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Royal Warwicks 1st July 1916

terry carter

terry carter

Birmingham Pals
Hello folks,

Me and my mate are doing a display for an open day to be held at the Warwick Town Hall (an event organised by the Warwickshire Yeomanry Museum 16 June 2007). Our particular display will concern the Royal Warwickshire Territorials of the Great War i.e. the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th Battalions.
My input will be the attack on 1st July 1916 when the 1/8 and 1/6 Warwicks took the German trenches of the Heidenkopf Redoubt and it's support trenches. The remnants of both battalions and stragglers from other battalons held on until around 7:30 in the evening despite many German counter-attacks and much hand-to-hand fighting.

The 1/8 and 1/6 Warwicks were decimated. Only a handfull of men of each battalion came out unscathed. The majority of those killed their bodies never found and are now commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing.

I propose to list all these men that ere killed or died from wounds and at present scouring the nwspapers of the day for information regarding these men.

If anyone has a picture of a relative who was a Royal Warwicks Casualty from the 1st July1916, would it be possible to have a copy to put on a memorial board that I am in the process of putting together. Most of the pictures from the newspapers of the time are poor and unsuitable to use.

Thanks very much

Terry
 
Though I don't have a picture - my uncle in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment was wounded in the First World War - at the Battle of Mons and claimed to have seen the 'ANGEL OF MONS' - could be another topic
 
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Me too I don't have a photo but my great grandfather died from injuries he received in Ypres Arras and the Somme whilst he was in University War Hospital Southampton 21st August 1916. He was with the 11th Btn Royal Warwickshire Regiment. His name was Henry Underhill, his family lived in Colville Road Sparkbrook.
 
Thank you Cromwell, I didn't have that but on the CWGC I found that he is remembered at Netley Military Cemetery it even gives the grave memorial ref No. I shall have to pay a visit one day
 
Hi Fergie,
researching my wife's family (Hammond). Her grandfather was William Henry Hammond of Asylum Road Aston. He too was in the 11th Battalion, he died in the Battle of the Somme during Battle Albert in a fight in Trones Wood on 10th July 1916!. My wifes father Reginald was 18 months old at the time. His memorial is in Tiepval in France, dedicated to the 75000 who were missing in action during the Battle.

All the best...Steve.
 
Thanks Bill I have been on the CWWG site before but never came across that section. i have now discovered his war medals and have also ordered the photo of his memorial :)
 
Steve

On 10 July 1916 the 11 Royal Warwicks were in action opposite the village of Contalmaison. Trones Wood was a couple of miles or so further on. I can upload a map if you want.

Regards

Terry
 
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I take it that this where Henry Underhill may have received his injuries according to his death certificate they weren't pleasant Gun shots of left elbow, right forearm and Right lower jaw since the date he died was August 21st 1916 which would have been a month later allowing for time to travel/return to his homeland if not his hometown an then of course time to die, which I hope was peaceful. Mom has his medals it was with help from here that I was able to acquire more information. I wouldn't mind seeing a map. Thank you to for directing me to the website with the scrolls on I will definately use it for my family history.
 
Contalmaison Trench Map

Hope This all works !

I have uploaded a section of trench map to show you the area where the 11th Royal Warwicks saw action on 10 July 1916. Plus a general map of the Somme area to get an idea where Contalmaison is situated. Also a Pdf format section of the original hand-written 11th Royal Warwicks War Diary dated up to 10 July 1916.

Terry
 
Gun Shot Wounds

Hi Fergie

Henry Underhill was most probably hit by shell fragments. These were also classed as GSW on casualty forms.

Terry
 
Thank you Terry its nice if you can use that term in this situation to be able to see where it happened.
 
Terry, thank you very much for all of the info. I am going to arrange a family get together to talk them through it. I noted that a travel company called Travelsphere do a 4 day conducted coach trip to the battlefields including a visit to the Tiepval memorial. ...Steve.
 
Somme Visit

Hi Steve
There are quite a few battlefield tour companies around. One, The War Reseach Society are based in Kings Norton.
However these 4 day tours can be very expensive. I visit the Somme quite often for long weekends i.e. Friday to Sunday, sometimes in a car or now and again hire a minibus. I know the place like the back of my hand. There are plenty of places to stay on the Somme and the beauty about it is you are not tied to a programme. You can park up and follow the footsteps of your relatives who served there and take as much time as you like. If you and some relatives fancy that method of visiting the Somme let me I know I can help etc,
If you want, you can contact me via a personal message.

Regards

Terry
 
Re: Somme Visit

Hi there,

Does anybody have information on the whereabouts of the 1/6th Royal Warwickshire regiment the few days immediately before the events of 1st July 1916. A relative of mine died on 28th June 1916. I assume it would have been in prep for the Somme battle, somewhere in the Serre region? Thanks for any help, Lee
 
Re: Somme Visit

Hi Terry
Good to hear you and Dave are still at it. Might pop to Warwick to see your display when is it!! Ref pictures do you still have the picture of Frederick Mason 1/8th RWR KIA 01/07/16. If not I can send you another copy. By the way off to the Somme next Sunday 13th.

Tony
 
Lee

Just prior to the Somme Offensive of 1st July 1916, the 1/6th Royal Warwicks were holding the trenches in the vicinity of Hebuterne and Fonquevillers, north of Serre. Both the 1/6th and 1/8th were loaned out to the 4th Division for the 1st July attack on the Heidenkopf Redoubt. Without checking diaries etc which are not at hand at the moment, I would say the 1/6th were out of the line near the village of Colincamps getting reading to move up the line for the attack. ( the attack was due a day earlier but postponed due to bad weather). I would presume German shellfire would have been the cause of your relative's death. Eight soldiers of the 1/6th Warwicks were killed on 28 June, 1916.

Regards

Terry
 
Thank you Terry,

I did some research and you've pretty much nailed some of the information I found also.
Thank you again for your help,
Best wishes, Lee
 
CWGC July 1 1916...

1/8th 230 deaths - nearly 3/4 on Thiepval. 34 in Serre Road No 2 named
1/6th 156 deaths - 71% on Thiepval. 28 in Serre Road No 2 named

They are all in my database with newspaper and other info.

Edit - just found I am basically replying to Terry's 2007 post!
 
My mother was born in Jan 1917, while her Dad was in France with 10 Bn Warwicks.
Winding back nine months puts him on leave in March 1916. They must've been making sure the 1915 men got some leave in before The Big Push.
 
It amazes me that all the displays ever mention are the soldiers that died. What about the ones that survived and suffered for the rest of their lives. That too was an enormous sacrifice. My 1/8th Warwicks Grandad was one of those few Somme survivors. He went on to survive Passchedaele too. He was in 4 different regiments following injuries gassing etc. His family sacrificed their husband/father as he was never the same again. No one seems to ber interested in them.
 
a s wood said:
It amazes me that all the displays ever mention are the soldiers that died. What about the ones that survived and suffered for the rest of their lives. That too was an enormous sacrifice. My 1/8th Warwicks Grandad was one of those few Somme survivors. He went on to survive Passchedaele too. He was in 4 different regiments following injuries gassing etc. His family sacrificed their husband/father as he was never the same again. No one seems to ber interested in them.
Click to expand...

My grandad died in bed in 1968, in Erdington mate. He went to France in 1915 and came home unscathed. Not bad for an infantryman, 10 Bn WARWICKS.
 
Similar here Baz. My Grandad joined up in 1912, went over to France 14.10.1914, then to Gallipoli, then to Mesopotamia and India. Died 12.12.1968 in East Birmingham Hospital.
 
There is nothing to be amazed about or a reflection of a lack of interest in surviving sufferers from the effects of the Great War. I have a database of the almost 12000 Royal Warwicks killed but very little on survivors. One simple reason - the lack of surviving evidence. In the late 1930s there were still just over 200000 men in the country receiving a war effect related pension. You tell me where are the records on these? It is a fact of life that it is relatively easy to research a soldier killed rather than one who survived.
 
I agree Alan. I managed to get lots of good info from the Royal Warwickshire Museum in Warwick, but other than my Grandad's Medal Card can't get anything else so far online (Ancestry mainly). Seems like his service record is one of the burnt/lost ones.
 
Hello again all,

Could anyone offer any further information as to where the Royal Warwickshire regiment (2nd battalion) ended up in the years after the WWI conflict. I'd be looking for the period from about 1923 - 1937. I know they had spells in Dehli, Bombay and Sudan, but can't really find any information regarding which cities they were stationed and at what exact time. The best I could do was Dehli 1926, Bombay 1928 and Sudan 1930 to 1937.

Many thanks for your thoughts, cheers

Lee
 
Thankfully these two came home. They were Nan's brothers.
edwardjones.JPG
williamisaacjones.JPG
William "Uncle Bill" bought a porcelain doll home with him, which I inherited.

Sgt. Edward Jones, who was wounded, and William Isaac Jones.

There were others in the family too who returned safely.

rosie.
 
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