The History of The South Wales Borderers

[Doug Lewis]

Willing to do online look ups, within reason.

Regards Doug

[ronaldaroo]

Can you look up a James Ayres who fought in France and Salonica.Was wounded (losing a leg?) Worked at Morfa Tinplate Works, Llanelli.

Thanking you in in anticipation for your help.

Ronald John Saunders

[Doug Lewis]

Ronald

The book does not mention your man and to be honest, it mentions mainly officers,similar in that respect to war diaries.If you could give me some more information,like which Btn he was in and the likely date he was wounded I will be able to give you a lot more information.

Regards Doug

[jemimajane]

I would be interested in any information about the actions of the SWB on 21st October 1914. This was the day my grandfather was captured and made a POW for the rest of the war. He was in the 1st battalion as far as I know.

He did not "enter a theatre of war" until 13th October - even though he sailed from the UK in early August.

Any information etc will "fill in the gaps"

Many thanks

jemimajane

[Myrtle]

Doug

Would you please check if there is any mention of 2nd/Lt Gerald Thornton Prickard 3rd (Reserve) Bn. SWB attd. Royal Dublin Fusiliers who was kia 4th June 1915 at Gallipoli. I have also seen his name linked with the 2nd Bn SWB. He was killed while taking over a trench later known as Kangaroo Fort. Only four men from his platoon survived.

Regards

Myrtle

[Doug Lewis]

Jemimajane

The period you are interested in covers Langemarck,First Ypres.

Please send me your email address off line,I will send the information directly to you,it covers seven pages and a map.

Regards Doug

[Doug Lewis]

Myrtle

The only mention of 2nd/Lt Gerald Thornton Prickard is in the role of Honour.

Regards Doug.

[jemimajane]

Doug

Many thanks - I have sent you my e-mail address.

Sorry not to have replied sooner.

jemimajane

[Doug Lewis]

Jemimajane

Information has been emailed to you.

Regards Doug.

[jemimajane]

The information has arrived safely - and I hope to study the pages over the next or day or so.

Many, many thanks for all your help and assistance - it is very much appreciated.

jemimajane

[Jon Miller]

Hello Doug,

I, too, would very much appreciate it if you could look someone up for me. The soldier in question is 2nd Lieut Archibald Manaton Farrier. I'm afraid I don't know his battalion, but he was killed on 29 Dec 1914, and is buried in Gorre British and Indian Cem. If you could give me an idea of what was going on with his battalion at that time, that would be marvellous. Were his battalion part of the famous Christmas Truce?

Thank you, for whatever you are able to come up with.

Jon.

[Doug Lewis]

Jon

I will give you the info I have on 2Lt Farrier if you send me an email address I will send you more info which expands on this.

These are the paragraphs in the book that mention him in person

Dec 1914

"More drafts arrived,one of 138 men on December 4th and two smaller. With them came several officers,some ,like second Lt Drury,from Sandhurst,some,like Second Lt's Farrier and John's commissioned from other regiments."

"On being relieved by the Munsters on the evening of the 28th it left two platoons of B behind under Second Lieutenant Farrier to dig a trench across the gap still seperating its sap-head from the Welch. The work was very risky,having to be conducted within 40 yards of a watchful enemy and before long a star shell revealed the diggers to the Germans. They promptly opened fire,killing Second Lieutenant Farrier and a platoon Sergeant and compelling the party to cease work"

Regards Doug

[Guest Richard Warby]

Doug,

Please could you tell me if you have info as to the activities of the 3rd Battalion SWB on the first day of the Battle of the Somme. I am researching a casualty Pte A Palmer, killed in action that day and who is buried at Y Ravine Cemetery, Beaumont Hamel. Some sources give him as 2nd Battalion.

Many thanks,

Richard Warby

warbyr@supanet.com if you need to e.mail me.

[Doug Lewis]

Just thought I would bump it to the top.

Regards Doug

[Chris_B]

Doug,

I am interested in the actions/movements of the 1st Bn. South Wales Borderers on and around 08/10/1915. Private 11115 Alfred Allen Bowdery from Mithcam was KIA on that day.

Regards,

Chris.

[Doug Lewis]

Chris

Please send me an email address and I will send you the info that I have.

Regards Doug.

[Chris_B]

Chris

Please send me an email address and I will send you the info that I have.

Regards Doug.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Doug,

I've sent you a PM, hope you get it OK.

Chris.

[Chris_B]

Doug,

Thanks very much for scanning the relevant pages.

Regards,

Chris.

[Bazezah]

Hi Doug,

Just found your post ref: "South Wales Borderers" If you are still willing to help us mere mortals with info regarding SWB, then anything on the 4th Bn from date of formation in 1914 to the end of July 1915 would be received with gratitude.

I'm researching 12995 Pte G Williams (see signature).

Thanking you in advance

Barry

[Doug Lewis]

Barry

The information you want,which is their preperation before landing at Gallipoli is eight pages long. I will scan and send them to you,please send me an addy address,but bear with me I will send them to you in time.

Regards Doug

[Ferguson73uk]

Hi Doug,

I'm researching this chap:

Pte. Joseph Burgess KIA 9/5/15 Aged 43. b. Merthyr. Named on the Le Touret Memorial. I believe he was killed during the afternoon attack on Aubers Ridge. Any further information on the attack that afternoon would be most welcome.

Thanks!

Jonathan

[Bazezah]

Doug,

Many, many thanks for the pre Gallipoli pages of the 4th Bn South Wales Borderers, they will put the final touches to the Pte George Williams Army Service. Please except the thanks from myself and Georges relations.

Regards Barry

[Les Woodbridge]

Willing to do online look ups, within reason.

Regards Doug

Hello Doug,

I'm not very hopeful that you can help me, but I'm trying to find out more about my Granfather who served with the SWB. I would like to find where he served. His name was Thomas Lloyd Jones No. 41173. I would like to find out what Battalion he served in. I believe he transferred to SWB from the Welsh Regiment in 1917. At some stage he was gassed and spent a year in hospital in Birmingham and was then discharged from the army cause listed as shell shock.

Just thought I would try.

Thankyou. Les.

[Les Woodbridge]

Hello Doug,

I mailed you before but now have a bit more information, some of which I think could be of help to someone else if I could identify Thomas's Battalion. I know know that he was transferred to The South Wales Borderers No41173 from the Welsh Regiment No60907 in 1917. I also found his war diary from 1918, which lists his movements through France and also the reason for his return to England, which was being bombed out of a support trench that they were digging. I also have a New Testiment that I think could reveal more details, but I'm not sure what they mean. It says 66th. T.R. B(?a?) No 37976 D. (looks like) Cry.

This is yet a different number than his SWB or Welsh Regiment It is dated June 1917.

Don't know whether you can help with any of this. Many Thanks. Les.

[Stebie9173]

Have a read of this page,, Les.

http://www.1914-1918.net/training_reserve.htm

Units served in before going overseas would not appear on the Medal Index Card.

Could your "D" Cry be "D" Coy. = "D" Company ?

Steve.