19th manchester regiment history

[cannondale3767]

trying to discover what happened to my Grandad pte William Ellis Bennett 12720. Have found his papers which give me detail from enlistment 8.3.15 to transfer to machine gun corp 2.8.15 and received reg no 22868. I know he was infantry MGC but does that mean he stayed with the 19th Manchester it says on the transfer that he went to the 26th but not sure what that means?

I know he was taken pow 26th march 1918, but do not Know from where, and where he was taken to.

The only thing he told my father is that it was so bad he poored boiling water on his feet to get out of the forced labour!

ANY inf would be gratefully received . Mike Bennett

[Wendi]

Hi Mike and a Warm Welcome to our Forum!

We have William listed on our Main Page PoW section with this information:

Bennett   William Ellis      12720   19th Bn   
198 Church St Eccles   26.03.1918      
Enlisted 08.03.15 aged 19.
Occ. Lithographic Artist at CWS Print works Longsight.
Disembarked 08.11.15.
27.09.16 admitted to general Hospital at Rouen with Glandular Infection. Shipped to England on the Hospital ship SS Carisbrook Castle.
Captured 26.03.18 while attached to the MSG. Admitted to King Georges Hospital London on 11.12.18 [Suffering from debility caused by deprivation as a POW. Class Z 4-3-19

I'll move this thread to the Great War section, and see what the others can come up with.

Wendi     

[harribobs]

Hi Mike

and welcome

there is a photo of William with his platoon on nthis page, but we don't know which one he is unfortunately

19th battalion 18th platoon

I am a little surprised about the dates of his enlistment, to be in the 19th photos, he should have joined up between 28th August to 2nd Seprember 1914, also the Machine Gun Corps didn't come into existence until 1916

There is a very good section on the 19th battalion on the main site here 19th battalion history

cheers

chris

[cannondale3767]

thanks cant get the picture for some reason just the text (mistake mgc 1916 not 1915 your right).........timeline of William Ellis Bennett 12720 so far from records
enlist 8/3/15     embark ss queen alexandria to france 7/11/15      admitted to fa96? scabies a36 ed3981? 19th to 27/11/15     posted machine gun corp 4/8/16 allotted 22868 report p11 87(1)?     13/8/16 26th?   27/8/16 21st bigade mgc?   30/9/16 to hospital field infected glands neck field  25/10.16 adm no2 sty hospl amiens 29/10 adm 1 gen hopl rouen  3/10 to england ss carisbrook castle ajw 3083      5/10 e coy? sent 3rd scottish gen hosp glandular fever     5/10.96   to     14.2.1917 not sure sent home???
15.2.17  back to France      27.2.17  paid lance corporal        23/3.17  regiment conduct sheet field punishment no2 not complying with an order  sgt wrightman    maj lewis    9.12.17 appointed lance corporal  1.1.18 acting corporal   9.2.18 revert to private at own request???    26/3/18 (where was he?)  missing pr  taken prisoner of war ( where?)   6.12.1918 repatriated     11.12.18 king george hospital.
any info would be brill.....mike

[harribobs]

you need to adjust your browser settings, so you can see the pictures, they are there! 

The departure date for france is correct, but i am still dubious about that enlistment date. 

fa96? probably FH96 Field Hospital 

chris

[mack]

hiya chris.
the enlistment date is correct for those in E.coy.

mack

[harribobs]

hiya chris.
the enlistment date is correct for those in E.coy.

mack

ah!  thanks for that Mack!

[cannondale3767]

Hi sorted my browser!. I can see various pictures but none of 19th Manchester regiment , 18 platoon? Is that the part of the 19th Man he was in, I have not managed to find that anywhere? reading the  http://www.themanchesters.org/The%2019th%20bn%20part%201.htm thoroughly it refers to A,B,C and D company but I think my grandad "pte William Ellis Bennett 12720" was in E company as he enlisted late. Do we know what E company did between 7.11.1915 and 8.8.1916 when he transferred to the 21st brigade of the Machine gun corp

regards Mike

[cannondale3767]

Found the picture on another thread . William was indeed in company E 18th platoon thrilled to see the picture!!! Still would love any info on what he did between the 7.11.15 and 8.8.16. Then need to find what he did in 21st/24th/ 8th Machine gun corp.

thanks for all your help!!
Mike

[mack]

hiya mike.
your grandfather was in E.company,19th manchesters,all the E.coys of the 19th,20th and 21st battalions were withdrawn from their respective battalions to form the 26th reserve battalion manchester regt,these men were used as replacements for these three battalions,some of them were used to form the 21st MGC coy and the 21st trench mortar battery of the brigade that the 19th manchesters belonged to.

mack

[cannondale3767]

Thanks Mack!  this is so interesting.....but very complicated, I'm fortunate to have his records (some attached) .

from the forum "26th (Reserve) Battalion
"Formed in September 1915 from the depot companies of 19th, 20th and 21st Bns. Movements same as 25th Bn.
1 September 1916 : converted into 70th Training Reserve Battalion of 16th Reserve Brigade at Altcar"

  So I need to find out what he did from arriving in France 8/11/15 until 27/8/16 when he joined the 24th MGC.
The picture seems to be emerging  looking at what happened to A/B/C and D companies in the Somme from the 1st of July that he was fortunate to have enlisted late and joined the E company ...poor guys

[mack]

theres a book entitled,"orders are orders"it details the movements of the 19th manchesters,it will be a great help in finding out where your g/father was after landing in france on 8th nov 1915

mack

[cannondale3767]

Thanks again Mack. I have googled this title and can't seem to be able to find anything yet. Do you happen to Know the author? I have ordered "Manchester Pals" by Michael Stedman.

[mack]

the book is a transcription of pte albert andrews who served with the battalion,edited by sue richardson.
it will be more help to you than stedmans book,with regards to what you are looking for

mack

[kingo]

Have a look here ; http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/1852160063/ref=dp_olp_0?ie=UTF8&redirect=true&qid=1290432888&sr=8-2&condition=all   I agree with Mack, an excellent first hand account.