abbott

UK, British Officer Prisoners of War, 1914-1918 Name:W J G Abbott Rank:2/Lt. Regiment:12th Battalion. Gloucestershire Regiment Date Missing:25 Jun 1918 Repatriation Date:29 Nov 1918 Record Number:2375 Section:Western Theatre of Operations.

British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920 Name:W J G Abbott [Wm John Gey Abbott] Regiment or Corps:Gloucestershire Regiment, 12/Glouc R Regimental Number:2487TF, 240581

England & Wales, Death Index, 1916-2006 Name:William J G Abbott Birth Date:abt 1891 Date of Registration:Jul-Aug-Sep 1965 Age at Death:74 Registration district:Gloucester City Inferred County:Gloucestershire Volume:7b Page:409

England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966 Name:William John Guy Abbott Probate Date:30 Sep 1965 Death Date:10 Jul 1965 Death Place:Gloucestershire, England Registry:Gloucestershire, England

An initial appointment on Commissioning to the 3rd Battalion would have been normal as it was a Home Service (Reserve) battalion, based variously at Abbey Wood 1914, Gravesend 1915 and Sittingbourne-Medway from 1916 with the Thames and Medway Garrison. Historydevotee has been very thorough in tracing his eventual posting to 12th (Service) Battalion (Bristol). W J G Abbott in this photograph is wearing the rank of Lieutenant - it was probably taken after the Armistice. William John Guy Abbott, b. 6 November 1890 at 11 Grove Street, Gloucester. Son of William and Kate Abbott. In 1901 the family Abbott lived at 2 Windmill Parade, Gloucester. His father was a hotel manager and he had two sisters, Winifred and Dorothy. William Abbott voluntarily enlisted on 27 August 1914 as a Private soldier, No 2487, in 1/5th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment. His home address was given as: Endcliffe House, Seymour Road, Gloucester; and his occupation as Grocer. He went to France with 1/5th Battalion on 28 March 1915 and was promoted to unpaid Lance Corporal on 29 March 1915. Promoted to Corporal on 14 July 1915. He qualified as a 'grenadier' (bomber) on November 1915 while serving with 'A' Company. He was receiving pay as a Lance Sergeant from 14th January 1916, an Acting Sergeant from 17th March 1916, before being promoted to Sergeant on 29th March 1916. He was wounded in action by a gunshot wound to the right knee on 18 November 1916 in the front line at Le Sars. The Battalion had, only that morning, moved into the front line on a snowy day. They suffered 1 killed, 2 missing and 28 wounded. Evacuated home on 25 November 1916 he was admitted to 2nd S.G. Hospital, Bristol. On discharge from hospital he was posted to 4th Battalion The Gloucestershire Regiment as an Officer candidate. Commissioned on 29 January 1918 he was held on the strength of 3rd Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment based at Maidstone, until on 14 June 1918 he was posted to 12th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment at Arcade Camp in Divisional Reserve. On 25 June 1918 the Battalion was near the forest of Nieppe, pushed forward into a farming area of standing wheat fields on the Caudescure Road; he later wrote: "At 5.45 pm I left our trenches and accompanied by 2nd Lt. R.W. Drew and an NCO to reconnoitre a house in enemy lines, known to be held at night, but uncertain as to whether held by day.... In crossing the exposed portion of the ground the NCO was hit. I ran forward from the wheat and with Mr Drew got the wounded NCO as far as possible under cover close to the house. As the house was apparently deserted and the NCO was confident the shot had entered his back, Mr Drew returned to our lines, to ascertain if anyone had fired from our lines and to bring back stretcher-bearers. I stayed to protect the NCO who was shot through the lungs and in very serious condition. I then observed an advanced enemy post on the left side of the house, the sentry of which having fired at and hit the NCO, had run along the trench to warn the remainder of the garrison...... As our position was perilous the NCO endeavoured to crawl back to the wheat from which position I could have got him back to our lines. I covered his retirement. He only moved about 5 yards and then lay motionless. I moved back towards him when heavy rifle fire opened up from the hostile post. Rolling into some broken ground, I lay motionless ..... about 20 minutes elapsed and Mr Drew returned and hailed me cautiously from the edge of the wheat field. I commanded him to keep out of sight, but it was too late and fire was opened again, Mr Drew being hit through the head and killed instantly. I decided that my best chance was to wait until dusk and then get back, as the NCO was dead. It was then about 6.45 pm. About 30 minutes elapsed when, to my great dismay, I glanced up and saw Germans not 3 or 4 yards away. They had come around the house to get the bodies in. They saw me and covered me and I was taken back to their trench. I was kept in this post until dusk..... At night I was taken to the rear of enemy lines and from there to a village near Lille, where I had the usual examination by enemy intelligence officers, afterwards being sent to Lille. I was officially reported killed on June 25th." The War Diary of 12 GLOSTERS states: 25 June 1918 "2nd Lts R.W. Drew and W.J.G. Abbott and 1 OR killed while on patrol."* From 'The Narrative of Lt-Col. H.A. Colt, DSO, MC, 12th Gloucesters': "On the 25th June 1918 while again in the line in the neighbourhood of Caudescure 2 newly joined officers attempted a daylight reconnaisance of a supposed enemy house. One officer (2/Lieut. Drew) and the NCO who accompanied were killed; the other officer, 2/Lieut. Abbott gallantly attempting to rescue them found himself in open country under heavy rifle fire at close range. It was certain death to move, so he had to lie "doggo" hoping to get away at dusk. The Bosche, however, had him under good observation, stalked him at dusk, got the drop on him and took him prisoner. But this we did not learn until after the Armsitice; we thought him dead also." W J G Abbott was repatriated on 22 November 1918. He arrived in England 29 November 1918 and made a statement of capture on 14 December 1918. On 15 March 1919 he applied for a permanent commission in the Regular Army. Although his application was recommended it is stamped 'not selected'. He demobilised 22 August 1919 and relinquished his commission on 1 April 1920. Full acknowledgement to 'The Great War Forum' of 23 Feb 2007.//

It seems as though the King's Liverpool Regt. Had only one officer with the name W Abbott and he was 2Lt.William Abbott of the 9th Btn. His entry in the Medal Cards Index records his address as Pinewood Sanatorium, Wokingham, Berks. Pinewood Sanatorium was a TB hospital so I wonder if he was a patient suffering from the disease?

I don't know anything about this man but in the 1970s I did know someone called John Abbott from Derby who was uncannily like this man (no longer in touch, I'm afraid). Perhaps this man might be from Derby? An inquiry to the Derby local paper might produce a response?

This could be tenuous and I hope someone with access to better records can come in and prove \ disprove the following.

I couldn't find a Medal Index Card Listing at the National Archive for a Lieutenant J P Abbott using most of the variations I could think off. So then I wondered if perhaps the photograph was taken while he was in training and that he was promoted prior to actual entering a Theatre of War - and that higher rank would be on the MIC.

So I tried searching for him as Captain Abbott of the Artillery and came up with a potential match - a Joseph Palmer Abbott, a Captain of the Royal Field Artillery. Most intriguing was the fact that his previous rank had been Private 1792 in the Australian Infantry Force. The Medal Index Card reference is WO 372/1/2434
discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=D9...

Of course if that was all I had I would have left it there - there is no matching candidate on the Commonwealth War Graves Commissions site for example. However there are a lot of good sources out there about individuals who served in the AIF - and a search for more information about Joseph Palmer Abbott produced an article in the Australian National Biography series about him - both his wartime service and subsequent role in the Australian Wool Industry and Australian Politics. The crux is that the article is illustrated with a picture (taken circa 1940) of an older man but there are definately a number of shared characteristics. My supposition is that its the same individual.

I won't post more here from his biography in case I'm wrong, but heres a link so you can check out the picture.
adb.anu.edu.au/biography/abbott-joseph-palmer-joe-9303

His Australian Army Records can be seen here
recordsearch.naa.gov.au/NameSearch/Interface/ItemDetail.a...

Supplement 11286 to the London Gazette dated 24th September 1918 publishes the Citation for the award of the Military Cross to Joseph Palmer Abbott, but shows him to be serving with the South African Force:

Lieutenant Joseph Palmer Abbott RFA; Special Reserve.

"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when enemy shelling set fire to charges and exploded shells in two gun pits. He ran with two men and jumped into a burning pit, and by tearing down the burning camouflage, extinguished the fire. His promptitude and courage were of great service."

On 2nd November 1918, Lieutenant J. P. Abbott MC RFA (Special Reserve), was appointed Acting Captain whilst 2nd in Command, (BK - Battery Captain), of a Battery; [London Gazette of 7th January 1919].

Lieutenant J. P. Abbott MC RFA relinquished his Commission wef 1st April 1920 [London Gazette of 17th August 1920].//

Moominpappa06 The photo is of him or a close relative.

Ancestry shows him to be the youngest son of Sir Joseph Palmer Abbott (1842-1901). JPA jnr was born 18 Oct 1891 and died 7 May 1965 according to online family trees. Australian Electoral Rolls show him living in Scone, Paterson, New South Wales.