11th bn Essex Regt

[andy1400]

I have a relative who was killed in action on the 15/10/1916 whilst serving with the 11th Bn Essex Regt. Would anyone be able to trell me where they were and what they were doing on this date and the ones just before it. is name was William James Youngs.

Any help appreciated.

Andy

[David T]

I have a relative who was killed in action on the 15/10/1916 whilst serving with the 11th Bn Essex Regt. Would anyone be able to trell me where they were and what they were doing on this date and the ones just before it.

Andy,

I can't claim to know too much about the 11th Essex Battalion but it formed part of the 18th Infantry Brigade (6h Division) at the time you're interested in and until the end of the First World War.

The battalion formed at Warley in September 1914. Initially part of 71st Brigade (24th Division), it landed at Boulogne on 30 August 1915. The brigade transferred to 6th Division on 11 October 1915 and the battalion transferred to 18th Brigade just over a fortnight later (27 October).

6th Division moved south, from the Ypres Salient, at the beginning of August 1916, to take part in the third big effort to achieve a result on the Somme, the Battle of Flers-Courcelette (15-22 September 1916). On 25 September, with the 2nd Battalion, DLI and 1st Buffs on its right, the 11th Battalion, Essex Regiment mounted a successful attack near les Bouefs. By then the battlefield was a morass of mud but the troops struggled thru' to take their first objective without too much difficulty. Other battalions then passed thru' to complete the task.

A later attack in the Guedecourt sector, on 15 October, was only partially successful and it was very costly. I'm afraid I cannot tell you how many casualties 11th Essex sustained on that day but 2/DLI lost 11 officers and 74 ORs killed and 14 officers and 417 ORs wounded, plus 62 ORs "Missing". I imagine the losses of the Essex battalion would have been just as bad. As a result, 6th Division was withdrawn from the line on 23 October, long before the Battles of the Somme closed down. A move to the sector around la Bassee allowed it to recover strength.

If you want more information on the whereabouts and actions of 11th Battalion, Essex Regiment, you could try contacting the Regimental Museum - oaklands@chelmsfordbc.gov.uk - although I suspect it might be closed for the winter months, so don't expect an immediate response! I guess, too, the battalion's war diary will be held by the National Archives (Kew), so it might be worth checking its online catalogue - if you're unable to get to Kew, you might be able to get an independent researcher to take copies of relevant pages for you, which could cost £30 or so.

David T.

[J T Gray]

Andy,

Grandson Michael is the Fount of all Knowledge on the Essex Regiment - comes of having the complete set of the regimental history. If you haven't heard from him in a day or two (he usually spots Essex threads fairly quickly), PM him with your query.

I can vouch for him having the section with the 11th in, as I have some of it too - my avatar is granddad in the 11th! Sadly after you chap died, though.

Adrian

[GrandsonMichael]

Hi Adrian (grin) & Andy,

Phew, spotted this in time...

I'm not sure that the following text from Burrows, Essex Units in the War 1914 - 1919, Vol. 6, Service Battalions The Essex Regiment is about the 13th or the following day (s), 1916. Either he isn't clear or I'm not.

It is back ground information though, hope it is of use.

Cheers,

Michael

Page 308.

Page 309.

Page 310.

Page 311.

[andy1400]

Thank you both very much. It has given me a lot to be going on with.

Andy