- Gloucestershire Regiment
Link to Gloucestershire Regiment Museum
At the outbreak of war the Gloucestershire Regiment comprised 3 regular and 3 territorial units. During the war an additional 18 service and reserve battalions were formed. Intotal 16 battalions in the Gloucestershires served in all theatres of war.
Men on the Gates served in the Gloucestershire Regiment –
Lieutenant Crescens Bason, Manchester Rgt att. 1 Bn Worcestershire Rgt. DoW 29 April 1918, Crouy British Cemetery, Crouy sur Somme. Enlisted in Gloucestershire (Private 32516) before a commission in the Manchester Regiment and attached Worcestershire Regiment.
1 Bn Gloucestershire Regiment – 3 Brigade, 1 Division.
The 1 Bn Gloucestershire Regiment was a regular army unit posted at Aldershot they went over to France on 13 August 1914. They fought at all major engagements on the Western Front – 1914, Mons, Marne, Aisne; 1915, Aubers and Loos; 1916, the Somme; 1917, Third Ypres; and 1918, Kaiser Offensive and the ‘100 Days’. At the war’s end the battalion were part of the Occupation Force stationed at Bonn.
Lance Corporal 7828 John Williams, 22 December 1914, Le Touret Memorial (unknown).
1/5 Bn Gloucestershire Regiment – 135 Brigade, 48 (South Midland) Division
The 1/5 Bn Gloucestershire Regiment was a territorial unit mobilised in August 1914 at Gloucester and arriving in France on 29-30 March 1915. They fought at all the major engagements on the Western Front until November 1917 when they moved to the Italian Front. They returned to France in September 1918.
1/6 Bn Gloucestershire Regiment – 144 Brigade, 48 (South Midland) Division
The 1/6 Bn Gloucestershire Regiment was a territorial unit mobilised in August 1914 at Bristol and arriving in France on 29-30 March 1915. They fought at all the major engagements on the Western Front until November 1917 when they moved to the Italian Front. They returned to France in September 1918.
Italy – Officers and men of the Gloucestershire Regiment (48th Division) at entrance to their dug-out in the rocks. The officer on the far right is of the Machine Gun Corps, probably of the 48th Battalion MGC. (IWM Q 26671)
Private 265819 Henry Davies, Died 17 July 1916, Serre Road Cemetery No 2
12 Bn Gloucestershire Regiment (Bristol’s Own ‘Pals’) – 95 Brigade, 5 Division
Battle of Morval. 25-29 September. Troops of the 12th Battalion of the Gloucestershire Regiment (“Bristol’s Own”) moving up in support in open order near Ginchy. 25 September 1916. (IWM Q 4287)
The 12 Bn Gloucestershire Regiment was a service unit, the ‘Bristol Pals’, raised by a Citizens Committee at Bristol on 30 August 1914. The battalion landed in France on 21 November 1915. The battalion was originally in 32 Division but at this time was transferred to the regular army 5 Division, – the policy being to ‘stiffen’ up the volunteer battalions by dispersing them into regular divisions. The battalion first saw action in 1916 on the Somme and in 1917 at Arras and Third Ypres and in 1918 during the Kaiser Offensive and 100 Days. The battalion was disbanded in October 1918.
Second Lieutenant John J Garland, DoW 9 July 1918, Tannay British Cemetery, Thiennes.
Grenadier Guards.
1 Bn grenadier Guards
Lance Serjeant 23197 Victor John Herriman West Felton War Memorial
4 Bn Grenadier Guards
Private 17261 Frank Buckle, St Martin’s & West Felton War Memorials
END