The Guardroom Posted 28 January , 2008 Share Posted 28 January , 2008 Researching a man who embarked to France 17 May 1916 and was posted to what looks like 7th En Bn Cold Gds. I was not aware of a 7th Bn ? Can anyone tell me what the En would mean. I can not also find any easy mention of the 7th in the Reg History of teh Cold Gds. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daggers Posted 28 January , 2008 Share Posted 28 January , 2008 Brig James's 'British Regiments 1914-1918' lists only 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th (Pioneers), & 5th (Reserve) Battalions of Coldstream, and 1st Provisional Bn formed on 7.8.18 'for duty at the Senior Officers School. Expect more help from experts. Daggers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hett65 Posted 28 January , 2008 Share Posted 28 January , 2008 En is for Entenching Battalion, I believe they were attached for a short period to be trained in the art of digging, repairing and using the trenches before going into the front line. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coldstreamer Posted 28 January , 2008 Share Posted 28 January , 2008 and Ive yet to find the 6th.... Ive rarely come across the 7th and cant see the point when there was the 4th (pioneer) Btn whats the chaps name ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Guardroom Posted 1 February , 2008 Author Share Posted 1 February , 2008 Hi, I think I may have got this. On reading elsewhere there were many entrenching Bns set up with many many with different cap badges. The 7th Entrenching Bn I guess was just a Bn name for this certain group of men. Then again I may be totally wrong ! Man in question was 16501 Cecil Hoare(later C/Sgt - A/SM Coldstream Guards) Awarded the MSM on 23 May 1925. From a one page record (all thats left at NA) it has him going to France on the 17 May 1916 and getting wounded on the 27 June 1917. Whether he was in France before that I am not sure ? He was invalided home with a GSW to the left shoulder and hand and later transferred to the London Command Depot at Shoreham on Sea. Never heard of that depot either ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coldstreamer Posted 1 February , 2008 Share Posted 1 February , 2008 Thats an unusual MSM as he wasnt in the Guards that long (10 yrs) - perhaps he served before Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Noble Posted 10 August , 2010 Share Posted 10 August , 2010 As regards 1916, up until June 1916, drafts 7th Entrenching Battalion to 1st Battalion: 8th April, 20 Other Ranks draft, 7th E.B. 3rd June, 16 Other Ranks draft, 7th E.B. 25th August, Other Ranks draft, 75 (though no designation). All the best. Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin W Taylor Posted 10 August , 2010 Share Posted 10 August , 2010 Several accounts make reference to the 7th (Guards) Entrenching Bn - though I've never found the war diary (different to the Guards Division's own Pioneer battalion). I believe they were almost a field replacement battalion for the Guards Division holding drafts (and putting them to good work digging) prior to them being sent forward to replace casualties. I understand the battalion was made up of large companies of the 5 different guards regiments. What am I doing......... .... Might as well use relatively reliable sources rather than my rambling memory: Please see below - a description from 'Iron Times with the Guards' by 'O.E.' (pseudonym - I assume Old Etonian) a 2nd or 3rd Coldm Gds Officer. (you can download it from www.archive.com) 'The party with which I travelled out from England had not been at Harfleur twenty-four hours before orders arrived instructing it to proceed up the line. Much to my disappointment, I was posted to the Guards Entrenching Battalion instead of my old unit, for which I had applied. We were to start at 6.15 on the following morning..... The Guards Entrenching Battalion at this time had only been in existence about six months. Though performing the duties of a pioneer battalion, it was not attached to a division, save in a nominal sense ; its real purpose was rather an advanced remforcemcnt depot than anything else. From it, at comparatively short notice, drafts could be sent to various units of the division, and by this means over-crowding was avoided down at the Base. The number of reinforcements for the Guards, when drawn from these two sources, was considerable. By limiting the number of service battalions in each regiment, units were maintained at effective strength. Nearly all reinforcements passed through this entrenching battalion on their way up to their final destination ; thus it was that I found some dozen Coldstream officers on my arrival. Our strength consisted of three companies : Grenadier, Coldstream, and Scots Guards, each company providing drafts for its regimental units serving with the division. The Irish and Welsh Guards detachments were a separate body, though situated in our neighbourhood. Owing to a temporary preponderance of Coldstreamers, 1 was lent to the Scots Guards as their company commander, taking with me several junior Ensigns. At this time, the work of the battalion consisted largely of road-making : either improving existing roads or cutting new ones. ' I hope that helps explain things CWT Several accounts make reference to the 7th (Guards) Entrenching Bn - though I've never found the war diary (different to the Guards Division's own Pioneer battalion). I believe they were almost a field replacement battalion for the Guards Division holding drafts (and putting them to good work digging) prior to them being sent forward to replace casualties. I understand the battalion was made up of large companies of the 5 different guards regiments. What am I doing......... .... Might as well use relatively reliable sources rather than my rambling memory: Please see below - a description from 'Iron Times with the Guards' by 'O.E.' (pseudonym - I assume Old Etonian) a 2nd or 3rd Coldm Gds Officer. (you can download it from www.archive.com) 'The party with which I travelled out from England had not been at Harfleur twenty-four hours before orders arrived instructing it to proceed up the line. Much to my disappointment, I was posted to the Guards Entrenching Battalion instead of my old unit, for which I had applied. We were to start at 6.15 on the following morning..... The Guards Entrenching Battalion at this time had only been in existence about six months. Though performing the duties of a pioneer battalion, it was not attached to a division, save in a nominal sense ; its real purpose was rather an advanced remforcemcnt depot than anything else. From it, at comparatively short notice, drafts could be sent to various units of the division, and by this means over-crowding was avoided down at the Base. The number of reinforcements for the Guards, when drawn from these two sources, was considerable. By limiting the number of service battalions in each regiment, units were maintained at effective strength. Nearly all reinforcements passed through this entrenching battalion on their way up to their final destination ; thus it was that I found some dozen Coldstream officers on my arrival. Our strength consisted of three companies : Grenadier, Coldstream, and Scots Guards, each company providing drafts for its regimental units serving with the division. The Irish and Welsh Guards detachments were a separate body, though situated in our neighbourhood. Owing to a temporary preponderance of Coldstreamers, 1 was lent to the Scots Guards as their company commander, taking with me several junior Ensigns. At this time, the work of the battalion consisted largely of road-making : either improving existing roads or cutting new ones. ' I hope that helps explain things CWT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin W Taylor Posted 10 August , 2010 Share Posted 10 August , 2010 I'm so cunning I managed to copy that over twice! Aren't I the clever boy! CWT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Noble Posted 10 August , 2010 Share Posted 10 August , 2010 Hello Colin. Well, that has 'cleared' up a few questions i have asked myself this evening i can tell you. Many thanks for posting. Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Noble Posted 10 August , 2010 Share Posted 10 August , 2010 Funny. I have just tried to post and that was replicated. On delete of one of the posts, it wiped everything. I will contact you off Forum Colin. All the best Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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