The Bantams

[mattsmith1972]

Folks

I'm looking for as much info on the Bantams as I can find.

My late grandfather joined the Bantams and saw action on the Somme along with his 3 brothers. I do not know which battalion he was in but need some pointers to know where to start my research.

He survived and made it home at the end of the war but lost his younger brother whom is still missing but listed on the Tyne Cot memorial.

My grandfather was Sgt Gilbert Larcombe Smith and I do not know his service number

His younger brother who was lost 22/08/17 is Pte Wilfred Rowsell Smith 33989 of Duke of Cornwalls Light Infantry, 6th Battalion. The 2 other brothers whom also survived were Leslie & Cecil Smith. I know the 4 brothers were not together in the same battalion from my grandfathers memoirs. Unfortunately his memoirs were very short as like many survivors he did not wish to talk about the war in detail.

I have no further information and am struggling to find new infomation. The 4 brothers are of course all gone today
.
If anyone can offer any help please make contact via PM

Many thanks, Matt

[qms]

Matt,

Did you get the PM?

Tom

[mattsmith1972]

Jan 11, 2011 6:51:34 GMT -8 qms said:

Matt,

Did you get the PM?

Tom

HI QMS

Yes that's him all right

4 members of my family had signed up for the war: Leslie, Gilbert, Wilf & Cecil.

There are no service papers for Wilf & Cecil as they were burnt when the Luftwaffe bombed the War Office.

Wilf was killed 22/08/1917 in the Inverness Copse area of the Ypres Salient but I have now finally have the full story of his last battle. Wilf was 6th DCLI, the other 3 were Gloucester Bantams

I got to visit his battlefield in August which was quite a pilgrimage.

Sorry to not reply til now I had forgotten this forum existed

thanks for your ancestry search - it is much appreciated

Matt