79499 Private Nathan Sim

[rwsim]

Hi all,
Private Nathan Sim of the Royal Fusiliers 9th Battalion (City of London Regiment) is my uncle.  I have these details about his army number and unit and know that he was killed in action at or near Albert, France on 22 August 1918.  He is buried in the Méaulte Military Cemetery near Albert.  What I have been unable to find out is when he enlisted and any other details about his service.  Can anyone help with details or suggestions about where I should search?
Robert

[KGarrad]

Welcome to RootsChat

Over 60% of the WW1 Service Records were destroyed in a WW2 bombing raid

Have you looked for a Medal Index Card?
He was entitled to medals if he served abroad.

[Jebber]

He enlisted first in the Northumberland Fusileers Reg. no. 78012
He was aware the Victory and British War Medals.

[tonepad]

He was in the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers prior to joining the London Regiment.

Added: enlisted at Newcastle upon Tyne

Tony

[MaxD]

He enlisted/was called up in the autumn of 1917 (from his war gratuity) went to France with as a Northumberland Fusilier on 8 August 1918 and on 16 August (he would not have fought with a NF battalion, he was essentially on his way via a base depot as a reinforcement), went to to 9th Royal Fusiliers (from medal roll) arriving with 9th on 17 April August with 150 others (war diary).  He served just 5 or 6 days with 9th RF before losing his life on 22 August , among 78 other ranks killed that day (war diary).  More in due course.

MaxD

[MaxD]

A very sad example of the waste of war.
After training in England he arrived in France on 8th August travelling first to an Infantry Base Depot where he would have been placed in a draft of reinforcements, in his case destined for the 9th RF.  On 17th August he joined his battalion, at that time in reserve trenches having been relieved in the front lines on the 16th.  On 18th and 19th the battalion busied itself preparing for its next stint in the front line, another draft of men arriving on 19th. In the evening of 20th August the battalion took their place in the line enduring shell and gas attacks on 20th and 21st.  At 4 45 am on 22 August, supported by tanks and an artillery barrage, the battalion, along with its comrades of the 36th Infantry Brigade in the 12th Division began an attack on the enemy trenches to their front, playing their part in what later became known as the 3rd Battle of Albert. The battalion achieved its objectives on the day but with the loss of some 80 of the battalion, among them Nathan Sim a veteran of all of three days in the trenches.

Referring to the map/image that follows, when he joined the battalion they were in reserve  in the sugar factory north of Ribemont (square D 27).  Using the mouse, track due east until Dernancourt and Morlancourt are on the left of the map.   The action took place from trench lines along the line of the present day D 42 towards square E 23 where the battalion consolidated its position at the end of the day.
http://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=14&lat=49.9666&lon=2.5842&layers=101465314&right=BingHyb

MaxD

[rwsim]

Thank you, Tony and Max.  Now it is making sense.  I have a photo of Uncle Nathan, a studio photo, so most certainly it was taken before he left England.  Although the definition is not great, his cap badge looks more like a Northumberland Fusiliers badge (rounded over the top) rather than a Royal Fusiliers badge which is more pointed at the top (from images I found online).  It has been puzzling me as to why he would be in a London regiment when he and his family are all from Northumberland.  Incidentally, the photo shows crossed rifles on his sleeve, so he must have been rated a marksman.   I will see if I can attach a photo.

Additionally, my father Hector, Nathan's younger brother born in 1904 (Nathan was born 1897) often said as I was growing up that Nathan was undertrained because he was sent to France and was killed within a very short time.  At least that was his way of dealing with the loss.  Your information suggests that he was in training for almost a year.  My father emigrated to Australia in 1926, aboard the SS Bendigo, the only one of fourteen children to come here.

Together with my brother, also from Sydney, and a cousin from Alnwick Northumberland, we are going to attend Nathan's grave in the Méaulte Cemetery on 22 August this year, the hundredth anniversary of his death.  So I have been trying to find out as much as possible about him and about what happened leading up to his death.  Your information has been extremely helpful and if you find any further details it will be most appreciated.  Thank you.
Robert

(Now to see if I can add that photo of Uncle Nathan.)

[MaxD]

Glad to have been able to help.  You have it right with the cap badge  NF more rounded than the RF.

psMy guesswork as to his joining date was perhaps bit off.  All that can be determined from his minimum war gratuity is that he has served less than one year, I then plumped for autumn 1917, could have been early 1918.  Possibly -(guesswork) a deferred conscription because he was a miner.

Hopefully the map will help you find your way to the area of the operations that sad day.

MaxD