CROONAERT Posted 10 June , 2004 Share Posted 10 June , 2004 Does anyone have the Regimental History of the Highland Light Infantry, or have the war diary for the 2nd Battalion for October 1914? If so, I'd really appreciate it if someone would either scan the pages or transcribe the text for me for the period 19-22nd October (2/HLI only). I know where they were and (roughly)what they were doing, but I'd like to see how these days were "officially" written up. Thanks in advance, Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crispy Posted 11 June , 2004 Share Posted 11 June , 2004 Poperinghe on 19th, moved forward the next day and entrenched position covering the Steenstraate Bridge over the Yser Canal, on the 21st moved to positions near St Julien and attacked north-east, advanced to within a mile of Poelcappelle, then caught by heavy fire was forced to dig in along the St Julian-Poelcappelle road. Casualties 2 officers wounded, 14 other ranks killed, 80 wounded & 8 missing. German attack repulsed on 22nd, relieved by the 125th French Regiment on 23rd. Hope that this is of use. David. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CROONAERT Posted 11 June , 2004 Author Share Posted 11 June , 2004 Thanks David. Westlake by any chance? It's actually "how it's written" in the official documentation around the time or in the History that I'm after. Thanks again anyway, Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crispy Posted 12 June , 2004 Share Posted 12 June , 2004 Dave are you a relative of Sherlock Holmes? Westlake--Yes. David. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest fbdownes Posted 12 June , 2004 Share Posted 12 June , 2004 Hi Dave, I have just got the history of the 2cd Div by Everard Wyrall. It gives a reasonable account but like everything in life the battallions you want only get half the attention you would like. As I am following the 2cd Batt HLI as well. Anyway it reads. HLI not mentioned on the 20th. 21st Oct 5th Brigade advanced from Boesinghe in 2 lines. 1st line Oxford and Bucks left side, 2cd line left 2cd HLI with orders to head towards Passchadaele. Come under heavy fire and one Co of HLI reinforced the left of the Oxfords and Bucks. Could not advance so entrenched at Stoonbeek, front line 2 companies of HLI. 23rd shelled HLI lost 22 other ranks. Not a lot of help I know when taken out of context with the full report but thats the best I can do. fbdownes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CROONAERT Posted 12 June , 2004 Author Share Posted 12 June , 2004 Dave are you a relative of Sherlock Holmes? No, but my Grandma was supposedly psychic! Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CROONAERT Posted 12 June , 2004 Author Share Posted 12 June , 2004 Not a lot of help I know when taken out of context with the full report but thats the best I can do. fbdownes Thanks fb. Every little helps! Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest fbdownes Posted 13 June , 2004 Share Posted 13 June , 2004 Dave I have been trying to track down the book "history of the 2cd Batt HLI " in the great war by Telfer Smollett. I have tried all over the web with no success so I just wondered if you have come across it or know of it. Its listed in the light infantry web site so I presume it is around somewhere. fbdownes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CROONAERT Posted 13 June , 2004 Author Share Posted 13 June , 2004 Dave I have been trying to track down the book "history of the 2cd Batt HLI " in the great war by Telfer Smollett. I have tried all over the web with no success so I just wondered if you have come across it or know of it. Its listed in the light infantry web site so I presume it is around somewhere. fbdownes Sorry. I've never come across it but ,now I know it exists, I'll certainly look for it. If I get to it before you ,I'll let you know. Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest fbdownes Posted 14 June , 2004 Share Posted 14 June , 2004 Will do the same fb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auimfo Posted 14 June , 2004 Share Posted 14 June , 2004 My Great Grandfather Pte William English served with the 2nd Bn HLI and I have a copy of Telfer-Smollett's book. It's titled 'The 2nd Battalion Highland Light Infantry in the Great War', printed by John Horn Ltd, Glasgow. The following four scans are of the pages that relate to the dates in question. I hope it helps. Tim L. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auimfo Posted 14 June , 2004 Share Posted 14 June , 2004 Next page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auimfo Posted 14 June , 2004 Share Posted 14 June , 2004 third page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auimfo Posted 14 June , 2004 Share Posted 14 June , 2004 last page. Hey, do any of you guys have any more info on the 2nd Bn, my GGrandfathers records were destroyed during WW2 and I'm trying to find out more info about him. He was a regular and we think he also served in the Boer War. I'm in Australia and it's a bit limited as to what I can find out online. I'll insert his MIC in the next reply. Tim L. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auimfo Posted 14 June , 2004 Share Posted 14 June , 2004 Pte William English MIC. This is all I have plus two photos of him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest fbdownes Posted 14 June , 2004 Share Posted 14 June , 2004 Tim you are at the moment one of my dearest friends. Been trying to get my hands on Telfer Smollett's book for a while. Must be my age I forgot until now you E mailed me March 2002 and told me about the book. If you look on the unit and formation discussion about the embarking of the 5th Brigade on the 14th you can see the difference between between our g/fathers going on the 26th and the history saying 14th. Would be very gratefull if if you check the book to see if there are seperate embarkations for the battalion. Have not come across the name English in my research but they have restored some of the burnt copies of war records so it my be worth trying for his record again. The frustration of trying to get info from so long ago when I could have asked grandad when he was alive is trying in its self. Take care fb Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CROONAERT Posted 14 June , 2004 Author Share Posted 14 June , 2004 Tim. Many, many thanks for the scans. That was exactly what I was looking for! I don't have much on the HLI, so I don't know if I can help in your quest, but I do have a couple of things on the Boer War. Do you know what regiment he may have served in during this period? (Out of curiosity, I took a look at the casualty lists for the HLI (which shows those wounded, however slightly, along with the more serious cases and deaths from whatever reason) but there was no mention of anyone by the name of English). Thanks again, Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Bluestein Posted 15 June , 2004 Share Posted 15 June , 2004 My Great Grandfather Pte William English served with the 2nd Bn HLI and I have a copy of Telfer-Smollett's book. It's titled 'The 2nd Battalion Highland Light Infantry in the Great War', printed by John Horn Ltd, Glasgow. The following four scans are of the pages that relate to the dates in question. I hope it helps. Tim L. Could I please impose on you to scan pages relating to the 2/HLI on July 27, 1915. I am researching an HLI who was killed on this day at Ypres. He is buried at Woburn Abbey Cemetery at Cuinchy France. Any help on what or where the 2nd HLI was on this day would be gratefully received. Thanks in advance! David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auimfo Posted 15 June , 2004 Share Posted 15 June , 2004 Brian, Telfer-Smollett's history clearly states that the battalion embarked from Southampton at 10pm on the 13th Aug aboard the 'Lake Michigan'. As they sailed down Southampton Water the pipers played aft and the whole ships company sang 'On the Bonnie Bonnie Bank's o' Loch Lomond'. They arrived in Boulogne at 2pm on 14th Aug. On the morning of the 26th Aug they were bivouacked at Noyelles but in the early hours of the morning were given orders to re-occupy the crossings over the Sambre at Pont-sur-Sambre and Aulnoye. Then came a belated counter-order to take up a position from the south-west exits of Noyelles and then at 5am yet a third order to march towards Le Grand Fayt. The first Line reinforcements they recieved was on the evening of 5th Sept when 104 other ranks under the command of Captain C.T. Martin arrived. I think this pretty much answers your question. Perhaps your Grandfather was in the first reinforcements to arrive? Another thought just struck me but having only looked at Australian service documents I don't know whether it applies - could the 26th Aug be the date the entry was made on the records. I've often found this to be the case in Australian records where the first date is the 'entry date', then the event and then the date it actually occurred. These dates are often several days different. Tim L. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auimfo Posted 15 June , 2004 Share Posted 15 June , 2004 Dave, My g-grandfather was a boy when he enlisted as a bugler around 1900ish. We believe he served in the Boer War but as far as I can work out, he must have been with the 1st Bn HLI at the time because the 2nd didn't go to Sth Africa. Here's a photo of him taken in 1902 - can we confirm the uniform in any way? Tim L. P.S. Can anyone decipher his Regimental number on the MIC - I think there are a couple of possibilities - is the first number a 1 or 7 and is the second number a 5 or 3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auimfo Posted 15 June , 2004 Share Posted 15 June , 2004 David, For what it's worth here is the scan of the page about July 1915. There's not much to it and probably won't give you much more than you already have - sorry. Tim L. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auimfo Posted 15 June , 2004 Share Posted 15 June , 2004 Brian, I forgot to ask....are the photos of all the companies of the 2/HLI you have the same ones I managed to obtain from the Mitchell Library in Glasgow? (I think, from memory, that I emailed them to you.) If not I'd love to see them and for anyone else the ones I obtained can be seen at The Light Infantry Website. Tim L. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest fbdownes Posted 15 June , 2004 Share Posted 15 June , 2004 Hi Tim, sorry, yes the photos are the same as the ones you sent. I to would like more photos but have not come across any at all. Strange how our g/fathers followed the same course, mine was in the Boer War but he was with the 5th Batt Middx militia reg. and on his record he has the Cape colony and Transvaal clasp. I understand the HLI were there the same time. I wonder if that what made him join the HLI in 1903. Also green with envy of your g/dads Photo but thats life, good luck with the research we get a little more as we go along. fb Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest fbdownes Posted 15 June , 2004 Share Posted 15 June , 2004 Tim loking at the photo and being envious I forgot to add that the number does look like 7547 but I not expert enough to identify the uniform. But I bet one of the forum is. fb Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auimfo Posted 15 June , 2004 Share Posted 15 June , 2004 Brian, Just to make you even more envious. Here's a picture of William English taken in 1908. Tim L. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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