Pte
Reginald John Gurd
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 21/12/1894 |
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Place of birth: Tisbury, Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom |
Army information
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Country: England, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 32997 |
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Units: — Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire Regiment), 6th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 20/09/1917 |
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Place of death: Hessian Wood, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 22 |
Memorial
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Tyne Cot Memorial Panel: 120 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 1
| #1 | Place of birth |
My story
Private Reginald John Gurd, a former farm labourer, was part of the 6th Battalion The Duke of Edinburgh’s (Wiltshire Regiment), 58th Brigade, 19th (Western) Division.
His battalion took part in the Battle of the Menin Road on 20 September 1917. The 19th Division attacked at 5.40. a.m. with two brigades: the 58th Brigade and the 57th Brigade. The 58th Brigade attacked with the 6th Wiltshires, 9th Welsh Regiment and 9th Cheshires. The 9th Royal Welsh Fusiliers were in support.
The 6th Wiltshires attacked on the far right side of the Division, with the 9th Welsh Regiment on their left and the canal bank on their right. The Regiment was able to capture their objectives (O6. a. 75. 56. – O6. a. 2.5.) and formed a defensive flank for the 9th Welsh on their left, who were held up by enemy fire and did not reach their objective. At 6.24 a.m. the Wiltshires continued their advance and their final objective (a line due east from the canal to Game Copse) was reached. The attackers suffered mainly from sniper fire and fire from German dugouts.
The War Diary notes that, in addition of the officer casualties, 119 other ranks were wounded and 24 were killed. Private Reginald John Gurd was most likely one of the 24 men that were killed during the attack.
His battalion took part in the Battle of the Menin Road on 20 September 1917. The 19th Division attacked at 5.40. a.m. with two brigades: the 58th Brigade and the 57th Brigade. The 58th Brigade attacked with the 6th Wiltshires, 9th Welsh Regiment and 9th Cheshires. The 9th Royal Welsh Fusiliers were in support.
The 6th Wiltshires attacked on the far right side of the Division, with the 9th Welsh Regiment on their left and the canal bank on their right. The Regiment was able to capture their objectives (O6. a. 75. 56. – O6. a. 2.5.) and formed a defensive flank for the 9th Welsh on their left, who were held up by enemy fire and did not reach their objective. At 6.24 a.m. the Wiltshires continued their advance and their final objective (a line due east from the canal to Game Copse) was reached. The attackers suffered mainly from sniper fire and fire from German dugouts.
The War Diary notes that, in addition of the officer casualties, 119 other ranks were wounded and 24 were killed. Private Reginald John Gurd was most likely one of the 24 men that were killed during the attack.
Sources 5
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Ancestry https://www.ancestry.com/ Sources used |
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Chris McCarthy, Passchendaele : The Day-by-Day account, London : Unicorn Publishing Group, 2018, 76-77. Sources used |
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CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/837885/gurd,-reginald-john/ Sources used |
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Naval & Military Archive http://www.nmarchive.com/ Sources used |
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The Long, Long Trail https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/ Sources used |