Rosemary Clarke Posted 15 January , 2003 Share Posted 15 January , 2003 I've just been looking at war diaries of 13 Bat RSR for November 1916 and noticed two intriguing entries. One (7 November) refers to a Captain Story being 'recalled from leave to give evidence in the case of 2nd Lt K A Gellaw'. The second (8 November) states 'Court of enquiry held on the accidental wounding of Lt Q M Chance'. I don't think either is related in any way to my line of research but would any Sussex Regiment experts be able to shed any light on either of these two matters for me? Many thanks Rosemary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theo Posted 15 January , 2003 Share Posted 15 January , 2003 On the subject of the 13th Royal Sussex, can anyone shed any light on 2nd Lt. Reginald George william Gillham who was killed with the battalion on 26/11/16, I believe during the action at Polygon Wood. He is commemorated on Tyne Cott and his parents lived in Emsworth, Hants. he is commemorated on a memorial in South Wales and i am trying to find out his links with the area. Theo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robwilliams Posted 15 January , 2003 Share Posted 15 January , 2003 Rosemary, Sorry I cannot offer any direct evidence, but if the matter led to a court martial you will be able to find out the (very) bare bones at the PRO. The indexes survive of all the CMs from the war. They give details of the soldier/officer (though curiously not a regimental number), battalion/regiment/corps, date of trial, charges, verdict and punishment, as well as details of any revision of the verdict/sentence at a later date. They are fascinating reading, mentioning not just the British men, but the Commonwealth troops, Indian troops, Chinese labourers and the Irishmen from the Easter uprising. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Lines Posted 15 January , 2003 Share Posted 15 January , 2003 Rosemary Sorry I can't help you directly but I thought the following that I recently read might interest you. Pte. xxxx Charged with "Negligently discharging his rifle thereby causing the death of Sgt. XXXX." Plea, not gulity Finding, guilty Sentence, 6 months detention. The Sgt. is listed as Killed in Action. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 16 January , 2003 Share Posted 16 January , 2003 This is one of the battalions that has always interested me; I'll have a look in my research files and get back to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosemary Clarke Posted 17 January , 2003 Author Share Posted 17 January , 2003 Thanks for the useful responses, all. Alan: interesting that the private soldier received only 6 months detention for killing his sergeant, even accidentally. Paul: hope you might, perhaps, be able to find something in your files relating to the two officers. Rosemary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 21 January , 2003 Share Posted 21 January , 2003 I've had a look at my research and while I have a number of unpublished diaries and first hand accounts of this unit, none of them mention this incident. I also can't find Lt Chance in my list of officers but found the other one: Gellan, K.A. 2/Lt Commissioned 12.8.15 Sent to base 7.12.16 having been dismissed the service by GCM. Sorry it doesn'd add much further. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 21 January , 2003 Share Posted 21 January , 2003 On the subject of the 13th Royal Sussex, can anyone shed any light on 2nd Lt. Reginald George william Gillham who was killed with the battalion on 26/11/16, I believe during the action at Polygon Wood. He is commemorated on Tyne Cott and his parents lived in Emsworth, Hants. he is commemorated on a memorial in South Wales and i am trying to find out his links with the area. Theo All I have on him is that he was commissioned on 27.6.17 and was killed on 26th September 1917 near Tower Hamlets; the battalion was not involved in the fighting for Polygon Wood. As you know he is listed on Tyne Cot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosemary Clarke Posted 25 January , 2003 Author Share Posted 25 January , 2003 Thanks for your help Paul. All information is useful. Very interesting Forgotten Battlefield programme, by the way, though a great pity commerce won the day, once again. Rosemary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 25 January , 2003 Share Posted 25 January , 2003 Rob/Rosemary Not exactly to the point, but officers were not given numbers until January 1930. Terry Reeves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 25 January , 2003 Share Posted 25 January , 2003 Rob/Rosemary Not exactly to the point, but officers were not given numbers until January 1930. Terry Reeves The one exception being officers of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF) who had them from 1914. Just for the record! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theo Posted 26 January , 2003 Share Posted 26 January , 2003 Paul Many thanks for the info on the date of Reg Gillham's commission. The memorial still lists him as Q.M.S. Cheers for putting me right on the action as well - I'd assumed Polygon Wood because of the date. Theo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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