Military History

Theatre of War	Medals	Commonwealth War Grave or Memorial
Persia and Baku	British War & Victory Medals	Tehran Memorial
Arrived in Theatre	Medal Citation (if app)	SWFHS Area Memorials
After 1 Jan 1916	~	Moreton Morrell | Warwick | All Saints School
Action, Battle or Other Reason Killed	Date and Place Enlisted	Other War Memorials
Persian Campaign	August 1914 at Warwick
Place of Death	Previous Regiments or Units
Diga, Baku, Persia

Circumstances Leading to Death (Normally from War Diary)           

The town of Baku lies on a promontory on the western shore of the Caspian Sea. The Turks were already dangerously near; whilst the local troops were inexperienced and ill-organised, with revolutionary ideas of discipline. On August 21st 1918 a part of the [9th Bn] Royal Warwickshire was sent up to hold a line at Diga to the north of the town. During the first few-days there was nothing more noteworthy than intermittent bombardment, but on August 26 the Turks attacked the North Staffords, six miles to the west at Mud Volcano. The garrison of the post was almost annihilated, and a detachment of the Royal Warwickshire, who were sent up in
lorries from Baku, arrived too late to save the situation. As a consequence the line on the north of the town had to be somewhat withdrawn.

On August 31st the Turks again attacked the North Staffords at Binagadi Hill. [between Diga and Mud Volcano] The Armenian battalions, who were in support, bolted, and a company of the Royal Warwickshire, which was brought from Diga, was again too late to save the position. Thus the British were compelled to fall back and at night held a line (with large gaps) from Baladjari along the railway and as far as Diga, where parts of " A " and " C " Companies [9th Battalion] remained under Lieuts. Goodale and Dowie.

Next morning, September 1st, Diga was attacked in force. The Russians and Armenians on the right held for about an hour and then retired. Both flanks being now in the air the little force withdrew, fighting a rearguard action till the remnant reached headquarters at noon. 9th Battalion officers Lieuts. C. Paget and R. F. Bowen were killed, whilst Lieut. C. W. Rogers and Captain Buchanan R.A.M.C. were taken prisoners ; of the men 67 were missing. Arthur is listed as being killed on this day

Extract above from The Story Of The Royal Warwickshire Regiment - By C. L. Kingsford