Lancelot WATKIN - King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment)

[Ju]

Hi,

I'm hoping that someone can provide some additional information regarding Lancelot Bernard Watkin who served with 1st Battalion Kings Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) during the First World War. He was a private & his service no was 2409.

He died on 30th Jan 1915 & is buried in Strand Military Cemetery.

Thank you,

Ju

[keyboard86]

Hi what sort of "Additional information" are you after, his birth appears to be Lancelot Bernard Watkin June qtr 1895 West Derby and in 1901 is with his married mother Margaret 30 b Ireland and brothers William 8 and Claude 1 shown as nephews to a Minnie Johnston 32 Single b Ireland and including Sarah Johnston 70 Widow/Mother b Ireland
Census ref RG13/3488/82/16
Keyboard86

[Ju]

Hi,

Thanks for replying so quickly.

I'd found him on the 1911 census, but not the one for 1901, so this is very useful.

If possible, I would be particularly interested to learn more about his time serving with the Royal Lancaster Regiment, eg where the battalion were fighting at the time of his death.

Thanks again for your help.

Ju

[mirl]

http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/
Start here, it is really useful.

Then look for the battalion's war diary on either ancestry via subscription or national archives where you pay and download.  Unless he was an officer, he is unlikely to be individually named.

[MaxD]

The war diary doesn't record any casualties at that time which is a nuisance!  Always possible he was detached somewhere else in the brigade temporarily. The next level up, the 12th Brigade diary, records only "2 cas" with no indication of which battalion they were from although the cemetery records show another man of 12th Brigade killed on 29th.

 It is certainly worth taking mirl's advice and downloading the diary here
 http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7352172.

The battalion moved into a trench line given the name Le Touquet on 29 Jan 15, 30 Jan 15 is recorded as "a quiet day, ground dried up wonderfully, trenches almost dry"  They had been resting in billets for the three/four days beforehand.  31 Jan is also recorded as quiet day.     There is a very good detailed sketch map of the trench system they were in in Dec 14/Jan 15 which you can relate to the present day, give a shout if you need help.

MaxD

[Ju]

Thank you Max & Mirl for the information & guidance you have provided.

I'm looking into this for one of Lancelot's descendants who is planning to visit the cemetery where he is buried, so I will pass it on to him. I'm sure he will find it both interesting & useful.

Thanks again for taking the time to look into this.

Ju

[jim1]

To give a geographical location go to square C 10 on this map although this is from 1917 the British front line is still in the same location:
http://maps.nls.uk/view/101464966
Putting the above map section 10 C against the war diary map gives a good precise location of the Batt. in the overall scheme.

[MaxD]

Ju

Lancelot's relative should also visit the cemetery at the village of Houplines about 10 km south of Strand cemetery and near to the trench area which jim1 has indicated. The cemetery details for Strand indicate that it wasn't used between Oct 1914 and April 1917 and that after the Armistice, graves were brought in from smaller cemeteries in the general area.  He would have been among those buried initially in the Epinette Road cemetery just outside the village of Houplines.

MaxD

[Ju]

Thanks Jim & Max for the additional information, which I've also passed on.

Everyone's help has been very much appreciated.

Ju