Lee Ayers Posted 6 July Share Posted 6 July Hello, private James stone was my great great uncle, from Winterslow wilts. I know he was killed near Ypres but I would like to know if he served on the somme before this either at mametz, delville wood or high wood? Anyway of finding out if he was with the 9th battalion on the Somme? any help or info much appreciated. Thankyou Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 6 July Share Posted 6 July (edited) Lee, Welcome to GWF. Probably worth checking out his BWM & VM medal roll - it may show his battalion or perhaps another battalion(s) M Edited 6 July by Matlock1418 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaySearching Posted 6 July Share Posted 6 July The 9th Bn Devonshire war diary's can be downloaded from the National archives (for Free) you will have to register first (also free) HERE IS THE LINK to the Diary's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin kenf48 Posted 6 July Admin Share Posted 6 July It’s highly unlikely he served on the Somme. His regimental number is a renumbered Territorial Force number allocated to the 4th Battalion Devonshire See https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/a-soldiers-life-1914-1918/renumbering-of-the-territorial-force-in-1917/renumbering-the-tf-infantry-in-1917/ The renumbering dates from March 1917 as this is the only number shown on the Medal Roll it generally means this was his number when he landed in France. 204928 Hemming was originally a Wiltshire Yeomanry soldier transferred to the infantry (first the 4 Wiltshire Regt then the Sherwood Foresters - admin postings)and posted to the BEF on the 11 October 1917 and on the 18th October posted to the 4th Battalion Devonshire Regiment and renumbered. This was another administrative posting as the Yeomanry was a TF formation and the Army regarded a TF soldier as ‘once enlisted on TF terms he would remain under those term. He was immediately transferred to the 9th Battalion joining them in the field on the 21 October. It’s almost certain Pte Stone was in the same draft. The war diary does not give numbers but states the medical officer inspected recent drafts on that day. So more than one. If it can be confirmed he was killed after just 5 days on the Western Front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Ayers Posted 6 July Author Share Posted 6 July Wow! How very helpful and Interesting. Thankyou for your help on this. You think he could have been killed within five days of getting to Belgium then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Ayers Posted 6 July Author Share Posted 6 July Is it possible to find where exactly/approx he was killed? Although we have a little caravan at authuille on the Somme, I’d like to take a trip up to ypres area as I have never been there before and would like to visit Tyne cott and the location where he died if poss? Thanks again. Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan1892 Posted 6 July Share Posted 6 July The Soldiers Died in the Great War database shows that he was born in Winterslow, Wiltshire and that he enlisted in Salisbury. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin kenf48 Posted 6 July Admin Share Posted 6 July 2 hours ago, Lee Ayers said: Is it possible to find where exactly/approx he was killed? Although we have a little caravan at authuille on the Somme, I’d like to take a trip up to ypres area as I have never been there before and would like to visit Tyne cott and the location where he died if poss? Thanks again. Lee If ,as advised you download the war diary you will see there is an after action report for the operation around Ghevulet This gives you map references. Ifyou go to Trenchmapper @Howard can be your guide it will put you in the ball park Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Ayers Posted 6 July Author Share Posted 6 July Ghevulet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin kenf48 Posted 6 July Admin Share Posted 6 July 7 minutes ago, Lee Ayers said: Ghevulet? Excuse spelling, on a rainy caravan site in Monmouth The correct spelling is Gheluvelt “The battalion was to attack on a frontage of 200 yards with its right resting on the Menin Road”. Which you can read for yourself in the war diary. It’s always worth downloading the next level or Brigade diaries as these often include operation orders and maps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Ayers Posted 6 July Author Share Posted 6 July Thankyou for that, I will do some digging. Hope the sun appears for you soon! cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Ayers Posted 7 July Author Share Posted 7 July Sorry to be a pain, but his brother Harry stone, also killed in WW1, 25967, wilts regt, is buried at Amara war cemetery, guessing that’s in Iraq? But would his grave still be in tact? Would it still be looked after? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 7 July Share Posted 7 July 37 minutes ago, Lee Ayers said: Harry stone, also killed in WW1, 25967, wilts regt, is buried at Amara war cemetery, guessing that’s in Iraq? But would his grave still be in tact? Would it still be looked after? https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/630358/harry-stone CWGC offer this insight of the present situation https://www.cwgc.org/visit-us/find-cemeteries-memorials/cemetery-details/69100/amara-war-cemetery M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Ayers Posted 24 July Author Share Posted 24 July Good evening all, so you clever people, is there any way of finding/tracking medals of James and Harry stones medals/death penny with a view to purchase if they are indeed out there somewhere? im guessing this is going to be tough thankyou Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin kenf48 Posted 24 July Admin Share Posted 24 July 2 minutes ago, Lee Ayers said: Good evening all, so you clever people, is there any way of finding/tracking medals of James and Harry stones medals/death penny with a view to purchase if they are indeed out there somewhere? im guessing this is going to be tough thankyou Lee Whilst it is tough a recent post highlighted medals had been 'returned' to th family after thirty years of searching. The BWM had intrinsic value as it was silver and many were sold for scrap. That said the British Medal Forum has a section for those trying to find medals and you can always put an alert on online and other auction sites. There are many threads on this topic on the forum. Alternatively you can get replicas of good quality again recommendations can be found by a forum search Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Ayers Posted 24 July Author Share Posted 24 July Very kind Thankyou very much Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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