- 2nd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers during the Great War -
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About
2nd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers
2nd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) were in Calcutta, India when war broke out in August 1914. As soon as a territorial unit arrived to take over the garrison, they departed for England, arriving in December and joining 86th Brigade, 29th Division at Nuneaton. They were training for France when orders arrived to prepare to depart for Gallipoli. They embarked from Avonmouth between the 16th and 22nd of March 1915 sailing via Malta to Alexandria then on to Mudros in April. They landed at Cape Helles, Gallipoli on the 25th of April 1915 and were involved in heavy fighting until the evacuation on the nights of the 7th and 8th of January 1916 when they returned to Egypt. In March they were sent to France, sailing to Marseilles and travelling by train to concentrate in the area east of Pont Remy by the end of March. In July they went into action in the Battles of the Somme. In 1917 they were in action in the The First, Second and Third Battle of the Scarpe during the Arras Offensive, then moved to Flanders and fought in the The Battle of Langemarck, The Battle of Broodseinde and The Battle of Poelcapelle. Before moving south for The Battle of Cambrai. In 1918 they were in action in The Battle of Estaires, at Messines and The Battle of Hazebrouck including the defence of Nieppe Forest and The Battle of Bailleul. They were involved in The Action of Outtersteene Ridge, The capture of Ploegsteert and Hill 63 during the Advance in Flanders. At the Armistice the 29th Division was selected to march into Germany to occupy the Rhine bridgehead, they crossed the Belgian-German border at Malmedy on the 4th of December 1918. Demobilisation began in December.
21st of November 1914 Regiments Under-strength
18th Jan 1915 Orders
19th Jan 1915 Preparations
20th Jan 1915 Leave
21st Jan 1915 Colours
22nd Jan 1915 Training
23rd Jan 1915 Interior Economy
24th Jan 1915 Church Parade
25th Jan 1915 Preparations
26th Jan 1915 Preparations
27th Jan 1915 Preparations
28th Jan 1915 Preparations
29th Jan 1915 Preparations
1st Feb 1915 Preparations
2nd Feb 1915 Route March
3rd Feb 1915 Horses
4th Feb 1915 Route March
5th Feb 1915 Reorganisation
6th Feb 1915 Drill
7th Feb 1915 Church Parade
8th Feb 1915 Preparations
9th Feb 1915 Preparations
10th Feb 1915 Route March
11th Feb 1915 Route March
12th Feb 1915 Route March
13th Feb 1915 New Rifles
14th Feb 1915 Church Parade
15th Feb 1915 On the Ranges
16th Feb 1915 Training
17th Feb 1915 Training
18th Feb 1915 Training
19th Feb 1915 Route March
20th Feb 1915 Passes
21st Feb 1915 Church Parade
22nd Feb 1915 Training
23rd Feb 1915 Training
24th Feb 1915 Orders
25th Feb 1915 Inspection
26th Feb 1915 Training
27th Feb 1915 Passes
Feb 1915 Training
28th Feb 1915 Church Parade
1st Mar 1915 Billets
2nd Mar 1915 Training
3rd Mar 1915 Training
4th Mar 1915 Interior Economy
Mar 1915 Training
5th Mar 1915 Promotions
6th Mar 1915 On the Move
7th Mar 1915 Church Parade
8th Mar 1915 Training
9th Mar 1915 Training
10th Mar 1915 Training
11th Mar 1915 Training
12th Mar 1915 Inspection
12th Mar 1915 Inspection
13th Mar 1915 Orders
14th Mar 1915 Orders
15th Mar 1915 On the Move
16th Mar 1915 On the Move
17th Mar 1915 On the Move
17th Mar 1915 On the Move
18th Mar 1915 On the Move
19th Mar 1915 On the Move
20th Mar 1915 On the Move
21st Mar 1915 On the Move
22nd Mar 1915 On the Move
23rd Mar 1915 On the Move
24th Mar 1915 On the Move
24th Mar 1915 Transport
26th Mar 1915 On the Move
28th Mar 1915 On the Move
29th Mar 1915 Accomodation
30th Mar 1915 Into Billets
30th Mar 1915 In Camp
31st Mar 1915 Training
31st Mar 1915 Route March
1st Apr 1915 Orders Issued
2nd Apr 1915 Orders Issued
3rd Apr 1915 Preparations
6th Apr 1915 Inspection
7th Apr 1915 On the Move
9th Apr 1915 Embarkation
10th Apr 1915 Embarkation
19th Apr 1915 Orders
20th Apr 1915 Orders
21st Apr 1915 Conference
22nd Apr 1915 Preparations
23rd Apr 1915 Transports Sail
24th Apr 1915 At Sea
25th Apr 1915 Landing
27th Apr 1915 Holding the Line
27th Apr 1915 Reorganisation
28th Apr 1915 Ground Gained
28th Apr 1915 Attack Made
29th Apr 1915 Quieter
30th Apr 1915 Enemy Advance
1st May 1915 Enemy Attacks
2nd May 1915 Counter Attack
3rd May 1915 Counter Attack
4th May 1915 Under Fire
6th May 1915 In Action
7th May 1915 In Action
12th Jun 1915 Reliefs Completed
18th Jun 1915 Inspection
23rd Jun 1915 Reliefs
28th Jun 1915 Attack Made
2nd Jul 1915 Heavy Shelling
11th Jul 1915 2nd Royal Fusiliers sail from Dover The 2nd Battalion Royal Fusilers sailed from Dover for Devonport enroute to the Dardanelles.
13th Jul 1915 2nd Royal Fusiliers sail from Devonport The 2nd Battalion Royal Fusilers sailed from Devonport for Malta enroute to the Dardanelles.
21st Jul 1915 2nd Royal Fusiliers arrived in Malta The 2nd Battalion Royal Fusilers arrived Malta enroute to the Dardanelles.
22nd Jul 1915 2nd Royal Fusiliers sail from Malta The 2nd Battalion Royal Fusilers sailed from Malta enroute to the Dardanelles via Alexandria.
25th Jul 1915 2nd Royal Fusiliers land in Alexandria The 2nd Battalion Royal Fusilers land in Alexandia enroute to the Dardanelles.
27h Jul 1915 2nd Royal Fusilierssail from Alexandria The 2nd Battalion Royal Fusilers sailed from Alexandia for Lemnos enroute to the Dardanelles.
27th Jul 1915 Orders
28th Jul 1915 Reliefs Completed
30th Jul 1915 2nd Royal Fusiliers pass through Lemnos The 2nd Battalion Royal Fusilers arribed at Lemnos Harbour and transferred to HM Gunboat Newmarket, setting sail for Cape Helles, arriving at midnight.
30th Jul 1915 News
31st Jul 1915 2nd Royal Fusiliers land on Cape Helles The 2nd Battalion Royal Fusilers landed at Cape Helles from HM Gunboat Newmarket and went straight into the lines.
1st Aug 1915 2nd Royal Fusiliers attack H12 The 2nd Battalion Royal Fusilers attack the Turks at H12 from the 1st to the 5th of August,
1st Aug 1915 Shelling
2nd Aug 1915 Trenches Stengthened
5th Aug 1915 Reliefs
6th Aug 1915 1st Essex and 88th Brigade go over top at Cape Helles The 1st Essex and 88th Brigade went over the top at Calle Helles, supported by the 86th Brigade including the 2nd Royal Fusilers. They were heavily repulsed and forced to retire.
6th Aug 1915 Attack Made
7th Aug 1915 Withdrawal
11th Aug 1915 Demonstration
19th Aug 1915 Water Scarce
20th Aug 1915 2nd Royal Fusiliers leave Cape Helles for Cape Sulva The 2nd Royal Fusilers proceeded from Cape Helles to Cape Sulva.
21st Aug 1915 2nd Royal Fusiliers under heavy fire The 2nd Royal Fusilers were under heavy fire from the Turks at Cape Sulva, a bombardment which lasted three dats.
21st Aug 1915 Assault Made
9th Sep 1915 2nd Royal Fusiliers proceed to Imbros The 2nd Royal Fusilers left Chocolate Hill and proceeded to Imbross aboard HMS Usmanier for a period of rest
21st Sep 1915 2nd Royal Fusiliers departed from Imbros The 2nd Royal Fusilers departed from Imbross and returned to the firing line the following day.
16th Oct 1915 2nd Royal Fusiliers make an attack The 2nd Royal Fusilers made an unsucessful attack on a sap.
16th Oct 1915 The Derby Scheme
17th Oct 1915 2nd Royal Fusiliers take a sap Ten men and Sergeant of the 2nd Royal Fusilers made another attack on the sap, this time capturing it succesfully.
26th Nov 1915 A Terrible Storm
26th Nov 1915 A Tremedous Flood
27th Nov 1915 Trenches Flooded
28th Nov 1915 Snow
29th Nov 1915 Bitter Wind
30th Nov 1915 Survivors Inspected
30th Nov 1915 Reliefs
1st Dec 1915 Derby Scheme Armlets
1st Dec 1915 Battalion Strength
5th Dec 1915 Reliefs
11th Sep 1915 Last day of Derby Scheme Recruitment
11th Dec 1915 Reliefs
12th Dec 1915 Reliefs
18th Dec 1915 Units leave Gallipoli The evacuation from Gallipoli to Imbros took place over the nights of 18th & 19th December 1915.
10th Jan 1916 Group System Reopens
17th Jan 1916 2nd Royal Fusiliers depart Mundros The 2nd Royal Fusilers sailed from Mundros aboard the Empress of Britain bound for Alexandria.
20th Jan 1916 2nd Royal Fusiliers arrive Mustapha Pasha The 2nd Royal Fusilers arrived at Mustapha Pasha from Alexandria.
9th February 1916 Call Ups
18th Feb 1916 2nd Royal Fusiliers leave Mustapha Pasha The 2nd Royal Fusilers entrain at Mustapha Pasha for Port Jewfick, Suez.
26th Feb 1916 Orders
28th Feb 1916 Reliefs
2nd Mar 1916 2nd Royal Fusiliers leave Suez The 2nd Royal Fusilers embarked from Port Jewfick aboard the Alaunia, sailing through the Canel to Port Said.
2nd Mar 1916 On the Move
3rd Mar 1916 Reliefs
16th Mar 1916 2nd Royal Fusiliers depart Port Suez The 2nd Royal Fusilers embarked from Port Suez for Marseilles via Malta.
22nd Mar 1916 2nd Royal Fusiliers arrive in France The 2nd Royal Fusilers arrived at Marseilles from Port Suez and entrained for Port Remy.
24th Mar 1916 2nd Royal Fusiliers arrive Port Remy The 2nd Royal Fusilers arrived Port Remy by train from Marseilles and marched 15 miles to Coulon Villiers.
4th Apr 1916 2nd Royal Fusiliers march to Beauval The 2nd Royal Fusilers left Coulon Villiers and marched to Beauval, then to Englebelmer.
21st Apr 1916 2nd Royal Fusiliers at Auchonvillers The 2nd Royal Fusilers arrived at Auchonvillers and were engaged in trench work at Beaumont Hamel.
18th May 1916 2nd Royal Fusiliers into Trenches The 2nd Royal Fusilers went into the trenches near Mally-Maillet.
2nd Sep 1916 In the Trenches
3rd Sep 1916 Reliefs Completed
20th Feb 1918 Working Parties & Concert
21st Feb 1918 Working Parties & Concert
22nd Feb 1918 Concert
23rd Feb 1918 ConcertIf you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
Want to know more about 2nd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers?
There are:5403 items tagged 2nd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers 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
2nd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers
during the Great War 1914-1918.
- Ainsworth Gerald. L/Cpl. (d.27th March 1918)
- Arkwright Alfred Stanley. Pte. (d.25th Apr 1915)
- Atkins Herbert Ernest King. Pte. (d.26 May 1915)
- Baber George Robert. Pte. (d.22nd Sep 1918)
- Baber George Robert. Pte. (d.22nd Sep 1918)
- Beames Frank Rupert. Pte. (d.28th February 1917)
- Bowie Edward John. Lt.
- Brooks Henry William. Pte. (d.25th November 1916)
- Bulbeck Henry Edmund. Lt. (d.6th Nov 1916)
- Carey William James. Pte. (d.22nd Nov 1917)
- Cooper David. Pte. (d.27th October 1916)
- Cunningham William. Pte. (d.1st July 1916)
- Davies MM. Robert William. Pte.
- Davis Percival James. Pte. (d.16th Oct 1916)
- Doughty Alfred John. Pte.
- Draper G. Pte
- Ellse Ogden. Pte.
- Evans Arthur. Pte. (d.1st July 1916)
- Evans Arthur. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
- Farr William Charles. (d.9th Oct 1917 )
- Firmston William. Sgt (d.13th April 1918)
- Frost Gilbert Henry. Pte. (d.8th Nov 1915)
- Goodhand George. Cpl.
- Hawkins Walter Thomas. Pte. (d.29th September 1918)
- Higginson Arthur. Pte (d.12th Aug 1917)
- Hill Edward John. Pte. (d.28th Feb 1917)
- Hobbs Thomas William. Pte. (d.26th Oct 1917)
- Holloway John E.. Lt. (d.7th May 1915)
- Jennings George William. Pte. (d.11th August 1917)
- Joel MM. Joseph Henry. Sgt.
- Jones Henry. Pte. (d.30th June 1915)
- Kiff Henry Arthur . Pte (d.25th April 1915)
- Lloyd F. J.T.. QMS (d.26th September 1915)
- McAlpin MiD. Kenneth Furgus. T/Capt
- McMahon John. Pte. (d.2nd Oct 1915)
- Mitchell Geoffrey Arthur Nevett. Cpl.
- Munden CdeG. Marwood Mintern. Lt.
- Nice Frederick William. Pte. (d.24th April 1917)
- Parr Stanley. Pte.
- Seal Thomas. Pte (d.1st July 1916)
- Smallwood Rowland. Pte.
- Spry William T.. Pte. (d.14th June 1918)
- Tate Arthur Lewis. Pte. (d.9th October 1917)
- Tonge Reginald Severn. L/Cpl. (d.17th Feb 1917)
- Vale Edward Charles. Pte. (d.9th Oct 1917)
- Wells Hurleston Vesey. Capt. (d.12th April 1918)
- White Leonard Gilbert. Pte. (d.16th November 1918)
- White Leonard Gilbert. Fus. (d.16th November 1918)
- Williams Charles Edward. Cpl. (d.27th Oct 1916)
- Willis Henry. Pte. (d.1st July 1916)
- Wood Monthem Frank. Pte.
- Wright James. Pte.
- Wright William Albert. Staff Sgt. (d.7th Dec 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, Royal Fusiliers from other sources.
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Sgt William Firmston 2nd Btn. Y Coy. Royal Fusiliers (d.13th April 1918)William Firmston was the son of William Henry and Emily Emma Firmston, of 9 Schoolhouse Lane, Teddington, Middx. He is remembered on the Ploegsteert Memorial to the Missing and also served in Gallipoli.Peter Firmston
L/Cpl. Reginald Severn Tonge 22nd Btn, Royal Fusiliers (d.17th Feb 1917)Reginald Tonge was killed in action the 17th of February 1917, aged 37 and is buried in Dernancourt Communal Cemetery Extension in France. He was the son of Julia Tonge, of Raby Lodge, 35 Oliver Grove, South Norwood, London.s flynn
Pte. George Robert Baber 2nd Btn. Royal Fusiliers (d.22nd Sep 1918)George Baber enlisted with the 2nd London Regiment and was posted to 2nd Btn. Royal Fusiliers.John Baber
Pte. Arthur Evans 2nd Btn Royal Fusiliers (d.1st Jul 1916)After many years we located my grandfather, Arthur Evans in Hawthorn Ridge Cemetery No 2. My Father, of the same name, never met his own father who had been killed a few months after my father had been born, but at the ripe old age of 80, and with failing health I managed to get him, with the help of family members, to Hawthorn Ridge to see his own father's grave. It was a very very sad day and a few months later my dad died.John Evans
Pte. James Wright 24th Btn. Royal FusiliersJames Wright served with 24th Royal Fusiliers in the Great War. He also served with the 1st, 2nd and 12th Royal Fusiliers. He also served with the Canadian Army during WW2.
Pte. Frank Rupert Beames 2nd Btn. Royal Fusiliers (d.28th February 1917)Frank Beames served with the 2nd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers in WW1. He died 28th of February 1917 aged 21 years and is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial in France. Son of James Rupert and Kezia Beames of The Limes, Hatton, Feltham, Middx.Hazel Orchard
Pte. Gilbert Henry Frost 2nd Btn. Royal Fusiliers (d.8th Nov 1915)Gilbert Frost served with the the 2nd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers in WW1. He died of wounds in the Balkan Theatre (Gallipoli), only a short time after joining up on 8th of November 1915. Gilbert had worked as a beer seller and on his death left a widow, Mary May (Sunderland) of Beresford Street, Shelton, Stoke-on-Trent. He was the son of Albert K Frost (deceased at that time) and Evelyn Lucy Frost. He died aged 33 years and is buried in Hill 10 Cemetery in Turkey.Lee Nicon
Pte. Henry Jones 2nd Battalion Royal Fusiliers (d.30th June 1915)Henry Jones was the elder brother of my Grandfather Leonard. My Grandfather never spoke of him, and it was not until many years after the death of my beloved Grandfather that I found out of his existence.I remember as a child being at my Grandparent's on 11th November each year and the television being on and Grandad sitting in his chair quietly watching the event, not knowing about Great Uncle Henry.
Great Uncle Henry is buried at the Lancashire Landing Cemetery, Turkey. This information was found for me by the CWGC.
Rosalind Hedges
Pte. John McMahon 2nd Btn. Royal Irish Fusiliers (d.2nd Oct 1915)John McMahon, born in Cara Street in Clones in 1892 was one of those who never came home. The youngest of the 13 children of William & Mary McMahon, John grew up in a staunch nationalist home environment, with his mother and many of his siblings taking an active role in the struggle for Irish independence. The harsh economic realities of life in the early years of the 20th century drove John down a different path and seen him enlisting in the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Irish Fusiliers. For many young men of his generation the British Army offered an opportunity for gainful employment and the excitement of travelling to the far corners of the then flourishing British Empire.Before the outbreak of World War 1 John was stationed in India, but in 1915 as hostilities escalated, John`s regiment was recalled to England prior to being deployed to the Western Front. Hoping he would be given some rest and relaxation after the seven week arduous journey on the high seas, John penned a letter to his mother back home in Clones. It would be the last contact Mary McMahon had with her youngest son.
Dear Mother, Just a few lines hoping to find you well as I am well myself. We arrived in England on the 21st of this month, we were 7 weeks on the water. I got your letter when we arrived in camp. We are in Winchester Camp and it is very cold. We don't know when we are for the front. I expect it won't be very long. We might get 5 days pass, if I do you can expect me home in a couple of days. Goodbye, Wright soon Johnie.
Private John McMahon, aged 23 years, died by a sniper`s bullet on Saturday 2nd of October 1915. His mortal remains lay in Hangard Communal Cemetery in the Somme region of Northern France.
Paul McMahon
Pte. Arthur Evans 2nd Battalion Royal Fusiliers (d.1st July 1916)My Grandfather, Arthur Evans, was killed on the first day of the Battle of the Somme. My Grandmother was expecting my father at the time, he was killed before he had the chance to see him. She called my father Arthur Evans in memory of his father. Over the years my father never mentioned him and didn't know where he was buried. He he got to the ripe old age of 80years when my brother in law contacted the War Graves Commission out of interest to see if any information was available. In the following months we had all the information needed. At the time my father's health had deteriorated but we managed to get him to the Somme to see his own father's grave. A very emotional time for all concerned sadly it was to be one of the last things he did before he died.John Evans
Fus. Leonard Gilbert White 2nd Btn. Royal Fusiliers (d.16th November 1918)Leonard White was a milkman. He enlisted at Shoreham Camp at Shoreham by Sea, Sussex in 1914. He served through the Dardanelles Campaign, also served in Egypt, then to the trenches on Western Front. He was wounded in Nov 1918 days before the Armistice was signed. He died of wounds in a Miltary Hospital in Liverpool on 16th of November 1918. He is buried in Mill Lane Cemetery at Shoreham by Sea. His mother was a midwife Mrs Caroline White of 5 Buckingham Cottages, Shoreham by Sea.G L White
Pte. Leonard Gilbert White 2nd Btn. Royal Fusiliers (d.16th November 1918)My great uncle, Leonard White, enlisted in the 2nd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers at Shoreham Camp, which was Training Camp situated on the South Downs. He served at Gallpoli, but was wounded just before the war's end, and died of wounds at a hospital in Liverpool. His body was transferred to Shoreham-by-Sea. He was aged 31, and a bachelor. His civilian job was as a milkman.
T/Capt Kenneth Furgus McAlpin MiD. 2nd Battalion Royal FusiliersWhen Grandfather, Kenneth, left Marlborough College, he joined Guy's Hospital to start his training as a dental surgeon. However, he also joined the University of London Officer Training Corps, where he remained until 12th September 1915. He he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant into the Light Royal Fusiliers (now known as the Regiment of Fusiliers), 2nd Battalion, arriving on the 12 November 1915 in the Dardanelles, Gallipoli.By the 16th November he had his first battle field promotion to T/Lieutenant. It was during this time that he was transferred to the Machine Gun section of the Battalion, which would in time form part of the Machine Gun Corp. where he would see action later on in the Great War as part of the 52 Battalion Machine Gun Corp
He was finally evacuated from Gallipoli as part of the general withdrawal back to Palestine in December 1915, where the battalion stayed until embarking to Marseille, France in April 1916. As part of the pre planning and build up for what we now know as the Battle of the Somme, the battalion made its second debut in major operations in another attempt to achieve the impossible. On this occasion it took part as part of the 29th Division in the holding attack north of Ancre. It was here that Grandpa received his second battlefield promotion to T/Captain.
He was wounded during the Battle of the Somme on 16th of August 1916 at Delville Wood. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find out the nature of the wound, but it was, I expect nothing too serious as he was back at the front fairly quickly. He remained in the front line in France until December 1916, when the battalion where again withdrawn back to Palestine, where the battalion stayed for the whole of 1917.
In January 1918, the Battalion found itself back on the western front, where the Battalion was heavily engaged with the Big Push by the German Imperial Army and the resulting The Spring Offensive, then later in the Battle of Amiens in August 1918, which has seen the nation remembering this decisive battle, which is widely recognised as the turning point in the Great War, where the lessons of the Somme had been learnt. This battle saw for the first time Infantry, Artillery and Tank regiments together with the air support all coordinating in one single action, with devastating results, that the German Imperial Army where never to recover from.
Grandpa stayed in France after the amnesties on the 11th of November 1918 until Spring 1919. It was during this period that Grandpa was Mentioned in Dispatches on 2 separate occasions. The first occasion was in the dispatch from General Sir Edward Allenby on the 5thof April 1918 and the second occasion was in the dispatch from General Haig on the 8th of November 1918. Unfortunately, I have not been able to see what he did to warrant these mentions. I have no recollection of this been discussed within the family. Unfortunately, we will probably never know, as the majority of the records in the War Office where destroyed by a direct hit during the 2nd World War.
This period also saw the last of his battle field promotions, to A/Major in the Machine Gun Corps on the 25th April 1918. He was finally discharged from the regular Army in Aug 1919, where he resumed his studies at Guy's Hospital to finally qualify as a dental surgeon.
Robert McAlpin
Pte. Arthur Lewis Tate 2nd Btn. Royal Fusiliers (d.9th October 1917)Private Arthur Lewis Tate was born in Holborn in 1893. His family moved to 19 Gloucester Road, Acton and he was educated at St Mary's School.He enlisted in Hounslow with the 2nd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, service no. L/15226. At the beginning of the war he was serving in India, then served in France and the Dardanelles where he caught malaria. He was then moved to the Western Front and died on the 9th of October 1917, aged 24 during the third Battle of Ypres. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium. He is remembered on the War Memorial, St Mary's Church, Acton, London.
Information courtesy of www.stmaryacton.org.uk
Caroline Hunt
Pte. Robert William Davies MM. 69th Coy. Machine Gun CorpsRobert Davies was my grandfather, he died in 1981 in Stockton on Tees, Co Durham. During the attack of the 69th Brigade on the Hill 60 Sector on 7th of June 1917. He was wounded in the wrist and was awarded the Military Medal for his actions.Later in the War my Grandfather was taken prisoner by the Germans, he finally arrived home on Stockton on Tees around March 1922.
I am still in the process of trying to find more details of his history between 1917 and 1922.
John Davies
Pte. George William Jennings 1st Btn. Royal Fusiliers (d.11th August 1917)George Jennings was one of four brothers who served during the Great War. He served with the 1st & 2nd Btns. Royal Fusiliers. Only two of the brothers returned home in 1918, both George and his brother Percy died during the Battle of Passchendaele the Third Battle of Ypres. Georges body was never recovered, probably a victim of the Flanders mud during this terrible battle.Peter Jennings
Pte. Stanley Parr 2nd Btn. Royal FusiliersI'm not sure when my grandfather, Stanley Parr, joined the British Army; whether he volunteered or was conscripted. He would have joined from his home city of Sheffield but it is uncertain how he found himself in the second battalion in the Royal Fusiliers, a Regular British Army formation.His older brother, Herbert Parr, a Private in the 9th KOYLI, died of wounds in early May 2017. His grave is at Warlencourt Halte, between Arras and Doullens.
Both brothers are named on the Eccleshall War Memorial in Sheffield.
We know Stanley was captured after being gassed and wounded, probably in late 1917. He spent some time in a POW camp, Fort MacDonald near Lille, evidently with many Portuguese POWs, before being transported east to Poland where he was put to work in a salt mine. On release at the end of the war he evidently wandered eastern Europe, probably with other POWs attempting to get home. He contacted Spanish 'flu in Switzerland but was nursed back to some form of health in a Red Cross hospital there. He returned to Sheffield in 1919. We have a small silver medallion he received from the City of Sheffield indicating he was a POW 1919.
Stanley couldn't work properly because of his war injuries. He died in 1931 and is buried at the Eccleshall cemetery in Sheffield
Tony Parr
Pte. Edward Charles Vale Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry (d.9th Oct 1917)Edward Vale was born in 1890 at Ely, Cambridgeshire, son of William and Ellen Vale. He previously served with 2nd Royal Fusiliers and 2nd and 6th Battalions Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry before transferring to the 1/4th Battalion. His name appears on the War Office Daily Casualty List (Wounded), 24th September 1917, Edward died at Knightshayes V.A.D. Hospital, near Tiverton, Devon, of wounds received in France, 9th of October 1917. Buried in Chevithorne (St Thomas) Churchyard, Devon, he is remembered on the Stretham, Cambs War Memorial.Colin Green
Pte. George Robert Baber 2/2nd Btn. (d.22nd Sep 1918)George Baber served with the 2nd Royal Fusiliers before being posted to 2nd/2nd Battalion, London Regiment.
Capt. Hurleston Vesey Wells 2nd Battalion Royal Fusiliers (d.12th April 1918)Hurleston Wells is remembered on the Ploegsteert Memorial.Peter Vesey Wells
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