Tony

Thiepval

In Rancourt

Going back to Chris' post I thought I'd add a couple photos of the Granatloch taken a couple of days ago, as well as the defenders eye view towards Authuille.

Here you go, nothing written on the reverse.

Quite a while back I picked up a handwritten diary, the owner of the diary was killed on 1/7/16 during the diversionary attack at Gommecourt. Pte. S. Dore was part of the 1/7 Sherwood Foresters, better known as the Robin Hoods. On the morning of 1st July they attacked the German stronghold known as Little Z. The unit holding Little Z was the 55 RIR, based in Detmold, Hoexter and Bielefeld. It’s known that some men of the 7th reached the German lines and I believe Pte. Dore was one of them; his diary contains German writing and it was discovered very close to Bielefeld with only 5 days seperating the house clearance where it was found and me seeing it on a dealer’s market stall. There are more details here http://gmic.co.uk/index.php/topic/1340-a-1st-july-somme-casualty/ without the help of Andrew Hesketh I would never have found so much information. Also http://www.therobinhoods.org.uk/gommecourt.shtml In the section were: L. Cpl. Spencer – survived the war Pte. Kent – died 11/8/16 Pte. Wilkeson – survived the war Pte. Canadine – DOW 28/6/16 aged 18 Pte. Davy (Signaller) – survived the war Pte. Danby – survived the war Pte. Woodford (Bomber) – KIA 1/7/16 Pte. Holland – KIA 1/7/16 aged 21 Pte. Stringer (Bomber) – survived the war Pte. Keetley (Bomber) – 2 possible men, T Keetley KIA 1/7/16 and GW Keetley KIA 16/10/17 Pte. Imerson (Bomber) – I can’t find any record for this soldier Pte. Dore – KIA 1/7/16 aged 19

I picked this 1914 Star up a few years ago in NSW. Charles Simpson was a baker from Lambeth, London who in July 1902, while serving in the militia, decided to sign up for 12 years in the regulars. According to his record nothing too exciting happened during his service until 1914. From 1902 to 1909 he served in Malta and Egypt, was appointed the rank of Bugler in 1906, didn't like the job much so reverted to Rifleman a few months later. In 1907 he struck a superior officer, got 42 days in clink and lost his good conduct badge. Just before returning home from Cairo in late 1909, Charles fell ill after liaising with an unclean lady of the night. In 1913 he forfeited his GC Badge (Good Conduct?) for the 4th time. At just about the time when his 12 years with the colours was over the Great War started, Charles' unit left Salamanca Bks. in Aldershot on 12/8/14, arriving in Rouen the following day and billets in Hannapes on the 15th. After a full week of route marches they left for an area south of Mons, coming under enemy artillery fire for the first time near Givry on the 23rd August. By 1/9/14 the battalion had retreated to Villers-Cotterets (SW of Soissons) and were resting within hearing distance of German rifle fire. By the 5th the battalion had retreated to Chaumes, south of Foret de Crecy, its furthest point south when the German advance stopped, the next day the battalion started its march northwards. 9/9/14 the advance reached Coupre, west of Chateau Thierry, the next day there was a 90 minute firefight with the enemy at Chezy en Orxois resulting in 10 NCOs/ORs killed, 4 officers and 60 ORs wounded and 5 men missing, German prisoners were taken after they surrended. 28/9/14 the new machine gun arrives and is tried out on the enemy, at 4pm enemy artillery opens fire, water jacket punctured by shrapnel and 1 NCO killed by sniper. 30/9/14 Rifleman killed by expanding bullet and one other wounded by expanding bullet. October starts very quiet, replacement officers and men arrive on the 5th, three days later one of the replacement officers is wounded while drawing enemy's fire. The next 4 days are very quiet, only 8 wounded and 1 killed, relieved near Oeuilly by the French on 13th, CO's servant killed on 14th, march to train at Fesmes on 15th, destination unknown. Arrived Ypres on the 20th and moved into positions at the NW corner of Polygon Wood 1/11/14 Charles' service record states he was reported missing on 1/11/14 and reported as a POW on the 3rd. According to the War Diary 437 Other Ranks were missing after a German attack on the 2nd Nov., it's likely that Charles Simpson was captured during this attack as the Diary makes no mention of men missing on the 1st Nov. The 1/KRRC were in the NW corner of Polygon Wood during the morning of the 1st Nov. and later in the day went into the line to occupy trenches running south from the Hooge / Gheluvelt Rd. I'm not sure which unit attacked the 1/KRRC but after checking maps it looks as though Battle Group Fabeck 27th Res. Corps., 54 Res. Div. attacked the area during this phase of 1st Ypres. Charles remained in a Germam POW camp until his repatriation in December 1918, was given 3 months leave and then sent out on Operation Archangel. His discharge finally came in October 1920, his Great War service entitled him to the 1914 Star with clasp and roses, the British War and Victory medals. It's great to find a service record that survived the Blitz and with the Red Cross records being released shortly it makes researching these men far more interesting.

Mystery solved

I don't understand the POW bit because it's POW VM and I've only ever seen P of W or POW written on a medal card. I'd be asking someone who can get to Kew to look up his service record for me and eagerly awaiting the Red Cross to release their records. Tony

Stefan, Thanks very much indeed. Yes he's the one from Reinfeld. That site is very interesting, I found two more men on there related to my wife, one of them was listed missing for almost a year before being reported as a prisoner. Tony

According to H. Williamson R & F Roll is Rank and File Roll - a roll of men commissioned from the ranks.

I'll have the Jap one please Tony

Peter, Look at the line above Sco Rif on the MIC, it looks like KARif. Tony

I like that, I like it a lot.

I’ve just checked again, he’s not on Ireland’s memorial record or the pension records. Perhaps he stayed in the army which I think means his service record will be at the APC in Scotland.

Possibly

Have you had much time to look online? http://www.1914-1918.net/rmf.htm http://www.nam.ac.uk/research/famous-units/royal-munster-fusiliers I've just realised that if he landed on the 25th in theatre 2b then he's a first day man.

Did anyone see this http://www.ebay.de/itm/Seltenes-Bild-und-Feldpost-Flammenwerfer-Abt-Sturmtruppe-Verdun-/281362558531?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2047675.l2557&nma=true&si=0Mfz7Xu57oWFt2A3Isbrn9ka1kQ%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc Looking at the bids, the winning bidder was obviously prepared to pay more. Thomas, it looks like it was another Germany only auction. Tony

Yep, very interesting no matter where he first served, saying that, Gallipoli is becoming more and more popular popular among Brit collectors. Have you already checked him out on ancestry? He first entered the Balkan theatre 25/4/15, no papers and he appears to have survived. I know a John Walsh, I think that's something he'd really like to have and so would I. A Great War AB64 full of details doesn't crop up that often and I only have two of them, it might be worth checking him out on the Red Cross site when they release their POW records. Tony

The 7th one down here http://www.dhd24.com/extra2/verkaufen-kaufen/48375/polizei-uniform.html is called a 1970s police jacket. And here's one which is just called an old style police jacket http://www.ebay.de/itm/Polizei-Niedersachsen-Jacke-alte-Art-Meister-Groesse-48-/300437083248?nma=true&si=0Mfz7Xu57oWFt2A3Isbrn9ka1kQ%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557 Tony

And this might be of interest http://www.1914-1918.net/cre.htm Tony

Seb, Just a thought and a bit of a long shot but if no one can help you with his unit, it might be worth looking at Korean War medals on dealer's sites etc. as a similar number or even a consecutive number might crop up. Tony

Paul, He also served as WR 280578, according to a book I have the WR prefix to his service number indicates Roads & Quarries Engineers as well as Waterways and Railways Engineers. His service record doesn't appear to have survived the fire during WWII however, as he's not on the CWGC site he must have survived the war. I hope someone else can offer you more help. Tony

This site doesn't give the unit but says the soldier would have been a National Serviceman joining between Nov. 1950 and Feb. 1951 http://www.corpsofmilitarypolice.org/tools/armynumber?query=22276400 It isn't the answer you're looking for but I hope it helps a little. Tony

The picture below is the odd one out, I first thought it could have been Karnival but as the cards are addressed to a place near Luebeck I’d have a guess at them wearing old uniforms, or perhaps they're doing a show at the local theatre. Can anyone comment on the uniforms or ribbons/medals being worn? If they're not too blurred that is. Tony