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

Grenadier Guards



Want to know more about the Grenadier Guards ?


There are:6871 items tagged Grenadier Guards 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

Grenadier Guards

during the Great War 1914-1918.

  • Appleton Frederick William Henry. Pte. 2nd Btn.
  • Attridge George Stephen. Pte 4th Battalion (d.13th April 1918)
  • Barber VC Edward. Pte. 1st Btn. (d.12th March 1915)
  • Bird H.. Lt. 1st Btn. (d.12th Apr 1919)
  • Bowker Herbert Henry. Gdsmn. 3rd Btn.
  • Bradon John. Grdsm. 2nd Btn. (d.12th Oct 1917 )
  • Brain Thomas Henry. Sgt. 1st Btn. (d.24 Sep 1916)
  • Brearley George. 2nd Btn.
  • Brennan Thomas. L/Cpl. 2nd Btn. (d.4th Nov 1914)
  • Brooks Walter Ainger. Pte. (d.31st July 1917)
  • Cecil MC. William Amherst . Capt 2nd Bn. (d.16th Sep 1914)
  • Cholmeley Montague Aubrey Rowley. Capt. 4th Btn. (d.24th Dec 1914)
  • Clarke Noah. Gdsm. 3rd Btn. (d.18 Oct 1918)
  • Clarke Noah. Pte. 3rd Btn. (d.18 Oct 1918)
  • Cockerill Alfred. Pte. 4th Battalion
  • Collier William Edwin. Pte. 1st Btn.
  • Corbin Louis. L/Cpl. 3rd Btn. (d.27th Nov 1917)
  • Cowens John Thomas. Pte. 4th Btn (d.6th Jul 1916)
  • Cripps George Edward. L/Sgt 1st Battalion (d.27th September 1918)
  • Crundwell George. Pte. 2nd Battalion (d.25th Sep 1916)
  • Cunliffe Thomas. Pte. 2nd Btn. (d.23rd Oct 1915)
  • Daniels Daniel. Guardsman. 2nd Batt. D Coy, (d.1st Sep 1914)
  • Dent George Nixon. Pte. 1st Btn. (d.27th Sept 1918)
  • Dignan William. Gdsman 1st (d.27th Sept 1918)
  • Dooley Joseph. Pte 2nd Btn.
  • Drayton Percey Horace. Gdsm. 2nd Btn. (d.21st Dec 1915)
  • Dungate Walter John. Cpl. 1st Btn. (d.24th Aug 1918)
  • Eaglefield . Drmr.
  • Emmott Lawrence. Pte. 4th Btn. (d.1st Dec 1917)
  • Fletcher Samuel Edwards. Pte. 4th Btn. (d.17th April 1918)
  • Fletcher Samuel E.. 4th Btn. (d.17th Apr 1918)
  • Gaymer John Thomas. Pte. Kings Coy. 1st Btn.
  • Gort VC, MC, MID. John. Gnl.
  • Green Thomas James. L/Sgt. 2nd Btn. (d.24th Dec 1914)
  • Hamilton Frank Sherrat. L/Cpl. 3rd Btn. (d.24th July 1917)
  • Handford James George. Pte. 1st Btn. (d.20th Dec 1916)
  • Hatton Christopher Geoffrey. Sgt. 2nd Battalion (d.6th Jan 1918)
  • Hinton Edward Harold. Pte. 1st Btn. 4th Coy. (d.27th September 1918)
  • Holmes VC. William Edgar. Pte. 2nd Btn. (d.9th Oct 1918)
  • Leatham John. Pte. 2nd Btn (d.12th March 1915)
  • Leggott Robert Henry. Pte. 4th Battalion (d.25th September 1916)
  • Leggott Robert Henry. Cpl. 4th Btn. (d.25th Sep 2016)
  • Lewis George W.. Pte. 4th Btn.
  • Liddle Samuel. Pte. 1st Battalion
  • Merrilees Edward George. L/Cpl. 1st Btn. (d.14th Sep 1916)
  • Mills Lees. L/Cpl. 4th Btn. (d.23rd Mar 1918)
  • Moore Frank. Pte 1st Bn (d.25th Sep 1916)
  • Moulson Walter Henry. Gdsm. 2nd Btn. (d.16th Sep 1914)
  • O'Neill Michael Fursey. Pte. 5th Reserve Btn. (d.5th November 1918)
  • Paton VC MC. George Henry Tatham. Cpt. 4th Btn. (d.1st Dec 1917)
  • Patterson David. 1st Btn.
  • Pilch Thomas. Pte. 4th Btn. (d.12th Oct 1917)
  • Pryce VC MC. Thomas Tannatt. Capt. 4th Btn. (d.13th Apr 1918)
  • Railton William. Pte. (d.2nd Sep 1917)
  • Rhodes VC. DCM and bar John Harold. Sgt. 3rd Btn. (d.27th Nov 1917)
  • Richardson Samuel. Pte. 4th Btn. (d.28th April 1918)
  • Richardson Samuel. Pte. 4th Btn. (d.28th April 1918)
  • Robinson Alfred Sydney. Gdsm. 2nd Btn. (d.29th Apr 1916)
  • Rymer Robert George. Sgt. 4th Btn. (d.6th July 1916)
  • Scripps Arthur. Pte. 3rd Btn. (d.3rd Nov 1918)
  • Serjeant Joseph. Pte. 1st Btn. (d.30th Mar 1918)
  • Shelley Ernest Bowen. Lt. 1st Btn. (d.12th Sep 1918)
  • Shiner William Albert. Gdsm. 4th Battalion (d.2nd Dec 1917)
  • Shortland Arthur Edwin. Gdsmn.
  • Simpson Josiah. Pte. 2nd Battalion
  • Simpson William Bernard.
  • Smith Charles Henry. Pte. 1st Battalion (d.22nd Nov 1917)
  • Steed George S.. Pte. 1st Battalion (d.21st Oct 1918)
  • Stockley Richard. L/Cpl. 2nd Btn. (d.25th Sep 1916)
  • Taylor Charles William. Pte 4th Btn. (d.13th April 1918)
  • Trull Charles Henry. Pte. 1st Battalion (d.17th Oct 1915)
  • Underwood David. Pte. (d.29th Sep 1916)
  • West George Jesse. Pte. 4th Battalion (d.13th April 1918)
  • Whappshott John William. Pte. 2nd Btn.
  • Wood Albert Allan. L/Sgt. 1st Btn. (d.26th Oct 1914)
  • Wood Walter William. Pte. 4th Battalion (d.14th November 1916)
  • Yapp James. Grdsmn. 3rd Btn. (d.27th Nov 1917)
  • Young William Martin. Pte. 1st Btn. (d.27th September 1918)
  • Zaleski Joseph. Pte. 2nd Btn.

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

More Grenadier Guards records.

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  • 22nd April 2024

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1206633

Pte. Josiah Simpson 2nd Battalion Grenadiers Guards

Josiah Simpson married my Grandmother in the mid 1950's after the death of my Natural Grandfather. Jo as he was always known to the family (except by me as a 6 year old boy, I called him Uncle Jo), had been a professional soldier who joined the 2nd Battalion Grenadier Guards in 1909. Jo passed away soon after marrying my maternal Grandmother and whenever I visited with my Mother I would try and draw Uncle Jo out about his Great War experiences, as this was endlessly fascinating to a young boy as you can imagine! Like many old soldiers Jo was very reticent about his experiences and I was not old enough to understand how to ask the right questions, and now of course it is far too late. I actually learnt more about Jo's war experiences from my Grandmother who told me amongst other things of the nightmares he still suffered from. She also told me that he had been wounded in action three times (discharged with a severe head injury involving delicate surgery and the fitting of a stainless steel plate in his skull). She also said that Jo had been mentioned in despatches and had received a letter of thanks from the King of which he was immense proud.

I have been able to glean quite a bit of his history, but have now reached a blank, and in the hope that anyone might be able to help me I will tell you what I know: Jo was born in sometime in 1888 and enlisted in the 2nd Battalion Grenadier Guards 25th February 1909 (aged 21) his army Service Number was 14275. At that time the Guards' regiments recruited men for three years with the colours and nine years on the reserve to be recalled at the outbreak of a general war. So I imagine that Jo would have transferred to the reserve around early 1912. In August 1914 he would presumably have been recalled to the colours at the age of 24 and there is a well known photograph taken outside Wellington Barracks in 1914 showing a queuing line of Grenadier Guard reservists reporting for duty with the colours.

I believe that I can recognise Uncle Jo in that photograph about halfway along the line of queuing Grenadier reservists. Jo was very tall and stood out in any group of which he was part. Even in later life he never lost his soldierly bearing, you would instantly recognise the old soldier from his bearing and dignity. So much for the facts as I know them, what follows now is pure conjecture on my part. Consulting the excellent book 'Fifteen Rounds A Minute' edited from the diaries of Major M A Jeffreys and others by J.M. Craster, I learned that Major Jeffrey’s (acting C/O 2nd Battalion GG) diary entry for Sunday 19th September 1914 records a draft arriving from England comprising the new C/O Colonel Wilfred Smith and several other officers and men during the First Battle of Aisne. This fits rather well with Jo's medal sheet qualifying date of 17th September 1914, allowing for a couple of days to travel from Havre. I also read from the same source that the 2nd Battalion's MG Officer (in command of the battalion's two MGs) Captain William Amherst Cecil M.C. M.I.D had been killed in action 16 September 1914 and other casualties in the MG section had occurred on the same date. I now believe that Jo on arrival in the draft led by his C/O was assigned to one of the two M/G sections to make up the complement and therefore his Company Commander was 'Stag' Cecil's replacement who was 2nd Lieut. Carleton Wyndham Tufnell who had taken over command of the two guns on the death of Cecil.

Now Jo told me a tale in which his Company Commander was shot in the head and through the eye of the binoculars he was using to reconnoitre the German positions from a forward position, and in the same moment Jo himself was wounded for the first time. Believing the officer to be still alive and whilst under fire Jo dragged his body back to their own positions where he discovered that the officer had been instantly killed. If this officer was Tufnell then this must have been on November 6th 1914 as this is the date he was KIA. I have read that Lieut. Tufnell was shot during a reconnaissance looking for a good position for the M/Gs. I would have expected this officer would have carried and used binoculars whilst so engaged.

Referring again to 'Fifteen Rounds a Minute' I find the following "Wilfred sent Congleton and his platoon of No 3 and Tufnell with his machine-gun section with orders to act against the flank of the Germans pushing through the gap. Congleton and his platoon went forward with the cavalry, but poor Tufnell was shot through the throat and died soon afterwards. He was a first rate officer and is a great loss. At the first alarm I had posted Tufnell with one machine gun on the Brown Road to guard a ride through the wood, across which the Germans would have had to come to get behind my line of trenches. I also sent Congleton with one platoon to stop the Germans getting through “the gap” on my right rear. For some reason, that I have never been able to get an explanation of, Tufnell took his machine-gun with Congleton's platoon. I believe the machine-gun had one good target, but Tufnell was unfortunately hit at this time and I never did find out exactly what did occur." Note that the account has poor Tufnell shot through the throat and not as Jo describes through the eye, so maybe my conjecture falls down at this point - maybe.

It does seem clear that Jo served for nearly 3 years from 17th September 1914 when he arrives in France until 6th July 1917 when he was discharged and awarded the silver war badge, which incidentally he wore in his jacket lapel every day until he died in the mid 1950's. I imagine that when the the 1st Gds Bde MG Coy was formed between 1st September and 19th September, 1915, Jo would have transferred to it and served consequently in actions that the 2nd Battalion were engaged in from September 1914 (Battle of the Aisne) until some time after the battle of Messines now with the 4th Battalion Guards Machine Gun Company. If you have borne with this long winded story, for which I apologise, I now come to the mystery....

01) Did Josiah Simpson get a Mention in Despatches? My Grandmother certainly told me had, together with a letter from the King. Why is this not on his medal sheet if he was in fact awarded a MID. I should have thought nearly 3 years in the front line, wounded in action three times (the latter seriously), recovering an officer's body under fire whilst wounded himself should have merited a bit more that the the three 'gongs' that everyone else received.

02) What has happened to Jo's medals (he had a daughter Edna and a Grandson Gerald, both long deceased) maybe they were passed down, but do you think we could still trace them? Anything you can help with I will be most grateful.

David Eades




1206263

Pte. William Martin Young 1st Btn. Grenadier Guards (d.27th September 1918)

William Young died on the 27th of September 1918 and is buried in the Sanders Keep Military Cemetery in France. He was the son of Fanny and the late Edward Martin Young. Husband of Charlotte Fanny Young, and father of three children, Kathleen, William, and Jessie

s flynn




1206252

Sgt. John Harold Rhodes VC. DCM and bar 3rd Btn. Grenadier Guards (d.27th Nov 1917)

John Rhodes died on 27th November 1917, aged 26 and is buried in the Rocquigny-Equancourt British Cemetery in France.

An extract from The London Gazette, No. 30400, dated 23rd Nov., 1917, records the following:- "For most conspicuous bravery when in charge of a Lewis gun section covering the consolidation of the right front company. He accounted for several enemy with his rifle as well as by Lewis gun fire, and, upon seeing three enemy leave a "pill-box," he went out single handed through our own barrage and hostile machine-gun fire, and effected an entry into the "pill-box." He there captured nine enemy including a forward observation officer connected by telephone with his battery. These prisoners he brought back with him, together with valuable information."

s flynn




1206166

Pte. Edward Barber VC 1st Btn. Grenadier Guards (d.12th March 1915)

Edward Barber was killed in action on the 12th of March 1915, aged 22 and is commemorated on The Le Touret Memorial in France. he was the son of William and Sarah Ann Barber, of Miswell Lane, Tring, Herts

An extract from The London Gazette, dated 19th April, 1915, records the following:- "For most conspicuous bravery on 12th March, 1915, at Neuve-Chapelle. He ran speedily in front of the grenade company to which he belonged, and threw bombs on the enemy with such effect that a very great number of them at once surrendered. When the grenade party reached Pte. Barber they found him quite alone and unsupported, with the enemy surrendering all about him."

s flynn




1206147

Capt. Montague Aubrey Rowley Cholmeley 4th Btn. Grenadier Guards (d.24th Dec 1914)

Montague Cholmeley was killed in action in France on 24th December 1914

s flynn




1206124

Gdsmn. Arthur Edwin Shortland Grenadier Guards

My Grandfather, Arthur Edwin Shortland, served in the Grenadier Guards during WW1. I have the 3 medals commonly know as Pip, Squeak and Wilfred.

Chris Shortland




1206042

Gdsm. William Albert Shiner 4th Battalion Grenadier Guards (d.2nd Dec 1917)

William Albert Shiner was 22 when he died during the battle of Cambrai. He was married to my great Aunt. They had been married for just over a year when he died. His family were farmers at Cleeve in North Somerset.

Jane Gould




1205961

Pte. William Edgar Holmes VC. 2nd Btn. Grenadier Guards (d.9th Oct 1918)

William Holmes was killed in action on the 9th of October 1918, aged 23 and is buried in Carnieres Communal Cemetery in France. He was the son of Mrs. E. E. Holmes, of Didbrook, Winchcombe, Glos.

An extract from The London Gazette, No. 31082, dated 24th Dec., 1918, records the following:- "For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty at Cattenieres on the 9th Oct., 1918. Pte. Holmes carried in two men under the most intense fire, and, while he was attending to a third case, he was severely wounded. In spite of this, he continued to carry wounded, and was shortly afterwards again wounded, with fatal results. By his self-sacrifice and disregard of danger he was the means of saving the lives of several of his comrades."

s flynn




1205958

Grdsmn. James Yapp 3rd Btn. Grenadier Guards (d.27th Nov 1917)

James Yapp was killed in action on the 27th of November 1917, aged 22 and is commemorated on The Cambrai Memorial in France. He was the son of James & Sarah Yapp of 44 Stable Row, Lightmoor, Dawley, Shropshire and had enlisted into the KSLI Territorials (4th Bn.) in June 1913 aged 17 years 10 months and had been discharged as unfit for duty in Oct 1914 only to immediately re-enlist into the Guards

s flynn




1205947

Pte. Thomas Cunliffe 2nd Btn. Grenadier Guards (d.23rd Oct 1915)

Thomas Cunliffe was my great uncle. He enlisted in the Grenadier Guards in June 1914 and then went to Caterham to undergo training. He joined with his best friend William Calderbank and sailed for France in January 1915 blissfully unaware that neither of them would see their home town again. They fought side by side at some notable and well documented engagements such as Hill 70 and the Battle of Loos and must have thought their luck would see them through. However this was not to be as after 9 months William was killed by a sniper and Thomas had the unenviable task of writing to William’s parents back in Wigan.

Dear Friends, I am sorry to inform you that your son got killed on the 7th. Poor lad he got hit in the head and his death was instantaneous. He has been in my mind ever since his death. A fellow came up the trenches and said “your mate has gone under”. I could hardly believe who it was at first and then he said “Bill Calderbank”. Well I felt as if I’d been hit. I went to see him, poor fellow. He had a decent burial. The Catholic priest was there and read over his dead body. He had only just put his head up over the trench and he got hit by a sniper. Accept my deepest sympathy. All his chums hope you will accept their deepest sympathy”.

The pathetic feature of this story is that the very next day after William was killed Thomas was wounded. A bomb exploded in the trench near him, blowing off one of his legs and damaging the other so severely that it later had to be amputated. He wrote to his parents, Joseph and Mary Cunliffe in Wigan, “Hope this finds you quite well as I am alive but hardly kicking” His letter goes on to describe the events that led up to his injury and his hopes and expectations to be back in Wigan for Christmas.

Unfortunately the story does not have a happy ending as on 23rd October Thomas died from his wounds. The lady superintendent at the hospital in Wimereux wrote to his parents telling them, “Your poor son got weaker and weaker in spite of all we tried to do for him. He will be buried here in the cemetery in Wimereux. It is a pretty place on a hillside and there are many flowers there in spring and summer. My assistant matron takes great interest in it and sees that it is nicely kept in order” Thomas will be remembered with pride and affection by our family.

Graham Parkinson




261378

Cpl. Robert Henry Leggott 4th Btn. Grenadier Guards (d.25th Sep 2016)

Robert Leggott, 4th Grenadier Guards

The first day of the Battle of the Somme, 1st of July 1916, is known as the worst day in the history of the British Army, with nearly 60,000 men, all volunteers, killed, wounded or listed as missing. The campaign, which only ended 141 days later, saw more than 400,000 British casualties, and the scarred communities they left behind were determined to mark their loss, erecting memorials to the dead.

Those in Yorkshire show how the war affected almost all communities, from tiny rural villages to the big industrial cities of Bradford, Sheffield and Leeds. Among those receiving Grade II listing from Historic England for the first time is the simple stone marker at Commondale in the North York Moors, that represents the sacrifice of just two men, boyhood friends and fellow shepherds Robert Leggott and Alfred Cockerill.

The pair signed up together in 1914, with Leggott, who was just 17, lying about his age to enlist. He was killed at the Somme on September 25, 2016, and his body was never found. In 1920, Lady Gisborough, who was horrified at the loss of the two local shepherds, had the Shepherd's Memorial erected on Gisborough Moor above the village of Commondale.

Robbie's family continues to farm on the moors to this day, his great-nephew James Johnson being responsible for providing this information.

The Shepherds Memorial

James Johnson




261107

Pte. Joseph Serjeant 1st Btn. Grenadier Guards (d.30th Mar 1918)

Joseph Serjeant

Joseph Serjeant served with the 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards

His Grenadier Guards cap badge

oseph Serjeant's medals

Chris Serjeant




260094

David Patterson 1st Btn. Grenadier Guards

David Patterson served in the 1914-18 War. I am unsure which person he his in the attached submitted photograph taken early in his career. After the war, he lived in Delgany Co Wicklow.





254687

L/Cpl. Thomas Brennan 2nd Btn. Grenadier Guards (d.4th Nov 1914)

Thomas Brennan was my great uncle; my grandmother's brother. My mother said she had been told by her mother that he ran away with a friend (surname Comerford) to enlist, and that he lied about his age. However, I have discovered his birth records and found he was aged 24 when he died. I have found out that he enlisted in Manchester.

He died in Flanders on 4th of November 1914 and his name is on the Menin Gate. My mother told me that his friend returned to tell his mother of his death. I know nothing else about him unfortunately. I want to make sure that his name is on every record and that he is never forgotten.

Brigid Brind




254556

Pte. George Nixon Dent 1st Btn. Grenadier Guards (d.27th Sept 1918)

George Dent died aged 25 years at either the Battle of Cambrai or The Battle of Canal Du Nord. His wife had passed away 2 years previously, and with his death my Grandmother was left orphaned at the age of 5.





251730

Pte. Lawrence Emmott 4th Btn. Grenadier Guards (d.1st Dec 1917)

Lawrence Emmott was the son of Charles Emmott a famous rugby player who played for England and his County in the 1890's. Lawrence was about 19 when he died. His brother Alfred John Emmott was also killed during the war on 27th September 1918.

Andrew Hepworth




249228

Gdsman William Dignan 1st Grenadier Guards (d.27th Sept 1918)

William Dignan was born in County Mayo, Ireland on 28th March 1890, the 4th of 7 children born to James and Winifred nee Durr. By 1911 he was living in Liverpool, having joined the Liverpool City Police, and was living with his cousin, Michael Carty, who was also a Liverpool police officer.

William enlisted in the Grenadiers following the outbreak of war and served in France. On 27th September 1918 he was killed in action. His body was never identified and he is remembered on the Vis-en-artois memorial.

Bill Sergeant




248632

William Bernard Simpson Grenadier Guards

William Simpson was treated for shrapnel wound to right wrist received in France 8th October 1915

Peter Feek




246298

Pte. William Edwin Collier 1st Btn. Grenadier Guards

William Collier was born in about 1876 in Bristol. He attested for Short Service in 1900 and served in the 3rd Battalion, Grenadier Guards in the Second Boer War. For his service there, he was awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal with the Cape Colony and South Africa 1902 clasps. In May 1903, he transferred to The 1st Class Army Reserve.

On 5th of August 1914, at London, he was mobilized into the 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards. Per his Medal Rolls Index Card, Pte. Collier's qualifying date for the 1914 Star was 12th of November 1914, there was no notation that indicated qualification for Clasp and Roses, but serving in a line unit, it is very likely that Pte. Collier would have been under fire from German mobile artillery prior to the midnight 22nd November cut-off date. If so, he would have probably qualified for this distinction, but he may have never applied for this. In addition to the 1914 Star, he was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

According to records, Hewas discharged from the Grenadier Guards on 28th of May 1919, but he attested to the 53rd Company, Labour Corps the next day, 29th of May 1919. His service number in the Labour Corps was 695795. Pte. Collier was discharged from C Coy, Eastern Command Labour Centre on 29th of March 1920. Research sources included British Army Pension Records, UK Military Campaign Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1949 (2nd Boer War), UK WW1 Medal Rolls Index Card, 1914-1920 and UK WW1 Service Medal and Award Rolls, 1914-1920. Lastly, it is highly possible that Pte. Collier would have participated in the unofficial 1914 Christmas Truce.

Clayton B. Austin




245715

Pte. Thomas Pilch 4th Btn. Grenadier Guards (d.12th Oct 1917)

Buried at Tyne Cot Belgium









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