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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

1st Somerset Light Infantry


BMoorhouse

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I am researching a battalion history of the 1st Somerset Light Infantry.

I would be interested in getting information from anyone that has first hand accounts or photos from anyone that served with this unit.

I already have the Regimental history, Majendies' book etc as well as access to material held at the Light Infantry Office in Taunton (Battalion rolls/diaries etc)

The material I am interested in is that which might have had only limited publication, private letters and photos etc.

Any help would be gratefully received.

Brendon Moorhouse.

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  • 6 years later...

Hi,there I m new to this forum and have been searching for any information on the SLI as my grandfather served with them .His name was Alfred Bowsher(7315) and he told me he was shot in the leg (and showed me the scar!) at tne battle of Mons.He lay 2 days on the battlefield and was taken to a church and operated on by a German doctor (without anathesetic!) before being transferred to a prison camp.He particularly mentioned the Russian prisoners ther who were constantly trying to escape and being shot in the process.He helped bury a number of them.He was given work on a farm in Germany and returned to the UK at the end of the War .He had 2 daughters and found that his wife had died of the Black Flu.I have visited Mons and Ypres and will be doing so again later this year-I ve got a motorhome and am often in France/Belgium I am interseted in any other info especialyy details of where he was when he was injured and where he spent the War.I have ordered thr Briann Gillard book and would be most grateful for any info or advice you could give,Thanks ,Bobquote name='BMoorhouse' date='Dec 13 2002, 01:59 PM' post='2637']

I am researching a battalion history of the 1st Somerset Light Infantry.

I would be interested in getting information from anyone that has first hand accounts or photos from anyone that served with this unit.

I already have the Regimental history, Majendies' book etc as well as access to material held at the Light Infantry Office in Taunton (Battalion rolls/diaries etc)

The material I am interested in is that which might have had only limited publication, private letters and photos etc.

Any help would be gratefully received.

Brendon Moorhouse.

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Bob,

Welcome to the Forum. It is an unsurpassed place for anything to do with WW1 and the British Army.

Many thanks for the reply. I will trawl through my records to see if I can find any specific references to Alfred Bowsher.

Brian Gillard is a forum member and I know that he has battalion rolls etc that might help. His excellent book will give you a lot of information. I am sure that he will not mind if you send him a message.

One thing that you will find is that Alfred was injured at what we now call the battle of Le Cateau - the Somersets (with the 4th Div) arrived after the battle of Mons. Most of the soldiers that fought there at the time referred to Le Cateau as 'Mons'. The Somersets fought near the village of Ligny which is to the west of LeCateau and Alfred's account of lying injured for days after the battle is not unusual.

Good luck with your research.

Regards,

Brendon.

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Bob,

Many thanks your help is much appreiciated,Bob

Welcome to the Forum. It is an unsurpassed place for anything to do with WW1 and the British Army.

Many thanks for the reply. I will trawl through my records to see if I can find any specific references to Alfred Bowsher.

Brian Gillard is a forum member and I know that he has battalion rolls etc that might help. His excellent book will give you a lot of information. I am sure that he will not mind if you send him a message.

One thing that you will find is that Alfred was injured at what we now call the battle of Le Cateau - the Somersets (with the 4th Div) arrived after the battle of Mons. Most of the soldiers that fought there at the time referred to Le Cateau as 'Mons'. The Somersets fought near the village of Ligny which is to the west of LeCateau and Alfred's account of lying injured for days after the battle is not unusual.

Good luck with your research.

Regards,

Brendon.

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Hi Bob

Interested to hear of your grandfathers experiences as a POW. He was one of the many wounded Somersets that had to be left behind after the Battle as most of the 11th Brigade;s transport had not reached the front line in time.

I hope I have given a fair description of the action and aftermath in 'Good Old Somersets'

From his Regimental Number he would have enlisted in 1904 and would most probably joined the Battalion in India.

The 1st SLI returned to England 1908 and eventually joined the 11th Brigade embarking for France on 21st August.

He is recorded as returning to England via Hull on 14th January 1919 and being discharged to the Z Reserve on 12th April 1919.

Brian

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[Many thanks for you r information,I m waiting for Amazon to deliver your book and I m really looking forward to it.

I remember all his old stories but did not realize that he was a regular.I ve recently visited both Mons and Ieper and will certainly go again when I have more feel for what happened on the ground.

As ever I wish I had listened more closely to his stories!Thanks again for your help,Bobuote name=Light Bob' date='May 24 2009, 09:33 AM' post='1190592]

Hi Bob

Interested to hear of your grandfathers experiences as a POW. He was one of the many wounded Somersets that had to be left behind after the Battle as most of the 11th Brigade;s transport had not reached the front line in time.

I hope I have given a fair description of the action and aftermath in 'Good Old Somersets'

From his Regimental Number he would have enlisted in 1904 and would most probably joined the Battalion in India.

The 1st SLI returned to England 1908 and eventually joined the 11th Brigade embarking for France on 21st August.

He is recorded as returning to England via Hull on 14th January 1919 and being discharged to the Z Reserve on 12th April 1919.

Brian

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Brendon

I have just seen this thread. Are you aware of the eyewitness account of Valenciennes by Yeoman Warder Cook - then a WO in 1st SLI - in I Was There? This is a fascinating series of personal accounts, which was published first in magazine form in about 1938-39 and could be bound up into 3 volumes. Cook served with 1 SLI throughout the war, but unfortunately there is no indication in IWT whether this is a one-off account or part of a full memoir. The account also describes the wounding of Captain Osborne and Cook's reunion with him in hospital some months after the war.

Sorry I don't have the book with me or I would give page details. There is rather a lot there to copy out.

Regards

W.

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  • 2 years later...

Hi Brendon

Can I ask if you are still researching the 1st Somersets? I have some information about my GGrandfather Edgar Paul who was RSM and later Adjutant and was killed in 1918. I think Orson may have already passed some of this on to you, Im not sure.

Anyway If you are interested please send me a PM. I would also love to hear of any mention of him you you may have come across (I think I have most of the ones from obvious sources but you never know!).

I have some photographs, mainly portraits, but one I think is near St Yves.

All the best

Rog

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