Any info on 59312 Private Lewis William Ollier - Cheshire Regiment please?

[potty5]

Hi all been researching a local soldier from Crewe, a 59312 Private Lewis William Ollier who I believe served in the Cheshire Regiment from 1916 onwards. The stories in the local papers and his records however do not seem to tally. He received a Silver Wound Badge in 1919 but it states (I think) that he didn't serve abroad. I haven't got evidence of this, but any info on him regarding his service will clear up a number of discrepancies. Thanks very much for reading - Mark.

[RussT]

Well he is on the Cheshire Regiment Medal Roll (as Louis) so he was overseas - but not in a theatre of war because he was only entitled to the British War Medal.

Russ

[RussT]

I see his SWB is also as Louis - from where do you get Lewis?

The Medal Roll tells us he was with 12 Combined Depot - no other units are recorded

Russ

[potty5]

Apologies Russ, can't read my own writing. Thanks for the info. Mark.

[Matlock1418]

3 hours ago, potty5 said:

59312 Private Lewis William Ollier who I believe served in the Cheshire Regiment from 1916 onwards. The stories in the local papers and his records however do not seem to tally. He received a Silver Wound Badge in 1919 but it states (I think) that he didn't serve abroad.

From an unspecified disability claim pension index card at WFA/Fold3 in the name of Lewis William OLLIER, 59312, Cheshire Regiment we can see that he was demobilised/discharged 21.10.19 and received a pension award of 28/- pw from 22.10.19 to 4.5.20 [28/- pw was the 70% degree disability rate for a pension Class V soldier/Pte]

From the front of a pension ledger page as Louis William OLLIER, 59312, Cheshire Regiment we can see he was born 1897, lived at 75 Albert St, Crewe, and also this 70% degree of disability for Appendictory, Laporatory, and VDH [Valvular Disease of Heart].  From the reverse of that page we can see he received the 60% degree of disability rate of 24/- pw from 5.5.20 to 2.11.20 [Stll considered a C[onditional] disability condition rate i.e it was not considered a Permanent or Final condition]

Unfortunately for us his MoP award file is lost, likely destroyed after its use was ended [as it isn't amongst the few rare samples files, as "PIN 26", still available at TNA.

As for overseas service ... I think somebody needs to double-check/look at that SWB list again - certainly the single BWM on his MIC does suggest only overseas service outside a ToW.  From the MIC I note the BWM was also returned [I suspect Russ has already seen the Medal Roll confirms this solitary award and it too might comment on its return]

Might also perhaps be worth looking for an Absent Voters List(s) from 1918 and/or 1919

M

Edited 29 August , 2023 by Matlock1418
add

[BillyH]

Probably served in Gibraltar with the Cheshire's 1st Garrison Battalion. Absent Voters list has his address as 75 Albert Street in Crewe (Monks Coppenhall).

BillyH.

Edited 29 August , 2023 by BillyH

[RussT]

40 minutes ago, BillyH said:

Probably served in Gibraltar with the Cheshire's 1st Garrison Battalion.

I don't think that is correct.

I think they went to India and remained in this so-called 12 Combined Depot there.

After a couple of months many men in this Cheshire Regiment number range were shortly afterwards transferred in India to the 1st Garrison Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment in August 1917.

Russ

[BillyH]

1 hour ago, Matlock1418 said:

From the front of a pension ledger page as Louis William OLLIER, 59312, Cheshire Regiment we can see he was born 1897

Although he was actually born in 1898. May have added a year on when he enlisted?

BillyH.

 

[Matlock1418]

14 minutes ago, BillyH said:

1 hour ago, Matlock1418 said:

From the front of a pension ledger page as Louis William OLLIER, 59312, Cheshire Regiment we can see he was born 1897

Although he was actually born in 1898. May have added a year on when he enlisted?

Was distracted in following up his birth but you have refreshed my impetus - this rather looks like him

OLLIER, LOUIS  WILLIAM	IKIN
GRO Reference: 1898  J Quarter in NANTWICH  Volume 08A  Page 330

Indeed, his age could perhaps have been flexible.

M

[BillyH]

20 minutes ago, RussT said:

I don't think that is correct.

I think they went to India and remained in this so-called 12 Combined Depot there.

Yes, I agree Russ  -  BillyH.

[RussT]

60337 John Wilfred Terry died on 27/09/1918 and is buried in Kirkee New Cemetery, India,

CWGC has him commemorated as being with the 8th Battalion Cheshire Regiment - as they do for nearly all of the other Cheshire Regiment men who died in India (15 men in total).

Terry's Medal Roll (BWM only) is the same as that for Ollier - in that the only unit recorded on the Roll is "12 Combined Depot".

The men I mentioned earlier who were transferred from the Cheshire Regiment in India to the 1st Gn Bn S Staffs are noted on the S Staffs Medal Roll to have been 8th Battalion Cheshire Regiment men.

The LLT states that the 8th Bn Cheshire Regiment was, during this time, in Mesopotamia but its seems some drafts to them went via India but eventually ventured no further.

Russ

[RussT]

Here is a page out of the Service Record of Simon Simlo.

He is on a BWM-only Medal Roll for the Cheshire Regiment  (service number 60338) in which the only unit recorded is "12 Combined Depot" - same details as Ollier.

The service record shows he only served overseas in India with the Cheshire Regiment at the Combined Infantry Depot, Kirkee, India.

It can be concluded that Ollier served at the same location - I assume in some administrative or training capacity.

Russ

 

 

[potty5]

Thanks so much guys, this is excellent info. Mark

[Robert StJohn Smith]

I am currently in the process of documenting all the soldiers of the First World War who had cartoons published in the magazine Blighty. Ollier was one of them and I have just added a write-up to my website 

 

https://robertstjohnsmith.com/post/2023-12-01-soldier-cartoonist-private-louis-ollier-8th-cheshire-regiment/