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Remembered Today:

1st Bn Grenadier Guards Ypres 1914


Dave_Woods

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I am currently researching a book regarding the devastation of the 1st battalion of the Grenadier Guards at Kruiseik during Ypres 1914. 2 of my Great Uncles, L/Cpl Henry George Richardson and Company Quarter Master Serjeant George Leswell Richardson, were both killed within days of each other during this action and like so many others with no known grave they are commemorated on the Menin Gate.

I would be interested to know if any one has any diaries, photos, letters or other ephemera relating to the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards for the period 1910 - 1914. I would also be interested in discovering how to track down local Belgium maps of the period. Any help given would be much appreciated and would merit, at the very least, an acknowledgement if I manage to publish. I am particularly keen to discover the exact location of the Kruiseik brickworks that were situated south of the Menin Road ( Meninstraat ) and west of the village of Kruiseik.

If any one is also researching this topic or just wants some information I would be more than glad to help if I can.

Dave Woods

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  • 3 weeks later...

I have a 1914 R.E.Field Survey map of the area somewhere (but I'm not quite sure where).If memory serves me right it is from a 1912 O.S.map. I think the scale is 1:40,000. When (if) I find it, I'll let you know.

As it's not a "trench map",these maps exchange hands pretty reasonably.I seem to remember buying mine,along with a couple of others for around a tenner from a second hand book store.They are also not that uncommon if you look carefully.

In the meantime, I took a look at the "IWM trench map archive" CD-ROM and found a similar map (1915 though,I think) on here (if you have the CD,it's in the "Early maps" section). No mention of the brickworks,however.

For a point of reference,the map you're looking for is "Sheet 28, Belgium and pt. of France"

I'd better start emptying them boxes in the attic then!!!!!

Dave.

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  • 2 years later...

Dear Dave:

I'm wondering if you could help me: who commanded the 1st Bn in 1914? Who was second in command? Who was the Adjutant? I'd also be interested in who commanded the Machine Gun Detachment if you happen to know. Do you know if the 20th Brigade Commander (Ruggles-Brise) as a Guardsman had a particularly close relationship with any of these Officers?

Thanks,

Will Altman

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Hello Will,

1st Bn Grenadier Guards 1914

C.O. : Lieut.-Colonel M. EARLE, DSO

Second in command : Major H. St. L. STUCLEY

Machine-gun off. : Lieut. Lord Claud N. HAMILTON

Adjutant : Captain G.E.C. RASCH

Regards,

Cnock

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My previous post 1 Bn Grenadier Guards:

Zandvoorde British Cem

Major Humphrey St. Leger STUCLEY, kia 29/10/1914 south of Menin Road.

Regards,

Cnock

post-7723-1127306869.jpg

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Dear Cnock:

Thanks for that information and the photograph! Can you assist me further: Was it typical for a man like Lord Hamilton (who was 35 in 1914) to be a Lieutenant? It seems like a low rank for such an exalterd person. Does this tell us more about Hamilton himself or how difficult it was to gain admittance and advancement in the Guards? What sort of duties did the more junior Lieutenants have? Is it plausible that a comparatively junior officer could have been placed in command of the Machine Gun section? Were they in other regiments?

Thanks,

Will Altman

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