Just a quick update on my research into my great-grandfather, Oliver William Bowdler.

First, I've applied to the Western Front Association for his pension records (for those who may not have followed my exploits, a newspaper article from 1922 relating to a court-case refers to him as a discharged soldier in receipt of a pension). Unfortunately the WFA is inundated with requests at the moment - unsurprisingly - and they predict that mine will not be looked at for another couple of months.

Second - and of more relevance to other readers here - the National Archives has now digitised the War Diary of the 13th Batt. Gloucestershire Regiment; this can be downloaded from their website for the princely sum of £3.30. (The full reference is WO 95/2577/1.) More diaries are coming online every day practically - when I looked at this one just a couple of weeks ago it said it was for reference at Kew only.

Janey