Nathan Greenfield Posted 20 May , 2007 Share Posted 20 May , 2007 Pals: During 2nd Ypres, the British put together a composite unit called Geddes Detachment. Was A. Geddes then a Colonel or a Lieutentant-Colonel? I've seen him as both. And, was his first name Arthur? Thanks Nathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 20 May , 2007 Share Posted 20 May , 2007 I think you are looking at Augustus David Geddes: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...mp;mediaarray=* http://www.greatwar.co.uk/westfront/ypsali.../cdnsit2100.htm http://www.kent-opc.org/Officers.htm Name: GEDDES, AUGUSTUS DAVID Initials: A D Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Colonel Regiment/Service: The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) Unit Text: 2nd Bn. Age: 48 Date of Death: 28/04/1915 Additional information: Son of Col. John Geddes, of 4, Suffolk Square, Cheltenham; husband of Vera Colville Goff (formerly Geddes), of 16, Lincoln House, Basil St., Chelsea, London. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: IV. C. 4. Cemetery: YPRES RESERVOIR CEMETERY http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_detail...?casualty=98929 The Times 4-5-1915 Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathan Greenfield Posted 20 May , 2007 Author Share Posted 20 May , 2007 Steve: Thanks. But the mystery remains. The National Archives records him as a colonel. The West Kents's site has him as a lieutenant-colonel. Does anyone have another lead? Cheers, Nathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhifle Posted 20 May , 2007 Share Posted 20 May , 2007 Steve: Thanks. But the mystery remains. The National Archives records him as a colonel. The West Kents's site has him as a lieutenant-colonel. Does anyone have another lead? Cheers, Nathan Hi Nathan, He was a Lt Colonel on the Jan 1915 Army List. Regards Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auchonvillerssomme Posted 20 May , 2007 Share Posted 20 May , 2007 heres his De Ruviny's entry mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 20 May , 2007 Share Posted 20 May , 2007 Augustus Geddes' entry in Du Ruvigny's Roll of Honour: Promoted to Colonel after the January 1915 Army List, and close to his death, so the confusion is hardly surprising... I might be able to find the specific promotion in the London Gazette but the site is down at the moment. Steve. EDIT : Great minds!!! (Though I obviously took longer with the pic editing...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted 20 May , 2007 Share Posted 20 May , 2007 Here is his grave stone. I was shooting into the sun. His medals are inscribed Colonel. I have his history if you're interested (and a pair of his binoculars on my bookcase !) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted 20 May , 2007 Share Posted 20 May , 2007 The West Kents's site has him as a lieutenant-colonel. Nathan Which West Kents site is this? Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 20 May , 2007 Share Posted 20 May , 2007 Here we go: London Gazette 8th February 1915. MEMORANDA. Lieutenant-Colonel Augustus D. Geddes, The Buffs (East Kent Kegiment), to be Colonel. Dated 7th February, 1915, but with seniority from 15th June, 1914. http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/archiveVi...;selHonourType= Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted 20 May , 2007 Share Posted 20 May , 2007 Just to back you up Steve, here's how he signs the war diaries for Jan and Feb 1915; Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathan Greenfield Posted 20 May , 2007 Author Share Posted 20 May , 2007 Mick: Here's the West Kents's site that lists Geddes at his death as a Lt. Col. http://www.kent-opc.org/Officers.htm Cheers, Nathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 20 May , 2007 Share Posted 20 May , 2007 Just goes to show. Not everything we read on websites is true! To be fair to the website, which is not primarily military orientated, the vast majority of battalion commanders were Lieutenant-Colonels, hence it is no surprise to see him listed as a Lieutenant-Colonel in various places as that is what he is "supposed" to be. As Michael has posted he signed his name as Lt. Col. in January 1915 and Col. in February 1915. Signing an official document at a different rank to which you were supposed to be was a slight no-no! In many (non-official) documents Lieutenant Colonels are often referred to as "Colonel" and it is easy to assume that he was in fact a Lieutenant-Colonel and not a full Colonel, if you don't double check. We are spoilt here by the wide variety of sources available to keep us on the straight and narrow... Promotions were not official until published in the London Gazette, hence unless the promotion was later revoked then what is published in the LG is what rank he was. From the evidence provided I think we are in agreement that he was definitely a full Colonel. Steve. P.S. Is it me or does his gravestone say Davis rather than David?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathan Greenfield Posted 21 May , 2007 Author Share Posted 21 May , 2007 Steve: Thanks for the explanation about the London Gazette. I think you are right about the gravestone saying Davis. What say the other eyes here? Cheers, Nathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted 21 May , 2007 Share Posted 21 May , 2007 Nathan That website lists the casualties of the Buffs. They were the East Kent Regiment. The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment were a completely separate Regiment until the 1960's. The site has blindly copied the casualty list from the Regimental History which has many errors. Steve Nice one eagle eyes! I hadn't noticed that but I've been playing with the image and it looks like you are correct. I'll take a look next time I'm out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanBuxton Posted 31 July Share Posted 31 July Hi all, i've been fascinated reading all these stories on these forums and thought it was time i finally joined in. Here is a recent pic of the gravestone. I was trying to find out more information about the "Geddes detachment" and as most Great War searches I end up in this Great Forum! If anyone has a useful link explaining the "Geddes Detachment" in more detail it would be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaySearching Posted 31 July Share Posted 31 July Hello Ian welcome to the forum If you put "Geddes detachment" in the forum search box top right you will find a number of threads on the subject Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 31 July Share Posted 31 July The gravestone, which once said Davis, now says David. Would that be a new stone or can they be effectively altered? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanBuxton Posted 31 July Share Posted 31 July 1 hour ago, RaySearching said: Hello Ian welcome to the forum If you put "Geddes detachment" in the forum search box top right you will find a number of threads on the subject Ray Thanks Ray and duh.....here is me still doing all my searches from Google which leads me back to this post rather than using the forums own search. Hopefully that will help with many other searches too instead of leading me off on wild goose chases! Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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