34092 Gunner Herbert George Styles of the Royal Garrison Artillery

A pair of medals said to be named to H G STYLES RA. I have done a quick bit of research and the medal rolls contain one H G Styles of the Artillery. that is to say 34092 Gunner Herbert George Styles of the Royal Garrison Artillery. I can't guarantee without confirmation of the regimental number on the medals that this is the same man, however it seems likely. If so, he was also entitled to the 1914-15 Star, entering the France and Flanders theatre on 3 October 1915. At some point he served with 50th Siege Battery, RGA, a 6" gun battery. By early August 1918 he was a Bombardier. He was recorded as wounded in War Office Daily List no.5664 of 7 September 1918, suggesting that he was wounded in early August. This list confirmed his next of kin address as Worcester. He was discharged to the Army Section 'B' Reserve on 14 March 1919.

G/14255 Pte T Cleary 7th Queens Prisoner of War

G/14255 Pte Thomas Cleary, 7th Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment), German Spring Offensive 1918 Prisoner of War

 Thomas Cleary was born on or about 18 December 1877 in Kilrush, County Clare. Taking up a ‘duration of war’ enlistment in the Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment (as indicated by the ‘G/’ prefix to his regimental number of G/14255), he would have gone overseas some time after 31 December 1915. Judging by the case of the closety-numbered G/14260 Pte Albert James Button, his date of enlistment/mobilisation is likely to have been around 28/29 April 1916 (Pte Button having been mobilised on the former date, and then posted to the 12th Queens’ on the latter). Although his date of posting overseas has not been recorded it is possible that Pte Cleary, like Pte Button, may have gone overseas as early as the end of September 1916. This would have put him in line to take part with the battalion in the latter stages of the Battles of the Somme and Ancre in 1916, and in 1917 the Operations on the Ancre, the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line, the Battle of Arras (Third Battle of the Scarpe), and then various battles of the Third Battle of Ypres including the Battles of Pilkem Ridge, Langemarck and both battles of Passchendaele.

He was captured at Saint Quentin or Vendeuil Fort on or about 22 March 1918, during the German Spring Offensive, whilst serving with D (or C according to one source) Company, 7th Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment). At this time the battalion was in the Vendeuil sector, having been relieved from the front line the previous week. Late on the night of 20 March the battalion ‘stood to’, manning battle positions when the German attack went in in the early morning of the 21st. After some action including the loss of a left front company patrol in the battle zone which was attempting to make contact with the enemy or reach the 7th Buffs headquarters , the battalion was forced to withdraw, initially to Frieres Wood on the 22nd, and took up defensive positions near the canal, prior to significant defensive action during the day of the 23rd – it is possibly at this time or in the context of the patrol on the 21st that Pte Cleary was captured. He was one of 19 officers and 323 men who were killed, wounded or missing during the German Spring Offensive. On 29 May 1918 he was shown as being in Prison Camp Hammelburg but on the Lazarettliste (Hospital list) . This may indicate loss of a hand and some kind of injury to his thigh (verl.Hand U Schkl).

War Office Daily List No. 5688 of 5 October 1918 confirms him as wounded and prisoner of war, based on a list received from the German Government. 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 being named in such a list. The list also confirmed his Next of Kin address as Willesden Green, London N.W. As of 7 Oct 1918 he was incarcerated in a Prison Camp at Darmstadt and then by 23 November in Güstrow . This latter record confirms his next of kin address as 31 Shootup Hill, Brondesbury, London NW. He would have been repatriated to the United Kingdom shortly thereafter, being discharged circa 20 April 1919. By this time his address was 110 [D]eacon Road, Willesden Green.

For his service he was entitled to the British War Medal and Victory Medal, which he would have received some time after September 1920.

5102 B Barrett Indian Telegraph Department

5102 – B Barrett Indian Telegraph Department, East Africa or Mesopotamia

(Lt Col E.W.C. Sandes “The Indian Sappers and Miners”)

In January 1890 the Indian Telegraph Department assumed responsibility for military telegraphy in India, and it was decided that in future expeditions the Department should make all arrangements for Army telegraphs, using either civilian telegraphists or Indian Sapper and Miner personnel who had been attached for training.

As a means of training, two sub-divisions of the telegraph system were to be worked entirely by Madras Sappers under the orders of the Director General of Telegraphs.

Meanwhile the Indian Sapper and Miner Regiments trained in other aspects of military signals duties and formed Divisional Signal Companies.

When Indian Expeditionary Force “B” was sent to East Africa in 1914 the Force Headquarters included a Telegraph Section. The manning of this Section included military telegraph operators recalled from service with the Indian Telegraph Department.

 (Courtesy of Great War Forum member Bushfighter.)

When in India, civilian employees were employed in the "Posts and Telegraphs Department". It is suggested that during most of WW1 when outside India the Post and Telegraph Departments operated independently, the Telegraph Department operations being under the Signal Officer-in-Chief.

I am inclined to think that due to the absence of a quoted rank, and military formation within the naming of the medal, that this medal was awarded to a civilian member of the Indian Telegraph Department, for service in Mesopotamia or East Africa.

37055 / 06612- Pte R.F. Frith, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry and Hampshire Regiment

37055 / 06612- Pte R.F.Frith Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry

Robert Francis Frith served as a Private with the 1/4th Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry, probably going overseas some time after 31 December 1915. Depending upon his date of joining the battalion (and departure) he may have served in Aden, in the Suez Defence Force, and in Palestine. He was subsequently transferred to the Hampshire Regiment, given the new regimental number 06612, and posted to an unrecorded battalion. If this transfer took place in-theatre, it is possible that he transferred to a Territorial battalion of the Hampshires, of which the 1/8th, 2/4th and 2/5th served in Egypt and/or Palestine. His British War Medal and Victory Medal were issued off the Hampshire Regiment roll some time after 19 May 1920.

Gnr Kimpton, Pnr Foster, Pte Towse

319079 Gnr Harold P Kimpton, Royal Garrison Artillery

Gunner Harold Pearman Kimpton served in the London Royal Garrison Artillery, enlisting on 17 January 1916. His initial regimental number was 1979, he was later issued with the six-digit number 319079. This is amongst the number bloc allocated to the London Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery.

Gnr Kimpton was listed as wounded in War Office Daily List No.5437 of 8 December 1917, suggesting that he was wounded in late October or early November. As such he was entitled to wear a "Wound Stripe" as authorised under Army Order 204 of 6th July 1916, the terms of this award being met by being named in such a list. The list confirmed his next of kin address as New Barnet. He may have been with 1/1st London Heavy Battery at the time. The war diary of the battery mentions gas shelling of the battery whilst in the line on 31 October 1917 and it is possibly in this incident that Gnr Kimpton was wounded. Alternatively he may have been with the 1/2nd London Heavy Battery in 13th Heavy Artillery Group, which was heavily in action at Passchendaele at this time and incurred three casualties in the month of October.

He was put under treatment for Mustard Gas poisoning at Catterick Military hospital. He was discharged, aged 25, on 7 March 1919 under paragraph 392 (xvi a) of King’s Regulation as no longer physically fit (“Surplus to military requirements (having suffered impairment since entry into the service”). He was issued with the Silver War Badge number B346757 and pensioned at 5/6 weekly from 8 March 1919 to 9 September 1919. His postwar address was Woodcote Park Road, New Barnet, North London.

 

129084 Pioneer Courtenay S Foster, Royal Engineers (Special Brigade)

Courtenay Foster first enlisted into the 31st (Reserve) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, being given the regimental number 1819; this probably took place on 30 November 1915 (the date of enlistment given in his entry on the Silver War Badge roll). He appears to have been one of a large number of men transferred from their parent units to the Royal Engineers to join the forming Special Brigade – in his case circa 11 March 1916. The Special Brigade was formed in order to undertake gas warfare and at this time was undergoing a significant enlargement. At this time he would have been given his new regimental number 129084 (along with five other 31st battalion men who were given consecutive numbers after his) and his rank of Pioneer (there was no Trade Test for the specialisms of the gas troops in the Special Brigade, hence no appointments as ‘Sapper’). Within two months he was in France with the 1st Battalion, the Special Brigade (comprising ‘A’ to ‘D’ Companies, each consisting at this time of six sections). At this time these were ‘cylinder companies’ (that is, they were concerned with the delivery of gas through discharge from cylinders, as opposed to companies that operated stokes mortars). Each 225-man company consisted of 7 officers, 12 non-commissioned officers and 206 other ranks. Pnr Foster’s number is in a block associated with ‘A’ Special Company but he could have been serving with any of the four. At this time the 1st Battalion was serving in the Somme sector under the command of General Headquarters Fourth Army at Albert. He was admitted to hospital (no.3 Casualty Clearing Station, record reference MH106/318) with Bronchitis (possibly connected with his employment in a gas unit) on 12 July 1916. This record states his unit as “1st Battalion, Special Brigade, X Corps”. The following day he was transferred to no.6 Ambulance Train for medical evacuation. His unit continued to serve on the Somme. It was present in the Le Transloy area although not directly involved in the battle, and likewise under GHQ 5th Army at the Ancre Heights. Under the command of GHQ 4th Army the battalion was engaged in the fighting at Pozieres. Pnr Foster was eventually discharged from the Army under paragraph 392 (xvi) of King’s Regulations, due to sickness, on 4 May 1917.

After discharge from the Royal Engineers Depot, Special Brigade, he was issued the Silver War Badge, Badge Number 184060.

 

46522 Private (Rifleman) Arthur Evan Towse,3rd Rifle Brigade, killed in action 11 October 1918

Arthur Evan Towse was born on 23 March 1899 in Wimbledon, Surrey, to John (a clothier) and Jane Towse. He was baptised at St Mary's Church, Merton, Surrey, on 3 March 1912, at which time the family were living at 60 Adela Avenue, Merton (New Malden), John still being employed as a clothier. In April 1911 the family were living in New Malden, which was also Arthur’s place of residence when he enlisted at Kingston. Pte Towse appears to have been mobilised circa late April 1917, going overseas circa late March 1918, there to join the 3rd Rifle Brigade, part of the 6th Division. On 29 June 1918 Pte Towse was under the care of 4th Stationary Hospital (record reference MH 106/1485) with influenza, this record (from the hospital’s admissions and discharge book) crediting him with one year two months’ service, of which three months was with the field force. Although he possibly escaped the initial attacks of the German Spring Offensive 1918, this would have put him in line to take part in the Battle of Epehy in September 1918, and the Battle of Cambrai in October, during which the 6th Division captured Bohain.

Pte Towse was killed in action with the 3rd Rifle Brigade on 11 October 1918, during the Final Advance in Picardy. He was aged 19. This was in the context of the attack on St Aubert. The battalion war diary describes the circumstances as follows:

[10th October] “Commander was sent for to Brigade and received verbal instructions as to the attack for the next day which was to start from AVENES-LES-AUBERT in square.28 and was to take ST AUBERT and push on to line of the railway east of River SELLE in square V.4.b. The conference lasted a considerable time, and Coy Commanders were not got together until well after 22:00 hours. Verbal instructions were immediately issued to Coy. Commanders as to the objectives and method of attack. Written orders were issued later, but it was not possible to get these out until the actual hour for the start, i.e. 0330 hours had arrived, and no written orders were received from Brigade until Battn had actually formed-up at starting point.

[11th October] Battn paraded with head of column on road C.6.d. at 0300 hours. The night was very dark and there was considerable shelling to the North while battn was marching to its assembly position. Nevertheless the assembly was carried out and the attack was commenced according to plan, with the exception that the actual start was about 5 mins late. As, however, no concerted attack with troops on our right had been arranged, and as Battn on our left did not start until a great deal later, this did not make any difference. On emerging from AVESNES, the leading Coys came under heavy artillery and m.g. fire, but advancing, they reached the houses to the west of ST AUBERT, where hand to hand fighting took place. By this time they were suffering very severe casualties from machine guns on the flanks and they were forced to withdraw slightly and take up a line from the sunken road in U.23.b to railway U.24.c. Here they held on all day under most trying circumstances, with no-one on the flanks, and being shot at by observed m.g. and artillery fire. Battn HQ was established shortly after the advance in a house W.22.d.20.00 from where an excellent view of the battle could be obtained. Visual was quickly established with left front coy. At the start, no artillery assistance was available, and very little could be done to help the two leading Coys. At one time it was proposed to try and assist with an attack from the south, but as the Guards, who were on our right … were also held up, this was not considered practicable, and never took place. It is quite certain that had this attack been launched, heavy casualties would have resulted without any gain. As soon as dusk arrived, orders were issued to Coys to take up dispositions in accordance with Appendix “C”, which was successfully accomplished. Casualties for the day were Killed:- 2 offs. 48 ORs. Wounded:- 7 offs. 126 ORs. Missing:- 3 O.R.s. Believed prisoners:- 2 O.R.s.”

For his service, Pte Towse was entitled to the British War Medal and Victory Medal, which would have been issued off the Rifle Brigade roll some time after May 1920. Pte Towse lies buried at plot IV. A. 10., Saint Aubert British Cemetery, Saint Aubert, France. His financial effects of £13/0/6 and War Gratuity of £6/10/0 went to his mother and sole legatee, Jane.

2826 Pte J E Liles, 1/6th West Yorkshire Regiment Second Battle of Kemmel 25 April 1918 Prisoner of War

2826 Pte J Liles, West Yorkshire Regiment, prisoner of war, Second Battle of Kemmel, 25 April 1918

John Edward Liles was born on 7 March 1898. He appears to have emigrated to the United States of America with Catherine, his mother, and his siblings, living there between 1908 and circa 1910. As of the 1911 census, however, he was living in the household of greengrocer George Dracup and wife Catherine, aged 13 and described as George’s son (although it appears that he was the son of William John Liles, who as of 1915 was reported as living apart from Catherine), employed as a barber. John Liles joined-up underage, circa 20 October 1914, and served as a Private in the 2/6th and 1/6th Battalions of the West Yorkshire Regiment, initially under the regimental number 2826. An attempt to have him discharged as underage in September 1915 having not succeeded, he was retained in the army until of an age to be sent overseas – presumably some time in early 1917. In March 1917 he was renumbered as part of the general Territorial Force renumbering and given the new six-digit number 240793. Under the latter number he was captured (initially reported as missing) circa April or May 1918. He was first listed as missing in War Office Daily List No.5599 of 22 June 1918. This list gave his next of kin address as Bradford. As Liles, John Edward of the 1/6th West Yorkshire Regiment, D Company, on 7 October 1918 he was recorded as being incarcerated in Prison Camp at Friedrichsfeld, having been captured, unwounded, at Kemmel on 25 April 1918, during the Second Battle of Kemmel, part of the Battle of the Lys, the German 1918 Spring Offensive in Flanders. This record confirmed his Service Number as 240793 and gave his date of birth as 7 April 1898, with his next of kin being given as Mrs Liles of 84 Tennant Street, East Bowling, Bradford. War Office Daily List No.5777 of 21 January 1919 listed him as Released Prisoner of War from Germany, arrived in England. He was formally discharged on 31 March 1920. For his service he was entitled to the British War Medal and Victory Medal, which he would have received some time in 1922.

When he was aged 23, John Edward Liles married Amy Cullington on 10 September 1921 at St Stephen’s Church, West Bowling, Yorkshire. The marriage register records him as the son of John William Liles. At this time John Edward (like his father) was a dyer’s labourer and living at 132 Tennant Street.

He rejoined the West Yorkshire Regiment (6th Battalion) as a territorial in 1931, presumably under the service number 4534444, serving for four years until 1935. Aged 33, at this time he was employed as a wool comber.

John joined the Post Office in October 1937. The 1939 Register shows John and Amy as living at 136 Tennant Street, Bradford and describes John as “underground telephone cable jointer, GPO, skilled man”. (The previous owner indicated that John, at the start of WW2, joined the Royal Engineers (Postal Section) and Home Guard, presumably thereby earning the associated Defence Medal: however I have not been able to verify this.) He appears to have been in the employ of the Post Office, as a Technician, in 1956. His death was registered in the Wharfedale registration district in the third quarter of 1962.

WW1 Victory Medal - Pte. J.T. Morris, Manchester Regiment wounded Salonika, Battle of Doiran

WW1 Victory Medal - Pte. J.T. Morris, Manchester Regiment

In poor condition but the naming can be read. Named to 23557 Pte. J T Morris Manch R. 

John Thomas Morris of 24 Albert Street, Rusholme, Manchester was a labourer,

supposedly aged 19 years 2 months upon enlistment, on 2nd February 1915 (however the information on his postwar Army Form Z.11 (Soldier's Protection Certificate and Certificate of Identity) indicates that he was born in 1897 and therefore probably added a year onto his age when enlisting). He was recorded as 5' 6" tall with an expanded chest measurement of 35 1/2". He gave as his next of kin Mary Elizabeth Morris, his mother.

He enlisted for the duration of the war and, as 3/23557 Private J T Morris, was appointed to the Manchester Regiment, initially being sent to the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion and then posted to the 11th on 23 August 1915.

Pte Morris entered the Balkan theatre with the 11th Battalion in the 11th (Northern) Division on 13 September 1915 and was therefore also entitled to the 1914-15 Star, which he received in November 1919. By this point the battalion, landing at Suvla Bay, had been in Gallipoli for just over a month. Conditions on Gallipoli were difficult as in addition to Turkish sniper and artillery fire and the constant threat of disease, weather conditions were poor, especially in the winter. On 7 December 1915 he was admitted to Sliema Hospital, Malta, with frost bite and, passing through St John's Hospital, was sent home via the Hospital Ship 'Soudan' on 28 December.

Having returned home on 5 January 1916 he was in the 4th Southern General Hospital in Plymouth for a time up to 12 April 1916, after which he was sent on nine days' furlough home. He went overseas again on 7 September 1916 to rejoin the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, travelling via Devonport to Salonika, disembarking on 22 September and joining his unit (most probably the 13th (Service) battalion in the 22nd Division) a few days later.

He was wounded on 24 April 1917 with a gun shot wound to the right shoulder whilst with the 22nd Division - presumably in connection with the 13th Manchesters' assault on Pip Ridge during the First Battle of Doiran, two miles south-west of Lake Doiran.

Pte Morris passed through no.29 General Hospital, 2 Convalescent Camp and 3 Convalescent Depot, arriving at 2 Base Depot in mid-July 1917. He rejoined his unit on 27 August 1917.

He is then shown as having been posted to France on 5 July 1918, travelling via Itea, Italy. This would most likely have been with the 13th Manchesters, who left the 22nd Division in Salonika to join the 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division in France. On 13 August 1918 the 13th was absorbed by the 9th battalion, with which Pte Morris also served, although he was shown as being posted to the latter on 2 August 1918. Between 13 and 27 August 1918 he had leave from overseas, returning to France on 28 August 1918. This would have put him in line to have taken part in the Allied hundred days offensive, including the battles of the Hindenburg Line, Cambrai 1918, and the Selle.

He returned home to the United Kingdom on 20-22 February 1919 via Dunkirk and after passing through the dispersal centre at Prees Heath, was discharged to the Army Class 'Z' Reserve on 21 March 1919 after four years and forty-eight days' service. 

He received his British War Medal and Victory Medal, to complete his medal entitlement, in early November 1920.