14th Bn West Yorkshire Regiment

[auchonvillerssomme]

I am looking for information on Sgt John W Wilson 14/12569 West Yorkshire Regiment. Photos of him state 14th Batallion and his number is prefiexed by 14. But I cannot find any info on the 14th batallion.

MIC states France 11/10/15.

I have an official wound notification dated 27/07/1916 which tell us he was wounded in action. GSW upper right wrist. and he was sent to 22 Field Hospital ? Dannes Carniers? the number is again prefixed by 14.

The only other info I have is a picture of him sat behind a Vickers MG...his cap badge is West yorkshire there is no record of him being MGC.

Help!

Mick

[PhilB]

14th (Reserve) Bn, formed at Falmouth Nov 1914 as a service Bn of K4 in 103 bde of original 34th Div. Jan 1915, Penzance. 10/4/15 became a 2nd Reserve Bn. May 1915, Lichfield. Nov 1915, Brocton, Cannock Chase in 3rd reserve bde. 1/9/16 absorbed in Trg Res Bns of 3rd Res Bde at Brocton. Phil B

[kevin]

Mick

Heres Sgt John Wilsons MIC. As you can see the number is 12569 and not 14/12569. I have never seen a 14/ to the West Yorks, i will have a little think about this, could you post the photo? He could well have been in the 14th Battalion before he went to France and this i would think would be the answer to the photo.

Regards Kevin

[auchonvillerssomme]

I wonder who he went to france with then? would he have kept the 14 prefix on his number?

Mick

[kevin]

Mick

What iam trying to say is i do not think that he ever had a 14/ prefi before is number as this this would show up on the MIC and the Medal Rolls, and again i have never seen a 14/ prefix to any West Yorks Lads, i am at work but have varios info here that i will trawl thru on my nite shift to see if i can come up with anything.

Regards Kevin

[kevin]

Mick

As of the 1st Oct 1915 there where 10 West Yorkshire Battalions overseas The 9th Battalion was in the Dardanelles so as you say he arrived in France 11/10/15 so you can count the 9th out.

As for the over 9 Battalions, the 1/5th,1/6th,1/7th and 1/8th had no 12--- number men fall as casualties from entering France uptil 31/12/16 as far as i checked. So that leaves just 5 Battalions, the 1st, 2nd, 10th, 11th, and the 12th Battalion.

Of these Battalions the casualties with a 12--- number are,

1st Battalion (3)first casualtie date is the 18/9/16.

2nd Battalion (8) first casualtie date is 19/5/15.

10th Battalion (76) first casualtie date 27/8/15.

11th Battalion (11) first casualtie date 20/11/15.

12th Battalion (15) first casualtie date26/9/15.

As a footnote the 9th Battalion had 37 Casualties with a 12--- number most of these out in Gallipoli.

Getting hold of the Medal roll will let you know the Battalion or Battalion,s that he served in whilst overseas.

Also came across this chap in Wyrall,s History of the West Yorkshire Regiment a 14/12012 William Ismay, have checked the CWGC and the NA and both show a 12012 number, typo error? Only one found at the moment. But i do not know why the 14/ prefix before this number and Sgt Wilsons as MIC,S donot show it, i think you need to look at the Medal Rolls to prove or this prove this 14 prefix,another thought have you looked for the service history? This would help.

Hope this is of some help or interest, Regards Kevin

[auchonvillerssomme]

I will try to scan the wound notification as well. I first saw that a few weeks ago and that was when I first saw the prefix 14. The medals and MIC didn't show it. But then I was given the photo yesterday in which a group have spelled out 14th Battalion in stones (this would make sense if they were a training Battalion). I will also put out out another thread about 22 field hospital to see if they took casualties from specific area (unlikely I know, but I've had stranger luck).

This situation was one where someone hands you a tin containing the life of an individual, and they have no information at all!! I haven't even looked at the reason why there should be a WW2 'Safe Conduct Pass' issued to a German POW in the tin! Although the half burnt incendiary bomb, I would guess, was dropped on York! I love it.

Mick

[channelhopper]

Hi Mick

Can't find your man under 14 prefix but there are a number of West Yorkshire lad's who did.

Just search on the National Archives site for MIC's and put West Yorkshire Regiment and 14/ and you will get the list

Peter

[kevin]

Mick

Peters quite right, the MIC'S show up with (26) 14/ prefix cards to the West Yorkshire Regiment, have cross ref these with the CWGC and only one man shows up and that is Pte Norman Randle who his on the NA MIC list as 14/1212 and the CWGC site as 16/1212 (Bradford Pal) the only way to tell if there are typo errors is to pay your £3.50 and look at the card or a trip to the NA and look at the cards and the medal rolls. Anyway what caught my eye when looking at the 14/ prefix list was that it came up with 5 Machine Gun Corps lads:-

14/11868 West York. 3444 M.G.C. Pte George Thurlow

14/12178 West York. 3434 M.G.C. Cpl George Smith

14/11652 West York. 3426 M.G.C. Pte John Pitts

14/12580 West York. 3396 M.G.C. Pte Verner E Hough

14/15513 West York. 3422 M.G.C. L/Cpl Frank Oakley.M.M. (K.I.A.2/8/17) Buried Locre Hospice Cemetery.

Just wondered if theses could be the reason for the Vickers Gun photo?

Was there a M.G.C. training centre near the 14th training area?Maybe one or all five lads are in this photo?

Mick if you want to follow that one up i think you need a M.G.C. pal on board.

P.S. L/Cpl Frank Oakley M.M was in the 58th Coy M.G.C. when he was KIA.

But going back to the 14/ prefix, as you said his medals donot carry the 14/ prefix, that must mean the medal rolls will not show a 14/. It would be nice to look at the medal rolls for the other 26 men with a 14/ prefix in the MIC files.

Anyway Mick thats given you more questions than answers,sorry.

Regards Kevin

[auchonvillerssomme]

Thanks for all your help...it looks like I'm not the only one that wants an answer now!

My thoughts had gone down the MGC route, there is absolutely nothing to his papers or belongings to link him with the MGC. Given the amount of trivia he collected I'm sure there would be.

The MG group picture was taken by a company in Staffordshire.

I will get a researcher to see if any luck with papers or medal rolls.

Kevin. the pic of the anon West Yorks man...inscription on the back of the card 'with love from Harry to Ma'

I will keep you informed.

Mick

[Guest philoakley]

Hi Kevin & Mick

Sorry to bother you, but just picking up on an old thread posted here, in which my GGfather was mention...L/cpl Frank Oakley, who was awarded the MM before is death on Aug 2nd 1917

I wonder if you have any information relating to him or with particular interest to the mention of a photo in which he may appear?

Would very much appreciate hearing from you both

Many thanks

Phil Oakley