2nd Manchester regiment

[andrew lucas]

hi, am trying to find out were abouts the 2nd Manchesters were in or around november / december 1914.

[wullmackie]

Hi Andrew

Welcome to the Forum

Here is a link to the Manchesters http://www.themanchesters.org/

Then follow on to the Battalion Index for the 2nd Bn, for the information you require

All the best

Wull

[John_Hartley]

Welcome to the Forum, Andrew.

Westlake's "British Battalions in France & Belgium 1914" gives:

"November - To Le Touret, then Lestrem (1st), Bailleul (2nd). Took over front line Laventie sector, along Rue Tilleloy near Fauquissart (7th). Relieved (11th) and via Estaires moved to meteren (15th). Moved via Bailleul, Dranoutre and Lindenhoek to trenches facing Messines Ridge (16th). Relived by 2nd Duke of Wellington's in trenches at Wulverghem (27th), north side of Messines road and to St Janes Cappel. Later to Dranoutre. Casualties for November - Lts J C Caulfield, R Horridge and 8 other ranks killed, 41 wounded.

December - Relieved 2nd Duke of Wellington's (5th). carried out further tours in front line resting at Neuve Eglise, St Jans Cappel and Dranoutre. Relieved by 1st Duke of Cornawall's Light Infantry (29th)."

John

[harribobs]

we're always ready to help anyone with manchester regiment queries!!

chris

[connaughtranger]

Hi

One or two bits of information to add to previous posts:

Lt Nicholson (Cheshire Regt), in addition to the 2 officers already mentioned, was reported killed in November.

On 7th December the 2nd Manchesters carried out a raid east of Wulverghem. Led by Lt Williamson, a party of 45 men attempted to surprise the occupants of a trench located 300 yards on the left front. They were held up by wire and suffered heavy rifle and machine-gun fire, causing them to retire. Lt Williamson and 1 man wounded, 3 ORs missing.

[andrew lucas]

Hi

One or two bits of information to add to previous posts:

Lt Nicholson (Cheshire Regt), in addition to the 2 officers already mentioned, was reported killed in November.

On 7th December the 2nd Manchesters carried out a raid east of Wulverghem. Led by Lt Williamson, a party of 45 men attempted to surprise the occupants of a trench located 300 yards on the left front. They were held up by wire and suffered heavy rifle and machine-gun fire, causing them to retire. Lt Williamson and 1 man wounded, 3 ORs missing.

thats really interesting as the man i am reearching dieid as a POW on 20th Dec. i wonder if he was captured in this raid. i dont suppose i will ever know for certain !

[John_Hartley]

Andrew

Don't give up hope of finding out just yet.

It is possible (but, perhaps, unlikely) that the War Diary makes mention of the three OR's missing in the the couple of days after the raid.

The other long-shot is to see if your man is mentioned in any of the PoW reports made by men of the 2nd Mancs. An index to the information held at Kew is on the mother site - clickety click. .

Finally, is there any clue in his place of burial - the further away from the front, the earlier the capture (generally speaking). BTW, "Soldier's Died in the Great War" only records one man who died on 20 December - presumably that isnt your man as he is recorded as "killed in action" - William Tomlinson?

John