

AGWR

PS I would be very interested in seeing your maps in relation to 9th August. Very sad to hear about the 'non-interested sibling'.

[At Home Dad]

Alan, empty your inbox

[AGWR]

Alan,

I have only just seen your post (another pal pointed me to it). One day perhaps someone will be able to give us the definitive version of events in and around Delville Wood on 28 July 1916!

Best of luck with your research.

Kind regards,

AGWR

[At Home Dad]

Hallo Scott

War Diary states:

CELLES 29/8/1916

Information recieved that the following had been awarded the MILITARY MEDAL for gallantry during operations on July 28/31st and August 8/9th:

17962 Sgt COTTON P

18147 Sgt TODD FW

18061 Sgt SONGHURST C

18094 Pte JAMES FA

18147 Pte ROSCOE H

17117 Pte SAMPSON W

17228 Pte SMITH WHJ

Battalion billeted in COURCELLES

Authority 2nd Division Routine Order No 202 of 29/8/16

Kind regards

Hi Guys

Great Stuff, back to my original question on the 13/Essex - Anybody have an idea what a L/G date of 21/10/1916 would be for, Deville Wood, with many many super research been done, is - 18094 Pte. F.A.James mentioned around late July/August??

[At Home Dad]

Hallo Scott

[Max Poilu]

As there has been some renewed interest in this topic I'm just re-posting all the missing scans to keep it complete for future reference.

Report from Papillon:

Report from Captain Round:

[Max Poilu]

13th Essex War Diary:

Regimental History:

[Max Poilu]

Maps:

Lastly, photo taken about 10 years ago now - camera back to Trones Wood, Waterlot farm in distant view:

[Guest Carolyoung]

Hi to anyone who can help me

13th Essex - F A James 18094

F A James is my great grandfather and we know he was awarded the military medal and later had a bar added to it. What for we have been unable to find out. I have been researching this for a couple of years now and can go no further. Anyone that has any information could they please post a reply.

Many thanks....