"B" Co. 13th (Forest of Dean) Battn. Glos. Regt. at Malvern

Joe wrote: "A poignant picture of B company 13th battalion Glosters (pioneers) formed at Malvern in December 1914 by Lieut-Colonel H Webb. Sent to France 3rd of March 1916. ( Info from Glosters museum) My Grandfather Joseph Buffrey is in there somewhere, later Sgt Buffrey recipient of the military medal. He survived the awful WW1".

Sam Eedle added (Jan 2012): "... This picture was taken on the Madresfield estate near Malvern in March 1915. The 13th Glosters were at that time billeted in the town. Cannot I.D. which one Joe Buffrey is but would very much like to contact Joe Buffrey's grandson as I am writing a book about the battalion. (samATeedleDOTwyenetDOTcoDOTuk)

Louise Maher added (Jan 2014): "... Can't identify which person it is but my great Uncle Nelson Lucas was a private in this Battalion and was killed in France on the 30th April 1918. He only has a name on a wall rather than a grave".

Sam Eedle added (Jan 2014): "... The disappearance and death of Nelson James Lucas (No 34448) is something of a mystery. Although he was stated in 'Soldiers Died in the Great War' as having being born in Cinderford, he was not an original member of the Battalion. Therefore he was not in the 'B' Company picture taken at Madresfield in Spring 1915. He enlisted, in Bristol, from the evidence of his number sometime in 1916. He was reported missing during 21st-30th April 1918, being listed as either in 'C' or 'D' Company. In March 1918, the Battalion had fought a ten-day series of rearguard actions during the infamous 'March Retreat, aka the great German Spring Offensives. In April, after a minimal period out of the line, 350 of the remaining men of the exhausted battalion were sent up to the Ypres Salient, as part of a Composite Battalion with a similarly-sized remnant of the 13th Royal Sussex, and held the line between Spoil Bank and The Bluff, just under 3 miles south of Ypres. On the morning of 26th April they fought a desperate holding action against German forces who attacked out of the morning mist, and most of the Composite Battalion were cut off and either killed or captured. Only 67 men of the 13th Glosters returned to their HQ.
It can only be presumed that Pte Lucas died during that action, or as a prisoner shortly afterwards. His body was never found, which explains why he is on Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing. If you need to get further information, or you have a picture of Pte Lucas (which I'd be very interested to see) please contact through the webmaster of the Tewkesbury Historical Society (www.ths.freeuk.com) Sam Eedle".

Paul Dixon added (May 2015): "... Just found this thread. My mothers uncle was nelson Lucas who was indeed killed in France in 1918. My mother has lots of old photos of the family, if anyone requires info then feel free to contact me - PpsconstructionukATgmailDOTcom ".

Philip Symonds added (June 2016): "... I think the man 2nd from left maybe my grandfather James Neal. I believe at the time he enlisted he was living in the Guarlford / Upton upon Severn area. I believe he was medically discharged".

Nick Duberley added (April 2022): " ... My Grandfather was George Worgan. I believe he joined up in 1914 and was in the 13th Gloucester Regiment. He was blinded by shrapnel at Ypres in 1917. He then was sent to St Dunstan's for rehabilitation and finally arrived back at Soudley in 1918. He had a shop making mats and repairing shoes for some time in Commercial Street Cinderford. I can't recognise him from the photo - he'd have been around 29 at the time, short and probably with a moustache. His daughter, Gladys Duberley (my mother), wrote her autobiography Heaven Lies About Us most of which is centred on the period from 1914 to 1918. I have a website you can reach me on - Nick Duberley.

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