Trying to find WW1 British soldier number 10725

[90th Light]

I am trying to find a WW1 British soldier whose name is written in a German Guard 1915 Picklehaube.

He has written:

on the left side;

W.Treen
Cpl.
10725

and on the right side;

14-7-16
MAMETZ
Captured

What is written on the right side makes sense as an important date during the battle of the Somme and the British forces were fighting German guard and reserve guard units on that day in and around Mametz and Mametz Wood

Is there a roll or any way I can verify this soldier, his number, rank, unit and if he was fighting on the Somme on 14 July 1916 ?

Many thanks,

Chris

[Richie B]

Willam Treen 10725 Devonshire Regiment.

Medals 1914-15 Star, Victory, War.

Survived the war ended as Sergeant in the 8th Battalion which fought at Mametz Wood during the Battle of the Somme.

[John Bonnell]

Very nice indeed! Any chance of a photo of the whole thing?

[90th Light]

Willam Treen 10725 Devonshire Regiment.

Medals 1914-15 Star, Victory, War.

Survived the war ended as Sergeant in the 8th Battalion which fought at Mametz Wood during the Battle of the Somme.

Thank you for such fast help. The writing in the helmet is hard to read but it now all adds up.

I assume that the Devonshire Regiment was one of the units that relieved (or fighting along side ?) the 38th Welsh who seem to have paid a terrible price in hand to hand combat during this battle of Mametz Wood from 7 July to 12 July.

Great to also know that Willam Treen survived the Somme and the war

Again many thanks,

Chris

[90th Light]

Very nice indeed! Any chance of a photo of the whole thing?

I will see if I can get some more images added.

Being a Prussian Guards helmet adds to the Mametz Wood connection because the guards are mention more than once in some of the references on this battle;



"Mametz Wood, the largest wood on the whole Somme battlefront.
Nearly a mile wide and over a mile deep, Mametz was made up of thick trees and dense undergrowth. The wood was heavily fortified with machine guns, trenches and mortars and was defended by the well-trained and elite Lehr Regiment of Prussian Guards."



The poet Robert Graves fought in the battle and, having gone back into the wood once the battle was finally over, wrote:

"It was full of dead Prussian Guards, big men, and dead Royal Welch Fusiliers and South Wales Borderers, little men. Not a single tree in the wood remained unbroken."




Amazing anyone survived given the intensity of the fighting,

Chris

[John Bonnell]

Hi Chris
The 8th Devons were part of the 7th Division who attacked in this area on 1st July 1916 and seem to have been in more or less continuous action for at least half of the month. They took heavy losses on the first day - Google "The Devonshires held this trench".
Cheers, JB

[90th Light]

Hi Chris
The 8th Devons were part of the 7th Division who attacked in this area on 1st July 1916 and seem to have been in more or less continuous action for at least half of the month. They took heavy losses on the first day - Google "The Devonshires held this trench".
Cheers, JB

Amazing reading and bravery;

https://www.ww1cemeteries.com/devonshire-cemetery.html


On 4 July 1916, three days after the first day of the Battle of the Somme, a ceremony was held at the burial site of the 161 Devonshire Regiment men. A wooden cross was put up at the time by the survivors of the 9th and 8th Battalions of the Devonshire Regiment. The following words were carved on the wooden cross: “The Devonshires held this trench, the Devonshires hold it still.”

The above says it all, Willam Treen 10725 would have witnessed this

Chris

[90th Light]

This post card says it all too.

Here is the link;

http://a3e16e.39.ekmpowershop.net/bl...elsh-rare-bit/

Chris

[90th Light]

Bit more research about what was happening on 14 July 1916.

"This stunning Welsh dragon memorial overlooks the area where the 38th (Welsh) Division attacked Mametz Wood between 7th and 14th July 1916. The wood was eventually cleared by 14th July but at a cost of over 4,000 British casualties."

Above from this link;

http://www.greatwar.co.uk/somme/memo...8-division.htm

"The Third Phase of the Battle of the Somme started at dawn of the 14th of July with the bombardment of Mametz Wood. During the Third Phase the British concentrated on conquering the woods of the hamlets of Bazentin, Bernafay Wood near Montauban, Trones Wood near Guillemont, High Wood and Delville Wood near Longueval. This Phase would last from 14 July until 15 September 1916."

"At the same time the 7th and 21st Divisions of XV Corps attacked the woods of Bazentin Le Grand and Bazentin le Petit."

Above from this link;

http://pierreswesternfront.punt.nl/c...ban-guillemont

Chris