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General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: kayla0609 on Thursday 16 August 18 06:33 BST (UK)
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I am seeking info on the Durham Light Infantry for the date of 21/10/1914 at Lille.
Hoping someone can offer me some advice on this matter.
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Presumably 2nd Battalion as that was the only DLI battalion in France at the time. On 21 October they were in Bois Grenier, about 10 miles to the west of Lille where they stayed until 31 October in trenches being shelled continuously and taking casualties although no names are lsited.
You can download the war diary for the period from the National Archives at:
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7352356.
Does that help?
MaxD
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Thank you for replying my grandfather was there in oct 1914 and was taken prisoner and sent to pow camp Germany.
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Have you found his POW record?
MaxD
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I have just purchased the records from National Archives you listed.
I have a couple of bits where Francis was when POW in Germany and a list of POWs that's it.
Thank you again for that info.
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Do you perhaps know how I can get info on someone in WW2 when you only have a name and know they were in the army.
I know he was in Italy and Africa.
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WW2 records are all still held by the Ministry of Defence although they can, subject to conditions, be applied for. A death certificate is required and you do not need to know his number but you do need his date of birth and note also the bit about next of kin.
The process which costs £30 is here:
https://www.gov.uk/get-copy-military-service-records/apply-for-someone-elses-records
Are the POW records you have for grandfather those from the Red Cross?
MaxD
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I don't know what I have is just a list of POW s
The other piece I have just says captured at Lille 21/10/1914 held at Hammeln then appears on the list in November 1918 in Holland.
Doesn't tell me much.
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If you'd like me to cross check can you post his full name and number?
MaxD
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Would you many thanks.
11491 Pte F.Murphy DLI.
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His name was Francis but went by the name of Frank sometimes.
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I think you have the three lists. What can be squeezed for them is that the first was compiled in Feb 1915 and the second in 1918, both say he was in Hameln (Hamelin) which suggests he stayed in the same camp throughout. The third is the York Record Office which looks after the DLI confriming he was in Holland awaiting repatriation.
Pictures here: https://www.europeana.eu/portal/fr/record/2020601/contributions_1734.html
Here is a (machine) translation of a description of the camp from a local Hamelin history site.
http://www.microsofttranslator.com/bv.aspx?ref=SERP&br=ro&mkt=en-GB&dl=en&lp=DE_EN&a=http%3a%2f%2fwww.geschichte-hameln.de%2fersterwkhm%2fartikel%2fdwz03.php
MaxD
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Many thanks for these make interesting reading.
Maybe now I can find out more about Francis Murphy such as his enlisting etc.
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His service record looks to have been among the many thousands lost to bombing in WW2. However, his service number and battalion show that he had enlisted as a regular soldier between August 1912 and January 1913. He went to France on 8 September 1914, 2nd Battalion DLI were among the earliest troops to go at the outbreak of war.
Only his medal card and medal roll entries survive.
MaxD
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Would I be able to get his medals from WW1
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So many thanks for all this info you have given me.
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His medals would have been sent to him after the war. His entitlement was to the 1914 Star, the British War and Victory Medals. He applied for the Clasp and Rose addition to the 1914 Star in 1933 which suggests that the medals were in his (or the family's) possession then. The medals were engraved.
The Ministry of Defence do not replace medals already issued (unless they were returned to MOD for some reason - there is no record of that on his card).
Possible avenues:
I have seen this thread about the Medals Reunited Project on Roots, I have no experience of it but you may wish to read it. http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=544950.36
EBay have medals, put his name in with the search.
Others may have suggestions.
All else fails, you can get replica medal from a number of reputable medal suppliers.
Good luck!
MaxD
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Thank you will definitely do that.
Thank you for all your help.