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Remembered Today:

Royal Warwickshire Regiment


robwilliams

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Terry,

Do you have anything on :-

30209 - Pte. J.W.Haynes MM (1st.B/Pals), KIA 14/4/18, formerly 1651 Hunts Cyclist Bn.

Anybody got his Victory medal?

Best wishes Roy

PS. are you still looking after No. 26 Anstey?

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Major G. H. R. B. Somerville, M.C.

(Taken from The Antelope May 1939 issue)

With the retirement of Major Somerville there passes from the active list of the Regular Battalions the last of the pre-war officers. He was commissioned from Sandhurst in February, 1913, and immediately joined the 2nd Battalion in Malta. Early in 1914 he served with the detachment sent to Scutari in Albania, as part of the International Force, shortly followed by the return of the Battalion to England on the declaration of war, its incorporation in the 7th Division and move to France, where he landed on 5th October, 1914.

Three weeks later, when part of the Regiment was surrounded by the Germans near Ypres, he had the misfortune to be captured, and remained a prisoner of war in Germany until November, 1917. In that month, after several unsuccessful attempts, which brought him long periods of solitary confinement, he finally succeeded in escaping from Strohen, a "strafe camp" in Hanover, where he had been incarcerated as a result of his earlier efforts to get away.

After a most adventurous journey through about 100 miles of enemy territory, travelling by night with the aid of an amateur compass and prison-made maps, and hiding by day, he eventually crossed into Holland by swimming the great river Ems. It says much for his stout-heartedness and powers of endurance that, after the privations of a long imprisonment, and the rigours of such a journey, he was able to perform this feat in the depths of winter, clad only in his scanty underclothes, and with his boots hanging round his neck!

The story of his escape is fully and graphically described by him in this issue while descriptions of his life and adventures as a prisoner appeared in the " Antelope " of April, July and October, 1932.

Hope this is of interest

Regards

Terry

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Hello Nigel

Not heard from Rob for ages. perhaps he has emigrated ! I have sent an email recently but had no reply. The scource I use for casualties was many years research by Rob at Birmingham's Central Libray which he kindly let me have a hard copy of.

regards

Terry

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I hope he is OK Terry, the reason i ask is because he gave me some info well over 18 months back now and was going to give me some more on my Grandad George Ernest Green 8812, have you anything on him there Terry i know he was wounded at least twice and one of them may have been gas

thanks

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Nigel

His name was listed on two different times as being wounded.

15 Aug 1916 & 9 Nov 1917 Somme and Paschendaele most probably.

No battalion is indicated. Plus the dates are when the names were published not the actual day he was wounded.

Terry

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Guest dannytruell

Terry

Many thanks for the invaluable information regarding my great-uncle Pat (Major GRHB Somerville M.C.). I shall attempt to track down the appropriate copies of the 'Antelope', to obtain further information about his experience as a POW and to garnish further details of his career in WWI after his escape and subsequently. As I mentioned in my earlier posting, he re-joined the Army in 1940 and organised military troop-ships despite being torpedoed on two instances. Not too bad for one in his sixties ... but then I have just been on a ten-mile walk with my father (Pat's nephew) in today's heat to celebrate his 79th birthday.

Regards

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Terry,

  Do you have anything on :-

  30209 - Pte. J.W.Haynes MM (1st.B/Pals), KIA 14/4/18, formerly 1651 Hunts Cyclist Bn.

  Anybody got his Victory medal?

  Best wishes Roy

  PS. are you still looking after No. 26 Anstey?

Hello Roy

I am sorry I have no info on Pte J W Haynes MM except his Gazzette was 4/2/1918, which could mean it was awarded for an action he took part in during the Battle of Passchendaele in October/November 1917.

Regards

Terry

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Terry,

Thanks for the info.

Best wishes Roy

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hello rob,

here's a good one or two for you!

4765 a/sgt ernest harold long DCM MM

DCM and MM gained with 11th

kia with 10th

8665 l/cpl william watkins 1st

dow 2nd oct 1917

thanks enoch

terry,

any information on these two!

enoch

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  • 2 months later...
Hope I can be of help to someone.  Over the years I have built up a database of members of the above Regiment.  It currently has 39000 entries.  By necessity, it is still not complete.  However, if you want me to look someone up, just ask

Hi, If the offer still stands can you have a look for:

Private Elias Palmer 268930

He served with them for a while and then onto a couple of other units.

Any info will be a help.

Gary

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Guest heiland laddie
Hope I can be of help to someone.  Over the years I have built up a database of members of the above Regiment.  It currently has 39000 entries.  By necessity, it is still not complete.  However, if you want me to look someone up, just ask

Hello Rob

I would be grateful if you could find out something about the service of my great-uncle who served in the RWR. His name is WILLIAM YOUNGER GOW. He served in the 1/8th Batt (TF) as a lieutenant in the Great War. He survived the war, stayed in the army and rose up the officer ranks and was a colonel or brigadier in WW2. His daughter told me that his situation in the RWR's was unusual, as he was seemingly the only Scottish officer in his battalion. Any service info would be much appreciated.

Regards

Lachlan

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Hi Terry, :)

Have you any information please on 242525 Pte Gordon Pugh 1/5th R.W.R.

D.O.W 13-10-17.

Any information would be great.

Cheers

Tim.

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Guest heiland laddie

Hello Rob

I tried to post a question yesterday but I think I made an error and it didn't show up.

I would be grateful if you could find out anything about the WW1 war service of my great uncle, who served in the 1/8th Warwicks in WW1. His name is WILLIAM YOUNGER GOW and he was a lieutenant. According to his daughter (my aunt), he was the only Scottish officer in his battalion. I don't know his service number.

PS - He survived the war and was posted to Persia / Iraq between the wars. My aunt was born in Persia. During WW2, he was either a colonel or brigadier in the 8th Army, under Gen Neil Ritchie / Claude Auchinleck. However, I believe he got his marching orders in summer 1942 when Monty took over and Messrs Ritchie and Auchinleck were elbowed out, Monty replacing their staff and commanders with his own in the process. I think Uncle Willie went to PI Force after that.

Any info on Great Uncle Willie would be appreciated.

Regards

Lachlan

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rob.

my great granparents lost 4 sons in w.w.1.

one son was arther edward wickens 50409 in 14th bat warwickshire reg.

died 27 sep 1918 .

can you tell me any more

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Hope I can be of help to someone.  Over the years I have built up a database of members of the above Regiment.  It currently has 39000 entries.  By necessity, it is still not complete.  However, if you want me to look someone up, just ask

Hello

Might I impose on your kind offer.

I have a 14-15 star trio to a pte 894 H Freer. R. War. Reg.

If you have any information it would be gratefully received.

Regards,

Bob Norman.

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Hi

Pte. 50409 A E Wicken

From: SDGW

Born: Mortimer, Berks

Enlisted: Newbury, Berks

Resident: Mortimer

See GWWG here http://www.cwgc.org/cwgcinternet/casualty_...asualty=1750235

'Birmingham Pals' by Terry Carter p.263-264

Describes the 14RWR getting bombed out of African Trench, part of the Hidenburg Line north-east of Villers Plouich on 27.9.18.

A great book - worth getting hold of a copy.

All the best

Dave

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Hello

Might I impose on your kind offer.

I have a 14-15 star trio to a pte 894 H Freer.  R. War. Reg.

If you have any information it would be gratefully received.

Regards,

Bob Norman.

Pte Freer was an original volunteer to the 1st B'ham Bn and he served in D coy, 15 platoon. possibly one of three brothers who all served in the same platoon.

All three gave the same address

Mass House, Pritchetts Rd, Edgbaston.

No record of him being wounded.

Regards

Terry Carter

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Hi Terry, :)

Have you any information please on 242525 Pte Gordon Pugh 1/5th R.W.R. 

D.O.W 13-10-17.

Any information would be great.

Cheers

Tim.

Sorry not a lot of info. Soldiers Died has his place of residence as Small Heath, Birmingham. He might have a mention in the Birmingham Weekly news Roll of honour if the family at the time decided to send his details.

Terry

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Hi Terry, :)

Many thanks for having a look anyway.

Cheers

Tim.

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Hello Terry,

Would you happen to have anything on a 40988 Private Ernest Kent? He was formally in the 19th Hussars and entered F/F 9.8.14. Thanks.

Cheers,

~Dan

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Hello Terry,

  Would you happen to have anything on a 40988 Private Ernest Kent? He was formally in the 19th Hussars and entered F/F 9.8.14. Thanks.

Cheers,

~Dan

Sorry Dan

No info. The list of wounded I have only covers to the end of 1917.

Many cavalry soldiers transferred to infantry battalions prior to the Battle of Passchendaele (3rd Ypres (Aug to Nov 1917).

Terry

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi All

My grandfather was Sgt Samuel Harvey 1/6 Btn RWR, amazingly a survivor of the great war. We (the family) think he was wounded at some point, returned to England and ended his military career in the 5th Btn, with a different service number. Is this possible?

Have been interested to see The Antelope publication mentioned in earlier posts. Are copies of this available to see - maybe at B'ham central library or the RWR museum?

Here goes with my first post - my children will be amazed!!!

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