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General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: unlikely_librarian on Saturday 07 December 24 00:34 GMT (UK)
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I'm attempting to trace the movements of Leicestershire Regiment in 1918 and 1919 and would appreciate any insights or advice. My great-grandfather Richard Jones Powell (service no. 54008) joined the regiment as a private in March 1918. I know he served overseas, but not where.
I have also not been able to find which battalion he served with, although this information from his campaign medals record seems to suggest the 14th Battalion: 54008 14/Leic. R. Pte. Does anyone know if that might be correct please?
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Hi,
Depending on the level of detail you want to know, i would start with the 'The Long, Long Trail' website. They would be able to give a basic outline of the Battalion/Regiments movements and which key battles they were involve in. If you want to go for more detail, try looking on the National Archives site to see if the war diary is available (most have been digitized now), and that will give you more day-to-day movements/activities.
As for confirmation on units. Yes the medal cards/rolls do suggest it was the 14th Battalion, but i don't know if you have seen that Ancestry also have some links to pension records on the Fold3.com website. Depending on exactly what they are (i dont have access to check) they may be able to give you more info, as he could move units (note the 14th is listed as being formed in June 1918, so he may have initially been in another unit)
Richard
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Private 54008
He enlisted 4.3.1918
Discharged 29.3.1919 due to sickness
Silver War badge B206394
14th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment
Formed at Aldeburgh in June 1918, absorbing a large number of men arrived from the 2/4th Bn.
26 June 1918 : came under orders of 47th Brigade, 16th Division which was reforming at Aldershot.
Landed in France 30 July 1918.
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Thanks both. I do have Richard's pension ledger, but it doesn't mention his unit as far as I can see so perhaps I have all the information that's available. The LLT is a great resource though so I'll be digging into that a bit more!
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He had by comparison a quiet war.
After arriving in France the 14th. spent a few weeks in training before moving to
Noeux-les-Mines North of Arras.
They remained in that region taking their turn on normal trench routine & gradually moved
East & into Belgium at Rumes.
Remaining in that area until the Armistice.
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Thank you Jim, that's interesting — you've prompted me to find the war diaries for the 14th and I also found on LLT that they joined the 16th (Irish) Division and fought in The Final Advance in Artois https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/order-of-battle-of-divisions/16th-irish-division
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Ancestry have the 14th Battalion's war diaries but only for the period August 1918 to April 1919
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/60779/images/43112_1970_5-00000?usePUB=true&_phsrc=tTZ6295
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Just checked on the National Archives, they too only have the war diaries for period August 1918 to April 1919