188th MGC RND War Diaries

[Andy Cundell]

Hiya!!

I always seem to find the National Archives quite hard to navigate for war diaries.  Could someone please confirm that these diaries are not digitised yet?

I'm looking for anything on 21 Aug 1918 for the 188th Machine Gun Corps RND, especially around the Buoquoy area and AB Archibald Mackie Cruickshank Z/2964.  I have read the battle of Albert started this day and the 188th MGC were part of this battle but as far as I can see, I would have to take a trip to Kew to read these.  Am I right?

I'm off on a Remembrance trip this year to Albert and although Archibald is not my direct blood line, I class him as part of my family.

Thankyou in advance! 

Andy Cundell

 

[Jrmh]

The Long Long Trail has: 

188th MG Company

Formed in Grantham; joined 63rd (Royal Naval) Division 4 August 1916, at Barlin. Transferred to Base Depot 17 May 1917. 223rd MG Company arrived 8 May 1917 initially with 189th Brigade, but transferred 12 June 1917 as 188th MG Company, and moved into 63 MG Bn 1 March 1918.

 

So https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7355448 may be what you need?

[horatio2]

188 MG Coy did not exist in August 1918, all the RND MG coys having been merged into 63rd (RN) Division MG Battalion on 1 March 1918. 188 MG Coy became 'A' Coy of the new MG battalion.

Edited 3 November , 2023 by horatio2

[Andy Cundell]

Just now, Jrmh said:

The Long Long Trail has: 

188th MG Company

Formed in Grantham; joined 63rd (Royal Naval) Division 4 August 1916, at Barlin. Transferred to Base Depot 17 May 1917. 223rd MG Company arrived 8 May 1917 initially with 189th Brigade, but transferred 12 June 1917 as 188th MG Company, and moved into 63 MG Bn 1 March 1918.

 

So https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7355448 may be what you need?

Thankyou!!! I've some records from Fold3 but was wondering if I could find out exactly where he died and what his division was doing.

1 minute ago, horatio2 said:

188 MG Coy did not exist in August 1918, all the RND MG coys having been merged into 63rd (RN) Division MG Battalion on 1 March 1918. 188 MG Coy became 'A' Coy of the new MG battalion.

That's great! Thank you! I will jump back in the NA and see if there is anything for 'A' Company MG Battalion! 

[Andy Cundell]

8 minutes ago, Jrmh said:

The Long Long Trail has: 

188th MG Company

Formed in Grantham; joined 63rd (Royal Naval) Division 4 August 1916, at Barlin. Transferred to Base Depot 17 May 1917. 223rd MG Company arrived 8 May 1917 initially with 189th Brigade, but transferred 12 June 1917 as 188th MG Company, and moved into 63 MG Bn 1 March 1918.

 

So https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7355448 may be what you need?

Im on it now!!! Thank you all so much!!!

[horatio2]

In the RND action on 21 August around Logeast Wood, 63rd MG Bn, lost three ratings. AB Cruickshank, the only 'A' Coy casualty, died of his wounds and two others were k.i.a.

For overviews of the Logeast Wood action, these links are worth a read to establish the context of the MG Bn action:-

RND history   -  https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.523461/page/n363/mode/2up    narrative starts on p302.

"Britain's Sea Soldiers"   -   https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89100004282&view=page&seq=429&skin=2021&size=200   from the bottom of p351

 

Edited 3 November , 2023 by horatio2

[Andy Cundell]

25 minutes ago, horatio2 said:

In the RND action on 21 August around Logeast Wood, 63rd MG Bn, lost three ratings. AB Cruickshank, the only 'A' Coy casualty, died of his wounds and two others were k.i.a.

For overviews of the Logeast Wood action, these links are worth a read to establish the context of the MG Bn action:-

RND history   -  https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.523461/page/n363/mode/2up    narrative starts on p302.

"Britain's Sea Soldiers"   -   https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89100004282&view=page&seq=429&skin=2021&size=200   from the bottom of p351

 

Thank you so much and Thank you for the links!!! I really need to brush up on my detective skills! I will have a walk round those wood when I get there.

Edited 3 November , 2023 by Andy Cundell