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Were the 1/20th London in Ypres and Hill 60?


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Hi Everyone,

have a very merry christmas.

I have a question that I hope some of you may be able to help me with. I am trying to find some information about the 1/20th London regiment. They were a part of the 47th (2nd London) Division. According to newspaper clipping a relative of mine has the 1/20th were located in Ypres and Hill 60 sometime between mid march and early may 1915, but so far I have been unable to find anything that confirms this information on the net.

Can anyone out there shed any light on their movements during mid march - 1st week in June 1915?

Also, according to the newspaper clipping, my relative "died gloriously on the field of battle", was this a standard message?

all the best

Paul

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Paul

I an going to the NA on the 29th Dec, I will be looking at WO 95/2737 War Diaries which is the Diary for 47 Division, I will be looking for 1/18 Bn London Regt (London Irish Rifles) I wil pass any infomation I find on 1/20 Bn London Regt.

Regards

John

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Dear John,

many thanks indeed. I'll email santa and tell him he's got an urgent (extra) delivery to make tonight. I can't wait to see what you've found out.

merry christmas.

Paul

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The unit was down near Givenchy at this time. In late May they were in the line near 'Windy Corner' and then on 1st June moved to Sailly-Labourse. They then took over trenches opposition the Hohenzollern Redoubt on 2nd June and were relieved on the 6th, and to Verquin. They then moved to the Loos sector, where 47th Div stayed, pretty much, until the Battle of Loos in September.

Hope that helps.

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Paul

I live in Chatham and I have been lead to believe that the Royal Engineers Library has a comprehensive Trench Map Libray, I intend to go over to the Library to see what I can find out as my wifes grandfather was a Tunneller in WW1, I will let you know just before I go over and if you want me to specifically look up anything Im sure I will find the time.

Regards

John

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Also, according to the newspaper clipping, my relative "died gloriously on the field of battle", was this a standard message?

Paul

It was very common for messages to be sent to the family from someone in the deceased's unit, often an officer. These would be hand-written. The sentiment embodied in 'died gloriously on the field of battle' was often used as a way of helping the family to cope. These letters were difficult enough to write, as you can imagine there would be a large number after a major battle. It was considered doubly-hard when the person had died a lingering death from wounds or when their body had been destroyed by a shell burst for example. To some extent, I expect it helped the writer as much as the receiver of the news.

Robert

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Sorry - I misread your original posting. You were asking about pre-June.

The Bn landed at Havre on 10th March 1915 and moved by train to Cassel. It then moved to Allouagne by the 18th. On 7th April it was in Bethune, and moved into the trenches at Cuinchy. When out of the line, it was in the villages of Gorre and Essars. In May went to Lapugnoy, and took over trenches at Givenchy on 16th May, taking part in the attack on 26th May. Its casualties for the 16th-29th May period was 16 killed, 7 missing, 45 wounded.

So it never served at Ypres at this time; I believe the only unit of 47th Division which did was one of the RFA units which took part in the fighting at Kitchener's Wood.

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Hi Paul,

That's the same conclusion I came too. I can't find any information that attaches the 1/20th to the Ypres/Hill 60 area.

Here's a part of the email from my grand uncle (a nephew of Alexander).

I have been browsing and found the newspaper snippet about Albert and Alex.

Alex is listed as follows:

ETHERIDGE, A.J., Drummer, 20th London Regt.

He was mobilised on the declaration of war, and served with his Battalion at

home until March 1915, when he sailed for France. During his service in

this theatre of war he was engaged in heavy fighting around Ypres and Hill

60. He died gloriously on the Field of Battle at Givenchy on May 26th, 1915

...... etc etc

Would it be possible that he may have been moved to another unit after arrival in France, and back to the 20th before the Battle in Givenchy? Also I guess this could be a miss print????

all the best

Merry Christmas.

Paul

ps. It's still only 11:15 pm here, but I've risen a glass of wine to toast good ol' England.

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Paul,

Do you have a copy of 'Love and War' the letters of Ted Trafford, edited by Dr Peter Trafford. Ted served with the 20th Londons, and his letters are an excellent substitute for the lack of an official battalion history.

Martin's grandfather, Frank White, was a signaller with the 20th, and badly wounded on 25th September 1915, spending most of the next year in hospital, then commissioned into the RE. If you should come across any mention of him in your researches, please let us know. In the meantime, we'll get down our copy of 'Love and War' and have a look through for you.

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