Tony

5th August 1916 British take 2000 yards of trenches.

And I've just found where my great great uncle was captured and that he was wounded in the head and right arm.

It's up and running http://grandeguerre.icrc.org/ What is the German rank s/Of? Is it French for Unteroffizier? Tony

Here's a good site especially if you can read and understand German. For those who can't, just click on stuff and I bet you'll find at least the films and photos interesting http://ersterweltkrieg.bundesarchiv.de/ Tony

What made it so expensive, the unit, his rank, or the addition of all those holes? Tony

I didn't see any of them the other week. Very nice!

When I was about 12 or 13 some old Victorian terraced houses behind our school were being demolished and one day during our lunch break a boy found a small WWII bomb a garden of one of the houses, about 60cm long from what I can remember. He took it to school to show everyone, the police and bomb squad turned up within minutes and we all got the afternoon off of school. The next day just about everyone was searching for WWII bombs so we could get the afternoon off again. Tony

It certainly sounds like him. Entered France in Nov. 1915 so entitled to a 14-15 trio. I imagine 'Dis. to Comm. 26/2/18' means he was commissioned on that date. His medal card says he was 20 Bn. however, it's mentioned on the reverse that the nominal roll for officers was forwarded by the OC 1/8th Bn. Manchester Regt. Christer, if you'd like a copy of his MIC please PM me your email address. Tony

Do you already have his medal index card? It states he landed in France on 4/10/15 and confirms his trio. He enlisted on 2/9/14 was discharged on 17/10/17 due to sickness, from 5C Reserve Brigade RFA. His silver war badge number is 250880. Name: Frank Hatton Discharge Unit: 5C Res. Bde. R.F.A. Regiment: Royal Artillery (Royal Horse Artillery and Royal Field Artillery) Regimental Number: 2650 Rank: Dvr. Badge Number: 250880 His service record doesn't appear to have survived.

The card on the left is for the issue of the silver war badge upon discharge however, the one shown appears to be for the wrong man. If you look at the medal index card it notes 'List ASC/2650' which is the correct SWB list page for your Walter Cole. The medal card shows he received the Victory Medal, British War Medal and 1914-15 Star. Under 'Roll' is the page number in the medal rolls confirming his entitlement Under Remarks is just a note saying discharged SWB List ASC/2650 is the page showing he was issued with the silver war badge (see attached) Theatre of war first served in was France which had the numerical code (1) He arrived in France on 19/12/14 At the top of the medal card it says RASC, the Army Service Corps became the Royal Army Service Corps towards the end of November 1918. On Walter Cole's pension record it says he was discharged due to varicose veins and exzema, he was a pre-war baker who volunteered in Sept. 1914 and landed in France 3 months later and after spending almost a year in France he returned to the UK for the rest of the war. Tony

I saw loads of them the other week but didn't really take any notice

Micha, Have a look here http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/s/res?_fn=walter&_ln=cole&_no=s2%2F015079&_crp=&_ttl=&_ser=WO+372&_dt=M&_col=online&image1.x=46&image1.y=15 The last two digits are back to front on either his MIC or the SWB record. Tony

Ah a proper one with high up rivets and a screw in liner. Can you see any dates on the liner or shell? A nice colour too. Forgot to add it's probably RO & Co Ltd - Rubery Owen & Company Ltd.

Paul, did you know his service record is available?

The join where the ring meets the top of the crown looks unusual on the reverse, perhaps a repair, do you have a picture without the ribbon? Tony

Thanks Brian, and just for you .....

I saw a rusty egg at a market last week and bought it, over the last couple of days I been trying to remove some of the rust with a spark plug brush and some rust remover and although it'll never look the way it did when it first arrived at the front, I'm please the lid is solid and it that it now has a bit of colour other than orange brown. Tony

Try here http://www.baor-locations.org/62TMovSqnRCTBerliner.aspx.html

Fred Spencer of the 16th Public Schools Bn. was killed attacking RIR 119 who were in trenches near Beaumont Hamel.

A soldier of the Great War.

Remembered on the memorial wall at Pozieres cemetery.

La Boisselle, also known as the Glory Hole, also see here http://www.laboisselleproject.com/

I thought I had found the same building in Sailly but it probably isn't. There's no date on the postcards but it looks 1916 to me.

Flers and Ginchy

Trones Wood