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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment
Gp Capt. Lionel Wilmot Brabazon Rees VC MC MID
Royal Air Force 11 Squadron
from:Plas Llanwnda, Castle Street, Caernarfon
Lionel Rees was born in Plas Llanwnda, Castle Street, Caernarfon in 1884. Rees attended Eastbourne College before entering the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich. He was commissioned in 1903 with the Royal Garrison Artillery. In 1912 he learned to fly at his own expense, receiving his Aviator's Certificate (no. 392) in January 1913. By 1913-14 Rees was attached to the West African Frontier Force when he was seconded to the Royal Flying Corps in August 1914, initially as an instructor at Upavon. He first saw action flying the Vickers Gunbus with No. 11 Squadron RFC in the summer of 1915, earning a reputation as an aggressive pilot and an above average marksman.
Rees was awarded the Military Cross for his actions in 1915, gazetted as follows:
For conspicuous gallantry and skill on several occasions, notably the following: On 21st September, 1915, when flying a machine with one machine gun, accompanied by Flight-Serjeant Hargreaves, he sighted a large German biplane with two machine guns 2,000 feet below him. He spiralled down and dived at the enemy, who, having the faster machine, manoeuvred to get him broadside on and then opened heavy fire. Despite this, Captain Rees pressed his attack and apparently succeeded in hitting the enemy's engine, for the machine made a quick turn, glided some distance and finally fell just inside the German lines near Herbecourt.
On 28 July he attacked and drove down a hostile monoplane despite the main spar of his machine having been shot through and the rear spar shattered. On 31 August, accompanied by Flight-Sergeant Hargreaves, he fought a German machine more powerful than his own for three-quarters of an hour, then returned for more ammunition and went out to the attack again, finally bringing the enemy's machine down apparently wrecked. By this time he had claimed 1 aircraft captured, 1 destroyed, 1 'forced to land' and 5 'driven down'.
Rees was 31 years old and a Temporary Major in No. 32 Squadron RFC, when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
In the first hours of the Somme Offensive, Rees was on patrol, taking off in Airco DH.2 No. 6015 at 0555 hours. His attempt to join a formation of "British" machines brought an attack from one of the Germans. He shot up the attacker, hitting its fuselage between the two aircrew. As it dove away, Rees attacked a Roland. Long range fire from three other Germans did not discourage Rees from closing on it; it emitted a hazy cloud of smoke from its engine from the 30 rounds Rees pumped into it, and it fled. Rees then single handedly went after five more Germans. A bullet in the thigh paralysed his leg, forcing him to break off his assault. As the shock of the wound wore off, he was able to pursue the German formation leader, which was leaving after dropping its bomb. He fired his Lewis machine gun empty. In frustration, he drew his pistol but dropped it into his DH.2's nacelle. Meanwhile, the German two-seater pulled away above him. The German formation was shattered and scattered. Rees gave up the futile chase, and returned to base. Once landed, he calmly asked for steps so he could deplane. Once seated on the aerodrome grass, he had a tender fetched to take him to hospital. The valor of his actions earned him the Victoria Cross.
The citation reads: On 1st July 1916 at Double Crassieurs, France, Major Rees, whilst on flying duties, sighted what he thought was a bombing party of our machines returning home, but were in fact enemy aircraft. Major Rees was attacked by one of them, but after a short encounter it disappeared, damaged. The others then attacked him at long range, but he dispersed them, seriously damaging two of the machines. He chased two others but was wounded in the thigh, temporarily losing control of his aircraft. He righted it and closed with the enemy, using up all his ammunition, firing at very close range. He then returned home, landing his aircraft safely.
For the remainder of the war Rees commanded the Air Fighting School at Ayr.
Pte. Maurice Rees
British Army 8th Battalion Norfolk Regiment
from:Fulham
Maurice Rees served with 8th Btn, Norfolk Regiment in 53rd Brigade, 18th Division.
Staff Nurse. Mildred Gertrude Rees MID.
British Army Queen Alexandras Imperial Military Nursing Service
from:New Zealand
Mildred Rees was born at Otekaieke Station, Waitaki Valley, NZ on 26 February 1869, she died at Nelson, NZ on 21 August 1957. She trained as a nurse at Wellington Hospital, NZ and traveled to England in 1910. She was there when WW1 broke out.
At the beginning of WW1, Mildred joined the Millicent Sutherland Ambulance, based at Namur in Belgium. German advances forced this group of eight nurses, one surgeon, and Millicent Sutherland to return to England after just six weeks. In 1915, she joined the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Service Reserve. The following lists her subsequent postings and activities:
- Feb 1915 - Mar 1916: at 3rd Stationary Hospital, Rouen for 10 months; at 9th Stationary Hospital, Rouen for 2 months.
- Mar - Apr 1916: Returned sick with influenza and recuperated at Queen Alexandra's Hospital, Millbank.
- Apr 1916 - Jan 1917: 10th Stationary Hospital, St. Omer for 1 month; No. 4 Ambulance Flotilla (Barge No. 192) for 5 months; 25th Stationary Hospital, Rouen for 3 months.
- Jan 1917: 14 days leave.
- Mar - Sep 1917: 10th Stationary Hospital, Remy Siding for 2 months; Ambulance Flotilla (Barge No. 366) for 5 months.
- Sep 1917 - Feb 1918: No. 23 Casualty Clearing Station for 4 months.
- Feb 1918: 14 days leave, spent in Cannes.
- Mar - Nov 1918: 4th General Hospital, Camiers for 9 months.
- Next 4 months: No. 48 CCS, Namur, Belgium; No. 55 CCS, Charleroi, Belgium; No. 32 Stationary Hospital, Wimereux.
- 5 Apr 1919: Demobilised
- Feb 1920: Returned to NZ
Drvr. T. Rees
British Army 173rd Brigade, AĂ‚Â Bty Royal Field Artillery
(d.9th November 1918)
Driver Rees is buried in Y Farm Military Cemetery, Bois Grenier, France, Grave D.79.
Pte. Thomas Rees
Royal Marines Royal Marine Light Infantry
from:Penyrheol Farm, Abersychan
Pte. William Nelson Rees
British Army 9th Btn. Welsh Regiment
from:Abergavenny
(d.15th Nov 1916)
William Rees was attested on 5th of August 1914 at Abergavenny Depot, then was recalled to headquarters of the Monmouthshire Regiment at Abergavenny. On 6th August, he went to Pembroke Dock for training as part of the Welsh Border Brigade, and then on 10th August he was sent to training camp at Oswestry. On the 31st, he went for training and equipping to the Northampton race course with the 53rd (Welsh) Division, where they billeted with and were well liked by the local people. In October 1914, he and the 3rd Monmouthshires were sent to Bury St. Edmunds in East Anglia to train on digging trenches and setting up defensive works. On 1st December, they went to Cambridge in January 1915 for rifle training, and on 11th February 1915, they were inspected by King George V.
On 13 February 1915, the 3rd Monmouthshires proceeded by train to Southampton and sailed for France on the S.S. Chyebassa. The next morning, they arrived at Le Havre and proceeded by train to Cassel, where the GHQ of the French Northern Army was located. On 28th February 1915, they left Steenvorde on a fleet of double-decker London buses and went into action in the front lines. During the next seven months, 3rd Battalion participated in the following battles: Messines-Wytschaete Ridge; Wulverghem; Polygon Wood (in which they were attached to the Northumberland Field Company and the 171st Tunnelling Company R.E); Hill 60; Frezenberg Ridge; Hooge Chateau; Vlamertinghe; Poperinghe; Hellfire Corner; Reninghelst; Yser Canal; Caesar’s Nose; Lindenoek; Locre; Kemmel; and Elverdinghe Chateau.
In September 1915, the 3rd Battalion was detached to the 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division as a pioneer battalion and engaged in repairing roads and digging trenches and dugouts. In December, the 3rd Battalion rejoined the rest of the Monmouthshire Regiment, which was encamped at Elverdinghe Chateau. On the 29th December, while on parade there, a large German shell fired from a nearby forest exploded, wounding 30 of the Battalion and killing 39, all of whom are buried at Ferme-Olivier cemetery in Belgium. During the first six months of 1916, 3rd Monmouthshires participated in the following actions: Albert; Brucamps; Candas; Neuville; St. Vaast; Agnieres; Pommier; and Foncquevillers. On the 1st July, the Battalion took part in the Battle of the Somme in support of the 36th Ulster Division’s attack on a German strong-point.
In August 1916, the 3rd Battalion fought at Acheux, Hedin, and Capelle. There were failed attacks on enemy trenches and many casualties, and the Battalion was ordered to retire. At the end of the month, 3rd Battalion heard the unwelcome news that, owing to the difficulty in finding replacements, the unit would be broken up and distributed among other Welsh regiments.
On 24th August, Private Rees learned that he was one of 200 men to be assigned to the new 9th Entrenching Battalion, which had been formed from the remnants of the 3rd Monmouthshires. Then on 20th September, he was transferred to the 9th Battalion, Welsh Regiment. On 15th November 1916, Private Rees was with a bomb and bayonet detachment near Le Sars in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France, when a hidden German machine gun opened up on the detachment. One officer was wounded. Thirty other soldiers were wounded or missing. One of these was Willie, as he was known. His body was never identified. His name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
L/Cpl Thomas Christopher Reesby
British Army 6th Btn. Duke of Cornwall Light Infantry
from:Nottingham
(d.17th Sept 1915)
Lance Corporal Thomas Christopher Reesby. Service Number 22398 was born in 1876 in St Nicholas, Nottinghamshire to J.H and A Reesby. He served in 6th Battalion Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry and died of his wounds on 17/09/1915.
VAD. Reeve
Voluntary Aid Detachment No. 32 Stationary Hospital
Cpl A. S. Reeve MM.
British Army
I have a commemorative item presented to a Pte A S Reeve by the company he worked for in 1919. This a very nice item and I would very much like to pass it on to any family members. If you had a relative who won the military medal for bravery at the Battle of the Somme in 1916, please email me with proof.
Pte. Harry William Reeve
British Army 149th Coy. Machine Gun Corps
(d.25th Oct 1917)
Pte. Herbert Ernest Reeve
British Army C Sqn 9th Queens Royal Lancers
from:Portslade, Sussex
My Grandfather, Herbert Reeve was reported missing and then captured on the 22nd of March 1918 after fierce fighting in the Brown Line at Hesbecourt, Somme, France. He was repatriated on the 25th of November 1918. I have two letters sent home to my Grandmother from Gustrow prisoner of war camp dated June and August 1918. He had gone out with the 9th Lancers on the 15th of August 1914.
Pte. Albert Reeves
British Army 1st Btn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment
(d.13th July 1917)
Albert Reeves was killed in action on the 13th of July 1917. Buried Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extension in France, he was the husband of Harriet Reeves.
Rflmn. Alfred Charles Reeves
British Army 6th Btn. London Regiment
from:Bethnal Green, Middlesex
(d.9th Aug 1918)
We know very little about Alfred Reeves. He was a green-grocer and married to Alice Maria Kiddle. They had one child, May Elizabeth Annie Reeves (my mother). She was born in 1915 and too young to remember her father, whom she must have met at less once, as there is a photo of the family together.
Pte. Edward Reeves MM.
British Army 8th Battalion York & Lancaster Regt.
from:Canklow, Brinsworth, Rotherham
(d.9th Oct 1917)
Edward Reeves was my 1st cousin, once removed. His mother Elizabeth was my grandfather William's eldest sister. Edward's civilain occupation is listed as 'Rope Hand' when he enlisted as a Private at Rotherham on 2nd of Sep 1915 and after training in England, embarked at Folkestone as part of the B.E.F. on 26th August 1915. He arrived in France on 27th August 1915 at Boulogne.
He was appointed as unpaid lance corporal for 'good work in the QM stores) on 11th Mar 1916 and this was then confirmed on 31st May 1916. He was appointed Acting Corporal on 19th Jul 1916 and was awarded the Military Medal for 'bravery in the field' on 1st October 1916 (relevant action was on 21st Sep 1916)in a supplement to the London Gazette. Following this honour he was appointed acting Sergeant 11th Oct 1916 and this was confirmed 'in the ranks' on 14th Jun 1917. In Nov 1917 the 8th Battalion moved to Italy to strengthen the Italian Resistance effort. There is a record of him taking leave in Italy from 15th Jul 1918 At some point Edward was wounded and he was admitted to a military hospital in Jan 1919. His service record says he 'Embarked to UK, arriving at Clipstone on 6th Mar 1919 where he returned to the mines.
Pte Horace Joseph Reeves
British Army 12th Mobile Coy. No. 4 Centre Army Service Corps
from:Wolverhampton
(d.28th February 1918)
Horace Reeves died of Nephritis at Fargo Military Hospital on Salisbury Plain.
Pte Jesse Reeves
British Army 10th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regt)
from:Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire
(d.6th Aug 1916)
Named after his father, Jesse Reeves was born in 1894 and worked as a Colliery Banksman at Bentink Colliery, Kirkby-in-Ashfield. At the outbreak of WW1 he enlisted with the 10th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derbyshire Regiment). He married Elsie Raynor at St Mary’s Parish Church on 13th February 1915, and had a son, William Ernest.
After training Jesse left for France, entering the Theatre of War on 29th July 1915. Jesse served in the trenches on the Ypres Salient moving south for the Battle of the Somme, his last battle being at Delville Wood. On 6th August 1916 whilst acting as a stretcher bearer bringing in a wounded officer he was shot through the head by a sniper and died instantly. There is no known grave for Jesse and he is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing, St Mary’s Churchyard Cenotaph and a commemorative plaque inside the church.
Pte. Jesse Reeves
British Army 10th Btn. Sherwood Foresters
from:33 Club Street, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Notts
(d.6th Aug 1916)
Jesse Reeves was my grandfather. Unfortunately, he did not make it through the war and so our family never knew him, but I have always felt close to him. My grandmother and father were left behind, my dad was 2yrs old.
Sgt. Leonard Reeves
British Army 1/5th Battalion Welsh Regiment
from:Llandough
L/Cpl. Maurice William "Knocker" Reeves
British Army 1st Btn. Wiltshire Regiment
from:Lyneham
Maurice Reeves was my grandfather. He joined the Wilshires in 1907. He got wounded and became a POW very early on in the War. He was interred in Friborg, Switzerland at the end of 1917 and was demobed in 1919. If any one has more on him or photos I would love to make contact.
Sgt. Richard John Reeves
British Army 24th Div. Mobile Army Veterinary Corps
from:Kirkdale
Richard Reeves served with 24th Division Mobile Army Veterinary Corps.
CG Daniel Regan
Royal Navy HMS Dreadnought
from:Leap, Co. Cork.
Chief Gunner Regan was the husband of Mary Regan, of Glenview, Leap, Co. Cork.
He was 44 when he died on 6th July 1919 and is buried Between the tower and the East corner of the Drinagh Old Graveyard, Drinagh, Co. Cork, Ireland.
Pte. Edward Regan
British Army 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
from:Willington
Edward Regan enlisted in 1914
Pte. Henry Regan
British Army 8th Battalion South Lancashire Regiment
from:Manchester
Pte. John Regan
British Army 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
from:Langley Moor
(d.1st July 1916)
John regan was a Stretcher bearer. He took part in the trench raids on the night of the 25-26th June 1916. he is named on the Thiepval Memorial
Cpl. John Regan
British Army 23rd Btn. Manchester Regiment
from:Miles Platting
(d.22nd Oct 1917)
Sgt. P. Regan
British Army Irish Guards
from:Brownstown, Navan
Sergeant Regan was the son of Mrs Kate Regan of Curraghtown, Brownstown, Navan.
He died 30th January 1919 and is buried in Grave A. 189 in the Navan New Cemetery, Navan, Co. Meath, Ireland.
Cpl. Richard Regan
British Army 102nd Bde. D Bty Royal Field Artillery
(d.28th May 1917)
Pte. Thomas Regan
British Army 13th Battalion Barnsley Pals Yorks and Lancs Regiment
from:Barnsley
(d.26th July 1916)
Private Thomas Regan 14/1417 died on the 26th July, 1916, aged 29. He lived at 17 Hunt Street, Harland Common, Barnsley. Enlisted 15th September 1915. His name can be seen on Panel 8 at Ploegsteert Memorial,Belgium.
Pte. Walter Reick
British Army 15th Btn. Durham Light Infantry
(d.27th Sep 1915)
Walter Reick, Private 14391, served in the 15th Battalion Durham Light Infantry and died age 20 on the 27th September 1915. He is remembered at Palmer Cenotaph and St. Paul's Church also at Loos Memorial. Panel 106 and 107. His medal card shows the award of the 1915 Star, War and Victory Medals.
Walter was the son of Isabella and the late John Reick of 5 North View, Jarrow. I Cannot locate any 1911 census details, but Walter's Service record confirms his mother Isabella as next of kin living at 15 Victor Street, Jarrow. It also confirms his brother John and sister Christina as declared relatives at that address. The 1901 census shows the family living at 88 Albert Road, Jarrow with Isabella Reick (31) widow and 4 children, John (10), Christina (7), Walter (5) and Amelio 4. Margaret Amelia Reick (78) is also living here as are two working boarders.
His service record also shows that he served in the UK from 7th Sep 1914 to 10th Sep 1915,arriving in France on the 11th Sep 1915 and was killed in action 16 days later during the Battle of Loos.
Sister. Reid
Queen Alexandras Nursing Service No. 16 Stationary Hospital
Page 11 of 51
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