Silver War Medal, London Regiment, 19th Battalion

[bluestockingdaisy]

Hello. Could someone give any details of my uncle's Silver War Badge? I am unable to go to the National Archives and would be grateful for any information

Yjank you

[RedCoat]

perhaps if you posted a request in the '' is anyone going to the national archives'' section then someone may have a look for you when they visit

Donnie

[Charles Fair]

Hello Barbara

I have your uncle on my database of 19th Londons. Here is what I have so far:

SOUSTER, John, Private

regimental number was 3820, and was renumbered 611026 in March 1917

enlisted 15/04/1915

went to France with 2/19th Londons (60 Division) from 24/06/1916 to 24/11/1916

then went to Salonika until June 1917 when the Division was sent to Palestine

wounded 26/11/1917 at Nebi Samwil

discharged wounded age 23 on 05/08/1919 (Paragraph 392 XVIa)

Awarded SWB number 458254

home address (summer 1918) was 69, Hartland Rd, St Pancras (Castle Ward)

Sources:

Medal Rolls and SWB Roll, 19th London Regt

Regimental History "The Second Nineteenth" by FW Eames - he is listed in the Roll of Honour on p. 169

Absent Voter List (October 1918) St Pancras (SW Division # 1021)

I would be most interested in any further info you can add to this, such as occupation, employer, school, religion, father's occupation.

You might like to know that there is a thriving Old Comrades Association for the 19th, mainly now run by descendents of those who served in the 19th. Please email me and I will send you the most recent newsletter and further details.

Charles

[Charles Fair]

Barbara - I should add that the battalion history was recently republished by Naval & Military Press. You would find it worthwile if you dont have it already as it will answer many questions that you might have. Here is the blurb on the book from their website:

SECOND NINETEENTH, BEING THE HISTORY OF THE 2/19TH LONDON REGIMENT

Record of the second line 19th Battalion of the London Regiment that served in France, Macedonia and Palestine. Roll of Honour, list of Honours and Awards.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the last days of August 1914 it was decided that as soon as the original, pre-war Territorial battalion had mobilised and moved out to its war station, a duplicate, or second line battalion would be formed. Henceforth the original battalions would have the prefix 1/ in front of their designation, and the second line battalions 2/. Thus the 2/19th Battalion, The London Regiment, was formed in September 1914 and in due course was allocated to 180th Brigade 60th (2/2nd London) Division. The first chapter of the book contains an interesting and amusing account of the problems of trying to create an efficient infantry battalion out of a throng of keen, enthusiastic civilians with no military experience, no uniforms, no equipment and very few officers or NCOs.

It wasn’t until June 1916 that the division left for France and the battalion, brought up to strength by a contingent of 250 volunteers from the RAMC who had joined a few weeks earlier, found itself in the line on the slopes of Vimy Ridge, which was then a very nasty place what with tunnelling, mining, countermining and crater fighting; trench mortares and rifle grenades were the weapons in most demand. But after only five months the division was transferred to Salonika where the battalion landed on 1st December. Here, too, the division’s stay was a short one in which the bitter weather was more of a trial than the enemy. The division moved again, in June 1917, to join the Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF), at this time hung up in front of Gaza. During the six months in Macedonia the battalion lost only six dead as a result of enemy action but the history records a feeling of profound relief when they left that ‘pestilent theartre of war’ where morale was low. The division’s joining the EEF coincided with Allenby’s arrival as the new GOC in C, and shortly after a new divisional commander, Maj Gen Shea, took over. From now on the battalion was frequently involved in the fighting in Palestine - Third Gaza, Beersheba, Sheria, Jerusalem, Jericho, Tansjordan Raid, to its final action in the attack and crossing of Nahr el Falik on 19th September 1918. All these actions and those in France and Macedonia are described in the narrative. It was in Palestine that the battalion suffered the bulk of its casualties, over 150 of the total dead numbering some 200. Appendices contain the Roll of Honour, by theatres of war, the list of honours and awards and a useful chronology of events from formation of the battalion to disbandment in February 1920.

Author: Maj F.W.Eames

Format: 2005 N&M Press reprint (original pub 1930). SB. v + 208pp with 20 b/w plates and five maps

ISBN: 1845742710

Please note that I dont have any connection with N&MP other than as a customer. They have a 15% off sale on all books which ends on 26 Feb.

Charles

[bluestockingdaisy]

Hello Charles and thank you so much for your time and help but I have an awful feeling that this may be the wrong man, he probably is a relation of some sort though, and I am going to do more research into him. I will certainly let you know if I find some confirmation so hopefully your very kind answer won't be wasted.

Thank you again

Barbara

I have your uncle on my database of 19th Londons. Here is what I have so far:

SOUSTER, John, Private

regimental number was 3820, and was renumbered 611026 in March 1917

enlisted 15/04/1915

went to France with 2/19th Londons (60 Division) from 24/06/1916 to 24/11/1916

then went to Salonika until June 1917 when the Division was sent to Palestine

wounded 26/11/1917 at Nebi Samwil

discharged wounded age 23 on 05/08/1919 (Paragraph 392 XVIa)

Awarded SWB number 458254

home address (summer 1918) was 69, Hartland Rd, St Pancras (Castle Ward)

Sources:

Medal Rolls and SWB Roll, 19th London Regt

Regimental History "The Second Nineteenth" by FW Eames - he is listed in the Roll of Honour on p. 169

Absent Voter List (October 1918) St Pancras (SW Division # 1021)

I would be most interested in any further info you can add to this, such as occupation, employer, school, religion, father's occupation.

You might like to know that there is a thriving Old Comrades Association for the 19th, mainly now run by descendents of those who served in the 19th. Please email me and I will send you the most recent newsletter and further details.

Charles