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General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: uk2003 on Friday 18 January 19 14:43 GMT (UK)
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Hi
I am well rusty at military research so was hoping for some help or pointing in the right direction.
I received today my "Shrouds of the Somme" which commemorates Able Seaman Edward McAuliffe a Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve who died 13/11/16 aged 19
Been on the CWGC website for that bit extra.
Service Number Tyneside Z/7093
Died 13/11/1916
Aged 19
Nelson Bn. R.N. Div.
Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
Son of Thomas and Annie McAuliffe, of 41, Alexandrina St., Seaham Harbour, Co. Durham.
But more interested in why a Seaman was at the Somme if it is possible to research
Cheers
Ken
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That is a mystery ,can’t think why he would not be at sea.
Just a long shot, I believe Naval guns were used in battle,and I just wonder if someone like this young man might have been deployed .
Though you would expect the army gunners to be totally used to them .
Hope you get some helpful information.
Viktoria,
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The clue is in the fact that he was in the Nelson battalion of the 63rd (Royal Naval) Division best explained on Longlongtrail:
https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/order-of-battle-of-divisions/63rd-royal-naval-division/
The piece shows the actions they took part in, including the Battle of the Ancre (Somme) which was in November 1916 when he was killed.
MaxD
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War diary for the period is at:
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7355472
Also to be found on Ancestry. He was one of 120 men missing after the attack on 13/14 November.
MaxD
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Their diary says they were in the Hamel left sector when they attacked.
You can see where he was on this map:
https://maps.nls.uk/view/101465248
You need to look at Q17. The blue dotted line is the British front line.
Red are the German trenches.
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MaxD Thank you for the quick reply and answer, I don't do any research anymore so don't have any active subs running and the info you have found is brilliant. I will print out some details to keep with the Shroud.
Jim1 Thank you for the extra details again I will print out to keep.
Viktoria Rootschtters come up trumps again
Thank you all
Ken
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Remembered in his home town Ken.
http://www.newmp.org.uk/detail.php?contentId=9616
https://www.facebook.com/GreatWarSeaham/photos/seaham-field-of-remembrance-edward-mcauliffemcauliffe-edward-able-seaman-tynesid/1055274624677406/
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This is a snippet from his records that I am hoping MaxD or some other knowledgeable person can take a peek at, and answer this question:
What does the "AFB" stand for, by the red asterick? I've seen it many times before, but in this case his father's address immediately follows, so now I'm guessing it is something to do with notifying the family about him being missing?
(Not trying to hijack your thread, Blackburn Fossil, but I figure you will be interested as well!)
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It is an army form (AF). AFB 104-85. The 104 - 80s were forms on which reports related to illness/deaths/missing/hospital/ wounding and the like were made.
In the most comprehensive list of army forms 104-85 doesn't appear. It may be an error and should be AFB 104-83 Notification of a soldier missing. However, it is simply the administrative piece of bumf on which something related to an individual was reported and in this case certainly appears to be the notification in the first instance to his nok.
MaxD
Update - thanks to friends elsewhere AFB 104-85 is Information to relative regarding enquiry, so far as is known, still serving with his corps. Looking at the dates, he was reported missing in November and his nok enquired about the report which was recorded on the appropriate form in December.
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Thank you very much for taking the time to answer that, MaxD!
AF being Army Form makes so much more sense than everything I was trying to make it stand for. When I saw the father's address, I kept trying to make the F stand for Family and went off on a totally wrong tangent.
Again, I really appreciate it!
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edward Mcauliffe was my great uncle ( my grandfathers brother ) the letters he wrote to his parents you could read he was so scared yet proud to be serving far to young
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Anyone interested in that sector of The Somme ,would be interested to read “ “Covenant with Death “,by John Harris, a graphic account of the first day of The Battle of The Somme.
I think the soldiers portrayed would be “ The Sheffield Pals” .
They were in the exact area, near a tributary of The Somme, the pretty little River Ancre , between Thiepval Beaumont Hamel,Auchonvillers, Gommecourt.
We have stood in the bivouac trench they occupied the night before the first day . Sheffield Pals memorial is there in a little “ Park” very close to Serre.
Also Newfoundland Park ,where so very many of the volunteers from that island were killed.
The book does not have an ISBN number, printed in 1961, by The Companion Book Club.
Its final sentence summed up such Regiments
“ Two years in the making ,Ten minutes in the destroying”.
You won’t be dry eyed after reading it.
Viktoria.