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23rd (Welsh Pioneers) Battalion, Welch Regiment
23rd (Welsh Pioneers) Battalion, Welsh Regiment was formed at Porthcawl in September 1915. They moved to Aldershot in March 1916 and in May to Thetford to join 69th Division, In June they left the division and on the 13th of July sailed from Devonport for Salonkia where they joined 28th Division as a Pioneer Battalion on the 24th of August. They were in action during the occupation of Mazirko and the capture of Barakli Jum'a. In 1917 they were involved in the capture of Ferdie and Essex Trenches (near Barakli Jum'a) and then the capture of Barakli and Kumli. In mid 1918 a number of units returned to France The remainer of the Division were later in action at the Battle of Doiran and the pursuit to the Strumica valley. When Hostilities with Bulgaria ceased at the end of September the 28th Division was in the area of Trnovo. They moved in early November to Gallipoli and occupied the Dardanelles Forts.
Jan 1915 Specialist Training
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
10th Mar 1917 Pioneers at Work
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L/Sgt. William Harold Evans 23rd Btn. Welsh Regiment William Evans was born in 1895 at Llanfair, Montgomeryshire
William joined 23rd Welch Regiment at Portcawl on the 1st of Nove,ner 1915 and was promoted to corporal on the 3rd of May 1916. He embarked from Devonport on the 13th of July 1916 and disembarked at Salonika on the 24th of August 1916.
He contracted malaria and was in and out of various hospitals.
He was appointed paid lance sergeant on the 1st of November 1918 but due to his malariam his classification y scheme was not available for a theatre of war where malaria is prevalant. He embarked for UK from Itea on the 12th of November 1918 and was posted to the Welsh Regiment depot and proceeded from Cardiff to dispersal centre for demobilization on 7th of Feb 1919.
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Walter Pryce Davies 23rd (Welsh Pioneers) Battalion Welch Regiment My grandfather Walter Davies served with the Welsh Pioneers.
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Pte. William Hazzelby Jones 23rd Btn., C Coy. Welsh Regiment (d.1st Dec 1916) William Jones died of malaria and is buried in Lahana Military Cemetery, Thessaloniki, Greece. His wife was Elizabeth Jones.
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Pte. Ernest John Bitterlich 23rd Btn. (Welsh Pioneers) Welsh Regiment (d.28th Feb 1918 ) Ernest John Biterlich, known as John or Jack, was born May 1882 or 83 in Islington, Middlesex. His great Grandar was a Polish sailor. Jack was a plasterer having served a 6 year apprenticeship with his father. Aged 27 he fell in love with 19 year old Gertrude Ella Norris and married her, moving in with his in-laws in Swansea. The census of April 2nd 1911 shows "Ernest John Biterlich, plasterer/builder working for an employer, lived at 1 Thomas Street Swansea, with his wife Gertrude Ellen Biterlich, daughter of Head of Household aged 21, their son Ernest Biterlich 9 months old". They lived with her parents: Joseph Norris aged 57 who is described as an Employer, working as an Assisting Agent for an Auctioneer with his wife, Sarah a dressmaker in own account. The house had 4 rooms including the kitchen and housed 6 adults and a baby of 9 months; Jack + wife Gertie + son Ernest, Father-in-law Joseph Norris & his wife Sarah, plus Thos. J Norris, their unmarried children, 18 year old son and 23yr. old daughter Sarah Annie Norris.
Baby Ernest died in infancy. Jack & Gertrude had 3 babies that didn't survive prior to having their son, Arthur Joseph Henry Biterlich in 1913 followed by daughter Gertie in 1915 at 24 Thomas Street, Swansea.
Jack signed up for Service October 10th 1914 in Swansea, to the 14th Swansea Battalion. His Short Service Attestation Certificate (Enlistment) gives his details: his first reg. no. was 17354. Age 31 years +5 months, 5' 7.5" tall, 125 lbs, 35" chest +2" expansion. Fresh complexion Blue eyes Light brown hair. 5 tattoo marks L arm, 2 Tattoo marks right arm, mole in middle of back. Church of England. 1 wife, 1 child, Trade: Plasterer, British, No criminal record. Declared Fit for Army, he joined Swansea Battalion Welsh Regiment Oct 10th 1914. However he was discharged 101 Days later on 18/1/15: Reason: Likely to become an inefficient Soldier. Signed by C/O 14th Welsh.
Whilst back home in Swansea he fathered a daughter, Gertrude Louvain Bitterlich, and then re-Enlisted on 13/12/15. He served in France with 23rd Welsh Pioneers until on 6/4/16 he was invalided out to a London hospital. His daughter Gertie recalled that he never came home again, they rarely visited him in the hospital as it was so far away. He suffered with possibly either Shell-shock or Gas? The family myth is that he was at The Somme but I have no evidence if he was. He never recovered from his War & died in February 1918. He was awarded a badge & Silver War Medal.
His wife remarried two years later. His daughter Gertie grew up in Swansea, married a sign-writer, Stanley Broad, in St Albans and they had a daughter, Sylvia. Gertie later returned to Wales as a widow and she died in Llanarth in 2002. She has one grandson & six great-grandchildren including 2 great-grand-daughters born & bred in Ffarmers, Caio, Carmarthenshire.
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Pte. Ernest John Biterlich 14th Btn. Welsh Regiment (d.28th Feb 1918) Ernest Bitterlich, known by his middle name of John or Jack, was born in Islington, London in 1882. He time-served a six-year plasterer's apprenticeship with his father. When he was aged 27 he fell in love with 19-year-old Gertie Ella Norris, moved to Swansea to marry her, and moved in with his in-laws in Swansea. They had a son, Arthur Joseph Henry in 1913.
Jack signed up for service on 10th October 1914 in Swansea, but was discharged after 101 days as "Likely to become an inefficient Soldier". I have a copy of his Short Service Attestation Certificate (Enlistment) Details:
"1 child, 1 wife, 6 years apprenticed to father as Plasterer, British. No criminal record, age 31 years 5 months. 5' 7.5" tall 125 lbs 35", chest +2" expansion. Fresh complexion. Blue eyes. Light brown hair. C of E, 5 tattoo marks L arm, 2 Tattoo marks right arm, mole in middle of back. Declared Fit for Army joined Swansea Battalion Welsh Regiment Oct 10th 1914.
Discharged 101 Days later on 18/1/15 Reason: "Likely to become an inefficient Soldier" signed C/O 14th Welsh."
He fathered a daughter, Gertie and then joined up again on 13th December 1915. Jack served with 23rd Welsh Pioneers until 6th April 1916. He was invalided out to a London hospital. His wife and daughter visited, but his daughter recalled that he never came home and they rarely visited, she speculates that her mother divorced him (she did not, she is listed as a widow in his will, but remarried quickly). He was awarded a badge and a Silver War Medal, possibly suffered from shell-shock or gas. He never recovered and died 28th February 1918 Stratford, West Ham.
I am still learning about him. His great grandad was a Polish sailor and his daughter Gertie was my partner's nan.
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Pte. Percy James House 23rd Btn. Welch Regiment My grandfather Percy House joined the Welsh Regiment on the 7th of February 1916. A baker by trade, he served in the Catering Corps. 23rd Battalion was formed in Porthcawl. On 13th of July 1916 he left Devonport for Salonika arriving on 24 Sept. His battalion was posted to 28 Division as a Pioneer Battalion and saw action north of Lake Doiran, Macedonia. They occupied Mazirko, captured Barakli, Kumli and enemy trenches. In 1918 they took part in the Battle of Doiran and the Stranza Valley and then moved to Gallipoli and occupied the Dardanelles Forts. He was the only one of three bothers to volunteer for service and because of his trade served in the Officer's Mess. These details were in an old Dictionary which has been found this year
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