Royal Fusiliers WW1

[Amberglass]

I have been searching everywhere for a picture of my great uncle Robert Hay. #79710 ,13th battalion Royal Fusiliers... to no avail.

My grandmother used to have a picture of him in full uniform. I believe it was taken by the military. Does anyone know who or where I might contact someone to see if there is a picture of him available? The picture went to an aunt and I believe it is long gone.

I was given his death medal from my uncle. What a treasure! Now, if I could only put a face with all the information that I have on him.... I would be very happy.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Amberglass

[BenSmith86]

Hi, I would greatly appreciate any further information that could be retrieved for an Arthur Stoten. He was a private in the 13th Royal Fusiliers (London) and his service number  is 11116. I'm quite certain his name is on the memorial wall at Thiepval as he died during the Somme battle, I've done some research and I think he died during the Battle of Albert as part of the Somme offensive in July 1916 as this tallies up with his date of death on his medal card. He was my Great Uncle. I'd really love to know more about his time in the forces so thank you in advance!!

[Copper Bottom]

I am looking for any information on my great uncle who was with the 13th Battalion Royal Fusiliers.

His name was Robert Hay,# 79710... he was killed in action in France, Sept.14th 1918. He is buried (or listed) at Vis-En-Artois Cemetery. I just have panel 3?

Im looking for any information on him or the 13th battalion. He was from Cummingston Morayshire Burghead.

Thank you.

I also have two great-uncles who served in the 13th Batt. Royal Fusiliers. Edgar Mark Brooks and Arthur Clement Brooks. I have looked without success for service records etc, but a good source of information on the actions that the battalion was involved in can be found in The Royal Fusiliers in the Great War by H.C. O'Neill in various different formats including a searchable pdf here https://archive.org/details/royalfusiliersin00onei

His death date of Sept. 14th corresponds with page 306 and I have reproduced a couple of consecutive paragraphs for you which cover the days before and after the 14th. The 10th Batt. was frequently involved in actions with the 13th.

On September 12th Trescault and Havrincourt were taken, and the 24th Royal Fusiliers became involved in the 2nd Division's attack near Mceuvres. An attempt by the 10th Royal Fusiliers to capture the Bilhen Chapel wood switch on the 14th led to one of the most protracted bitter and evenly contested actions of this phase. For the next few days the troops were rested and exercised in preparation for the larger action against the approaches to the Hindenburg system.

Battle of Epehy.—At 5.20 on the morning of September 18th the Fourth and Third Armies struck on a front of about seventeen miles from Holnon to Gouzeaucourt. North of the main attack the 13th Royal Fusiliers were engaged on this day in one of those actions that recurred almost to the very end of the war. The assault was launched in a rain storm, and the battalion found themselves held up by a strong belt of wire.

Looking at the link posted by mmm45 which says he was killed on Sept. 4th  the bit you want is on page 303/304 so I have uploaded an attachment pdf of the pages covering the 4th.

Good luck 

[km1971]

Two Arthur Stotens died while serving with the Royal Fusiliers. One in 1915 and one you have. So you firstly need to be certain you have the right one.

http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead.aspx?cpage=1&sort=name&order=asc

The first was #142, and was born in Baldock, and his family paid for an entry in the Roll of Honour, which is on Ancestry.

Once you have the right battalion you should download the battalion war diary - http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/war-diaries-ww1.htm
They very rarely mention 'other ranks'. But it will tell you what they were doing at the time.

Ken

[Ann Farrow]

Hi Ben.
Please would you let me know if you ever managed to find out any information on Arthur Stoten as he was my grandfather.  So you and I must be related. I have visited Thiepval and his name is on the memorial. Have got a photo somewhere of my brother and I standing by his name . I do not have any photographs or pictures of him and am desperately trying to trace some. So if you have any please may I have a copy or if know of where I can obtain a copy. Arthur Stoten married Eleanor Maud Guess and they lived at 14 Couthurst Road Blackheath London SE3 9TN.  They had two children, one girl (Minnie) and one boy, the boy being my father Arthur Ernest Stoten. Little Minnie missed her father so much that she died about a year after he was killed. My grandmother married again and had another son but he too died when he was about 3 years old. So she had a very very sad life. Please do contact me as I would love to hear from you.
Regards.

Ann

[jim1]

Hello Ann & welcome.
Ben hasn't been back since his original post last year so may not see your message.
Ideally you need to download the 13th's. war diary from the TNA costs about £3.50.
In the meantime I can tell you that the 13th. R.F. were part of 111 Bde. 37th. Div. & at the time were N.E. of Albert & S of La Boisselle occupying the old British trench relieving the 13th. Batt. Rifle Brigade. Their diary states that the 13th. R.F. advanced on the German line on the night of the 8th. July 1916. Your man might have died during that raid or during the shelling that went on over that period.
Their diary will tell you more.

[Ann Farrow]

Hi Jim,
Thank you for the information. I am going to try the TNA and also local papers. Might get lucky.
Regards.

Ann.

[jim1]

diary:
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01hbx/
You want the 1915-18 diary.
I can save you the trouble as I've now found it.
It was included with the 10th's. diary.
The assault was larger than indicated in the 10th's diary & involved several Battalions.
It started on the 7th. July 1916. The 13th's. objective was to take over the old German trenches as far as the outskirts of the village of Contalmaison to the N.E. of La Boisselle which they successfully achieved but came under intense shellfire probably from Mametz Wood further to the East.
They reached their final objective on the evening of the 8th. July when they were relieved.
They returned to the old British line where they rested during the day of the 9th.
casualties:
Officers: 1 killed; 4 wounded.
O.R's : 20 killed; 127 wounded & 13 missing.
200 German prisoners taken.
Amongst the captured "trophies" as the men called them were 5,000 hand grenades which were stored in an ammo dump unfortunately it took a direct hit from a German shell. The report was that they exploded over several hours. It must have bee like some bizarre firework display. I'm sure it amused both sides.

[Ann Farrow]

Thanks very much Jim. Once I get some other bits together and hopefully a photo I am going to make a scrapbook for my brother.