Guest adelaidegirl Posted 15 November , 2005 Share Posted 15 November , 2005 Hi, my husbands grandad was Wilfred E Wainwright, I have downloaded his campaign medal card from Nat Archives but I don't know how to work out which battalion he would have been with. The numbers on his card are 3327 and 200736 and he was a Serjeant. Is it possible to trace his company/battalion from this info, as with that info I can follow their progress on the excellent Leicester Regiment website. Any information/pointers would be gratefully received, I am new to all this! Teresa in Adelaide Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Bramley Posted 15 November , 2005 Share Posted 15 November , 2005 Hello Teresa, Welcome to the forum. Wilfred would have been in the 1/4th or 2/4th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment. This was a Territorial Force Battalion fromed in 1908 when Lord Haldane reorginised the Militia. His 4 digit service number suggests that he enlisted before 1915, probably between October and November 1914. His 6 Digit number was issued in February 1917 when all TF units were renumbered. If his Medal Index card shows that he had a 1914-1915 star then he was definately 1/4th Leicestershires, who were part of (originally) the Lincoln and Leicester Brigade of the North Midland Division. This nomenclature changed in early 15 to the 46th (North Midland) Division, the Brigade becoming the 138th Brigade. This division arrived in France on March 2nd 1915. Wilfred could have been among those that landed originally, or could have been part of an early draft (poss' June 15). However, he may have volunteered during a recruitment drive when the originals were in training and could possibly have helped to form the 2/4th Battalion. The 2/4th became part of the 59th (2nd North Midland) Division. They, after training went to Ireland in 1916 to help with the uprising there, then over to France in Feb' 1917. I think it about 70% more likely that he was a member of the 1/4th Leicesters, the MIC should tell you. I hope that this information is correct and helps a little, for further information look on the 'mother site', the Long long trail. Yours, Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest adelaidegirl Posted 15 November , 2005 Share Posted 15 November , 2005 Steve, you are an absolute star, I can't thank you enough. Sorry I took a while to reply, I'm in Adelaide so there's a 10.5 hr time difference to the UK. many thanks, Teresa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Bramley Posted 16 November , 2005 Share Posted 16 November , 2005 Teresa, If you find that Wilfred was 1/4th Battalion there is a very good Battalion history by Captain John Milne, called Footprints of the 1/4th Leicestershire Regt. It's available from the Naval and Military Press website. It's an unusual but highly readable account. S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest adelaidegirl Posted 17 November , 2005 Share Posted 17 November , 2005 Thanks Steve, I think it's possible that he was in the 2/4th as he did not get the Star. I'm going to contact rellies in the UK to see if they recall him mentioning going to Ireland. Sometimes the right bit of info will jog someone's memory, as I'm sure you know. If it turns out to be the 1/4th then I will definitely get the book! cheers, Teresa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest the searcher Posted 30 January , 2006 Share Posted 30 January , 2006 this post has helped me a little as my great grandfather was in the 4th battalion or 1/4 are these actually the same...cause the roll of honour states he was in the 4th bn but in a "active service testament" book i have of his....it has written in the back 1/4 so a little unsure any help you could give me would be great. Corporal Walter C Peet - 504- leicestershire regiment - 4th bn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 30 January , 2006 Share Posted 30 January , 2006 The 4th Battalion was the name of the Territorial battalion before the war. In 1914 the battalion was mobilised for overseas service. Since fighting overseas was still voluntary at that point the TF battalions were split into "1st line" (1st 4th or 1/4th) - those that volunteered to go overseas, and the "2nd line" (2nd 4th or 2/4th) who either had not volunteered for overseas service, or were too old or young, etc. Later in the war a lot of the 2nd Line battalions also went overseas and 3rd line battalions were formed of those left behind and new recruits. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Bramley Posted 30 January , 2006 Share Posted 30 January , 2006 Hello Searcher, Welcome to the forum. Just to add to Steve's reply. It is likely that Walter, with a service number as low as 504, was a pre-war Territorial. I would guess that he enlisted before 1910. I see that he died at home. Again a guess but I suspect that he may have been a casualty of the 46th Division's attack on the Hohenzollern Redoubt on 13.10.15. Or possibly a casualty of the Battalions' time at Vimy between March 16th and April 23rd 1916, 20 men killed and 76 wounded. I shall probably be able to confirm the Hohenzollern guess as right or wrong within the next couple of days. I think it was quite probable that some of the 'original' men would have refered to the the battalion simply as the 4th, carried a bit of kudos! Cheers, Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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