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The Coldstream Guards
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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar greatThe Coldstream Guards
The Coldstream Guards is the oldest serving regular Regiment in the British Army.
Battalions during the Great War.
- 1st Battalion
- 2nd Battalion
- 3rd Battalion
- 4th Battalion (Pioneers)
- 5th (Reserve) Battalion
- 1st Provisional Battalion
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Dec 2011
Please note we currently have a large backlog of submitted material, our volunteers are working through this as quickly as possible and all names, stories and photos will be added to the site.
Those known to have served with The Coldstream Guards during the Great War.
Select a story link or scroll down to browse those stories hosted on this site.
- Pte. Charles William Bailey (d.26th Oct 1914) Read their Story.
- Pte. Frederick Clifford
- Pte. Harold Cooper (d.16th Sept 1916) Read their Story.
- L/Cpl. William Oliver Crathorn (d.15th Sep 1916) Read their Story.
- CSM. Ernest Irving (d.27th Sep 1918) Read their Story.
- Pte. Jack Jackson MM. Read their Story.
- Pte. William Newbould (d.28th Mar 1918)
- Pte. William Trull (d.17th Oct 1917) Read their Story.
- Pte. William Trull (d.31st Jul 1917) Read their Story.
- Private Thomas Lees Young (d.16th Sep 1916) Read their Story.
If you have any names to add to this list, or any recollections or photos of those listed, please get in touch.
Private Thomas Lees Young 2nd Battalion Coldstream Guards (d.16th Sep 1916)
Thomas has no known grave, but is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial to the missing of the Somme.
Pte. Harold Cooper 2nd Battalion Coldstream Guards (d.16th Sept 1916)
Harold Cooper was my uncle, he was half brother to my mother and the eldest child of my maternal grand father's first family.
CSM. Ernest Irving 2nd Battalion Coldsteam Guards (d.27th Sep 1918)
My grand-father, Ernest Irving, was killed on 27 Sept 1918 near Cambrai, I presume on the first day of the Battle of the Canal du Nord. >He was a professional soldier and appears to have served at the Front throughout the war. His daughter - my mother - was born only 5 months before his death. I wonder if he ever actually saw her. To compound the family tragedy, Ernest's wife was killed in the Blitz on London in 1942
L/Cpl. William Oliver Crathorn 4th Battalion Coldstream Guards (d.15th Sep 1916)
Birth: Sep. 27, 1891 Birmingham Warwickshire, England Death: Sep. 15, 1916, France [Edit Dates] William Oliver Crathorn was born on the 27th September 1891 at 21 Cavendish Road, Ladywood, Birmingham,Warwickshire, England. He was the only child born to William and Alice (nee Holmes),On the 1901 census William, aged 10, is shown living at "back" of 103, High Street, Harborne, Birmingham, England, with his Mother and Father. Ten years later, on the 1911 Census, aged 19, he is still living with his parents at number 20, back of 141 High Street, Harborne, Birmingham, England. He is listed as an unemployed gardener.
After his death, his name W O Crathrn was entered on the War Memorial that stands in the churchyard of St.Peter's Church Harborne, Birmingham, England. The wording on the Memorial reads; To the glory of God and in remembrance of the men of Harborne who gave their lives in the Great War 1914-1919. Their name liveth for evermore. The following information appears on the Commonweath War Graves site. Crathorn, William Oliver Cemetery: Thiepval Memorial Country: France Area: Somme Rank: Lance Corporal Official Number: 16150 Unit: 4th Bn. Coldstream Guards. Force: Army Nationality: British Details: 15th September 1916. Pier and Face 7 D and 8 D. This small report was found on the internet made by a visitor to the Battlefield in 2003. The Guards Division didn't join the Battle until September as they were serving on different part of the line. On the 15th September 1916, the Guards Division took to the line at Ginchy where another large attack was planned.
This was the first battle in which tanks were committed and the Division was allocated three. Unfortunately, despite initial success, the tanks were prone to mechanical failure and soon broke down.
This was also the first occasion in which three Coldstream Battalions fought side-by-side in line. The 4th (Pioneer) Battalion was also present in support. The initial assault soon became muddled as a German machine-gun on the flank was causing much trouble. It was here that Lt Col J V Campbell, Commanding the 3rd Battalion, rallied the troops of various battalions, who had by now become completely mixed up, and led them to take these German positions and protect the flank. Once this was achieved he led them on to their objective. For his valour on that day, Colonel Campbell was awarded the Victoria Cross. Sunday morning saw us at the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing on the Somme. This impressive memorial holds the names of over 73,000 men from the Somme Battles who have no known grave.
Pte. William Trull 3rd Btn. Coldstream Guards (d.17th Oct 1917)
The first of the four sons of William and Margaret Trull to fall in action. He met his death on the western front on October 17th. He was only 23 years of age and had been in the army about 3 years.Private William Trull of the Coldstream Guards was wounded in action in France on July 29th and succumbed to his injuries two days later at a casualty clearing station. He was twenty six years of age. He joined the Army in September 1916 and went to France in the following March.
My great gramp James was 5th son who went to war, he was the lucky one.
Pte. William Trull 3rd Battalion Coldstream Guards (d.31st Jul 1917)
William was the second brother killed during the Great War. I have his obituary which reads:Private William Trull of the Coldstream Guards was wounded in action in France on July 29th and succumbed to his injuries two days later, at a Casualty Clearing Station. He was twenty six years of age. He joined the Army in September 1916 and went to France in the following March. William is buried in plot II.D.17 Dozinghem Military Cemetery.
Pte. Jack Jackson MM. 3rd Battalion Coldstream Guards
My grandfather Jack Jackson was the son of and grandson of army regulars. He joined the Coldstream Guards in May 1915 having been a miner in Co.Durham. His MM was awarded 9th October 1917 for actions [that I have never been able to elicit] at the Battle for Poelcappele. Gazetted 18 January 1918. He served with the Regiment as part of the occupying forces. He hated non-regimental officers and particularly the 'Staff' and as result refused to work for 'them' after the war, becoming a trusted bookie's runner. As a youngster I twice carried the leather bag with clock so that if he was stopped by our friendly policemen he was 'innocent'.My father was also a regular with the Royal Tank Corps after TA service with the KOYLI's. He was killed in action on the 17th June 1941 with the 7th Battalion Royal Tank Regiment while helping to save some Guards Regiments during Operation Battleaxe. As it happens one of the regiments was the 3rd Coldstreams.
I joined the RAF as a regular in the '50's and my grandfather never spoke or wrote to me for 2 years until he saw me in uniform for the first time. I was then the first member of the family to be invited for a pint at his working mans club. He claimed that one of our forebears was the CSM of one of the newly formed cavalry regiments [Maybe Hodgson's Horse] that helped to quell the Indian Mutiny, as the only other 'white man' in the Regiment. The real claim to fame was that British soldiers of the Army in India had been injured or killed by cannon balls that rolled across the parade ground after being fired through mutineers. He suggested,and it was adopted, an easier method, just fire the gunpowder, same punishment result but no injured soldiers from the British regiments.
Pte. Charles William Bailey 2nd Battalion Coldstream Guards (d.26th Oct 1914)
Charles Bailey was my great great grandfather, he served with the 2nd Battalion the Coldstream Guards having enlisted at Wath. He was killed in action on the 26th of October 1914 and is remembered on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium, panel 11.
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