S4-040199 PTE. W. BROOKER. A.S.C. Field Butchery - lied about age to enlist

S4-040199 PTE. W. BROOKER. A.S.C.

Walter Brooker was born in [Old] Basing, Hampshire, in the second quarter of 1874, possibly circa 26 May, to William, a Carman, and Caroline, and was baptised in the parish church on 26 July 1874. By the time of the 1911 census Walter was living at 8 Church Square, Basingstoke with his by-now widowed mother, Caroline, and siblings, and working as a butcher. At the time of enlistment in January 1915 he was working for John Thorneycrofts of Basingstoke. He served with the Supply branch of the Army Service Corps, also as a butcher. His next of kin upon enlistment was given as his mother, Caroline.

Having been medically examined on 2 January 1915, Walter stated his age as 35 years and 222 days (implying that he was born circa 26 May 1879, thus taking five years off his actual age). Walter enlisted for the duration of the war and joined for duty at Basingstoke on 4 January 1915, at which time he was medically graded as Class A1. He entered the France and Flanders theatre with the 19th Division Field Butchery on 16 July 1915. The function of these unit was the the supply of fresh meat to the forces in the field. He spent time with 8 Field Butchery, No.4 Lines of Communication Supply Company, and 9 Field Butchery. In November 1916 he was 'combed-out' of his lines of communication rule for infantry service, due to his high medical grade, 'for transfer to a combatant unit' and sent home to Aldershot. There he spent time with the 100th and 90th Training Reserve Battalions. He subsequently reported heart trouble caused in France in March 1917, due to his infantry training. Certainly by April 1917 he had been reclassified as medical grade B.ii.  It is not clear that he saw infantry service, and he later returned to his ASC trade, taking up his old regimental number. He subsequently served with C (Supply) Company at Aldershot. As of May 1919 his age was recorded as 48 at his last birthday. His medical examination prior to discharge confirmed the heart problem (Hypertrophy of heart) and described him as disabled, the degree of disability being under 20%.

Passing through the Fovant Dispersal Station, Pte Brooker transferred to the Army Class 'Z' Reserve on demobilization, on 18 June 1919. For his impairment he was pensioned at 5 Shillings and Sixpence weekly for one year 

Walter's postwar address was 21 Victoria Street, Basingstoke. For his service he was entitled to the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. By 1921 he was living with his family (five brothers, sister and niece) at 12 Victoria Street and working as a labourer at J J Thorneycrofts, presumably the same as his old workplace. Walter appears to have died in Basingstoke in the third quarter of 1936.

11526 Lance-Corporal Charles Henry Phillips, 2nd Battalion, King’s Own Scottish Borderers, killed in action 23 July 1916, near High Wood

11526 Lance-Corporal Charles Henry Phillips, 2^nd Battalion, King’s Own Scottish Borderers, killed in action 23 July 1916, near High Wood

Charles Henry Phillips was born and lived in Morley, in Yorkshire. An Old Contemptible, as 11526 Pte C H Phillips he disembarked in France on 15 August 1914 with the 2nd Battalion, King’s Own Scottish Borderers and would have served with the BEF in 1914 at the crucial early battles of Le Cateau and on the Aisne. In 1915 the battalion fought at Hill 60 in the Ypres salient and was then transferred to the Somme sector. There in July 1916 the battalion fought in an area between Morval and High Wood, and was part of the attacks on High Wood between 20 and 25 July 1916.

Pte Phillips was wounded in action in 1914 whilst serving with ‘A’ Company*, being reported as wounded on the Casualty List issued by the War Office for 22 September 1914. He was aged 19 at the time, with one year of service. He had been admitted, under the admission number 115, to 4^th Stationary Hospital on 17 September, most probably having been injured a couple of days prior, possibly when the battalion was crossing the Aisne at Missy on 14 September. He was under treatment for just under a fortnight for a gun shot wound to the right ear, being returned to duty on 30 September.

Whilst on the Somme, the 2nd Battalion, as part of the 13th Brigade of the 5th Division in XV Corps (General Watts), was engaged in the following places:

17 July : Meaulte (battle billets).

19 July : In front line between Bazentin-le-Grand and Longueval (old German second line).

20 July : Attack and taking of road leading from southern corner of High Wood to Longueval by A & D companies: 124 other rank casualties. Relieved at 3.30am 21/07 by 14^th Royal Warwicks).

21 July : Bazentin-le-Grand area again (old German second line).

22-23 July : night attack on Wood Lane, part of German switch line, A & D companies leading the assault for the battalion, which was in turn supporting the 1^st Royal West Kents. The 1^st Royal West Kents reached part of their objective, as did one platoon of ‘D’ Company but both were forced to withdraw to the former British line on the road by heavy German fire. The battalion suffered 110 other rank casualties, including 29 missing. Relieved from positions at 9pm and withdrew to bivouac in Pommiers Redoubt.

24th July : Pommiers Redoubt.

L-Cpl Phillips’ death was presumed on or after Sunday 23rd July 1916. He appears likely to have been one of the 29 missing casualties in the attack on Wood Lane on the 22nd/23rd.  A Red Cross enquiry was later made by a Mrs Rebecca Phillips, receiving a negative response. Charles was listed as "Missing" on the Casualty List issued by the War Office for 27 August 1916. L-Cpl Phillips’ remains were found at 57.c.S.4.b.3.3., and he was later buried and is now commemorated at Serre Road Cemetery n°2. Plot XXXIX. Row A. 11. His financial effects of £15 14s and 2s 6d and War Gratuity of £11 were split between his mother, Mrs Rebecca Shackleton, and his brother William Phillips and sister, Mrs Edith Brook. A claim for a pension was later made by Charles’ stepfather, William Henry Shackleton of 28 Bond Street, Hunslet, Leeds.

*The entry for him in the admissions and discharge book of the 4^th Stationary Hospital seems to suggest that he was serving with the 1^st KOSB, however this must be a mistake as the 1^st battalion was not in theatre at this point

47637 Cpl Thomas Mack, X/2 Trench Mortar Battery, Died of Wounds 27 Oct 16

47637 Cpl Thomas Mack, X/2 Trench Mortar Battery, Died of Wounds 27 Oct 16

Thomas Mack was born in Westport, County Mayo. He lived in Croydon and Tottenham, and Soldiers Died on the Great War suggests he enlisted at Holloway. He served as 47637 Cpl T Mack in the Royal Garrison Artillery. He entered the France and Flanders theatre of war on a base detail on 6 June 1915, as a Gunner, and was accordingly entitled to the 1915 Star. By late 1916 he was in the rank of Corporal, serving with X/2* [Medium] Trench Mortar Battery, 2nd Division. The medium batteries had joined the division in April 1916. By October 1916 the 2nd Division, which had been sent into battle on the Somme in July, was preparing for the Battle of the Ancre, the divisional artillery and trench Mortar batteries being particularly employed in cutting the enemy's wire in front of his defences, preparatory to an assault. On 25 October 1916 Cpl Mack was severely wounded, suffering several gun shot wounds (army term for any penetrating wound). The X/2 Divisional Trench Mortar Battery War Diary for October 1916 contains a reference to Cpl Mack: "25/10/16. No. of rds fired 22. Corp Mack wounded. Gnr Ballantyne 'shock'. Retaliation light." Corporal Mack was admitted to hospital (number 3 Casualty Clearing Station**) on 25 October 1916 under Index Number Of Admission T12469. This record also confirms that he was serving with X.2 Trench Mortar Battery at the time of admission. Cpl Mack died of wounds on 27 October 1916 whilst in the care of the 3rd Casualty Clearing Station, which had come to Puchevillers along with the 44th CCS in June 1916, just prior to the opening of the Battle of the Somme. He is buried at PUCHEVILLERS BRITISH CEMETERY, plot V., row E. grave 20., Somme, France, one of 1763 casualties commemorated there. As a former Croydon resident he also appears in 'Croydon and The Great War' under the Croydon Roll of Honour, whilst as an Irishman by birth he also appears on Ireland's Memorial Rolls. His financial effects, including £9 10s War Gratuity, went to his sole legatee, Bert Adkin, in 1920.

*His entry in the register of soldiers' effects has 'Y' TMB, but other records show 'X'

**TNA reference MH106/328

15103 Pte A.W.WRIGHT, 17th Battalion, King’s (Liverpool Regiment, killed in action 3 July 1916

15103 Pte A.W.WRIGHT, 17th Battalion, King’s (Liverpool Regiment, killed in action 3 July 1916

Alan William Wright was the son of WILLIAM HENRY and MARGARET ELIZABETH WRIGHT, of "REDCOT," 17, BEACH LAWN, Waterloo, LIVERPOOL. He was born on 28 October just1894 in Liverpool.

An original 'Liverpool Pal', he would have joined up by 2 September 1914 and, as 15103 Pte A.W.WRIGHT he served with the 17th Battalion of the King's (Liverpool Regiment. The 17th (1st City) was the first of the Liverpool Pals battalions to be raised by Lord Derby, being formed at Liverpool on 29 August 1914. The 17th Battalion was part of the 89th Brigade, 30th Division. He entered the France and Flanders theatre of war on 11 November 1915. Alan was aged 22 when officially recorded as killed in action on 3 July 1916. (Although it is of note that information published by the family at the time indicates thatl they understood him to have been killed on 1 July 1916.) Having successfully taken the Dublin Trench part of the defensive system, as the battalion contribution to the capture of Montauban on 1 July, on this date the battalion was in the line in Dublin Trench to the east of Montauban. At 9pm on 3 July the 27th Infantry Brigade successfully attacked the adjacent Bernafay Wood. The battalion's casualties for the day were 8 other ranks killed and 24 wounded, Alan being one of these.

A record on Lives of the First World War provides the following information, along with a photograph of Pte Wright:

"IN MEMORY OF ALAN WILLIAM WRIGHT FROM MANCHESTER BORN 28TH OCTOBER 1894 A PUPIL AT KING WILLIAM’S COLLEGE, ISLE OF MAN 1908 - 1911 KILLED IN ACTION BY A SHELL DURING THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME 3RD JULY 1916 AGED 21".

His financial effects of £6 3 10 and War Gratuity of £8 10 were sent, in 1916 and 1919 respectively, to the administrator of his estate, Dr William H Wright.

Having no known grave, Pte Wright is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Pier and Face 1 D 8 B and 8 C.

Image: Lord Kitchener inspecting troops in front of St George's Hall, Liverpool, on 20 March 1915.

Silver War Badge, number 407289 issued to Pte Charles William Henry Andrews, 1/6th and 1/5th Royal Warwickshire Regiment, wounded in action 1 July 1916

 Silver War Badge, number 407289 issued to Pte Charles William Henry Andrews, 1/6th and 1/5th Royal Warwickshire Regiment, wounded in action 1 July 1916

Silver War Badge, remains of old enamelling and conversion from brooch fastening to stickpin. 

 

Private Andrews served in the 1/6th and 5th Battalions, Royal Warwickshire Regiment. These were Territorial Force formations. Pte Andrews was a pre-war Territorial, having attested for the Territorial Force at Birmingham on 20 February 1914 and been given the regimental number 2199 upon appointment to the 6th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment. His 'apparent age' on attestation was 18 years 5 months and he stood 5' 10" tall with a 36" chest measurement and physical development described as 'good'. Upon the outbreak of war he was embodied for service with the 1/6th Battalion on 5 August 1914. He gave his address as 9 Clark Street, Ladywood, Birmingham. 

He entered the France and Flanders theatre on 22 March 1915 and was accordingly entitled to the 1914-15 Star. The 1/6th battalion was in Brigadier-General B.C. Dent’s 143rd Brigade of the 48th (south Midland) Division. Pte Andrews served with his battalion on the Somme, when on 1 July 1916 the battalion (along with the sister 1/8th) was attached to the 4th Division for the attack on the German front line, including the position known as the Heidenkopf Redoubt or Quadrilateral. In this action the battalion was a support battalion, following up behind the attack of the 1/8th Royal Warwickshires.    

The 4th, 29th, 31st, and 48th Divisions formed part of VIII Corps under Lt-General Hunter-Weston and occupied the stretch of the British line towards the northern end of the Somme fighting front. The northern end of the corps sector was roughly opposite the German fortified village of Serre, the centre being opposite Beaumont-Hamel (also heavily fortified), and the southern end being roughly opposite the village of Beaucourt. The Corps had the task of forming a defensive flank at and including Serre (the job of 31st Division at the northern end of the attacking front), whilst the 4th and 29th Divisions (in the centre and south respectively) would cross the Beaumont-Hamel valley and Beaucourt spur, take the German intermediate line (Munich trench) and then press on to their portion of the German second line, Puisieux trench,  which ran from Grandcourt to Puisieux. The 4th Division, being in the centre of the attacking front, deployed the loaned units of 143rd  (the 1/8th Royal Warwickshire leading the assault) to their left front, with units of the 11th Brigade to the centre (1st Rifle Brigade) and right (1st East Lancashire Regiment) of the divisional front. 

The assaulting battalions immediately ahead of the 1/6th Royal Warwickshire (1/8th Royal Warwickshire, and to their right, the 1st Rifle Brigade) advanced promptly at 7.30am, but were immediately met by machine gun and artillery fire. This was slightly reduced in intensity by the effect of the swell of the Redan Ridge in relation to the right company of the 1/8th Warwickshires and the left company of the 1st Rifle Brigade, and these units were able to penetrate into the Heidenkopf/Quadrilateral (a German defensive position on the Serre-Mailly road forming a salient in the German line and which had been partially blown by the German at the outset of the attack) , cross the German front line and take part of the support trench. The left company of the 1/8th was not so fortunate, however, being exposed to heavy machine-gun fire from the direction of Serre, and after overrunning the front-line trench only managed to get small parties as far as the support trench. 

At 7.40am the 1/6th Royal Warwickshires left the assembly trenches, ten minutes behind the 1/8th Royal Warwickshires. Passing over the Quadrilateral, which had been overrun by the 1/8th, it pressed on to the German front line and made touch on the right with the 1st  Rifle Brigade and 1st Somerset Light Infantry, although the left companies, again coming under heavy fire from machine guns in front of Serre, were unable to make progress. The battalion therefore assisted the 1/8th in consolidating the position. The war diary comments “...heavy casualties – about 80 before crossing our own lines- mingled with 1/8th R War R immediately on reaching German lines – worked up as far as third line – first and second wave battalions on the right had advanced no further – 31st Division on left also hung up  - certain units reaching SERRE – enemy's opposition  a well-distributed barrage and very severe cross machine gun  fire – 12th Inf Bde followed but were unable to advance further than line held by 11th Inf Bde. 

The one officer unhit (2/LT J.G. Cooper) returned with a message to Brigade H.Q. between 11 and 12 a.m. The line, which was being consolidated, was severely pressed on the flanks and forced to withdraw to the Quadrilateral from where the few remaining men were sent back to our lines about 7 p.m. All that could be collected were taken back to MAILLY at midnight.” 

In this action the battalion suffered an estimated 436 casualties, 120 killed and missing and 316 wounded, including the commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel W.H. Franklin. The Heidenkopf/Quadrilateral position was largely given up before dawn the following morning in consideration of the absence of reserves to consolidate the position, given the 4th  Division's 4,700 casualties.  

Pte Andrews was shown on his service record as being wounded in action on 2 July 1916, however this is almost certainly a mistake for 1 July, as on 2 July the battalion is stated by the war diary to have been in billets at Mailly, “gradually assembling – until total of 176 reached”. Subsequently the battalion was sent to Couin. He suffered a gun shot wound (army term for any penetrating wound) to his left leg (thigh) and arm, his leg later being amputated. He was evacuated home from the France and Flanders theatre on 4/5 July 1916. 

 Record MH106/1533 from the MH106 series (probably, going by the attribution of the records immediately following and proceeding, and the wider sequence 1525-1584 within which it fits, from the County of Middlesex War Hospital at Napsbury) confirms that 20 year-old 2199 Pte W.H. Andrews of the 1/6th Royal Warwickshire Regiment was under their care for a Gunshot wound IX (1) chest, non-penetrating, from 5 July until transferred to furlough on 29 August 1916. The record confirms that at the time of admission he had accrued 2 years 5 months service, of which he had spent 1 year 3 months with the Field Force. The record also confirmed that he was a member of the Church of England. 

As Private 2199 Andrews, C W H, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, he was Listed as "Wounded" on the Casualty List issued by the War Office from 21st August 1916. He was thereby entitled to wear a "Wound Stripe" as authorised under Army Order 204 of 6th July 1916, the terms of this award being met by naming in this list. This list also gave his Resided Place as 'Birmingham'. He was later placed on the strength of the 2/5th Royal Warwickshire Regiment.  

Subsequently, in March 1917 he was issued the new six-digit regimental number 203476, and it was under this number that his Silver War Badge, number 407289, was issued; he received his Badge on 20 April 1918. 

He was discharged, aged 21,  on 20 March 1918 under paragraph 392 xvi of King's Regulations and Paragraph 2(b) of Army Order 265/17. The Silver War Badge roll confirms that his discharge was due to wounds. He was pensioned at 27/6 weekly for two months in the first instance. His address at the time was 9 Clark Street, Ladywood, Birmingham (the same as his address on attestation - also the address of his next of kin, his father C Andrews). He also received the King's Certificate (no.860), confirming receipt on 6 June 1918. 

 

He received his 1914-15 Star on 22 May 1921, and his British War Medal and Victory Medal some time after August 1920.