Royal Fusiliers 8th Battalion

[judav]

I am looking for further information on John Gilbert Wright who served in the Royal Fusiliers, 8th Battalion, Private 10443.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission states he is commemorated on the Loos Memorial. 
On his medal card he is GILBERT WRIGHT and it states he was presumed dead on 12th May 1916. The Theatre of War first served in was (2B) Balkans from 16th June 1915. 
His Medals read Victory  Roll TP/104 B5 Page 463
                          British       ditto
                          Star      Roll TP/63 B2   Page 110
His address before enlisting was 10 Spencer Road East Ham, London.
I would like to know the movements of that Battalion and any further information on Gilbert, if anybody can help me please.

[jds1949]

The war diary of the 8th Battalion Royal Fusiliers is available from the NA as a download - it will cost you £3.50. Go to:

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

Put Royal Fusiliers into the top box, 1914 - 1918 in the dates box and WO 95 in the bottom box

Click search - the diary you want is WO 95/1857 - about 2/3 down the page - click on that

Click on ordering and viewing options

Click on view this record online

Add to shopping - pay and download.

jds1949

[judav]

Many thanks jds/1949.  I have downloaded the information.  I must admit that I am more confused than ever because the war diaries state that the battalion's first posting is France, and there is no mention of the Balkans as it states on his medal card. Around the date when he was presumed killed they were in training.
It is the CWGC that states he was in the 8th Battalion.  On his medal card his corps is shown as 2/R.Fus. Is that likely to be 2nd Battalion?

[KGarrad]

2nd Battallion  were in Calcutta, India until December 1914.
Sailed March 1915, and landed Gallipoli 25th April.
Evacuated to Egypt January 1916.
Landed Marseilles March 1916

[judav]

Many thanks KGarrad.  That's another theory squashed!

[jds1949]

The diary for the 2nd Battalion is also available - same procedure as before - just look for the 2nd Battalion this time WO 95/2301.

The theatre of war on the medal card shows only the first place overseas that your man served - the medal cards did not list subsequent moves. It is entirely possible that he was at Gallipoli with the 2nd Battalion - the fact that his date is after when they landed may merely be that he was part of a re-enforcement draft - possibly a transfer from the 8th Battalion. He would then have gone to France with them and serving there when he was killed in May 1916.

The fact that he is on the Loos Memorial may be the clincher if the 2nd Battalion were there or thereabouts in May 1916.

jds1949

[judav]

Many thanks jds1949 for making some sense of it for me.
I will download the 2nd Battalion war diary.