Australian Units in Wiltshire 1918

[punjab612]

Hi

Do we have any Australian or Wiltshire experts out there who could point me in the direction of which Australian units were based in close proximity to Upton Scudamore around Sept to November 1918.

It may help me resolve a long outstanding family history issue.

Thanks in anticipation

[montbrehain]

Sorry cant tell you exactly which units were there, but the whole area was used by Australian troops. In fact an Ex "Digger" went on to become the mayor of Warminster. perhaps MOONRAKER knows which units were present ?

[Steven Broomfield]

Don't know either, but there are some War Graves on the (I think) Warminster Road, so that might be a clue.

[BeppoSapone]

Try "Cemetery Reports" function on the CWGC Roll of Honour Register. Find the nearest cemeteries and see who is buried there.

For example, I just had a look at Warminster and found a man from the 11 Bn and a Pioneer. Once you have found the AIF members closest to your area check their files online and see why they died. They might have "copped a blighty one" and died in a hospital in Wiltshire.

On the other hand, if killed in training accidents etc you have something to go on.

[Moonraker]

perhaps MOONRAKER knows which units were present ?

My cue, I think, though I'm a few hours late. Irritatingly Upton Scudamore is on the "wrong" side of Warminster, ie the north, whereas all the Australian camps were to the south and east, so I can't link it to a particular camp. (If it had been Upton Lovell this would have indicated Codford.)

Go to

http://www.unsw.adfa.edu.au/~rmallett/index.html

scroll down on the left and click on to training battalions and the like, which will show you where they were based. Codford, Sutton Veny and Longbridge Deverill (also known as Sand Hill) are all close to Warminster. Mainly artillery units were based at Heytesbury and at Corton and Boyton. There would have been various support units at these camps - medical staff, for example. The grave/churchyards with war graves nearest to Upton Scudamore would appear to be those at Warminster, where a member of the 1st Australian Pioneers is buried.

One can access online the National Archives of Australia records of many WWI Australian soldiers on

http://www.naa/gov.au

or so I thought, but at the moment the link isn't working. A Google suggests the website address is still correct. Provided your man's name isn't too common, you may get a clue about him from the embarkation rolls:

http://www.awm.gov.au/nominalrolls/ww1/embarkation/

I confess it's little while since I checked these out; it can take several attempts before one gets the hang of these sites. (Well, it does me.)

Moonraker

[Ozzie]

If you have trouble with any of the sites and I'll try and help from this end.

Kim

[punjab612]

Thanks for all the rplies and the superb links. Never been on Australian web site before (never needed to!) What fantastic information there is. I have plenty of leads now so will come back for further assistance when needed.

And also to you Moonraker for your super local knowledge for although I am the son of a 'moonraker' geographical knowledge is very limited!

Peter

[Moonraker]

And also to you Moonraker for your super local knowledge for although I am the son of a 'moonraker' geographical knowledge is very limited!

Peter

My pleasure, Peter. I wouldn't mind knowing what the link with Upton Scudamore is. I guess every hamlet and small village in southern Wiltshire would have been affected by military training during WWI, and I'm always pleased to get details. (I was very pleased to work through on-line Canadian war diaries and discover which very small communities had Canadian soldiers and horses billeted on them in January 1915.)

If you don't want give any details in the open Forum you could always email me or send me a personal message.

Moonraker