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Remembered Today:

Durham Light Infantry May 27 1918


DavidMillichope

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Does anyone know which Bn of the Durham light Infantry would have been at Amifontaine on May 27th 1918. ( 3rd battle of the Aisne)

I have a diary of a POW from the DLI who says he was captured there on that date.

Many thanks in anticipation.

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Hi

All I can tell you and I hope it'll be of some help, is that the 5th, 6th, 7th & 8th Bns of the DLI were east of Craonne, which is about 3-4 miles WSW of Amifontaine, on that day when they were heavily attacked

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Hi

All I can tell you and I hope it'll be of some help, is that the 5th, 6th, 7th & 8th Bns of the DLI were east of Craonne, which is about 3-4 miles WSW of Amifontaine, on that day when they were heavily attacked

Many Thanks

That narrows it down quite a alot. I can read the diaries for those four units on May 27th and see which fits best.

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David

Does your man's diary mention any officers? I have a list of all officers taken POW with dates and units, so that might help with identifying the battalion.

Ron

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Thanks Ron. There's a thought. I don't recall any officers mentioned but I'll take another look . His diary details the food and treatment a lot

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Ron,

I had another scan through the diary and he never seems to mention any names at all, so unfortunately no clues there.

@Connaughtranger.

I noticed, however, that his entry about capture doesn't actually say he was captured in Amifontaine. It says he was captured at 11.00am and "marched to Amifontaine", so your information about heavy attack WSW of Amiphontaine now fits very well.

While I'm at it here was one of the meals :- " pickled cabbage with a spoonful of horse flesh ". Yummy .

In fairness he does refer to this being one of the worst dinners he'd ever had. He says it made him sick.

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  • 2 months later...

Hi

Don't forgot 22/DLI were also in the area and well split up.

Do you have his name and number, I have all the DLI W&V rolls I can look him up for you

regards

John Sheen

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Many thanks , John . Here is the extra information.

Pte William Brown : Service Number : 10147

Medals :

1914/15 star

British war Medal

Victory Medal

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Hi

I'm not surprised that your grandfather was captured on the 27th May while fighting with the 8DLI. The history notes sadly that "not a single officer or man of B (front line)& D (Lamoureux Hill) Companies escaped" & "At 5 a.m. Capt B M Williams, C Company,(redoubt line) reached Battalion Headquarters in search of reinforcements for his Company, which had almost been annihilated"

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Hi again

Correct regimental No 3/10147 indicating he enlisted into 3rd (Reserve) Battalion probaly late 1914.

Served overseas with 10th Durham Light Infantry Promoted LCPL then transferred to 1/5th Durham Light Infantry in 150 Brigade.

regards

John

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Hello David,

I forgot to ask you about the diary extract of Pte William Brown. Is it very extensive about the events of 27th May 1918. Do you have his photograph by any chance?

Regards

David

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Sorry I've not been very punctual with this thread. I've been struggling with flu for a while now and my internet connection has also been AWOL for most of the last two weeks.

@Connaughtranger

Yes my first guess was that William Brown was with the same unit as David's grandfather - either the 6th or 8th ( looking at maps from Official History),

@John

That solid information you have from the rolls , John, is just what was needed. So he was with the 1/5th DLI when he was captured. Many thanks for that.

@David_Blanchard

Unfortunately, William Brown was very short on any military details. For some reason his diary is a very detailed account of virtually each meal he had, his state of health, how he was treated and the work he was made to do. There's occasional mention of places, and he indicates the national composition of the work parties he was in. When I can shake off my flu and internet problems I'll try and make an appearance on your Aisne thread.

Many thanks again , everyone.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hi, I have a chap captured on the same day,he was in the 1/5 DLI if you send me your E mail I will send you the war diary if it helps. Good luck anyway. Regards Pete. :)

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  • 3 years later...

David

Does your man's diary mention any officers? I have a list of all officers taken POW with dates and units, so that might help with identifying the battalion.

Ron

Ron 'I've just joined and came across your posting .

Do the names of the officers you have happen to include my Grandfathers ?

He was Herbert Charles Howell and he was taken POW either on May 27th or a day very close to it . I don't know which unit or battalion he was in but believe he was probably taken to Cambrai and then on to Danholm . Any light you can cast would be much appreciated !

Many thanks

Paul

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Hello Paul, and welcome to the Forum!

The list I have confirms that Second Lieutenant H C Howell, of the border Regiment but attached to 6th Battalion Durham Light Infantry, was taken prisoner on 27 May 1918. The only other information given is that he was repatriated on 31 December 1918.

Almost all of the officers of 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th DLI who were taken prisoner in the whole of the war were captured on that one day. For an overvieew of the events, whereby four British divisions were sent to a relatively quiet sector of the French front to rest and rebuild after their casualties in March and April, only to suffer a torrential attack on 27-31 May, you might like to look at the British Official History, Military Operations, France and Belgium, 1918 Volume III edited by Sir James Edmonds. Your local library may have a copy, or be able to get it for you through the inter-library loan service.

If you can get to London, the War Diary of 6th Bn DLI is in the National Archives at Kew in this file:

WO 95/2840 6 Battalion Durham Light Infantry 1915 June - 1918 Nov.

Good hunting!

Ron

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Hello Paul, and welcome to the Forum!

The list I have confirms that Second Lieutenant H C Howell, of the border Regiment but attached to 6th Battalion Durham Light Infantry, was taken prisoner on 27 May 1918. The only other information given is that he was repatriated on 31 December 1918.

Almost all of the officers of 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th DLI who were taken prisoner in the whole of the war were captured on that one day. For an overvieew of the events, whereby four British divisions were sent to a relatively quiet sector of the French front to rest and rebuild after their casualties in March and April, only to suffer a torrential attack on 27-31 May, you might like to look at the British Official History, Military Operations, France and Belgium, 1918 Volume III edited by Sir James Edmonds. Your local library may have a copy, or be able to get it for you through the inter-library loan service.

If you can get to London, the War Diary of 6th Bn DLI is in the National Archives at Kew in this file:

WO 95/2840 6 Battalion Durham Light Infantry 1915 June - 1918 Nov.

Good hunting!

Ron

Thank you very much Ron , I'm most grateful to you for your help and will certainly follow up the sources you mention .

Very best wishes

Paul

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  • 10 months later...

Hi,

Have you seen the thread on the forum about the Aisne battle.

Search Aisne and Chemin des Dames. There maybe details you are interested in as your relative was taken prisoner on 27th May .

Regards

David Blanchard

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  • 5 months later...

Ron 'I've just joined and came across your posting .

Do the names of the officers you have happen to include my Grandfathers ?

He was Herbert Charles Howell and he was taken POW either on May 27th or a day very close to it . I don't know which unit or battalion he was in but believe he was probably taken to Cambrai and then on to Danholm . Any light you can cast would be much appreciated !

Many thanks

Paul

Dear Paul,

I'm editing the diaries of my great uncle Frank Vans Agnew; he mentions Howell, briefly, once, as being in Fürstenberg Camp with him. I'd be extremely interested to exchange info about their experiences - do get in touch.

You can email me at jvans@dsl.pipex.com.

Jamie.

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  • 2 months later...

I've just discovered my Grandad's cousin Percy Grindley 91684 was taken prisoner on 27th May serving with the 6th Bttn. DLI. I wanted to ask what, where and when, but the thread seems to answer all of that. Percy contracted TB as PoW. He had been with in France about 6 weeks before the engagent...

T

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