Help needed to research John Austin Dawson died 1915 France

[bethanjane]

Hi,
My GG Uncle died in WW1.
The following info is available on a war memorial wesbite
"John Austin Dawson, Private, 3664, Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Born in Aberystwyth in 1895, son of Charles and Sarah Dawson. Joined the 2nd Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, attached to 22 Brigade, 7th Division. Killed in France on 25 September 1915, aged 20. Commemorated on the Loos Memorial, France"

He was actually born in 1886 to Jane Dawson and Albert Edward Dawson (I have contacted wesbite owner to give details)

So my question, there are multiple war diaries available, but how would I search for "2nd Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, attached to 22 Brigade, 7th Division"

There are a lot for RWR, but I havent found any directly relating to 2nd battalion, but there are lots of 2/6, 2,7 and the like, what does the 6 or 7 relate to?

How important when searching is 22 Brigade or 7th division,

Please excuse my absolute ignorance, I have attempted to google, but it seems to be one of those things you know or you don't and I don't even know how to start learning!

Thanks in advance.

[MaxD]

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7352440
Download free at the moment from the National Archives.

MaxD

[bethanjane]

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7352440
Download free at the moment from the National Archives.

MaxD

Absolutely amazing.
Thank you so so much

[MaxD]

On Ancestry if you have a sub:

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/60779/images/43112_1664_0-00569?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&queryId=f4893f04508700149630e2391e78307b&usePUB=true&_phsrc=qjx386&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&_ga=2.225043034.1969566470.1605276972-529643658.1601230261&pId=477275

The action in which he was among the missing was the Battle of Loos in which 7th Division was one of the attacking divisions. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Loos

2 Warwicks were in action around the quarries and St Elie north of Hulluch, on the map at square G 12 to H 7 (right in the centre) of the map at the link below.  Use the blue slider to reveal the present day image.
https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=14&lat=50.49095&lon=2.79315&layers=101465011&b=1

You will see from the diary that the battalion suffered very badly that day, losing over half their foghting strength.

MaxD

[bethanjane]

On Ancestry if you have a sub:

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/60779/images/43112_1664_0-00569?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&queryId=f4893f04508700149630e2391e78307b&usePUB=true&_phsrc=qjx386&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&_ga=2.225043034.1969566470.1605276972-529643658.1601230261&pId=477275

The action in which he was among the missing was the Battle of Loos in which 7th Division was one of the attacking divisions. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Loos

2 Warwicks were in action around the quarries and St Elie north of Hulluch, on the map at square G 12 to H 7 (right in the centre) of the map at the link below.  Use the blue slider to reveal the present day image.
https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=14&lat=50.49095&lon=2.79315&layers=101465011&b=1

You will see from the diary that the battalion suffered very badly that day, losing over half their foghting strength.

MaxD

Thank you again, you've saved me days of scrolling.
Is the ancestry diary content the same as the national archives one?

[MaxD]

Yes it is the same diary.  The link I gave takes you direct to the start of September 1915 so even less scrolling!

What other records do you have for him
Medal card? Medal award roll?  Soldiers' Effects Register?  A medical record?  His service documents don't seem to have survived.

MaxD

PS  For back ground to one of your first questions about battalions, this link will help:
https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/royal-warwickshire-regiment/

[bethanjane]

Yes it is the same diary.  The link I gave takes you direct to the start of September 1915 so even less scrolling!

What other records do you have for him
Medal card? Medal award roll?  Soldiers' Effects Register?  A medical record?  His service documents don't seem to have survived.

MaxD

PS  For back ground to one of your first questions about battalions, this link will help:
https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/royal-warwickshire-regiment/

Again, incredibly helpful, thank you.
I have what seems to be a medal card, and a copy of a ledger book regarding money being paid to his sister in law

[bethanjane]

MaxD,
Do you know why he might have joined the Warwickshire regiment if he were based in Aberystwyth?
A lot of different troops were billeted in aberystwyth, but in my VERY limited research, I can't see the Royal Warwickshire regiment as one of them.

[MaxD]

https://www.rootschat.com/links/01q1u/ links to the entry in the Soldiers' Effects register where he leaves his effects  (amounting to £6 1s 3d plus his gratuity of £3) to his sister in law as you have noted.

The gratuity tells us he volunteered right at the beginning of the war.  The medal information tells us he went to France on 29 May 1915 joining 2 Warwicks who were already there.  Without his service record, one would have to guess that he started perhaps with another regiment but when sent to France, was sent where the army needed men, this was very common indeed. The war diary notes the arrival on 29/30 May of 60 other rank reinforcements to the battalion, he was probably among these.

MaxD