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Hi Twink - thanks for posting to this thread and also for the PM. I do not have time right now to give you a more detailed response but will do so in a few days.

I really don't believe that this Foley line came from Ireland by the way. There is no evidence to suggest that which I can find and plenty of evidence to the contrary.

Best Wishes
David

The war diary of the 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment is available to download from the National Archives - it will cost you £3.50.

Go to: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/search.asp

Type in Yorkshire Regiment
date range 1914 - 1920
Department code WO 95

Click on search - then scroll down the page until you find the 2nd Battalion ref: WO 95/1809

Click on that - then click on Ordering and Viewing options

Then click on View this online

You can then add it to shopping - pay your £3.50 and download it. It comes with several other units - so you will have to go thorough the records of battalions you don't want to find the one you do.

Good hunting,

jds1949

Thank you so much for this information/advice. I have accessed the war diary and it seems that Thomas Green (my great Uncle) must have died from wounds received at one of the battles of Dickebusch lake which started with gas canister attack on May 8th and then a heavy bombardment on May 9th which 'obliterated the trenches' after which  'the enemy' stormed the ridge.

The cemetery at Esquelbecq is almost 25 miles from Dickebush Lake (now Dikkebus) and there is no mention in the War Diary of survivors being transported anywhere. I've picked up snippets of information from various sites this afternoon that there were military field hospitals in Esquelbecq. (That will introduce a whole new line of research).

Thank you again - this has been invaluable help.

Best Wishes
David

My great Uncle,  Private Thomas Green (33707, 2nd Bn., Yorkshire Regiment), died on on 10 May 1918 and is buried at Esquelbecq cemetery near the Belgian Border.

I am a complete novice with regard to accessing military records and basically am in a position where I don't know what I don't know!

How much information can I reasonably expect to be able to unearth?

Also, why would a young lad from Wolverhampton end up in the Yorkshire regiment? (rather than, for example, one of the Staffs' regiments?)

Thanks for taking the time to look.

Best Wishes
David

If you go to the website : staffshistory.org.uk/newspapers.htm
you will find a list of West Bromwich newspapers past and present.
Regards
Alyson

Thank you
David

Thank you both for your responses - I hadn't come across that coalmining site before (seems obvious now to search for something like that!) and will try to establish local newspaper sources.

If the records are still intact, will they be with local record offices, as other documents are?

Best Wishes
David