PTE. THOMAS. B. PARTRIDGE. 88464. KINGS LIVERPOOL REGIMENT, Neurasthenia

PTE. THOMAS. B. PARTRIDGE. 88464. KINGS LIVERPOOL REGIMENT, Neurasthenia

Thomas Benjamin Partridge was from Sileby and was employed as a shoe hand. He was born about 1881 in Syston, Leicestershire. On 21 October 1906 at Sileby he married Rachel Ward. In 1915 his residence place was 26, The Banks, Sileby, where he loved with his wife and son, Harold William Partridge.

Thomas Benjamin was also known in some sources as Benjamin Partridge.

He attested his willingness to serve on 8 December 1915, aged 34 years 1 month and was posted to the Army Reserve. From there he was mobilised and embodied into the 2/5th East Surreys, Kingston on Thames on 12 February 1917. After approximately seven months training he was posted to France for service with the 12th battalion, East Surrey Regiment on 15 September. However, within less than a week, he was transferred to the King's Liverpool Regiment and posted to their 2/7th battalion, then in the Ypres Salient. He was possibly one of a draft of 130 other ranks who joined from 38th Infantry Base Depot, arriving at 1.45pm on 21 September 1917, or the further draft of 50 which arrived on 24 September, both whilst the battalion was at Estree Blanche. By the beginning of October the battalion was at a total strength of 45 officers and 981 other ranks, fighting strength 37 officers and 923 other ranks. On the 20th October the battalion moved by 'bus to Proven and then marched to Plumstead Camp. This was followed by a move to Bridge Camp, Elverdinghe four days later and then to Soult Camp on the 25th, being caught by enemy bombing of the area that night, and then to Marsouin Camp in the support area on the 26th/27th. During this time the battalion was detaching men for various duties, forming working parties and supplying stretcher bearers, etc. On the night of 27/28 October the battalion suffered 24 other rank casualties from a gas shell bombardment and moved in the afternoon of 28 October to Eagle Trench to relieve the 2/6th Battalion. Relieving them in the front line at 5.30pm on the 30th, the 2/7th then remained there until 9.35pm on the 1st. During this time the battalion endured a 2 hour gas shell bombardment from 10.30pm on the 31st; in total 7 other ranks were gassed, 7 otherwise wounded and one killed. Meanwhile the portion of the battalion remaining at Bridge Camp suffered two bombing raids on the night of the 31st, with two other ranks killed and eight other ranks and two officers wounded. A further other rank was wounded on 1 November, location unspecified.

Amidst this, Pte Partridge served two months before being invalided home on 16 November. His S.N.B. [poss. Special Neurological Board] prior to discharge gave him the diagnosis of 70% disabling 'Neurasthenia' (one of the group of conditions often labelled 'Shell shock') dating from 1 November 1917, aggravated by active service.

After 107 days treatment for 'Disordered Action of the Heart', he was discharged from the King's Liverpool Depot as 'permanently unfit' on 25 February 1918. His Proceedings on Discharge gave his character as 'Good' and described him as 'a steady man'. Unusually he appears to have been issued two separate Silver War Badges, Silver War Badge number 338,174 dating to March 1918, and then Silver War Badge number 497526 dating to 1920.

42756 Pte Lewis Musson Tyler, 2nd Battalion, Essex Regiment, wounded 1918

42756 Pte Lewis Musson Tyler, 2nd Battalion, Essex Regiment, wounded 1918

Lewis Musson Tyler was born on 30 July 1899 at Ingoldsby, Lincolnshire. He was the son of William Musson Tyler, farmer (died 1909) and Eliza Tyler. An apprentice motor mechanic, he enlisted on 31 August 1917, aged 18 years 1 month. Passing through the Leicestershire Regiment (possible regimental number 15837) and Training Reserve (as TR/6/31439) - with some possible unrecorded service in the King's  Royal Rifle Corps - he served as a Private with the 2nd Battalion, Essex Regiment under the Regimental Number 42756. Given his age he is unlikely to have gone overseas before the end of March 1918, when the minimum age was lowered from 19.

As L M Tyler he was listed as Wounded on War Office Daily List No.5592 of 14/06/1918, suggesting he was wounded in late April or early to mid May 1918. Possibly this was during the battalion's part at Riez-du-Vinage in the First Battle of Kemmel Ridge, 17-19 April 1918, or whilst in the line close to Busnettes, near Bethune, in Mid-May, where there appears to have been a steady stream of casualties. The war diary comments that there was "Much wiring and digging to be done. Front line is a series of posts and support line only dug in places. Wire bad". In the period in the front line from 12-20 May there were about 15 other ranks wounded and 2 killed. Pte Tyler was entitled to wear a "Wound Stripe" as authorised under Army Order 204 of the 6th July 1916, the terms of this award being named on this list. The list gave his Next Of Kin Address as Grantham.

Pte Tyler was discharged from the Essex Regt at Warley on 4 October 1918, aged 19, under Army Order VI of 1918 paragraph 2a, and paragraph 392 xvi of King's Regulations.

He received Silver War Badge Number B20307, which he would have been issued shortly after discharge. He was pensioned at 16/6 weekly for one year from 5 October 1918. His post-war addresses were Wilford House, Huntingtower Road, Grantham and 50 Sherland Road, Twickenham.

His British War Medal and Victory Medal, although later returned for adjustment, would have been issued some time from June 1920 onwards. Subsequently he lived in Spelthorne, Surrey. In later life he may have served as a motor driver, being a member of the Morris Commercial Drivers Association, and joined the Royal British Legion (associated badge is numbered 216593). He died in 1975.

1914-15 Star trio to 4004 Pte D Smith, 1/6th Durham Light Infantry, wounded in action Flers/Eaucourt l'Abbaye, Battle of le Transloy, Somme 1 October 1916

1914-15 Star medal trio awarded to 4004 D. SMITH 1/6th DURH: L. I. wounded in action 1 Oct 1916, Battle of the Transloy Ridges 

Born circa 1875 in Fairfield in the county of Derbyshire, David Smith of Front St, Frosterley in the parish of Stanhope was a [limestone] quarryman aged 39 years 3 months when he joined the 6th Durham Light Infantry at Bishop Auckland on 3 July 1915, under the regimental number [6/]4004. He gave his next of kin as his mother, Mary Martha Smith (address unknown). He was embodied in the 2/6th Battalion the same day. By the 10th of July, when he took the Imperial and General Service Obligation, he was with the Third Line of the 6th battalion (later to become 3/6th DLI) at Morpeth. On 28 September, immediately prior to going overseas, he was transferred to the 1/6th battalion. He was sent overseas to France via Southampton on 1 October 1915, disembarking on 2 October, and was awarded the 1914-1915 Star in consequence. From '50th Division Base' (presumably the relevant base depot) he was posted on 30 October 1915 to No.3 Entrenching Battalion, 3rd Army, to do useful work whilst awaiting gaps to arise which would necessitate his onward posting to the 1/6th DLI. The 3rd Entrenching Battalion was attached to X Corps which operated in the Somme sector (the 3rd Battalion had been at Albert in August) so it is probably reasonable to assume that this is where Pte Smith spent his time awaiting posting onwards. 

Upon finally joining the 1/6th in the field on 18 January 1916 he was posted to 'Y' Company. To quote from the Durham at War website: "As part of the 151st Brigade of 50th (Northumbrian) Division, the 1st/6th Battalion served until August 1916 in the trenches of the Ypres Salient, Armentieres (where [in mid-August 1915] the four companies were re-named as ‘W’, ‘X’, ‘Y’, and ‘Z’), and Kemmel. The last two places were supposedly ‘quiet’, but the battalion rarely enjoyed days free from casualties." [The regimental history notes the amount of sniping going on, and records 1-3 hour enemy trench mortar bombardments as a daily feature.] At the time of his joining it the battalion was in the line at Kemmel, just south of the Ypres Salient. The regimental history gives a concise account of the battalion's activities during this period, which would have given Pte Smith his first taste of line in the line:

"Throughout January and February there were local artillery combats which terminated with the capture of Hill 60 and "The Bluff." On the 1st March there was a demonstration at 5 p.m., which consisted of artillery and infantry fire and cheering as if for an attack. The following morning at 4.32 a.m. the 3rd Division attacked and captured International and New Year trenches and "The Bean" with over 200 prisoners. On the 18th March, the Battalion was relieved and moved to Poperinghe by train from Ypres. Four days later it returned again by train and took over the recently captured Bluff trenches from the 10th Royal Welsh Fusiliers (3rd Division). These trenches were round the edge of the Bluff crater and were in a very bad condition due to the rain and heavy shelling, and were littered with remnants of German equipment and their dead. X Company were on the right in New Year trench supported by Y Company in Gordon Post. W Company were in the centre in "The Loop," and Z Company on the left in "The Bean."

On the 27th March, at 4.15 a.m., the 3rd Division on the right attacked at St. Eloi, and during the attack the Medical Officer (Capt. White) and a party of stretcher bearers rendered valuable assistance. A few days later (2nd April) the Battalion was relieved by the Canadians, who had suffered heavily from shell fire in coming up, and moved again to Dickebusch, where there was a stay of two days before moving South to Scottish Lines at Westoutre and La Clyte.

A week later, on the 8th April, the Battalion was again in the line, this time relieving the 7th Battalion Shropshire Light Infantry in trenches N and O, in front of Wytschaete, with back area at La Clyte. These trenches were of the breastwork type. About this time there was a good deal of fighting on the left, where the Germans were trying to retake the St. Eloi craters."

Being in 'Y' Company, it is possible that Pte Smith was part of the battalion's first significant raids, on 6, 9 and 12 July, again at Kemmel:

"On the 28th May the Battalion returned to the trenches it had left a month before, and on the 2nd June the men were able to watch the German attack between Hill 60 and Hooge and the Canadian counter-attacks on the following day... During this tour the first Battalion raid was made by men of Y Company under 2nd Lieut. H.C. Annett and 2nd Lieut. J.F.G. Aubin, who was Battalion Bombing Officer. The party consisted of 24 men, including two bombing squads, and had as its object identification of the enemy on the immediate front. The night of the 6th [July] was chosen and the party went out as arranged. In No Man's Land they met a large enemy wiring party and their object was not attained. Three nights later, however, a German was captured, and again on the [14th] the raiding party went out, this time with the object of killing Boches. They entered the enemy trench, and after doing considerable damage with bombs and rifles, returned without casualty." (From the battalion history; material in [square] brackets has been corrected by reference to the battalion war diary.)

The battalion was subsequently sent south to join the Battle of the Somme in September 1916. Here the battalion, Pte Smith most probably amongst them, went into action by High Wood, participating in attacks including those on Starfish Trench on 15 and 18 September.

Pte Smith was wounded in action on 1 October 1916, suffering a gun shot wound to the back during the opening day of the Battle of Le Transloy (or Battle of the Transloy Ridges). He was listed accordingly in the War Office daily [casualty] list for 8 November 1916, as follows:

First Name:

D

Surname:

Smith

Resided Town:

Frosterley

Report Date:

08/11/1916

Information:

Listed as "Wounded" on the Casualty List issued by the War Office.

Further Information:

This man 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 their naming in this list.

Rank:

Private

Service Number:

4004

Service:

British Army

Primary Unit:

Durham Light Infantry.

The Battle of the Transloy Ridges was one of three major attacks commenced on 1 October 1916, all aiming to continue the push towards Bapaume and deny the Germans the chance to recover and consolidate their defences. Amid conditions made more difficult by heavy rainfall, the attack was timed for 3.15pm on the 1st. Unfortunately the preliminary bombardment which preceded it included some 'shorts', claiming 40 casualties from amongst the battalion of which the CO, Major Wilkinson, was one and Pte Smith possibly another.

In the battle the 50th Division (under Major-General P. S. Wilkinson) attacked with the 151st Brigade in front, advancing on the line between Le Sars on the left and Eaucourt L'Abbaye Farm on the right. On the brigade's right flank Pte Smith's battalion was exposed by the repulse of the 1/17th London (47th Division) by the fortified farm (a former monastic grange) at Eaucourt l'Abbaye. Due to this reverse and the wire not being properly cut the 1/6th suffered many casualties from German machine-gun fire passing over the muddy, shell-pocked ground. Notwithstanding this, the battalion, after considerable fighting with bombs and rifles, was able to capture a short length of Flers Trench, gaining a foothold via four Lewis gun teams from X and W Companies which then organised the position and carried out bombing attacks. Temporary Lieutenant-Colonel R.B. Bradford of the sister 1/9th DLI, having taken command of both the 1/6th and 1/9th at his own request, joined the position at this point, directing further operations which completed the capture of the first objective and allowed a company of the 1/9th to come through and take the final objective, capturing the rest of Flers Trench by 9:30 p.m. It was for these actions he was subsequently awarded the Victoria Cross*. Lt-Col Bradford had previously, for a brief period in December 1915, been Adjutant of the 1/6th Battalion.

Meanwhile, in the centre, a composite battalion of the 1/5th Border, 1/8th DLI and the 1/5th Northumberland Fusiliers (attached from the 149th Brigade on the left), benefitted from an excellent barrage to advance and capture the Flers trenches before the defenders could react. 

The defenders of the 50th Division repulsed one attempted and one developing counter-attack after dark and the captured line was extended through bombing attacks and consolidated the following day. After the two days' fighting the battalion had four officers left under the command of a Lieutenant.

Meanwhile, after being placed under the care of  1/3rd [Northumbrian] Field Ambulance  Pte Smith was transferred to 30th Casualty Clearing Station on 2 October and then, via 5th General Hospital at Rouen on 8 October 1916 was evacuated home, for sixth-eight days' treatment at the 4th Scottish General Hospital. At this time his wound was described as VI. (Gunshot wounds of the back and spine) 1. (Simple flesh contusions and wounds) and classified as severe.

On 28 December 1916 he was transferred to a reserve battalion of the DLI (probably 'B' Company of the 5th Reserve Battalion), and allocated the six-digit TF number 201170. Then, on 16 March 1917 he was posted to the 1st battalion, Durham Light Infantry out in India. Embarking at Devonport on 10 May, he arrived at Bombay on 12 June 1917. At this time, the battalion was on garrison duties at Nowshera on the Kabul river in the Valley of Peshawar, in modern-day Pakistan, later in the war moving to Rawalpindi in the Punjab. 

Subsequently, on or around 30 January 1918 he was transferred to the Yorkshire Regiment under the regimental number 66082 (also given in other sources as 40027) and served with the 1st Garrison Battalion also in India, where it had been since 1915. His service included 40 days in hospital suffering from heat stroke between July and August 1918. Save for one instance of 'insolence to a Warrant Officer on parade' (for which he got ten days' detention) at Sialkot in December 1918 his regimental conduct sheet with them was clean. He was posted home on 22 February 1919 and, passing through a dispersal unit at North Camp, Ripon, was disembodied (on demobilisation) on 9 May 1919, proceeding home via Durham railway station. He was medical category B.1 on discharge, and aged around 44. He received his 1914-15 Star in April 1921.

*Victoria Cross citation of Lieutenant (Temporary Lieutenant Colonel) Roland Boys Bradford MC: London Gazette, 25 November 1916: “For most conspicuous bravery and good leadership in attack, whereby he saved the situation on the right flank of his Brigade and of the Division. Lieutenant Colonel Bradford’s battalion was in support. A leading battalion having suffered very severe casualties and the Commander wounded, its flank became dangerously exposed at close quarters to the enemy. Raked by machine gun fire, the situation of the battalion was critical. At the request of the wounded Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Bradford asked permission to command the exposed battalion in addition to his own. Permission granted, he at once proceeded to the foremost lines. By his fearless energy under fire of all descriptions, and by skilful leadership of the two battalions, regardless of all danger, he succeeded in rallying the attack, captured and defended the objective, and so secured the flank”. (Credit: Durham at War website)

L-Cpl Edward Lewis Burdekin, 17th Royal Fusiliers, killed in action, 17 March 1916, Bully-Grenay

E/786 L-Cpl Edward L Burdekin, 17th Royal Fusiliers KIA 17 March 1916

Edward Lewis Burdekin was born in St. Giles, London on 5 March 1891 and baptised at St. Giles-in-the-Fields the following month. His parents, Thomas Lewis Burdekin (a gas lantern maker) and Rosetta Burdekin (née Skelly, died 1893) both came from St. Pancras.  In 1911 he was employed as a French Polisher. At the time of his enlistment he lived in Hampstead Road, London N.W. 

In early September 1914 he enlisted in London into the Empire Battalion, Royal Fusiliers and was given the regimental number E/786. The battalion, under the auspices of the British Empire Committee (chairman, and later Honorary Colonel of the Regiment, General Sir Bindon Blood) was raised within ten days of permission being given on 30 August, and by 12 September 1914 was in camp at Warlingham. The battalion was raised in Pickering Court, off St James's Street. Recruits came from across the country, most being drawn from West End banks, the Stock Exchange, Insurance Brokers and the theatre, with a smattering of men from the Imperial Light Horse, raised during Second Boer War. 

After training with the battalion in Warlingham, Clipstone and Tidworth, Cpl Burdekin entered the France & Flanders theatre via Folkestone and Boulogne on 17 November 1915. At that time he was serving as a Lance Corporal with 'D' Company, the 17th (Service) battalion, Royal Fusiliers (Empire) in the 99th Brigade of the 33rd Division, the battalion being 31 officers and 994 other ranks strong. Shortly thereafter, on 25 November, the battalion marched from Busnes to Annezin, there to accompany the rest of the 199th Brigade in joining the 2nd Division. Then on 13 December 1915 the battalion transferred to the 5th Brigade of that Division, with whom they had just had their first initiation into trench warfare, in the bad, waterlogged and sniped conditions of the Cuinchy sector. The battalion's first substantial experience of holding the line seems to have come at the end of the following month when they took over the front line between Festubert and L'Epinette (later in the w

War Diary described as 'the Islands') from the 2nd Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry at 7pm on 30 January 1916, 'D' Company seemingly being in the support line. Tasks included night patrols and working parties and the battalion faced sniping and occasionally artillery fire, their tour in the line extending to 3 February,  and then again 7-11 February, followed by a fortnight in billets. 

L-Cpl Burdekin was killed in action only a month later, on 17 March 1916, his death being recorded in the War Office daily casualty list dated 6 April 1916. At this time the battalion was in the line in front of the main ridge of the Notre Dame de Lorette Spur, in the Souchez-Angres-Calonne sector, the 17th being a fine, warm day. The battalion was holding the southern or Right (Angres 1) sub-section of the Angres Section, beginning, seemingly, circa Solferino Trench and running along Morrow Trench, Cooker Alley and Angres Alley (Bovril Alley, illustrated, being the northern boundary of Angres 3, and thus the whole section). 

Everard Wyrall's history of the battalion has the following note:

"Towards the end of this long tour [the battalion was in the front line from 2 to 19 March 1916] the Bosche became increasingly active whilst his snipers were much more alert. The 17th of March was a noisy day, rifle grenades, trench-mortar bombs, snipers and the enemy's artillery making things very uncomfortable in the front line. [The War Diary adds 'Extension of enemy's saps was suspected owing to increased range of trench mortars.'] Many 'Whizz-bangs' were fired and 3 casualties were suffered - 2 O.R.'s killed and 1 wounded" (Wyrall, p.21). 

L-Cpl Burdekin's financial effects of £3 10s 3d, together with a weekly lifetime pension of 7s 2d went to his step-mother, Mary, and his War Gratuity of £6 10s to his father Thomas  Lewis Burdekin, both of 10 Netley Street, Hampstead Road. 

He lies buried in BULLY GRENAY Communal Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France (plot A.46), next to 835 GODFREY, F E, also a Private, Royal Fusiliers 17th Bn, who died the same day, aged 21. (Bully-Grenay, 20 km north of Arras, is the name of the railway station (on the main Hazebrouck-Arras line) serving this village and Grenay, but the double name was generally applied to the village and the communal cemetery of Bully by the troops. The FRENCH EXTENSION was made by French troops on the west side of the communal cemetery, and Commonwealth forces, who took their place in this part of the line in June 1915, buried in it until June 1916.) 

The Empire Battalion Of The Royal Fusiliers Being Inspected In Green Park By Major General C L Woollcombe

The 17th Empire Battalion Royal Fusiliers In Training

Both:  UK Photo & Social History Archive

© IWM Q 14734

Captain Macauley, R. A. M. C., in Bovril Alley, an old communication trench, very deep, camouflaged by flowers, etc., Built by the French, it ran from Bully-Grenay to the Angres Sector. 2nd R.N. Field Ambulance, R.N. Division, August 1916.

Q14736

Rat Pit Bearer Relay Post in Bovril Alley, a communication trench between Bully-Grenay and the Angres Sector. 2nd R.N. Field. Ambulance, R.N. division, August 1916.

 IWM Q 14731

Bovril Alley. Communication trench from Bully-Grenay to Angres Sector. 18pdr field gun emplacements in mid-distance. Bully-Grenay village and Church behind. R.N. Division, August 1916.

Map from 5th Brigade War Diary for March 1916 showing SAA and Mills Bomb stores, observation and sniping posts 

Detail of map showing approximate line held by 17th Royal Fusiliers 2-19 March 1918 (Solferino Trench, bottom right, to Angres Alley, top left)

Extract of defensive scheme for Angres Section, March 1916 showing Section and other boundaries.

Various Great War Victory Medals researched May-June 2022

 

Medals

179581 Bombardier H J Sears, RFA

Harry John Sears was a licensed victualler (keeper of the King's Arms, Boxley, Maidstone) and aged around 31 when he attested under the Derby Scheme in late 1915, shortly after his marriage on 24 June 1915 at All Saints Church, Doddinghurst. He lived at Chalks Farm, Kelvedon Common Brentwood, Essex. Joining for duty in November 1916 after a deferment, he served in the France and Flanders theatre from 1 March 1917 into mid-1918, principally with 5th Brigade RFA. Until July 1917 the brigade served with 4th Canadian Division and then became an Army Field Artillery Brigade, in which capacity it served variously with Second and Third Armies (October and December 1917, respectively) and First Army (February 1918). As Bombardier Sears, Royal Field Artillery he was gassed on 9 June 1918, probably near Bethune, and was reported as wounded in War Office daily list 5622 dated 19 July 1918. This list gave his next of kin address as Brentwood, Essex. He passed through 1/1 (North Midland) Field Ambulance at Hesdigneul and No.2 (Canadian) General Hospital, Le Treport. The war diary of the Field Ambulance reported “From 11.am onwards about 140 cases of mustard gas poisoning were admitted about 100 were 46^th Div & belonged chiefly to 466 Coy R E & attached men of other units. The remainder were V Army Brigade R F A. The shelling had occurred in the neighbourhood of the chicory factory on the [Beugny]-Bethune Road from 11 pm to 3.am. The symptoms of poisoning viz affection of the eyes & vomiting coming on about 9 hours later. It was necessary to evacuate all but about 20 cases”. After the war, from July 1919 he saw further service in Egypt with 424th Battery/264th Brigade at Cairo and 84th Battery/11th Brigade at Ludd, returning home in 1920.

 

 

 

351332 Pte G Critchley, [2/]9^th Manchester Regiment

 

Pte Critchley served with the [2/]9th Battalion, the Manchester Regiment, in 66^th Division. Having his six-digit Territorial Force number (351332) shown on his medal would suggest that he went overseas sometime after March 1917, which would agree with the date when the 2/9^th went over to France. He was wounded three times, first being reported as Wounded in War Office Daily List No. 5418, Report Date 16/11/1917, suggesting that he was probably wounded around mid-October 1917; at around this time the battalion was in action at Passchendaele, Belgium, suffering 322 other rank casualties in the general attack on Passchendaele Ridge on 9 October 1917. This report confirmed his next of kin address as Ashton-under-Lyne. He was then gassed on or shortly before 23 March 1918 in the course of the Battle of St Quentin or Battle of Rosieres and admitted to 2/3rd East Lancashire Field Ambulance and then No. 34 Casualty Clearing Station. At around this time the battalion was at Hesbecourt on the Somme; possibly he was wounded in the course of a gas bombardment on 21 March 1918 which claimed 30 casualties. He was later reported Wounded in War Office Daily List No.5560, Report Date 08/05/1918, probably relating to this gassing incident. He was finally reported as Wounded again in War Office Daily List No. 5698, Report Date 17/10/1918, during the Allied Hundred Days Offensive; possibly a late report as the 9^th battalion spent the period August-September 1918 in training.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

242465 Pte G Underwood, [2/]6^th Lancashire Fusiliers and London Regiment

 

George Underwood, born in 1888, attested on 12 December 1915 and served with the 6th battalion Lancashire Fusiliers, going overseas – possibly with the 2/6^th battalion - on 26 February 1917. He was sent home on 20 October 1917 and was reported as wounded in War Office daily list 5424 dated 23 November 1917, most likely having been wounded prior to 20 October, probably during his battalion's engagement in the Third Battle of Ypres on 9 October 1917, in the general attack on Passchendaele Ridge. If so he was one of 181 other ranks of the battalion wounded in the action. This List gave his next-of-kin address as Ashton-on-Mersey. He subsequently served with the 34th battalion, the London Regiment under the regimental number 881126 although it does not appear that he went overseas with the battalion. On 3 September 1918, aged 30, he was discharged as physically unfit due to wounds and issued the Silver War Badge, number 447823. He was entitled to the British War Medal and Victory Medal, which he would have received probably in early 1921.

 

 

244111 Lance Corporal J Hayward, 1/5^th Cheshire Regiment

L-Cpl Hayward served with the 1/5^th (Earl of Chester’s) Battalion, the Cheshire Regiment, first under the regimental number 15511 and later 244111. From February 1916 onwards, this was a pioneer battalion to the 56^th (London) Division. He was reported as wounded in War Office daily list No.5603 dated 27 June 1918, suggesting that he was wounded in May 1918; the 56^th Division was in the Arras area at this time, which fell between the Battle of Arras 1918 in late March and the Battle of Albert in late August, in both of which the Division fought in the area south of Arras. In May the battalion was based on the Ronville caves and the Arras proper, undertaking a range of works including trench digging, firestepping and wiring. Possibly he was one of two other ranks recorded as wounded during the work on a new switch trench between North Alley and Blangy trench on 28 and 29 May. Daily list 5603 gave L-Cpl Hayward’s next of kin address as Walford. For his service he was entitled to the British War Medal and Victory Medal, receiving them some time after August 1921.

 

 

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243262 Pte D T Edwards, 6^th Cheshire Regiment

243262 Pte David Thomas Edwards was born on 01 Aug 1896 in Crawgreen, near Shrewsbury. He served with the 6^th Cheshire Regiment, was reported missing in War Office daily list 5597 dated 20 June 1918. In actual fact he had been taken prisoner whilst serving with ‘D’ Company at Voormezeele on 27 Apr 1918, wounded by a bullet in his right Leg. This would suggest that he was one of the 6^th Cheshire men who formed part of the 4^th Composite Battalion under Brigadier-General Hubback. This unit had been defending Voormezeele since 15 April and had first contact with the advancing Germans on the 26^th. The full attack opened the following day at 5pm following a four-hour bombardment and resulted in the Germans holding part of the village. Elements of ‘D’ Company were pinned down in the process and were unable to be relieved along with the rest of the battalion; it is likely that Pte Edwards was amongst their number, one of 100 casualties suffered in the action. German records give his Next of kin (S Edwards) town as Shrewsbury. He was imprisoned in Munster I and at the reserve hospital at Antwerp. He was subsequently reported in War Office Daily List No.5778 Report Date 22/01/1919 as a Released Prisoner of War from Germany, arrived in England. The list gave his Next Of Kin Address as Upton Magna.

 

 

 

 

14205 Corporal Hubert Chandler 7^th, 2^nd and 12^th Suffolk Regiment

 Cpl Chandler was born on 1 Feb 1887 at Ashley. He served with the 7^th (Service), 2^nd and 12^th Battalions, the Suffolk Regiment, entering the France and Flanders theatre with the former on 30 July 1915. He was reported as Wounded on the Home Office list for 10 September 1915. He was made a Prisoner of War in 1918, being captured, unwounded, whilst with ‘Y’ Company of the 2^nd on 30 August 1918 at Ecoust St Mein.

The regimental history states the following about this action: “At dawn on August 30 the battalion, under Lt Col Stubbs, attacked, the four company commanders being A/Capt G H Wainwright, 2/Lts H H Hammonds, and C Hills, MC, and Capt W J Nagle, MC. It appears that the village of Ecoust was taken easily, but that the battalion, unable to maintain itself in its advanced position, was compelled at the end of about six hours to fall back on the line of the Ecoust trench. In this action great gallantry was displayed by CSM J H Jones, MM, and Pte H H Roberts, who held on to their ground for five hours after the battalion had withdrawn. This warrant officer and man were awarded the DCM and MM respectively. Pte Roberts, who had previously distinguished himself by stalking a machine-gun post and putting a bullet through the gun, was afterwards badly wounded at Flesquieres. The casualties, amounting to over 200, included the following - Killed: Lt K G Passman. DoW: Capt G H Wainwright and 2/Lt Hills, MC. Wounded and Missing (prisoner): 2/Lt H H Hammonds, MC. Wounded: Lt C Coley; 2/Lts A J Courtney, L Fricker, S E Leighton, T Mealand and A Tomkins. 2/Lt Hills had been given a commission in the previous May for gallantry in the field with the 11th Battalion. At nightfall on August 31st the battalion was resting in Mory Switch Trench."

German records give Cpl Chandler’s next of kin address as Church St, Ashley, Newmarket, Cambridgeshire. He was held at Fredrichsfeld. After repatriation he was transferred to the Army Class ‘Z’ Reserve on 5 June 1919. For his service he was entitled to the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.

 

S/22892 Pte A Ireland, Royal Highlanders (Black Watch)

Pte Alexander Ireland served with the Black Watch. He appears to have been captured circa 18 April 1918 whilst serving with the 1^st Black Watch. At this time the battalion had not long moved down to the Givenchy sector from the Canal bank at Ypres. After being subjected to a slow bombardment starting at 10am on 17 April, the bombardment of shells of all calibres grew in intensity from 1am on the 18^th, until an infantry attack went in at 8am, overrunning the front system where the effects of the barrage had been heaviest, and sealing the exits to the tunnel systems where two of the companies had kept their reserves, along with a counter-attack platoon. Pte Ireland, one of 258 other ranks reported missing in the engagement, was reported as a released PoW in War Office daily list 5733 of 27 November 1918. This list gave his Next Of Kin Address as Auchterarder.

 

 

 

48280 A Wilson 27^th and 5^th Northumberland Fusiliers

 

Pte Alfred Wilson was born on 1 September 1897 in Annfield Plain, Durham. He was aged 19 and serving with C Company, 27th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers (4th Tyneside Irish) when admitted via 42 Casualty Clearing Station and No.26 Ambulance Train to No.18 General Hospital, Camiers with Inflammation of connective tissue, right feet, slight. This was on 26 April 1917, at which time it was recorded that he had been with the Field Force 3 months (therefore probably going overseas circa January 1917). He was subsequently evacuated home via hospital ship on 5 May.

Once again going overseas, in War Office Daily List No.5618, Report Date 15/07/1918 he was reported as Missing. He was serving with ‘C’ Company, 5^th Northumberland Fusiliers at the time and was captured, unwounded, on 27 May 1918 at Soissons. German records give his next of kin as his father, Thomas Wilson, of 4 Durham Road, Annfield Plain. The daily list gave his next of kin address as Durham. On 26/27 May the battalion had moved into divisional reserve at Concevreux, then into brigade reserve at Chaudardes via Beaurepaire before being driven back, first to Chaudardes, then Concevreux and finally Ventelay. It was presumably at some point in the retreat that Pte Wilson was taken, one of 374 men of the battalion reported as missing. He was held at Limburg, and War Office Daily List No.5796, Report Date 12/02/1919 confirmed his release and return to England.

 

 

24661 Pte Frank Masters, 7^th Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment)

24661 Pte Frank Masters served with the Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). He was aged 19 and serving with 'A' Company of the 7th (Service) Battalion when he was wounded by gassing on or shortly before 10 October 1917, possibly whilst the battalion was in the Ypres salient, going up to the Front Line via Kempton Park from Dirty Bucket Camp to relieve the 6^th Green Howards preparatory to an attack on Meunier House, north of Poelcapelle. His hospitalisation record indicates that he joined up (probably attesting under the Derby Scheme) in about October 1915 and went overseas around January 1917. After passing through No.61 Casualty Clearing Station, No. 34 Ambulance Train, No. 1 Convoy and No. 18 General Hospital, Camiers, he proceeded to No. 6 Convalescent Depot in late October, seemingly leaving circa 12 December 1917 and presumably re-joining his regiment sometime thereafter. He was accordingly reported as Wounded in War Office Daily List No.5440. This gave his Next Of Kin Address as Golders Green, N.W. He was again reported wounded in War Office Daily List No.5663, Report Date: 06/09/1918 suggesting, he was wounded in the early part of the Allied hundred days counter-offensive, August-November 1918, possibly in the battalion’s attach from Burke Trench near La Houssoye. During the attack, which did not reach its final objective, enemy machine guns were encountered, causing a “loss of time and direction”, and 198 other rank casualties were incurred.

 

 

17508 Cpl P Smith East Yorkshire Regiment

P Smith served in an unrecorded battalion of the East Yorkshire Regiment as a Private with the regimental number 17508, and the Royal Garrison Artillery as a Corporal with the number 219961.

He first served in Egypt, entering theatre on or about 14 September 1915 and was later transferred to the RGA. After the end of hostilities he appears to have been promoted to Staff Sergeant, per his medal roll entry. He was discharged to the Army Reserve Class 'Z' on 29 January 1919, probably receiving his 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal some time in early 1920.

 

 

Pte A R Pottinger  8th Devons wounded in action, Somme, July 1916

 

Arthur Reginald Pottinger enlisted or attested on 15 November 1915. He served as a Private in the Devonshire Regiment. He was twice wounded, including on the Somme; possibly this was during the famous action of the 8th and 9th Devons on 1 July 1916 at Mametz (other ranks wounded: 153), the subsequent attack on Bazentin-le-Grand Wood during the Battle of Bazentin on 14 July (164 other rank casualties), or the VC action attack on High Wood on 20 July (193 other rank casualties, many caused by short shelling). The Casualty List issued by the War Office from the 21st August 1916 gave his 'town resided in' as Woodbury.

He was again wounded, probably in April 1918 in the Italian theatre, and was reported in War Office Daily List No.5570, Report Date 20/05/1918. He was discharged wounded, aged 22, under Paragraph 392 (xvi) of King's Regulations on 16 December 1918 and was entitled to the Silver War Badge number B64536.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4024 Pte E C Woolley; wounded in action with the East Kent Regiment, Mesopotamia

 

Edwin Charles Woolley, born 1890 or 1895, was a foreman gardener from Hothfield, Kent, and served with the 5^th (a Territorial battalion) of the East Kent Regiment (Buffs) as a Private under the regimental numbers 4024 and 241633. He attested his willingness to serve on 9 December 1915 and was posted to the Army Reserve Class “B”, being embodied on 9 April 1916; he remained Home until 22 August that year, and was then posted to India and the 1/5^th Buffs. Shortly thereafter he was posted on to the Indian Expeditionary Force (I.E.F.) “D”, on 8 November 1916, serving in Mesopotamia. After three months of service he was wounded on 10 February 1917, shortly before the successful attack at Dahra Bend on 15 February, returning to India via hospital ship between 6 and 13 November 1917. Upon recovery he was again posted, this time to the to 2^nd Buffs (with the British Salonika Force) on 19 December 1918, then to the Territorial Force Depot on 29 January 1919. Passing through 2^nd Western General Hospital, Manchester and the Dispersal Unit at Crystal Palace, he transferred to the Army Class ‘Z’ Reserve on 26 September 1919. His Soldier’s Protection Certificate indicated that he was rated as a First Class Shot. The British War Medal and Victory Medal were his full entitlement. He was pensioned for 26 weeks at 8/- for Malaria with effect from 27 September 1919.

 

 

 

 

Pte John Gray Devonshire Regiment and Labour Corps

 

John Gray was a Great Western Railway porter, aged about 37, born about 1879, when he attested his willingness to serve in 1916. At the time his Residence Place was 12 Henry Street, Swindon Wilts.

His attestation into the Devonshire Regiment was approved on 24 March 1916 at Devizes. He was medical grade B.II* on joining. Having been issued the regimental number 22517, he joined the 12th (Labour) Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment, which formed at Devonport in May 1916. He went overseas with them on 14 June 1916, at which point the battalion became Fourth Army Troops, to be deployed at the discretion of Fourth Army in roles across its front. He subsequently transferred along with the rest of the battalion to the Labour Corps (new regimental number 90795), as part of 152 Company, with whom he had a period in hospital sick and a spell of leave to the UK. He had three entries on his conduct sheet, including for making an impertinent remark to an NCO. On 11 September 1918 he suffered an accidental deep incised wound to his left index finger whilst transferring materials (iron sheets) with another man at an R.E. Dump when the wind caught a sheet. It was confirmed by his commanding officer and the commander of No.23 Labour Group that he was not at fault and he was accordingly reported as injured. On 19 March 1919 he was transferred to 225 Prisoner of War Company and was with them at Essars on 31 March 1919 when medically assessed prior to discharge. He was entitled to the British War Medal and Victory Medal.

 

*Free from serious organic diseases, able to stand service on lines of communication in France, or in garrisons in the tropics.

Able to walk 5 miles, see and hear sufficiently for ordinary purposes