233896 Pte Robert Daglish MMBritish Army 12th Btn Durham Light Infantry from:South Moor My Great Great Grandfather, Private Robert Daglish 18240 served with the 12th battalion, Durham Light Infantry during the great war.
Born in 1895, he worked as a coal miner at South Moor. After the outbreak of the war he answered the call and joined Kitchener's new army at Newcastle in September 1914.
The 12th Battalion along with the 13th joined the 68th Brigade, 23rd Division and my ancestor waa assigned to A company, 12 Battalion, Durham Light Infantry moving to Aldershot, Hampshire in November, then to Willesborough, Kent in February 1915 and went on in May to Bramshott. He then proceeded to France landing at Boulogne on the 26th of August and concentrating near Tilques. On the 5th of September 23rd Division became attached to III Corps, moving to the Merris-Vieux Berquin area, for trench familiarisation under the guidance of the 20th (Light) and 27th Divisions. They took over front line sector between Ferme Grande Flamengrie to the Armentieres-Wez Macquart road in their own right on the 14th. During the Battle of Loos CIII and CV Brigades RFA were in action attached to 8th Division. With 23rd Division holding the front at Bois Grenier, they were relieved from that sector at the end of January 1916 and Divisional HQ was established at Blaringhem with the units concentrated around Bruay for a period of rest. On the 3rd of March they returned to the front line, taking over a sector between the Boyau de l'Ersatz and the Souchez River from the French 17th Division, with the Artillery taking over an exposed position between Carency and Bois de Bouvigny where it was subjected to heavy shelling. In early March a Tunnelling Company was established and men with a background in mining were transferred from the ranks to the Royal Engineers, whether my ancestor was part of this, sadly I will never know. In Mid April they returned to Bruay area for rest until mid May when they again took over the Souchez-Angres front, just before the German Attack on Vimy Ridge on the 21st. The brunt of the attack fell on 47th (London) Division, to the right of 23rd Division and the 23rd Divisional Artillery went into action in support of the 47th. On the 1st of June the Artillery supported 2nd Division as they undertook operations to recover lost ground. On the 11th of June the 23rd Division Infantry moved to Bomy and the artillery to Chamblain Chatelain and Therouanne to begin intensive training for the Battle of the Somme. They were in action in The Battle of Albert including the capture of Contalmaison, The Battles of Bazentin Ridge, Pozieres, Flers-Courcelette, Morval and The Battle of Le Transloy including the capture of Le Sars. In 1917 they fought in The Battle of Messines, The Battles of the Menin Road, Polygon Wood and the The First and Second Battles of Passchendaele. It was here that my ancestor worked as a company runner, running between the lines carrying vital messages from HQ to the front. During the third battle of Ypres he received the Military Medal for actions unknown and was mentioned in the London Gazette in January 1918. My grandfather always told me that it was during the third battle of Ypres that my great great grandfather received a shrapnel wound and was brought back to England and his medal card supports this as it shows that he received the 1915 star, British war medal, Victory medal and the Military Medal and his only theatre of war was France. After the war, he moved to Burnhope and worked as a miner until his death in 1954. Sadly I never met him and have been unable to find any photos or records of him other than his medal card. However I have inherited his identity bracelet which he wore through out the great war and this shows his name, service number, company, battalion and regiment. It is also engraved with the intials MM supporting that he was awarded the military medal. I would however be grateful if anyone can share any more information about him or show me a photograph as i have never seen what he looks like. It would be dream come true if by any chance anyone knew of the where abouts of his medals.
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