Gamakly Posted 27 June , 2006 Share Posted 27 June , 2006 Hello, I am writing a children's book which includes a character who died during the Battle of the Somme. The battle I have chosen is the Battle of Delville Wood and the character comes from Cornwall so I have chosen the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry. I have managed to glean most information from this (excellent) site and others, but I have one more question. Can anyone tell me the approximate dates that a man would have enlisted into the DCLI in 1914 into the 7th Battalion. Could it have been as late as Christmas of that year? I gather that enlisting starting around August 1914 in Truro(?) but I am have no idea when it would be up to. My character joins the battalion which I believe was attached to the 20th division and went to France march 1915. He dies in the Battle of Delville Wood on 3rd September 1916. Hope there is someone who can help. Gamakly. Sorry for any who read my post half hour before this. I made a mistake with the battalion and division number, which I have now corrected. I have researched so many dates and battles! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hambo Posted 27 June , 2006 Share Posted 27 June , 2006 Welcome to the forum The 7th DCLI were formed at Bodmin in September 1914. I've had a dash through the placesof enlistment of the men who died and frankly they seem to have enlisted in just about every town from Penzance to Launceston. Also it seems that on the 3rd of September the 7th DCLI were involved in the attack on Guillemont. They were ordered forward late in the date to help consolidate the Brigade's gains Hope this is some help Hambo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamakly Posted 28 June , 2006 Author Share Posted 28 June , 2006 Thank you Hambo, That was very helpful. Interesting about the movements of the 7th battalion. I found a memorial at Tintagel that states one of the regiment died at Delville Wood on that day - perhaps the battalion was split that day? I have to say that this section of my story represents only a small part of the book, and yet has turned out to be the most time consuming and engrossing. I find myself wandering off into areas of interest that have little to do with my story! As a side issue my father is visiting the site and war cemetry at Dozinghem in September where my great-uncle Lawrence Duxbury is buried. I discovered quite by coincidence that his regiment (11th KRRC) was part of the 20th Div too. He died of shrapnel wounds during (we think) the Battle of Menin Road 22/09/17. The internet is an amazing place - I discovered his name was not on the Darwen role of honour on their site so I wrote to them and gave them the information and they immediately added him to the role and also sent me a copy of the obituary from the local newspaper! It was wonderful, especially for Dad, to see his face - anyway, I digress! Many thanks for you help. Gamboo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamakly Posted 5 July , 2006 Author Share Posted 5 July , 2006 I know I said I had one last question but I'm afraid I shall have to ask another! I now need a bit more information about the movements of the battalion from when they landed in France July 1915 to September 1916. Can anyone help? Regards Gamakly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hambo Posted 5 July , 2006 Share Posted 5 July , 2006 Can't help with the earlier period but their movements on the Somme were as follows. 25/7/16 Arrived Halloy from Ypres sector 26/7 To Bois de Warnimont 27/7 To Bus-les-Artois 28/7 To Mailly-Maillet 3/8 To Trenches in the Redan sector 7/8 To Sailly Dell 13/8 To Courcelles 20/8 To Morlancourt via Mericourt 21/8 To Happy Valley 22/8 Frontline trenches at Gillemont 23/8 and 24/8 Repulsed enemy attacks 27/8 To Carnoy 29/8 Releived 10th Rifle Brigade between Trones Wood and Guillemont , war diary describes these positions as recently dug and having suffered from tremendous shelling. The trenches were knee deep in mud and water and only one dug out existed. Mention is also made of the decaying bodies laying all around and the occasional cry for help from wounded lying out in No Mans land 2/9 To Carnoy 3/9 To eastern edge of Bernafay Wood 5/9 Ordered forward to western side of Trones Wood and from there moved to La Briqueterie under orders of 59th Brigade. Sent forward in support of 10th King's Royal Rifle Corps and of the 10th Rifle Brigade then fighting at Guillemont, moved back to La Briqueterie, Later to Carnoy 6/9 To Sandpit Camp 14/9 Citadel Camp 15/9 Talus Bois and from there via Waterlot Farm to positions east of Ginchy. 16/9 Attached to Guards Division for operations at Lesboeufs. From position on right of road halfway between Gincy and Lesboeufs they attacked, all 4 companies moving forward at 9.27am to within 70 yards of barrage and waited. Charged enemy trenches at 9.35am, first line quickly taken and held. 17/9 Relieved and via Bernafay Wood to the craters at Carnoy 22/9 To Citadel 29/9 To front line Gueudecourt, left flank resting on the village where they were relieved on the 1st of October Hambo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamakly Posted 5 July , 2006 Author Share Posted 5 July , 2006 Thank you once again, Hambo. You've been very helpful. Many regards Gamakly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petroc Posted 18 July , 2006 Share Posted 18 July , 2006 As for the initial question, mate.....early Service Battalions of the DCLI found it somewhat hard to attract local recruits, much the same in the case of their cousins east of the Tamar....I suggest you try (first) Wyrall's History of the DCLI, and then the archives at the regimental museum in Bodmin...and very tentatively that you might wish to change the battalion to the 10th (also a Service battalion, but composed very much of men from the South West, especially, as a Pioneer unit, miners, quarrymen and clay-workers). Can't remember off-hand whether they served on the Somme, but I know that their Territorial counterparts, 5th DCLI (also Pioneers) did, and I have a feeling that one or the other served in the Delville Wood sector) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hambo Posted 22 July , 2006 Share Posted 22 July , 2006 The 10th did serve on the Somme and although they were a pioneer unit they were involved in supporting the 2nd South Staffordshires at Delville Wood during a German counter attack on the 28th of July which is, I think what you were after for your story Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamakly Posted 29 July , 2006 Author Share Posted 29 July , 2006 Thanks guys - I think I'm going to have to go back to school on this subject! That was interesting that recruitment was difficult at that time. I will certainly reconsider changing the battalion. Thank you so much for taking the trouble to check these facts for me - I really do appreciate it. I never realised this was going to be so complicated - considering that it is only a small part of my story. Gamakly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuartd Posted 16 March , 2007 Share Posted 16 March , 2007 Gamalky, I have only just come across this thread rather a long time after it was written. Thus, you could be sorted by now, or no longer active on here. Nevertheless, my MA thesis on Cornwall during the Great War was published in an academic journal and I am happy to forward you a copy if it will serve as an aid to your research. It contains lots of contemporary testaments to recruitment in Cornwall. let me know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mangoman Posted 13 March , 2017 Share Posted 13 March , 2017 Expanding this slightly I am reasearching those men that are commemorated on a local war memorial and I have a man that was k.i.a on 1.10.1916 at Gueudecourt. The 7th Btn DCLI were attacked on that date but can find nothing referring to the battle. Can anyone help me in giving me some information that took place on this date? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EDWARD1 Posted 13 March , 2017 Share Posted 13 March , 2017 Attached from Divisional War Diary Eddie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCLI Posted 25 May , 2018 Share Posted 25 May , 2018 On 05/07/2006 at 13:27, Gamakly said: I know I said I had one last question but I'm afraid I shall have to ask another! I now need a bit more information about the movements of the battalion from when they landed in France July 1915 to September 1916. Can anyone help? Regards Gamakly Interesting you want the info on those dates. My grandfather was with the 7th DCLI and he landed in July 1915 and was wounded in September 916. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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