Grandad's Wound

Taking advantage of last weekend's free access to FindMyPast, I found an entry in the weekly War Office casualty for January 1919, in which Grandad Walter is listed. This proves that he was indeed wounded, as suspected, probably during the Battle of the Sambre.

It usually took quite a while for such events to appear in the casualty lists, so it's not always easy to pinpoint the actual date of occurrence, but once again Pte. Henry Atcherley, whose records we have already used to help date Grandad's war service, comes to our assistance as he is also listed.

Atcherley's pension and medical records still exist, which show that he was wounded by shrapnel around the 7th or 8th November 1918, during the aforementioned battle. Considering that shrapnel was later found in Grandad's leg, it's reasonable to assume that he was similarly wounded at that time.

I've updated Grandad's entry accordingly.

Roche Noire Photos

While I have yet to visit Salonika and pay my respects to my great-uncle, I was fortunately contacted by Gary Wall, whose great-uncle also died during the taking of the Roche Noire salient.

To mark the centenary, Gary travelled to Greece, visiting the battlefield and the cemetery at Polykastro (aka Karasouli).

He has kindly allowed me to post some of his photos on the blog. Many thanks mate!

The hilltops that were the focus of the assault

Looking across to the Roche Noir, marked a lump of rock on the hilltop.

View from one of the hilltops looking down towards the British line.

Looking down towards the valley bottom where the British line started the assault.

You can still see outline of trenches on the hilltops.

Gary at his great-uncle's grave at Karasouli Cemetery

John's headstone, located in the previous photo at Gary's right shoulder, just to the right.

Thanks once again Gary!

Felton & Preston Wynne Memorial Hall

Another update for my great uncle John Lee Price. A while back I discovered an article in the Hereford Times (thanks to Herefordshire History) that details the opening of Felton & Preston Wynne Memorial Hall.

Among the fallen of the two parishes that the hall is dedicated to is one John Price. I believe this to be my great uncle, and as such have noted the dedication on his page. I have also included a photo of the memorial plaque that I managed to take recently.

(Note that on Herefordshire Council's excellent WW1 centenary website, the incorrect John Price is listed for this memorial - in an email to me, the Herefordshire archives team have promised to rectify this mistake when circumstances allow.)

John Lee Price: Hospital Records

I've found some hospital records, transcribed by Forces-War-Records, which show my great-uncle John being admitted during his time in Salonika.

These are interesting in that they could explain why he was transferred from the 9th Gloucestershires to the 2nd Gloucestershires.

For more details click here or select his name from the list on the right hand side of this page.

Grandad's KSLI connection borne out

I'm extremely lucky to have been given an original list of members of the Home Guard for Withington (which I hope to transcribe and put online).

Grandad is listed in this book, which gives his previous military experience as 'KSLI, Great War' (although the year of his birth is incorrect).

This provides us with more proof that Grandad was with the KSLI at some point in WW1, and I have updated his page accordingly.

Updates to Frederick Jones and Walter Price

Some long overdue updates!

I have discovered Great-Uncle Fred listed in the 1919 editions of the Absent Voters Lists. The entries not only give his regiment and service number, but also the date of his demobilisation.

However, far from making things clearer, this actually muddies the waters, for, while this has led me to find a medal card for an FS Jones with the same service number, the regiment is completely different.

I'm only partially certain that this is 'our' Fred Jones, as the AVLs could be quite inaccurate, and it could also be a huge coincidence, so as of yet proof is not conclusive. The information is presented on his page.

Regarding my Grandad, I have found a nice sketch of the lock at Landrecies, that the 9th Devonshires had to get past during the battle of the Sambre.

Grandad - major questions answered!

A visit to the Herefordshire Archives and Records Centre has yielded some fantastic results in the shape of the Absent Voters Lists!

The lists for 1918-1919 confirm that Grandad was indeed conscripted into the 3rd KSLI, that he was posted to the Devonshires at the end of October 1918, and that he was subsequently posted to the 1/5th DCLI after the Armistice - demobbing November 1919.

Grandad's page has been updated as a result.

(Note that, while this latest update answers a lot of questions, I have still detailed the research I carried out beforehand in the hope that it will be of use to other amateur researchers!)

John Lee's Final Effects

Ancestry have now digitised the Register of British Soldiers' Final Effects (held at the National Army Museum) and I have found my Great-Uncle John's entry. His page has been updated accordingly.

Cross referencing

Of the approximately 150 men who I believe to have transferred to the 9th Devonshire Regiment, only one service record survives. However it is still possible to view their entries on the medal rolls, and the smattering of Silver War Badge entries. Additionally, one among their number subsequently joined the RAF, and has some service details also available to view online.

Cross referencing this gives us a little more information, but also throws into question my assumption that Grandad was initially in the KSLI before being transferred to the Devonshires. I have factored all this into his entry.

Grandad - More Information Comes to Light!

Thanks to the newly launched Herefordshire History website, I have found some important information on my Grandad's military service which confirms the fact that he was conscripted no earlier than 1st September 1917.

I have also discovered where he was working at the time, and what his job was, and have edited his page (see the right hand panel) accordingly!

John Lee Price - his page updated

I have updated the page dedicated to my great uncle John Lee Price.

Thanks to the Government Probate office's website, I have obtained a copy of his will, which gives us more information on which regiment he was serving in during 1918.





I have also found mention of him in a newspaper article from 1924, which reveals that his wooden grave marker was among 90 that were brought to England and erected at Cheltenham Cemetery for the dedication ceremony of the Cross of Sacrifice.

In a way then, John finally returned home.

Grandad at the Sambre

After downloading the war diary of the 7th Brigade from the National Archives, I've found a map of their section of the Battle of the Sambre, 4-8th November 1918, which shows the dispositions of the battalions (including the 9th Devonshires).

Comparing this with the 9th Devonshires' war diary gives us a better idea of their part in the battle, so I've put a copy up on to Grandad's page.

John Lee Price, wounded in 1917

I've updated the page for my great uncle John Lee Price today, after discovering a reference to him being wounded in a 1917 copy of the Gloucester Journal.
This gives us a clue as to where could have been during that time, and the battle it is possible he was wounded in.
If my theory is correct, then this proves that some details in his medal roll are wrong. A visit to the Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum and a chat to their very helpful archivist has further strengthened my belief in this.

Grandad in 1919

Thanks to the National Archives I now have a copy of the diary of 5th Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry for 1918-19.

Assuming I'm right in believing that grandad joined this battalion in 1919, this enables me to get a picture of his duties during his stint in the Army of Occupation.

I have updated his page accordingly - http://myfamilyww1.blogspot.co.uk/p/walter-th.html

Grandad and the Sambre

A quick update to Grandad - Walter Thomas Price's page, with a summary of the 9th Devonshires' actions during the battle of the Sambre (04/11/1918), shortly after the time I believe he joined the battalion.

Update for John Lee Price

I've downloaded the war diary for the 9th Gloucestershires for a period between September and October 1915, when they first landed in France. This gives us a clue as to John's movements during this time, and I've amended his information accordingly.

John Lee Price

A new page up today regarding my great-uncle, John Lee Price

To view, click on the link to the right.

Grandad Updated

I've now updated grandad's entry on this blog, adding all the new information I have come across.

Grandad's Medals

These are the medals that started me off on this journey, Grandad Walter's medals: the Victory Medal (left) and the British Medal (right).

And here is the box they came in!

Thanks to some laborious cross referencing of medal index cards and the fine folk at the Great War Forum I now know roughly when Walter was posted overseas to join the 9th Devonshires, and also the regiment he originally enlisted in.

I also have a copy of the war diary for the 9th Devonshires, which gives a date for when he transferred to the DCLI.

I will rewrite Grandad's entry soon, and am also in the process of writing something for his brother, John Lee Price.

Granddad Walter

The first page has gone up!

Please select the link on the right hand side for my granddad Walter Thomas Price