Miscellaneous research snippets

358515 Gnr (Signaller) Walter Ernest Brooker, Royal Garrison Artillery. Of 57 Lower Gordon Road, Hugh Wycombe, Bucks, formerly a clerk of 16 Castle Street, Brighton,  Sussex. Attested at Brighton on 27 October 1915. Posted to RGA1 December 1915, then to 2/3rd (Kent) Battery 14 August 1916. Overseas 28 January 1918. To 237th Siege Battery RGA 2 February 1918, attached to 1st Army School of Mines 17 Feb. Back to 1/1 London battery 5 March. To XII Corps Signal School 28 May 1918. Wounded, gas, severe 20 September 1918. Listed (as Signaller, RGA) as wounded in War Office Daily List of 25 October 1918. Evacuated  home 5 October 1918.

52835 Acting Sergeant T (Thomas) T

Reddington, R.A.M.C. (Royal Army Medical Corps). Thomas was a relatively older man (born 1870) and from Uttoxeter, in December 1916 he was with 2nd General Hospital when admitted with Pyrexia (fever) of unknown origin (PUO). He was pensioned after the war for Gastritis and Neurasthenia (nervous illness, sometimes used interchangeably with shellshock).

Worthy, J

Incident Date

17 May 1915

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.

Information

Listed as "Wounded" on the Casualty List issued by the War Office from 17th May 1915.

Rank Name

Private

Service Number

12176

Duty Location

France and Flanders

Service

British Army

Primary Unit

King's (Liverpool Regiment)

Secondary Unit

4th Battalion

In other sources is recorded as H Worthy - in October 1916 with 1st KLR and admitted to hospital with Myalgia, Diarrhoea.

20545 Pte Frederick Robert Beavis of Kingston near Corfe Castle, Dorset was born in 1899 and mobilised on 21 Jul 1917. After passing through the Training Reserve he was transferred to the Dorsetshire Regiment and served with the 6th Battalion. He was wounded (gun shot wound/GSW to the elbow) probably in mid-September 1918 and accordingly reported in War Office Daily List No. 5697 of 16 Oct 1918. He was later (November 1919) discharged as no longer physically fit for service, issued with a Silver War Badge and pensioned at 20 Shillings weekly for one year. He was 20 1/4 upon discharge. 

59243 Pte Arthur Varney, Northamptonshire Regiment. He served with the 5th (Service) Battalion, which was the Pioneer Battalion for the 12th (Eastern) Division on the Western Front.

3356 Pte Sydney Nunn, 1/4th Lincolnshire Regiment, France theatre 18/8/15, wounded in action circa late September 1915 (listed as "Wounded" on the Casualty List issued by the War Office from 28th October 1915), discharged July 1916 and pensioned.

44914 Pte Arthur Ward of Smethwick, served Essex Regiment. Wounded in action circa mid-September 1918 (War Office Daily List No. 5699 of 18 Oct 1918); subsequently pensioned for gun shot wound left foot. Possible additional regimental number 38809.

3/1715 and 4202 Pte Arthur Arnold Bomford, Essex Regiment. Pre-war Special Reservist, enlisted 5 September 1912. Date of entry to F& F theatre 12 January 1915 with 2nd Essex. As 1715 'Bamford' was listed as "Wounded" on the Casualty List issued by the War Office from 18th July 1915. At this time was with the 2nd Battalion. Later renumbered 4202, served with 7th Battalion (Territorial Force). Discharged physically unfit (para 392(xvi) of King's Regulations) due to wounds, 27 June 1916.Entitled to SWB, badge number 15040.

19793 Pte George Dykes, wounded c.4 Jul 1916 with South Lancashire Regiment, 8th (Service) Battalion, Somme. Service From Date: 17 Jul 1915. Service To Date: 26 Jul 1917. Later issued Silver War Badge.

16390 Private G Steele of the 1st Manchester Regiment. Wounded in action Mesopotamia circa May 1916, FGCM for sleeping at duty, later stokes mortar gunner in a TM Battery

5042 Brownhill, Thomas Henry Cheshire Regiment, later 50459 Cheshire Regiment. Marriage Date 22 Oct 1912, Kempsford. Later lived KELS[G?]ALL COTTAGE, CHURCH LANE ASHTON ON MERSEY. Initial service appears to have been with the 10th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment, then would have transferred to the 9th Battalion when the 10th was reduced to cadre strength. As 50459 wounded in action 5 November 1918. At this time the battalion was part of the 56th Brigade, in the 19th (Western) Division. He was listed as wounded in War Office Daily List No.5754 of 21 December 1918. One of 132 other ranks wounded in the operations between 3 and 9 November 1918.

52784 PTE. W. HOWE. E. YORK. R.

PoW captured "Cauroy" (sic - possibly Caudry?), later entitled to GSM with clasp Iraq

T4/144978 Oscar Guy Howard, born Walthamstow, lived in Hayes Lane, Fakenham, enlisted 27 October 1915 aged 19 years 11 months at Fakenham and medically examined at Norwich, formerly employed as a baker,, served overseas from 8 December 1915 to February 1917 in the Royal Army Service Corps as a horse transport driver in 25th Divisional Train HQ Company. Invalided home 24 February 1917, suffered Bronchitis/Debility attributd to exposure whilst on active service, later pensioned for 20% disability. Home service until discharged March 1919.

23058 Pte W G Jessup, 4th Worcester Regiment, enlisted 13 March 1915, disembarked Balkan theatre 16 July 1915, listed as wounded on War Office casualty list for 8 September 1915, issued Silver War Badge as Jessop circa 14 August 1916 (discharged due to sickness)

28272 Driver Frank Schofield of Oldham, a member of the original BEF from 19 August 1914, 28th Brigade RFA.entitled to the 1914 Star.

T-22711 Driver T E Raven, 1914 Star with rose and Victory Medal. Thomas Edward Raven. Entered theatre of war August 1914. Attached 2nd Manchesters. Issued clasp & roses. Probable Old Contemptibles Association member circa 1938, living in Ruislip. Hospitalised 1 January 1915 with indigestion and evacuated to UK. Appears to have spent rest of war on home service.

L-12945 Pte ANDREWS F.C. Middlesex 14 Star & BWM broken group - later transferred to Army Cyclist Corps as 1439 and died on 14 May 1915 of wounds incurred with 8th Divisional Cycle Company on 13 May 1915

2553 Dvr ROBINSON E RFA 15 Star broken group - died whilst German prisoner of war

11391 Reynolds 1914 Star trio Frostbite Dec 1914, GSW 16/17 June 1915 with 3rd Worcesters Battle of Bellewaarde, full service record on FMP

2900 and 200728 Chantry 1/4th Green Howards GSW 3 may 1915 during Battle of St Julien (British withdrawal 3 May 1915) To Class W at Catterick 1917 (as J G Chantrey)

19684 Bickley 9th West Yorkshire Regiment, entitled to trio, hospital record for Battle of Thiepval Ridge period 26-28 Sept 16.

39031 Williams 12th Gloucestershire Regiment (Bristol's Own). Wounded in Action 4/5 November 1917 (Mustard Gas poisoning) at Ypres probably one of four casualties when the battalion went into the line on 5 November, and again circa 15 April 1918, end of Battle of Hazebrouck period, defending the Forest of Nieppe, when the battalion repulsed a German attack.

20219 A O'Connell East Kent Regiment (Buffs) and G/38497 Queen's. WO Casualty list for 31 August 1917. Wounded, GSW chest circa 26 March with 6th Buffs via 51st Field Ambulance and on WO Casualty list for 27 April 1918.

7474 Charles Verge Wiltshire Regiment

7/1208 (later 38284) Scott trio & plaque 1/7th and 22nd Northumberland Fusiliers KIA Arras(?) 1917

31550 JS Moore 1/4th KSLI WIA March 1918.

SWB to 1569 John Ashcroft 3rd West Lancashire Field Ambulance RAMC. Discharged owing to burns.

23796 Corporal G.H. GOODWRIGHT, Lancashire Fusiliers wia 2/5th LF 9 April 1918

CRAIGS Edward. Pte 43693, Durham Lt Inf, KiA 05/10/1918 (13th DLI, Battle of Beaurevoir)

Kirkham, 25th Liverpool, awarded MM for river crossing under fire (Escaut?) Sept 1918

Livesey or Livesay, 2/5th Liverpool, awarded Military Medal for bravery in treating the wounded under fire, Passchendaele. Newspaper coverage. Date slightly off but around 1 Nov 1917?

JG Moule Wounded 2/6th W Riding 27 Nov 17. PoW 29th DLI 12(?) Oct 1918 (prob captured whilst with A platoon - ambush whilst on pattol).

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/discoveryui-content/view/717545:60779?_phsrc=BhG7467&_phstart=successSource&ml_rpos=8&queryId=cb0556127a978bf07584f7653ce2cf37

Richard Carwardine 

WW1 medals trio

1/4th Gloucesters 5 years penal servitude for sleeping on duty commuted for courage probably in action at Leipzig Redoubt on the Somme, Aug 1916

Service record:

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/1114/images/miuk1914a_083791-01524?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&queryId=1bbb5548a6995150f41d5137ea2888ff&usePUB=true&usePUBJs=true&pId=684173

W/d: https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/60779/images/43112_2758_1-00141?ssrc=&backlabel=Return

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/?name=_Halls&count=50&keyword=3612&keyword_x=1&location=3257.3250&name_x=1_1&priority=united-kingdom

Mons Star group Chown Middlesex, wounded 1917, 1918

Mons Star group Vassie 2/Dgns Wounded list 14 Dec with 1 Life Guards?

119849 J Meehan of Dublin (see: https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBM%2FWO363-4%2F007382473%2F00564&parentid=GBM%2FWO363-4%2F7382473%2F22%2F564) Chester Medals £145

WW1 1914 MONS STAR TRIO, WOUNDED OCTOBER 1914 & DISCHARGED

1914 Mons star trio

To- 7978.PTE.W.CORNISH.2nd.D.L.I

William Cornish enlisted in to the Durham Light Infantry 10-9-1902 & first landed in France with the 2nd battalion 8-9-1914. He received a gun shot wound to the right shoulder some time between the 15th & 18th of October 1914 £195 The Medal Centre

26143 Field RE Mons Star & VM - KiA German Spring Offensive

4623 Reddick 1st Rifle Brigade Mons Star & BWM - PoW Le Cateau

Robert Morris York & Lancs trio

(https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/1219/images/30972_176822-00398?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&queryId=28bcb6476c604d368cac3318b569d93d&usePUB=true&_phsrc=BhG5172&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&pId=1347259)

WW1 1914 Star trio to 2nd siege battery Royal Artillery 

Star named to 29655 GNR. A. R. GREIG. R.G.A.

Pair named 29655 GNR. A. R. GREIG. R.A.

Wounded Oct 1914, 1917, 2nd and 20th Siege Btys)

WW1 British 1914 star trio to the Royal Field Artillery 

Star named to 14007 GNR. D. HENDERSON. R.F.A.

Pair named to 14007 GNR. D. HENDERSON. R.A. 

- £129.99, wounded by gas March 1918

WW1 Territorial Efficiency group to the Army Service Corps

BWM and victory named to T4-056685 DVR. C. J. SATTERLEY. A.S.C.

TEM named T4/056685. DVR. C. J. SATTERLEY. R.A.S.C.

Served France from March 1916. TFEM awarded 1944? Possibly a late award because he was remustered as Regular ASC during the War?

Great War RAMC Territorial Efficiency Medal Group

1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal trio with the Territorial Efficiency Medal to 1355 PTE. W. HEYWOOD.  R.A.M.C. with the TFEM named to 354036 PTE. W. HEYWOOD.  R.A.M.C.

New Testament inscribed to Pte. W. Heywood, No 74,  1/3 East Lancashire Field Ambulance 12th November 1915, Malta

- wounded Gallipoli(?), served France 8th Stat Hosp Wimereux. TFEM awarded Aug 1919 

WW1 Victory Medal 7849 SPR. J.H. ANDREWS. R.E. Entitled to TFWM and SWB (West Lancs or 2nd West Lancs Divisional Signal Company 

E White 16417 R Fus served 2nd, 3rd, 2nd Btns, theatre dates available, wounded Salonika and Western Front, no service record 

2nd daily list entry: https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/194140976 (section 16) - incorrectly transcribed on FWR

1966 PTE.S.V.CLARK .  HAMPS.R. - [1/]9th Hampshire Cyclist Bn (India) then 14th & 15th Hampshire (1st & 2nd Portsmouth) wia, probably with former, Aug(?) 1917. 

Shackleton Rifle Brigade- wounded 3 times 

Hacking wounded carrying food with 1st E Lancs attd 20th Manchesters 14 July 1916, then again with 2nd Worcesters blown up on Passchendaele Ridge 2 Dec 1917

401246 Taylor 12th Manchester wia 22 April 1918, 26 August 1917(?)

 ?341332 W Wheat 22nd Northumberland Fusiliers captured Bullecourt 21 March 1918 

McTurk 1/8th West Yorkshire Rgt - wounded, probably first Mustard gas attack at Nieuport 22 July 1917

CE Thomson wia HLI, KOSB 1918

https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=1219&h=1959247&tid=&pid=&queryId=5988040390412dc08e058f9317649688&usePUB=true&_phsrc=BhG6270&_phstart=successSource&_gl=1*11uolop*_ga*MTE4NzgwNDk4NS4xNTc5MzUyMzA0*_ga_4PXYE4RLH1*MTY0MDYxMTU1NS4xMS4xLjE2NDA2MTE3MjMuMA..

46346 Stringer W Yorks wounded shrapnel 24 August Battle of Albert capture of Thiepval Ridge 

79001 GNR W White R.A. wounded Oct 1917, 8" howitzer battery (See: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Riding_Royal_Garrison_Artillery)

8429 Shaw 1st KORLR Mons Star trio - poss wounded Le Cateau?

628 A Gordon Black Watch trio, hospitalised sore feet dec 1914.

WW1 War and Victory Medals, Middlesex Regiment G-57747 [PoW] 

2979 McCoy R Suss R pow 

8650 White Devon Mons Star broken trio, wound records

G-93555 Hitner Middlesex Enemy Aliens Labour Btn

MacRo pair 240th Siege Bty 6" howitzer, wia 1918 

Newton 4th Heavy Battery & 294th Siege Bty (6" hows) 

5373/267007 Charles Fifield Northumberland Fusiliers pair [wia with 149th TMB March 1918]

4666/303037 Pte L Hughes KLR Ent SWB, wounded 1916 (with 1/5th KLR?) 

97888 DVR D J Collins RFA. Llanelli man. 1st DAC. WiA 8 May 1918. Entitled 1914-15 Star.

Group of 3 Medals To Sgt David M Stephens, 7th Battalion Liverpool Regiment - British War & Victory Medals (1699 Sjt D M Stephens L'Pool R ), Territorial Efficiency Medal

( 3760177 Cpl D M Stephens 7- Kings R ). Also served as 265251 (or 265250). Lived 231 Stanley Road Bootle Liverpool. Also entitled to 1914-15 Star - two wound records, attached 2nd KAR, no service record, missing Star. TFEM awarded 1924. Letter available from him online indicating saw action May 1915

VM & TFEM with 2 clasps Heath RFA awarded the TFEM with bar.Victory Medal named 639 SJT F J HEATH RA.Territorial Force Efficiency Medal with bar named 805308 SJT F HEATH RFA. Also 731732 Heath. 2 clasp verified. First TFEM awarded May 1919.

WW1 14 Star, BWM & Victory Medal 310 Pte J Culverhouse 1/Rifle Brigade several times wounded - once in 1915 twice(?) in 1917

Whitcroft Northumberland Fusiliers & 2/4th York & Lancaster entitled pair, wounded fighting at Marcoing 29 September 1918

ww1 Trio Pip, Squeak and Wilfred. T Halls, East Kent Regiment (Buffs) Halls 7th Buffs wounded 5 April 1918

Harman Royal Warwickshire Regiment (later 1/Queens) - wounded in action 21 September 1918, Battle of St Quentin Canal. Entitled pair

SMITH John Ingham L/Cpl 204056 1/5th Durham Lt Inf, died 12/10/18. Memorial plaque Lightly polished with 2 small holes (died as PoW)

BWM to 41506 Pte J W Nichols 10th, 2nd, 8th (Reserve) & 13th Manchester Regiment, Labour Corps and 9th South Lancashire Regiment

BWM to 41506 Pte J W Nichols 10th, 2nd, 8th (Reserve) & 13th Manchester Regiment, Labour Corps and 9th South Lancashire Regiment 

A British War Medal issued to 41506 Pte J W Nichols of the Manchester Regiment. He is believed to be the James William Nichols (or Nichol/Nicholls ) who was born in Oldham on 9th August 1894 to James Henry and Lavinia Nichol or Nichol[l]s. James Henry was a cardroom jobber and the family were living at 3 Back, St James’ Street in Oldham, having baby James baptised at the parish church of St James’, Oldham on 23rd September 1894. By 1901 the family was living in Frank Street. In 1911 the 16-year-old James William was living with his family at 25 New Earth Street, Oldham and employed, along with his sister, as a little piecer whilst their father was now a stripper and grinder in a cardroom. They also had a younger brother, Henry, still at school.

 By late 1915 James William was a stripper and grinder himself. He stood 5 feet 4 ½” tall, weighing 133 pounds, and had a 38 1/2” chest measurement. He attested his willingness to serve aged 21 years 103 days on or about 11 December 1915 at Oldham, making him one of the last of the Derby Scheme volunteers. He was mobilised circa May 1916 and medically examined at Ashton-under-Lyne on the 6th of that month. Being pronounced medically fit for General Service, he was posted to the 10th Battalion of the Manchester Regiment, an Oldham Territorial Battalion, under the regimental number 5294, appropriate for a Territorial unit. At some point he also passed through the Territorial 8th (Reserve) Battalion of the Regiment. Judging by the dates of his TAB inoculation, which took place when he was with the 3/10th Manchesters, he probably did not go overseas before July 1916 at the earliest. For his overseas service he was issued the new regimental number 41506, from the regular and service battalion sequence. Like fellow 2nd Battalion member 41507 Pte William O’Gara, also of Oldham and formerly of the 10th Battalion, this probably took place under authority of A.C.I.1499. Pte Nichols was posted to the (Regular) 2nd Battalion of the Regiment (14th Brigade, 32nd Division) on the Western Front most probably, like Ptes O’Gara and Ogden (mentioned below) on 28-29 September 1916. This would have put him in line, like 41500 Pte Robert Mallalieu, 41502 Pte George Harry Mather and 41508 Pte John Nield to have served on the Somme and taken part in the Battle of the Ancre, the 2nd Manchesters’ attack on Serre on 18 November 1916. This was the last major action of the Battle of the Somme and is described on themanchesters.org as follows: "The Manchesters gained their objective and were the only regiment to do so ...The company got into Munich and 28th Trench but were unable to advance or withdraw, bombs were scarce, the Germans were on both sides of them and advancing up a trench in front of them. when a dugout caught fire and the smoke was so dense that the men had to put on their gas masks. This party was all killed, wounded or taken prisoner." Ptes Mallalieu, Mather and Neild were captured on the Somme at Serre with the 2nd Manchesters on 18 November 1916 and 41508 Pte William Ogden, also an Oldham man, was killed in this action and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. (Image left: Field kitchen of the 2nd Battalion, Manchester Regiment near St Pierre Divion, November 1916.)

Possibly after a period at home with the 8th Reserve Battalion of the regiment (perhaps due to sickness for injury as there is no casualty list entry for him), Pte Nichols was later posted to the 13th Manchesters in the 66th Brigade of 22nd Division in Salonika. This was possibly in time to take part with the 13th Manchesters in their assault on Pip Ridge on 24 April 1917, during the Battle of Doiran 1917, or he may have been a post-battle replacement. 41505 Pte G Matthews was with the 13th Manchesters (‘A’ Company) when hospitalised with 66th Field Ambulance on 29 September 1917, it is possible that Pte Nichols’ transfer had taken effect by this time; certainly it was probably whilst in this theatre that Pte Nichols caught the region’s endemic Malaria, which his pensions records refer to as attributable [to service], caught circa July 1917.. (Similarly 41503 Pte H N Elliott of the 3/6th Manchesters, attached to the 14th Liverpool Regiment, was in the Salonika theatre by 17 March 1917, by which time he had completed 1 year 4 months’ service, of which 5 months was with the field force.)

At some point Pte Nichols was transferred to the Labour Corps with whom he served under the new regimental number 534021 – such transfers were due to a decrease in medical category due to the effects of injury, disease, etc, in James’ case possibly due to his Malaria. It seems likely that he remained in the Salonika theatre for this posting. 534022 Pte Nicholas William Gunn, late Welsh Regiment, made his transfer to the Labour Corps (Base Lines of Communication Company) on 17 April 1918 and Pte Nichols’ transfer most probably took effect on the same date. 534026 Pte Harry Albert Hicks made his transfer to “Labour Corps Employment Base” at the same time, subsequently being posted (like Pte Gunn) to the Salonika-based 968 Area Employment Company on 23 September 1918. Labour Corps Area Employment Companies were formed in 1917 for salvage work, absorbing the Divisional Salvage Companies, and a range of other duties in their dedicated area (in this respect they were possibly similar to those of Home Service Employment Companies, which consisted of medically downgraded personnel in recognised trades and provided batmen, clerks, sanitary men, cooks, laundrymen, storemen, tradesmen such as butchers and tailors, and other essential staff members for hospitals, barracks and command depots).

Pte Nichols was finally transferred to the South Lancashire Regiment and posted to their 9th Battalion, with whom he served under the regimental number 41567. This unit was also based in Salonika, as part of the 66th Brigade of the 22nd Division alongside the 13th Manchesters. This transfer probably took effect either on 21 September 1918 like 41560 Pte Patrick Campbell, also a sufferer from Malaria incurred in July 1917, or between the 31 October 1918 transfer date of 41561 Pte William John Sharp (Pte Sharp also reported Malaria from July 1917) and the 11 November 1918 transfer date of 41569 Pte Thomas Swift. Most probably this was to replace the casualties incurred during the 66th Brigade's assault on Pip Ridge during the Battle of Doiran on 18 September 1918, in which the brigade suffered 837 casualties, a casualty rate of 65% of those engaged.

Following Pte Nichols’ discharge his Malaria was judged as 20% disabling (later 30%) and he was pensioned for 12 Shillings weekly for one year in the first instance, with effect from 2 November 1919. He does not seem to have been assessed as fully recovered from Malaria until some time in 1922-23. Pte Nichols would most probably have received his British War Medal and Victory Medal some time after February 192[1?]. His postwar address was 5 Jackson Street, Lees Road, Oldham. He married Mabel Chapman in Oldham in the second quarter of 1921 and as of the census date was living with Mabel at 16 Overens St, Oldham and employed again as a Stripper & Grinder in the Cotton Trade for Royal Mills Co, Oldham, Cotton Spinners at the Royal Mills Feather Stall Rd, Oldham. As of the 1939 census register, James William Nichol[s] was still employed as a stripper and grinder in a cotton mill card room and was also involved in a voluntary ambulance service (possibly, like his son, James (also a cotton mill worker) the St John’s Ambulance). James William Nichol[s], husband of Mabel, of 18 Parkfield, Chadderton, Lancashire died on 7 April 1966. Probate was awarded to Mabel and Henry Nichol, retired cafe proprietor.