Guest JohnW Posted 21 October , 2004 Share Posted 21 October , 2004 I am currently researching officers of the 1st/8th Royal Warwicks who fought in the First World War. I have found it fairly easy to find those officers who died during the War using websites such as the CWGC, despite the problem of many officers only recorded generally as 8th Btn. What I am after are the officers of the 1st/8th who survived the First World War. Would anybody be able to point me in the right direction for my research? If so, i would be very grateful if you could email me at jsw398@bham.ac.uk Thank you for your time, and kind regards John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewThornton Posted 21 October , 2004 Share Posted 21 October , 2004 John Have you tried contacting Rob Williams? He wrote his MPhil thesis on the 1/8th Battalion. Perhaps if you contacted Dr John Bourne he would be able to perhaps point you in the right direction. Rob is a member of this forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brindlerp Posted 21 October , 2004 Share Posted 21 October , 2004 John Compile a list of all officers mentioned in the War Diary for 1st/8th Bn R.War.R. and then check the names against the CWGC database, would be a worthwhile exercise. "The Story of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment" by C.L. Kingsford has a Roll of Honour. Should you want it, I can send you a copy if you send me your email address. Regards Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Carter Posted 21 October , 2004 Share Posted 21 October , 2004 Hi John What is the reason for your research? Have you a relative that served in the 1/8th ? Regards Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JohnW Posted 22 October , 2004 Share Posted 22 October , 2004 Replying to all the above posts, my apologies if it appears a little muddled… I am studying a History degree at the University of Birmingham, for which a module of mine, organised by Dr John Bourne (who I have a meeting with on Monday), involves looking specifically at the 1st/8th battalion. I do have an interest in the battalion as some of the members went to Kind Edwards in Birmingham. Also, it is 1 of 6 modules in my 2nd year at university and it is certainly the one that has motivated me the most. Who is Rob Williams and how would I be able to contact him? I have compiled the list of officers, and cross referenced on the CWGC website, however I have found that although a far few do say 1st/8th there are many that only say 8th battalion. If you could send me the "The Story of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment" by C.L. Kingsford I would be most grateful – jsw398@bham.ac.uk I am hoping to go further than simply build profiles on each of the officers and recount their journey through France (via a short visit to Italy). It is my intention to discover more about their social backgrounds, their education, the dreams and aspiration, as well as their fears. I would also like to find those few officers who survived the war and trace what they did with their lives after the war, and how severely they were disrupted. Finding those that survived would appear to be the problematic part of my research. Any further help would be greeted with the utmost appreciation. Thank you for your responses above. Kind regards John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Carter Posted 22 October , 2004 Share Posted 22 October , 2004 I would say most of the original pre-war Territorial officers, bar a few, were either killed or wounded on 1 July 1916. I have a fairly good copy of a photo of all the officers of the 1/8 taken at Mailley Maillet prior to the 1 July 1916 attack. I would reccomend a book entitled "Some Desperate Glory" written by an officer of the 1/8. Its his account of life with the battalion during Passchendaele in 1917. I think his name was Campion Vaughan..I am on my computor.. the book is in the garage. Pass my regards on to John Bourne when you see him If I can help let me know Regards Terry Carter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JohnW Posted 22 October , 2004 Share Posted 22 October , 2004 Terry Carter - will give your regards to Dr Bourne If you could send a scan/copy of that photo it would be amazing. We have a copy of that book in our library so I will have that on loan asap. Kind regards John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taryong Posted 30 October , 2004 Share Posted 30 October , 2004 I think the War Diary of the 1/8th Bn. is not the best way for your research. Unfortunately, their W.D. does not record their Roll of Officers, like the 1st Bn. RWR. Even if it does, not a few officers on the Roll are attached officers from other regiments or battalions. Please remember that , in the case of Territorial officers, they often transferred 1st, 2nd, and 3rd line battalions. So, it is quite difficult to make clear their ultimate battalions. I would like to recommend you to use the Army List and the London Gazette. The RWR museum will be useful to do so. It will be a time consuming work, but I am quite certain it will be the very best way for you. I think the first thing you have to do is find how many officers served with the 1/8th Bn. during the war and their names. Then, you can collect some information on them via Birmingham Daily Post and the Birmingham Weekely Post, etc. Fianlly, you should visit the National Archive to see their personal files. Also, a member of the Centre for First World War Studies (www.firstworldwar.bham.ac.uk) is studying the tactical history of the 1/8th Bn., RWR. He may be good enough to help you. I hope your excellent progress! Kang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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