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TYNESIDE IRISH
In the case of both my paternal and maternal grandfather, they initially
enlisted in the CEF and then transferred to the BEF. This has become a
topic of some discussion with a number of researchers. I have posted an
interesting response from Chris
Wright on a note page that provides for an interesting analysis of the
events of the time.
Transfers
of Soldiers from the CEF to Officers in the BEF
These pages on the Tyneside Irish will soon
contain a number of specific links to references on the Tyneside Irish Brigade
and specifically the 26th Northumberland Fusiliers. As noted in the
title to this site, the 26th NF we part of the 34th Division of the 3rd
Army. As such, we will also provide information from the 34th
Division. For details on armies, divisions and battalions, please see T.
F. Mills excellent work at www.regiments.org.
In many of the records, the Northumberland
Fusiliers are referenced as the "Fighting Fifth" which I
must presume comes from their origins as the 5th of Foot Regiment, one of
the oldest in the British Army. There are references to this in the Walker
text on "The History of the Northumberland Fusiliers 1674-1902".
From the listing for this book at the NAVAL
AND MILITARY PRESS we know the following:
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The 5th Foot. Raised in Holland in 1674
as an Irish regiment. Officially British Army 1688. N America, Canada, S
America, W Indies, the Peninsular War, India (three VCs during the Mutiny)
and S African War where story ends in 1902.
The
Northumberland Fusiliers (the ‘Royal’ title was conferred in 1935) was
one of the oldest regiments in the British Army, the 5th of Foot. I say
‘was’ because it no longer exists as such, having become the 1st
Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers in 1968. But all this is well
after the period covered in this book. The regiment was raised in Holland
in 1674 as an Irish regiment by Lord Clare and in 1688 it officially
became part of the British Army; in 1747 it was numbered 5th Regiment of
Foot. During the next 155 years it fought in more than fifty campaigns and
battles across the world - in N America, Canada, S America, West Indies,
the Peninsula, India (three VCs were won during the Mutiny) and finally S
Africa where this history ends.
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Links from this page:
Without doubt, the most important book on the
Tyneside Irish is that written by John Sheen (1998). While mentioning
this, I must also note that I exchanged my information with John Sheen and he
was very responsive in providing clarification and additional information to
assist me in my research. You can purchase a copy of the Sheen text from
at least these two on-line locations:
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What the publishers say:
The Tyneside Irish Brigade was the 103rd
Brigade of the ill-fated 34th Division which suffered the highest
casualty rate on the opening day of the Somme, 6,380. The Tyneside Irish
were the 24th, 25th, 26th and 27th Battalions of the Northumberland
Fusiliers. Appendices contain the complete nominal roll of every man who
served in these battalions.
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Through communication with John Sheen I was able
to learn a few specific facts that were of direct interest to my research,
perhaps also to others:
 | The St. Georges Gazette of February 28, 1917
lists a number of Cadets (including George V. Laughton, Dec. 19, 1916) who
were made temporary 2nd-Lieutenants. From this, John advises me that
George V. Laughton must have been a Private or an NCO in the Canadian
Expeditionary Force (CEF), as he knew of no occasion where a Canadian (CEF)
Officer was transferred, but many situations where Privates and NCO's were
commissioned into Imperial units.
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| There is a conflict in the exact details of
George Laughton (perhaps because there are two G. Laughton's, one George and
one Geoffrey) as John Sheen reports that the battalion war diary (a copy of
which was provided for that date) shows 2nd-Lieutenant G. Laughton
joining for duty of June 26, 1917. Other documents, including original
field notes, show George V Laughton with the 26th NF as early as February
28, 1917. This coincides with the records of the London Gazette, where
Sir Douglas Haig's dispatch of May 25, 1917 refers to the exploits of George
V. Laughton of the 26th in the Scarpe Valley in March 1917. As noted
elsewhere on this site, the posting notice to the 26th NF was dated for
February 26, 1917 (coinciding with the field book notes February
1917). All of this is more or less confirmed in the Battalion War
Diary of December 5, 1917 as it reports that 2nd-Lieutentant G. (Geoffrey)
Laughton was killed in action, as confirmed by the Commonwealth
War Graves Commission (33 Laughton casualties in WW1).
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| Initially it was thought that the
alternative might be that our George Laughton re-joined the 26th in June 1917
after some period of absence - a possibility as it appeared that he was
granted and extended furlough to Canada in early May 1917 (Tab 16) but was
back at the battle in December 1917 (Tab 17) and reported missing? We
now (April 2006) know that is not correct, as the Military
Service History that we commissioned from Chris Baker arrived (it is now
posted on this site), along with a great many attachments from the UK
National Archives, which clearly show that George was sent from France, to
hospital in England, and then back to Canada on leave. The Medical
Review Boards in Canada show clearly that he was declared physically unfit
for further service. |
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