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2nd Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment
| Want to know more about 2nd Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment? There are:5327 items tagged 2nd Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.
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Those known to have served with2nd Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment during the Great War 1914-1918. - Ash William George. L/Cpl (d.11th May 1917)
- Beaver Robert. Pte. (d.8th October 1917)
- Binnell Samuel Thomas. Pte. (d.25th Sep 1915)
- Brain Albert. Pte. (d.21st Nov 1914)
- Brain Albert Edward. Pte. (d.21st Nov 1914)
- Cressall Frank . Lance Corporal (d.04 Sept 1916)
- Cresswell Percy. L/Cpl. (d.25th Sep 1915)
- Davis Thomas A.. Pte.
- Fell Reuben. Pte (d.3rd Sep 1916)
- Fullylove Walter. Pte. (d.25th Sep 1915)
- Fullylove Walter. Pte. (d.25th Sep 1915)
- Hall Henry. Pte, (d.31st October 1914)
- Hands Henry. Sgt
- Hickling Samuel. Pte. (d.25th Sep 1915)
- Joyner D.C.M. Thomas. L/Cpl.
- Lee John. Pte. (d.13th Sep 1916)
- Morley David. Pte (d.29th Oct 1914)
- Potter Stephen John. Cpl.
- Raybould Arthur. L/Cpl. (d.9th Oct 1917)
- Shaw Frederick. Pte (d.5th Sep 1917)
- Taylor Ellis . Private (d.22nd Mar 1915)
- Thompson Alfred. Pte. (d.21st Nov 1914)
- Woodcock Walter Frederick. Pte. (d.24th Oct 1914)
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 Warwickshire Regiment from other sources.
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L/Cpl. Thomas Joyner D.C.M. 2nd Btn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment Thomas Joyner was born in 1889 at Hidcote Bartrim near Shipston on Stour He joined 2nd Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, he enlisted 30th of August 1914 at Warwick.
Hi sembarkation for France was on 4th of May 1915.
He was wounded on 24th of October 1915 at the Battle of Loos. He then transferred into 22nd Coy. Machine Gun Corps which was formed on 24th of February 1916 from men of 22nd Infantry Brigade of 7th Division.
Thomas Joyner was awarded the D.C.M. on 11th of December 1916.
Whilst Thomas's other friends and soldiers were being killed or wounded, he continually manned his machine gun for 14 hours until he was shot himself in the left eye. He continued to fire his gun until relieved by other troops. For this he received the D.C.M.
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L/Cpl. Arthur Raybould 2nd Btn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment (d.9th Oct 1917) Arthur Raybould is buried at Tyne Cot Cemetery.
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Pte. John Lee 2nd Btn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment (d.13th Sep 1916) John Lee was wounded during the Battle of Ginchy as part of the Somme Offensive. He died in Le Treport Military Hospital of his wounds and is buried in Mont Huon Military Cemetery.
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Pte. Robert Beaver 2nd Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment (d.8th October 1917) Robert Beaver was born in Burchell's Green Road, St. George in 1889 and was baptised on 18th July 1889. Bob was one of five children born to James and Mary Ann Beaver (nee Gale) who married on 22nd December 1883 at St. Mary's, Bitton, Glos. By 1911 Bob was employed as a finisher in a boot factory living at 41, New Queen Street, Two Mile Hill. On 25th December 1915 he married Florence Rose Nolan at St. James Church, Mangotsfield.
He served as a Private in the 2nd Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment. He was recorded as missing on 8th October 1917 near Polygon Wood, Belgium. He has no known grave but is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial and also the Mangotsfield United Reformed Church Memorial.
The Army Register of Soldier's Effects shows that Bob's possessions amounted to 1pound.1s.10d which was sent to his widow Flossie on 20th February 1928 with a War Gratuity Grant being sent to her on 22nd December 1919. Robert Beaver was posthumously awarded the Victory and British War medals but not the 1914-1915 Star which indicates that he did not enter France and Flanders until 1916 at the earliest. This corresponds with his War Gratuity which is indicative of him enlisting in 1916.
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L/Cpl William George Ash 2nd Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment (d.11th May 1917)  William Ash was born in Oxford in the spring of 1890, the second of six brothers. The boys' father was Thomas Ash, who had been born in 1857 in Middle Barton near Chipping Norton. Their mother was Mary Ann (nee Smith) who had been born in 1855 in Postcombe, near Thame.
Thomas and Mary married in the summer of 1887 and they had six sons, all born in Oxford: - John (or Jack, born 1888/89),
- William (1890),
- Francis Edward (December 1891),
- James Henry (October 1893),
- Percy (April 1895), and
- Arthur Richard (October 1897)
.
The family lived at 164 Marlborough Road and in 1901 the boys' widowed grandmother, Emily Ash, was also living with them. Thomas was a Police Constable in the Oxford City force, though he retired in 1910 (when he was 53) after 30 years' service. By 1911 John was employed by a bookseller as shop assistant, William was a dairyman, Francis was a wood turner, James was also a dairyman, and Percy was a porter at a boot shop. Arthur was only 14 and still at school.
On 22 December 1915, when he was 25, William married Emily Louisa Edgington at St Peter's Church in Cassington. Emily had been working as a live-in cook for a physician, Alexander Gibson, and his family, at 46 St Giles in Oxford. However, she came originally from Cassington and in 1901 had been living with her widowed mother (who was working as a charwoman) in a house on the estate of The Court at Cassington, together with her two brothers William and Herbert.
William enlisted and became a Lance Corporal with the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, service no. 29968. He was mortally wounded on 11 May 1917 whilst taking part in the Second Battle of Bullecourt, a flanking operation to the Battles of Arras which involved the first assaults on the Hindenburg Line. He was 27. He was buried at the Achiet-le-Grand Communal Cemetery Extension, Pas de Calais, France. At the request of his wife Emily his gravestone was inscribed with the words "Faithful unto Death".
Emily returned to The Court at Cassington after William died, and he is also remembered on the war memorial in Cassington. Emily lost not only her husband William in the War, but also, 11 months later, her brother Herbert, who was a Private with the 8th Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry (service no. 265573). He died on 5 April 1918, aged 26, in France. It seems that Emily never remarried nor had any children; she died in the Witney area in 1942 aged 54.
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Pte. Walter Frederick Woodcock 2nd Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment (d.24th Oct 1914) Walter Woodcock was in the Army before the first World War serving with the 2nd Battalion the Royal Warwickshire Regiment. He went missing, presumed dead on 24th of October 1914. I have a silver watch chain that belonged to Walter from 1908.
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Pte. Thomas A. Davis 2nd Btn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment Thomas Davis was born in Birmingham in 1884 in Small Heath Birmingham He lived on Garrison Lane where the popular drama Peaky Blinders is based.
He enlisted in the Army in 1914. He was discharged a year later for being wounded,he wore a wound stripe. He was award the Star medal for, according to my Nan (his daughter) saving a French officers life.
He lived all his life in Birmingham and died in 1960.
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Pte, Henry Hall 2nd Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment (d.31st October 1914) There is little known about Henry Hall. He joined up as a regular late 1909 or 1910.
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Pte Frederick Shaw 6th Btn Royal Warwickshire Regiment (d.5th Sep 1917) Recently found a medal whilst clearing out my dads house, I googled the number that was on it and found out it was for my great uncle, Frederick Shaw who served with 2nd and 6th Battalions, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, brave chap, he ended up being killed on the 5th of September 1917 by the Germans dropping a bomb on the hospital that he was recovering in.
R.I.P Fred
Thanks for giving your life so that others can live.
I wish I had a photograph to put up
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Sgt Henry Hands Royal Warwickshire Regiment
Machine Gun Corps Henry Hands was born 1893 enlisted in the army at age 15 in 1908, he was serving in Malta when the Great War broke out. He fought with the regiment until he was wounded at the battle of the Somme 1916 - shrapnel wound to the mouth and jaw.
He recuperated supplied with false teeth (they lasted him until his death 1985). He joined the MGC as a Sgt in 8 Battery. He spoke of the retreat to the Marne as fighting in a different direction. On over the top his best friend was wounded with a bullet in the foot, it was sticking out and if it was removed he could of walked, but they weren't allowed to stop to help the wounded, he never saw his friend again.
He said the regiment lost 400 men in 20 minutes.
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Pte. Samuel Hickling 2nd Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment (d.25th Sep 1915) Samuel was killed in action on the 25th Sept 1915, during the battle of Loos, and is commemorated on the wall at the Loos Memorial for the fallen whose resting place has not been identified. He left behind a wife and five children.
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L/Cpl. Percy Cresswell 2nd Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment (d.25th Sep 1915) Percy Cresswell was born 6 September, 1888, at Dunnington Salford, Warks, to parents, Lucy & Walter Cresswell. It is not known when Percy joined the Army, but he did enlist at Warwick, and because he had a three figure Army number, it seems likely that he was a pre-war regular. He appears in the Medal Roll of the India General Service Medal 1908, with Northwest Frontier Clasp, which shows he was serving with the 1st Battalion R.W.R., in India, and was in action in April & May 1908. The Medal Roll shows that the then, Private Cresswell served against the Mohmands and also in action at Matta.
After the Great War began, Percy, still with the 1st Battalion, is recorded in the Birmingham Daily Post, dated, 30th November 1914, as `Missing` then, in the same paper, dated 11th October 1915, he is recorded as `Rejoined`. Finally, now with the 2nd Battalion, again the same paper, dated 21st October 1915 he is reported `Killed`.
This was at the Battle of Loos. Percy was killed sometime between 6.30am, when the Battalion advanced, and Midnight, when they were in position in a support trench 400 yards west of the "Quarries". On the 1st September 1915, the Battalion Diary records a strength of 24 Officers and 936 Other Ranks . At Midnight on the 25th September, it records; Missing, 273 - Wounded, 171, and, Killed, 64. The Battalion could only muster (No figure,) Officer and 140 Men.
Like many, many other poor souls, Percy`s body was never recovered, but he is commemorated on Panel 22 - 25 at the Loos Memorial.
To All Who Gave Their Lives ~ R.I.P.
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Pte. Albert Edward Brain 2nd Btn. Royal Warwickshire (d.21st Nov 1914) Albert enlisted in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment at Coventry whilst living in Banbury. The date of enlistment is not known but the 1911 census records taken on Sun 2nd April 1911 shows that he was then serving overseas in Bombay, India with the First Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment. The 1st Battalion sailed for England on December 11th 1912 arriving there on 2nd Jan 1913. It was then based at Shorncliffe, near Folkestone. The battalion was in the 10th Brigade 4th Division.
It is probably safe to assume that Albert was transferred to the 2nd Battalion at some time on or after 6th October 1914 the date when the Second Battalion landed in France. So Albert was possibly with the First Battalion in France from 23rd August to 6th October. We cannot, of course, be certain of this since, for some reason, he may have stayed behind in England and did not travel to France with the First Battalion but travelled with the Second Battalion from England.
It is possible to ascertain the events leading up to Albert’s death on 21st November 1914 from the 2nd battalion’s war diaries. The 2nd Battalion was not engaged in an actual battle i.e. major offensive at this time. It had been withdrawn from the Ypres Salient on 7th November before the First Ypres Battle ended on November 17th 1914. Trench warfare then took over.
On the 10th Nov the Battalion was in Bailleul. On the 11th to 12th Nov it was in Merris. Four hundred and eight new drafts arrived during the stay at Merris. We cannot tell if Albert was one of these. On the 15th to 20th Nov they were in trenches at La Boutillerie near Fleurbaix. On the 20th Nov the Battalion was relieved by the 2/Queens (Royal West Kent) Battalion. It then marched to billets at Rue de Bataille in Fleurbaix. Another draft of 98 OR’s under Lt B. Bernard joined on that day, presumably, whilst in the billets. The Battalion remained here up to the 23rd Nov when it returned to the trenches near Fleuraix.
So, curiously, it appears that the Battalion was in billets on 21st November 1914 when Albert died.
What is known is that the relief of a regiment/battalion usually took place overnight, for obvious reasons. They were often protracted affairs, consequently, this relief could have spilled into the early hours of the 21st November. The 2/Queen’s war diary states that they started to enter the trenches at 4.45 pm on the 20th. Men were put at risk as they were leaving the front line. It was likely, therefore, that Albert was killed during the relief of the battalion.
Albert is commeorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial.
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Pte. Albert Brain 2nd Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment (d.21st Nov 1914) Albert enlisted in the Royal Warwickshire regiment at Coventry whilst living in Banbury. The date of enlistment is not known but the 1911 census records taken on Sun 2nd April 1911 show that he was then serving overseas in Bombay with the 1st Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire regiment. The 1st battalion sailed for England on December 11th 1912 arriving there on 2nd Jan 1913. It was then based at Shorncliffe, near Folkestone. The battalion was in the 10th Brigade 4th Division.
On 8th Aug 1914 the battalion travelled by train to Yorkshire (to assist in countering any threatened German invasion). From Yorkshire it moved to Southampton. On 22nd August the battalion sailed on the SS Caledonian disembarking at Boulogne on 23rd August.
Sadly, Albert was killed on 21st November 1914 whilst serving with “A†Company of the 2nd battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment and he is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial in Belgium.
Albert’s death certificate states that he was ‘Presumed Killed In Action’. The certificate also states his rank as Lance Corporal.
Therefore, sometime between 21st January 1913 (when the First Battalion arrived back in England) and 21st Nov 1914 Albert transferred from the First Battalion to the Second Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment.
The Second Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire regiment was in Litchfield from 1908-1911. Then for a short time at Shornciffe then Portland until it sailed for Malta on December 22nd 1912. It remained in Malta until 19th August 1914 when it left for England landing there on September 19th 1914. Based in Lyndhurst the battalion was then attached to the 22nd Brigade 7th Division and the battalion subsequently left for Flanders landing at Zeebrugge on 6th October 1914.
Unfortunately the true manner of Albert’s death is unlikely to ever be known but it is very probable that he was killed whilst the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Warwicks was being relieved by the 2/Queens (Royal West Kent) Battalion.
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Lance Corporal Frank Cressall 2nd Btn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment (d.04 Sept 1916) Frank Cressall, my Great Uncle was born in 1892 in Handsworth, Birmingham, to George Cressall and Louisa Cressall, nee Leather. Frank was killed in action in the Somme, on 4 September 1916, aged about 24, He was buried in Plot 2, Row C, Grave 9, Corbie Communal Cemetery, Somme, France.
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Private Ellis Taylor 2nd Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regt (d.22nd Mar 1915) He joined the militia in 1901 as a boy soldier and transfered to the teritorial and volunteer force in 1908. His regular job was as a waggoner working for the LMS railway at New Street Station in Birmingham.
At the beginning of the war he was transferred to the 2nd battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment which had recently returned from Malta.
They were sent to Belgium as part of the 7th division to assist in the defence of Antwerp, landing at the port of Zeebrugge on 6th October 1914.
They arrived too late for their intended task as Antwerp had already fallen and they were transferred in to the Ypres area where they helped to stop the advance of the Imperial German Army in the action known as the first battle of Ypres.
Ellis was wounded in the leg and was brought back to Englang around the 1st of November to the Countess of Suffolk hospital in Malmesbury where he stayed until after Christmas.
He died of pneumonia on the 22nd of March, 1915 whether this was caused by his wound is unclear.
He is buried in Witton cemetery and his name is included on the war memorial there, on screen wall 30 05213.
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