Coldstream Guards

[Medic7922]

Hi All, I am new to this forum and have been doing some family history were I found a great uncle who was with the 3rd Coldstream Guards and wounded on the

9th September 1914 he was taken to the No1 Casualty Clearing Station at Coulommiers and died of hes wounds a few hours later.

He is now buried at a little village "Boitron" near Paris 1 of 5 soldiers to be buried

there, could anyone explain why he should be taken back quite a distance from were he died and only a small number of soldiers should be buried there as there was a lot of casualties from that battle.

Steve

[Frajohn]

Hi Steve

I looked up where the 3rd Coldstream Guards were on the 8/9th September and thought you might be interested in their details of the 8th, which are copied below. On the 9th they moved on some distance, but only later in the day. Your Uncle might well have been injured on the 8th or early on the 9th while they were still at Boitron.

Kind regards

John

8th September 1914

Meanwhile the 4th (Guards) Brigade led the 2nd Division with a vanguard formed of Nos. 1 and 2 Companies of the 3rd Battalion Coldstream (Captains E. Longueville and Brocklehurst), a battery of artillery, and Nos. 3 & 4 in support (Captains Vaughan and Banbury) ; Major Matheson commanding the Battalion remained with the front companies and Captain Monck with those in rear. Shortly after leaving Rebais some German cavalry were quickly driven out of La Tretoire without difficulty ; however, on approaching a wood with roads leading down into the valley of the Petit Morin, we came under heavy shell fire from Boitron, a village on the further ridge. The leading companies pushed on at once down the slopes to cross the stream at the bottom, but when half-way they were both held up in thick woods by infantry and machine-gun fire. Nos. 3 and 4 Companies followed on prolonging to their right, and they too failed to make good the crossing. Our guns now shelled a farm reported to be held by the enemy, and then the Irish Guards advanced on the left of the Coldstream and by their assistance some more ground was gained ; but they were also held up. The machine guns opposed to us appear to have been numerous and skilfully placed, and progress was therefore exceedingly difficult in this enclosed thickly wooded ravine. By this time the 2nd Battalions of the Grenadiers and Coldstream arrived in support, and moving round the right of the 3rd Battalion and crossing the river by a bridge at La Forge, which was held by a few cavalry scouts and out of view of the enemy, they worked up the further slopes, gained the village of Boitron, and compelled the Germans to evacuate it. The other two battalions of the Brigade still continuing to press forward in the ravine were now enabled to advance, and reached Boitron at about 2 pm.

In the 3rd Battalion the casualties were eight killed and 45 wounded

[Medic7922]

Thanks for the information John, this has given me a better understanding of

one of my relations part in the great war as it seems that he was one of the eight

coldstreamers killed that day

LOCKWOOD, Pte. Mark. 7346. 3rd Bn. Coldstream Guards. Died 9th Sept. 1914, aged 24. Son of I and E Lockwood of Hull. Grave 2

SHANNON, Pte. G. 11365. 2nd Bn. Worcestershire Regt. Died 9th Sept. 1914. Grave 1

TEESDALE, Pte. Albert. 6107. 3rd Bn. Coldstream Guards. Died 9th Sept. 1914. Grave 2

There are 2 Coldstreamers buried in Boitron Churchyard, 1 from the worcesters

and 2 unnamed, possaibly Coldstream guards

I have looked at a map of the area and was surprised how close the battle was to Paris as the village of Boitron is closed to Euro-Disney.

Cheers Steve