1/KRRC - aisne Oct 1914

[battiscombe]

Does anyone have diaries or other accounts on the 1/KRRC's last spell in the line on the Aisne at the beginning of October 1914 - from Ray Westlake I gather they relieved the 1/S Staffs on the 4th at 'Rifle Point' ( E of La Croix san Tete, 2 miles N of Soupir) before being relieved on the 13th.

.. this is a long shot, looking for a possible mention of an artillery officer with a detached gun wounded on 5th Oct at Rifle Point - probably in line held by 1/KRRC, (no detail in his RFA Brigade diary).

If anyone has an interest in these Aisne battles I have a nice sketch map of the position as previously held by the 3rd Bn Rifle Brigade ( & 2/S Staffs amongst others) the week before - which landed up in an RFA diary (contact offlist).

thanks

Dave Edwards

[digby606]

Dear David,

I would love a copy of the sketch map, if you would be so kind, as my GF was in 3rd Bn Rifle Brigade, and would have been in this position.

Many thanks,

Anthony Freelove

GF Freelove William Henry 5077 Pte 3rd Bn Rifle Brigade

[MBrockway]

1st Battalion War Record from 1914 KRRC Chronicle ...

"On the first of October, the Battalion left VERNEUIL, and after two days in support, succeeded the South Staffords in the trenches at RIFLEMAN'S POINT.

During the next nine days, they were constantly under fire, and suffered daily casualties. On two occasions patrols were sent out to draw the enemy's fire and to endeavour to ascertain his strength, but there was strong moonlight, and they could not go far. Reinforcements to the number of eight Officers and sixty-nine N.C.O.'s and Riflemen arrived at this time.

On the 13th, the Battalion was relived by French troops, and after two days' march, took train at FEUMES and travelling by AMIENS and BOULOGNE to STRAZEELE, were in billets at YPRES on the night of October 20th"
[KRRC Chronicle 1914 pp.123-4]


1/KRRC War Diary ...
"1.10.14
Battn. left VERNEUIL about 11.30 p.m. and took place of S.Staffords, who had been in support of Rifle Brigade at RIFLEMAN'S POINT, Staffords taking over their trenches. B and D coys close behind Staffords' trenches. Hd.Qrs., A and C coys in wood at LA BOVETTE.
<snip>
4.10.14
Battn. .... relieved S.Staffords at RIFLEMAN'S POINT.

5.10.14
<snip>
About 11 a.m. German guns started shelling B coy's trenches and Gunners' Observation Post. One man killed and 3 wounded."

then there is a manuscript appendix, which is as above but with this addition ...
"Tony Musters RFA was I'm afraid very badly hit by shell in back of head. Also 1 man killed and 4 wounded (and 2 men of RFA)"

And I'd love a copy of the sketch map too! I'll PM you my e-mail address ;-)

Cheers,

Mark

[Guest sprayra]

My grandad was in the KRRC, he became a POW on the 03/11/1914, i don't know how he was captured but I do know he eventually died a POW on

23/12/1918. I am trying to find out if he was a prisoner for all of that period. I have a copy of his war record but there is no information for those four years. I think he may have got home about 1917 and then went back to serve I don't know how to get this information if anyone can point me in the right direction it would be very much appreciated.

kindest Regards

Rose

[ypres]

Rose

Can you give us his name.

Jim

[MBrockway]

Probably Rfn Jack Sheldon, 4581, 9/KRRC, from Brum, born in Walsall, as he has Date of Death 23 Dec 1918 and is buried in Hamburg. He could not have been with 9/KRRC when/if he was captured on 03 Nov 1914 though - that's six months before 9/KRRC landed in France! - and, indeed SDGW has him listed as 1/KRRC.

He would not have been transferred to 9/KRRC while a POW, so he must have got back in the interim somehow.

His 4581 service number shows he was a pre-War Regular in 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th battalion with an approximate enlistment date of summer 1902.

Sheldon's MIC has an Embarkation Date of 13 Aug 1914, which is consistent with 1st or 2nd battalion.

Mark

[MBrockway]

Jack Sheldon, if this is the man, has a service record available on Ancestry.

He enlisted into the KRRC on 15 Jul 1902 on Short Service terms - 3 years with the Colours and 9 years on the Reserve (see Army Order AO 117 of 1902). He was already serving in the Militia. He went into a Provisional Battalion initially before being posted to 1/KRRC in Malta on 19 Feb 1903. This posting was probably delayed till he reached his 19th birthday.

He was transferred to the Reserve on schedule on 20 Apr 1905.

He was re-engaged into Section D of the Reserve on 13 Mar 1914 to the Rifles Depot and seems to have been mobilised and transferred to ?1/KRRC? (barely legible) on 15 Jul 1914.

He was reported missing/POW on 03 Nov 1914, still with 1/KRRC, but was probably captured on 02 Nov 1914 during fierce fighting just west of GHELUVELT in the Ypres Salient. He was formally Accepted as Dead some time in 1919 - again barely legible - but elsewhere it is clear he died on 23 Dec 1918.

There's no mention of a transfer into 9/KRRC, so CWGC's reference to 9/KRRC may be an error. The original Grave Registration Report on CWGC has him clearly as 1/KRRC.

There is nothing whatever in his service record that suggests he may have been repatriated in 1917.

I can find no information on him in the Red Cross POW database.

Unsure how any of this is related to the original theme of this Topic however