Gren Guards Sept 1917

[KIRKY]

A friend of mine has asked to find out about a relative who was with Gren Guards and died 13th Sept 1917.

Can anyone tell me what happened that time?

His name was J Hurd.

Tony

[PhilB]

Tony, as he is buried at Dozinghem Mil Cem, he would have died of wounds received some time previously, probably within a week or two. The Gds don`t appear to have been involved at 3rd Ypres about that time, but no doubt a GG enthusiast will give an educated guess as to what caused his demise! Phil B

[steve fuller]

Apols if you have this already:

Name: HURD

Initials: J

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Private

Regiment: Grenadier Guards

Unit Text: 3rd Bn.

Age: 33

Date of Death: 13/09/1917

Service No: 26643

Additional information: Son of William and Harriet Hurd, of Newport; husband of Catherine Hurd, of 24, Upper Bar, Newport, Salop.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: VIII. A. 4.

Cemetery: DOZINGHEM MILITARY CEMETERY

Someone on forum's likely to have the diaries or a book for that period (but not me im afraid).

[steve fuller]

Hi again. Try this:

http://www.1914-1918.net/grenguards.htm

Not a GG specialist myself, but the above 'suggests' they were in a few of the engagements in 1917?

Alternatively, if there were no battles then, he may have been wounded 'holding the line' or similar. The 3rd Battalions Diaries,or one of the 'Westlakes regiments in the Somme' kind of book would be the best bet to identify what happened then, if no one comes up with what you need?

Try a 'search' on this site, Im sure the 3rd Btn have come up in last few months, but could be wrong ...

Good luck

Steve

[Ed Matthews]

Hi Tony

August and September 1917 were relatively quiet for the 3rd Bn. For September, Ponsonby's has the following:

"On September 4 the Battalion moved to Eton Camp, which was close to the railway, and therefore exposed to attacks by the enemy's aircraft. There were no less than forty casualties from bombs dropped from aeroplanes. On the 12th the Battalion moved to Rugby Camp which was regularly shelled at night, and then took over the trenches in the Broembeek sector. For four days it was subjected to considerable shelling, and on the 20th........"

There were approximately a dozen 3rd Bn. fatalities during this period.

I can also tell you that Private Hurd would have enlisted sometime in September 1916 in Newport, Mon.

Hope this helps.

Ed