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- 18th (Arts and Crafts) Battalion, Kings Royal Rifle Corps during the Great War -


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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment

18th (Arts and Crafts) Battalion, Kings Royal Rifle Corps



   18th (Arts & Crafts) Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps was raised at Gidea Park in London on the 4th of June 1915 by Major Sir Herbert Raphael. After inital training close to home they joined 122nd Brigade, 41st Division At Witley in October. In November they moved to Aldershot, in Feburay to Witley and returned to Aldershot for final training. They proceeded to France on the 3rd of May 1916 landing at Le Havre, the division concentrating between Hazebrouck and Bailleul. In 1916 they were in action at The Battle of Flers-Courcelette and The Battle of the Transloy Ridges on the Somme. In 1917 they fought during The Battle of Messines, The Battle of Pilkem Ridge, The Battle of the Menin Road and took part in the Operations on the Flanders coast. In November the Division was ordered to Italy, moving by train to Mantua. The Division took the front line near the River Piave, north west of Treviso. In February they were summoned back to France and departed from Campo San Piero, travelling by train to concentrate near Doullens and Mondicourt. They were in action during The Battle of St Quentin, The Battle of Bapaume and The Battle of Arras before moving to Flanders for The Battles of the Lys. They were in action during the Final Advance in Flanders, at Courtrai and Ooteghem. At the Armistice the advanced units were at Nederbrakel, Tenbosch and the River Dender. 41st Division was chosen to join the Army of Occupation, and on the 12th of January 1919, the Division took over the left section of the Cologne bridgehead. Demobilisation began in March and the Division was renamed the London Division.

1st May 1916 On the Move

5th May 1916 On the Move

8th May 1916 Concentration

9th May 1916 Orders

10th May 1916 Orders

11th May 1916 Preparations

12th May 1916 School of Instruction

13th May 1916 Postponement

14th May 1916 Trench Raid

15th May 1916 Instruction

17th May 1916 Gas Alert

18th May 1916 Orders  location map

1st Jun 1916 Observation Balloon  location map

11th Jun 1916 Reliefs  location map

24th Jun 1916 Reliefs  location map

30th Jun 1916 Trench Raid  location map

13th September 1916 Reliefs

19th May 1917 Relieved by 18th K.R. Rifles

16th May 1918 Advance Parties go forward to take over from 18th K.R.R.C.

30th June 1918 Instruction No.7. Para 2 to be read in conjunction with Operation Orders No. 7.

26th August 1918 Relief in trenches

13th September 1918 Operational Order No.35.  location map

14th September 1918 Improving positions  location map

If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.





Want to know more about 18th (Arts and Crafts) Battalion, Kings Royal Rifle Corps?


There are:5253 items tagged 18th (Arts and Crafts) Battalion, Kings Royal Rifle Corps available in our Library

  These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.


Those known to have served with

18th (Arts and Crafts) Battalion, Kings Royal Rifle Corps

during the Great War 1914-1918.

  • Abbott Geoffrey Robinson. Rfm. (d.31st Jul 1917)
  • Anderson Thomas Edward. Rfm. (d.7th Jun 1917)
  • Bailey MM Robert Leslie. Sgt.
  • Bailey Thomas Arthur. Rflmn.
  • Chatterton Henry. Pte. (d.21st Sept 1917)
  • Cheeseman F. W.. Rflm. (d.20th Oct 1917)
  • Curd MM. Esli Jonathan . Sgt.
  • Curzon Frederick Barton. Pte. (d.12th February 1917)
  • Gardiner James Arthur. Rfm. (d.14th Jun 1917)
  • Haynes John Joseph . Cpl. (d.15th Sept 1916 )
  • Hiscox Frederick Herbert. Pte. (d.15th Sep 1916)
  • Holdsworth Joe Willie. Rfm. (d.20th Sep 1917)
  • Holeyman Alfred. Rflmn. (d.13th June 1917)
  • Jelf Arthur Sidney.
  • Preece Frederick Charles. Pte. (d.15th June 1917)
  • Sibley Albert Arthur. Rfm. (d.7th June 1917)
  • Silk Thomas Edward. Rflmn. (d.3rd June 1917)
  • Williams Horace P.. Rflmn. (d.1st April 1918)

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 18th (Arts and Crafts) Battalion, Kings Royal Rifle Corps from other sources.


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  Pte. Frederick Herbert Hiscox 18th Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps (d.15th Sep 1916)

Attestation 1915

Rifleman Frederick Hiscox of the KRRC would never know that his twin sister, Edith Emily, would emigrate to America, and that he would have many cousins there.

His was a short war - he enlisted early in 1915 at Romford, Essex, not far from the family home at Vange. By early 1916 his battalion was in France, and they would be engaged in one of the Somme battles. On September 15, 1916, he was posted as missing, and, as far as we are aware, his body was never found. Frederick, therefore, has no known grave, and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

Brian A Hill






  Rflmn. Thomas Edward Silk 18th (Arts and Crafts) Battalion Kings Royal Rifle Corps (d.3rd June 1917)

Thomas Silk of the 18th Battalion, KRRC was my wife's great uncle. He is on the Menin Gate but unable to locate him among the 18th Battalion killed in action.

Rosemary Coombs






  Rflmn. Thomas Arthur Bailey 18th (Arts and Crafts) Battalion Kings Royal Rifle Corps

Thomas Bailey enlisted aged 17 in November 1916. He fought in the Battle of Messines on 7th June 1917 and in the front line by the Ypres-Comines Canal facing Hollebeke at the beginning of the 3rd Battle of Ypres. He was captured in action near Courtrai and was posted missing between 18th and 26th October 1918. First capture postcard is dated 25th of October 1918.







  Rflmn. Horace P. Williams 18th Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps (d.1st April 1918)

Horace Williams is believed to have been wounded during the German Operation Michael Advance, possibly near Baupame. He died of wounds on 1st of April 1918 and was buried by German Forces.

David Coombes






   Arthur Sidney Jelf 18th Battalion Kings Royal Rifle Corps

Sid Jelf was gassed, he was then discharged due to bronchitis.

Matt Jelf






  Rflmn. Alfred Holeyman 18th Btn. King's Royal Rifle Corps (d.13th June 1917)

Alfred Holeyman was my great uncle.

Chris Gilham






  Rfm. Albert Arthur Sibley 18th Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps (d.7th June 1917)

Although we are not directly related, my great grandmother married Albert Sibley in 1914 before he left to fight. His loss affected her so badly, she rarely spoke about him only saying that the love of her life died in the Great War.

He was born in Fulham, and met my nan while he worked as a gravedigger. Ironically, the very cemetery he worked in would become the place where many of his relatives would be buried. These relatives, chillingly, died during bombings of London in WWII.

In her possessions upon her death, we found his memorial plaque (often nicknamed "death pennies"), and a locket with his photo in it. We also caught that when she remarried her second husband, she never told him - and named their son Albert Arthur.

Sarah Jacquie






  Cpl. John Joseph Haynes 18th Btn. King's Royal Rifle Corps (d.15th Sept 1916 )

John Joseph Haynes was born in Nether Heage near Belper, Derbyshire, one of four brothers and a sister. He learnt his trade but wanted more to join the Army. He enlisted in Derby and was sent to Winchester for training but he was under age so he was kept there until September when he reached 18. He and others then set sail from Folkestone on the HMS Golden Eagle to France. Sadly he wasn't out there long,not quite a year, when he was killed at Flers. The battalion had followed the very first tanks of the war into Flers. He has no known grave but is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. He was 19 years old.

A Blount






  Sgt. Esli Jonathan Curd MM. 18th Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps

Esli Curd was my great grandfather, we have the original citation and medals. He served with 122nd Trench Mortar Battery and 18th Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps

Debbie Christie






  Pte. Frederick Charles Preece 18th Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps (d.15th June 1917)

Frederick Preece served with the 18th Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps

<p>Paper report

<p>Report of brothers serving

Simon Gardner






  Rflm. F. W. Cheeseman 18th Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps (d.20th Oct 1917)

Rifleman F.W.Cheeseman served with the 18th Kings Royal Rifle Corps. He was executed for desertion on 20th October 1917, and is buried in Coxyde Military Cemetery, Belgium.

The mass pardon of 306 British Empire soldiers executed for certain offences during the Great War was enacted in section 359 of the Armed Forces Act 2006, which came into effect on royal assent on 8th November 2006.

s flynn






  Rfm. Joe Willie Holdsworth 18th Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps (d.20th Sep 1917)

Joe Willie Holdsworth was a great grandfather I would never get to meet. He enlisted on the 6th of July 1915, and was killed in action on the 20th of September 1917. His name is on the Memorial wall at Tyne Cot Memorial. I would like to know where the 18th Bn was fighting on that day. I only have a photo of him as a boy. Even then he was dressed in uniform.

Mick Stead






  Rfm. James Arthur Gardiner 18th Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps (d.14th Jun 1917)

James Gardiner was my great, great grandfather who served with the 18th Battalion Kings Royal Rifle Corps. All I know is that apparently (according to great nan), he was on the front line and he lay on top of his commanding officer to save his life and then he was killed. He has no grave and had his name put on the Menin Gate. I found his WW1 Medal Card and I found out he got the British and Victory Medal. Also he would have had a Memorial Plaque given to the next of kin.

I feel very proud of him because he gave his life for somebody else and I believe that he must have been a very kind and caring person. If anyone is able to find anything else out for me I would be most grateful.

Thomas Parker






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