Harold H Meades, Reg No: 63517 was he in 1/8th Battalion?

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Harold H Meades, Reg No: 63517 was he in 1/8th Battalion?

Postby Heavenhellhoboken » Tue Feb 12, 2008 4:30 pm

Hi All,

I am trying to establish which Division, Brigade, Battalion & Company my grandfather and his brother were in so I can trace their service from enlisting (where & when) to where they saw action. The only real information I have so far is from the MIC:

My grandfather Harry JC Meades was in the Worcs. Yeomanry, Pte, Reg No 2359, Corps of Hussars 325291 and awarded the Victory, British & Star (1915) medals. Theatre of War first served in (3) Egypt 23-4-15. Disemb 3-4-19.

His brother, Harold Howard Meades served with the Worcestershire Regiment, Pte, Reg No 63517. He was awarded to Victory & British medals. There is no further information on the card.

I have tried to compare Harold H Meades regimental number with others. The others namely 63527, 63533 were casualties in F & F serving in the 1/8th Battalion. I don’t know if this is a safe theory to use, but could he have served in the same battalion? It’s often said within the family that he eventually died in the 1920’s from the effects of gas poisoning during the war.

My aunt (who still lives in my grandfather’s house near Kidderminster) recently sent me the programme when the Worcesters and Warwickshires amalgamated in 1956. She also sent a photograph of my grandfather proudly wearing his medals and Veterans badge attending the event. This sparked my interest.

If you can offer any information on my relatives, it would be really appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Simon.
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Postby LarsA » Sat Feb 16, 2008 11:01 am

It is often difficult to be sure of the battalion served in only going by the number. It should be possible to ascertain the battalion or battalions concerned by looking up the medal roll.

These are located in the National Archives at Kew, and as far as I know - if it have not changed lately - not online.

Good luck in your search!
/Lars
Last edited by LarsA on Sun Feb 17, 2008 6:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Harold Meades

Postby Mike Jones » Sun Feb 17, 2008 12:59 pm

Hello Simon,
Lars, is right, the definitive way to discover his Battalion is a visit to the National Archives. The information will be in the Medal Rolls. The Service records are also due out on Ancestry soon, you have a 3 to 1 chance Harold's record will be there. In the meantime , I will tell you what I know. The 63000 sequence of numbers is mostly a mystery to me (Big help that, I know). I am snowed under at the moment but will give them some time soon. There is no consistency of dates of enlistment in the 63K series. Most but not all the men were Territorial Soldiers. I have whilst writing this, flipped through some of my files and **** me up comes H. H. Meades Pte. 63517 , D Company 1/8th Bn.. Sent to England Wounded 6th November 1918. Pte Holmes 63516 and Pte Boaz 63518 were both killed 24th Oct 1918. I suspect in the same incident that Harold got Wounded/Gassed. Not much more to say really. I will still look at the whole sequence of numbers. At first glance , I think the group of men around your Grand Uncle came to the Worcesters in 1918. I hope you are pleased with this new found knowledge and moved enough to send a donation to the Regimental Archives at Norton Barracks. Without them and the records they keep and maintain, we would not know any of this.
Regards Mike
Mike Jones
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Harold H Meades, 1/8th Battalion, D Company.

Postby Heavenhellhoboken » Sun Feb 17, 2008 4:48 pm

Mike,

I cannot thank you enough. The additional information about my great uncle and confirmation that he served in the 1/8th Bn is FANASTIC news.
Now I can start dotting the i's and crossing the t's.

And in answer to your question, I will be more than happy to make a donation.

Really appreciated,

Simon.
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Location: New York (from Malvern, Worcs)

Postby LarsA » Sun Feb 17, 2008 6:42 pm

Pte Boaz is buried near Le Cateau, in Forest Communal cemetery.

This is some detail from the CWGC:

Forest (Nord) is a small village on the road from Le Cateau to Bavay (D932) about 3 kilometres from Montay halte. The Communal Cemetery is on the small road to Fontaine-au-Bois and Landrecies, almost on the outskirts of the east side of the village.
Historical Information: There are now over 100, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, a small number are unidentified. All fell in October and November, 1918, in the clearing of Forest and the surrounding country. They were buried by the 17th, 33rd and 38th (Welsh) Divisions. Thirteen German graves of October and November, 1918, have been removed from the cemetery.

Pte Holmes has no known grave and is commemorated on the Vis-En-Artois memorial.

/Lars
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Postby Albuera » Thu Mar 06, 2008 10:08 am

Simon
If you send your address to the Regimental Archives they will try to search for your grandfather' s service in the Yeomanry.
Regards
Albuera
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Postby Heavenhellhoboken » Thu Mar 06, 2008 11:45 pm

Thanks for the advice.
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