smooey Posted 30 December , 2006 Share Posted 30 December , 2006 Hello, I am researching my family history and have discovered that my great grandfathers brother Cyril Smith Private CH/138(S) Chatham Battalion Royal Naval Division Royal Marine Light Infantry was at Gallipoli. I know that he transferred from the Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regt) to the rmli and i have his medal card information which says that he set sail on the 7/2/15 and was killed on the 28/5/15. Can anyone add anymore to this information, such as training,which ship he would have sailed on,what did Chathem Battalion do at Gallipoli.Anythig would be appreciated. Thanks Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horatio2 Posted 30 December , 2006 Share Posted 30 December , 2006 There are more papers for him at the Fleet Air Arm Museum: Chatham/138(S); SMITH, C; Enlisted 04/09/14; MIA (assumed dead) 28/05/15; Born 1888 at SUTTON-IN-ASHFIELD; EX-SHERWOOD FORESTERS. Chatham Bn sailed from UK in HMT CAWDOR CASTLE and, after nearly three weeks at Anzac (28 April - 13 May) were in the front line at Helles at the end of May 1915. There they succeeded in pushing the line forward with relatively few casualties. Sadly, Smith was one of them. Try and get hold of a copy of "The Royal Naval Division" by Douglas Jerrold from your library for a good overview of the Gallipoli campaign of the RND. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonmate Posted 30 December , 2006 Share Posted 30 December , 2006 Steve The War Diary of the 63rd RN Division, of which the Chatham Battalion RMLI was part, is held at the National Archives under ADM137. You will have to seek a suffix to this heading though. Best wishes Sotonmate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horatio2 Posted 31 December , 2006 Share Posted 31 December , 2006 Steve, Further to my post above: Smith would have undergone his initial training at the Chatham Division HQ. After the Antwerp operations, Chatham Bn went into training at Gravesend (from mid-October 1914) and he would have joined the battalion there. Chatham Bn moved to the new RND base at Blandford in late January 1915 but the men were billeted in local villages because there was insufficient accommodation on-base. They were only at Blandford for a week before embarking for the Dardanelles. Chatham Bn. did not take part in the early March 1915 landings and they first went ashore on 28 April at Anzac. Here are the Chatham Bn War Diary entries for the end of May 1915: 27/28th. p.m. The [RM] Brigade was ordered to dig a new trench line about 150 yards in advance. In the Chatham Bn sector at 9 p.m. a screen of Scouts was pushed forward. In the rear of these, men of the Engineer Unit at 10 yard intervals to mark the proposed traverses. A & B Companies advanced over the parapets and commenced digging. The right flank now rested on a spur swept by rifle fire from the Redoubt above mentioned and several casualties occurred in A Company, including Lt GR Curtis, Divisional Cyclist Company, who had been detailed for liaison duties with the French left. Corporal Rapkin, who had performed invaluable duties as Commander of Scouts, was also mortally wounded. D Company [smith was in D Company] and 2 platoons of C Company filed over the old parapet and dug a communication trench. 28th a.m. By daylight the fire trench and communication trench were well advanced and the screen was withdrawn. The distance gained by this advance (by Chatham Bn) was 210 yards. A congratulatory message was received by the Bn. both from the Corps Commander (Sir A Hunter-Weston) and the Divisional Commander. One officer casualty QMSI White, i/c machine guns, (afterwards Lieutenant) killed, occurred at dawn. During the afternoon the digging companies, A & B, were relieved in the fire trench by the Cyclist Company and the positions were thoroughly consolidated. 29th Consolidation of the position, the fire trench being named Trotman Road [after the Brigade GOC]. 30th p.m. The RM Brigade was relieved by the 2nd RN Brigade, Chatham Bn. being relieved by Anson Bn. This advance was one of the few at Helles that did not result in a massive slaughter. Things would never be so 'easy' again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Morcombe Posted 31 December , 2006 Share Posted 31 December , 2006 RND Database gives:- CH/138/S Private Cyril Smith Royal Marine Light Infantry Chatham Bn. 28/05/1915 Missing, assumed dead ex-Private Notts & Derby Regt., enlisted Sutton-in-Ashfield 4/9/14 age 26, transferred to Chatham Division RMLI short-service 16/9/14 ; Chatham Bn. MEF 6/2/15-28/5/15 DD. Helles Memorial (MR 4) 'D' Company Chatham Bn. ; Son of Samuel and Priscilla Smith, of Wharf Road, Medin Bank, Stanton Hill, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. Husband of Lily Smith, of 127 Cross Row, Stanton Hill, Nr. Mansfield, Notts. (later Mrs. Lily Fisher, of Mansfield). His medals are in safe keeping. TTFN John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smooey Posted 31 December , 2006 Author Share Posted 31 December , 2006 Thanks for the response, very much appreciated.I have ordered the book mentioned from Amazon. Thanks Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smooey Posted 2 January , 2007 Author Share Posted 2 January , 2007 John, have you anymore information as to his medals. I have his Medal Index Card and it only mentions the 1914-15 Star and then what i think is Admiralty underneath? but no mention of any other medals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Morcombe Posted 3 January , 2007 Share Posted 3 January , 2007 Dear Steve, Medal Index Card? Do you mean a photocopy of ADM/171/171 RM medal roll? I would be very interested to see a Medal Index Card to him if it exists. Could you e-mail me a copy? As far as I know, he was only entitled to the 14-15 star, BWM & Vic. for service with the RMLI/RND. The Army should not have issued him anything. He was only in the Notts & Derbys a few days. Cheers John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smooey Posted 4 January , 2007 Author Share Posted 4 January , 2007 John, I have downloaded the card from the National Archives, its the one were you get six cards on one page, i thought these are called Medal Index Cards? the catalogue reference number is WO/372/18. Thanks Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Morcombe Posted 4 January , 2007 Share Posted 4 January , 2007 Steve, Can you please e-mail me the card/s? I like to see them & if it is a card to him. It should not be. TTFN John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smooey Posted 4 January , 2007 Author Share Posted 4 January , 2007 john, Can you give me your Email address and i will send the image to you, i have been trying to reply with a picture of the image but not sure how to do it. Thanks Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Morcombe Posted 5 January , 2007 Share Posted 5 January , 2007 Dear Steve, Looking forward to seeing this. TTFN John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jynxie Posted 24 March Share Posted 24 March Hello, I'm aware that this thread is a bit old now but I am Cyril's great great granddaughter and I would love to get in contact with others related to him. Thank you, Laura. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 24 March Admin Share Posted 24 March @smooey hasn’t visited the forum for over 10 years. My tag might alert them to your post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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