1st Btn Grenadier Guards - Ypres 1914 - Pte George Bateman (Bonsall, Derbyshire)

[CrichCarr]

There are also, as with George Bateman, minor discrepancies with the dates of death and died of wounds/killed in action descriptions.

Where from here.  The above does indicate at least that there was some confusion about the men's battalion in the CWGC chain and maybe even in the Grenadiers' records of the time - understandable given the tribulations of that period.

One thing you might like to do is to compare the locations and the actions on 11/12 Nov 1914 of 2nd Bn (which you have from Jim) and that of 1st Bn which you can find in their diary.  There is no need to buy the transcript (although it may be more readable) - the diary is on Ancestry.  Go to the War Diaries search box, put 1657 in the Keyword box and nothing else.  Click on the first result and look for image 269 (little film icon) which is where 1 GG starts in October 1914.  Then with those look for the relationship with the cemetery.

MaxD

Hi,

Just a quick acknowledgement of seeing your latest advice. I did have a quick look and found the 1st Battalion Diary as you suggested. I will peruse in more detail tomorrow but have already noticed that around the 11th & 12th November, the dates of George Bateman's death according to two different entries in the Effects Register, the Diary for the 1st Battalion reflects no casualties on either of these dates, maybe they were not at the time involved in any actual fighting?

Hopefully, back tomorrow when I have read the sections again of the Diaries for the 1st and the 2nd Battalions GG.

I sincerely appreciate your help with this.

Regards,

Alan

[CrichCarr]

Just summarised this from the War Diary of 1st Bn GG:

"4th Nov (7th Brigade) marched to LOCRE - Billeted there - South-west of Ypres

7th Nov - Organised into one company due to shortage of officers

8th Nov - Being re-equipped - Church parade @10.30am

11th Nov - Four officers, along with 401 men joined the Battalion

12th Nov - Two officers, along with another 133 men joined the Battalion. Afternoon spent in re-organising the Battalion and posting the Draft to companies.

13th Nov - Had an hours parade in the morning - afternoon spent in re-equipping the Battalion.

14th Nov - Parade 7.30am - Passed through BAILLEUL, STEENWERKE, had dinners at BAC-ST-MUR. Left Gordons in Reserve - Started at 5pm to relieve Leicesters in the 19th Brigade in the trenches. - Lt. Ward wounded in the arm - Lt. Lord Claud Hamilton taken to hospital with a sprained ankle......................."

Apart from one officer wounded and another taken to hospital with a sprained ankle there were no casualties reported either on the 11th Nov / 12 November (whichever day applies to the death of George Bateman). It seems very conclusive in supporting the earlier evidence that George Bateman was in the 2nd GG and not the 1st GG.

Regarding the proximity of the Railway Chateau Cemetery where George's body lies, to the action by the 2nd GG, the Cemetery appears to be about 2 Km to the west of Ypres.

I am so grateful for all your help with this query. Interestingly, George had a cousin who 'fell' 3 years later, in 1917. He was a member of a different Regiment, again fighting around Ypres. Pursuing him will be a query for another day. You may, therefore, hear from me again.

Very best wishes,

Alan