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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Battalion of Death, Machine Gun Corps


Guest Ian Bowbrick

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Guest Ian Bowbrick

The 200th Bn Machine Gun Corps that went to France in August 1918 (not the unit that went to Russia) were known as the 'Battalion of Death' and had a green flag with this written across it and some sort of emblem, which I have conflicting information about. Has anyone any information on this or better still a picture of their flag.

Cheers,

Ian

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Ian

There is a war diary at the PRO for 200th MGC Bn, ref WO 95/3017 (Aug 1918 - Oct 1918). Havent looked at it so I dont know if this is the correct Bn.

Geoff

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Guest Ian Bowbrick

Geoff,

Thanks - I have. It consists of something like 6 pages, which are essentially a summary of the events they were involved in. There is no mention of personnel involved in the action, not even officers. There is just a scratch muster list.

Ian :)

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My other half's grandfather was a Company commander in both 200 Bns - the one which went to France in August 1918, his first return to the Front after the wound which nearly killed him in January 1915, and the units which formed the deployment for 200 Bn to Archangel.

However, he made no detailed mention of this flag in any of his accounts which makes me think it might have been a Bn HQ 'thing', or completely unofficial. We have an unreliable hearsay account which suggests that the emblem was a skull with crossed MGs replacing the crossbones. Plausible, but not verified.

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