Royal Marine

[mmm45]

Hi

Can someone please help?

I have come across a Royal Marine 738S ?? Frank Hinchcliffe on my local roll of honour and would like to learn more about him.

Will his MIC be online as the Army ones are? and as he was a Royal Marine would his records be stored some where and not been burned in WW2?

I presume he was RMLI not RMA KIA 3rd May 1915 no known grave but on Helles Memorial

Any help much appreciated.

Ady

[michaeldr]

HINCHCLIFFE, FRANK

Initials: F

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Private

Regiment: Royal Marine Light Infantry

Unit Text: Portsmouth Bn. R.N. Div

Date of Death: 03/05/1915

Service No: PO/738(S)

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 2 to 7.

Memorial: HELLES MEMORIAL

Ady,

Frank was on a Short Service engagement [three years or the duration of the war] with the RMLI and hence the ‘S’ suffix to his number

The PO prefix denotes that he was a member of the Portsmouth Battalion [as is also shown in the above details from the CWGC site]

On 3rd May 1915 the Portsmouth Battalion of the RND were fighting alongside the Anzacs– the following is from the War Diary of the Royal Marine Brigade

“3rd May 1915

2 a.m. Received orders to move at once with Chatham and Portsmouth Battalions to support 4th Australian Infantry Brigade which had delivered an attack during the night at the head of Monash Valley.

3.30 a.m. Brigade moved forward with Portsmouth Battalion leading and arrived at H.Q. 4th Australian Infantry Brigade as day was breaking. Colonel Monash at once requested that both battalions should proceed direct to the head of the valley, and there support the Australian Troops in the advanced trenches, which had been received during the night. The gulley was much congested, both by the Australian reinforcements, which had moved up before our arrival, and also by a continuous stream of those killed or wounded coming in the opposite direction. No formation could be maintained and the battalions arrived at the head of the gully in a straggled and attenuated line.

5.30 a.m. The head of the gully rose precipitately and much difficulty was experienced in learning the position of affairs in front. After some delay in gathering units together as far as possible it was decided that the Portsmouth Battalion should advance over the East Ridge and the Chatham Battalion over the West Ridge and occupy as many trenches as possible, but it was obvious that the congestion in the front trenches was already great, and that the troops holding them were in an exhausted condition.

9.00 a.m. This advance was effected in face of a very heavy cross fire from shrapnel, machine guns and rifles, and many casualties occurred. The advanced trenches which were made in the nature of hastily prepared ‘Dug Outs’ were occupied by Marines as indicated above. In view however, of the isolated character of this new position, and the heavy infilade fire, to which it was exposed, it was decided to evacuate the new line and re-occupy the old line. This was gradually effected during the day and completed at night. In the mean time this Section of defence (no.3) together with the 4th Australian Infantry Brigade was placed under the orders of Brigadier General Trotman R.M.L.I.”

[as published by Len Sellers in his magazine ‘RND’ issue no. 23, Dec 2002]

Regards

Michael D.R.

[michaeldr]

Regarding records, these are the comments of someone who has spent many years researching RMLI servicemen and illustrates how frustrating that work can be with respect to Portsmouth marines

Quote: “At this point service information for them virtually dries up, thanks to past negligence of keepers of the Portsmouth R.M.L.I. service papers. Unlike the Chatham & Plymouth R.M.L.I. service papers, which are stored at the Fleet Air Arm Museum in Yeovilton, are very complete & filed in their original service number order, the Portsmouth R.M.L.I. service papers are stored in the ADM/157 class at the National Archives (PRO), are incomplete & resorted into year of discharge/surname order. It is unknown who was responsible for the "weeding" of the Portsmouth papers, nor their resorting into year of discharge/surname order, but the plain fact is they are severely dunuded of useful "active service" information, & the resorting was rather poorly completed, many papers being misfiled & many more being missing (e.g. there is no ADM/157 reference for surnames "G" in 1918).”

Head for the NA and ADM/157, then be prepared for a long trawl

Sorry I cannot be of more help

Michael D.R.