95th Brigade Machine Gun Company

[Ross Bannister]

Hi Guys,

Can anyone help please?

We are trying to find out WHERE the 95th Brigade, Machine Gun Company were on 10/11th January 1917. We believe they were with the 5th Division, 95th Brigade in Operations on the Ancre. The 95th Brigade consisted of the following: 1st Devons, 1st East Surreys, 12th Gloucesters and 1st DCLI.

My Grandfather served with 95COY MGC & was buried alive by Shellfire on this day and fortunately pulled out.

He suffered from Shell shock and was ultimately taken back to the UK and discharged.

If you can read this, thank a teacher.

If you are reading this in English, thank a soldier.

[Guest Bill Lockley]

Hi Ross

My Grand father John Bright Lockley was in The 95th Machine gun Company. Where can I get see the 95th Machine Gun Companies War Diaries, of which you talk about. We are researching our family history and have been to see John Bright Lockley's grave, at Les Bois Des Gonards Cemetery, Versailles. He died while the company were being transferred to the Italian front.

Any information would be gratefully received.

Regards

Bill Lockley & Family

[Ross Bannister]

Hi Bill,

The Diaries are available at the PRO at Kew under WO95/1580 and copies can be ordered on-line however I found it difficult to actually nail down which months I wanted and ended up getting nearly all of them!.

I have copies of 95th MGC War Diary for Sept 1916 - Nov 1917 & April 1918.

I believe the company were moved to Italy in December 1917 and returned in April 1918 so I might have the Diary pages you are looking for. I am in the process of transcribing them so if you let me know which date you are interested in I'll wizz you a copy over!

Cheers

Ross

[brhillier]

Hi Bill,

The Diaries are available at the PRO at Kew under WO95/1580 and copies can be ordered on-line however I found it difficult to actually nail down which months I wanted and ended up getting nearly all of them!.

I have copies of 95th MGC War Diary for Sept 1916 - Nov 1917 & April 1918.

I believe the company were moved to Italy in December 1917 and returned in April 1918 so I might have the Diary pages you are looking for. I am in the process of transcribing them so if you let me know which date you are interested in I'll wizz you a copy over!

Cheers

Ross

Hi Ross,

I am compiling a database of Holyhead's Fallen Heroes from the Great War and have come across your message from a few years ago. I am trying to find out what the 95th MGC were doing on 08 October 1917 when Private William Tudor Griffith (35452) was killed. A letter from his father in his service record suggests that he was killed by shellfire whilst carrying a message back to HQ. I hope that you can look at the War Diary that you have and let me know if it mentions anything.

Thanks,

Barry Hillier

[ExileEric]

Hi, Ross. If you're still out there, I'm writing a memorial to the lads of my village killed in the World Wars and the Falklands and one of the First World War casualties was a Pte. Alfred Corbett, who died of wounds on the first day of the Battle of Arras (Easter Monday, 9th April, 1917). He was with the 95th M.G. Coy (5th British Infantry Div.), attached to the Canadians on the extreme right of the Vimy Ridge sector. His service record tells me that he was transferred to the M.G.C. from the Royal Berks. on 29th July, 1916; joined the B.E.F. on 27th August; and was transferred to the 95th M.G.Coy on 6th September, 1916. I have actually found a tiny segment of the Company's War Diary, for April, 1917, which - amazingly - contains an account of Alfred's mortal wounding on the 9th. This extract appears in a Canadian research website (Matrix Project - Canadian Expeditionary Force Study Group). If you could let know how to obtain the sections of the Company War Diary which cover the rest of Alfred's service, I should be most grateful. With thanks in advance, and crossed fingers that you haven't lost interest in this thread. Best wishes, Eric.

[purley]

Eric

He was born at Stourport, attested at Bristol 2/12/1915 with occupation given as Chauffeur. was 26286 in the R Berks, 14647 in Army Cyclists Corps and 45902 in the MGC - killed 9/4/17 and commemorated on the Vis en Artois memorial

Which village are you researching and what memorials does he feature on?

[ExileEric]

Hi, Purley. I feel something of a prat as I'd wrongly assumed I'd get e-mail notice of responses so I only saw yours yesterday. Apologies for not having replied and many thanks for your response. I am (still) researching the war dead of the village of Areley Kings, Worcestershire, and have just picked up the work again after a gap of several months. I've just been going through Alfred Corbett's Army Service Record (which fortunately survives) and have lots of family background information. He states he was born in Stourport (the nearest town) but was actually born, christened and lived in Areley Kings until he moved to Bristol. However, I didn't know (and I haven't seen it on his record or anywhere else) about his time in the Army Cyclists Corps. Where did that come from? I can't see how he would be on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial as he has a grave and that memorial is, in any case, for the missing of the 'march to victory' of 1918. Are we mixing up two Corbetts? Heaven knows there were a tragically large number of them who died. I have visited Alfred's grave (he died of wounds on the day he was wounded on Vimy Ridge, the first day of the Battle of Arras, and is buried in Roclincourt Military Cemetery). What caused me lots of delay and wasted effort was the fact that the C.W.G.C. puts him down as being in 20th Coy, M.G.C., not - as he was - the 95th. Any help anyone can give me about the 95th Coy between 6th Sept., 1916, when he joined the Coy, and 9th April, 1917, when he was killed, would be very gratefully received. Once again, many thanks and repeated apologies for the delay. Eric

[ExileEric]

P.S. You asked on which memorials Alfred Corbett figures. The ones I know of are those in the village - the memorial cross outside St. Bartholomew's parish church; the stone, First World War First World War memorial tablet inside the Church; and the Areley Kings School First World War wooden memorial plaque (now in its successor school, St. Bartholomew's C.E. Primary School). His name is also among the 26 WWI dead on the Stourport Loyal Stanley Baldwin Lodge of Oddfellows.