The route to Mons, 3rd Div. 7th Bde. (2 Royal Irish Rifles) - specifically

[Trav]

Having pored over war diaries, books, and anything else I can get my hands upon, I am reasonably confident that I can trace my Grandfather's (withdrawal) route from Harmignies, Belgium (23.08.1914) to Caudry, France (26.08.1914) where he was wounded and captured... the red line upon the attached screenshot.

My latest project is tracing his march (and train journeys) towards Mons, Belgium. Once again I have used every resource I can find or think of, but I wondered whether anyone else knows of a particular book, memoir, or useful resource that covers the advance of 2 Corps, 3 Div, 7 Bde?

As I understand it, having mostly used the war diaries, I have these towns and villages so far (yellow pins on the screenshot).

• Tidworth
• Southampton (by train)
• Le Harve and / or Rouen
• Mont-St. Aignan
• Rouen
• Amiens (by train)
• St. Quentin (by train)
• Aulnoye-Aymeries (by train)
• Leval
• Marbaix
• St. Hilaire
• Avesnes-Sur-Helpe
• St. Aubin
• Dourlers
• Mauberge
• Feignies
• Goegnies
• Quevy-Le-Grande
• Quevy-Le-Petite
• Bougnies
• Asquillies
• Ciply
• Harmignies

I am wondering if there are any resources anyone knows of that cover this particular route in any (more) detail, and may add to my research.

Thanks in advance!

 

Edited 22 July , 2023 by Trav
Level added - according to 1 Wilts war diary

[EastSurrey]

Have you looked at Lucy's 'There's a  devil in the drum'? I believe Burgoyne's published  diary may also cover this period, along with a book by an  officer called Lowry- 'From Mons to 1933'. There is also the history of the battalion by J.W. Taylor.

Michael

[Trav]

Thank you, most of those have been read, and in Lowry's case corrected (he was wrong on some of the village names).

Lucy and my Grandfather would have been Cpls in the same Bn. at the same time in Tidworth, Lucy A Coy my grandfather B Coy, so I couldn't ask for a better resource.

I'm not sure about Burgoyne though, the name rings a bell... something new for me to dig into, cheers!

*I think Burgoyne's diaries start from a later date.

Edited 22 July , 2023 by Trav