Tony Lund Posted 10 August , 2004 Share Posted 10 August , 2004 Joseph Tedbar Wimpenny a Private, 1st Battalion, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry was killed in action on Thursday 6th of April 1916, in Mesopotamia. He has no known grave and is named on the Basra Memorial in Iraq, dedicated to over forty thousand men who died in that area and have no known graves. In 1997 the memorial was moved on Sadham Hussain’s orders to the site of a major Gulf War battlefield and reassembled there, apparently the work was carefully and skilfully done. Was this battalion at Kut at the time? Is there a general history that can give me an idea of the battalion's activities? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardH Posted 10 August , 2004 Share Posted 10 August , 2004 Have you tried the excellent Long Long Trail? http://www.1914-1918.net/menu_army.htm Heres the brief for 1/ Ox and Bucks from that site anyway- 1st Battalion Ox and Bucks August 1914 : in Ahmednagar, India. Attached to 17th Indian Brigade of 6th (Poona) Division, Indian Army. 27 November 1914 : moved to Mesopotamia. 29 April 1916 : Bn captured at Kut-el-Amara. A Provisional Bn was formed from the reinforcements and details who were not captured, which was attached to 28th Indian Brigade, 6th Poona Division. This Provisional Bn was renamed 1st Bn on 6 July 1916. 19 October 1917 : transferred to 50th Indian Brigade, 15th Indian Division. Remained in Mesopotamia throughout the war. Regards Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Lund Posted 10 August , 2004 Author Share Posted 10 August , 2004 Thanks, it would seem reasonable to assume that he was killed in action at Kut on the 6th of April 1916, presumably he was buried and the grave's location subsequently lost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardH Posted 10 August , 2004 Share Posted 10 August , 2004 I'm sure there are some Ox and Bucks/ Mesopotamia campaigns experts out there who may know more- but its also possible that your man may well have died of sickness or fever- maybe his MIC will show this., or even the entry on SDGW. Anyway, April 6th would be the 123rd day of the siege of the town- the 6th Division there only expected to hold out for a month before being relieved- one can only imagine the horrendous squalid hot and humid conditions in that town with no supplies, and little hope of relief by that stage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Lund Posted 10 August , 2004 Author Share Posted 10 August , 2004 J T Wimpenny is listed killed in action on the 6th April, I suppose this must mean that his battalion was in Kut throughout the siege, I shall have to find a couple of history books that cover this campaign. Maybe someone knows a good one. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will O'Brien Posted 10 August , 2004 Share Posted 10 August , 2004 The 1st Ox & Bucks suffered greatly at the Kut & ceased to exist in its original form afterwards The battalion had to be reconsituted. A number of the casualties on my local memorials were killed at the Kut or died in Turkish captivity after the surrender. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Lund Posted 10 August , 2004 Author Share Posted 10 August , 2004 Thanks, it is obviously the siege of Kut that I need to be looking at, I understand that the Official History for this area comes in four volumes, do you know which volume covers the siege? If I know the right one I can order it through the library. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMoorhouse Posted 11 August , 2004 Share Posted 11 August , 2004 Volume II of the Official History covers the siege and fall of Kut. The 6th April co-incided with one of the relief attempts. It would seem from the OH that Kut had been under constant artillery and aircraft attack (p440) and in particular over the relevant period (p441) "The Tigris around Kut had begun to rise again on the 4th April. By the 7th it had passed its highest level of March, and the water lay in great sheets extending miles around Kut. This gave both the Turks and the garrison in Kut much work to prevent their trenches being inundated. In the fort at Kut especially, the garrison suffered much at this time from the results of overwork in the floods, scanty food and the enemy snipers." Hope this helps. Brendon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Lund Posted 11 August , 2004 Author Share Posted 11 August , 2004 Thanks a lot, I will order Volume II of the Official History and also A.J. Barker's TheNeglected War (Faber& Faber, London, 1967) which I have spotted mentioned in this section of the forum, from the library, and I have just acquired The Turkish Front by Lord Carver. So plenty to be going on with. Tony. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrB Posted 16 August , 2004 Share Posted 16 August , 2004 For Tony...Baker's book as you mentioned and you might also find Death of An Army, The Seige of Kut, 1915-1916 by Ronald Millar. pub in 1970. DrB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Lund Posted 16 August , 2004 Author Share Posted 16 August , 2004 Thank you, I will put in an order at the library when they reopen. Believe it or not they are closed due to rain. A leaking roof I am told. Thanks again, Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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