Ferret_uk Posted 3 February , 2004 Share Posted 3 February , 2004 Im after some information about the West Riding Regt and it whereabouts in May 1915, im asking because i have just discovered my Gt Grandfather has a brother who was killed by gas in may of 1915 after only 5 days in france!. Is this around the date of gas attacks around Ypres? im just trying to build information as he is not listed on CWGC. Regards Mick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Parker Posted 5 February , 2004 Share Posted 5 February , 2004 Mick Your man would have been in the 2nd Bn Duke of Wellingtons. They were at Hill 60 in April/May 1915. They returned to the trenches on 4th May and suffered a gas attack on May 5th causing a total of 300 casualties with many dying. If you want a more details account I can do that for you, whats the chaps name and I will see if he's mentioned in the roll of Honour Geoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret_uk Posted 5 February , 2004 Author Share Posted 5 February , 2004 Hi Geoff, Thanks, his name is Alfred Redman. and hes not listed on CWGC, but his name is on the roll of honour at Towneley Hall in Burnley. Regards Mick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Parker Posted 5 February , 2004 Share Posted 5 February , 2004 Okay Mick, I'll put something together for you this evening Geoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Posted 5 February , 2004 Share Posted 5 February , 2004 Hello Mick I have looked on CWGC and have found an "12154 Pte A Redman Died 7/5/1915, additional information See MANN, the true family name.". On checking for A Mann, I found the following: 12154 Private A.MANN , 2nd Bn Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regt.) aged 38, died 7/5/1915 Additional information: (Served as REDMAN). Son of Martha Redman, of 20, Harold Street, Bingley. Plot 2. Row C. Grave 4. LE TREPORT MILITARY CEMETERY Could he be your man (excuse the pun)? Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret_uk Posted 5 February , 2004 Author Share Posted 5 February , 2004 Thanks Andy, MMmm strange that, could be my man. I will try and find out some more on that, i dont understand the name change though? . Regards Mick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CROONAERT Posted 6 February , 2004 Share Posted 6 February , 2004 Mick. MANN (served as REDMAN) isn't your Gt.Gt.Uncle! This "A.Redman" was "Arthur Redman", not Alfred.He is listed as having Died of Wounds, was born in Bradford, enlisted in Kieghley and lived in Bingley. There's no way this man would be listed on the Roll of Honour at Towneley Hall (no Burnley link whatsoever). Curiously, there doesn't seem to be a 1915 died Redman on SDGW with a Burnley link, either. (there's 6 or 7 Redmans born, enlisted or lived in Burnley (and environs), but they seem to be 1917 or 18 casualties and wouldn't, therefore, be mentioned in your Gt.Grandad's obit.) I'll see what I can find on Alfred tomorrow and get back to you. Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CROONAERT Posted 6 February , 2004 Share Posted 6 February , 2004 im just trying to build information as he is not listed on CWGC. Mick. Just "playing" with a few sources, I've come across an oddity. If I mentioned a soldier who served in the 2/D.O.W.(West Riding) Regt. who died on the 5th May 1915, was born in Bolton (as was your Gt.Grandad) and had a Burnley connection (enlisted there, residence unknown), with the first name of Alfred and a second name beginning with "R", what would you think? I think there's a possibility that SDGW and the CWGC may have a surname error. I've found an Alfred Roberts (Pte, service number 7568) who could possibly be Alfred Redman (hence his non-inclusion on CWGC or SDGW). No family details on CWGC, however, so I can't confirm this man being Alfred Redman (yet!). Anyway, don't jump to conclusions just yet (I'm only speculating at the moment (and breaking one of my own personal rules in the process!)). I should have (touch wood) something more concrete by this time tomorrow. Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Parker Posted 6 February , 2004 Share Posted 6 February , 2004 Mick Here's the following info I have on the 2nd D of W for May 1915 Between 16th – 19th April 1915, 2nd Battalion, Duke of Wellingtons was engaged in the fighting on Hill 60. At 5am on the 19th the Bn was relieved by the Bedfords and then moved into dugouts west of the Zillebeke pond. On 20th April the Bn returned to Zevecoten and went into rest billets. Two drafts of 20 and 88 men joined from Base. On 24th April the Bn moved to Hooge in reserve to 15th Brigade. On 1st May the Bn found itself in reserve to 5th Division in some woods near Kruistraat south of Ypres. On May 2nd a further 230 OR's joined the Battalion. On 4th May the Bn was warned to relieve the Devons on Hill 60 and took over trenches 38, 39, 40, 42, 43, and 45. The relief was completed by 3.30am on the 5th. At 8am that morning the enemy, aided by a favourable wind, released asphyxiating gas with disastrous results. Gas masks had not yet been issued and the Bn had only been issued with gauze soaked in a solution prepared by the medical authorities. This solution after a few moments required renewing, this was impossible when in action. As the gas cloud descended on the front line, the troops were completely overcome, the majority dying at their posts. By foul means the enemy quickly got possession of trenches 40, 43, and 45, as there was no-one left capable of holding them, only a few men being able to crawl away. The support trenches 38, and 39 some 100 yards to the rear were held, also a small portion of the front line trench 40 on the lower slopes of the crest was reoccupied. A few of the Bn along with a strong reinforcements from the Dorsets, counter-attacked and regained some of the lost trenches, but the crest of the hill remained in German hands. The Bn had suffer some 300 casualties that morning, a large number dying due the effects of the gas. At 2.30am on May 6th, what was left of the Bn was relieved and ordered to Ouderdom south of Ypres. All that remained out of the total strenght of 500 were 5 officers and 150 OR's. In the Roll of Honour at the back of the history there is a Arthur Redman, private, No. 12154 listed as died 7.5.15 This is the only Redman listed and there is no "Mann" listed either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret_uk Posted 6 February , 2004 Author Share Posted 6 February , 2004 Ok, thanks Croonaert, ive asked my auntie and she knows nothing of a brother until she read that obituary you found, i was sure a A Redman was on the roll at Townley? maybe not. Im going to my uncles next week hopefully, he apparently knows and has some info of my Gt Grandad, so i will see what he throws up. Geoff, thankyou also, looks like we can rule him out then. LOL. Regards Mick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CROONAERT Posted 6 February , 2004 Share Posted 6 February , 2004 Mick. Here's Alfred Redman's obituary (Burnley Express, June 5th 1915, page 4). He's listed on the roll of Burnley War dead (strangely enough, no "Alfred Roberts" is listed, nor does he have an obituary (or any mention in any of the "roll of honours") in the Express). This one's intriguing me. I think I'll have to look a little deeper as it's starting to look like either we've got a soldier uncommemorated by the CWGC, or one who's been incorrectly listed. Leave it with me, I'll be at the NA in a week or so, so I'll add your Gt gt uncle to my list of "to do's" and see if anything turns up. Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret_uk Posted 7 February , 2004 Author Share Posted 7 February , 2004 Ok, thanks Dave, Regards Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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