Peach Posted 25 April , 2017 Share Posted 25 April , 2017 (edited) Hello I am have been looking into my great grandfather's life and death in Mesopotamia during WW1. Basically, as an amateur, I know very little about how the army was organised and find it confusing. I was hoping that perhaps someone would be able to say if I am on the right track? Here's what I know. Richard Robinson, 1st Ox and Bucks Light Infantry, army number 19624, died in Mesopotamia 26/3/1918. I think he was killed Khan Baghdadi. I have photographs of him and a couple of cards. One dated Mesopotamia November 1916, I believe he was also in India (on the back of a photograph it says Bangalore). I found out some details from the Roll of Honour, Blackburn. I also got the Khan Baghdadi information from the War Graves Commission - it said he was exhumed from there. Also on that day two men were killed, Richard it appears was one of them. The other a man called C.H. Ellis. Here's what is confusing me. Why was a man from Blackburn, Lancashire attached to Ox and Bucks? How can I find out more about where he had been and what battalion he was attached to?. I have scoured the internet for information and read all I can find, but the reality is I am not 100% sure I am correct. Could I have the wrong man? Is there more to know? It seems his records were destroyed in a fire - I joined Ancestry... It would be lovely to have some confirmation on this. I grew up (as did my Father) with Mesopotamia being mention a lot! I have grown up looking at his pictures and always wondered abouthim. Edited 25 April , 2017 by Peach Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jrmh Posted 25 April , 2017 Share Posted 25 April , 2017 http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/oxfordshire-buckinghamshire-light-infantry/ Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry Battalions of the Regular Army 1st Battalion August 1914 : in Ahmednagar, India. Under command of 17th Indian Brigade of 6th (Poona) Division, Indian Army. 27 November 1914 : moved to Mesopotamia. 29 April 1916 : Battalion was captured after surrender of garrison 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 in 15th Indian Division. Remained in Mesopotamia throughout the war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jrmh Posted 25 April , 2017 Share Posted 25 April , 2017 (edited) Battalion War Diary available here: WO 95/5198/4 http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/c37c4de0362443b79fb22bff1df664ac Good luck. Jim Edited 25 April , 2017 by Jrmh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jrmh Posted 25 April , 2017 Share Posted 25 April , 2017 (edited) WO 95/5122/3 http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/h/1f74ad4972c54958bd38ee6af727c5fc Edited 25 April , 2017 by Jrmh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jrmh Posted 25 April , 2017 Share Posted 25 April , 2017 (edited) World War 1(1914-19)The 1st Battalion (43rd Foot) fought the Turks in Mesopotamia, where they suffered very heavy casualties, were besieged at Kut and eventually starved into surrender. Of 300 men who were taken prisoner only ninety survived the war. http://www.britisharmedforces.org/li_pages/regiments/obli/ox_index.htm Edited 25 April , 2017 by Jrmh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peach Posted 25 April , 2017 Author Share Posted 25 April , 2017 Thank you so much for this. I have downloaded the diary. I need to order the one for 26/3/1918 as it is not available to download. Would you know why he was with Ox & Bucks? Him living in Blackburn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jrmh Posted 25 April , 2017 Share Posted 25 April , 2017 You are welcome. I believe that sometimes there was no choice of which Battalion a man was sent to. A distant ancestor of mine born and lived in London served in the 13th Bn Royal Scots! Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peach Posted 25 April , 2017 Author Share Posted 25 April , 2017 I thought it was peculiar and that perhaps I had the wrong man! It is very interesting and incredibly sad too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ss002d6252 Posted 25 April , 2017 Share Posted 25 April , 2017 (edited) The war gratuity indicates that Robinson had 32 months service at the time of his death - this indicates he enlisted Aug 1915. Monies paid to his wife, Rose. Craig Edited 25 April , 2017 by ss002d6252 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peach Posted 25 April , 2017 Author Share Posted 25 April , 2017 Hi Craig, What is that? It's the first I've heard. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin kenf48 Posted 25 April , 2017 Admin Share Posted 25 April , 2017 (edited) 15 minutes ago, ss002d6252 said: The war gratuity indicates that Robinson had 32 months service at the time of his death - this indicates he enlisted Aug 1915. Monies paid to his wife, Rose. Craig which accords with enlistment in the OBLI using the old fashioned method, on or around the 27th August 1915. He apparently did not serve elsewhere and as a volunteer probably just chose that regiment as he liked the sound of it. He was not at Kut, originally in the 9th (Reserve) Bn he was probably sent out to Mesopotamia via India after Kut when the Battalion reformed (no 14-15 Star entitlement). Ken Edited 25 April , 2017 by kenf48 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTracer44 Posted 25 April , 2017 Share Posted 25 April , 2017 There is a Richard Robinson marrying a Rose Sargeson in 1909 Blackburn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peach Posted 25 April , 2017 Author Share Posted 25 April , 2017 That's him. Rose was my great grandmother. Ken, what is 14-15 star entitlement? Thanks so much for your info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jrmh Posted 25 April , 2017 Share Posted 25 April , 2017 The 1914–15 Star was awarded to officers and men of British and Imperial forces who served against the Central European Powers in any theatre of the Great War between 5 August 1914 and 31 December 1915. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jrmh Posted 25 April , 2017 Share Posted 25 April , 2017 This book may be interesting: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=0Um-BAAAQBAJ&pg=PA287&lpg=PA287&dq=khan+baghdadi&source=bl&ots=ksv82P3N_x&sig=zJVyf3KHBDnYV_y_aOrOzu6RTLc&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi7wor_hMDTAhXpA8AKHbpgBTIQ6AEIkwEwFQ#v=onepage&q=khan baghdadi&f=false Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peach Posted 25 April , 2017 Author Share Posted 25 April , 2017 It is interesting. Where it says two men killed is that really relating to my g.grandfather?! It's incredible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jrmh Posted 25 April , 2017 Share Posted 25 April , 2017 Could be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ss002d6252 Posted 25 April , 2017 Share Posted 25 April , 2017 1 hour ago, kenf48 said: which accords with enlistment in the OBLI using the old fashioned method, on or around the 27th August 1915. He apparently did not serve elsewhere and as a volunteer probably just chose that regiment as he liked the sound of it. He was not at Kut, originally in the 9th (Reserve) Bn he was probably sent out to Mesopotamia via India after Kut when the Battalion reformed (no 14-15 Star entitlement). Ken It would have to on or after 27th to give him the 32 months - anything prior would have pushed him in to another month - so that ties in nicely. Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clk Posted 25 April , 2017 Share Posted 25 April , 2017 (edited) Hi Peach, 4 hours ago, Peach said: Hi Craig, What is that? It's the first I've heard. Thanks In broad terms a scheme was introduced to make a payment (war gratuity) to family/next of kin where a man had died. The size of the payment was a reflection of his rank, and the length of his service. Consequently, in the absence of a service record in a lot of cases you can use the amount paid, and the date of death, to back calculate a reliable estimated date of enlistment. The amount paid is shown in red in the Soldiers' Effects record. Richard's record on Ancestry here. Craig is the expert on the payments, and did a lot of work on understanding the regulations on how payments were calculated. If you'd like to know more (including a rather useful calculator) his micro website is here. If you'd like any help on researching soldiers, and how to interpret/understand the records you may find, it is worth while looking at the Long, Long Trail here. The site also has good information on the structure of the army, etc It appears that your great grandfather was a surviving will - £10 from here. Be warned though that if you did decide to get a copy, it comes as a low resolution B&W scan of the original as a pdf file, and may only be a few words written in his pay book.* Regards Chris Edit: *after ordered and paid for, it usually arrives a couple of days later as an email attachment Edited 25 April , 2017 by clk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peach Posted 26 April , 2017 Author Share Posted 26 April , 2017 Chris, thank yo so much for taking the time to write. In fact this site has been a great help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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