5 Bridge Brothers served in ww1

[Lori16887]

I am trying to find out any information relating to my gt grandfather (James Robert Bridge) and his four brothers who all served in WW1.  3 in the 1/8th mcrs and 2 in the royal engineers.

I have the following information:

James Robert Bridge b 1887
Royal Horse Guards
Guards Machine Gun Reg
Reg 2053, 5371
Medal rolls index:
reg no 553
Theatre of war France
British Army WW1 Pension record
Territorial Force 8th (A) Bn Man Reg
signed up 12 May 1908
Service record obtained from ancestry

David Henry Bridge b 1876
1/8th Mcr R
Reg No 1183
Theatre of War served in (3)
Medal rolls index card only from ancestry

Albert Edwin Bridge b 1882
Reg No 221843
Royal Engineers
Service record obtained from ancestry

George Ruscoe Bridge
Reg 40629
signed up 25 Aug 1914
Died 9 Aug 1915 Gallipoli
Rank: SPR
Corpsof Royal Engineers
Reg No 40829
Theatre of war Balkan Theatre
Comments: 67th Field Coy RE
Soldiers who died - ancestry

Walter Goodall Bridge b 1894
Reg No 2429
8th Mcr Reg
Prov Bn 52

I understand that there was a piece in the manchester newspaper about the 5 all serving.  I am going to go to the museum but I believe that I may not be able to gather any personal information, more general information about the Bn.  I have done some research on George Ruscoe Bridge and feel that he died at Sulva Bay, his name on the local memorial there.

Is there anybody out there that could point me in the right direction.  My Gt Aunt has let me see photographs of all brothers and I feel that these should be uploaded somewhere for others to see for future generations.  Any help or information gratefully received.

Lori.

[Wendi]

Hi Lori and Welcome to our Forum !

If you are looking for the newspaper article the Central Library is where you should head.  As you rightly say the Museum does not hold personal info.  The Library is closed and temp. here http://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/500136/local_libraries/4734/city_library where they do have all the local newspapers on microfiche (you'll have to book)

With regard to the photo's we'd be happy to add them to our collection, if you wish.

Was George the only one who died?

Wendi 

[tonyrod]

HI LORI,  welcome to the forum, to give you a start  links you will find very helpful, enjoy tonyrod
1/8th (Ardwick) Battalion
August 1914 : in Ardwick. Part of Manchester Brigade, East Lancashire Division.
Record same as 1/5th Bn.

19 february 1918 : transferred to 126th Brigade in same Division.
http://www.themanchesters.org/8th%20batt.htm

1/5th Battalion
August 1914 : in Bank Chambers, Wigan. Part of Manchester Brigade, East Lancashire Division. Moved to near Rochdale.
25 September 1914 : landed at Alexandria in Egypt.
6 May 1915 : landed on Gallipoli.
26 May 1915 : formation became 127th Brigade, 42nd (East Lancashire) Division.
28 December 1915 : evacuated from Gallipoli, landed on Mudros and proceeded to Egypt.
2March 1917 : landed Marseilles and proceeded to the Western Front.

The 42nd (East Lancashire) Division in 1914-1918

http://www.1914-1918.net/42div.htm

67th Field Coy RE -------11th (Northern) Division

http://www.1914-1918.net/re.htm

The 11th (Northern) Division in 1914-1918
http://www.1914-1918.net/11div.htm

[Lori16887]

Thanks very much for this information.

Yes, George was the only one who died.  I have read the Commonwealth War Graves Commission "The Gallipoli Campaign, 1915" and now understand how he was part of the big push.  His name is on the Helles memorial.

So, James (with 6 years experience and at the age of 27) was with his brother David Henry (age 38) in Egypt and Gallipoli then discharged on 1st June 1915 due to eyesight problems (his pension record has the notes and refers to desert conditions and sand in the eyes causing long term problems).

Can I assume, that as David Henry has 3 "theatres of war" on the index card that he went onto France?   

Walter Goodall (age 20) service record says:

 "8th Mcr posted & embodied Pte 1.9.14"
 then
 "Prov Bn 52 posted Pte 13.1.16
  Prov Bn 52 Released from munition Vickers Ltd Barrow 9.5.16
  Discharged Pte 16.8.16"

From the above it seems to say to me that Walter served in Egypt, Gallipoli proceeded to Egypt with his 2 brothers and was transferred back to Barrow before France.  I know he was gassed during the war and the family put his early death down to this.  If his health suffered due to the gassing I know this can be deemed as injured and then they be transferred to the "back" such as the labour corps - would the transfer to Barrow be seen as "light duties" I wonder?

I find it quite hard to believe that these men survived when you read of the intense fighting and failure of the Gallipoli campaign.  I'd assumed by Gt Grandpop Bridge survived because he "looked after the horses" but from what I am learning conditions would have been pretty horrendous - the word "lucky" is very clear.

I have questions relating to the other 2 brothers Albert Edwin 221843 & George Ruscoe 40629 (who died at Gallipoli) in the Royal Engineers but I'll pop onto a forum specific to their Bn.

Thank you, also for the central library information.  I plan on visiting (I'm in Gloucestershire) soon so I'll go in and look.  Most of the family are buried in Phillips Park Cemetary so I'm going there too.

In the meantime, I'll seek out those photos.

Lori

[tonyrod]

hi lori,  hope this helps    Medal cards often contain abbreviations and alphanumeric codes and we have listed some common ones below The codes for those who saw their first operational service from 1 January 1916 onwards differ slightly from those who saw operational service before 1916.
Up to 31 December 1915  From 1 January 1916  
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/
1  1 Western Europe  

 a France and Belgium  

 b Italy  

2  2 Balkans  

 a Greek Macedonia, Serbia, Bulgaria and European Turkey  

 b Gallipoli (Dardanelles)  

 3 Russia (4 - 5 August 1914 to 1 - 2 July 1920)  

3  4 Egypt  

 a 4 - 5 November 1914 to 18 - 19 March 1916  

 b 18 - 19 March 1916 to 31 October - 1 November 1918  

4  5 Africa  

 a East Africa, Nyasaland and Northern Rhodesia  

 b South West Africa  

 c Cameroon  

 d Nigeria  

 e Togoland  

5  6 Asia  

 a Hedjaz  

 b Mesopotamia  

 c Persia  

 d Trans Caspia  

 e South West Arabia  

 f Aden  

 g Frontier regions of India  

 h Tsingtau  

6  7 Australasia  

 a New Britain  

 b New Ireland  

 c Kaiser Wilhelmland  

 d Admiralty Islands  

 e Nauru  

[Lori16887]

Thanks Tony,

3 now makes sense.

Lori