4th Battalion Kings (Liverpool Regiment)

[dorrie]

I have just been looking at Pte Walter Bell of the 4th Battalion Kings (Liverpool Reg). who is buried in a collective grave at Choques Military Cemetery with 28 other members of the battlion. The CWGC makes referecne to 29 being killed on a troop train in April 1918. As any member any information involving this incident?

Thanks

Dorrie

[Coldstreamer]

had a quick look in "the times" but cant get any hits

but Im no expert on finding things in "the times"

[Braithwaite]

Urban spaceman asked about this earlier on the Forum too. My Grandad was 4th Kings. His diary for 10th April 1918 " We left at 11pm and entrained for Caestre which was supposed to be in enemy hands. We were delayed at Chocques and we found out afterwards that the train in front had been shelled and many casualties, so we stayed at the above place and then made a bold dive for Caestre."

[dorrie]

Thanks for information the fellow I am researching died on 11th April 1918

Dorrie

[IanA]

I would go to the National Archives site where, for £3.50 you can download 16 pages of the 4th King's war diary covering March/ April 1918. The reference is WO95/ 2427. This must contain a reference to the train incident and probably includes a list of casualties.

Good luck,

Ian

[dorrie]

thanks ian

[Braithwaite]

Thanks for information the fellow I am researching died on 11th April 1918

Dorrie

Yes I know that but if you read the entry, they travelled overnight and so the explosion would have happened in the early hours of 11th. He would have written the entry the next day. Type in Troop Train Explosion on the Forum Search there are two other mentions here, Urban Spaceman and one on Thomas Brislen. The War Diary is no help here, neither is the Regimental History.

[MAW]

I resurrect this thread as I am also researching a soldier of the 4th King's (Liverpool Regiment) - 86946 Private Clifford Redman, D Company, who was killed onboard a train travelling north to Caestre, France when it was attacked by German aeroplanes on 11th April 1918.

 

The following information is from an unattributed handwritten note but may come from the National Roll of the Great War 1914-1918 or a newspaper report. I cannot find an entry in De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour 1914-1919.

 

'Clifford REDMAN was born and lived in Keighley in Yorkshire. On the outbreak of war he enlisted in Keighley into the Royal Army Medical Corps as Private 99471. He later transferred to the 4^th Battalion of the Kings Liverpool Regiment.

 

He was killed in action in France on the 11^th April 1918 when the train carrying the battalion was attacked by German Airplanes.

 

On 10^th April 1918 the 4^th Battalion of the Liverpool Regiment left Ambrines in France for Strazeele travelling by train. The train carried on very slowly throughout the night. The battalion went into billets at Fletre and then they travelled to Ravelsburg Camp again by train. The train was attacked by several German aircraft on the journey and considerable numbers of bombs were dropped causing heavy casualties. One of those killed was Pte. REDMAN.’

 

He is buried in Choques Military Cemetery, France. He shares a headstone with two others (see image attached).

 

I am trying to find out exactly where this incident took place (somewhere on the railway route Ambrines - Strazeele - Caestre).

 

Mark

 

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