13th (Service) Battalion (West Ham) Essex Regiment

[Barney]

Hi Guys

Help! As you can see from the advertisement below I am writing a book on a Battalion of the Essex Regiment. It is a long story as to how it came about but suffice it to say finishing it has become an obsession! I would be grateful if any members have any information about this unit. I have done the usual - Museums, other books, the PRO, National Newspaper Library, Council records etc............

There are sadly none of the boys left now so if any of you guys out there know of any relatives.......?

Lastly a bit about me. I have a passionate interest in the Great War and write articles for magazines / local journals, though this is my first salley into the field of writing a book. From time to time I also run Battlefield Tours of France and Belgium, concentrating primarily on the Great War but straying, now and again, on to my other interests - the 100 years War and the Napoleonic Wars. Next year I hope to do this full time.

Here is an adapted copy of the flyer I have sent to various people that may be able to help such as West Ham United

The 13th (Service) Battalion (West Ham)
The Essex Regiment
?The Hammers?
Raised in the Borough of West Ham in December 1914 by the Mayor, Councillor CROW, it formed part of Kitcheners Volunteer Army. Initially recruits came from West/East Ham, Forest Gate, Custom House, Barking and Stratford together with ?ex-pats? from all corners of the Empire. Some even from Switzerland.
In November 1915 the West Ham Battalion, 1200 strong, landed in France seeing action on most of the major Battlefields. Their battle cry of ?Up the Irons? was heard on Vimy Ridge, the Somme and Cambrai before they were disbanded in February 1918. Sadly by this time there were not many ?originals? left.
They were not professional soldiers, but ordinary working men, many former employees from the Thames Ironworks, hence the nickname ?The Hammers?. A true ?PALS? Battalion, and one of which the Borough remained justly proud.

Their story is a facinating one and deserves to be told but not in just another book on the Great War, but rather about the West Ham Boys themselves. The characters, their lives and their experiences of War and Comradeship.

To do that I need your help.

Did your relative or anyone you know serve with this Battalion? Do you have any letters, anecdotes, personal memories, photographs, newspaper cuttings, medals, postcards or any other item of memorabilia that can help formulate a picture of the men from West Ham who volunteered to fight for their Country in the ?War to End all Wars?

If you can help, or you know someone who can, it would be great to hear from you.

Barney

[John]

Fascinating. You 've educated me already. I actually know nothing of this subject, but I will certainly ask around, and buy your book ( autographed of course, I hope!) whan it comes out.

[Nick]

Barney

Interesting subject. I will keep my eyes and ears open and let you know if I find anything when trawling the military fairs of Essex.

What cap badge did they wear, the normal Essex Regt I presume ?

Nick
Chairman

[Guest AGWR]

Barney,

I read your post with great interest. I am currently writing a book about the 17th Middlesex (also 6th Infantry Bde). Maybe, we could help each other out?

Kind regards,

AGWR

[deptfordboy]

Hi Barney,

It's great to hear you are keeping this Battalion's memory alive. I for one will keep an eye out, and look forward to learning more - put me down for a copy when the book's finished!

Cheers

Gilbert

[Rob Badrick]

Hi Guys

Help! As you can see from the advertisement below I am writing a book on a Battalion of the Essex Regiment. It is a long story as to how it came about but suffice it to say finishing it has become an obsession! I would be grateful if any members have any information about this unit. I have done the usual - Museums, other books, the PRO, National Newspaper Library, Council records etc............

There are sadly none of the boys left now so if any of you guys out there know of any relatives.......?

Lastly a bit about me. I have a passionate interest in the Great War and write articles for magazines / local journals, though this is my first salley into the field of writing a book. From time to time I also run Battlefield Tours of France and Belgium, concentrating primarily on the Great War but straying, now and again, on to my other interests - the 100 years War and the Napoleonic Wars. Next year I hope to do this full time.

Here is an adapted copy of the flyer I have sent to various people that may be able to help such as West Ham United

The 13th (Service) Battalion (West Ham)

The Essex Regiment

?The Hammers?

Raised in the Borough of West Ham in December 1914 by the Mayor, Councillor CROW, it formed part of Kitcheners Volunteer Army. Initially recruits came from West/East Ham, Forest Gate, Custom House, Barking and Stratford together with ?ex-pats? from all corners of the Empire. Some even from Switzerland.

In November 1915 the West Ham Battalion, 1200 strong, landed in France seeing action on most of the major Battlefields. Their battle cry of ?Up the Irons? was heard on Vimy Ridge, the Somme and Cambrai before they were disbanded in February 1918. Sadly by this time there were not many ?originals? left.

They were not professional soldiers, but ordinary working men, many former employees from the Thames Ironworks, hence the nickname ?The Hammers?. A true ?PALS? Battalion, and one of which the Borough remained justly proud.

Their story is a facinating one and deserves to be told but not in just another book on the Great War, but rather about the West Ham Boys themselves. The characters, their lives and their experiences of War and Comradeship.

To do that I need your help.

Did your relative or anyone you know serve with this Battalion? Do you have any letters, anecdotes, personal memories, photographs, newspaper cuttings, medals, postcards or any other item of memorabilia that can help formulate a picture of the men from West Ham who volunteered to fight for their Country in the ?War to End all Wars?

If you can help, or you know someone who can, it would be great to hear from you.

Barney

Hi Barney,

I am new to this forum . I hope I can help you with your study on the 13th. My Grandfather Charles Badrick served with the the 13th.As a young boy I was always interested as to where he was killed.My father did not know as he was born in November 1916 and his father was killed 28th April 1917. From the limited information that I gathered over the years he was initially in the Northamptons .Ian Hook suggested it may have been the 6th. My grandfather enlisted in 1915 in Tring having moved from London back to his village

of Wilstone. From a converstion with my Aunt as a small boy I seem to think he went to France in September 1916.My father's birth certificate gives his regt Number, Company and platoon of the 13 Essex Regiment.

Therefore his address in November 1916 was with the 13th. Prior to my father's death I queried again as to where his father was killed .He replied on the Somme I think. Wrong of course it was obviousl to me that even his mother or siblings never knew much about how he met his end.

Well he was one of the missing in the battle for Oppy on 28th April 1917. Eight members of the battalion are buried at the Orchard Dump Cemetary all unknown. I have visited the Cemetary and Oppy Village.

He was in D company .He was not officially registered dead until 1921.I have the death certificate.

I have looked at many web sites for information on any of the men who served with the battalion but all I find is the glorious Canadian Army and the Accrington Pals and Hull Battalions histories.

I am told there is no Memorial of the Battalion in West Ham. From Burrows History I believe the 13 th was a fine Battalion but given little credit.Let me know when the book is finished.

The funny thing about this story my father was an avid West Ham fan but he did not knopw that his father served in the West Ham battalion.

Cheers

Rob Badrick

[At Home Dad]

Hello Barney, Hello All

Hopefully the book is long written now?

My great Grandfather was Joseph Cooper of Limehouse

aka 17958 Pte Cooper, 13th Bn (S) Essex Regiment, buried at Loos Cemetary,

killed by a trench mortar near Cit? Calonne 27 April 1916

I have a couple of photos, which appeared on this 'discovery' thread,

with the kind help of the guys over on the Great War Forum.

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...showtopic=93227

Dont know if this'll help you in any way.

Or was your book published under the title 'War Hammers'?

Kind regards all

Hi Guys

Help! As you can see from the advertisement below I am writing a book on a Battalion of the Essex Regiment. It is a long story as to how it came about but suffice it to say finishing it has become an obsession! I would be grateful if any members have any information about this unit. I have done the usual - Museums, other books, the PRO, National Newspaper Library, Council records etc............