Service Record H.J Watkins 2385 WW!

Service Record H.J Watkins 2385 WW!

1st January 1894 - 3rd May 1915

SERVICE RECORD HERBERT JAMES WATKINS PRIVATE 2385 Monmouthshire Regiment Badge 2ND BATTALION MONMOUTHSHIRE REGIMENT SOUTH WALES BORDERERS.   S.W.B Regiment Badge SOUTH WALES BORDERERS 2nd Battalion Monmouthshire Regiment Men of Harlech stop your dreaming can’t you see their spear points gleaming See their warrior's pennants streaming to this battle field Men of Harlech stand ye steady it cannot be ever said ye for the battle were not ready Stand and never yield From the hills rebounding Let this war cry sounding Summon all at Cambria's call the mighty force surrounding Men of Harlech onto glory this shall ever be your story Keep these fighting words before ye Welshmen will not yield   Death Certificate WATKINS Herbert James 2385 South Wales Borderers. Home Office Record issued at Shrewsbury on 31 -5 -1919 Awarded British War Medal 1914 -20 1914 Star Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery Casualty Details Name Watkins Herbert James Rank Private Regiment Monmouthshire Regiment Unit Text 2nd Battalion Age 21 years Date of Death 03 – 05 – 1915 Service No 2385 Additional Born Trevethin -Son of James and Rachel Watkins of Gilly Pystill Tranch Pontypool Monmouthshire Casualty type. Commonwealth War dead Grave Ref. I.L32 – ‘La Brique’ Military Cemetery No 2. Herbert James Watkins Military Service. The 2nd Battalion Monmouthshire Regiment were one of only a small number of Territorial Battalions to have been granted the 1914 Star. They were mobilised for active service on August 4th 1914 and remained on active service in Germany and the Army of Occupation until May 1919. In November 1914, the Battalion entered the trenches near the Belgium Town of Ypres. Large numbers of the soldiers had served underground and it was not long before the Battalion became well known for its efficiency in trench building. The Regiment had the honour of obtaining the first Distinguished Conduct Medal to be granted to a Territorial Unit and their honours list is probably as large as any Territorial Battalion. In 1914 the Battalion was very much made up of men from Abercarn, Blaenavon, Crumlin, Cwmbran, Llanhilleth, Monmouth, Usk Garndiffaith.and Pontypool, with its headquarters at Pontypool. The ages and experiences of the Battalion varied considerably from the boy soldier right through to the veteran of the Boer War. The Territorial Force was made up of volunteers who trained as soldiers on a part time basis. They were expected to undertake 20 drill nights and weekends and an annual training camp of 2 weeks. In 1908 they were renamed and became the ‘2nd Battalion ‘The Monmouthshire Regiment’ with their headquarters in Pontypool under the command of Colonel Joseph Bradley who previously commanded the 3 Volunteer Battalions of the South Wales Borderers. On August 4th 1914 war was declared on Germany and Private Herbert James Watkins 2385 was a volunteer reserve member with the ‘2nd Battalion The Monmouthshire Regiment’. When the Battalion mobilized the following day the 5th of August 1914 Private Watkins joined his company and with the other companies of the 2nd Battalion Monmouthshire Regiment left by train the next day for Pembroke Dock to form part of the Welsh Border Brigade, Welsh Division. Conditions at Pembroke were poor and the men slept 22 in a tent and had only army biscuits to eat and on August 10 the Battalion was moved to Oswestry. On August 20 1914, the Battalion moved to Northampton where they were billeted 2 or 3 in private homes while their training levels were increased and new equipment was issued. On 5 November 1914 Private Watkins and the Battalion left Southampton for France on the ‘Manchester Importer’ which was a cattle ship where the men slept on straw and had their first taste of bully beef and biscuit. The Battalion landed at Le Havre France on 7 November 1914 after being on board ship for 48 hours. The Battalion strength was recorded as having 30 Officers and 984 other ranks. On arrival they marched five miles in full pack and gear to a rest camp before walking back the following morning to catch a train for a further 25 hour trip to their new training camp at Wizerne. After 2 weeks of training at Wizerne the Battalion marched to Hazebrouck and then Bauyeul where they were billeted in a Convent School. On November 20, 1914 they moved to a factory in Le Bizet where they joined the 12th Brigade – 4th Division ready for active service. The Battalion began preparation for trench duty which was accomplished by each company being attached to an experienced front line unit for a few days to get the feel of and understand trench life. For the 2nd Battalion - ‘C’ Company was attached to the 2nd Lancashire Fusiliers and ‘D’ Company were attached to the 2nd Essex Regiment and these were relieved by ‘A’ and ‘B’ Companies on 23 November. They spent 4 days in and 4 days out of the trenches and were up to their knees in mud and there was frost

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  • Profile picture for Herbert James Watkins

    Born 1894

    Died 1915

    British Army 2385 Private Monmouthshire Regiment