Kings Royal Rifles

[Chris Noble]

Hi.

This was published yesterday in my local newspaper the 'Wetherby News'.

First photo is George Nelson Pallister second is William Pallister, both commemorated on the Boston Spa War Memorial.

Can anybody provide any info on actions relating to their deaths?

Photos were provided from the collection of Mr Gerald Appleyard of Walton, near Wetherby.

Regards, Chris.

[stevem49]

Do you know if they died of wounds or killed in action?

The 41st Div where in action on 16th as part of Battle of Flers. I think the Divison was in front of Delville Wood. I cannot find the location for April 1918 but will keep looking ! From memory the Div arrived back in France from italy in March 1918.

stevem

[BottsGreys]

I note from CWGC that George died 17/09/1916 as member of the 21st Bn KRRC. The book The Annals of the K.R.R.C. Vol. V (The Great War) by Maj. Gen. Sir Steuart Hare states that the 21st suffered 393 casualties of all ranks during the attack of Sept 15 (Flers) and was relieved at 3 a.m. the next day, the 16th.

Therefore, is it possible as Steve suggested that he was mortally wounded on the 15th and died on the 17th?

Hare goes on to say that there were no importatnt operations on the 17th on the BEF front.

Chris

[Chris Noble]

Many thanks for the info, much appreciated as always.

Regards, Chris.

[MBrockway]

Chris,

Sorry I missed this way back when, but Pal Liz from Eastbourne has recently drawn my attention to it - ironic considering all our correspondence on 18/KRRC!

William Pallister has a pretty complete service history available on Ancestry, except that it's misfiled under the surname 'Palister' with a single 'L'.

In summary ...

13 Nov 1915 - attested at BOSTON SPA, Yorks.

16 Nov 1915 - formal Attestation and medical etc. at YORK.

Posted 21st (Service Battalion (Yeoman Rifles), King's Royal Rifle Corps. Service Number C/12357. Probably into 'B' Company.

22 Nov 1915 - joined 21/KRRC at HELMSLEY

05 May 1916 - dep UK

06 May 1916 - embarked in France

22 Jun 1917 - Wounded in Action: gunshot wound neck & head

At the time 21/KRRC were holding Support trenches on the N end of the Messines Ridge between ST ELOI and HOLLEBEKE in area captured by 41st Division during the Battle of Messines on 07 Jun. There was no Action in progress on 22 Jun.

22 Jun 1917 - admitted 10 CCS, at REMY SIDING (LIJSSENTHOEK, near Poperinghe)

23 Jun 1917 - admitted No 4 General Hospital at CAMIERS (5 miles N of Etaples on French coast)

05 Jul 1917 - admitted Princess Christian Hosptial, WEYMOUTH

20 Aug 1917 - discharged from hospital to Convalescence Furlough

07 Oct 1917 - disciplined for late return from Leave at SHEERNESS. KRRC's 5th and 6th (Reserve) battalions were based in the Sheerness area, so William was presumably posted there to complete his return to fitness. His Conduct Sheet lists him as already in 18/KRRC, so he may have already been allocated as a replacement draft to 18/KRRC instead of rejoining 21/KRRC. As you're aware, 18th and 21st btns were closely linked anyway.

17 Oct 1917 - embarked FRANCE

18 Oct 1917 - arrived 1 IBD and posted to 18th (Service) Battalion (Arts & Crafts), KRRC

26 Oct 1917 - joined 18/KRRC in the field

18/KRRC at the time were at BRAY DUNES near LA PANNE (between Dunkirk and Nieuport) on coast-defence duties.

29 Oct 1917 - btn moved via Dunkirk to PETITE SYNTHE (just to SW of Dunkirk)

13 Nov 1917 - btn ordered to ITALIAN FRONT

30 Nov 1917 - btn arrived at SELVA in the MOTELLO left sector near the River PIAVE

03 Mar 1918 - btn ordered back to FRANCE & FLANDERS

22 Mar 1918 - btn detrained at ACHIET-LE-GRAND having been diverted due to the Kaiserschlacht Offensive that started on 21 Mar 1918

22 Mar to 02 Apr - btn attempting to resist the enemy offensive.

Outline movements:

ACHIET-LE-GRAND - BIHUCOURT - between SAPIGNIES & FAVREUIL - dug new position W of BEUGNATRE (22/23);

BEUGNATRE - W of BEUGNY (23/24);

Fighting retreat under extreme enemy pressure BEUGNY - S of BEUGNATRE - BIHUCOURT (24/25);

BIHUCOURT - dug two new positions SE of BIEFVILLERS-les-BAUPAUME, but outflanked to NE - fell back to railway between ACHIET and ALBERT - withdrawn from Line & to ESSARTS-les-BUCQUOY to regroup (25/26);

ESSARTS - BIENVILLERS-au-BOIS (26/27);

BIENVILLERS (27/28);

BIENVILLERS - Support NW of GOMMECOURT (28/29);

GOMMECOURT - Support NW of BUCQUOY (29/30);

In Support NW of BUCQOUY (30 Mar - 02 Apr);

BUCQUOY - relieved - MARIEUX (02/03 Apr);

MARIEUX - ORVILLE (03/04);

ORVILLE - camp near WATOO [I cannot locate this] where they received large reinforcement draft (04/05);

trench routine in PASSCHENDAELE area (up to 16 Apr).

Most of these locations are shown here:

[source: The Great War partwork magazine]

The btn's losses between returning from Italy and being withdrawn to The Salient were very serious. Before being reinforced at Watoo the btn had been reduced from ~900 ORs down to just 80. Greatest confusion was on 24 Mar when an orderly withdrawal was not possible as all companies were heavily engaged.

07 Apr 1918 - William Pallister reported Missing

It was not possible to sort out the details of the missing, dead and wounded until the battalion gained some breathing space on 05 Apr. Also a lot of men who had become detached from the btn during the retreat would have straggled in under their own steam as the btn regrouped. Thus although Pallister was reported Missing on 07 April, he almost certainly was wounded and captured some days earlier, probably during the fighting retreat from Beugny to Bihucourt in the area N of Bapaume on 24 March.

17 Apr 1918 - Died of Wounds: shrapnel or gunshot wound, right side penetrating the lung. Probably as POW in German military hospital at DENAIN (12 miles NE of Cambrai)

As you're aware Rfn George Nelson PALLISTER, C/12168, 21/KRRC fell after FLERS in Sep 1916.

It seems that at least two further brothers served in the forces but survived.

Cheers,

Mark

[MBrockway]

Chris,

After much further digging, it emerges that William and George PALLISTER were two of a total of five brothers, ALL of whom served in the Great War. All the other brothers survived.

In detail the brothers were ...

John Thomas PALLISTER

born ~1886, Stockton-on-Tees, Co Durham; Groom

Driver,141098, RFA

Enlisted under the Derby Scheme 07 Dec 1915 (he had a wife and three children). Mobilised 08 May 1916 and served in various artillery units in the UK.

Posted to France in May 1918 eventually to serve in the SAA Section of the 50th Division Amunition Column.

Demobbed to Class Z Reserve on 27 Jan 1919

William PALLISTER

born ~1888, Bramham, Yorks.; Groom

Rfn, C/12357, 21/KRRC, then 18/KRRC.

Died of Wounds as POW 17 Apr 1918. Details above.

George Nelson PALLISTER

born ~1894, Boston Spa, Yorks.

Rfn, C/12168, 21/KRRC.

Died of Wounds after Battle of Flers 17 Sep 1916.

Arthur L PALLISTER

born ~1896, Boston Spa, Yorks.

Pte, 62407, RAMC

Embarked in Egypt 19 Dec 1915, thereby eligible for 1914-15 Star.

Served in 14th Combined Cavalry Field Ambulance, 5th Cavalry Division, Egyptian Expeditionary Force.

Was still on Active Service in July 1919.

Cyril Stanley PALLISTER

born ~1898, Boston Spa, Yorks.

Pte, 75025, 2nd/5th Durham Light Infantry

In July 1919 still serving in 2 Platoon, 'A' Coy, in 228th Brigade, 28th Division in the British Salonika Force.

It looks like there were at least four, possibly five, sisters too.

Quite a family eh?

I also found an MIC for a Henry T PALLISTER, Rfn 12012, KRRC. I have a hunch that his correct SN might be C/12012 and he may be another relative enlisting into the Yeoman Rifles, but am some way off proving that as yet!

Cheers,

Mark

[Liz in Eastbourne]

There's also mention of another Pallister in the Yeoman Rifles called Dick, who was a cook, in Gerald Dennis's book A Kitchener Man's Bit. The reference is in 1917 so he might not have been one of the original recruits. Dennis doesn't mention these two though he says there were many brothers, and also unrelated namesakes.

Liz