Private Joseph Hinchmore

[Guest john hinchmore]

Hello everyone any info on the following would be most appreciated.

Private Joseph Hinchmore

10th battalion Worcestershire regiment

k.i.a 15/9/1916

He had been in france since the outbreak of war and had also served in the 2nd & 3rd battalions. Nine month,s after arriving in france he was wounded in the hand and spent 9 week,s in hospital.

Unfortunately his service record,s are not in the burnt document,s at the P.R.O.

Is it therefore possible to find out when he moved between battalion,s and without the exact date of him being wounded am i able to find out which hospitals he was sent to.

Many thank,s in advance.

John Hinchmore

[robwilliams]

John,

I would strongly recommend you try the local papers. At this stage of the war the casualty lists were printed in full, including those wounded. At the very start of the war the hospital was also often given. By my reckoning it took about 4-6 weeks at the start of the war for an event to become an entry in the paper.

In addition, you may find that the family sent in details of the man to the paper and that this was printed.

I don't know where he was from, but the Bham Daily Post published details of men from the greater West Midlands region.

Rob

[Simon_Fielding]

Hope this helps John:

Regards

Simon

Hinchmore, Joseph Pte 13465

Kia f&f 15/9/16

10/Worcs

b. Sedgley

e. Birmingham

r. Dudley, Worcs.

In Memory of

JOSEPH HINCHMORE

Private

13465

10th Bn., Worcestershire Regiment

who died on

Friday 15 September 1916 .

Additional Information: Son of Mr. Joseph Hinchmore, of 305, Salop St., Dudley, Worcs.

Cemetery: PLOEGSTEERT MEMORIALComines-Warneton, Hainaut, Belgium

Grave or Reference Panel Number: Panel 5

The 10th Worcestershire, as we have seen, moved out of the Somme area at the beginning of August to the quieter sectors further north. The battalion detrained at Bailleul on the afternoon of August 7th and marched to camp at Dranoute. The 19th division was to take over the line facing the Messines ridge. The 10th Worcestershire were at first in brigade reserve; then on August 10th the Battalion moved forward to the trenches, and relieved 10th Royal Warwickshire in position just south of Spanbroek Mill. There, close to the former battle-ground of the 3rd battalion, the 10th Worcestershire (alternating with the 10th Royal Warwickshire) laboured and fought during the ensuing three weeks (Till August 31st). The trenches of the battalion formed a shallow salient. They could be enfiladed from all sides and were not bullet proof; but in spite of continual shelling and sniping the losses during that period (Detail of trenches and billets – 10th – 14th Trenches. 15th – 18th Brigade reserve at Aircraft farm. 19th – 22nd Trenches. 23rd – 27th divisional reserve at Dranoute. 27th – 31st trenches. Losses 2 killed 9 wounded)

On august 31st the battalion was relieved and moved back. Three days in reserve (at Aircraft Farm) followed and then the brigade marched southwards. The position of the 19th division was being shifted to the right, and on the afternoon of September 4th the 10th Worcestershire marched south from aircraft Farm to Red Lodge. On the way a long-range shell plunged into the marching Battalion and burst, killing or wounding twenty men. (8 killed 13 wounded).

The Battalion rested for one day in camp at Red Lodge and then moved forward to the front trenches just south of the River Douve. At that part of the line the opposing trenches were separated by a stretch of boggy ground and the patrols of both sides worked along the banks of the river. The 10th Worcestershire and the 10th Royal Warwickshire held these trenches alternately till September 19th.

In the middle of September the Somme battle-front witnessed another great attack, and in

order to assist that operation a series of demonstrations were planned in Flanders so as to prevent the enemy moving their reserves to the threatened point. Orders were given for raids to be carried out on the night of September 15th/16th but several Battalions of the 19th Division, including the 10th Worcestershire. The raid was carefully planned and volunteers were called for. 2/Lieuts. W. Bigwood and C. C. U. Newcombe were selected, with 35 N.C.O's. and men. Soon after dark on September 15th 2/Lieut. Bigwood and a small covering party climbed out of the trench, carrying a '' Bangalore torpedo ''-a length of metal piping closed at both ends and filled with explosive-with which to blast a way through the enemy's wire entanglements. The '' torpedo '' was hauled cautiously across ''No Man's Land '' and :was worked into position beneath the German wire. The party then retreated to our own trench, but the subaltern was not satisfied with the arrangements. He went forward again, accompanied only by his own batman, inspected the '' torpedo '' and altered its position.

At 9.30 p.m. the raiding party climbed out of the trench, crept forward in the darkness,

lay down about a hundred yards from the position of the '' torpedo,'' and waited.

One minute before 10 p.m. the British artillery suddenly opened a heavy fire. 2/Lieut.

Bigwood fired the '' torpedo,'' which blasted a wide gap through the German wire. The raiding

party advanced, crawling at first. Then, the guns lifted their fire, the attackers sprang to the

feet and dashed forward through the gap made by the explosion. On the far side of the gap they were checked by an unexpected obstacle: a wide ditch filled with loose wire. The enemy opened fire at point blank range ; but with a quick rush the raiders leapt the ditch, scrambled up the parapet and closed with bomb and bayonet.

A fierce little fight followed. The trench was cleared for some distance to right and left and

some twenty of the enemy were killed or captured. Just m he decided to order retirement 2/Lieut. Bigwood was wounded and his ankle broken; but he refused to leave the trench until he had collected his men. The raiders reassembled, withdrew across '' No Man's Land '' and regained their own trench line. Eventually four were found to be missing, probably killed. Both the subalterns (g) had been wounded as well as five of their men.

(g) 2/Lieut Bigwood was awarded the MC

Stacke “Worcestershire Regiment in the Great War” p. 197

[Guest john hinchmore]

Cheer,s for the info lad,s it was most helpfull.

Regarding the worcestershire regiment is there anybody out there who,s an authority on them during the great war or does the book by stacke cover most things.

.

Thank,s again

John

[Simon_Fielding]

Stacke's pretty much the last word, although you might open some new avenues via the Regimental Museum, whi can be contacted via the Worcester City Museum in Foregate Street, Worcester. They have a website I think...

The local papers for Dudley should be listed on the British Library Newspaper Collection website.

Simon

[Guest john hinchmore]

Thank,s again Simon.