Neil Clark Posted 28 April , 2004 Share Posted 28 April , 2004 I am researching the men of Ashford and Surrounding villages who fell in the Great War. I am interested in hearing from anyone with any information about ANY Ashford men. I would also welcome photos or stories. Anyone intrested is invited to get in touch with me. I have researched the Ashford Fallen for over 2 years now. I have photos of many men. To date I have traced nearly 1,600 local men who died for our freedom. WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted 29 April , 2004 Share Posted 29 April , 2004 I have some lists of CO's and Sgts at the 1/4th and 1/5th Bn companies. Any use ? Have you come across any officers ? If so, I'd be interested in what you've found. Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveGarnett Posted 29 April , 2004 Share Posted 29 April , 2004 Hi, I can't offer any particular help to you but I am interested in doing exactly the same thing as you have done, for the men of the Canterbury area, the local villages and the Isle of Thanet. I have a general outline of the histories of the various Buffs battalions and was going to go to the archives to get hold of the newspapers for our area for August and September 1914, to see what light they shed upon those fateful few weeks both in terms of atmosphere and the everyday details of the recruitment process. I don't know about you but I have always felt that the Men of Kent are not often considered by many of those interested in the War, which is a dreadful thing when you consider the role they played throughout the years of 1914-1918 and in the many wars of the years before and beyond. Would you be able to help me in regard of pointing me in the right direction? Steve Garnett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted 29 April , 2004 Share Posted 29 April , 2004 the Men of Kent are not often considered by many of those interested in the War Steve I think your right. For some reason they don't get as much attention as other regiments. Maybe its becasue there is very little published material about them. In fact the only WW1 book is Moody's Historical Records which was written during the 20's. It is full of mistakes and you're better off reading the war diaries. Hopefully the lack of books will be addressed in the next few years. There is a core of Buffs enthusiasts, one of whom holds a fairly influential position in higher education and is currently working on funding for an exciting project about the regiment. The reference library at Canterbury holds copies of the local papers for 14-18 so take a look there. If I can help further, drop me an e-mail Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Posted 30 April , 2004 Share Posted 30 April , 2004 Certainly looking forward to the publication of this very worthwhile project. Neil - See my message off list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted 30 April , 2004 Author Share Posted 30 April , 2004 To all, The 5th battalion Buffs was apparently known in the Ashford area as "Ashford's Own". In reality it was the Buffs second 1st line Territorial Force battalion. The first being the 1/4th battalion (confusing isn't it). Ashford raised and maintained 1 company and Tenterden raised another. For those intrested, the local drill hall for the Ashford Company was in the Old Drill Hall in Newtown Road Ashford. This drill hall was used as the Ashford Post Office Sorting Office until 1991 when it was demolished to make way for the hidious Ashford International Rail Terminal. I see that the old drill hall in Gillingham on the A2 Watling Street is about to dissapear as well and be replaced by 60 new houses. What a shame. Every time I pass by I see the old Royal West Kent badge above the front door and wonder what stories the building could tell... Not much longer eh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted 30 April , 2004 Author Share Posted 30 April , 2004 Steve, I have a full listing of ALL War Memorials in the Ashford area. The Ashford Borough extends from Chilham to the Kent/Sussex border and from Charing to Aldington. Please Email me if you want a full listing. I would be more than happy to give advice on what needs to be done first. To start with you will need to locate and then visit every single memorial in the areas you are interested. In your case - Canterbury (which is much smaller than Ashford's Borough area). Take a camera and plenty of paper to list the names and all other information on the memorial. The camera can be use to take pictures and you can peruse the information later at home. Next thing get hold of Soldiers Died (1914-19) CD ROM. Some kind person may lend you an ORIGINAL copy because it is very expensive. Give me an Email! Go through all the names and try and match the names to the info on the CD ROM. Please E Mail me for more information on CWGC website and local papers/archives. I can tell you that its not always easy but it is always enjoyable. Its a great pity this was not done 80 years ago when so much more could have been written about the men. Good luck WE SHALL REMEMBER THEM..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted 1 May , 2004 Share Posted 1 May , 2004 Neil / Steve Here is the list of drill halls in 1913 5TH Bn HQ DRILL HALL, NEW TOWN RD, ASHFORD A COY CAUSTON RD, CRANBROOK B COY HAWKHURST C COY STAPLEHURST D COY HORSMONDEN E COY NEW TOWN RD, ASHFORD F COY NEW TOWN RD, ASHFORD G COY EAST CROSS, TENTERDEN + CHURCH LANE, LYDD H COY NEW TOWN RD, ASHFORD Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Blanchard Posted 1 May , 2004 Share Posted 1 May , 2004 Check out this link to Leslie Back, from Wye, killed in the Buffs 1st Bn 1918. I believe his family ran a ferret farm near Wye. http://greatwar1914-1918.freeservers.com/Back.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Posted 1 May , 2004 Share Posted 1 May , 2004 Just following this post with my father, who remembers going to the Drill Hall in Newtown Road (he says it's all one word, but who knows!). His memories are of going there in the early 1940's when his father was parading in the Home Guard at the same place. A little off topic, but he tells me the Home Guard was commanded by Captain Shorter (or very similar). According to my father, whatever Captain Shorter said was gospel, and my Grandfather wouldn't hear a word spoken against him (mind you, he was deaf in one ear!). Apparently my father travelled to the hall sitting in a tea chest on wheels and being towed behind my Grandfathers bike along the road from their house in Beaver Lane (now demolished). Space in the tea chest was shared with the family's black labrador, whose name Ron Atkinson would quote but I wouldn't! Knowing the Home Guard, I'm surprised the tea chest wasn't the platoon AFV! Apologies for the slightly off topic post. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted 1 May , 2004 Author Share Posted 1 May , 2004 Check out this link to Leslie Back, from Wye, killed in the Buffs 1st Bn 1918. I believe his family ran a ferret farm near Wye. http://greatwar1914-1918.freeservers.com/Back.html David, Thanks for that info on Leslie Back. How did you know he ran a Ferret Farm? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted 1 May , 2004 Share Posted 1 May , 2004 A little off topic, but he tells me the Home Guard was commanded by Captain Shorter This wouldn't be PK Shorter by any chance would it ? Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Posted 2 May , 2004 Share Posted 2 May , 2004 Mick Don't take this the wrong way, but my father only remembers him being called "Sir" ! If PK Shorter fits then it's probably the same fellow. Do you know anything of him then ? Sorry (still off topic) Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted 2 May , 2004 Share Posted 2 May , 2004 Nick The reason I asked because there was a 2nd Lieut PK Shorter who got a BWM / VM with the Buffs. I wondered whether it was the same man. A long shot, but maybe. Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Blanchard Posted 3 May , 2004 Share Posted 3 May , 2004 the 1/5 Buffs at Kent Camp 29th June 1916. Back Row Left to Right: John Liddell, Fred Bennett, C J Carter, W F Taylor, E P Stevens, J C Lightfoot, Front Row: Percy V Wilcox, A H Barber, B Taplin, H N Lyon J R Griffiths Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Blanchard Posted 3 May , 2004 Share Posted 3 May , 2004 Do you know Kyle Tallett's Homepage ?, he has been researching the memorials around Ashford for a while: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/kylet1/kthp.htm His page devoted to Ashford War Memorial is: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/kylet1/village.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Posted 4 May , 2004 Share Posted 4 May , 2004 Smashing photo David, What became of the men in it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted 5 May , 2004 Author Share Posted 5 May , 2004 Do you know Kyle Tallett's Homepage ?, he has been researching the memorials around Ashford for a while: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/kylet1/kthp.htm His page devoted to Ashford War Memorial is: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/kylet1/village.htm Thanks David, I know Kyle and he has helped me with my research many times. The Pic of the 5th BUFFS at camp is superb. Where did you come by it? None of the men you have named here appear on my list of fallen men (1689). Are you sure they are territorial 5th Buffs men. I thought that the 1/5th were in India and then Mesopatamia from 1915 onwards. Perhaps they were 2nd line territorial men from 2/5th Battalion which was raised in Ashford area. Always glad to discuss and debate Buffs info. Regards Neil Nick did you get my package??????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Blanchard Posted 5 May , 2004 Share Posted 5 May , 2004 I picked this photo up on ebay a while back, it could well be a second line unit. As for Leslie Back, his middle name was Hickmott and I am pretty sure that they had a ferret farm not far from Wye. I used to live in Boughton under Blean, and I taught in Canterbury for 10 years. The webpage concerned with Leslie Back is part of a website I created over 6 years ago to do with the old boys of Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys in Canterbury. I moved back up north 3 years ago and haven'y really been able to carry out any more work on it, so even for something as new as the internet, the website now has a dated feel. However, there is some information about men who fought in the Buffs. The link is below- not all links now work. http://greatwar1914-1918.freeservers.com David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted 6 May , 2004 Share Posted 6 May , 2004 David Thanks for the link, I've never seen your website before. I see that you have 2 Buffs officers amongst those that died; Foxell and Jones. Jones was killed in an air accident near Croydon in 1916. I have attached an image of the telegram notifying the War Office. I have no knowledge of Foxell other than he died on 11/6/17. Do you have any more info on these two guys ? If so I would very much like whatever you've got. I have Jones's service record if that helps you. Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted 6 May , 2004 Share Posted 6 May , 2004 David I've just realised that I have Lott's papers too Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Blanchard Posted 6 May , 2004 Share Posted 6 May , 2004 Hello Michael, If you check under the memorial tablet on the website there is more information about these two old boys. I have checked Lotts papers and also Foxell's. Foxell died when attached to the 3rd Gas School, from what I can remember it seems as though there may have been a cover up involved- some experiment went wrong. I think you have also been in touch with Mark Connolly at Kent University- I am sure he mentioned your name. He is my supervisor for an MPhil I should hopefully finish this September on the Battle of the Aisne 1918. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted 7 May , 2004 Author Share Posted 7 May , 2004 On Saturday I went to the Buffs museum in Canterbury to look up information on the 2nd battalion during the South African Wars of 1899-1902. I was told by a lady standing behind the counter that the archives are now to be found at the National Army Museum in London. This week I tried to get in touch with the Curator but was pointed towards the Canterbury City Council. Does anyone know exactly who owns and or runs this museum now. I suspect that it is some kind of trust and that the council is the main trustee. The point I am making is that if anyone wants to speak to a Buffs expert, don't bother with the museum in Canterbury. When I asked to buy a book on the Buffs I was told that all the books are now out of print. I pointed out that NMP still offer a reprint of The Buffs during the Great War (Col Moody) but this merely promted a blank stare. What a disapointment. Still, those interested in medals will find this museum very intresting. They have the largest collection of KSA and QSA that I have ever seen anywhere... Shall we keep this link on the Buffs active or shall we let it expire? I feel that a dedicated Buffs link is a good idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme Fisher Posted 7 May , 2004 Share Posted 7 May , 2004 For those intrested, the local drill hall for the Ashford Company was in the Old Drill Hall in Newtown Road Ashford. This drill hall was used as the Ashford Post Office Sorting Office until 1991 when it was demolished to make way for the hidious Ashford International Rail Terminal. I see that the old drill hall in Gillingham on the A2 Watling Street is about to dissapear as well and be replaced by 60 new houses. What a shame. Every time I pass by I see the old Royal West Kent badge above the front door and wonder what stories the building could tell... Not much longer eh Could someone please grab a photo before it's too late? The drill hall thread on the Forum would love a copy. It's important; we need to record these buildings before they're torn down. They provided the start point for the Territorials' war, and are as valid to their history as any memorial. Please, someone take a snap. Thanks Graeme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted 8 May , 2004 Share Posted 8 May , 2004 Neil I'm surprised that the museum didn't have a copy of Moody's book but if you go downstairs into the reference library they have original copies of the Regimental histories. They are very helpful. You can order a copy from NMP or your local bookshop. They reprints aren't bound very well so treat them gently or your book will end up looking like the Dead Sea Scrolls. The archives were moved to the National Army museum and there are some real gems in there. However finding them is the problem. Because you don't have access to the catalogue, you need to tell the museum exactly what you want so that they can search for words on their pc's. Before you visit the NAM you need a readers ticket. This HAS to be obtained before you go unlike the PRO. It needs to be signed by a doctor / policeman, etc to ensure that you are a good egg ! I won't put my myself on a pedestal as a Buffs expert, but I'm certainly a Buffs enthusiast and am more than happy to help anyone with their history (not just WW1). Check this link for the 2nd Bn in South AfricaBuffs in Boer War Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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