208759 Sgt. acting WO Frederick William Battman British Army 1st. Battalion The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry from:Bermondsey Timeline
14th October 1908, 1st Bn. D.C.L.I. were posted to Milton Barracks.
13th November 1908, Grandad joined the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry at Milton Barracks, Gravesend, 1st Bn. D.C.L.I.
Grandad did not do his initial 6 months training in Bodmin as was practice but did them in Gravesend.
2nd April 1911, Grandad 1911 census Milton Barracks, Gravesend,
Private Frederick William Battman, 1st. Battalion, Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry
4th September 1911, 1st Bn. D.C.L.I. were posted to Tidworth
1913, 1st Bn. D.C.L.I. were posted to the Curragh in Ireland.
7-13th August 1914, 1st Bn. D.C.L.I. mobilised.
Days filled with route marching, drilling, getting ready for France.
13th August 1914, 1st Bn. D.C.L.I. as part of the 14th Brigade and 5th Division travelled to Dublin and embarked on SS Lanfranc for an unknown destination (Havre).
14th August 1914, Grandad was a Corporal in the ‘Peace Detail’, the rear party left behind at the Curragh when the Battalion entrained for Dublin, and thence to France on the following day. A rear party were sent to the camp at the Curragh to pack up regimental property
17th August 1914, 1st Bn. D.C.L.I Arrived France Part of II Corps (Haig).
12th December 1914, Grandad landed in France as reinforcements.
Mid-1915, 1st Bn. D.C.L.I went south to the Somme, and took over the line at Carnoy before moving to Arras
915, Battle Honours : Ypres, Le Cateau; Gravenstafel; St Julien; Frezenberg; Bellewaarde; Hooge
1916, Battle Honours : Somme, Mount Sorrel; Delville Wood; Guillemont; Flers-Courcelette; Morval; Le Transloy; Ancre
July 1916, 1st Bn. D.C.L.I returned for the Battle of the Somme, heavily engaged at High Wood, Guillemont and Morval, and by September 1916 had suffered over 11,000 casualties.
1916, invalided home after suffering a gas attack in the Somme
Transferred to 3rd Bn. D.C.L.I. Golden Hill Fort, Freshwater, Isle of White
August 29th 1916, Grandad married Violet Gertrude Drew, Stationed at Golden Hill Camp, Freshwater, Isle of White, Sergeant, 3rd Bn. D.C.L.I.
1917, Stationed at Freshwater on the Isle of Wight. The Battalion were stationed in the Isle of Wight until March 1918.
22nd April 1918, Dorothy Ethel Battman was born to Granddad and Violet.
Grandad's occupation of birth certificate: Sergeant, 3rd Bn. D.C.L.I. living at 13 Trelawney Road, Falmouth, which appears to be Violets parent’s home.
1918, Grandad promoted to Acting Warrant Officer Class 2
Grandad awarded the Victory, British & 14-15 Star Medal
30th August 1919 or 1920, 3rd Bn. D.C.L.I. moved from Freshwater to Ballyshannon where it absorbed the last remnants of the 1st Battalion. The composite body of the 1st and 3rd Battalions became the new 1st Battalion. It moved to Ballykinlar where it remained, mostly engaged in internal security duties in Belfast, until February 1922 when it again moved, this time to Dublin where the pre-Irish Independence rebellion was in full swing. I do not believe Grandad was in Ireland.
August 1920. Grandad's original regimental number was 9188 which was changed to 5429151 when army numbers were substituted for regimental numbers.
4th November 1920, Discharged from Reserve, Hernia L & R, Rank Sergeant acting Warrant Officer Class II
2nd June 1919 or 12 January 1921, Joined the metropolitan police
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