15 R Warwick

[Muqaddam]

I am looking for help to trace the history of my Great Uncle 18656 Private Willaim Henning. killed 9 May 1917 and buried at Nine Elms Military Cemetry Thelus. His memorium shows him as part of 15 R Warick Regt, which I understand was in 13 Bde, 5 Div for Vimy. He had previous service as 24591 Pte WH in the Somerset LI. Family word of mouth says he was in the Boer War and the SLI were there.

I have a burnt recruitment record dated 26 July 1898 from Winchester where he lived. No regiment is readable but his number is 2027. .His war record card shows him awarded the Victory Medal on Roll l/104B16 page 3390. Qestion 1 Where are these rolls now, can they be viewed to advantage?

Coming back to Vimy. 5 Div was in reserve for the start of the fighting and in the follow up in late April the 15th lost but three men.

5 Div came under command VIII Corps on 1 May 1917 and became concerned with the attacks on Fresnoy. Since Will was in 15 Bn I would have expected to find him killed here. However the CWGC record shows Nine Elms to be useed in April to Jun 1917 and then filled post war from nearby small cemetries. Among them were 52 Canadian soldiers and TWO from UK who fell in Apr and MAY 1917 at Les Tilleuls cemetry CB10. There two are the only brits mentioned who died in May and were buried here.

Question 2 is therefore, If he was with his batallion on 9 May why was he buried in Canadian grave CB10 at Les Tilleuls and then moved to Nine Elms Thelus; or if he was at Fresnoy why is he not buried there? Where did he die?

Any ideas anyone??

[Chris_Baker]

A1: they are at the National Archives, can be viewed and are an essential step in your research.

[Stebie9173]

The record you have seen on line sounds like it is just the front page. Ancestry has 2 sets of records for him in the "Burnt Records" - a 2 page set and a 25 page set.

2027 William Henning served in the Royal Engineers from 1898 to 1905 including in South Africa with 23rd Co. R.E., and then on Reserve until 1910.

There is however no record of his 1914-1918 service.

Steve.

[Muqaddam]

That was quick, many thanks. To Kew I Gew

A1: they are at the National Archives, can be viewed and are an essential step in your research.

[Chris_Baker]

You might be better off starting here if you have no already visited: http://www.1914-1918.net/grandad/grandad.htm

[Muqaddam]

Many Thanks. His record fdrom Soldiers Died in the Great War found on 1837 om-line shows previous service as 24591 SOM.L.I. so there must have been two of them .There are certainly two medal cards for the same name and Regiment (though maybe not the same Battallion)

I guess the ex RE and reservist went on to be 16523 also Worc R

Thanks for your helpful comment

The record you have seen on line sounds like it is just the front page. Ancestry has 2 sets of records for him in the "Burnt Records" - a 2 page set and a 25 page set.

2027 William Henning served in the Royal Engineers from 1898 to 1905 including in South Africa with 23rd Co. R.E., and then on Reserve until 1910.

There is however no record of his 1914-1918 service.

Steve.

[Muqaddam]

I have now tracked through the Royal Engineers record and it is surely the man I am looking for. Many thanks for your good advice.

Now I have to find him in the War cos that is where he died, must have re-enlisted!!

David

The record you have seen on line sounds like it is just the front page. Ancestry has 2 sets of records for him in the "Burnt Records" - a 2 page set and a 25 page set.

2027 William Henning served in the Royal Engineers from 1898 to 1905 including in South Africa with 23rd Co. R.E., and then on Reserve until 1910.

There is however no record of his 1914-1918 service.

Steve.