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37th Division    The 37th Division was raised for the Sixth New Army in March 1915. It was originally known as 44th Division. A War Office decision to convert the Fourth New Army into training units and to replace 16th (Irish) Division in Second New Army led to it being promoted. It was renamed 37th Division and joined Second New Army. Divisional HQ was established at Andover on 12th of April 1915. In April 1915 the Division concentrated at Cholderton on Salisbury Plain and on 25 June the units were inspected by king George V at Sidbury Hill. On 22 July 1915 the Division began to cross the English Channel and by 2 August all units were concentrated near Tilques. The Division then remained on the Western Front for the remainder of the war and took part in the following engagements: 1916 The Battle of the Ancre 1917 The First Battle of the Scarpe, including the capture of Monchy-le-Preux The Second Battle of the Scarpe The Battle of Arleux The Battle of Pilkem Ridge The Battle of the Menin Road Ridge The Battle of Polygon Wood The Battle of Broodseinde The Battle of Poelcapelle The First Battle of Passchendaele 1918 The Battle of the Ancre The Battle of the Albert The Battle of Havrincourt The Battle of the Canal du Nord The Battle of Cambrai The pursuit to the Selle The Battle of the Selle The Battle of the Sambre At the Armistice on 11th of November 1918 the Division was in the area of Le Quesnoy. After moving back to the Bethencourt - Caudry area, it moved on 1st December 1918 to Charleroi. Demobilisation began on Boxing Day and by 25 March 1919 the Division ceased to exist. The Great War cost 37th Division 29969 men killed, wounded or missing. Order of Battle of 37th Division 110th Brigade 110th Brigade (Leicester Tigers Brigade) transferred to 21st Division on 7 July 1916 6th Btn, Leicestershire Regiment 7th Btn, Leicestershire Regiment 8th Btn, Leicestershire Regiment 9th Btn, Leicestershire Regiment 110th Machine Gun Company joined 4 March 1916, moved to 37th Bn MGC February 1918 110th Trench Mortar Battery formed on 13 June 1916 from two sections that arrived in March 111th Brigade 111th brigade was attached to 34th Division between 6 July and 22 August 1916 10th Btn, Royal Fusiliers 13th Btn, Royal Fusiliers moved to 112th Brigade 4 February 1918 13th Btn, King's Royal Rifle Corps 13th Btn, Rifle Brigade 111th Machine Gun Company joined 4 March 1916, moved to 37th Bn MGC 4 March 1918 111th Trench Mortar Battery formed 2 July 1916 from two sections that joined in May 112th Brigade 112th Brigade was attached to 34th Division between 6 July and 22 August 1916 11th Btn, Royal Warwickshire Regiment disbanded 7 February 1918 6th Btn, Bedfordshire Regiment left 21 May 1918 8th Btn, East Lancashire Regiment disbanded 4 February 1918 10th Btn, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment disbanded 4 February 1918 112th Machine Gun Company joined 4 March 1916, moved to 37th Bn MGC 4 March 1918 112th Trench Mortar Battery formed 1 July 1916 from two sections that joined in May and June 13th Btn, Royal Fusiliers joined from 111th Brigade 4 February 1918 1st Btn, Essex Regiment joined 4 February 1918 1/1st Btn, Hertfordshire Regiment joined 11 May 1918 63rd Brigade 63rd brigade joined from 21st Division in exchange for 110th Brigade on 8 July 1916 8th Btn, Lincolsnhire Regiment 8th Btn, Somerset Light Infantry 4th Btn, Middlesex Regiment 10th Btn, York & Lancaster Regiment disbanded 4 February 1918 63rd Machine Gun Company moved to 37th Bn MGC 4 March 1918 63rd Trench Mortar Battery Divisional Troops 9th Bn,Btn, North Staffordshire Regiment Divisional Pioneer Battalion (attached to 34th Division in 1916) 16th Motor Machine Gun Battery joined 26 July 1915, left 9 May 1916 247th Machine Gun Company joined 19 July 1917, moved to 37th Btn MGC 4 March 1918 37th Battalion MGC formed 4 March 1918 Divisional Mounted Troops RHQ and B Sqn, Yorkshire Dragoons left May 1916 37th Divisional Cyclist Company, Army Cyclist Corps left 12 May 1916 Divisional Artillery CXXIII Brigade, RFA transferred to 37th Division April 1915 CXXIV Brigade, RFA transferred to 37th Division April 1915 CXXV Brigade, RFA broken up 31st August 1916 CXVI (Howitzer) Brigade, RFA broken up January 1917 37 Heavy Battery RGA raised with the Division but was broken up early 1915 37th Divisional Ammunition Column RFA V.37 Heavy Trench Mortar Battery, RFA formed 25 May 1916; left 6 February 1918 X.37, Y.37 and Z.37 Medium Mortar Batteries, RFA formed May 1916; on 6 February 1918, Z broken up and batteries reorganised to have 6 x 6-inch weapons each Royal Engineers 152nd Field Company 153rd Field Company 154th Field Company 37th Divisional Signals Company raised as 40th Divisional Signals Company, joined 17 June 1915 Royal Army Medical Corps 48th Field Ambulance joined from 16th (Irish) Division in June 1915 49th Field Ambulance joined from 16th (Irish) Division in June 1915 50th Field Ambulance joined from 16th (Irish) Division in June 1915 37th Sanitary Section left 20 April 1917 Other Divisional Troops 37th Divisional Train ASC 288, 289, 290 and 291 Companies. 28th Mobile Veterinary Section AVC 234th Divisional Employment Company joined 16 June 1917 35th Divisional Motor Ambulance Workshop absorbed into Divisional Supply Column 6 April 1916 Jul 1915 Training Instruction Jul 1915 Billets 22nd July 1915 Advance Party 28th July 1915 On the Move 28th July 1915 On the Move 29th July 1915 On the Move 29th Jul 1915 On the Move 29th July 1915 On the Move 30th Jul 1915 On the Move 31st Jul 1915 On the Move 1st Aug 1915 In Billets 1st Aug 1915 On the Move 3rd Aug 1915 Move 3rd Aug 1915 In Billets 4th Aug 1915 On the March 4th Aug 1915 On the March   4th Aug 1915 On the Move 5th Aug 1915 Musketry 5th Aug 1915 On the Move 5th Aug 1915 Orders 5th Aug 1915 Training Instruction 5th Aug 1915 Billets 8th Aug 1915 Working Parties   8th Aug 1915 Training 9th of Aug 1915 Working Parties 9th Aug 1915 Working Parties and Musketry 10th Aug 1915 Training 12th Aug 1915 Working Party   15th Aug 1915 Inspection   16th Aug 1915 On the March   17th Aug 1915 Reorganisation 22nd Aug 1915 Reinforcements   23rd Aug 1915 Orders Received 27th Aug 1915 Instruction 27th Aug 1915 Hot Day 28th Aug 1915 Instruction 28th Aug 1915 Some Shelling 29th Aug 1915 Instruction 29th Aug 1915 Snipers Active 30th Aug 1915 Shelling 30th Aug 1915 Artillery Active 31st Aug 1915 Artillery Active 1st Sep 1915 Patrol 2nd Sep 1915 Reliefs 3rd Sep 1915 Snipers Active 30th September 1915 Working Party of 200 men for St. Amand defences. 19th November 1915 37th Divisional Bath's 14th of December 1915 Trench Mortar Batteries 14th December 1915 Route March St. Amand - 29th Dec 1915 Quiet 3rd January 1916 Battalion has the use of 37th Divisional Bath's. 8th of January 1916 Moves   8th January 1916 37th Divisional Bath's. at 'Pas' 15th of January 1916 Divisional Transfers 17th January 1916 4 H.E. shells fell on our Left Sector. 24th Feb 1916 On the Move 1st Mar 1916 On the Move 2nd Mar 1916 On the Move 3rd Mar 1916 On the Move 4th Mar 1916 On the March 5th Mar 1916 Orders 6th Mar 1916 Inspection 7th Mar 1916 Training 7th March 1916 37th Divisional Baths 8th Mar 1916 Training 9th Mar 1916 Training 10th Mar 1916 Emplacements 11th Mar 1916 Emplacements 12th Mar 1916 Emplacements 13th Mar 1916 Emplacements 14th Mar 1916 Emplacements 15th Mar 1916 Emplacements 16th Mar 1916 Loss 17th Mar 1916 Emplacements 18th Mar 1916 Reliefs 19th Mar 1916 On the March 31st Mar 1916 Training 16th May 1916 Working Parties 1st Jul 1916 Trench Raid   1st July 1916 Smoke   2nd Jul 1916 Orders Received 2nd July 1916 Reliefs 3rd Jul 1916 Reliefs 3rd July 1916 Shelling   4th Jul 1916 Orders 4th July 1916 Reliefs 5th Jul 1916 On the Move 5th July 1916 Orders 6th Jul 1916 Orders Received   6th July 1916 Moves 7th Jul 1916 Attack Made   7th July 1916 Moves 8th Jul 1916 Line Advanced   8th July 1916 Moves 9th Jul 1916 In Reserve 9th July 1916 Orders 10th Jul 1916 Attack Made 10th July 1916 On the March 11th Jul 1916 At Rest 11th July 1916 Reliefs 12th Jul 1916 Reliefs   12th July 1916 Quiet 13th Jul 1916 In Support   14th Jul 1916 In Support   15th Jul 1916 Heavy Shelling   16th Jul 1916 Reliefs   17th Jul 1916 Heavy Shelling   18th Jul 1916 Heavy Shelling   19th Jul 1916 Reliefs 20th Jul 1916 On the March   22nd Jul 1916 Reorganisation 23rd Jul 1916 Funeral 29th Jul 1916 At Rest 30th Jul 1916 On the March   31st Jul 1916 Orders Received   21st August 1916 Brigade rejoining 37th Division 1st Sep 1916 Orders   1st Sep 1916 Patrol 2nd Sep 1916 On the March   2nd Sep 1916 Reliefs 3rd Sep 1916 Billets 3rd Sep 1916 Recce 4th Sep 1916 Inspections 4th Sep 1916 Instruction 4th September 1916 Orders received from 112th Brigade 5th Sep 1916 Inspections 9th Sep 1916 On the March 12th Sep 1916 Course 13th Sep 1916 Orders 15th Sep 1916 Artillery Moves 16th Sep 1916 Orders Received 17th Sep 1916 Reliefs   17th September 1916 Operational Orders received from Brigade 18th Sep 1916 Moves 10th November 1916 Inspected by G.O.C. 37th Division. 16th of December 1916 Enemy Very Quiet   23rd of December 1916 Artillery Relief   28th of December 1916 Artillery Continue Shelling   31st of January 1917 Two Patrols Dispersed   1st February 1917 Reliefs   2nd February 1917 Reliefs 9th April 1917 37th Divison move up at Arras  13th Battalion, Rifle Brigade with 37th Division were in reserve initially at the launch of the Battle of Arras. After initial success the 37th moved up through the lines to continue the attack. This was the area of the Brown Line and having reached here, the 37th Division was brought up through the other Divisions in order to carry the attack into Monchy. This was supposed to have happened on the evening of 9 April, but a sudden turn in the weather made advancing much more difficult. It was so cold that men would freeze to death during the night. That evening the 37th continued the attack in the face of snow past Feuchy Chapel reaching an area known as Orange Hill to the south-east of Monchy 10th April 1917 Attack Made  It was only on the night of 10 April that the 37th Division including 13th Battalion, Rifle Brigade and its six supporting tanks were in a position to consider mounting an attack on Monchy. The attack was delivered with the 11th Brigade on the left facing Monchy and the 112th on their right advancing towards La Bergère crossroads (where you will see the Windmill CWGC Cemetery and turn left towards Monchy). Standing up on this hill by the monument you get an immediate understanding as to why the village was so important and why the Germans had spent such a long time fortifying it (The Newfoundland Caribou is erected on top of a German bunker). The attack got off to a bad start. At 0500 hours on a freezing cold morning the infantry and tanks set off across the snow, but the artillery was late in getting into position and when they did eventually open their bombardment they began by shelling the advancing troops who had not been warned of any postponement. Amongst the numerous casualties of this friendly fire was one of the tanks. By 0900 hours though, Monchy was in British hands. The Germans launched a number of counter-attacks but these were driven off. The village remained in Allied hands until it was abandoned during the German Spring offensive of 1918. Monchy was finally retaken again by the Canadians on 26th of August 1918 over three days and at remarkably little cost in terms of casualties, General Allenby's 3rd Army had made remarkable gains. 10th Apr 1917 Attack Made 10th April 1917 Situation    10th April 1917 Message   11th Apr 1917 Village Taken 11th Apr 1917 Servere Fighting 11th Apr 1917 Attack Made 12th Apr 1917 Reliefs 6th May 1917 In Action 14th May 1917 New Position 11th June 1917 Postings 30th of June 1917 Another Move 1st Jul 1917 Shelling   1st Jul 1917 At Rest 2nd Jul 1917 Outposts   2nd Jul 1917 Posting 3rd Jul 1917 Patrols   3rd Jul 1917 On the March 4th Jul 1917 Quiet   5th Jul 1917 Patrols   6th Jul 1917 Outposts   7th Jul 1917 Reliefs   8th Jul 1917 Reliefs   9th Jul 1917 Working Parties   10th Jul 1917 Working Parties   11th Jul 1917 In Billets   12th Jul 1917 In Billets   13th Jul 1917 Training   14th Jul 1917 In Billets   15th Jul 1917 Church Parade   16th Jul 1917 Baths   17th Jul 1917 Training 18th Jul 1917 Musketry   19th Jul 1917 Working Parties   20th Jul 1917 Working Parties   21st Jul 1917 Working Parties   22nd Jul 1917 Working Parties   23rd Jul 1917 Working Parties   24th Jul 1917 Working Parties   25th Jul 1917 Poor Weather   26th Jul 1917 Reliefs   27th Jul 1917 Aircraft Active   29th Jul 1917 Reliefs   30th Jul 1917 Orders   31st Jul 1917 In Reserve   7th of August 1917 Relieved   19th August 1918 Instructions No.2   2nd Sep 1917 Relief   7th Sep 1917 Relief Complete   11th Sep 1917 Reliefs   14th Sep 1917 Reliefs   14th September 1917 Honours for Conspicuous Gallantry 18th Sep 1917 Patrols 19th Sep 1917 Training   22nd Sep 1917 Reliefs 22nd September 1917 37th Division relieves 39th Division   27th of September 1917  Relief Complete   27th Sep 1917 Orders   1st of October 1917 Orders to Attack   1st Oct 1917 Artillery Active 2nd Oct 1917 Poor Conditions   3rd Oct 1917 Recce   4th of October 1917 Attack Launched   4th Oct 1917 Attack Made   5th Oct 1917 Difficult Relief   6th Oct 1917 Wet Ground   7th Oct 1917 Inspections   8th Oct 1917 Reliefs   9th Oct 1917 Poor Conditions   10th Oct 1917 Working Parties   11th Oct 1917 Working Parties   12th Oct 1917 Reliefs   13th Oct 1917 Poor Weather   14th Oct 1917 Inspections   15th Oct 1917 Reliefs   16th Oct 1917 Training   21st Oct 1917 Church Parade   22nd Oct 1917 Reliefs   26th Oct 1917 Working Parties   28th Oct 1917 Working Parties   28th Oct 1917 Working Parties   29th Oct 1917 Reliefs   30th Oct 1917 Inspections 31st Oct 1917 Training 9th of November 1917 Relieved   24th Dec 1917 Reorganisation 21st Jan 1918 Course 5th Feb 1918 Course Ends 13th Feb 1918 Personnel 21st Feb 1918 Reorganisation 1st March 1918 Extracts from the Diary of Brevet-Colonel G.S.col1ison Pt1. 1st March 1918 Extracts from the Diary of Brevet-Colonel G.S.col1ison, D.S.O. Pt.2. 1st March 1918 Extracts from the Diary of Brevet-Colonel G.S.col1ison, D.S.O. Pt.3. 1st March 1918 Extracts from the Diary of Brevet-Colonel G.S.collison, D.S.O. Pt.4. 1st March 1918 Extracts from the Diary of Brevet-Colonel G.S.col1ison, D.S.O. Pt.5. 1st March 1918 Extracts from the Diary of Brevet-Colonel G.S.collison, D.S.O. Pt.6. 1st March 1918 Extracts from the Diary of Brevet-Colonel G.S.collison, D.S.O. Pt.7. 1st March 1918 Extracts from the Diary of Brevet-Colonel G.S.collison, D.S.O. Pt.8. 1st March 1918 Extracts from the Diary of Brevet-Colonel G.S.collison, D.S.O. Pt.9. 1st March 1918 Extracts from the Diary of Brevet-Colonel G.S.collison, D.S.O. Pt.10.   1st March 1918 Extracts from the Diary of Brevet-Colonel G.S.collison, D.S.O. Pt.11. 1st March 1918 Extracts from the Diary of Brevet-Colonel G.S.collison, D.S.O. Pt.12. 1st March 1918 Extracts from the Diary of Brevet-Colonel G.S.collison, D.S.O. Pt.13. 1st March 1918 Extracts from the Diary of Brevet-Colonel G.S.collison, D.S.O. Pt.14. 1st March 1918 Extracts from the Diary of Brevet-Colonel G.S.collison, D.S.O. Pt.15. 1st March 1918 Extracts from the Diary of Brevet-Colonel G.S.collison, D.S.O. Pt.16. 1st March 1918 Extracts from the Diary of Brevet-Colonel G.S.collison, D.S.O. Pt.17. 1st March 1918 Extracts from the Diary of Brevet-Colonel G.S.collison, D.S.O. Pt.18. 1st March 1918 Extracts from the Diary of Brevet-Colonel G.S.collison, D.S.O. Pt.19. 1st March 1918 Extracts from the Diary of Brevet-Colonel G.S.collison, D.S.O. Pt.20. 4th Mar 1918 Reorganisation 13th Mar 1918 Football 26th Mar 1918 Orders   27th Mar 1918 Reliefs   27th Mar 1918 Reliefs 28th Mar 1918 At Rest 29th Mar 1918 On the Move 30th Mar 1918 On the March 1st Apr 1918 Reliefs   2nd Apr 1918 Trench Work   3rd Apr 1918 Poor Conditions 4th Apr 1918 Harassing Fire 5th Apr 1918 Attack Made 6th Apr 1918 Enemy Massing 17th Apr 1918 Reliefs 18th Apr 1918 On the Move 19th Apr 1918 Poor Weather 20th Apr 1918 Training 21st Apr 1918 Inspection 11th Aug 1918 Orders   19th of August 1918 Advanced Brigades to Move   21st August 1918 Attack Made 21st of August 1918  Division Advances   22nd of August 1918 A New Objective   23rd of August 1918  Division Attacks   28th August 1918 Report on Operations with 4th Corps.   2nd of September 1918 Strongly Defended 3rd of September 1918  Enemy Withdraws   4th Sep 1918 Advance   4th of September 1918 Divisional Relief 15th of September 1918 EAs Active   17th of September 1918 Back Areas Bombed   25th of September 1918  Advance Resumed   30th of September 1918  Divisional Relief   1st of October 1918  Division Relieved 8th of October 1918 New Area   9th of October 1918  On the Move    10th of October 1918 On the Move   12th October 1918 Operation Order No.58.   12th of October 1918 New Divisional Area 13th of October 1918  Attack Repulsed   20th of October 1918    22nd of October 1918 Advance to Resume   23rd of October 1918 Heavy Bombardment 2nd of November 1918   Warning of Advance   4th of November 1918 Attack Continued    11th of November 1918 Armistice and a Report   4th of December 1918 Orders Issued   31st December 1918 The Final Battles. If you can provide any additional information, please add it here. Want to know more about 37th Division? There are:301 items tagged 37th Division 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 37th Division during the Great War 1914-1918. Duke Oriel St.Arnaud. Sgt. 10th Btn. Hillier Thomas Harvey James. Pte. 8th Btn. Ingram Percy St John. Rfmn. 13th Btn. (d.24th Apr 1917) Kear Osman William Henry. Dvr. 295th Brigade, D Battery Laugher Frank. Pte. 11th Btn. (d.17th Sep 1917) Milton William Robert. Sgt. 13th Btn. (d.24th Oct 1918) Radley Edward Kingsford. Cpl. 8th Btn. A Coy. (d.31st Jul 1917) Richardson James Andrew. L/Cpl. 247th Company Symonds Frederick Charles. Cpl. 8th Btn. (d.8th Oct 1918) Walker Vernon Lee. 2nd Lt. 8th Btn. (d.29th May 1917) Williams Frank Lawson. Gnr. 223rd Bde. (d.24th March 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 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. 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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. 1206595 Cpl. Edward Kingsford Radley 8th Btn. A Coy. Somerset Light Infantry (d.31st Jul 1917) Edward Radley enlisted on 8th September 1915. Ed was in 'A' company of the 8th Battalion of the Somerset Light infantry engaged in 3rd Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele). He was killed in action on 31st July 1917 and his body was never found. His name is engraved on Panel 21 of Menin Gate, Ypres, Belgium. The 8th Battalion of Somerset Light Infantry was under the command of the 63rd Brigade which joined the 37th Division on 8th July 1916 (thought to be part of 2nd Army). The Somersets fought with the 8th Btn. of Lincolnshire and 4th Btn. of Middlesex Regiments in the 63rd Brigade at the Battle for Pilckem Ridge which commenced at 0350 on 31st July 1917. This was the 1st of 6 phases of the 3rd Battle of Ypres. In the terrible conditions of heavy enemy fire and thick Flanders mud Ed never survived the first day. John Morriss Add to this record. 1206569 Sgt. Oriel St.Arnaud "Konks" Duke MM and bar 10th Btn. Royal Fusiliers Oriel St.Arnaud Duke was the second son of Mansergh Pace and Emily Duke. He was known by the family as "Konks". He was born on 22 June 1896 in Montserrat, British West Indies, the second eldest of ten children. The Colonial Directory records that Oriel entered government service in May 1913 when he was still 16 years old in the administration of St.Kitts-Nevis. He may have been inspired to join up by his elder brother Valentine who had joined the navy in 1911. His other brothers were too young to join up. Oriel volunteered (although he was exempt from conscription being domiciled in the Dominions). He enlisted in the British West India Regiment and was a Lance Corporal in 10th Battalion Royal Fusiliers when he was awarded the M.M. & bar. He ended the war as a sergeant. About 16,000 enlisted from the West Indies. The 10th Battalion’s War Diary gives us some insight to the occasion on which the Military Medal was awarded. On 28th October 1917 the Diary reads: “The Corps Commander awarded the Military Medal to the under mentioned:- B Coy No STK 1857 L/Cpl. O.St.Arnaud Duke ....for courage and devotion to duty Septr. 27th to Octr. 6th 1917, East of Ypres.” This was the Third Battle of Ypres. The 10th Battalion had relieved the 13th Royal Sussex at 2.15am on 27th September. Two days later the Germans attacked the 13th Royal Fusiliers on their right flank near the Menin Road and they were hit by that barrage too. On 1st October the enemy advanced but were repulsed. By the 2nd October the battalion was relieved. This respite was short lived and they were soon back in the thick of it, though not on the front line. “Our barrage opened at Zero, and the enemy immediately put down a light barrage on our support line, and on support position on front line. This gradually intensified and became the heaviest we experienced in the sector. Men were continually being buried but prompt action saved many casualties.” This action appears to have taken place at Polygon Wood, adjacent to the Menin Road. The Battalion suffered 11 casualties – not many compared to earlier engagements: 67 in July 1916 at Longueval during the Battle of Bazentin; 72 in April 1917 during the 1st Battle of the Scarpe; or 61 during the 2nd Battle of the Scarpe. Or during later engagements: 21 on 25th August 1918; 21 on 14th September or the 39 lost at Cambrai on 8th October 1918 .Oriel was demobilised in February 1919 and he departed London for Trinidad & Tobago on 27th March 1919 on board SS Quillota giving his occupation as clerk aged 22. He was accompanied by his brother Mansergh Valentine Duke Lt RN aged 24. Alas, they were not to see their father again as he had died that February. Oriel returned to the West Indies on demobilisation in 1919. It is not known whether he entered the police service in the Leeward Islands straight away but was established in the service in the early 1920s. The MBE was presented by the Administration of Dominica 1st January 1932 for quelling a riot. By this time Oriel was Inspector of Police, Dominica, Leeward Islands. In 1935, Oriel was awarded the King George V Jubilee medal and indeed he attended the celebrations in London. He was also awarded the King George VI Coronation medal in 1936. Oriel was posted to Barbados in 1939 as Inspector of Police and Commandant of local forces during WWII. In April 1976 he made his final visit to England where he had arranged a hip operation. There he was able to hold his great-great niece before he went to hospital where he sadly died. See the Full story. David O'Carroll Add to this record. 258949 Pte. Thomas Harvey James Hillier 8th Btn. Somerset Light Infantry My grandfather, Thomas Hillier, joined the Somerset Light Infantry on 1st of December 1915 aged 31. He was severely wounded in the mouth, chest, and back on 17th of May 1918. He was transferred from 48th Field Ambulance to 42nd Ambulance Train on 21 May 1918. He was discharged from the Army on 15th of October 1918. He spent 17 weeks as an inmate of the Pensions Hospital. He was an invalid after his discharge and unable to work. My father, his son, Edward Hillier was born in February 1922. Unfortunately, Thomas died on 24th January 1924 aged 39 at the Royal United Hospital, Bath after complications brought on by the injuries received in WW1. Patricia Wraight Add to this record. 256189 Dvr. Osman William Henry Kear MiD. 295th Brigade, D Battery Royal Field Artillery Will Kear was my grandfather. Born in 1897, he joined the Territorial Force on the outbreak of WWI. He served with 124th Brigade RFA, supporting 37th Infantry Division and later D Battery, 295th Brigade RFA, part of 59th Division. This is his diary entry for 11th of November 1918, "Got up at 6 and groomed and had breakfast. Clean parade and stables at 10am. Five minutes past we all fell in and the wireless telegram was read out. The war is napoo, peace proclaimed! Too excited to write. Some experience with all the bells ringing. The boys are going mad. A remarkable thing, the war finished at 11 am on the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. Waiting for mail as we have not had any this last three days. It will be up this afternoon. So, it won't be long before we are off to Blighty! Started a green letter to my Darling Girl. Finish it after the mail is come in. Got paid 10Frs. No mail up. I have finished the letter and off to kip." He was demobilised in 1919, but rejoined the Territorial Army in 1933, this time the Sappers. He served until 1941, having been evacuated from the beaches at Dunkirk. By then he was a sergeant having been Mentioned in Despatches for distinguished Service on operations during the period March- June 1940. I F Watts Add to this record. 221039 Cpl. Frederick Charles Symonds 8th Btn. Lincolnshire Regiment (d.8th Oct 1918) Frederick Symonds served with the 8th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment during WW1 and was killed in action on the 8th October 1918, aged 23. He is commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial in France, son of Sam Thomas Symonds and Kezia Symonds, of 5, Pretoria Cottages, Ditton Walk, Cambridge. S Flynn Add to this record. 221037 Sgt. William Robert Milton 13th Btn. Royal Fusiliers (d.24th Oct 1918) 4633 Sgt. William Robert Milton served with the 13th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers during WW1 and was killed in action on the 24th October 1918, aged 31. He is commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial in France, son of Robert and Mary Milton, of 34 Devon Rd., Tottenham, London. S Flynn Add to this record. 221001 Pte. Frank Laugher 11th Btn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment (d.17th Sep 1917) Frank Laugher, son of Samuel Laugher and Mary Jane (Fisher) born 30th November 1895, in Bromsgrove. Brother to Thomas Henry, Leonard Alfred, Albert Victor, Alice, Lillie, Christopher,Daisy Elizabeth, Walter Norman and Daisy Evelyn. As a boy Frank was a member of the All Saint's Church Choir. Frank had worked at the Home and Colonial Stores and at Neale's Stores, Bromsgrove. He was working at Austin's before enlistment. Frank Laugher enlisted as a Private in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment on 3rd December 1915 at Bromsgrove when he was placed on the army reserve. On his attestation paper he gave his address as All Saints Road, Bromsgrove and his age as 20 years 0 months. He was 5 feet 7 and three quarter inches tall. Frank was mobilised on 6th May 1916 and posted overseas on 30th August 1916. Over the next the next two months he had several periods of illness concluding with influenza for which he was admitted to hospital on 4th November 1916. He was discharged from hospital on 2nd December 1916. On 17th April 1917 he joined the 11th Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment in readiness for the Battle of Arras. He was reported missing on 29th April 1917 whilst taking part in the fighting. On 30th April 1917 Frank was reported as a prisoner of war in Limburg,Germany having been captured uninjured at Arras on 28th April 1917. He died of sickness as a prisoner of war at Kriegs Gef Lazarett at Douain on 17th September 1917. Frank's possessions and his British War Medal and Victory Medal were sent to Samuel Laugher, All Saints Road, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire. Judith Laugher Add to this record. 220725 Rfmn. Percy St John Ingram 13th Btn. Rifle Brigade (d.24th Apr 1917) Percy Ingram served with the 13th Battalion, Rifle Brigade during WW1 and died, age 20, on the 24th April 1917. He is remembered on the Arras Memorial, in France. He was the son of Mrs. Ellen Ingram, of 8, Conway Terrace, Peterborough Road, Southampton and my Grandmother's brother. Peter Humby Add to this record. 216157 Gnr. Frank Lawson Williams 223rd Bde. Royal Field Artillery (d.24th March 1918) Frank Lawson Williams, Gunner 771267, enlisted at South Shields and served in B Battery, 223rd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. He died on the 24th March 1918 and is remembered at Jarrow Library, he is buried in Norfolk Cemetery, Becotel-Bercourt. Frank was born in Jarrow 1888, son of Handle and Mary Williams of Jarrow. In the 1911 census Frank(23) single, clerk in Accounts Dept. of borough council and his sister Elvira Lawson Williams(21)single, lady tracer at engineering works are living with their grandmother Frances Jane Lawson(66) at 17 Edith Street, Jarrow. Frank is married to Jane Williams nee Swalwell of 120 Northumberland Street, Wallsend. Vin Mullen Add to this record. 213890 2nd Lt. Vernon Lee Walker 8th Btn. East Lancashire Regiment (d.29th May 1917) Vernon Walker was born in Cottesloe Western Australia had and been taken back to Penn Fields, Wolverhampton for his Christening by his Grandmother and family. It was decided that he should enlist in the U.K. rather than Australia. His family had a brass plate inscribed and installed in St Philip PennFields 'In memory of Vernon Lee Walker, Second Lieutenant 8th East Lancashires, of Cottesloe Western Australia, who fell near Arras France in 1917, aged 21 Years. Primrose K. Allen Add to this record.

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