259976 Sgt. Harold Shipman MM.British Army 2nd Btn. Coldstream Guards from:Wakefield My great-grandfather Harold Shipman served during WW1. He joined The Coldstream Guards on 28th of September 1914 and joined the 4th Battalion at Caterham on 1st of October 1914. After completing his basic training, he was posted to the 3rd Battalion, Coldstream Guards and embarked from Southampton on 7th of April 1915. He went into the trenches at Windy Corner around Givenchy, his battalion relieving the 1st Battalion, Hertfordshire Regiment. On 27th of July 1915, he was appointed Acting/Lance Corporal, then on 30th fo July 1915, whilst in the front line at Givenchy, he received a gunshot wound to the left leg. On 6th of August 1915, he returned to the front line and on 1st of December 1915 was appointed paid Lance Corporal. From 27/8/16 to 10/9/16, he was attached to the 183rd Field Coy., Royal Engineers, this was a tunnelling company on the Somme front.On 1/10/16, he was promoted to Corporal and appointed Lance Sergeant and on 14/12/16, we was attached to a works battalion in the field. On 2/3/17, he joined the 2nd Battalion, Coldstream Guards and was attached to the 75th Field Coy., Royal Engineers. On 18th of June 1917, he was wounded in action, sustaining a high-explosive wound to his back and right thigh during the Battle of Pilckem Ridge. This was opening attack of the Third Battle of Ypres, which later became known as Passchendaele. The battle began at 0350 hours on 31st of July 1917. He was transferred to a field hospital by the 3rd Field Ambulance on 1/8/17 and then on to a General Hospital in Etaples on 2/8/17. On 9/8/17, he transferred to hospital in England. On 21/8/17, he was posted to the 5th Battalion, Coldstream Guards at Windsor. On 30/9/17, he transferred to London Command Depot, Seaford. On 28/1/18, he transferred to reserve unit Shoreham. On 1/4/18, he joined the 2nd Battalion, Coldstream Guards again and embarked from Southampton. He joined base depot on 2/4/18. He transferred back to the 3rd Battalion on 15/4/18 and was absorbed into the battalion as an unpaid Lance Sergeant. On 22/7/18, he was promoted to Sergeant in the field and transferred back to the 2nd Battalion on 31/8/18. On 9th of November 1918, he was awarded the Military Medal for his actions during the attack on Maubeuge. On 27/12/18, he transferred to Ripon, England and demobilised on 2/1/1919.
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