PARISH OF ST MICHAEL’S & ALL ANGELS

PARISH OF ST MICHAEL’S & ALL ANGELS

ROLL OF HONOUR 1914 -1918

A brief account of the sacrifice made by members of this church in service of their country during the First World War

INTRODUCTION

1. Between the years 1914 – 1919 this country found itself caught up in a military conflict on an industrial scale, the like of which had never been seen before. By the war’s end about 9 million men and women from Britain and the Commonwealth had been called to arms. Of these some 3 million became casualties, of which about 1.2 million were killed. Afterwards parishes all over the country erected memorials to those of their number who had died in this war to end all wars. Only 32 parishes – sometimes known as thankful parishes – saw all their sons return home. Unfortunately St Michael’s was not one of these and 81 men from this church died in that conflict, including 6 pairs of brothers.

2. As memorials go ours is quite a modest one – a simple list on a brass plaque recording the names and initials of all those who died in service of their country. Many years have now passed since this conflict ended and for only a few of us do these names have any meaning or relevance. However, these people all had parents, brothers and sisters, wives and children who grieved for them as the years faded into distant memory. They all lived nearby; worked hard during the week and some of them certainly came to church to pray on Sundays. Although the last of the veterans died this year, their children and grandchildren still remember them and so should we. It is my sincere hope that when you have read through these few pages you will know a little more about who these men were and that they will no longer be just a name on a brass plaque.

The Call to Serve in Serbia

3. When war broke out in August 1914 the Rev. Archibald H Sewell was the Vicar in charge at St Michael’s & All Angels, ably assisted by his 3 curates – the Rev. J R Worters, Rev. Norman Grey and Rev. E Beachey. A Rev W A Herbert was also curate with the church but on the outbreak of war he gave this up and joined the Duke of Cornwall’s light Infantry and was reported missing believed killed on the 1^st of October 1916 (Bristol Times & Mirror, 8^th of January 1917) but is not listed on the church war memorial. Like a lot of people at that time, the Vicar also felt he should do his bit and in April 1915 he and his wife responded to an appeal by the Archbishop of Canterbury and spent 5 months ministering to the needs of the English civil and military personnel serving in Serbia.

4. This was quite a courageous act on their part as the country was in the midst of a typhus epidemic and the Serbian Army was eventually driven out of the country by the end of the year. He was very modest about his achievements and said very little about his adventures, other than to say what an uplifting experience it was to administer to the needs of such a varied and enthusiastic congregation. He preached to a mixture of denominations, including Serbs and British Marines and Naval personnel. He makes particular mention of a Canadian who travelled 40 miles on horseback to attend one of his services.

5. He spent most of his time in Belgrade and was back in England by the end of October, just before the country was overrun by the Bulgarians and so avoided having to choose between internment and retreating with the Serbian soldiers and civilians over poor mountain roads to safety in Albania. In terrible weather and with hardly any food, thousands were lost to hunger disease and enemy attacks - in all Serbia lost 1.1 million people in the war that was about 27% of its total population. His sermon recounting his experiences in Serbia was reported in the Bristol Times and Mirror on the 25^th of October and on the 1^st November it also reported the subsequent presentation of an engraving of Christ, given by his parishioners of in commemoration of his safe return. Shortly after this the Rev. Sewell resigned his post and by the end of 1916 had moved to Switzerland, though it is not clear quite what he was doing there. His place was taken up first by the Rev. Charles W Dixon (who had been the Vicar in 1906), and then the Rev. Harold Henry Mathew, before the Rev. J C Ridgewell Barker took up final residence at the end of 1917.

The Call to Arms

6. The Church itself was thriving at that time, with some 851 communicants attending the Easter service that year and 2000 at a special service in 1917. As in most parishes there was an immediate rush to answer Lord Kitchener’s call to arms and by April 1916 about 300 parishioners had enlisted, of whom about 50% were thought to be regular church attendees. More were to follow in subsequent years as the new conscription laws started to bite. A list of these first volunteers was pinned up in the church for a while but does not seem to have survived the passage of time. By the war’s end as many as 700 men from this Parish would have served in the armed forces. A smaller number of women may also have served in the nursing and auxiliary services.

7. Most of these returned safely, although about one third of these would have become casualties and of these 81 made the supreme sacrifice. The youngest to die was aged just 18 and the oldest was 50. The majority, however, were aged between 20 and 34. The general age distribution of those who died was as follows:

Aged 18 = 3

Aged 19 = 8

Aged 20-24 = 24

Aged 25-29 = 20

Aged 30-34 = 17

Aged 35-39 = 6

Aged 45-49 = 1

Aged 50 = 1

Unknown = 1

A list of the units in which these men served is provided in the Annex at the end of this document.

Where they Served

8. Of those who died 75 served in Army, 4 served in the Navy and 2 in the Royal Air Force/Royal Flying Corps. Of those who served in the Army 7 served with the Royal Artillery (including one who served in the Royal Garrison Artillery), 5 served with the Cavalry 4 served with the Royal Engineers, 3 with the Royal Army Service Corps, 1 with the Machine Gun Corps, 1 with the Canadian Army and 1 with the Royal Army Ordnance Corps. The remaining 53 served in the British Infantry. Of these 31 served in one or other of the 11 Battalions of the Gloucester Regiment listed in the Annex below.

9. Overall, 28 served in one of the Regular units, 23 in one of the Territorial units and 24 in one of the new Kitchener units. A list of the different units in which these men served is provided in the Annex at the end of this paper. Although most served on the Western Front (69), others saw service on the North Sea (4), in Salonika (2) Gallipoli (1), Syria (1), Italy (2) and Mesopotamia (1), while one person never left these shores at all.

10. Of those who served in the Royal Navy, 2 went down with their ships at the battle of Jutland and 2 were killed in collisions at sea. All were lost while serving in home waters. The tide of deaths rose inexorably as the war progressed in ever greater intensity. Two died in 1914, 7 in 1915, 28 in 1916, 17 in 1917, 23 in 1918 and 2 in 1919. Of these 51 were killed in action, 14 died of wounds and 16 died from disease. Four of these died after the War had ended from the effects of disease contracted while on service. Disease was a constant companion to war, particularly in Africa, the Balkans and the Middle East, while the great Flu pandemic of 1918 also contributed its toll – 228,000 died in the UK and some 70 Million worldwide.

11. It may be wondered why so many of our men served in battalions that had no direct link to Bristol. In some cases this may be because there was a family link or other previous connection with that battalion. In most cases, however, these soldiers would have been conscripted or assigned to training battalions and would have been sent wherever they were most needed. Also wounded men did not always return to their original unit, particularly if it was at full complement when the soldier in question was declared fit for duty. Some units were also broken up during the war and their men transferred to other units, particularly in February 1918 when all brigades were reduced from 4 to 3 battalions in order to save on manpower.

Voluntary Enlistment

12. Some 30,000 Bristol men enlisted voluntarily during the first 12 months of the war but this initial enthusiasm gradually waned. By July 1915 there was considerable discussion as to whether conscription should be introduced to round up the more reluctant Bristol men. At first the Government stuck to the voluntary principle and made ever stronger appeals for new recruits. In Bristol this resulted in large adverts for young men to join the 4^th and 6^th Territorial Battalions of the Gloucestershire Regiment and other specialist units such as the Royal Artillery and Royal Engineers. The Bristol Times and Mirror made a particular effort to encourage recruitment by publicising the activities of the troops as they underwent training, marched off to war, served overseas or recovered in hospital. They also published rolls of honour listing those men and women from each district who were already serving their country.

13. On the 28^th of September 1915 the Bristol Recruiting Offices launched a recruitment rally, backed up by local parades and marches, to encourage men to turn up and enlist as one of the following recruiting halls:

The Royal Gloucestershire Hussars – St Stephen Street

The Gloucestershire Royal Field Artillery (TF) – Whiteladies road

The South Midland Brigade Royal Engineers – Park Row

The 4^th Battalion of the Gloucestershire Regiment (TF) – Old Market Street

The 6^th Battalion of the Gloucestershire Regiment (TF) – St Michael’s Hill

The Royal Army Medical corps (TF) – Colston Fort, Kingsdown

The Local Regular Army Units – Guildhall, Broad St

The Mayor of Bristol (Dr Barclay Baron) also made use of the National Register (see paragraph 14 below) to call men up for a private interview in an effort to persuade them to volunteer. Each man was asked to bring their marriage certificate and the birth certificates of any children, in order to be able to confirm the number of people dependent on them.

Introduction of Conscription

14. By these and various other means the quotas for 1915 were eventually filled up but it was not enough and on the 11^th of October Lord Derby was appointed Director-General of Recruiting. Five days later he introduced the so called “Derby Scheme” whereby all men aged 18-40 were told they could continue to enlist voluntarily, or attest with an obligation to come if called up. This built on the National Registration Act introduced by the Government on the 15 of July 1915, which required all men aged 15-65 to register details of their employment and marital status, to help identify those eligible for service overseas and not employed in vital war work. They were then issued with a registration card by the local registration authority.

15. Under the “Derby Scheme” the last day for registration was the 15^th December and voluntary enlistment ceased thereafter. The men listed on the register were then grouped according to age and marital status – thus Group 1 consisted of unmarried 18 year olds, moving up each year to Group 23 for married 18 year olds and ending with Group 46 for married 40 year olds. Groups 2-5 were the first to be called up on the 20 of January 1916 and Groups 6-9 followed on the 1^st of February – a picture of the first Group being sworn in by the Lord Mayor of Bristol was published in the Bristol Times and Mirror on the 29^th January 1916. A photograph of Derby recruits marching to Temple Meads station on their way to the training depot at Taunton was also published on the 12^th of February.

16. Some 215,000 men enlisted under this scheme (many of them from Bristol) and 2,185,000 attested for later enlistment. Although promises were made to place them in their preferred unit, the greater attrition amongst infantrymen meant that they were usually sent wherever the need was greatest. Despite this effort 38% of single men and 54% of married men not in “starred” jobs had still avoided this form of recruitment and the Government was therefore obliged to introduce the Military Service Act on the 27^th of January 1916, which deemed that all single men between the aged 19 and 41 had been enlisted in the Army Reserve. In May 1916 this Act was extended to include all married men.

17. These were then classed according to their year of birth and called up gradually over the rest of the year, with the younger age groups being called first. Those 18 year olds in Class 1, however, had the option of going straight into training, or waiting until they were called up on their 19^th birthday. By 1918 all these Groups/Classes had been called up and thereafter the Government was forced to call up those due for military service in 1919, which is why so many 18 year olds were killed in the last months of the war.

The Bristol Territorial Divisions

18. There were particularly strong connections to the 48^th (1^st South Midland) and 61^st (2^nd South Midland) Divisions, with 10 of our men serving in the former and 11 in the latter. This should not be surprising since both were Territorial units with strong links to Bristol. The South Midland Division, as it was then known, was one of 14 Divisions in the pre war Territorial Force set up under the reforms introduced in 1908 under the then Secretary of State for War – Richard Burdon Haldane. In August 1914 the South Midland Division had just departed for its annual summer camp when emergency orders were received mobilising it for war service on the 5^th of August and it was concentrated in Chelmsford area by mid August.

19. Meanwhile on the 31^st of August 1914 the War Office issued instructions to all units of the Territorial Force to form a reserve unit. The men who had agreed to serve overseas were separated from the rest. Those left as “home service only” were formed into second line units, which would provide this reserve and were joined by many new recruits from September 1914 onwards. The first line 48^th (1^st South Midland) Division was eventually sent to France on the 13^th of March 1915. However, the second line 61^st (2^nd South Midland) Division was sadly lacking in equipment and training and was not ready to go to France until the 24^th of May 1916. Both Divisions saw considerable action in France at the battles of the Somme and 3^rd Ypres. The 48^th Division had an easier time in 1918, seeing out the war in Northern Italy. The 61^st Division saw almost continuous action between August 1917 and May 1918, being reduced to cadre strength by the end of the German Spring Offensive. However, while it took several months to rebuild, it was back in the front line by October and played an important part in the final defeat of the German Army.

The Battle of Vitoria Veneto

20. Every Division had its defining moment that some how summed up its experience of the First World War. Mostly these involved particular bloody battles like those fought by the Pals Battalions on the opening day of the Somme, or the 57^th (Western Lancashire) Division’s heroic defensive action at Guinchy in April 1918. For the 48^th Division, however, this moment came in Italy on the 3^rd of November 1918 at the battle of Vitoria Veneto, when it surrounded and captured the commander of the Austrian III Corps, 3 Divisional commanders and 14 battalions. By the time of the Armistice on the 4^th of November it had pushed forward into Trentino, gaining the distinction to be the first British formation to enter what had been “enemy home ground” before the war.

The Battle of Fromelles

21. For the 61^st Division, despite its many desperate battles later in the War, its defining moment undoubtedly came with the Battle of Fromelles on the 19^th of July 1916. The Division had only arrived in France a few weeks before and this was generally regarded as a “nursery sector” where troops went to learn the business of trench warfare, before being sent to a more active part of the line. However the XI Corps commander (Lt General Sir Richard Haking) had planned a diversionary action intended to pin down German units and prevent them being used in the larger battle of the Somme to the south. So the 61^st Division and the equally green 5^th Australian Division were launched into an attack on the 6^th Bavarian Reserve Division, which had been dug in around Fromelles for most of the war and knew the terrain backwards. Included among its ranks was one Adolf Hitler – a runner at his Battalion’s HQ – then aged 27.

22. The attack was launched at 6 pm on the evening of the 19^th of July, after an 11 hour bombardment, and proved a complete fiasco. The 61^st Division attacked in the centre and was mown down by machine gun fire. It then asked the Australians to support a second attack only to cancel it without telling them. The Diggers attacked alone and even broke into the German trenches but were outflanked and had to withdraw under heavy fire the next morning. The Australians lost 1,700 dead and the British 500 for no significant gain, nor were any enemy reserves diverted. Such was the damage to the 61^st Division and its reputation that it was not used again other than for holding trenches until 1917. The British refused the opportunity to collect their dead, so the Bavarians buried them in 8 pits in Pheasant Wood and only today have these been discovered and the slow work of identifying their remains for the benefit of their surviving families has now begun.

Who Were These Men

23. Our soldiers themselves came from all walks of life. Some were mere boys like William Cooke and Ewart Edgerley seeking glory and adventure, who had enlisted while under age and barely out of school. Indeed they were fortunate not to find themselves in Court – as in the case of Alfie Smith who was prosecuted for trying to enlist first in the Gloucestershire Regiment and then in the North Somerset Yeomanry while only 14 years of age (reported in the Bristol Times & Mirror on the 11^th of November 1915). The ranks also included clerks, bankers, accountants, solicitors and insurance salesmen, as well as builders, carpenters, paperhangers, machinists, boot makers, factory hands and general/agricultural workers. There were even a few grizzled veterans like John Ovington and Fred Mayo who had already seen several years’ service in the peacetime Army.

24. All of them were swept up in one of the most momentous events of the century. No one was unaffected by what happened and for those who survived the world would never be the same again. Several took part in epic events that were to stand out in the history of warfare. Charles Bishop, for example, was with the 2^nd Worcesters’ at Gheluvelt (31^st of October 1914) where 364 men charged over 1,000 yards of open ground to clear some 1,200 Prussian Guards from the British trenches they had just taken. In doing so they closed a dangerous gap in the line and saved the BEF from annihilation. He continued to serve throughout the war, only to die on the Kemmel Ridge where the British Army successfully prevented a second attempt to breakthrough to the Channel Ports at the end of April 1918.

25. Sydney Monkton fought at the battle of Jutland only to drown a few weeks later on a submarine training exercise. William Redwood took part in Lt General Henry Chauvel’s famous cavalry march through the Syrian Desert, covering an epic 83 miles in 33 hours – a record in cavalry history – before dying of malaria a few weeks later. However, not all of our soldiers participated in such momentous events. Some died after only a few weeks in the trenches like William Bishop or Henry Denning; or like Burleigh Dixon had their health ground down by the physical hardships endured while serving in the front line. However, all were heroes in their own way and all deserved to be remembered.

Sources

26. In putting this information together I have used the following sources:

Commonwealth War Graves Commission records (CWGC)
Soldiers Died in the Great War*
Census Records for 1871-1901*
Medal Rolls Index *
Pension Records*
Service Records*
Birth, Marriage and Death Records*
Christening Records*
Divisional and Battalion Histories**
Minutes of Vestry and Parish Meetings+
Wright’s Street Directories 1906-1921++
London Gazette++
Bristol Times & Mirror++

Most of this can be found on the Internet, or via the local Archive Office or Library. However, I have still to check the Army List and medal citations for the officers listed below. I also have yet to check the unit diaries to determine where precisely the individuals concerned were serving at the time of their death.

*National Archive records available on the Internet via www.ancestry.uk

** The Long Long Trail – The British Army 1914-1918 (htpp//www.1914- 1918.net).

+Bristol Archive Office

++Bristol Central Library

Interpreting Divisional Histories

27. A word of caution on the battle histories. Service records were not available for most of the soldiers and I have had to work out which actions they participated in on the basis of the history of the Division in which they served. However, since I do not always know when exactly they went overseas, they may not have seen action in all of the battles in which their Divisions were engaged. Also, although some of these battles lasted for several weeks the soldiers themselves would not have seen continuous action over these periods. Soldiers were often left out of battle or served in the rear areas while their Division was in action. They were also rotated between duty on the front line, in support or in reserve while a battle was in operation and it would be very rare for a soldier to see continuous fighting for more than 2 or 3 days at a time.

28. It should also be noted that although the troops were mostly engaged in line holding operations rather than constant battle, these were not always quiet affairs. Many parts of the line were subject to frequent trench raids and exchanges of fire that made them quite dangerous places to operate. An example of just how dangerous is provided in a report published in the Bristol times & Mirror on the 26^th of March 1916, regarding an action that took place on the 18^th March. This recounts the story of how the 1/6^th Battalion fought off a trench raid by the Germans, which had been preceded by an intense 2 hour bombardment of gas and artillery shells. In this action Private Robert Leslie Vincent Helps (who lived at 55 Belmont Road, St Andrews, Bristol) distinguished himself by fighting a rearguard action with bomb and bayonet, which enabled the rest of his section to retire to safety. He himself was wounded and captured but was later found on the wire where he had been left for dead as the counter attacking troops forced the Germans out of the British trenches. He died later in hospital. This was typical of many such actions that occurred throughout the war and which were to cause as many, if not more, casualties as the major battles themselves.

29. My aim in these few pages is to restore to this generation a brief recollection of those lives lost, so that this memorial will not just be a list of names but a tribute to the lives they led and the sacrifice they made. Needless to say my researches have found out more about some individuals than others and there are still gaps in the narrative and areas of uncertainty. It should also be noted that the War Memorial was itself drawn up in a rather haphazard fashion, with local parishioners being invited by public notice to supply details of family members who died in the War, so it is not surprising that some names are out of place and initials missing. So if you do find any inaccuracies or feel you can fill in some of the gaps I should be glad to hear from you.

R A Ford

113 Belmont Road

St Andrews

Bristol BS6 5AR

Tel: 0117 9497587

Email: kford@blueyonder.co.uk

Name Bailey, Ernest Wright

Regiment 1/5^th Battalion King’s Own (Royal Lancashire) Regiment

Rank/No. Private 242539

Enlisted Bristol

Brigade/Division 166^th Brigade 55^th (West Lancashire) Division

Born Bishopston, Bristol

Resident Bishopston

Where Died Died of Wounds in Flanders on 17/6/1917 aged 32 and is buried at Lijssenhoek Cemetery (XV. F 12A) near Ypres in Belgium.

Other Information Awarded the Victory and British War medals. He also served as a Gunner in the Royal Artillery.

Biographical Details

Ernest was born in Bristol about March 1884 to William and Emily Bailey who in 1891 were living at 67 Muller Road, Horfield, Bristol together with his brothers Albert, Arthur, George and Harry and sisters Annie, Ethel and Eva. Another brother Alfred was born later in 1893. In 1901 the family had moved to 79 Melbourne Road, Bishopston, Bristol, although only Ernest, Harry, Alfred and Ethel were still living with their parents. Throughout this time their father was working as a gardener. After 1901, Ernest started working as a tailor and on 10^th of September 1911 married Annette Amelia Ponting at Holy Trinity Church, Horfield, Bristol. They continued to live with Ernest’s mother until his death in 1917, his father having died in 1914. They had 2 daughters – Irene (born 24 March 1912) and Eileen (born on the 11^th of May 1916).

Ernest enlisted in Bristol on 8 December 1915 and was reported to be in good health apart from the requirement for some dental treatment. After completing his training he remained on Home Service as a gunner with the Royal Field Artillery until he was transferred to the Royal Lancashire Regiment on the 6 of January 1917. He went to France on the 10 of January 1917 and reported to the base holding depot at Etaples and was allocated first to the 8^th and then the 1/5 Battalion of the Royal Lancashire Regiment. His Division served in the Ypres Salient for the first 6 months of the year, which was relatively quiet at this time, although under constant rifle and artillery fire from 3 sides.

He continued there until June when he sustained gunshot wounds to the thigh and other parts of his body. The details are imprecise because the service record has been badly damaged by fire. The 55^th (West Lancashire) Division (a first line Territorial unit) was not involved in any major engagement at this time but the nature of the injury would suggest that he was involved in some kind of trench raid. He was taken out of the line to one of the casualty clearing stations at Lijssenhoek where he subsequently died on the 17^thof June 1917. He was buried in the nearby Lijssenhoek Cemetery, which had been used by the British since June 1915. It is the second largest military graveyard in Belgium.

[Note his second initial is not included on the church memorial, although the CWGC records do not list any Bailey with just the initial E.]
Name Bennett, Elton George

Regiment 2/6^th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment

Rank/No. Private 1347

Enlisted Bristol

Brigade/Division 183^rd Brigade 61^st (2^nd South Midland) Division

Born Bishopston, Bristol

Resident Bishopston

Where Died Killed in Action in Flanders on 5/7/1916 aged 24 and is buried at Laventie Military Cemetery, La Gorgue (II.B14 – FR1887) on the River Lys.

Other Information Awarded the Victory and British War medals.

Biographical Details

Elton was born in Bristol on 12^th of October 1891 to George and Annie Bennett and christened on the 6^th of November. The 1901 census shows him living at 15 St James’ Church in the parish of St James (near St James’ Parade and Almshouses), North Bristol together with his brothers Frederick, George and Sydney and sister Mary. He does not appear to have married. His father was born in Horfield, Bristol and was working as a builder’s labourer. By 1916 his parents were living at 18 Berkeley Road, Bishopston.

Elton’s service record shows that he enlisted with the 1/6^th (Territorial) Battalion of the Gloucester Regiment on the 15^th of May 1909 and that he was discharged as medically unfit on the 1^st April 1913, although he signed up again on the 25^th of May 1914. He is next shown on home service at West Down, Salisbury Plain, on 12 August 1915. It is not clear when he joined the 2/6^th Battalion but as a “home service” Territorial he would probably have been allocated to this reserve unit shortly after it was formed in September 1914. As a second line Territorial Unit it was sadly lacking in both training and equipment and it was some time before they were ready for service overseas. In January 1915 the Battalion had concentrated with the rest of the 61^st Division at Northampton before moving to Chelmsford, where they were inspected by Lord Kitchener on the 6^th of August. Finally they moved to Park house Camp at Tidworth, Wiltshire in February 1916 before being sent out to France on the 24^th of May.

The Division had very little time to acclimatise to Trench Warfare before it was moved to XI Corps (Lt General Haking) to take part in a subsidiary attack on Fromelles (19^thJuly) with the 5^th Australian Division on the 19^th of July. This was intended as a diversionary action to the larger battle of the Somme to the South but in the event it proved to be an unmitigated disaster. Both Divisions suffered heavy casualties for no significant gain and no enemy reserves were diverted. Such was the damage to the 61^st Division and its reputation that it was not used again other than for holding trenches until 1917.

Elton was attached to the Brigade’s Light Trench Mortar Battery, which was used to provide smoke and covering fire for attacks, or to counter sniper and machine gun fire. It is likely that Elton was serving in this latter role when he was killed in action on the 5of July shortly after moving into the Lys sector preparatory to the Fromelles attack. He is buried in Laventie Military Cemetery which was started by the 61^st Division primarily to provide for the fatalities incurred in the Frommelles attack. His death was reported in the Bristol Times & Mirror on the 29^th of July 1916.

Name Bennett, Sidney

Regiment 10^th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment

Rank/No. Private 26416

Enlisted Bristol

Brigade/Division 1^st Brigade 1^st Division

Born St Paul’s, Bristol

Resident Bristol

Where Died Killed in Action in France on 20/7/1916 aged 31 and is recorded on the Thiepval Monument (Pier & Face 5A & 5B – MR0021) to the missing on the Somme.

Other Information Awarded the Victory and British War medals.

Biographical Details

Sidney was born in Bristol about 1885 to William and Winnie Bennett and in 1891 they were living at 45 Hillgrove Hill, St Paul’s, Bristol together with his brother Victor and sisters Dorothy, Kate and Mabel. His father was working as a driver at this time. In 1914 Sidney was renting two floors at 54 Cheltenham Place, St Andrew’s, Bristol, while his parents were living at 6 Downend Road in the same parish.

No service records are available but it is likely that he enlisted in the latter half of 1915 as his medal record shows that he not with the 10^th battalion when it first went to France on the 8^th of August 1915. He was probably allocated to the Regiment’s general reserve and went to France with a later draft of replacements in early 1916. Once at the base depot in Etaples he would have been sent to the 10^th Battalion to replace casualties lost due to the general attrition that was taking place in the Trenches at that time.

His Division – a veteran Regular unit that had already seen a lot of action - was sent to join in Lt General Pulteney’s III Corps on the Somme. Sidney would therefore have been present at the battles of Albert (1-13 July) and the Bazentin Ridge (14-17 July). Much has been made of the high number of casualties on the first day of the Somme (some 57,000) but many commentators overlook the advances made in subsequent days. Slowly, and with a rising toll of casualties, Sidney’s Division managed to advance and capture the villages of Montauban, Fricourt, Contalmaison and La Boiselle during the battle of Albert. Then after a short pause it was back in action at Bazentin, where it helped to capture the villages of Longueval, Trones and Ovillers.

Very slowly and at a great cost in lives the British Army gradually forced the German Army to retire to the Hindenburg Line and slowly became the efficient, modern, war fighting machine that eventually triumphed in 1918. Unfortunately Sidney was not there to see it. Having survived two major battles he was killed in action on the 20^th of July. It is not clear quite how he died but it was probably while his unit was consolidating the line after the battle of Bazentin. Unfortunately his body was never recovered and he is listed on the Thiepval Memorial to the missing on the Somme.

Name Birth, Ernest William

Regiment 2/4^th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment

Rank/No. Private 5666

Enlisted Bristol

Brigade/Division 184^th Brigade 61^st (2^nd South Midland) Division

Born Bristol

Resident Bristol

Where Died Died in France on 4/1/1917 aged 32 and is buried at Varennes Military Cemetery (I.F.30), near Albert on the Somme.

Other Information Awarded the Victory and British War medals.

Biographical Details

Ernest was born in Bristol about December 1884 to Joseph and Eliza Birth and in 1901 was living with his widowed mother at 36 Southwell Street, in the Parish of St Michael’s, Bristol together with his brothers Alfred, Arthur, Harry & Charles and sisters Edith, Eliza, Jessie & Lily. Sidney was working as a boot packer at that time, while his mother and his sisters Lily and Edith were working as dress makers. Harry was a cycle maker and Alfred was a packer for a firm of chemists. Before the war Ernest worked for Messrs Roberts – a firm of tailors working on Park Street. He does not appear to have married but was a keen member of the Bristol South Cycling Club. By 1916 his mother had moved to live at 29 Melbourne Road, Bishopston, Bristol.

Although his service record is not available, Ernest low service number suggests was an early volunteer and was probably allocated to the 2/4 Berkshire Regiment when it joined the 2^nd South Midland Division in February 1915. As a second line Territorial Unit the Division was sadly lacking in both training and equipment and it was some time before they were ready for service overseas. In January 1915 it had concentrated in the Northampton area before moving to Chelmsford in April, where it became known officially as the 61^st (2^nd South Midland) Division. They were inspected by Lord Kitchener on the 6of August and were finally moved to Park house Camp at Tidworth, Wiltshire in February 1916 before being sent out to France on the 24^th of May.

The Division had very little time to acclimatise to Trench Warfare before it was moved to XI Corps (Lt General Haking) to take part in a subsidiary attack on Fromelles with the 5^th Australian Division on the 19^th July. This was intended as a diversionary action to the larger battle of the Somme to the South but in the event it proved to be an unmitigated disaster. Both Divisions suffered heavy casualties for no significant gain and no enemy reserves were diverted. Such was the damage to the 61^st Division and its reputation that it was not used again other than for holding trenches until 1917.

Ernest survived this battle and continued to take part in the usual round of trench holding duties until the end the end of year when he became ill with pneumonia. He was taken to the Varennes Casualty Clearing Station, where he subsequently died on the 4^th of January 1917. He was buried in the nearby in Varennes Military Cemetery, which had been started by the 39^th Casualty Clearing Station in August 1916 during the battle of the Somme. His death was reported in the Bristol Times & Mirror on the 19^th of January 1917

[Note his second initial is not shown on the church memorial]
Name Bishop, Charles Dudley

Regiment 2^nd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment

Rank/No. Captain 10499

Enlisted Australia

Brigade/Division 5^th Brigade 2^nd Division & 100^th Brigade 33^rd Division

Born Bristol

Resident Horfield, Bristol

Where Died Killed in Action in Flanders on 17/4/1918 aged 30 and is recorded on the Ploegsteert Memorial (Panel 5) near Ypres in Belgium..

Other Information Awarded the Victory and British War medals and the 1914 Star.

Biographical Details

Charles was born in Australia in about 1888. In the 1901 census he is shown living with his widowed mother Sarah Bishop and brothers Henry and Thomas at 24 Edward Road (off Batch road), Brislington, Bristol. His brother Henry was also killed in the war (see below) and his mother died in 1919. Although there is no clear link to St Michael’s, the medal records for both Charles and Henry direct that all correspondence be sent c/o Mrs Ada Jones who was living with her husband (Phillip Eggerton Jones) at 9 Seymour Avenue, Horfield, Bristol between 1914 and 1923.

Her daughter Leonora F E Jones later married Charles’ other bother Thomas Henry Bishop in 1918. In 1901 the Jones family had been living next door to his grandmother – Harriet Bishop – at 3 Winsley Road, Montpelier, Bristol. His grandmother died in 1907 but the family seem to have remained in contact with Ada Jones. All this rather suggests that the brothers had strong links with Bishopston and that Thomas Bishop probably put his brothers’ names forward for inclusion on the parish memorial after the war.

Charles was a regular soldier who went to France on 12^th August 1914 as a Lance Sergeant and was commissioned on 29^th of May 1917. He was holding the rank of Captain at the time of his death on 17^th of April 1918 and would have seen considerable fighting in the War. His first action would have been at the battle for Mons (22-23 August - with the 2^nd Division (5^th Brigade) in Lt General Haig’s I Corps) and then in the subsequent retreat and rearguard actions at Landrecies, Le Grand Fayt and Villers-Cotteret. In September it was back to the attack at 1^st Marne (7-10 September) and the Aisne Heights and then the Aisne River itself on the 12-15 September. Then it was the race to the sea and the three bloody battles of 1^st Ypres (Langemarck, Gheluvelt and Nonne Bosschen).

At Gheluvelt Charles would have taken part in the famous last ditch counter attack by his much depleted Battalion that prevented the Germans breaking through the British lines, thereby saving the coastal ports from occupation. The crisis came on the 31^st of October, when 6 German Divisions attacked in great force along the Ypres-Menin road pushing back the 1^st Division and virtually wiping out the 1^st Coldstream Guards. The village had been captured by the Germans at great cost and there was now nothing to stop them breaking through and encircling the BEF. In desperation Brigadier General Fitzclarence sent in his last reserves – a mere 364 men of the 2^nd Worcesters. They carried out a heroic bayonet charge over 1,000 yards of open ground against some 1,200 members of the elite Prussian Guard. They lost 187 men (over a third of their number) in the process but restored the British line after a short but brutal fight against overwhelming odds.

In 1915 he would have seen action at Cuinchy (29^th January), Festubert (7-6 June) and , Loos (25^th September – 18^th October) before his Brigade was transferred to 33^rd Division on 20^th December. In 1916 he would have taken part in the July battles of the Somme at Albert, the Bazentin Ridge and High Wood, including the capture of Boritska and Dewdrop trenches. Thereafter after he would have served on quieter sectors, until the battles of Arras in 1917, when he would have seen action at 1^st and 2^nd Scarpe in April and on the Hindenburg Line (20^th May – 16^th June). July and August would have been spent on the coast preparing for the aborted amphibious assault on the Belgian Coast (Operation Hush), after which he would have seen further action in the battles of 3^rd Ypres at the Menin Ridge (20-25 September) and Polygon Wood (26^th September -3^rd October).

In April 1918 his Battalion was caught up in the second phase of the German Spring offensive on the Lys seeing more action at Messines (10-11 April) and Hazebrouck including the action at Bailleul and the defence of Neuve Eglise (12-15 April). However, his luck finally ran out at the battle for Kemmel Ridge (17-19 April) – a vital strategic objective defended by Lt General Gordon’s IX Corps and gateway to Ypres and the Channel Ports. This was a very difficult time for the British Army which was undermanned and being heavily pressed by a German Army reinforced by veterans released from the Russian Front. This was not the first time Charles had fought to save the Channel Ports but it was to be his last. All units, including the 33^rd Division, suffered heavy casualties as a result of these hard fought battles and Charles was among the many that lost their lives at this time.

It looks as though he was killed on the opening day of the battle as his company tried to hold back the superior numbers of German troops. Eventually General Plumer was obliged to pull back from the Kemmel Ridge and all the hard earned gains of the Passchendale Offensive were lost over a period of 20 days. However, these were gained at a very heavy price and the German Army was so weakened by these losses that it was unable to resist the Allied victories counter offensive in the summer. Unfortunately the confused fighting on the Kemmel Ridge meant that Charles’ body was never recovered and he is listed on the Ploegsteert Memorial to the 11,000 soldiers who died in this sector but have no known grave.

Name Bishop, Henry Saxilby

Regiment 4^thBattalion Worcestershire Regiment

Rank/No. Lance Corporal 10319

Enlisted Weston Super Mare

Brigade/Division 88^th Brigade 29^th Division

Born Australia

Resident Horfield, Bristol

Where Died Killed in Action at Gallipoli on 6/8/1915 aged 23 and is recorded on the Helles Memorial (Panel 104-113).

Other Information Awarded the Victory and British War medals and the 1915 Star.

Biographical Details

Henry was born in Australia in 1892 and was the brother of Charles Dudley Bishop who also died in the War - see above for biographical details. Like his brother he was a Regular soldier in the same Regiment and in August 1914 would have been stationed with rest of his Battalion at Meiktila in Burma. They returned to the UK on 1 February 1915, landing at Avonmouth near Bristol. After just a few weeks home leave they were sent back out to join the Expeditionary Force being formed up in Egypt under General Hamilton for the attack on the Dardenelles.

The Gallipoli landings proved to be a bloody fiasco which was eventually to cause Winston Churchill to resign his office as First Lord of the Admiralty. The landings were badly planned and poorly executed and provided an object lesson in all the things that could go wrong with an opposed landing. Always it was a case of too little too late with defeat being repeatedly snatched from the jaws of victory. The only redeeming features were the magnificent courage and endurance of the soldiers on both sides and the eventual evacuation, which was successfully executed with a degree of planning and organisation that had been singularly lacking in the operation as a whole.

Henry took part in the first landings at Cape Helles on the 25^th of April 1915 but having survived this bloody chapter in British Military History, was killed in action as the Allies attempted to establish a second beachhead in a subsequent landing at Suvla Bay on 6 August 1915. In the first battle some 35,000 men were landed at Helles on the Dardenelles Peninsula under Lt General Aylmer Hunter Weston. However, the landing was badly co-ordinated and Hunter Weston did not press inland quickly enough. The result was that the weak Turkish forces were able to hold on until reinforcements arrived and when the British pressed the attack at Krithia 3 days later this was repulsed with heavy losses, with one third of the British forces becoming casualties.

What followed was stalemate and frustration which resulted in more troops being diverted from the Western Front to mount a second landing under General Sir Frederick Stopford. This took place on 6 August at Suvla Bay, where 5 Divisions were landed with the intention of joining up with diversionary attacks at Helles and Anzac Cove. Once again poor co-ordination meant that they did not move inland quickly enough, with the result that Turkish reinforcements were again brought forward in time to halt the advance and the battle moved back to stalemate. Amidst all this confusion Henry was killed as the troops moved inland and his body was never recovered. He is recorded on the Helles Monument on the tip of the Gallipoli Peninsula, which commemorates some 21,000 soldiers who died in this sector but have no known grave.

Name Bishop, William Alfred

Regiment 1stBattalion the Life Guards

Rank/No. Trooper 2429

Enlisted Bristol

Brigade/Division 7^th Cavalry Brigade 3^rd Cavalry Division

Born Bitton, Gloucestershire

Resident Bishopston Bristol

Where Died Died of Wounds in Flanders on 22/10/1914 aged 31and is buried at Ypres Town Cemetery (D14).

Other Information Awarded the Victory and British War medals and the 1914 Star.

Biographical Details

William was born in Bitton near Bristol about December 1883 to Edward Frank and Emily E Bishop. In 1891 they were living at the Golden Valley, Bitton, together with his brother Frank Edward and sisters Emily, Sarah Jane and Annie. His father was working as a farm labourer at this time. In 1901 they were still living at the same address, although Sarah Jane had left home. Three new sisters – Alice, Mary and Maud –had been added to the family and they also had a boarder James Hunt staying with them. Both James and Frank were working in the local paper mill at this time, while William and his father were agricultural workers.

At some point after this William appears to have joined the Life Guards and would have been based in Kensington Barracks, London where it is likely that he met married his wife Alice Elizabeth in 1905. I have not been able to trace any children from this marriage. In 1914 they were living at 6 Princess Place, Bishopston, Bristol, although by the end of the war his wife had moved to 13 Hatherley Road, Bishopston. Although his service record is not available, his medal record shows that he was mobilised with the rest of the Household Cavalry on the outbreak of War and landed with the Life Guards at Zeebrugge on the 6^th of October 1914.

They arrived too late to relieve Antwerp but they played a vital role in securing bridges for the subsequent retreat of the Belgian Army. The 3^rd Cavalry Division then moved to Ypres in time to take part in the battle for Langemarck (21-24 October). In this battle the 10 divisions of the BEF were vastly outnumbered by the 4^th and 6^th German Armies that were seeking to breakthrough Ypres to the channel ports. The fighting on the 21^st October had left the Division’s of I Corps badly stretched in unconnected trenches, leaving them exposed to the German counter attack that was launched the next day. This was repulsed in most areas but the Cameron Highlanders in the centre of the line were forced to retire, leaving a gap around the Kortekeer Cabaret. Lt General Haig responded to this crisis by putting together a scratch force from various sources, including William’s Battalion, and by the morning of the 23^rd they had retaken the Cabaret and defeated the attack against Langemarck. Unfortunately William was fatally wounded in this action and was subsequently buried in the nearby Ypres Town Cemetery.

Name Blackmore, Sidney Herbert

Regiment Royal Engineers (Signals Section Mudros)

Rank/No. Corporal 74664

Enlisted Bristol

Brigade/Division Army Signals HQ, Mudros

Born Cleevedon, Somerset

Resident Bishopston Bristol

Where Died Died in Salonika on 19/6/1916, aged 49 and is buried at Portianos Military Cemetery (II.c.339) on the Greek Island of Lemnos in Mudros Bay.

Other Information Awarded the Victory and British War medals and the 1915 Star. He was formerly a private (192) in the 1/6^th Battalion of the Gloucestershire Regiment (144^th Brigade, 48^th (South Midland) Division).

Biographical Details

Sidney was born in Clevedon, Somerset about 1868 to James and Sarah Blackmore and in 1871 they were living at Old Street, Cleveden together with his brothers Frank, Frederick, and Charles Henry. His father was working as a butcher at this time. In 1881 they had moved to Derby Villa, Alexandra Road, Clevedon, and his father was now working as an insurance agent, while Sidney (aged 13) was working as a telegraph messenger boy.

In 1891 he was lodging at 3 Hyde Lane, Marlborough, where he was working as a Post Office Clerk. In 1901 he was living at 3 Elm Road, Horfield, Bristol with his wife Charlotte, son Frederick and daughters Sylvia and Lottie. He was now working for the Post Office as a telegrapher. By the time the war broke out the family had moved to 17 Monk Road, Bishopston, Bristol. His parents had also moved to 42 Cornwall Road, Bishopston about this time.

Sidney was a pre-War Territorial with the 1/6^th Battalion of the Gloucestershire Regiment where, given his background as a Post Office telegrapher, it is likely that he served as a signaller at Battalion HQ. He would therefore have been preparing to leave with the rest of his Battalion for the annual summer camp, when it mobilised in Clifton on the 5^th August 1914. The Battalion was then moved to Swindon and shortly thereafter to Maldon in Essex, before finally departing for France on the 13^th of March 1915. However Sidney did not go with them as he had transferred to the Royal Engineers by then.

He was eventually sent to France on the 13^th of November 1915 for a brief period but was then posted to the Signals Section at Army HQ, at Mudros Bay, Lemnos, for the Salonika campaign. At this time the Front was not very active and for the first 7 months of 1916 the troops spent most of their time fortifying and extending their trenches. Sidney was based at Mudros on the Island of Lemnos, which provided a headquarters for the campaigns against the Turkish Army at both Gallipoli and Salonika.

He would have spent much of his maintaining contact between Army HQ at Mudros and the Divisions in the field. However, this was a very unhealthy theatre of war and a very large proportion of the casualties were caused by diseases such as malaria, enteric fever and dysentery. It is likely that Sidney contracted one of these illnesses while serving in the field and was taken to the local base hospital at Lemnos, where he died on the 19^th of June 1916 and was buried in the nearby Portianos Military Cemetery.

Name Blaker, William Arnold

Regiment 7^th Battalion Somerset Light Infantry

Rank/No. Private 34315

Enlisted Bristol

Brigade/Division 61^st Brigade 20^th (Light) Division

Born Clutton, Somerset

Resident Bishopston, Bristol

Where Died Died of wounds in Flanders on 16/8/1917, aged 33 and is recorded on the Tyne Cot Memorial (Panel 41-42 & 163A) near Ypres.

Other Information Awarded the Victory and British War medals.

Biographical Details

William was born in Clutton about September 1883 to Arthur and Kathleen Mary Blaker (nee Faulconer) and in 1891 they were living at “Craig Leigh”, 1 Belmont Road, St Andrews, Bristol, together with his brother Arthur Faulconer and sister Kathleen Ella. His father was then working as Assistant Clerk to the Bristol Corporation and they had a domestic servant – Amelia Wren – living with them. By 1901 his father had died and the family were living at 3 Brookfield Road, Montpelier, Bristol.

By this time William was working as a clerk to a bottle manufacturer and Arthur was a Corn Merchant’s clerk. The 1911 census shows that William was living at 7 Surrey Road, Bishopston with his mother and sister and future brother in law. The electoral roll shows that he was still at this address and doing the same job when the war broke out in1914. Towards the end of 1916 he married an Ada Edith Isabel Blanche Witts and she was living at 70 Chesterfield Road, St Andrews, Bristol at the time of his death.

William’s service record is not available but his medal record indicates that he could not have left for France before 1916. He may have enlisted directly in the 7^th Somerset Light Infantry in 1914 but if so he was not with them when they went to France on the 24^th of July 1915. Alternatively he may have volunteered at a later date under the Derby Scheme – the Lord Mayor of Bristol made a particular point of interviewing all eligible men under this scheme in November 1915 - and was called up with the first 4 groups in January 1916. However, it seems more likely that he was called up under the Military Service Act shortly after March 1916 and was sent to France towards the end of 1916 or early 1917.

Assuming he joined his unit directly in early 1916, he would have taken part in several major battles conducted by Lt General Cavan’s XIV Corps, starting with Mount Sorrel (11^th June) - a local operation in the Ypres Salient, in which the Division mounted a diversionary raid under the cover of a smoke screen to help the Canadians to re-capture the height after it had been taken by the Germans on 2^nd June. This would have been followed by further action at Delville Wood (15^th July -3^rd September), Guillemont (3-6 September), Flers Courcelette (15-22 September - scene of the first use of tanks), Morval (25-28 September) and Le Transloy (1-18 October).

The Division took part in the pursuit of the German Army to the Hindenburg Line (14^th March – 5^th April) but was not otherwise involved in the earlier battles of 1917.

However it did become involved in the Ypres offensive (31^st July -10^th November), where it took part in the battle to take the village of Langemarck (16-18 August) which it did at great cost after 3 days of heavy fighting. The record shows that William was fatally wounded on the opening day of this attack. The condition of the ground meant that many bodies were lost in the mud and his was unfortunately never found. His name, however, is recorded on the Tyne Cot Memorial, which lists some 35,000 officers and men who died in the salient but have no known grave.

Name Bolt, John Howard

Regiment Royal Engineers

Rank/No. Sergeant 1617

Enlisted Bristol

Brigade/Division 478^th Signals Company, 61^st (2^nd South Midland) Division

Born Cotham, Bristol

Resident Clifton Bristol

Where Died Died in London on 20/6/1916, aged 32 and is buried at Arnos Vale Cemetery (F 288) in Bristol.

Other Information Awarded the Victory and British War medals.

Biographical Details

John was born in Cotham, Bristol about September 1884 to James Frederick and Sarah Bolt and in 1891 they were living at Pendleton House, Westbury on Trym together with his brothers Frederick, Richard and Cecil and his sister Mary. His father was the owner and manager of Manchester & Lau, Drapers Merchants and John attended Clifton College public school, where he joined the cadet force. In 1901 they were all living at 18 Miles Road, Clifton where all 3 sons were working in his father’s Draper’s shop. By 1914 his mother had died and his father was living with his daughter Mary at 416 Beaufort Road, Clifton, although by 1916 he had moved again to 32 Henleaze Gardens, Westbury on Trym.

John’s Pension record shows that on 27^th of March 1903 he enlisted in the 2^nd Battalion of the London Rifle Brigade (TF). At that time he was living 31 Milton’s St, Cripplegate, London and working at the Fore Street watchmakers. On the 1^st of November 1906 he transferred to the Royal Field Artillery (1st Gloucestershire Volunteers). He re-enlisted on the 3^rd of April 1908, where he is recorded as living at 12 Apsley Road, Clifton, Bristol. At this time he was working for Messrs Bolt Brothers Ltd, Manchester and Foreign Warehouses, at 39-45 Victoria Street, Temple, Bristol. In 1909 he married Minnie Marion Wright and they lived together at 73 Howard Road, Westbury park Bristol until 1913. In 1914 they moved to 45 Richmond Terrace, Avonmouth, Bristol, where he was working as a ship’s steward.

They had one son - Henry James Richard Bolt – who was born on the 8^th of March 1910. At this point he must have developed some links with Bishopston, as his obituary published in the Bristol Times and Mirror on the 27^th of June 1916, notes that he was a keen member of the St Michael’s & All Angels church choir. After his death, Marion is recorded as living with their son at 4 Buckingham Place, Clifton though she subsequently lived at several different addresses in Clifton and Shirehampton before she finally moved to Victoria Lodge, Winterbourne in 1923.

John remained with the RFA until 1914 but was discharged as being unfit for military service when the regiment mobilised for war in the August of that year. However on the 14^th of November 1914 he re-enlisted as a sapper in the Royal Engineers and was eventually retrained as a telephone operator in 478^th signals company of the 61^st (2^nd South Midland) Division. He was promoted to Corporal on the 19^th of February 1915 and was an acting sergeant at the time of his death. As a second line Territorial Unit the Division was sadly lacking in both training and equipment and it was some time before they were ready for service overseas. In January 1915 his company had concentrated with the rest of the 61^st Division at Northampton before moving to Chelmsford, where they were inspected by Lord Kitchener on the 6^th August. Finally they moved to Park house Camp at Tidworth, Wiltshire in February 1916 before being sent out to France on the 24^th May.

John would have spent much of his time in France maintaining and monitoring signals traffic between his Division and the front line. While engaged in his duties as a signaller he injured himself in the trenches, breaking down the scar of an old ulcer on his back and was invalided back home on to the Herbert Hospital, Brighton on the 10^th of June. He was subsequently admitted to Christ Church hospital in Beckenham, Kent on the 13^th June with enteric fever (a form of typhoid that is characterised by a high fever, a rose red rash, enlargement of the spleen and ulceration of the intestines ) and developed acute dysentery from which he died on the 20^th June. The only reason he could give for the cause of this illness was that he had drunk some dirty water while on service in France. His body was taken back to Bristol and buried in the family vault at Arno’s Vale Cemetery in Bristol. His widow was subsequently awarded a pension of 17/6 a week for herself and her son on the 8^th of January 1917.

[Note: the church memorial only refers to a H Bolt. However, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission only lists one person with this initial and he has no links to Bristol. The Bristol Times & Mirror, however, makes it clear that J H Bolt was at least at one time a member of St Michael’s choir and congregation. We can therefore be reasonably confident that his first initial has either been omitted accidentally or that he preferred to be known by his second name.]

Name Bowland, Conrad Cloutman

Regiment 2/6^th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment

Rank/No. 2^nd Lieutenant G3/19786

Enlisted Bristol

Brigade/Division 183^rd Brigade, 61^st (2^nd South Midland) Division

Born Bristol

Resident Bishopston, Bristol

Where Died Died of wounds in Flanders on 26/10/1918 aged 25 and is buried at Awoingt British Cemetery (I.D.29) near Cambrai, France.

Other Information Awarded the Victory and British War medals. Also served as private (1/5457) in the 26^th Battalion Royal Fusiliers.

Biographical Details

Conrad was born in Bristol about September 1894 to James and Lavinia Bates Bowland and in 1901 they were living at 48 Chesterfield Road, St Andrews, Bristol together with his brother John and sister Doreen. His father worked as a commercial traveller at this time, selling stationery. In 1914 his parents are recorded as living at 12 Berkeley Road, Bishopston, Bristol.

Although his service records is not available it seems likely that he was working in a London Bank at the time War broke out and joined the 26^th battalion of the Royal Fusiliers when it was formed in July 1915 by the Lord Mayor and City of London and composed of clerks and accountants. Assuming he was with the Battalion when the 41^st Division went to France on 4^th of May 1916, he would have been involved in the battles for Flers Courcelette (15-22 September) and the Transloy Ridge (1-18 October) as part of Lt General Watts XV Corps. In 1917 it is possible that he may have served with Lt General Morland’s X Corps at the battle of Messines (7-14 June) before leaving for officer training but would have missed his unit’s subsequent actions at Pilkem Ridge (31^st July – 2^nd August) and the Menin Road (20-25 September).

The medal record shows that he was commissioned into the 2/6^th Territorial battalion of the Gloucestershire Regiment on 27^th November 1917, which meant that he would have arrived in General Pulteney’s III Corps just in time for the defensive action against the German counter attack at Cambrai (30^th November – 3^rd December). In 1918 the 2/6 Battalion was broken up as part of the wider reorganisation of the Army into Divisions of 3 brigades. The surplus troops were redistributed to make up losses in the other Battalions in the Division, or kept as a Divisional reserve. It is not clear what happened to Conrad but it is probable that he was kept as part of the reserve as he does not appear to have been allocated to another battalion.

In March 1918 the 61^st Division was part of Lt General Maxse’s XVIII Corps and was heavily engaged in the German Spring offensive on the Somme. Conrad would therefore have been defending the forward zone in the area around Ham north-west of St Quentin (21-23 March) and may even have witnessed the raid on the German trenches on the 20^th March that led to the capture of prisoners who warned them that a major offensive was scheduled for the next day. Unfortunately the high command underestimated the scale of the attack and on the 21^st Conrad’s unit found itself holding off 3 German Divisions before being forced to retire in a chaotic, but eventually, successful withdrawal over and the Somme Crossings (24-25 March) as part of General Congreve’s VII Corps. He would then have been back with the XVIII Corps for the battle of Rosieres (26-27 March).

After this the much depleted battalion was sent to Lt General Haking's XI Corps in the Lys sector to rest and take on replacements. Unfortunately the German Army chose this sector for their second offensive and Conrad would have seen more hard fighting at Estaires (9-10 April), Hazebrouck (12-15 April) and Bethune (18^th April). By the 20^th of May 1918 his Division was supporting the 4^th Army in its defence of the lines around Amiens after which the Division was sent into Reserve to regroup and re-equip. However, by August they were back in line in General Birdwood’s 5^th Army in time to take part in XI Corp’s general advance in Flanders (16^th August – 6^th September) and the opening stages of the final advance in Artois (2-16 October) before moving to General Byng’s 3^rd Army to take part in XVII Corps’ (Lt General Fergusson) attack at the battle of the Selle (17-25 October).

Although hardly anyone has heard of this last battle these days, it was a great success and a major factor in the German surrender three weeks later. On the 23^rd of October three British Armies advanced the line some 9 miles beyond Le Cateau, forcing the German Army to retire to the Sambre River. Unfortunately Conrad was fatally wounded during this battle and was evacuated to the local Casualty Clearing Station where he died on the 26^th of October and was subsequently buried in the nearby Awoignt British Cemetery.

Name Brooks Charles William

Regiment “A” Company, 12^th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment

Rank/No. Private 14009

Enlisted Bristol

Brigade/Division 95^th Brigade, 5^th Division

Born St Paul’s, Bristol

Resident Bristol

Where Died Killed in action in France on 8/5/1917 aged 29 and is buried at Orchard Dump Cemetery (II.G.28 – FRO777) at Arleux-en-Gohelle near Arras.

Other Information Awarded the Victory and British War medals and the 1915 Star.

Biographical Details

Charles was born in St Paul’s Bristol about September 1888 but in the absence of any census records we do not know much about his parents or where they lived. We do, however, know that a John T Brooks served as a sidesman in St Michael & All Angels Church and that he lived at 29 Logan Road, Bishopston, Bristol. It is therefore reasonable to assume that he was either Charles’ father or brother. In 1916 a Charles William Brooks was recorded as living at 60 Elton Road, Bishopston.

It is likely that Charles joined up when War was declared and was probably present at the formation of the 12^th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment by the Citizens Recruiting Committee in Bristol on the 30^th of August 1914. The Battalion was attached to the 95^th Brigade of 32^nd Division at Wensleydale in June 1915 and moved to Salisbury Plain in August. The 95^th Brigade was sent to France with the rest of the 32^nd Division on 21 November 1915 where, after a brief period in the line, it was transferred to the 5^th Division on the 26^th December, where it remained until it was disbanded on the 19^th of October 1918.

At the beginning of March 1916 Charles’ Division took over a sector of the Front between St Laurent Blangy and Vimy Ridge near Arras. This was a very active sector with a lot of trench raids, sniping and mining operations taking place. At the beginning of July his Division was enjoying a period of rest and refit as part of the GHQ reserve but this quiet time was not to last and they were transferred to Lt General Watts XV Corps in time for the bloody action at High Wood (20-25 July). They were then moved to Lt General Cavan’s XIV Corps and saw further heavy fighting at the battles of Guillemont (3-6 September), Flers-Courcelette (15-22 September), Morval (25-28 September) and Le Transloy (1-18 October). By the 5^th of October, however, they were moved to a quieter sector near Festubert, although they were still subject to frequent sniper and shell fire.

They remained there until March 1917 when they started to gear up for the Arras offensive and saw action with the Canadian Corps (Lt General Byng) at the battle for Vimy Ridge (9-14 April) and the attack on Coulotte (23^rd April) before moving to Lt General Congreve’s XIII Corps and the 3^rd battle of the Scarpe (3-4 May), which included the capture of Oppy Wood. In this last battle, timed to coincide with the Australian attack at Bullecourt, the British launched a 2 pronged attack to the east of the village of Monchy with a view to forcing the Germans to retreat further east. In the event both prongs were eventually repulsed with heavy losses, although valuable lessons were learned about the need for close liaison between tanks, infantry and artillery.

In the first 2 days significant gains were made at relatively low cost and a significant number of troops were drawn away from the French offensive on the Aisne. However, these gains were offset by heavy casualties and the ultimate failure of the French on the Aisne. Although the Arras offensive is generally considered a British victory and helped divert German attention from the mutinies taking place in the French Army at this time, it was achieved at a very high cost (150,000 casualties) with little impact on the overall strategic or tactical situation.

It was shortly after this last battle that Charles was killed in action on the 8^th of May, presumably in an exchange of shell or rifle fire while holding part of the newly consolidated front line. He was buried in the Orchard Dump Cemetery which was created to deal with the casualties incurred during the Arras offensive and continued to be used for casualties in this sector of the line until November 1917.

Name Carew, Charles Edgar

Regiment 6^th Battalion Wiltshire Regiment

Rank/No. Private 36836

Enlisted Bristol

Brigade/Division 58^th Brigade, 19^th (Western) Division

Born Bournemouth

Resident Bristol

Where Died Killed in Action in Flanders on 10/4/1918, aged 19 and is recorded on the Tyne Cot Memorial (Panel 119-120).

Other Information Awarded the Victory and British War medals.

Biographical Details

Charles was born in Bournemouth about March 1899, the only child of Edgar and Edith Carew. In 1901 they were living at 31 Allington Road, Bedminster Bristol. His father is recorded as working as a salesman for Messrs Mathew & Egg Ltd. In 1914 his father is recorded as living at 8 Ralph Road, Bishopston, Bristol.

Unfortunately Charles’ service record is not available so we do not know quite when he went to France but his medal record suggests that it could not have been before 1916 and consequently he could not have been with the battalion when it first went to France in July 1915. Nor is it likely that he was conscripted as he would not have been sent to France until his 19^th birthday. It therefore seems likely that he enlisted while under age and was probably sent to join the 6^th Wiltshire Regiment in late 1916.

His Battalion saw considerable action on the Somme, first taking part in the battle of Albert (1-13 July) with III Corps) (Lt General Pulteney), and then to XIII Corps (Lt General Congreve) for the battle High Wood (20=25 July), before moving back to III Corps for the battle for Pozieres Ridge (23^rd July – 3^rd September). Then there was a pause to regroup before moving to II corps (Lt General Jacobs) for the battles of Ancre Heights (1^st October -11^th November) and the Ancre itself (13^th -18^th November). In 1917 they would have seen further action in the continuing operations with II Corps on the Ancre (11th January – 13^th March) before moving to IX Corps (Lt General Gordon) and the battle Messines (7-14 June) – a major success in which overwhelming force was used to push the Germans off the Messines/Whytschaete Ridge that they had dominated since 1914. Unfortunately this only served to alert the Germans to the pending offensive at Passchendaele where Charles would have seen further action with IX corps in the battles for the Menin Road Ridge (20-25 September), Polygon Wood (26^th September – 3^rd October), Broodseinde (4^th October), Poelcapelle (9^th October) and 1^st (12^th October) and 2^nd Passchendaele (26^th October – 10^th November).

In 1918 his Division was moved back to the Somme to join Lt General Harper’s IV Corps just in time German Spring offensive, where Charles would have seen action at the battles of St Quentin (21-23 March) and 1^st Bapaume (24-25 March). Thinly stretched and heavily outnumbered, they now had to face up to a fight with German Storm troopers skilled in the use of the new infiltration tactics. The 5^th Army’s defences were quickly overrun, opening a 40 mile between it and 3^rd Army. Charles’ battalion did what it could to slow down the enemy’s advance and maintain contact with 5^th Army but were forced to retire down the Bapaume - Cambrai road. Within 2 days the old line of the Somme had been overrun and the British Third Army had repeatedly to give up ground as it sought vainly to keep in contact with the 5^th Army as it retired towards Amiens. After enduring constant shellfire, Bapaume was evacuated during the night of the 24^th of March and the Division was forced to make a long and confused retreat over the former battlefield to a new line behind the town. On the 25^th of March renewed German attacks forced 3^rd Army to retire to a new line beyond the Ancre.

After suffering heavy casualties in this fighting, the Division was withdrawn and sent to a join IX Corps (then holding a relatively quiet sector on the River Lys) to recuperate. Unfortunately the Germans chose this area to launch their second offensive. After the Portuguese Division gave way to the German onslaught at Estaires (9-11 April) the Messines Ridge came under attack (10-11 April) and the 19^th Division was involved in a desperate, but ultimately unsuccessful, fight to hold the line in this sector. The Battalion itself was involved in further heavy fighting at Bailleul (13-15 April) and the Kemmel Ridge (17-19 April) and by the end of May had been reduced to cadre strength. It was then sent back to England to be built up again before returning to France in July

However, Charles did not live to see this as he was killed in the confused fighting that took place around Messines on the 10^th of April. Unfortunately his body was never recovered and his name is listed on the Tyne Cot Memorial, which records the names of the 35,000 officers and men who died in this sector but have no known grave. .

Name Chapman, Arthur George

Regiment 47^th Battalion Canadian Infantry (Western Ontario Regiment)

Rank/No. Private 628703

Enlisted Western Ontario, Canada

Brigade/Division 10^th Canadian Brigade, 4^th Canadian Division

Born Bristol

Resident Horfield, Bristol

Where Died Died in Bristol on 6/2/1919 aged 27 and is buried in Horfield Holy Trinity Churchyard.

Other Information Awarded the Victory and British War medals.

Biographical Details

Arthur was born in Bristol on 28^th of October 1891 to James and Minnie Chapman and in 1901 they were living at 144 Cheltenham Road, Montpelier, Bristol with his brothers Bertrand and Joseph and sisters Ethel, Victoria and Madeleine. His father was working as a builder at this time and his brother Bertrand was a carpenter. His service record shows that the family were living at 14 Longmead Avenue, Horfield, Bristol in 1914 - the deeds to the building suggest that they had probably built this house themselves. Arthur was unmarried and working as a painter and decorator at the time of his enlistment.

Prior to the war he was in the Territorial Army and served for 3 years with the 1/6^th Battalion of the Gloucester Regiment but in September 1914 was discharged as unfit for military service due to varicose veins in his right leg. He then emigrated to Canada to work for Canadian Engineers of Vancouver and on 16^th of October 1915 joined the 2^nd Battalion of the South Ontario Regiment (another Territorial formation). He went to France in August 1916 where he served with the 47^th Battalion to the end of the War.

The Canadian Corps was one of the elite units of the BEF serving first under Lt General Byng and then, after his promotion to command Third Army in May 1917, under the highly successful Lt General Currie. Arthur was therefore involved in some of the heaviest fighting on the Western Front. Arriving in August 1916 he would have been present at the later battles of the Somme at Transloy (1-18 October), Ancre Heights (1^st October – 11^th November) and the Ancre itself (13-18 November). In 1917 he would have taken part in the capture of Vimy Ridge (9-14 April) and the subsequent battles of the Arras offensive at Lens (3^rd June – 26^th August), including the actions at the Souchez River (3-25 June), Avion (26-29 June) and Hill 70 (15-25 August), and later in the grim and bloody struggle at the 2^nd battle of Passchendaele (26^th October – 10^th November) when the village itself was finally taken.

In 1918 the Canadians missed the battles of the German Spring offensive but played a prominent role in the renewed offensive that led to the advance to Mons, seeing fierce action in the battles of Amiens (8-11 August) where British, Australian and Canadian troops in an all arms battle with tanks, artillery and aircraft smashed through the German lines in what General Ludendorf called a “black day for the German Army”- the Canadians alone advanced 8 miles behind the enemy lines on the first day and by the end of the month the Allies had advanced a further 12 miles taking 50,000 prisoners and 500 guns. After a short pause he was then back in the thick of the action for the Drocourt-Queant phase of the 2^nd battle of Arras (2-3 September) where they carried the German lines after severe fighting, taking 18,500 prisoners and 200 guns. He would then have seen further action at the Canal du Nord (27^th September – 1^st October) where they took the Prussian Guards by surprise in a night attack that opened the road to Cambrai and the next battle at and Boulon Wood (9-12 October) that led to the capture of the Hindenburg line. There then followed a series of rearguard actions by the Germans at Valenciennes, (where the Canadians captured Mont Houy over the 1/2 November) and at the Sambre River where they secured the passage of the Grand Honelle (4^th November).

The advance continued until the Armistice was signed on the 11^th November – one of the last British soldiers to die was a Canadian private George Lawrence Price, just 2 minutes before hostilities ceased. Arthur came through unscathed, however, and was demobilised in late 1918. He crossed to England at the beginning of 1919 where he died in Bristol on the 6^th February and is buried in Horfield Holy Trinity churchyard. The cause of death is not given but it is likely that he died in the Flu pandemic that caused some 70 million deaths worldwide at that time. His death was reported in the Bristol Times & Mirror on the 8^th of February 1919.
Name Chubb, Stanley Hayter

Regiment “A” Company, 2/6^h Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment

Rank/No. Private 265843 (also 3213)

Enlisted Bristol

Brigade/Division 183^rd Brigade, 61^st (2^nd South Midland) Division

Born Bishopston, Bristol

Resident Bristol

Where Died Killed in action in France on 6/9/1916, aged 24 and is buried in the Delville Wood Cemetery (I.G.5 – FRO 402) at Longueval, near Albert on the Somme.

Other Information Awarded the Victory and British War Medals.

Biographical Details

Stanley was born in Bishopston about September 1892 to John Hayter and Annie Chubb and in 1901 they were living at 22 Tortworth Road, Horfield, Bristol, together with his brother Reginald and sisters Dorothy and Janet. At that time his father was working as a Solicitors clerk. His parents were still living at this address when War broke out in 1914. Stanley was well known in sporting circles, having played for Shirehampton and Clifton St Vincent football clubs. He also played for Bristol City Reserves against Bristol Rovers Reserves.

No service records are available but Stanley’s regimental number suggest that he was a pre-war Territorial who was on home service when the second line units were formed into the 2/6^th Battalion at St Michael’s Hill, Bristol in September 1914. As a second line Territorial Unit the battalion was sadly lacking in both training and equipment and it was some time before they were ready for service overseas. In January 1915 the Battalion had concentrated with the rest of the 61^st Division at Northampton before moving to Chelmsford, where they were inspected by Lord Kitchener on the 6^th of August. Finally they moved to Park house Camp at Tidworth, Wiltshire in February 1916 before being sent out to France on the 24^th of May.

Although the Bristol Times & Mirror erroneously reported on the 10^th August that he had been badly wounded, he was still with his Battalion at the beginning of September when the 61^st Division took over a new sector of the line at Delville Wood. This had finally been taken by the 14^th Division after a series of major attacks in July and August. However, although the official battle ended on the 3^rd of September, the wood was not finally cleared of German troops until the 8^th. It is therefore likely that Stanley was killed in this further fighting as his Division sought to consolidate the line in this area. He is buried in the Delville Wood Cemetery, which was made up after the Armistice primarily to house the casualties from this battlefield.

Name Clarke, Frederick George

Regiment 8^th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment

Rank/No. Private 27802

Enlisted Bristol

Brigade/Division 57^th Brigade, 19^th (Western) Division

Born Bishopston, Bristol

Resident Bishopston, Bristol

Where Died Died of wounds in France on 2/11/1916 aged 20 and is buried at Boulogne Eastern Cemetery (VIII.D.160 – FR0102).

Other Information Awarded the Victory and British War medals.

Biographical Details

Frederick was born in Bishopston, Bristol about June 1896 to Henry J and Sophia Clarke and in 1901 they were living at 138 Gloucester Road, Bishopston, Bristol together with his brothers Gilbert and Thomas and sisters Ethel, Lillian and Mary. His father ran his own business as a fruiterer and proprietor of cabs from the address at 138 Gloucester Road, but by 1914 the family’s place of residence was at 16 Hatherley Road, Bishopston.

In the absence of his service record it not certain when he first went to France but his medal record makes it clear that he did not go out with the rest of the Battalion on the 18^th July 1915. It is therefore likely that he was originally allocated to one of the training reserve battalions and was sent to France with a draft of replacements some time in 1916. Assuming he arrived in time for the opening of the battle of the Somme he would have seen action with Lt General Congreve’s XIII Corps at the battle of Albert (1-13 July). His unit was in reserve on the opening day of the battle where the opening attack failed to take the villages of La Boiselle and Orvillers despite the blowing of the Lochnagar crater. The baton was therefore passed to the 19^th Division which captured La Boisselle on 4^th July at a cost of some 3,500 casualties. Frederick was soon back in action for the attack at High Wood on the 22/23 July, where they were repulsed with heavy losses. His unit then moved first to Lt General Pulteney’s III Corps for the battle for Poziers Ridge (23^rd July – 3^rd September), where he would have taken part in the drive along the Ridge to the German Strongpoint at Mouquet Farm, and then to II Corps (Lt General Jacobs) for the attack on the Ancre Heights (1^st October – 11^th November).

The aim of this last battle was to develop a two pronged attack towards Miraumont with a view to cutting off the German Salient on the River Ancre. After a series of inconclusive attacks by units of 5^th Army (General Gough), II Corps launched a concerted attack at midday on the 21^st of October, supported by 200 heavy guns and howitzers that finally succeeded in taking the whole of the German front line from Thiepval to Courcelette, including the Regina Trench. It was probably during this battle that Frederick was fatally wounded. He was evacuated to the base hospital at Boulogne, where he died on the 2^nd of November and was subsequently buried in the nearby Boulogne Eastern Cemetery.

Name Cooke, Harold Maynard

Regiment Royal Naval Voluntary Reserve

Rank/No. Sub Lieutenant

Enlisted London

Brigade/Division HMS Trawler “Thomas Cornwall”

Born Bristol

Resident Bishopston, Bristol

Where Died Drowned following a collision off Flamborough Head on 29/10/1918 aged 24 and is recorded on Portsmouth Naval Memorial (MR3).

Other Information Awarded the Victory and British War medals and the 1914 Star. Served as an Ordinary Seaman (5/2638) in the Collingwood Battalion of the 1^st (Naval) Brigade of the 63^rd (Naval) Division

Biographical Details

Harold was born in Bristol about September 1894 to William and Florence Cooke and in 1901 they were living at 1/2 Sandon Place, Edgbaston, Birmingham together with his brother William (who also died in the War – see below) and sister Margaret. Both of his parents were then working at home as self employed draughtsmen. They also had a domestic servant – Helen Pugh aged 17- living in residence. When Harold joined the Navy as an Ordinary Seaman in London on the 21^st of March 1912 the family had moved back to Bristol and were living at 31 Nevil Road, Bishopston. Prior to his enlistment he had been working as a draper’s assistant.

Some time between April and July 1918, Harold had married an Alice May in Bristol. She subsequently remarried to a Victor S Johnson and was living at Addison Road, King’s Heath, Birmingham when the Plymouth Memorial was erected in the early 1920s. His mother had also moved away from Bristol after the War to take up the management of the Plough Inn at Littleton Drew near Chippenham in Wiltshire, his father having died in the spring of 1919.

At the outbreak of war Harold was in the Royal Naval Voluntary Reserve and was called up, together with some 30,000 other surplus naval personnel, to serve in the Collingwood Battalion of the Royal Naval Division on the 22^nd of August 1914. On the 5^th of October his Battalion moved to Dunkirk with orders to assist in the defence of Antwerp. Unfortunately they arrived too late to save the port but they did help to delay the enemy’s advance and helped to seize important bridges in the Ghent area to facilitate the retreat of the Belgian Army. By the 10^th of October the battle was over and Harold was ordered back to the Chatham Depot on 27^th of October 1914.

Harold then served in various administrative posts ashore before being promoted to sub-lieutenant on 2 March 1918. On the 15^th of March he was posted to HMS “Hermione” for basic training before moving to HMS “Sarapta” on the 17^th of May 1918 for instruction on the use of hydrophones. He then left HMS “Patroclus” to join HMS Trawler “Thomas Cornwall” (a former Q ship) on anti submarine duties in the North Sea. He was lost at sea when his ship was involved in a collision with off Flamborough Head on the 29^th October 1918. His body was never recovered and his name is recorded on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial to those who died at sea during the First World War.
Name Cooke, William Hammonds

Regiment Machine Gun Corps

Rank/No. Private 22864

Enlisted Bristol

Brigade/Division 21^st Company, 21^st Brigade, 30^th Division

Born Bristol

Resident Bishopston, Bristol

Where Died Killed in Action on 9/4/1917, aged 19 and is buried at Neuville-Vitass Road Cemetery (A6) near Arras in France.

Other Information Awarded the Victory and British War medals and the 1915 Star. Originally enlisted as a private (9720) in the Wiltshire Regiment.

Biographical Details

William was born in Bristol about March 1898 and was the younger brother of Harold Maynard Cooke who also died in the War - see above for his biographical details.

Although his service record is not available, his CWGC record shows that he enlisted in the Wiltshire Regiment while under age in August 1914. After an initial period of basic training he was sent out to join the 2^nd Battalion in France on the 20 of July 1915, which was serving with the 7^th Division at this time. He would therefore have arrived in time to take part in the Battle of Loos (28^th September – 18^th October). In this action the Division took part in the initial assault north of the Vermelles – Hulluch road, facing the quarries and a series of other strong points. Suffering badly from the British gas cloud - which was not moved sufficiently by the gentle breeze – and badly cut up by machine gun and artillery fire, the Division nevertheless managed to seize the quarries. However, they were unable to penetrate the German third line due to the relatively small number of men that managed to get through. The Divisional commander – Major General Thompson Capper – himself died of wounds received in this action.

After a period of rest and recuperation it was back to trench holding duties until the 21^st Brigade was transferred to 30^th Division on the 19^th of December. The following Spring William transferred from the 2^nd Wiltshire Regiment to the 21^st Company of the Machine Gun Corps shortly after it joined the Division on the 8^th of March 1916. In this capacity he would have provided covering fire for the Division’s capture of Montauban on the 1^st of July- a rare success on this otherwise disastrous day for the British Army - and for the subsequent costly fighting in piecemeal attacks around Trones Wood (1-13 July). After the heavy casualties suffered in this engagement, the Division was not involved in the Somme battles again until the attack on the Transloy Ridges (1^st -18^th October).

In 1917 he would have taken part in the pursuit to the Hindenburg Line (14^th March – 5 April”) as the German Army withdrew from their exposed position on the Somme battlefield. On the 9^th of April the Arras offensive began. In the first stage - known as the 1^st battle of the Scarpe (9-14 April) - British and Canadian troops successfully attacked and captured the famous Vimy Ridge. This was a carefully planned set piece attack in which some 2.6 million shells were used in the preliminary bombardment and for which special tunnels were dug to provide cover for part of the attack. William would have been in the line to provide machine gun cover for the 56^th (London) Division’s attack on the village of Neuville-Vitass but unfortunately was killed in this battle, probably by mortar fire. He is buried in the cemetery at Neuville-Vitass, which was constructed by units of the 33^rd Division after the village was taken on the 9^th of April. His death was reported in the Bristol Times & Mirror on the 21^st of April 1914.

Name Congdon, Ernest Frederick

Regiment 1/1^st North Somerset Yeomanry

Rank/No. Private 410

Enlisted Bristol

Brigade/Division 6^th Cavalry Brigade, 3^rd Cavalry Division

Born Bishopston, Bristol

Resident Andover, Hants

Where Died Killed in Action in Flanders on 17/11/1914, aged 21 and is recorded on the Menin Gate Memorial (Panel 5).

Other Information Awarded the Victory and British War medals and the 1914 Star with

clasp for service under fire.

Biographical Details

Ernest was born in Bishopston, Bristol about December 1892 to Lewis Richard and Emily Congdon and in 1901 they were living at 20 Morley Square, Bishopston together with his brothers Alan and Henry and his sister Winifred. They also had a domestic servant – Maud England – living in residence at that time. His father was working as a grain merchant’s clerk and his brother Henry had just started work as a clerk with a boiler composition manufacturer. Although Ernest was living in Andover, Hampshire at the outbreak of the War, his parents were still living at Morley Square when the Menin Gate Memorial was erected in the early 1920s. His father also served as a sidesman in St Michael’s & All Angels Church and was a long serving member of the Parochial Church Council.

A pre war Territorial soldier, Ernest went to France with his Regiment on 2 November 1914 and would have arrived in time to take part in the closing stages of the defensive battle at First Ypres (19^th October – 22 November), fighting with the rest of his unit in a dismounted action at Nonne Boschen on the 11^th of November. A photograph of Ernest resting behind the lines with other members of his troop shortly before this action took place was published in the Bristol Times & Mirror on the 30^th of January 1915.

In the battle itself some 12 and half German Divisions attacked the British lines on a 9 mile front between Messines and Reutel under the cover of one of the most intense artillery barrages experienced by the British on the Western Front up to that time. The attackers met with little success except for a section astride the Menin Road where the thinly manned British and French lines were pushed back. A more dangerous situation developed to the north where the thinly held British defences were overrun and the Germans temporarily captured the line up to Veldhoek Chateau and crashed through the weakened 1^st (Guards) Brigade, opening up a thousand yard gap in the line to the south-west of Polygon Wood. Attacking groups then passed through and into Nonne Bosschen wood to threaten the 2^nd Division’s gun line. However, disaster was averted by a gallantly improvised defence and a vitally important counter attack in the afternoon, which flushed the Germans out of the wood and prevented all chance of an enemy breakthrough to the channel ports.

Having played an important role in this vital defensive battle Ernest was subsequently killed in a line holding action in the same area 6 days later. Unfortunately his body was never recovered and his name is recorded on the Menin Gate Memorial which lists more than 54,000 officers and men who died in the Ypres Salient but have no known grave. His death in action was subsequently reported in the Bristol Times & Mirror on Saturday the 6^th of February 1915.
Name Coram, Hubert Harrington

Regiment “C” Company, 1/6^th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment

Rank/No. Company Quartermaster Sergeant Major (2573 TF)

Enlisted Bristol

Brigade/Division 144^th Brigade 48^th (1^st South Midland) Division

Born St Andrews, Bristol

Resident Bishopston, Bristol

Where Died Killed in Action in France on 3/9/1916, aged 30 and is buried at Auchonvillers Military Cemetery (II.H.11 – FR0035) near Serre on the Somme.

Other Information Awarded the Victory and British War medals and the 1915 Star.

Biographical Details

Hubert was born in Bristol in about March 1886, the eldest son of Herbert Adamson and Annie Adamson Coram. In 1891 they were living at 59 Belvoir Road, Bishopston, Bristol together with his brother Percy (who also died in the War – see below) and sister Ella Mabel. His father was working as a commercial clerk at that time. They also had a domestic servant (Sarah Thomas aged 16) in residence and a boarder – Frederick Glover – who was working as a grocer’s assistant. In 1901 they had moved to 108 Kennington Avenue, Bishopston and his father had taken up employment as a lawyer’s clerk, while Hubert was working as a pupil teacher and Ella was a shop assistant.

His father also served as a sidesman in St Michael’s & All Angels Church and was a long serving member of the local Parochial Church Committee. He was also one of the members who pressed hardest for the creation of the War Memorial. They did not have a domestic servant at this time but they did have another tenant – Charles John aged 50 – who was working as a woollen merchant’s assistant. They were still living at this address when War broke out in 1914.

Hubert was a bright pupil and on the 29^th of August 1897 the Bristol Times & Mirror reports that he had won a free studentship at Bristol Grammar School. He later went to a Teacher Training College in Aberystwith and was offered a Commission in the Aberystwith Volunteers. On return to Bristol he became an assistant master at St Gabriel’s School, where he taught for 8 years. He was considered a fine English gentleman both in and out of school. He was a player and secretary for both Sneyd Park Football Club and St Paul’s Cricket club and was on the management committee of the Bishopston Unionist club. He married Clara Ellen Parry sometime towards the end of 1915 and was living at 12 Emlyn Road, Eastville at this time. After his death his wife moved to 81 Cotham Brow, Cotham, Bristol.

He enlisted with the 1/6^th Battalion of the Gloucestershire Regiment on the outbreak of war and was with them when they moved to Swindon and to Maldon in Essex shortly thereafter. A report published in the Bristol Times & Mirror on the 2^nd of January 1915 shows him in training with the rest of his Battalion. He was made lance corporal and then quartermaster sergeant on the strength of his clerical/administrative abilities. He did so well at these duties that he was finally promoted to company quartermaster sergeant shortly before his Battalion departed for Boulogne in France on the 31 of March 1915. It then joined the rest of the 48^th (1^st South Midland) Division, which had concentrated in the Cassel area by the 3^rdof April.

The Division then spent the rest of 1915 engaged in the usual round of line holding operations, although these were not always quiet affairs. Many parts of the line were subject to frequent trench raids and exchanges of shell and sniper fire that made them quite dangerous places to operate. For example on the 18^th March the Battalion had to fight off a trench raid, which had been preceded by an intense 2 hour bombardment of gas and artillery shells. In this action Private Robert Leslie Vincent Helps distinguished himself by fighting a rearguard action with bomb and bayonet, which enabled the rest of his section to retire to safety, though at the cost of his own life.

The Division’s first major engagement was in the Somme battles of 1916 in Lt General Hunter Weston’s VIII Corps at the battle for Albert (1-13 July). Here they were situated between the 56^th (London) and 31^st Division which both suffered heavy casualties at Gommecourt and Serre respectively on the 1^st July. The two Warwickshire battalions of the 48^th Division also suffered heavy casualties in the attack on the Quadrilateral (Heidenkopf) on that day.

They then transferred to Lt General Morland’s X Corps for the battle of Bazentin Ridge, where they took part in the capture of Orvillers on the 16^th July. After a brief rest they were back in action with Lt General Jacobs II Corps for the battle of Poziers (23^rd July – 3^rd September), where they successfully attacked the trenches to the west of the village on the 23^rd July, although the wider attack by 4^th Army was a complete and costly failure. On the 8^th August they took part in the drive from Ovillers along the Pozieres Ridge towards the German strong point at Mouquet Farm, where together with the Australian Corps they systematically reduced the Thiepval Salient until the Canadians took over on the 3^rd September.

Mouquet Farm was eventually taken by the Canadians on the 16^th September but Hubert did not live to see this, being killed in action on the 3^rd September. The precise circumstances of his death are unclear but it is likely he was killed during the closing stages of the battle of Pozieres. He is buried in Auchonvillers Military Cemetery near Serre, which was used by British Field Ambulances and fighting units throughout the Somme battles. His death was first reported in the Bristol Times and Mirror on the 12^th of September 1916 and a memorial service held at St Michaels & All Angels Church at 6.30 pm the next day.

Name Coram, Percy Beresford

Regiment 1/20^th (County of London) Battalion London Regiment

Rank/No. Private 6725

Enlisted Bristol

Brigade/Division 141^st Brigade 47^th (2^nd London) Division

Born Montpelier, Bristol

Resident Bishopston, Bristol

Where Died Killed in Action in France on 1/10/1916, aged 26 and is recorded on the Thiepval Memorial to the missing on the Somme.

Other Information Awarded the Victory and British War medals.

Biographical Details

Percy was born in Montpelier, Bristol about June 1889 and was the brother of Hubert Coram who also died in the War – see above for biographical details. He also appears to have married Emily M Rumboll some time between April and June 1916.

Although his service record is not available, his medal record suggests that he did not go to France before 1916. It is not clear quite why he chose to serve with the 20^th London Regiment but it is possible that he was allocated to the National Reserve set up to make good the losses incurred by the Territorial Battalions already serving in France. Given that he got married in Bristol in the second quarter of 1916, it is likely that he was sent to France in early July to make up the losses incurred by the 20^th London Regiment as a result of the German diversionary attack on Vimy Ridge on the 21^st of May.

His Division was not involved in the earlier stages of the Somme battles but he would have taken part in III Corps’ (Lt General Pulteney) attack on Flers-Courcelette (15^th -22^nd September), in which a small a small number of tanks were used for the first time to help the British Army finally break through the German line to take High Wood and advance to Flers and then on up the Bapaume Road to Courcelette. After a short break the Division was back in the line for the III Corps’ attack on Le Transloy (1-18 October).

With the successful conclusion of the battle of Morval at the end of September, Lt General Rawlinson’s 4^th Army had finally taken the third German line but unfortunately a fourth defensive line had been constructed behind this at Le Transloy, beyond which a 5^th and 6^th line were under construction. As a first step towards the capture of this line the 47^th Division launched the opening attack on the 1^st of October which began well with the capture Eaucot L’Abbaye and than advance along the Albert - Bapaume road towards Le Sars. Le Sars was eventually taken by the 23 Division on the 7^th of October but thereafter the attacks (including those by the 47^th Division) bogged down in the rain and mud around the strongpoint at the Butte de Warlencourt.

Unfortunately Percy did not live to see this as he was killed on the opening day of the attack on Eaucot L’Abbaye. His body was never recovered and his name is recorded on the Thiepval Memorial which lists the names of 72,000 officers and men who died on the Somme but have no known graves. This was a particular blow to his parents as his elder brother had been killed in action barely a month before and it was many months before the War Office was able to confirm that Percy was missing believed killed.

Name Cotterell, William Edward

Regiment Royal Army Ordnance Corps

Rank/No. Private 7378

Enlisted Horfield, Bristol

Brigade/Division Le Havre Ammunition Train

Born Cardif

Resident Bishopston, Bristol

Where Died Died at home on 14/2/1917, aged 20

Other Information Awarded the Victory and British War medals and the 1914 Star. He also applied for and was awarded the Silver Badge and certificate, signifying an honourable discharge from the services. He also served briefly in the 3^rd Battalion of the Gloucestershire Regiment.

Biographical Details

William was born in Cardiff about September 1895 to Amy and John Cotterell and in 1901 he was living with his mother at 20 Trangrioll Street, St John’s Dock, Pembroke together with his brother Reginald and sister Elsie. His younger brothers Herbert, Sidney and Harry were born later. His service record shows that in 1912 the family were living at 22 Ramsey Road, Horfield, Bristol and that by 1916 they had moved to 6 Clevedon Road, Bishopston, Bristol. His father was also a former regular soldier and played a prominent role in the formation of the 12^th (Bristol’s Own) Battalion of the Gloucestershire Regiment in September 1914. He served for a while as its Regimental Sergeant Major but unfortunately died before they were sent overseas.

Having served some 4 months with the 3rd Battalion of the Gloucestershire Regiment in 1911 while under age, William officially enlisted with the Royal Army Ordnance Corps at Horfield Barracks on the 3^rd January 1913. He served as a storeman with the RAOC in Ireland prior to the war and was sent to France on 7^th of October 1914, where he worked supplying the ammunition trains from the harbour at Le Havre. Over the next few months he started to lose his voice and was eventually found to have tubercular laryngitis which was spreading to the lungs. He was sent home to the London Victoria Hospital on the 9^th of March 1915 and was eventually discharged as unfit for further military service on the 4^th of June 1915. It was accepted that he had been exposed to TB while on army service and he was awarded a 12 month conditional pension of 12/6 a week. He lived for a further 18 months before dying at home on 4^th of February 1917. His death was reported in the Bristol Times & Mirror on the 7^th of February 1917.

Name Couldridge, Jack Oswald

Regiment 12^th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment

Rank/No. Second Lieutenant

Enlisted Bristol

Brigade/Division 100^th Brigade, 33^rd Division

Born Bideford, Devon

Resident St Andrews, Bristol

Where Died Killed in Action in France on 6/11/1916, aged 22 and is recorded on the Thiepval Memorial (Pier & Face 5A & 6B).

Other Information At the time of his death he was attached to the 2^nd Battalion of the Worcestershire Regiment. Prior to gaining his Commission, he was also a Lance Sergeant (3351) in the Wiltshire Regiment. Awarded the Victory and British War Medals.

Biographical Details

Jack was born in Bideford, Devon about March 1894. Unfortunately there is no census data available for this individual, so we cannot be entirely sure who his parents and family were. His medal record card directs all correspondence to his mother at 16 Effingham Road, St Andrews, Bristol, which suggests that his family had moved into the parish some time before the war and that his father had died before this entry was made.

The birth records list several Couldridge family members born in Bideford between 1887 and 1902 who could be either directly or indirectly related to Jack - these include James William, Claude Levin, Kathleen, Leslie, Harold, Alex, Fanny and Cecil who was born and died in 1902. Kathleen Couldridge later married a Mr Davis in Bristol in about March 1916, so it is possible that she was Jack’s sister. [Claude Levin Couldridge enlisted in the 8^th Devonshire Regiment in Bristol in 1914 and went to France on the 25^th of June 1915, rising to the rank of Sergeant before he died of wounds on the 24^th of June 1918. He was living in Exeter at the time of enlistment and is not listed on the St Michael’s War Memorial, so he is more likely to be a cousin than a direct relative.]

His low service number suggests that Jack enlisted in the Wiltshire Regiment quite early in the war and was probably allocated to the 8^th (Reserve) Battalion. As all the other Battalions went on active service before 1916, the absence of a 1914/15 Star suggests that Jack’s service with the Wiltshire Regiment did not take place overseas and that he had been encouraged to apply for a commission. He was subsequently commissioned into the 12^th (Reserve) Battalion of the Worcestershire Regiment – another reserve battalion based in Wareham - on the 22^nd of January 1916. Shortly after this he was attached to the 2^nd Battalion of the Worcestershire Regiment, which had just joined the 33^rd Division the previous December.

Like most of the Kitchener units, the 33^rd Division was a relatively green outfit made up of locally raised “pals” battalions” raised by public schools, sports clubs and church lads’ brigades. In July 1916 it formed part of Lt General Watts XV Corps and was heavily involved in the early stages of the Somme battles, taking part in the actions at Albert (1-13 July), Bazentin Ridge (14-17 July) and High Wood (20-25 July) where the British attacks were repulsed with heavy losses. After the attrition of High Wood Jack’s Battalion was withdrawn to regroup and they were not involved again until the end of October.

They were now in XIV Corps (Lt General Cavan) in the area around Le Transloy. Although the major battles in this area were over, minor actions were still taking place and early on the morning of the 26^th of October Jack’s Division was involved in the capture of Dewdrop Trench, in which 2 German officers and 130 of their men were taken with only a few British casualties. The next action took place on the 2^nd of November when Jack’s Brigade attacked the Boritska and Hazy trenches in conjunction with the French. However, while the French took Hazy trench no progress was made at Boritzka due to enfilade machine gun fire. A further attack was made on the 3^rd of November but again no progress was made.

The trench was eventually taken later that month but Jack was not there to see it having been killed in action on the 6^th of November. The precise circumstances of his death are unclear but he probably died in one of the unsuccessful attempts to take this trench. Unfortunately his body was never found and his name is now recorded on the Thiepval Memorial together with the other 72,000 officers who died in this sector but have no known grave.
Name Cox, Joseph

Regiment 7^th Battalion Somerset Light Infantry

Rank/No. Private 10359

Enlisted Bristol

Brigade/Division 61^st Brigade, 20^th (Light) Division

Born St Judes, Bristol

Resident Bristol

Where Died Killed in Action in Flanders on 28/9/1917, aged 34 and is recorded on the Tyne Cot Memorial (p 44-46 & 163A) near Ypres.

Other Information Awarded the Victory and British War Medals and the 1915 Star.

Biographical Details

Joseph was born in St Jude’s, Bristol about September 1884 to William and Mary Cox and in 1891 he was living at 6 Thelstone Road, St Giles together with his brothers George and William and his sisters Mary Ann, Annie, Caroline and Lilly. His father was working as a haulier/carrier at this time but by 1901 he had turned his hand to the butcher’s trade. The family had moved to 44 Great George Street, St Jude’s by then and Joseph and George were working as hauliers and Caroline was making cigars in the local tobacco factory. Local records suggest that his parents may have been living at 24 North Road, St Andrews, Bristol in 1914. Joseph seems to have married a Miss Jeffrey in about March 1915 but I have not been able to trace any children from this union.

Although his service record is not available it is likely that he joined up when the 7^th Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry was formed up in Taunton in September 1914 in response to Lord Kitchener’s call to arms. His medal record shows that he was sent to France on the 24^th of July 1915 with the rest of the 20^th Division, which subsequently moved to Fleurbaix to begin the process of training and familiarisation with trench warfare. His Division was heavily involved in the battles of the Somme, serving in Lt General Cavan’s XIV Corps.

Joseph would have first seen action at the capture of Mount Sorrel with the Canadians in June. He would then have moved with his Corps to take part in the Somme battles, the first of which was at Delville Wood (15 July -3 September), where they took part in a night attack on the 14^th August, which saw a few minor casualties, but otherwise they were mainly engaged in line holding duties. Next up was the battle of Guillemont (3-6 September), where they successfully captured all 3 lines of the German trenches and beat off the subsequent counterattack at a cost of 15 dead and 155 wounded. At Flers-Courcelette (15-22 September), the 61^st Brigade was attached to the Guards Division and attacked the German line at Lesboeufs at 0935 on the 16^th of September but this was poorly prepared and exposed to unsuppressed artillery and machine gun fire. They managed to capture the German trench but the position was exposed and untenable and they were forced to retire to a more defensible position that they had managed to dig in no man’s land. The attack had cost 175 men killed or injured, including most of the officers and many specialists.

They saw further action at Morval (26-28 September) before they were withdrawn to prepared for the attack on the Le Transloy (1-18 October). The attack began on the 1^st October when they advanced to within 200 yards of the German to build a new trench in dead ground, beating off several counterattacks in the process. Returning to this line on the 7^th October they advanced to take and consolidate the position on the ridgeline known as Rainbow Trench, beating off a strong counterattack in the process. They were relieved on evening of the 8^th of October having lost another 107 casualties. They were quickly brought up to strength on the 13^th of October with the arrival of 540 replacements but their Somme battles were over and the Battalion spent the rest of the winter rebuilding its fighting efficiency.

In 1917 the return to action began with the advance to the Hindenburg Line (14^th March – 5^th April). They missed the battles at Arras and Messines but were with XIV Corps for the opening battles of the Passchendaele offensive under 5^th Army (General Gough). Here he would have seen action at the capture of Langemarck (16-18 August) where new infantry tactics were successfully used to overcome the pill boxes and the other fortified defences deployed by the German Army. After a short pause he was back in action on the Menin Road Ridge (20-25 September) before being killed at Polygon Wood (26^th September – 3^rd October).

The attack on Polygon Wood was a major success – a classic example of 2^nd Army’s (General Herbert Plumer) bite and hold tactics. Under the cover of what was described as the most perfect barrage of the war, the Australian 4^th and 5^th Divisions captured the main defensive feature known as the Butte on the 26^th September, lending considerable support to the adjoining attack by the 5 British Divisions, who had had to cope with a German spoiling attack 24 hours earlier. One feature of the battle was the fierce mopping up fighting that had to take place to clear out the enemy pill boxes that had not been destroyed by the shelling.

It is likely that Joseph was killed in one such mopping up operation towards the end of the battle on the 28^th of September. It is a sad fact that many of the dead simply disappeared into the mud on this battlefield and unfortunately his body was never recovered. However, he is listed on the Tyne Cot Memorial, which records the names of some 36,000 officers and men killed in this sector who have no known grave.

Name Cox, Lupton James

Regiment 1^st Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment

Rank/No. Second Lieutenant

Enlisted London

Brigade/Division 3^rd Brigade, 1^st Division

Born Stow on the Wold

Resident Bristol

Where Died Killed in Action in France on 18/4/1918 aged 25 and is buried in the Gorre British & Indian Cemetery near Bethune, France.

Other Information Initially enlisted as a private (4801 & 760759) in the 1/28^th Battalion of the London Regiment (Artist’s Rifles). He was awarded the Victory and British War Medals.

Biographical Details

Lupton was born in Stow on the Wold, Gloucestershire about June 1897, to James and Kate Elizabeth Cox. In 1901 they were living at 24 Market Square, Stow in the Wold together with his brother Stanley Hubert and sisters Marjorie Kate and Doris Eileen. His father was a bank manager and they had a nursery governess (Jane Rodgers) living in residence, together with a cook (Ruth Elizabeth Clifford) and housemaid (Violet Louise Hopkins). By 1914, however, his parents had moved to Bristol and were living at 25 Dongola Road in Bishopston and were still living there when the war had ended.

Unfortunately Lupton’s service record is not available but his medal record shows that he initially enlisted as a private in a Territorial unit known as the Artist’s Rifles, which would suggest he was living in London when war broke out and may indeed have been a pre war member of the Battalion. Although it is not clear when he enlisted with the Rifles he was certainly not with them when they went out to France on the 28^th of October 1914. It therefore seems likely that he was held in reserve and subsequently transferred to an Officer Training Unit. (This was not unusual given the high quality of the men enlisting in the Artist’s Rifles, which was a major source of officer material and was operating as an Officer Training Corps in France from October 1914.)

It is not clear when he was commissioned but his record shows that he went out to France on the 22^nd of April 1916, where he joined the 1^st Battalion of the Gloucestershire Regiment in the trenches. This was a Regular unit which had already seen some heavy fighting and was to see yet more in the years to come. He would have arrived in time to take part in III Corps’ (Lt General Pulteney) attack at Albert (1-13 July) on the Somme and again in II Corps’ (Lt General Jacobs) attack at Bazentin (14-17 July). Then after a short pause it was back to III Corps for the battles of Pozziers (23 July – 3 September), Flers Courcelette (15-22 September) and Morval (25-28 September). In March 1917 he would have taken part in the general advance to the Hindenburg Line before being withdrawn from the line to prepare for the proposed amphibious assault on the Belgian coast known as Operation Hush. Unfortunately the mounting casualties of the 3^rd Ypres Offensive caused this operation to be cancelled and his unit was diverted to II Corps for the Second Battle of Passchendale (26 October – 10 November).

Stationed with 1^st Corps (Lt General Holland) in the Lys sector to the North, Lupton missed the opening of the Kaiserslacht on the Somme in March 1918 but was soon caught up in the second phase of this German offensive where he saw heavy fighting in the successful defence of Estaires (9-11 April) and Hazebrouck (12-15 April) before moving on to Bethune (18^th April) and what became known as the second battle of Givenchy.

Following the launch of operation Georgette on the 9^th of April the defences around the old Passchendaele battlefields crumbled badly and General Plumer was forced to retire nearly 12 miles and give up the Paschendaele Ridge before they were finally stopped on the 29^th of April. The Canadians had already beaten one off one German attack at Givenchy a few days earlier when the weakened 1^st Division took over on the 18^th of April. Although they were seriously undermanned they managed to inflict heavy losses on the German Army and hold their ground. Unfortunately Lupton was killed in this fighting and was buried in the nearby Gorre British & Indian Cemetery at Bethune, which had served as a support post close behind the front line during this battle.

[Note - the church memorial refers to a SL Cox but the CWGC only lists one person by this name and he was a Canadian who had no links to Bristol at all. There was an SW Cox who came from Bristol but he has no clear link to St Michaels. This is the best fit and it seems likely that the initials were either wrongly transcribed or that Lupton was more commonly known by some other name.]
Name Davis, Sidney Alfred

Regiment 1/5^th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment

Rank/No. Second Lieutenant (2569TF, 200613)

Enlisted Bristol

Brigade/Division 145^th Brigade, 48^th (South Midland) Division

Born Penalt, Monmouthshire

Resident Bristol

Where Died Killed in Action in Flanders on 22/8/1917, aged 25 and is recorded on the Tyne Cot Memorial (Panel 72-75) near Ypres.

Other Information Awarded the Victory and British War Medals and the 1915 Star.

Biographical Details

Sidney was born in Penalt, Monmouthshire about March 1892, the youngest son of Henry and Fanny Louisa Davis. In 1901 they were living at Lone Lane, Penalt together with his brother Charles and sisters Katie and Alice. His father was working as a Railway Station Master at this time. In 1914 Sidney was renting a room from his uncle – a Mr S Davis - at 9 Longfield Road, Bishopston. He married Edith Louise Godfrey in April 1917 and they set up home at 57 Cobourg Road, Montpelier, Bristol. Prior to this his parents had moved to Bridge Cottage, Redbrook, Monmouth, where his father appears to have died in 1915. After Sidney died his wife later remarried to a Mr John Morris in the spring of 1921 and they were living at 33 Raglan Road, Bishopston, Bristol by time the memorial was set up in 1922.

Sidney was educated at Monmouth Grammar School and in 1909 won the sports challenge cup. He was a promising member of St Paul’s (Portland Square) Cricket Club and played soccer for Sneyd Park and was secretary and captain of the second XI when it won the second division championship in the 1913/14. He was also a founder member of the St Andrew’s Bowling Club of which his uncle was Treasurer. Before the war Sidney worked for Messrs George White & Co, Stockbrokers at Clare Street House. George White was also managing director of British and Colonial Aeroplane Co Ltd.

He enlisted with the 1/5^th Battalion of the Gloucestershire Regiment on the 1^st of September 1914 and was with them when they departed for France on the 31^st March 1915. They then rejoined the rest of the 48^th Division on the 3^rd of April (which had already departed for France on the 13^th of March), which had concentrated near Cassel. Although his service record is not available Sidney’s medal records shows that he progressed well, moving from private (2569TF) to Corporal (200613) before leaving in December 1916 for cadet training. He returned to the Battalion in May 1917 having been commissioned as a second lieutenant on the 25^th of April.

His unit did not see any of the major battles of 1915, although it suffered the usual minor losses as it carried out its trench holding duties. Although engaged mainly in line holding operations throughout 1915, these were not always quiet affairs. His Division’s first major engagement was in the Somme battles of 1916 in Lt General Hunter Weston’s VIII Corps at the battle for Albert (1-13 July). Here they were situated between the 56^th (London) and 31^st Division which both suffered heavy casualties at Gommecourt and Serre respectively on the 1^st July. The 48^th Division’s two Warwickshire battalions also suffered heavy casualties in the attack on the Quadrilateral (Heidenkopf) on that day.

They then transferred to Lt General Morland’s X Corps for the battle of Bazentin Ridge where they took part in the capture of Orvillers on the 16^th July. After a brief rest they were back in action with Lt General Jacobs II Corps for the battle of Poziers (23^rd July – 3^rd September). On the 23^rd of July all 3 of the Gloucestershire Territorial Battalions of the 48^th Division took part in an attack on Pozieres alongside the Australians, suffering heavy casualties in the process. Those who survived the hail of shellfire that fell on them while they were in their trenches waiting to go over the top were mown down by German machine guns as they clambered out. On the 8^th August they took part in drive from Ovillers along the Pozieres Ridge towards the German strong point at Mouquet Farm, where working together with the Australian Corps they systematically reduced the Thiepval Salient.

An illustration of the difficulties they faced can be provided by the kind of fighting that took place on the 27^th August. Here Sidney’s unit attacked the German held Constance Trench, which ran south west from Mouquet Farm to form a T junction with Pole Trench. Attacking across the open under the cover of an intense 3 minute barrage, they entered the trench with few casualties but the bombing platoons met with considerable opposition in the communication trench and a large party of Germans were eventually forced to retire across open ground, where all but 3 were mown down by Lewis guns. Some 50 prisoners were taken and 200 Germans killed and wounded but the battle also took its toll on the attacking troops. In return for the capture of a loop of trenches south west of Pole Trench, the 1/5^th Gloucesters lost 6 officers and 108 other ranks killed, wounded or missing. Amongst the dead was Lieutenant Cyril W Winterbotham, a poet, lawyer and one time Liberal Party candidate for East Gloucester.

They were relieved by the Canadians on the 3^rd of September who eventually took Mouquet Farm on the 16^th September. They then moved back to III Corps for a relatively quite time in September and October before going back into action at the battle of the Ancre (13-18 November).

In 1917 Sidney was in England when his Battalion took part in III Corps’ advance to the Hindenburg Line (14^th March – 5^th April) and the occupation of Peronne (18^th March) but had rejoined them in May. In August they were moved to II Corps for the attack on Langemarck (16-18 August) as part of the 3^rd Ypres offensive. On the morning of the 16^th of August the village of Langemarck was taken at heavy cost after 4 hours of fighting. Though a German counterattack recovered much of the ground, British forces retained the initiative in this area aided by the use of tanks and a diversionary attack by the French at Verdun.

Although he survived this initial battle Sidney was killed a few days later on the 22^nd of August while leading his platoon in action against a strongpoint in the German line which had resisted many previous attacks. He succeeded in taking this objective but died shortly afterwards. In a subsequent letter to his widow, his commanding officer commended him for his splendid handling of his troops after his captain had been killed. Unfortunately his body was never recovered and he is listed on the Tyne Cot Memorial together with the other 36,000 officers and men listed as missing in this sector. His death was reported in the Bristol Times & Mirror on the 4^th of September 1917.

Name Denning, Henry Hurley

Regiment “A” Company, 12^th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment

Rank/No. Private 14042

Enlisted Bristol

Brigade/Division 95^th Brigade, 32^nd Division

Born St Barnabas, Bristol

Resident London

Where Died Killed in Action in France on 12/12/1915, aged 33 and is buried at Cerisy-Gailly Military Cemetery (II.E.17 – FRO699) near Morlancourt on the Somme.

Other Information Awarded the Victory and British War Medals and the 1915 Star. Listed as serving in A Company of the 12^th Battalion.

Biographical Details

Henry was born in Bristol about December 1882 to Frederick Wyatt and Catherine Marianne Denning and in 1891 they were living at 3 Chestnut Villas, Ashley Down Road, Bishopston, Bristol, together with his brothers Frederick, Norman and Ernest and sisters Gertrude, Katie and Edith. They also employed a nurse (Edith Baish aged 15) to look after the children. In 1901 they were still living at the same address and Frederick was working as an accountant’s clerk, while Henry and Norman were assurance clerks. In 1891, his father was working as a self employed accountant and later founded his own firm of accountants - Denning & Co Chartered Accountants - which in 1914 was based at 2 Queen Anne Building, 36 Balwin Street in the centre of Bristol.

At the time the war broke out Henry was working in London as a cashier for the Edinburgh Life Assurance Co and his mother and brother were living at Ashley House, 27 Broadway Road, Bishopston. The 1914 electoral roll shows that Norman was renting this house from his mother, his father having died shortly before this. She herself died in May 1923. One of his sisters also served on the St Michael’s & All Angels Parochial Church Committee immediately after the War.

It is likely that Henry joined up when war was declared and was probably present at the formation of the 12^th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment by the Citizens Recruiting Committee in Bristol on the 30^th of August 1914. The Battalion was attached to the 95^th Brigade of 32^nd Division at Wensleydale in June 1915 and moved to Salisbury Plain in August. Henry went to France with the rest of the Division on the 21^st of November 1915, which after a brief period to regroup was sent to hold the line in the area of the Somme. Henry’s battalion was sent for its first experience of trench holding duties in the second week of December and Henry was killed in action on the 12^th of December, just 21 days after he had arrived in France.

Since there were no major engagements in the Somme area at this time, it seems likely that he was either killed in a minor trench raid or had fallen victim to the steady attrition by shell or rifle fire that was the daily experience of those who manned the trenches throughout the war. A letter from an officer of the 12^th Battalion published in the Bristol Times and Mirror on the 19^thof December, reported that the soldiers were struggling in trenches waist deep in mud and under constant sniper fire at this time. He was buried in the nearby Cerisy-Gailly Military Cemetery and his death was reported in the Bristol Times and Mirror on the 25^th of December 1915.

Name Dixon, Burleigh Henry John

Regiment 2/4^th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment

Rank/No. Private 210495 (TF 4778)

Enlisted Bristol

Brigade/Division 183^rd Brigade, 61^st (2^nd South Midland) Division

Born Britow Ferry, Neath, Breconshire

Resident Bristol

Where Died Died at home in Bristol in June 1918 aged 50, following his discharge from the British Army on health grounds.

Other Information Awarded the Victory and British War Medals.

Biographical Details

Burleigh was born in Wales about June 1868 to John Burleigh and Harriet Anne Dixon and in 1871 they were living at 2 Unity Street, St Augustine’s, Bristol together with his sister Martha and step sister Harriet Anne Whitty. They also had a domestic servant (Rachael Hays) in residence. His father’s was working as an Attorney/Solicitor at this time. By 1891 his father had died and the family was now living at 49 Wolsey Road, Horfield, Bristol in the parish of St Michaels & All Angels, together with their new servant Annie Schutz. Burleigh had clearly decided to follow his father’s profession and was working as an articled clerk in a firm of solicitors.

Five years later he had become a fully fledged solicitor and on the 3^rd of September 1896 he married Alice Maud Humphries at Westbury on Trym. In 1901 they were living with their baby daughter Ida Kathleen, and domestic servant Emily Rich, at 28 Zetland Road, Redland, Bristol together with 2 boarders. The first (William Griffin) was an accountant in a corset factory and the other (Patricia Doyle) worked for the Inland Revenue. Unfortunately Alice died in June 1902, shortly after the birth of their second daughter.

Burleigh continued to prosper and by 1914 he had his own practice at All Saints Chambers, on the High Street in the centre of Bristol and his family was living at 37 Cotham Vale, Redland. When he enlisted in the Army in 1915 he listed his brother in law (I W Humphries of Northumberland Avenue, Redland) as his next of kin. Presumably this was because his own mother had either died, or become incapacitated, and he was looking to his wife’s family to care for his teenage daughters in the event of his death. However, by July 1917 his record had been amended to show his second daughter (Miss J C Dixon) as his next of kin. They had also moved yet again and were now living at “Darnley” Carnarvon Road, Redland.

His service record shows that Burleigh, a pre war Territorial, enlisted in the 4^th (Training) Battalion of the Gloucestershire Regiment on the 3^rd June 1915 and, after a period of training, he remained on home service until he was assigned to the 2/4^th Battalion which had first formed up in Bristol in September 1914. As a second line Territorial Unit the battalion was sadly lacking in both training and equipment and it was some time before they were ready for service overseas. In April 1915 the Battalion had moved with the rest of the 61^st Division to Chelmsford, where they were inspected by Lord Kitchener on the 6^th August. Finally they moved to Park house Camp at Tidworth, Wiltshire in February 1916 before being sent out to France on the 24^th of May.

Burleigh had very little time to acclimatise to Trench Warfare before his Division was moved to XI Corps (Lt General Haking) to take part in a subsidiary attack on Fromelles jointly with the 5^th Australian Division on the 19^th of July. This was intended as a diversionary action to the larger battle of the Somme to the south but in the event it proved to be an unmitigated disaster. Both Divisions suffered heavy casualties for no significant gain and no enemy reserves were diverted. Such was the damage to the 61^st Division and its reputation that it was not used again other than for holding trenches until 1917.

Trench holding duties would have involved quite hard and debilitating work for a man of Burgleigh’s age and background. This is reflected in his sick record which shows that after initially receiving treatment at a field post for an in-grown toe nail on the 5^th November 1916, he was later admitted to Casualty Clearing Station 7 with what was described as generally debility. His condition worsened and he was transferred to the Base Hospital at Boulogne on the 29^th of November before being shipped back to England on the 11^th December. He was eventually classified as unfit for further service on 16^th June 1917 and discharged on the 26^th of July having served a total of 2 years and 54 days. His condition clearly did not improve and he eventually died at home in June 1918. It is possible that he was one victims of the flu pandemic, or he may simply have died of pneumonia brought about by his recent debility, in either case it is likely that his ability to resist his final illness was undermined by the privations he suffered in the trenches.

Name Edgerley, Ewart Gladstone

Regiment 2^nd Battalion Dragoon Guards (Queen’s Bays)

Rank/No. Private 165653

Enlisted Bristol

Brigade/Division 1^st Cavalry Brigade, 1^st Cavalry Division

Born Axbridge

Resident Bath

Where Died Died of Wounds in France on 15/8/1918, aged 19 and is buried at Terlincthun British Cemetery (II.C.32),Wimille near Boulogne.

Other Information Awarded the Victory and British War Medals and the 1915 Star. He also served as a Territorial with the North Somerset Yeomanry (1610).

Biographical Details

Ewart was born in Axbridge on the 26^th of September 1898 to Ernest George and Florence Elisabeth Edgerley and was christened at Radstock on the 20th of June 1900. His parents had married at Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire in June 1897. In 1901 they were living at 14 Frome Road, Radstock, Somerset with his sister Florence Ida and widowed Grandmother Sarah Edgerley. His father was working as a self employed timber merchant at this time and later died in Clutton, Somerset some time around June 1905. Although his residence in 1915 is given as Bath, it may be that this refers to his boarding school as he was only 15when he enlisted. The electoral roll shows that his mother was living at “Cranbrook”, Ashgrove Road, Ashley Down, Bristol in 1914, which would place him in the parish of St Michael’s & All Angels at the outbreak of the war.

Ewart enlisted in the local North Somerset Yeomanry in Bristol in May 1915 shortly before his 16^th Birthday and was sent to France on the 26^th of October 1915, probably with a draft of replacements for those lost in the battle of Loos (26-28 September). Details of his service record are not available but it is likely that he spent the first 18 months or so with the North Somerset Yeomanry before illness or injury caused him to be sent to a base hospital, after which he would have been sent to the 2^nd Dragoon Guards in France following his return to fitness.

The North Somerset Yeomanry was attached to the 6^th Cavalry Brigade in the 3^rd Cavalry Division at this time and did not take part in any of the major actions of 1916. Since cavalry was so vulnerable to machine gun fire a good deal of Ewart’s time would have been spent on line holding duties or taking messages behind the line. He would, however, have been subject the usual dangers of random shell or machine gun fire. Later in the war he would take part in a number of dismounted actions and may even have seen mounted action at Cambrai in 1917 and Amiens in 1918. Even in the major battles the cavalry was often kept in reserve for a breakout that never came.

His first major (dismounted) action in 1917 is likely to have been with the Cavalry Corps (Lt General Kavanagh) at the 1^st battle of the Scarpe (9-14 April) near Arras where they took part in the capture of Monchy-le-Preux on the 11^th of April. The objective of the battle was to take a section of trench between Wancourt and Feuchy known as the Monchyriegel which was vital to the German defences. After two days heavy fighting all these strategic objectives were taken and the British troops were able push on to Monchy le Preux, which they took on the 11^th of April, although the fighting around the village took a heavy toll in casualties.

It seems likely that Ewart was either slightly wounded or taken ill after this attack and was transferred to the 2^nd Dragoons on recovery. Assuming he recovered fairly quickly, he would have been back in time for the Cavalry Corps’ (mounted) action at Cambrai in support of the initial tank attack on 20-21 November and the capture of Bourlon Wood. He would also have taken part in the defence of Cambrai against the subsequent German counterattack (30^th November – 3^rd December). In March 1918 his unit was caught up in the German Spring offensive on the Somme seeing action in XIX Corps’ (Lt General Watts) defence of St Quentin (21-23 March) and would then have helped form up the dismounted division that was attached to VII Corps (Lt General Congreve) for the action at Bapaume (24-25 March). This was followed shortly after by the battle of Rosieres (26-27 March) where they formed part of Carey’s Force in Lt General Watts XIX Corps and helped to defend the dangerous gap that had opened between 3^rd and 5^th Armies at Hamel and Bangard Wood.

They were then held in reserve until the major tank offensive at Amiens (8-15 August). This was the opening phase of what came to be known as the 100 days offensive. In an all arms attack deploying some 400 tanks, the British Army advanced some 7 miles, taking all its objectives. The battle was notable for the effect it had on the morale of soldiers on both sides with German soldiers surrendering in large numbers for the first time. Even with the loss of tanks through attrition, the Army had advanced a further 12 miles by the 13^th August driving the Germans out of the salient and capturing 50,000 men and 500 guns by the 27^th August. Ewart was badly wounded on the opening day of this battle and was evacuated to the base hospital at Boulogne where he died on the 15^th of August aged 19. He was buried in the British cemetery at Terlincthun as the nearby civil cemeteries at Boulogne and Wimeraux were exhausted by this time. His death was subsequently reported in the Bristol Times & Mirror on the 3^rd of September.

[The available data is confusing. CWGC say he was born in Bristol, while the census gives the place of birth as Axbridge. Soldiers Died also gives the place of residence as Bath. However, Ewart Gladstone Edgerley is the only person with these initials recorded as having died in the First World War and the Bristol Times & Mirror confirms that his me address was in Ashley Down.]

Name Featherstone, Horace Victor

Regiment 1^st Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment

Rank/No. Private 24426

Enlisted Bristol

Brigade/Division 3^rd Brigade, 1^st Division

Born Bishopston, Bristol

Resident Bishopston, Bristol

Where Died Killed in action in France on 9/9/1916, aged 19 and is listed on the Thiepval Monument to the missing on the Somme (Pier & Face 5A & 5B –MR0021).

Other Information Awarded the Victory and British War Medals.

Biographical Details

Horace was born in Bristol about September 1897 the youngest son of Robert Henry and Mary Ann (nee Adams) Featherstone and in 1901 they were living at 1 Kent Road, Bishopston, Bristol together with his brothers Herbert, Sidney , Thomas (who also died in the War – see below), Henry & Reggie and sisters Mabel, Edith and Amy. His father was working as a commercial traveller at this time. Herbert was a warehouseman in a boot factory, Sidney was a boot checker and Thomas was a draper’s assistant. In 1914 Thomas and his twin brother Sidney were renting a room at 22 Belvoir Road, St Andrews, Bristol from an Andrew Landills. His mother had died in 1904 and his father was to die in 1917, a few months after Horace’s own death on the Somme.

Although his service record is not available, it is likely that Horace enlisted in 1915 and was allocated to one of the Reserve Battalions of the Gloucestershire Regiment (possibly the 11^th or 15^th Battalion) and was sent out to the 1^st Battalion in France in early 1916. In the summer of 1916 his Division was attached Lt General Pulteney’s III Corps for the opening battle of the Somme offensive at battle of Albert (1-13 July), which saw one of the worst episodes in the history of the British Army when 58,000 men became casualties on the first day. Very few gains were made in III Corps’ sector and the first line of the German trenches was not taken until the 11^th of July.

Fortunately the 1^st Division avoided the worst of this and was then moved to Lt General Jacobs II Corps for the battle of Bazentin (14-17 July), which saw one of the first night attacks in the War. There was then a brief period for rest and recuperation before they moved back to III Corps for the battle of Pozieres (23^rd August-3^rd September. This was one of the few successful actions of the Somme battle, the village of Pozieres being taken by 2 Australian Divisions on the opening day but it was to take 40 more days of hard fighting to expand the salient to include the rest of the Pozieres Ridge. The British Front slowly pushed out to Mouquet Farm but it still remained in German hands by the end of August and the attacks towards Thiepval failed to make any progress and the village was not to fall into Allied hands until the end of September.

Unfortunately Horace did not live to see this as he was killed in action on the 9^th of September. As the 1^st Division was not involved in any major action at this time, it is likely that he was killed in a minor trench raid or counter attack while consolidating the line in the area around High Wood. One consequence of this was that his body was never recovered and his name is therefore listed on the Thiepval Memorial to the 72,000 officers and men missing on the Somme that have no known grave. His death was reported in the Bristol Times & Mirror on the 25^th of September 1916.

[Note the second initial is not included on the church memorial]
Name Featherstone, Reginald Thomas

Regiment 1/6^th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment

Rank/No. Private 20310 (1230 TF)

Enlisted Bristol

Brigade/Division 144^th Brigade, 48^th (South Midland) Division

Born Bedminster, Bristol

Resident Bishopston, Bristol

Where Died Killed in action in France on 15/11/1916, aged 21 and is buried at Warlencourt British Cemetery (III. F.32 – xFR385), near Bapaume on the Somme.

Other Information Awarded the Victory and British War Medals and the 1915 Star.

Biographical Details

Reginald was born in Bedminster, Bristol about March 1895 to Thomas Phipps and Emily Louisa Featherstone and in 1901 they were living at 16 Stanley Park, Easton, Bristol, together with his brother Horace and sister Elizabeth Emily. They also had a boarder (George Danberry aged 40) living with them who was working as a chemist/druggist. His father was working as a copier at this time. By 1914 the family had moved to 35 Shadwell Road, Bishopston, Bristol.

Although his service record is not available, his medal record shows that he was a pre-War member of the 1/6^th Battalion of the Gloucestershire Regiment and would therefore have been preparing to leave with the rest of his Battalion for the annual summer camp, when it mobilised in Clifton on the 5^th August 1914. They were then moved to Swindon and shortly thereafter to Maldon in Essex. Reginald would have departed for France with the rest of his Battalion on the 31^st of March 1915, where it joined the rest of the 48^th Division which had concentrated in the Cassel area by the 3^rd of April.

Although engaged mainly in line holding operations throughout 1915, these were not always quiet affairs. On the 26^th of March 1916, the Bristol times & Mirror reported on an action on the 18^th of March in which the 1/6^th Battalion fought off a trench raid by the Germans, which had been preceded by an intense 2 hour bombardment of gas and artillery shells. In this action a Private R V C Helps distinguished himself by fighting a rearguard action which enabled the rest of platoon to retire to safety, at the cost of his own life.

The Division’s first baptism of fire took place during the Somme offensive as part of VIII Corps’ (Lt General Hunter Weston) operations at the battle of Albert (1-13 July). On the opening day of this offensive Reginald’s Division was holding the line between the 56^th (London) Division and 31^st Division, both of which sustained heavy casualties in the actions at Serre and Gommecourt. The Warwickshire Battalions of the 61^st Division also suffered heavily in the attack on the Quadrilateral. The Division then moved to X Corps (Lt General Morland) for the attack on Bazentin (14-17 July) and the capture of Orvillers on the 16^th July. They then moved again to join II Corps’ (Lt General Jacobs) in August where they took part in the long struggle to extend the salient north of Pozieres (23^rd July – 3 September). The British front was slowly pushed out towards Mouquet Farm but at the end of August it remained in German hands, while the attacks towards Thiepval failed to make any progress. The village and Mouquet Farm were eventually taken at the end of September

September and October saw a return to line holding duties before they returned to III Corps for the final battles of the Somme on the Ancre Heights (1^st October – 11^th November) and for the Ancre itself (13-18 November). Left alone since the failure of the attack on 1^st July, the slopes on either side were attacked again in foggy, wintry conditions. On the 13 November the attack was launched with the aim of capturing the 3 lines of German trenches from Serre to Ancre and Beaucourt itself. The trenches were taken in the opening attack and Beaucourt fell the next day but the attacks elsewhere were less successful. After a short delay the attack was renewed on the 18^th November and was relatively successful - Beaumont Hamel was taken but Serre and the German trenches to the North remained untouched. Thereafter the battle ground down in the mud leaving a salient on the Ancre that was to prove to be a very dangerous place to be posted in the coming winter.

Reginald did not live to see this as he was killed in action on the 15^th of November. As the attack was in abeyance at this time it is likely that he was killed in an exchange of shell or rifle fire while holding the line in this area. He body was buried at Warlencourt British Cemetery, which was made up in 1919 of graves brought in from other smaller cemeteries and battlefield burials.

[ Note - His brother Horace served as a private (41278) with the 3^rd Battalion of the Leicestershire Regiment which he joined in France on the 17^th of November 1916, just after his brother had died. At some point he seems to have been wounded by a bullet to the head, although without serious consequences, and on the 17^th of January 1918 he was transferred to the 11^th Battalion of the Leicestershire Regiment, which was serving as pioneer battalion to the 6^th Division. On the 6^th of September 1918 he contracted dysentery and was invalided home where he spent 73 days under treatment in hospital. He was eventually discharged on 12^th March 1919 suffering from general debility and a pain in the side of his head for which he was awarded a pension in 1920. He later married a Miss Perkins in 1924.]

Name Featherstone, Thomas

Regiment 12^th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment

Rank/No. Second Lieutenant (formerly private 12/14054)

Enlisted Bristol

Brigade/Division 78^th Brigade, 26^th Division

Born Bristol

Resident St Andrews, Bristol

Where Died Killed in action in Salonika on 25/4/1917, aged 33 and is listed on the Doiran Memorial to the missing, which is situated in Northern Greece on the Serbian border.

Other Information Awarded the Military Cross (London Gazette, June 1917, page 5479) and the Victory and British War Medals. He was attached to the 11^th Battalion of the Worcestershire Regiment while in Salonika.

Biographical Details

Thomas was born in Bristol about June 1884 to Robert Henry and Mary Ann Featherstone and was a brother to Horace Victor Featherstone who also died in the War – see above for biographical details. Thomas does not appear to have married and the Commonwealth Graves Registration Commission’s records give 22 Belvoir Road, St Andrews Park, Bristol as his home address. His medal record also lists his twin brother Sidney as his next of kin at this address. Thomas was a keen sportsman and was secretary of the Cotham Cricket club for several years before business pressures forced him to resign shortly before the war.

He initially enlisted as a private in the 12^th Battalion of the Gloucestershire Regiment in 1914 but did not go to France with them in November 1915, having applied for a commission instead. He was subsequently commissioned into the 11^th Worcesters and was in Egypt for a short time before joining his Battalion at the Happy Valley Camp in Salonika sometime in 1916. For most of 1916 the allies were on the defensive and engaged in the development of ever more complex entrenchments - so much wire was used that the area became known as the birdcage. The Allies successfully repulsed the Bulgarian invasion of Greece in July and it is possible that Thomas arrived in time to take part in this and his Division’s subsequent action at the Battle of Horseshoe Hill on 10-18 August. By the end of 1916 the Allies had taken the Ruppell Pass and advanced to within a few miles of Serres.

During 1917 there was comparatively little action on the British sector of the Front due in part to the complex political changes taking place in Greece at this time. Disease (primarily malaria, dysentery and enteric fever) was rife, however, and a major source of casualties at this time and throughout the rest of the campaign. The main fighting took place in the area around Lake Doiran, where the line was adjusted several times by both sides. In April the British attacked, gaining a considerable amount of ground, and successfully resisted attempts to re-take it. Fighting was particularly heavy around the 24-25 April 1917 and it seems likely that Thomas was killed during this phase of the battle.

The fighting has been described by some as a “futile massacre”. Certainly many mistakes were made and a lot of men died but this is hardly surprising given that they had to advance over 3 miles of open ground under heavy fire. Nevertheless gains were made and the Bulgarian Army was forced to recognise that its ambitions in Greece could not be achieved. This was due in no small part to the bravery and leadership of men like Thomas, who was awarded a posthumous Military Cross for his actions in this battle. Unfortunately his body was never recovered and his name was therefore recorded on the Dorian Memorial to the 2,000 servicemen who died in Macedonia and have no known graves. His death was reported in the Bristol Times & Mirror on the 5^th of May and his award of the Military Cross was reported on the 6^th of June. 1917.

Name Garrett, George Francis

Regiment 6^th Somerset Light Infantry

Rank/No. Private 11962

Enlisted Taunton

Brigade/Division Home Service

Born Bristol

Resident Bishopston, Bristol

Where Died Died at Aldershot on 13/1/1915, aged 20.

Other Information None awarded as he never served overseas

Biographical Details

George was born in Ashley Hill, Bristol about December 1895 to William and Louisa Garrett and in 1901 was living at 11 Gadon Road, St Werburghs, Bristol together with his brother Robert William and sister Ellen Mabel. His father was working as a warehouseman and paper hanger at this time. They also had two boarders living with them – John Major aged 23 who was working as a tailor and Frederick Gibbs aged 21 who was working on the manufacture of railway coaches. At the time of his enlistment George was working as a clerk with a local firm. His service record also shows that his family were living at 55 Falmouth Road, Bishopston, Bristol in 1914.

In apparent good health, George enlisted in the 6^th Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry at Taunton on the 1^st of September 1914 but was taken ill during training and admitted to Aldershot Hospital on the 28^th of September with pneumonia, which subsequently developed into tuberculosis of the lungs. He was discharged on the 18^th of November as being unfit for military service but remained in hospital where he died of pneumonia at 0600 a.m. on the 13^th of January 1915. His death was recorded at Harley Wintney, Hampshire a few days later.

Name Godfrey, John Robert Charles

Regiment “C” Company, 2/6^th Gloucestershire Regiment

Rank/No. Private 2108

Enlisted Bristol

Brigade/Division 183^rd Brigade, 61^st (2^nd South Midland) Division

Born Bedminster, Bristol

Resident Horfield, Bristol

Where Died Died of wounds in France on 23/7/1916 aged 18 and is buried at Boulogne Eastern Cemetery (VIII. A.139 – FR0102)

Other Information Awarded Victory and British War medals.

Biographical Details

John was born in Bedminster, Bristol about December 1897 to John Henry and Mary Louise Godfrey and in 1901 they were living at 1 Barra Place, St Pauls, Bristol together with his younger sister Dorothy. His father was working as a carpenter at this time. By 1914 the family had moved to 20 Olveston Road, Horfield, Bristol.

It is not clear when John joined the Gloucestershire Regiment but his low regimental number suggests that he probably enlisted while still under age, shortly after the 2/6^th Battalion was first formed in St Michael’s, Bristol in September 1914. As a second line Territorial Unit the battalion was sadly lacking in both training and equipment and it was some time before they were ready for service overseas. In January 1915 the Battalion had concentrated with the rest of the Division at Northampton before moving to Chelmsford, where they were inspected by Lord Kitchener on the 6^th of August. Finally they moved to Park house Camp at Tidworth, Wiltshire in February 1916 before being sent out to France on the 24^th of May.

The Division was immediately sent to join XI Corps (Lt General Haking) at Fromelles, which was a quiet used as a “nursery” to acclimatise green troops to the business of trench warfare. However General Haking had planned a diversionary action intended to pin down German units and prevent them being used in the larger battle of the Somme to the south. So the 61^st Division and the equally green 5^th Australian Division were launched into an attack on the 6^th Bavarian Reserve Division, which had been dug in around Fromelles for most of the war and knew the terrain backwards.

The attack was launched at 6 pm on the evening of the 19^th of July, after an 11 hour bombardment, and proved a complete fiasco. The 61^st Division attacked in the centre and was mown down by machine gun fire. It then asked the Australians to support a second attack only to cancel it without telling them. The Diggers attacked alone and even broke into the German trenches but were outflanked and had to withdraw under heavy fire the next morning. Some 2,200 men killed for no significant gain, nor were any enemy reserves diverted. Such was the damage to the 61^st Division and its reputation that it was not used again other than for holding trenches until 1917.

Although his service record is not available, it seems likely that John was severely wounded in this battle. He was then transferred to the base hospital in Boulogne, where he died on the 23^rd of July. He was subsequently buried in the Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, which was frequently used to bury casualties from the military hospitals in the town.

Name Grice, Howard Thomas

Regiment 2^nd Battalion Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)

Rank/No. 2^nd Lieutenant

Enlisted Bristol

Brigade/Division 59^th Brigade, 20^th (Light) Division

Born Bristol

Resident Bishopston, Bristol

Where Died Killed in action in France on 25/3/1918, aged 22 and is buried at Ham British Cemetery (I. C.6), Muille Villette, on the Somme.

Other Information Awarded Victory and British War medals and the 1915 Star. He first saw service as a private (22033) in the Grenadier Guards.

Biographical Details

Howard was born in Bristol about December 1895 to Henry and Suzie Grice and in 1901 they were living at 11 Neville Road, Bishopston, Bristol together with his brother Leslie and sisters Mabel, Ethel, Maud and Ivy. His father was working as a printer’s reader at this time, while his sister Mabel was a shop assistant. They also had a boarder (Thomas Eley aged 37) living with them who was working as a piano tuner. By 1914 his father seems to have died and his mother was living at 217 Cheltenham Road, Montpelier, Bristol. Howard himself was working as a reporter with the Western Daily Press at this time.

In August 1914 he enlisted as a private with the Grenadier Guards and went to France on the 5^th of October 1915. He probably arrived with a draft of replacements to make up the losses incurred in the Guards Division’s during the Loos offensive on the 26^th September and would have been present at the defensive actions on the Hohenzollern Redoubt over the period 8-13 October. Unfortunately we do not know which Battalion he joined but we do know he served with the Guards Division for over a year before he was commissioned as a 2^nd lieutenant with the 2^nd Scottish Rifles at the end of the year (reported in the Bristol Times & Mirror on the 15^th of November 1916).

In 1916 he would have seen action at the battles of Flers Courcellette (15-22 September) with XIV Corps (Lt General Cavan) and Morval (25-28 September). The Guards Division went into action at Flers on the 15^th September and met with some success in that they succeeded in taking their first objective, all be it in some chaos. Unfortunately they were under the mistaken impression that they had reached their third objective for the day and halted. On the next day they suffered heavily while make an unsupported attack and had to be relieved that night. The battle at Morval was a continuation of the action at Flers and by contrast was a great success. Backed up by a well timed creeping barrage the 4 Divisions of XIV Corps advanced to take the villages of Morval and Lesbeoufs on the 25^th of September despite problems with uncut wire. After this the Guards Division was not used again in the Somme battle and reverted to line holding duties.

By November 1916 Howard had been promoted to 2^nd Lieutenant and joined the 2^nd Scottish Rifles in the 23^rd Brigade of the 8^th Division. His new Battalion had suffered badly on the opening day of the Somme Offensive at the battle of Albert (1-13 July). The 8^th Division had incurred some 5,123 casualties in attacking the German trenches at Orvillers and the damage was such that it was not used again until the advance to the Hindenburg Line in the Spring of 1917 (15^th March -4 April). In July 1917 the Division had moved to II Corps (Lt General Jacobs) in the Ypres Salient and took part in opening battle at Pilkem (31^st July – 2^nd August). Unlike the Somme the opening day was a resounding success with all objectives taken and a general advance of 2 miles. Thereafter torrential rain turned the ground into a quagmire and the attack ground to a halt with heavy casualties. The same thing happened to the Division at the battle of Langemarck (16-18 August), with the result that the whole of 5^th Army’s (General Gough) campaign ground to a halt and the task of carrying on the Passchendale Offensive was handed over to General Plumer’s Second Army.

However, Howard’s Battalion took no further part in this campaign and was restricted to trench holding duties until it was transferred to the 59^th Brigade of the 20^th (Light) Division) in February 1918, as part of a wider re-organisation of the British Army. By March Howard’s Battalion was back on the Somme in Lt General Maxse’s XVIII Corps, where it arrived just in time for the German Spring Offensive. Following the German initial breakthrough XVIII Corps retired to form a new defensive line on the south bank of the St Quentin Canal and Howard became involved in the heavy fighting as the Division withdrew over 9 miles towards St Quentin (21-13 March). Unfortunately the engineers failed to destroy the railway bridge at Pithon and within 48 hours the Germans had penetrated 10m miles behind the British lines.

Bitter fighting in open country now followed as the 5^th Army retreated towards the Somme Crossing (24-25 March), fighting a series of rearguard actions in the process. Unable to form a defensible line, the battle moved to Rossieres (26-27 March) in which a series of complex actions resulted in greater resistance to the German advance but the retreat was to continue until the Germans were finally halted outside Amiens on the 5^th of April. Unfortunately Howard did not live to see this having been killed holding back the strong German forces attacking towards Chaulnes - Noyon via the village of Ham on the 25 March. He was probably buried by the Germans who took over Ham Cemetery after they overran the local Casualty Clearing Station on the 23^rd of March.

Name Hainge, Sidney Herbert

Regiment 2/6^th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment

Rank/No. Private 266654 (TF 4819)

Enlisted Bishopston, Bristol

Brigade/Division 183^rd Brigade, 61^st (2^nd South Midland) Division

Born Aston, Warwickshire

Resident Bishopston, Bristol

Where Died Killed in action in France on 2/12/1917, aged 22 and is recorded on the Cambrai Memorial at Louveral (MR0017).

Other Information Awarded Victory and British War medals.

Biographical Details

Sydney was born in Aston Manor, Warwickshire about December 1896 to Sidney and Ada Hainge and in 1901 they were living at 84 Villa Street, Aston Manor, Warwickshire. At that time his mother’s brother – Arthur Hayward aged 23 – was staying with them and a family friend (Susan Bravon aged 55) was also visiting. His parents were married in Aston Manor in 1894 and Sidney was their first child. It is not known if they had any other children. His father was working as a Commission Agent at the time. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission records indicate that the family had moved to live at 35 Manor Road, Bishopston, Bristol by the time of Sidney’s death in 1917.

It is not clear when Sidney joined the Gloucestershire Regiment but his early regimental number indicates that he was a pre-war Territorial on home service, who was probably allocated to the 2/6^th Battalion shortly after it was first formed in St Michael’s Hill, Bristol in September 1914. As a second line Territorial Unit the battalion was sadly lacking in both training and equipment and it was some time before they were ready for service overseas. In January 1915 the Battalion had concentrated with the rest of the Division at Northampton before moving to Chelmsford, where they were inspected by Lord Kitchener on the 6^th of August. Finally they moved to Park house Camp at Tidworth in February 1916 before being sent out to France on the 24^th of May.

The Division had very little time to acclimatise to Trench Warfare before it was moved to XI Corps (Lt General Haking) to take part in a subsidiary attack on Fromelles jointly with the 5^th Australian Division on the 19^th of July. This was intended as a diversionary action to the larger battle of the Somme to the South but in the event it proved to be an unmitigated disaster. Both Divisions suffered heavy casualties for no significant gain and no enemy reserves were diverted. Such was the damage to the 61^st Division and its reputation that it was not used again other than for holding trenches until 1917.

By January 1917 Sidney’s Battalion had moved with the rest of the 61^st Division to II Corps’ (Lt General Jacobs) front on the Ancre, where he would have participated in the subsequent actions to straighten the line in that area (11^th January – 13^th March 1917). In March the Germans decided to withdraw from the Somme to the more defensible Hindenburg Line and Sidney’s Division was one of the first to mount a cautious pursuit, taking the towns of Chaulnes and Bapaume in the process. The usual round of trench holding continued thereafter until the Division moved to Lt General Watts’ XIX Corps for the battle of Langemarck (16-18 August), which although initially successful soon bogged down in the mud after the village was taken, with any gains outweighed by the casualties incurred.

In late August and early September the Division was withdrawn from the Ypres Salient to support efforts to advance the line at positions around Schuler Farm and Aisne Farm near Kerneler. The Division was then held in reserve for the battle of Cambrai (20 November – 30 December) before moving to General Pulteney’s III Corps for the defensive action against the German counter attack (30^th November – 3^rd December). Although the initial attack at Cambrai was hugely successful, poor communications and weak tactical positioning left the troops vulnerable to counter attack. This duly fell on the 30^th of November and the Division was sent to reinforce units around la Vacquerie where it was involved in several days hard fighting to stem the enemy attack.

It is likely that Sidney was killed in the confused fighting that took place in this area on the 2^nd of December 1917. Unfortunately his body was never recovered and his name is recorded on the Cambrai Memorial, which lists some 7,000 officers and men who died in this sector and have no known grave.

Name Harris, Robert Lock

Regiment 2/4^th (City of Bristol) Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment

Rank/No. Private 200969 (TF 3278)

Enlisted Bishopston, Bristol

Brigade/Division 183^rd Brigade, 61^st (2^nd South Midland) Division

Born Bedminster, Bristol

Resident Bishopston, Bristol

Where Died Killed in action in Flanders on 13/4/1918, aged 27 and is buried at St Venant Communal Cemetery (IV.A.29 – FRO496) on the River Lys.

Other Information Awarded the Victory and British War medals. He was later transferred to the 24^th Entrenching Battalion of the 61^st Division in February 1918.

Biographical Details

Robert was born in Nailsea about June 1890, the second son of John and Mary Anne Harris. In 1891 they were living at 1 Heath Road, Nailsea together with his brother Frederick and sister Florence. At that time his father was working in domestic service as a gardener. In 1901 the family had moved to 79 North Road, St Andrews, Bristol. Florence had left home by now and a new brother (William) had appeared on the scene. His father was working from home as a domestic gardener. His mother’s sister (Annie Milford aged 23) was also living with them at this time and working locally as a domestic housemaid. By 1918 his parents had moved again and were living at 37 Monk Road, Bishopston.

It is not clear when Robert joined the Gloucestershire Regiment but his early regimental number indicates that he was a pre-War Territorial on home service, who was probably allocated to the 2/4^th Battalion shortly after it was first formed in Bristol in September 1914. As a second line Territorial Unit the battalion was sadly lacking in both training and equipment and it was some time before they were ready for service overseas. In January 1915 the Battalion had concentrated with the rest of the Division at Northampton before moving to Chelmsford, where they were inspected by Lord Kitchener on the 6^th of August. Finally they moved to Park house Camp at Tidworth in February 1916 before being sent out to France on the 24^th of May.

By January 1917 Robert’s Battalion had moved with the rest of the 61^st Division to II Corps’ (Lt General Jacobs) front on the Ancre, where he would have participated in the subsequent actions to straighten the line in that area (11^th January – 13^th March 1917). In March the Germans decided to withdraw from the Somme to the more defensible Hindenburg Line and Robert’s Division was one of the first to mount a cautious pursuit, taking the towns of Chaulnes and Bapaume in the process. The usual round of trench holding continued thereafter until the Division moved to Lt General Watts’ XIX Corps for the capture of Langemarck (16-18 August), which although initially successful an soon bogged down in the mud after the village was taken with any gains outweighed by the heavy casualties incurred.

On the 20^th of February 1918 the Battalion was disbanded as part of a wider effort to cope with the manpower crisis affecting the British Army at that time and Robert was transferred to the 24^th (Entrenching) Battalion of the 61^st Division. Although allocated to pioneering duties in practice these men were regarded as front line soldiers and were frequently called upon to replace casualties in other units. The Battalion was also often called upon to carry out combat duties in its own right, especially in the confused fighting that developed as a result of the German Spring Offensive.

In March 1918 the Division was part of Lt General Maxse’s XVIII Corps and was heavily engaged in the German Spring offensive on the Somme. Robert would therefore have been defending the forward zone in the area around Ham north-west of St Quentin (21-23 March) and may even have witnessed the raid on the German trenches on the 20^th of March that led to the capture of prisoners who warned them that a major offensive was scheduled for the next day. Unfortunately the high command underestimated the scale of the attack and on the 21^st of March the Division found itself fighting 3 German Divisions which it successfully held off until the afternoon of the 22 March when it was ordered to retire in the light of German advances elsewhere in the line. Many men were lost in the chaotic, but eventually, successful withdrawal over the Somme Crossings (24-25 March) as part of General Congreve’s VII Corps and the Division was still in good order by time it rejoined XVIII Corps for the battle of Rosieres (26-27 March).

By the time that it was relieved at the very gates of Amiens, the Division had been in almost continuous action since August 1917 and was exhausted. It was therefore sent to a quieter part of the line at La Bassee near Bethune in Lt General Haking's XI Corps to rest and take on replacements for the heavy losses incurred. Unfortunately the German Army chose this sector for their second offensive and Robert would have seen more hard fighting at Estaires (9-11 April) before being killed at the battle of Hazebrouck (12-15 April).

Following the collapse of the Portuguese Division near Neuve Chappelle the weakened British Divisions had been forced to conduct a fighting retreat from Estaires, inflicting heavy losses on the enemy but losing many men themselves. Finally in response to General Haig’s call to defend the lines around Ypres to the last man, the lines consolidated around Hazebrouck – a vital supply route for this region. Were it to have fallen into German hands the British lines of communication would have been seriously disrupted. However, slowed down by the rearguard action of the retreating British troops the German advance was finally stopped by the 1^st Australian Division just 5 miles from the town on the 15^th of April. Unfortunately Robert was killed in the confused fighting on the 13^th of April and is buried in the St Venant Communal Cemetery, not far from where this battle took place. His death was reported in the Bristol Times & Mirror on the 4^th of May 1918.

Name Harry, Reginald Charles

Regiment 15^th Squadron Royal Flying Corps

Rank/No. 2^nd Lieutenant

Enlisted Bristol

Brigade/Division 2^nd Wing

Born Bristol

Resident St Andrews, Bristol

Where Died Killed in action in France on 28/8/1916, aged 22 and is buried in the Knightsbridge Cemetery (C10) at Mesnil-Martinsart near Albert on the Somme.

Other Information He was a pre War Territorial in the South Midland Division and a former member of the Army Cyclist Corps. Although they do not appear to have been issued, he was awarded the Victory and British War medals.

Biographical Details

Reginald was born in Bristol about December 1894 to Charles and Hester Jane Harry who had married in Hastings in 1893. Unfortunately Hester died in December 1897 and in 1901 Reginald was living with his widowed father at “Albion Villa”, 12 Freemantle Square, Cotham, Bristol. Also present were his paternal grandparents George and Elisabeth Harry and his maternal aunt Caroline Mary Kent. They also had a domestic servant (Ethel Hayward aged 23) living with them. At this time his father was working as a commercial clerk and his grandfather was listed as a retired schoolmaster. His aunt is recorded as living on her own means. His father was still living at this address in 1914 and Reginald was recorded as living at 4 Seville Place in 1916.

Reginald had many friends in Bristol and worked for J S Fry and Sons Ltd for 3 years, where he was very popular with the employees. He joined the Officer Training Corps on the outbreak of war in 1914 and was later commissioned into the Cycle Corps of the 61^st (2^nd South Midland) Division in March 1915. A month or so later he married Grace Kathleen Williams in Gloucester in the spring of 1915, although it seems she preferred to be called by her second name. I have not been able to trace any children from this union. Before the War there were 10 Territorial Cyclists Battalions that were formed into a Corps in 1915 and Reginald’s own unit left the 61^st Division in June 1916. Most of the units in the Army Cyclists Corps never went overseas and served out their time at home providing replacements for the front line units in France.

Reginald transferred to the RFC and went to France in April 1916. In August he was posted to 15^th Squadron in of the RFC, where he served as an observer. This squadron was operating BE.2c biplanes in a reconnaissance role in 1916, based in Droglandt as part of 2^nd Wing, although it switched to a ground attack role in 1917. In a letter to his widow published in the Bristol Times & Mirror on the 16^th of September, his commanding officer said that Reginald had only been with them long enough to do one or two flights, but had shown plenty of the grit and determination expected from an officer of the RFC. By the end August 1916 the Somme battle was in full sway in the area around Delville Wood and Pozieres and he would have spent much of his flying time photographing enemy lines or spotting gun emplacements.

On the 28^th of August he was carrying out what was described as a dangerous mission with a fellow officer, when their plane was shot down by a German machine and crashed behind the British lines. Both officers were killed instantly. He is buried in the Knightsbridge Cemetery at Mesnil-Martinsart, which was named after a communication trench that was dug at the time of the Somme battle and is probably near to where his plane came down. His death was first reported in the Bristol Times and Mirror on the 7^th of September 1916.

Name Heale, William Victor

Regiment 2/4^th (City of Bristol) Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment

Rank/No. Corporal 203177

Enlisted Bristol

Brigade/Division 183^rd Brigade, 61^st (2^nd South Midland) Division

Born Bishopston, Bristol

Resident Bishopston, Bristol

Where Died Killed in action in Flanders on 28/8/1917, aged 20 and is recorded on the Tyne Cot memorial (Panel 72-75 – MR0030) to those missing in the Ypres sector.

Other Information Awarded Victory and British War medals.

Biographical Details

Victor was born in Bishopston, Bristol about June 1897 to William James George and Eva Heale and in 1901 they were living at 44 Kennington Avenue, Bishopston. His father was working as a commercial traveller at this time and the family also had a domestic servant (Ada Reed aged 20) living in residence. His family nevertheless came from relatively humble beginnings, his grandfather having earned a living as a domestic servant and his grandmother as a dress maker. By 1914 the family had moved to “The Firs”, 2 Muller Avenue, off Ashley Down Road, Bristol.

Victor joined the Gloucestershire Regiment in January 1915 at the age of 17 years and six months and was probably allocated to the 2/4^th Battalion shortly thereafter. He was a strong physical lad and was soon promoted to corporal. He served as an instructor in musketry, bayonet fighting and PT, both before and after he went to France. As a second line Territorial Unit the Battalion was sadly lacking in both training and equipment and it was some time before they were ready for service overseas. In January 1915 the Battalion had concentrated with the rest of the Division at Northampton before moving to Chelmsford, where they were inspected by Lord Kitchener on the 6^th of August. Finally they moved to Park house Camp at Tidworth, Wiltshire in February 1916 before being sent out to France on the 24^th of May.

The Division had very little time to acclimatise to Trench Warfare before it was moved to XI Corps (Lt General Haking) to take part in a subsidiary attack on Fromelles, jointly with the 5^th Australian Division on the 19^thof July. This was intended as a diversionary action to the larger battle of the Somme to the South but in the event it proved to be an unmitigated disaster. Both Divisions suffered heavy casualties for no significant gain and no enemy reserves were diverted. Such was the damage to the 61^st Division and its reputation that it was not used again other than for holding trenches until 1917.

In 1917 he would have played his part in his Division’s cautious pursuit of the Germans to the Hindenburg Line (14^th March – 5^th April) and the capture of Chaulnes and Bapaume. The usual round of trench holding continued thereafter until the Division moved to Lt General Watts’ XIX Corps for the battle of Langemarck (16-18 August), which although initially successful in taking the village soon bogged down in the mud and any further gains were outweighed by the heavy casualties incurred. In late August and early September the Division was withdrawn from the Ypres Salient to support efforts to advance the line at positions around Schuler farm and Aisne Farm near Kerneler, where he was killed in action on the 28^th of August.

The precise circumstances of his death are not known but an old school friend, who was there at the time, later wrote to his parents to say that he was seen to fall while attacking a German trench. It was in fact his last day in the line, as he was due to return home to attend cadet school and would have earned a field commission had he lived. Unfortunately his body was never recovered; and it was a sad fact that many of the dead and wounded soldiers simply disappeared into the mud on this particular battlefield. His name is recorded on the Tyne Cot Memorial, which lists the 35,000 officers and men who died in this sector but have no known grave. His death was first reported in the Bristol Times & Mirror on the 20^th of September 1917.

[Note the church memorial only lists a V Heale, but this probably reflects the fact that he was more generally known by his second name. In any case the CWGC records do not list anyone by this name as having been killed in the First World War.]
Name Hemmings, Royston Albert

Regiment 2/6^th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment

Rank/No. Corporal 3085

Enlisted Bristol

Brigade/Division 183^rd Brigade, 61^st (2^nd South Midland) Division

Born Bristol

Resident Bishopston, Bristol

Where Died Killed in action in France on 28/9/1916, aged 19 and is buried at Pont-du-Hem Military Cemetery (II.A.21 – FRO705), near La Bassee on the Somme.

Other Information Awarded Victory and British War medals.

Biographical Details

Roy was born in Bristol about September 1897 to Albert Henry and Eva Clara Hemmings and in 1901 they were living at Stanley Villa, 21 Ashgrove Avenue, off Ashley Down Road, Bishopston, Bristol together with his older brother Frederick. His father was working as a commercial clerk at this time. The family were still living at this address when Roy went out to France in 1916.

Roy enlisted in the 2/4^th Battalion when it was first formed at St Michael’s Hill in Bristol in September 1914, while still only 17 years of age. As a second line Territorial Unit the Battalion was sadly lacking in both training and equipment and it was some time before they were ready for service overseas. In January 1915 the Battalion had concentrated with the rest of the Division at Northampton before moving to Chelmsford, where they were inspected by Lord Kitchener on the 6^th of August. Finally they moved to Park house Camp at Tidworth, Wiltshire in February 1916 before being sent out to France on the 24^th of May. Roy went with them as a newly promoted corporal

However, line holding duties were not without risk and there was a steady stream of casualties as the Division moved from one sector of the line to the other. Unfortunately Roy became one of these when he was hit by a shell killed on the 28^th of September and died immediately. Although the circumstances of his death are unclear the fact that he is buried at Pont-du-Hem Military Cemetery, which was used by local fighting units and field ambulances until April 1918, suggests that he was probably killed while serving in the line in the La Bassee area. His death was reported in the Bristol Times & Mirror on the 4^th of October 1916.

[Note: the parish memorial does not list Roy’s second initial]
Name Higgins, Brynford Eaton

Regiment Royal Army Service Corps

Rank/No. Private M2/201527

Enlisted Shepton Mallet, Somerset

Brigade/Division 161^st Siege Battery, 51^st Brigade Royal Garrison Artillery

Born Shepton Mallet, Somerset

Resident Yeovil

Where Died Died of wounds in France on 20/5/1918 aged 24 and is buried at Querrieu British Cemetery (C 16) near Amiens on the Somme.

Other Information Awarded the Victory and British War medals.

Biographical Details

Bryn was born in Shepton Mallet about June 1894 to Henry and Elizabeth Higgins and in 1901 they were living at Percy Villa, Waterloo Road, Shepton Mallet, Somerset together with his brother Percival and sisters Lillian, Maud and Ivy. At this time his father was working as an income tax collector for Messrs Boyd & Travell and Percival was a brewer’s clerk. Although resident in Yeovil at the time of his enlistment Bryn must have lived in Bristol at some point as it was there that he met and subsequently married Phyllis May Lawson in October 1917. In the 1901 Census she is recorded as living with her parents at 64 Neville Road, Bishopston, Bristol where her father is listed as a manager of a clothing warehouse. The Commonwealth Graves Registration Commission (GWGC) records show her as still living at this address after the War. I have not been able to trace any children from this marriage.

In the absence of his service record, it is difficult to say when he went out to France but his medal record suggests that this cannot have taken place before 1916. The CWGC record shows that he was attached to the 161^st Siege Battery of the Royal Garrison Artillery, which first went out to France in September 1916. Driving and moving a heavy 55 ton 9.2 inch howitzer requires specialised training, which probably took place in 1915 and may explain how he came to meet Phyllis in Bristol. We can therefore reasonably conclude that Bryn was sent to the 161^st Siege Battery when his training was completed and went with them to France in September 1916.

As a transport driver for the RGA Bryn main task would have been have to help move his battery’s howitzers into specially made gun pits that had been carefully sited preparatory to a major bombardment. He would have had to help move them from one site to another within the line to avoid counter battery fire and also when the line itself advanced or retreated. He may also have spent some of his time delivering ammunition to the heavy guns from the main ammunition parks. These guns were usually sited well behind the front line and were mainly used in set piece actions to break down the enemy’s trench works and for counter battery work. They would also be used to destroy strong points, stores, ammunition dumps, roads and railways behind the enemy line.

These heavy guns were in short supply and consequently were moved frequently from one Corps to another as the War progressed. The movements of his battery are difficult to trace but we can be certain that Bryn would have been present at most of the major battles that took place on the Western Front between September 1916 and his death in May 1918. Although he was operating behind the front line Bryn would still have been at risk from the gas and high explosive shells that were directed by the enemy in order to disrupt movement behind the lines.

From the research done so far we know that his battery was attached to the 44^th Heavy Artillery Group of the Canadian Corps (Lt General Byng) and was used to support the attack on Vimy Ridge on the 9^th April 1917. We also know that in March 1918 his battery formed part of the 51^st Brigade of the Heavy Artillery Group which was attached to General Gough’s 5^th Army and would have been present for the opening of the German Spring Offensive on the Somme. By July the 51^st Battery was attached to the Australian Corps (Lt General Monash) in General Rawlinson’s 4^th Army and remained there until the end of the War.

On the 16^th of March 1918 Bryn’s artillery brigade suffered heavy casualties as a result of surprise bombardment by gas artillery shells, consequently they were not able to provide the British troops with the level of support they needed when the Germans launched it attack towards St Quentin on the 21^st March. As the Germans broke through the British line Bryn would have taken part in the retreat towards the Somme Crossings (24-25 March) and the chaotic but ultimately successful retirement across the Somme. His unit would then have provided artillery support for the defensive battles at Rosieres (26-27 March), the Avre (4^th April) and the Ancre (5^th April) before supporting the Australians in the recapture of Villers Brettoneaux (24-25 April) which helped to stabilise 4^thArmy’s defence lines around Amiens.

Amiens was a vital railway communications centre and a breakthrough here would have led to the collapse of the whole of the Western Front. In the event, and after a long rearguard action by the British and Australian troops, the Germans were finally stopped at the end of April. After the battle the two exhausted armies faced each across no man’s land and the focus of the Germans attention switched to the north and a new offensive on the River Lys. Although the main battle was over, the heavy batteries would continue to exchange salvos from time to time and it is likely that Bryn was fatally wounded in one of these around the 20^th May. He did not live long enough to be taken back to a base hospital and was buried in Querrieu British Cemetery, which had been opened at the end of March 1918 specifically for the use of those Divisions that took part in the defence of Amiens.

[Note his second initial is not included on the parish memorial.]
Name Holman, Frederick John

Regiment 10^th Battalion Kings Royal Rifle Corps

Rank/No. Rifleman R/32907

Enlisted Bristol

Brigade/Division 59^th Brigade, 20^th (Light) Division

Born Lewes, Sussex

Resident Bristol

Where Died Killed in action in France on 19/2/1917, aged 38 and is buried at the AIF burial ground (IV.K.14) at Flers on the Somme.

Other Information Formerly listed at TR 13/29827 of the Training Reserve Battalion. Awarded the Victory and British War medals.

Biographical Details

Frederick was born in Lewes about June 1878 to Henry and Frances Amelia (nee Steere) Holman and in 1881 they were living 3 Station Road, Lewes with his brothers George, Sydney and William and his sister Frances. His father was working as a grocer’s assistant at this time. In 1891 they had moved to 66 Malling Street, Lewes, during which time brother Harold and sisters Ivy and Edith had been added to the family. His father and William were working as brewer’s clerks and George was a grocer’s assistant. In 1901 Frederick was living with 24 others at 78-83 North Street, Brighton where he was working as a draper’s assistant, both parents having died previously in Lewes in 1897. He was married in St Marylebone, London in about September 1907 but unfortunately his bride is not named in the register. Some time after this they came to Bristol and in 1914 they were living at 140 Sefton Park Road, Bishopston, Bristol. I have not been able to trace any children from this marriage.

Although Frederick’s service record is not available, his service number indicates that he was allocated to the 10^th Battalion of the King’s Royal Rifle Corps via the 13^th Training Reserve. Since the Training Reserve was not instituted until after the 1^st of September 1916, this means that it is unlikely that he was sent to France before the end of 1916. Given his age and late enlistment it is likely that he was conscripted under the Military Services Act 1916. Although his Division did not take part in any major action during the opening months of 1917, Frederick was killed on the 19^th of February while serving in the trenches in a line holding operation in the Flers area. He was buried in the AIF cemetery at Flers, which was used by Australian medical staff between November 1916 and February 1917 for casualties incurred in the area at this time.

Name Howell, Frank Selby

Regiment Royal Navy

Rank/No. Leading Seaman, J/1620

Enlisted Devonport

Brigade/Division HMS “Defence”

Born Bristol

Resident Bishopston, Bristol

Where Died Killed in action at the battle of Jutland in the North Sea on 31/5/1916 aged 24 and is recorded on the Plymouth Memorial (ref 11) to those who died at sea..

Other Information Awarded the Victory and British War medals and the 1914 Star.

Biographical Details

Frank was born in Bristol on 18^th December 1892 to Selby Hulin and Elizabeth Howell and in 1901 they were living at 11 Eggerton Brow, Bishopston , Bristol together with his brother Jack and sisters Eveline and Clara. He was an old scholar of the Merchants Venturers and first worked for a greengrocer after leaving school. His father was working as a carpenter in 1901 and during the war he was a joinery instructor to wounded soldiers at Southmead Hospital. By 1916 his parents had moved to 1 Melbourne Road. The local Register also shows that his father died shortly after Frank in March 1917.

No doubt inspired by his great grandfather (John Selby Howell), who fought at the battle of Trafalgar, he joined the Navy on the 18^th of September 1910 at the age of 17. He is described as being of fair hair, blue eyed and of medium build. He served on a number of capital ships (“Impregnable”, “Essex”, “Mars”, “Collingwood”, “Vivid” and “Impregnable”) rising from Boy Class II to Leading Seaman (25^th of September 1915) and joined HMS Defence - a Minotaur class armoured cruiser - on the 2^nd of September 1913, where he served as a gunner.

She was stationed in the Mediterranean at the outbreak of war on the 5^th of August 1914 and was involved in the abortive pursuit of the German ships Goeben and Breslau. She then spent September outside the Dardanelles before being allocated to Rear Admiral Craddock’s Squadron for the pursuit of Graf von Spee’s Squadron in the South Atlantic. However, she was then diverted to join Vice Admiral H G King-Hall’s Squadron at the Cape of Good Hope to protect the shipping lanes there and consequently missed the battle of Coronel on the 1^st of November, in which all of Admiral Craddock’s ships were sunk.

After the battle of the Falklands on the 8^th of December had removed the threat from von Spee, HMS “Defence” was sent to join the Grand Fleet at Scapa Flow where it became the flagship of Rear Admiral Sir Robert K Arbuthnot, commander of the First Cruiser Squadron. The ship saw no serious action in 1915 other than routine patrols. After a brief period of home leave in April 1916, Frank was back with his ship in time for the battle of Jutland on the 31^st of May. As the flagship, HMS “Defence” led the charge against the enemy cruisers with “Warrior”, “Duke of Edinburgh” and “Black Prince” in company. While closing at speed with the German cruiser “Wiesbaden”, she herself became the target for the combined firepower of the German battle cruiser squadron whose proximity was hidden by smoke and mist. One salvo blew up her after magazine triggering an explosion of the ammunition trails to her broadside of 7.5 inch guns. Seconds later another salvo hit her forward causing her to blow up in spectacular fashion taking all 903 men on board to the bottom in a few seconds.

Some historians have questioned the tactics employed by Arbuthnot prior to this sinking, arguing that by turning his ships across the path of the Grand Fleet he blocked the fire of the more powerful British ships and required Vice Admiral Beatty’s flagship (HMS “Lion”) to change course to avoid collision with HMS “Warrior”. This latter ship was so badly damaged in the same encounter that she sank the next day.

A detailed account of the battle published in the Bristol Times & Mirror on the 6^th of June 1916. In this account a local eyewitness records that the “Defence” was hit by two 12 inch shells that cut her in two, causing her to sink in seconds. Frank’s death was reported in the Bristol Times & Mirror on the 5^th of June 1916 and a more detailed obituary was published on the 13^th of June.

[Note the parish memorial does not list Frank’s second initial. However a Fred Howell was also killed on the same ship – see below - although the links to St Michaels are less clear.]

Name Howell, Frederick

Regiment Royal Navy

Rank/No. Able Seaman J/7380

Enlisted unknown

Brigade/Division HMS “Defence”

Born Bristol

Resident Clifton, Bristol

Where Died Killed in action at the battle of Jutland in the North Sea on 31/5/1916 aged 21 and is recorded on the Plymouth Memorial (ref 12) to those who died at sea.

Other Information Awarded the Victory and British War medals and the 1914 Star.