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11th Battalion, Kings Royal Rifle Corps
11th (Service) Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps was raised at Winchester in September 1914 as part of Kitchener's Second New Army and joined 59th Brigade, 20th (Light) Division. After training close to home they moved to Blackdown, then in February 1915 to Witley and to Larkhill in April for final training. They proceeded to France on the 21st of July 1915, landing at Boulogne and the division concentrating in the Saint-Omer area. They moved to the Fleurbaix area for trench familiarisation. In 1916 they were in action at the The Battle of Mount Sorrel, in which the Division, along with the Canadians, recaptured the heights. They were in action on the Somme in The Battle of Delville Wood, The Battle of Guillemont, The Battle of Flers-Courcelette, The Battle of Morval and The Battle of Le Transloy. In 1917 they were in action during The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line, The Battle of Langemarck, The Battle of the Menin Road Ridge, The Battle of Polygon Wood and The Cambrai Operations. In 1918 they fought in The Battle of St Quentin, The actions at the Somme crossings and The Battle of Rosieres engaging in heavy fighting in each battle, on the 20th of April they were withdrawn to the area south west of Amiensand received many new drafts of men during the summer. They returned to action at The Battle of the Selle and fought in The Battle of Valenciennes, The Battle of the Sambr and the passage of the Grand Honelle. At the Armitice the Division was in the area between Bavay and Maubeuge and later that month the units moved to the Toutencourt-Marieux area. Demobilistion of the Division began in January 1919 and was complete by the end of May.
Jul 1915 Training Instruction
Jul 1915 Billets
20th Jul 1915 On the Move 
22nd Jul 1915 On the Move
23rd Jul 1915 On the Move
26th Jul 1915 Orders Issued
30th Aug 1915 Reliefs
5th Sep 1915 Reliefs
10th of September 1915 Instruction
12th of September 1915 In the Trenches
13th Sep 1915 Reliefs
17th Sep 1915 Patrols
20th Sep 1915 Reliefs
16th Oct 1915 The Derby Scheme
1st Dec 1915 Derby Scheme Armlets
11th Sep 1915 Last day of Derby Scheme Recruitment
10th Jan 1916 Group System Reopens
9th February 1916 Call Ups
23rd of July 1916 Battalion Amalgamation
8th Aug 1916 Shelling
17th Sep 1916 Death
1st Jan 1917 Reliefs
4th Jan 1917 Relief
8th Jan 1917 Adjustment
23rd Jan 1917 Orders Received
25th Jan 1917 Relief Completed
25th Jan 1917 Boundary
26th Jan 1917 Orders
27th Jan 1917 Attack Made
28th Jan 1917 Reliefs Complete
29th Jan 1917 In Reserve
1st Feb 1917 Training
2nd Feb 1917 Training
3rd Feb 1917 Training
4th Feb 1917 Training
5th Feb 1917 Training
6th Feb 1917 Training
7th Feb 1917 In Reserve
8th Feb 1917 Moves
9th Feb 1917 Reliefs
19th Feb 1917 Post Captured
24th Feb 1917 Bombardment
1st Mar 1917 Explosions and Fires
3rd Mar 1917 11th KRRC Men to be trained as Scouts Nominal Roll of men to be trained as Scouts, in accordance with
59th Inf Brigade Letter .Z1.251 dated 2/3/17.
A Company.
- R20200. Cpl. Shepherd.J.
- R16684. Rfm. Smart.H.
- R9323. Rfm. Ward.M.
- A200517. Rfm. Daws.P.J.
- R6145. Rfm. Walker.R.
B Company.
- A200243. L/C. Allen.W.H.
- R15818. Rfm. Withington.L.S.
- R11064. Rfm. Berry.J.
- A200614. Rfm. Pell.A.
- A200246. Rfm. Ambrose.A.
C Company.
- R4937. L/C. Blainey.W.
- R11089. Rfm. Jones.G.
- R13249. Rfm. Harper.H.
- R21121. Rfm. Green.H.
- R24014. Rfm. Woodcock.G.W.
D Company.
- R29358. L/C. Lewan.S.P.
- R9462. Rfm. Myers.J.
- R292. Rfm. Dunning.R.S.
- R628. Rfm. Revell.W.P.
- R2486. Rfm. Haldenby O.
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These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.
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Those known to have served with11th Battalion, Kings Royal Rifle Corps during the Great War 1914-1918. - Bardrick John Oram. Rflmn. (d.30th Nov 1917)
- Bullivant Frank Godfrey. Rflmn. (d.14th June 1917)
- Bullock Walter Charles. Rflmn. (d.17th June 1916)
- Bury Edmond William. Captain (d.5th Dec 1915)
- Corrie Ernest. Rfmn. (d.24th March 1918)
- Felix Arthur Edward. Rflmn.
- Fowler Robert Wilfrid. (d.30th Nov 1917)
- Gillespie George Andrew. Rfmn. (d.8th Aug 1916)
- Green William. L/Cpl. (d.22nd Mar 1918)
- Hadfield William. Rflmn. (d.4th April 1917)
- Hibbert Francis Benjamin. Pte.
- Hopkins Arthur Martyn. Lt. (d.29th March 1918)
- Hyslop William Joseph. Pte.
- Ingram Charles Frederick . Sgt. (d.30th November 1917)
- Loe Bertie. A/CQMS. (d.26th August 1916)
- Oakden Tom. Rfm (d.17th Sep 1916)
- Shepherd William Alfred. Pte.
- Standing Albert Henry. L/Cpl. (d.28th Nov 1917)
- Stevens Samuel Edward. Rflmn. (d.25th Sep 1917)
- Weldon Edward. Pte.
- West Henry. Rflmn. (d.20th September 1917)
- Wilkinson Hedley Vickers. Rflmn. (d.30th November 2017)
All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
please Add a Name to this List
Records of 11th Battalion, Kings Royal Rifle Corps from other sources.
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Rflmn. William Hadfield 11th Btn. King's Royal Rifle Corps. (d.4th April 1917) William Hadfield died on 4th of April 1917, he was the son of Mr. Thomas W. Hadfield, of 11 St. Stephens Rd., Blackburn, Lancs.
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A/CQMS. Bertie Loe 11th Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps (d.26th August 1916) Acting Company Sergeant Major, Bertram Loe, 11th Battalion
King's Royal Rifle Corps was awarded the 1914-15 Star,
British War Medal and Victory Medal and a Memorial Plaque
Commonwealth War Graves Commission Register for Danzig Alley British Cemetery, Mametz, records, Company Sergeant Major B Loe, R/5297, 11th Bn. King's Royal Rifle Corps who died 26th August 1916, as buried there.
Soldiers Died In The Great War. lists for 11th Btn King's Royal Rifle Corps
Loe, Bertram CQMS (ACSM) R/5297 Born Portsmouth. Resided Portsmouth
killed in action 26th of August 1916
Army Register of Soldiers Effects
Record No. 390628. Registry No.E289324T Loe, Bertram.
11th (S) Btn. KRRC ACS Major. No. R/5297
Date and Place of Death 26.8.16. In Action.
Account & Date Credits Winchester 1.17. 4.11s.7d Date of Authority 19.2.17.
To whom authorized Sole Legatee Mrs Amelia Breedan
War Gratuity 16.0s.0d. 20.9.19 Soul Legatee Mrs Amelia Breedan
Medal Rolls for KRRC records that he entered Theatre of war on 21st July 1915
Bertram was Born 16th February 1888. Registered at Portsea 1st Qtr. Registered as ˜Bertie.
There is some suggestion that he was apparently the illegitimate child of Ann Hannam Cavander. There were seemingly 4 half brothers and 2 half sisters.
The 1891 Census
shows him living at 3, Belmont St. Portsea
- Head, William Bradley, Age 47, Coachman, b. Bishops Waltham
- Wife, Harriet Bradley, 45, b. Boldre
- Adopted, son, Bertie Loe, 3, b. Portsea
- Plus 1 Lodger and 2 visitors
On the 1911 Census, he is recorded at Winchester Barracks, Kings Royal Rifle Corps R/5297 L/Cpl Bertie Low, Single Age 23 b. Portsea.
So, clearly a ˜Regular and as a L/Cpl in 1911 would have been in the Army for a few years by then. If this was about 1906 and he entered on a 7 Year engagement he would have transferred to the Reserve in 1913 and been recalled at outbreak of war. Looks as if he was then drafted to 11th Battalion which was a Service battalion formed of new entrants and he was most likely one of the ex Regulars drafted to provide some sort of experience before being sent to France.
No exact trace of an Amelia Breedan other than in the 1911 Census where an Amelia Breedan, a 64 year old widow living on private means at 5, Quay St. Worcester.
In the 1891 Census there is a John Loe (30) and his wife Louisa (26) living at 30, Gloucester St. Portsea. Possibly he was Bertie's father?
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Pte. William Alfred Shepherd 11th Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps William Shepherd was my grandfather. Born in Penrith in 1889, he was working for the Midland Railway in Derby when he enlisted in the 11th Battalion, Kings Royal Rifles.
His two brothers also enlisted. One in the RAF and the other in the York and Lancaster Regiment, of the three brothers sadly one never came home.
William survived the war and went on to work in management for Nestle and had two sons. He died in Iver, Bucks in 1953 age 63.
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Sgt. Charles Frederick Ingram 11th Battalion Kings Royal Rifle Corps (d.30th November 1917) Charles Ingram was wounded and sent home to recover. He was awarded a medal which I can't remember for his bravery. Although he did not have to return to the Front after being wounded, he did. He was killed in action 30th of November 1917. His mother, Emily, never fully recovered from his loss and died prematurely as a result, family indicated, of a broken heart.
Charles was deeply missed by his sisters Beatrice Ellen Tonks (Nelly) and Elizabeth (Lizzie) Ingram. A photo of Charles remained upon her living room wall until her death.
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Rfm Tom Oakden 11th Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps (d.17th Sep 1916) Tom Oakden was killed in action on the 17th of September 1916, he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
Tom's younger brother, Frank Oakden served with the 7th Battalion, Kings Royal Rifle Corps and died the day after Tom, from wounds he had sustained in battle. Frank is buried at Heilly Station Cemetery.
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Pte. Edward Weldon 11th Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps I never had the chance to meet my grandfather Edward Weldon, but found his life story to be one of interest during my research into our family tree.
Edward was born in 1894 and never knew his father. He had been led to believe his name was also Edward but unfortunately this was not the case. His mother married another man in 1897, but later, Edward retained what he believed was his family name of Weldon when he enlisted on 1st of September 1914 and was in the 11th Battalion, Kings Royal Rifle Corp part of 20th (Light) Division.
He was involved in many of the early battles which included Mount Sorrel, Deville Wood, Guillemont, Morval and Le Transloy. Then on 16th of August 1917 at the Battle of Langemarck, he was wounded and that would be the end of his involvement in the Great War.
The only thing that his wife and family knew was that he had been bayoneted through the leg and also shot through the back of his leg, Edward never spoke of any of his time in the battles but had become a very hard and stern husband and father.
When WW2 came along he still did his little bit and became a Warden.
Sadly for me there are no photos remaining of him, the large photo of him as a young man in his full military uniform was damaged and thrown away. His medals again have sadly been lost, along with his memorabilia from his wartime travels.
The only thing I have is the ability in today's technology driven world, is to trace the few records of his military campaign and the war diaries.
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Rflmn. Henry West 11th Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps (d.20th September 1917) Henry West served with 11th Btn. King's Royal Rifle Corps.
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Lt. Arthur Martyn "Hoppy" Hopkins 11th Battalion Kings Royal Rifle Corps (d.29th March 1918) Dear Mr & Mrs Hopkins,
Kindly excuse me taking the liberty of writing you, but I feel as I must, as I was Mr. Hopkins' servant. May I express my deepest sympathy of the sad news of the death of your son, which occurred on Good Friday afternoon. He was keeping the hearts of his men up wonderfully and we were in a very hot corner when he got the fatal blow. We think it was by a sniper. It might ease your sorrow to know that he suffered no pain, death was instant. I had been his servant since last August and we had been together in many a warm corner since then and we were only congratulations ourselves the day before on the luck we had had, for we were all through that terrible Cambrian fight which started on the 30th November and we were not touched.
Mr Hopkins did splendid work there and though only a junior officer then, when nearly all the officers were gone, he acted as Colonel and he should have been decorated for it. He had no fear and would volunteer to go anywhere, he was very much liked by all his men and was in command of his Company at the time when his death occurred. We had been through 7 days of severe fighting and only two officers in his Company were left. I was not actually on the spot when it occurred and I was told the sad news a few minutes later. I shall always remember Mr Hopkins as a perfect gentleman and friend. I asked for a photo of him and he promised me one, so if you have a spare photo which you can part with, may I beg it of you please for rembrance sake. Now I must close, hoping this sad news will not come as a great blow, but it happened to a good many brave fellows in our Battalion. You can think in the future that he died as a brave soldier, he had done his duty well. I should be very pleased if you could drop me a line in return, so I know you have received this letter. His kit will be sent home shortly so must close.
I remain yours sincerely
R Foster, B Coy, 11th Bttn KRRC, BEF, France
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Pte. Francis Benjamin Hibbert 11th Battalion Kings Royal Rifle Corps Francis Hibbert, known as Frank signed up for the War at the age of 16 in late 1914 and was deployed in the summer of 1915. He fought in the battles at Loos, the Somme, Messines, Passchendaele and Cambrai, before being captured by the Germans during Operation Michael in 1918 and sent to Friedrichsfeld Prisoner of War camp where he spent the remainder of the War.
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Pte. William Joseph Hyslop 2nd Btn. Rifle Brigade William Hyslop served during World War 1 in The Rifle Brigade with the 2nd and 13th Battalions and with the 11th Kings Royal Rifle Corps from Nov 1914 till Feb 1919. At some time, he suffered from a gas attack, and in the last weeks of the war was captured. His details are part those records lost in 1942 due to enemy action.
Unable to find work on discharge, he volunteered to join the BEF intervention in Russia, to fight the Bolsheviks. This campaign ended in Sep 1919. He received a copy of Bolos & Barishynas, the doings of the Sadleir-Jackson Brigade. In his copy he has written details including 45th Batt Royal Fusiliers Reg. No.128992. No.1 Machine Gunner.
Several years later in civilian life, his health started to deteriorate as an effect of gassing. However, according to his family, his application for a pension was rejected on the grounds he could not prove the effect resulted from gas attacks in World War 1.
As his grandchild I can recall the agony suffered by the destruction of one lung and the slow decay of the other. He died in 1951.
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L/Cpl. Albert Henry Standing 11th Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps (d.28th Nov 1917) Albert Standing disappeared when the Germans counterattacked at the Second Battle of Cambrai on 28th of November 1917.
Unfortunately, Albert's sister, my grandmother Emmeline Ada May Standing, was placed with the Barnardo Homes in 1904 and she was sent to Canada in 1908, and never saw him again.
She learned of his death, at some point in time, but by whom and when we do not know.
Sadly, I cannot locate either living relatives or a photo of Albert.
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Rflmn. Arthur Edward Felix 11th Btn. King's Royal Rifle Corps My grandfather, Arthur Felix, joined the 11th KRRC, I think during the last stages of the 1918 war. He was greatly affected by the memories and often had nightmares, so my mother says.
He would tell me about the trench foot and how horrible gas attacks were but otherwise he did not say much about his experiences. He was a good tailor and he said he would often alter friends' uniforms, so that they would fit better because army policy was 'one size fits all'. He died in 1976.
This is a short account but still relevant to us as a family.
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L/Cpl. William Green 11th Btn. King's Royal Rifle Corps (d.22nd Mar 1918) William Green served with 11th Btn. King's Royal Rifle Corps.
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Rflmn. Walter Charles Bullock 11th Btn Kings Royal Rifle Corps (d.17th June 1916) Walter Bullock, born in Bristol, was the son of Mary Ann Eglinton and Walter Bullock. He died in The Battle of Mount Sorrel on the 17th June 1916. The effects that were sent back to his family after his death included 5 photographs and 2 locks of hair. So very sad
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Rflmn. John Oram Bardrick 11th Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps (d.30th Nov 1917) I know very little about my relative John Bardrick, apart from seeing his details on a family tree. When I saw the date of his death I assumed he had been killed in WW1 and carried out some research. I have found his regiment and that he was killed at Cambrai and is commemorated there, but I would love to know some more details about his life and service record. I am however glad that I have been able to add his name to this record - lest we forget.
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Rflmn. Samuel Edward Stevens 11th Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps (d.25th Sep 1917) Rifleman Samuel Edward Stevens, R/43245, was a member of the 11th Battalion of the King's Royal Rifle Corps. He died on Tuesday, 25th of September 1917 during the 3rd Battle of Ypres. He was aged just 23 and was the son of Mr William Henry and Mrs Mary Ann Stevens of Maplescombe Farm Cottages according to our local war memorial records. I now live in this cottage and as I drive down the single track lane towards the village I can imagine Samuel walking to the village where the conscripts were picked up and never getting to return. In our garden are an abundance of yellow primroses and one day we would like to take some and plant them on his grave...a little bit of home! He is supposed to be buried in Plot III of the Bard Cottage Cemetery in Western Flanders, but having contacted the person who cares for the graves there, he said Samuel was not there. We hope to find him one day. He is remembered in the cottage by two cap badges from his corps which are part of the metal fireplace surround. We have not been able to find any photos of him.
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Rfmn. Ernest Corrie 11th Battalion Kings Royal Rifle Corps (d.24th March 1918) Ernest Corrie was presumed killed in action on 24th March 1918 during the German Spring Offensive when the allied 5th Army was driven back across the former Somme battlefield. Ernest is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial, maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, six kilometres north-east of Albert, along with over 14,000 other casualties.
His younger brother, Reginald, was at the time in the Royal Army Medical Corps, serving in France not far from where Ernest was killed, while older brother, Archibald William was in the Middle East.
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Rfmn. George Andrew Gillespie 11th Btn. King's Royal Rifle Corps (d.8th Aug 1916)  George Gillespie was my great-uncle and he was born in Barrow-in-Furness. I have inherited his letters from my father's family and he mentions training in Liverpool, and in his first letter he joked about the poor training of Kitchener's New Armies. When he finally got to France in 1915 his letters did not give details of where he was, where he was going or what he had been doing. One letter mentions that he was in "No-man's land" and that the Germans were 180 yards away. The letter describes how at night his comrades would sing Christmas songs loudly only to be outsung by the German soldiers. This was his last letter dated December 24th 1916.
George Gillespie died aged 32 in the Battle of the Somme from mortar shelling which collapsed and killed several men that day. He is buried in Hebuterne Communal Cemetery, Calais, along with one other 11th Battalion member. The letter from his commander, 2nd Lieutenant G.C. Everett, reporting his death did not mention exactly where he died. My research seems to show he may have been in the battle of Delville Woods but I cannot confirm this. George was the son of George and Catherine Gillespie, of 44, Earle Street, Barrow-in-Furness. He was not married.
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Robert Wilfrid Fowler 11th Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps (d.30th Nov 1917) Robert Wilfred Fowler was my Grandfather's brother and I don't know very much about him apart from the fact he was injured at the Somme in 1916 but didn't lose his life until 30th November 1917. Does that mean he recovered well enough to return to active service and was killed then or did he die from the injuries he received at the Somme? He was only 20 when he died and therefore 18 or 19 when he fought at the Somme.
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Captain Edmond William Bury 11th Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps (d.5th Dec 1915) Edmund Bury was killed in action in France on the 5th of December 1915. His son David lost his life during the Second World War whilst flying with 111 Squadron RAF and is also buried in France
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