Author Topic: ww1 despatch riders  (Read 10911 times)

Offline pazz12345

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Re: ww1 despatch riders
« Reply #18 on: Wednesday 10 July 13 14:03 BST (UK) »
I have now found out Robert Thomas Williams date of birth from the 1939 register it is 20/04/1885 not 1883 as previously posted and now armed with this I have contacted historical disclosures in Glasgow. They have told me that they have records for him as a lancashire fusilier in ww2 and that his ww1 could possibly be attached to it. Here's hoping they have also said they are running at 9 to 12 months before I would get them  :( . Also on the 1939 register is his occupation as ... corporal Williams S.R.T No D.C.B Coy Att L.F D/14057 any help on this would be good thanks simon
Williams, Fisher, Rimmer,Court,Parrott,Lancashire,Preston,Rochdale,Wales,England

Offline vintagesunbeam

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Re: ww1 despatch riders
« Reply #19 on: Wednesday 10 July 13 21:10 BST (UK) »
Hi Simon

thanks for the message, note all you say, and add that I've now rebooked my visit to TNA for end of July/beginning of August.

cheers
Nick

Offline vintagesunbeam

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Re: ww1 despatch riders
« Reply #20 on: Tuesday 13 August 13 11:06 BST (UK) »
Hi there
 
I had a very successful visit to TNA - looked at more than a dozen war diaries of Signals units and nearly 100 personal files of despatch riders. There's some fascinating information there, I'm still in the process of entering all the data into my database so I can work out what it all means!

The relevant diaries for the purpose of identifying the Indian Army unit in the photograph were WO 95/3919 Lahore Division Signal Company and WO 95/393 Meerut Division Signal Company. As I frequently found elsewhere, the recording by officers of similar units varied tremendously - some officers wrote long and detailed entries while others wrote the bare minimum.

The Lahore Division landed at Marseilles on 30th September 1914 and went by train to Toulouse, and thence by train to Argenton and Orleans where they were in camp from 2nd to 16th October. On 17th and 18th October they went by train to Boulogne, then Calais and St Omer. The stopping point for 17th and 18th October was written as BLENDECOUVES but I think must have been BLENDECQUES, which is a town near St Omer.

Over the following days they went by road to the Front through the following towns:
HALLINES; LYNDES; BAILLEUIL; ESTAIRES; LOCON; LEVANTIE; LE TOURET

In my opinion the photograph was probably taken in one of those destinations. I've looked at Blendecques and Estaires on Google StreetView and the architecture is very reminiscent of the photograph.

If the town survives, I think we have a good chance of identifying it - I expect the names of the shops will certainly have changed but it is quite distinctive with two four bay buildings looking onto a square with room for the Signals company and the photographer on the opposite side of the square. Have a look for yourself!

regards
Nick

Offline pazz12345

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Re: ww1 despatch riders
« Reply #21 on: Friday 16 August 13 11:08 BST (UK) »
Hi Nick
 that is great news I have already been looking at the buildings and as you say they are distinctive with the 4 windows.
Thanks for the info if I find anything I will post it
Thanks again simon
Williams, Fisher, Rimmer,Court,Parrott,Lancashire,Preston,Rochdale,Wales,England


Offline vintagesunbeam

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Re: ww1 despatch riders
« Reply #22 on: Wednesday 12 March 14 16:08 GMT (UK) »
Hello again
I stumbled across more information about your photograph this morning - a stereoscopic version of the picture (showing the upper storeys) is now on UK ebay at no 231178222343
 
I made some further enquiries and discovered that the original photograph is one of 167 photographs taken by Dr Birdwood, an official photographer, to be found in the India Office Library at the British Library in St Pancras

this picture is Photo 21/(95) captioned "Motor-lorries and cycles of the Indian Army Corps' Signallers packed in the main square at Merville".

Wikipedia tells us that Merville was completely destroyed but a glance at Streetview shows that there is still a large central square, and I imagine this is where the picture was taken

best wishes!

Offline John Ritson

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Re: ww1 despatch riders
« Reply #23 on: Sunday 18 September 16 15:40 BST (UK) »
I have just received my grandfathers first world war things. This includes 3 medals. 1914 star, British war medal and the Victory medal. From documents I also have I know he joined the Lancashire Fusiliers. He enlisted on 6th march 1908 and passed the mounted Infantry after 4 months training on the 1st of october 1912. He went overseas 23rd August 1914. I have include a photograph on his bike. Can anyone I.D. it? I have most of his 3rd class education certificate and the armband he is wearing signifies he was a corporal. He documentation says he was in the Royal Engineers 4th division signal corps. He served until 5th of March 1920. Any tips to find out where he was. I know he had the 4 blue chevrons and one red so he served right through the war. My picture will not load. I can email it if anyone wants.

Online jim1

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Re: ww1 despatch riders
« Reply #24 on: Sunday 18 September 16 17:12 BST (UK) »
Hello John & welcome.
go to the main WW1 page & post this as a new topic. That way more people will see it.
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/world-war-one/
To add a photo you need to make sure it's under 500Kb. filesize as this is the max. on here, also give it a unique name as all filenames are stored.
The date + initials or some such.
It would help if you gave us Grandad's name & no.
In the meantime some info. on the 4th. Div.
http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/order-of-battle-of-divisions/4th-division/

& 4 Div. Signals:
4th Divisional Signals Company, The Royal Engineers provided communications for 4th Division. 4th Division was held back from the original British Expeditionary Force by a last minute decision to defend Britain against a possible German landing. The fate of the BEF in France and the lack of any move by the Enemy to cross the channel, reversed this decision and they proceeded to France in late August 1914 They were in action at the The Battle of the Marne, The Battle of the Aisne and at The Battle of Messines in 1914. In 1915 they fought in The Second Battle of Ypres. Between the 5th of November 1915 and 3 February 1916, 12th Brigade were attached to 36th (Ulster) Division, providing instruction to the newly arrived Division. In 1916 moved south and were in action during the Battles of the Somme. In 1917 they were at Arras, in action during the The First and Third Battles of the Scarpe, before heading north for the Third Battle of Ypres, where they fought in The Battle of Polygon Wood, The Battle of Broodseinde, The Battle of Poelcapelle and The First Battle of Passchendaele. In 1918 they were in action on The Somme, then returned to Flanders fighting in the Defence of Hinges Ridge during The Battle of Hazebrouck and in The Battle of Bethune, The Advance in Flanders The Second Battles of Arras, the Battles of the Hindenburg Line and the Final Advance in Picardy. The 4th Division was demobilised in Belgium in early 1919.

4 Signals was split up into 4 sections. 1 & 2 were attached to 11 Bde. & 3 & 4 to 10 Bde. They arrived France 22/8/14 & headed for St.Quentin via Rouen to cover the retreat from Mons. Arriving there on the 25th.
By the ned of the month they were at Trosly-Breuil, on the R. Aisne.
Warks:Ashford;Cadby;Clarke;Clifford;Cooke Copage;Easthope;
Edmonds;Felton;Colledge;Lutwyche;Mander(s);May;Poole;Withers.
Staffs.Edmonds;Addison;Duffield;Webb;Fisher;Archer
Salop:Easthope,Eddowes,Hoorde,Oteley,Vernon,Talbot,De Neville.
Notts.Clarke;Redfearne;Treece.
Som.May;Perriman;Cox
India Kane;Felton;Cadby
London.Haysom.
Lancs.Gay.
Worcs.Coley;Mander;Sawyer.
Kings of Wessex & Scotland
Census information is Crown copyright,from
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/

Offline SimoninEaston

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Re: ww1 despatch riders
« Reply #25 on: Saturday 20 May 17 10:37 BST (UK) »
Quote from: vintagesunbeam
I'm making a study of the WW1 despatch riders, and if you post your relative's details, I may be able to help you find details of his career.
Hi - I've just registered, and as I'm trying to find out more about my grandpa, I was wondering if you could help?! As far as I know, he was a despatch rider, who was injured (as I understand, many of them were...) and returned to duty afterwards as a staff car driver. He survived the war and lived until 1971. I've seen a picture of him in uniform, standing by his motorcycle, but I haven't seen the picture in ages - I wish I knew what has become of it! I have found a copy of his war medal record though, so I know he served with the RASC, and the record shows his regimental number as M2 104238 and also that his rank was first, private, then corporal, which chimes with the comment made up thread. I'd love to find out more about him and am currently wading through boxes of family photos to try and find the picture of him and his 'bike. I've read a couple of books recently, written by Great War despatch riders, including WHL Watson's Adventures of a Motorcycle Despatch Rider, which is full of detail of their day to day existance and I almost felt I was there! It must have been grim, especially when you realise that the enemey would deliberately target the riders, cos of their strategic importance - very often the only way staff knew what on earth was going on was if a rider got through to tell them! The book reveals what a ghastly existance it must have been - no wonder my grandpa seldom talked about the war...

Online jim1

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Re: ww1 despatch riders
« Reply #26 on: Saturday 20 May 17 11:03 BST (UK) »
Hello & welcome
You've put this on the end of an old post. So more will see it you need to start a new topic by clicking the World War One page at the top of this page & then click on new topic then just copy & paste.
I can't see a pension or service record for him but around 70% of these were destroyed in WW2.
As ASC were Div. Troop you need to know which Div. he was with.
Warks:Ashford;Cadby;Clarke;Clifford;Cooke Copage;Easthope;
Edmonds;Felton;Colledge;Lutwyche;Mander(s);May;Poole;Withers.
Staffs.Edmonds;Addison;Duffield;Webb;Fisher;Archer
Salop:Easthope,Eddowes,Hoorde,Oteley,Vernon,Talbot,De Neville.
Notts.Clarke;Redfearne;Treece.
Som.May;Perriman;Cox
India Kane;Felton;Cadby
London.Haysom.
Lancs.Gay.
Worcs.Coley;Mander;Sawyer.
Kings of Wessex & Scotland
Census information is Crown copyright,from
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/