1st Grenadier Guards December 1916

[Guest Hangleton]

Hi All

Can anyone help with info as to what the 1st Grenadier Guards were involved in around December 1916? I have a relative died of wounds and commemorated on the Thiepval monument (this info was from the CWGC site). Pte JOHN JOSEPH ACRES 14095.

Also (sorry, I'm new to all this so excuse my ignorance), the medal index card says "Clasp 2/2595" - presumably this a medal clasp - why would he have received it?

I have noted from other threads that the records for the Grenadiers survive so that will be my next step.

Many thanks

[Chris_Baker]

The "clasp" indicates service under fire at some time between 5 Aug and 22 Nov 1914. And makes him an "old Contemptible".

[steve fuller]

The Grenadiers' are at Birdcage walk in London from memory and you have to write to them for info. They have a web site of course - just Google it!

Have you looked here http://www.1914-1918.net/grenguards.htm for unit info?

And here http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Bedfordshire/index.html (Bedfordshire one, so will need to follow the county link) to see if theres any more info on him?

There are a couple of Grenadier Guards experts on forum, so best I leave the rest to them! Good luck.

[Paul Reed]

They were holding the line between Sailly-Saillesel and Rancourt on the Somme, with HQs in Combles. The Guards Division began a cemetery there, called Guards Cemetery, which is still there to this day.

[Ed Matthews]

From Ponsonby's history:

"On the 10th (November) the 1st Battalion moved in French motor buses to the sandpits at Meaulte, where it remained five days. After spending forty-eight hours at D Camp in Trones Wood, it went into the front trenches east of Gueudecourt, with the Australian Division (sic) on the left and the 1st Guards Brigade on the right. The Battalion spent three uneventful days in the trenches, except that while it was being relieved by the 59th Australian Infantry, Lieutenant VCH Gordon-Lennox was wounded. On the 20th the Battalion proceeded to Montauban, moving on the following day to Meaulte.

December: After a fortnight at Meaulte the Battalion went into dug-outs in Bouleaux Wood on December 6, and two days later relieved the 4th Battalion in the trenches. On the 11th it retired to Maltzhorn Camp, moving on the following day to Bronfray, and then back to Bouleaux Wood........"

I can also tell you that Private Acres enlisted in the last week of November 1908 and that he proceeded to France with the 1st Bn. on 6 October 1914. However, I expect you already have this information from his medal index card!

I would strongly recommend that you contact the RHQ for a copy of his service papers (as per Steve's posting).

Hope the above helps

Rgds

Ed

[Ed Matthews]

The only other info. that I have in my database is from SDGW (in case you don't have this!):

Born: Buntingford, Herts.

Enlisted: London

Residing: Lewes, Sussex.

Died of Wounds, 13 December 1916.

Rgds

Ed

[Guest Hangleton]

Hi all

Many many thanks to you all - I didn't know he enlisted prior to WW1 - the medal index card doesn't say. I also didn't know where he was residing at the time as my last reference to him is the 1901 census, where I think he was a farm teamster.

An interesting piece of info that ties in with this Sussex connection is that he is commemorated along with his brother and an apparently unconnected Lieut. on a stained glass window in Hangleton church (near Brighton).

[Guest Hangleton]

Hi all

Just a week after sending a letter to Birdcage Walk, and I now have JJ's Attestation from 1908

Absolutely brilliant

Thanks to all for your help.

[Ed Matthews]

Hello Hangleton

I'm pleased that it has all proved useful! I'd be interested in any additional information that you can provide in respect of Pte. Acres' service (e.g. date of birth, occupation on enlistment, specific enlistment date, details of any wounds / periods of sickness, overseas service dates etc) just so that I can update my database of Grenadiers! Do you have a photograph of Pte. Acres by any chance?

Best wishes

Ed

[Guest Hangleton]

Hi Ed

Pte Acres was baptised 2/11/1884 in Rushden Herts. I don't have an exact date of birth. He says he is 23 years 2 months old when he enlists...the bapt date is correct so I think he was wrong about his age, should be 24 and 2 months? The GG record says he was born in Buntingford, but the 1901 census says Rushden. Joined at Caterham on 02/12/1908. Transferred after 3 years to Army reserve - sec 13 - on expiration of his period (3 yrs) of service 27/11/1911. mobilized at London 05/08/1914.

He was a farm teamster in 1901, but the GG service record says his "trade or calling" was "0 Posts" ? He was living at Warminghurst Sussex when he enlisted.

His service starts on 27/11/1908, he is at "home" until 03/10/1914, then "Expeditionary force France" 04/10/1914 until 13/12/1916 when he dies of wounds.

If you look on this forum at the catgory 'Soldiers' and thread titled 'Help with photo identification', by me, you will see the phote that the family believed to be JJ, but as it is a soldier from the Engineers, I don't think they were correct!

I am still working on getting a photo

[Ed Matthews]

Many thanks for that Hangleton. Good luck with tracking down a photo of Pte. Acres - I've taken a look at the picture you recently posted and it is indeed a soldier from the Royal Enginers, perhaps another relative? I note that there are a number of "Acres" who served with the RE on the medal card index!

Kind rgds

Ed