South Staffordshire Regt War Diaries

[sally jane99]

SallyJane

I can tell you Private Hunt served in "D" Company at the time of his death.

A bit from the Wd reads

"From 12 noon, Headquarters, 'A' and 'D' Companies were in the old front line trench between Hulloch Alley and Border Alley; 'B' and 'C' Companies were in the first line of attack. At 2.10pm the attack went in and 'B' Company was enfiladed and shelled. 'A' and 'D' Companies experienced machine gun and rifle fire from the left. All officers and most men were killed. At 2.20pm the Germans counter attacked Big Willie Trench but were driven back. A second counter attack was also repulsed. Heavy losses among trained bombers led to a slight withdrawal. They were reinforced by a platoon of 1/6th South Staffordshire who, during the night, helped to bring in wounded men from No Man's Land."

There is masses on the wb if you 'google' hohenzollern redoubt

Regards,

Graeme

Graeme, thanks for the info, sally

[joseph]

Roy,

Have you got anything for the 4th Battalion April 1918, looking for info on a chap called William Tindall 42807 Killed 14/04/1918.

Much obliged for any help.

Regards Charles

[Roy Evans]

Roy,

Have you got anything for the 4th Battalion April 1918, looking for info on a chap called William Tindall 42807 Killed 14/04/1918.

Much obliged for any help.

Regards Charles

According to my index, your man didn't get a mention in the war diary, in the 4th Batt'n only officers are in there. I'm off now to the monthly meeting of the South Staffs Pals so I'll look in the diary proper tomorrow to see what they were doing on that day.

[joseph]

Cheers Roy have a good night.

Regards Charles

[Roy Evans]

Charles, you nearly had me there!

The war diary for 14th April reads "Relieved 4.30 a.m. 9th Norfolks. moved to Locre Chateau at 2 p.m."

I'm not saying that he was not KiA on the 14th but on my database I have him as DoW on 14th which might make more sense since they were in heavy action around Neuve Eglise on 10th April and minor enemy attacks on 12th and 13th. What cliches it for me is that he is buried in Locre Hospice Cemetery (grave II. C. 4).

Just 19 when he died, he was born and enlisted at Hull and was the son of William Thomas and Sarah Ann Tindall, of 158, Holderness Rd., Hull.

I'll scan the pages of the diary for April '18 this evening and post them here.

Roy

[joseph]

Roy,

Thank You, thats the line I was working on wounded and being moved down the line to Locre.

I have a access to a photo of him and will post it for you, won't be till next week though.

Regards Charles

[rob elliott]

Roy,

Could you possibly look in the 7th Btn diary for the 9/8/1915.

I have a Wolverhampton man, Rueben Blunt,10069, Killed on that day.

Rob

[Roy Evans]

Roy,

Could you possibly look in the 7th Btn diary for the 9/8/1915.

I have a Wolverhampton man, Rueben Blunt,10069, Killed on that day.

Rob

Rob,

The early part of the war diary for the 7th South Staffords exists in narative form only, it seems that the original was lost at sea on the withdrawl from Gallipoli. There is however an entry for 9th August '15, I'll scan and post this evening.

Roy

PS, I've just looked-up his entry on my database and it has a comment from CWGC as follows: "PLEASE NOTE This casualty has been accepted for commemoration by the Commission. However, it will not be possible to add his name to this Memorial immediately. Please contact the Commission before planning a visit, for more information." What do you know about him?

[rob elliott]

Roy,

Thanks for your reply.

Reuben was from Heath Town. It appears he joined the army as a young boy aged 16/17 and comes up on the 1901 census at Whittington Lichfield, with the family living in Duke St [rear of Jennings the funeral business].

Doug Lewis has helped. He found Rueben on the 1911 census at Heath Town, married with two children.

He must have been on reserve.

He is on Heath Town memorial and my understanding is that the family[brother's] were still in the area in the 1950's.

I saw the CWGC notice. Seems odd as it indicates that he was missing off records for a time.

I can fill them in on his family history and next of kin.

Luckily the name Reuben Blunt is quite unusual and goes down each generation back to the 1820's so comes up on all the census returns. Makes it quite an easy family to trace.

I was actually looking for his brother Joseph who joined the South Staffs [19 thousand number] but was then sent to a training reserve Btn.

Looks like he was a Sgt but his records are badly damaged.

Family has it he was a training instructor in France, could this be the reserve Btn posting?

I am doing this search for the grandson of Joseph. The family knew nothing about Rueben.

Rob

[Roy Evans]

Charles, here is the first of your two pages. Sorry about the size but this is as large as the forum will let me post them.

[Roy Evans]

And the second

[Roy Evans]

Rob, here's your page for the 7th Batt'n. Again, as for the two posts above, this is as large as the forum will let me post.

[rob elliott]

Roy,

Thats great thanks very much. Can read it fine when saved 'to pictures'.

Rob

[joseph]

Roy,

Many thanks just the job

Regards Charles

Pte William Thomas Tindall 42807 DOW 14/04/1918

[vmkarlsson]

I've just aquired the War Diary of 9th (Pioneer) Batt'n South Staffords and now have the following;

1st, 2nd, 4th, 1/5th, 2/5th, 1/6th, 2/6th, 7th, and 9th Battalions.

Happy to do look-ups.

Roy

Hello Roy

I was wondering if you could help me out. I am looking for info about my 2nd great grandfather Joseph Horrobin who was in the 2nd Battalion South Staffordshire regiment. All i know is that his was in ww1 from 12.8.1914 till 3.9.1917. I was wondering if you could see what information there is in the diaries for around the time he was discharged.

Many thanks in advance

Vanessa Karlsson x

[tharkin56]

many thanks do yu have the diary entry for the

1/6th souths stafford on the 1/7/1916

2nd bn 9/8/1916 c coy interest

8th Bn on the 1/7/16 and 10/7/1916

I am reseaching 330 coventry men on the thiepval memorial

Thanks

[Roy Evans]

Hello both,

I'll try to post the info. for you over this weekend.

Roy

[biffrocks]

I've just aquired the War Diary of 9th (Pioneer) Batt'n South Staffords and now have the following;

1st, 2nd, 4th, 1/5th, 2/5th, 1/6th, 2/6th, 7th, and 9th Battalions.

Happy to do look-ups.

Roy

Hi Roy

I wonder if you would mind looking up the following for me, CSM 240845 William Frederick Corfield 2/6th who died 16/07/1918 and is buried in germany.

Any information would be very much apprecaited.

Thanks

Rob

[Roy Evans]

Hello Roy

I was wondering if you could help me out. I am looking for info about my 2nd great grandfather Joseph Horrobin who was in the 2nd Battalion South Staffordshire regiment. All i know is that his was in ww1 from 12.8.1914 till 3.9.1917. I was wondering if you could see what information there is in the diaries for around the time he was discharged.

Many thanks in advance

Vanessa Karlsson x

Vanessa,

Here is the diary for early September 1917:

1917 September

VILLAGE LINE SUPPORT BN. – GIVENCHY SECTOR

1st – 2nd Distribution; ‘A’ Coy. in KEEPS at HERTS REDOUBT, ‘B’ Coy. WINDY CORNER, ‘C’ Coy. WESTMINSTER BR. RD., ‘D’ Coy. O.B. Line.

Supplied working parties for 251st Tunnelling Coy. R.E. 5th Field Coy. R.E. Housemaiding C.T’s. & tending cemeteries.

Musketry practice on Miniature Range. Specialist Training proceeded with. Intermittent shelling of Support Area.

GIVENCHY RIGHT SUB-SECTOR

3rd Relieved 1st KING’S REGT. in GIVENCHY RIGHT SUB-SECTOR. Relief complete 12.30 a.m. 3rd .

17th MIDDLESEX REGT. came into SUPPORT.

Distribution;

A Coy. CLOSE SUPPORT

B Coy. RIGHT FRONT

C Coy. CENTRE FRONT

D Coy. LEFT FRONT

2nd – 5th No. 1 Coy 1st Bn. 6th Bde. C.E.P. (PORTUGUESE) attached for instruction until Sept. 5th (1 platoon to each Front Coy.)

3rd – 4th Reconnaissance party from No. 1 Coy. 13th Bn. 5th Bde. C.E.P. reconnoitred forward area from noon 3rd till 10 a.m. 4th .

3rd Quiet day. T.M. shoot 7.45 p.m.

Roy

[Roy Evans]

many thanks do yu have the diary entry for the

1/6th souths stafford on the 1/7/1916

2nd bn 9/8/1916 c coy interest

8th Bn on the 1/7/16 and 10/7/1916

I am reseaching 330 coventry men on the thiepval memorial

Thanks

Here is your stuff for the 2nd South Staffs in early August 1916

1916 August

Date The locations and activities of the battalion

MONTAUBAN - CARNOY

1st Nothing of interest occurred during the day. At about 7 p.m. the 23rd Royal Fusiliers relieved the Battalion in MONTAUBAN ALLEY, and the 3 Companies were marched to the Old British line in front of CARNOY, as the neighbourhood of Brigade Headquarters had been heavily shelled during the day.

Lieut. Col. R.W. MORGAN D.S.O. resumed command of the Battalion. The Company in LONGUEVAL ALLEY was not received till close on midnight. They had two casualties during the day, and on the way back through MONTAUBAN came through gas shells and shrapnel. No men were gassed, but five were wounded by shrapnel. Capt. PHIPPS was slightly wounded.

The day was spent in reorganisation.

CARNOY

2nd The Battalion was reinforced by a draft of 200 O.R’s. They arrived about 8 p.m. and were posted to Companies. They had no steel helmets. Between 40 and 50 had previous active service experience, but this in several cases did not amount to much as they had been a few days in the Dardanelles Expedition or in Egypt and had become casualties with wounds or sickness.

3rd Special attention was paid to keeping men to the trenches during the day, as hostile aircraft was active, and the forward part of the reserve area, including Brigade Headquarters and the Dump had been shelled on one or two previous days. The 8th Battalion came into billets in the reserve area on our left.

4th Lieut. Col. R.W. MORGAN D.S.O. was sent for to take command of the 21st Infantry Brigade, and the command of the Battalion fell to Capt. G. DAWES. The 8th Battalion left for MONTAUBAN ALLEY.

5th There was a conference at Brigade Headquarters, at which Battalion Commanders were introduced to the Divisional General, who complimented the Battalions on the recent operations. After the departure of the Divisional General, the plans for the attack on the night of the 6/7th were discussed, and during this a message was received deferring the operations to the next night. In the evening the Battalion moved to the BERNAFAY WOOD area. ‘C’ Company went into NEW TRENCH and ‘D’ Company into TRONES TRENCH, where they worked well in making them fit for assembly trenches for the attack on the night of 7/8th. ‘A’ and ‘B’ were in DUMMY TRENCH.

BERNAFAY WOOD – LONGUEVAL ALLEY

6th Some casualties were sustained in DUMMY TRENCH. After dark the 1st King’s (Liverpool) Regt. took over NEW and TRONES TRENCHES. The Battalion was situated as follows, ‘A’ and ‘D’ Companies in DUMMY TRENCH, ‘B’ in LONGUEVAL ALLEY, ‘C’ in trenches E. of BERNAFEY WOOD.

LONGUEVAL ALLEY - BERNAFEY WOOD.

7th ‘B’ and ‘C’ Companies found carrying parties to take material to the 17th Middlesex Regt. at WATERLOT FARM, and the 1st King’s (Liverpool) Regt. in their assembly trenches, respectively, the latter was completed at night. They also found water and ration carrying parties. The Battalion had orders to closely support the attack the following morning, and keep in close touch with operations. As Battalion Headquarters were instructed to remain at BERNAFEY WOOD, this was done by placing A Company at the disposal of the Officer Commanding the 1st King’s (Liverpool) Regt., and B Company at the disposal of the 17th Middlesex Regt. at the same time arranging for ‘D’ company to take the place of A Company as they were called upon.

WATERLOT FARM – LONGUEVAL ALLEY

8th The attack was launched at 4/20 a.m., but some hours elapsed before the situation became anything like clear. The Officer commanding ‘A’ Company was not called upon till 5/30 a.m., and by the time he had sent a platoon to NEW TRENCH it became clear that the Headquarters and the 3 Companies of the 1st King’s (Liverpool) Regt. who had gone over had lost touch with the 4th Company, which was intended to clear up the German front line, and that this line was probably as strongly held with rifles and machine guns as when the original attack was made. Three platoons of ‘A’ Company were called for in quick succession, and at 5/45 the Officer commanding ‘A’ Company went up to NEW TRENCH himself. He found that the King’s Officer in charge had made up his mind to consolidate NEW TRENCH with the remains of the 4th Company, which had been seriously depleted in the attack, the few stragglers who had returned from the first three Companies, and with one platoon of A Company South Staffordshire Regt. He was sending back the other two platoons of A Company, and these remained in TRONES TRENCH.

Meanwhile, the Officer Commanding the 17th Middlesex regiment had called up ½ B Company, with one Lewis Gun, into the trenches behind WATERLOT FARM. The 17th Middlesex Regt. was under the command of Major W.H. CARTER, of this Battalion, who was given this rank on being sent to replace Co. FENWICK, who was wounded in DELVILLE WOOD. At about 4 p.m. instructions were received to cooperate with Major W.H. CARTER, and to give him troops with which to attack machine gun house. He asked for two Companies, and C and D Company Commanders were detailed to report to him. An order to stand fast, subsequently overruled by a further order to carry on, was received about 6/30 p.m. A scheme was accordingly arranged between the Officer Commanding this Battalion and Major CARTER, at WATERLOT FARM. During the evening a Company of the 13th Essex Rgt. which had come into support, relieved NEW TRENCH, and later the 2nd Battalion of the Oxford and Bucks. Light Infantry took over TRONNES and DUMMY TRENCHES. At about 10/15 p.m. the Company Commanders of the 13th Essex regiment arrived, asking for guides. Unfortunately, an Officer of the 1st King’s (Liverpool) Rgt. who was responsible for these guides, was buried and suffering from shell shock, and on arrival at Battalion Headquarters had been sent away sick, so nothing was known of the 13th Essex Rgt. However with the assistance of Major CROSSE, D.S.O., Commanding the 2nd Battalion of the Oxford and Bucks. Light Infantry, the necessary reliefs were effected, and the position left as follows: 3 Companies of the 13th Essex Rgt. in NEW TRENCH, 1 Company in TRONES TRENCH, 2 Companies of the 2nd Oxford and Bucks. Light Infantry in DUMMY TRENCH, 2 Companies E. of BERNAFEY WOOD, the 17th Middlesex Rgt. along with C, D, and ½ B Company of the 2nd South Staffordshire Rgt., occupied positions round WATERLOT FARM, while A and the remaining ½ of B Company of the 2nd South Staffords were in LONGUEVAL ALLEY. ‘B’ Company of the 2nd South Staffordshire Rgt. had been engaged in carrying rations for the entire Battalion as well as for the 17th Middlesex Rgt.

LONGUEVAL ALLEY - WATERLOT FARM – HAPPY VALLEY

9th The necessary arrangements being made with the artillery, the first attempts to cut out Machine Gun House, and the trench running to what was known as Z – Z trench, was made at 2/30 a.m. A party gained a foothold in the trench and effected considerable casualties among the garrison. they were driven out, however by strong reinforcements. Capt. W.G. FLUKE, who lead the first attack made a second attempt, but this time the trench was too strongly held to allow of even the measure of success attained by the first attempt.

While awaiting the results of requests for renewed artillery support, Major W.H. CARTER employed the Companies with their Lewis Guns in affording support to the 13th Essex Rgt. The renewed artillery fire was most successful, many enemy casualties being effected by the infantry at the same time. It was intended to renew the infantry attack a third time, but both our own and the hostile heavy guns opened fire on the trench, and before another opportunity presented itself, orders were received not to resume the offensive. The Battalion was relived during the evening by the 12th Royal Fusiliers, and after a halt in the reserve area, where the cookers were met, took over Gibraltar Camp in HAPPY VALLEY. Two Companies were conveyed in lorries from HIDDEN POST.

Amongst the casualties were Lieut. S.T. SPICER and Company Sergt.-Major W.H. LICHFIELD, both of whom were very severely wounded during the attack on WATERLOT FARM, and later succumbed to their injuries.

Info on the other batt'n to follow when I've scanned the stuff.

Roy

[Roy Evans]

Hi Roy

I wonder if you would mind looking up the following for me, CSM 240845 William Frederick Corfield 2/6th who died 16/07/1918 and is buried in germany.

Any information would be very much apprecaited.

Thanks

Rob

Rob,

He is not mentioned by name at any time in the war diary. He was born and enlisted in Wolverhampton and is buried in Niederzwehern cemetery, Germany. The odds are that he was captured in the German offensive of 21st March. Here is an extract from my book on the 1/6th and 2/6th Batt'ns due out later this year;

THE 2/6th OVERWHELMED

At 12.35 p.m. an un-named officer is known to have sent a final message from the battalion headquarters in the reserve line trenches to the effect that he was now alone and that the enemy was at the top of the dug-out steps, that he had burnt all papers and was smashing the instruments. The 2/6th Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment had been all but obliterated.

Extracts from the Battalion war diary read as follows;

21st March 23 Officers and about 600 Other Ranks are ‘Missing’, including Lt. Col. J. Stuart-Wortley Capt. C.E.L. Whitehouse (Adjutant), Capt. W.A. Adam, Capt. W.A. Jordan, Capt. T.L. Astbury and Capt. W.S. Lynes, (Company Commanders), The following Officers are missing:- Lieut. W.T. Butler, Lieut. R.G. Boycott, Lieut. L.J. Shelton, 2/Lieut. H.P. Bunn, 2/Lieut. H.E. Shipton, 2/Lieut. H.W. Gregory, 2/Lieut. J.A. Geyton, 2/Lieut. R. Baxter, 2/Lieut. F.W. Spibey, 2/Lieut. C. Haworth, 2/Lieut. J.H. Hickman, 2/Lieut. T.A. Gough, 2/Lieut. C.A. ates, 2/Lieut. J. Bonshor, 2/Lieut. J. Rigby, 2/Lieut. H.E. Jones, and Capt. W.M. Christie, R. A. M. C. The Q. M. Stores and Transport moved from Dysart Camp at 5 p.m. by march route via Courcelles-les-Compte to Douchy where they bivouacked. Major H.M.C. Curtis proceeded to the line with details from the Transport Lines, a party of 2 Officers (2/Lieut. S.G. Maitland and 2/Lieut. S. Bradbury) and 50 O. R. including Band and specialists under training and held a portion of the front line of the Third System of Defence, East of Mory, until relieved at 4.00 a.m. on the 22nd.

When the roll was called after the fighting just six officers and eighty other ranks, mainly Bandsmen, were all that remained of 2/6th South Staffords. Of the officers listed as missing, Lieutenant-Colonel Stuart-Wortley, Captain Astbury and 2nd Lieutenants Jones and Rigby were dead, as were 106 other ranks, the remainder having been taken as prisoners of war.

Roy

[vmkarlsson]

Vanessa,

Here is the diary for early September 1917:

1917 September

VILLAGE LINE SUPPORT BN. – GIVENCHY SECTOR

1st – 2nd Distribution; ‘A’ Coy. in KEEPS at HERTS REDOUBT, ‘B’ Coy. WINDY CORNER, ‘C’ Coy. WESTMINSTER BR. RD., ‘D’ Coy. O.B. Line.

Supplied working parties for 251st Tunnelling Coy. R.E. 5th Field Coy. R.E. Housemaiding C.T’s. & tending cemeteries.

Musketry practice on Miniature Range. Specialist Training proceeded with. Intermittent shelling of Support Area.

GIVENCHY RIGHT SUB-SECTOR

3rd Relieved 1st KING’S REGT. in GIVENCHY RIGHT SUB-SECTOR. Relief complete 12.30 a.m. 3rd .

17th MIDDLESEX REGT. came into SUPPORT.

Distribution;

A Coy. CLOSE SUPPORT

B Coy. RIGHT FRONT

C Coy. CENTRE FRONT

D Coy. LEFT FRONT

2nd – 5th No. 1 Coy 1st Bn. 6th Bde. C.E.P. (PORTUGUESE) attached for instruction until Sept. 5th (1 platoon to each Front Coy.)

3rd – 4th Reconnaissance party from No. 1 Coy. 13th Bn. 5th Bde. C.E.P. reconnoitred forward area from noon 3rd till 10 a.m. 4th .

3rd Quiet day. T.M. shoot 7.45 p.m.

Roy

Thank you Roy for this information

Would it be possible to tell me what also happened in the August of that same year please.

Thanks so much for your help

Vanessa xXx

[tharkin56]

do you want pictures and details of men for your forthcoming book

i have pictures of them in my recent book, city of coventry. roll of the fallen. the great war.

Thanks for the diary

Trevor

[Roy Evans]

Vanessa,

I've sent you a PM

Trevor,

My book is at the publishers so too late for that but I'm setting-up a website on the South Staffs Regt in WW1 and have a biographical section in which I'd like to include as many men as possible.

Roy

[Roy Evans]

Trevor,

The 1/6th for 1st July 1916 (1 of 4)