11 Battalion, Durham Light Infantry

[SMG65]

A friend of mine is researching 11 DLI with a view to publishing a book on these 'Perfect Pioneers'. If anyone has any information on this battalion, please get in touch. Photographs and information on individual soldiers who served with the battalion would be greatly appreciated.

Sean

[David T]

Sean,

I think we've corresponded before on the DLI and you might recall that I've done quite a bit of research on all battalions raised during the First World War, drawing, mainly, from war and personal diaries. I've got about eleven A-4 pages of notes although I doubt if this would add much to your friend's researches if he is writing a book specifically on 11/DLI.

The war diary entry for 30 November 1917 is the longest daily entry, by far, and if he has not done so already I would suggest your friend looks at it.

As for photos, most, if not all of those held by the DRO are now available via the Internet although, from memory, there might not be anything outstanding for this particular battalion. This said, there are bound to be plenty of individual officers and men. Also, there is one classic IWM photo of the battalion moving forward by light railway shortly before the Battle of Pilkem Ridge (July 1917) - Reference No. IWM Q2641.

David T.