Guest neilemeryuk Posted 6 September , 2004 Share Posted 6 September , 2004 Hello everyone- I wonder if anyone can help at all, im tentatively starting some research on my great uncle A.S Bucknell who was killed 9/4/18 and is remembered on the monument to the missing at ploegsteert. He was in the East Surrey Regmt. and that is all i know. The couple of questions i would like to ask are- If he is on the monument to the missing in that town does that mean he was killed in that town? (i got this info from the war graves comission search engine) And if so was Ploegsteert not many miles behind our lines in 1918? Also would the nature of his death be recorded in his battalion war diary? and lastly in the event of death did the army send the campaign medals automatically to the family or did you have to claim them? Thanks ever so much in advance for any answers or help you can offer me on the above All the very best # Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmsk212 Posted 6 September , 2004 Share Posted 6 September , 2004 Hi Neil The information on the Soldiers Died in the Great War CD as as follows :- 11210 Private Arthur Sidney Bucknell 13th Battalion East Surrey Regiment Killed in action, France & Flanders, 09/08/1918 Born: Tooting, Surrey Enlisted: Wandsworth, Surrey Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmsk212 Posted 6 September , 2004 Share Posted 6 September , 2004 Hi Neil If you go back to the CWGC website and get A S Bucknell's details up again, click on "View Details" next to where it says Ploegsteert Memorial, this will then give you the low down on the catchment area for the memorial. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Bowbrick Posted 6 September , 2004 Share Posted 6 September , 2004 Pte Bucknells's British War & Victory medals, Memorial Plaque and Scroll would have been sent to his next of kin detailed in his service record. It is doubtful that his death would necessarily be mentioned in the Bn War Diary, but the East Surreys are one Regt where I have come across monthly caualty returns intact so you may be lucky. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fuller Posted 6 September , 2004 Share Posted 6 September , 2004 Hi Neil and welcome There may be his service papers at the PRO, but only 30% or so survived. (You can either go yourself or hire someone to do it for you) His MIC may be on line now at the PRO site; £3.50 to download it and youll have his medal entitlement, date & theatre of entry into the war etc. That'll give you a start at least. Then, without a doubt, look at this site in detail - theres an unvelievable amount of info on it! Check his Battalion and where they were, when etc and ask the forum for any extra info from the diaries (if available). If he was KIA late 1918, your relative may have been in the war for a long time, so may have seen all sorts; definitely worth looking into. And if youve got a piccie, post it here and see what extra info the geniuses on forum can add! Surrey Regmnt's not my field Im sorry, but there'll be someone who can help mate. Happy hunting Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest neilemeryuk Posted 6 September , 2004 Share Posted 6 September , 2004 Wow , firstly let me say thanks to all of you that replied ive got a wealth of things to start on wheras before i didnt have a clue- thankyou all for your time and efforts, ill keep you posted on how i get on. I love the forum btw, speak to you all soon, best wishes and thanks Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Bowbrick Posted 6 September , 2004 Share Posted 6 September , 2004 His MIC may be on line now at the PRO site; £3.50 to download it and youll have his medal entitlement, date & theatre of entry into the war etc. That'll give you a start at least. Pte Bucknell was only entitled to a pair and therefore the date of entry and theatre first served in will not be shown on his medal index card. However if he was a 13th Bn man his theatre of war would have been France and Flanders as the Bn did not serve anywhere else. As I know from my own researches into the East Surreys, service records to East Surrey men are rare, particularly 13th Bn men. I will put Pte Bucknell on my shopping list for Saturday. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest neilemeryuk Posted 6 September , 2004 Share Posted 6 September , 2004 Thankyou so much Ian, i dont want to go on about it but the kindness and helpfullness on this board is absoulutely stunning and i thank all of you once more (ill shut up now!) Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Bowbrick Posted 6 September , 2004 Share Posted 6 September , 2004 Neil, No problem - I have been researching the East Surreys for some years now due to a family connection and looked up Pte Bucknell's MIC today. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 6 September , 2004 Share Posted 6 September , 2004 If he is on the monument to the missing in that town does that mean he was killed in that town? (i got this info from the war graves comission search engine) And if so was Ploegsteert not many miles behind our lines in 1918? Also would the nature of his death be recorded in his battalion war diary? Neil, the answers are 1. Not necessarily. The Ploegsteert Memorial serves the area from the line Caestre-Dranoutre-Warneton to the north, to Haverskerque-Estaires-Fournes to the south, including the towns of Hazebrouck, Merville, Bailleul and Armentieres, the Forest of Nieppe, and Ploegsteert Wood. 2. Ploegsteert itself was never far from the firing lines until after September 1918. 3. The death of individual soldiers of the "other ranks" is often not mentioned in a war diary beyond something like "4 OR killed". It is not unknown, but I wouldn't count on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest neilemeryuk Posted 7 September , 2004 Share Posted 7 September , 2004 Great thanks Chris! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now