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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

DLI ACTION 1/7/1916 - 17/07/1916


Mick D

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Hello,

Can anybody provide the following information relating to 12th Btn DLI during their action in the somme-

1/ does anyone have a trench map extract that shows, Horshoe trench, The triangle, birch tree, as I intend to walk this route towards Contalmasison. (where my relative was killed 17/07/1916)

2/ if no war diary exists, where else can I search for information, i.e date of enlistment/ previous action etc?

3/ Has anyone researched the action of either of the below battalions ?

Mick D

researching-

Private J Ayre 25524 12th Btn DLI KIA 17/07/1916 near Contalmaison

Private J Davis 20086 15th Btn DLI KIA 25/09/1915 at Loos

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Hello,

According to the NA there is a war diary: -

WO 95/2182 12 Battalion Durham Light Infantry 1915 Aug. - 1917 Oct.

The sister battalions in the brigade have war diaries in the same reference peice, and the Brigade war diary is the preceding piece: -

WO 95/2181 68 Infantry Brigade: Headquarters 1915 Aug. - 1917 Oct.

If there is no map with the Brigade diary then chack with the staff at Kew.

SDGW records 36 soldiers and 4 officers of that battalion killed in action on 17/7/16

Obviously you will have to visit the NA to look at theses, similarly to look for his service record, if it survives: -

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalog...p?sLeafletID=18

Regards

Farmer

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3/ Has anyone researched the action of either of the below battalions ?

Mick D

researching-

Private J Ayre 25524 12th Btn DLI KIA 17/07/1916 near Contalmaison

Private J Davis 20086 15th Btn DLI KIA 25/09/1915 at Loos

Mick,

Further to your E-Mail, yesterday, I'm posting this reply via the Forum, so that anyone else interested in either battalion has an opportunity to access the attachments, which relate the stories of those battalions you're interested in, 12/DLI & 15/DLI. That for 12/DLI is attached to this posting... that for 15/DLI will be attached to the next posting... I'm afraid I haven't worked out how to add two attachments to a posting, if indeed it's possible to do so!!

In addition to the National Archives reference cited by Farmer, two battalion war diaries are also held at Kew - WO95/2182 & WO95/4236

I'm afraid I have no information on either of the men you're researching. If you haven't done so already, it might be worth checking the online medal cards for both, available via the NA's website. I'm no expert on these things but if you want to print off details it'll cost £3.50 per card.

The other thing you could do is either visit the NA at Kew, or pay one of the many miltary researchers who work there, to see if either or both Army service records are available in the 'Burnt Documents'. Probably, there's better than a 3:1 chance of there being something and, I guess, you might only have to spend £30-£35 (per man?) to a military researcher to do this for you plus, perhaps, any photocopying costs.

David T.

12th_Battalion__DLI.doc

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Hello,

3/ Has anyone researched the action of either of the below battalions ?

Mick D

Mick,

Further to my earlier posting, here's the attachment relating to 15/DLI, as promised.

David T.

15th_Battalion__DLI.doc

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David,

Many many thanks for all that information & advice, greatly appreciated !

Mick D

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