Private E. G. Forrest, Gloucestershire Yeomanry

[Eran Tearosh]

All,

Looking for more information about Private E. G. Forrest, Gloucestershire Yeomanry. 

Private Forresr received the D.C.M. for his actions on September 19th, 1918, near Nahr el-Falik. In 2021 his medals were sold for over 4,000 pounds and I quote from there: "... galloped at a column of vehicles with drawn sword and captured the entire column consisting of 36 wagons, 4 officers and 100 men..."

This action is mentioned in a few sources, but I never found details such as his full name, citation of his D.C.M., and a photo of him (preferably from his military service). The exact place where this happened is also a bit unclear, but most likely it's somewhere near the letter Q (center) on this map:

Maybe this info (location) can be found in the War diary of the 13th Cavalry Brigade (5th Cavalry Division) and/or in the Gloucestershire Yeomanry war diary.  

 

Someone sent me many years ago this illustration, but he couldn't remember where he found it:

If anyone can help, please

Eran

 

[DavidOwen]

I can add that his first name is Edward (courtesy FMP)

 

 

Also he hails from Yate - The Gloucester Journal 26 April 1919 (FMP)

and that leads to what would appear to be his full name Edward George Forrest as per 1911 census (FMP)

[FROGSMILE]

The illustration looks typical of the kind of thing commissioned for a regimental history.  It’s not of the generally high quality standard of mass print run’s associated with commercial periodicals such as The War Illustrated.

Edited 24 October , 2023 by FROGSMILE

[dink999]

From the War Diary held by Glos Archives

Dave

 

[Allan1892]

4 hours ago, Eran Tearosh said:

but I never found details such as his full name, citation of his D.C.M

Citation courtesy of Ancestry

[Eran Tearosh]

5 hours ago, DavidOwen said:

I can add that his first name is Edward (courtesy FMP)

 

 

Also he hails from Yate - The Gloucester Journal 26 April 1919 (FMP)

and that leads to what would appear to be his full name Edward George Forrest as per 1911 census (FMP)

 

Thank you, David! 

That solves the issue of his full name.

 

 

 

[Eran Tearosh]

5 hours ago, dink999 said:

From the War Diary held by Glos Archives

Dave

 

 

Thank you, Dave & Allen!

This sure answers the D.C.M. citation. 

Dave, note that this event (Forrest) is not mentioned in the war diary. In the text for September 19th, a Wadi Amel Yezer is mentioned. Most of the action that morning was carried out by the vanguard regiment, 9th Hodson's Horse. All the area, from Nahr el-Falik northwards beyond Mukhalid, is today covered by the city of Netanya. I'll try to identify exact locations, but that might prove too much of a challenge (I know the location of Mukhalid - really Umm Khaled).

By the way, if someone has a hard copy (or digital link) of the regimental history of the 9th Hodson's Horse and/or their September 1918 war diary - Please P.M. me.

Eran

 

Edited 24 October , 2023 by Eran Tearosh

[Eran Tearosh]

6 hours ago, FROGSMILE said:

The illustration looks typical of the kind of thing commissioned for a regimental history.  It’s not of the generally high quality standard of mass print run’s associated with commercial periodicals such as The War Illustrated.

Thank you, Frogsmile!

I agree that this illustration is quite typical of a regimental history. However, the only regimental history of the Glouceshire Yeomanry I know about is The History of the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars Yeomanry 1898-1922 - The Great Cavalry Campaign in Palestine, By Frank Fox, published in 1923. This illustration is not from there. So I wonder about the source - This is the artist's signature:

 

I wonder if this might help.

Eran

[FROGSMILE]

1 hour ago, Eran Tearosh said:

Thank you, Frogsmile!

I agree that this illustration is quite typical of a regimental history. However, the only regimental history of the Glouceshire Yeomanry I know about is The History of the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars Yeomanry 1898-1922 - The Great Cavalry Campaign in Palestine, By Frank Fox, published in 1923. This illustration is not from there. So I wonder about the source - This is the artist's signature:

 

I wonder if this might help.

Eran

I can’t comment on the artist I’m afraid, but I agree that in principle it should be a good lead.  If not an illustration from a regimental history, then I would suggest the next level up, a campaign history, would be the next logical step, albeit I recognise that, that is easier said than done.  At least it gives a recommended direction of travel though.

[MaureenE]

My guess would be that the illustration is possibly from a publication such as "The World Wide Magazine, An Illustrated Monthly of True Narrative". Some of this title are available online, you could look at the Index for the editions from 1918

https://archive.org/search?query="The+Wide+World+Magazine"&sort=-date

Maureen

[charlie962]

The artist is probably Ernest William Cornock of Gloucester. In 1939 Register, born 5/7/1911. Designer and illustrator. 

Drawings of Gloucester Cathedral attributed to him. Active well into 1960s... 

Died 2000.

Edited 25 October , 2023 by charlie962

[michaeldr]

On 24/10/2023 at 21:39, Eran Tearosh said:

note that this event (Forrest) is not mentioned in the war diary.

Eran,
You're right that it is difficult to reconcile the two accounts [the award doc., and the WD, both seen in Dave's post above] however, doesn't the mention of the capture of “2 guns” in both of these accounts, seem to suggest that the DCM action was by a man in the patrol from “B” Squadron on the right flank?

best regards, Michael

[dink999]

3 minutes ago, michaeldr said:

seem to suggest that the DCM action was by a man in the patrol from “B” Squadron on the right flank?

Michael,

In the war diary there are lists of soldiers and Forrest is recorded as being in "B" squadron

Dave

[michaeldr]

2 minutes ago, dink999 said:

Forrest is recorded as being in "B" squadron

Dave, many thanks for that quick (& positive) reply 

Michael

[Eran Tearosh]

Michael,

No. There were several encounters of the Gloucester Yeomanry that morning. In two different encounters, members of 'B' squadron were involved:

"... A patrol from 'B' squadron with only four men (contradicting the war diary, that mentions an N.C.O. and thirteen men) was sent to a flank to discover from where these enemy guns were firing. Corporal Wiseman soon returned to report that he had found two of them in the act of limbering up. He at once charged them and the officer in command surrendered with twenty men. Whilst he was reporting this, Private Forrest 'saw a large column moving away north. he galloped right at it, which halted on his approach and surrendered. The column consisted of thirty-seven wagons, four officers, and 100 men. Private Forrest turned them about and escorted them to the rear'."

Private Forrest was awarded the D.C.M.

I believe Corporal Wiseman was awarded the M.M.

Eran 

 

Edited 26 October , 2023 by Eran Tearosh

[Allan1892]

2 hours ago, Eran Tearosh said:

I believe Corporal Wiseman was awarded the M.M.

He was also awarded the DCM (image courtesy of Ancestry)

[Eran Tearosh]

Thank you, Allan!

I'll correct my notes accordingly. 

Eran

[michaeldr]

Eran,

It's all a matter of interpretation, and you may well be correct in yours. 

19 hours ago, Eran Tearosh said:

Whilst he was reporting this, Private Forrest 'saw a large column moving away north.

However, I should explain that I read the above as indicating that Wiseman and Forrest were in fact members of the same patrol (only one patrol is mentioned in the WD)

regards, Michael

 

[Eran Tearosh]

Michael,

They're both from 'B' squadron, and it is possible (Though nothing to support that) that Forrest was a member of Wiseman's patrol, but the patrol was dealing with a military situation (the fire from the enemy guns), which was the reason of sending out that patrol - That's why it is mentioned in the WD.

According to the text (Regimental History), Forrest acted right after the return of the patrol. That is, without a doubt, a heroic deed, but it was 'only' a supply convoy, with no immediate influence on the regiment's actions and therefore, there was no need to mention such details in the super laconic WD. However, that's exactly the stuff regimental histories are looking for. Fact - he was awarded the D.C.M. and I found his story mentioned several times, even on YouTube. 

Honestly, it's not really that important. The main actions were carried out that morning by 9th Hodson's Horse, which was the Vanguard regiment (Look at the note). The Gloucestershire Yeomanry was acting on the east flank, on a very limited scale. But, and as you know me so well - I love these side anecdotes...

Note: I'm planning to write a post about the 9th Hodson's Horse that morning, on the  Middle East & North Africa sub forum. There are a few loose ends there. 

Eran