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2nd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment
2nd Battalion, The Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own) was in Malta when war broke out in August 1914. As soon as a territorial unit arrived to take over the garrison, they returned to England and joined 23rd Brigade, 8th Division at Hursley Park. They proceeded to France on the 7th of November landing at Le Havre, a much needed reinforcement to the BEF and remained on the Western Front throughout the war. In 1915 they were in action at The Battle of Neuve Chapelle, The Battle of Aubers and The action of Bois Grenier. On the 18th of October 1915 24th Brigade transferred to 23rd Division to instruct the inexperienced troops. In March 1916 23rd Division took over the front line between Boyau de l'Ersatz and the Souchez River in the Carency sector from the French 17th Division, an area exposed to heavy shelling. In mid April they withdrew to Bruay returning to the Carency sector in mid May just before the German attack on Vimy Ridge, in the sector to their right. On the 15th of June 1916 24th Brigade returned to 8th Division. In 1916 They were in action at the Battle of The Somme. In 1917 they fought in The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line and then moved to Flanders and were in action in The Battle of Pilkem and The Battle of Langemarck. In 1918 they saw action during The Battle of St Quentin, The actions at the Somme crossings, The Battle of Rosieres, The actions of Villers-Bretonneux, The Battle of the Aisne, The Battle of the Scarpe and The Final Advance in Artois including the capture of Douai.
19th Sep 1914 Divisional HQ Opens
25th Sep 1914 Concentration
2nd Oct 1914 Concentration
27th Oct 1914 Exercise
29th Oct 1914 Route March
30th Oct 1914 Concentration Complete
31st Oct 1914 Mud
4th Nov 1914 On the Move
5th Nov 1914 On the Move
6th Nov 1914 Delays
7th Nov 1914 Delays
8th Nov 1914 On the Move 
9th Nov 1914 Into Billets
11th of November 1914 In the Line
13th of November 1914 Reliefs Completed
16th November 1914 Orders
18th Dec 1914 Heavy Shelling
27th Dec 1914 Reliefs
30th Dec 1914 Message
6th Feb 1915 Instruction
10th March 1915 2nd Middlesex in action At Neuve Chapelle on the 10th March 1915, D company 15 Platoon 2nd Middlesex, under the command of Sergeant Edward George Ryde was the first over the top. It was the only platoon commanded by a sergeant.
10th March 1915 Recapture of Neuve Chapelle
10th March 1915 German surrender
10th March 1915 Trench captured
10th March 1915 The Orchard
28th Mar 1915 Shelling
10th Apr 1915 Orders
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
19th Mar 1916 Instruction
20th Mar 1916 Instruction
21st Mar 1916 Instruction
31st Jul 1917 In Action
2nd Aug 1917 Message of Congratulation
24th Nov 1917 Reliefs
30th Nov 1917 Reliefs
11th Jan 1918 Reliefs
23rd Apr 1918 Reliefs
28th May 1918 Hard Fighting
If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
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| Want to know more about 2nd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment ? There are:5272 items tagged 2nd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment available in our Library
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 with2nd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment during the Great War 1914-1918. - Apps Thomas. Pte. (d.14th Mar 1915)
- Ashwell Percy Frederick. Pte. (d.2nd Jan 1915)
- Ball Joseph. Pte. (d.12th Jan 1915)
- Barker Edward. Pte (d.9th Nov 1916)
- Barnes William. A/Sgt.
- Bee George. Cpl. (d.11th June 1915)
- Broom MM. Richard Edwin. Cpl.
- Camm Phillip Otley. Pte. (d.30th March 1915)
- Chapman Arthur. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Chase Archibald. Cpl.
- Clarke James Francis. L/Cpl. (d.11th Nov 1918)
- Cocks Arthur Septimus. Pte. (d.26th Oct 1916)
- Connell MM James. L/Sgt. (d.31st July 1917)
- Connell MM James. Sgt. (d.31st July 1917)
- Dawton Arthur Edward. Sgt. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Evans Frank Edward. Pte. (d.27th May 1918)
- Evans William Joseph. Pte. (d.22nd April 1915)
- Ewington Charles Henry. L/Cpl.
- Fosbrook Thomas Arthur. L/Cpl.
- Frost Alfred Ingo. 2Lt. (d.1st July 1916)
- Gardner Clarence George. Pte. (d.12th November 1918)
- Gingell Reginald Ernest. Pte.
- Harford George Frederick. Pte. (d.4th Nov 1915)
- Hatten Arthur Horace. Cpl.
- Hodgkins MM. Frederick Archibold. L/Cpl. (d.20th November 1917)
- Hodgkins MM. Frederick Archibold. L/Cpl. (d.20th Nov 1917)
- Horsman William James. L/Cpl. (d.31st July 1917)
- Jacobson John Valdama. Pte.
- Jenkins Charles Robert. L/Cpl. (d.27th Feb 1917)
- Kerby Walter. Pte. (d.1st July 1916)
- Lane William James. Pte.
- Lovell William. Sgt. (d.25th Mar 1918)
- Maudslay George Cecil. 2nd Lt.
- Miller Benjamin Robertson. Sgt. (d.23rd Oct 1916)
- Osterholm Victor Emil Hugo. Pte.
- Osterholm Victor Emil Hugo. Pte.
- Parker Walter Harry. Cpl.
- Patching Arthur Albert.
- Pateman John Harold. Pte. (d.22nd April 1917)
- Perrin Alfred C. Cpl. (d.14th Mar 1915)
- Pinkett Albert. Sgt.
- Porter William James. Pte. (d.18th Aug 1917)
- Pritty George Edward. L/Cpl. (d.4th January 1915)
- Rawliffe William Stephen. Cpl.
- Ray Harry. Pte. (d.26th Mar 1918)
- Ritchie William James. Pte. (d.21st February 1918)
- Roberts Herbert James . Pte. (d.30th July 1917)
- Ryde Edward George. Sgt. (d.10th Mar 1915)
- Ryde Edward George. Sgt. (d.10th Mar 1915)
- Saxon Pip Alfred Edwin. Sgt.
- Sheffield F.. Pte. (d.12th Jan 1915)
- Spence Frank. Pte. (d.1st Aug 1917)
- Steer Sidney Herbert. Pte. (d.1st July 1916)
- Tompkins MM Wesley. Cpl. (d.20th Sep 1917)
- Tyndale George Stafford Hilliard . Lt. (d.13th March 1915)
- Utting Christopher E. Pte. (d.28th Feb 1917)
- Warner Alfred. Pte. (d.23rd Oct 1916)
- Willis William Burnell. Pte.
- Worsley Ernest. Pte. (d.22nd Oct 1917)
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 2nd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment from other sources.
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Pte. Alfred Warner 2nd Btn. Middlesex Regiment (d.23rd Oct 1916) Alfred Warner was born in Hoxton London in 1878. He was one of 5 children (2 girls and 3 boys) born to William and Mary.
Before the war he was living in Edmonton, London, with his parents and worked as a bricklayer's labourer. Alfred served with the 2nd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment and on 27th of August 1916 he was reported wounded but died later of those wounds.
One of his brothers, Ernest Charles was a regular service man before the war serving in the RAMC. He had been captured early in the war and was repatriated on 29th of August 1915 presumably wounded or ill and died in 1917.
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Sgt. Alfred Edwin Saxon Pip 1st Btn. Middlesex Regiment I never knew my great grandfather Alfred Saxon, but I do know that he never spoke about his time at war. He served with the 1st, 2nd and 11th Battalions Middlesex Regiment. It sounds like he might have suffered from PTSD as he would just disappear leaving my great nan with 10 children to fend for.
Alfred was very proud of his silk Regimental flag which he hung over his fire place. My mum now has that, and one day it will pass to me.
I've learnt that when he first enlisted at age 18, he was quite naughty, and always having his pay docked, and on two occasions he was imprisoned for 168 hours with hard labour.
He also had several tattoos, 2 of which are referred to on his army records as 'scars above both buttocks'. These scars were actually 2 clown tattoos.
My great grandfather served a total of 17 years in the Middlesex Regiment and was promoted to sergeant in Feb 1915.
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Pte. Thomas Apps 2nd Btn. Middlesex Regiment (d.14th Mar 1915) Thomas Apps is remembered with honour and interred at the Canadian Cemetery No.2 in Neuville-St. Vaast.
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Pte. Phillip Otley Camm 2nd Battalion Middlesex Regiment (d.30th March 1915) Phillip Camm served with the 2nd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment.
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Pte. Victor Emil Hugo Osterholm 1st Btn. Middlesex Regiment Victor Osterholm was my grandad who served with the 1st and 2nd Battalions, Middlesex Regiment in WW1. He was captured on 25th of May 1918. Apparently the rest of his battalion were killed the next day.
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Cpl. William Stephen Rawliffe 2nd Btn. C Coy. Middlesex Regiment William Rawcliffe born 20th of March 1883 served with C Coy, 2nd Middlesex Regiment. He was captured on the 27th of May 1918, the 1st day of the Third Battle of the Ainse, at Genicourt approx 10km south of Verdun.
He arrived unwounded at Giessen camp.
He returned to Preston after the war and married in 1920. He had one daughter, born in April 1921. He died in Preston in 1928, reportedly never having fully regained his health after the prison camp experience.
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Pte. Arthur Chapman 2nd Btn Middlesex Regiment (d.1st Jul 1916) My Great-Uncle Arthur Chapman, born in 1894, the fourth of six children to George and Elizabeth. He died on 1st of July 1916 on the first day of the Somme offensive and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
He was older brother to Percy Chapman.
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Cpl. George Bee 2nd Battalion Middlesex Regiment (d.11th June 1915) George Bee was killed in action on the 11th of June 1915 and was buried in Rue-David Military Cemetery at Fleurbaix in France.
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Pte. Victor Emil Hugo Osterholm 2nd Btn. Middlesex Regiment My Grandad, Victor Osterholm was proud to serve in the Middlesex Regiment and only spent a few months in the trenches due to his age. He was captured in May 1918 at Aisne whilst serving in the 2nd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment and spent the remainder of the war in Friedrichsfeld POW camp. He re-enlisted after WW1 and served the rest of his army career in the 1st Battalion reaching the rank of Pioneer Sergeant. He never spoke of his service but this is what I have found from his army record.
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Pte. William Burnell Willis 2nd Btn. Middlesex Regiment  During research of our family tree, and through relatives paperwork, I have come across the enclosed letter, evidently sent from a military base in France, undated but from referencing its around 1914-6.
It was within my grandfather's paperwork, he would indeed have been a nephew of the sender. My grandfather's own father died in 1916 and his ill health is referred to within, as are references to his 2 sisters.
As yet I have yet to verify if William Willis survived the war but a couple of instances do appear to point to not surviving. The address on the letter is quite specific but I have also not tied this up.
I lose track of our William Burnell Willis around 1901, but a 1911 census has a William marrying a Charlotte with a number of children who share prior family names.
My Grandfather the recipient of the letter is William Percival Hollister, documents show he was an Air raid warden in London as well as subsequent long standing School Caretaker at Stamford Hill School, Tottenham, where he, his wife and my father lived in the 1940/50s.
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Pte. Frank Edward Evans 2nd Btn Middlesex Regiment (d.27th May 1918) Frank Evans ied on the first day of the 3rd Battle of the Aisne 27th of May 1918. He is commemorated on the WW1 Memorial in Soissons, France
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L/Cpl. Charles Henry Ewington 2nd Btn. Middlesex Regiment I know very little about my great grandfather, Charles Ewington, except what I remember hearing as a child and what I've found in my research. I found that in 1911 he was a Lance Corporal in the 2nd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment. He was born in 1888 and married to Maud Ewington from Guernesy (not sure of her maiden name). I believe they resided in Borden, Hampshire where they raised their children.
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Pte. Reginald Ernest Gingell 2nd Battalion Middlesex Regiment  Reginald Gingell was taken prisoner at Pontavert on 27th of May 1918 and held in forced labour gang on the Western Front until moved to POW Camp Langensalza in mid Sept 1918. Repatriated by the Red Cross in January 1919 from Hamburg, he was suffering from clinical malnutrition and starvation oedema. They were kept on the Calcutta Mutiny diet to prevent death from over feeding.
He arrived back in London to a formal reception at Charing Cross station and he absconded back home to Tooting. He hadn't a penny on him and took the tram but nobody told him to get off. He arrived at the front door in a cardboard uniform and newspaper wrapped round his feet. His mother stripped him in the garden and burnt everything.
He had to go the St George's Hospital, Tooting every day to see the doctor and they would give him pills which he would put down the drain on the way out. For several weeks he would sit by the fire in the kitchen and refuse to move out of the chair, eating every scrap of food that came past him.
He suffered from syncope and passed out on several occasions. For this reason he was initially given a pension which was then withdrawn as he recovered. He was awarded the silver war badge which he wore proudly in many photos in the family album.
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Lt. George Stafford Hilliard Tyndale 2nd Btn. Middlesex Regiment (d.13th March 1915) George Tyndale was born in 1895 in Paddington, London, the son of Thomas and Bessie Tyndale and lived in Gunnersbury at 626a High Road, Chiswick. The 1911 census shows him as being at school in Horsham in Sussex and his parents living in Woodhurst Road, Acton, London.
He served with the 2nd West India Regiment and was attached to the 2nd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment.
George was wounded during this action on the 10th of March 1915 and died of his wounds on the 13th of March 1915, aged 19 years. He is buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, France and is commemorated on All Saints War Memorial. He is also remembered on the War Memorial, St Mary's Church, Acton, London.
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L/Cpl. Frederick Archibold Hodgkins MM. 2nd Btn. Middlesex Regiment (d.20th Nov 1917) My great uncle Frederick Hodgkins MM. Hero, gone but never forgotten.
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Pte. Herbert James Roberts 2nd Btn. Middlesex Regiment (d.30th July 1917) Private Herbert James Roberts, son of James & Martha Roberts of Barton, Bedfordshire; born in Barton, lived in Ampthill and enlisted in Luton. Served with the 2nd Battalion, Duke of Cambridges Own Middlesex Regiment (service no.G/29541). He was killed in action on 30th July 1917 age 38 years in France and Flanders and is buried in New Irish Farm Cemetery, Belgium. He is remembered on both The War Memorial and The Alamada, St. Andrews Church, Ampthill. Information courtesy of www.roll-of-honour.com
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L/Cpl. Frederick Archibold Hodgkins MM. 2nd Btn. Middlesex Regiment (d.20th November 1917) Frederick Hodgkins is my great uncle and came from Nottinghill, London.
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Pte. William James Ritchie 2nd Btn. Middlesex Regiment (d.21st February 1918) William Ritchie was my great-uncle (my grandfather's brother), born in Westminster, London.
I knew that one of granddad's brothers had been killed in the Great War but it was not until researching my family's history in recent years that I have been able to discover a little more about him.
Having joined up with the Middlesex Regiment, William's war service began in October 1915, serving in France on the Western Front. He was killed in action near Ypres on 21st February 1918 and is buried in Poelcapelle British Cemetery. He was just 30 years old and left a widow and two small children.
When I was much younger I heard a family story that my grandfather John Ritchie, who by the end of the war was serving on the Western Front in the Labour Corps, actually came across his brother William's grave. Sadly, I never took much notice then, but now I wish I'd listened more to the reminiscences of older family members and the precious memories they shared.
We owe so much to William and his generation for the huge sacrifices they made in the service of their country.
"We will remember them".
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Pte. Frank Spence 2nd Btn. Middlesex Regiment (d.1st Aug 1917) Frank Spence is my Great Uncle who died at the Battle of Pilkem Ridge, 1917. I found out about him when his sister, my Grandmother died. She always sat with his Death Medal hanging on the wall beside her. On her death when family gave me this medal I was surprised as to his name, as my Grandmothers maiden name is Baptista. It then came out that when WWI started Frank like so many others joined up, but somewhere along the line he deserted. Guilt made him sign up again under a false name into the 2nd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment. On the War Graves Commission website, it states that his Next of Kin is my Grandmother and her address in Wandsworth London.
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Pte. John Harold Pateman 2nd Btn. Middlesex Regiment (d.22nd April 1917) Our own family history tells that Harry Pateman (born on 17th October 1897) was one of the boy soldiers who signed up before reaching the permitted age. His exact date of enlistment is unclear but is thought to have been 1914. What is known is that he died aged 19 years. His name is featured on the Thiepval Memorial and also on a memorial outside his parish church in Bedford, commemorating all those of the parish who died in the war.
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