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8th & 9th Devons at Loos


Paul Reed

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Picked up this lovely photo today; the image below doesn't do justice to it. The original is about 20 x 20 inches, and has all the names appended below. A quick search of SWD shows they all survived the war, but I will be checking them out at Kew.

However, has anyone got the Devons history and could they copy the chapter on Loos for me?

(Before anyone asks, the fingers were not part of the photo, but are my daughter Poppy's, who was holding the photo for me! :D )

post-2-1075918094.jpg

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Paul,

Marvelous photo and great find!

Allow me to take the liberty of adding a photo of 14375 Pte. --------------------- 8th Bn. Devon's killed at Loos on September 25, 1915. (From Pntypridd, co. Glamorgan, Wales). What score if he was pictured in your photo, I can only dream!

Could I please add my name to the same request for any information regarding the 8th Devon's on September 25, 1915.

Thanks in advance

David

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Paul/David,

The chapter on 8th/9th Devons at Loos is 16 pages (or 8 pages A4). If you send me a PM with your e-mail address then I will scan this in and send it to you both.

Marc

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David - no, he's not on there, but these men may have known him - they are all officers, NCOs and WOs. They all survived, and all came home.

Marc - many thanks. I've emailed you with the details.

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From 'The Seventh Division 1914 - 1918' by C. T. Atkinson.

7th Division casualty figures at Loos 1915

regards

Richard

post-2-1075936539.jpg

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MAP 17 - LOOS: The Disposition for attack

post-2-1075936701.jpg

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MPAR 19 - LOOS: The position held after loss of the Quarries

post-2-1075936845.jpg

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From 'LOOS - Hohenzollern, French Flanders', Battleground Europe by Andrew Rawson, pages 76 and 77.

This scan contains the picture of the same guns (IWM - Q28964) in Bethune (or am I wrong?).

regards

Richard

post-2-1075940312.jpg

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For those interested, there are some great aerial photographs of the Loos Battleground on this site:

http://www.westernfrontassociation.com/the...chy/cuinchy.htm

The picture 'Cité St Elie. Hulluch' has an excellent view of Hulluch - Citie St. Elie - Quarries on the 7th Divisions front.

regards

Richard

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A 1916 trench map of the area from one of Robert Dunlop's earlier posts on this site.

post-2-1075941332.jpg

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Taken from the regimental history:

Two of the guns taken by the Devons at Loos were presented by the War Office to the County of Devon, and were formally handed over on November 12th to the Lord Lieutenant (Earl Fortescue) and by him entrusted to the Mayor and Corporation of Exeter for safe custody. At the parade there were present about half-a-dozen officers and 40 men of the two Service battalions with detachments from the 3rd Battalion, the Territorial Provisional battalion, the Yeomanry, and the Territorial batteries.

Not sure if the photo was taken at the parade.

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Thanks for all the additional info and many thanks for the regtl histrory scans, Marc - just what I wanted.

The men in the photo all have wound stripes, but no chevrons, so I suspect the phtoto could have been taken at the time of the parade you mention. I ran out of time at Kew to research it today.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi,

I'm also interested in the 9th Devons, particularly the First day of the Somme, and their formation in 1914. If anyone has any info about these topics I'd be v. grateful.

Also regimental history would be great...esp. for July 1st, 1916 and the preceding week.

Thanks Joe

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Hello Joe

The book "The Seventh Division 1914 - 1918" by C.T. Atkinson contains a wealth of information on the 8th and 9th Devons, 20th Brigade, 7th Division.

It does not contain maps regarding the Somme as well as it does for the battle of Loos 1915, attached to previous posts in this thread.

However one Map 21 I found is attached for your information.

I add a collection of links regarding the Devons on the Somme which includes modern day photographs you may find useful.

http://www.1914-1918.net/sacredground/16Somme/mametz.htm

http://www.webmatters.net/france/ww1_mametz.htm

http://www.powell76.freeserve.co.uk/Devonshire%20Welsh.htm

http://members.lycos.co.uk/hinckley1/somme.html

http://www.westernfrontassociation.com/the...dsandcopses.htm

http://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/cart/files/greatwar.pdf

The book BATTLEGROUND EUROPE: SOMME, FRICOURT-MAMETZ by Michael Stedman, covers this area ( http://www.naval-military-press.com/FMPro?...ameset.htm&-new )

regards

Richard

post-2-1077410118.jpg

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Hi All

Without wishing to hijack this thread, I was wondering whether anyone has any information on The Reverend Ernest Courtenay Crosse, CF DSO who, I understand may have served with the 8th Devons. A quick search of the internet refers to a 'narrative' written by him of the 7th Division in Italy, 1918. My reason for asking is that I recently picked up (at car boot!) a copy of a small book written by him, entitled "The God of Battles" (published in 1917) and signed 'With the authors affection, E.C. Crosse, 8th Devons, Sep. 24/1917'.

Any further information would be greatly appreciated!

Many thanks

Ed

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