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8th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers    8th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) was raised at Hounslow on 21st August 1914 as part of Kitchener's First New Army and joined 36th Brigade, 12th (Eastern) Division. 36th Brigade underwent training at Colchester then final training was undertaken near Aldershot from the 20th of February 1915, with the cavalry, motor machine gun battery, sanitary and veterinary sections joining. The Division proceeded to France between the 29th of May and 1st of June 1915 landing at Boulogne, they concentrated near St Omer and by 6th of June were in the Meteren-Steenwerck area with Divisional HQ being established at Nieppe. They underwent instruction from the more experienced 48th (South Midland) Division and took over a section of the front line at Ploegsteert Wood on the 23rd of June 1915. They were in action in The Battle of Loos from the 30th of September, taking over the sector from Gun Trench to Hulluch Quarries consolidating the position, under heavy artillery fire. On the 8th they repelled a heavy German infantry attack and on the 13th took part in the Action of the Hohenzollern Redoubt, capturing Gun Trench and the south western face of the Hulluch Quarries. During this period at Loos, 117 officers and 3237 men of the Division were killed or wounded.By the 21st they moved to Fouquieres-les-Bethune for a short rest then returned to the front line at the Hohenzollern Redoubt until the 15th of November, when they went into reserve at Lillers. On the 9th of December, 9th Royal Fusiliers assisted in a round-up of spies and other suspicious characters in the streets of Bethune. On the 10th the Division took over the front line north of La Bassee canal at Givenchy. On the 19th of January they began a period of training in Open Warfare at Busnes, then moved back into the front line at Loos on the 12th of February 1916. In June they moved to Flesselles and carried out a training exercise. They moved to Baizieux on the 30th June and went into the reserve at Hencourt and Millencourt by mid morning on the 1st of July. They relieved the 8th Division at Ovillers-la-Boisselle that night and attacked at 3.15 the following morning with mixed success. On the 7th they attacked again and despite suffering heavy casualties in the area of Mash Valley, they succeeded in capturing and holding the first and second lines close to Ovillers. They were withdrawn to Contay on the 9th July. They were in action in The Battle of Pozieres on the 3rd of August with a successful attack capturing 4th Avenue Trench and were engaged in heavy fighting until they were withdrawn on the 9th. They moved north and in 1917 were in action at Arras in The First Battle of the Scarpe, The Battle of Arleux and The Third Battle of the Scarpe. They remained in the Arras sector until the 30th of October when they moved to Hesdin for the Cambrai offensive in which the Division suffered heavy losses. The 8th Royal Fusiliers was disbanded in France on the 6th of February 1918 when teh army was reorganised.    The Arras Offensive The First Battle of the Scarpe As early as January 1917, the Division received notice that it would take part in an offensive at Arras. It moved to the front in that sector on 14 January. It did not leave other than for periods of rest until towards the end of 1917. The position held at Arras was not affected by the German withdrawal from the Somme to the Hindenburg Line in March. The task of the Division, now part of VI Corps, in the Arras attack was to capture the enemy's "Black Line" (forward position) then go on to the "Brown Line" (the Wancourt-Feuchy trench including the strong point at Feuchy Chapel). The artillery bombardment opened on 4 April 1917 and the infantry - many of whom had been able to approach the front line in the long tunnels and subways reaching out from Arras itself - advanced behind a creeping barrage on 9 April. Resistance was rapidly overcome; fine counter-battery work had stifled the German guns. The leading troops quickly captured the Black Line, but German fire increased as successive waves came through to advance on the Feuchy Switch trench, notably from Observation Ridge. In places, the German soldiers were seen retreating at a run and by noon, 37th Division had pushed through with orders to capture Monchy le Preux. The 12th Division remained in position, as snow and sleet fell. On the night 11-12 April, 36th and 37th Brigades moved up and relieved units of of 8th Cavalry Brigade east of Monchy. Next day, 29th Division relieved 12th Division, whereupon the units moved back to the area between Arras and Doullens. The attack had been highly successful, making an advance on the Divisional front of some 4000 yards for a total of 2018 casualties. The Battle of Arleux After a ten day rest the Division re-entered the Arras battlefield, 37th Brigade going into the forward positions between the north east of Monchy and the River Scarpe. On 28 April, formations north of 12th Division undertook an operation to capture Roeux. 35th Brigade took part and attacked Rifle and Bayonet Trench but owing to heavy enemy shellfire and machine guns firing from Roeux - which was not captured - fell back to its start point. The Third Battle of the Scarpe This action included the Division's role in the capture of Roeux. A larger effort - including the British Fifth, Third and First Armies - took place on 3 May 1917, with an artillery bombardment that began two days earlier. 12th Division's role was to make an advance of some 2500 yards, including the capture of Pelves on the left flank. A preliminary attack on the left by 36th Brigade in the early hours of 2 May, including a gas barrage fired by Livens projectors, was not entirely successful but apparently caused considerable casualties to the enemy. The main attack was of mixed fortune, although 7th Royal Sussex reached the objective and then beat off determined counter attacks. Once again, German shellfire was the primary cause of problems and and heavy machine gun fire from Roeux caused many casualties. Shellfire was heavy over the next few days and the uncertain position of the advanced troops in Devil's Trench meant that British artillery was cautious in replying on German trenches. The Division was relieved on 16 May and moved to the area of Le Cauroy, having suffered a total of 141 officers and 3380 other ranks casualties since 25 April 1917. Between 17 May and 19 October 1917, the Division held positions east of Monchy le Preux, mounting several raids and small scale attacks and beating off some made against them, notably in the area of Hook Trench - Pick Avenue - Tites Copse. Much manual work took place, for the position held in May was of shell holes and disconnected parts of trenches, with few dugouts and no communications. When out of the line, units took part in training at Beaurains, where a scale model of the area occupied had been built for the purposes of instruction. A very successful major raid was carried out on 14 October. Five days later the Division was relieved by 4th Division, and returned to La Cauroy. (It should be noted that in holding the Arras front for as long as it did, 12th Division did not take part in the Third Battle of Ypres). The Cambrai operations Divisional HQ moved to Hesdin on 30 October, preparatory to a move to the Cambrai front. Commander in Chief Sir Douglas Haig watched a rehearsal attack carried out by 6th Buffs and 7th East Surrey on 13 November. Next day, a gradual move to the Heudecourt - Vaucelette Farm area began, where the Division went into III Corps for the offensive. It was the right-most formation of the attacking force. The special role of 12th Division in the attack of 20 November 1917 was to capture its first objective and then form a defensive flank to the south east, keeping in touch with 55th (West Lancashire) Division which was not attacking. Advancing from Gonnelieu, the Division moved forward through Sonnet and Pam Pam Farms, Bonavis and Lateau Wood, and dug in a defensive flank to allow the cavalry to pass unrestricted, as ordered. On the extreme right of the attack, the 7th Royal Sussex got into Banteux, which had been subjected to gas attack from Livens projectors.The next three days were spent in consolidating as the centre of the battle moved to the north. On 24 November a local operation to move the line to Quarry Post - Bleak Quarry - to gain command of a better line of observation - was carried out by 35th and 36th Brigades, which met with mixed success. By 29 November it had become apparent that the enemy was assembling a force in the area of Villers Guislain, south of 12th Division in area of 55th. Warning orders were issued: just in time, for on 30 November at 6.45am, heavy shellfire began to fall and by 7.45am Divisional HQ was already out of touch with its forward units. The failure of the 24 November attack now became apparent as the enemy had invisibly assembled a considerable attacking force in the canal valley. A hard and confused fight followed as the German infantry advanced, the Division falling back across the recently won ground. By the end of the day the line had held at La Vacquerie. Further German efforts on 1 December were largely held off, although by now losses to some units had been as high as 50% of the strength they had before the counter attack. Relieved on 3-4 December, the Division - excluding its artillery which stayed a while longer - moved to Albert and from there moved by train to Aire, with billets at nearby Thiennes and Berguette. 24th Jun 1915 Reliefs   25th Jun 1915 Reliefs 6th Jul 1915 Relief 18th Jul 1915 Transport Moves 21st Jul 1915 Reliefs Completed 2nd Aug 1915 Reliefs Complete 8th Aug 1915 Artillery In Action 14th Aug 1915 Reliefs Completed 26th Aug 1915 Reliefs 1st Sep 1915 Relief 7th Sep 1915 Inspection 13th Sep 1915 Reliefs 19th Sep 1915 Reliefs 27th September 1915 Orders 1st Oct 1915 Consolidation 16th Oct 1915 The Derby Scheme 19th October 1915 Reliefs 21st Oct 1915 Reliefs 25th Oct 1915 On the March   28th Oct 1915 Reliefs 2nd Nov 1915 In the Trenches 12th Nov 1915 Reliefs 14th Nov 1915 Reliefs Complete   18th Nov 1915 On the March   1st Dec 1915 Derby Scheme Armlets 11th Sep 1915 Last day of Derby Scheme Recruitment 15th Dec 1915 Reliefs 25th Dec 1915 Artillery Active   27th Dec 1915 Reliefs 29th Dec 1915 Enemy Mine Fired 8th Jan 1916 Reliefs   10th Jan 1916 Group System Reopens 16th Jan 1916 On the Move 19th Jan 1916 Drill 20th Jan 1916 Inspection 25th Jan 1916 Route March 30th Jan 1916 On the March 1st Feb 1916 Orders Cancelled 3rd Feb 1916 Reorganisation 5th Feb 1916 Change of Billets 9th February 1916 Call Ups 16th Feb 1916 Reliefs 2nd Mar 1916 Attack Made 3rd Mar 1916 In Action   14th Mar 1916 Reliefs Completed 17th Mar 1916 Reliefs 20th Mar 1916 Reliefs Completed 23rd Mar 1916 Reliefs 30th Mar 1916 Change of Billets   11th Apr 1916 Enemy Mine Explodes 15th Apr 1916 Mines Blown 17th Apr 1916 On the Move   20th Apr 1916 Reliefs   24th Apr 1916 In the Trenches 3rd May 1916 Route March 14th May 1916 Heavy Rain 15th May 1916 Still Raining 18th May 1916 Training 20th May 1916 Brigade Sports 21st Jun 1916 Brigade Excerise 26th Jun 1916 Training 27th Jun 1916 On the March 28th Jun 1916 In Billets 1st July 1916 In Reserve 3rd July 1916 In the Trenches 3rd July 1916 Battalion relieved 10th R.W. Kent Regt. 5th July 1916 Working Parties   6th July 1916 Orders Issued   7th July 1916 Attack Made   8th July 1916 Reliefs Completed 10th Jul 1916 On the March 11th Jul 1916 On the March 27th Jul 1916 On the March 3rd Aug 1916 Trench Captured 4th Aug 1916 In Action   10th Aug 1916 Royal Inspection 11th Aug 1916 On the March 16th Aug 1916 On the March 17th Aug 1916 On the March 25th Aug 1916 All Quiet 26th Aug 1916 Reliefs 1st Sep 1916 Reliefs Completed 6th Sep 1916 Orders 7th Sep 1916 Relief 13th Sep 1916 Relief 19th Sep 1916 Relief 24th Sep 1916 Reliefs Completed 1st Oct 1916 Reliefs 2nd Oct 1916 Heavy Shelling 3rd Oct 1916 Shelling 4th Oct 1916 Shelling 5th Oct 1916 Heavy Shelling 6th Oct 1916 Shelling 7th Oct 1916 Attack Made 8th Oct 1916 Heavy Shelling 12th Oct 1916 Attack Made 1st Nov 1916 Relief 7th Nov 1916 Reliefs 13th Nov 1916 Reliefs 19th Nov 1916 Reliefs Completed 25th Nov 1916 Relief 2nd Dec 1916 Relief 8th Dec 1916 Reliefs 14th Dec 1916 Relief 27th Dec 1916 Football Match 3rd Jan 1917 Training & Football 6th Jan 1917 Training & Football 11th Feb 1917 Reliefs Completed 19th Feb 1917 Reliefs Completed 23rd Feb 1917 Relief 6th Mar 1917 Inspection 1st Jan 1918 Training 2nd Jan 1918 Training 3rd Jan 1918 Training 4th Jan 1918 Training 5th Jan 1918 Moves   6th Jan 1918 Moves   7th Jan 1918 Training If you can provide any additional information, please add it here. Want to know more about 8th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers? There are:5349 items tagged 8th 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 8th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers during the Great War 1914-1918. Barton John. Pte. (d.2nd Nov 1916) Bradford William Elijah. Pte. (d.2nd July 1917) Bray Victor George Thomas. Private (d.9th Apr 1917) Brooker William James . Pte. (d.3rd August 1917) Bryan Albert Harold. Pte. (d.3rd October 1915) Clayton Albert. Pte. Cockle Morris. Pte. (d.30th Nov 1917) Collett Reginald Jack. Pte. (d.30th November 1917) Collins Alfred. Pte. (d.26th Apr 1917) Dayer Frederick Alexander. Pte. (d.9th April 1917) Dellar Ernest. Pte. (d.8th Jan 1916) Eary Frank. Pte. (d.24th Nov 1917) Elliott-Cooper VC, DSO, MC. Neville Bowes. Lt/Col. (d.11th Feb 1918) Elliott-Cooper VC, DSO, MC Neville Bowes. Lt.Col. (d.11th Feb 1918) Goodhand George. Cpl. Hadlames Charles. Pte. (d.26th September 1916) Hargreaves Fred. (d.20th November 1917) Holland George. Pte. (d.11th Jul 1915) Holland George. Pte. (d.11th July 1915) Hurdle Arthur. Cpl, (d.13th Jul 1916) Jarratt VC. George. Cpl. (d.3rd May 1917) Joel MM. Joseph Henry. Sgt. Nicholls Percy. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916) Pearce Thomas. Pte. (d.31st Mar 1917) Sanders Reginald Thomas. Pte. Skinner James Arthur. Pte (d.21st July 1916) Stiles Arthur James. 2nd.Lt. (d.3rd August 1916) Upton Charles Thomas. Pte. (d.8th Jul 1916) Watts Victor H. L/Cpl (d.9th April 1917) Weeden Kenneth. Pte. Wellard Thomas Henry. Pte. (d.2nd Mar 1916) 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 8th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers from other sources. The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website. 1st of September 2024 marks 25 years since the launch of the Wartime Memories Project. Thanks to everyone who has supported us over this time. Want to find out more about your relative's service? Want to know what life was like during the Great War? Our Library contains many many diary entries, personal letters and other documents, most transcribed into plain text. Looking for help with Family History Research?    Please see Family History FAQ's Please note: We are unable to provide individual research. Can you help? The free to access section of The Wartime Memories Project website is run by volunteers and funded by donations from our visitors. If the information here has been helpful or you have enjoyed reaching the stories please conside making a donation, no matter how small, would be much appreciated, annually we need to raise enough funds to pay for our web hosting or this site will vanish from the web. If you enjoy this site please consider making a donation. Announcements 19th Nov 2024     Please note we currently have a massive backlog of submitted material, our volunteers are working through this as quickly as possible and all names, stories and photos will be added to the site. If you have already submitted a story to the site and your UID reference number is higher than 264989 your submission is still in the queue, please do not resubmit. Wanted: Digital copies of Group photographs, Scrapbooks, Autograph books, photo albums, newspaper clippings, letters, postcards and ephemera relating to the Great War. If you have any unwanted photographs, documents or items from the First or Second World War, please do not destroy them. The Wartime Memories Project will give them a good home and ensure that they are used for educational purposes. Please get in touch for the postal address, do not sent them to our PO Box as packages are not accepted. World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great battalion regiment artillery Did you know? We also have a section on World War Two. and a Timecapsule to preserve stories from other conflicts for future generations.   Cpl. George Jarratt VC. 8th Btn. Royal Fusiliers (d.3rd May 1917) George Jarratt was killed in action on the 3rd of May 1917, aged 25. He is commemorated on the Arras Memorial in the Faubourg-d'Amiens Cemetery, Arras, France. George was the husband of G. M. Jarratt, of 28, Stanley Road, Southgate, Middx. An extract from The London Gazette dated 8th June, 1917, records the following:- "For most conspicuous bravery and devotion in deliberately sacrificing his life to save others. He had, together with some wounded men, been taken prisoner and placed under guard in a dug-out. The same evening the enemy were driven back by our troops, the leading infantrymen of which commenced to bomb the dug-outs. A grenade fell in the dugout, and without hesitation Cpl. Jarratt placed both feet on the grenade, the subsequent explosion blowing off both his legs. The wounded were later safely removed to our lines, but Cpl. Jarratt died before he could be removed. By this supreme act of self-sacrifice the lives of these wounded were saved." s flynn Add to this record.   Pte. Frank Eary 8th Btn. Royal Fusiliers (d.24th Nov 1917) My Great Grandfather, Frank Eary, born June 1886 was a horse keeper pre-war and, on enlistment in 1914, was a Driver T/25822 with No 2 Company, 1st Division, ASC. He later transferred to the Royal Fusiliers, 8th Battalion but, I am uncertain on the transfer date. His medal card shows a transfer to 5 Battalion but, CWGC states 8th Battalion which I see to be true as, the 5th never left the UK whereas Frank was killed on the 24th November 1917. The 5th Battalion was a training depot and he would have joined the regiment on transfer to that unit before being posted after infantry training and equipment to an active service battalion (8th Btn. as recorded) He appears on the Cambrai Memorial at Louverval. He died leaving a wife and three children; Alexandria, William (my grandfather) and Frank. It is likely that he never met Frank junior as he was conceived late in 1916, probably on Frank senior's last home leave, and born in July 1917. It would have been great news to him whilst in the trenches though that his wife had born a son in July and, that she had named him Frank. Poignant too as they had first had a son, Frank, in 1912 who sadly died the same year. Anthony Rundle Add to this record.   Pte. Albert Clayton 29th Btn. Royal Fusiliers Albert Clayton was an art student who was sent to France in 1916. His family have found his war story written out in full in 2019 when going through some old documents. This has been published as a book called "Long Before Daybreak " which gives Albert's war story in great detail from July 1916 to May 1917. Albert was originally recruited into the 29th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers known as the Public School's Battalion. This was joined with the 8th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers in France. He describes his journey through France from the town of Albert and along the front lines up to Arras over a period of several months. He describes many of his comrades, their conversations and escapades, plus many graphic scenes of life in the trenches and around the war torn landscape behind the front lines. Albert went over the top four times, the last of these during the Battle of Arras on 3rd of May 1917. He was injured and eventually rescued and taken prisoner, becoming a POW in the camp at Ingolstadt in Bavaria for the remainder of the war. It would be wonderful to make connections with the families of the many people he writes about and to find out more about his time as a POW. His story ends at the point he reaches Ingolstadt so we know very little about this time except for a photograph taken in the camp hospital in August 1917. Micah Duckworth Add to this record.   Cpl, Arthur Hurdle 8th Btn. Royal Fusilers (d.13th Jul 1916) Arthur Hurdle is buried in the Anglo-French Cemetery at Thiepval. Brian Herring Add to this record.   Pte. Reginald Jack Collett 8th Battalion Royal Fusiliers (d.30th November 1917) Reginald Collett was reported missing in action on 24th of November 1917 after the attack on Pelican Trench. His death was presumed on the 30th. Add to this record.   Pte. Charles Hadlames 11th Btn. Royal Fusiliers (d.26th September 1916) Charles Hadlames served with the 8th and 11th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers. To Remember the Fallen. Emma Add to this record.   Pte. William James Brooker 8th Btn. Royal Fusiliers (d.3rd August 1917) William Brooker was born on the 28 June 1890, eldest of the five children of William George and Caroline Brooker. In 1891 the family were living in Harrison Buildings (which seems to have been in the town centre), then in 1901 at 3 East Row, The Steyne, Acton and finally in 1911 at 9 Back Street, Acton. William worked as labourer. He served with the 8th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, arriving in France on the 9 July 1917. Within four weeks he was killed in action on the 3 August 1917 during the Battle of Pozieres. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. He is remembered on the War Memorial, St Mary's Church, Acton, London. Caroline Hunt Add to this record.   2nd.Lt. Arthur James Stiles 8th Btn. Royal Fusiliers (d.3rd August 1916) Arthur Stiles was born in Acton on the 12th March 1896, son of James Burford Stiles and his wife Helen Mary. The family lived at 8 Birkbeck Road, Acton. His father was a Manager in the Coal Trade. The 1901 Census shows Arthur as having six sisters. They may have been fairly affluent as they also had a servant. In June 1914 at the age of 18 years he commenced employment with the London County & Westminster Bank, working as a clerk at the Oxford Street branch. Arthur enlisted with the British Army in February 1915, he served as a Lance Corporal in the Honourable Artillery Company and later in January 1916 was commissioned as Second Lieutenant with the 8th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers. He was killed in action on the 3rd of August 1916 aged 20 years during the Battle of The Somme, just one week after arriving at the Western Front. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Monument, Somme, France. He is remembered on the War Memorial, St Mary's Church, Acton, London. His commanding officer later wrote, 'he was killed while leading his platoon with the utmost gallantry, and inspired by his splendid spirit they reached their objective absolutely successful.' Caroline Hunt Add to this record.   Pte. George Holland 8th Btn. Royal Fusiliers (d.11th July 1915) My Great Grandfather, George Holland lived in Tunstall, Staffordshire and worked in the local coal mines. His son George Holland was born 11th of April 1914, he married Mary Annie Woodcock in January 1915 George enlisted with the 8th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers on the 3rd of February 1915 and was sent to Hounslow for military training. He arrived in France on the 15th of June 1915 and was assigned to work with the 174th Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers. He is mentioned in the book Brief but Glorious, A brief History of the 8th Battalion on Page 20. Reported to be Blown up in a sap trench on 11th of July 1915 aged 23. He is remembered on the the Tunstall Town War Memorial in Staffordshire and The Ploegsteert War Memorial in Belgium. James Holland Add to this record.   Pte. Reginald Thomas Sanders 8th Btn. Royal Fusiliers On 22nd of August 1914 my grandfather, Reginald Sanders, aged 19, volunteered for service in the armed forces.‏ He was recruited in Stoke on Trent and then travelled to Hounslow where he joined the 8th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers which was part of Kitchener's First New Army. For the next nine months he was in training at various camps in England and on the morning of 31st May 1915 he left Aldershot and at 10.30pm the same day he landed in Boulogne, France. On 12th June he went into the trenches for the first time near Armentieres. For the next 22 months, except for a home furlough in October 1916, he was in the trenches in the Aisne, Nord and Pas-de-Calais Departments of France. On 29th April 1917 at Feuchy he suffered a wound to his right hip whilst returning from a working party and on 4th May 1917 he was transferred to Edmonton Hospital in England. I don't know how long he was in hospital but he was granted a furlough from the 12th to 21st June 1917. He was then sent to Shoreham in July 1917 and on 8th September 1917 he left for France and joined the 4th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers near Arras. Excepting for a spell at 3rd Army Infantry School in Auxi-le-Chateau he was in the trenches until, on 27th March 1918, he was again wounded in action, this time a gunshot wound to the head. On 6th April 1918 he was transferred to Epsom Hospital. I don't know how long he was in hospital for but he was granted a furlough to visit his family in Newcastle under Lyme from 17th to 26th July. On 29th July 1918 he was posted to the 5th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers at Dover where he stayed until 22nd September when he took a trade test at Woolwich Arsenal and he subsequently transferred to the Royal Engineers. He spent the rest of the war mainly in Hampshire and was demobbed on 31st March 1919 in Halifax. Stephen Clarridge Add to this record.   Pte. George Holland 8th Btn. Royal Fusiliers (d.11th Jul 1915) George Holland was killed in action on the 11th July 1915 in or around the Ploegsteert Woods area. Any further information about his time in service or how he was killed, I would be very thankful for. James Holland Add to this record.   Sgt. Joseph Henry Joel MM. 1st Btn. Royal Fusiliers Joseph Joel served with the 1st Btn. Royal Fusiliers during the Great War. My Grandfather appears to have been in various battalions of The Royal Fusiliers over the years. He was in the1st Battalion for Tibet in 1903-4 and by 1911, he was definitely in the 2nd Battalion in India for the 1911 Census. He got married to my Grandmother in Colchester on 1 Dec 1914, so it looks like he returned to England earlier than the rest of the 2nd Battalion His medal card shows that his first theatre of war was France and he arrived there 1st June 1915. (The dates indicate that he was probably in 8th Battalion after he returned from India) which is backed up by his record card which shows a discharge date of 5th Dec 1918 as a Sgt and his unit is showing as 8/R. Fus My Grandfather was awarded the MM. Whilst we have found the entry in the London Gazette where the MM was awarded, we haven't yet found the citation. It appears in the London Gazette dated 19th March 1918 (published on 15th March 1918). A very brief entry on page 3465. If anyone could help me track down the corresponding citation I would be hugely indebted to you. Gerry Chandler Add to this record.   Lt.Col. Neville Bowes Elliott-Cooper VC, DSO, MC 8th Btn. Royal Fusiliers (d.11th Feb 1918) Lieutenant-Colonel Elliott-Cooper was the youngest son of Sir Robert Elliott-Cooper, KCB. He was born on January 22nd 1889 in London, and later educated at Eton and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for his bravery on 30th November 1917 during the Battle of Cambrai. An extract from The London Gazette dated 12th February 1918 records the following particulars:- "For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty. Hearing that the enemy had broken through our outpost line, he rushed out of his dug-out, and on seeing them advancing across the open he mounted the parapet and dashed forward calling upon the Reserve Company and details of the Battalion Headquarters to follow. Absolutely unarmed, he made straight for the advancing enemy, and under his direction our men forced them back 600 yards. While still some forty yards in front he was severely wounded. Realizing that his men were greatly outnumbered and suffering heavy casualties, he signalled to them to withdraw, regardless of the fact that he himself must be taken prisoner. By his prompt and gallant leading he gained time for the reserves to move up and occupy the line of defence." Neville Bowes Elliott-Cooper was aged 29 when he died of wounds whilst as a POW in Hanover, Germany. He is buried in the Hamburg Ohlsdorf Cemetery in Germany. S Flynn Add to this record.   Pte. Ernest Dellar 8th Btn. Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) (d.8th Jan 1916) My gradfather, Private Ernest Dellar, served with the 8th Bn, Royal Fusiliers. According to his medal transcript, he entered the theatre of war in France, on 24th of Novemeber 1915. He died of wounds on 8th of January 1916, aged 33, but we do not know how he was wounded or in which engagement. He is buried in Béthune town cemetery. He left behind a young handicapped son of nearly 3, and my grandmother pregnant with my father who was born in April 1916. Add to this record.   Private Victor George Thomas Bray 8th Battalion Royal Fusiliers (d.9th Apr 1917) Victor Bray joined up a year earlier than he should have, he lied about his age to get into the army. When he tried to sign up he was told that he was too young, but to go round the block and when he came back he would be 18. He wrote his last letter home on 4th April 1917 just before the Battle of Arras, where he died on the first day of the battle. He is buried in Gourock Trench Cemetery, Tilloy-les-Mofflaines, Arras, France. Debbie Lonsdale Add to this record.   Pte. Thomas Pearce 8th Btn. Royal Fusliliers (d.31st Mar 1917) Thomas Pearce was my Granddad's brother. He was one of three brothers who fought in ww1 all from north London, he left a wife and daughter. We believe he was killed at Arras on 31st March 1917 in The First Battle of the Scarpe and is buried at Faubourg d'Amiens cemetery, Arras. He served with the 8th battalion, Royal Fusiliers and is commemorated on a war memorial in Tottenham, North London. Martin Add to this record.   Lt/Col. Neville Bowes Elliott-Cooper VC, DSO, MC. 8th Btn. Royal Fusiliers (d.11th Feb 1918) Lieutenant Colonel Neville Bowes Elliott-Cooper VC DSO MC served with the 8th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers during WW1 and died on the 11th February 1918. He is buried in Hamburg Ohlsdorf Cemetery in Germany. He was the youngest son of Sir Robert Elliott-Cooper, K.C.B. Born in London. Educated at Eton and Sandhurst. An extract from The London Gazette, dated 12th February 1918, records the following particulars:- For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty. Hearing that the enemy had broken through our outpost line, he rushed out of his dug-out, and on seeing them advancing across the open he mounted the parapet and dashed forward calling upon the Reserve Company and details of the Battalion Headquarters to follow. Absolutely unarmed, he made straight for the advancing enemy, and under his direction our men forced them back 600 yards. While still some forty yards in front he was severely wounded. Realising that his men were greatly outnumbered and suffering heavy casualties, he signalled to them to withdraw, regardless of the fact that he himself must be taken prisoner. By his prompt and gallant leading he gained time for the reserves to move up and occupy the line of defence. S Flynn Add to this record.   Pte. Frederick Alexander Dayer 8th Batallion Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regt) (d.9th April 1917) Frederick Dayer was born in Bristol in 1887 and was working in London as a Clerk for the Inland Revenue prior to enlistment with the 3/1st London Regiment. He served in France with the 8th Battalion and is buried in Gourock Trench Cemetery, Tilloy-les-Mofflaines. Martyn Rundle Add to this record.   Pte. Kenneth Weeden 8th Btn. Royal Fusiliers Kenneth Weeden was my late father's younger brother who family conversations indicate he was killed within a short time of arriving at the front. He was, I believe, just 17 years old. There is a memorial to him in St Giles's Church, Ickenham, Middlesex. I have previously tried to find more details of his army service with no success. Does anyone have any information, please? Michael Weeden Add to this record. Recomended Reading. Available at discounted prices.

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