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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment

13th (Kensington) Battalion, London Regiment



   13th (Kensington) Battalion, London Regiment were a unit of the Territorial Force with their HQ at Iverna Gardens, Kensington. They were serving with 4th London Brigade, 2nd London Division when war broke out in August 1914. They were at once mobilised for war and moved to Abbotts Langley. They proceeded to France, landing at Le Havre on the 4th of November and joining 25th Brigade, 8th Division on the 13th. they were in action at The Battle of Neuve Chapelle, The Battle of Aubers. On the 20th of May 1915 they transferred to GHQ Troops and formed a composite unit with 1/5th and 1/12th Londons, reuminhg their own identity on the 11th of August. On the 11th of February 1916 they transferred to 168th Brigade in the newly reformed 56th (London) Division in the Hallencourt area. In 1916 they were in action on The Somme taking part in the diversionary attack at Gommecourt on the 1st of July. Also The Battle of Ginchy, The Battle of Flers-Courcelette, The Battle of Morval in which the Division captured Combles and The Battle of the Transloy Ridges. In 1917 they were in action during The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line and the Battles of Arras in April, then The Battle of Langemarck in August, then the Cambrai Operations in November. In 1918 They were in action on The Somme, in the Second Battles of Arras, the Battles of the Hindenburg Line and the Final Advance in Picardy. At the Armistice the infantry were in a rest period, whilst the artillery were in action. The Division received orders to join the British force to occupy the Rhine bridgeheads, but these orders were cancelled on the 21st of November, when they were in the area of Harveng undertaking road and railway repairs. Demobilisation was completed on the 18th of May 1919.

6th Aug 1914 Colours Laid up

3rd Nov 1914 13th Londons proceed to France

3rd Nov 1914 Nominal Roll of 13th London Regiment

3rd Nov 1914 On the Move

4th Nov 1914 To Rest Camp

4th November 1914 On the Move

5th Nov 1914 13th Londons on the Move

5th November 1914 On the Move

6th Nov 1914 13th Londons on the Move

6th November 1914 On the Move

7th Nov 1914 Training Parade

7th Nov 1914 At Rest

8th Nov 1914 Training

9th Nov 1914 Training

9th November 1914 At Rest

10th Nov 1914 Training

11th Nov 1914 Training

12th Nov 1914 13th Londons on the March

12th November 1914 On the March

13th Nov 1914 13th Londons on the March

13th November 1914 On the March

14th Nov 1914 13th Londons on the March

14th November 1914 On the March

15th Nov 1914 Inspection for 13th Londons

15th November 1914 At Rest

16th Nov 1914 Training

16th November 1914 Dog Fight

17th Nov 1914 Training

17th November 1914 Rain

18th Nov 1914 13th London Relieve 2nd Berkshires

18th November 1914 Ice

19th Nov 1914 First Casualties for 13th Londons

19th November 1914 In the Trenches

20th Nov 1914 Snipers Pose Threat

20th November 1914 Guard Duty

21st Nov 1914 Reliefs

21st November 1914 First Aid Post

22nd Nov 1914 Snipers Active

22nd November 1914 Chickens

23rd Nov 1914 Weather Bad

23rd November 1914 Rations

24th Nov 1914 Under Shellfire

24th November 1914 First Aid Post

25th Nov 1914 Repairs

25th November 1914 Relief Complete

26th Nov 1914 Quiet Day

26th November 1914 At Rest

27th Nov 1914 Reliefs

27th November 1914 Reliefs

28th Nov 1914 All Quiet

28th November 1914 In the Trenches

29th Nov 1914 Under Shellfire

29th November 1914 Shelling

30th Nov 1914 Heavy Rain

30th November 1914 In the Trenches

1st Dec 1914 The King's Visit

1st December 1914 Guard Duty

2nd Dec 1914 Very Wet Day

2nd December 1914 At Rest

3rd Dec 1914 Very Wet Day

3rd December 1914 Baths

4th Dec 1914 Snipers Active

4th December 1914 First Aid Post

5th Dec 1914 Very Wet Day

5th December 1914 Muddy

6th Dec 1914 Very Wet Day

6th December 1914 First Aid Post

7th Dec 1914 Snipers Active

7th December 1914 At Rest

8th Dec 1914 Snipers Active

8th December 1914 Wounded

9th Dec 1914 Rain incessant

9th December 1914 Mud

10th Dec 1914 Occassional Sniping

10th December 1914 First Aid Post

11th Dec 1914 Wet and Cold

11th December 1914 Rain

12th December 1914 Rain

13th Dec 1914 Occassional Sniping

13th December 1914 At Rest

14th Dec 1914 Changes in Trenches

15th Dec 1914 Reliefs

15th December 1914 Apples

16th Dec 1914 Artillery Shelling

16th December 1914  First Aid Post

17th Dec 1914 Under Shellfire

17th December 1914 In the Trenches

18th Dec 1914 23rd Brigade make Attack

18th December 1914  First Aid Post

19th Dec 1914 13th London Relieve Lincolns

19th December 1914 First Aid Post

20th Dec 1914 Heavy Firing

20th December 1914 On the March

21st Dec 1914 Trenches Bad

21st December 1914 In Billets

22nd Dec 1914 No Relief

22nd December 1914 In the Trenches

23rd Dec 1914 All Quiet

23rd December 1914 In the Trenches

24th Dec 1914 Carol Singing  location map

24th December 1914 At Rest

25th December 1914 Festivities

25th Dec 1914 Merry Christmas

26th Dec 1914 Much Work Done  location map

26th December 1914 Reliefs

27th Dec 1914 Truce Continues

27th December 1914 In the Trenches

28th Dec 1914 Snipers Active

28th December 1914 First Aid Post

29th Dec 1914 Very Wet Day

29th December 1914 First Aid Post

30th Dec 1914 Fire Trench Abandoned

30th December 1914 At Rest

31st Dec 1914 Slow Progress

31st December 1914 At Rest

1st January 1915 First Aid Post

2nd January 1915 First Aid Post

3rd Jan 1915 Box Drains

3rd January 1915 In the Trenches

4th January 1915 First Aid Post

5th January 1915 At Rest

6th January 1915 At Rest

7th January 1915 Reliefs

8th January 1915 In the Trenches

9th January 1915 In the Trenches

10th January 1915 In the Trenches

11th January 1915 In Billets

12th Jan 1915 Trench Work

12th January 1915 Baths

13th January 1914 Reliefs

14th Jan 1915 Few Enemy

14th January 1915 Rain

15th January 1915 First Aid Post

16th January 1915 In Billets

17th January 1915 In Billets

18th January 1915 Reliefs

19th January 1915 In the Trenches

20th January 1915 First Aid Post

21st January 1915 In Billets

22nd January 1915 In Billets

23rd January 1915 In Billets

24th January 1915 In Billets

25th January 1915 In the Trenches

26th January 1915 In the Trenches

27th January 1915 In the Trenches

28th January 1915 In Billets

29th January 1915 In Billets

30th January 1915 In Billets

1st February 1915 In the Trenches

2nd Feb 1915 Prisoner Taken

2nd February 1915 In the Trenches

3rd Feb 1915 Shortage of Sandbags

3rd February 1915 In the Trenches

4th February 1915 In Billets

5th February 1915 Baths

6th February 1915 In the Trenches

8th Feb 1915 Stormy

18th Feb 1915 Sniping and Shelling

20th Feb 1915 Artillery Duel

22nd Feb 1915 Sniping and Artillery Duel

23rd February 1915  In the Trenches

24th February 1915 In the Trenches

31st February 1915 In the Trenches

1st March 1915 In Billets

2nd March 1915 At Rest

3rd Mar 1915 Physical Drill

3rd March 1915 At Rest

4th March 1915 Working Parties

5th March 1915 Working Parties

6th March 1915 Working Parties

7th Mar 1915 13th Londons on the March

7th Mar 1915 On the March

8th March 1915 Working Parties

9th Mar 1915 13th Londons on the March  location map

9th Mar 1915 Nominal Roll of 13th London Regiment

9th March 1915 Working Parties

10th Mar 1915 13th Londons in Action

10th March 1915 In Support

11th Mar 1915 13th Londons in Action

11th March 1915 Bombardment

12th March 1915 Shelling

13th Mar 1915 Intense Bombardment

13th March 1915 Shelling

14th March 1915 Shelling

15th March 1915 Poor Conditions

16th March 1915 Reliefs

17th March 1915 Dug outs

18th March 1915 Dug outs

19th March 1915 Very Cold

20th March 1915 Snow

21st March 1915 Reliefs

22nd March 1915 At Rest

23rd Mar 1915 Trenches Very Wet  location map

23rd March 1915 At Rest

24th March 1915 On the March

25th Mar 1915 13th Londons on the Move

25th March 1915.  In Billets

26th March 1915 On the March

27th Mar 1915 Cleaning Up

27th March 1915 On the March

28th March 1915 Working Parties

29th March 1915 Working Parties

30th Mar 1915 Platoon Training

30th March 1915 At Rest

31st Mar 1915 Training & Route March

31st March 1915 At Rest

1st Apr 1915 Into the Trenches

1st April 1915 In the Trenches

2nd April 1915 Dug outs

3rd Apr 1915 Very Wet Day

4th Apr 1915 1st Londons relieve 13th Londons

4th April 1915 On the March

5th April 1915 Shelling

6th Apr 1915 Training

6th April 1915 Shelling

7th Apr 1915 13th Londons relieve 1st Londons

7th April 1915 Reliefs

8th April 1915 First Aid Post

9th April 1915 First Aid Post

10th Apr 1915 Thunderstorms

10th April 1915 In the Trenches

11th Apr 1915 Church Parade

11th April 1915 Shelling

12th April 1915 New Billets

13th Apr 1915 Training

13th April 1915 At Rest

14th Apr 1915 Training

14th April 1915 In Billets

15th Apr 1915 Training & Working Parties

15th April 1915 In Billets

16th Apr 1915 Route March & Tactics

16th April 1915 In Billets

17th Apr 1915 13th Londons Inspected

17th April 1915 Fire

18th April 1915 Reliefs

19th Apr 1915 Alarm Signal

20th Apr 1915 13th Londons Giving Instruction

21st Apr 1915 1st Londons relieve 13th Londons

21st April 1915 In Billets

22nd Apr 1915 Reconnaissance

22nd April 1915 In Billets

23rd Apr 1915 Training

23rd April 1915 In Billets

24th April 1915 Reliefs

25th Apr 1915 Enemy Shelling

25th April 1915 First Aid Post

26th Apr 1915 Enemy Shelling

26th April 1915 First Aid Post

27th April 1915 At Rest

28th April 1915 On the March

29th April 1915 Concert

30th April 1915 Reliefs

1st May 1915 Music

2nd May 1915 In the Trenches

3rd May 1915 Very Hot

3rd May 1915 On the March

5th May 1915 13th Londons on the Move

5th May 1915 On the March

6th May 1915 Hot Day

6th May 1915 At Rest

7th May 1915 Ready for Action

7th May 1915 At Rest

8th May 1915 In the Trenches

9th May 1915 The Battle of Aubers Ridge: The Northern pincer  2.30am: all units in the North report that they are in position, having assembled at night. 4.06am: sunrise and all very quiet on this front.

5.00am: British bombardment opens with field guns firing shrapnel at the German wire and howitzers firing High Explosive shells onto front line. Many reports are received that British 4.7-inch shells are falling short, and even on and behind the British front line (Later it is agreed that this is due to faulty ammunition, as well as excessive wear to gun barrels). 5.30am: British bombardment intensifies, field guns switch to HE and also fire at breastworks. Two guns of 104th Battery, XXII Brigade RFA had been brought up into the 24th Brigade front and they now opened fire at point blank range against the enemy breastworks; they blow several gaps, although one of the guns is inaccurate due to the unstable ground on which it is located. The lead battalions of the two assaulting Brigades of 8th Division (24th Brigade has 2/Northants and 2/East Lancashire in front; 25th Brigade has 2/Rifle Brigade, 1/Royal Irish Rifles and 1/13 London Regiment (Kensingtons)) move out into the narrow No Man's Land (in this area it is only 100-200 yards across). German bayonets can be seen behind their parapet.

5.40am: On the further advance the 2nd East Lancs are hit by heavy machine-gun and rifle fire by the time they had progressed thirty yards from their own trench; the 2nd Northants, coming up ten minutes later, were similarly hit, but a party got through one of the gaps blown by the field guns, and into the German front trench. The attack of 25th Brigade is much more successful: the wire on the left had been well-cut and the infantry poured through, crossing the almost-undamaged breastworks and into the German fire trenches. They moved onto the first objective (a bend in the Fromelles road), and the Rifle Brigade bombers extended the trench system they occupied to 250 yards broad. On the blowing of the two mines at 5.40am, the lead companies of the Kensingtons rushed to occupy the craters, moved forward to capture Delangre Farm, and then formed a defensive flank as ordered.

6.10am: Brig.Gen. Oxley (24th Brigade) orders the support battalion, 1st Notts & Derbys, to support the attack of the Lancashires, but they are also held up with high losses, at almost unbroken wire. The front and communication trenches are by now very crowded and chaotic; German shelling adds to confusion. By now, the fire across No Man's Land was so intense that forward movement was all but impossible. The support battalion of the 25th Brigade, the 2nd Lincolns, was ordered forward, to cross by the craters; they did so, despite losing many men on the way. Men of the Brigade were at this time seen to be retiring to their front line, having apparently received a shouted order. German prisoners, making their way to the British lines, were mistaken for a counterattack and there was a great deal of confusion. Brig.Gen Lowry Cole, CO 25th Brigade, was mortally wounded when standing on the British parapet in an attempt to restore order.

8.30am: the attack had established three small lodgements in the enemy positions, but they were not in contact with each other and were under tremendous pressure. Otherwise the attack had come to a standstill and all movement into or out of the trench system had become impossible. The men in the German positions were cut off.

8.45am and again at 11.45am: Haig orders Rawlinson (CO, IV Corps) to vigorously press home the attack.

1.30pm: A renewed attack with 2nd Queens of 22nd Brigade in support, did not take place as the troops were heavily shelled in the assembly areas and many casualties were suffered even before the original support lines had been reached. Major-General Gough (CO, 7th Division, whose 21st Brigade had now also been ordered forward by Haig) reported that after a personal reconnaissance he was certain that forward movement was at the present time impossible.

5.00pm: General Haig, hearing of the continued failure of the Southern attack and the hold-up after initial success of the Northern attack, orders a bayonet attack at dusk, 8.00pm.

2nd Battalion Queens (Royal West Surrey Regiment)



9th May 1915 The Battle of Aubers Ridge: Evening and Night  2nd Battalion Queens (Royal West Surrey Regiment)

6.00pm: such chaos in the trench system and on the roads and tracks leading to it that it becomes clear that fresh units will not be ready for the 8pm attack. Haig cancels the attack and rides to Indian Corps HQ at Lestrem, to meet with all Corps commanders to consider the next moves. 7.30pm: the meeting breaks up having decided to renew the attack next day, taking advantage of night to reorganise. Efforts were made throughout the evening to reinforce the small garrisons of the lodgements in the enemy trenches. 26 men of the 2/Northants, of which 10 were wounded, returned to the British front. 2.30am 10 May: the 200 or so surviving Rifle Brigade and Royal Irish Rifles were withdrawn from their position, all efforts to reinforce them having been repulsed. 3.00am 10 May: the last few Kensingtons also returned from their position; all British troops were now out of the German lines. Around this time, First Army HQ, having by now got a good picture of the losses, failures and general conditions, called a Commanders conference for 9.00am, to take place at I Corps HQ on the Locon road, some 1.5 miles from Bethune. 9.00am 10 May: the Army and Corps commanders and staffs in attendance learned that there was insufficient artillery ammunition to continue two attacks. (The Secretary of State for War, Kitchener, had also just ordered a considerable portion of existing stocks to be sent to the Dardanelles); for example there were only some 3,000 18-lbr rounds left, and some of that was way behind the firing positions. They also heard that the 4.7-inch ammunition that had caused problems on IV Corps front was too defective for further use and that the fuzes on 15-inch heavy rounds were also defective and the shells simply did not burst on hitting the wet ground. All further orders for renewing the attack were cancelled at 1.20pm; the views of the conference were transmitted to GHQ. 7th Division was ordered to move from it's position north of Neuve Chapelle to the south of it, with a view to strengthening a future offensive there. British casualties from the 9 May attacks continued to move through the Field Ambulances for at least three days after the attack.

More than 11,000 British casualties were sustained on 9 May 1915, the vast majority within yards of their own front-line trench. Mile for mile, Division for Division, this was one of the highest rates of loss during the entire war. There is no memorial to the attack at Aubers Ridge.

9th May 1915 13th Londons in Action  location map

9th May 1915 Into Battle  location map

9th May 1915 Attack Mase

10th May 1915 In Hospital

11th May 1915 13th Londons in Billets

13th May 1915 13th Londons in Billets

19th May 1915 13th Londons leave Division

20th May 1915 13th Londons on the March

21st May 1915 On the Move

22nd May 1915 Composite to be formed

23rd May 1915 Church Parade

24th May 1915 Inspection

25th May 1915 Inspection & Presparations

26th May 1915 Training & Presparations

29th May 1915 News from Prisoners

30th May 1915 Detachments Entrain

31st May 1915 Kensingtons Depart

7th October 1915 Travelling

14th December 1914 In Billets

18th Aug 1916 On the March  location map

19th Aug 1916 Reliefs  location map

4th of September 1916 Units Mixed Up  location map

6th of September 1916 Wood Cleared  location map

2nd February 1917 Reliefs

7th Apr 1917 Reliefs

17th Aug 1917 Reliefs

8th May 1918 13th Londons near Arras  The 13th Battalion London Regiment are around Neuville Vitasse, outside Arras.

5th Nov 1918 In Action

6th Nov 1918 In Action

7th Nov 1918 Reliefs

If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.





Want to know more about 13th (Kensington) Battalion, London Regiment?


There are:5525 items tagged 13th (Kensington) Battalion, London Regiment available in our Library

  These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.


Those known to have served with

13th (Kensington) Battalion, London Regiment

during the Great War 1914-1918.

  • Allcroft Frank Charles. Cpl. (d.6th Nov 1918)
  • Bateman Harold. Pte. (d.1st Sep 1918)
  • Bent Frederick George. Pte. (d.10th August 1916)
  • Breeden Henry Charles. Pte. (d.19th Jan 1917)
  • Clarke Charles Arthur. Pte. (d.9th May 1915)
  • Cousins John. Sgt
  • Dickson William James. Cpl.
  • Dickson William James. Cpl.
  • Elder David. Pte.
  • Fry J.. Rfm. (d.12th Nov 1918)
  • Heden Alfred Howard. Sgt. (d.25th July 1915)
  • Holmes Ernest George. Sgt. (d.4th August 1916)
  • Jarvis Charles. Pte. (d.23rd Aug 1918)
  • Kirkum Bertie.
  • Lander Val Penruddock Oram . L/Cpl. (d.9th May 1915)
  • Lester MC Albert Edward. 2nd Lt. (d.8th May 1918)
  • Macey Vernon Harold. Pte. (d.1st Jul 1916)
  • Marsh W.. Sgt.
  • McAuliffe Patrick Francis.
  • McEntee Henry Daniel. Pte. (d.9th May 1915)
  • Norton James. Pte. (d.17th Nov 1916)
  • Pattenden Thomas. Pte. (d.9th May 1915)
  • Pedder Richard Edward Alfred. L/Cpl. (d.9th May 1915)
  • Phillips Ivor Christmas. Pte. (d.9th May 1915)
  • Robinson Gerald W . Pte. (d.9th April 1917)
  • Rogers George. Pte (d.2nd Jul 1916)
  • Rowe Horace Bartlett. L/Cpl. (d.21st May 1917)
  • Smith Harry. Pte.
  • Tulett Montague James. Pte. (d.9th May 1915)
  • Vincent Seymour Livingston. Capt.
  • Warner John Verney. Pte. (d.11th Mar 1915)
  • Woolley Frederick George. Pte.

All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List

Records of 13th (Kensington) Battalion, London Regiment from other sources.


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  Sgt. Alfred Howard Heden 13th (Kensington) Btn. C Coy. London Regiment (d.25th July 1915)

Alfred Heden served with the 13th Battalion London Regiment in WW1. He joined the UK Territorial Force in 1911 while still in education and became a clerk in civilian life. War broke out while he was his on summer training camp and he volunteered for active service.

He trained at Abbots Langley and then went to France from Southampton on 3rd of November 1914. He saw action at Neuve Chapelle in March 1915 and on 9th of May 1915, at Aubers Ridge, he was seen to fall, shot through the lungs. He was reported killed in action on this day but, in fact, he had been taken prisoner, alive but wounded. His family learnt of this nearly 2 months later when they received a letter from him to say that he was still alive but wounded and a POW. Tragically he died of his wounds whilst in captivity on the 25th July 1915, a short time after his family received the letter, at the age of just 20. He is buried in Valenciennes (St Roch) Communal Cemetery. in France. Son of Alfred and Hannah Heden of 11 Grove Rd., Barnes, London.

S. E. Barr






  Pte. Vernon Harold Macey 1/13th (Kensington) Btn. London Regiment (d.1st Jul 1916)

Harold Macey was born in Wales, his parents moved to London circa 1900. His father also enlisted for WW1.

Howard Macey






  Pte. Montague James Tulett 13th (Kensington) Btn London Regiment (d.9th May 1915)

In evaluation of our family history, it is noted that Montague Tulett was my grandmother's first husband and without he is death we would not exist. Very little is known about him or any relatives that relate to that side of the family. However, while doing other research I feel it is only appropriate that he is remembered.







  Pte. Harry Smith 13th Btn. London Regiment

Harry Smith was born in Battersea on 21st Jan 1897. Harry enlisted on 4th Jan 1915 and was wounded and awarded Silver War Badge number 127794and was demobed on 28th Sep 1917. He was living in 1939 in Richmond Rd, Wimbledon 1939. His death date is unknown. He was the younger brother of William Smith who served with the RFA & RE 1914-18.

Justin Lovell-Smith






  Pte. Frederick George Woolley 13th (Kensington) Btn. London Regiment

Fred Woolleyis my great uncle who fought at Mons. I understand his bandolier blew up and he was invalided home. I have his letters to his mother dutifully censored.

Mary-Anne Cole






  Pte. Gerald W Robinson 13th (Kensington) Btn. London Regiment (d.9th April 1917)

Private Gerald W Robinson, lived in Ampthill and enlisted in Southampton. Initially served with 12th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment (service no.23436) then with the 13th (County of London) Battalion, (Princess Louises Kensington Battalion), London Regiment (service no.493900).

He was killed in action on 9th April 1917 in France and Flanders and is buried in London Cemetery, France. He is remembered on both The War Memorial and The Alamada, St. Andrews Church, Ampthill.

Information courtesy of www.roll-of-honour.com

Caroline Hunt






  Pte. Thomas Pattenden 13th (Kensington) Btn. London Regiment (d.9th May 1915)

Thomas Pattenden was my great gramma's brother. He lived in Seven Oaks, Kent. I have not any pics of him but would love some, anyone with relatives from this regiment have photos? He was lost at war. My grannie immigrated to Canada and married at Eaton.

D Christianson






  Capt. Seymour Livingston Vincent 168th Company Machine Gun Corps

2nd Lt Seymour Vincent, originally of the 1/13th London Regiment (Kensingtons) was evacuated from Le Havre on 5th July 1916 suffering from shell shock and shrapnel wounds to the right foot and left arm. He returned to France in May 1917 and served in Salonika with the 82nd Company, Machine Gun Corps. He was was born in 1890 and lived in Loughton, Essex.

He was seconded to the 168th Machine Gun Company on 16th March 1916. He died in strange circumstances in May 1921. He had been transferred to the 2nd Brigade, RFA, in December 1920 and had been serving at Fermoy in County Cork. He had applied for a transfer to the Army Educational Corps, before the war he was a teacher, and had then asked to resign his commission. He then disappeared without trace on 23rd May 1921. It was not until an anonymous letter was sent to the British Government in June 1924 containing details of the burial of a British officer in Lenihans Bog, Glenville, Co. Cork, that further investigations took place.

At the time of his disappearance the Colonel commanding the 16th Infantry Brigade based at Fermoy basically accused Vincent of lying about his intentions of going on leave but, within a week, another report, regretting several errors in the first, was issued which noted that Vincent had appeared somewhat disorientated before going on (approved) leave. It went on to report that five days after he left, three members of the 2nd Brigade of the IRA raided Fermoy Station and, breaking into the office there, had stolen various items from Vincents luggage, including a service revolver. Although the Royal Irish Constabulary were informed nothing was ever discovered about his whereabouts. It is thought that he, and possibly another man, were murdered by the IRA and buried at Lenihans Bog. Vincents body was later re-interred in Glenville Church of Ireland, Glenville, Co. Cork.

s flynn






  L/Cpl. Horace Bartlett Rowe 13th Kensington London Regiment (d.21st May 1917)

Horrie Rowe was wounded at the Battle of Arras in April 1917 (the First Battle of the Scarpe), dying of wounds on 21st of May 1917 he is buried at Duisans British Cemetery, Etrun, Pas de Calais.

Gavin Rowe






  Cpl. Frank Charles Allcroft 13th (Kensington) Btn. London Regiment (d.6th Nov 1918)

My Great Uncle Frank Allcroft, enlisted 1st Btn London Regiment in November 1914. He was with the London Regiment throughout and was killed in action in Angre, Belguim on 6th of November 1918. This was the units last day on the front line before the war ended.







   Bertie "Nugget" Kirkum 13th Btn. London Regiment

Granddad, Bertie Kirkum, did not speak about the war, apart from one story about when he was wounded. He showed us the scars on his arm where a bullet had entered one arm, came out the other side and lodged in his other arm. I have often wondered how this happened, but can only assume that it was on the Somme and with the German machine gunners firing across the line of advance rather than directly straight at the oncoming troops. Therefore with his rifle in hand, left on the barrel and right on the trigger, he was hit. He never did tell us anything else, understandably.

John Baldry






  Pte. Henry Daniel McEntee 13th Btn. London Regiment (d.9th May 1915)

Henry McEntee died in the Battle of Aubers Ridge aged 23. He was the son of Daniel McEntee, carpenter to the Royal Family, and was born and lived in Carpenter's Cottage, Kensington Palace, London, of Irish and German parents. His two other brothers fighting in WWI survived.

<p>Killed in Action

<p>Memorial entry at Ploegsteert memorial, Belgium

Simon Hunt






  2nd Lt. Albert Edward Lester MC 13th Btn. London Regiment (d.8th May 1918)

My great uncle 2nd Lt Albert Edward Lester was killed in action near Neuville Vitasse on 8th May 1918 and awarded the military cross. His medal record has him first serving in Egypt from August 1915.

James Lester






   Patrick Francis McAuliffe 23rd Btn. C Company. London Regiment

My great grandfather Pat McAuliffe joined up probably in the first week of July 1914, certainly no later than 6th July. His original service number was 700279. He was in C Company when 1/23rd went to France in March 1915. His date of leaving France on 28th May 1915 would indicate very strongly that he was wounded on 25th/26th May at Givenchy, most of the 'lucky' casualties who made it back to UK appear to have left around that date. He may have been held back in UK for longer than it took him to recover from his wound, as he would have been only 17 in 1915.

After his recovery he is sent in a draft to 2/21st London in Salonika, even though he has a six digit 23rd London number. He wouldn't have had to change his number when transferred as 21st London were of the same corps (East Surreys) as 23rd London, but would have been issued it in Jan/Feb 1917.

He remains with 2/21st when they move to Egypt and on the reduction of 2/21st on 3rd June 1918 he's part of the draft that goes to 2/13th London (other drafts went to 2/19th and 2/22nd) and gets his number changed to 494569 He probably has some form of medical downgrade when with 2/13th which leads to his transfer to 21st Rifle Brigade, another number change, 212896 and ultimately his garrisoning of India until some time in mid 1919 when those battalions of the Rifle Brigade seem to have returned home.

Stephen Hedges






  Pte. David Elder 1/13th Btn. London Regiment

My Nana had 2 brothers who served during the WW1. One was missing in action and the other was killed in action. Unfortunately, since her death the box she kept their photos in and memorabilia has gone missing. I now only have one medal with David Elders details around the edge.

Carl






  Pte. Henry Charles Breeden 13th (Kensington) Battalion London Regiment (d.19th Jan 1917)

My great uncle Henry Breeden came from a large family from Leytonstone in Essex. He was part of the family business before the First World War working as a cricket bat maker. The family had a sports shop on Leyton High Road.

Henry was serving in the 13th Kensington Battalion London Regiment, when he was killed in action in France on the 19th January 1917. He is buried in Pont-Du-Hem military cemetery, La Gorgue, Northern France.

Elaine Gibson






  Pte. John Verney Warner 13th (Kensington) Btn. London Regiment (d.11th Mar 1915)

Jack Warner is remembered at Neuve-Chappelle Farm Cemetery. At the time of his death, his Battalion were part of 25th Brigade, 8th Division which, between 10th and 13th March 1915, were involved in the Battle of Neuve Chapelle.







  Pte. Harold Bateman 1st/13th Btn. (Kensington) London Regiment (d.1st Sep 1918)

My Great Uncle, Harold Bateman was only 18 years old when he was killed in action and I understand that my Great Grand Mother's hair turned white overnight when she heard the news - a younger brother was then named after him. He is commemorated at the Vis-en-Artois Memorial panel 10.

Anne Kemsley






  Cpl. William James Dickson 13th London Regiment

My Grandfather, William Dickson was a Drummer Stretcher Bearer, he left England for France on the 3rd of November 1914. He saw service at Neuve Chapelle, Aubers, the Somme, Guillemont, Ginchy, Arras, Ypres and Cambrai.

He was wounded on 3 separate occasions, being hospitalised in England and then returned to the front. Tuesday December 1st he was part of the guard of honour at EStaires to the King and the Prince of Wales. At the time of the unofficial Christmas truce in 1914, he was not in the front line, being in reserve he missed that.

Sunday 14th of March 1915, as he was loading an ambulance wagon,a German shell went through it cutting one man in half and rewounding the others,he notes in his diary that, the driver and horses were unharmed. This was Neuve Chapelle. April Saturday 17th during an inspection by General Sir John French , a billet burst down, as they were all on parade no body was blamed.

During the attack on the Aubers Ridge, May Tuesday 9th he was wounded in the arm, and was visited by Mr Churchill in the Hospital at Merville. Monday 17th March 1916 he is made up to Lance Corporal.He was with Major Cedric Dickens, Chales Dickens Grandson near Hebuterne, after the attack on Saturday July 1st ,from 2 companies of men only Major Dickens and 13 men were left.

He was at Angle Wood when tanks were first used in an attack, which he says in his diary was a disaster. December 1916 he is made a full Corporal, on Monday the 4th. His diary goes on until September 4th 1917 when he leaves the diary at home while on leave.

We have no record as to when he went back to France, but by the 12th December 1917 he is sent home again wounded. His military papers show him being discharged on May 4th 1918 as no longer fit for military service.

He passed away peacefully in 1963 aged 74, a wonderful old gentleman. We Will Remember Them.

G.Dickson






  Cpl. William James Dickson 13th Btn. London Regiment

I have in my possession my Grandfather's diary of the 13th London Regiment, his name was William Dickson and he served from November 3rd 1914 to Sept 4th 1917. It's a day to day record of his war, still quite legible but in a fragile condition.

Geoffrey Dickson






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