1/7 Battalion, West Yorks Regiment.

[sugerand]

Does anyone know anything about the whereabouts and movements of the 1/7 Battallion of the 49th division of the West Yorks Regiment on or about 17/11/1917. My Great Uncle Rifleman Frank Bowe was killed in action on that date somewhere near Passchendaele.

Sue

[snavek]

Hi Sue,

I can't be as precise as you ask, but the 1/5 W. Yorks. (same 146 Brigade) War diary states that on 20/11/17 they were the reserve Brigade of the Division (49th) at Camp H26b 8.4 (Sheet 28 N.W.) which if my map reading is right was about 2000 yds. west of Dickebusch. My copy of the diary only starts on that date and it may be that they had only just moved to that camp!

1/6, 1/7 and 1/8 Btns. should'nt have been too far away.

Keith

[sugerand]

Hi Sue,

I can't be as precise as you ask, but the 1/5 W. Yorks. (same 146 Brigade) War diary states that on 20/11/17 they were the reserve Brigade of the Division (49th) at Camp H26b 8.4 (Sheet 28 N.W.) which if my map reading is right was about 2000 yds. west of Dickebusch. My copy of the diary only starts on that date and it may be that they had only just moved to that camp!

1/6, 1/7 and 1/8 Btns. should'nt have been too far away.

Keith

Hi Keith

Thank you for this. I am interseted to know how you got access to the War diary for th 15 W. Yorks and whether there would be one in existance for the 1/7 Batallion.

Sue

[snavek]

Sue,

I paid a researcher to copy some of the months from records held at NA when I first started researching my grandfathers war, but that can run a bit expensive, especially if they copy the wrong records!

I think 1/7th records should be held at the NA, if you cant get there yourself why not go into the 'I'm going to the NA' heading on the Forum's main page and ask if someone can get them for you?

Good luck, Keith

[sugerand]

Sue,

I paid a researcher to copy some of the months from records held at NA when I first started researching my grandfathers war, but that can run a bit expensive, especially if they copy the wrong records!

I think 1/7th records should be held at the NA, if you cant get there yourself why not go into the 'I'm going to the NA' heading on the Forum's main page and ask if someone can get them for you?

Good luck, Keith

Keith

Thanks. I have just seriously started to research Uncle Frank's history and am finding it facinating. The information gained from this forum has been really helpful.

Sue

[Tony Lund]

I don’t know if they have copies of the war diaries at the Regiment Museum, but they might have. If you live anywhere near York it would be worth a phone call to see what they do have. There are some forum members who will know exactly what information this museum have got but they do not seem to have seen your post yet. There is no history of the 49th Division so the war diary would seem to be your best bet.

There is a History of the West Yorkshire Regiment in the Great War, you could try asking for someone to look up the date in that book, there might be something if the battalion was in action that day.

Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire

Regimental Headquarters and Museum,

3A Tower Street

York

YO1 1SB

England

Phone: 01904 662790

Tony.

[snavek]

Hi Sue,

I've had time to look at some of my old research and have found the following, I'm sorry I hav'nt a clue where it comes from, I'm one of those terrible people who rarely record the source of things I read.

11/11/17. 146 Brigade take over defence of Broodsiende Sector, a front of just over 2 kms. from just north of the Broodsiende-Zonnebeke Road to Molenaarelsthoek. 1/5 held left sub-sector and 1/7 the right sub-sector, 1/6 and 1/8 in support respectively. Conditions were described as as bad as 1915 for the first 6 to 7 weeks on the Ridge. Incessant shelling (HE and Mustard Gas) and shell hole existence under enemy observation from Keiburg spur opposite. 4 to 5 men living in shell holes unable to move by day. Shell holes could'nt be dug deeper because they filled up with water and the probability of disturbing bodies in various stages of decomposition. No fires could be lit, hot food could'nt be brought up and water was very scarce.

15/11/17. 1/5 and 1/7 relieved by 1/6 and 1/8 and move back to support.

20/11/17. 146 Brigade relieved and move back to Div. Reserve at Dickebusch.

Soldiers Died shows your Uncle as 266692 Private Frank Bowe.

Keith

[sugerand]

I don’t know if they have copies of the war diaries at the Regiment Museum, but they might have. If you live anywhere near York it would be worth a phone call to see what they do have. There are some forum members who will know exactly what information this museum have got but they do not seem to have seen your post yet. There is no history of the 49th Division so the war diary would seem to be your best bet.

There is a History of the West Yorkshire Regiment in the Great War, you could try asking for someone to look up the date in that book, there might be something if the battalion was in action that day.

Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire

Regimental Headquarters and Museum,

3A Tower Street

York

YO1 1SB

England

Phone: 01904 662790

Tony.

Hi Tony

Thank you for this really useful information. It is another lead for me.

Sue

[sugerand]

Hi Sue,

I've had time to look at some of my old research and have found the following, I'm sorry I hav'nt a clue where it comes from, I'm one of those terrible people who rarely record the source of things I read.

11/11/17. 146 Brigade take over defence of Broodsiende Sector, a front of just over 2 kms. from just north of the Broodsiende-Zonnebeke Road to Molenaarelsthoek. 1/5 held left sub-sector and 1/7 the right sub-sector, 1/6 and 1/8 in support respectively. Conditions were described as as bad as 1915 for the first 6 to 7 weeks on the Ridge. Incessant shelling (HE and Mustard Gas) and shell hole existence under enemy observation from Keiburg spur opposite. 4 to 5 men living in shell holes unable to move by day. Shell holes could'nt be dug deeper because they filled up with water and the probability of disturbing bodies in various stages of decomposition. No fires could be lit, hot food could'nt be brought up and water was very scarce.

15/11/17. 1/5 and 1/7 relieved by 1/6 and 1/8 and move back to support.

20/11/17. 146 Brigade relieved and move back to Div. Reserve at Dickebusch.

Soldiers Died shows your Uncle as 266692 Private Frank Bowe.

Keith

Keith

Thank you so much for taking the trouble to look this up. It is the closest I have come to pinpointing where he was when he died. If you do come across the source of the information, please let me know.

Many thanks again.

Sue