Queens Royal West Surrey Regt 1917

[ladybird]

My Great Uncle disembarked at Bologne on 13th Mar 1917 and is listed as "injured in the field" on 28th Mar 1917. Later being sent to the Labour Corps to a POW Coy from where he was demobbed in Oct 1919.
Can anyone tell me please where the Royal West Surreys were in Mar 1917...seems my g/uncle only lasted 2 weeks there. Injured or gassed?
He was Alfred Edward Berry #52666 then #77430
many thanks Sylvia

[JGDavies]

The book 'History of the Queen's Royal West Surrey Regiment in the Great War' which might tell you this is organised to cover the history of the various Batallions of which the Regiment was composed: 1st, 2nd, 1st/4th, etc.

E.g. 1st/6th Arras, 27th March 1917, 1 Other Ranks (O.R.) killed and 1 OR wounded on a working party.

http://www.queensroyalsurreys.org.uk/war_diaries/war_diaries_home_new.shtml

To find anything relevant to an ancestor in the same regiment I had to first find out what Battalion he was in. I was only able to do this by reading the War Diaries (online) until I found a mention of him - I knew he'd been awarded a medal but not when or where - as an 'other ranks' that was the only mention. Though there were a couple in newspapers. Otherwise if it's not known perhaps from the diaries it may be possible to deduce the Batallion?

If you know what Battalion you can look at the diaries or I could look in the book for you - I had a look through and could see nothing obvious related to the information you posted.

[ladybird]

Hmmm having read this again, I think I may have it wrong  It now looks to me as if he went straight into the Labour Coy
Thoughts please, I'm confused. He got the usual medals so must have seen some theatre of war

[DavidJP]

Hi Ladybird,

Hopefully this will help rather than hinder!

As I read it, at the top of the sheet, just above the word embarked, it has the following:

Comdg 22nd (3 letters that I can't read(TNF?)) Labour Coy
(Queens) R W Surrey Regt.

Then the following:

Embarked: Folkestone 13.3.17
Disembarked: Boulogne 13.3.17

Appointed Lance Corpl (Corporal) In the Field 28.3.17
Transf'd to Labour Corps 14th May 1917
13.6.17   O C Coy    Promoted Corporal    Field     19.5.17

I think possibly that the dates & places in the place & date of casualty columns on this occasion refer to movements & promotions taking place within this soldiers service, rather than listing casualty events as the columns were intended for!

Hope this helps.

Kind regards

David