12th Btn. Suffok Regiment July 1916

[Guest]

Hello,

Can anyone tell me anything about 12th Btn Suffolk Regiment in July 1916. Ive just discovered after 90 years details of my great uncle who died 25/7/1916 and is burid at Mazingarbe Cemetry near Loos. I know the main battle of Loos took place in September 1915, but any info. on his battalion would help.

Regards,

Mike

[Wienand Drenth]

Hello Mike,

First a short lineage of the battlion:

12th (East Anglian) (S) Bn

Raised 12 Jun. 1915 at Bury St. Edmunds as a bantam bn. Absorbed 22nd Bn, The Middlesex Regt 2 Apr. 1916. Red/cadre 6 May 1918; reconst from 16th (S) Bn 18 Jun. 1918. Red/cadre in France and disb 23 Jun. 1919 at Bury St. Edmunds.

Bantam meant that the men enrolled into the battalion were below the minimum height requirements. See here. And here on this site you wil find more on the movement of the battalion during the war.

Good luck,

Cheers,

Wienand

[Steven Broomfield]

Mike, the divisional history of the 40th Division is pretty unspecific. The div had only recently arrived in France, and was in its first spell in the trenches. Mining activity was pretty common in the area at that time, and on the 18/19 July, the 18th Welsh (119 Bd) carried out the first raid the div undertook, followed by one by 121 Bde the following day - battalion(s) unspecified.

The history comments that during this tour inntrenches, 121 bde took part in 17 raides connected with the blowing of mines, so my guess is that you gt uncle was in one of these expeditions.

No more, I'm afarid, but that might be a start.

[Chief_Chum]

Hi Mike,

The Suffolk Regimental History only takes two pages to cover the activities of 12/Suffolk from June, 1916 to March, 1917. Here is the section for July:

"Early in July the 40th Division moved into the right sector of the Ist Corps line in the Lens area, the battalion taking over trenches at Maroc, including the Double Crassier. Here L/Cpl A.C.Hardy, of the 12th Battalion, was awarded the MM for attacking single-handed, and on his own initiative, a German patrol, this being the first honour gained by the 40th Division. During the month 2nd Lieuts. R.J.C.Jewitt, H.W.Robinson, and D.G.Carr were wounded. For nearly four months the 121st Brigade held the Maroc and Loos sectors, the battalion being four days in the line and four in support with monotonous regularity..."

I'm afraid that's it - I hope it's useful.

With best wishes,

Taff

Taff Gillingham

The Suffolk Regiment Museum

[Guest]

Dear Taff,

Thanks very much for the info. I think this could help to build up the overall picture I'm getting about my great uncles last month or so, which I presume was near the Loos sector. Great help Thanks.

Mike

[Chief_Chum]

Hi Mike,

Glad to be able to help.

With best wishes,

Taff

[Guest]

Hello Mike,

First a short lineage of the battlion:

12th (East Anglian) (S) Bn

Raised 12 Jun. 1915 at Bury St. Edmunds as a bantam bn. Absorbed 22nd Bn, The Middlesex Regt 2 Apr. 1916. Red/cadre 6 May 1918; reconst from 16th (S) Bn 18 Jun. 1918. Red/cadre in France and disb 23 Jun. 1919 at Bury St. Edmunds.

Bantam meant that the men enrolled into the battalion were below the minimum height requirements. See here. And here on this site you wil find more on the movement of the battalion during the war.

Good luck,

Cheers,

Wienand

[Guest]

Thanks for the help. Ive discovered that my great uncle was rather short in the leg! so the bantam connection seems a good lead thanks for the help.

Mike