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4th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment
4th Battalion, The Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own) was based in Devonport with 8th Brigade, 3rd Division when war broke out in August 1914. They proceeded to France on the 14th of August 1914 landing at Boulogne. They saw action in The Battle of Mons and the rearguard action at Solesmes, The Battle of Le Cateau, The Battle of the Marne, The Battle of the Aisne, at La Bassee, Messines and the First Battle of Ypres. They took part in the Winter Operations of 1914-15, The First Attack on Bellewaarde and the Actions at Hooge. On the 14th of November 1915 they transferred to 63rd Brigade in 21st Division In 1916 they were in action in Battle of The Somme, on the 8th of July 1916 they moved with the Brigade to 37th Division. They went into action in The Battle of the Ancre. In 1917 they fought in The First Battle of the Scarpe, including the capture of Monchy-le-Preux, The Second Battle of the Scarpe and The Battle of Arleux. They were in action during the Third Battles of Ypres. In 1918 They were in action on The Somme, in the Battles of the Hindenburg Line and the Final Advance in Picardy. At the Armistice the Division was in the area of Le Quesnoy. Demobilisation began on Boxing Day and was complete by 25 March 1919.
29th July 1914 Mobilisation
29th July 1914 Orders
5th August 1914 Mobilization
5th August 1914 Completion of Mobilisation.
9th August 1914 Period of Waiting.
11th August 1914 Advance Party arrives
13th August 1914 Departure
14th August 1914 Quartering Arrangements Completed
14th August 1914 Arrival at Bologne.
15th August 1914 At Bologne.
15th August 1914 Departure from Bologne.
16th August 1914 Movement Orders
16th August 1914 Boulogne to Taisnieres.
18th August 1914 On the Move
19th August 1914 Changes in quartering arrangements
20th Aug 1914 4th Middlesex en-route to Mons On the morning of the 20th of August, a scorching hot day, the troops of the 4th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment marched out of the village of Taisenieres, where they had spent the night. For the first kilometer of the cobbled high way, they were accompanied by a farewell party of villagers, who had festooned the men with strings of flowers and bright bouquets. When the civilians finally waved the column out of sight, the troops broke into song "Who were you with last night, out in the pale moonlight?"
The jovial departure soon faded as the summer heat increased and the rounded cobbled of the French roads made the route march a painful experience.
20th August 1914 Changes in quartering arrangements
20th August 1914 March to Doulers.
20th August 1914 At Taisnieres
21st Aug 1914 4th Middlesex arrive at Mons In the afternoon heat of the 21st of August 1914, the 4th Middlesex reached their destination, entering their allocated sector in the time honoured fashion with a single man designated as 'Point' marching alone down the centre of the road to draw any enemy fire, his comrades following in single file in small groups spaced fifty yards apart. They reached the line without incident and quickly established lookouts. A bicycle reconnaissance team from the 4th Battalion Middlesex Regiment encountered a German unit near Obourg, just north of the Mons-Conde Canal. One of the cyclists, Private John Parr, was shot by German Sniper and killed, becoming the first British fatality of the war.
21st August 1914 Taking up stations in assigned areas.
21st August 1914 Advance to Gognies.
22nd Aug 1914 4th Middlesex engaged at Mons As the church bells of Nimy called the locals to Mass, a patrol mounted Uhlan's emerged from the wood in full view of L/Cpl Alfred Vivian and his six men of the 4th Middlesex, who were in a forward outpost in an abandoned cottage. The rapid fire of the British rifles cut down eight of the enemy and their horses at a range of eighty yards.
In the church, the priest continued to say Mass with barely a pause, but skipped his sermon and sent the congregation home.
22nd August 1914 Taking up stations in assigned areas.
22nd August 1914 Advance through Belgium.
22nd August 1914 On the March
23rd Aug 1914 German attack at Mons The Battle of Mons began early in the morning with a German artillery bombardment of the British lines, concentrated near a bend in the canal close to the town of Mons. At 9:00 am the German infantry assault began as they attempted to force their way across the four bridges that crossed the Mons-Conde canal. The demolition charges had been placed beneath the bridges by the Royal Engineers, whilst under fire from enemy snipers.
Four German battalions attacked the Nimy bridges, defended by a single company of the 4th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers and a machine gun section led by Lieutenant Maurice Dease at the south side of the railway bridge. The 4th Royal Fusiliers were positioned along the canal between the two bridges, the swing bridge having been turned to prevent crossing. The German infantry suffered heavy losses as they advanced in "parade ground" formation, the well-trained British riflemen were making hits at over 1,000 yards So heavy was the British rifle fire throughout the battle that the Germans thought they were facing machine guns.
To the right of the Royal Fusiliers, the 4th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment and the 1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders were suffering heavy casualties in facing the German assault. With reinforcements from the Royal Irish Regiment (acting as the divisional reserve) and fire support from the divisional artillery, they managed to hold the bridges. The Germans then widened their attack, to the British defences along the straight section of the Mons-Conde canal to the west of Mons. Aided by the cover of a plantation of fir trees they inflicted heavy casualties with machine gun and rifle fire on the 1st Battalion Royal West Kent Regiment and the 2nd Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers, who despite their losses, managed to repulse the Germans throughout the morning.
The order to withdraw was given at 3pm, after a German soldier swam out to the swing bridge and activated the mechanism, allowing his comrades to cross easily. To the east the Germans had crossed the canal and were advancing on the British flank. The 3rd Division was ordered to retire to positions a short distance to the south of Mons which necessitated a similar retreat in early evening by the 5th Division, and by nightfall a new defensive line had been established at the villages of MontrÅ"ul, Boussu, Wasmes, Paturages, and Frameries. The Germans had spent the late afternoon building pontoon bridges over the canal, and were approaching in great numbers. News arrived that the French Fifth Army was also retreating, dangerously exposing the British right flank as night fell.
23rd August 1914 Action with enemy
23rd August 1914 German attack crosses Canal
23rd August 1914 Battle of Mons.
24th Aug 1914 The Battle of Mons At 2 a.m. on 24 August, II Corps was ordered to retreat into France to defensible a position along the Valenciennes to Maubeuge road, requiring a number of sharp rearguard actions against the pursuing Germans. 5th Brigade were ordered to to act as rearguard and fought a holding action at Paturages and Frameries, with Brigade artillery in particular, inflicting heavy casualties on the Germans.
At Wasmes, units of the 5th Division faced a heavy assault from German artillery which began bombarding the village at daybreak, followed at 10 a.m. by an infantry assault by German III Corps who advanced in columns and were "mown down like grass" by British Rifle and Machine Gun fire. Soldiers of the 1st West Kents, 2nd King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, 2nd Duke of Wellington's Regiment, and 1st Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment held off repeated German assaults on the village, despite taking heavy casualties, and then retreated in good order to St. Vaast at mid day.
24th August 1914 Withdrawals
24th August 1914 Retirement from Mons.
25th August 1914 Ongoing Retirement
25th August 1914 On the March
26th August 1914 In Action
26th August 1914 Retirement
26th August 1914 Ongoing Retirement
26th August 1914 In Action
26th August 1914 Entrenching
27th Aug 1914 Rear Guard
27th August 1914 Continued withdrawals
28th Aug 1914 Rear Guard
28th August 1914 Initial Intelligence Report
29th August 1914 Ongoing Retirement
30th August 1914 Demolitions on withdrawals
31st August 1914 Continued withdrawals
4th September 1914 Enemy across the Marne
6th September 1914 Attack Made
7th September 1914 Attack progressing
8th September 1914 Ongoing Battles
9th September 1914 Ongoing Action
10th September 1914 Davance
11th September 1914 Continued progress
12th September 1914 Bad Weather
13th September 1914 Strong Opposition
14th September 1914 Further Advance
14th September 1914 Under Fire
15th September 1914 Shelling
16th September 1914 Difficulties
17th September 1914 Heavy Bombardment
18th September 1914 Night Attacks
19th September 1914 Attack Repulsed
20th September 1914 Ongoing Action
20th September 1914 Reliefs
21st September 1914 Attacks
22nd September 1914 Reliefs
23rd September 1914 Patrols
24th September 1914 Artillery Exchange
25th September 1914 Some Shelling
26th September 1914 Aircraft Assists
27th September 1914 Continuing action around bridges
28th September 1914 Bridges
29th September 1914 Ongoing fighting on all fronts
30th September 1914 September Intelligence Summary
1st October 1914 Commencement of Move
9th October 1914 On the Move
13th Oct 1914 In Action 
18th October 1914 Shelling
24th October 1914 Further German attacks repulsed
25th October 1914 Further German attacks repulsed
26th October 1914 German front quiet
26th October 1914 Orders received
27th October 1914 Battle for Neuve Chapelle
27th October 1914 Reliefs
1st November 1914 Reliefs
15th of November 1914 2nd Corps Reorganise
19th of November 1914 Movements
5th January 1915 Billets
9th January 1915 On the March
13th January 1915 Intermittent sniping
17th January 1915 Reliefs
21st January 1915 Reliefs
25th January 1915 Reliefs
29th January 1915 Snipers and Artillery Active.
2nd February 1915 Reliefs
6th February 1915 Quiet day
10th February 1915 Reliefs
18th February 1915 Reliefs
22nd February 1915 Reliefs
26th February 1915 Relief
2nd Mar 1915 Instruction
2nd March 1915 Reliefs
6th March 1915 Reliefs
10th Mar 1915 Instruction
10th March 1915 Shelling
11th Mar 1915 Instruction
15th March 1915 Orders cancelled.
4th April 1915
6th of May 1915 Another Attack Fails
18th of May 1915 Revenge Shelling
13th June 1915 Assembly trenches
27th June 1915 Semi Final of the Brigade Tug of War
14th Jul 1915 Interesting march for 4th Middlesex
19th Jul 1915 Mine Exploded
20th Jul 1915 In Action
7th August 1915 Battalion reliefs
25th September 1915 Attack
26th September 1915 Bombardment
29th September 1915 Mine Exploded
30th September 1915 Counter attack
16th Oct 1915 The Derby Scheme
27th October 1915 Inspection by His Majesty the King
1st Dec 1915 Derby Scheme Armlets
11th Sep 1915 Last day of Derby Scheme Recruitment
11th Dec 1915 Reliefs
10th Jan 1916 Group System Reopens
8th Feb 1916 Accidental Shooting
9th February 1916 Call Ups
1st Mar 1916 Shelling
2nd Mar 1916 Reliefs
3rd Mar 1916 Bombardment
4th Mar 1916 Shelling
5th Mar 1916 Sleet
6th Mar 1916 Observation Balloons
7th Mar 1916 Snow
8th Mar 1916 Aeroplanes Active
26th July 1916 Relief complete
1st Sep 1916 Orders
13th Sep 1916 Orders
16th Sep 1916 Orders Received
17th Sep 1916 Reliefs
18th Sep 1916 Moves
7th April 1917 Marched to Montenescourt
28th April 1917 In position to Attack Greenland Hill
2nd of July 1917 Preparations
18th July 1917 Gas
23rd July 1917 Training
28th July 1917 Lectures
31st Jul 1917 Attack Made
2nd Aug 1917 Message of Congratulation
3rd August 1917 Relieved 4th Middlesex Regt.
2nd Oct 1917 Poor Conditions
12th October 1917 Shelling
29th Oct 1917 Reliefs
26th November 1917 Marched to Curragh Camp
21st February 1918 Captain & Adjutant Heffer ( 11th Warwicks ) posted to 4th Middlesex Regt.
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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 with4th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment during the Great War 1914-1918. - Abbey Charles. Pte. (d.12th Oct 1918)
- Archer Herbert Edward Lynes. Pte. (d.1st July 1916)
- Beckerwick Moses. L/Cpl. (d.15th October 1914)
- Blight Sidney Harry. Pte. (d.24th August 1914)
- Bond Thomas Henry. Pte. (d.23rd Aug 1914)
- Carvell Stephen Calvin. Cpl.
- Clark MM Ernest William. Cpl.
- Clarke Alfred Arthur. Sgt. (d.21st October 1914)
- Cokley John. Pte. (d.23rd Aug 1914)
- Deamer John. Pte. (d.2nd July 1916)
- Denyer-Radford Henry Albert. Pte. (d.2nd July 1916)
- Dwyer Denis William. L/Cpl. (d.13th Oct 1915)
- Fisher Thomas. Pte. (d.14th October 1914 )
- Gladwin Robert Harold. Pte. (d.30th Sep 1915)
- Gray Walter Joseph. Pte. (d.31st July 1917)
- Griffiths William. Pte. (d.29th Sep 1915)
- Hallowes VC MID. Rupert Price. 2nd Lt. (d.30th Sep 1915)
- Hargreaves Alfred Charles Henry. Pte. (d.23rd Aug 1914)
- Hart James. Pte. (d.28 April 1917)
- Hunt Alfred John. Cpl. (d.21st Oct 1914)
- Johnys Arthur George. Cpl (d.18th December 1914)
- Johnys Arthur G.. A/Cpl. (d.18th December 1914)
- Kiff Reginald Frederick. Cpl. (d.31st July 1917)
- Martin John. Pte.
- McReady-Diarmid VC. Allastair Malcolm Cluny. Capt. (d.1st Dec 1917)
- Millican Reginald Isaac. 2Lt. (d.23rd March 1918)
- Notscheid Walter Charles . Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Page Arthur. Pte.
- Parry Christopher Albert. Pte. (d.26th August 1918)
- Pearce Henry John. A/Sgt. (d.30th Sep 1915)
- Penny Thomas James. Pte. (d.12th Oct 1917)
- Purser Joseph. Pte. (d.18th May 1915)
- Purser Joseph. Pte. (d.18th Jan 1915)
- Randall Edward John. Pte. (d.30th Sep 1915)
- Scotton William. Pte. (d.3rd Feb 1915)
- Sharpe James Reuben. Pte. (d.11th Jun 1916)
- Skilleter Arthur Andrew. Pte.
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 4th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment from other sources.
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Pte. Edward John Randall 4th Btn. Middlesex Regiment (d.30th Sep 1915) Edward Randall served with the 4th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment during WW1 and died on the 30th September 1915. He is remembered on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Belgium. I'm just trying to bring loose ends together and find out where this picture was taken. My Grandfather is top right of picture.
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Capt. Allastair Malcolm Cluny McReady-Diarmid VC. 4th Btn. att. 17th Btn Middlesex Regiment (d.1st Dec 1917)  Allastair McReady-Diarmid was killed in action on the 1st of December 1917, aged 29, he is commemorated on Panel 9 on The Cambrai Memorial in France.
Formerly Arthur Malcolm McReady-Drew he was the son of Herbert L. Drew and Fanny A. Drew (nee McReady), of 71 Goldsmith Avenue, Acton and the husband of Hilda McReady-Diarmid, of Springfield, Dursley, Gloucs. Born at New Southgate, Middlesex.
An extract from The London Gazette, dated 12th March, 1918, records the following:- "For most conspicuous bravery and brilliant leadership. When the enemy penetrated some distance into our position and the situation was extremely critical, Capt. McReady-Diarmid at once led his company forward through a heavy barrage. He immediately engaged the enemy, with such success that he drove them back at least 300 yards, causing numerous casualties and capturing 27 prisoners. The following day the enemy again attacked and drove back another company which had lost all it's officers. This gallant officer at once called for volunteers and attacked. He drove them back again for 300 yards, with heavy casualties. Throughout this attack Capt. McReady-Diarmid led the way himself, and it was absolutely and entirely due to his marvellous throwing of bombs that the ground was regained. His absolute disregard for danger, his cheerfulness and coolness at a most trying time, inspired all who saw him. This most gallant officer was eventually killed by a bomb when the enemy had been driven right back to their original starting point."
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Pte. Joseph Purser 4th Btn. Middlesex Regiment (d.18th May 1915) Private Joseph Purser aged 18 of the 4th Battalion Middlesex Regiment died of his wounds at Chelsea Hospital, he was my Great Uncle.
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Pte. Thomas James Penny 21st Btn. Middlesex Regiment (d.12th Oct 1917) Thomas Penny attested aged 20 years and 2 months for the duration of the war with the 16th Middlesex Regiment, Public School Battalion, Duke of Cambridge’s Own at Woldingham on the 30th March 1915. Thomas joined as a Private and was given the service no. PS/1805, Thomas had been working as a Gardener.
Thomas and the 16th Middlesex Regiment moved in July 1915 to Clipstone Park and then in August to Perham Down. On the 28th of October 1915 Thomas spent 5 days at Pernham Down hospital for treatment for a septic hand.
On the 15th of November 1915 the 16th Middlesex Regiment embarked to France but Thomas was put with the 24th Middlesex Regiment who were a reserve regiment, as he was deemed not fit for foreign service at the time. Throughout the war the 24th Middlesex regiment provided replacements and on the 23rd of January 1916 Thomas left to re-join his friends in the 16th Middlesex Regiment who were in Annequin, France. Thomas joined the 16th Middlesex on 7th of February 1916. Annequin was on the outskirts of Bethune, it was a rather unpleasant part of the line as dead bodies lay rotting, who had died 4 months previously from the Battle of Loos in 1915.
On 29th June 1916 Thomas was seen by the 89th Field Ambulance and then the following day was sent to the 29th Divisional Rest Station, with possibly a problem with his knee. On the 2nd July 1916 Thomas was sent to no.35 Casualty Clearing Station in Doullens. Thomas needed further treatment and was sent back to England to the 2nd General Hospital on 4th July 1916.
Meanwhile on the 1st July 1916 the rest of the 16th Middlesex Battalion of the 29th Division, took part in their first major battle in trenches near Auchovillers opposite the Hawthorn Ridge Redoubt which was the German front line. This is known as The Battle of Albert, part of the Somme campaign in 1916. Only 120 men of the 16th Middlesex Battalion reached the crater. By 10.30am under heavy enemy fire, the men were short of ammunition and the survivors, returned to the British lines. Thomas lost a lot of friends that day and in particular other Warlingham boys, Charles Alfred Elmes and Walter Hoad who are commemorated on the Warlingham War Memorial.
On 7th August 1916 Thomas was at 41 Infantry Base Depot which was a holding camp in Etaples. The base depot received men from England and kept them in training while they waited to be posted. On 2nd September 1916 Thomas was back with the 16th Middlesex Regiment who had been withdrawn from the Somme and sent to Ypres in Belgium. However 15 days later Thomas was seen again by the 89th Field Ambulance and sent to no.10 Casualty Clearing Station in Remy Siding, Belgium and no.12 Casualty Clearing Station in Hazebrouck, Northern France. He was diagnosed with cervical adenitises, an infection of a lymph node in the neck. Thomas was sent to a base hospital, no.3 Canadian Stationary Hospital in Boulogne. On 5th October 1916 Thomas needed further treatment and was sent back to England on Hospital Ship HMHS St Patrick to Dover. Thomas then spent 17 days at Glen Red Cross Hospital, South-end on sea.
On the 2nd November 1916 Thomas was with the 6th Middlesex Regiment who were a depot and training unit in Chatham. On the 8th December 1916 Thomas was back to the 41 Infantry Base Depot, holding camp in Etaples, waiting to be posted to a serving regiment. Thomas was posted to the 21st Middlesex Battalion (Islington) who were serving in France on 27th December 1916. The 21st Middlesex were in the area of Albert at Maricourt. The war diary on the 27th December 1916 says:
Battalion marched to Camp 21 leaving at 9am and arriving at 3.15pm. Condition of camp very muddy. Draft of 96 O.R received from Base (mostly men with previous experience on Western Front but a few only partially trained).
Thomas and the 21st Middlesex Regiment would have spent a few days clearing the Camp particularly the mud and making improvements to the trenches, Asquith Flats, which were very wet and the communication trenches that were impassable.
While serving with the 21st Middlesex Regiment, Thomas fell ill with bronchitis and was seen by the 10th Field Ambulance service on 26th February 1917, this developed into Influenza. Thomas was taken to the 13th General Hospital in Boulogne. On the 3rd March 1917 Thomas was on his way to England on the Hospital Ship HMHS St Denis as he had further problems with myalgia, which is muscle pain. Thomas was likely to have been suffering from Trench Fever which was caused by body lice, a hazard of dirty conditions in the trenches. Easily spread it caused the soldier to suffer from a high fever, headaches, aching muscles and sores on the skin. Thomas was sent to Cambridge Hospital on 11th March 1917 for 14 days.
By the middle of March 1917 Thomas was back at the depot and then on 3rd April 1917 Thomas was posted to the 5th Middlesex Regiment, who were a depot and training unit in Chatham, Kent. Thomas’s final posting was on the 12th May 1917 where Thomas embarked to France to join the 4th Middlesex Regiment ‘D’ Company on 2nd June 1917. 2 Officers and 136 Other Ranks joined the 4th Middlesex that day at Manin, France.
On the 5th June Thomas and the battalion went by motor bus to billets at Beauvois which were described as rather bad and the majority of the men slept in the open. The following day they moved to billets at Tangry and then onto Matringham, North West of Arras where they spent time training.
On the 25th of June 1917 they marched to Kemmel in Belgium, South West of Ypres. The 4th Middlesex Regiment were in the 63rd Brigade, 37th Division and they were sent to Ypres to take part in several battles during the Third Battle of Ypres 1917 better known as Passchendaele.
Thomas and D Company spent time in the front line trenches near ‘Zero Wood’, as working parties, digging and clearing up the trenches in the pouring rain with enemy artillery fire.
18th of July 1917 at Torreken Farm. In the early morning the new type of gas shell was noticed in most Companies. Severe sneezing and watering of the eyes resulted – the smell of the gas was too faint for any adequate idea of its character to be given.
They also spent a lot of time training and in model trenches.
23rd July 1917 Beaver Camp,
The Battalion was practiced in the attack in view of future operations.
28th July 1917 Beaver Camp
Owing to inclement weather the afternoon was spent in lectures on box respirators and various points of interest concerning active operations.
The next offence which was to be The battle of Pilckem Ridge, which commenced on 31st of July 1917 until 2nd of August 1917, this was the opening attack for the Third Battle of Ypres. On the 29th of July 1917 Thomas and the 4th Middlesex Battalion went into the front line.
Zero hour was 3.50am when Thomas and D Company left the safety of the trenches. The war diary states:
31st July 1917,
D Company advanced till its left rested on Bee Farm on the other side of which were the 8th K.O.R Lancaster Regiment. They were out of touch on the right, they reached this position about 5am. The farm was searched and about 40 prisoners taken, half of these were seen to fall under hostile machine gun fire. Between 7am and 8am hostile bombers approached and began to attack their right. They were met with rifle grenades, rifle and lewis gun fire and gave no further trouble.
The war diary goes on to say that from 9am the remains of A Company and Thomas with D Company re-joined the rest of the battalion they were shelled heavily until midday, which caused many casualties. When the ‘Kings Own Regiment’ were counter attacked it was felt that the 4th Middlesex could not hold their shell holed line so were ordered to retire under the protection of the Lewis guns. They went into the line held by the 19th Division, where they met 4 Privates from the Kings Own but no other 19th Division men were seen. Thomas and the 4th Middlesex held this line until the 2nd August 1917 when they were relieved.
The casualties for The Battle of Pilckem for the 4th Middlesex were 5 Officers killed, 1 Officer later died of wounds, 1 Officer wounded and was a German prisoner. Other Ranks 15 killed, 97 wounded, 69 believed wounded and missing and missing believed killed 23.
Along the 15 mile line of this offensive the British Commanders deemed the battle a great success. The G.O.C. of the 37th Division congratulated the 4th Middlesex Regiment saying that they had fully maintained their name The Diehards.
The rest of August 1917 was spent in training, cleaning equipment and as working parties. September, there was torrential rain which made everywhere water logged and the shell holes and craters full of dirty water. In the Ypres Salient the mud was described as sticky and men drowned in this mud.
For the Battle of Menin Road Ridge on 20th until 25th September 1917, the 37th Division was in reserve and the Battle of Polygon Wood, 26th September until 3rd October 1917, the 4th Middlesex were in the area but did not attack.
On the 10th of July 1917 Thomas and the 4th Middlesex were guided to the front line south of Veldhoek. As the battalion passed, Mont Sorrel they went through very heavy shelling where 2 Officers were killed, 6 O.R killed and 5 wounded. On the 11th of October 1917 Thomas and the 4th Middlesex were still in the front line trenches and no rations were set up but the enemy was fairly quiet.
On the 12th October 1917 The First Battle of Passchendaele commenced. The 4th Middlesex Regiment were in the front lines during the battle but they did not engage the enemy that day. The war diary on the 12th October 1917, states:-
The battalion remained in the line. Occasionally Battalion Head Quarters was shelled with light guns. No ration party arrived. 3 ORs killed.
Thomas was one of the three other ranks who was killed that day, aged 22 years old. His father was sent Thomas's tobacco pouch. No will was found to be in Thomas's pay book.
Thomas is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial to the missing, as there is no known grave. The other two men killed that day were Private Arthur Howard and Private James Arthur Doust from the 4th Middlesex Regiment, who are also commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial. The Tyne Cot Memorial has 35,000 names for the Officers and men from the United Kingdom and New Zealand forces, who have no known grave. The memorial bears the names of those who were killed after August 1917, those pre this date are on the Menin Gate. Tyne Cot marks the furthest point in Belgium that the Commonwealth forces reached until the end of the war.
Thomas was awarded the British and Victory medals for services to his Country.
Thomas is commemorated on the Warlingham War Memorial, the All Saints Roll of Honour and at Warlingham Village School.
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A/Cpl. Arthur G. Johnys 4th Btn. Middlesex Regiment (d.18th December 1914) Arthur Johnys earned the 1914 Star British War and the Victory Medal.
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Cpl. Stephen Calvin Carvell 4th Btn. Middlesex Regiment Stephen Carvell was captured at Mons on the 23rd of August 1914.
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Cpl. Reginald Frederick Kiff 4th Btn. Middlesex Regiment (d.31st July 1917) Reginald Kiff served with the 4th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment in WW1 and died 31st of July 1917. He is remembered on the headstone of his parents. He was born in Harrow in 1896 to Thomas and Lizzie Kiff. His service record has survived and gives his address as 7 Claremont Road, Wealdstone. I'm not related to Reginald Kiff but I am researching men who are commemorated at All Saints Church in Harrow.
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2Lt. Reginald Isaac Millican 4th Battalion Middlesex Regiment (d.23rd March 1918) Reginald Millican lies in Bedford House Cemetery in Belgium.
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Pte. William Griffiths 4th Btn. Middlesex Regiment (d.29th Sep 1915) William Griffiths of the 4th Middlesex Regiment died at the age of 32.
Just recently his name has been added to the Addendum panel at The Menin Gate in Ypres.
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Pte. Sidney Harry Blight 4th Battalion Middlesex Regiment (d.24th August 1914) Sidney Blight was my great uncle, my grandfather's elder brother. My grandfather never spoke about Sidney and it was only whilst carrying out other family research that we discovered him.
He is buried in St. Symphoriem Military Cemetery in Belgium.
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Pte. Arthur Page 4th Btn. Middlesex Regiment Arthur Page, along with his wife, were family friends. They didn't have any children. Arthur used to talk to me about the war when I was a young man. I now know he left a lot of the bad things out and having read the history of the Middlesex Regiment on this website I now have a greater understanding of just what they went through.
I have his medals and also his brother's who was in the Kings Royal Rifle Corps along with his death plaque that was always on their sideboard highly polished in tribute.
Arthur arrived in France on the 14th of August 1914. I believe he was under age at the time. Arthur never stopped being a soldier always upright, his shoes polished, even the vegetables in his garden stood to attention in straight lines.
Arthur and his wife Nellie retired to Devon where he passed away in 1969
They were great men!
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L/Cpl. Moses Beckerwick 4th Btn. Middlesex Regiment (d.15th October 1914) Lance Corporal Moses Beckerwick, son of Joseph and Rebecca Inskip of Arthur Street, Ampthill was born in Middlesex. He served with the 4th Battalion Middlesex Regiment. He was killed in action on 15th of October 1914 in France and Flanders and is buried in Arras Road Cemetery, France. He is remembered on The War Memorial, St. Andrews Church, Ampthill. Information courtesy of www.roll-of-honour.com
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Sgt. Alfred Arthur Clarke 4th Battalion Middlesex Regiment (d.21st October 1914) My great uncle Alfred Clarke has no known grave and is remembered on the Le Touret Memoial. He was killed in action on 21st of October 1914 when the 4th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment were positioned in trenches in front of the village of Le Riez. During the 20th and 21st of October 1914 the Germans shelled the village and the Battalion suffered many casualties.
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Pte. Thomas Fisher 4th Battalion. C Coy Middlesex Regiment (d.14th October 1914 ) Thomas Fisher was my great grandfather. He had been a regular and was a reserve. He went to France with his best friend. He was married to Caroline Kate Fisher and they lived in Balham Hill in London. When he was killed his best friend returned from France and married Caroline taking on Tommy's children. True friendship.
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Pte. Henry Albert Denyer-Radford 4th Btn. Middlesex Regiment (d.2nd July 1916) Henry Denyer-Radford served with the 4th Middlesex Regiment.
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Pte. Walter Charles Notscheid 4th Btn. Middlesex Regiment (d.1st Jul 1916) My Great grandfather was born Karl August Notscheid in 1877 in London of German parents.
He enlisted during Dec 1915 under the name Walter Notscheid after being goaded into proving his Englishness by a relative.
He was killed in action at Fricourt on the 1st of July 1916 whilst serving in the 4th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment.
He is buried in the Gordon Dump Cemetery, at Ovillers La Boisselle.
A German relative was serving in the German Artillery on the Somme at the same time and survived the war.
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Pte. Herbert Edward Lynes Archer 4th Battalion Middlesex Regiment (d.1st July 1916) Herbert Archer served with the 4th Battalion Duke of Cambridge's Own Middlesex Regiment.
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L/Cpl. Denis William Dwyer 4th Btn. Middlesex Regiment (d.13th Oct 1915) Denis Dwyer served with the 4th Btn. Middlesex Regiment and was killed on 13th October 1915. I am trying to piece together his war record up to the moment of his death (he was my maternal grandmother's brother). He is remembered with honour and affection on the Menin Gate along with 57,000 who have no known grave.
I am going to Ypres with an organised visit with my son, dad in law & brother-in-law in Oct 2014 & it would be nice to find out about his unit and how he met his end.
It is lucky that both my granddads survived the Great War as both were wounded in action & one was a POW for 2 years. They both went on to have long lives into their 70s & father 3 children a piece.
Any info about my Grand Uncle Dennis would be gratefully received.
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Pte. James Reuben Sharpe 4th Battalion Middlesex Regiment (d.11th Jun 1916) James Sharpe was my mother's cousin. He was the son of James Charles Sharpe and Emily Smith. As far as my research shows, he was the eldest of six children. James was born in 1896 in Winkfield Road, Wood Green, Middlesex, and baptised in the same year at Noel Park, Wood Green. The family were living in Friern Barnet at the time of the 1901 UK census and in New Southgate in 1911. James's birth was registered under the same General Record office reference as his cousin Percival Sharpe, who sadly died in 1912 aboard the liner Titanic.
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Pte. Robert Harold Gladwin 4th Battalion Middlesex Regiment (d.30th Sep 1915) Robert Harold Gladwin served with the 4th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment. He died on 30th September 1915.
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