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- 8th Battalion, Berkshire Regiment during the Great War -


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

8th Battalion, Berkshire Regiment



   The 8th (Service) Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment was a Kitchener Battalion, raised at Reading in September 1914 and joined 26th Division. They underwent training on Salisbury Plain and returned to Reading in November 1914. They moved to Sutton Veny in May 1915 and proceeded to France on the 8th of August 1915, landing at Le Havre to join 1st Brigade, 1st Division who had suffered heavy casualties in the first year of the war.They served in France and Flanders taking part in many major battles, including Loos in late 1915, The Somme in 1916 and Ypres in 1917. In February 1918 they transferred to to 53rd Brigade, 18th (Eastern) Division and fought on The Somme and in the Battles of the Hindenburg Line.

Sep 1914 8th Battlion raised for Berkshire Regiment

25th Sep 1915 The Great Charge

9th Oct 1915 Found on the Battlefield

16th Oct 1915 The Derby Scheme

13th November 1915 Operational Order No.42.  location map

14th November 1915 Reliefs  location map

16th of November 1915 Reliefs

26th Nov 1915 Snow  location map

1st Dec 1915 Derby Scheme Armlets

11th Sep 1915 Last day of Derby Scheme Recruitment

10th Jan 1916 Group System Reopens

9th February 1916 Call Ups

9th Jun 1916 Orders  location map

9th June 1916 Orders Received  location map

10th June 1916 Instruction

11th June 1916 Instruction

12th June 1916 Instruction

13th Jun 1916 Orders  location map

13th June 1916 Instruction

14th June 1916 Instruction  location map

15th August 1916 Reliefs

1st Jan 1917 Moves

9th Jan 1917 Working Parties

17th Jan 1917 Heavy Snow

22nd Jan 1917 Working Parties and Training

23rd Jan 1917 Moves

24th Jan 1917 Moves

31st Jan 1917 Very Cold Weather

6th Feb 1917 Reliefs

6th Feb 1917 Reliefs

7th Feb 1917 Reliefs

8th Feb 1917 Reliefs

9th Feb 1917 Reliefs Complete

10th Feb 1917 Hard Ground

11th Feb 1917 Quiet

12th Feb 1917 Quiet

23rd Jun 1917 Reliefs  The 16th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers are relieved in the Nieuport Bains sector by 8th Btn Royal Berkshire Regiment and withdraw to Coxyde.

26th Jan 1918 Reliefs

27th Jan 1918 Reliefs

1st Mar 1918 Zones

19th Mar 1918 Information

21st Mar 1918 Dispositions  location map

21st Mar 1918 Attack Made  location map

21st Mar 1918 Hard Fighting  location map

21st Mar 1918 Critical Situation  location map

21st Mar 1918 Counter Attack

21st Mar 1918 Withdrawal

21st Mar 1918 Gallant Actions  location map

22nd Mar 1918 Enemy Attacks  location map

22nd Mar 1918 The Fight for The Crozat Canal  location map

22nd Mar 1918 Orders Issued  location map

22nd Mar 1918 Bridges not Blown

23rd Mar 1918 Orders Received

23rd Mar 1918 Attack Made  location map

23rd Mar 1918 Heavy Attacks

23rd Mar 1918 Heavy Attacks  location map

24th Mar 1918 New Line  location map

5th Jun 1918 Reliefs Complete

6th Aug 1918 Reliefs

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





Want to know more about 8th Battalion, Berkshire Regiment?


There are:59 items tagged 8th Battalion, Berkshire 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.


Those known to have served with

8th Battalion, Berkshire Regiment

during the Great War 1914-1918.

  • Bennetton MM Albert Thomas. Pte (d.23rd November 1918)
  • Brown Frank. L/Cpl. (d.12th January 1917)
  • Clark Frederick Percy. Pte (d.21st Mar 1918)
  • Dyer Daniel. Pte. (d.14th Oct 1915)
  • Eustace James Henry. Pte. (d.25th Sep 1915)
  • Fox William. Pte. (d.26th Oct 1918)
  • Hall Alfred. Pte. (d.13th Oct 1915)
  • Harper Frederick Charles Raymond. Pte (d.27th October 1918)
  • Holland Henry William. Pte. (d.20th August 1916)
  • Holmes Harry Sidney. Cpl. (d.21st September 1916)
  • Hopkins William. Pte. (d.27th May 1916)
  • Hudson DSO & Bar, MC & Bar, MID. Noel Baring. Lt.Col
  • Keen Frank. Pte. (d.23rd October 1918)
  • Perris Thomas. Pte.
  • Poole Reginald William. L/Cpl. (d.25th Sep 1915)
  • Rogerson William. Capt. (d.27th Aug 1918)
  • Say VC. Charles Robert. Pte. (d.4th February 1916)
  • Wale Edmund Joseph. L/Cpl. (d.4 April 1918)
  • Walker Robert James. Pte.
  • Walker Roland Alex. Pte. (d.8th Aug 1918)
  • White Percival. Pte. (d.23rd Oct 1918)
  • Wills William Charles. Pte. (d.27th August 1918)

All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List

Records of 8th Battalion, Berkshire Regiment from other sources.


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  Pte. William Hopkins (d.27th May 1916)

William Hopkins of the 8th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment, died on the 27th May 1916 and is remembered at Loos British Cemetery. He was one of two Brothers, both killed. William Hopkins would have been my great uncle.

Dave Whitwell






  Pte. Charles Robert Say VC. 8th Btn, Royal Berkshire Regiment (d.4th February 1916)

Charles Say died of wounds in France.







  Pte. Frank Keen 8th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment (d.23rd October 1918)

Frank originally joined as a volunteer during the 1st World War with the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, his two elder brothers John and Joseph Keen already regulars in the regiment pre-war. Frank was gassed at one stage and was sent briefly back to UK for treatment then returned. His grave is in The Highland Cemetery at Le Cateau.

His brother John was part of the British Expeditionary Force the first of the British army to face and fight the enemy in Brussels. He served throughout the war and continued regular service into the 1930's, including duty in Ireland, India and conflict in Burma. He died of stomach cancer at home in 1958.

His brother Joseph was based in India on the outbreak of WW1 was sent to Mesopotamia, was one of many who surrendered under General Townsend at the Seige of Kut. He sadly died as a prisoner of war through illness. A memorial in Iraq bears his name.

Frank Keen






  Pte. Roland Alex Walker 8th Btn. Royal Berkshire Regiment (d.8th Aug 1918)

Roland Walker of the 8th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment. was killed in action on the 8th of August 1918 aged 24

He joined the army in 1915, and went from home to Reading and joined Princess Charlotte of Wales Regiment, better known as the Royal Berkshire Regiment. He was posted to the 8th Battalion.

After training he was sent to France and his unit was attached to No 1 Brigade of the 1st Division, later becoming part of the 18th (Eastern) Division.

His unit went to France in August 1915 and fought at the battle of Loos in that year. In 1916 at the Somme campaign they fought at Delville Wood, Thiepval and Ancre. The following year they were at Passchendaele and Scarpe. In the final year of the war they were involved in the German Spring offensive, Operation Michael.

Then in August 1918 Roland's Battalion took part in a number of battles that became known as the 100 days, as the German forces were driven back towards the final positions they occupied when the armistice was announced. His unit was stationed near the city of Amiens, at a small village called Lempire.

On 8th August his unit was ordered to attack enemy positions at 11.00, which they did successfully in thick fog, clearing the enemy positions by the evening. Seven Allied divisions, aided by tanks had attacked the German positions taking them by surprise, and it is believed it was at this time that Roland was killed. His body was never recovered and he was one of 12 men who were reported as missing. He is commemorated on the memorial at Vis-en-Artois cemetery which bears the names of over 9000 men who fell in the period 8th August to 11th November and have no known grave. Medals Awarded: British War Medal, Victory Medal, 1915 Star

Michael






  Pte. Henry William Holland 8th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment (d.20th August 1916)

Henry Holland was born 1891 in Sandhurst, his parents were James and Emma. He had six siblings. Henry married Maud Caryer in April 1913 and their son was born in 1914. Henry died of wounds, aged 25 and is commemorated in St Nicholas Church, Rodmersham, Nr Sittingbourne, Kent.

Sue Shiels






  Pte Frederick Charles Raymond Harper 8th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment (d.27th October 1918)

Frederick Harper is a distant relative via my 1st cousin, he is buried in Vis en Artois Cemetery.

David Aston






  Lt.Col Noel Baring Hudson DSO & Bar, MC & Bar, MID. 8th Btn. Royal Berkshire Regiment

Noel Hudson was one of three brothers who were officers in the Royal Berkshire Regiment. Two brothers Thomas and Arthur were killed. Noel survived to become one of the youngest brigadiers of the war. I believe he was wounded five times. He was awarded DSO and Bar, MC and Bar and MID.

He captained The Harlequins RFC. Entered the Church and was one of the youngest Bishops in the C of E. During WW2 he was Bishop of Newcastle and retired as Bishop of Ely.

Edmund Hudson






  Pte. William Charles Wills 8th Btn. Royal Berkshire Regiment (d.27th August 1918)

William Wills was my grandmother's cousin.







  Pte Frederick Percy Clark 8th Btn. Royal Berkshire Regiment (d.21st Mar 1918)

Frederick Clark is my Great Uncle he was born on 6th Nov 1894 and was only 24yrs old when he died. His name is on the war memorial on the green at Horton, Berkshire. His is also remembered in St Thomas' Church in Colnbrook Village.

Shirley Clark






  L/Cpl. Reginald William Poole 8th Btn. Royal Berkshire Regiment (d.25th Sep 1915)

Reginald Poole served with the 8th Royal Berkshires.

Vicky Hummell






  Cpl. Harry Sidney Holmes 8th Btn, "C" Coy Royal Berkshire Rgt. (d.21st September 1916)

I am trying to trace a memorial or information about my great grandmother's brother Harry Holmes who was in the Royal Berkshire Regiment and was wounded at Fricourt on 29th August 1916. He died from his injuries on 21st September 1916, aged 27 years.

Update

According to the CWG website, Harry Holmes is buried in Shaw Cemetery, Newbury, grave reference 2409.

Barry Baker






  Capt. William Rogerson att. 8th Btn. Royal Berkshire Regiment (d.27th Aug 1918)

William Rogerson is one of the surgeons listed in the book "Lord Kitchener's 100 Surgeons in World War 1", which details 100 doctors from Australia who answered Lord Kitchener's call in early 1915 to join the British Army urgently. He is noted in the 56th Field Ambulance and 8th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment diaries on 27th August 1918: "The night was quiet with bright moonlight. Patrols were sent out in front along the lines at Bernafay Wood, Longueval Rd and Trones Wood but had difficulty moving forward because they were under machine gun fire and failed to locate any posts as none appeared to have been established in this area. During this time, three of the enemy strayed into our lines and were taken prisoner by the Medical Officer." It is not known how he was killed - enemy or friendly fire? by the prisoners?

Lina Moffitt






  Pte. Daniel Dyer 8th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment (d.14th Oct 1915)

Daniel Dyer died on the 14th October 1915 from wounds sustained at the Ypres Salient in Flanders, Belgium. He was 31 years old. He is buried at Lapugnoy Military Cemetery. He left a wife, Alice and two sons, Walter and Morris.

Colin Dyer






  Pte. Alfred Hall 8th Btn. B Coy. Royal Berkshire Regiment (d.13th Oct 1915)

Alfred Hall, Panel 93 to 95 Loos Memorial

Alfred Hall volunteered in September 1914, and upon completing his training the following year, he was drafted to the Western Front. There he took part in the Battle of Loos and was killed in action in October 1915, aged 46.

Sadly his son, Arthur, also died in WW1 in 1918, having being taken prisoner in Langensalza, which must have been extremely hard for the family to endure.

Pauline Boughton






  Pte. Robert James Walker 8th Btn. Royal Berkshire Regiment

Robert Walker served with the 8th Btn. Royal Berkshire Regiment

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Marion Ralson






  Pte. Thomas Perris 8th Btn. Royal Berkshire Regiment

My late father, Private Thomas Perris, Regimental Number 14355, enlisted in the 8th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment at Reading on the 7th September 1914. He was wounded at the Battle of Loos in 1915 and returned home to be hospitalised in Bristol.

He recovered and was sent back to the front to join the 1st Battalion, Royal Hampshire Regiment and was again wounded near Arras on the 28th March 1917. He was discharged from Leicester Northern General Hospital on 30th October, 1918. Having survived bullet wounds and losing half of one foot to mustard gas he married, fathered 5 children and went on the live to be 93.

Audalan Sharp






  Pte. James Henry Eustace 8th Battalion Princess Charlotte of Wales Royal Berkshire Regime (d.25th Sep 1915)

James Henry Eustace died at the Battle of Loos. The family has no information as to whether he is remembered on any epitaph or monument in France. All we know is he is listed as killed in action.

His father, Thomas Henry Eustis, (as the surname was spelt until he enrolled) died in 1900 when James was 5 years old. James's younger brother, Gabriel, enrolled in 1916, after James's death and survived the war. Which must have been a relief to their mother, Matilda, after having already lost her husband at the age of 28, leaving her with three children under the age of 8, with no way of supporting them and so having to give the first born child, a daughter to her in-laws to bring up. Losing both sons I think would have been unbearable

Julie Anne Eustace






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