9th (Service) Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment

[brindlerp]

9th (Service) Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment

39th Brigade

13th Division

Pages 196 to 208 inclusive from

The Story Of The Royal Warwickshire Regiment

By C. L. Kingsford

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CHAPTER XXV

THE GREAT WAR : GALLIPOLI AND MESOPOTAMIA

1915-1919

THE entry of Turkey into the war led to the decision to attempt to force the Dardanelles. In the heroic struggle on April 28, 1915, the Allied Armies under Sir lan Hamilton won a footing at the southern end of the peninsula of Gallipoli round Cape Helles, [ Major J. H. D. Costeker, D.S.O., of the Royal Warwickshire, who was brigade-major of the 88th Brigade, was killed at Cape Helles on April 28 ] and the Australians and New Zealanders established themselves higher up near the position which came to be known as Anzac Cove. All the efforts of the next month secured only a slight gain of ground; if the undertaking was to be made successful, it was clear that a great reinforcement would be required. For this purpose during June and July three divisions of the New Army and two Territorial Divisions were sent out from England. Amongst them came the 9th (Service) Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire in the 39th Brigade [The other battalions were 7th North Stafford, 9th Worcester and 7th Gloucester] of the 13th Division.

On June 17, the 9th Royal Warwickshire, under Lieut.-Colonel C. H. Palmer, embarked at Avonmouth, and reached Mudros, in the island of Lemnos, on July 9. Four days later they landed on Beach V. near Cape Helles, where the River Clyde, from which a part of the immortal 29th Division had disembarked, still lay. For a fortnight they served off and on in the trenches, losing their colonel, who was shot by a sniper on July 25. Colonel Palmer had raised and trained the battalion, which owed much of its fighting spirit and efficiency to his unselfish enthusiasm and ability. A few days previously Lieut. Grundy had been killed, and Lieut. J. Cattanach (the doctor) mortally wounded. Of other ranks 9 were killed and 28 wounded. On July 29 the battalion returned to Lemnos, and on August 3 embarked again for Anzac Cove, where they were to take part in the impending great attack.

Sir lan Hamilton's plan was to endeavour to gain the heights of Koja Chemen (or Hill 971) and the seaward ridges by an advance from Anzac Cove, simultaneously with a new landing to be made further north at Suvla Bay. The whole ridge, of which Koja Chemen is the highest point, is called Sari Bair. Underneath it on the north lies a long spur known as Rhododendron Ridge, below which a wide water course, split into two forks, both called Aghyl Dere, leads up to Koja Chemen.

The 9th Royal Warwickshire, under Major W. A. Gordon, landed in the early morning of August 4. During the first two days (August 6-7) of the attack they were in divisional reserve, but advanced up Aghyl Dere. On August 8 they crossed Bauchop's Hill to the ridge beyond, part going to relieve the 9th Worcester at the head of Aghyl Dere. The New Zealanders had captured Rhododendron Ridge on the previous day, and on August 8 followed up their success by winning Chunuk Bair at the southern end of the main ridge.

The crisis of the attack came on August 9 with the assault of Koja Chemen. Three battalions—the 9th Royal Warwickshire, the 6th South Lancashire, and the 6th Gurkhas—reached the crest, whence they could look down on the waters of the Dardanelles and seemed to have victory in their grasp. But the troops on the right, through no fault of their own, were late, and when the Turks rallied to a counter-attack our men were forced back to the lower slopes from whence they started. One company of the Royal Warwickshire held on, till they were surrounded, and, as it is supposed, all perished. Next day the Turks attacked in the early morning with disastrous results. The trenches were enfiladed by machine-gun fire, and since no supports were available it was impossible to hold the remainder of the crest on Chunuk Bair. When at night the Royal Warwickshire was withdrawn to reserve no officers and only 248 men were left. Major Gordon had been wounded on August 8, and Major A. G. Sharpe, who succeeded him, was killed two days after. During the four days 5 officers were killed, 9 wounded and 1 missing; of other ranks 57 were killed, 227 wounded and 117 missing. For their service on these days Majors Gordon and C. C. R. Nevill received the D.S.O.

The fact that the battalion had lost all its officers probably explains why at the time its share in reaching the crest of Sari Bair was not recorded. But a New Zealander who had seen the exploit of the Royal Warwickshires bore witness to their heroism. He had watched them march up Aghyl Dere, and had been struck by their soldierly bearing, and, as an old Birmingham man himself, was proud of the imperishable renown which they won. He thus describes what he himself saw:-

"They had immense difficulties to overcome. They were led the wrong way, and had to retrace their steps; they had to attack in full view of the enemy; their left was exposed to enfilading fire, and, in spite of all, they reached the Rhododendron Spur, and some the very ridge of 971. They held on like grim death, held on when first one and then another unit retired. They asked for reinforcements, but were told none were available, and still they stayed. They were now by themselves, and it was only when every officer save one was killed or wounded that three companies slowly retired. The fourth company, with its gallant major, [Major R. G. Shuttleworth of the Indian Army, who was in command of “A” Company] held on to the farm near the ridge till all were killed. With their ranks terribly thinned they came back as from parade, parched and hungry, but still undaunted. I was close by to their dressing-station, where a padre, Leighton, and a medical officer, O'Brien, and later the padre alone, worked night and day. Gurkhas, Maoris and Colonials, as well as their own men, were treated there with a cheerfulness and nerve that was amazing. As the last officer of the Warwickshire was badly wounded next day, deeds that should be known may not have hitherto found record. They are as noble as any of our own at Lone Pine. I saw a Warwickshire officer, I think Baker [Captain H. S. Baker ; he was a Canadian] was his name, dressed for wounds three times in one day, and, despite the medical officer's advice he went back to the firing-line, I saw the padre Leighton go out to a wounded engineer lying out under fire, bandage him up and place him in safety, and then, finding a wounded Gurkha, he hoisted him on his back and carried him to the Indian hospital halfway down the Aghyl Dere. This man was a sport in all conscience, and became a friend to all our boys in the gully. I saw him later wade through machine-gun fire to attend a man of the Connaughts, who lay mortally wounded. [The Rev. F. Leighton received the M.C.] Then there was a lance-corporal, Guillaume, of the machine-gun section, who stayed up near the Rhododendron Spur for six hours after all had retired, fired four thousand rounds, and then burying the tripod of his gun, walked back with the rest under his arm. I saw a quiet-mannered orderly bring his officer down the gully, and heard the latter telling how his man had seen him fall on the hill, and, dashing up under heavy fire, had carried and slid with him to safety. I saw the same poor fellow a few days later lying in the padre's dug-out mortally wounded—Greenway was his name. I saw men tended there from this regiment, who smiled at death, just because they had been to the top of the hill and seen the Maidos road. A war correspondent has kindly spoken of our deeds as epic. Well, there was an epic here. As an eye-witness, I wish to testify to the work of these men from England, whose deeds made us proud to be counted their comrades.”

Had not the attack at Suvla Bay failed through the fatal delays (whatever their reason) on August 8 and 9 the ground won on Sari Bair might have been held. But the brief space when the men of the Royal Warwickshire looked down on the Maidos road was the nearest approach to decisive victory which the British in Gallipoli were to achieve. More than three trying months of exposure to the enemy's attacks and to the weather still remained before the final evacuation.

When the 9th Royal Warwickshire was withdrawn to reserve, on August 10, it was temporarily commanded by Sergt.-Major Collicott. [sergeant-Major Butler was in charge at the dump]. On August 12 Major W. B. Gover of the Cheshires took over the command. A number of the missing men rejoined, some drafts arrived from Lemnos and England with fresh officers, and the strength of the battalion gradually increased. The rest of August was uneventful except for occasional service in the front trenches. On August 31 came a move to reserve trenches at Salt Lake near Suvla Bay. On September 19 the battalion, now over 500 strong, went up to trenches near Chocolate Hill, and for the next three months occupied the same piece of ground without the possibility of rest or change. There was little to break the monotony till, on November 26, there came a terrible storm of rain. The narrow trenches, often cut in rock or hard clay, were flooded; the saps up the steep slopes become cascades; and the gullies which had furnished paths from the beach returned to their natural character as water-courses. No fires could be lighted or food cooked; then when all were drenched to the skin, the wind shifted to the north and brought a piercing frost. After the frost came a blizzard of snow, and in the storm and bitter cold sentries were found frozen at their posts. Fortunately for themselves half the Royal Warwickshire were in the reserve trenches, where some movement was possible. Even there dug-outs were flooded and their contents swept away, whilst the parapets were washed clean into the trenches. The officers did what they could, making the men march up and down and rousing those who had fallen asleep in sheer exhaustion. Cases of frost-bite were of course frequent, and nearly two-thirds of the battalion were sick. When the storm abated it took ten days to restore the ruined trenches, whilst the men sheltered in holes and hedges by day and had to dig in mud and water all night. It was fortunate that the Turks suffered no less, so that these days were practically an armistice.

After the blizzard came the evacuation, for which preparation had been silently in progress. During the early part of December the greater part of the guns and stores were shipped away by night. Happily, when the last day came on December 18, the weather had turned mild and calm. Early that morning the main body of the Royal Warwickshire marched down to the beach. A rearguard of fifty men was left under Captain Marshall and Lieut. Gething to hold their lines; they had two anxious days; but one-half under Lieut. Gething withdrew at night on December 19, and the remainder under Captain Marshall followed a few hours later, the whole party embarking without the loss of a single man. [The rearguard went first to Imbros].

Ten days of welcome rest and peace followed at Lemnos, and then on December 28 the Royal Warwickshire was sent to help in the evacuation of Helles. They landed once more near the River Clyde, and marched up to hold the same trenches which they had held five months before, only with rain and mud in place of dust and flies. They were six days in the front line and had six men killed, but when, on the eve of the evacuation the Turks attacked the trenches of the 13th Division, the Royal Warwickshire was in reserve. At Cape Helles the 13th Division again furnished the rearguard; though the weather was less favourable and the Turks more active than they had been at Suvla, the evacuation was equally successful. On the night of January 8/9 the last troops embarked, and the enterprise of Gallipoli, heroic for endeavour and endurance if not for victory, came to an end.

On January 19 the 9th Royal Warwickshire left Lemnos, and after a five days' voyage reached Port Said, where they remained over three weeks. It had now been decided to send the 13th Division to Mesopotamia, where General Townshend, after his fruitless victory at Ctesiphon, had been besieged in Kut-el-Amara since December 5. The 9th Royal Warwickshire, which by drafts from England had been brought up to a strength of over 800, left Port Said on February 16, and on February 29 reached Koweit Bay in the Persian Gulf. A week later they disembarked at Basra, where Lieut.-Colonel Gover handed over the command to Major Gordon, who had rejoined at Port Said. On March 15 the battalion began its journey up the Tigris to Sheikh Saad, behind the British Front, where they arrived on March 21.

After a vain attempt to take Kut by assault, the Turkish general had turned the siege to a blockade and constructed a series of strong lines lower down the river to prevent the advance of the relieving force. The most forward Turkish position was at Sheikh Saad (about twenty-five miles east of Kut by land) which was captured by the British under General Aylmer on January 9. The next Turkish line at Umm-el-Hanna was much stronger, and the attack on January 21 failed. An attempt to turn the Turkish position by an advance on Es-Sinn (on the right or south bank of the river), was equally unsuccessful on March 8. General Gorringe, who then took over the command, thereon set himself to prepare the way for a renewed assault at Umm-el-Hanna.

This was the situation when the 13th Division reached Sheikh Saad. On April 3 they went forward to the front line in readiness for the intended assault, in which they were to take the foremost part. At 4.45 on the morning of April 5 the attack started, the Royal Warwickshire being on the extreme left on the river bank. The position was weakly held and by seven o'clock five successive lines of Turkish trenches had been carried with few casualties. The advance continued till noon, when the battalion dug temporary cover and rested. At nightfall the attack on the next position at Falahiyeh began. The advance had to be made over flat ground, and the Royal Warwickshires coming under heavy fire suffered severely. Nevertheless Falahiyeh was taken by the combined efforts of the 9th Royal Warwickshire and the 9th Worcester, as the climax of the one brilliantly successful day in the attempted relief of Kut. The chief credit rested with the 13th Division, who between dawn and midnight had stormed two whole labyrinths of trenches. The Royal Warwickshire had 7 officers [including Captains Baker and Marshall] and 35 men killed or mortally wounded, and 7 officers and 154 men wounded.

There still lay between the relieving army and Kut two lines of trenches; the first at Sanna-i-yat, on both sides of the Tigris with impenetrable marshes on either flank; and the other on the right bank at Es-sinn, much nearer Kut. On April 9 the 13th Division after a night march attacked Sanna-i-yat, but in face of an appalling fire was eventually driven back. In the fight the Royal Warwickshire had 4 officers and 20 men killed, and 3 officers and 106 men wounded. The 13th Division after a brief rest was then transferred to the southern bank, with a view to an attack on Beit Eissa, a fort somewhat in the rear of the Sanna-i-yat lines. The fort was taken, but the Turks counter-attacked in great force, and during three days (April 17-19), there was more hand-to-hand fighting than in any other battle in Mesopotamia. The Turks made six distinct assaults in mass; yet our line was not broken, and the enemy's losses were heavier than in the two previous battles put together. The losses on our side were also severe; the Royal Warwickshire had 3 officers killed and 4 wounded (one mortally), and of other ranks 18 killed and 68 wounded. A final attack on Sanna-i-yat on April 23 began successfully; but the ground was flooded, and our men struggling in mud and water were unable to resist the Turkish counter-attack. The attempt to relieve Kut had failed, and on April 29 General Townshend was forced to surrender.

In less than a month's fighting the 9th Royal Warwickshire had lost nearly all its officers, and its total strength was now not more than 200. The remnant remained in the redoubt at Beit Eissa till May 22, and then went back to hold a part of the blockhouse line from Sheikh Saad to Sodom. Lieut.-Colonel Gordon had fallen sick on April 24, and after an interval had been succeeded by Lieut.-Colonel G. E. Leman of the 7th North Staffords. At the beginning of October the battalion, which was still very weak, was withdrawn from the line for training at Amara. There Lieut.-Colonel E. D. Henderson of the 7th North Staffords took over the command, and reinforcements brought the battalion up to a good strength.

Sir Stanley Maude, who had now succeeded to the command in Mesopotamia, determined to make his main attack on the right bank of the Tigris and thus to threaten the communications of the Sanna-i-yat lines. On December 1 the Royal Warwickshires started to march back to Sheikh Saad, where they crossed the Tigris and so came to the front line, on the south bank, where considerable progress had been made during the previous month. By a surprise march on December 14, General Marshall seized a position near the Turkish lines on the Shatt-el-Hai. A month of small engagements, and continued sapping followed, till by January 25 the main Turkish defences were no more than 100 yards distant. That morning the Worcesters and North Staffords stormed and carried the enemy front line trench and began to consolidate. When the development of the Turkish counter-attack threatened to drive them back the Royal Warwickshire was brought up to our front line trenches. About noon, under a fresh and very heavy counter-attack the Worcesters and North Staffords were forced from a part of the captured position and were in danger of being overwhelmed. The moment was critical. Colonel Henderson, who had been shot in the arm just before, jumped on to the parapet, and shouting to his men to follow him advanced alone some distance under the most intense fire over 500 yards of open ground. He was shot down, but rose and again led in the most gallant manner till they were within 100 yards of the Turks. Then the battalion raced in with the bayonet and re-established our position from end to end. Colonel Henderson was again twice wounded, and as he lay out in the open Captain R. E. Phillips, who had already shown great courage in the attack, went out under very heavy fire and with the help of a comrade succeeded in bringing him back to die in our trenches. Both Colonel Henderson and Captain Phillips were afterwards awarded the Victoria Cross. In the afternoon the Turks, who had thus been driven back again to their second line, made another counterattack supported by artillery, and by sheer weight of numbers gradually forced the Royal Warwickshire to retire. None the less, as General Maude wrote in his despatch of April 10, that gallant charge across the open had restored the situation at a critical moment. This fighting had been on the left wing to the west of the Shatt-el-Hai; the right wing had fared better, and next day the trenches on the left were finally captured by Indian troops. Besides Colonel Henderson, the Royal Warwickshire had 4 officers killed and 7 wounded (1 mortally); of other ranks there were 52 killed, 118 wounded, and 11 missing.

The 9th Royal Warwickshire, under the temporary command of Captain J. L. S. Agar, took part in the gradual advance which by February 16 won all the right bank of the Tigris in the Dahra Bend opposite Kut. "To eject the enemy from the horseshoe bend, bristling with trenches and commanded from across the river on three sides by hostile batteries and machine-guns, had,” wrote General Maud, “called for offensive qualities of a high standard." It had been due primarily to " the heroism and determination of the Infantrv."

The most serious troubles which the Royal Warwickshire encountered in mid-February were due to the heavy rain which made the ground impassable, so that it was difficult to get up rations or water. On February 20 Major G. Fleming of the 1st Somerset Light Infantry was appointed to the command. Meantime General Cobbe had been making progress at Sanna-i-yat. But whilst he thus kept the Turks busy, his success was to be assured by the crossing of the Tigris at Shumran above Kut. On February 23 the 14th Division, in the teeth of strong opposition, forced the passage and secured a bridge-head. On that and the following days the troops under General Cobbe captured the last lines at Sanna-i-yat, and the Turks streamed away in retreat to Baghdad. The 13th Division crossed the river on February 24, and next morning joined in the pursuit, with the 39th Brigade in the main column and the Royal Warwickshire as right flank-guard, The advance was rapid and the Turks made no stand till our van reached the Diala (eight miles from Baghdad), on March 7. The Royal Warwickshire was not engaged in the crossing of the river. On March 10, however, they went forward as advance-guard, meeting with no opposition till they approached Saidah, when a little brisk sniping ensued; but as our men advanced the Turks were driven back to their last position at Tel Muhammed. [ Lieut. H. B. Large and 1 man were killed; there were 18 wounded ] Next morning the 38th and 40th Brigades marched into Baghdad, whilst the 39th moved round the east of the city to bivouac about two miles north.

The Royal Warwickshire was employed in searching the houses in Baghdad on March 12, and afterwards for some days were in charge of part of the citadel. On March 23 they moved out to Dowdiyah, and three days later had orders to advance up stream to Deltawa, near which place the 18th Turkish Corps was concentrating. Marching by night, at dawn on March 28 they arrived within 3000 yards of the Turkish position on the Maal plain. The 40th Brigade was to make a front attack, whilst the 39th was to turn the enemy's left. The attacking battalions in the latter were the 7th Gloucester and the Royal Warwickshire. The advance began at ten o'clock in terrific heat, with a mirage which prevented any definite view of the Turkish position. Nevertheless, though the ground was very flat with no cover, nearly a mile was gained. Then a halt was made till two o'clock, when the whole brigade advanced and captured the enemy's first line. It had been a sharp fight; in the Royal Warwickshire 3 officers were killed and 7 wounded, with 140 casualties in other ranks.

Next day the Turks fell back to the Shatt-el-Adhaim and the Royal Warwickshire returned to Deltawa, where they bivouacked for a week. They then rejoined the brigade, and were ferried across the Tigris to guard the left flank. But the 13th Turkish Corps, which had been driven back by the Russians from the Persian frontier, was now approaching Deli Abbas. General Maude then recalled the 13th Division to take the Turks in flank at Shiala. A running fight ensued, which lasted four days, till the enemy were driven back into the hills.

The 13th Division finally defeated the 13th Turkish Corps on the Shatt-el-Adhaim on April 30, but the 39th Brigade was not engaged. This brought the fighting in that quarter to an end and all through the summer and autumn the Royal Warwickshire was stationed near Deltawa without more to record than the construction of a defensive line.

On December 2 the Royal Warwickshire marched down to Deli Abbas, where the Division made a successful attack on the Turks at Suhanniyah next day. Another long period of inaction followed, to be broken by a little fighting at the end of April, 1918, near Nahrin Kupri, when some 1400 prisoners were rounded up. After this the battalion went into summer quarters near Abu Saida, where on July 10 they suddenly received orders to proceed to Persia.

At the time of the capture of Baghdad the Russian Army in Persia had been capable of rendering effective assistance by driving in the 13th Turkish Corps. The subsequent disorganisation of the Russians opened the way to Turkish penetration and German intrigue in Caucasia and Persia. In order to combat this danger Major-General L. C. Dunsterville was early in 1918 sent into Persia with a small party of officers, the intention being that he should ultimately proceed to Tiflis and organise the resistance to the Turks. General Dunsterville got as far as Enzeli on the Caspian Sea; but was unable to proceed further, and had to return to Hamadan at the end of February. There, however, by his energy he was able to do much to strengthen British interests and to prepare the way for successful intervention. Till winter was past it was impossible to send any considerable body of troops over the mountains, but provision was made for the eventual reinforcement of the mission, which was officially known as "Dunsterforce" and unofficially called "The Hush-Hush Army." [For its full history see General Dunsterville's narrative in The Adventures of Dunsterforce]

In June the course of events at Baku seemed to offer a favourable opportunity. The Armenian Government then established in the town professed to be well-disposed; if a British force could be sent, Baku with its important oil-wells might be saved from the Turks and their German masters. When therefore the 39th Brigade received orders for Persia, Baku was its ultimate destination.

The first party of the 9th Royal Warwickshire, [Comprising 10 officers and 364 men. Others followed later, and ultimately about 450 went to Baku] under Major Agar left Abu Saida by train for Ruz on July 10. Thence the journey was made in motor-lorries over the mountains to Hamadan, which was reached on July 16. At Hamadan the battalion rested ten days, and then started on a long march across the Sultan Bulaq Pass to Kasvin. The weather was very hot, and to men who had spent two years on the sandy soil of Mesopotamia the march on a hard and hilly road was trying. Kasvin was reached on August 7, and after another rest the journey was resumed by motors to Enzeli and Kazian, the men riding with loaded rifles and fixed bayonets for fear of an attack by the hostile inhabitants, the Jingalis. On August 18, the day after reaching Kazian, the Royal Warwickshire embarked for Baku, where the North Staffords had already arrived.

The town of Baku lies on a promontory on the western shore of the Caspian Sea. The Turks were already dangerously near; whilst the local troops were inexperienced and ill-organised, with revolutionary ideas of discipline. On August 21 a part of the Royal Warwickshire was sent up to hold a line at Diga to the north of the town. [About nine miles from the harbour] During the first few-days there was nothing more noteworthy than intermittent bombardment. On August 26 the Turks attacked the North Staffords, six miles to the west at Mud Volcano. The garrison of the post was almost annihilated, and a detachment of the Royal Warwickshire, who were sent up in lorries from Baku, arrived too late to save the situation. As a consequence the line on the north of the town had to be somewhat withdrawn. On August 31 the Turks again attacked the North Staffords at Binagadi Hill. [between Diga and Mud Volcano] The Armenian battalions, who were in support, bolted, and a company of the Royal Warwickshire, which was brought from Diga, was again too late to save the position. Thus the British were compelled to fall back and at night held a line (with large gaps) from Baladjari along the railway and as far as Diga, where parts of " A " and " C " Companies remained under Lieuts. Goodale and Dowie. Next morning Diga was attacked in force. The Russians and Armenians on the right held for about an hour and then retired. Both flanks being now in the air the little force withdrew, fighting a rearguard action till the remnant reached headquarters at noon. Lieuts. C. Paget and R. F. Bowen were killed, whilst Lieut. C. W. Rogers and Captain Buchanan R.A.M.C. were taken prisoners ; of the men 67 were missing.

The events of these two days convinced General Dunsterville that no reliance could be placed on the local troops, and that the evacuation of Baku would soon be necessary. Without better support it was clearly impossible for the small British force to hold a line of fourteen miles. [From the sea to Diga. The British had 900 men in the line, with 400 more on guard and other duties in Baku] The Turks did not however, attack again till September 14. The main body of the Royal Warwickshire was then holding a line from Baladjari to Darnagul Salt Lake, with two companies of the 9th Worcester on their left and an Armenian battalion on their right. The attack began at 4.0 a.m. Here for some time the British troops successfully held their ground and beat back the enemy.

But early in the afternoon the Turks broke through further south, where local troops failed to hold the strongest part of the line. So first the Worcester and then the Royal Warwickshire were compelled to fall back. Meantime the North Staffords holding on to their position on the southern ridges secured the safety of the withdrawal. The fighting stopped at sunset, and General Dunsterville then gave his orders for all the troops to march down. Everything had been got in readiness beforehand; the sick and wounded were embarked; by ten o'clock all troops and guns were on board, and by midnight the evacuation was complete.

The force on board the steamship Kruger reached Kazian next day. There the Royal Warwickshire was joined by Colonel Fleming, who had come up from Mesopotamia, and under his command on September 29 they again embarked for Krasnovodsk on the east of the Caspian. Their presence there was required to combat the Bolshevik movement in Turkestan and to assist General Malleson, who was in command of a mission operating on the railway from Krasnovodsk to Meshed. The battalion remained at Krasnovodsk till April 1919, detachments being sent out on the railway to Askabad and Kizil-Arvat, and even as far as Merv. Drafts brought up the strength of the battalion, which increased from under 300 to nearly 700.

Early in April 1919 part of the men started on their way home, whilst the remainder once more crossed the Caspian to Baku, where they stayed two months. Then on June 11 they were sent inland about 150 miles on the Tiflis railway to camps, first at Agdam and afterwards at Barda. From Barda on August 7 they proceeded by train to Tiflis. There for a fortnight they were stationed at Kodjori. At Barda the numbers had fallen to little over 200, and the battalion was now so weak that orders were given for it to be disbanded. On August 27 the small remnant of 5 officers and 67 men was transferred to the 9th Worcesters.

The 9th Royal Warwickshire had been for over four years continuously on active service, and few can have had a more arduous and varied experience than that which fell to their lot in the 89th Brigade. As General Dunsterville wrote after the evacuation of Baku : "This Brigade, composed entirely of New Army Battalions, had covered itself with glory second to none in the annals of our best righting regiments, . . . No one in Baku would argue that anything but these brave lads of the English Midland Brigade had kept the Turks out of the town so long." [ Adventures of Dunsterforce, p. 312 ]* It was a worthy finish to all the endurance and achievement of Gallipoli and Mesopotamia.

"

regards

Richard

[Lorac]

Richard,

You have no idea just how blown away I am. Thankyou so much for taking the time and trouble to post this.

I am currently feeling very mixed emotions. Extremely happy to have finally read the actions my Grd.Father was in. Horrified at what he and his fellow men went through. And finally, extremely sad that my father (his son) is no longer around to have read this himself. My father is the reason I started on the family history quest. He wanted to know more about where he came from and I think I partially fulfilled that for him. Alas I failed on his fathers WW1 'journey' of whom he was extremely proud of but knew very little of his time in Gallipolli. His fathers medals have long been lost (buried by my fathers youngest brother) but he acquired very good replicas in which he held them most precious. My father died two and a half years ago but his younger brother (my uncle) is still alive today so I will pass this on to him, he will be delighted.

Once again, thankyou on behalf of my father and myself.

Kind Regards

Lorac

PS: I forgot to ask, is it possible you could email those maps to me please? If so I will send my email addy via pm.

[kevan darby]

Hello Lorac here is an account of the action the 9th Warwicks was in on the 10th August at Gallipoli.

What was your grandfathers name and have you a photo of him.

GALLANT 9TH WARWICKS

HOW THEY FOUGHT AND DIED AT CHUNUK BAIR

THRILLING STORY OF HEROISM

A tribute to heroism of the 9th Royal Warwick's, who covered themselves with glory in the combined attack on the Turkish positions in August, when as Sir Ian Hamilton relates in his despatch, some of our men reached the summit of Chunuk Bair and viewed beneath them the waters of Hellespont and the promised land has already been paid by members of the Colonial regiments who fought alongside them, but it has been left to Captain the Rev W. Leighton, chaplain to the forces, who was attached to the regiment, to tell the full story of there gallantry.

Captain Leighton, who is the son of Councillor W. B. Leighton, of Blackburn, and had the honour of being mentioned in despatches, Lectured recently on his experiences in the Dardanelles in St Albans Hall Blackburn, and the following extracts taken from the report given in the Blackburn Times of last Saturday tell the real story of the part the 9th Royal Warwick's played in the great adventure. In Sir Ian I an Hamilton's despatch the 6th Gurkhas and the 6th South Lancashire Regiment are mentioned as the only two who gained the crest, but Captain Leighton announced that the 9th Royal Warwick's also charged to the summit and fought magnificently until, for lack of support, they were compelled to retire. The Warwick's lost the whole of their officers with the exception of Captain who under heavy fire reached Rescued and dressed the wounded. The fact that only the Chaplain survived of the officers Warwick's is not bracketed with the Gurkhas and the Lancashire as having the hilltop, which as the lecture stated, they were the last to leave. The matter is to be brought to the notice of the proper authorities.

Telling the story of the heroism of the 9th Warwick's, Captain Leighton said they held on in spite of the gaps in their ranks, and asked for reinforcements only to find none available. A company stormed and captured a farm on top of the hill where they were surrounded by Turks, and as Captain Leighton suggested, it is supposed they all perished in a last great stand. Meanwhile other companies of the Warwick's held on to the ground they had won. For three or four hours they were there by themselves, after which they were directed to retire. A corporal in charge of a machine gun refused to leave the crest. He remained there by himself from eleven in the morning until nine in evening, firing four thousand rounds into the Turks as a result of which the enemy dead were piled in heaps.

ROLL CALL

Captain Leighton dressed the wounds of one Lieutenant of the Warwick's on four different occasions, and the gallant officer insisted on going back to the firing line, when he fell in action. When the roll was called it was found that there were about 130 Warwick's left out of 1,000. “You can understand from that” he commented, “ that we suffered severely, but the losses of the enemy were greater than ours. I can bear generous testimony to the way these gallant men went to their death. On the transport going out an officer told me he had an idea I should be the only officer left in the Warwick's. That prophecy has come true.

“You have heard of the thin red line well, there was a thin khaki line at Chunuk Bair a line of dead heroes leading up to the crest of the hill, men sitting dead, men lying dead, men standing against each other dead. If we had had adequate reinforcements we could have held this great height.”

The lecturer told several interesting stories of the Tommies. When word came that the Warwick's were going on active service the men were elated. “ Now,” they said “there is really going to be something doing.” They went about whistling and cheering. On arriving at a Mediterranean port they were welcomed by a French warship, whose band played “God Save the King” and then “Tipperary.” The Warwickshires did not know the words of “The Marseilles,” but they whistled the tuned, whereupon every Frenchman stood at attention. As they were approaching Gallipoli he heard two “Tommies” discussing the situation. “We are getting near” said one, and the other replied, “Yes its going to be a tin medal or a lead bullet.” That was the dauntless spirit of our troops. They meant to do or die.

After paying tribute to the splendid courage of the other troops engaged in the Gallipoli fighting, the lecturer concluded; Some might say all this fighting and sacrifice had been in vain. It had been in vain in a way, yet it had not been in vain. Henceforth the land was sacred to us. Henceforth the land was one great shrine. French, English, Irish, Scotch, Welsh, Australians, New Zealanders, Gurkhas, Sikhs, Punjab's, Sudanese all had answered the call, and there they lay in thousands. Theirs was one great tomb, and their blended blood cemented the friendship of the nations they represented. They died for a cause that stood for justice against tyranny, and that stood for straight fighting against frightfulness, and that ever must stand for victory.

The Birmingham Daily Mail 21st January 1916

[Jan Nix]

Remembering today.

1617 Pte Frank Edkins of C Coy 9th Btn Royal Warwickshire Regiment. He was the son of Thomas and Sarah Ann Edkins of 60 Oliver Road, Erdington, Birmingham and a first cousin of my great grandmother. Age 27, he died of wounds on 25.1.1917 following the attack led by Colonel Henderson described above. He is buried in Amara War Cemetery, Iraq. On the same day the 9th Warwicks suffered 57 killed, 125 wounded and 11 missing.

Ninety years on, all are remembered.

[kevan darby]

Remembering the 9th Warwicks in action 90 years on. This is an account of the action by Sgt Wood D.C.M.

AN ATTACK

On January 25th after a terrific bombardment from our guns, we attacked the Turks, about 180 yards away. As we showed our bayonets they put up a terrific rifle and machine gun fire, and scores of our lads got no further than our sandbags. When I reached the Turkish trench I found it was full of dead and dying. It was difficult to get in the trench to fire at the second line. Those Turks who were still alive were trampled to death. A Turk with a bullet wound in his stomach lying in the trench only a few yards away picked up his rifle and fired point blank at me, but missed his shot. I might add he did not fire again.

A COUNTER ATTACK

Within a short time the Turks counter attacked. They came over the top and down the trench in hundreds, driving our men out on my left at the point of the bayonet. Our men were retiring fast, and although I was one of the last to retire, it did not take me long to do the stretch between the Turks and our front line. Turks were stripping our dead and wounded, and many of the wounded must have suffered a terrible death at the hands of the Turks.

Just one of the casualties that day

SERGEANT GEORGE HOWARD BROADMORE

Serjt G. Broadmore, Warwicks, aged 24 joined Kitcheners Army at the outbreak of war, and first saw action at the Dardanelles, whence he was invalided home. Killed in action on 25th January, he was the youngest son of Mr and Mrs R. Broadmore, 60 Kitchener Street, Winson Green, Birmingham.

Has anyone got any photos or info on the 9th RWR could you please email them

kevanderby@tiscali.co.uk

[Jan Nix]

Kevan

Thanks for posting the above account, it makes chilling reading. Afraid I don't have any photos of the 9th Warwicks, or of my distant relative Frank Edkins. I have downloaded his MIC - is this of any interest? His qualifying date is 4/10/1914 which puts him in the 2nd Battalion. Presumably he transferred to the 9th at a later date, but I don't know under what circumstances.

Regards

Jan

[Maureen015150]

I have only just found this old thread but found it interesting because, for many years now, I have been looking for information about what happened to my Uncle's regiment leading up to his death in 1918.

He was Pte Jeremiah Reid 325136 - tansferred to the Royal Warwickshire Regt., "B" Coy 2/8th Battalion in 1917

Killed in Action EXD 01 Force, France (aged 19) on 28th March 1918

Interred at Roye New British Cemetery (near Noyon) France

formerly of Kings Liverpool Regt., 46128 enlisted on 18th Sept 1915.

Home address 196 Hornby St., Liverpool

I have been given various pieces of information relating to the Royal Warwickshire around the time but nothing to actually pinpoint what happened to my uncle and his fellow soldiers on that fateful morning!

Can anybody please explain what EXD 01 Force, France means? (the papers are badly damaged by fire and water but I'm sure this is what it says)

I am writing our family history book and would like to be able to piece together those last days for our future generations.

[Alan Tucker]

Remembering today.

1617 Pte Frank Edkins of C Coy 9th Btn Royal Warwickshire Regiment. He was the son of Thomas and Sarah Ann Edkins of 60 Oliver Road, Erdington, Birmingham and a first cousin of my great grandmother. Age 27, he died of wounds on 25.1.1917 following the attack led by Colonel Henderson described above. He is buried in Amara War Cemetery, Iraq. On the same day the 9th Warwicks suffered 57 killed, 125 wounded and 11 missing.

Ninety years on, all are remembered.

CWGC shows 59 killed that day

[Alan Tucker]

From some research I have done on the 9th at Anzac on August 10th 1915 (some help from Kevan Darby acknowledged)

By midday on August 9 it became clear to the senior commanders that the overall attack on Sari Bair had failed. This was even clearer when, on August 10, there was a massive Turkish counter-attack all along the ridge at dawn (456) including on the main Warwicks’ position “with disastrous results’ (457). The War Diary explains what happened…

”It was found impossible to hold the line with no supports immediately available. The Gurkhas and Sikhs retired, the trenches were enfiladed by machine-gun fire and our men were mown down” (458).

There were 333 casualties that day although 41 counted as missing returned to the unit within a day. Four officers and 44 other ranks were noted as killed with four more officers and 147 other ranks wounded. Major Sharpe, the third Gallipoli CO of the battalion was killed, as well as Major Shuttleworth and Second Lieutenants A.G Kemp and E.N Marson. Sharpe was a retired officer in 1914 having previously served in the South African War. Alfred Kemp, aged 28, had attended Warwick School and had been born in the town. He was the son of a clergyman and originally enlisted in the Public Schools Battalion. Before the war he had been a rancher in British Columbia. Eric Marson had lived in Villa Street, Aston and attended the nearby Grammar School before attending Birmingham University, where he also joined the OTC (459). Among those killed were Private Jeremiah Hadley from Hill Top, West Bromwich, who had enlisted in February 1915 having worked at the Albert Street Iron Company in peacetime. He had won many prizes as a member of the Hill Top Bowling Club (460). Private William Roper of ‘A’ company from Coventry, aged 21, was also killed. He had worked for Daimler and then became a miner at Binley Pit. His father was a driver in the Royal Field Artillery (461). Lance Corporal William Hodges died whilst in command of his platoon after his officers had been killed whilst storming a hill. He was also 21 and had lived with his parents in Ward End, Birmingham and worked for Mitchells and Butlers, the brewers (462).

Serjeant Albert Jordan from Nechells was an old soldier of thirteen years service who had later worked at the Electric Ordnance Works, Chester Road, Aston (463). Another ‘old soldier’ ,although only thirty years of age, was CSM Archibald Turner. In June 1914 he completed nine years service in the 2nd Battalion and had accepted a job with the Post Office when he was recalled to the colours. Private John Lawrence was also a very experienced soldier who had served in the South African War and re-enlisted for a new conflict. Men of such experience were very valuable in a service battalion where he initially had helped to train recruits. After his death a memorial service was held in the Unitarian Chapel at Langley where his widow, Lily, (464) donated four brass altar vases in his memory (465). Private Alfred Sandbank from Birmingham had worked in the GWR Goods Station at Hockley before the war (466). Private William Harries was a farmer from Pembrokeshire who had originally joined a Welsh regiment. He was one of those missing in action.

Missing in action was probably more distressing news to loved ones at home than confirmed deaths. One can only imagine the anguish of the parents of Private William Cowley who lived in West Bromwich as revealed by this all too typical account from 1916….

“There now appears very little doubt that Private W.H Cowley, son of Mr and Mrs J Cowley of 64, Richard Street South, West Bromwich, who was reported missing after an engagement on the Gallipoli Peninsula on August 10th 1915, was killed, according to letters received from chums who were with him. He was 22 years of age and before the war worked at Messrs Hall and Rice Ltd and joined the Royal Field Artillery (Territorials). When war broke out he enlisted in the 9th (Service) Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, which was sent out to the Dardanelles. The first intimation that he was wounded came through the Infantry Record Office, Warwick, Further correspondence ensued and, on July 15th 1916, a letter from the War Office stated that no further information had been received but it was feared in view of the lapse of time that he could no longer be alive but, in the absence of definite evidence of his death, it is regretted that a death certificate could not be issued until the official acceptance has been decided. On August 11th (practically twelve months after Private Cowley was reported missing) a communication was received from…..the British Red Cross……..enclosing the following statement from Private F.W Davies, 9th Royal Warwickshire Regiment – ‘On August 10th 1915 at Gada Bair (Hill 971) I was in a trench with Bill Cowley and he was shot about 7.30 in the morning. He died instantly and I was one who helped to bury his body. This communication leaves little doubt as to Private Cowley’s death. A further report from the same authority was sent on August 31st containing a statement by Private J Hughes, 9th Royal Warwickshire Reginent, attached to Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, who said ‘Cowley was killed at…Hill 971. He was shot in the head by a bullet….The body was left for we retired from the ground. He was a chum of mine and came from the Black Country, a big set man, clean shaven called Bill’…… Private Davies in a letter to Mr and Mrs Cowley wrote ‘I much regret to say that I was with your son on August 10th at Gada Bair when Bill was killed. He lay in the trench dead, shot through the mouth. Afterwards the battalion retired, not being strong enough to check the attack. Bill was covered in with the parapet from the Turk’s shells. That is how we could not get anything of Bill’s small book (i.e. pay book) and property. There were four or five of the type of Bill buried in the trench. He was a battalion sniper and did fine work before his end. We lost a good fellow in him for we were not very strong after we came out of action”. (467)

Modern CWGC records log 94 deaths on that day mostly as commemorations on the Helles Memorial (80 of the total; see App 39 ). The battalion strength was reduced to one officer, two attached officers and 248 other ranks soon increased by the missing 41. The loss of officers helps explain why at the time the battalion’s share in reaching the top of the ridge line was not recorded. A New Zealander, originally from Birmingham, gave information after the war to C.L Kingsford for the latter’s history of the regiment. This is what he saw…….

“They had immense difficulties to overcome . They were led the wrong way and had to retrace their steps; they had to attack in full view of the enemy; their left was exposed to enfilading fire and, in spite of all, they reached the (ridge). They held on like grim death , held on when first one and then another unit retired. They asked for reinforcements but were told none were available and still they stayed. They were now by themselves and it was only when every officer save one was killed or wounded that three companies slowly retired. The fourth company, with its gallant major (R.G Shuttlewirth of ‘A’ company. He was formerly Indian Army) held on to the farm near the ridge till all were killed. With their ranks terribly thinned they came as from parade, parched and hungry, but still undaunted. I was close by to their dressing station where a padre, Leighton, and a medical officer. O’Brien, and later the padre alone, worked night and day……A war correspondent has kindly spoken of our deeds as epic. Well there was an epic here. As an eye-witness I wish to testify to the work of these men from England, whose deeds made us proud to be counted their comrades” (468)

The remainder of the battalion now returned to the Brigade Reserve Rest Camp near Brigade HQ. The Battle of Sari Bair and the Anzac breakout was definitely over.

[pearsonica]

For those who have not seen these photos of the Officers of the 9th Battalion

Leonard W Josswill - G R Boddington - HG Admaus - J Eastabrook - Alfred Christopher Pearson - Dixon - J. G. Dowie 15-11-1916

This was photo was posted home by my Great Uncle Chris Pearson to his mother Caroline with the express wishes that she was to tell the wives and parents of these gentlemen that they were well. He also sent further copies so that each had a copy of the photo.

Bigs

[pearsonica]

Thanks for this transcrip Its great to know what my Gt Uncle Alfred Christopher Pearson went through. He took a camera to war and took many pictures of the men and officers. Most of which I have given to Kevan Darby.

L-R Major Bannerman, Lt Woodard, Lt Agar, 2n Lt Slim, 2nd Lt Davey, 2nd Lt Leach - Bob the Dog. c1915

I am not sure of the date of the picture it may be early 1915. 2nd Lt Slim and Pearson joined together in August 1914.

Slim became Field Marshall Bill Slim in WW2. I was pleased to forward a copy of this picture to his son in the House of Lords this year. Viscount Slim sent me a lovely letter of thanks as He had never seen a phot of his dad during this period of his life.

regards

Bigs

[Guest nosherw]

Does anyone have any information on what happened on 29th May 1916.

My great grandfather Arthur Hugh Shilton died in Mesopotamia and is buried in Amara Cemetery.

We do not know much as my nan was 10 when he died leaving her an orphan.

I know he was a farmer before he enlisted and came from Baxterley area.

any information would be great

thanks

[GraemeClarke]

Morning

Welcome to the Forum.

You may have been better posting this as a new thread in the 'Soldiers' or 'Unit' sections, however

SDGW record that the 'died' which suggests an illness (most likely given the area) or an accident etc.

He was drafted overseas on 19 June 1915.

Nothing much was happening as related in the Regimental History

The 13th Division finally defeated the 13th Turkish Corps on the Shatt-el-Adhaim on April 30, but the 39th Brigade was not engaged. This brought the fighting in that quarter to an end and all through the summer and autumn the Royal Warwickshire was stationed near Deltawa without more to record than the construction of a defensive line.

Hope this is of some use,

Regards,

Graeme

[pearsonica]

I have been clearing out my father's loft and found 3 more photo albums of the 9th Bat RWR. All the photos were taken by my Gt Uncle A C Pearson.  These 4 Albums in total cover their Training, Their passage out to the Mediteranian and their time in Mesopotamia.  The pictures below are of their short time in Gallipoli from when they landed at SuvlaBay on August 4th to when Chris was shot through the chest on August 10th 1915 when the Turks counter-attacked and enfiladed their position by machine gun fire. Chris (as he was know by the family) was a Lt, in "A" Company. I have sent copies of my photos to Kevan Darby who has managed to identify some of the Sergeants and Officers in the Pictures. These photos as you can see have degraded due to age but at least they show the conditions they were under.  - Ian C Pearson (Biggs)  

[pearsonica]

A brief History of Captain A C Pearson's time with the 9th Service Battalion of the RWR.

Information Received from Kevan Darby researching 9th Btn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment: Alfred Christopher Pearson had just taken his degree in Theology at Oxford when the First World War broke out. He abandoned plans to be a missionary and was commissioned into the 9th (Service) Royal Warwickshire Regiment. This was one of Kitcheners “New Army” battalions and consisted almost entirely of volunteers. Lieutenant A. C. Pearson landed on the Gallipoli Peninsula on the 13th July 1915, and was wounded in action on the 10th August at the Farm, Anzac. Pearson was promoted Captain in 1916 and, after recovering from his wounds, he rejoined his Battalion in Mesopotamia in June 1916. by December the British had succeeded in pushing the Turks back and by March 1917 Baghdad was taken. The Warwickshire's attacked Turkish positions and, despite heavy shrapnel, captured objectives and took 100 prisoners. Casualties were heavy with 10 Officers and 140 other ranks being killed or wounded. Amongst the wounded Captain Pearson. Once again. during his convalescence Pearson had time to ponder over his aim in life and he decided to apply for a transfer to the Governments Political Department. He had decided, while at school in North Yorkshire, he would become a missionary and political duties in Mesopotamia would be an introduction to the work. So he learned the language and customs of the Arabs. Pearson was appointed Assistant Political Officer and Deputy Military Governor of Basra on March 26th, 1918. he became respected by many Kurds and other tribes and, in December 1918, he was transferred as Political Officer to Zakho where a small garrison had been deployed. In March 1919 the Goyan tribe appealed to Alfred Pearson to pay them a visit with a view to their enrolment in the list of tribes within the sphere of British military occupation. They were perhaps the wildest of the tribes with whom Pearson had to deal. The valley in which they dwelt was particularly inaccessible. The courageous 26 year old Political Officer was, however, devoted to his task and had already shown great skill in negotiations with Kurdish and other tribes. He wanted to reassure the tribesmen of British intentions and, in return for supplies of seed and grain, he hoped to persuade them to stop plundering their neighbours. That would constitute an important step towards pacification of the whole region. But on his way to the rendezvous accompanied by a Kurdish orderly and a few men of the Goyan, Pearson was ambushed and killed on 4th April 1919. The loss was a salutary lesson in dealing with Kurdish tribes without adequate support. Following the murder an attempt was made to penetrate the area with a military escort. But a large number of tribes had joined against the British. The whole area had become unstable. A fellow Political Officer (Likely to be Lt R F Jardine) told the family that the only reason for the murder of Captain Pearson was a fanatical hatred of a Christian. Captain Pearson's body was recovered and buried in North Gate War Cemetery, Baghdad.

I attach 4 photos of him. 1) 1914 when he joined, 2) In the Trenches around Kut 1916/1917, 3) As a Capt in the Political Wing. (Note no Cap Badge or Regimental Insignia). 4) again near Kut.

[pearsonica]

Photos of the 9th Battalion in Training on Salisbury Plains. Unfortunately none have names. We think the Officer on Horseback is their Commanding Officer Lieut.-Colonel C. H. Palmer.

Regards

Biggs 

 

[Alan Fewtrell]

I'm researching Arthur Edward Irons 22937 of 9th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment. He died on 6th June 1919.

Ancestry.com says he he died and was buried in Madras. India. Another Ancestry record says he died in Mesopotamia.  An extract from this original thread states;

Early in April 1919 part of the men started on their way home, whilst the remainder once more crossed the Caspian to Baku, where they stayed two months. Then on June 11 they were sent inland about 150 miles on the Tiflis railway to camps, first at Agdam and afterwards at Barda. 

Can anyone shed any light on where he actually died?

Alan ewtrell

[kenf48]

40 minutes ago, Alan Fewtrell said:

I'm researching Arthur Edward Irons 22937 of 9th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment. He died on 6th June 1919.

Ancestry.com says he he died and was buried in Madras. India. Another Ancestry record says he died in Mesopotamia.  An extract from this original thread states;

 

Can anyone shed any light on where he actually died?

Alan ewtrell

 

Soldiers Effects on Ancestry shows he died at Madras and was interred at Madras (St Mary) Cemetery Chennai

 

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/909495/E A IRONS/

 

CWGC shows he was attached to Supply and Transport Corps

 

 

[Alan Fewtrell]

Thank you Ken.

Do you think that means that the Battalion was attached to the Supply and Transport Corps or that he was attached to them, perhaps following his promotion to sergeant?

The Story Of The Royal Warwickshire Regiment

By C. L. Kingsford CHAPTER XXV THE GREAT WAR : GALLIPOLI AND MESOPOTAMIA 1915-1919 - in April 1919 for the next two months they stayed at Baku. Arthur/Edward died 6 June 1919> I understand that he died in Madras, but I'm unclear how he would have been in Madras? Any ideas?

[kenf48]

59 minutes ago, Alan Fewtrell said:

Do you think that means that the Battalion was attached to the Supply and Transport Corps or that he was attached to them, perhaps following his promotion to sergeant?

Attachment of NCOs to the Indian Army Supply and Transport Corps has previously been discussed on the forum

 

1 hour ago, Alan Fewtrell said:

I understand that he died in Madras, but I'm unclear how he would have been in Madras? Any ideas?

 

I appreciate the confusion but it is always better to start a separate thread if researching a single soldier rather than a Battalion.

Madras (now Chennai) on the East coast of the sub-continent was a major military centre within India throughout the Empire period (my wife has an ancestor who was born there to a British soldier - named Brown - in Victorian times).  A port city it has the dubious distinction of being  the only city in India to be attacked by the Germans when it was shelled by the cruiser Emden in September 1914 in an effort to disrupt the oil storage facility located there.

 

Although described as 'attached' he was in effect no longer serving with the Warwickshire Regt. 

Virtually all Regiments serving in Mesopatamia and related theatres maintained a Base Depot in India and soldiers from the UK rotated through those Depots, which also maintained facilities for sick and injured soldiers. It appears the Warwickshire Depot was at Belgaum.  Madras is a considerable distance from Belgaum and therefore once attached he lost all association with his original unit, and as you say his attachment would appear to date from his promotion.

 

He is listed as Private in the Medal Rolls, medals were inscribed according to the highest rank held in a theatre of war.

His promotion as noted by CWGC therefore came later and he appears to have been one of the NCOs described in the linked thread above, perhaps supervising indigenous workers.

 

As for his Army service with the R. Warwickshire Regiment it appears he was called up for service in October 1916 and posted to the 5th (Reserve) Bn. and allocated a four digit number. 

 

Based on surviving records he appears to have been in a draft to the 9th Bn. (and renumbered in the 'Service' series) which embarked from Devonport of the 24 December 1916, arriving in India at Belgaum on the 24th March 1917, numbered no 14 Depot.  The draft then took the conventional route from Bombay to Basra (Mumbai/Basrah) on the 3rd May before joining the Battalion in the field on the 28th May 1917.  Others in the original draft do not appear to have been posted to theatre until August 1917.

 

The war diary, which can currently be downloaded for free from TNA if you register, shows that on the 28th May 'a large draft of 181 recruits arrived', subsequent entries show these were initially formed into a training Company.  As there were so many surviving records are not that difficult to find.  Many are in the pension records as they suffered from malaria and other tropical diseases.

 

 

 

[Alan Fewtrell]

Ken thanks again.

In the war diaries at TNA, should I look under 9th Battalion Royal Warwickshires or something else?

Also, as Edward Irons died 6th June 1919, is it fair to assume that he died from malaria or some other tropical disease?

Alan

[kenf48]

2 hours ago, Alan Fewtrell said:

Ken thanks again.

In the war diaries at TNA, should I look under 9th Battalion Royal Warwickshires or something else?

Also, as Edward Irons died 6th June 1919, is it fair to assume that he died from malaria or some other tropical disease?

Alan

 

The 9th Royal Warwickshire diary available to download won’t help you to research him individually, or his death but worth a read to see what they were doing.  India was not a theatre of war, therefore with as usual certain exceptions no requirement to keep a war diary. 

As to cause of death you can get a certificate from GRO but will probably say something like ‘died on active service’, I’d suspect the influenza pandemic whic hit India very hard, but it could easily be malaria and complications thereof.

 

The source for the British in India is https://wiki.fibis.org/w/Main_Page

Forum Pal @Maureene is the expert but there are many articles on Madras, though not many from WW1.  We don’t know what Sergeant Irons was doing, but there is a link to a document on the working of the port in WW2 I suspect little had changed.

https://cgsc.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p4013coll8/id/2746

[Alan Fewtrell]

Ken, thank you so much for the information, I've lots of reading to do now.

Alan

[Guest]

Thanks ever so much for this post.  My Great Uncle Claude Hollis Bean. I'd love to know more about him if anyone can help?

Name	Claude Hollis Bean
Birth	Bristol, Glos
Death	Aug 10 1915     Gallipoli
Enlistment	Cardiff
Rank	Private
Regiment	Royal Warwickshire Regiment
Battalion	9th Battalion.
Casualty type	Killed in action
Number	10846

[Aneurin]

The South Wales Daily News 30 December 1916 (not online I'm afraid) has a little on him. He lived with his uncle (LF Bean) and aunt at 50 Plantagenet Street, Riverside, Cardiff. He worked as a French polisher. He was reported wounded and missing and then later reported killed in action. His brother R G Bean was serving served in the Welsh Regiment at this date. There is a photograph of your great uncle in this edition of the paper.