chrisreeve Posted 21 May , 2005 Share Posted 21 May , 2005 NEW TO WEBSITE... I AM RESEARCHING SIMS REEVE, 1ST CAMBS REGIMENT( MY GREAT, GREAT UNCLE I THINK )SERVICE NUMBER 327531. HE WAS KIA 26.03.1917. I AM LOOKING FOR ANY EXTRA HELP OR INFO. I HAVE ONLY BEEN LOOKING INTO THIS FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS, BUT NOW IM HOOKED !!. I HAVE BASIC KNOWLEDGE OF HIS MOVEMENTS DURING 1917, HE SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN MAINLY IN THE SANCTUARY WOODS AREA, BUT DETAILS ARE SCARCE. HE WAS KILLED DURING BOX BARRAGE DURING ENEMY RAID ON " CRAB CRAWL". WHERE IS THIS, WHAT WAS THIS?. I AM HOPING TO GO VISIT HIS GRAVE SITE AT RAILWAY DUGOUTS LATER THIS YEAR, WHILST I AM THERE I WOULD LIKE TO RETRACE HIS STEPS. IF THERE IS ANYBODY THAT COULD HELP THE NEW BLOKE, THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFULL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOMMESOLDIER Posted 21 May , 2005 Share Posted 21 May , 2005 Hi Chris, Just in case you don't have this info:- Formally 5701 Cambridgeshire Regiment. Enlisted Bury St Edmunds. Cheers Tim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisreeve Posted 21 May , 2005 Author Share Posted 21 May , 2005 Hi Chris, Just in case you don't have this info:- Formally 5701 Cambridgeshire Regiment. Enlisted Bury St Edmunds. Cheers Tim. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> THANKS FOR QUICK REPLY TIM. ALOT OF THE BASIC INFO I HAVE ALREADY THANKS TO A HELPFULL MAN CALLED CLIFF BROWN WHO DEALS WITH CAMBS REGIMENT HISTORY. BUT KEEP IT COMMING!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 21 May , 2005 Share Posted 21 May , 2005 Again, you've probably got it but THIS is the link to his MIC. Technically he would have been 1/1st Battalion Cambridgeshire Regiment. The other battalions never left the UK. 5701 would have been his number before 1-3-1917 and 327531 afterwards. Very briefly unfortunately. Most references to him, apart from his death, would therfore refer to his earlier number. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisreeve Posted 21 May , 2005 Author Share Posted 21 May , 2005 THANKS FOR THE INFO, I LOOKED AT THE WEB LINK, COULD YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THEY HAVE AN IMAGE OF, I AM NEW TO ALL THIS SO EXCUSE MY IGNORANCE. I CLICKED ON THE " CATALOGUE REFERENCE " BUT STILL DIDNT UNDERSTAND WHAT I WAS LOOKING AT. I WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD BE ABLE TO GET HOLD OF COPIES OF THE OFFICIAL WAR DIARIES FROM KEW, HOW WOULD SOME BODY GO ABOUT DOING THIS. THESE MAY GIVE ME MORE INFO OF THE CAMBS REG MOVEMENTS( 118 BRIGADE, 39TH DIVISION). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 21 May , 2005 Share Posted 21 May , 2005 The weblink I posted leads to the "Purchase page" for PDFs of the Medal Index Card (MIC). They cost £3.50 to download (or can be looked at for free at the National Archives at Kew). The Medal Index Card look like this: although they come in a PDF as a grooup of six. They tell you which Service Medals (not necessarily Gallantry Medals) he was entitled to. This one has the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. It list his Regiments/Corps (but not always Battalions/Units) and the Regimental number(s) he was allocated. It also states when he entered a theatre of war and which one. If the soldier died it also records that he died. Occasionally it states a date. That's what you get for your money. Mostly useful stuff. To buy you need to click add to Shopping and then Checkout and us a credit/debit card to pay. Up to you really... Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff brown Posted 23 May , 2005 Share Posted 23 May , 2005 With regard to my off-forum contact, this might help other forum members identify the Crab Crawl. Notes from Cambs Rgt war diary... March 1917 3rd: Relieve 11th R Sussex in left sub sector of right brigade front. Line in front of and through Sanctuary Wood. Btn HQ Valley Cottages. 6th: Relieved by Herts and become divisional reserve (B + D coys at Bund, A at Cavalry Barracks, C & HQ at Kruisstraathoek. 7th: In divisional reserve. 9th: Relieved 16th Rifle Brigade in left sub section of left brigade front, with left flank resting on Menin Road and right flank short of Sanctuary Wood. 10th: Germans explode mine at Hooge. 11th: Germans explode mine. 12th: Relieved by 1st Herts 10am. Btn to brigade reserve in the Infantry Barracks, Ypres. 16th: Btn relieved by 17th KRRC and moved to Winnipeg Camp as Corps Reserve Btn. 21st: Relieved 14th Hants in Sanctuary Wood/Observatory Ridge. 22nd: Patrol out under 2nd Lt Cope, one other rank wounded. 24th: Sanctuary Wood and Maple Copse shelled. One other rank wounded. Btn relieved by 1st Herts, to divisional reserve. B + D coys at Bund, A at Cavalry Barracks, C + HQ at Kruistraathoek. 26th: Two working parties caught in box barrage during attempted hostile raid on Crab Crawl. Four other ranks killed and nine other ranks wounded. 7pm, A coy billets at Cavaltry Barracks shelled, two other ranks wounded. 28th: Btn relieved by 14th Hants and relieved 16th RB on left sub sector in front of Hooge. 31st: Shelling on Outpost Farm + Birr Crossroads (left coy HQ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliff brown Posted 23 May , 2005 Share Posted 23 May , 2005 Just found this on this site... which also mentions Crab Crawl and the Bund www.1914-1918.net/Diaries/wardiary-18liv.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisreeve Posted 23 May , 2005 Author Share Posted 23 May , 2005 The name " Crab Crawl " seems to have been given to a tunnel where a Battalion Headquarters was situated, according to one war diary account i read it was prone to flooding!! The war diaries of the Kings Liverpool regiment mentions it regularly but not its exact location( seems to be Sanctuary Wood area)Dugout j.19.b.0.1 is mentioned, is this near perhaps? Zillebeke Bund is also mentioned in various sources. What is a Bund? Book ive just finished Norman Gladden ypres 1917, mentions it frequently. Was there more than one Bund, or is it possible this could be the same one my relation was at ? Cliff banging head against brick wall as to added info on Sims. Last relation, my Auntie is 98, but doesnt have any other info apart from letter we talked about, a copy of which is being sorted. I shall have to head off to regisrations office to try and track down family info. Any other info is always welcome thanks everybody again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisreeve Posted 23 May , 2005 Author Share Posted 23 May , 2005 Stebie9173 Thankyou for clearing that up for me, will try to purchase this week, i will let you know what results are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 23 May , 2005 Share Posted 23 May , 2005 A bund these days is a large man-made bank usually used to screen noise from roads/railways away from housing develpments, etc. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisreeve Posted 23 May , 2005 Author Share Posted 23 May , 2005 That would make sense, dugouts built into a Bund for extra protection, have read somewhere about Bund dugouts, describing how they were sheltering from bombs, difficult to be hit by there specific design, will look into it perhaps the mound would be where they dug railway, railway dugouts and transport farm area ? thanks everyone for help, i will be away till tues 31st but please keep info comming Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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