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Pte John Humphries. Royal Warwickshire Regiment.

S

skylark

Proud to be a Brummie !!
I wonder if anyone has any info on the following chappie who perished in the Great War????

John Humphries, Pte. No.364 died: 21/09/1916 age 26.
Royal warwickshire Regiment, 16th batt:
Parents:
John Edward and Ann Humphries,
172 St Benedict Road Small Heath.
Buried:
Grove Town Cemetery, MEAULTE. FRANCE.

Many thanks,
Margaret.
 
Margaret, if he had been Killed in Action I could have pinpointed were he was on the day he was killed, but he died of wounds (he was born and enlisted in Aston)
16th Batt (3rd Birmingham) 15th Brigade, 5th Division
23rd July 1916 Montauban, 27th July in close support of action North of Longueval on the Western Edge of Delville Wood 275 Casualties...........
Billon Wood on the front line near Angle Wood 26th Aug. Ginchy and Morval 19th Sept................
Trenches between Guillemont and Wedge Wood on 20th Sept 1916
 
Many Thanks, Cromwell.....as always you are a mine of information ! My thanks to you.
Margaret.
 
Margaret,
Only joined the forum a couple of days ago and so am working through the topics. Pte Humphries was in A Company 1 Platoon 16th Btn R Warwicks. I have a group photo of this Platoon but individuals are not named.
Alan
 
Alan Westwood said:
Margaret,
Only joined the forum a couple of days ago and so am working through the topics. Pte Humphries was in A Company 1 Platoon 16th Btn R Warwicks. I have a group photo of this Platoon but individuals are not named.
Alan
Click to expand...
That would be a great Photo to put on the Forum Alan W:)
 
Pte Humphries

The 16th Royal Warwicks (3rd B'ham Bn) along with the rest of the 5th Division left the Somme area on the evening on 2/3 August 1916 for much needed rest and recuperation. The Division returned to the Somme on 25 August.

The 16th Warwicks Had been in action, on 27 July, 1916, amongst the ruins of the village of Longueval and had came under very heavy and intense German artillery fire. Also for a few days after the battalion stayed in support positions near the village and continued to sustain many casualties due to German shell-fire.
The Battalion War Diary stated that around 3 a.m. on 1 August, German shell fire was very heavy and 1 Officer and I other rank was killed. Another Officer had been buried and wounded internally whilst 6 other ranks had been wounded by shell-fire. It also stated that 1 other rank suffered shell shock........

In the Birmingham Daily Post published on 4 September 1916, Pte John Humphries, 364, is listed as being Shell-Shocked.

SO... was his shell shock due to the action at Longueval ? Most Probably

When the 5th Division returned to the Somme on 25 August it relieved the 35th Division the was holding part of our lines known as Maltz Horn Ridge.

The 16th Warwicks were involved in the very heavy fighting that took place to take a strong German trench position known as Falfemont Farm, this was during the period 3 -5 September, 1916. Nearly 60 men were killed and probably another 100 or so wounded.

At 3 a.m. on 21 September the 16th's War Diary states that it had relieved another battalion in front line trenches South East of the village of Guillemont. In doing so the battalion suffered 1 man killed, 28 wounded and 3 missing.

It is impossible to say which action Pte J Humphries was mortally wounded. He died of wounds on 21 September and is buried in Grove Town Cemetery, Meaulte. My own belief is that if he was wounded at Falfemont Farm between 3-5 September, he would have been further behind the lines at a base Hospital. Since he is buried at Meaulte, he probably died at a Casualty Clearing Station after being wounded on 21 September.

Hope this helps

Have you a photograph of him ?

Regards

Terry Carter
 
3rd Birmingham Bn

The photo below is taken of the 3rd B'ham Bn during meal time whilst they trained at Moseley College during the first quarter of 1915. I wonder if John Humphries is sitting amongst them ?

By the way the platoon photo in the Birmingham Battalions Bookof Honour is very poor quality and would not reproduce well. Also in the book his service number is wrongly given as 304 instead of 364.

Terry
 
Thank you for the photo, Terry. I don't know if Pte humpries was
among them, but I enjoyed looking at those brave young men.
Regards,

Margaret.
 
I agree with Margaret what a great photo thanks for posting it Terrry!
 
Hello John

Royal Warwicks. The single soldier on the left is wearing the 1914 pattern Leather belt. Kitchener's New Army and 2nd Line Territorial units were issued with these. Apart from that nothing else.

Terry
 
Pte John Humphries. Royal Warwickshire

Thank you, the single soldier is my grandfather James (Jim) Houghton I have no information other than these two photographs he is in the second photograph on the right of the picture
 
Name:HOUGHTON, JAMES
Rank Private
Regiment/Service:Royal Warwickshire Regiment
Unit Text:2nd/5th Bn.
Age:20
Date of Death:08/08/1916
Service No:5450
Additional information:Son of Arthur and Sarah Houghton, of Common Lane, Nether Whitacre, Coleshill, Birmingham.
Memorial Reference:I. K. 8.Cemetery:RUE-DU-BACQUEROT No.1 MILITARY CEMETERY, LAVENTIE



John,

I did a quick check on the CWGC site and found this James Houghton. Did your grandfather survive?

Terry
 
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