Rank
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Name
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Forenames
|
Number
|
Battery
|
Biographical information
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Bdr.
|
Adams
|
Frederick Arthur
|
10979
|
58 Bde AC
|
Born in 1888, Frederick Arthur Adams was an iron moulder from Great Heath, Coventry. He married Gladys Maud Adams in the Free Methodist Chapel, Coventry, on 3 October 1908 and they had had three children by the time he enlisted, aged 26, in Nuneaton on 3 September 1914. He was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea and from there to 58 Bde AC on 13 September 1914. He was promoted to Bdr the following day and appointed A/Cpl on 13 November 1914. He was posted to D/58 on 21 January 1915 and was punished by Lt Col Drake by being reverted to Bdr on 26 April 1915 having been absent from parade. He went Absent without Leave between 5 and 7 May 1915 and was charged with desertion, so was remanded for “the usual escorts”. He was tried by a District Court Martial on 26 May 1915 presided by Lt Col Drake and was reduced back to Dvr, but was re-appointed a Bdr the same day (so the effect was that he lost his seniority as a Bdr). He embarked at Devonport on 1 July 1915, disembarking at Alexandria on 14 July 1915. He sailed from Alexandria on 28 July 1915, disembarking at Gallipoli on 9 August 1915. He was admitted to 35 Field Ambulance with influenza on 8 October 1915 and was discharged back to duty on 13 October 1915. After the evacuation from Gallipoli, he arrived at Alexandria on 27 December 1915. He was admitted to 5th Canadian Hospital with heat stroke on 14 January 1916, and to 27th General Hospital, Cairo on 7 March 1916 with enteric fever. As A/Sgt he was tested and passed as “superior” as a moulder on the Military Railways at Kantara (now El Qantara) near the Suez Canal. He was posted to 3rd Division Ammunition Column in Palestine on 25 December 1918 and sent to Fovant Dispersal Centre for demobilisation in 1919. In 1921, Frederick and his family were living at 30 Highfield Street, Coventry. Frederick had been working as an iron moulder at Humber’s Ltd of Folly Lane, Coventry but was, at the time, working as a clerk in the Coventry Labour Exchange. Frederick Adams probably died in 1947.
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Gnr.
|
Adams
|
William
|
635242
|
A/58
|
William Adams was from Dundee and was born in 1894. He enlisted on 23 September 1914 and went to France on about 3 May 1915. He was serving in A/58 when he was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry on 2 October 1917. He was gassed, probably on 9 April 1918, and was admitted to No.18 Casualty Clearing Station before being evacuated on No.6 Ambulance Train. He was then admitted to No.18 General Hospital on 11 April 1918, aged 23, and was discharged from the Army on 12 February 1919 due to the wounds he had received. The previous year, he had married Cecilia Metcalfe in Bedale, Yorkshire and so after being discharge, he settled in Bedale, living at Aiskew Bank, and was awarded a pension of 5s 6d a week initially between 13 February 1919 and 17 February 1920 before rising to 12s a week in 1921, then 8s a week the following year before a final amount of 7s 6d a week for 70 weeks from 23 March 1923. In October 1920 he was also given a grant of £25 by the Military Service (Civil Liabilities) Department to help him star a business as a boot repairer. He opened his business in his own home, ‘Aiskew’ in Bedale, and was living there as a boot and shoe repairer the following year with Cecilia and their daughter, Jane Christina Adams.
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Bdr.
|
Addis
|
Samuel
|
66749
|
|
Samuel Addis was born in 1886. He enlisted into the RFA on 22 August 1911. He was serving in 58 Bde as an acting Bombardier when he received a gunshot wound to his arm on 13 October 1917and the following year was discharged due to his wounds on 29 May 1918 and awarded a pension and a Silver War Badge. After his discharge he lived at 109 Stafford Road, Wolverhampton, Staffs and (probably subsequently) at 6 Boat Hill, Compton, Staffs.
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Lt.
|
Aikenhead
|
David Francis
|
n/a
|
D/58
|
The son of Capt (later Lt Col) Frank and Mabel Louise Aikenhead, David Francis Aikenhead was born on 29 June 1895 in Liverpool and was educated at Cheltenham College. He followed his father into the Royal Artillery and was commissioned as a 2/Lt having been a gentleman cadet at the Royal Military Academy Woolwich, on 12 August 1914, at the same time as another future 58 Bde officer, William Noel Pharazyn. He married Margaret Clotilda Bayne in 1917 and they had a son and a daughter. He joined D/58 on 9 October 1917. Capt Aikenhead was wounded slightly in the knee by shrapnel but remained at duty on 8 December 1917 though was unable to accompany D/58 when it moved for a specific operation next day, instead going to the Corps Rest Station on 12 December 1917. He went to England to attend a course at the School of Gunnery on 24 December 1917, returning on 25 January 1918. He went on 4 days’ leave on 12 February 1918, returning on 27 February 1918. He took part in – and won – an 11 Division Artillery horse jumping competition on “Charlie” on 2 June 1918. He became the OC of D/58 the same day. Maj Aikenhead was recalled from leave in Paris 2 days early on 29 August 1918. He assumed command of B, C & D/58 plus D/59 (one subaltern and 4 ORs per gun) to cover the front of 32 Infantry Brigade on 25 September 1918. The following day he reconnoitred their route, which “proved invaluable”. He went on 14 days’ leave to England on 15 October 1918 and was awarded the Military Cross on 12 November 1918 for gallantry in the field, the citation reading: “On September 27th, 1918, the brigade advanced across the Canal du Nord to a position near Marquion. During the advance the battery came under heavy shell and machine gun fire which threatened to delay the battery. Owing to the personal gallantry of this officer and the fine example which he set to his battery the guns were brought into action without delay and with the greatest credit to all concerned.” In January 1919 he was selected to be a member of the committee forming an 11th (Northern) Division Officers’ Rugby Football Team and he was selected to take part in the trial game being played on 15 January 1919. He went on 14 days’ leave to England on 3 March 1919, returning 19 March 1919. He was appointed a member of the weekly divisional General Court Martial scheduled to be held on 10 April 1919 and left 58 Bde on 20 April 1919 when he returned to the UK for service in either the RFA or RHA abroad. After the war it is said that he served “in the campaign in Afghanistan and the suppression of the rebellion in Iraq”, which presumably refer to the Third Anglo-Afghan War of 1919 and the Iraqi Revolution of 1920. He also served throughout WW2 and ended up as a Brigadier with the Distinguished Service Order before retiring in 1947. He died in his home village of Great Elm, Somerset on 19 May 1955 aged 59 and is commemorated on tablets in the Church of St. Mary Magdalene in Great Elm. His older brother Robert had served as a private in a Canadian infantry regiment and had been killed at 2nd Ypres on 24 April 1915.
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Sgt.
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Aindow
|
George Townley
|
25163
|
C/58
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Born in 1892 in Litherland, Liverpool, George Townley Aindow enlisted on 5 September 1914 and was posted initially to No. 2 Depot at Preston. On 12 September 1914 he was posted to 60 Bde Ammunition Column, and then posted as a driver to D/60 on 22 January 1915. He became a gunner on 28 June 1915. He was posted to XI Division Howitzer Bde on its formation on 26 April 1916 in Egypt and was appointed A/Bdr next day. This became 133 Bde. When that brigade was split up, he was posted as an A/Bdr from 133 Bde to 58 Bde on 4 December 1916. He was promoted to Bdr on 12 February 1917. After the death of his friend, Ernest Inch on 29 September 1917, he wrote a touching letter to the dead man’s fiancée, Miss R Colliss to express his “deepest sympathy”. He had served alongside Ernest throughout their military service from training to Gallipoli, Egypt and France. He was appointed A/Cpl on 19 March 1918 in C/58. He was promoted to Cpl on 22 March 1918, and then to Sgt on 7 August 1918 (all still in C/58). He was mentioned in dispatches according to the London Gazette of 16 March 1919, again, due to service in C/58. After the war ended, he was sent to the dispersal centre at Prees Heath on 22 March 1919. His address on demobilisation was 49 Tattersall Road, Liverpool. He had married Margaret Wareham at St Philips, Litherland in 1917. She passed away aged 53 in 1945. He died aged 66 in 1959. His brother Frank Norman Aindow was a sapper in the Royal Engineers (89th Field Company) and was killed on 29 June 1915.
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Dvr.
|
Akroyd
|
Leonard
|
L/28082
|
B/58
|
Leonard Akroyd was born on 2 January 1891 in Greetland, Yorks. He was the eldest son of Alfred Akroyd and Annie Akroyd. In 1911 he and his family were living at 26 Spring Lane, Greetland and Leonard was working as a labourer in a wool dyeworks. By 1913 he was working as a cotton spinner and on 5 April 1913 he married Sarah Ann Ogden at St.John the Baptist church, Halifax, Yorks and they had a daughter, Ethel, later that year. He enlisted into the RFA and on 6 May 1917 he was serving with B/58 (seemingly attached to that battery from 11 Division Ammunition Column) and was bringing up ammunition near St.Léger when he was killed by a 5.9″ shell and another man was wounded. Leonard Akroyd was 26 years old and is buried in the Honourable Artillery Company Cemetery, Ecoust-St-Mein, France.
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Gnr.
|
Alder
|
Arthur
|
70059
|
|
Arthur Alder was born in about 1871. He was serving in the RFA when he arrived in the Balkans theatre of war on 17 November 1915 and he probably joined 58 Bde at Gallipoli at that point. A year later he was serving in X.11 Trench Mortar Battery when he was evacuated to the UK and admitted to the County of Middlesex War Hospital at Napsbury on 28 October 1916 suffering from myalgia. He was discharged from there on 9 November 1916. At some point, Arthur was transferred to the Labour Corps and given the new service number 313486. He was demobilised from the Army on 13 March 1919.
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Gnr.
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Alford
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Charles
|
10574
|
C/58
|
Charles Alford was born on 1 January 1893 in Drayton, near Curry Rivel, Somerset, the son of James Alford and Sarah Alford. He was working as a grocer and living in Drayton when he enlisted into the RFA on 2 September 1914. Charles was posted initially to No.3 RFA depot, Hilsea which he attended the next day. From there he was posted to 186 Battery, 58 Bde at Leeds on 10 September 1914 and was mustered as a gunner. This battery was renamed as C/58 in January 1915 and he first went overseas with his unit to Egypt, arriving on 14 July 1915. He was serving in C/58 when he was admitted to No.14 General Hospital, Wimereux and was evacuated to the UK where he was treated at the Edinburgh War Hospital for inflammation of the connective tissue in hisright foot between 9 April and 21 May 1917. He returned to France on 9 July 1917 and was wounded on 6 June 1918. He was awarded the Military Medal, which was gazetted on 20 August 1919. He had been serving in the HQ of 168 Bde RFA when he attended Fovant Dispersal Centre on 11 April 1919. After the war, Charles became a police constable in London and was living at Police Section House, Long Lane, London S.E.1 when he enquired about his medal on 1 January 1920. Later that year, on 7 August 1920, Charles married Edith Kate Pope in the church of St. George the Martyr, Southwark. In June 1921, he and Edith were living at 111 Ilderton Road, Deptford and Charles was serving at the police station in Grange Road, Bermondsey. In September 1939, he and Edith were living at 115 Boyson Road, Southwark and Charles was still employed as a police constable. Charles Alford died in St. Giles Hospital, London S.E.5 on 11 December 1954, aged 61. He is buried, alongside Edith, in St. Catherine’s churchyard, Drayton, Somerset.
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Capt.
|
Allen
|
Robert Hall
|
n/a
|
D/58
|
Born in Calcutta, India on 11 June 1886 Robert Hall Allen was a professional soldier. In 1911 he was a Lt in India with No.4 Ammunition Column. On 25 September 1914, Lt Allen was appointed as Officer of Company of Gentlemen Cadets, Class B, to be advanced to class A, at the Royal Military Academy. He was promoted to Captain on 30 October 1914 and was to remain seconded at the academy. He was replaced at the academy on 19 March 1915 and it is likely that this was when he joined 58 Bde. He embarked SS “Karroo” in Devonport on 5 July 1915 as a Captain in 58 Bde. He was in action with the brigade in Gallipoli, being mentioned in the War Diaries for the unit on 20 August and 18 September 1915. He must have left the brigade in late 1915 or early 1916 because he was replaced as a staff captain on 2 March 1916. He was promoted to Major “and to remain seconded” on 29 December 1916. He was awarded the Military Cross on 1 January 1917. He was appointed as Deputy Assistant Adjutant General (DAAG) having previously been a Brigade Major on 2 May 1917 and was replaced as DAAG on 12 March 1918. He stayed on after the war and became a student at the Staff College on 22 January 1920 and was serving as a Major in Simla, India in June 1921. It is likely that he was the same R H Allen who became a Major General in command of 5th Anti-Aircraft Division during 1940 protecting much of southern England and Wales during the Battle of Britain, for which he was awarded the CB in the 1942 New Year’s Honours.
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Bdr.
|
Allen
|
|
|
A/58?
|
Bdr Allen was one of the witnesses to the absence of Gnr Jonathan Kerr (81) from camp while the brigade was at Milford on 7 June 1915.
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Gnr.
|
Ambler
|
Alfred
|
18851
|
A/58
|
Born in Cleckheaton, Yorks, the son of John Ambler and Martha Ambler, Alfred Ambler enlisted into the RFA in Leeds. He was sent overseas, arriving in France on 30 December 1915 but was serving in A/58 when he died of wounds on 12 October 1917. Alfred Ambler is buried in Dozinghem Military Cemetery, near Poperinge, Belgium. After his death, Alfred’s father was granted a pension of 9s 6d a week from 30 April 1918 due to his late son’s military service.
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2/Lt.
|
Anderson
|
G R
|
n/a
|
D/58
|
2/Lt G R Anderson joined the brigade on 19 January 1917 and was posted to D/58. On 2 June 1917 he was serving in C/58 when he was awarded 4 days’ leave to Paris.
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Bdr.
|
Andrew
|
David
|
6993
|
D/58
|
Born in Airdrie in 1892, David Andrew was the son of Robert Andrew and Helen Andrew. David, or Davie as he was known to his family, enlisted in Hamilton, Lanarkshire. He was serving as an acting Bombardier in D/58 when he was killed in action on 26 September 1916 during the first day of the Battle of Thiepval Ridge. His commanding officer, 2/Lt Richard Blaker, wrote to Bdr Andrew’s family the following day to express his sympathy, and in reply William Andrew, the dead man’s brother, wrote back on 3 October 1916: “No words of mine can convey to you, the deep gratitude which we feel towards you for your kindness, at this time. There was none of us at home, but thought he would survive the war.” He is buried in Pozières British Cemetery, Ovillers-La-Boisselle, France. His mother was awarded a pension of 12s 6d a week from 15 May 1917.
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Capt.
|
Angus
|
Reginald George
|
n/a
|
HQ
|
Reginald George Angus was born in Gateshead on 21 July 1880, the son of leather merchant William Mathwin Angus and his wife, Julia Anne Angus (née Dutton). In 1891 he was a boarder at Sea Bank House school in Alnmouth, Northumberland. His younger brother William Gordon Angus was killed in action in the Boer war on 3 June 1901. Reginald was commissioned into the Royal Garrison Artillery in 1900 and in 1902 was a Lieutenant. He was appointed adjutant of the 1st Newcastle RGA Volunteers in 1904, a unit which his father had commanded for many years. He resigned his commission in 1905 but after the war broke out he was made a temporary Captain in the Royal Field Artillery on 12 October 1914. By January 1915 he was serving in 58 Bde’s Ammunition Column and while training at Chapeltown Barracks, Leeds, he married his cousin Norah Bindley Dutton on 16 May 1915 at West Didsbury Parish Church. He was aged 35, Norah, who was 24, was from Newcastle-on-Tyne. They moved to 24 Rufford Drive, Yeadon, Yorks, where they lived with Norah’s mother. Captain Angus sailed on SS “Knight Templar” from Devonport on 1 July 1915. He was the brigade’s Adjutant and so wrote the unit’s war diaries when it was posted overseas and while it was in Gallipoli. The barge he was on as they landed at Suvla Bay on 9 August 1915 got caught on the boom. On 20 August 1915 a Turkish sniper tried to kill him, but instead he was only hit with a shower of dirt as the bullet kicked up dust near him. He relinquished his commission on 18 August 1917 due to ill health contracted on active service and was granted the honorary rank of Captain. After the war he was living at 8 Norfolk Gardens, Chapel Allerton, Leeds. They were still living there the following year, and Reginald was working as an administrative assistant in the Education Offices of the Ministry of Labour in Leeds. Reginald and Norah had a son, George Dutton Angus, who died in 1937, aged 20 whist serving as a pilot officer in the RAF. In 1939, Reginald and Norah were living in Yeadon, Leeds, and he was working as an engineer’s clerk. Reginald Angus died on 8 March 1963 in Yeadon, Yorks, a retired physiotherapist; Norah died on 25 April 1969.
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Dvr.
|
Appleby
|
William
|
152027
|
C/58
|
William Appleby was born in Poklington, Yorks in 1888. He married Frances Pickles in Dewsbury on 14 June 1902 and they had at least two daughters, Edith Annie born on 26 September 1911, and Elsie born on 23 September 1918. William worked as a tailor before enlisting into the RFA in Wakefield on 11 December 1915, presumably under the Derby scheme, because he was not mobilised until 5 July 1916. He was serving in 1A Reserve Bde, Newcastle-upon-Tyne when he was reported as absent without leave in November 1916. He was posted to France as a Driver on 7 December 1916 and was posted to 11 DAC on 12 February 1917 and from there to C/58 on 25 February 1917. He was awarded 2 days’ Field Punishment No.2 on 21 April 1917 for being dirty on parade the previous day. A few days later he was admitted to 2/3 West Riding Field Ambulance with pediculi on 25 April 1917 but was discharged back to duty two days later. He was granted 14 days leave back to the UK on 2 February 1918. He was still in C/58 when he was wounded on 25 April 1918 with multiple gunshot wounds to his left eye, the left side of his chest and his left leg. After treatment at No.34 Field Ambulance and No.1 Canadian General Hospital, Etaples, William was evacuated back to the UK on the Auxiliary Transport “Stad Antwerpen” and admitted to Endell Street Military Hospital, London, probably on 3 May 1918. He was discharged to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick on 25 June 1918, from where he was discharged ready for a return to active service on 20 August 1918. He was posted to 5C Reserve Bde on 27 August 1918 and was mustered as a Gunner on 9 October 1918, the day before he was posted back to France. He contracted bronchitis so was admitted to No.49 Casualty Clearing Station on 19 October 1918 and from there went to No.3 Canadian General Hospital, Boulogne where he was admitted on 22 October 1918. His condition was subsequently described as influenza, and he attended No.10 Convalescent Depot, Le Havre on 28 October 1918 then No.5 Rest Camp, Le Havre on 30 October 1918 before being posted to the Base Depot, class ‘B’ on 5 November 1918. He joined A/186 on 27 November 1918 and attended the dispersal centre at Clipstone on 21 June 1919. After the war he lived at 66 King Street, Batley Cross, Batley, Yorks and was given a pension of 12s 8d due to his injury. William was provided with a final grant of £10 in February 1921.
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Dvr.
|
Archman
|
Samuel
|
93460
|
B/58
|
Samuel Archman was from Edinburgh and was serving as a Driver in the RFA when he was posted abroad, arriving in Egypt on about 12 July 1915. He was serving in 58 Bde when he was granted 10 days’ leave to England on 26 October 1916 and was serving in B/58 when he was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry on 2 October 1917. It is likely that this is the same Samuel Archman who was living at 75 Grassmarket, Edinburgh when he helped the police arrest a prisoner in 1937 for which he was awarded £2.
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Gnr.
|
Armitage
|
Alec
|
152294
|
A/58
|
Alic Edward Armitage – known in the Army as Alec Armitage – was born on 17 July 1898 in Leeds, the son of William Armitage and Mary Ann Armitage. He was one of seven men from A/58 who were killed in action on 25 August 1917, the others being Gnr John Barber (91942), Gnr Howard Denley (74517), Dvr Frederick Thomas Leathard (109178), A/Bdr William Monks (67578), Gnr Arthur Noble (L/5762) and Gnr Herbert Taylor (141267). They are buried alongside each other in New Irish Farm Cemetery, near Ypres, Belgium. Alec’s mother, Mary, of 2 Florence Avenue, Leeds, was his sole legatee and was awarded a pension of 10s 9d a week from 19 March 1918 for her late son’s military service.
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A/Bdr.
|
Armitage
|
Willie
|
120363
|
A/58
|
Willie Armitage died of a shrapnel wound to his abdomen on 12 January 1917 in No.11 Casualty Clearing Station and is buried in Varennes Military Cemetery, France. He was born in 1894 in Meltham, Yorks, the elder of the two sons of Herbert and Emily Armitage of Marsden, near Huddersfield. He worked as a weftman before the war and is commemorated on Holme Valley War Memorial and his mother was awarded a weekly pension of 10 shillings from 24 July 1917.
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Gnr.
|
Ashley
|
Hugh Alexander
|
736197
|
|
Hugh Alexander Ashley was born on 10 June 1896 in Brownheath, Chistleton, Cheshire, the son of Hugh Ashley and Elizabeth Ashley. In 1901 the family were living in a cottage on Aldford Road, Bruera, Cheshire. In 1911, they were living in Littleton, Cheshire and Hugh Alexander was 14 years old and working as a telegraph messenger. In October 1914, he was nominated to be a postman in Chester. At some point he enlisted into 1 Cheshire Bde of the RFA Territorial Force (TF) and was assigned service number 2277. His unit did not go overseas until early 1916 when it went to Egypt to rejoin its parent unit, 53rd (Welsh) Division there. In 1917, the service numbers of TF men were changed to 6 digit numbers and Hugh was assigned the new service number 736197. It is not clear when he joined 58 Bde, but he is recorded as serving in it in the Absent Voter lists for Chester of October 1918 and Spring 1919 and his home address was given as Littleton parish, Chester. In 1920, Hugh married Elizabeth J Jones in Chester. On 27 May 1923, he and Elizabeth were living in Littleton when they had a son, Hugh, one of probably at least 5 children they would have. In September 1939, Hugh Alexander was working as a haulage contractor for Cheshire County Council and was living with his wife, Elizabeth, and probably 5 children at 23 Littleon Lane, Littleton. His parents were living just a few doors away at number 29. Their son, Hugh, joined the Royal Artillery and died in Egypt on 25 August 1946. Hugh Alexander Ashley died on 20 May 1975 while still living at 23 Littleton Lane.
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Gnr.
|
Ashman
|
Charles
|
11172
|
A/58
|
Born in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, in about 1894, Charles Ashman was the son of Mrs Julia Ashman of Ickworth Park, Horringer, Bury St. Edmonds. He enlisted in Oxford as one of the original members of the unit. He was the mess butler for A/58 and was killed instantly by a shell on 27 July 1917. He was described by his battery commander, Maj Hutton, as having “a courage far above the average” and his death was “very much regretted by all”. He is buried in Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery, near Ypres, Belgium.
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Gnr.
|
Askew
|
Harry Owen
|
11281
|
A/58
|
Harry Owen Askew was born in Northend, Dassett Magna, Warks in 1888, the son of Richard and Martha Askew. He worked as a well borer and enlisted in Warwick on 3 September 1914. He was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea, before being posted to 184 Bty, 58 Bde on 10 September 1914. This battery was renumbered as A/58 in January 1915. His battery commander, Major Crozier, sought a separation allowance for him on the basis that he had become engaged on August Bank Holiday 1914 to Minnie Stokes from Upton-on-Severn, Worcs and had intended to marry her on 1 October 1914, but shortly before the wedding war had broken out and he had joined the Army. Harry got leave of absence to marry Minnie on 13 December 1914 because she was expecting. The War Office though did not regard this as sufficient proof to merit her being granted a separation allowance. On 10 June 1915, Cpl Moore and Bdr Allen reported that Harry had overstayed the leave he had been given before being posted overseas so was fined 3 days’ pay by the Brigade’s Commanding Officer, Lt Col Drake, on 17 June 1915. He was the mess cook for A/58 officer’s mess and on 18 July 1917 was wounded by shrapnel in the right arm and abdomen during a period of heavy shelling. After treatment at No.17 Casualty Clearing Station, he was evacuated by No.26 Ambulance Train and admitted to No.18 General Hospital on 26 July 1917. He was evacuated to the UK and was in the East Suffolk and Ipswich Hospital in August 1917 from where he was discharged on 22 December 1917. He then reported to Hipswell Camp at the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot in Catterick on 5 January 1918 where the scar on his right upper arm was inflamed with slight eczema around it and there was some weakness in the muscles around the large scar in his abdomen and he still had some pain in his right side. He was assessed as class III until 6 February 1918 when he was IIB and was not assessed as IIA until 4 April 1918. On 15 May 1918 he was classed as B1 for the next six months and discharged to draft on 28 May 1918. He was serving in 435 Battery when he was discharged on 1 October 1919, that battery having served as part of the British Military Mission to Russia. After he was discharged, he lived in Upton-upon-Severn, Worcs and was awarded a pension of 7s 10d from 2 October 1919. He and Minnie were living in Old Street, Upton-upon-Severn in June 1921 and Harry was working as a well borer for Timmins and Sons of Runcorn, Cheshire. They had three children, Norah Elizabeth Askew born in 1915, Harold Edgar Askew born in 1919 and Albert William Askew born in 1921, shortly before Minnie’s early death in 1922, aged 34. On 18 October 1922, Harry was one of several people called before the magistrates in Stratford-upon-Avon having been found engaged in illegal betting. He was however discharged after promising not to frequent illegal betting houses again. By September 1939 he had remarried since he was at the time staying in a boarding house in Leicester with his wife, Anne E Askew. Harry’s profession was described as a travelling artesian well borer. Harry Askew probably died in 1964 in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warks, aged 76.
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Sgt.
|
Aspinall
|
John Smith
|
L/18212
|
B/58
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John Smith Aspinall was born in Great Harwood, Lancs on 11 June 1892, the son of James Aspinall and Ellen Ann Aspinall. He worked as a weaver in Prospect Mill, Great Heywood for 4 or 5 years, until leaving there in October 1908. On 5 January 1910, John enlisted into the Army Service Corps (ASC) in Burnley, Lancs as a driver and was assigned service number T/28661. He enlisted on a short service basis, i.e. that he would spend 2 years as a regular soldier and then 10 years in the reserve. Since he was under-age, his father had to write to confirm that he was willing for his son to join up. This was not, however, John’s first attempt at joining up – the previous year he had enlisted in Burnley on 7 June 1909 but been discharged as under-age two days later. He appears to have re-enlisted a few days after that as a Private in 3rd Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment (Special Reserve) in June 1909 and had been assigned service number 1350. He successfully completed his 5 months of preliminary drill and after his two years of service, John was transferred to the Army Reserve on 6 January 1912. His conduct during his service was assessed to have been very good and that he had been reliable, a good groom and understood the care of horses. As a member of the reserve, after war was declared John was mobilised at Dublin on 6 August 1914. A month later, John married Mary Leyland in St. Bartholomew’s church in Great Harwood on 5 September 1914 and they had a daughter, Dora, born on 17 March 1915. John was discharged from the Army on 27 November 1914 at the ASC Depot in Bradford, Yorks because he was assessed as no longer being physically fit for active service. But he re-enlisted into the ASC on 2 April 1915 but then enlisted into the RFA in Blackburn on 11 May of that year. He joined C/170 with service number L/18212 and was appointed a Bombardier the following day. He was promoted to acting Corporal on 7 September and to acting Sergeant on 8 October 1915. On 8 December 1915 he embarked at Devonport and was promoted to Sergeant the same day, disembarking at Port Said on Christmas Day 1915. He then sailed from Alexandria on 4 March 1916, arriving in Marseilles on 10 March 1916. John was granted leave to the UK between 17 and 27 December 1916. He was appointed acting Battery Sergeant Major (A/BSM) on 16 April 1917 and was then posted from 170 Bde to A/165, still as A/BSM, on 16 July 1917. The following month, John failed to take some limbers to the gun position on 23 August 1917 so was severely reprimanded and reduced to his substantive rank of Sergeant. He went sick on 26 September 1917 and spent time in No.22 General Hospital, Dannes Camiers. After recovering, he went to the Base Depot at Le Havre on 13 October 1917 and was posted to D/126 on 22 October 1917. Six days later, on the 28th, he was wounded by mustard gas. He was admitted to 13 Field Ambulance on the 30th and to hospital in Rouen from where he was transferred to England on the Hospital Ship “Warilda” on 7 November 1917. He was admitted the following day to the Lord Derby War Hospital in Warrington, where he stayed until 29 December 1917. After time in the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick and in No.4 Reserve Bde at High Wycombe, John was granted embarkation leave in March 1918. After his leave, he returned to France and was posted from the Base Depot to B/58 on 9 May 1918. He was granted leave to the UK via Calais between 25 March and 8 April 1919. He was posted back to the UK via Boulogne on 18 June 1919 for demobilisation at the Dispersal Unit at Prees Heath which he attended on 20 June 1919. After the war, he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, the citation read: “On 11 October 1918, he was in charge of a convoy of six ammunition wagons. The column came under heavy fire and suffered several casualties. He got all the teams safely under cover, and finally delivered the ammunition at the battery. He has on many occasions shown great coolness under fire, particularly at Guissigny, on 8 November 1918.” In June 1921 John, his wife and two children, Dora aged 6 and Fred aged 2, were living as boarders in the home of John and Ellen Ann Golley at 6 Railway View, Great Harwood. John Aspinall was working as a foundry labourer for Taylor & Wilson Ltd of Clayton-le-Moors and Mary was a cotton weaver in the York Mill in Great Harwood. In September 1939, John, Mary and Dora were living at 27 Church Lane, Altham, Lancs and John was working as a joiner. John Aspinall died in late 1957, aged 65. His 4 medals (DCM, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal) were sold at auction in 2007 for £916.
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Gnr.
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Aspinall
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Jonathan
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82208
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D/58
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Jonathan Aspinall enlisted into the RFA and was sent overseas, arriving in France on about 4 March 1915. He was said to be serving in D/58 at the time of the Absent Voters List for 1919 which gave his hiome address as 40 Frederick Street North, Spennymoor, Durham.
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Lt.
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Atchley
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Reginald St George
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n/a
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HQ
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Reginald St George Atchley was born on 16 July 1893 in Brighton, Sussex. He was living with his mother in both the 1901 and 1911 Census. He was commissioned as a temporary 2/Lt in the infantry on 19 November 1914 and promoted to temporary Lieutenant in 11th Battalion Alexandra, Princess of Wales’s Own’ (Yorkshire Regiment) on 29 December 1914 when he transferred from a Reserve to a Regular battalion as a temporary officer with seniority from that date. He transferred to the York and Lancaster Regiment on 12 September 1915 and served with them overseas. He was serving in 6th Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment when he was wounded at Gallipoli receiving gunshot wounds in his right shoulder and back and so he was evacuated on the Hospital Ship “Soudan” and taken to Malta where he was admitted to hospital on 26 November 1915. At some point he transferred to the RFA and he joined 58 Bde on 15 December 1916 where he was assigned to the Brigade HQ. On 21 January 1917, he assumed the duties of the Assistant Orderly Officer in the HQ of 58 Bde, but on 3 February 1917 he was evacuated sick due to his right arm stump becoming painful and swollen and so was transferred back to England the following day, so was struck off the strength of the brigade. He recovered and was promoted to Lt in the RFA on 4 April 1918 (though this was subsequently antedated to 1 July 1917). He was appointed an Acting Captain on 29 August 1918 while acting as an adjutant. He was awarded the Military Cross in the King’s Birthday Honours for 1919 (gazetted on 3 June 1919) while serving in the HQ of 45 Bde, RFA, and ceased to act as adjutant on 13 June 1919 so reverted to Lt. He resigned his commission on 20 April 1920 and was granted the rank of Captain and admitted to the General Reserve of Officers. After the war he became a stockbroker and sailed on 9 July 1921 to New York from Southampton on the Cunard liner, Mauretania. He returned to Southampton on 2 August 1921 on the Aquitania. Reginald married Kathleen Helena (Kitty) on 10 June 1922 in Reigate Parish church. He sailed again to New York in 1936 on the Bremen, returning on the Queen Mary. He, Kathleen and their family lived from at least 1928 until about 1945 at Pelham, London Road, Cuckfield, Sussex and while there he was fined £5 for permitting an unscreened light to show from a window in July 1940. From 1946, he and Kathleen were living at Sevenfields, Malthouse Lane, Hurstpierpoint, Sussex and they took regular cruises to Madeira. Reginald Atchley died in Devon in 1974.
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2/Lt.
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Atwill
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Herbert Frederick
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n/a
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A/58
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Born on 7 December 1890 in Kent, Herbert Frederick Atwill was brought up in Beckenham. He joined the 2nd County of London (Westminster Dragoons) Yeomanry as a trooper on 29 April 1910 but left on 14 October 1911 to go to live in Australia. After war was declared he returned to the UK and presented himself to a Capt Leverson at the War Office seeking a commission. He was appointed as a 2/Lt on probation in the RFA on 8 June 1915 and confirmed in rank a few months later. He went overseas on 11 October 1915 and sailed for Mudros where he was posted to join 10 (Irish) Division’s artillery on 25 October 1915. On 7 November 1915 he then sailed from Mudros to Alexandria, arriving on 11 November 1915 and was posted to join 58 Bde at Zahrieh Camp on 20th. He was serving in 58 Brigade Ammunition Column when he sailed with the brigade on the “Kingstonian” from Alexandria on 25 June 1916, arriving in Marseilles on 2 July 1916 but a couple of weeks later was posted to join the new X/11 Trench Mortar Battery on 23 July 1916. A week later, on 31 July 1916, he was involved in an accident: he was being instructed at VI Corps Toby Mortar School when a practice round (“drill shell”) was fired from the Toby mortar. The friction tube (Tube friction L.S. short) used to detonate the mortar flew back and struck him just below the right eye, embedding itself in his cheek. He went to the Casualty Clearing Station and had the wound dressed before returning to duty and the Court of Enquiry concluded that this was an unforeseeable accident. He re-joined 58 Bde on transfer from 11 Division’s Trench Mortar battery on 22 December 1916 and was assigned to A/58. He was sent on a signalling course at the 11 Division Signalling School at Yvrench on 25 January 1917. He went sick on 23 February 1917 and was admitted to 22 Casualty Clearing Station, rejoining the unit on 1 March 1917. In late April 1917 A/58’s mess received a direct hit and he was badly shaken, though unwounded; all of his kit was blown to pieces. He was granted a few days’ leave in Paris along with 2/Lt Lewis in mid May 1917. He had 10 days’ leave to the UK between 21 June and 4 July 1917, but again had a near miss on 13 July 1917 when he was “strafed out of his dugout”. He was appointed an A/Capt between 1 October and 29 November 1917, some of which period (21 October to 3 November 1917) he spent on leave back in the UK. He was awarded the Military Cross on 17 December 1917, the citation saying: “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. Twice during an attack when one of his guns was hit and an ammunition dump set on fire it was due to his prompt action that serious loss of life was averted and the rate of barrage fire maintained. Later, when another gun pit was hit he succeeded in putting out the fire and saving a number of wounded men from being burnt to death.” He went on leave on 4 February 1918, returning on 20 February 1918. He left the brigade on 3 March 1918 when he was sent to the UK with a recommendation of a tour in UK, so was struck off the strength of the brigade. He was sent home for a tour of duty and rest on 8 August 1918, was demobilised on 11 November 1919 as part of “C Group” from the Officers’ Wing of the Repatriation Camp at Pirbright and relinquished his commission on 1 April 1920. He probably returned to Australia after the war to continue his work as a sheep and cattle farmer. He died in Tonbridge, Kent in 1951.
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S/Smith
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Aubrey
|
Caradoc
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82429
|
|
Caradoc Aubrey (also known as Caradog Aubrey) was born on 8 November 1888 in Treherbert, Rhondda, Glamorganshire, the son of John Aubrey and Ann Aubrey. He had worked as a blacksmith before enlisting. He went to Egypt, arriving on about 12 July 1915 and was serving in 58 Bde in Gallipoli, when he was evacuated on the HMHS “Assaye” on 21 September 1915 suffering from balanitis. After the war, he married Lydia Owen in 1920 and the folowing year they were living at 16 Beatrice Street, Blaengwnfi. He, Lydia and their two children were living at 6 Mary Street, Blaengwynfi in September 1939 and Caradoc was working as a shoeing and rope smith at a colliery. He was working as a blacksmith and still living in Mary Street when he was summoned before the magistrates in Port Talbot in June 1937 for riding pillion on a motorbike when neither he nor the driver had a competent driving licence. The new Act forbidding this had only come into force six days earlier so he was simply fined costs. In May 1942 he took over the licence for the Tunnel Hotel, Blaengwnfi, Glam. He was still living there when he died on 21 February 1952, leaving £1434 1s 2d to his widow, Lydia, and to his elder son, Gordon Ivor Aubrey, a ropesmith.
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Bdr.
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Austin
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William
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57983
|
|
William Austin was a pre-war soldier who went to France with 41 Bde RFA on about 16 August 1914. He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal which was gazetted on 22 October 1914, the citation stating that “At Villers Cotterets, although wounded, he remained at duty, and by his courage saved a gun from capture” and he was also Mentioned in Despatches. He was serving in 58 Bde when he was admitted to No.3 Casualty Clearing Station on 25 September 1916 having suffered a simple flesh gunshot wound to his lower extremities and was evacuated by No.25 Ambulance Train the following day. At some point he was appointed an Acting Bombardier but reverted to Driver on 8 April 1917.
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| |
Austin
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H
|
|
D/58?
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H Austin was a close friend of Bdr Davie Andrew (6993) and after Andrew’s death, his brother asked 2/Lt R S Blaker to pass on a note to Austin.
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Gnr.
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Ayres
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R F
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|
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Gnr R F Ayres (possibly Richard F Ayres, service number 55073) was found guilty of sleeping at his post and of conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline while at Zahrieh Camp, Egypt, so was awarded 14 days’ Field Punishment No.2 by a Court Martial held on 29 August 1915.
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Dvr.
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Bache
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Bert
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101430
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D/58
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Born in Quarry Bank, Staffs, 0n 17 October 1896, the son of William and Elizabeth Bache, Bert Bache attended Mount Pleasant Primary School in Quarry Bank from 1901 until he transferred to the Mixed Department in 1904. He worked as a farm hand when he was 14 and then as a collier. The family home was 113 Two Gates, Cradley Heath, near Halesowen and Bert enlisted aged 19 on 25 October 1915 in Brierley Hill. He was posted initially to No. 5 Depot in Athlone, Ireland on 4 November 1915. He was posted to 5A Reserve Brigade on 5 November 1915. While at Athlone, he disobeyed an order on 14 February 1916 and was sentenced to 3 days being confined to barracks. He was posted to 4A Reserve Brigade on 1 March 1916 and then to the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force in Egypt on 14 March 1916. He embarked at Devonport on 15 March 16 and disembarked in Alexandria on 26 March 1916. Once there, he was posted to 58 Bde Ammunition Column on 10 April 1916 and to 11 Division Ammunition Column on 20 July 1916. He was then posted to D/58 on 25 April 1917. He remained in 58 Bde until he sailed from Dieppe on 30 January 1919 to go to No.3 Dispersal Unit at Clipstone on 31 January 1919 in preparation for being demobbed. He was awarded the Military Medal which was gazetted on 28 January 1918 and returned to the UK to live in Cradley Heath.
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Sgt.
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Bacon
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Charles William
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2279
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A/58
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Charles William Bacon enlisted into the 1 East Anglian Bde RFA. He was serving as a Sergeant in A/58 when he witnessed Dvr Robert Sutherland (92248) being absent from camp near Acheux, France, on 24 February 1917. Two weeks later, on 7 March 1917, he was wounded near Miraumont. He was admitted to No.1 General Hospital in Etretat and was described as dangerously ill on 17 March 1917 and “may be visited”. He appears to have survived and was given the new service number 875901 when the Territorial Force service number renumbering took place in 1917. He was discharged on 9 January 1918 and awarded a Silver War Badge.
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Ftr.
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Bailey
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John Edwin
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51793
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D/58
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John Edwin Bailey was born in 1880 in Crewe, Cheshire, the son of Jabez Bailey and Mary Ann Bailey. He went to work for London and North Western Railways (LNWR) on 5 September 1894, aged 14 and worked for them as a fitter. In 1901, John was living with his family at 90 Brooklyn Street, Crewe and was working as a steam engine fitter but was made redundant on 8 November 1904 when LNWR needed to reduce its number of staff. He was living as a boarder with the Marsh family of 108 Townsend Street, Southall, Middx in 1911, working again as an engine fitter. He enlisted into the RFA and went to France with 118 Bde RFA in March 1915 with whom he fought at the 2nd battle of Ypres. He then transferred with his battery into 58 Bde when it became the new D/58 in July 1916. He served with them at Agny and Courcelette, and ended the war as a Staff Sergeant. In June 1921 he was aged 41 and was living back at 90 Brooklyn Street, Crewe, which was now the home of Josiah and Sarah Ada James, the latter probably being an older sister who had inherited the family home. At the time, John was an unmarried, out of work engine fitter, who had previously been employed by Foden’s of Sandbach. In 1932 he was still unemployed, single and still living with his sister at 90 Brooklyn Street, when he wrote to former 2/Lt RS Blaker about his book, “Medal without Bar” saying that he was the Fitter (“Tiffy”) mentioned in it and asking for help in finding employment.
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Maj.
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Baines
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John Hardcastle
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n/a
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OC C/58
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John Hardcastle Baines was born in 1884 in London, the son of a solicitor. After studying at University College, Oxford, he was a member of the Inner Temple. In 1910, he was 26 years old and working as an assistant inspector of schools for the East Riding Education Authority in Yorkshire and was living at Magdalen House, Beverley. Of the 228 applicants that year for the post of Inspector of Schools for East Sussex, he was the successful candidate and was to be paid a salary of £300. He was commissioned as a 2/Lt in 1911 in the Territorial Force and after war was declared he was mobilised on 4 August 1914 but didn’t go overseas until 3 November 1916 when he went to France. He joined 11 Division Ammunition Column on 11 November 1916 and was then posted to 58 Bde a few days later, on 19 November 1916. He was sent on a gas course on 11 February 1917 and reported Cpl John Gunson (20605) of C/58 for neglect of duty on 23 March 1917. He was the brother-in-law of fellow 58 Bde officer, Capt Harold Francis Cartmel-Robinson, having married his younger sister, Gladys Ada Cartmel-Robinson, in 1912. He and Gladys lived in Lewes in Sussex and had a daughter in 1914 called Loris M. Baines. John was appointed an acting Captain on 25 February 1917 and appointed an acting Major on 10 April 1917. The previous day, the battery commander of C/58, A/Major E J Franklin, had been wounded, so it is possible that John was appointed to replace him. He was wounded on 11 September 1917 and then returned from sick leave in the UK on 4 October 1917, reporting back for duty with 58 Bde when he was “given back command of his old battery (C/58)”. He was awarded the Military Cross on 1 January 1918 and was sent on the Overseas Artillery Course in England on 17 January 1918, returning to the unit on 4 March 1918. The following month, along with several other members of the brigade, he was gassed on 9 April 1918 and so had to retire to the wagon lines. He was sent to 1 Corps Officers’ Rest Station on 4 May 1918. When the CO, Lt Col Bedwell, was away standing in for the 11 Division’s Commander Royal Artillery (CRA), Major Baines acted as Brigade Commander for 10 days from 9 July 1918, and again when Bedwell went on 7 days’ leave on 11 August 1918. Major Baines then went on leave to Paris on 5 September 18, returning after 3 days’ travelling on 15 September 1918. He again assumed command of the brigade on 24 October 1918 when Bedwell went to be CRA for 14 days. On 3 November 1918, he was given command of the division’s “Right Group” which comprised 29 Bde RFA, 58 Bde and 175 Army Bde RFA, though went on leave to England 5 days later so was away when the Armistice was declared. When he returned on 28 November 1918, he again assumed command of the brigade though on 1 December 1918 he went to 11 Division HQ to act as the Divisional Education Officer. He returned to the brigade in January 1919 and then proceeded on leave to England for demobilisation. He relinquished his rank of Major and reverted to being a Captain on 3 January 1919 on ceasing to command a battery. He appears to have stayed in the Territorial Force because he was promoted to Major in 1920 when serving in 1st Home Counties Bde and promoted from Lt Col to Colonel in 1928 with 57 (Home Counties) Field Bde RA. In 1935, he was working as the Director of Education for East Sussex. He retired as a Colonel on 11 December 1945. In September 1961 he was fined £15 by Lewes magistrates for careless driving after a minor road accident. John Baines died in Sussex in 1967 aged 84.
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Dvr.
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Baird
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Archibald Ventors
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92748
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B/58
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Archibald Ventors Baird was the son of William and Janet Brydon Baird (née McDonald). He was born in South Leith, Midlothian on 25 May 1898. He worked as a labourer before enlisting underage into the RFA in Leith on 25 August 1914, claiming to be aged 19 although he was in fact only 16. He went first to No.6 RFA Depot in Glasgow the following day and was posted as a Driver from there to 185 Battery on 14 September 1914. He sailed with his battery on 1 July 1915 from Devonport, arriving in Alexandria on 14 July 1915. He didn’t sail from Alexandria until 2 October 1915 and then sailed for Gallipoli (probably from Mudros) on 12 October 1915. He was posted to the HQ of 58 Bde on 5 February 1916 and sailed with the brigade from Alexandria on 25 June 1916, docking in Marseilles on 3 July 1916. The following year he returned to B/58 on 18 July 1917. He was granted 14 days’ leave to the UK from 29 January 1918. From 5 August 1918 his pay was increased to 4d per day. Two days after the Armistice he missed early morning parade so was punished by Maj A L Cameron who awarded him 3 days of Field Punishment No.2. Between 12 and 17 December 1918 he was temporarily assigned to 32 Infantry Bde HQ. He was posted back to the UK so that he could attend No.1 Dispersal Unit at Purfleet and was demobbed on 3 March 1919. On 8 June 1923 he married Cecilia Martin Davie in St Michael’s Church, Hill Square, Edinburgh. Archibald Baird died in Edinburgh in 1976, aged 78.
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2/Lt.
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Baird
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William James Stirling
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n/a
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185 bty
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William James Stirling Baird was born on 18 May 1891 in Midlothian, Scotland, the son of scientific instrument maker, Andrew Hamilton Baird, and of Grace Baird (née Robertson). In 1901 the family were living at 33 Kilmaurs Street in Edinburgh before moving sometime afterwards to 17 Lygon Road, Edinburgh. William attended George Heriot’s School in Edinburgh and in June 1910, during his final term at the school, he came third in the school’s one mile race. He then went on to study science at the University of Edinburgh, being awarded second class honours in 1912 for elementary botany as part of the Faculty of Medicine and a second-class certificate for geology and mineralogy in 1914 as part of the Faculty of Science. He was a keen rugby player, playing for Newington, Edinburgh’s 1st XV. He was commissioned on 15 October 1914 as a Temporary 2/Lt having been a cadet at the Officers’ Training Corps. He joined 185 Battery of 58 Bde soon after and helped with the paperwork of men joining that battery such as Cpl W S S Lewis (11163) on 10 September 1914. By November 1915, he was in 58 Bde Ammunition Column (58 BAC), and signed the service record for Dvr F Chaplin (11143) on 3 November 1915. When 58 Bde proceeded overseas in July 1915, 58 BAC did not go with them, so it is likely that at this point William left 58 Bde and would have been posted to another unit sometime afterwards. He was promoted to Lt on 20 May 1916, made an Acting Captain while 2iC of a battery on 26 October 1916 and then made an Acting Major between 17 and 29 January 1918. He was awarded the Military Cross, which was gazetted on 26 July 1918, the citation reading: “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He was in charge of the battery wagon line, when hostile infantry suddenly opened with machine guns and rifles at short-range. He displayed great ability and resource in getting all away to a place of safety, and subsequently in maintaining touch with his gun line under difficult circumstances.” On 11 September 1918 he married Dorothy Margaret Munro in Mayfield United Free Church in Edinburgh, although they were divorced in 1929. He ceased to be a Captain on ceasing to be 2iC of a battery on 27 January 1919. After the war his address was Forglen, Corstorphine, Midlothian, Scotland. After the war he was confirmed in his rank of Major on 25 February 1925 while serving with the territorial artillery unit, 225 Battery, part of 57th (Lowland) Medium Bde. That brigade held its annual sports at Blair Atholl where William came third in the officers’ jumping competition and second in the tent pegging. On 11 June 1941, having attained the age limit, Major Baird relinquished his commission, retaining his rank of Major.
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Cpl.
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Baker
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Arthur Edward
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93513
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C/58
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Arthur Edward Baker was born in about 1897. He worked as a turner before enlisting into the RFA, after which he was posted overseas as a Gunner, arriving in Egypt on about 12 July 1915. By 1918 he had been promoted to Corporal and was serving in C/58 when he was wounded, receiving gun shot wounds to his left arm. As a result, he was evacuated back to the UK and was admitted to St Michael’s Voluntary Aid Detachment Hospital, Brampton, Cumberland probably on 26 September 1918. After recuperating there he was discharged on 12 November 1918 and granted 7 days leave before reporting to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick on 21 November 1918. His arm was still giving him pain and causing stiffness, and there was an adherent scar in the bend of his left elbow.
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2/Lt.
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Balderston
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Chester Thomas
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n/a
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C/58
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Chester Thomas Balderston was born on 24 October 1893 in Mount Albion, Prince Edward Island, Canada. His father, Murdock Balderston, of Southport PEI was a farmer, and his mother was Maggie J McRae who pre-deceased him. Chester was educated at McDonald Consolidated, Mount Herbert, Prince Edward Island, and Prince of Wales College. He entered the service of the Canadian Bank of Commerce on 28 December 1911 and worked as a bank clerk. At some point he served in the Canadian 82nd Regiment and the 5th Regiment Canadian Garrison Artillery. He enlisted on 22 September 1914 in Valcartier, Québec into 1st Battery Canadian Field Artillery (RCA) as a gunner, with service number 40140, and his unit sailed from Canada on 3 October 1914. Chester drafted his will on 10 March 1915 and was appointed a provisional Bdr on 24 October 1915. On 25 April 1916 he was granted a temporary commission in the CFA and was transferred to the CFA’s Reserve Brigade at Shorncliffe. He was commissioned into the Royal Field Artillery as a 2/Lt on 6 July 1916 having attended the Officer Cadet Unit at St. John’s Wood. On 18 August 1916 he was posted from 11 Division Ammunition Column to A/133 Bde but joined C/133 three days later. He and 2/Lt G R Everill had been in Left Section C/133 when the battery was split up and they and their section joined A/133 on 29 August 1916. He was slightly wounded on 4 September 1916. When A/133 was split up and distributed across 58 Bde on 29 November 1916, Chester was assigned to C/58. He returned from leave on 22 January 1917 and was sent on a gas course at Yvrench on 31 January 1917. He was wounded on 25 June 1917 when he was walking along a trench and some infantrymen were playing with an enemy grenade when it went off badly smashing his leg. He died the following day of his wounds in No. 53 Casualty Clearing Station. Chester Balderston is buried in Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension.
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2/Lt.
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Baldwin
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C L
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n/a
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A/58
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C L Baldwin was a 2/Lt in A/133 when he sailed on the HMT “Minnewaska” from Alexandria on 28 June 1916, arriving in Marseilles on 2 July 1916. He was slightly wounded on 4 October 1916 at Mouquet Farm. He joined 11 Division Ammunition Column from 58 Bde on 2 May 1917 and then rejoined 58 Bde – joining A/58 – on 6 June 1917. He was in Bailleul with Capt Rowbotham of D/58 on 2 July 1917 when a bomb was dropped injuring them both. He lost his left arm from the shoulder but was described as being “plucky” and the following day in hospital was “wonderfully cheery”. This may be Christopher Lacy Baldwin who was born in about 1898 in Halifax, Yorks, the son of John Herbert Lacy Baldwin and Mary B Baldwin, was commissioned into the RFA on 22 April 1915, arrived at Mudros on 22 October 1915 to serve with 10th (Irish) Division Artillery, was promoted to Lt on 1 July 1917, was an Aide de Camp between 9 July 1918 and 1 April 1919, was appointed Adjutant of the territorial Royal Artillery unit 69 (West Riding) Bde on 18 September 1924 and who died on 30 May 1981.
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Dvr.
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Baldwin
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Fred
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73250
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A/58
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Fred Baldwin had been absent without leave from the brigade since 23 May 1917 and was fetched from the Assistant Provost Marshal over a year later on 17 July 1918 and brought back to the brigade under escort.
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Gnr.
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Bale
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|
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C/58
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Gunner Bale passed as a 2nd class signaller by XIII Corps school on 22 March 1917.
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| |
Ballantyne
|
|
|
D/58?
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When Gnr Edward Tilbury (1128) wrote on 21 September 1917 to 2/Lt R S Blaker who was recuperating in the UK from sickness, he passed on good wishes from another soldier called Ballantyne.
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Dvr.
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Ballard
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Ernest
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10994
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B/58
|
A 22-year old pattern cutter from Bristol, Ernest Ballard had been born in the city in St Werbergh’s parish and was baptised as William Ernest Ballard on 10 August 1892 at St Simon’s in the city. He was living at 32 Marlborough St with his parents, William and Jane Ballard, when he enlisted in Bristol Recruiting Office No.2 on 2 September 1914. He was posted initially to RFA’s No.3 Depot at Hilsea, and from there was posted to 185 Battery, 58 Bde, on 10 September 1914. This became B/58 in early 1915. During his training at Chapeltown Barracks in Leeds and at Milford Camp in Surrey, he managed to be absent from the camp or from his duties on at least 7 occasions. He was first reported absent from barracks at 10pm on 1 December 1914 by Bdr Southey and Bdr Daw, so was awarded 3 days confinement to barracks by Capt C W Hince. He was again absent from roll call on 30 December 1914 until 9.30pm on 1 January 1915, according to Bdr Theakston and Bdr Daw, so was awarded 7 days confinement to barracks by 2/Lt Cecil H Borthwick. On 13 January 1915 he was reported as being absent from stables and was subsequently found in bed at 7.15am. He was awarded 3 days confinement to barracks by Maj Rupert J C Meyricke and those who had witnessed his offence were Sgt Cornford, Cpl White, Bdr Blackburn. He was absent again from roll call on 18 January 1915 until roll call the following day according to Bdr Blackburn and Bdr Hargist so was awarded a further 5 days confinement to barracks by Maj Meyricke. He was absent from 10pm 1 February 1915 to 7.15am the next day, so was awarded 5 days confinement to barracks by Maj Meyricke, witnesses Cpl White and Bdr Daw. He was again absent from 10pm 2 March 15 until roll call at 8pm the next day so was awarded 10 days confinement to barracks and was deprived 10 days’ pay by the OC 58 Bde, witnesses Bdr Lewis, Bdr Crocombe and Cpl Burgoyne. While at Milford Camp, he went absent without leave from 5.30am on 3 May 1915 until he was apprehended by the police in Bristol on 13 May 15, so was awarded 21 days’ Field Punishment No.2 by the brigade’s commanding officer, Lt Col Drake and he was fined 11 days’ pay. His field punishment was conducted between 15 May and 4 June 1915. On 3 November 1915, Ernest’s mother wrote to the War Office to enquire whether he might be awarded extra pay now her husband had died. It is not known how the War Office responded. Ernest was lightly wounded in April 1918 by a gas shell so was admitted to 7 General Hospital at St Omer, France, on 18 April 1918, and from there to 3rd Western General Hospital. He went absent without leave from Catterick on 9 July 1918. It was initially thought he may have deserted, and a Court of Inquiry was held on 2 August 1918 which identified all of the Army equipment he had failed to return. This comprised all of his uniform and kit, with a total value of just under £8. But he was found and tried before a District Court Martial which sentenced him to 84 days detention. While he was in detention, he was posted to 4 Reserve Brigade and he returned to duty a few days after the Armistice, on 16 November 1918. He was posted back to France on 20 November 1918 and assigned to 464/179 Army Brigade. He was sent to the Dispersal Centre at Chisledon on 31 January 1919 in preparation for demobilisation.
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2/Lt.
|
Balston
|
Montagu
|
n/a
|
A/58
|
Montagu Balston was born in Harrington, Middlesex, on 18 January 1889. He was educated at Eton College and served for two years between 1904 and 1906 in the Eton College Volunteers. He had moved to Australia where he was an “independent gentleman” who worked as a grazier, but part way through the war he returned to the UK and was given a letter of introduction to the War Office from the Australian High Commission. He enlisted at St John’s Wood, London on 13 March 1916 attended the Royal Artillery Cadet School, Topsham Barracks, Exeter. He was commissioned there on 28 July 1916, as a 2/Lt in the Special Reserve aged 27. He was posted to A/58 from 11 Division Ammunition Column (11 DAC) on 29 September 1916. He was sent on a course at V Army School on 24 November 1916 and then posted back to 11 DAC on 2 December 1916. Three days later he was posted to join the artillery units of 3rd Division, joining 3 Division Ammunition Column on 24 December 1916. He had leave to the UK between 20 and 30 January 1917. He was posted to 40 Bde RFA on 25 March 1917 and was attached to 6 Battery. He had a further spell of leave to the UK between 7 and 16 August 1917, before going on a month’s course to learn to become an observer with the Royal Flying Corps on 23 October 1917, being assigned as an observer on probation three days later. He was demobilised from the RAF on 4 July 1919 in Blandford and returned to Australia where he got engaged on 2 February 1920 to Doris May Estil Duffield. By 1930 he was Chairman of Directors of Katanning GramMarch School, Western Australia.
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Gnr.
|
Banks
|
Cecil Louis
|
54726
|
C/58
|
Cecil Louis Banks enlisted into the RFA on 14 December 1914 in Southwark Town Hall in London. He gave his age as 20 years old and was living in Southwark at the time and working as a labourer. He was posted initially to the RFA’s No.4 Depot at Woolwich and was appointed a Driver. On 4 January 1915 he was posted to D/115. That battery went to France in September 1915 but two months later embarked for Salonika. Cecil appears to have returned to the UK in 1916 and was then posted back to France possibly towards the end of 1916 where he joined 11 Division Ammunition Column. He was posted to C/58 and in July 1917 was mustered as a Gunner. He was discharged due to sickness on 12 June 1919 and was awarded a Silver Badge. He was also awarded a pension of 8s 6d a week from 13 June to 16 December 1919 and he was living at 233 Albany Road, Old Kent Road, Camberwell, London S.E.5 at the time.
|
Gnr.
|
Banks
|
John Henry
|
55900
|
C/58
|
A colliery repairer from Blaina, Monmouthshire, John Henry Banks served in the Royal Garrison Artillery from 1893 to 1902 with service number 96730 and was then in the Reserves until 1905. He married Lilly Hatherall on 15 February 1908 in Blainavon Church, Monmouthshire, and they had 2 children but his younger child, a daughter, Doreen, died of measles in February 1915, aged 2. He enlisted on 25 November 1914 in Newport, Monmouthshire, aged 35. He was posted initially to RFA’s No.2 Depot at Preston and then on 16 June 1915 was posted to C/58. He had been evacuated back to Alexandria (from either Mudros or Gallipoli) due to wounds, but by 24 October 1915 was again fit for duty. On 2 March 1916, John was discharged to duty from No.17 General Hospital, Alexandria having had bronchitis. Shortly afterwards, he was reported as being drunk on 1 April 1916. He was posted to 87th Company of the Labour Corps as a Private with service number 396271 on 14 October 1917. He was absent from tattoo at 9pm on 6 October 1918 so was fined 3 days’ pay and confined to barracks for 3 days. After he was discharged, he was awarded a pension of 5s 6d a week from February 1919 for at least a year due to rheumatism which made him 20% disabled. In June 1933, he was summoned before Blaina Police Court for “persistent cruelty” to his wife, Lily. He was instructed to pay his wife the unemployment benefit that was entitled to and the case was adjourned for a month in the hope of a reconciliation.
|
A/Bdr.
|
Banks
|
John Howitt
|
93448
|
B/58
|
John Howitt Banks was born on 19 July 1880, the son of Terence and Margaret Banks. He married Margaret Jane Barclay, known as Maggie, on 15 July 1899 in Aberdeen and they had five children. He worked as a sawyer and also served part-time with the 1st Aberdeenshire Royal Artillery Volunteers for 6 years. On 31 August 1914 he enlisted into the RFA in Clydebank, aged 34 and was posted initially to No.6 Depot at Glasgow and from there was posted as a Driver to 185 Battery on 2 September 1914. On 6 January 1915 he was absent from reveille so was admonished by Maj Meyricke and a few days later on 11 January 1915 he was absent between 10 p.m. and 11.40 p.m. so was confined to barracks for 3 days. He was appointed an unpaid A/Bdr in B/58 (as 185 Battery had been renamed) on 3 May 1915 and was appointed a paid A/Bdr on 8 June 1915. He went overseas, arriving in Egypt on about 17 July 1915 and from there went to Suvla Bay, Gallipoli. For a few months he remained healthy, but in early November started to suffer from enteric fever. He had diarrhoea and developed pains in his arms and legs. He reported sick on 4 November 1915 but was not apparently admitted to 54 Casualty Clearing Station until 16 November 1915. He was evacuated to Alexandria and from there back to the UK and so was posted to 5C Reserve Bde on 30 November 1915 for administrative purposes. After arriving in the UK he was admitted to Leeds General Infirmary on 14 December 1915, from which he was discharged on 5 February 1916. Reports vary as to whether he was then granted 6 weeks’ furlough or was admitted to 2nd Northern General Hospital, Beckett’s Park, Leeds. However, on 7 April 1916 he was posted to 2C Reserve Bde, appointed A/Cpl on 19 May 1916 and posted to France later that month. He was though reduced back to Bdr for “inefficiency” on 29 May 1916. The following year he was posted to 106 Bde RFA on 5 August 1917 and promoted to Cpl the same day. Shortly afterwards he was promoted to Sgt on 23 September 1917 while serving in B/106. He was severely reprimanded by the commanding officer of 106 Bde RFA on 23 July 1918 for neglecting his duty whilst orderly sergeant and was soon in greater trouble when he was sentenced on 11 August 1919 by a Field General Court Martial to be reduced back to Driver for conduct to the prejudice of military discipline and for being absent for a short period one evening. He was swiftly restored to being a Cpl and the following year he was sent to No.1 Dispersal Unit at Ripon on 17 September 1919 and was demobilsed on 15 October 1919, giving his home address as Dalmuir, Dumbartonshire. John Banks died in the Western Infirmary, Glasgow on 15 December 1954, aged 74
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Gnr.
|
Barber
|
John
|
91942
|
A/58
|
John Barber was the son of Joe Allatt Barber and step-son of Margaret Alice Barber of 13 Heywood, Great Harwood, Blackburn, Lancs. He was born in about 1898 and served first as a Private in the Royal Army Medical Corps with service number 10543, before at some point transferring to the RFA and into 58 Bde. He was aged 19 and was serving in A/58 when he was killed in action on 25 August 1917 in the Ypres salient alongside his comrades Alec Armitage, Howard Denley, Frederick Thomas Leathard, William Monks, Arthur Noble and Herbert Taylor. He is buried alongside them in the New Irish Farm Cemetery. His step-mother was awarded a pension of 12s 6d a week from 19 March 1918.
|
Bdr.
|
Barber
|
William Isaac
|
W/1347
|
D/58
|
William Isaac Barber who was born in Stockport on 25 May 1887, the son of Charles Barber and Elizabeth D Barber. He worked as a public parks gardener and married Rose Rae in 1908 with whom he had at least four children, Florence Irene Barber, Dudley Bernard Barber, Charles Barber and possibly Bessie Barber. He enlisted into a Welsh RFA unit but was serving as a Bombardier in D/58 when he was awarded the Military Medal on 7 October 1917. He finished the war as a Corporal. He was serving in D/58 when he received a severe gunshot wound to his left eye so was evacuated on No.10 Ambulance Train and admitted to No.18 General Hospital on 22 March 1918. He was discharged from the Army due to disability on 18 February 1919 and awarded a pension of 13s 9d a week from 19 February 1919 for a year. He was living at Thornfield Cottage, Brinnington, Woodley, Cheshire at the time. In 1939, he was still working as a municipal gardener and was living with Rose and his family at Moor Farm Cottage, Stockport. William Barber died in 1952.
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Gnr.
|
Barker
|
|
|
D/58
|
Gunner Barker passed as a 2nd class signaller by XIII Corps School on 22 March 1917.
|
Gnr.
|
Barnard
|
Samuel
|
L/37807
|
|
Samuel Barnard was the son of George and Marie Barnard of 5 Harrey’s Cottages, Upminster Road, Rainham, Essex. He died of his wounds in No.32 Casualty Clearing Station and is buried in Warlincourt Halte British Cemetery, Saulty, near Arras, France.
|
Dvr.
|
Barnard
|
William Henry
|
10589
|
C/58
|
William Henry Barnett was born in Middlezoy, Somerset on 13 January 1890, the son of Samuel Barnett and Emily Barnett. His father had been born Samuel Barnard but his name appeared to have become Barnett by the time William was born. In 1911, William was living with his 78 year old widowed grandmother, Jane Atyeo, and three younger brothers, Harry, Arthur Charles and Thomas Alfred in Orchard Street, Middlezoy, and William was working as a hay trusser for a merchant. He was aged 24 when he enlisted into the RFA on 3 September 1914 at which point he enlisted under the name William Henry Barnard and thos was how he was known throught his military service. He had been working as a labourer and living with his mother Emily, brother Henry and sister Mary in Middlezoy, Bridgwater, Somerset at the time. He was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea. From there he was posted to 186 Battery, 58 Bde, on 10 September 1914, which became C/58 in early 1915. He went overseas with 58 Bde and served at Gallipoli but appears to have been evacuated on about 13 December 1915 and was transferred out of the unit as a result. He was at the Dispersal Centre at Fovant on 11 February 1919, serving in 63 Reserve Battery at the time, ready for demobilisation. He was discharged from the Army on 11 March 1919 and was awarded a pension of 5s 6d a week from 19 March 1919 until 8 March 1921 due to the effects of rheumatic fever and dysentery. He was living at Hill Front in Middlezoy at the time.
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Bdr.
|
Baron
|
Thomas Ernest
|
148993
|
B/58
|
Thomas Ernest Baron, known as Ernest (or more usually Ernie) was born on 24 January 1890 in Nafferton, Yorks, the son of Thomas and Violetta Baron (née Hope). The family moved to Bridlington where Ernie worked as a gardener and then as a commercial traveller in the fruit trade. He married May Smith on 4 June 1911 in Bridlington, and they had a son, Robert Sefton Baron, born 29 June 1912. He enlisted on 9 December 1915 in Bridlington aged 27, but was not mobilised until 15 May 1916 in Beverley, Yorks, and was posted initially to No.1 Depot, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. He went overseas on 11 October 1916 to France and was posted to A/133 Bde RFA on 21 October 1916. Two months later, on 26 December 1916, when A/133 was broken up he was posted to B/58. On 27 January 1917 he was admitted to 34 Field Ambulance with rheumatism, rejoining his unit on 10 February 1917. He was awarded 14 days’ leave to the UK on 9 November 1917. On 18 January 1918, he was awarded 7 days’ Field Punishment No.2 by his battery commander, Capt A L Cameron, for “making an improper reply to an NCO”. The witnesses for this charge were Sgt Fry and Cpl Cole. He was appointed a paid L/Bdr on 4 April 1918, replacing L/Bdr Farley (2996) who reverted to the ranks. On 28 June 1918 he was appointed a paid A/Bdr, replacing A/Bdr Hawkes (22826) who was appointed A/Cpl. On 7 July 1918 he was promoted to Bdr to replace Bdr Chapman (48154) who was promoted to Cpl. He was severely reprimanded by his commanding officer, Maj H R Lodge, on 3 December 1918 for irregular conduct in making a complaint contrary to procedure in Army Act Section 43, an offence witnessed by Sgt McCannah and BSM Varney. On 21 January 1919 he was appointed a paid A/Cpl. He returned to the UK for demobilisation on 19 May 1919 and attended No.1 Dispersal Unit, North Camp, Ripon on 24 May 1919. He returned to Bridlington and to the fruit trade working as a greengrocer and market gardener and in June 1921, he, May and Robert were living at 3 Horsforth Avenie, Bridlington. Ernie and May had three more children, and Ernie Baron died in Bridlington in 1969, aged 79.
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Gnr.
|
Barr
|
Ernest Marshall
|
77797
|
D/58
|
Ernest Marshall Barr was the adopted son of George Barr, a tailor, and Emma Barr of 8 Strait’s Mouth, Greenwich. He had been born on 13 November 1891 in Sidcup, Kent, but was baptised by his adoptive parents on 14 March 1897 in St. Paul’s church, Greenwich. In 1913, Ernest was living at 21 Glenshaw Manshions, Brixton Road, London. According to the Absent Voter List for Greenwich, Ernest Marshall Barr was serving with D/58 in October 1918. His address in 1918 was 42 Straightsmouth, Greenwich and he was still there in 1920 now living with James and Emily Petrie. In 1938 Ernest was one of several people living at The Limes, St James’s, Deptford and then in 1945 he was at 30 Red Lion Street, Holborn. From at least 1947 until his death on 21 July 1952, he lived at 36 Colwick Street, Deptford with Lilian (Lily) White, and from 1949 also with a Patrick A Torode. When Ernest died, he left his small estate to Lily who was described as his widow.
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Gnr.
|
Barr
|
James
|
92497
|
A/58
|
James Barr was born in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, and enlisted there. He was serving as a Gunner in A/58 when he was killed in action on 1 November 1916. He is buried in Courcelette British Cemetery, leaving a widow, Jane, living at 30 Dean Street, Kilmarnock.
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Dvr.
|
Barraclough
|
Lawrence
|
72992
|
A/58
|
Lawrence Barraclough was born in 1890, the son of Uriah Barraclough of Beeston, Yorks. Before enlisting he worked as an apprentice draughtsman at the Airedale Foundry of locomotive manufacturer Kitsons of Leeds. He enlisted on 11 January 1915 and was posted initially to No.1 Depot at Newcastle-upon-Tyne. From there he was posted to 2B Reserve Bde on 28 April 1915 and then to 4A Reserve Bde on 5 June 1915. Shortly afterwards, he was posted to A/58 on 16 June 1915 just a couple of weeks before 58 Bde went overseas. He sailed with the brigade on 1 July 1915, arriving in Alexandria on 14 July 1915. He served at Suvla Bay between 6 August and 24 September 1915. He was evacuated back to Alexandria, arriving there on 1 October 1915 and staying until 4 December 1915. He was deployed to the Egyptian frontier between 15 January and 25 March 1916 before going to Salonika, sailing on 2 May 1916 and arriving on 6 May 1916 to join 54 Bde RFA where he joined 29 Infantry Bde’s Small Arms Ammunition (29 SAA) Column on 20 July 1916. He was sent to Base on 20 May 1917, then back to 29 SAA on 3 August 1917, back to Base on 28 October 1917, then to 98 Battery, 1 Bde RFA on 1 November 1917. He was granted furlough between 17 September and 7 November 1918. He finally left Salonika on 10 January 1919 because he was posted to join the British Military Mission to South Russia. He served in Russia between 16 January and 16 February 1919, at which point he was taken ill with typhus fever. He was treated at 40 British Field Ambulance in Baku, 27 Casualty Clearing Station in Batum and No.43 British General Hospital back in Salonika. He was evacuated back to the UK and was admitted to Kitchener Military Hospital Brighton on 5 May 1919. A week later on 12 May 1919 his application for a pension for having suffered typhus fever which was due, in his opinion, to “climactical and insanitary conditions” was rejected. He was demobilised on 10 June 1919 and returned to live with his parents at 39 Algeria Street, Beeston Hill, Leeds, where he was still living in June 1921 and was working as an engineering draughtsman for Kitson & Co, locomotive engineers of Leeds.
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Dvr.
|
Barrett
|
Arthur William
|
2767
|
A/58
|
Born in Camberwell, Arthur William Barrett was the son of Alice Barrett of 23 Arnott Rd, Peckham and of the late W H Barrett. Arthur enlisted in Leeds and was killed in action on 25 September 1916, aged 22, along with 5 horses when a 60 pdr premature burst over his team. He is buried in Bouzincourt Communal Cemetery Extension.
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Dvr.
|
Barry
|
Joseph
|
81734
|
B/58
|
Joseph Barry was born in Shankill, Belfast in 1880, the son of Sarah Jane Barry. He was living in Bellevue Street and working as a labourer when he enlisted in Belfast on 15 August 1914 claiming to be 29 years old when it appears that he was actually 34. He reported to No.5 Depot at Athlone on 18 August 1914 and after a brief posting to 67 Battery RFA he was posted as a Driver to 173 Battery RFA, part of 10th (Irish) Division, on 3 August 1914. On 20 January 1915 his battery was re-named as D/54 though this change took place while he was Absent Without Leave (AWOL) because he was missing from 11 to 21 January 1915. This was far from his only offence while training in Dundalk: on 11 October 1914 he had taken a horse out of the stable without permission so was confined to barracks for 10 days; on 18 December 1915 he was found drunk on duty and he then left the guardroom without permission so was admonished and confined to barracks for another 10 days; he overstayed leave by 9 days between 11 and 20 January 1915 so lost 20 days pay and was confined to barracks for 14 days; he was found drunk and using obscene language on 12 March 1915 for which he was fined 2s 6d and confined to barracks for 14 days and he again went AWOL between 5 and 14 April 1915 for which he was awarded 21 days’ of Field Punishment No.2 and he forfeited 10 days’ pay. He sailed with his unit from Devonport on 7 July 1915 for Alexandria, arriving on 20 July 1915, sailing again from Alexandria for Mudros on 9 August 1915. Along with the rest of his unit he left Mudros on 5 October 1915 not for Gallipoli but instead for Salonica, arriving there five days later. He was admitted to hospital at Salonica on 29 November 1915 then was evacuated on the Hospital Ship “Asturias” on 3 December 1915 which took him back to Egypt where he was admitted to Nasrieh Schools Hospital in Cairo with haemorrhoids on 7 December 1915. After a period at a Rest Camp he was discharged to duty in Alexandria on 20 December 1915 and was probably posted to the Base Depot. At 9 p.m. on 6 January 1916 he was found drunk in the town of Sidi Bishr so was awarded 7 days’ Field Punishment No.1. On 22 January 1916 he was posted to A/57 Bde RFA but a few days later was sent back to hospital, being admitted to No.15 General Hospital in Alexandria on 28 January 1916, from which he was discharged to the Convalescent Camp at Luxor on 24 February 1916. From there he was posted to the Mediterranean Base Depot on 9 March 1916 before being posted to B/58 on 16 March 1916 while they were at el-Ferdan. He was back in hospital the following month, staying in 35 Field Ambulance due to incontinent urine between 4 and 9 June 1916. He sailed with his unit from Alexandria on 25 June 1916, arriving in Marseilles on 3 July 1916. Joseph’s medical issues had not ceased: he was admitted to Ward E of No.18 General Hospital in Camiers on 5 October 1916 with piles, aged 38, 2 years in Army and 18 months with Field Force, before being transferred to Thiepval on 3 November 1916 where he was in fact admitted to No.44 Casualty Clearing Station at Puchevillers. On 7 December 1916 he went to No.6 Convalescent Depot from where he was discharged to the Base Depot on 28 December 1916. From there he was posted to 1 Division Ammunition Column on 11 January 1917. He was posted to 30 Battery, 39 Bde RFA on 7 February 1917 and was granted leave to the UK between 19 and 29 April 1917. While serving with 30 Battery he was punished several times: he was drunk on 8 August 1917 so was awarded 14 days’ Field Punishment No.2; he was absent between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. on 18 August 1917 for which he received 7 days’ Field Punishment No.1; he broke out of a detention camp and was found drunk on 7 November 1917 so was tried by Field General Court martial which awarded him 42 days’ Field Punishment No.1; he ill-treated a horse on 4 December 1917 for which he was awarded 7 days’ Field Punishment No.2 and he “committed a nuisance” on 21 December 1917 so was again awarded 7 days’ Field Punishment No.2. He was on leave in the UK when the Armistice was declared, having left his unit on 30 October 1918 to travel via Boulogne to the UK, returning to his battery on 13 November 1918. Shortly afterwards he was posted back to the Base Depot on 17 November 1918 as the result of a re-organisation, before being posted back to 30 Battery on 12 December 1918. On 17 May 1919 he was posted to C/104 Bde RFA but within a fortnight was back in the UK attending No.1 Dispersal Unit at Prees Heath for demobilisation on 31 May 1919. He was demobbed on 28 June 1919 and returned to live at 17 Belleviue Street, Belfast. No civil records have yet come to light regarding Joseph Barry or his mother, though in the 1911 Census of Ireland a Sarah Jane Berry was living in Bellevue Street with two of her four adult children, though neither of these was called Joseph.
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Sgt.
|
Bartlett
|
Robert Walter Harry
|
965285
|
D/58
|
Robert Walter Harry Bartlett was born in about 1885 in Aldershot, Hants. He was working as an inspector of agents when he enlisted on 10 August 1914 at Plumstead into the RFA Territorial Force with service number 686 into 1/8 London (Howitzer) Bde. He was serving as a Bdr when he embarked at Southampton with his battery on 15 March 1915, landing at Le Havre the following day. He was posted to D/238 on 18 May 1916 and was promoted to Corporal on 24 April 1916. He received a slight wound on 25 May 1916 but remained at duty. He was wounded a second time, this time receiving shell wounds to his left thigh and scrotum on 28 September 1916 and for actions carried out that day was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal “for conspicuous gallantry in action. Although wounded he extinguished a fire in an ammunition store, thereby preventing a serious explosion and damage to personnel and material.” The award was gazetted on 25 November 1916. For his wounds, he was treated in 1/3rd Northumbrian Field Ambulance on 28 September 1916, returning to his unit on 2 October 1916. The following year his brigade was broken up and he, along with his battery were posted to 235 Bde RFA to become the new D/235. On 12 June 1917, Robert was promoted to Sergeant and was granted 10 days leave on 17 August 1917. Shortly after returning from leave he was wounded for the third time, receiving gunshot wounds to his left side and left arm so was admitted to 1/2 East Lancashire Field Ambulance on 6 September 1917. On 8 October 1917, he joined the Base Depot at Le Havre, having been discharged from hospital. From there he was posted to D/58 on 3 December 1917. On 8 March 1918 he was granted 14 days’ leave to the UK via Boulogne. After the Armistice he was attached to 32 Infantry Bde’s HQ Salvage operation on 11 December 1918. He embarked at Boulogne on 13 April 1919 to return to the UK to attend the dispersal centre at Crystal Palace for demobilisation. He was discharged from the Army as being surplus to military requirements due to impairment on 11 May 1919 and was eligible for a Silver War Badge. He returned to live at 13 Silverdale, Sydenham, S.E. and was still at that address in June 1921, living with his wife, Mary Ann Bartlett, their two daughters, Hilda, aged 16 and Winifred Rose aged 15, along with his wife’s children, Doris Chester, aged 22 and Stanley George Chester, aged 20. Robert was working as an inspector and representative for the Commercial Union Assurance Company. Robert and Mary were still living in Silverdale in 1925, but it appears that he and Mary Ann Chester did not get married until 1930. Robert Bartlett died in 1954 while living at 19 Howden Road, South Norwood, London.
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Dvr.
|
Bartlett
|
William George
|
40940
|
D/58
|
William George Bartlett was born in Winson, near Ablington, Glos in about 1886, the son of Frank Bartlett and Kate Bartlett He was working as a carter when he enlisted into the RFA aged 18 on 1 January 1906 for a period of 3 years with the colours and a further 9 in reserve. He served in 141 Battery, until he had served his 3 years and was transferred to the reserves on 1 January 1909. He married Laura Lydia Oatley on 24 February 1913 in Ashton Keynes, Wilts, and they emigrated to Australia. When war was declared he was still in the reserves so was recalled to the UK and rejoined the RFA at 4B Reserve Bde, Woolwich on 19 December 1914. He was posted to 59th Howitzer Battery on 25 January 1915, with whom he went to France on 12 March 1915 then he was posted to 461 Battery, 118 Bde, on 18 May 1916 which became D/60 on 15 July 1916. He was posted to D/58 on 29 January 1917. He was wounded in action on 23 July 1917 with a bruised leg and ankle and was admitted to 133 Field Ambulance the same day, rejoining his unit on 5 August 1917. He was awarded the Military Medal on 28 January 1918 for bravery in the field. He was wounded again on 18 September 1918 suffering from gunshot wounds and with concussion to his head and a fractured spine. He was admitted to 4th Canadian Casualty Clearing Station, before being transferred to No.14 Stationary Hospital in Wimereux who sent a telegram to his wife on 22 September 1918 to tell her that he was dangerously ill in Wimereux. He was transferred to the UK on HMHS “Princess Elizabeth” on 7 October 1918 and was transferred to Tooting Hospital where he died at 2pm on 19 October 1918. He and Laura had no children. In January 1919, Laura was sent his personal belongings which comprised 2 French half-pennies, a pay book, a diary, a tobacco pouch, a leather belt, a pocket knife, his identity disks, a match box holder, a cap badge, 2 pipes, a packet of letters and a medal ribbon. She was awarded a widow’s pension of 13s 9d a week and returned to Australia towards the end of that year, the pension being stopped when she remarried a few years later. William Bartlett is buried in St Swithin’s churchyard, Quenington, Glos.
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2/Lt.
|
Barton
|
|
n/a
|
A/58
|
2/Lt Barton was posted to 58 Bde posted and assigned to A/58 on 28 February 1917, but just 3 days later, on 3 March 1917 he was posted to 11th Division Ammunition Column.
|
Dvr.
|
Barwell
|
George Edwin
|
11831
|
58 Bde AC
|
A stable-hand from Burton-on-Trent, Staffs, George Edwin Barwell was born in Burton on 24 January 1895, the son of James William Barwell and Lucy Barwell. In 1911, George was working as an errand boy, aged 16. He enlisted in Coventry on 3 September 1914 and was posted initially to the RFA’s No.3 Depot at Hilsea. He was posted to 58 Bde Ammunition Column on 13 September 1914, and then to D/58 on 21 January 1915. He was posted to B/99 on 7 February 1916 which was at Salonika at the time and was taken ill with a ‘pyrexia of unknown origin’ so was admitted to No.31 Casualty Clearing Station on 12 August 1916 before being evacuated by ambulance train the following day. He was still in B/99 when he was admitted to 66 Field Ambulance at Salonika again with a ‘pyrexia of unknown origin’. After the Armistice he arrived back in the UK and was posted to a Reserve Brigade on 30 December 1918. He was sent to the Dispersal Centre at Chiseldon on 12 February 1919 and was demobilised on 13 March 1919. After the war he returned to live at 23 Bakewill Street, Coalville, Leics and was awarded a pension of 7s 6d a week for 70 weeks for a 6-14% disability due to malaria. In late 1919, George married Doris May Gostick and in June 1921, George was living as a boarder in the home of Harriett Pepper at 23 Bakewell Street, Coalville, and George was working as a shunter for Midland Railway in Coalville. In September 1939, George, Doris and at least 4 children were living at 49 Crosbie Road, Coventry where George worked as a railway foreman and served as a Railway ARP warden. George Barwell died on 31 January 1954 in Wellingborough, aged 59.
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Maj.
|
Batchelor
|
Vivian Allan
|
n/a
|
A/58
|
Vivian Allan Batchelor was born on 24 August 1882 in Caerleon, Monmouthshire, the only son of George Benjamin Batchelor, and his wife Mary Batchelor (née Lewis). He went to Rugby School (1896-1899) and was baptised in Holton, Oxfordshire on 13 April 1897. He was commissioned on 21 December 1900 and 4 years later his mother, Mary, died. From 1912 onwards for a number of years his name was quoted in adverts placed in military newspapers by someone claiming to have taught him “first-class Turkish”. In early 1914, he had been serving in “A” Battery RHA in Ambala, India, when he was promoted to Captain and became second-in-command of 81 Battery, 10 Bde RFA in Kirkee, India. In October of that year his battery was selected to join 5 Bde RFA as it left India for France, so Vivian took part in the fighting at Givenchy in December 1914. The following year he joined A/58 from 59 Bde RFA in Gallipoli on 7 October 1915 as the battery commander but was replaced by Capt Hayley three days later (10 October 15) and told to return to 59 Bde where he assumed command of A/59 on 13 October 1915. On 17 February 1916 he assumed command of 59 Bde when the commanding officer went sick and again briefly on 25 February 1917 until the new commander arrived the following day. He was still in command of A/59 when he sailed with his brigade from Alexandria on the “Haverford” on 27 June 1916, arriving in Marseilles on 4 July 1916. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, which was gazetted on 17 September 1917, whose citation read: “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty at all times. During an intense bombardment of his battery, with H.E. by day and gas by night, he continually moved about, with an utter disregard of danger, extinguishing dumps that had been set on fire and warning his men at the outset of gas attacks. He brought his battery up in exceptionally quick time, and kept them in action by his magnificent example, and, although badly gassed and wounded, refused to leave them. He has also made daring and valuable personal reconnaissances on several occasions.” He went back to the UK on 7 December 1916 to attend a battery commander’s course at Westcliffe. He accompanied Lt Col Wingfield on 27 February 1917 when they made an advanced reconnaissance into the village of Puisieux which was still in German hands. He was awarded a bar to the DSO in the New Year’s Honours 1919, and the Belgian Croix de Guerre which was gazetted on 4 September 1919. As an acting Lt Col, he commanded 64 (Army) Brigade RFA in 1918-1919. He was Mentioned in Despatches three times and wounded four times. In June 1921 he was living at home with his father and sister, Gwendoline in Combe Flory House and in 1928 he was a Lt Col when he retired from active service and joined the Reserve of Officers, before fully retiring in 1932. In 1941 he was reported to be the Assistant District Commissioner for the Boy Scouts in his part of Somerset and in 1956 he sold his home, Combe Florey House, Somerset, to Evelyn Waugh. Vivian and his sister Gwendoline had been living there for about 60 years but moved into the smaller Old Rectory in the same village. The following year, aged 75, he stood down after serving for 25 years as a magistrate first in Bishops Lydeard and then in Taunton. Vivian Batchelor died suddenly on 20 October 1960, aged 78,with the funeral taking place at Lydeard St. Lawrence eight days later.
|
Dvr.
|
Battams
|
Frederick John
|
41100
|
D/58?
|
Frederick John Battams was born on 6 September 1896 in Redhill St, St Pancras, London. He was the second of the eight children of Henry Battams (known as Harry) and Annie Elizabeth Battams (née Clark). In 1911 Frederick was working as a milk boy. He enlisted into the RFA and appeared to have served with Lt John Hepburn since years later he wrote to the War Office trying to get in touch with Hepburn. He said that they served together in ‘D/59’ but that must be incorrect – Hepburn served in C/118, D/60 and D/58 – and it is quite likely that they served together in D/58. Frederick was wounded in 1916 and was still serving in the RFA, and was stationed at Maryhill Barracks, Glasgow, when on 26 December 1919, he married Ruth Elizabeth Smith in St Paul’s church, New Southgate, Middx. He subsequently joined the Royal Garrison Artillery and was assigned a new service number, 229626. Frederick and Ruth were living with Ruth’s family at 30 Palmers Road, New Southgate, London in June 1921 and Frederick was working as a conductor for the Metrolpolitan Electric Tramways company. In 1938, he was living at 14 Lower Park Road, Southgate, London with his wife, Ruth, and his father Harry. In September 1939 Frederick was working as a driver of Muir Hill dumper trucks and was living with Ruth and their family at 37 Green Road, Southgate. Frederick Battams died in London in 1966, aged 69.
|
Gnr.
|
Batten
|
Henry Charles Frederick
|
233475
|
D/58
|
Henry Charles Frederick Batten was the son of Henry and Mary Batten, from Caterham, Surrey. In 1911 he was a 22-year old nurseryman and had been married to Mabel for 3 years. They had a son, Henry, aged 2. All had been born in Caterham. He enlisted in Redhill, Surrey. He was killed in action on 3 October 1917 and is buried in New Irish Farm Cemetery.
|
Gnr.
|
Batty
|
Clarance John
|
88030
|
B/58
|
Clarance John Batty (sometimes spelled Clarence John Batty) was born on 10 December 1891, the son of Susan Elizabeth Aylward. She subsequently married James Walter Batty in 1897, so Clarence took on the surname of his step-father. In 1901, he and his family were living at 40 Purley Road, Croydon. He worked as a bricklayer and was living at 33 Percy Road, North Finchley, Middx when he enlisted into the RFA on 2 February 1915 in Mill Hill, North West London. He was sent initially to No.6 Depot at Athlone, Ireland and was then posted briefly to 21 Division on 21 July 1915, before being posted to 20 Reserve Battery, 4A Reserve Bde, Woolwich on 28 August 1915. On 15 September 1915, he was posted overseas to join 11 Division artillery, joining B/58 on 7 October 1915 at Gallipoli. Clarance embarked on HMT “Ionian” from Mudros on 31 January 1916, which sailed the next day. The ship arrived in Alexandria on 4 February 1916 and Clarance disembarked the following day. He was wounded twice, on 28 October 1916 he was buried by an exploding shell, rejoining his unit a week later, and then on 11 April 1918 he was wounded by a gas shell, so was evacuated and admitted to No.8 Stationary Hospital, Wimereux, the following day and then back to the UK on 18 April 1918. In January 1919 he was serving in 55 Reserve Battery and overstayed leave from 7 a.m. on 12 January until 6 a.m. the following day for which he was fined 1 day’s pay and confined to barracks for 2 days. He was still suffering from the effects of gas poisoing when he was demobbed from the Army on 7 March 1919 and so was awarded a weekly pension of 5s 6d for at least the following 6 months. In 1921, Clarance married Minnie Foxton in Barnet, Middx, and they had a son, John J Batty, born on 3 October 1921. After the war, Clarance had returned to 33 Percy Street and lived there until about 1930 wheh he and Minnie moved to 70 Grange Avenue, Finchley. Clarance was still working as a bricklayer in September 1939 and Minnie was a press hand in clothing manufacturing. Clarance Batty died in Hendon, NW London on 19 March 1951, aged 59.
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Gnr.
|
Batty
|
George
|
232409
|
B/58
|
George Batty was born in about 1889. He worked as a farmer before enlisting in the RFA and was serving in B/58 when he was gassed probably on 9 April 1918. He was evacuated back to the UK and was admitted to 3rd Western General Hospital in Neath and then went to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot in Catterick from where he was discharged to draft on 4 October 1918.
|
Gnr.
|
Bayliss
|
George
|
133632
|
D/58
|
George Bayliss was born in 1890 in Cambusnethan, near Wishaw in Lanarkshire. He was one of the ten children of Francis Bayliss and Elizabeth Sarah Bayliss (née Mansell). He married Agnes Russell on 16 September 1914 and was working as a van salesman when he attested in Wishaw on 10 December 1915 though was not mobilised until 8 April 1916, two days after his son Francis was born. He was posted as a Gunner in the RFA to No.6 Depot at Glasgow on 13 April 1916 and from there he was posted to 6C Reserve Bde on 18 April 1916. While there he studied at the signals school at Craiglockhart School in Edinburgh and became a qualified signaller, scoring between 95% and 99% in each of the signalling methods of buzzer, semaphore, morse flag, lamp and disc. During training he contracted gonorrohoea and so was treated in Glencorse Military Hospital between 2 and 15 November 1916. He was docked 2 days’ pay and confined to barracks for 4 days for being absent from the signalling school between 12 noon on 30 December 1916 and 10.20 p.m. the following day. He was posted to France on 23 January 1917 where he was posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column on 12 February 1917 and two weeks later, on the 25th, he joined D/58. On 5 April 1917 he was docked 7 days’ pay by his battery commander, Maj J A Dane, for failing to obey an order. The following year he was granted 14 days’ leave to the UK from 21 January 1918 but overstayed his leave from 7.45 a.m. on 5 February 1918 to the same time the following day so was docked 2 days’ pay. After the Armistice he was granted a further 14 days’ leave to the UK via Boulogne on 4 January 1919 though on 19 January 1919 he attended No.1 Dispersal Unit in Wimbledon for demobilisation. After the war he returned to live in Wishaw and appears to have died in 1963.
|
Cpl.
|
Beale
|
Percy Ernest
|
10579
|
C/58
|
Percy Ernest Beale was born in 1886 in Bow, London, the fourth son of Frederick Beale, a postal worker, and his wife Mary. Percy became a grinder and married Elizabeth Carpenter, a photographic chemist, on 22 October 1910 at All Saints Church, Stepford. They may have lived in Broomfield, Essex initially, since their daughter, Doris Lily Beale was born there and was subsequently baptised in St. Mary’s church in that village on 5 March 1911, a month after her birth. By 1 September 1914, when Percy enlisted into the RFA in Yeovil aged 28, he and his family were living at 26 Mount Pleasant, New Town, Yeovil. He was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea, then to 186 Battery on 10 September 1914. He was appointed an A/Bdr in November 1914 and then a paid A/Bdr on 6 February 1915. By this time 186 Battery had been re-numbered as C/58. He was one of the witnesses to Gnr Walter Prince (10685) being absent between 10pm 3 February 1915 until found in bed at 7.05 am the next day, and for using insubordinate language to an NCO. He was promoted to Bdr on 24 March 1915 and to Corporal on 19 April 1915. On 15 May 1915 he was reprimanded by the CO of 58 Bde, Lt Col Drake for neglect of duty, an offence witnessed by Sgt Copland. He was promoted to Sgt on 6 November 1915 while serving in Gallipoli, with Bdr Chorley (10581) replacing him as A/Cpl. He left 58 Bde on 24 June 1916 when he was posted to 5C Reserve Bde. He was mobilised for active service on the North West Frontier of India on 6 May 1919 and was posted to 90th Battery on 24 August and then to 74th Battery four days later. For this service he was awarded the Indian General Service campaign medal with the “Afghanistan NWF 1919” clasp. He was demobbed on 31 March 1920. After the war, he returned to Yeovil and applied successfully for a pension due to deafness caused during his time in the Army which was paid to him between 2 January 1920 and 29 March 2022. Percy, Elizabeth and Doris were living at 26 Mount Pleasant, Yeovil in June 1921 and Percy was working as a grinder for Petters Ltd of Yeovil and Elizabeth was a leather glove machinist. In September 1939, he and Elizabeth may have been living at 1 Springfield, St. Thomas, near Exeter in Devon. Percy Beale may have died in Devon in 1947.
|
Lt. Col.
|
Bedwell
|
Edward Parker
|
n/a
|
Bde Cdr
|
Born on 19 March 1878 in Southport, Lancs, Edward Parker Bedwell was the son of Staff-Commander Edward Parker Bedwell RN, a veteran of the Crimean War. He was commisioned as a 2/Lt on 1 September 1897 and promoted to Lieutenant on 1 September 1900. He served in the South African War 1899-1901 and NW Frontier of India in 1908. At the Royal Military Tournament in 1902 he came second in the officers’ riding and jumping competition and in November that year was successful in an examination on military engineering. In late 1903 he was posted from No.6 Depot, RGA to 75 Battery RFA and about a year later he was posted from there to 111 Battery RFA. He was promoted to Captain on 3 October 1904 and passed an examination for officers in French in late 1905. In the summer of 1906, he and his battery had been conducting firing practice on Salisbury Plain and returned to their headquarters in Exeter via Bridport and Axminster. In late 1907 or early 1908 he was appointed instructor in gunnery for the Northern Army. He was appointed Adjutant of the 3rd Horse Artillery Brigade on 4 July 1910 and promoted to Major on 30 October 1914. He appeared to be serving in 3 Brigade RFA in 1912 and te took command of the new 69 Battery RFA which was formed on 22 December 1914 at Winchester. This was part of 31 Bde RFA in the new 28 Division and he took his battery to France, arriving in Le Havre on 18 January 1915. On 17 April 1915 at Zonnebeke, Maj Bedwell was taken ill and invalided back to the UK two days later, so was struck off the strength of the brigade. He was serving as commander of 312 Bde RFA when he was evacuated by No.31 Ambulance Train suffering from cardiac debility from Edgehill to Etaples on 5 March 1917. He was Mentioned in Dispatches on 14 December 17 and then promoted to Lt Col on 22 March 1918. He joined 58 Bde on 17 June 1918 and took command of the unit 2 days later, replacing Lt Col Wray who was sent home for 6 months’ rest. On 9 July 1918 Lt Col Bedwell went to 11 Division Artillery (11 DA) HQ when the CRA was away for 10 days (presumably to act as the CRA), returning to the brigade on 21 July 1918. He went on 7 days’ leave to Paris on 11 August 1918, returning on 21 August 1918 but remained at 11 DA HQ because the CRA was away again. He rejoined the brigade on 23 August 18. He went to 11 DA again on 24 October 1918, returning on 7 November 1918. He went on 14 days’ leave to England on 22 November 1918, returning on 12 December 1918. He again assumed command of 11 DA on 16 December 1918. He was Mentioned in Dispatches again on 23 December 1918. He fell sick and had to go to hospital on 7 January 1919, not returning until 27 February 1919. He went on leave to the UK on 10 March 1919 but was struck off the strength of 58 Bde on 21 March 1919. On 3 November 1919 he commanded the artillery contingent in a parade at Aldershot for the visit of the Shah of Persia who was accompanied by Prince Albert, the future King George VI. At some point in his career he appears to have served in 62 (West Riding) Division since he attended a reunion for that division in 1920. Edward was formally promoted to Lt Col on 1 March 1920, though with seniority dating back to 25 October 1916. In June 1921 Edward and his American wife, Anna Elizabeth Storrs Bedwell, were living in St Michael’s Lodge, Deepcut and Edward was working as a publisher in 4 Great Marlborough Street, London, but then on 10 November 1922 passed away, aged 48. Edward remarried the following year, marrying Mary Elizabeth Evans (née Williams) at St Martin in the Fields parish church on 19 December 1923. Between at least 1928 and 1937 they lived at 8 Brunswick Square, London. On 19 March 1933, Edward reached the age at which he would not be re-called, so was removed from the list of the Reserve of Officers. He was a keen sportsman, playing cricket as an all-rounder for, amongst others, the Northern Nomads, and a golfer, being a member of the victorious Royal Artillery team when they beat the Royal Navy in September 1920 at Sunningdale; while the Artillery won, Edward lost his singles game 5 and 4.
|
Gnr.
|
Beech
|
Henry George
|
970333
|
|
Herbert George Beech was the son of Josiah William Beech and Eliza Ann Beech. He was born in about 1892 in Vauxhall, Surrey and was baptised on 19 June 1892. In 1911, Herbert was 18 years old and working as kitchen porter for a caterer while living at 44 Bassingham Road, Wandsworth with his widowed mother and six siblings. He was still living at that address when on 6 August 1916 he married Violet May Smith in Wandsworth, London, his profession being given as soldier. The Absent Voters list for Wandsworth for October 1918 state that Herbert was still living at 44 Bassingham Road and was, at the time, serving in 58 Bde RFA. The only surviving military records for him give however his name as Henry George Beech, so he appears to have served under the name Henry. His service number shows that initially he had served in the Divisional Ammunition Column for either 47th (1/2 London) Division or 60th (2/2 London) Division before at some point being assigned to 58 Bde. On 30 January 1918, Herbert and Violet had a son, Herbert Aubrey William Beech and after the war, in June 1921, Herbert was aged 29 and working as a cook for Newens and Sons when he was living at 140 Earlsfield Road, Wandsworth in June 1921 with Violet and their now 3 year old son. Violet died in 1931 so by at least 1933, Herbert was back living at 44 Bassingham Road with his mother. Herbert Beech appears to have died in 1956.
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Dvr.
|
Beesley
|
Harry
|
10674
|
C/58
|
Henry Beesley was born on 6 April 1894 in Walsall Wood, Walsall, Staffs, the son of Richard and Annie Elizabeth Beesley. His father was a coal merchant and Henry was a horse driver from at least the age of 16. By the time he enlisted in Birmingham, aged 20, on 1 September 1914 he was calling himself Harry Beesley. Harry was posted to 186 Battery on 10 September 1914, which was renamed as C/58 in January 1915. While training at Milford Camp, he was reported by Sgt Copland as having overstayed his leave from midnight 25 May 1915 to 4.30pm the following day. He was therefore sentenced by his battery commander, Capt Franklin, to being confined to barracks for 3 days. Along with the rest of his battery, he embarked at Devonport on 1 July 1915, disembarking in Alexandria on 14 August 1915. While there he was found to be “absent from 10pm 24 July 15 to 11.50pm 24 July 15” so was sentenced to 7 days’ Field Punishment No.2 by Lt Col Drake. He embarked at Alexandria on 1 August 1915, disembarking at Gallipoli on 12 August 1915. He left Gallipoli a few weeks later on 8 September 1915, disembarking at Alexandria on 23 September 1915, presumably due to sickness or injury. On 21 November 1915 he was posted to 146 Bde Ammunition Column and so sailed from Alexandria on 30 December 1915, arriving at Salonika on 4 January 1916. He joined 146 Bde’s 84 Small Arms Ammunition Column (SAAC), which became 84 SAAC of 3 Bde on 28 August 1917. He was admitted to 148 Field Ambulance on 26 September 1918, was transferred to 48 General Hospital the following day, and then to 9 Convalescent Depot on 7 October 1918. He was posted back to active service with 130 Bde Ammunition Column on 29 October 1918. He returned to the UK in 1919 and was demobbed on 31 March 1920. He married Millicent Hodson in 1924. They had three children. Harry passed away in 1972 aged 77.
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Dvr.
|
Bell
|
James
|
144669
|
B/58
|
James Bell was posted away from the brigade on 9 July 1918 since he was found to be insufficiently fit for duty at the front so was sent to the Base. He was subsequently posted to the Labour Corps, with a new service number: 571571.
|
A/Cpl.
|
Bell
|
James Thomas
|
710204
|
C/58?
|
James Thomas Bell was from Bolton, Lancs and was a member of the Bolton Artillery, an RFA Territorial Force (TF) unit also known as 1/3 East Lancashire Bde. He served with service number 949 and went with his battery to Egypt on 25 September 1914. He was wounded in early 1918 while serving as a Lance Bombardier. At some point in the war he joined 58 Bde under the new long TF service number of 710204 and was replaced as an A/Cpl in the unit on 29 January 1919 because he was posted back to the UK for demobilisation.
|
Gnr.
|
Bell
|
Joseph
|
74801
|
C/58
|
Joseph Bell enlisted in Manchester. On 15 February 1917, he was awarded the French Croix de Guerre for gallantry on the Somme. He was killed in action on 25 August 1917, alongside five comrades, Gnr George Gay (141494), Sgt Albert Lamb (75120), Bdr James Reader (93050), Gnr Edmund Saunders (92098)and Gnr Harold Saunders (43356). Joseph is buried alongside them in Bard Cottage Cemetery, Belgium.
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Gnr.
|
Bellaby
|
Ernest Alfred
|
L/23065
|
D/58
|
Ernest Alfred Bellaby was born on 15 January 1887 in Rotherhithe, London the son of William and Victoria Ann Bellaby. He was a waterside labourer living at 40 Lanelinch St, New Cross, SE London, when he enlisted on 24 April 1915 in Camberwell, aged 28. He married Fanny Beatrice Cattrell the day before he enlisted. He was posted initially to D/167 (How) Bde and was appointed Bdr on 31 August 1915 but reverted to Gunner on 19 October 1915. He was serving in 156 Bde when he was wounded in his left leg and neck by shrapnel on 15 April 1917 and, following treatment at 51 Field Ambulance and No.8 Casualty Clearing Station, he was admitted to No.32 Stationary Hospital, Wimereux. He was evacuated back to the UK on 22 April 1917. On 20 October 1917 he was posted to D/58. He was reported as being dangerously ill with multiple gunshot wounds on 23 August 1918 by 22 Casualty Clearing Station and his wife was informed by wire the next day. His health improved and he was transferred to 13 (Harvard USA) General Hospital Boulogne on 26 August 1918. On 7 May 1919 he was sent to the Convalescent Hospital Roehampton SW, and on 19 June 1919 he was discharged from the Army due to his wounds and awarded a Silver War Badge. He returned to live at 64 Haydock Road, South Bermondsey, S.E.16. Due to his wounds he was awarded a pension of 27s 6d a week for the rest of his life. In June 1921, Ernest and Fanny were living at 64 Haydock Road, Deptford with their 3 month old daughter, Beatrice Victoria Bellaby but Ernest was described as an out of work disabled soldier. His previous employer had been G&H Greens and Co of 19 Swan Street. Fanny died in 1950, aged 60, and Ernest Bellaby died in 1963, aged 75.
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Cpl.
|
Bembridge
|
Moses
|
711281
|
B/58
|
Moses Bembridge was born on 22 January 1885, the son of Owen Bembridge and Hannah Bembridge (née Spencer). Although Moses was born in Little Eaton, Derby, within a few years the family had moved to Bolton, Lancs. Moses became a paper maker and in 1913 he married Jane Olive in Bolton. He enlisted into the Territorial Force joining one of the two 3 East Lancs RFA brigades. He was wounded in 1917. In April 1918, he was serving as a Corporal in B/58 when he was wounded again, this time by gas poisoning. He was evacuated back to the UK and admitted to the Cavalry Barracks Military Hospital, Newport. After recuperating, he was discharged on 3 July 1918 and granted 10 days leave before reporting to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick on 13 July 1918. There, he was assessed as having some infection of conjunctiva and blephartis so was assessed as being in medical category IIB. By 20 August 1918 he had recovered to medical category I so was discharged from Catterick to draft on 30 August 1918. He, Jane, their two children, Hilda, aged 5, and one year old William Owen Bembridge were living at 10 Union Buildings, Bolton in June 1921 and Jane’s mother was staying with them. Moses was working for J W Marshall & Co, a paper manufacturer in Springfield, Bolton as a machine man making the paper. In September 1939, Moses, Jane and three children, Hilda, William and Stanley were living in 96 Orlando Street, Bolton, and Moses was still working as a paper maker machineman. On 27 September 1947, his daughter, Hilda, was married in Holy Trinity church, Bolton. Moses died in Bolton in 1965, aged 80.
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2/Lt.
|
Benham?
|
|
n/a
|
|
2/Lt Benham acted as the Liaison Officer with “the light battalion” on 4 October 1917.
|
Dvr.
|
Beschenkowsky
|
Joseph G C
|
87128
|
C/58
|
Joseph Beschenkowsky was born on 29 November 1896 in Dunkirk, France. His father was living at 58 rue Neuse, Dunkirk. He worked as a tailor and enlisted, probably in Devizes, Wilts, on 10 April 1915, aged 18 and was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea. From there he went to 3A Reserve Bde on 13 April 1915, and then to Instruction Battery at Larkhill, Wilts, on 20 May 1915. He was sent overseas that October and was assigned to C/58 on 26 October 1915. On 21 March 1916, while at el Ferdan, Egypt, he committed the offence of “disobeying a lawful command given by a superior officer in execution of office” and was sentenced by a Field General Court Martial (FGCM) on 8 April 1916 to 6 months’ hard labour. At some point thereafter he was posted to A/116 because on 30 September 1916, he committed a similar offence of insubordination and was again tried by FGCM, presided over by the Commander Royal Artillery of 26th Division. That FGCM sentenced him on 6 October 1916. He was a prisoner in Gabbari Prison, Alexandria (sometimes spelled Gabbori) when he suffered from albuminaria so was treated in No.19 General Hospital, Alexandria between 8 August and 10 September 1917. And after spending some of his sentence in Maidstone Gaol, in 1919 he was discharged from the Army for misconduct. Because of his discharge, unlike other soldiers, he was not awarded his campaign medals. On 21 October 1921 he arrived in Bristol as a seaman on the “Woodmansie” from Norfolk, Virginia.
|
2/Lt.
|
Bevan
|
Edgar Cyril
|
n/a
|
C/58
|
Edgar Cyril Bevan was born on 22 April 1895 in Mount Forest, Ontario, Canada, the son of the Rev Canon William Bevan and Anna Eliza Bevan (née Biggar). Although his father was living at the Rectory in Mount Forest at the time, he gave his permanent address as Llanfrynach Rectory, Breconshire in South Wales. Their son was known as Cyril, or Cy. He was a law student when war broke out and he enlisted on 4 December 1914 in Toronto to join the Canadian Field Artillery (CFA). He was assigned to 14 Battery, 4 Brigade CFA in which he was promoted to acting Bdr on 1 January 1915. He decided to seek a commission and was commissioned into the 9th Militia Battery CFA on 9 March 1915. He then attended and passed the 22/2 course at the Canadian Royal School of Artillery on 29 April 1915. He then sought a commission in the RFA, so sailed from New York on the “Orduña”, arriving at Liverpool on 27 May 1915. He gave his UK address as Hillside, Penylan, Cardiff, which was the home of the former Lord Mayor of Cardiff, J Robinson [presumably James Robinson who had been Lord Mayor in 1913]. He was commissioned on 15 June 1915 and was posted to C/58, arriving to join them in Gallipoli on 26 October 1915. He was still in C/58 when he sailed from Alexandria for Marseilles on the SS “Arcadian” on 26 June 1916. He acted as the Forward Observation Officer for his battery for the British attack along the Ancre on 3 September 1916. He went on 10 days’ leave on 8 December 1916, but fell ill with influenza so his return to his unit was delayed until 21 December 1916 while he recovered. While the brigade was resting at Montigny-les-Jongleurs he was sent on a signalling course at 11th Division’s Signalling School at Yvrench on 25 January 1917. He was awarded the Military Cross on 15 May 1917, the citation reading “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. When acting as F.O.O. he displayed the greatest gallantry and initiative. Under heavy fire and after his signaller had been wounded, he maintained constant communication with his brigade. He obtained and sent back the most valuable information.” He reported to the War Office in London prior to 6 weeks’ leave to Canada on 4 June 1917 so was struck off the strength of 58 Bde that day. He arrived in Canada on 23 June 1917 but did not return to re-join C/58 until 1 October 1917 after having spent 5 weeks doing nothing in England causing the brigade’s Adjutant to fume “during this time when we were badly in need of officers”. He was a candidate for the Commander Royal Artillery’s “examination of 2/Lts for promotion (1st sitting)” on 16 December 1917 and was promoted to Lieutenant with effect from that day. Four days later he was court martialled for drunkenness and “severely reprimanded”. He went on 14 days’ leave to England on 23 January 1918, returning on 6 February 1918. On 9 April 1918, along with many others in the unit, he was gassed and had to retire to the wagon lines and was therefore in hospital on 12 May 1918 as one of several officers sick. He rejoined C/58 from hospital on 9 August 1918 but returned to hospital 2 days later. His return to hospital was probably for prostatitis since he spent 16 days in No.51 General Hospital at Etaples with that condition in the latter half of August 1918, but had recovered by 6 September 1918 according to No.1 Medical Board Base Depot at Le Havre. He was appointed A/Capt on 14 November 1918 and was posted to 39 Division Ammunition Column. He relinquished the acting rank of Captain on 13 October 1919 and was serving in the Light Division of the Rhine Army at Cologne when he was admitted to No.36 Casualty Clearing Station on 29 October 1919 with tonsillitis and debility. Cyril was evacuated back to the UK, arriving in Dover from Calais on 9 November 1919 and after a period at a dental hospital in Wandsworth, London, he returned to live at “Hillside” in Cardiff. He was eager to return to Canada and tried to forfeit his convalescence leave, but it was not until 31 January 1920 that, after attending the Repatriation Camp at Winchester, he sailed on the “Scotian” from Southampton. He arrived at St. Johns, New Brunswick on 11 February 1920 and had stated that his home address was All Saints Rectory, Niagara Falls, Ontario. He was demobbed on 13 February 1920 and was granted the rank of Captain. He returned to his law studies at Osgoode Hall law school from where he graduated in 1924. Cyril married Olive Blanche Waddington on 4 October 1924 in Toronto, Ontario. On 14 January 1925, he and Olive emigrated to the USA and settled in Detroit, Michigan, living at 316 South Marlborough Avenue. They had a daughter, Barbara Joan Bevan, born in 1929, and Cyril practised as an attorney. He was granted naturalised U.S. citizenship on 13 February 1930 and in 1932 he and Olive had a second daughter, Joyce Carol Bevan. The family were living in Clarkston, Oakland, Michigan in 1942 and Cyril served as a Democratic National Committeeman between 1944 and 1948, before becoming the Chairman of the Wayne County Democratic Committee. Olive passed away in 1964, aged 66, and Cyril died shortly afterwards on 5 January 1965, aged 69.
|
Gnr.
|
Biddel
|
|
|
HQ
|
Gunner Biddel was a signaller who was wounded whilst mending telephone lines on 6 November 1916 and so had to be evacuated for treatment.
|
Dvr.
|
Birch
|
William
|
11284
|
A/58
|
A fitter from Coventry, William Birch William Birch was born in the St Marks parish of Coventry in 1896 and was baptised on 23 March 1897. He was the third of the six chiildren of Arthur Birch and Emma Birch. In 1911 he was living with his family at 21 Silver Street, Coventry and he was working as a fettler in an iron foundry. William enlisted in Warwick on 3 September 1914 claiming to be aged 19, but he was in fact 18. He gave his trade as fitter. He was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea and from there to 184 Battery on 10 September 1914, which became A/58 in January 1915. He was absent from rollcall at Chapeltown Barracks on at least three occasions: 15 November 1914, 31 January 1915 and 17 February 1915. He was also absent without leave for 22 hours on 9-10 January 1915. As a result, he was confined to barracks on each occasion by either the battery commander, Maj Crozier, or by 2/Lt Ellison. He spent 3 days in hospital in Leeds between 2 and 5 February 1915 due to a boil. He was awarded 10 days’ confinement to barracks and forfeited 2 days’ pay by Lt Col Drake for being absent from rollcall at 6 a.m. on 4 April 1915 and missing the same roll call the next day when “a prisoner at large”. He was admonished by Capt Angus on 18 June 1915 for not complying with an order. He embarked at Devonport to go overseas on 1 July 1915, disembarking in Alexandria on 14 July 1915. He sailed from Alexandria on 1 August 1915, disembarking at Gallipoli on 12 August 1915. He was admitted to hospital on Gallipoli on 23 November 1915, rejoining his unit in Egypt on 26 January 1916. He was wounded on 11 September 1916 with gunshot wounds to his left scalp and left hand. Although both wounds were described as “slight”, he was evacuated to the UK from No.13 General Hospital, Boulogne on Hospital Ship “January Breydel” on 13 September 1916. He was in Westminster Hospital, London between 14 September and 7 October 1916, after which he was posted to 4C Reserve Bde on 20 October 1916. He was again twice absent or overstayed his leave while with 48 Reserve Battery at Weedon (on 7 November 1916 and 16 January 1917). He sailed from the UK on 23 January 1917 arriving in Salonika on 3 February 1917, where he was posted to B/XII Corps Ammunition Column on 31 July 1917, and then to 114 Bde Ammunition Column on 21 June 1918. He was finally posted to 116 Bde on 5 October 1918, before being sent back to the UK on 28 April 1919 for demobilisation, where he would return to his parents house of 21 Silver Street. He was still living there with his family in June 1921 and was working as a motor fitter for the Singer company in Coventry. This appears to be the William Birch who was born on 1 April 1896 and who married Elizabeth Mone, known as Lizzie, in 1923 in Coventry and was living at 5 North Avenue, Bedworth, Warks in September 1939 with two of his three children. By then William was a widower, Lizzie having died in 1931, and William was working as a cellulose polisher. This William Birch died in Nuneaton, Warks in 1976.
|
Cpl.
|
Bird
|
Frederick
|
168202
|
C/58
|
Frederick Bird was born in about 1891, the son of Eliza Bird. He served in 2nd Line Welsh RFA Brigades before being transferred to 4A Reserve Brigade RFA, Woolwich on 7 September 1916. He was serving as a Corporal in C/58 when he was evacuated with an inguinal hernia in his right hand side. He boarded No.31 Ambulance train at Chocques on 21 December 1917 and was taken to Boulogne where he disembarked the same day. On 20 October 1918, Frederick was serving as an Acting Sergeant in B/275 when he was killed in action, aged 27. He is buried in Esplechin Churchyard, Belgium. He left a widow, Helena, who lived at 35 Regent Street, Loughborough and at 65 Herbert Street, Loughborough shortly after Frederick’s death and she was granted a pension of 16s 3d a week.
|
Capt.
|
Bird
|
Walter
|
n/a
|
A/58
|
Walter Bird was born in Swinton, Yorks on 31 January 1873, the son of Joseph and Frances Bird. By 1891 the family had moved to Hull, which would be Walter’s hometown for much of the rest of his life. He does not appear to have ever married and so appears to have spent much of his life living with various members of his family. Before the war he worked as a clerk for the architect John Bilson and also served in the ranks with 2nd East Riding Yeomanry, Royal Garrison Artillery (Volunteers) between 1892 and 1908 and then in the Territorial Force’s 2nd Northumbrian Bde RFA between 1908 and 1913. He ended his volunteer career as a Battery Sergeant Major and had for several years been president of the Sergeants’ Mess at the Park Street and Wenlock Barracks in Hull. He was commissioned into the RFA and appointed a temporary Captain on 28 September 1914. He joined 59 Bde, where he was appointed adjutant. He sailed from Devonport with his brigade on 2 July 1915, arriving in Alexandria on 15 July 1915, before sailing from Alexandria on 1 August 1915 and disembarking at Gallipoli on 7 August 1915. He left Gallipoli on 18 December 1915. After service in Egypt he was still acting as adjutant to 59 Bde when he sailed from Alexandria with his brigade on the “Haverford” on 27 June 1915, landing at Marseilles on 4 July 1916. He ceased to be adjutant and was attached to A/59 on 27 December 1916. On 1 January 1917 he went to hospital sick, returning on 9 January 1917. A few weeks later he went to No.34 Field Ambulance on 5 February 1917 and was admitted to No.2 Stationary Hospital at Outreau later the same day. He was discharged and sent to the Base Depot on 10 February 1917 and ceased to hold the appointment of adjutant that day. On 13 April 1917 he was attached to 11 Division Ammunition Column (DAC). While serving as IX Corps’ representative at railhead “Ox”, he fell over a staircase and fractured his ribs so was admitted to No.110 Field Ambulance and then to No.14 General Hospital at Wimereux before being evacuated back to the UK on the Hospital Ship “January Breydel” sailing from Boulogne on 17 June 1917 and arriving in Dover the same day. Once in the UK he was a patient at the Horton War Hospital in Epsom and attended a Medical Board on 26 July 1917 which deemed him unfit for general service and so granted him leave until 16 August 1917. After reporting to 4B Reserve Bde in Boyton Camp, Codford, he returned overseas on 21 November 1917 and was posted back to 11 DAC on 28 November 1917 before being posted to A/58 Bde on 28 November 1917. He joined A/58 on 2 December 1917 but the same day was selected to go to Royal Artillery V Corps and went there the next day (along with 2/Lt Graham) and so was struck off the strength of 58 Bde. However soon afterwards he joined 189 (Hackney) Bde RFA on 13 December 1917 from VII Corps Ammunition Park. He returned to the UK on 16 January 1918 to attend the 14th Battery Commanders Course at Shoeburyness (20 January to 17 February 1918), rejoining his unit on 23 February 1918. He had leave in the UK between 21 July and 4 August 1918 and shortly after the Armistice was appointed A/Major while in command of a 6-gun battery on 18 November 1918. On 23 December 1918 he left his unit, 189 Army Bde RFA and sailed from Calais the following day to Dover for a period of leave and relinquished his acting rank of Major on 11 January 1919. He was demobilised on 12 November 1919 at the Dispersal Centre at Crystal Palace. In June 1921 he was living with his elder sister Mary Elizabeth Esther Bird and his younger brother Frederick Bird at 83 Linnaeus Street in Hull. He had a varied career: he was Principal of the Government Instructional Factory, Spring Bank, Hull between 1920 and 1926, then he worked briefly with the Empire Marketing Board in London, before joining the Divisional Office of the Ministry of Labour where he worked as a Mobile Officer until 1933. From 1933 he worked at the Bradford Employment Exchange until 1938. He then served briefly with the British Legion Police Force to Czechoslovakia, though the expedition was cancelled, and then drew up air-raid precaution measures for the Blackburn Aircraft Factory. He may have died in Yorkshire in 1950.
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Sgt.
|
Blackburn
|
Edward Colston
|
11151
|
B/58
|
Edward Colston Blackburn was born in 1893 in Bristol, the son of Edward John Blackburn and Lavinia Adelaide Blackburn (née Coram). The family were living in Canterbury St, St.Phillips, Bristol at the time. In 1911 Edward was working as a porter in a woollen warehouse and living with his widowed mother and five siblings in Barton Hill, Bristol. He enlisted into the RFA in Bristol on 3 or 4 September 1914 and by January 1915 had been appointed a Bdr and was serving in B/58. He was one of the witnesses to offences committed by Dvr Harris (10607) on 6 January 1915 as well as Gnr Ballard (10994) on 13 and 19 January 1915. Edward Blackburn went overseas with 58 Bde in July 1915 and was wounded at Gallipoli in late 1915. He was serving as a Sgt in B/58 in the Ypres salient when he was killed in action on 10 August 1917. He is buried in New Irish Farm Cemetery. His mother was awarded a pension of 6s a week from 19 March 1919.
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Dvr.
|
Blackman
|
George Henry
|
15576
|
A/58
|
George Henry Blackman was born in Sittingbourne, Kent, on 18 October 1878, the son of James Blackman and Amy Blackman. He was working as a general labourer when he enlisted into the RFA on 11 May 1901 giving his age as 19, and saw service in South Africa between 10 May 1902 and 1 March 1909 in 76 Battery and later 10 Battery, during which time he was regularly punished for various minor offences such as gambling, not shaving and being drunk, as well as being hospitalised on several occasions with venereal disease. After his return from South Africa, George was transferred to the Army Reserve. He married Ethel Hannah Matilda Ingram on 19 February 1913 and they had at least three children, Leslie Arthur Ernest Blackman born in about 1910, Marjorie Rose Elizabeth Blackman, born on 19 November 1911 and George Henry Thomas Blackman born on 8 March 1913. After war was declared, he was mobilised from the Reserves at Hilsea on 5 August 1914 and was posted 3 days later to 140 Battery, RFA. He was then posted to 211 Battery (later renumbered as A/67) which was part of 13 (Western) Division on 27 October 1914 and was punished on at least 4 occasions for being drunk during training. He was posted to the Mediterranean theatre of war on 15 June 1915 and to 66 Brigade Ammunition Column on 21 October 1915. A few months later, after 13 (Western Division) had been withdrawn from Gallipoli, George was posted to A/58 at el Ferdan from the Base Depot at Sidi Bishr on 5 April 1916. He sailed with his battery from Alexandria on 25 June 1916, disembarking at Marseilles on 3 July 1916. On 20 January 1917, George was admitted No.149 Field Ambulance and transferred the same day to the Divisional Rest Station, 3 Field Ambulance, rejoining A/58 on 31 January 1917. George was granted 10 days’ leave to the UK between 15 and 25 May 1917 and a month’s leave the following year between 14 September and 14 October 1918. He left 58 Bde when he was posted back to the UK for demobilisation on 19 January 1919. He and Ethel lived at 25 Charlotte Street, Sittingbourne between at least 1920 and 1922, and in 1921, George was working as a wharf labourer for Lloyds Mill, Sittingbourne. In September 1939, George and Ethel were living in Hawthorn Road, Sittingbourne and George was working as a dock labourer. George Blackman died in Sittingbourne in 1966, aged 87, Ethel having predeceased him in 1958.
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Far. Sgt.
|
Blackshaw
|
Charles
|
58481
|
A/58
|
Charles Blackshaw was born in Rotherham, Yorks on 30 November 1888 and subsequently moved to Hull. He may have been a pre-war soldier, since there was a Charles Blackshaw from Rotherham who was serving in 13 Battery RFA in Neemuch, India in 1911. Records state that he was serving in the Small Arms Section of 25 Bde RFA as a Farrier Sergeant when he contracted synovitis of the right knee, and that he was admitted to No.31 Casualty Clearing Station on 10 February 1916 before being transferred from there to No.5 Canadian Hospital. This suggests that he was serving at Salonika given that No.31 CCS and No.5 Canadian General Hospital were located there, so he cannot have been serving in 25 Bde RFA since that was in France; it is more likely that he was serving in an RFA unit in 25 Division. He was wounded during 1917 and at some point appears to have joined 58 Bde since on 12 November 1917 he left A/58 when HQ 11 Divisional Artillery sent orders for him to be transferred to 11 Division Ammunition Column. In June 1921, Charles was working as a blacksmith for Brigham and Cowan on Hedon Road, Hull, and was living at 147 New Bridge Road, Hull with his wife Alice Muriel Blackshaw and their 5 month old daughter, Iris Alice Blackshaw. In September 1939 the three of them were living at 124 New Bridge Road along with a second child, Kenneth Blackshaw who had been born on 5 April 1922. Charles was working as a blacksmith. Charles Blackshaw died in Hull in 1979, aged 90.
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2/Lt.
|
Blaker
|
Richard Sidney
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n/a
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D/58
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Richard Sidney Blaker was born in Simla, India, on 4 March 1893, the son of Richard Henry Blaker and Ethel Maria Blaker (née Buckner). He attended Bishop Cotton’s school in Simla. He served in the Simla Volunteer Rifles and then, while studying at Queen’s College Oxford, in the Oxford University Officer Training Corps but had to leave that due to having flat feet. Nevertheless, on 30 March 1916 he attested in the Army recruiting office in Ealing, London. He was 23 years old and gave his profession as artist. He went for training at No.2 RFA Officer Cadet School in Topsham Barracks, Exeter, and was commissioned as a 2/Lt in the Special Reserve on 7 July 1916. On 27 July 1916 he was posted to B/58 and then on 2 October 1916 to D/58. His time in D/58 is recounted in detail in his semi-autobiographical novel “Medal Without Bar”. While the brigade was resting at Montigny-les-Jongleurs, he was transferred from D/58 to the Brigade HQ on 4 February 1917 to replace Lt Atchley as Assistant Orderly Officer because Atchley had been evacuated sick. When the brigade left Montigny-les-Jongleurs on 20 February 1917, he went ahead of the brigade to find billets at their next stop. He returned to D/58 soon after. On 12 April 1917 he was admitted to hospital and was discharged to duty by 1/3 Northumbrian Field Ambulance on 22 April 1917. He was sick and so left 58 Bde on 10 July 1917 and was admitted to hospital the next day. On 1 August 1917 he sailed from Boulogne to Folkestone on sick leave granted by No.14 General Hospital, Wimereux due to severe facial neuralgia and boils. The Consultant Dermatologist to the Military Hospitals in London diagnosed him on 22 August 1917 with furunculosis and stated that he needed a sedentary job due to a strained foot. The boils had started in April 1917. He was deemed unfit for general service for 6 months but fit for light duties. This news was learned by the Royal Navy’s Intelligence Division and its Director, Admiral Reginald “Blinker” Hall, asked on 28 October 1917 if Richard could be lent for service in the Intelligence Division since he was deemed to have “many qualifications which would make him of considerable help to the Geographical Section.” The Army turned this request down. Instead, on 4 September 1917 Richard had been posted to 1209 Battery RFA, 7th Provisional Bde at Frinton-on-Sea and he reported for duty there on 13 September 1917. The following month, now serving in 418 Battery, 226 Mixed Bde, also at Frinton-on-Sea, his health had much improved. He was promoted to Lt on 7 January 1918. He sailed from Southampton on 19 February 1918, arriving in Taranto on 3 March 1918 and at Alexandria on 9 March 1918. He arrived in Kantara [El Qantara], Egypt the following day and was posted to 117 Bde RFA in 74 (Yeomanry) Division just as the division was getting ready to leave Palestine and go to France. On 22 April 1918 he was posted to No.1 Section, 74 Division Ammunition Column. On 23 May 1918, two weeks after his division arrived in France from Egypt, Richard was posted to D/117. He was granted 14 days’ leave to the UK on 13 September 1918, sailing via Boulogne but was deemed too ill to return to his unit so remained in the UK on medical leave until he was demobbed on 7 March 1919. He travelled to the USA on board the SS “Lapland” which sailed from Liverpool and arrived in New York on 12 April 1919. He resigned his commission on 23 January 1920 and after the war he became a successful author, including visiting Hollywood to work on film scripts – though the films were never made. In his private life, when he was 18, he started having an affair with his uncle Percy’s wife, Helena Mary Blaker (née MacGarvey) who was known as Mamie. Richard and Mamie married in 1921 in Michigan and had a daughter, Helen Betty Blaker, but they divorced in 1938. In 1936, Richard was living with Agnes Mayo Owen at 42 Clare Court, Judd Street, London and they sailed from London on 25 October 1937 on the SS “Martin Bakke” arriving in San Pedro, California on 3 December 1937. On that voyage, Agnes called herself Agnes Mayo Blaker though she and Richard did not get married until 1 April 1938 in Carson City, Nevada. Only two years later, Richard Blaker died on 18 February 1940 in the Good Samaritan Hospital, Los Angeles, aged 46. Some attributed his early death to wounds received during his wartime service. He is buried in the British Plot of Inglewood Park Cemetery, Los Angeles.
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Dvr.
|
Blane
|
George Samuel
|
156294
|
A/58
|
George Samuel Blane was born in Southwark, London, in 1882, the son of James Blane. He married Ellen Strong on Christmas Day 1901 and they had 4 children. He enlisted in Woolwich and joined the Royal Army Veterinary Corps as a horse keeper with service number SE/6213. At some point he transferred to the artillery and was assigned to A/58. On 20 August 1918 he died of wounds received, aged 36. He is buried in Pernes British Cemetery, France.
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Bdr.
|
Boddington
|
|
|
C/58?
|
Bdr Boddington was one of the witnesses to Gnr Walter Prince (10685) being absent between 10pm 3 February 1915 until found in bed at 7.05 am the next day, and for using insubordinate language to an NCO. He also witnessed the absence without leave between 14 and 21 February 1915 of Gnr Sidney Edwards (11256).
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Gnr.
|
Bolt
|
Harold
|
215839
|
A/58
|
Harold Bolt was born on 8 February 1883 in Birkenhead, Cheshire, the son of William John and Ada Mary Alice Bolt (née Oxton). He was living in Stretford, Lancs in 1911 and working as a self-employed cabinetmaker. On 1 September 1911, he married Annie Elizabeth French in St Agnes Church, Birch-in-Rusholme, Manchester and they had a daughter Ethel Elizabeth on 7 October 1913. He was working as a self-employed home furnisher when he enlisted on 2 January 1917 in Chester. He was posted to No.2 Depot at Preston on 2 April 1917 and was mustered on 9 November 1917 as a gunner in 6B Reserve Bde, Edinburgh. He went to France on 7 April 1918 and joined A/58 as a driver on 17 April 1918. He was appointed an acting paid Lance Bdr on 9 August 1918 and as a driver paid A/Bdr on 22 December 1918. He was still serving in A/58 on 15 February 1919 when he was replaced as a paid A/Bdr by Gnr William Mathieson (104159). This may have been because he was leaving the unit to return to the UK ready for demobilisation, because he left France on 5 March 1919, went to the Dispersal Centre at Prees Heath on 12 March 1919 and was demobilised on 10 April 1919. He applied for a pension due to trouble with his right knee which had been caused by an injury sustained on 17 February 1918 during stables at Redford Barracks, Edinburgh, while he was serving in 36 Reserve Battery RFA. That had caused him to be on light duties for a few weeks and the Medical Officer had thought at the time that the knee might “go” at any time and he would probably need an operation. He was unsuccessful in his application for a pension since the injury was not deemed to be attributable to his military service. After his demobilisation he returned to Cheshire giving his address as the Manor House, Heatley. He and Annie had a son, William Duncan Bolt in 1920 by which point they were living in Paignton, Devon. In June 1921 the family were living at Kingshurst Lodge, Southfield, Paignton, and Harold was training in horticulture at Oldway Gardens in Paignton with as part of a Government training scheme. In 1939 he and his family were living in Plympton St Mary, Devon, and he was working in the catering trade. During World War Two he also served as an ARP warden. Annie passed away in 1968 in Torbay, and Harold died in June 1972 in Torbay, aged 89.
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Gnr.
|
Bond
|
Albert
|
159994
|
A/58
|
Albert Bond was born in Crossens, Lancs in about 1898, the son of James Bond and Cicely Bond. Between at least 1901 and 1911, the family were living at 220 Rufford Road, Crossens. Albert enlisted in Southport, Lancs, and was 19 years old and serving in A/58 as a Gunner when he died of wounds on 3 June 1917. He is buried in Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, Nord, France. His father was awarded a pension of 6s 6d a week from 11 December 1917.
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L/Bdr.
|
Borham
|
George Godfrey
|
2894
|
C/58
|
George Godfrey Borham was born in Fulham on 23 March 1895, the eldest son of George Borham and Annie Borham. He attended Childeric Road School from 1899. In 1911, he was 15 years old and working as an errand boy for a baker and confectioner. He was serving in the RFA when he went to the Balkans theatre of war on 7 August 1915. He was serving as a Lance Bombardier in C/58 when he was appointed an Acting Bombardier on 25 April 1918 so was replaced as L/Bdr in C/58 by Harry Sturt. He was then promoted to Bombardier on 7 August 1918 so his post as A/Bdr was again back-filled by Sturt. He was wounded twice: in 1917 and 1918. On 20 December 1919, George married Maud Violet Charman Fielder in Fulham and in June 1921 they were living with Maud’s parents at 19 Darlan Road, Fulham along with the first of their two children, George William A Borham who had been born in late 1920. George was working as a general labourer for the sugar manufacturers, Garton & Sons Ltd of Battersea. In September 1939, George and Maud were living at 251 Lewis Trust Building in Fulham in 1939 and George was working as a factory hand. George Borham died in the London borough of Redbridge in 1985.
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Gnr.
|
Borrows
|
M
|
54326
|
B/58
|
Gunner M Borrows was reported as dangerously ill on 12 November 1915 while at Malta.
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2/Lt.
|
Borthwick
|
Cecil Hamilton
|
n/a
|
B/58
|
Cecil Hamilton Borthwick was born on 3 July 1887. His father, Edward, was a clergyman. He studied at Sidney College Cambridge University (1906-09). He was appointed a Temporary 2/Lt in the RFA on 23 September 1914 having been a cadet in an Officer Training Corps and was assigned to 185 Battery. He sat on the Court of Enquiry into Dvr Chaplin’s accident in November 1914, and punished Gnr Ballard for an offence on 1 January 1915. He sailed from Liverpool on 1 July 1915 on the SS “Empress Britain” for Alexandria. While serving at Gallipoli he was ordered on 4 September 1915 to be ready to take charge of 116 men being sent away from the peninsular, though it may be that his place was taken by 2/Lt H M Dawson. He was admitted onto the Hospital Ship “Assaye” with debility on 9 December 1915 and disembarked at Malta from that ship on 13 December 1915 when he was described as ‘sick, slight’. It may be at this point that he left 58 Bde. On 25 June 1916 he was made a temporary Lt. He had returned at some point to the UK because on 30 June 1916 he was posted from the UK to join ‘L’ Battery RHA, part of 15 Bde RHA in 29 Division near Auchonvillers, France, just in time for the opening of the Battle of the Somme. He was awarded the Military Cross which was gazetted on 18 March 1918 “for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. When the enemy carried out a destructive shoot on the battery position ammunition pit and one of the guns were set on fire. With two others he at once extinguished the fire, and saved the gun. He showed great coolness and contempt of danger.” He married Sybil May Morton Carter in 1919 and resigned his commission on 25 January 1920. In June 1921 he paid a visit to his widowed mother-in-law at Clifton, The Parade, Chislehurst and was described as a “Gentleman, no occupation for a living”, while Sybil stayed at their home on the Norfolk coast at Beck Hythe, Overstrand. After the war he played minor counties cricket (for Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Kent 2nd XI) as a wicket keeper in the 1920s and 30s and was in partnership running a private school in Kent. In November 1935 he was living at Sarre Court, Sarre in Kent when he witnessed a car accident just outside his home. On 29 July 1939, shortly before the Second World War broke out, he was commissioned as a Captain in a National Defence company and was subsequently promoted to Major. By 1951, Cecil and Sybil had moved to live in Thornham Hall, Eye, Norfolk. He acted as Chairman and Treasurer of the Mellis, Burgate and Thrandeston Branch of the British Legion during the 1950s. Cecil Borthwick died on 30 December 1977 in Diss, Norfolk, aged 90. His wife Sybil died in 1993, aged 96.
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Gnr.
|
Bottoms
|
Ernest
|
150644
|
B/58
|
Ernest Bottoms was born in about 1880 in Borrowash, Derbyshire. He was a bricklayer and married Louisa Esther Walker (sometimes written as Esther Louisa Walker) on 15 November 1913 and they were living in Balham, London when he attested on 11 December 1915, presumably under the Derby scheme since he did not enlist immediately, instead on 16 June 1915 he was instructed to report to the Town Hall, Wandsworth, on 30 June 1916: “You are hereby warned that you will be required to rejoin for service with the Colours on the 30 June 1916. You should therefore present yourself at Town Hall, Wandsworth, on the above date, not later than 11am o’clock (sic), bringing this paper with you.” He enlisted in Clapham, Kingston-upon-Thames that day. He was posted to RFA No.6 Training School, Biscot, Luton on 3 July 1916 and then sent overseas to France on 10 December 1916. He joined 19 DAC on 16 December 1916 and then A/87 on 1 January 1917 but was admitted to a Casualty Clearing Station on 15 March 1917 with inflammation of connecting tissue in his heel. He was transferred to No.7 Canadian General Hospital on 17 March 1917 and evacuated to the UK on HMHS “Warilda” on 22 March 1917. He stayed in East Leeds War Hospital from 23 March to 28 July 1917, and then in hospital in Royal Artillery Command Depot, South Camp, Ripon from 6 August to 14 September 1917 still with a problem with his foot. He was posted to B/58 on 20 October 1917. One year later he was granted 14 days’ leave with rations between 20 October and 3 November 1918. He was admitted to 35 Field Ambulance on 18 December 1918 with a fractured clavicle and was transferred to 3rd Northern General Hospital, Sheffield, from 31 December 1918 to 15 February 1919 with a “simple fracture to right clavicle”. He was posted to 14 Reserve Bde at Larkhill on 25 February 1919 and then to the Dispersal Centre at Crystal Palace on 15 April 1919 ready for demobilisation. In June 1921, he and Esther were living at 8 Scholar Road, Balham and Ernest was working as a bricklayer for Fox & Sons, a boiler setting engineering company in Balham High Road.
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2/Lt.
|
Boulton
|
Thomas Harold
|
n/a
|
A/58
|
Thomas Harold Boulton was born on 19 June 1886 in Dumbarton, Scotland. He and his three sisters, Amuri Stella Boulton, Benedicta Frances Kate Boulton and Minna Boulton, appear to have moved to England at a young age and lived as lodgers with other families. In 1891, he and his sisters were living with a widow, Eliza Norwood, her two daughters and three members of staff in Mersham, Kent and in 1901 he was 14 and was at school and was lodging with a schoolmaster, Mr Alfred J Roper in Dulwich. Thomas was educated at Anerley College, Penge, London and at Alleyn College, Dulwich, London. He emigrated to New Zealand and became a grazier. In late 1915 he sailed from Sydney, Australia on the SS “Mongolia” and arrived in London on New Year’s Day 1916. Throughout his time in the UK and in the Army, he gave his UK address as being care of his brother-in-law, Revd Claude Spencer Thomas Watkins of Seasalter Vicarage, Whitstable, Kent, who had married Benedicta in 1911. Shortly after arriving back in the UK, Thomas enlisted into the RHA on 31 January 1916 at St John’s Wood, London and was assigned service number 126948 and applied for a commission into the RFA. He attended an Officers’ Cadet Unit and was commissioned into the RFA (Special Reserve) on 24 June 1916. He went to France just over a week later, arriving there on 10 or 11 July 1916 and joined A/62 Bde RFA in 12 Division on 20 July 1916. On 29 August 1916 he was posted to 58 Bde, possibly initially joining D/58 before transferring to A/58. On the night of 24 September 1916 he had a “near shave” near Pozières during the battle of Thiepval. A shell burst near him causing his horse to rear and fall over. When Thomas came to he discovered that his groom and both their horses were dead. As a result of the injury he was “badly shaken up” and very deaf. This was the beginning of what proved to be a long-standing health problem with deafness, tinnitus and headaches. At his own request he was posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column (11 DAC) on 10 October 1916. He must have returned to A/58 since he was again posted from there to 11 DAC on 2 December 1916 before being posted to D/165 Bde RFA on 4 December 1916. He was granted leave to the UK between 24 June and 4 July 1917, but soon after was admitted to 94 Field Ambulance with debility on 16 July 1917. He was then admitted to No.2 Red Cross Hospital in Rouen on 31 July 1917 and evacuated back to the UK from there on the AT “Grantully Castle” which sailed from Dieppe on 7 August 1917 and arrived at Southampton the following day and was admitted to No.4 London Hospital later that same day. On about 3 December 1917 he was posted to A/351 Bde RFA of 71 Division at the Artillery Barracks in Colchester. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 24 December 1917. A medical board was convened at Colchester on 28 December 1917 which concluded that he had an inflammation of the middle ear and was slightly deaf in both ears and as a result he was instructed to report to his unit since he was deemed fit for garrison duty or labour duty abroad. Due to the damp weather, his brigade’s medical officer recommended that he be posted for garrison duty to Palestine or Egypt since the dry heat was thought would be helpful. He was in fact posted to India and so sailed from Southampton on 13 February 1918, arriving in Bombay [Mumbai] on 26 March 1918. He was posted to No.3 Royal Artillery Training Depot at Jubbulpore that day and remained there until 28 September 1918 when he joined the Royal Artillery Depot at Trimulgherry [Tirumalagiry]. On 20 March 1919 he joined the Royal Artillery Depot in Ahmednagar and was appointed adjutant the same day. He was appointed second in command of that depot on 12 October 1919. While in India, he was informed by a specialist that his tinnitus and deafness were incurable. Having suffered from an unspecified financial loss at home, he decided to apply for a wound gratuity. As an officer in the Special Reserve he should have relinquished his commission on 1 April 1920 but it seems that he was overlooked and so it wasn’t until 30 April 1920 that he left his unit as a result of orders to return to the UK for demobilisation. For his journey back he went first to the Concentration Camp at Deolali, then sailed from Bombay on 24 May 1920 on the SS” Zeppelin” for the UK. On his return he reported to No.4 RFA Depot in Woolwich on 21 August 1920 and was then repatriated back to New Zealand on the SS “Ormonde” which sailed the following day for Australia. He relinquished his commission on 2 October 1920 and soon after was informed that he was not deemed eligible for a wound gratuity: two medical boards had categorised the injury he had received in September 1916 at Thiepval as “severe” with a third categorising it as “very severe”. In 1927 he married Annie Alberta Crum in New Zealand and he died on 31 July 1953 in Port Chalmers, Otago, New Zealand.
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Gnr.
|
Bourne
|
Edwin George
|
815097
|
D/58
|
Born in Teddington, Middx, on 20 December 1890 to Anthony Bourne and Isabella Bourne, Edwin George Bourne was 27 years old when, on 23 August 1918, he was in a group of men trying to get a wagon out of a ditch. As they worked, an enemy aeroplane swooped down and dropped 5 bombs on them. Edwin was one of nine men who were killed with one more later dying of wounds. He is buried in Hersin Communal Cemetery Extension along with 7 of those killed alongside him.
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Gnr.
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Bourne
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George
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11142
|
|
George Bourne was invalided with VS while serving in 58 Bde, probably in December 1915 from Suvla Bay, Gallipoli.
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Gnr.
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Bowker
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John Thomas
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17936
|
C/58
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John Thomas Bowker was born on 9 February 1884 in Bangor-on-Dee near Wrexham, Flintshire, the son of Martha Bowker, although he appears to have been brought up by his grandparents, Thomas and Jane Bowker. He worked as a labourer before becoming a career soldier, enlisting on 10 February 1904 in Wrexham and joining the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA) in Fort Rowner in Gosport. He signed on for 3 years with the colours and 9 years in the Reserves and was posted as a Gunner to 14 Company RGA on 7 April 1904 and to 74 Company RGA on 6 December 1904. In 1906 he agreed to stay for a total of 8 years with the colours. He spent much of his service in India, for example with in No.2 Mountain Battery RGA in Ambala, India. He returned to civilian life on 28 February 1912 when he was transferred to the Army Reserve. He married Gladys Wilkinson on 29 July 1912 in the Registry Office in Holywell, Flintshire and they set up home in Wrexham where John worked as a coal miner. They had a son, Leslie Wilkinson Bowker, who was born in Connah’s Quay, Flintshire on 30 April 1913 and at some point John became a police officer, serving as Constable No.13 in the Flintshire Constabulary. As an Army reservist, when war broke out John was mobilised on 5 August 1914 and was posted to No.3 Section of 4 Division Ammunition Column RFA. On 17 August 1914 he was posted to 19 Reserve Battery and then to Base Details on 26 August 1914. On 2 December 1914 he was posted to 4 Division’s 39 Battery RFA. His brigade transferred to 27 Division on 9 February 1915 and he was probably serving with them when he was wounded on 10 May 1915 with gun-shot wounds to his scalp, fore-arm and right thigh. He was admitted to No.3 Casualty Clearing Station the same day and evacuated on No.3 Ambulance Train the following day. After being admitted on 12 May 1915 to No.8 Stationary Hospital in Wimereux, he was evacuated back to the UK on the Hospital Ship “St. Patrick”. He stayed in the General Hospital in Leicester before being granted some furlough between 30 May and 5 June 1915 during which he was posted to 4B Reserve Bde for administrative purposes and then to 4A Reserve Bde on 9 July 1915 before being posted back to France to No.2 General Headquarters Ammunition Park on 22 July 1915. He was granted leave to the UK between 18 and 23 December 1915 but on return to his unit was punished for not reporting an illness while in the UK to the nearest military authorities. The following year he contracted influenza so was in No.10 Stationary Hospital in St. Omer between 13 and 20 March 1916 but appears to have been discharged before he fully recovered because he returned there on 28 March 1916 and stayed until 1 April 1916 with bronchial catarrh. Later that year he was back in hospital this time with a contusion in his back: he was admitted to No.12 Stationary Hospital in St. Pol on 2 October 1916, then was transferred to Base on 6 October 1916 before being admitted to No.2 Canadian Stationary Hospital from which he was quickly sent on 7 October 1916 to No.7 Convalescent Depot at Boulogne and from there to the Rest Camp at Boulogne on 3 November 1916. He was posted to join 11 Division’s C/133 Bde RFA on 16 November 1916 and when that brigade was split up he joined C/58 on 4 December 1916. But he was soon back in hospital being admitted 34 Field Ambulance on 9 December 1916 with suspected malaria then two days later to No.11 Casualty Clearing Station where the diagnosis was that he had an unknown fever and then evacuated on No.16 Ambulance Train on 13 December 1916 to No.11 General Hospital in Camiers with an unknown fever and trench fever. He left that hospital on Christmas Day 1916 to be evacuated back to the UK by No.5 Ambulance Train and then by hospital ship. On arriving back in the UK, he was admitted to the County of Middlesex War Hospital at Napsbury on 27 December 1916 and was posted that day to 5C Reserve Bde for administrative purposes. At that time, he was aged 33 and had been in the Army 12 years and 10 months in total and had served 26 months with the Field Force. He was treated in ward F.8 and after 16 days was discharged from the hospital on 11 January 1917 to furlough until 20 January 1917, during which he was posted to No.7 Depot before being transferred to 5C Reserve Bde on 5 February 1917. His military service was due to expire on 10 February 1917, thirteen years after he had first enlisted, however due to the Military Service Act 1916 he was retained in the Army. He went Absent Without Leave between 17 and 26 April 1917 and so was meant to be confined to barracks for seven days but after just two days he was sent back to France where he was posted to 17 Division Ammunition Column on 12 May 1917 and three days later to that division’s B/78 Bde RFA. He was appointed A/Bdr on 20 July 1917 and promoted to Bdr on 28 August 1917. He was wounded on 11 October 1917 by gun-shot wounds to his back and after initial treatment in 53 Field Ambulance he was admitted to No.20 General Hospital in Camiers on 13 October 1917 after which he was evacuated to the UK on the Ambulance Transport “January Breydel” on 19 October 1917 and was admitted to the Central Military Hospital Chatham later that day. On this occasion, having returned to the UK it appears that he did not serve overseas again. He was granted furlough so went back to Connah’s Quay between 3 and 12 December 1917 after which he was posted to No.4 Reserve Bde (TF) on 12 December 1917. On New Year’s Day 1918 he was posted to join B/343 Bde RFA at Luton, one of the artillery units in 68 Division which formed part of the defence force in the UK. He was posted to No.6 Reserve Bde (TF) on 22 May 1918 and the following year was sent for demobilisation to the Dispersal Centre at Clipstone on 12 January 1919. He attended there the following day and was demobbed on 10 February 1919, exactly 15 years after having first enlisted. His character was described as “very good”. After the war he enlisted into the Territorial Force on 12 July 1921 in Wrexham. He signed up for 3 years’ service and joined 4th battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers with the new service number of 4182672. He served with them until his discharge on 11 July 1924 having completed his 3 years. In October 1939 he was working as a general labourer and was living with Gladys in Flint and appears to have died in 1953 in Holywell.
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Gnr.
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Bowles
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Michael
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119948
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B/58
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Michael Bowles was born in about 1898. He worked as a barman before enlisting in the RFA and was serving in B/58 when he was admitted to Stobb Hill Military Hospital, Glasgow on 2 January 1918 with pyrexia of an unknown origin. He then went to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick, from where he was discharged to draft on 1 May 1918.
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Maj.
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Bowly
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David
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n/a
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B/58
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Born on 2 October 1865 in Siddington, Glos, David Bowly was the son of David and Maria Eliza Bowly. He attended Marlborough College and joined the Army in about 1886, serving in 21st Lancers. While serving with his regiment in Dublin, he was found to have been “connected” with the case of a young officer who was subjected to bullying and pressured to resign from the Army. As a result, Maj Bowly was called on to retire from the Army which he did on 15 August 1903, aged 37, and joined the Reserve of Officers. As a result of his “misconduct” his retirement pay was reduced by 20%. In 1911 he was still single and living in Cirencester, Glos. He rejoined the Army though developed neurasthenia from 21 June 1917 so was assessed on 31 July 1917 as only fit for light duties. He was posted to join 58 Bde for duty in the horse lines just before the Armistice on 27 October 1918 and went on 14 days’ leave to England on 7 March 1919. In June 1921, he was visiting Robert and Jane Payne in London. David died of chronic endocarditis in Hove, Sussex, on 16 October 1926 aged 61. His sister, Maria Bowly, was with him when he passed away.
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Gnr.
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Boyland
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|
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A/58
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Gnr Boyland was granted 10 days’ leave to England on 25 October 1916.
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Bdr.
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Bradley
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George Rutherford
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204751
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B/58
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George Rutherford Bradley was born on 26 March 1895 in Halifax, Yorks the son of Alfred Bradley and Clara H Bradley. In 1911, he was 16 years old, still living in Halifax and working as a clerk-messenger for the Board of Trade. On 5 November 1913, he acted as a groomsman at his sister Edith’s wedding in Halifax. He was working as a civil servant when he enlisted into the RFA and was serving as a Bombardier in B/58 when he was gassed in early 1918. He was admitted to No.8 Casualty Clearing Station on 9 April 1918, then evacuated on No.6 Ambulance Train before being admitted to No.18 General Hospital on 11 April 1918. He was then evacuated back to the UK and was treated in 4th Northern General Hospital, Lincoln before being sent to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick from where he was discharged to draft on 18 September 1918. After the war, he returned to work in the civil service and married Vera Feavers on 6 October 1921 in St. Hilda’s church, Halifax. Their daughter Marjorie was born just over a year later. In September 1939, George, Vera and Marjorie were living at 43 Borough Road, Redcar, Yorks and George was working as deputy manager of the employment exchange. George was awarded the MBE in 1957 when a Grade 3 officer at the Ministry of Labour and National Service. On 22 February 1960, George Rutherford died in Nottingham, having been living at 1 Raven Avenue, Sherwood, Nottingham.
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2/Lt.
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Bragg
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Robert Charles
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n/a
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A/58
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The son of the eminent physicist William Henry Bragg and of Gwendoline Bragg (née Todd), Robert Charles Bragg was born in Adelaide, Australia on 25 November 1892 while his father was a professor at the University of Adelaide. He attended the Collegiate School of St. Peter in Adelaide between 1905 and 1908, representing the school in the Intercollegiate Athletics before the family returned to the UK where Bob, as he was known, attended Oundle School (1909-1911). He was described as “outgoing and popular, with his mother’s intuitive ease with people”. While studying at Trinity College Cambridge he enlisted into the territorial cavalry regiment King Edward’s Horse (with service number 227) on 28 May 1913. He joined C Squadron and was appointed a L/Cpl on 31 January 1914 and after war was declared was mobilised on 5 August 1914. He was promoted to Corporal on 24 November 1914, but he had decided that he was more likely to see action in the artillery so was discharged on 29 November 1914 and was commissioned as a Temporary 2/Lt in the RFA the following day and assigned to A/58. He represented his battery when King George V inspected 11th (Northern) Division on 31 May 1915 on Witley Common, Surrey. He sailed from Devonport on SS “Knight Templar” on 1 July 1915 with his battery. On 1 September 1915, while censoring letters in his dugout at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli, he was struck by a Turkish shell which failed to explode but severed one leg and badly damaged the other. He was evacuated onto HMHS “Nevasa” where he had the damaged leg amputated but he died on board the following day and was buried at sea. His death came shortly before his father and brother (William Lawrence Bragg) were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics.
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Gnr.
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Brand
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David Low
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93067
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B/58
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David Low Brand was born in Aberdeen in about 1894, the son of Charles Brand and Jessie Brand. He was working as an engineer when he enlisted into the RFA in Greenock on 27 August 1914, aged 21, claiming to have previously served 6 years in the Durban Light Infantry. He was posted initially to the RFA’s No.6 Depot at Glasgow and from there on 14 September 1914 to 185 Battery, which was renamed B/58. He was posted overseas arriving in the Balkans theatre of war on about 12 August 1915. He probably left B/58 when he was posted to 59 Brigade Ammunition Column (BAC) on 2 March 1916 and then, when 11 Division merged its BACs, he joined the new 11 Division Ammunition Column on 20 July 1916. On 29 August 1917 he was posted to 11 Division Trench Mortar Batteries and joined V.11 Trench Mortar Battery. He was posted to Base on 24 April 1918 and was then transferred to the Labour Corps as a Private on 5 May 1918, where he was given the new service number 580767, and he joined 849 Area Employment Company, while retaining his Royal Artillery rates of pay. He was absent between 30 August and 7 September 1918. David was demobilised from the Army on 27 February 1919 and appears to have moved out to South Africa where much of his family now lived. He is reported to have married Scottish-born Isabella Robertson Clayton (née Leask) in Durban on 19 March 1924. David Brand died on 3 December 1931 at Ruaraka, Nairobi, Kenya aged 38, and is buried in Stamford Hill Cemetery, Durban, South Africa.
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Sgt.
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Brasse
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Horace Joseph
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10541
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B/58
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Horace Brasse was born on 25 March 1889 in Northampton. He enlisted in Coventry and reported Dvr John H Banks (93448) for being absent on the evening of 11 January 1915. He was the husband of May Brasse and father of two daughters: Hilda May Brasse, born on 18 May 1914 and Dorothy Freda Brasse, born on 5 May 1915. Horace died of wounds on 15 August 1915 received at Suvla Bay, probably the first of 58th Bde’s casualties after they went into action. He is buried on Gallipoli in Hill 10 Cemetery. His widow was awarded a pension of 19s 6d a week from 13 March 1916.
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Sgt.
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Brewster
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Charles Henry
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38690
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D/58
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Charles Henry Brewster was born in Sidcup, Kent on 5 September 1888, the second of the two sons of William and Elizabeth Brewster. In 1911 he appears to have been working as a domestic groom for Countess Harrington at Stanhope Lodge, East Cowes, Isle of Wight. He enlisted into the RFA in Whitehall, London on 1 October 1914, giving his occupation as groom. He joined at Bedford and was posted as a Gunner to 267 Battery in Colchester on 17 October 1914, which was subsequently re-numbered as C/85. He was appointed Acting Bombardier on 15 March 1915 in Ipswich and sailed from Southampton with his battery on 25 July 1915, arriving in Le Havre the next day. A few days later he was promoted to Bombadier on 1 August 1915. A re-organisation took place on 24 May 1916 which resulted in C/85 becoming D/82. He was promoted to Corporal on 7 September 1916 and had some leave back in the UK between 22 December 1916 and 1 January 1917, during which he got married, marrying Ruth Sheer in the parish church of St George’s, Campden Hill, London. He was promoted to Sergeant on 22 July 1917. On 20 October 1917 Charles was gassed, receiving burns to his face and left hand so was admitted to No.64 Casualty Clearing Station that day before going to No.2 Australian General Hospital in Boulogne, from where he was evacuated back to the UK via Newhaven on 24 October 1917. He was hospitalised in the UK between 24 and 29 October 1917 before going to the Royal Artillery Command Depot in Ripon on 8 November 1917 for further recuperation. From there he went to 49 Reserve Battery in Charlton Park on 5 January 1918. He was placed in charge of another soldier who was to be held under close arrest, but on 8 February 1918, the soldier escaped and so Charles was tried by Divisional Court Martial for neglect of duty, so was initially fined 42 days’ pay, though this was later reduced to 21 days’ pay. He was posted back to France on 15 March 1918 and posted to D/58 on 3 April 1918. After the Armistice, he was selected to attend a course in veterinary science given by the 22nd Mobile Veterinary Section between 7 and 21 February 1919. A month later he had some leave in the UK between 21 March and 4 April 1919. On 18 June 1919 he was sent back to the UK for demobilisation and went to the Crystal Palace Dispersal Centre from where he was demobbed on 17 July 1919, giving his home address as 122 Lancaster Road, Notting Hill, London. in 1939, Charles and Ruth were living in 23 Elstree Gardens, Edmonton, Middx and Charles was working as a plasterer’s labourer. Charles Brewster died in Enfield in 1971, aged 82.
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BSM
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Brice
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Frank Lea
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32074
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A/58
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Frank Lea Brice was born in 1888 to George and Sarah Brice in Lea, Kent. In 1911 he was serving in the RFA in India as a Bombardier. He married Florence Maud Barnard in 1913. He was serving in 10 Battery, 29 Division as a Sergeant when he was wounded on 27 May 1915. He joined A/58 as their Battery Sgt Major in late August 1916 and was described by the commanding officer of his battery as “a real good man”. During the night of 2/3 June 1917, he displayed “Conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. Although severely gassed and badly shaken by a shell which penetrated his gun-pit, he immediately carried a wounded comrade to the dressing station under heavy shell fire. In view of his own condition, his conduct throughout the whole bombardment was particularly gallant.” For this, he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal on 10 July 1917 and this was gazetted on 25 August 1917. He ended the war as a Warrant Officer 2nd Class and was serving as Battery Sergeant Major for A Battery, 90 Bde RFA at Wormwood Scrubs in June 1921. Frank Brice died in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, on 16 December 1935.
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Cpl.
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Bricknell
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C
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|
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Cpl C Bricknell was convicted of theft by a Court Martial held at el Ferdan, Egypt, on 29 and 30 March 1916 so was reduced to the ranks and awarded 1 month’s Field Punishment No.1.
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Capt.
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Bridge
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Charles Edward Dunscomb
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n/a
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OC C/58
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Charles Edward Dunscomb Bridge (sometimes spelled Charles Edward Dunscombe Bridge) was born on 22 February 1886 in Aldershot, Hants, the son Charles Henry Bridge and Elizabeth Dorcas Bridge (née Morris). In 1901 he was a 15-year-old student in the College, Army House, Aldershot. He attended the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich from where he was recommended for a commission in late 1904. On 21 December 1907 he was promoted to Lieutenant and passed an examination for interpreters in German in 1909. He had been serving in 97 Battery in Bloemfontein when he was posted to the RHA Depot at Woolwich in late 1910 or early 1911, and was posted from there to “C” Battery, RHA in Canterbury in 1913. He was promoted to Captain on 30 October 1914 and was graded for pay as a Staff Captain from 10 February 1915. He was attached to the Belgian artillery when he was wounded in May 1915 and was awarded the Belgian Chevalier de l’Ordre de Léopold a few months later. He relinquished the Staff Captaincy on 9 September 1915 and was restored to the establishment and seconded for service on the staff as a General Staff Officer (GSO) 2nd Grade which resulted in him being made a temporary Major. He was awarded the Military Cross on 14 January 1916 and was Mentioned in Dispatches on 1 July 1916. He relinquished his role as GSO 2nd Grade on 17 July 1916 and was appointed instead as GSO 3rd Grade, resulting in him reverting to Capt. He left that post on 16 September 1916 when he was restored to the establishment. He married Florence Mildred Georgena Canning Hall on 10 October 1916 at St. Martin’s in hte Fields, London. He was promoted to Major on 1 November 1916 (though the promotion was antedated to 21 October 1916). He was 11 Division Artillery’s acting Brigade Major in mid-November 1916 and then on 29 November 1916, he took command of C/58. Maj Bridge acted as 58 Bde Commander from 6 December 1916 while Lt Col Winter was acting as CRA, until about 29 December 1916 when Maj Bridge went on a course. Maj Bridge MC was appointed GSO 2nd Grade on 12 February 1917 probably at the same time as he was posted as acting liaison officer with the Belgian Army. He was appointed GSO 1st Grade on 28 August 1918 and made a temporary Lt Col as a result. He was serving in Italy as British Liaison Officer to the Italian Third Army towards the end of the war. Lt Col Bridge DSO MC relinquished his rank of Lt Col and reverted to Major on leaving his appointment as GSO 1st Grade on 16 February 1919 and was restored to the establishment as a supernumerary Major. On 20 January 1920 he was made GSO 2nd Grade at the War Office. As a result of his service in the war he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, the Military Cross and the Belgian Croix de Guerre. He was appointed Assistant Military Attaché in Washington on 24 December 1920 and served there until 1 June 1923. He was seconded to the Staff on 22 January 1925 and on 22 February 1927 he was appointed as a Military Attaché and awarded the local rank of Lt. Col. He retired from the Army on 31 October 1928 and promoted to Lt. Col. the same day. In at least 1938 and 1939, he was Secretary General of the British Council and was awarded the Companion of St. Michael and St. George during his time there. On 12 February 1946 he reached the age when he was no longer liable to be recalled to service, and was granted the honorary rank of Brigadier. In 1948 he and his wife travelled to Kenya where he served as a District and County Councillor. Charles Bridge died in London in 1961, aged 74.
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Gnr.
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Bridgman
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Herbert Septimus
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10688
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C/58
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The son of James and Annie Bridgman, Herbert Septimus Bridgman was born on 6 July 1891 in Elmore, Glos. In 1911 he was working as a groom and living as a boarder with the Goodall family in Moynes Court Cottage, Chepstow. He enlisted in Atherstone, Warks, on 1 September 1914, aged 23. He had been a groom in civilian life. He was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea, and from there to 186 Battery on 10 September 1914, which became C/58 in January 1915. Along with much of 58 Bde he sailed from Devonport on 1 July 1915 arriving at Alexandria on 14 July 1915 and then went to Gallipoli. He was admitted to hospital on Gallipoli on 4 October 1915 and was evacuated from there to Malta on HMHS “Nevasa” on 14 October 1915. From there he was evacuated back to the UK on HMHS “Egypt” on 22 November 1915. He was posted to 5C Reserve Bde on 29 November 1915 and appointed an A/Bdr on 23 July 1916. He was sent to France on 29 July 1916 and was posted to join 29 Division Ammunition Column (DAC) on 6 August 1916, but 2 days later was attached to 20 DAC. He was admitted to 2/2 London Casualty Clearing Station on 17 February 1917 with inflammation of connecting tissue in his heel. Having been discharged to Base from No.2 Convalescence Depot on 20 March 1917, he was assigned to B/317 on 25 April 1917. He was admitted to 149 Field Ambulance on 28 December 1917, transferred to a Casualty Clearing Station at Ytres being being admitted to No.9 Australian General Hospital in Abbeville on New Year’s Eve 1917 from where he was evacuated back to the UK on Hospital Ship “Panama” on 4 January 1918. He returned to France on 27 April 1918 and was assigned to C/78 on 9 May 1918. He remained with them until 26 April 1919 when he was posted briefly to 17 DAC and then returned to the UK on 26 May 1919 for demobilisation. He stayed at Star Farm, Pitchcombe, Glos with Ernest James and Alfred George He was formally demobbed on 31 March 1920. In 1921 at Star Farm with Ernest James, James and Annie. In June 1921 he was again working as a groom and was visiting the Johnson family at 40 Grove Road, Nuneaton. Herbert married Louise Liddington in 1927 in Wincanton, Somerset. In September 1939, they were living at 9 Hillview Terrace, Wincanton, Somerset and Herbert was working as a chauffeur, though the record mistakenly names his wife “Emma L Bridgman”. Louise died on 15 December 1945 and Herbert Bridgman died on 24 May 1974, aged 82. They are buried together in St. Barnabas churchyard, Queen Camel, Somerset.
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A/Bdr.
|
Briers
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Thomas
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4531
|
D/58
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Thomas Briers was born in St. Helens, Lancs on 6 February 1889. In 1905, he married Abigail Leyland in Prescott, Lancs. In October 1908, Thomas and Abigail were living at 17 Bank Street, Golborne, Wigan, Lancs and Thomas was working as a coal miner. By 1911, they had had three children though one had died in infancy, and were living at 27A Queen Street, Colborne. Thomas served in the RFA and went to France on 13 July 1915, possibly as a member of 118 (Howitzer) Bde. He was serving as a Bombardier in D/58 when he was replaced in that role by Charles Dixson on about 3 October 1917. Since Thomas finished the war as a Corporal, it is possible that this was when he was promoted to that rank. After the war he lived at 317 Millfield Lane, Haydock, St. Helens, Lancs and was awarded a pension of 9s 2d between 6 April and 7 October 1919. He was still at that address in June 1921, living there with his wife, Abigail and three children, Elijah, aged 12, Florence aged 8 and two month old Alice. Thomas was working as a contract man in the Newton Pit coal mine. In September 1939, Thomas, Abigail and three of their sons, Thomas jr, Alfred and James, were still living at 317 Millfield Lane and Thomas was described as a general labourer though was incapacitated. He may therefore be the Thomas Briers of 3 Parrlane Street, St Helens who suffered a crushed finger on 5 March 1929 while working at the Ashtons Green colliery, or the Thomas Briers also of St Helens but living at 9 Owen Street who suffered a crushed hand on 12 April 1929 in an accident in the Lea Green coal mine.
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Bdr.
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Briggs
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|
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B/58?
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Bdr Briggs was witness to Dvr Herbert Franklin (10922) neglecting to obey an order while at Milford Camp on 15 May 15.
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Gnr.
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Brightman
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Wesley
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54259
|
D/58
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Wesley Brightman was born in 1897 in Sittingbourne, Kent, to Thomas Brightman and Elizabeth Hester Ann Brightman. He enlisted at Sheerness, on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent. He was one of a party of men from D/58 under the direction of Capt C F Roberts who were trying to get one of their howitzers out of a shell hole on 16 April 1917 when an enemy shell fell nearby. Wesley was badly wounded and was taken to a Field Ambulance where he died of his wounds, aged 19. He is buried in Beaumetz Cross Roads Cemetery, Beaumetz-les-Cambrai, France. His mother was awarded a pension of 7s a week from 18 December 1917.
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Lt.
|
Brittan
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Charles Hugh
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n/a
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A/58
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Born on 16 October 1893 in New Brompton, Kent, Charles Hugh Brittan was the son of Charles Gisborne Brittan and Fanny Cumberland Brittan (née Brooker). Hugh, as he appeared to have been called, was commissioned on 18 July 1913 into the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA). He was serving as a 2/Lt in 8th Siege Battery, RGA at Woolwich when his battery was ordered overseas, leaving Woolwich on 13 October 1914 and travelling by train to Avonmouth. They embarked on SS “Trewelland” and sailed to France, disembarking at Le Havre on 16 October 1914. Hugh was assigned to the battery’s section of two 6″ breech loading converted guns. The battery moved to Nieppe on 5 November 1914 and went into action that day. On 4 January 1915 Hugh went to No.10 Field Ambulance with a fever and he was evacuated to the UK from the Base Hospital 5 days later. On 4 May 1915, Hugh married Sadie May Edwards at Christ Church, Mayfair, London. He was awarded the Military Cross (gazetted on 25 November 1916) “For conspicuous gallantry in action. He carried out a daring reconnaissance under heavy fire, and obtained most valuable information. He has previously rendered valuable services”. In 1916 he wrote a 12-page booklet “Notes on German Shells and Fuzes” to help fellow soldiers recognise German shells and fuzes. He joined 60 Bde RFA on 22 September 16 and on 25 January 1917 he was posted from HQ 60 Bde RFA to join 58 Bde while they were resting at Montigny-les-Jongleurs, where he arrived two days later. He probably left 58 Bde when was appointed Adjutant to 59 Bde RFA on 5 March 1917. Between July 1917 and August 1919, he had at least four periods of illness or injury, suffering from neurasthenia, a shell wound to his eye, influenza and diarrhoea and so spent time in hospitals in France, the UK and at Kantara [El Qantara] in Egypt. For one of those injuries, a slight gun shot wound to his left eye, he had been serving in 36 Bde RFA and was admitted on 13 October 1918 to No.14 General Hospital in Wimereux. He ended the war as a Captain and stayed on in the Army, working probably at No.4 Officers’ Cadet School, Preston Barracks, Brighton as well as spending some time in Quetta. He and Sadie settled in Caernarvon, but Charles had an affair there with Margaret Parry, the wife of a doctor, between 1932 and 1933, resulting in divorces in both marriages. Charles served again during WW2 and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order in 1940 when a Lt Col in charge of 2 Medium Regt, RA, the citation reading “Colonel Brittan had only 40 men of his Regt with him, which he organised as a rifle platoon, and he himself acted as platoon commander. They held a critical sector of the canal bank in the NIEUPORT area from midday 28 May until the early hours of 30 May, under M.G., rifle and arty fire most of this time. His party was one of the last to be relieved as his position was one of the most exposed and he insisted on remaining in position until he was satisfied that the relieving troops were well established.” At various times he was made an Acting Colonel, a Temporary Colonel and a Temporary Brigadier. When he retired in 1948, he was granted the honorary rank of Brigadier. He died in Hampshire in 1964.
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Lt. Col.
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Broughton
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Legh Harley Delves
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n/a
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Bde Cdr
|
Legh Harley Delves Broughton was born on 28 October 1873 in Punjab, India, the son of Maj Gen William Edward Delves Broughton. He attended the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, was commissioned on 6 April 1893. He was promoted to Lt on 6 April 1896 and to Captain on 14 June 1900. He fought in the Boer War between 1900 and 1902. The following year he married Constance Emily Randall Johnson on 3 June 1903, they had four children. He was a Captain when his mother died in 1906, leaving the residue of her estate to him and was promoted to Major in 1910. He retired from the Army sometime before 1911. He rejoined active service and on 21 December 1915 was made a Temporary Lt Col having previously been a Major in the Reserve of Officers. He was commanding 60 Bde RFA when he embarked along with his brigade at Devonport on the HMT “Toronto” on 3 July 1915, sailing the next day. On 12 July 1916 he was Mentioned in Dispatches for distinguished and gallant service during the period of Gen Charles Munro’s command of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. He commanded 60 Bde RFA until it was broken up on 25 January 1917 at which point he was a supernumerary Lt Col in 11 Division Artillery. During his time in 60 Bde he also was temporarily appointed acting Commander Royal Artillery of 11 Division on 31 July 1916. He arrived to take temporary command of 59 Bde on 2 February 1917 and did the same for 58 Bde on 17 February 1917 but left again 2 days later when Lt Col Winter returned. A week later he left 58 Bde to return to the UK to take command of an Army Field Artillery Bde at Woolwich He was Mentioned in Dispatches three further times, on 18 May 1917, 14 June 1918 and 1919. In late 1918 he was serving with 172 Bde RFA, part of 75 Division in Palestine when he was taken ill with pyrexia and malaria. He required hospital treatment in No.36 Stationary Hospital, Gaza, Palestine; No.44 Stationary Hospital, Kantara [El Qantara], Egypt; and in the Officers’ Convalescent Hospital, Ibrahimieh, Alexandria, Egypt. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order in the 1919 New Year’s Honours for service in Egypt and on 9 May 1919 he was promoted to Lt Col. At the start of 1920 he was sworn in as a Special Constable in Sherborne, Dorset. In June 1921, he, along with Constance and their daughter Agnes Laura Margaret Delves Broughton were living at Highdown, Compton, Winchester, Hants. He died on 15 May 1942, aged 68, in Devon.
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Gnr.
|
Brown
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Cecil Charles
|
89441
|
D/58
|
Cecil Charles Brown was born in London in about 1885. He was serving in D/58 when he was wounded on 17 November 1916, the same day as his friend Bdr Willie Loader (62538) was killed. He wrote to one of his battery’s officers, 2/Lt Richard Blaker on about 29 November 1916 from Ward 6C, 4 Scottish General Hospital, Glasgow to tell him what happened to him after being wounded: he was in feeling “pretty well” but suffered “awful pain” when he coughed. After being wounded he had walked from the Battery positions to Payien at which point he was “soaked through & through with blood”. He didn’t recall anything further until he got to the Casualty Clearing Station, where he stayed for 2 days before going to hospital in Rouen for 4 days after which he was evacuated back to the UK. He ended the war as a Bdr. He had married Lisa E Brown who was living in Bourneville, Birmingham when he was wounded. He was back in France and serving in D/156, 33 Division when he suffered from impetigo. He went to 101 Field Ambulance and from there to No.3 Casualty Clearing Station on 25 November 1918 and was transferred from there the same day to No.5 Ambulance Train for evacuation. After the war his address was Holmlea, Fairmead Ave, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex. In June 1921, he and his wife, now known as Eliza, were living at 22 Ilfracomb Road, Southend-on-Sea, Essex and Cecil was working as a carpenter and joiner. Cecil Brown was portrayed affectionately by Richard Blaker in his semi-autobiographical novel “Medal Without Bar” as Gnr Browne, the cook for the D/58 officers – though the fictional character was killed by the premature rather than surviving with a “Blighty”.
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A/Bdr.
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Brown
|
Charles
|
11171
|
A/58
|
Born in about 1888 in Blankney, Lincolnshire, Charles Brown was the son of Charles Brown and Mary Brown. In 1901, the Charles was living with his parents and two younger siblings, Herbert and Alice at 14 Woolsthorpe Road, Harston, Lincs. In 1911 Charles was a servant at Measham Fields Farm, Measham, Derby. He enlisted in Oxford on 31 August 14 as a 26-year old footman. He was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea and from there to 184 Battery on 9 September 1914. He was vaccinated on 15 September 1914, had his first TV inoculation on 26 November 1914 and his second TV inoculation on 7 December 1914. In January, 184 Battery became A/58. He was appointed a paid A/Bdr on 8 June 1915 and sailed from Devonport on 1 July 1915, arriving in Alexandria on 14 July 1915. He embarked at Alexandria on 25 June 1916, arriving at Marseilles on 3 July 1916. On 17 October 1916 he was posted to 25 Division Ammunition Column but was posted back to A/58 on 2 February 1917. He was appointed A/Bdr “vice Fergusson” on 24 January 17 when he was apparently in A/58 so the dates cannot be quite right. He was wounded in action on 23 April 1917 but was discharged back to duty the following day. He was granted leave to the UK between 18 and 29 May 1917, and again on 15 February 1918. He joined 1st Army Anti-Tank School on 11 August 1918 but must have returned to 58th Bde at some point after that because he was posted from the brigade on 22 January 1919 for demobilisation to Harrowby Discharge Centre as “L.S. Man”. After the war his address was given as Shot over House, Wheatley, Oxon, a large 18th century country house.
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Gnr.
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Brown
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Ernest
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76991
|
C/58
|
Ernest Brown was born in Walsall, Staffs, the son of Mary Brown of Pelsall, near Walsall. Ernest enlisted in Walsall and went overseas, arriving in the Balkans theatre of war on about 16 October 1915. He had been a Corporal but reverted to being a Gunner on 4 April 1917. He was killed in action on 3 June 1917 while serving in C/58 and is buried in Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, France. His mother was awarded a pension of 12s 6d a week from 11 December 1917.
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Dvr.
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Brown
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John
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92744
|
D/58
|
John Brown was born in Cavan, Ireland in about 1883, the son of Anne Brown and the elder brother of Patrick, Hugh, Michael and Susan. In 1901 the family were living in Brumbrawn, Redhills, Cavan and John was working as an agricultural labourer. In 1911 he and the family were living in Keeny, Cavan though he may have moved to Scotland because he enlisted into the RFA in Glasgow. He went to France on 13 July 1915 and was serving in D/58 when he died of wounds on 30 October 1918. He is buried in Villers-en-Cauchies Communal Cemetery, France.
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Dvr.
|
Brown
|
Walter Haydyn
|
696795
|
B/58
|
Walter Haydyn Brown was born on 17 June 1897 in Preston, Lancs, the son of Robert Brown and Jane Brown. His middle name was sometimes spelled Hayden or Haden. In 1911, he lived with his widowed mother and two half-sisters at 14 Robinson St, Preston and Walter was working as an errand boy. He enlisted into the RFA Territorial Force, joining the Divisional Ammunition Column for either the 1st or 2nd West Lancashire Division, and was assigned service number 3184. In October 1918 he was absent from his home town of Preston and serving with B/58 so was entitled to a vote by proxy in elections. He was again living with his half-sister, Sarah Smith and sister Elsie Brown, at 14 Robinson Street in June 1921 and Walter was working as a dock labourer. Walter Brown died in Amounderness, Lancs in 1973, aged 76.
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Bdr.
|
Browne
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Herbert William
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39280
|
D/58
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Herbert William Browne was born on 7 December 1891 in Wood Green, Tottenham, Middx, the son of Henry Moon Browne and Kate Rebecca Browne (née Hendry). In 1911 he and his family were living at 114 Westbury Avenue in Wood Green and Herbert was working as a greengrocer. He joined the Army and was first posted overseas when he went to France on about 13 July 1915, possibly as a member of 81 (Howitzer) Bde, part of 17 (Northern) Division. On 30 January 1916, he married Florence Winifred Maud Bevens in St. Michael’s Church, Wood Green, his address at the time being given as 117 Carlingford Road, West Green. He was serving in 58 Bde when he was admitted to No.3 Casualty Clearing Station (CCS) on 25 September 1916 having suffered a simple flesh gunshot wound to his lower extremities and was transferred to No.29 CCS the following day. He was serving as a Bdr in D/58 when he was wounded in early 1917 and evacuated to the UK, his place as Bdr being taken by William Isaac. Herbert finished the war as an A/Sgt and in June 1921 was living with Florence and their 11 month old daughter, Doris Winifred Browne at 105 Alexandra Road, Wood Green, and Herbert was working as an electric tram driver and conductor for the Metropolitan Electric Tramway Co Ltd. In September 1939, Herbert, Florence and their three children were living at 1 James Gardens, Wood Green and Herbert was working as a trolleybus conductor. Herbert Browne died in London in 1989, aged 97, having survived his wife Florence by over 40 years, she having passed away in 1948.
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Dvr.
|
Bruce
|
Archie George
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L/31689
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C/58
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Archie George Bruce was born in Brixton, London on 13 November 1896, the son of Archie Roderick Bruce and Eleanor Bruce. In 1911 he was 14 years old and working as an errand boy. On 3 June 1915, he enlisted into the RFA with his elder brother Roderick James Bruce. He probably served initially in 39 Division Artillery. However, two years later he was serving in C/58 when he was admitted to No.83 General Hospital, Boulogne on 21 November 1917 with a perforating wound to his ‘tympanum sk’, the wound was described as ‘mild’. On 8 April 1919, Archie was serving in 121 Bde RFA when he was discharged from the Army as being no longer physically fit for war service. After the war he was working as a painter and in June 1921 was living at his parents home at 9A Holland Street, Brixton. He married Florence Lily Gray on Christmas Day 1923 in All Saints’ church, South Lambeth, and in September 1939, Archie and Florence were living at 98 Portland Grove, Lambeth and Archie was working as a builder’s labourer. Archie Bruce died in London in 1965, aged 68.
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Gnr.
|
Buckton
|
James
|
112099
|
B/58
|
James Buckton was absent from his home town of Hartshead, West Yorks, in October 1918 and serving with B/58 so was entitled to a vote by proxy in elections.
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Gnr.
|
Bull
|
Ernest James
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68496
|
C/58
|
Ernest James Bull enlisted on 10 January 1915. He was from Kingston-on-Thames and he went overseas to the Balkans theatre of war arriving there on about 25 November 1915. While serving in C/58, he was sent on an advanced telephone course on 22 January 1917, probably at the XIII Corps school. Later on in 1917, he was an Acting Bombardier when he was wounded. He was awarded the Military Medal which was gazetted on 23 February 1918. He ended the war as a Corporal and was demobbed on 24 February 1919.
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2/Lt.
|
Bull
|
Roland Osborne
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n/a
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B/58
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Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba in June 1885, the son of Manlius and Mary Bull (née Nixon) both of Winnipeg, Roland Osborne Bull was educated at Trinity College, Port Hope, Ontario and the Royal Military College, Kingston, Ontario where he was a Gentleman Cadet in 1914. He was commissioned into the RFA on 22 January 1915 and joined 58 Bde. He embarked on SS “Karroo” in Devonport on 5 July 1915 as part of D/58, arriving in Alexandria on 18 July 1915. With his battery he served at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli. After the British withdrawal from Suvla, he was still serving in D/58 when he embarked on HMT “East Point” at Mudros with 1 NCO and 11 Other Ranks on 18 December 1915 though their ship did not sail until 29 Dec. They arrived at Alexandria on 2 January 1916 but didn’t disembark until the 8th. It is likely that he transferred along with his battery to 133 Bde RFA while in Egypt in the Spring of 1916 when D/58 became A/133 since he was an officer in A/133 when he sailed with his new brigade on the HMT “Minnewaska” from Alexandria on 28 June 1916, arriving in Marseilles on 2 July 1916. He was promoted to Lt on 8 August 1916 and was awarded the Military Cross “For conspicuous gallantry as F.O.O., when for 80 hours he maintained communications by runner or telephone, thus being able to supply most valuable information, which greatly contributed to the success of the operations.” The award was gazetted on 14 November 1916. When A/133 was split up towards the end of 1916, Lt Bull rejoined 58 Bde on 29 November 1916. He transferred back to the UK to the home establishment on 14 March 1917 to provide training for recruits and cadets at No.3 RFA Cadet School where he remained until he was demobilised. While there he was granted three months’ furlough so sailed from Glasgow to New York between 17 and 24 April 1918 to marry Edna Weston Montgomery on 2 May 1918 in Fort Rouge Methodist church, before returning to the UK, arriving in Liverpool on board the “Metagama” from New York on 10 July 1918. They had two daughters and one son. (The son, Roland Montgomery Bull was killed in action in WW2 while serving in the RCAF flying Mosquitos). Lt Bull was made an acting Captain on 11 September 1918 and served as an adjutant though it transpired much later that he had been paid as a Captain and adjutant when he was only supposed to have received a Lieutenant’s pay so efforts were made to recover the overpaid money. After the Armistice Roland contracted influenza, so was evacuated to the UK and was treated in the Northamptonshire War Hospital, Duston between 27 February and 6 March 1919 before being discharged to duty. A few weeks later, he resigned his commission on 4 April 1919. In 1924 one of Edna’s sisters, Mary Elzina Montgomery, married one of Roland’s old comrades, Robert Rowbotham. Bull and Rowbotham had served alongside each other for much of the war. Much of Bull’s civilian career was spent living in Toronto where he worked in the investment business, rising to become Vice President of Gairdner & Co. Ltd. and he was also a director in several other companies. In World War 2 he was commissioned as a Major in the Veterans Guard in 1940, promoted to Lt Colonel in 1941 and to Colonel in 1942. He was commandant of Prisoner-of-War Camps from 1941 until his retirement in 1944, and was in command of Camp 30 in Bowmanville, Ontario, when two German officers escaped dressed as workmen. In 1954 he and Edna moved to the Victoria area of British Columbia where they founded the Boys’ Club of Victoria in memory of their son Monty. Edna died in 1966 and Roland married Ruth Ruston. He died on 15 November 1972 at Resthaven Hospital, Sidney, British Columbia, aged 77. A park in British Columbia is named R O Bull Memorial Park after him.
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BQMS
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Bull
|
|
|
C/58
|
BQMS Bull joined C/58 from 60th Bde on 2 October 1916 to replace BQMS Prestidge. He was promoted to Temporary Regimental Sgt Major on 27 November 17 but with effect from 2 May 17. RSM Bull went on 14 days’ leave to England on 12 July 1918.
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2/Lt.
|
Burd
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John Marsh
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n/a
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C/58
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John Marsh Burd was born on 10 September 1896 in Okehampton, Devon, the son of Dr and Mrs G V Burd. He was commissioned into the RFA on 10 February 1915 after training at the Royal Military Academy, and joined C/58. On 1 July 1915 he sailed from Liverpool on the “Empress Britain” bound for Alexandria. He was serving at Gallipoli with C/58 when he was seconded to the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) for 1 month from 25 October 1915 and made a Flying Officer (Observer). His apparent qualifications were that he was “light weight, can read morse slowly, permanent commission”. He probably decided to stay in the RFC since he qualified as a pilot and obtained his Royal Aero Club Certificate on 1 October 1916 at the Military School, Huntingdon, qualifying on the Maurice Farman biplane. He had been promoted to Lt on 8 August 1916 and was made a Flying Officer on 14 December 1916. On 17 August 1917, he was promoted to Flight Commander (and so was made a temporary Captain) and served in 55 Sqn, which was equipped with Airco DH.4 aircraft at the time. He was awarded the Military Cross, which was gazetted on 23 April 1918 “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty as a leader of long-distance bomb raids. When returning from a raid he attacked ten enemy aeroplanes which were engaged with another of our formations. He shot down two and his observer another, and he then brought his formation back without loss. In six raids he only lost one machine. He has been leader in seventeen operations and deputy leader in eleven.” After the war, he was re-seconded to the RAF for a period of 2 years from 1 August 1919 and played hockey for the RAF in a game against the Army on 5 February 1921. On 26 April 1921 he married Norah Mary Langran in St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Axminster. He returned to the Army when the two years were over but returned back to the RAF being granted a permanent commission as a Flying Officer on 1 November 1927 and was promoted back to Flt Lt from Flying Officer on 1 January 1928. He died aged 34 on 12 October 1930 in the British General Hospital, RAF Hinaidi, Baghdad, Mesopotamia.
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2/Lt.
|
Burdge
|
Reginald John
|
n/a
|
C/58
|
Son of Thomas George and Martha Hood Burdge, Reginald John Burdge was born on 5 April 1887 in Stroud Green, London. He worked as a traveller for a blouse manufacturer. He enlisted in the Territorial Force on 16 August 1915, joining 1/1 West Kent (Queen’s Own) Yeomanry (service number initially 245315, then 2047) as a private, later being promoted to L/Cpl. He agreed to serve overseas and was posted to Mutrah in Egypt, on 16 March 1916. He applied for a commission so went to Alexandria and sailed from there on 6 December 1916, arriving back in the UK on 22 December 1916 to attend Cadet School in Exeter. He was commissioned into the RFA Special Reserve on 3 June 1917 and went to France, arriving in Le Havre on 21 September 17. He was posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column on 26 September 1917 and was transferred to C/58 the following day. Less than a fortnight later, 11th Division was taking part in the Battle of Poelcappelle on 9 October 1917 when 58 Bde was receiving little news of the progress of the attack, so 2/Lt Burdge was sent forwards. He was hit in the stomach by a sniper and died shortly afterwards in 18 Corps Main Dressing Station. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
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2/Lt.
|
Burdon-Sanderson
|
Richard Lionel
|
n/a
|
C/58
|
Richard Lionel Burdon-Sanderson was born on 22 April 1894 in Edinburgh. He was the eldest child of Richard Burdon-Sanderson and Katharine Emily Burdon-Sanderson (née Mitford). Lionel, as he was known, was educated at Charterhouse between 1908 and 1912 where he served in the Officers’ Training Corps and then went to New College, Oxford in 1913. After just a year at Oxford, the war broke out and he applied on 6 September 1914 for a commission in the RFA. He was commissioned on 19 September 1914 as a temporary 2/Lt and joined 186 Battery at Leeds. On 14 November 1914 he fell from his horse, breaking his right forearm and tearing ligaments in his wrist. He was treated by Lt Col H Brunton Angus RAMC (TF) at the 1st Northern General Hospital in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. While his arm healed, the ligaments did not, despite massage, strapping and radiant heat treatment. This made riding – a pre-requisite for an officer in the RFA – very painful. He then suffered from scabies and, according to Dr Angus, Lionel became depressed at not being able to re-join his unit, despite all the expense and effort he had made. While on sick leave, Lionel informed his battery commander in late January that he had been going to an aerodrome and would like to be transferred to the Royal Flying Corps (RFC), but Lt Col Kuper, the brigade commander, instructed that if he was fit enough to go to the aerodrome he was fit enough to return to his unit and ordered him to return at once. After returning, Lionel asked to be able to fetch his kit and while away Dr Angus was asked to visit Lionel at his home at Waren House, Belford, Northumberland on 7 February 1915 where he found Lionel had shot himself in the right leg with his service revolver that morning while packing his things ready to return to C/58 (as 186 Battery had been renamed) in Leeds. Dr Angus was fully convinced that the wound was an accident, not intentionally self-inflicted, and believed that Lionel would be walking again in 2 months and fully fit in four months. Lt Col Kuper took the opportunity to recommend that Lionel’s services be dispensed with since Lionel had apparently shown little keenness or zeal for his duties as an artillery officer. Maj Gen Frederick Hammersley, the General Officer Commanding 11 Division, agreed with Kuper and so recommended that Lionel’s commission be cancelled until such time as he was fit again when he could be re-considered. Lionel therefore retired from the Army due to ill-health with effect from 7 March 1915. Once recovered, Lionel sought to re-join the Army, applying for a commission in the RFC on 24 June 1915. Although his medical stated that his eyesight was “not quite good enough” for the RFC, he was nevertheless instructed to report to No.2 Reserve Aeroplane Squadron at Brooklands for training in flying on 25 September 1915. He passed his flying test on 29 October 1915 at the Military School, Brooklands, flying a Maurice Farman biplane and obtained Royal Aero Club Certificate No. 1960 and was made a 2/Lt on probation the same day. He was appointed a Flying Officer within the RFC on 19 February 1916 and confirmed in his rank of 2/Lt at about the same time. He then suffered two further accidents, both while flying on active service, at least one of which occurred in France and caused a long period of sick leave during which the RFC decided that they did not want to retain him so asked him to resign his commission, which he did on 28 October 1916. However, because the announcement of his resignation made no reference to his health, Lionel was informed that under the Military Service Act he was liable for conscription. He therefore requested, successfully, that the announcement be amended to his having resigned his commission due to ill-health. Despite this, he attempted for a third time to secure a commission in the Army, in either the artillery or the infantry. To see if he was fit enough, a medical board was held at Caxton Hall on 28 November 1916 which concluded that the flying accidents had badly upset his nerves such that he lacked concentration, had a bad memory and became tired at the slightest exertion. A further medical board was held at Caxton Hall on 25 April 1917 to see if he would now be fit to join the infantry and it determined that he had made considerable improvements in the previous few months and that he was likely to be fit for general service in a month’s time. It appears unlikely that he was fit a month later because he was staying at the Old Library House, 2 Dean Park Road, Bournemouth when he was instructed to attend a medical board which was held at the Mont Dore Military Hospital in Bournemouth on 11 September 1917. That board concluded that he was unfit for either general or home service due to neurasthenia but was fit for light duty at home. During this time, Lionel married Margaret Dorothy Ashton at All Souls Church, Marylebone, London on Monday 17 July 1917. A few months later his services were requested by the RFC to act as an Assistant Instructor in Gunnery at the RFA Armament School, Uxbridge on 16 February 1918 and he was asked to bring his Camp Kit with him. He was instructed to report to the school in Uxbridge on 6 April 1918 and was appointed to a temporary commission in the RFC as a 2/Lt (graded as an Equipment Officer 3rd Class) that day. It was made clear to him that his appointment was for ground duties only. He was promoted to Acting Lieutenant on 1 August 1918 and to Acting Captain 3 months later on 1 November 1918. Lionel’s younger brother Guy Askew James Burdon-Sanderson also served in the war but was killed in 1917, aged 19, serving as a 2/Lt in the Northumberland Fusiliers. In June 1921, Lionel and Margaret were living at The Grange, Cubbington, Warks. During the 1930s, Lionel was a talented golfer playing in the top pair for the Old Carthusians each year. Lionel and Margaret divorced on 26 October 1931 and then Lionel remarried because on 26 January 1938 Lionel arrived in New York with his wife Mary Eileen Burdon-Sanderson. In September 1939, he and Mary were living at Ramslade, Bracknell, Berks and Lionel was serving in the RAF Reserve. In 1947 they left their home near Devizes, Wilts to sail on the SS “Athlone Castle” to South Africa apparently intending to live there, with Lionel describing himself as an engineer. It is unclear when they returned to the UK, but Lionel had been living at Bursands, Constantine Bay, Padstow, Cornwall when he died on 23 December 1983, aged 89, just 5 months after Mary had died.
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A/Sgt.
|
Burgoyne
|
George Frederick Thomas
|
10594
|
B/58
|
Born in 1894 in Birmingham, George Frederick Thomas Burgoyne was working as a junior clerk in an insurance company in 1911 when he was 16 years old. He enlisted in 1914 and had been promoted to Acting Sgt by 15 March 1915 but was a Cpl by 20 March 1915. While serving at Gallipoli he went sick and was replaced as Cpl by another man on 2 September 1915, so it is likely that he left 58 Bde at that point. On 14 July 1918 he was commissioned as 2/Lt and joined 322(S) Battery RGA. After the war a 29-year old insurance official from Birmingham called George Frederick Burgoyne sailed on SS “Baltic” from Liverpool for New York on 10 May 1924 intending to live in Mexico.
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Gnr.
|
Burke
|
Edward
|
10610
|
C/58
|
Edward Burke was born in Walsall, Staffs to Edward Burke and Susannah Burke in 1895. By the age of 16 he was working as a brazer, and was still employed in that role when he enlisted into the RFA in Birmingham on 1 September 1914. After initial posting to No.3 Depot at Hilsea he was posted to 186 Battery on 10 September 1914. He sailed with his battery, now renamed C/58, from Devonport on 1 July 1915, disembarking in Alexandria on 14 July 1915. He was awarded 7 days’ Field Punishment No.2 by Lt Col Drake for being absent between 10pm and 11.50pm on 24 July 1915 at Zahrieh Camp. He re-embarked at Alexandria on 1 August 1915, disembarking at Gallipoli on 12 August 1915. He was admitted to 54 Casualty Clearing Station at Suvla Bay with severe debility on 28 October 1915 and transferred to 17 General Hospital in Alexandria with diarrhoea on 2 November 1915, before rejoining his unit in Egypt on 22 January 1916. He sailed from Alexandria on 25 June 16, arriving at Marseilles on 3 July 1916. He was granted 10 days’ leave to the UK between 18 and 27 January 1917. On 25 March 1917 he was awarded 2 days’ Field Punishment No.2 by his battery commander Capt Franklin for having a dirty harness. He was appointed a paid acting L/Bdr on 19 April 1918 but reverted to Driver a few weeks later on becoming surplus to the establishment. He was granted 14 days’ leave to the UK shortly after the Armistice and was sent to the Dispersal Centre at Clipstone on 22 May 1919 ready for demobilisation, having served in 58 Bde throughout the war. In June 1921, Edward, was living 13 Orlando Street, Walsall with his wife Ada and their 5 month old son, Thomas. Edward had returned to his trade of brazing but was at the time out of work, having previously worked for a harness and furniture manufacturer, F Eglington. It is likely that Edward died in Walsall in 1957 aged 62.
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Sgt.
|
Burke
|
Frederick
|
50463
|
D/58
|
Frederick Burke was born in Dover, Kent, in about 1876. He served as a regular soldier in the RFA for over 5 years, rising to the rank of Cpl and then over 6 years in the reserves before the war. He married Emily Elizabeth Bate in the Marylebone Registry Office on 24 November 1913 and they had a son, Patrick George Burke who was born on 30 May 1914. Frederick was working as a stableman and living in St John’s Wood, London when the war started and, aged 38, he re-enlisted on 8 September 1914 in London for one year’s service in the Special Reserve. He was immediately promoted to Cpl and very soon after to Sgt. He was posted as a Sgt to 58 Bde Ammunition Column (58 BAC) on 13 September 1914 and then to D/58 when 58 BAC was converted to become the new fourth battery in the brigade on 21 January 1915. In March 1915 while training at Leeds he was twice severely reprimanded: once for being absent from guard mounting parade on the 20th when he was the brigade orderly sergeant and then two days later on the 22nd for being insubordinate on parade. Shortly before the brigade was due to go overseas, Frederick was discharged from the Army on 11 May 1915 as his services were no longer required since his commanding officer found him quite unfit for the position of a sergeant and believed he set a bad example to more junior members of the unit.
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Gnr.
|
Burke
|
Michael
|
93161
|
58 Bde AC
|
Michael Burke was born in Belfast in 1893. Before the war he had served in a Territorial Force infantry battalion, 8th Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), and was working as a general labourer when he enlisted into the RFA on 28 August 1914 in Glasgow. He went to No.6 Depot in Glasgow the following day and was posted from there as a Gunner to 187 Bty, one of the batteries of 59 Bde RFA, on 16 September 1914. On 26 January 1915 he was posted to join 58 Bde Ammunition Column in Leeds and a few weeks later he went Absent Without Leave between 1 and 10 March 1915. He went overseas, arriving in Egypt on about 30 June 1915 and on 31 October 1915 he was posted to the HQ of 58 Bde. He was posted to the Base Depot in Egypt on 4 April 1916 and from there to 10 Division Ammunition Column (DAC) in Salonika on 2 May 1916. After a brief spell at the General Base Depot, he returned to 10 DAC in Salonika on 7 June 1916 and from there was posted on 19 August 1916 to 68 Bde RFA, part of 13 (Western) Division which was also serving at Salonika. He again went to the Base Depot on 5 November 1918 before being posted back to B/68 on 14 November 1918 and then being sent to a Convalescent Depot on 14 January 1919. He returned to the UK from Egypt, sailing on about 11 February 1919 and arrived back in the UK on about 23 February 1919. He was demobbed on 5 April 1919 and returned to live in Glasgow at 2a Corn Street. He applied for a pension due to tuberculosis in his left lung but his application was rejected because it was not believed to have been caused by his military service.
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2/Lt.
|
Burton
|
Frank
|
n/a
|
58 Bde AC
|
Before the war, Frank Burton worked as a member of the reporting staff for the ‘Sheffield Daily Telegraph’ and the ‘Yorkshire Telegraph and Star’. In 1912 he was living at 16 Central Avenue, Worksop and in his spare time was the secretary of the Worksop and District Motor Cycle Club. He appears to have enlisted early in the war into the RFA and, after training at No.1 RFA Depot at Newcastle-upon-Tyne was serving as a Sergeant in 67 Bde RFA at Bulford before being commissioned as a temporary 2/Lt on 23 January 1915. In June 1915 he appeared to be serving in 58 Bde Ammunition Column. He sailed from Liverpool on 1 July 1915 on the SS “Empress Britain” for Alexandria as part of 58 Bde. While serving at Gallipoli he was acting as Forward Observation Officer for the Royal Navy when he wounded in the hand by shrapnel on 18 August 1915 and was evacuated by Hospital Ship “Dunluce Castle” to Alexandria where he was admitted to No.19 General Hospital on 23 August 1915. He had shrapnel in his left hand and the second finger was fractured so had an operation. He was transferred to another hospital on 27 August 1915 to recover after which he was evacuated back to the UK and was admitted to 3rd Northern General Hpspital, Sheffield. He apparently then served in 12 Division Artillery in France where he was wounded again before serving in the East with at least 7 (Meerut) Division. Between 8 June and 11 September 1919, he was made an acting Captain while temporarily second-in-charge of a battery. After the war he returned to work for the ‘Sheffield Daily Telegraph’ and in 1922 was described as being “in charge of the reporting staff of the ‘Yorkshire Telegraph and Star'”. In the autumn of the following year, Frank decided to move to South Africa, partly on account of his health and, aged 31, sailed from Southampton on the “Walmer Castle” on 18 September 1923 for Cape Town. This is very likely the Frank Burton who was born in Retford, Notts in about 1892 and was the son of Harry Austin Burton and Louisa Burton and who in 1911 was working as a newspaper reporter while living with his parents at 49 Potter Street, Worksop.
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2/Lt.
|
Burton
|
Henry John Topping
|
n/a
|
A/58
|
Henry John Topping Burton was born on 20 September 1883 in Worpenden, Sussex. He worked as a billiard marker and then joined the Army aged 18 on 23 January 1902 at Woolwich. He was given service number 21527 and he served as a gunner in the RHA, including in India between October 1903 and February 1909. After returning to the UK he was stationed at Ipswich when he deserted on 12 February 1911. After being found and tried by Court Martial, he spent 42 days in detention and was restored to duty on 15 May 1911. While serving in “F” Battery RHA he was injured in an accident at Larkhill Camp on 1 May 1913 and a Board of Officers concluded that he was not to blame. He married Kathleen Powell at Bulford Camp on 16 May 1914. After war was declared he was swiftly promoted from A/Bdr to Cpl on 5 August 1914 and went to France with 23 Battery, 40 Bde RFA on 20 August 1914. He was promoted on 10 February 1915 to Sgt, and left France when he was posted to join No.3 Depot at Hilsea on 25 September 1915 serving in 15 Reserve Battery from 30 September 1915. He was posted to B/171 Bde (which became D/169) on 22 December 1915 but on 8 January 1916 he was posted to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force and then just two months later he was sent to France where he stayed until he was commissioned in the field on 26 February 1917. He married again, describing himself as a bachelor, on 17 March 1917 to Rose Porcher who before the war may have worked as a servant at the London County Lunatic Asylum, Hanwell. The newly commissioned 2/Lt Burton joined 11 Division Artillery on 26 February 1917 and was posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column (11 DAC) on 4 March 1917 and from there to 58 Bde. On 6 August 1917 he returned to 11 DAC from the brigade. He must have returned to 58 Bde at some point after that because on 11 October 1917 he reported sick from A/58 and was sent to 63 Casualty Clearing Station with “general debility” after having spent 3 days and nights in a shell hole supporting the infantry, which his battery commander did not regard as “exceptional exposure”, instead commenting that he had “always had a nervous affliction of the eyes”. From the clearing station he went to 1/2 South Midland Field Ambulance suffering from headaches, pains in his shins and a lack of sleep and was evacuated to England on 8 November 1917. He joined D Battery No.6 Reserve Bde RFA T, Biscot Camp, Luton, on 14 February 1918 and was promoted to Lt on 26 August 1918. After the war he served in 142 Battery, 36 Bde at Kildare, Ireland, from where he decided to retire on retirement pay from the Army on 8 January 1920 and joined the Reserve of Officers. However, he then briefly joined No.4 Depot at Woolwich for duty on 13 April 1921 and worked there until he was “relegated to unemployment” on 7 June 1921. In 1923 he sought permission from the War Office to emigrate to Australia, which was granted on 27 August 1923 by another former 58 Bde officer, Maj T J Hutton, now serving in the Personnel Services directorate. His wife Rose died in Perth, Australia in 1930, aged 42. He may have married for a third time, because on 4 August 1936 he issued a notice in the “Western Australian” newspaper to say that from that date he would not accept responsibility for any further debts of his wife, F E Burton. He worked for the Pioneer Bus Company in Cottesloe, Western Australia between 1939 and 1941 but was then out of work from January 1946 until 1948 at which point he returned to work for the Pioneer Bus Company. He died in Florent Park, Western Australia on 21 May 1964.
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Gnr.
|
Calcott
|
John William
|
137952
|
B/58
|
John William Calcott was the son of Richard Calcott and Sarah Calcott of Stourport, Worcs., but was known as Jack to his family and friends. Jack was born in Cardiff in about 1894 but by 1911 he was a tin plate worker in Upper Mitton, Stourport-on-Severn, Worcs. He worked at the Dunlop rubber works in Birmingham, having previously worked at Baldwins. He enlisted on 24 May 1916, and at the time of his death he resided with his wife Florence Calcott and daughter, Eileen Florence Calcott who had been born on 8 August 1913, at 44 Manor Road, Stourport. John Calcott was wounded at least once in 1917 and he was serving in B/58 when he was killed in action on 7 November 1918, just 4 days before the Armistice. He is buried in London Cemetery and Extension, Longueval, France. He was posthumously awarded the Military Medal by the Canadian Corps commander on 13 November 1918. His only brother, Richard, had been killed a year earlier.
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Dvr.
|
Calvert
|
Charles
|
39306
|
D/58
|
Charles Calvert was born in about 1894. He worked as a labourer before enlisting in the RFA and went to France on 14 July 1915. He was serving in D/58 when he reported sick with influenza on 23 October 1918. He was evacuated back to the UK and treated at Edmonton Military Hospital in London before being sent to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick on about 11 December 1918.
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Sgt.
|
Cameron
|
Robert Ramsey
|
93125
|
A/58
|
Robert Ramsey Cameron was born in Dunbartonshire, the son of Mary Ramsey Cameron. He enlisted in Clydebank, Lanarkshire, shortly after war broke out. He was assigned to A/58 and had been promoted to Bdr by 17 February 1915 and had been promoted again to Cpl when on 4 April 1915 he witnessed offences by three men in the battery, Gnr Whitehouse (10652), Gnr Stratton (80791) and Dvr Birch (11284), during their training in Leeds. He was awarded the Military Medal on 20 November 1916 for swift action he and Lt Peel took when an enemy shell hit No.4 gun emplacement on 24 October 1916. The citation for his medal said: “Battery was being shelled and a 5.9″ hit a gun emplacement, wounding some of the detachment and burying the rest. Lt Peel and Sgt Cameron immediately rushed out and dug the buried men out, thereby saving their lives”. Eight men were badly burned by the explosion and one killed. He was still serving in A/58 when he was killed in action on 15 September 1917, and is buried in Bard Cottage Cemetery, Belgium. His mother was awarded a pension of 15s a week from April 1918.
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2/Lt.
|
Cameron
|
Aylmer Lochiel
|
n/a
|
B/58
|
Aylmer Lochiel Cameron was born on 2 November 1895 in Hyderabad, India to Ewan Duncan Cameron & Letitia Emily Catherine Cameron (née Hight). In 1901 he was 5 years old and living with his 3 elder siblings at his grandparents’ house in Dover. His grandfather, Charles Hight, had been an officer in the Indian Army. Aylmer was educated at Wellington College, Berks. He was commissioned on 8 August 1914 into the Indian Army but transferred to the artillery on 16 March 1915. He sailed from Liverpool on the “Empress Britain” on 1 July 1915 for Alexandria with 58 Bde and served in B/58 at Gallipoli and was described by 2/Lt Robert Bragg as an “awfully nice fellow”. Following the British withdrawal from Suvla Bay, he, along with 9 other officers from the brigade and 45 Other Ranks, embarked onto the SS “Tunisian” at Lemnos, sailing the next day. They arrived in Alexandria on 2 January 1916 and disembarked the following day. He was appointed as the Adjutant of the brigade on 6 March 1916 and so was promoted to be a temporary Lt, and was described by Maj Hutton that summer as nice, if a little young for the job. He sailed from Alexandria on the SS “Arcadian” on 26 June 1916 for Marseilles and went on 10 days’ leave on 24 November 1916, returning on 7 December 1916, and was awarded the Military Cross in the 1917 New Year’s Honours. He went for a few days rest to Paris with Maj Hutton on 23 March 17, returning on 26 March 17, and was wounded on 8 April 1917, but returned to the unit ten days later, 18 April 1917. He had a further 10 days’ leave from 25 May to 5 June 1917. He was promoted to be an acting Captain on 3 July 1917. On 4 October 1917 he acted as liaison officer with 34 Inf Bde. Capt Cameron returned from attending the Overseas Artillery Course on 8 January 1918. He was acting battery commander in late April 1918 when Maj Hutton returned and he was sent to 1 Corps Officers’ Rest Station on 11 May 1918 and was Mentioned in Dispatches on 24 May 1918. He took over command of B/58 on 4 July 1918 when Maj Hutton became Brigade Major of 34 Inf Bde, and was made an acting Major. Maj Cameron was appointed as President of one of 11th (Northern) Division’s weekly Field General Court Martials which was held at the school in Bracquemont on 23 August 1918 and he went on 14 days’ leave to England, on 12 September 1918, not returning until 30 September 1918 owing to a railway strike. After the Armistice he went for a week’s attachment to 32 Inf Bde in connection with VIII Corps Military Training Scheme, between 11 and 17 December 1918. He attended a course in the UK, returning on 13 February 1919. He left 58 Bde on 21 March 1919 when he was selected for an appointment in the RHA. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order in the King’s Birthday Honours, 1919, and had been twice Mentioned in Dispatches during the war. In Spring 1920 he was noted on the Absentee Voters List as being away from his home at Dunmow Hill, Fleet, Hants. He joined the School of Equitation in 1925, finishing as Chief Instructor in 1937. He retired from the Army in 1938. He married Lowis Mary Maitland Rugge-Price (a baronet’s daughter) on 20 September 1932 in Wimborne Minster, Dorset. She was 15 years younger than him. They sailed from Southampton to Port Said, Egypt, on board the “Johan van Oldenbarneveldt” on 6 October 1933, and they were living at Beaucroft, Wimborne, at the time. They had one son who followed his father into the Army and became a Brigadier. Aylmer and his wife spent their final years living in The Old Rectory, Anderson, Blandford Forum, Dorset. He died on 2 May 1982 aged 86, and is buried in Winterborne-Zelstone, Dorset. His wife died aged 78 in 1990.
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2/Lt.
|
Campbell
|
E M
|
n/a
|
B/58
|
2/Lt E M Campbell MC was serving as an officer in B/58 when he went to the hospital sick on 11 October 1917.
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Cpl S/S
|
Campbell
|
John
|
6930
|
A/58
|
Born in 1889, John Campbell’s trade was horse shoeing. He was the son of John Campbell of 1 Queen’s Place, Renfrew. He enlisted in his home town, Glasgow, on 2 September 1914, aged 20 and was posted initially to No.6 Depot, Glasgow. From there he was posted to 73 Bde Ammunition Column on 6 November 1914 as a Driver, then to 228 Bty on 30 December 1914, which became C/72. Making use of his civilian occupation, he was appointed a Shoeing-Smith on 8 January 1915. He was promoted to Cpl Shoeing-Smith on 7 June 1915 while still in C/72 and went to France on 9 July 1915. He suffered a fracture to his pelvis and was admitted to Queen Alexandra’s Military Hospital at Millbank on 28 July 1915. On 28 September 1915 he was transferred to Cedar Lawn, Westminster and was posted to 5C Reserve Bde the same day for administrative purposes. He was discharged from hospital on 12 October 1915 and was given 10 days’ furlough. He was then posted to 29 Division Ammunition Column which was serving in Egypt, arriving there on about 21 November 1915. While still in Egypt, on 10 April 1916, he was posted to A/58, with whom he stayed for the rest of the war. He was wounded in 1917 and was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry in the field, which was gazetted on 28 January 1918. He was demobbed on 31 March 1920.
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Gnr.
|
Campbell
|
John
|
134414
|
D/58
|
John Campbell was born in Dudley and enlisted in Ashington, Northumberland. He was married to Mary Ellen Campbell and their home was in Ashington. John was serving in D/58 when he was killed in action on 16 or 17 February 1918, aged 27, and he is buried in Philosophe British Cemetery, Mazingarbe, France. Mary was living at 12 Hawthorn Road in Ashington when she applied for a pension due to her husband’s death.
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2/Lt.
|
Campbell
|
Richard Galbraith
|
n/a
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A/58
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Richard Galbraith Campbell was born on 5 December 1896, the son of James Arthur Campbell and Ethel Campbell (née Bruce). After the war broke out, he was an 18-year old student when he applied for a commission in the RFA (Special Reserve) and was commissioned as a 2/Lt (on probation) into the RFA on 14 April 1915. He was sent to Gallipoli but had to be evacuated from there to Alexandria with dysentery on the Hospital Ship “Somali”. Once in Alexandria he was admitted to No.1 General Hospital and then on 29 September 1915 was sent to No.10 Convalescent Home. On 21 December 1915 he was discharged to duty and was posted to 60 Bde RFA on 4 February 1916. He sailed with his brigade from Alexandria on 2 July 1916, arriving in Marseilles on 10 July 1916. Soon after arriving in France he was posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column (DAC) on 19 July 1916. On 23 January 1917 he was posted to 11 Trench Mortar Reserve and began a course that same day at the Trench Mortar School which lasted until 31 January 1917. On 20 February 1917 he was appointed acting Aide de Camp to the Commander Royal Artillery of 11 Division and after three weeks he was attached to A/58 from 12 March 1917. He was posted from the brigade to 11 Division Ammunition Column on 25 June 1917 but was attached back to 58 Bde on 29 June 1917 and joined C/58. Two days later he was promoted to Lt and he was formally posted to C/58 on 6 July 1917, though was briefly attached back to X/11 Trench Mortar Battery between 21 July and 6 August 1917. On 21 August 1917 he was serving with C/58 near Ypres when he was wounded in the neck and left shoulder by a shell. He was admitted the following day to No.33 Field Ambulance and then went to No.8 General Hospital in Rouen. From there he was evacuated back to the UK on the Hospital Ship “Grantully Castle” which sailed from Le Havre on 28 August 1917, arriving in Southampton the following day. A medical board was held at the 3rd Southern General Hospital in Oxford on 28 September 1917 which concluded that he was not yet fit though should be ready for service in the UK in a month’s time and that he should therefore write to the War Office to seek instructions. He went to stay back at the family home of Arduaine, Argyll before being posted to 72 Division at Ipswich on 19 October 1917 where he joined 353 Bde RFA. On 30 November 1917 a medical board held at Ipswich concluded that he was fit for duty in the UK, though not yet ready for active service overseas. In about January 1918 he applied via 72 Division to be trained as a Wireless Equipment Officer with the Royal Flying Corps. He was posted to join 23 Reserve Battery of 4B Reserve Bde at Boyton Camp, Codford, Wilts and a further medical board held at the nearby military hospital in Sutton Veny concluded on 17 April 1918 that he was now fully fit and should return to his unit. The RAF accepted his application – he had stated that his qualifications were that he had a knowledge of elementary electricity and had worked on an amateur wireless set belonging to a friend – and he was attached to the RAF from 24 June 1918 where he began training as a Wireless Equipment Officer (on probation) at No.1 (Training) Wireless School. On 21 September 1918 he was granted a temporary commission in the RAF as a 2/Lt and, due to his previous rank, was made an Honorary Lt. After the Armistice, he was demobilised on 15 January 1919 from No.1 Dispersal Unit, Thetford and then presumably returned to his studies because he was appointed for service with the Cambridge University Contingent (Artillery Unit) of the Officers Training Corps on 16 January 1920 though the following year applied to resign his commission on the Unattached List of the Territorial Force. His application was granted on 6 April 1921. He married Margaret Kathleen Spoor in Great Ayton, near Stokesley, Yorks in 1936 and they had three children. In 1939 he, Margaret and their children were living in Greystones, High Street, Wetherby where Richard acted as the ARP organiser. In the early 1950s he and his family were living on a Dutch barge, the “New Horizon” on the Crinan Canal. Richard Galbraith Campbell is reported to have died on 22 March 1975.
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2/Lt.
|
Campsie
|
Robert William
|
n/a
|
D/58
|
Son of Robert and Elizabeth Campsie, Robert William Campsie was born on 15 January 1893 in Islington, London. He joined Springfield School in Lambeth on 24 August 1896, aged just 3 and a half. Before the war he worked as a tailor’s shopman. He was commissioned as 2/Lt on probation on 28 July 1916 having been an officer cadet. He went to France on 5 August 1916 and joined D/58 on 18 June 1917. Due to ill health contracted while on active service in the RFA, he retired from the Army on 13 February 1918. In 1921 he was working as an assistant trader when he arrived back in the UK after a trip to Nigeria. Also that year he was cited in a divorce case as having had an affair with Lady Grace Brisco. A Robert W Campsie died in Yorkshire in 1957, aged 64.
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Dvr.
|
Carpenter
|
Richard George
|
10709
|
A/58
|
Richard George Carpenter was born in Coventry on 6 January 1889. Before the war he worked as an iron moulder. He enlisted in Nuneaton on 3 September 1914 and was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea. From there he was posted to 184 Bty on 4 September 1914, which became A/58. He was wounded by shrapnel in his left hip on 12 August 1915, very soon after he had landed at Gallipoli. He was evacuated from there on Hospital Ship “Sicilia” and admitted to 15 General Hospital, Alexandria. From there, he sailed on Hospital Ship “Asturias” on 15 September 1915 from Alexandria to go back to the UK where he was assigned to 5C Reserve Bde during his convalescence in hospital. He stayed in Cambridge Hospital, Aldershot from 25 September 1915 to 1 April 1916. After his wounding he suffered a nervous breakdown and stomach problems. He did not return to active service, instead he was released for munition work at The Rover Motor Co Ltd, Garfield Rd, Coventry on 19 April 1916, so was able to live at home. The company wrote to the War Office requesting that an extra ration allowance be granted since he was living at home. The request was denied. Richard was discharged from the Army on 6 March 1919. He died in Coventry on 11 October 1974, aged 85.
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Gnr.
|
Carpenter
|
William Henry
|
10982
|
A/58
|
William Henry Carpenter was born in early 1886, the son of David Carpenter and Elizabeth Carpenter who both worked as weavers. In 1901, the family were living at 34 Station Street East, Foleshill, Coventry, Warks and William, aged 15, was working as a machine polisher. In 1911, the family had moved to 21 Station Road East and William was working as an iron polisher. He enlisted in Nuneaton on 3 September 1914, aged 28, and was posted to 184 Battery, which became A/58. William married Elsie Crompton in St. Paul’s church, Foleshill, Coventry on 1 April 1915 and on about 1 August 1915 he arrived in the Balkans theatre of war. He became sick so was evacuated back to the UK and was admitted to 3rd Western General Hospital on 10 January 1916, and was posted to 5C Reserve Bde RFA for administrative purposes the same day. On 7 July 1916 he was posted to the Royal Artillery Command Depot, Ripon and from there to 55 Reserve Battery, 1A Reserve Bde RFA on 2 October 1916. On 20 January 1917, William was posted to France and attended the 4th School of Mortars from 21 February 1917 until he was posted to Z.42 Trench Mortar Battery on 4 March 1917. He was posted to Base on 13 June 1917. He was wounded on 22 March 1918 and was admitted to Convalescent Depot, Boulogne. At some point, he was transferred to the Labour Corps as a Private with service number 376805, and was posted to 86 Labour Company. He retained his Royal Artillery rate of pay while serving in the Labour Corps. He attended No.2 Dispersal Unit at Chiseldon for demobilisation on 19 February 1919 and was demobilised on 19 March 1919, still giving his home address as 21 Station Road East. Due to an irritable heart condition, he was awarded a weekly pension from 21 October 1919 of 15 shillings while living at 63 Uplands, Stoke Heath, Coventry. In 1921 he, Elsie and their son, Walter Frank Carpenter were living at 57 Uplands and William was working as an iron polisher at the Humber Works.
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Sgt.
|
Carruthers
|
|
|
B/58
|
In June 1918, the adjutant of 58 Bde mentioned a Sgt Carruthers in B/58 as being eminently qualified to act as BQMS and said that 3 successive battery commanders had put him forward to be so but he was passed over each time because he was too far down the seniority list (by about 300 places). The adjutant asked, in exasperation: “Is this helping towards efficiency?”
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Gnr.
|
Carter
|
William
|
16268
|
|
William Carter enlisted into the RFA and was posted overseas, arriving probably at Gallipoli on about 12 October 1915. He was serving in 58 Bde in Egypt when discharged to Zahrieh Camp from the Reception Hospital Mustapha, Alexandria on 26 February 1916 after having had scabies. At some point after this, he was transferred to the Labour Corps where he was assigned the new service number 469982. After the war he returned to live in Fareham, Hants and was awarded a weekly pension of 13s 9d from 13 February 1919 for 7 months.
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Capt.
|
Cartmel-Robinson
|
Harold Francis
|
n/a
|
HQ
|
Harold Francis Cartmel-Robinson was born on 28 March 1889. His father, Jacob, was a vicar living in Stoke Newington. Harold attended St Paul’s School Kensington and Merton College Oxford before taking up a post as an Assistant Native Commissioner and Justice of the Peace in Northern Rhodesia [Zambia] in September 1912. He joined the Northern Rhodesia Rifles on 25 March 1915. He left Northern Rhodesia in about November 1916 to return to the UK and joined the Inns of Court Officer Training Corps on 28 February 1917. He married Beatrice Elizabeth Whittle in 1917, and applied for a commission, being ordered to report to the Royal Artillery Officer Cadet School, St John’s Wood, London, on 7 June 1917. He was commissioned as a 2/Lt in the RFA (Special Reserve) on 3 November 1917 and first arrived in France at Le Havre on 4 January 1918. He joined 11 Division Ammunition Column from the Base on 10 January 1918 and was posted to the Headquarters of 58 Bde on 27 January 1918 where he would have met up with his brother-in-law, Maj J H Baines. (Maj Baines having married Harold’s younger sister, Gladys Ada, in 1912). After 10 men of D/58 were killed by a German bomber while trying to free a wagon from a ditch, he twice set a trap for enemy aeroplanes on 23 and 26 August 1918 in the hope of exacting revenge, but without success. While serving in 58 Bde HQ, he signed a number of orders in the place of the adjutant in May and September 1918 and went on 14 days’ leave to England on 9 September 1918 though didn’t return until 26 September 1918. He was appointed Adjutant on Armistice Day, replacing Capt T F Monks, and was appointed A/Capt. On 16 November 1918 he was admitted to 57 Casualty Clearing Station with influenza, was transferred to No.20 General Hospital and was then evacuated to the UK on 25 November 1918 on the AT “Stad Antwerpen”, though the brigade only found that out on 5 December 1918. He attended a Medical Board at the Queen Alexandra’s Military Hospital Millbank on 28 January 1919 which recommended him for demobilisation. He was demobilised at the repatriation camp in Winchester on 27 April 1919 and so relinquished the rank of A/Capt that day on ceasing to be adjutant. He relinquished his commission on 1 April 1920 and returned to Northern Rhodesia after the war, sailing for South Africa from Southampton on the “Kenilworth Castle” on 1 September 1922 with his wife and 1-year old daughter. He was awarded an OBE in the King’s Birthday Honours in 1933 while working as a District Commissioner in Northern Rhodesia, and a CMG in the 1942 Birthday Honours while working as Provincial Governor there. Sir H F Cartmel-Robinson died on 18 November 1957, aged 68.
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Maj.
|
Casement
|
Roger
|
n/a
|
Bde Cdr
|
Roger Casement was born on 24 February 1864. He was the son of Julius Casement and Maria Clarke Casement (née Lacy-Barnard) and the cousin of his ill-fated namesake, Sir Roger Casement. He was commissioned into the RFA and served in the Boer War, winning both the King’s and Queen’s South Africa Medals. He married Catherine Isabelle Tottenham on 30 August 1898 and appears to have spent much of his life living at Cloragh House, Ashford, Co. Wicklow. He served a Justice of the Peace for that county, was appointed High Sheriff for the county in 1907 and as a Deputy Lieutenant for Co. Wicklow the following year. He had retired from the Army and was in the Reserve of Officers when he was recalled to active service. He served as the battery commander of C/55 Bde RFA, part of 10th (Irish) Division, sailing with them from Devonport on 7 July 1915 on the SS “Kingstonian” and arriving in Alexandria on 19 July 1915. He and 55 Bde re-embarked onto the “Kingstonian” in Alexandria on 8 August 1915 though didn’t sail until two days later. They arrived at Mudros on 13 August 1915 but stayed on board for over 2 weeks as food and water ran scarce. They disembarked into camp on 28 August 1915. He probably landed at Suvla Bay on 11 September 1915. He took over temporary command of 55 Bde when the commanding officer went sick on 29 October 1915 until a new CO arrived on 15 November 1915 at which point he left 55 Bde to become the commanding officer of 58 Bde. He was duly appointed a temporary Lt Colonel on 28 November 1915. Following the British withdrawal from Suvla Bay, he, along with 9 other officers from the brigade and 45 Other Ranks, embarked onto the SS “Tunisian” at Lemnos, sailing the next day. They arrived in Alexandria on 2 January 1916 and disembarked the following day. On 3 January 1916 he relinquished his temporary rank and returned to the rank of Major when he ceased to command an artillery brigade, probably handing over command of 58 Bde to Lt Col Winter. On 10 April 1916 he was Mentioned in Despatches for distinguished and gallant services rendered during the period of General Sir Charles Monro’s Command of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. He died on 21 December 1917 of illness contracted on active service, aged 53, and is buried in Killiskey Church of Ireland Churchyard, Killiskey, Co. Wicklow, Ireland.
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2/Lt.
|
Castle
|
Arthur
|
n/a
|
A/58
|
Born on 25 February 1897, Arthur Castle attended St Paul’s School and Deal School, Deal, Kent. In 1915 he was aged 18 and was living in Ealing and working as a clerk in the London County and Westminster Bank when he resigned to join the Army. He was commissioned as a 2/Lt in the RFA Special Reserve on 16 November 1915 and was posted to France on 3 February 1916. On 5 October 1916 he was posted from 11 DAC to A/133. Presumably on 29 November 1916 he joined 58 Bde when the centre section of A/133 was transferred to A/58 to make it into a 6-gun battery. He was posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column (11 DAC) on 2 December 1916, but returned a few days later on 12 December 1916 and was assigned to A/58. He was posted back to 11 DAC for a few more days between 27 and 31 January 1917, rejoining A/58 afterwards. He was granted leave, returning on 16 February 1917 and must have been wounded or been taken ill because he attended a Medical Board at Lezarde Valley Camp, Le Havre, on 5 June 1917 where he was declared fit for service. He was promoted to Lt on 1 July 1917 and during a major barrage by the battery on 31 July 1917 he achieved the feat of sleeping through it all. On 16 August 1917 he was acting as Forward Observation Officer during the first day of the British attack of the Battle of Langemarck. As he advanced, he was wounded in the back, right leg and left forearm from the British artillery barrage. He was sent to hospital where the wound was found to be serious, so he left 58 Bde (“a great loss” according to his battery commander) and was evacuated from Calais to Dover on 19 August 1917. After leave granted by a Medical Board for recuperation, he was passed fit by a Medical Board held at 1/5th Northern General Hospital, Leicester on 18 January 1918 so was ordered to report to AG6 at the War Office on 8 February 1918 ready for being posted back overseas. He rejoined A/58 on 16 May 1918 and was sent on an artillery course at 1 Corps School on 17 August 1918. He was one of the officers who formed part of a mobile battery on 26 August 1918 as the German Army began its final collapse and retreat. On 3 November 1918 he had three items stolen from a cellar where he had placed them: a pair of binoculars, a prismatic compass and an electric torch. He returned from more leave on 15 December 1918, and attended a course at 1st Army Artillery School, rejoining his battery on 28 January 1919. He left 58 Bde on 10 March 1919 on being posted to 49 Divisional Artillery where he served in 245 Bde RFA as part of the Rhine Army occupying Germany. He was demobilised on 9 November 1919 at No.1 Dispersal Unit, Ripon and relinquished his commission on 1 April 1920. As tensions with Germany and the possibility of another war loomed, he joined the Territorial Army to serve in the ranks of 60th (City of London) Anti-Aircraft Bde on 11 April 1938. He was allocated service number 1427878 and while serving in the ranks had to relinquish his rank of Lt.
|
Dvr.
|
Caton
|
John
|
229173
|
C/58
|
John Caton was born in in about 1884 in Cherry Tree, Blackburn, Lancs. He married Catherine and they had two daughters, Elizabeth Caton, born 21 July 1908, and Kathleen, born on 28 August 1913. Before the war they lived in Audley, Blackburn, where both John and Catherine worked in the textiles industry: John as a heald examiner, while Catherine was a heald knitter. John was killed in action alongside two other members of C/58, Leslie Savage and Joseph Petty, on 20 June 1918. John was 34. All three are buried alongside each other in Philosophe British Cemetery, Mazingarbe. Catherine was awarded a pension of 25s 5d a week from 6 January 1919.
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Gnr.
|
Cator
|
Herbert John
|
235138
|
D/58
|
Herbert John Cator was baptised on 18 October 1885. He was the son of Charles Cator and Caroline Cator of Ashill, Norfolk. Before the war he had married Jane and was a waggoner on a farm in Ashill. They had five sons. He was conscripted into the RFA and, probably during training, received a contusion to his left knee while serving in 37 Reserve Battery and so spent 13 days in the County of Middlesex Hospital at Napsbury. On 23 August 1918, Herbert was one of a party of men from D/58 who were helping get a wagon out of a ditch when an enemy aeroplane swooped and dropped 5 bombs on the party. Nine were killed, one dying later of wounds. Herbert died from wounds to his abdomen and legs and is buried in Pernes British Cemetery, France. His widow, Jane, received a pension of 37s 11d a week from 3 March 1919.
|
Gnr.
|
Caunt
|
George
|
18997
|
|
George Caunt enlisted on 6 September 1914. He went overseas, arriving in the Balkans theatre of war on 13 October 1915. While serving with 58 Bde, he received gunshot wounds to his right thigh, resulting in the amputation of his leg. He was therefore discharged from the Army on 12 September 1918 due to this and was awarded a Silver War Badge. He returned to live at 144 North Gate, New Basford, Notts and was awarded a pension of 27s 6d a week from 13 September 1918.
|
BSM
|
Cavill
|
William
|
51105
|
B/58
|
Battery Sergeant Major William Cavill was the senior NCO of 185 Battery in the early months of the brigade’s training. He made the following report about an accident that happened during training: “On the afternoon of the 9th November 1914, I was superintending the driving drill of the battery. Sergeant Cornford was in charge and was moving in battery column and was wheeling to the right. The team of which Dr. Chaplin was lead driver got out of hand, wheeled to the left down a slope and during the plunging of the horses Driver Chaplin came off and was dragged by his left foot in the stirrup for a considerable distance. His foot then became free and he fell under the wheels. He was picked up and taken to hospital.” Cavill also reported Bdr W Theakston (93052) for neglect of duty while training at Chapeltown Barracks on 21 February 1915. Theakston clearly didn’t take offence at this, describing Cavill many years later as a “very fine gentleman” who had been an old soldier and a park-keeper who had returned to the Army to help with the training of the new recruits. William had served previously in the RGA with service number 25886 and returned to serve in the RFA on 6 September 1914. He had been serving in 13 Reserve Battery at Larkhill when he was discharged from the Army on 26 September 1917, aged 55, and was awarded a pension of 27s 6d a week. He was also awarded a Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.
|
Gnr.
|
Chalcraft
|
Arthur
|
76229
|
C/58
|
Gunner Arthur Chalcraft was from Chertsey and was born in about 1891. He was serving in the RFA when he arrived in France on 14 September 1914 as part of a group of reinforcements sent to join the British Expeditionary Force. Two years later, he was serving in C/58 when he was wounded by a shrapnel bullet in his left shoulder at Pozières on 20 October 1916. The bullet penetrated through his shoulder and exited near the top of his spine. He was evacuated back to the UK and was treated at the 4th Northern General Hospital, Lincoln and then at the Deaconess Hospital, Edinburgh, from where he was discharged to sick furlough on 2 November 1917.
|
Gnr.
|
Chambers
|
Ernest
|
11019
|
D/58
|
Ernest Chambers was the son of Ernest Benjamin Chambers and Kate Chambers. They lived in Church Lawford, Rugby, Warks. He enlisted early in the war and was assigned to D/58. He received gunshot wounds to his abdomen while serving at Gallipoli and died of his wounds on 7 October 1915, aged 19. He was buried at sea. He is commemorated on the Helles Memorial and on the Brandon village memorial, near Rugby.
|
Gnr.
|
Chant
|
Harry
|
11191
|
C/58
|
Harry Chant was serving as a Gunner in C/58 when he went overseas to the Balkans theatre of war on 2 July 1915. At some later time he was transferred to the Royal Garrison Artillery and was assigned the new service number 198247. After the war, he was awarded a pension of 5 shillings 6d a week from 17 April 1919 for a year and was living at White House, 1 Avon Castle Rpad, Ringwood, Hants.
|
Dvr.
|
Chaplin
|
Frederick
|
11143
|
B/58
|
Frederick Chaplin was born in Bristol on 22 June 1893, one of the eight children of William John Chaplin and Elizabeth Chaplin. On 3 September 1914, he was a 21-year old milkman living at 22 Lansdowne Rd, Redland, Bristol, when he enlisted in Bristol. He was 5’3″ tall with dark brown hair, blue eyes and a fresh complexion according to examination at the Colston Hall by a civilian doctor, E H C Pauli. He was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea, then to 185 Bty. On the afternoon of 9 November 1914, he was training as lead driver in driving drill on Sugarwell Hill, Meanwood, NE Leeds, when his team of horses got out of hand. They went down a slope and during the plunging of the horses Fred Chaplin came off and was dragged by his left foot in the stirrup for a considerable distance. His foot then became free and he fell under the wheels. He was picked up and taken to Leeds Infirmary, where he was diagnosed with a fractured skull and dislocated shoulder. He was in the infirmary between 10 November and 6 December 1914. A Board of Enquiry was held on 18 November 1914 which exonerated him of any blame. He married Eva Mildred House on 13 March 1915 at the Registry Office, Bristol, and was absent from 7 am reveille three days later on 16 March 1915 at Leeds and was absent for 2 days, for which he was awarded to be confined to barracks for 14 days by Maj Meyricke and forfeited 2 days’ pay. He was posted to 58 Bde Ammunition Column on 17 April 1915. His daughter Peggy Mildred was born 6 months after his wedding on 3 September 1915. He was awarded 7 more days’ confinement to barracks on 7 May 1915 while at Milford Camp by Capt Marsden for hesitating to obey an order. He was posted to 19th (R) Bty on 3 November 1915, then to the Expeditionary Force Base Depot on 22 November 1915, and to 40th Bde Ammunition Column on 26 November 1915. He was posted on reorganisation to No.2 section, 3 Division Ammunition Column on 13 May 1916. He went to 8 Field Ambulance with influenza on 27 June 1916, returning to duty a couple of days later. He had leave to UK between 19 and 29 July 1917 and was then posted to C/40 Bde on 10 September 1917. He had another spell of leave to the UK between 8 and 22 March 1918. After the war ended, he was sent to the Dispersal Centre at Fovant on 25 April 1919, transferred to Section B Army Reserve on 23 May 1919, and discharged on demobilisation on 31 March 1920. He expressed an interest in joining Section D Army Reserve after the war. In September 1939, Frederick and Eva were living at 45 Ashburton Road, Bristol and Frederick was working as a telecommunication linesman. Frederick died in Weston-super-Mare in 1965, aged 72.
|
Bdr.
|
Chapman
|
George Henry
|
48154
|
B/58
|
George Henry Chapman was a pre-war regular soldier and was serving as a Gunner in 29 Bde RFA when he was sent to France as part of the original BEF on 23 August 1914. He was reported missing on 11 and 14 September 1914 but rejoined his unit a short while later. On 7 July 1918 he was serving with B/58 as a Bdr when he was promoted to Cpl. He ended the war as a Sgt and was selected to attend a course in veterinary science given by the 22nd Mobile Veterinary Section between 23 January and 6 February 1919. He appears to have been still serving in the Army in 1920 as a paid acting Sgt when he was registered as an absent voter for Hammersmith and Fulham to enable him to vote by proxy or by post; his address was given as 70a Niton Street, Fulham and it was said that he was still serving in B/58, though the brigade had been disbanded the previous year.
|
Dvr.
|
Chapman
|
George Stephenson
|
97403
|
A/58
|
George Stephenson Chapman (sometimes spelled as George Stevenson Chapman) was born in 1882 in Preston, Lancs, the son of Stephenson (often referred to as just Stephen) Chapman and Elizabeth Chapman. On 14 October 1905, George married Ann Latus in St. Mary’s church, Preston. At that point he gave his trade as being a spinner, like his father. George and Ann had three children, Elizabeth born on 14 January 1906, Thomas born on 20 February 1909 and Joseph born on 13 February 1911, before Ann died in 1913. Later that year George married Elizabeth Alice Butcher on 13 October 1913 in Oswaldwistle, Lancs. George served in the militia unit, 5th Lancashire Volunteer Artillery before the war and by 1914 was working as a polisher. Shortly after war was declared, George enlisted into the RFA in Accrington, Lancs on 31 August 1914 claiming to be 24 years old, when he was in fact 31 or 32. He was posted initially to No.2 RFA Depot in Preston and from there was posted to join 175 Battery, part of 55 Bde RFA in 10th (Irish) Division on 4 September 1914. This battery was subsequently renamed as A/55 and George went abroad with his unit on 7 July 1915, sailing to Egypt. On 27 January 1916 he was posted to the Headquarters of 11 Division Ammunition Column and went with them from Egypt to France in mid-1916. A year later, on 23 July 1917 he was posted to A/58. Only a few weeks later he was very seriously injured by a shell blast which resulted in him having both legs amputated. He was evacuated back to the UK on 14 September 1917 and treated at St. Mary’s Military Hospital, Whalley, Lancs. George was discharged from the Army as permanently physically unfit on 10 June 1920, his character being described as “very good” and gave his home address as 8 Butcher’s Court, Preston, though claimed to be unmarried. Due to his disability, he was awarded a weekly pension of 40 shillings for life plus 29s 6d for his wife and three children. By 1921, George was living in Caffyn’s Cross, Lynton, Devon. In September 1939, a George S Chapman was working as a caretaker and living in Barnstaple with his wife Margaret A Chapman and a son born in 1926, though it is not clear If this is the same individual.
|
Dvr.
|
Chapman
|
William Edwin
|
236686
|
C/58
|
William Edwin Chapman was serving in C/58 when he was admitted to No.2 Australian General Hospital, Boulogne on 27 November 1918 with mild inflammation of the connective tissue in his legs.
|
Dvr.
|
Chesterton
|
James William
|
23302
|
|
James William Chesterton was born in 1896 in Gilmorton, Leics. He enlisted on 26 April 1915, aged 19. He was discharged from the Army while serving in 58 Bde on 21 November 1918 due to a gunshot wound to his thigh he had received. He was awarded a pension of 16s a week for life from 24 November 1920 due to the disability caused by his wounds. He married Dorothea May Sharpe in December 1919 and they had 4 children. James Chesterton died on 4 April 1960, aged 64.
|
A/Bdr.
|
Chorley
|
William James
|
10581
|
C/58
|
Born on 14 January 1895, William James Chorley was a groom from Curry Rivel, Somerset. He enlisted in Taunton on 2 September 1914, aged 19. After going first to No.3 Depot at Hilsea, he was posted to 186 Bty on 10 September 1914, which became C/58. He was appointed Acting Bdr on 8 February 1915. He embarked on the SS “Knight Templar” at Devonport on 1 July 1915, disembarking at Alexandria on 14 July 1915. He sailed from Alexandria on 28 July 1915 and landed at Gallipoli on 9 August 1915. He was appointed Temporary Bdr on 24 September 1915. He caught jaundice and so was admitted to 35 Field Ambulance on Gallipoli on 31 October 1915, though was discharged back to duty on 2 November 1915. Shortly after, he was appointed A/Cpl on 6 November 1915. Shortly after leaving Gallipoli he was re-admitted to hospital in Egypt on 4 January 1916 with albuminosis so was transferred to Nasareth School Cairo next day. He embarked on Hospital Ship “Valdiva” to be returned to the UK for treatment on 24 March 1916 and was put on the invalid list. He was posted to 5C Reserve Brigade on 5 April 1916, then to 20 Reserve Bty on 4 July 1916, and then sent back overseas to join A/57 which was serving with 10th (Irish) Division on the Salonika front. He was admitted to No.43 General Hospital Salonika on 26 September 1916 and evacuated on Hospital Ship “Llandovery Castle” to Malta in October 1916. He was promoted to Sgt on 10 March 1918 and was serving in A/57 when he was admitted to No.28 General Hospital on 10 March 1919 suffering from influenza. He may have been evacuated on the Hospital Ship “Gloucester Castle” and he was demobbed on 15 May 1919. His application for a pension wa srejected because he was no longer feeling any ill effects. After his return to civilian life, he got a job 4 weeks later as a porter with Great Western Railways on 16 June 1919 at Cardiff Railway Station. He stayed working for GWR until at least 1931. He married Ethel Worthy in 1919.
|
Cpl.
|
Clark
|
George
|
54164
|
HQ
|
A pre-war regular soldier, George Clark had been a shuttlemaker in Dundee before he joined the Army in Dundee on 7 January 1909, joining at Seaforth 4 days later. He qualified as a signaller and telephonist. He was appointed A/Bdr with 135 Bty on 1 August 1913, reverting to gunner on 13 October 1913 due to misconduct: he had been absent from duty while in charge of a hospital guard. His commanding officer in 135 Bty described him as “A good signaller. Accustomed to the care of horses. A keen & cheerful worker.” He was again appointed A/Bdr on 4 July 1914. His battery was part of 32nd Bde RFA in 4th Division. He went with them to France on 23 August 1914. He was wounded on 18 September 1914, with shrapnel in his left buttock so was evacuated back to the UK and stayed in London General Hospital, Denmark Hill, between 27 September and 29 October 1914. He was posted to 4B Res Bde on 25 January 1915, and then was posted to join the HQ of 118 (Howitzer) Bde on 1 March 1915 and was promoted to Bdr the same day. He left the UK to join his new unit, landing at Le Havre on 11 March 1915. He was promoted to Cpl on 30 December 1915. On 15 July 1916, he was posted to No.2 Camp, Sanvic, Le Havre, and from there was assigned to the HQ of 58 Bde on 27 July 1916. He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal in the New Year’s Honours, 1917, “For conspicuous gallantry in action. He remained at his post continuously for three days and nights, in order to maintain a complicated system of signal communication. He set a fine example throughout.” He was granted leave to the UK between 19 and 28 January 1917. On 7 June 1917, he was severely wounded in action with gunshot wounds in his right hip and thigh. He was admitted to 113 Field Ambulance the same day and died of his wounds on 14 June 1917 in No.14 General Hospital, Boulogne. He is buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery. The Ministry of Pensions granted his widow a pension of 27 shillings and 6d a week from 24 December 1917. He and his wife, Cissie Kitchener had had three children, including a son, George Augustus Kitchener Clark born in 1913 before they were married, a daughter Alice Clark born in July 1914, and a third, Douglas Allan Clark who was born 4 months after his father’s death. They lived at 11 Mounts Road, Greenhithe, Kent. In July 1918, Cissie Clark asked that her late husband’s DCM be posted to her rather than have it awarded publicly.
|
Cpl.
|
Clark
|
Joseph
|
6395
|
|
Joseph Clark enlisted on 28 August 1914. He was serving as an Acting Bombardier in 58 Bde when he suffered a gunshot wound to his left leg in about October 1917 and was discharged from the Army on 18 September 1919 as being “surplus to military requirements having suffered impairment since entry into the service” and so was awarded a Silver War Badge. He returned to live at 41 Folyambe Crescent, Rossington, Doncaster and was initially awarded a pension of 8s 3d from 19 July 1919 which was reduced to 7s 6d a week until the end of 1921 when he was awarded a final gratuity of £10.
|
Gnr.
|
Clark
|
Leonard Frank
|
945474
|
B/58
|
Leonard Frank Clark was born in Wimbledon, the elder of the two sons of Frank Clark and Lydia Rosa Clark (née Young). He was working as a young draughtsman in the Royal Arsenal Woolwich when he enlisted there on 19 August 1914 into the Territorial Force (TF) aged just 17 years and 4 months. He joined 58 (2/1st London) Division’s Ammunition Column with service number 1276. He was posted to France arriving there on 22 January 1917 and was there until 5 March 1917. It was at about this time that he was allocated a new service number, 945474, under the renumbering of TF soldiers. He returned to the UK, presumably due to illness or wounds, and stayed in the UK until 16 October 1917 when he returned to the Base Depot in France from where he was posted to B/58 probably 9 days later. He suffered gas poisoning probably in April 1918 and was invalided home from France on 5 July 1918 and admitted to the Metropolitan Free Hospital on Kingsland Road, Hackney. He was discharged from the Army while in hospital on 12 August 1918 and was awarded an Army pension until his death 2 years later on 30 June 1920 from tuberculosis. He is buried in Wimbledon (Gap Road) Cemetery. His father applied for a commemorative plaque (sometimes known as the Death Penny) and scroll on 4 October 1920 to demonstrate that Leonard had died as a result of his war service. This was approved just three days later. His mother applied for a pension due to her son’s death and was granted 13s 9d a week from 13 August 1918; she was living at 61 Alexandra Road, Wimbledon, London, S.W.19 at the time.
|
Dvr.
|
Clark
|
William Henry
|
94255
|
C/58
|
William Henry Clark was born on 9 June 1882, the son of Joseph Clark and Lavinia Clark (née Follett). In 1915, he was living at 23 Shaftesbury Road, Poole, Dorset with his mother and was working as a bricklayer’s labourer for the builders Burt and Vick of 15 Market Street, Poole from whom he was earning about 21 shillings a week. On 17 February 1915, William enlisted into the RFA in Poole and was posted initially to No.6 Depot at Glasgow and from there to 31 Reserve Battery in Glasgow on 21 April 1915. Later that year, William was posted overseas, sailing from Portsmouth on 16 October 1915 and disembarking at Gallipoli on 17 November 1915 and was posted imediately to C/58. After the withdrawal from Gallipoli, William arrived in Alexandria on New Year’s Day 1916 and when his unit left Egypt, he sailed with them from Alexandria on 25 June 1916, arriving in Marseilles on 3 July 1916. A week later he was posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column on 12 July 1916. On 29 December 1916, William was kicked in the head – presumably by a horse or mule – and suffered a ‘trivial’ contusion to his head. This accident was deemed not to have been his fault and he was admitted to 34 Field Ambulance and was then admitted to No.11 Casualty Clearing Station on 31 December 1916 from where he was discharged back to duty on 6 January 1917. On 4 February 1917 he was posted to C/58. He was granted 10 days’ leave to the UK on 26 July 1917 during which he married Ethel Dora Adey in the parish church of Longfleet, Dorset on 4 August 1917. Six months later he was granted a further 14 days’ leave on 22 February 1918, travelling home via Boulogne. When the brigade was heavily shelled on 9 April 1918 he suffered a severe case of mustard gas poisoning so was admitted to 35 Field Ambulance that day before being transferred to No.22 General Hospital in Camiers. He was evacuated back to the UK on the Auxiliary Transport “Panama” on 15 April 1918 and was treated at a hospital in Southampton between 18 April and 21 May 1918. He appears to have made a good recovery since he was posted as a Gunner to 60th Reserve Battery on 30 May 1918 and then was posted from there back to France on 18 June 1918. Having been evacuated back to the UK, William will have been struck off the strength of 58 Bde and so on returning to France he was posted to a new unit “14th BAC” on 29 June 1918. On 18 July 1918 he was admitted to Lakeside USA General Hospital in Rouen with what was described as a severe inflammation of the stomach which may have been gastro-entiritis because that was the diagnosis 4 weeks later when he was admitted to No.14 Convalescent Depot in Trouville. On 3 October 1918 he was posted to the Base and them on 31 October 1918 he was posted to A/277 Army Bde RFA. He was still serving in that unit when he returned to the UK for demobilisation, attending No.1 Dispersal Unit at Fovant on 21 January 1919. William Clark was demobilised on 18 February 1919. In September 1939, William and Ethel and their son, Maurice, were living at 6 Drake Road, Poole and William was working as a builder’s labourer.
|
A/Sgt.
|
Clarke
|
George Henry
|
44408
|
C/58
|
George Henry Clarke was a pre-war regular soldier from Canton [presumably Canton, Cardifff] and so went to France as part of the BEF on 16 August 1914 while serving as a Gunner with 48 Bde. He was wounded later that year. By 15 May 1917, he had been promoted to acting Sergeant and was serving in C/58, when he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He extinguished two fires in the gunpits of the battery. The pits were full of ammunition, and were being heavily shelled. His gallant action saved many lives, and probably all the guns of the battery.” He was promoted soon afterwards to BQMS, the rank he would hold for the remainder of the war, and was wounded in about August 1917.
|
Gnr.
|
Clarke
|
Harry Bert
|
137287
|
D/58
|
Harry Bert Clarke was born in about 1895 and enlisted into the RFA on 12 December 1915, possibly under the Derby scheme. He was serving in D/58 when he was admitted to No.11 Convalescent Depot, Buchy on 21 June 1917 with inflammation of the connective tissue in his right ear and neck. He was serving in D/103 when he had further problems with inflammation of his connective tissue, this time in his legs. He was discharged from No.4 Stationary Hospital, Arques on 1 January 1918 to No.7 Convalescent Camp. He was demobilised on 31 March 1920.
|
Dvr.
|
Clarke
|
Harry Louis
|
232946
|
D/58
|
Harry Louis Clarke was born in Nottingham in 1883, the son of hairdresser John Henry Clarke and Eliza A Clarke. The family were living at 18 Union Road, Nottingham when Harry was baptised in St Matthew’s church, Nottingham on 2 December 1894 and they were still living there in 1891. By 1901, the family had moved a few doors down the road to 26 Union Road, and Harry was working as his father’s assistant. Harry was living in Durham Avenue, Sneinton, Nottingham and was working as a hairdresser when he married Ellen May Ferniough on 7 September 1908 in Sneinton parish church. Ellen was living at 12 Finsbury Avenue, Sneinton Dale, Nottingham at the time of the marriage and the two of them were still living there in 1911. In 1916, Harry was still working as a hairdresser and was living at 264 Radford Road, Nottingham. He enlisted into the RFA and was recorded as serving in D/58 in the Absent Voters List for Nottingham in the Spring and Autumn lists for 1919. Harry Clarke was still living at 264 Radford Road when he died on 27 September 1933.
|
Gnr.
|
Clarke
|
Oliver
|
11258
|
58 Bde AC
|
A carter from Acton Turville, Glos, Oliver Clarke enlisted aged 21 on 5 September 1914. He was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea, and from there he was posted to 58 Bde Ammunition Column on 13 September 1914. and from there to the new D/58 on 21 January 1915. He badly wounded his hand while training so was in Leeds Infirmary from 8 February to 26 March 1915. He sailed from Devonport with his battery on 3 July 1915, disembarking at Alexandria on 17 July 1915. He sailed from Alexandria on 28 July 1915, landing on Gallipoli on 9 August 1915. After the evacuation of the division from Gallipoli, he arrived back in Alexandria on 17 January 1916. Along with the rest of D/58 he was posted to A battery of the new 11 Division Howitzer Bde on its formation, on 26 April 1916, which became 133 Bde. When that unit was broken up, he was posted to B/58 on 4 December 1916. He was gassed on 9 April 1918, so having left 58 Bde and after a period of recuperation in Nos. 56, 73 and 74 General Hospitals he was sent to the Base depot on 8 June 1918 and posted to A/251 on 17 June 1918. He was wounded again on 27 September 1918 with a gunshot wound to his knee. Again, after recuperation in the South African General Hospital in Abbeville, he again went to the Base Depot on 30 November 1918, and was sent to the Dispersal Centre Fovant for demobilisation on 26 January 1919.
|
Sgt.
|
Clarke
|
William
|
50462
|
D/58
|
William Clarke was born in about 1872 in Norwich, Norfolk. He married Clara in about 1895. In 1911, William and Clara were living in Wortley, near Sheffield, Yorks and William was working as a trammer of coke ovens. They had no children. William was serving as a Sergeant in D/58 when, while training at Milford Camp, Surrey, he contracted acute laryngitis and died in Milford on 5 May 1915. He is buried in Godalming New Cemetery. Clara was awarded a pension of 11s a week from 8 November 1915, which rose to be 16s 3d a week on 4 April 1917 until she remarried later that year when she was awarded a re-marriage gratuity of £41 15s 9d most of which she invested in War Savings Certificates.
|
Sgt.
|
Clarke
|
|
|
A/58?
|
On 20 July 1915, a Sgt Clarke witnessed Gnr McGuire (93021) being drunk and his “conduct to the prejudice of military discipline” at Zahrieh Camp, Alexandria.
|
Bdr.
|
Clarke
|
|
|
A/58
|
Bdr Clarke was serving as a signaller in A/58 when he was wounded on about 26 September 1916 during the Battle of Thiepval.
|
Gnr.
|
Clarke
|
|
|
HQ
|
Gnr Clarke of HQ 58 Bde passed as a 1st class signaller by XIII Corps School on 22 March 1917.
|
Bdr.
|
Clarkson
|
Philip
|
50858
|
B/58
|
A pre-war regular soldier, Philip Clarkson was serving with 32 Bde RFA when he went to France on 23 August 1914 as part of the BEF. By mid-1917 he had been promoted to Bdr and joined B/58 when he was awarded the Military Medal which was gazetted on 22 July 1919, having been awarded on 7 December 1918.
|
Dvr.
|
Clements
|
Frank
|
112768
|
B/58
|
Frank Clements was born on 14 December 1892, the son of Charles Clements and Ellen Clements of Liverpool. Before the war he worked as a labourer. He enlisted in Liverpool. He was serving in B/58 when he was killed in action on 28 May 1917 and is buried in Loker Churchyard Cemetery, Flanders, Belgium. His mother, Mrs Ellen Clements of 11 Dickson Terrace, Soho Street, Liverpool applied for a pension in relation to his death and that of his brother Thomas Clements (King’s Liverpool Regiment, service number 38875) who was missing as of 7 October 1916. She was awarded a pension for life of 15s for her two sons from 25 December 1917 though this was subsequently reduced to 13s in 1921.
|
| |
Clough
|
C
|
|
C/58
|
C Clough served in C/58 at some point during the war. In later life, while serving together in the Home Guard in Nantwich, Cheshire, during World War 2, he befriended another former member of the brigade, Bernard Shackleton.
|
Cpl.
|
Cole
|
|
|
B/58?
|
Cpl Cole was a witness to an improper reply made by Gnr Baron (148993) of B/58 to an NCO on 18 January 1918.
|
Dvr.
|
Coleman
|
Leonard
|
64902
|
C/58
|
Leonard Coleman was born in about 1896 in Aston, Birmingham, the son of Charles Joseph Coleman and Charlotte Coleman. He was working as a blacksmith when he enlisted in Birmingham on 13 January 1915, aged 19. He was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea and from there to 106 Bde Ammunition Column (BAC) where he was appointed a shoeing-smith on 30 June 1915. On 29 August 1915 he went to France. He was in No.4 Stationary Hospital at Arques between 21 December 1915 and 2 January 1916 due to impetigo. He missed a 6.30am parade and as punishment he reverted to being a driver on 10 April 1916 and a few days later, on 21 April 16 he again missed morning parade so was awarded 7 days’ Field Punishment No.1. He was admitted to 72 Field Ambulance with an abscess on his neck on 13 May 1916. On 13 May 1916, 106 BAC became part of 24 Division Ammunition Column (DAC). He was posted to 11 DAC on 20 July 1916 and was awarded 3 days’ Field Punishment No.2 on 19 November 1916 for neglect of duty. On 4 January 1917, he was awarded a further 4 days’ Field Punishment No.2 for not complying with an order. On 24 April 1917 he was posted to C/58. Six months later, he was killed in action on 9 October 1917 aged 20 and is buried in Poelcapelle British Cemetery, Belgium. His parents applied for a pension for the death of Leonard and his brother George Joshua Coleman who had died while serving in the 8th Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment. They were living at 34 Binstead Road, Kingstanding at the time.
|
Gnr.
|
Coling
|
Harry
|
45119
|
D/58
|
Harry Coling was the son of John Coling and Jane Coling of Normanton, West Yorks. He was born in 1896 in Normanton and baptised on 10 May that year. In 1911 he was working as an errand boy for a pawn shop. He enlisted into the Army early in the war in Normanton and was first posted overseas on 18 April 1915 when he went to France. He was serving in D/58 when he cotracted bronchial catarrh so was admitted to No.4 Stationary Hospital on 16 May 1918, but was probably transferred to No.10 Stationary Hospital. He was initially reported as ‘Missing, believed killed’ on 23 May 1918 but it was later confirmed that he had been killed in action that day. On th enight of 22/23 May, three German bombs fell on No.10 Stationary Hospital, killing 17 patients and 9 RAMC personnel. It seems extremely likely that Harry was one of the unfortunate patients who died that night. He is buried in Longuenesse (St. Omer) Souvenir Cemetery, France. Two of his brothers also died: Richard Coling of the Royal West Kent Regiment (service number L/10842) was killed in action on 1 September 1916 and Leonard Coling of the Royal Engineers (service number 135443) died of disease on 13 February 1918.
|
| |
Collins
|
A
|
|
|
A Collins was serving in 58 Bde near Arras when he was court-martialled on 7 April 1917.
|
| |
Collins
|
|
|
|
While 58 Bde was fighting at Gallipoli, Collins had been due to report to Suvla Bay on 26 October 1915, but he was sick so an unnamed BQMS was sent in his stead.
|
Dvr.
|
Collinson
|
Waldo
|
17648
|
D/58
|
Waldo Collinson was born in Wolsingham, Barnard Castle, the second of the five children of journalist, Joseph Collinson and his wife Jessie Collinson (née Humble). Waldo was born in March 1898, though records differ as to whether it was the 18th or 29th of that month. In 1901 the family were living at 40 Salisbury Mansions, Tottenham, London and in 1911 they were at 51 Sydney Road, Enfield, Middx. Waldo enlisted into the RFA and was sent to France on about 8 November 1915. He appears on the Absent Voters lists for Chester-le-Street, Durham for October 1918 and Spring 1919 which state that he was serving in D/58 at this time. Waldo married Vera Shield in Weardale, Durham in early 1926, and they lived in 107 Spring Road, Kempston, Bedford until 1938. In September 1939, they were living at 6 Park Road, Kempston, and Waldo was working as a motor driver. Vera passed away in 1942 and in 1949, Waldo married Dorothy Margaret Smith in Bedford. They had a son, Joseph Waldo Collinson in 1951, and they continued to live at 6 Park Road until about 1967, since the following year they were living at 24 Farrer Street, Kempston. From 1974, the three of them were living at 36 Woburn Road, Kempston, until Waldo’s death in 1977 in Bedford. Waldo Collinson is commemorated in Kempston Cemetery, Bedford.
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Capt.
|
Colson
|
George Henry
|
n/a
|
B/58
|
Born on 30 April 1878 [some sources give 21 April 1878] in Birmingham, Warks, George Henry Colson was a career soldier. He was the son of Frederick and Margaret Colson. He married Ella Mary Craig on 17 August 1903 in Bangalore, India. He and Ella had five children, one of whom, Margaret Ella Colson, was born in 1908 while the family were living at Coombe Dingle House, Westbury-on-Trym, Glos. In 1911 George was serving as a BQMS in ‘P’ Battery, Royal Horse Artillery in India. He went to France on 7 November 1914 as a Sgt Maj in the HQ of Asquith’s Bde, RHA, but was commissioned as 2/Lt shortly afterwards on 17 December 1914. On 24 April 1915 he was made a temporary Capt while training artillerymen at a depot, but he was promoted to Lt on 23 July 1916. He was posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column from the Base depot on 9 January 1918, and was then posted from there to B/58. He assumed the duties of 58 Bde’s adjutant on 6 March 1918, but a month later he assumed command of C/58 on 9 April 1918 after so many officers had become gas casualties. In his turn he too had to go to the wagon lines suffering from gas on 18 April 1918. He acted as the liaison officer with an infantry battalion of 32 Inf Bde for a raid they undertook on 9 May 1918. He was Mentioned in Dispatches on 24 May 1918 but was struck off 58 Bde’s strength due to being found unfit for duty at the front on 4 July 1918. However, two weeks later on 17 July 1918, he was appointed to be the adjutant of an unspecified artillery unit and on 5 March 1919 he was again appointed as an adjutant. He relinquished the role of adjutant on 14 December 1919 and retired from the Army on 20 March 1920. He and Ella lived at 160 King’s Road, Chelsea between at least 1918 and 1920 after which they moved to Danns, Cross-in-Hand, Sussex. At some point he moved to Canada and he died in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada on 1 February 1967, aged 88. George Colson is buried in Victory Memorial Park, Surrey, Vancouver.
|
Bdr.
|
Connolly
|
Edward
|
78191
|
C/58
|
Edward Connolly was from Liverpool and was born in about 1895. He worked as a dock labourer before enlisting into the RFA. He went to France on 11 March 1915 and was wounded in about September 1916. He was serving as a Bombardier in C/58 when he got appendicitis in early 1918, so was evacuated back to the UK and was treated at Napsbury Military Hospital, Hertfordshire. On 30 March 1918 he went to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick from where he was discharged to draft on 12 June 1918.
|
Lt.
|
Constable
|
John Hugh
|
n/a
|
|
Lt John Hugh Constable was born on 27 February 1896 in Carlow, Ireland. He was the great-grandson of the artist John Constable, and he went to Clifton College. He attended the Royal Military Academy and was commissioned on 10 February 1915. He was serving in 14 Division Artillery when he went to France in May 1915. He was promoted to Lt on 8 August 1916. He joined 58th Bde from 11 Division Ammunition Column on 27 September 1917. He went on leave on 24 December 1917, returning on 9 January 1918. He attended a veterinary course between 15 and 25 January 1918. He was appointed Cl HH. He stayed on in the Army after the war, serving with 6th Bde, RFA. In 1920 and 1921 he served in Germany as a member of the Allied Control Commission and he married Eileen Saltmarsh on 25 March 1927. He served in both World Wars, becoming a Lieutenant Colonel. He retired from the Army in 1947 and settled at The Old Rectory, Kettleburgh, Suffolk, and died in 1974 in Blyth, Suffolk
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Dvr.
|
Cook
|
Joseph
|
231207
|
B/58
|
Joseph Cook was born in 1893. He was from Prescot, Lancs and worked as a farmer and butcher before enlisting in the RFA on 6 December 1915. He was serving in B/58 when he was gassed on 8 April 1918. He was evacuated back to the UK and sent to the Roundhay Road Section of East Leeds War Hospital, Yorks. On 8 July 1918 he went to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick from where he was discharged to draft on 27 November 1918. The following year he was discharged from the Army due to sickness from 4a Reserve Bde on 3 July 1919 and was awarded a Silver War Badge. He returned to live at 28 High Street, Prescot and was awarded a pension of 11s a year from 4 July 1919 which was reduced to 5s 6d a week for a year thereafter.
|
Gnr.
|
Cooke
|
Alfred Edward
|
103173
|
C/58
|
Alfred Edward Cooke was serving as a Gunner when he was posted overseas, arriving in the Balkans theatre of war on about 23 October 1915 and he probably joined C/58 shortly after arrival. At some point subsequently, he was transferred to the Royal Garrison Artillery and was assigned new service number 228702.
|
Dvr.
|
Cooper
|
William Duncan
|
30968
|
C/58
|
William Duncan Cooper was from Poplar in east London and was serving as a Driver in a heavy Trench Mortar Battery in 2 Division when he contracted scabies. He was admitted to No.3 Casualty Clearing Station on 17 November 1916 and was evacuated from there on No.3 Ambulance Train on 23 November 1916. He was serving in C/58 when he fell sick so was admitted to No.1 Convalescent Camp, Boulogne on 21 February 1918 following treatment in an unspecified hospital. He was then wounded later that year.
|
Gnr.
|
Cooper
|
William Thomas Henry
|
11164
|
B/58
|
William Thomas Henry Cooper was a 21 year old machine driller from Easton, near Bristol, when he enlisted in Bristol on 4 September 1914. After being posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea, he was posted to 185 Bty on 10 September 1914, which became B/58. He sailed from Devonport on 1 July 1914, arriving in Alexandria on 14 July 14, and then from Alexandria he sailed on 28 July 1914, landing at Gallipoli on 9 August 1914. He was admitted to 2 Australian Hospital on Mudros on 2 October 1915 with diarrhoea and urinary trouble. He returned to the UK on Hospital Ship “Aquitania”, which sailed on 18 October 1915, arriving back in the UK on 26 October 1915, and he was admitted to the Military Hospital Winchester with dysentery. He remained in the UK for the rest of war, though was hospitalised at least twice more: in Newcastle-upon-Tyne with tonsillitis on 26 October 1916 and in the Military Hospital Cambridge with syphilis between 6 June and 22 August 1918. He was assigned to 5C Reserve Bde on 27 November 15, at later to 71 Division Artillery, which was a home service division. On 5 May 1917, he and Elsie Roberts were married. He was posted to 415 Bty on 5 March 1918 and sent to the Dispersal Centre at Chiseldon for demobilisation on 22 April 1919.
|
Gnr.
|
Copeland
|
|
99543
|
|
Gunner Copeland was promoted to acting Cpl on 30 September 1915.
|
Sgt.
|
Copland
|
George
|
84264
|
C/58
|
George Copland was born in 1890. He served as an NCO in C/58 while the battery was training in the UK. On 8 March 1915 he was a Bdr when he witnessed Gnr Sidney Edwards (11256) missing a roll call, and 8 March 15. By mid-May he had been promoted to Sgt when he witnessed Cpl Percy Beale (10579) neglect duty on 15 May 1915, and the same day he reported Gnr Harry Beesley (10674) for having overstayed his leave. He in turn ran into trouble when he was court-martialled on 24 June 1915 while at Milford Camp. He was discharged from the Army on 17 February 1919 and sought a pension for defective vision, but his claim was rejected. His address when he left the Army was 520 Main Street, Bellshill, Lanarkshire.
|
Dvr.
|
Cordell
|
Frederick Arthur
|
77965
|
C/58
|
Frederick Arthur Cordell enlisted into the RFA in Southwark, London and was serving as a Driver when he was posted overseas, arriving in the Balkans theatre of war on 17 November 1915 and he probably joined C/58 shortly after arrival. He was wounded, the report being published on 29 October 1917. At some point subsequently, he was transferred to the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA) and was assigned new service number 224052. He was serving in the RGA as a Lance Bombardier when he was demobilised on 12 March 1919.
|
Gnr.
|
Cordery
|
Frederick
|
58079
|
B/58
|
Frederick Cordery was born in Cholsey near Wallingford, which was then in Berkshire (but since 1974 is now in Oxfordshire).. He was a pre-war regular soldier who enlisted in Benson and in 1911 was serving as a Gunner in 72nd Battery RFA in Bulford Camp. In early 1915, Frederick married Elizabeth Taylor in Leicester. Frederick was posted out to Egypt on 27 November 1915 but while serving in B/58, he died of wounds (accidental) aged 27 on 18 January 1916 in the Military Hospital Cairo. Frederick Cordery is buried in Cairo War Memorial Cemetery. Elizabeth was living at 6 Johnson Cottages, Old Mill Lane, Leicester when she was awarded a weekly pension of 10shillings on 4 September 1916 which rose to 13 shillings 9d from 4 April 1917. In 1918, Elizabeth remarried and a emarriage gratuity of £35 7 shillings and 7d was paid to her new husband, Private John Hallam of the Leicestershire Regiment.
|
2/Lt.
|
Cork
|
Stephen
|
n/a
|
|
Born in Rochester, Kent, in about 1877, Stephen Cork was a labourer who enlisted into the RFA in 1895 aged 18 (service number 9661) for a period of 7 years with the colours and a further 5 in the reserves. He subsequently extended that first to 12 years with the colours and then to 21 years. He rose through the ranks to become a Sgt Major on 29 January 1914 but was discharged as physically unfit for military service due to piles on 11 May 1915. During his service he married Ellen Murray on 1 December 1900 in Fermoy and they had 6 children, two of whom died in infancy. He served in India between 1906 and 1912 and was awarded the Long Service with Good Conduct medal. He re-enlisted on 7 June 1915 in West Hartlepool, where he and his family had now settled, just a month after having had an operation to cure his piles and was appointed as Regimental Sgt Major of 176 Bde RFA (service number L/28834). He arrived in France on 9 January 1916 and was assigned to 152 Bde on re-organisation on 28 August 1916. He was posted briefly to 34 Division Ammunition Column on 6 September 1916 and then to 58 Bde on 1 December 1916. He was granted leave to the UK between 27 December 1916 and 5 January 1917, and in January 1917 applied for a commission. He was supported in his application by the acting commander of 58 Bde, Maj Griffin, and by the CRA of 11 Division, Brigadier General Lamont, who was keen to have him back in 58 Bde once he had been commissioned. Stephen Cork therefore returned to the UK on 6 February 1917 to attend No.2 Officer Cadet School, Topsham Barracks, Exeter and was commissioned as 2/Lt on 9 August 1917, now giving his profession as horse trainer, and re-joined 58 Bde. On 19 February 1919, he was promoted to Lt. He was demobilised on 23 March 1920 at the Officers’ Dispersal Unit, London, and relinquished his commission on 1 April 1920.
|
Sgt.
|
Cornford
|
David
|
8582
|
HQ
|
David Cornford was born in Mayfield, near Tonbridge Wells, Kent on 7 March 1874, the son of Mark Cornford. He was working as a labourer when he enlisted into the Royal Artillery at Woolwich on 23 February 1895 as a Driver. He served in 87 Battery between 1 April 1895 and 6 October 1896 when he was posted to 49 Battery in India. In February 1898 he was posted to 39 Battery and two months later was appointed Acting Bombardier in 29 Battery, being promoted to Bombardier on 19 March 1900. On 10 November 1900 he joined 133 Battery back in the UK and remained with them for the next 9 years, being promoted to Corporal on 1 April 1904 and then to Sergeant on 22 April 1908. David married Ada Miles in Ireland on 20 October 1902, but she died less than two years later on 21 June 1904. On 24 June 1909, David married Margaret Teresa Daly in Cork. He had two children: Ada Winifred Cornford, born on 20 August 1903 and Cecil David Cornford on 23 January 1910. David was posted as Sergeant to the 2nd Northumbrian Bde RFA of the Territorial Force on 28 March 1912 and to 185 Battery (later renamed B/58) on 12 October 1914. He was in charge of training his battery’s driving teams on 9 November 1914 when one team got out of control and Dvr Fred Chaplin (11143) was injured. Sgt Cornford provided a witness statement at the subsequent Board of Enquiry on 18 November 1914. On 22 January 1915 he was promoted to Battery Sergeant Major for B/58 but 5 days later was posted in the same rank to D/58. On 26 December 1915, David was appointed Acting Regimental Sergeant Major for 58 Bde. He reported sick on 16 September 1916 and was evacuated back to the UK. On 28 January 1917 he was posted to the Royal Artillery Command Depot in Ripon, from where he was discharged from the Army on 12 March 1917, aged 43, from having reached the end of his agreed period of service. He was awarded a Silver War Badge and a pension of 2 shillings 4d a week for life. He had already been awarded a Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in 1913 while serving in 2 Northumbrian Bde RFA. In 1921, David and his family were living at 6a South Road, Hailsham, Sussex and David was working as a clerk for Comrades of the Great War in Brighton. In September 1939, David, Margaret and Priory Cornford (born 2 March 1930) were living at 18 South Road, Hailsham, Sussex and David was in charge of a petrol station. Two years later, David died in Princess Alice Hospital, Eastbourne and was buried in Mayfield churchyard on 6 September 1941.
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Dvr.
|
Cornwell
|
Arthur Harold
|
211586
|
A/58
|
Arthur Harold Cornwell was a grocer from Saffron Walden, Essex. He had married Alice Jones and they had had a daughter Joan Mary Isobel Cornwell who was born on 10 February 1916. He was conscripted on 9 April 1917 at the Recruitment Office, Epping and called up for service the following day. After postings to the RFA’s No.4 Depot at Woolwich and 4 Reserve Bde RFA(T), he was posted to France on 16 January 1918 and to A/58 on 27 January 1918. He was admitted to No.34 Field Ambulance on 4 February 1918 having fainted, returning to his unit on 14 February 1918, but then on 7 April 1918 he was admitted to a Casualty Clearing Station, probably No.58 CCS at Lillers, with epilepsy. As a result, he was evacuated back to the UK two days later from No.22 General Hospital, Camiers and was admitted to Paisley War Hospital. He had apparently suffered fits during childhood but these became more frequent while serving in France under regular shellfire. He was transferred to Glenlomand War Hospital, Kinross on 22 April 1918 and was discharged from the Army as being permanently unfit for military service aged 32 on 17 May 1918 and was described as steady and industrious. He was awarded a pension and a Silver War Badge. After discharge he lived at 25 Audley Road, Saffron Walden. He died on 26 November 1951, aged 66.
|
Bdr.
|
Cory
|
Samuel
|
8101
|
D/58
|
Samuel Cory enlisted into the RFA in about September 1914, aged 21, and went to France on 12 March 1915. He was serving as an acting Bombardier in D/58 when he was replaced by George Miller (65160) on 24 June 1917. It is likely that Samuel was promoted to Bombardier that day since that was the rank he held throughout the rest of the war. He had three periods of illness between 1917 and 1919. For the first, which probably resulted in him leaving 58 Bde, Samuel was admitted to No.35 Field Ambulance on 29 September 1917 with bronchitis which had begun four days earlier on the 25th. He was transferred to No.63 Casualty Clearing Station on 2 October 1917 which recorded that he had had a ‘history of gas’ three weeks previously and that there were ‘numerous stimuli’ in both lungs. He was then transferred to No.3 Stationary Hospital in Rouen on 8 October 1917. He was evacuated back to the UK and was admitted to 1st Southern General Hospital, Birmingham on 16 October 1917 suffering from bronchitis and shell gas poisoning. From there he was transferred to the Military Convalescent Hospital, Derriford Camp on 10 November 1917 and from there was transferred to a Convalescent Depot on 15 December 1917. Samuel returned to France because he had been serving, still as a Bombardier, at 2 Army Artillery School when he was admitted to No.4 Stationary Hospital near Arques on 5 July 1918 with gonorrhoea and was transferred from there to No.7 General Hospital, Boulogne the following day. On 2 August 1918 he was then transferred to Director of Medical Services 1st Army. He had a recurrence of the gonorrhoea the following year beginning on 22 April 1919 when he was serving in D/121 Bde RFA in 38 Division. He was admitted to No.131 Field Ambulance on 29 April 1919 and to No.41 Stationary Hospital in Poulainville the same day. He was discharged to duty on 20 May 1919 but was readmitted to the same hospital 3 days later with orchitis before finally being discharged back to duty on 7 June 1919.
|
Maj.
|
Cottrell
|
Arthur Foulkes Baglietto
|
n/a
|
OC B/58
|
Arthur Foulkes Baglietto Cottrell was born on 4 April 1891 and was commissioned into the Royal Artillery on 20 July 1911. He was promoted to Lt on 20 July 1914 and after war was declared went to France with 54 Bty, 39 Bde, 1st Division on 18 August 1914. In the early hours of 15 November 1914, he commanded a gun which was manhandled to within 70 yards of a stable and trench occupied by the Germans near Gheluvelt and fired four rounds at the stable as a prelude to an attack by the infantry who then captured the stable and trench. He withdrew his gun without any casualties despite heavy rifle fire from the Germans throughout. He was Mentioned in Despatches on 17 February 1915. He contracted flu at Festubert in early January 1915, so on 11 January 1915 he returned to the UK sailing from Boulogne to Dover on the SS “St David”. He arrived in London on 15 January 1915 and contracted laryngitis as a result of the flu, so was awarded a month’s medical leave some of which was spent at Lady Evelyn Mason’s Hospital for Officers in London. On 16 March 1915 he joined 60 Bde RFA and assumed the duties of their adjutant the next day. He went before a medical board while at Witley Camp on 19 April 1915 which declared him fit for general service, so he embarked on the SS “Lake Michigan” with 60 Bde at Devonport on 4 July 1915, sailing the next day and arriving at Alexandria on 17 July 1915. He left Alexandria on 18 October 1915, landing at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli, on 25 October 1915. During that journey he was appointed OIC B/60 on 21 October 1915 and granted the temporary rank of Captain. He left Gallipoli on 20 December 1915 as the Army evacuated from there, arriving back at Alexandria on 29 December 1915. After a period serving in the Egyptian Expeditionary Force defending the Suez Canal, during which he was appointed as Staff Captain RA for 11 Division on 8 May 1916, he embarked at Alexandria on 27 June 1916 on the SS “Oriana” bound for France. The ship sailed the following day and he arrived in Marseilles on 3 July 1916. He was again Mentioned in Despatches on 12 July 1916 for distinguished and gallant service during the period of Gen Charles Munro’s command of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. He was granted leave to England on 20 December 1916, sailing from Boulogne to Folkestone, which was extended to 5 January 1917 on medical grounds, he having contracted laryngitis following flu again. On 25 January 1917, as 60 Bde was being broken up, he was posted to command B/58 so was made a temporary Major while commanding a battery. On 15 February 1917, the King of Serbia awarded him the Order of the White Eagle 5th Class with swords. He went down to the wagon lines with Maj Hutton on 4 March 1917 for a couple of days away from the front line, and was admitted to No.1 British Red Cross Hospital with bronchitis on 16 March 1917 (so relinquished his rank of Major for commanding a battery the previous day) and was transferred back to the UK on Hospital Ship “Brighton” on 23 March 1917. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order in the King’s Birthday Honours on 5 June 1917, where he was described as “late B/58”. He was again Mentioned in Despatches on 23 July 1917. Towards the end of 1917 he was working at No.3 RFA Officer Cadet School, Weedon. He acted as an adjutant with the Territorial Army between 29 April 1921 and 31 October 1924, the next day he was restored to the establishment, and between 30 October 1925 and 31 October 1928 he was an adjutant again before being promoted to Major on 25 February 1929. On 9 August 1934 Maj Cottrell was appointed Inspector of the Artillery of the Iraqi Army as an O.S.O.2 with the British Military Mission attached to the Iraqi Army, a post he held until the end of 1937. The King of Iraq awarded him the Insignia of the Fourth Class (Military Division) of the Order of Al Rafidain on 6 December 1937. He was promoted to Lt. Col. on 1 February 1938 and awarded the OBE in the King’s Birthday Honours of 1938. On 1 March 1941, while he was a temporary Brigadier, he was promoted from Lt Col to Col. He and his wife, Mary Barbara Nicholl, had a son Donald William Foulkes Cottrell who was serving as Sgt in the RAFVR as an air gunner in a Baltimore of No. 55 Sqn flying out of Malta. He was killed during a raid over Sicily on 25 July 1943. A few weeks later, on 11 September 43, their daughter Anita got married. Arthur Foulkes Baglietto Cottrell died in 1962.
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Gnr.
|
Cousins
|
|
|
HQ
|
Gunner Cousins passed as a 1st class signaller by XIII Corps school on 22 March 1917.
|
Gnr.
|
Cowieson
|
James
|
80766
|
A/58
|
James Cowieson was born in Brechin, Forfar on 26 October 1890, the son of Simon Nicol Cowieson and Elizabeth Robertson Cowieson. James had served in the Volunteers before the war but had completed his time before the war broke out. He was working in a factory and was 24 years old and living with his mother at 36 River Street, Brechin when he enlisted into the RFA in Brechin on 8 August 1914. He was posted initially to No.6 Depot in Glasgow on 12 August 1914 and from there to 184 Battery which became A/58. On 8 January 1915 while training in Leeds, James was punished by being confined to barracks for 5 days for causing a disturbance in the barrack room after lights out. Between 24 and 28 April 1915, he was treated in Connaught Hospital for scabies. James went to Egypt with 58 Bde and was appointed A/Bdr on 21 October 1915 while serving in D/58 probably at Gallipoli. He was serving in C/58 when it was reported on 15 December 1915 that he was dangerously ill with enteric at No.15 Stationary Hospital, Mudros though was finally declared to be out of danger on 12 January 1916. He embarked on the Hospital Ship “Dongola” on 18 January 1916 for evacuation back to the UK so was posted for administrative purposes to 5C Reserve Bde the following day. When he arrived back in the UK he was admitted to the Edinburgh War Hospital, Bangour on 29 January 1916 and his diagnosis was now that he had paratyphoid. He stayed in that hospital for nearly 6 months, being discharged on 4 July 1916, but was back in hospital at the Military Hospital, Ripon between 21 and 28 September 1916 with scabies. James was posted to 6A Reserve Bde in Glasgow on 12 October 1916 and served in 31 Reserve Battery there. On 10 November 1916 he was found to be absent from the draft when he was warned to be ready to go overseas so was punished by being reverted to Gunner. He was posted to RFA Details in France on 19 January 1917. On 13 February 1917 he was posted to No.2 Section, 48 DAC but was then posted to B/241 three days later and was re-appointed Bdr the same day. He was granted 15 days’ leave to the UK via Le Havre on 16 August 1918. At the end of that year, James’s division, 48th (South Midland) Division was posted to Italy. In Italy, James was admitted to 24 Casualty Clearing Station with dental caries on 30 January 1919, being discharged to duty on 8 February 1919. He returned to the UK for demobilisation and so attended No.1 Dispersal Unit, Kinross on 6 April 1919, giving his mother’s address in Brechin as his home address. James appears to have married an Elizabeth Murdoch and emigrated to Canada; he sailed on the SS “Marloch” from Glasgow, arriving at Quebec on 25 June 1925; while Elizabeth and their two young children, Simon aged 2 and Alice aged 1, arrived in Quebec on the “Montcalm” to join James on 9 October 1925. James and Elizabeth moved to Vancouver, British Columbia in about 1940 and James worked as an engineer for Restmore Manufacturing Company, making bedding and furniture. James and Elizabeth had been living at 220, 43 Avenue East, Vancouver when James died of cancer on 21 November 1954 in Shaughnessy Hospital, Vancouver, aged 64. James Cowieson is buried in Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver.
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2/Lt.
|
Cox
|
Frank Ernest
|
n/a
|
C/58
|
Frank Ernest Cox was born on 19 March 1884 in Isleworth, London. He was educated at Percy House, Isleworth and married Daisy Amanda Stanley on 11 January 1908. He worked as a messenger before enlisting into the RFA in Camberwell on 23 February 1915 and was assigned service number L/6117. He was posted to A/156 Bde RFA and was rapidly promoted through the ranks to become Battery Quartermaster Sergeant on 6 November 1915. On 11 December 1915 he sailed from Southampton, arriving in Le Havre the following day and was posted as BQMS to B/156 on 12 September 1916. He applied for a commission and returned to the UK being posted initially to 50 Reserve Battery on 14 May 1917. He was sent to the Royal Artillery Cadet School at Exeter on 14 July 1917, the commander of 33 Division Artillery noting that he had little knowledge of gunnery so should be thoroughly trained in this at the Cadet School. He was commissioned into the RFA on 6 January 1918. He arrived back in France at Boulogne on 23 March 1918 and was posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column on 14 April 1918. He was then posted to C/58 on 25 April 1918. He went on leave on 19 October 1918, returning on 7 November 1918. He assumed the role of 58 Bde Adjutant on 15 November 1918 and was formally appointed as adjutant with acting rank of Captain on 23 December 1918 “with effect from 25 November 1918”. He went to the UK for demobilisation on 13 February 1919, and so that day lost his acting rank of Captain and returned to being a 2/Lt, and was demobilised at Wimbledon on 19 February 1919. A report on his fitness for promotion by Lt Col Bedwell noted him as “not for higher rank”. In probably 1921, he applied for a commission in the Militia.
|
BQMS
|
Cox
|
Herbert Alvin
|
48472
|
|
Herbert Alvin Cox was born in Dartford, Kent on 8 August 1892. He was serving as a Corporal in 24 Bde RFA when he arrived in France on 11 September 1914 as part of the British Expeditionary Force. In September 1916 he was serving as a Battery Quartermaster Sergeant in 58 Bde when he required medical treatment. This is likely to have been serious since he was still receiving treatment in 1920. The cause of his condition is not given. After the war, he was living at 32 Alfred Road, Bexley, Kent in 1929 with his wife Elizabeth and then in Woolwich, SE18 in London in 34 Waverley Road between at least 1933 and 1934 and in 98 Waverley Road between at least 1937 and 1939. In 1938 he was promoted to Sergeant in the War Department Constabulary in Woolwich and was serving as an Inspector in that force when he was awarded the British Empire Medal in the 1953 Coronation Honours. Herbert Cox was living at 92 Ancona Road, London SE18 when he died on 15 December 1961, aged 69.
|
Cpl.
|
Craig
|
Frank McCartney
|
7252
|
D/58
|
Frank McCartney Craig was born in 1895, in Cambusnethan, Lanarkshire, son of Robert and Annie Craig. He enlisted in Streatheavan, Lanarkshire and went to France on 13 July 1915. He was serving as a Corporal in 60 Bde RFA when he was admitted to No.3 Casualty Clearing Station with an abscess of the connective tissue on 13 January 1917 and evacuated by No.27 Ambulance Train two days later. On 9 April 1917 he was the No.1 on a gun in D/58 when he was killed due to a shell exploding prematurely in the gun. Frank Craig is buried in the Faubourg D’Amiens Cemetery, Arras.
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Gnr.
|
Craig
|
|
|
A/58
|
Gunner Craig was wounded on Gallipoli on 1 September 1915.
|
Gnr.
|
Cresswell
|
Arthur Willis
|
152151
|
A/58
|
Arthur Willis Cresswell was born in East Kirkby, Notts on 11 August 1883. He was the son of James and Ann Cresswell and by the age of 17 was an apprentice school teacher. He married Hilda Agnes Ward at Annesley, Notts on 9 August 1909 and was working as an elementary school teacher in 1911 while living at 55 Cemetery Road, East Kirkby, Notts. He was living at Lydney Villa, Gloucester Road, Chesterfield, Derbyshire when he attested in Chesterfield on 27 November 1915. He was mobilised on 13 July 1916 and reported to the RFA’s No.1 Depot at Newcastle-upon-Tyne two days later where he joined 1 Battery, 1A Reserve Bde RFA. After his training, he was sent to France, disembarking on 12 November 1916 and was posted ten days later to 133 Bde RFA. A week later, on 29 November 1916, 133 Bde was broken up and Arthur was posted to A/58. In November 1917 he was granted leave to the UK. On 8 April 1918, when the brigade came under heavy gas attack, he was wounded and was admitted with gas poisoning to No.24 General Hospital in Etaples. On 12 April 1918 he was evacuated back to the UK on the AT “Ville de Liege” and admitted to East Leeds Military Hospital later that same day where his condition was diagnosed as including photophobia, oedema of lids, pharyngitis and laryngitis. After time in the Auxiliary Military Hospital, Cookridge, Leeds, he went to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick on 5 July 1918 from where he was discharged to draft on 30 August 1918 and went to Charlton Park. Following some embarkation leave, which he overstayed by a day for which he was admonished, he returned to France and was attached to 50 Divisional Artillery on 11 October 1918 and was posted to C/251 the following day. After the Armistice he was posted to the Dispersal Centre at Clipstone on 15 January 1919 and was demobilised on 10 February 1919. In August 1921 he was living at the School House, Swadlincote, Derbyshire. In September 1939, he and Hilda were living in 60 Church Street, Swadlincote, Derbyshire and Arthur was working as a headmaster at an elementary school while also acting as an indoor ARP warden for Swadlincote.
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Bdr.
|
Crighton
|
Robert
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1833
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D/58
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Robert Crighton was born in Winson Green, Warks. He enlisted into the RFA in Nuneaton, Warks, and was posted to France, arriving on about 5 July 1915. He was serving as a Driver in D/58 when he died of his wounds on 15 August 1917. He is buried in Duhallow Advanced Dressing Station Cemetery, near Ypres, Belgium. This is likely to be the Robert Crichton who was born in early 1887 in Birmingham, the son of Andrew and Caroline Crichton, and who was working as a turner making motors in 1911 in Coventry.
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Gnr.
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Crockford
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John
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94307
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C/58
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William John Crockford was known as John. He was born in 1891 in Alton, Hants, the son of John and Emma Crockford and became a butcher. In the Spring of 1915, he married Eliza Amelia Cole in Hampshire. Having enlisted into the RFA, John was posted to the Balkans theatre of war, arriving on about 7 October 1915, possibly at Gallipoli. On the morning of 29 September 1917 he was serving as a Gunner in C/58 and was resting in his dug out with some of his comrades when a shell struck, killing him as well as Cpl Ernie Inch and Bdr Harold Wragg. He was 26. They were buried the next day by the Chaplain, Rev Cecil G Ruck, and all are believed to be buried in New Irish Farm Cemetery, Belgium. Eliza was awarded a pension on 13 shillings 9d a week from 22 April 1918.
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Bdr.
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Crocombe
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|
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B/58?
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Bdr Crocombe (most likely Bdr William Crocombe, service number 51113) was one of the NCOs who witnessed the absence from roll call on 2 March 1915 of Dvr Ernest Ballard (10994).
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Gnr.
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Cross
|
James
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92527
|
58 BAC
|
James Cross was born on 25 March 1893 in Liverpool, Lancashire, the son of James Cross and Eliza Cross. He was 22 years old and working as a labourer when he enlisted into the RFA in Liverpool on 27 August 1914. He was posted initially to No.2 Depot RFA at Preston before being posted to 212 Battery on 8 September 1914 and then to 272 Battery on 27 October 1914. He used abusive language on parade on 22 February 1915 so was admonished by his brigade commander. He was posted to 4A Reserve Bde RFA on 28 August 1915 and was then sent overseas to the Balkans, embarking at Portsmouth on 16 September 1915, and disembarking at Gallipoli on 7 October 1915 where he was posted to 58 Bde. On 11 November 1915 he was posted to 58 Bde Ammunition Column but started to suffer from otitis media so was admitted to hospital while at Wardan, Alexandria on 27 December 1915. On 7 March 1916 he was transferred to Nasrieh Schools Military Hospital, Cairo. On 1 May 1916, James was admitted to the Base Depot at Sidi Bishr and then to No.17 General Hospital, Alexandria with otorrhoea, although this was also described as otitis media and aural polypus. He sailed from Alexandria, disembarking at Salonica on 10 August 1916 where he joined B/115. He was punished for being absent off parade on 29 September 1916 so was confined to barracks for 5 days. However, his otitis media returned and he went to hospital at Salonica on 24 January 1917, and was then admitted to No.29 General Hospital on 26 January 1917. On 28 February 1917, James was evacuated on the Hospital Ship “Llandovery Castle” to Malta where, on 1 March 1917 he was admitted to St. Andrew’s Hospital. His condition worsened and he was put on the dangerous list due to mastoiditis on 9 March 1917, but recovered and it was reported on 22 March 1917 that he had been removed from the list and was out of danger. He had recovered sufficiently a month later that he was discharged to duty from St. Andrew’s Hospital on 27 April 1917. He was sent to Salonica and reported to the Base Depot, though appears to have then spent time in No.48 General Hospital and No.3 Convalescent Depot before returning to the Base Depot on 7 August 1917. He went sick again and didn’t return to the Royal Artillery Base Depot until late October 1917. On New Year’s Day 1918, James was transferred as a Private to the Labour Corps and assigned the new service number 485848, though retained his RFA rates of pay. On 12 May 1918 he was posted to 969 Company of the Labour Corps. The 27 August 1918 marked his fourth year of service, so his pay was increased to 4d per day and on 31 August 1918 he was posted to Labour Corps 1036 Company. On 16 December 1918 he joined 46th Leave Party for 21 days’ furlough and he embarked for the UK on Christmas Day 1918. He was posted to Blairgowrie on 8 February 1919 and so was struck off the strength of his unit He was absent without leave between 28 March and 4 April 1919 so forfeited 7 days’ pay. Later that month, he married Georgina Gilmore Ferguson, a widow with two young children, on 30 April 1919 in Muirkirk, Ayrshire. With the Labour Corps he worked on Inland Waterways and Docks for the Royal Engineers and James working for the Southern Command Labour Corps when he attended No.1 Dispersal Unit, Kinross for demobilisation on 8 June 1919 and was demobilised on 6 July 1919, giving his address as Blythe Buildings, Small Burn, Muirkirk, Ayrshire. He was awarded a weekly pension of 11 shillings owing to the state of his health caused by his military service from 7 July 1919 to 6 January 1920. James was living at 198 Dalsallock Houses, Auchinleck, Ayrshire, Scotland after the war. In September 1939, James, Georgina and Georgina’s son James W Ferguson, were living at 213A Hawkins Street, Liverpool.
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Maj.
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Crozier
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Thomas Henry
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n/a
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OC A/58
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Thomas Henry Crozier was born on 26 February 1868 in Monkstown, Dublin. He was commissioned as a 2/Lt on 17 February 1888, promoted to Lt. on 17 February 1891, promoted to Captain on 18 April 1898 and to Major on 12 September 1903. By 1911, he was 43 and had retired from the Army and was now HM Inspector of Explosions at the Home Office. He was living in Kensington in London with his wife Ethel Minnie Crozier, and they had three domestic servants – a cook, a parlour maid and a housemaid. He was recalled to the Army and made OC of 184 Bty, which became A/58. As such he chaired the Court of Enquiry into Dvr Chaplin’s accident, on 18 November 1914. On 31 May 1915, he acted as the Bde Commander when the King inspected 11 Division on Thursley Common. He sailed on SS “Knight Templar” from Devonport on 1 July 1915 arriving in Alexandria on 14 July 1915. He may have been evacuated from Gallipoli on 13 October 1915. After his war service he returned to the Home Office and became Chief Inspector of Explosives, for which he was knighted in the 1930 Birthday Honours. He died in 1948 in Folkestone.
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Bdr.
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Crump
|
Alfred Bray
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56099
|
|
Born in Birmingham on 9 February 1891, Alfred Bray Crump was baptised on 27 September the same year. He was the son of caretaker and timekeeper Thomas James Crump and Mary Crump (née White). He enlisted in the Army on 18 February 1909. In 1911, he was serving in 134 Battery in Bordon, Hants. He was serving in 29 Bde RFA when he was posted to France on 23 August 1914. He was serving as a Bombardier in 58 Bde when he was wounded in the summer of 1917 and was discharged from the Army on 6 March 1918 due to wounds received. He received a Silver War Badge and a weekly pension of 30 shillings and was living at 3 College Place, Springhill, Birmingham after his discharge. After the war he married Emily Mullett in 1919 in Coventry and in 1921 they were living with their 11 month old daughter Emeline Betty Crump as boarders with the Kair family in Coventry and Alfred was working as an inspector of motor car details for the motor car manufacturers, Calcott Bros Ltd. Alfred became a clerk in the Ministry of Labour in 1935 and was still working there in September 1939 and the three of them were living at 80 Bevington Cresecnt, Coventry. Emily probably died the following year and in 1946, Alfred married Alice M Ayton in Coventry. Alfred Crump was still living at 80 Bevington Crescent when he died on 7 November 1968.
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A/Bdr.
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Curtis
|
John
|
93523
|
B/58
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John Curtis was born in Athy, Kildare, Ireland, the son of John Curtis. He enlisted in Glasgow and as with many original members of 58 Bde he was posted overseas, arriving in Egypt on 14 July 1915. He was an Acting Bombardier serving in B/58 on 9 January 1917 when he was killed in action on 9 January 1917, though different sources give his unit at the time as eith B/58 or as A/94. It is likely that he was serving in B/58 since 58 Bde did have a man killed in action that day while serving at Englebelmer, whereas 94 Bde was in rest at Raimbert. John left a widow, Kathleen and his children. Kathleen was living in New York at some point probably after the war and subsequently remarried and moved to Canada. Two of John’s brothers also died in the war: Lawrence Curtis (6674) died of wounds on 4 December 1917 serving in the Lancers and Patrick Curtis (3351) was killed in action on 5 November 1914 serving in the Irish Guards. John is commemorated on the Loos Memorial.
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Saddler
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Curtis
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William John
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11274
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C/58
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William John Curtis was born on 21 March 1890 in Wolverton, Bucks. Before he enlisted, he was a coach trimmer. He enlisted in Oxford on 2 September 1914 and was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea. He was posted then to B/59 on 11 September 1914 and was appointed a saddler on 5 March 1915. He sailed from the UK on 2 July 1915, arriving at Alexandria on 15 July 1915. He then sailed from Alexandria on 1 August 1915, landing on Gallipoli on 8 August 1915. He left Gallipoli from Suvla Bay on 20 December 1915 arriving at Alexandria on 5 January 1916. He was appointed Acting Corporal Saddler on 15 February 1916, posted to C/58 the same day and confirmed in that rank on 25 June 1916. That was also the day he sailed from Alexandria, arriving at Marseilles on 3 July 1916. He was admitted to 35 Field Ambulance with a fever of unknown origin on 20 February 1917 and was then transferred to the UK on Hospital Ship “Panama”. He was admitted on 15 March 1917 to the Northern General Hospital, Leeds, and was transferred from there on 3 April 1917 to the civilian and military hospital Harrogate where he stayed until 1 June 1917. He was posted to 5C Reserve Bde, to No.7 Depot and then to 4 Reserve Bde. He was finally posted to 416 Bty on 27 September 1918 and then to 416 Ammunition Column on 3 October 1918. He was posted to Dispersal Centre on 31 January 1919 for demobilisation. He had five children with Emily Jane Watson between 1918 and 1932. He died in 1967 at the age of 77.
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2/Lt.
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Dalton
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|
n/a
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|
On 7 October 1915 while 58th Bde was fighting on Gallipoli, a 2/Lt Dalton was due to join them imminently as a reinforcement.
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Gnr.
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Dance
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John William
|
255333
|
B/58
|
John William Dance was born on 9 May 1893 in Barholm, Lincs, the son of railway plate layer William Francis Dance and Jane Dance. In 1901, he was living at 9 Main Street, Barholm with his family. He began working for the Great Northern Railway (GNR) on 21 July 1908 and was working for them as a telegraph lad in 1911 while living in Barkston, Grantham, Lincs. In 1916, John married Ada Lilian Louisa Hill in Peterborough, which was then in Northamptonshire but since 1974 has been in Cambridgeshire. John enlisted into the RFA and was stated by the 1919 Absent Voter List for Northamptonshire to be serving in B/58, giving his home address as 51 Hankey Street, Peterborough. In 1923, GNR became part of the new London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) Company and John was still working for LNER at New England Station in Peterborough as a goods guard as of 31 October 1939. In September 1939, John was living at 20 Arundel Road, Peterborough with his wife Ada and their son, Arthur, as well as the Dawson family. John Dance was still living at 20 Arundel Road when he died on 21 January 1953.
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Maj.
|
Dane
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James Auchinleck
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n/a
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OC D/58
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James Auchinleck Dane was born on 18 May 1883, and was commissioned into the RFA in 1902, having been a Gentleman Cadet at the Royal Military Academy Woolwich. He married Elgiva Mary Kathorn Fitzwilliam on 9 October 1909, and they had three children. He was recalled to active service having retired from the Army as a Lieutenant. On 1 January 1916 he was Mentioned in Despatches and described as a Captain in the Special Reserve. He was posted to command 461 (Howitzer) Battery in 118 (Howitzer) Bde RFA on 12 January 1916 and it is likely that this was when he was promoted to Major. He acted as brigade commander of 118 Bde from 18 April 1916 until the brigade was broken up at Auxi-le-Chateau on 15 July 1916. Dane’s old battery, 461 Battery (also sometimes known as C/118), became the new D/60 and joined that brigade at Croisette on 15 July 1916 with Dane as battery commander again. He was still commanding D/60 when it in its turn was broken up to provide extra guns to 58 Bde, so he was posted to 58 Bde on 25 January 1917 and was appointed OC D/58 on 13 February 1917. In early April 1917 he was acting as brigade commander of 58 Bde temporarily. He was twice more Mentioned in Despatches: on 18 May 1917 and 11 December 1917. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order on 26 November 1917 “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. His battery came under a heavy enemy barrage, during which an ammunition dump was exploded, destroying two gun pits, burying an officer, and killing several men. He at once went through the barrage, and after half an hour’s work, with the help of three others, succeeded in rescuing the officer. During this time the barrage was so intense that no other help could reach the position. He set a magnificent example of courage and contempt of danger to his battery.” This may refer to a direct hit reported to have taken place on D/58 positions on 2 October 1917 which resulted in the deaths of 7 men. On 7 December 1917, he returned to the brigade after a period of absence and again took over as OIC 58 Bde temporarily from Maj Hutchinson. He reviewed the positions the brigade would take over from 46 Division Artillery on 20 December 1917. At that time, 58 Bde was formed with other units into the “Cambrin Group” and Maj Dane went to the HQ of that group on 21 December 1917 but was replaced by Lt Col Wray on 27 December 1917. He acted as Cambrin Group OIC from 6 January 1918 when Lt Col Wray went on leave, but only until a more senior replacement arrived 2 days later, though Maj Dane did continue to act as OIC 58 Bde until Wray returned on 21 January 1918. Maj Dane went on leave between 4 and 20 March 1918, but after a major gas attack on 8 and 9 April 1918, he had to retire to the wagon lines and then go to No.55 Casualty Clearing Station. He was struck off the strength of 58 Bde as of 11 April 1918 due to having been “wounded gas”, spending time recuperating at the GHQ Rest Home, Paris Plage. After the war he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Huntingdon on 30 October 1919 and served as a Commissioner in the Scouts with Baden-Powell. He died on 20 January 1927, aged 43.
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2/Lt.
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Dane
|
|
n/a
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2/Lt Dane had joined 58th Bde “during the reorganisation” (possibly in late November 1916 from A/133) and was posted on 2 December 1916 to 11 Division Ammunition Column.
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2/Lt.
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Daniel
|
Emil McCarthy
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n/a
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D/58
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Born on 29 November 1895, in Candy, Ceylon [Kandy, Sri Lanka] Emil McCarthy Daniel studied in the City and Guilds College, London, and was in the Officer Training Corps (OTC) of the University of London. Having been a cadet in the OTC he was commissioned as a temporary 2/Lt on 5 October 1914 and served in 58 Bde Ammunition Column in late 1914. On 21 January 1915 he transferred into the new D/58 and a few weeks later went to France for a short secondment to 27 Bde RFA near La Petite Douve on 9 March 1915 for two weeks’ instruction, leaving 27 Bde and returning to the UK on 22 March 1915. He presumably returned to 58 Bde, although did not go overseas with them in July of that year since he was described as serving in that unit in August 1915 while convalescing in Millbank Hospital in London and was to report to 3A Reserve Bde in Athlone when he was fit. He sailed from Marseilles on 4 December 1915 on the “Royal George”, disembarking in Basrah on 1 January 1916. He was confirmed in rank on 29 January 1916, but a few months later, on 18 May 1916, he was made an A/Capt while in command of an Ammunition Column (AC), probably 134 Bde RFA AC, relinquishing that rank on 8 August 1916 when he ceased to be in command of an AC. He joined 61 Battery, 134 Bde RFA on 19 September 1916 was again made an A/Capt between 20 September and 5 November 1916 and between 22 November and 20 December 1916. His unit was in Mesopotamia on 22 February 1917 when he was severely wounded in both legs, which necessitated the amputation of both legs below the knee. After treatment at 135 Combined Field Ambulance and at 31st British Stationary Hospital in Baghdad, he was evacuated back to the UK on the Hospital Ship “Devanha”, sailing from Bombay [Mumbai] on 1 June 1917 and arriving at Avonmouth on 3 August 1917. He was admitted to the 3rd London General Hospital on 5 August 1917, before being transferred to the Queen Mary’s Convalescent Auxiliary Hospital in Dover House, Roehampton on 20 August 1917. On 8 October 1917, he married Agnes Sidney Wilkins in St Phillip’s church, Kensington, London. In March 1918 permission was given to spend £35 14 shillings for two artificial limbs for him, these were duly fitted though there was a delay in fitting one of them because the stump had not adequately healed. By January 1919 both legs were fitted satisfactorily so Daniel asked to be “gazetted out”, which was granted and so he relinquished his commission on 19 January 1919 due to ill-health caused by wounds and was eligible for a Silver War Badge, retaining the rank of Captain. He and Agnes had a daughter, Clemency Imogen Daniel in 1918 and then a son, Patrick Sidney William Daniel, in 1921 but separated soon after. He married twice more, to Mabel Clara Alice Mitchell in 1924, who divorced him in 1929 due to an affair he had with Eileen Dora Page who he then married the following year. He was assigned to the Clerical Class of the Civil Service on 7 April 1923 and worked in the Home Office, before transferring to the Ministry of Labour the following year. By 1939 he was divorced again and working as a clerk in the Post Office Engineering Department, and at that time, he was living in The Gables, Wroxham, Norfolk with an 18-year old hairdressing apprentice, Miss Enid Hilda Rust. He died on 8 April 1941 at the Overdale Nursing Home, Westmount, Jersey apparently of tuberculosis and is buried in St. Helier, Jersey. Probate was granted to Enid Rust. His son, Patrick, served as a Typhoon pilot in the Second World War with 247 Sqn RAF and was killed in action on 28 February 1944 over Brittany.
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Gnr.
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Dargan
|
Thomas
|
73143
|
C/58
|
Thomas Dargan was the son of William and Margaret Dargan. He was born in about 1895 in New Seaham, Durham. In 1911 he had followed his father down the mines and was working as a driver below ground. He was serving in C/58 on 24 March 1916 when he was evacuated from the Convalescent Depot Hospital in France back to the UK on the Hospital Ship “Valdivia” with a disordered action of the heart. He must have recovered and returned to France because a year later he was serving in B/170 when he died aged 22 on 15 May 1917 in No.3 General Hospital in Boulogne. He is buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery with the epitaph on his gravestone saying “Safe in the arms of Jesus his duty well done”.
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Bdr.
|
Davidson
|
James
|
80771
|
C/58
|
James Davidson was the son of John and Margaret Davidson and was described as a native of Strathkinness, St. Andrews, Fife. After James enlisted, he became a member of C/58 and sailed to Egypt probably with his battery in July 1915. On 2 August 1915, while in Egypt he was tried for an unrecorded offence by Regimental Court Martial and was sentenced to 42 days detention. He was serving in C/58 as a Bombardier when he was killed on 5 October 1917 along with Gnr William Joynson in the Ypres salient when an enemy shell scored a direct hit on the gun pit they were in. James is buried alonside William in New Irish Farm Cemetery, Belgium. After his father’s death, his mother emigrated to Australia.
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Gnr.
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Davidson
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John
|
93446
|
186 Bty
|
John Davidson was born in about 1890 in Torphins, Aberdeenshire, the son of John Davidson and Catherine Davidson. In 1901 the family were living in Kincardine O’Neill . John was working as a carter when he enlisted on 28 August 1914 in Aberdeen, and was posted initially to No.6 Depot at Glasgow, arriving there on 31 August 1914. On 2 September 1914 he was posted to join 186 Battery and was then posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column on 30 September 1914. He did not go overseas with the 11th (Northern) Division, but was probably sent along with the rest of 58 Brigade’s Ammunition Column to Frensham Camp, near Farnham, Surrey. It may have been here that he met Mildred Gertrude Cranham, who John married on 30 December 1916 in the parish church, Farnham, Surrey. John was posted to B/173 (East Ham) Bde RFA, part of the newly raised 36th (Ulster) Division, on 30 October 1915 and went to France with them on 27 November 1915. He was granted leave back to the UK between 28 February and 13 March 1918, but then was wounded by a bomb in the head and right arm on 18 May 1918 so was evacuated back to the UK arriving on 30 May 1918. Probably after a period in hospital, he was posted to the Royal Artillery Command Depot at Ripon on 17 August 1918. On 18 November 1918, a week after the armistice, and while John was still there, the camp was repurposed as a reception camp for returning British prisoners of war and John was posted the following day to “B Group” at the camp. Then on 18 January 1919 he was posted to “C Group” though three days later he attended No.1 Dispersal Unit at Crystal Palace on 21 January 1919 before being demobbed on 18 February 1919. He was still not fully fit so was awarded a weekly pension of 5s 6d for a year. John and Mildred lived at 14 Lodge Hill Cottages, Lower Bourne, Farnham after the war but John died on 19 December 1922 in the Mental Hospital, Brookwood, Surrey.
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Dvr.
|
Davies
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Frederick
|
105458
|
C/58
|
Frederick Davies, known as Fred, was born on 14 January 1890 in Llanglydwen, Carmarthenshire. He was the son of Leonard and Elizabeth Ann Davies and by 1901 the family had moved to Brampton Abbotts, near Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, where Leonard, a domestic gardener by trade, had been born. Fred was working as a miner in Bargoed, Glamorgan when he enlisted in Bargoed on 27 August 1915. He went to No.2 Depot in Preston the same day and was posted as a Driver to 7 (Reserve) Battery the following day. He was posted to 21 (Reserve) Battery, 4A Reserve Bde in Woolwich on 30 November 1915 and then to the Base Depot in France on 13 December 1915 from where he was posted on 21 December 1915 to join the Headquarters of 4 Bde RFA which was in the process of transferring from France to Mesopotamia. Probably due to an administrative error, a Board of Inquiry was held at 21 (Reserve) Battery on 30 December 1915 claiming that he had been Absent Without Leave since 30 November 1915 despite the fact that he was then serving overseas. On 16 March 1916 he was posted to C/58 in Egypt and was serving with them later that year in France when he suffered an inguinal hernia. He was admitted to ward E of No.18 General Hospital at Camiers on 5 October 1916 and had an operation performed by a Maj Baker RAMC on probably 8 or 9 October 1916. After the operation he was sent to Thiepval on 3 November 1916 before being evacuated to the UK on 23 November 1916. He was admitted to the East Leeds War Hospital in Harehills Road on 24 November 1916 and posted that day to 5C Reserve Bde for administrative purposes. He stayed in that hospital until 8 December 1916 when he was transferred to the Auxiliary Military Hospital, Baldersby Park, Thirsk until he was discharged on 5 January 1917. He was posted back to France on 29 March 1917 and was posted to 92 Battery, 17 Bde RFA on 20 April 1917. On 25 September 1917 he was awaiting trial by Field General Court Martial, though his alleged offence is not recorded. The trial took place on 10 October 1917 and awarded him a period of Field Punishment No.1. On 7 January 1919 he was sent to the Dispersal Centre at Chisledon for demobilisation and was demobbed on 4 February 1919. Fred’s younger brother, Arthur was a Sergeant in 11th Bn Lancashire Fusiliers who won the Military Medal before being killed in action on 29 September 1916. Fred though returned to live in Brampton Abbotts and married Ellen E Green in early 1927 a few months before they had a daughter, Barbara E Davies, who was born on 25 August 1927. In July 1939, Fred was still living in Brampton Abbotts when he applied for a job at ‘HM Factory, Hereford’ (presumably the munitions works known as the National Filling Factory, Hereford), so required a Conduct Certificate from his military service to support his application. Since none had apparently been produced when he was demobilised in 1919, an assessment was made that his character probably merited “good”. In October later that year, he, Ellen and Barbara were still in Brampton Abbotts and Fred was working as a warehouseman in a flour mill. In later years, Fred kept the public house, “The Travellers’ Rest” just outside the village before retiring back to the village. Fred Davies appears to have died in 1972.
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Gnr.
|
Davies
|
William Henry
|
77429
|
|
William Henry Davies was serving in the RFA when he went overseas, arriving in the Balkans theatre of operations on about 7 October 1915. He was serving in 58 Bde when he embarked on HMT “Ionian” from Mudros on 31 January 1916, which sailed the next day. The ship arrived in Alexandria on 4 February 1916, and William disembarked the following day. He appears to have been awarded a pension after the war and died on 11 November 1923 in Bridge Tipton, West Midlands, leaving a widow, Florence Jane Davies and three children under the age of 16.
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Bdr.
|
Daw
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|
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B/58
|
Bdr Daw had to report the absence from Chapeltown Barracks of Dvr Ernest Ballard (10994) on three occasions between 1 December 1914 and 1 February 1915, as well as the absence of Dvr John Oram (93135) on the evening of 1 December 1914, of Dvr Frederick Harris (10607) on 6-7 January 1915 and the absence from reveille of Dvr John H Banks (92448) on 6 January 1915.
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2/Lt.
|
Dawson
|
Herbert Henry Mawson
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n/a
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C/58
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Herbert Henry Mawson Dawson was born in Leeds on 25 January 1887, the only son of Frederick Ransford Dawson and Eliza Dawson (née Mawson). Dick, as he was known, was educated at Wakefield GramMarch School [now Queen Elizabeth GramMarch School, Wakefield] between 1899 and 1904. He was working as a mining engineer for Messrs. Mammatt, White and Kay in Leeds, and living at home with his widowed mother and two younger sisters at 25 Grange Avenue, Chapeltown, Leeds, when he enlisted into the RFA in Leeds on 4 September 1914. He was posted the same day to the RFA’s No.1 Depot at Newcastle-upon-Tyne where he was assigned service number 99309 and mustered as a Gunner. However, he applied for a commission as a temporary 2/Lt in the RFA on 30 November 1914. He was serving in 58 Bde RFA, probably in C/58, when he embarked at Liverpool on 1 July 1915 on the SS “Empress Britain” bound for Alexandria. He then embarked at Alexandria on 1 August 1915, disembarking at Gallipoli on 12 August 1915. On 4 September 1915, while serving at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli, he was put in charge of a party of 116 men who were being sent off the peninsular. He left the peninsular on 12 September 1915 on a Hospital Ship bound for Alexandria at which point he probably left 58 Bde. It is very likely that he left Gallipoli due to fibrositis, since he was admitted to No.17 General Hospital in Alexandria on 18 September 1915 with that condition, although later it was described as myalgia. In Alexandria he was treated with rest and aspirin and was admitted to No.4 Officers’ Convalescent Home on 6 October 1915, where it was noted that he was pale, rather debilitated, had a poor appetite and had general muscular pains. On 11 October 1915 he complained of intestinal pain and was then evacuated back to the UK, initially sailing on 16 October 1915 on the Hospital Ship “Salta” and then on the Hospital Ship “Aquitania” which docked at Southampton on 28 October 1915, and he was admitted to the 2nd Western General Hospital, Manchester on 29 October 1915. On 20 November 1915 he was posted to 2C Reserve Bde in Leeds, which was also his home town. On 23 February 1916 he was posted to 150 Bde RFA but was admitted to hospital sick on 8 March 1915 and to No.8 General Hospital in Rouen with kidney trouble on 11 March 1916. He was again evacuated to the UK, this time on the Hospital Ship “St Andrew” on 14 March 1916 and was sent to the Convalescent Home for Officers at Osborne, Isle of Wight. A Medical Board held on 26 March 1916 summed his health issues as “States that he began to have pain in his back in the Spring of 1915 and was under treatment for it when he went to Egypt in June ’15. Was in Suvla from August 7th to September 17th when he was invalided and sent Home. Board at Manchester passed him fit and he joined his Reserve Brigade, and reported sick on arrival. Was sent to hospital and treated as an out-patient for two months. Again passed fit by Board. Went to France about February 20th ’16 and went sick early in March and was sent Home. He complains of lumber pain which apparently does not interfere with his movements. Urine normal. Trace of phosphates on arrival. Negative X ray examination of Vertebral Column and joints.” Another Medical Board, held at Chapeltown Barracks, Leeds on 27April 1916, declared him fit, so Dick was posted to No.4 Section, 30 Division Ammunition Column and then on 6 June 1916 to 148 Bde RFA, where he was attached to B/148. The following month he was killed in action in Trones Wood during the Battle of the Somme on 19 July 1916. Herbert Henry Mawson Dawson was 29 years old and is buried in Bernafay Wood British Cemetery, Montauban, France. He appeared to be well thought of, his employers apparently speaking highly of him, and his obituary in his old school’s roll of commemoration stated that “Dick Dawson, a boarder at Wakefield, is remembered for his exceptional skill at football. The son of a famous Yorkshire player he himself was awarded a County Cap. All outdoor games were pleasant to him, and who can say that they did not fit him for the part he was to play in this world-struggle? Dick Dawson would shrink from no hardships, nor hard knocks, but would give and take with the best of us. May he rest peacefully!”
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L/Bdr.
|
Day
|
George
|
41774
|
C/58
|
George Day was born in Cwmbran, near Newport on 7 October 1892. He married Millicent, known as Millie. This is probably Millicent Pearce who married a George T Day in 1913. George was serving in the RFA when he went overseas, arriving in Egypt on 8 July 1915. He was serving as a L/Bdr in C/58 when he had to go to hospital in April 1918 after being wounded, so was replaced as L/Bdr in C/58 by Harry Sturt. George returned to C/58 after being discharged from hospital and so resumed his duties as L/Bdr in that battery on about 9 June 1918. He was discharged from the Army on 10 February 1919, his home address being 70 George Street, Pontnewynydd, Pontypool. He, Millicent and their two sons, Albert aged 7, and George, aged 5, were still at that address in 1921 and George was working as a coal haulier for Eastern Valley Colliery Company at Cwmffrwdoer. They stayed living at 70 George Street until at least 1929, but in September 1939, George and Millicent were living at 1 Bush Terrace, Pantygassig, while George was still working below ground as a colliery hauler.
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Gnr.
|
Day
|
Alfred Henry
|
75794
|
D/58
|
Alfred Henry Day was born on 21 May 1896 in St Mary’s Cray, Kent. After he left school, he worked as a farm labourer. He enlisted in Woolwich to join the pre-war regular Army on 21 January 1914 on terms of 6 years with the colours and a further 6 years in the Reserves, all his military records just giving his name as Alfred Day. He was posted initially to Preston. On 30 September 1914 he “made a false statement to a superior officer” and so was punished on 2 October 1914 with being confined to barracks for 7 days. On 7 April 1915 he was posted to 4A Reserve Bde, and from there to France on 30 April 1915, where he was posted to 118 (Howitzer) Bde RFA on 16 May 1915. He joined D/58, most likely when a battery of that brigade was assigned to 58 Bde as the new D/58 on 15 July 1916. He was awarded the Military Medal on 22 December 1916 while still serving in D/58. On 5 July 1917 he was absent from a 7.30pm watering parade so was docked 4 days’ pay by the Officer Commanding 58 Bde. On 20 September 1917 he was granted 10 days’ leave to the UK. He was badly wounded on 1 October 1918, probably by shrapnel, with the wounds being described at different times as being in his chest, back and right side and No.33 Casualty Clearing Station reported him “dangerously wounded”. A telegram to that effect was sent to his wife, Ivy Day (née Harry) though “permission to visit cannot be granted”. He was admitted to No.22 General Hospital at Camiers on 13 October 1918 and evacuated back to the UK on 9 November 1918. He recuperated at the Royal Herbert Hospital, Shooters Hill, Woolwich, and was discharged as “no longer physically fit for war service” on 6 March 1919. He was awarded a weekly pension of 11 shillings because he was still 40% disabled and a Silver War Badge. After the war his MM was posted to him by registered post. He and Ivy had two daughters soon after this, Eileen Ivy Day born in 1920 and Margery Esme Day born the following year. In 1921, he was living in Newtown, Exeter when he re-enlisted in Exeter for 90 days service as a signaller in the Wessex Division Signals Defence Force during the period of “national emergency”, from 15 April to 4 July 1921. He had been living at 5 Silver Place, Paris Street, Exeter but moved back to Kent in probably 1924 to live at 2 Pretoria Cottages, Foot’s Cray. In 1923 his level of disability was assessed to have lessened (form 50% to 20%) so his weekly pension was reduced to 11s 6d for the rest of his life.By September 1939 the family were back in Exeter and were living at 24 Burnthouse Lane, with Alfred working as a patrolman for the Automobile Association. Alfred Day died in Exeter in 1985, aged 90.
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Gnr.
|
De Boos
|
Thomas Henry
|
22873
|
B/58
|
Thomas Henry De Boos was born in Brighton, Sussex in about 1892, the son of John Thomas De Boos and Annie De Boos (née Hopkins). By 1901, the family had moved to Essex and by 1911 the family were living in 79 Knotts Green Road, Leyton, Essex and Thomas had joined his father as a tobacco operative in a cigar and cigarette factory. In 1915, Thomas married Ethel Parrish in Camberwell. On 18 November 1918, he appears to have been serving in B/58 when he was appointed a paid Acting Bombardier and was replaced as a paid Acting Lance Bombardier by Edward Ferrier (951517). In December 1918, Thomas was serving in 58 Bde when he was hospitalised with influenza. Thomas De Boos died in Rochford, Essex in 1964, aged 72.
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Bdr.
|
Deamer
|
George
|
895200
|
B/58
|
George Deamer was born in 1886 in St. Albans, Herts., the son of ploughman David Deamer and Eliza Deamer (née Deller). By 1911, the family were living at 46 Sandridge Road, St. Albans and George was working as a printer. He enlisted into the RFA’s Territorial Force at Hertford, Herts. on 24 April 1915, agreeing to be liable for deployment overseas. He initially joined 4th East Anglian (Howitzer) Bde and was allocated service number 526. On 29 May 1915 he was transferred to 54 (East Anglia) Division’s Ammunition Column (54 DAC) and was appointed an unpaid Acting Bombardier on 27 August 1915. The majority of his unit, 54 DAC, did not go to Gallipoli with their division and George was one of those who instead went to France to support 55 (West Lancashire) Division. He embarked at Southampton on 17 November 1915, disembarking at Le Havre the next day. He was admitted to 3rd West Lancashire Field Ambulance on 11 February 1916 with scabies but was discharged to duty 3 days later. On 8 April 1916, George was promoted to Bombardier and then on 18 May 1916, he was posted to the Base Details of 55 (West Lancashire) Division. On 31 August 1916, George was posted to C/276 Bde RFA, but two weeks later he was admitted to 45 Field Ambulance suffering from colitis. He rejoined his unit on 1 October 1916 but was transferred to A/276 three days later. A few weeks later, George was posted to No.4 Section 55 (West Lancashire) Division Ammunition Column on 27 November 1916, before being transferred to No.1 Section on 12 January 1917. Six months later, George received a gunshot wound on 14 July 1917 which penetrated his chest and back and was admitted to No.47 Field Ambulance that day. He was evacuated on No.31 Ambulance Train on 23 July 1917 from Remy (probably Remy Siding, Belgium), arriving at Rouen the following day where he was probably admitted to Lakeside Hospital (also known as No.4 USA Base Hospital) from where he was evacuated back to the UK on the Hospital Ship “Grantully Castle” on 7 August 1917. George was admitted to the Princess Christian Military Hospital, Englefield Green, Windsor on 9 August 1917 and stayed there until 20 October 1917. He then stayed at the Manor War Hospital, Epsom until 17 December 1917 before being transferred to a convalescent hospital in Birmingham where he stayed until 5 February 1918. During 1917, his service number was changed to 895200 in line with the renumbering of Territorial Force soldiers. On 14 February 1918 George reported to the Royal Artillery Command Depot at Ripon South from where he was posted on 29 March 1918 to D/4 Reserve Bde at High Wycombe. He was granted embarkation leave on 15 April 1918 and posted back to France three days later. After a fortnight at the Base Depot, George was posted on 5 May 1918 to 58 Bde where he was assigned to B/58. He appears on the late 1918 Absent Voter List for St. Albans as serving in 58 Bde, giving his address as 46 Sandridge Road, St. Albans. George was given permission by 58 Bde to revert to Gunner at his own request on 15 October 1918 and after the Armistice he was given 14 days leave to the UK between 24 February and 10 March 1919. On 5 July 1919, George was posted back to the UK for demobilisation and was described by Lt. Devenish who was commanding B/58 at the time as a “good, hardworking man”. George attended No.1 Dispersal Unit at Purfleet on 7 July 1919 and was demobilised on 3 August 1919. Later that year, George married Nellie Margaret Leatherland in St. Albans and in 1921 they were living at 24 Camp View Road with their 11 month old daughter, Winnifred Margaret Deamer. George was working for R Taylor and Co., Priory Press, London Road, St. Albans as a letter and press machine feeder. In September 1939, the three of them and potentially 3 further children, were living at 62 Linden Crescent and George was still working as a printer feeder. George Deamer was still living at that address when he died on 10 January 1962.
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Gnr.
|
Dearnley
|
John Montsier
|
184566
|
D/58
|
John Montsier Dearnley (sometimes spelled as John Monsear Dearnley) was the son of Joseph and Martha Dearnley. He was born in 1885 in Newmillerden, Yorks. By the time he was 16 he was working as a tailor’s apprentice and ten years later was working as a hosier’s assistant. He married Amy Reid on 17 September 1914 in the Wesleyan West Parade Chapel, Wakefield, Yorks and enlisted into the RFA on 8 December 1915, though was probably not mobilised until late the following year. He was serving as a Gunner in D/58 in July 1917 when he was wounded, receiving multiple gun shot wounds to his left leg and left wrist. He was evacuated back to the UK and admitted to Wharncliffe War Hospital, Sheffield. After he was discharged from hosptal he went to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick where he was admitted on 3 January 1918. Probably while there he contracted persistent gastritis and was admitted to Catterick Military Hospital on 14 May 1918. He was discharged on 28 May 1918 and posted to draft on 24 June 1918 but was still at the depot in Catterick when he was discharged from the Army on 30 September 1918 due to the wounds he had received and was awarded a Silver War Badge. John Dearnley returned to live at 83 Ings Road, Wakefield, but was living at 6 Symons Street, Wakefield when he died on 5 November 1933 and he is buried in Wakefield Cemetery.
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Lt.
|
Delaforce
|
Victor Shore de Fleurriet
|
n/a
|
C/58
|
Victor Shore de Fleurriet Delaforce was born in Oporto, Portugal, on 20 January 1896 into the family who owned the House of Delaforce port wine business. After attending Radley School, he was commissioned into the RFA on 30 December 1915 aged 19 (under paragraph 3 of Army Order 333 of 1915). He was promoted to Lt on 1 July 1917 and Mentioned in Despatches on 11 December 1917. He was made an Acting Captain on 19 December 1917 “while specially employed”, and awarded the Military Cross in the New Year’s Honours 1918. On 28 April 1918 he joined C/58 from 11 Division Ammunition Column and reverted to Lt because he had “ceased to hold a special appointment”. He left 58th Bde just two weeks later on 12 May 1918 to become second in command of a battery in another brigade and made A/Capt again. He stayed in the Army after the war, being a Lt in 1922. That year he also married Joy Fleur Payne. They had two children, but their marriage only lasted a few years. In 1926 he became a partner in his father’s port wine shipping company and he designed the bottles in which the port was exported. In 1939 he married Phyllis Joan Westray and they had two more children. The oldest of his four children was Patrick Delaforce who followed his father into the Army and the port wine trade but in later life became a writer. Victor Delaforce died in Porto in 1986, aged 90.
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Gnr.
|
Denley
|
Howard Charles
|
74517
|
A/58
|
Howard Charles Denley was born in about 1894, the son of William and Mary Ann Denley of Wandsworth. He was a pre-war regular soldier who enlisted into the RFA in 1913 having previously worked as a milk carrier and before that in 1911 as a laundry stacker. His military records all just refer to him as Howard Denley. He went to France on 16 August 1914 with 41 Bde RFA. He was serving in the headquarters of that brigade when he was wounded by a gunshot wound to his right shoulder. He was admitted to No.3 Casualty Clearing Station on 12 November 1914 and sent by sick convoy two days later to Base. He was serving in A/58 when he was killed in action on 25 August 1917 in the Ypres salient alongside his comrades Alec Armitage, John Barber, Frederick Thomas Leathard, William Monks, Arthur Noble and Herbert Taylor. He is buried alongside them in the New Irish Farm Cemetery, near Ypres, Belgium. His elder brother, Francis Edward Denley, known as Frank, died while serving with 2nd Battalion East Kent Regiment (The Buffs) in Greece in 1918.
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2/Lt.
|
Denny
|
Robert Edward
|
n/a
|
B/58
|
Robert Edward Denny, who may have been known as Edward, was born on 24 April 1897 in the USA. He was the son of a doctor, Harry Ernest Denny who had been born in Ireland, and Mary Denny (née O’Keefe) who was from the USA. By 1901, the family had moved to Longtown, Cumberland. He was probably educated at Clayesmore School, at that time located in Winchester, Hants. He applied for a commission on 18 April 1915 claiming to be a year older than he was and joined the Inns of Court Officers’ Training Corps on 15 July 1915, agreeing to serve overseas. The following year he attested and joined the Royal Horse Artillery as a gunner (service number 127112) on 10 March 1916 and was commissioned on 17 June 1916 as a 2/Lt in Special Reserve of Officers having been in an Officer Cadet Unit. He was posted to France in April 1917 and after a brief posting to 11 Division Ammunition Column (DAC), he was transferred to B/58 on 26 April 1917 and went on a gunnery course on 24 June 1917. He must have returned to 11 DAC shortly afterwards because he was posted from there to 59 Bde on 24 July 1917. He was promoted to Lt on 17 December 1917. On 7 April 1918 he was serving in D/59 near Cambrin, France when he was wounded by shrapnel in three places: his head, left shoulder and left hand. He was evacuated to 2/1 Wessex Field Ambulance and 58 Casualty Clearing Station the same day, then to No.1 British Red Cross Hospital at Le Touquet on 12 April 1918. From there he was sent to the UK on 6 June 1918 where he was admitted to the Officers’ War Hospital, Exeter. Over the course of at least a year he had several operations and received much treatment and massages for his wounds: there were three fractures to his skull, two of which needed trepanning, the wound to his shoulder had penetrated his lung and damaged the muscle in his scapula, and his index finger on his left hand had to be amputated. He received treatment at Millbank Hospital, the Convalescent Hospital Morehampstead in Exeter and in his new home town of Barnstaple. On 13 August 1919, he was placed on the retired list on account of ill-health caused by wounds. In 1939 he was working in Barnstaple as a furniture dealer and as an ARP sub-controller, and was married to Winifred, though she died on 29 November 1952 so on 1 March 1954 he married Christine. Robert Edward Denny died on 23 December 1968 in Barnstaple, aged 71.
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Lt.
|
Devenish
|
Charles Oliver Lloyd
|
n/a
|
B/58
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Born in London on 11 June 1896, Charles Oliver Lloyd Devenish was the eldest of the three children of solicitor William Hammon Devenish and his wife Beatrice Laugharne Phillips Devenish (née Still). He went to Haileybury School between 1910 and 1914 and then graduated from the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich on 10 February 1915 and was commissioned as a 2/Lt in the RFA. He commanded a portion of the ammunition column of 81 Bde RFA, part of 17 (Northern) Division, when A/81 and his part of the ammunition column were re-assigned to join 118 Bde in France on 12 August 1915. On 2 June 1916 he attempted to relieve the Forward Observation Officer for 459 Battery, 118 Bde on Mount Sorrel but was unable to get through due to intense enemy shelling, though he was still able to relay some information to the battery. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 8 August 1916. Later that year, he was serving in D/59 when he suffered from ‘trench fever’ and was evacuated back to the UK. He was treated at 1st Southern General Hospital, Edgbaston, Birmingham between 19 and 30 December 1916 when he was discharged for ‘rest and treatment’ at Bath. He appears to have returned to 59 Bde at some point because after the Armistice he was posted from there to 58 Bde on 24 March 1919. In June 1919 he appears to have been acting as the commander of B/58. After the war he stayed in the Army and was seconded to the Colonial Office on 24 May 1921 for service in Iraq. Later that year he led two squadrons of the 5th Levy Cavalry Regiment in Mosul as they headed for Dohuk. On 1 January 1923 he was promoted to ‘local’ Captain while serving in the Iraq Levies and remained serving in Iraq until 1927. In 1928, he married Mabel A Coombes in Manchester and they had a son, David C Devenish in 1938. Charles was living at 16 Bluff Avenue, Banstead, Surrey in 1934 and in 1946, he and his brother, William Reginald Devenish, were bequeathed a property in Bath at which time Charles was living at 5 Herbert Road, Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset. Charles Devenish died on 18 January 1977 in Burnham-on-Sea.
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Bdr.
|
Dickson
|
Hamilton
|
63854
|
|
Hamilton Dickson was born on 19 August 1890 in Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, the son of James Dickson and Elizabeth Dickson (née Aitken). He enlisted into the RFA on 12 January 1911 and may have signed on for 3 years with the colours and 9 years in the Reserves, because he was an iron worker when he married Laura Margaret Collis on 30 April 1914 in Camlachie, Glasgow. He was serving with 27 Bde RFA when he went to France with the BEF on 14 August 1914. While serving as a Gunner in 121 Battery, 27 Bde Hamilton was admitted to No.3 Casualty Clearing Station with a contusion to his right hand on 29 June 1915 and was evacuated by No.6 Ambulance Train the following day. While serving as a Gunner in D/162, he received a gunshot wound to his right forearm. He was admitted to No.2 General Hospital, Le Havre on 12 March 1916 and sent by No.19 Ambulance Train on 18 March 1916 to the Hospital Ship “Oxfordshire”. The following year, Hamilton was serving as a Bombardier when he was wounded again, and that appears to have been a gunshot wound to his right shoulder. He had been serving as a Bombardier in 58 Bde when he was discharged from the Army on 16 August 1918 due to wounds he had received and was awarded a Silver War Badge. A month earlier his wife had given birth to a daughter but died two days later, so the daughter was named Laura Margaret Dickson after her. After being discharged, Hamilton lived at 42 Buchanan Street, Coatbridge and then at Station Cottage, Garnkirk, near Glasgow. He received a pension of 30 shillings per week for just over a year. On 7 March 1919, Hamilton married Frances Maud May in St Mary’s parish church, Wavertree, Lancs. He was working as a car conductor and living at 206 Dalmarnock Road, Bridgeton, Glasgow at the time. In September 1939, he, Maud and their two children, Annie Elizabeth May Dickson and James Dickson, were living at 15 Moorcroft Road, Huyton with Roby, Liverpool and James was working as a van man for London, Midland and Scottish Railway. Hamilton was still living at 15 Moorcroft Road when he died of bronco-pneumonia in 1972, aged 81, and was cremated on 17 August 1972.
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Gnr.
|
Dixson
|
Charles Henry
|
118672
|
D/58
|
Charles Henry Dixson was born on 8 March 1891, in Grays, Essex, the son of Walter Dixson and Sarah Dixson. He followed his father into working in the petroleum industry and in 1911 was working as fitter in West Thurrock, Grays. On 30 April 1914, Charles married Emma Elizabeth Harrison in St Paul’s church, Barrow-in-Furness, Lancs [now Cumbria]. The following year, Charles enlisted into the RFA in Barrow-in-Furness on 20 November 1915, giving his profession as a foreman for Anglo American and his address as 19 Dunvegan St, Barrow-in-Furness. He probably volunteered under the Derby scheme since he was not called up for over 4 months, so it was not until 11 April 1916 that he attended No.2 RFA Depot at Preston and was posted the next day to 9 Reserve Battery, part of 2A Reserve Bde RFA in Preston. He should have been provided with a railway warrant to enable him to travel to the depot, but it did not arrive in time so Charles had to pay the fare of £1 3s 1½d himself, though this was likely refunded to him. On 3 July 1916 he was posted to 2C Reserve Bde RFA in Catterick and then on 1 October 1916 to 4A Reserve Bde RFA in Woolwich. From there he was posted overseas to France, disembarking there on 7 October 1916 and going to the Base Depot. On 18 October 1916 he was posted to join D/60 Bde near Albert, just before the battery moved to Courcelette. When 60 Bde was broken up, Charles was reassigned on 29 January 1917 to D/58 Bde. On 2 July 1917 he was appointed a paid acting Bombardier to replace, probably, Daniel House (41108) and on 3 October 1917 he was appointed an acting Bombardier to replace, probably, Thomas Briers (4531), though four days later he was wounded on 6 October 1917 but was able to return to his battery four days after that. On 3 December 1917 he was granted 14 days leave to the UK. On 30 June 1918 he was appointed an acting Bombardier to replace Arthur Ernest Richardson (940166) and on 23 August 1918 he was promoted to Bombardier following the death of Percy Morehen (75346), assuming duties the same day. After the Armistice, he was posted to A/245 as a Bombardier on 5 March 1919 and served with them in the British Army of Occupation in Germany. On 15 June 1919 he was granted 14 days leave to go to the UK. It wasn’t until 12 September 1919 that he was finally posted back to the UK for demobilisation, attending the No.1 Dispersal Unit at Purfleet on 16 September 1919, from which he was demobilised on 29 September 1919. From Barrow the family moved to Ellesmere Port and then, in 1933 to Cardiff where Charles worked at Penarth docks. In September 1939, he and Emma, along with their children, Walter (born on 12 February 1916), Herbert (born on 18 July 1920) and two more children, were living at 14 Alma Road, Cardiff. Charles was working as a Port Petroleum Officer and was still living at 14 Alma Road in 1950. Charles and Emma were living at 26 Gron Ffordd, Rhiwbina, Cardiff in 1975 when Charles died in June of that year.
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Sgt.
|
Dobby
|
Frank
|
20929
|
C/58
|
Born in 1891, Frank Dobby was a railway clerk with North Eastern Railway from Leeming, N Yorks. His father, Francis had been a tailor and publican. Frank married Mary Jane Girdley of Bishop Burton, Beverley, Yorks in 1915. He went overseas, arriving in Egypt on about 19 July 1915. Frank was serving as a Sergeant in C/58 on 25 April 1918 and taking part in a clearing up party at C/58 wagon lines which had just been moved, when he was killed alongside Gnr McCarthy by enemy shellfire. He is buried in Hersin Communal Cemetery Extension. His widow was granted a pension of 16 shillings 3d a week from 11 November 1918.
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Gnr.
|
Doel
|
Arthur George
|
94977
|
|
Arthur George Doel (known as George) was born in 1881 in Oldham Lancs. He was a bricklayer’s labourer and he married Alice Maud Rumble in 1910. He enlisted into the RFA on 15 March 1915. He was serving in 58 Bde when he was discharged from the Army on 12 December 1917 being unfit for military service due to wounds received. He received a weekly pension of 27 shillings 6d from 13 December 1917. Both he and Alice were killed on 2 October 1940 when their home at 130 Manor Park, Harlesden, London was destroyed in the Blitz.
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Sgt.
|
Doggett
|
Albert Edward Victor
|
74973
|
D/58
|
Albert Edward Victor Doggett was from Sipson, Middx. He was born on 31 July 1897 to Charles and Emma Doggett. After his father died while Albert was a boy, his mother remarried. Albert was a pre-war regular having joined the Army on 17 November 1913, aged 16 years 3 months. He was promoted to Bombardier on 16 June 1914 and was posted to 57 (Howitzer) Battery. He was mobilised on 5 August 1914 into 43 (Howitzer) Bde RFA in 1st Division. He fought at Mons, during the Great Retreat, and on the Marne and Aisne. He moved to Ypres in mid-October 1914 and was wounded by a German shell on 4 November ember1914. He was evacuated to the UK and treated at Norfolk Hospital, Norwich. On 8 January 1915 he was promoted to Cpl, still aged just 17 years 5 months. He was posted to A/81 Bde, part of 17 (Northern) Division at Swanage. He was promoted to Sgt on 7 May 1915, aged 17 years 10 months. His division moved to Winchester in June 1915 and proceeded to France on 13 July 1915. They went into the Ypres sector and on 5 August 1915 were in action at Hooge. On 11 August 1915, A/81, including Sgt Doggett and a portion of the Ammunition Column, were withdrawn and posted to 118(Howitzer) Bde, who were attached to 1(Canadian) Division at Ploegsteert. Between September and December, they shelled German trenches and rear areas around Ploegsteert including Petite Douve Farm and Messines Town. On 25 September 1915, A/81 was renamed 460 Battery then on 15 December 1915, 460 Battery was renamed 461 Battery. Albert spent Christmas 1915 in the line and as 461 Battery’s Mess Sergeantt, Albert was to sing “Old Soldiers Never Die”. On 4 April 1916, 118(Howitzer) Bde moved north to the Ypres area and were engaged in shelling Hill 60 and St Eloi. On 15 July 1916, 118(Howitzer) Bde was broken up: 461 Battery (including Sgt Doggett) was transferred to 58 Bde RFA as the new D/58 just after the brigade had arrived from Egypt. Sgt Doggett stayed with D/58 for the rest of the war and was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal on 18 December 1918 “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty at Eth Wood on 7th November 1918. When only one subaltern was left in the battery, he carried out the duties of the other, and, on one occasion, took entire charge of the work of the battery under heavy shell fire. He invariably displayed the greatest skill and courage in carrying out whatever duties it fell to him to perform.” As a regular soldier he left D/58 in February 1919 when he was posted to Cork and he transferred to the reserve in December 1920. He died in Bournemouth in 1991 aged 94.
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2/Lt.
|
Dolphin
|
William Heathcote
|
n/a
|
|
William Heathcote Dolphin was born in Blackheath, Kent, in 1882, the son of James (a stock and share broker) and his wife Jane. He enlisted in the Honourable Artillery Company on 24 August 1914 and was discharged on 8 February 1915 after being commissioned as a 2/Lt. He joined 58 Bde as a reinforcement from Mudros in late September 1915. In November 1915 he suffered from ear damage while at Suvla Bay with 58 Bde. On 30 December 1915, William was serving in B/58 when he 51 Other Ranks and 56 horses sailed on the HMT “City of Edinburgh” from Mudros for Alexandria, arriving there on 1 January 1916 and disembarking the following day. After nearly 6 months in Egypt, he sailed from Alexandria for Marseilles on the SS “Caledonia” on 22 June 1916. On 3 August 16 he was attached to A/60 for instruction and appointed town commandant of Simoncourt the same day. On 1 September 1916 he was still serving with A/60 on the Somme when he suffered damage in his other ear and left the brigade. He was evacuated to England on HMHS “St Andrew” from Boulogne to Dover on 12 September 1916 and was admitted to Reading War Hospital suffering from furunculosis of the ears. He stayed there until he was discharged on 8 November 1916. He was promoted to Temporary Lieutenant on 1 July 1917 and the following year entered into a marriage bond with Jennie Harding on 3 August 1918. On 21 November 1918 he wrote asking to resign his commission so that he could return to his civilian occupation of being an underwriter and insurance broker at Lloyds. The request was approved and he resigned his commission on 4 January 1919, retaining the rank of Lieutenant. He died though 2 years later on 11 April 1921, at which time he was described as being “Late of Sudely, Kingsbury Garden Village, Willesden, Middx formerly of 10 Harewood House, Hanover Sq.”
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2/Lt.
|
Donne
|
Claude Harold
|
n/a
|
C/58
|
Claude Harold Donne was born on 22 December 1894 in Brighton, Sussex, the son of William John and Rose Maud Donne. By the time he was 16 he was a clerk for a house agent. He attested as a gunner in the Territorial unit, the 3/1st Home Counties Bde RFA on 10 December 1915 and was mobilised on 25 May 1916. He served with the unit until he applied for a commission with service number 901443. He attended No.1 Cadet School, St John’s Wood, London, from where he was commissioned into the RFA on 14 January 1918 as a 2/Lt in the Territorial Force having trained in an Officer Cadet Unit. He was first posted to France on 2 May 1918. He served initially in 11 Division Ammunition Column but was soon transferred from there to join 58 Bde on 19 May 1918. He was initially assigned to C/58. On 17 August 1918, he was serving in D/58 when he went on an artillery course at 1 Corps School. He went on 14 days’ leave to England on 28 October 1918, rejoining from leave on 16 November 1918. He rejoined from the “Hospital Dump” on 25 February 1919 and had a further 14 days’ leave between 2 and 19 March 1919. He was granted furlough between 24 June and 22 July 1919, after which he was attached to 124 Company Motor Transport of the Army Service Corps until 20 January 1920. He was promoted to Lt while serving with 1st Home Counties Bde RFA on 14 July 1919 and successfully applied to join the Territorial Force Reserve resigned his commission on 11 August 1920. After the war he became a schoolmaster and on 23 July 1927 was living in Alexandra Park, Middx, when he married Elizabeth Mary Catherine Borman. In 1939 they were living in St Ives, Huntingdonshire, where he continued to work as a schoolmaster and his wife was helping with evacuees. He died aged 68 in 1963.
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Gnr.
|
Donnelly
|
Peter
|
103773
|
D/58
|
Peter Donnelly was born in about 1888. He enlisted into the RFA on 18 August 1915. He was serving with D/58 when he was admitted to No.18 General Hospital, Camiers on 15 April 1917. He had received a gunshot wound to his foot and ankle which had caused compound fractures and had developed gas gangrene, so his leg was amputated at the thigh. He was sent to a Hospital Ship for evacuation back to the UK on 9 May 1917. Peter was discharged from the Army on 2 January 1918 due to the injuries he had received. He went to live at 57 Niddry Road, Winchburgh, Linlithgowshire and was awarded a pension for life from 3 January 1918.
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Gnr.
|
Downall
|
Frederick
|
12686
|
A/58
|
Frederick Downall was born in Tattenhall, near Chester, in 1895, the son of Frederick Downall. He was a butcher living at 6 Crown Terrace, Mill Lane, Newton-le-Willows when he enlisted in Warrington on 3 September 1914, aged 19. He was posted to C/75 on 1 October 1914 and went to France with that battery on 2 September 1915. On 23 November 1916, Frederick was posted to 133 Bde RFA, then less than a week later to A/58 on 29 November 1916. On 15 January 1917 he was admitted to 55 Field Ambulance with scabies and returned to his battery on 20 January 1917. He was appointed an A/Bdr on 18 September 1917 and promoted to Bdr on 23 September 1917. On New Year’s Eve 1917, he was the evening orderly and, when returning to the wagon lines from the gun lines, the roads were covered in snow and ice and he slipped, dislocating his left elbow. He went to No.1 Casualty Clearing Station that day and was then transferred by No.24 Ambulance Train to No.18 (Chicago, USA) General Hospital where he was admitted on 3 January 1918. Frederick was posted to No.6 Convalescent Depot on 12 January 1918 and to the Base Depot between 20 February and 5 April 1918 (which included a period of leave between 8 and 28 March) before returning to A/58. Three weeks later he was admitted to 34 Field Ambulance on 27 April 1918 with a strained elbow. On 23 November 1918 he was accused of illtreating a mule for which he was “severely reprimanded”. He was sent to the dispersal centre at Prees Heath on 20 June 1919 ready for demobilisation. On 30 October 1920, Frederick married Mary O’Connel, who was known as Dolly. They lived in Warrington which is where Dolly passed away in 1959 aged 65, and where Frederick passed away on 10 January 1963, aged 68.
|
Gnr.
|
Downie
|
William
|
92760
|
58 Bde AC
|
William Downie was born on 16 June 1894 in Kirkcaldy. He was working as a miner when he enlisted in Kirkcaldy on 25 August 1914 and went to No.6 RFA Depot in Glasgow the following day. He was posted from there as a Driver to the 11 Division Ammunition Column on 29 September 1914, joining their 1st section. On 26 January 1915 he was posted to 58 Brigade Ammunition Column as a Gunner. He was awarded 14 days’ Field Punishment No.2 for being Absent Without Leave on 9 May 1915 and was posted to D/58 in mid-June of that year, shortly before leaving with his battery to go to Alexandria. It is unclear if he went with his battery to Gallipoli. On 28 November 1915 he was posted to A/130 (Howitzer) Bde RFA, part of 28 Division which left Egypt for Salonika in January the following year. William’s battery, A/130, was transferred into 31 Bde RFA on 25 July 1916 and became D/31. A year later, for unknown reasons, William had left that unit and was posted to Base on 24 July 1917. On 15 October 1917, he was posted to 425 Battery, part of 44 Bde RFA, which was stationed as part of 74 (Yeomanry) Division at Rafa [Rafah, Gaza strip]. On 25 January 1918, presumably after a period of convalescence, William was classified as “B1”, which meant that he was deemed “able to stand service on lines of communication in France”. Three months later he was posted to A/117 on 21 April 1918. However two months later he was sent back to Base on 24 June 1918 and then on 3 August 1918 he was posted to join D/280, part of 56 (1st London) Division in France. He attended the East Leeds Dispersal Unit (almost certainly part of East Leeds War Hospital) on 12 April 1919 where he was described as “sick and wounded”. He was demobbed on 10 May 1919, returning to live in Kirkaldy, and was awarded a weekly pension of 5s 6d from 30 December 1919 to 26 April 1921 due to neurasthenia and epilepsy, both attributed to his war service. During that period he married Helen Brodie in Kirkcaldy on 23 July 1919 and worked as a maltman. On 11 January 1921, William re-enlisted into the Army, joining the Territorial Army and serving in 163 Battery – one of the Fife Companies – of the Forth Coast Bde of the Royal Garrison Artillery. He was allocated the new service number 1663348 and on the same day was both promoted to Bdr and appointed Lance Sgt. He served with the battery until he was discharged on 10 January 1924. He appears to have emigrated to New Zealand at some point after this.
|
Lt. Col.
|
Drake
|
Henry Manning
|
n/a
|
Bde Cdr
|
Henry Manning Drake was born on 19 December 1869 in London, the eldest child of Thomas Drake and Ellen Camilla Drake of Winswood House, Crediton, Devon. He attended prep school as a boarder in Hartley Wintney, Hants. He joined the Army and was commissioned into the RFA on 14 February 1890. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 14 February 1893 and to Capt while acting as an Adjutant for a volunteer unit on 15 February 1897, a post he retained until 14 August 1902. He married Gertrude Eleanor Davis on 27 June 1899 in Liverpool. On 3 February 1900 he was promoted to Capt and was appointed an adjutant between 10 June 1904 and 2 July 1907. On 3 July 1907 he was made a Captain again having been a supernumerary Captain and was promoted to Major on 21 October 1907. By 1911 he was a Major and was commanding the 62nd Battery in Multan, in what was then India but is now Pakistan. He was still there when war broke out in August 1914, and his battery was recalled to the UK as part of 3 Bde RFA. He was promoted to Lt Col on 30 October 1914 and went to France in January 1915 though it is unclear with which unit. He must have returned to the UK shortly afterwards because he was commanding 58 Bde by early April 1915. He sailed with 58 Bde on SS “Knight Templar” from Devonport on 1 July 1915 and arrived in Alexandria on 14 July 1915. He landed at ‘B’ Beach, Suvla Bay, Gallipoli, on 9 August 1915 and set about getting his brigade into action. He was evacuated from Suvla Bay with gastritis and debility and taken to Malta where he was treated at the Military Hospital, Tigne. He was then evacuated back from there to the UK, leaving Malta on 23 December 1915 on the Hospital Ship “BraeMarch Castle”. He later served under General Allenby in Egypt and Palestine, including acting temporarily as the Commander Royal Artillery of 60th Division. Between 7 August and 26 October 1917 he served with the temporary rank of Brigadier General. He was Mentioned in Despatches by Gen Allenby while serving in the RHA between 19 September 1918 and 31 March 1919. He retired from the Army as a Lt Col on 30 April 1920, aged 50. He and Gertrude had two children, Henry Leonard Drake, born in 1900 who died in a plane crash in 1930 while serving in the RAF, and Joan Eleanor Noel Drake who was born in 1904. In September 1939, Henry, Gertrude and Joan were living at 2 Elms Avenue, Poole, Dorset. Henry Drake was living at 19 Grand Avenue, Southbourne, Bournemouth when he died on 28 August 1944, aged 74.
|
Gnr.
|
Draper
|
Evan
|
138341
|
C/58
|
Evan Draper was born in Macclesfield, Cheshire in 1883, the son of coachman Henry Jesse Draper and Sarah Ann Draper. By 1901, the family were living at 4 Worsley Street, Oldham, Lancs. He worked as a coachman to a doctor before enlisting in the RFA. He was serving in C/58 when he suffered a contusion to his ribs probably on 24 September 1918. He was evacuated back to the UK and admitted to Broughall Cottage Voluntary Aid Detachment Hospital, Shropshire. After being discharged from hospital he went on 2 December 1918 to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick. He was noted as being absent from his home of 4 Worsley Street, Oldham for the 1918 Absent Voters list and was still living there with his family in 1921 and was again working as a coachman and chaffeur for Drs. Kershaw and Booth.
|
Bdr.
|
Drinkwater
|
|
|
B/58
|
Bdr Drinkwater was replaced as a bombardier in B/58 by Dvr John Murray Grady (93023) on 21 August 1917.
|
A/Bdr.
|
Drury
|
William Richard John
|
10661
|
B/58
|
William Richard John Drury was baptised on 15 June 1895 in Pucklechurch, nr Bristol, Glos, the son of farmer Frederick William Drury and Ada Jane Drury. They lived at Park Farm, Pucklechurch. William enlisted into the RFA in Bristol, probably in early September 1914 and went to Egypt probably with 58 Bde in July 1915. He was wounded later that year. William Drury was killed in action on 8 October 1917 while still serving in B/58 and is buried in Bard Cottage Cemetery, Belgium.
|
Dvr.
|
Duckworth
|
Frederic
|
781108
|
A/58
|
Frederic Duckworth was born in Oswaldwistle, Lancashire in about 1895, the son of John Thomas Duckworth and Mary Annie Duckworth. He enlisted into the 2 West Riding Bde of the RFA’s Territorial Force. He was wounded in the Spring of 1918 and was serving with A/58 when the absent voters list for Oswaldwistle was compiled in the autumn of 1918, giving his address as 42 Lord Street. This had been his parents’ home since at least 1901. Frederic (sometimes spelled Frederick, and seemingly known as Fred) was attached to 153 Prisoner of War Company when he was admitted to No.2 General Hospital, Le Havre with an accidental simple fracture of his right tibia on 20 February 1919. The hospital sent him back to the UK on the Hospital Ship “Aberdonian” on 27 February 1919. In 1921, Fred was living back at 42 Lord Street with his parents and his borther Norman while working as a capstan lathe hand for the textile machinist company, Howard and Bulloughs.
|
Bdr.
|
Duling
|
J
|
55961
|
A/58
|
Bombardier J Duling of 230 Napier Road, Gillingham, Kent, was serving with A/58 when he was discharged from the Army on 15 June 1916 as being no longer fit for active service due to wounds received. This is likely to be James Duhig who served in the RFA with the same service number (55961). He enlisted on 18 March 1909 and went to France on 19 August 1914 with 5 Division Ammunition Column. He too was discharged from the Army on 15 June 1916 as being no longer fit for active service due to wounds received, though it was said that he was serving as a Corporal in 5C Reserve Bde at the time. James Duhig presumably recovered sufficiently since he re-enlisted into the Royal Army Ordnance Corps where he was assigned service number S/9765.
|
2/Lt.
|
Duncan
|
C M
|
n/a
|
B/58
|
2/Lt C M Duncan was posted to 58 Bde in Leeds on 14 September 1914. In January 1915 he was serving in 58 Bde Ammunition Column and was posted to B/58 sometime probably soon after that. He sailed with his battery on SS “Knight Templar” from Devonport on 1 July 1915 and will have arrived in Alexandria on 14 July 1915. This may be Charles Moorhouse Duncan who was born on 22 January 1896. He was commissioned as a 2/Lt in the RFA on 16 September 1914 having attended the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich and was promoted to Lieutenant on 9 June 1915. He was awarded the Military Cross which was gazetted in September 1918 “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He went forward to a gun position which was under heavy barrage and extricated a man who had fallen under the burning camouflage and exploding ammunition. The ammunition exploding, killed the man he was carrying. He then organised a party to put out the fire, and by his gallantry and example enabled the position to recommence fire.” He stayed on in the Army after the war, serving in India until at least 1924. He married Thelma and they had two daughters, one born just after his death in a car accident on 21 January 1939. He is buried in Mount Noddy Cemetery, East Grinstead, West Sussex. His elder daughter, Veronica Mary Duncan went on to marry Lord Lucan in 1963 and survived Lucan’s attempt to murder her in 1974.
|
Gnr.
|
Dunn
|
Albert
|
180930
|
C/58
|
Albert Dunn from Taunton, Somerset, was awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the field on 24 May 1918 while serving with C/58. By the time his award was published in the London Gazette on 13 September 1918, he appears to have transferred to the RHA and been given the new service number of 606119, which indicates that he was a member of the Glamorgan Battery of the RHA.
|
Dvr.
|
Duthoit
|
Cyril
|
96491
|
D/58
|
Cyril Duthoit was born in Hunslet, Leeds, Yorkshire in 1878, the son of bootmaker John Edward Duthoit and Jane xxx Duthoit. In 1901, Cyril was working as a potman in a public house and living with his parents and siblings at 7 The Crescent, Bramley, Leeds. In 1911, he was boarding at a house in Bramley and working as a general labourer for a builder. Cyril enlisted in Leeds and that was very likely soon after war was declared because he went to France on 22 May 1915. He was serving with D/58 on 23 August 1918 when he was one of a party of men helping get a wagon out of a ditch. As they worked, an enemy aeroplane swooped and dropped 5 bombs on them. Cyril was one of nine men killed, with one more later dying of wounds. He is buried in Hersin Communal Cemetery Extension, France alongside 7 of his former comrades.
|
Sgt.
|
Dyer
|
Ernest Frank
|
22249
|
D/58
|
Ernest Frank Dyer was born in Islington, London on 31 July 1883, the son of Henry Francis and Anne M Dyer. He attended Gayhurst Road School. He was a farrier by trade, and he enlisted in Harringay on 8 September 1914. He was posted initially to No.6 Depot, Glasgow, and from there to 253 Battery, 81 Bde RFA on 30 October 1914 and appointed A/Bdr the same day. He was promoted to Bdr on 16 December 1914, to Cpl on 20 January 1915 and to Sgt on 26 March 1915. He landed at Le Havre on 14 July 1915 and his battery was transferred to 118 Bde RFA on 12 August 1915 and renumbered as 460 Battery before being re-numbered again as 461 Battery on 9 December 1915. He was granted leave to the UK between 22 and 30 January 1916. With the rest of his battery he was transferred to 60 Bde RFA to form the new D/60 on 15 July 1916 and then he transferred to D/58 when D/60 was broken up on 27 January 1917. While serving in D/58, he was recommended for a commission on 5 March 1917. He returned to the UK on 22 March 1917 to attend an Officer Cadet Unit to train him to be an officer and he was posted to No.4 Officer Cadet School, Preston Barracks, Brighton. While there he bumped into his former battery commander, Capt Carlton Roberts who was convalescing after being wounded. In a letter of 25 June 17, Capt Roberts says that he met Dyer on Brighton pier: “He is at a Cadet School here. He was surprised to see me I think, we had a little heart to heart talk about the old firm. I hope to see some more of him.” Dyer was commissioned on 21 September 1917 and was posted to C/330 Bde RFA on 29 April 1918. He was admitted to the New Zealand Stationary Hospital with sciatica on 2 June 1918, then to 8 British Red Cross Hospital on 7 June 1918 before being evacuated via Boulogne to Dover on 15 June 1918 on the AT “Pieter de Coninck”. He was admitted to Fishmonger’s Hospital the same day. He attended Medical Boards on 23 July and 25 September 1918 which estimated on both occasions that he would not be fit for general service for at least 3 months, recommending that he stay in a convalescent hospital. A further board declared him permanently unfit on 12 March 1919. He was promoted to Lt on 21 March 1919 but relinquished his commission a few weeks later on 24 April 1919 due to ill-health. He died in London in 1974, aged 91.
|
BQMS
|
Eadie
|
Robert
|
715419
|
B/58
|
Robert Eadie was born in Maryport, Cumberland, the son of John Edward Eadie and Frances (“Fanny”) Eadie (née Eadie). Not long after Robert was born, Fanny married Joseph Corkindale. Robert worked as a butcher’s assistant before the war. He joined the Territorial Force with 1/4 East Lancashire Bde RFA and was assigned service number 1040, which in 1917 was changed to 715419 when all Territorial Force soldiers were given new six digit numbers. At some point, Robert joined 58 Bde and was serving as the BQMS of B/58 when, in early June 1918 he was transferred to C/58 to replace an inefficient BQMS in that battery. He was said to be serving back in B/58 on 26 September 1918, when he was killed in action, aged 35, leaving a widow, Mary Jane Eadie, and two children Mary Frances Eadie who had been born in 1912 and Robina Joan Eadie who had been born in 1916. Robert is buried in Sunken Road Cemetery, Boisleux-St. Marc, France.
|
Lt.
|
Eardley
|
William Edwin
|
n/a
|
C/58
|
Born on 16 September 1888, William Edwin Eardley was the son of John William Eardley and Katharine Eardley. He was born in Derby when the family was living at 163 Osmaston Road and was educated at St Peter’s School in York. Before the war he worked as the estate agent at Elvaston Castle, Derby for the Earl of Harrington and when William went to Grantham to apply for a commission in the RFA on 23 November 1914, the Earl stated that he had known William for ten years. At Grantham, William was interviewed by the Commander Royal Artillery for 11th (Northern) Division, Brigadier Gubbins. Gubbins instructed William to report to 60 Bde RFA in Norwich for duty in anticipation of his commission being gazetted. William was formally commissioned into the RFA as a 2/Lt on 30 November 1914. In March 1915, William was sent out to Flanders to have two weeks’ instruction with a regular Army artillery unit – he joined 124 Battery, 28 Bde RFA at Lindenhoek on 9 March 1915, leaving to return to the UK on the 22nd. After the 60 Bde had been trained, he sailed with it on the SS “Toronto” from Devonport on 4 July 1915 bound for Alexandria and was serving as a 2/Lt in C/60 at the time. Probably while still in Egypt, William was appointed a Temporary Captain while commanding a battery between 21 December 1915 and 20 February 1916. During that period, he was formally promoted to Lieutenant on 1 January 1916. A year later, and shortly before 60 Bde was broken up, he was serving in 11 Division Ammunition Column but was attached to A/60 at Hamel when he fell ill with pneumonia. He left his battery on 12 January 1917 and was treated in No.20 General Hospital in Camiers between 14 and 25 January 1917 before being evacuated back to the UK. He sailed from Le Havre on the Hospital Ship “Warilda” on 26 January 1917 for Southampton and was admitted to 1st Southern General Hospital in Birmingham on 29 January 1917. A week later he contracted pleurisy and a medical board held on 26 March 1917 stated that he was now convalescing. The board believed that William would be unfit for general service for 2 months, but that he was fit for home duty, so after three weeks furlough he was told to report to 6A Reserve Bde RFA in Glasgow on 17 April 1917. After a series of medical boards he was finally declared fit for general service on 8 August 1917. William returned to France, arriving in Le Havre on 7 September 1917 and was posted from the Base Depot to 11 Division Ammunition Column on 12 September 1917 from which he was transferred the next day to 58 Bde. He joined C/58 and was wounded in action on 24 September 1917 but was able to re-join his unit two days later. A few days later he was transferred to A/58 on 5 October 1917 and acted as Liaison Officer to unspecified infantry battalions during an attack on 9 October 1917. He went on 14 days’ leave to the UK on 30 December 1917, returning on 15 January 1918. He was gassed on 9 April 1918 along with many others at Philosophe and retired to the wagon lines before being admitted to No.34 Field Ambulance. He was taken back to No.20 General Hospital in Camiers and while there was struck off the strength of 58 Bde on 14 April 1918 having been “wounded gas”. He was evacuated to the UK again, sailing on the Ambulance Transport “Stad Antwerpen” on 15 April 1918 from Calais to Dover and was admitted to 3rd London Hospital in Wandsworth the same day. He stayed in that hospital for about two months and in May and June 1918 he attended three medical boards all of which declared him unfit for any service and requiring treatment in a convalescent hospital. He went to such a hospital in Fowey, Cornwall on 8 June 1918 where he stayed until he was finally pronounced fit enough for duty at home at a medical board held on 15 July 1918 at the Military Hospital in Devonport, so after a period of leave at home at 17 Wilton Mansions, Kelvinside, Glasgow he was posted to 31 Reserve Battery RFA in Maryhill Barracks, Glasgow which he joined on 5 August 1918. Although he was finally declared fit again at the end of that month, he was instructed to remain in his current post. He was still serving in 31 Reserve Battery when he attended No.1 Dispersal Unit at Georgetown, Paisley on 17 March 1919 and relinquished his commission on completion of service the following day. By that time, he had married Irene Helen Morrison, who he had apparently met during his time in Glasgow. It seems that after the war he and Irene became dairy farmers at Bailing Hill Farm in Warnham, Sussex and had two daughters, the elder of whom, Joan Kathleen Harding Eardley, would become a well-known artist. The farm failed and William applied for the role of livestock officer in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in 1925 and he was living in Heighington, Lincs in 1926. He was living in Long Bennington, Notts when apparently, suffering from depression, William Eardley committed suicide on 11 December 1929, aged 41.
|
S/Smith
|
Eckford
|
John
|
99207
|
B/58
|
Born in 1889 in Galashiels in the Scottish Borders, John Eckford was the eldest son of Thomas and Elizabeth (known as Eliza) Eckford. The family moved to Newcastle-upon-Tyne within a few months of his birth, though by 1901, they were back in Scotland and living in Hawick. John was employed as a horseshoer and blacksmith by the master farrier, William B Wardlaw, in Windygates, Fife for three years who described him as an “obliging and active workman” but by at least 1911 John was working as a police constable in Wallsend. He was living in Audley Road, South Gosforth, Newcastle-upon-Tyne when he enlisted into the RFA in Newcastle-upon-Tyne on 31 May 1915, aged 26. (His younger brother, Andrew had already been serving in the British Expeditionary Force for several months with the King’s Own Scottish Borderers). John attended No.4 RFA Depot in Woolwich the day after he enlisted and was tested for his proficiency as a shoeing smith at the Station Veterinary Hospital, Woolwich on 9 June 1915 which assessed that he was skilled at his trade. He was therefore posted as a Shoeing Smith to B/58 on 17 June 1915, just before the unit went overseas. Two weeks later therefore he sailed with the brigade from Devonport on 1 July 1915 to Alexandria, where he arrived on 14 July 1915. He then sailed from Alexandria on 1 August 1915, landing on Gallipoli on 12 August 1915. After Gallipoli and time in Egypt, he sailed with the brigade from Alexandria on 25 June 1916, arriving at Marseilles on 3 July 1916. He was granted leave to the UK between 3 and 14 January 1917, during which he married Lilian Elizabeth Robson Hardy in the parish church, Longbenton, Newcastle-upon-Tyne on 8 January 1917. On 13 December 1917 he was sent to hospital with a corneal ulcer and was admitted to No.23 Casualty Clearing Station in Lozinghem on 17 December 1917, rejoining his unit ten days later on 27 December 1917. He was still serving in B/58 at the end of the war and a few weeks after the Armistice he was sent back to the UK sailing on the SS “Princess Victoria” on 27 December 1918 and went to the Dispersal Centre in the North Camp at Ripon three days later. John was demobilised on 26 January 1919, returning to live in Station Road, Forest Hall, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. He appeared to return to the police service because in 1939 he was still a serving police officer and he and Lilian were living in Salters Road, Gosforth in a row of houses all occupied by serving police officers. John died on 2 July 1956 aged 67 and is buried in St.Nicholas Church, Gosforth. Lilian died in 1978 and is buried with him.
|
Dvr.
|
Edmonds
|
Samuel
|
100472
|
|
Samuel Edmonds served in 58 Bde as a Driver. He was demobilised in March 1919.
|
2/Lt.
|
Edney-Hayter
|
Edmund George
|
n/a
|
|
Born in about 1894, Edmund George Edney-Hayter was commissioned on 4 January 1915 having served in an Officers Training Corps. He was serving with 13th (Western) Division at Gallipoli when he was temporarily attached to 58th Bde on 17 September 1915. He left Gallipoli for Mudros on 8 October 1915. After the war he became a planter and so on 13 July 1919 he sailed from Liverpool to Singapore. His home in the UK was in Whitchurch, Hants, and it was from here that he sailed from Southampton to Penang, Malaya on 4 December 1929. He may have gone bankrupt in 1939, but a few months after the Second World War started he was given an emergency commission as Lt on 31 December 1939. After that war, he took up a post as a Government Officer and his wife, Anna Andree Edney-Hayter, sailed from Southampton on 25 February 1947 to Singapore. His wife died in 1957, aged 59, in Essex.
|
2/Lt.
|
Edwards
|
C
|
n/a
|
B/58
|
2/Lt C Edwards served in 11 Division Ammunition Column and transferred from there to join B/58 on 26 April 1918.
|
Gnr.
|
Edwards
|
Cedric Cecil Forester
|
10600
|
B/58
|
Cedric Cecil Forester Edwards was born in about 1891 in Norwich, the son of dressmaker Emily Edwards (née Horner). Cedric probably worked as a clerk in a draper’s before the war. He enlisted into the RFA in Rugby soon after war was declared and was appointed an A/Bdr but, for reasons unknown, reverted to Gunner. He died at Mudros on the island of Lemnos on 10 September 1915 of a broken spinal column and is buried in the Portianos Military Cemetery, Lemnos, Greece. His mother passed away on 9 September 1921.
|
Cpl.
|
Edwards
|
Ernest
|
2893
|
A/58
|
Ernest Edwards was from Battersea. He was posted as a Gunner to the Balkans theatre of war, arriving on about 7 August 1915. While serving as a Bombardier, he was awarded the Military Medal which was gazetted on 17 September 1917. Very soon after, Ernest was serving in A/58 as a Corporal when he went to hospital on 29 September 1917 and his place was taken by Bombardier Donald Forbes (1581). He finished the war as a Sergeant, having been wounded towards the end of the war.
|
Gnr.
|
Edwards
|
Sidney George
|
11256
|
C/58
|
Sidney George Edwards was born in Petersfield, Hants in 1896. As a 19 year-old shop assistant he enlisted in Portsmouth on 3 September 1914 and was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea. From there, he was posted to 186 Battery on 10 September 1914, which became C/58. He went Absent without Leave between 14 and 21 February 1915, so was admonished by Lt Col Kuper and fined 7 days’ pay. He then missed a 10pm roll call on 5 March 1915 and as a result was confined to barracks for 3 days. He embarked at Devonport on 1 July 1915, disembarking at Alexandria on 14 July 1915. He again embarked at Alexandria on 24 July 1915 bound for Mudros and then Gallipoli. On Gallipoli, he was admitted to 35 Field Ambulance with dysentery on 11 October 1915 and was discharged back to duty a week later on 18 October 1915. He was slightly wounded on 9 December 1915. After the evacuation, he arrived back in Alexandria on 1 January 1916. He was due to be posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column on 10 May 1916, but the posting was cancelled the same day. Instead, he embarked again at Alexandria on 12 August 1916 to join the forces at Salonika, arriving there on 15 August 1916 where he joined 129 Bde, part of 27 Division. While at Salonika, he committed the offence of being “absent from his post at 11pm” on 5 January 1917 having left his post before he had been relieved. For this, he was tried by Field General Court Martial on 15 January 1917 and was sentenced to 1 year imprisonment with hard labour which was commuted to 90 days’ Field Punishment No.1. The sentence was confirmed by the Brigadier General Royal Artillery for 27 Division. He was sent to prison at No.1 Con Camp, and then sent to Base depot on 14 April 1917 (having had 3 days of his sentence remitted for “good conduct whilst undergoing punishment”). He was in trouble again soon after, when on 14 May 1917 he was sentenced to 7 days’ Field Punishment No.2 for not complying with an order. He was admitted to 81 Field Ambulance on 13 December 1917 with a fever, rejoining HQ 129 Bde on 18 December 1917. He returned to 81 Field Ambulance on 14 February 1918 again with a fever and was then next day sent to 2/1 Northumbrian Field Ambulance before being sent to 52 General Hospital, Salonika, on 21 February 1918 at which point it was clear he had malaria. On 3 March 1918 he went to 1 Convalescence Depot and there he was admitted to the “Y” scheme on 20 March 1918. He was discharged to Y Entrenching Battalion on 23 April 1918 and was then posted to No.4 Depot on 4 June 1918. He was then sent to 1B Reserve Bde on 8 July 1918 ahead of being sent for demobilisation. He had been employed as a cook in HQ 129 Bde and, despite his misdemeanours, was described as sober, reliable and intelligent by the Adjutant of 129 Bde on 19 June 1918.
|
L/Bdr.
|
Egerton
|
Charles Edwin
|
825191
|
A/58
|
Charles Edwin Egerton (sometimes given as Charles Edward Egerton) was born on 5 May 1895, the son of house decorator Stanley Charles Egerton and Alice M Egerton. In 1911, the family were living at 62 Brigstocke Road, St. Pauls, Bristol and 15 year old Charles was an apprentice grocer. He had enlisted on 18 July 1912, probably into the Territorial Force as a Driver under service number 1174. Charles married Florence Baker on 6 January 1915 in St. Agnes church, Bristol and was serving as a Driver in the RFA in Chelmsford, Essex at the time. Having served in the South Midland Bde RFA, he was serving in A/58 when he was poisoned by an enemy gas shell in April 1918. He was evacuated to the UK and admitted to the County of Middlesex Hospital, Napsbury on 15 April 1918 from where he was discharged on 15 June 1918. On 11 July 1918, Charles was discharged from the Army as no longer being fit for active service due to sickness. He was diagnosed with a disordered action of the heart and returned to live at 13 York Avenue, Ashley Down, Bristol and was awarded a weekly pension of 27 shillings 6d from 12 July 1918. In 1921, Charles was living with Florence and their children Evelyn Mabel Egerton, aged 6, and Kenneth Charles Egerton, aged 2, at 49 City Road, St. Pauls, Bristol and Charles was working as a house painter for Egerton and Son, House Decorators of 62 Brigstocke Road, St. Pauls, Bristol. Florence died in 1936 and later that year, Charles married Ellen M Roberts. In September 1939, they were living at 46 Monks Park Avenue and Charles was a house decorator on his own account. Ellen died in early 1953, and Charles married again on 29 May 1954 to Ada Gertrude Mapstone. Charles Egerton had been living at 65 Shaldon Road, Horfield, Bristol when he died on 19 March 1963, aged 67.
|
Dvr.
|
Elcock
|
Samuel
|
11320
|
B/58
|
Samuel Elcock enlisted on 5 September 1914. He was serving in B/58 when he was admitted to No.21 General Hospital, Alexandria with dysentery. He must have returned to the brigade after recovering since he was still serving in 58 Bde on 29 January 1918 when he was discharged from the Army as no longer being fit for active service due to wounds he had received and so was awarded a Silver War Badge.
|
Gnr.
|
Ellard
|
Percy Thomas
|
94116
|
C/58
|
Percy Thomas Ellard was born on 1 May 1892 in London. He was the son of Harry W Ellard and Mary A Ellard and by 1901, the family had settled in Portsmouth, Hants. Percy was working as a porter for a wine merchant when he enlisted into the RFA on 24 July 1913 in Woolwich and was given service number 73055. He was posted to the RFA Depot in Preston and was then posted on 15 November 1913 to 30th Howitzer Battery. The following year he was at Netley War Hospital, Southampton when he was discharged on 26 May 1914 as being no longer physically fit for military service due to insanity and was to be sent to the Borough Lunatic Asylum. This may be connected to the fact that in 1913, Percy had fathered an illegitimate child with Miss Beatrice Blanche Ingram and so magistrates at Portsmouth had ordered that he pay Beatrice 1s 9d a week as maintenance for the child until the child was 14 years old. In January 1915, Percy was working as a rural postman when he wrote to the War Office to ask to be reinstated “as the country is in so need of men”. He regretted that he had been discharged the previous year “for doing a rash thing” … “through some trouble with a girl with which I regret afterward” but said that he was now “quite physically fit”. His application was successful and he had been living at 86 Samuel Road, Fratton Portsmouth, Hants when he enlisted back into the RFA in Portsmouth on 13 February 1915 and was given the new service number 94116. He was posted to No.6 Depot RFA in Glasgow and was appointed an Acting Bombardier on 3 April 1915. He was posted to 2B Reserve Bde RFA on 1 May 1915 and then to 4A Reserve Bde RFA at Woolwich on 30 August 1915, on which date he reverted to Gunner. Two weeks later he was posted to the Mediterranean Theatre of War and sailed from Portsmouth on 16 September 1915, disembarking at Gallipoli on 7 October 1915 and was posted to C/58 at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli the same day. On 16 October 1915 he was appointed a Temporary Bombardier to replace Bombardier Jackson. In December 1915 the Army also applied the maintenance costs for Beatrice by stopping Percy’s pay by 4d a day. On 1 January 1916, just after the unit had been withdrawn from Gallipoli, Percy was on board ship when he missed the 1.45 p.m. parade, broke ship and was drunk, so was severely reprimanded. A few months later after the withdrawal of the unit back to Egypt, he requested to revert to Gunner again on 16 May 1916. On 25 June 1916, he sailed with his unit from Alexandria, disembarking in Marseilles on 2 July 1916. He was appointed an Acting Paid Bombardier again on 4 June 1917 in place of James Reader who was unfortunately killed in action a few weeks later. Between 22 June and 2 July 1917, Percy was granted 10 days’ leave to the UK and was promoted to Bombardier on 15 August 1917 in place of Bombardier Jackson, assuming his duties on 2 September 1917. Percy was selected to be an Acting Corporal on 11 January 1918 to replace Corporal Sherman who had been appointed an Acting Sergeant and Percy assumed the duties on 22 January 1918. On 13 February 1918 Percy was granted 14 days’ leave to the UK, travelling via Boulogne, and during his leave he married Edith Sarah Green in West Ham Registry Office on 20 February 1918. After returning to his battery, Percy reverted to Bombardier on 13 May 1918 because he was now surplus to the establishment. Following the Armistice, on 23 December 1918 he was granted a further 14 days’ leave to the UK and he was still serving in C/58 when he was posted on 19 June 1919 back to the UK for demobilisation at the Dispersal Centre at Fovant which he attended the following day. In 1920, Percy was living at 36 Denmark Street, Barking Road, Plaistow, Essex and in September 1939 he and Edith were living at 21 Saxon Road, East Ham, and Percy was working as a flower packer. Percy Ellard was still living at 21 Saxon Road when he died on 23 November 1973 in Poplar.
|
Dvr.
|
Ellis
|
Charles Ernest
|
73556
|
|
Charles Ernest Ellis was a pre-war regular who was born in Haywards Heath, Sussex in about 1891. He enlisted into the RFA on 12 July 1913 and was serving in 14 Bde RFA when he went to France with the BEF on 14 August 1914. He was serving in 58 Bde on 29 April 1918 when he was discharged from the Army as no longer being fit for active service due to sickness. After demobilisation, Charles lived at 58 Handcroft Road, West Croydon and was awarded a weekly pension of 27 shillings 6d between at least 30 April and 2 July 1918. Charles married Rose Jane Hill in Croydon in the spring of 1919. In 1921, he, Rose and their 1 year old son George H E Ellis were living at 29 Duppas Hill Lane, Croydon and Charles was working as a general labourer for a gas company.
|
Dvr.
|
Ellis
|
Richard Fred
|
240437
|
|
Richard Fred Ellis enlisted on 1 March 1916. He was serving in 58 Bde on 24 May 1919 when he was discharged from the Army as no longer being fit for active service due to wounds he had received. His pension card mentions a ‘limb fitting centre’ so it seems likely that Richard lost an arm or a leg while serving in 58 Bde.
|
2/Lt.
|
Ellison
|
William Julius
|
n/a
|
A/58
|
William Julius Ellison was born on 26 June 1891 in Dalhousie, India. He went to Uppingham School and became a student in holy orders and also became a fellow of Clare College Cambridge. On 10 September 1914 he applied for a commission in the Special Reserve, requesting to join the RFA. He attended the Shoeburyness School of Gunnery in October 1914 and a telephone course at Aldershot in February 1915. He also attended a course of instruction in France in Feb/March 1915. He sailed on the SS “Knight Templar” from Devonport on1 July 1915, suffering sea-sickness on the journey, before arriving in Alexandria on 14 July 1915. After a period in camp, William Ellison, together with 32 men, all 16 of the brigade’s guns as well as 32 ammunition wagons, four water carts and a telephone wagon sailed from Alexandria on the SS “Saldhana”. These would all have to be man-handled since no horses went with them. After a few days at Mudros, he and his party landed on 8th August slightly to the south of Suvla Bay, near the beachhead which the Australian and New Zealand troops had established in April. By the following day he had managed to drag 6 of the guns into position to help the British and ANZAC troops who were attacking out of their beachhead. This small party was commended for its actions having done “good work ” in support of the New Zealanders. On 1st September, a Turkish shell scored a direct hit on the dug-out where William Ellison was censoring letters. His left elbow was wounded and his fellow officer, Robert Bragg, was mortally wounded. He left 58th Bde when he sailed on HMHS “Letitia” bound for Southampton. His sick leave expired on 21 December 1915 so he wrote to request a medical board. He was staying at Sandacres, Parkstone at the time. On 9 February 1916 he was posted to 41 Division Artillery at Aldershot and a few days later on 16 February 1916 was posted to D/187 Bde. A year later, on 21 February 17, and by now a Captain and serving in C/187, William was gassed with phosgene. He was admitted to No.2 Casualty Clearing Station and it was subsequently recommended on 23 April 1917 that he be sent for two months further treatment at an Officers’ Auxiliary Hospital. One medical board identified “symptoms of nervous exhaustion”, saying that he “lies in bed looking happy but cannot be induced to stand or walk, he apparently thinks he cannot do so.” In 1918 and 1819, his home address was given as the Rectory, Halton, Cambs. After the war William married Alice Leich in 1919 and they had a son John Leich Ellison in 1922. William served with the League of Nations staff and was an experienced mountaineer. He was climbing the Grand Perron on 20 September 31 with a Miss Aline Burnett when they fell. Miss Burnett died and William was grievously injured. He crawled 12 yards to a safer spot and was found the next day, but died of his injuries in Geneva on 28 September 1931.
|
Bdr.
|
Elliston
|
Frederick George
|
10959
|
A/58
|
Born in 1895 in London to Frederick Elliston and Catherine Elliston, Frederick George Elliston was living with his mother, a hotel proprietress in Gloucester, in 1911. He enlisted in 1914 and was posted overseas, arriving in Egypt on 19 July 1915. He served at Gallipoli. He was serving in A/58 when he was killed in action on 3 October 1917. Frederick Elliston is buried in Dozinghem Military Cemetery, Belgium.
|
Dvr.
|
Elphinstone
|
James Rennie
|
10965
|
A/58
|
Born on 2 October 1892 in Bromley, Kent, James Rennie Elphinstone was a footman from Chislehurst, Kent, before the war. He enlisted in Yeovil on 31 August 1914 and was posted initially to the RFA’s No.3 Depot at Hilsea and from there to 184 Battery on 2 September 1914. He spent 5 days in hospital with a sprained knee between 5 and 9 December 1914. After 184 Battery became A/58 in early 1915, he embarked at Devonport on 1 July 1915, arriving in Alexandria on 14 July 1915. He embarked at Alexandria on 1 August 1915, disembarking at Gallipoli on 12 August 1915. He left Gallipoli on 8 September 1915, arriving back at Alexandria on 23 September 1915. On 21 October 1915, he was admitted to No.17 General Hospital in Alexandria with diarrhoea. From there he went to the Transit Camp Mustapha on 8 November 1915 and then to the Convalescence Depot Mustapha on 28 December 1915, rejoining his unit on 22 January 1916. He was wounded in action on 27 July 1917 with a gunshot wound to his head and was admitted to 133 Field Ambulance the same day. He was discharged to duty on 30 July 1917 from 35 Field Ambulance. On 2 October 1917, he was appointed a paid A/Bdr and was promoted to Bdr on 13 October 1917. A year later, on 22 December 1918 he was appointed a paid A/Cpl. He went to the Dispersal Centre at Crystal Palace on 19 June 19 ready for demobilisation, having served in A/58 throughout. His character was described as very good. James Elphinstone died in 1972 in Durham, aged 80.
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BQMS
|
Emmett
|
|
|
A/58?
|
BQMS Emmett witnessed Gnr McGuire (93021) being drunk and conduct to the prejudice of military discipline at Zahrieh Camp, Alexandria, on 20 July 1915.
|
Gnr.
|
Englefield
|
Albert
|
75988
|
D/58
|
Albert Englefield was born in Islington, London, in 1897, the son of Mary Ann Eliza Englefield. Albert enlisted into the RFA in Finsbury Barracks and was posted out to the Balkans theatre of was, arriving on about 7 October 1915. He probably arrived at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli that day and joined D/58 because he was serving in D/58 as a Gunner when on 1 November 1915, he died of wounds received in No.17 General Hospital, Alexandria, and is buried in Alexandria (Chatby) Military and War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt.
|
Gnr.
|
Evans
|
Alfred George
|
231587
|
D/58
|
Alfred George Evans was born in about 1887. He worked as a cooper before enlisting into the RFA. He was serving in D/58 when he contracted boils and was evacuated back to the UK where he was treated at Burton-on-Trent Voluntary Aid Detachment Hospital and Leicester Base Hospital before being discharged and sent to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick which he arrived at on 7 December 1918. This may be the Alfred George Evans who was born in Burton-on-Trent on 2 July 1887, the son of Charles Francis Evans and Caroline Evans, and who married Annie Mabel Harper in 1909. This Alfred was working as a cooper in Burton-on-Trent in 1911, and in 1939 was still working as a cooper and was living in Burton-on-Trent with his wife, Mabel, and three children, and he is reported to have died in 1973.
|
Gnr.
|
Evans
|
Andrew
|
10995
|
A/58
|
Born in Birmingham, Andrew Evans was a 21 year-old vice-hand when he enlisted in Coventry on 1 September 1914. After being posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea, he was assigned to 184 Battery on 3 September 1914, which became A/58. He committed three offences while training with A/58: on 17 February and 3 April 1915 he was absent from roll call, being awarded 3 days’ confinement to barracks on both occasions, and on 10 March 1915 he was insolent and used “abusive language” so was confined to barracks for 7 days. In Alexandria he was awarded 8 days’ Field Punishment No.2 for having been on guard duty on 20 March 1916 during which he was “concerned in breaking open a case of whisky.” On 25 July 1916 he left 58 Bde when he was posted as a Bdr to join the newly set-up X.11 Trench Mortar Battery (TMB) and was promoted to Cpl the same day. He was awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the field, the award being published in the London Gazette on 19 February 1917. He was awarded 7 days Field Punishment No.1 by the OC of 11 Division Ammunition Column for “not complying with a verbal order given him by his superior officer” on 2 February 1917. He must have been wounded because he was severely reprimanded by OC No.39 General Hospital that on 28 January 1918 “while on active service 1. Interfering with a policeman in the execution of duty, 2. Being in an unshaven condition at 3pm”. Andrew was posted to the Base depot on 3 March 1918. He received a bar to his Military Medal (gazetted on 6 August 1918) and was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (gazetted on 15 November 1918) while still in X.11 TMB for which the citation reads: “He extinguished a fire in the ammunition recess at very great risk, thus saving a disastrous explosion. Two men who had been badly burnt by the explosion of the shell which started the fire ran out into the open, being delirious with pain, and were heavily fired on by the enemy machine guns. Regardless of his own safety, he ran out and got them back under cover. His very gallant and self-sacrificing conduct were admirable, and his example had a great effect on his comrades.” After the war he went to the Dispersal Centre at Chisledon on 12 March 1919 and was demobbed on 9 April 1919. His medals were to be awarded to him in a public ceremony after the war. Andrew Evans died in Coventry in 1957 aged 64.
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Dvr.
|
Evans
|
Benjamin James
|
156903
|
|
Benjamin James Evans enlisted in Aberystwyth into 2 Welsh Bde RFA of the Territorial Force with service number 730773. He was serving as a Driver in 58 Bde with the new service number 156903 when he was admitted to No.11 Casualty Clearing Station at Varennes, Somme on 17 October 1916 suffering from gunshot wounds to his thigh and scrotum. He was then transferred to No.9 Ambulance Train the following day. The Absent Voters List for 1918 gave his home as in the parish of Eglwyswrw, Pembrokeshire and said that he was in 21 Ward, New End Military Hospital, Hampstead, London NW3.
|
2/Lt.
|
Everill
|
Guy Raymond
|
n/a
|
|
Guy Raymond Everill was born on 5 November 1885 in Surrey, the son of Alfred and Agnes Amelia Everill. He was baptised on 28 August 1889 in Barbourne, Worcester. The family may have moved to Brazil during Guy’s childhood and he worked there as a commercial agent before the war. He probably returned to the UK after the war broke out to join up and he was living in East Dulwich, London when he enlisted as a Private into the Inns of Court Officer Training Corps on 18 February 1915, though 4 weeks later he applied for a commission into the RFA. In his application he claimed to have been born on 5 November 1889, probably so as not to appear too old. He was commissioned into the RFA on 8 June 1915 and later that year he married Nancy Agnes Bott in London. He served with 133 Bde RFA in Egypt until 10 May 1916 when he was attached from 133 Bde to 11 Division Ammunition Column. He was serving in C/133 Bde when he sailed with his unit on the HMT “Minnewaska” from Alexandria on 26 June 1916, arriving in Marseilles on 7 July 1916. He was serving in A/133 and acting as the brigade’s billeting officer on 16 July 1916 and so left Flers at 8.30 a.m. to go to Lattre St. Quentin with an NCO from each of 133 Bde’s batteries to find billets for the unit. He and 2/Lt Chester T Balderston had been in Left Section C/133 when that battery was split up and they and their section joined A/133 on 29 August 1916. On 29 November 1916, 133 Bde was broken up to bring other 11 Division artillery units up to strength, with A/133 joining 58 Bde. Three days later he was posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column after the reorganisation and on 14 December 1916 he was attached to C/165 Bde RFA in 31 Division. He was granted leave to the UK between 2 and 12 February 1917. On 29 April 1917 he was serving at Arras when he was wounded, part of the copper band of a shell striking him and embedding itself in his right buttock. He went to a Field Ambulance which removed the metal from him and he was subsequently evacuated back to the UK on the Hospital Ship “St Denis” which sailed from Boulogne to Dover on 1 May 1917. He stayed initially at Lady Inchcape’s Hospital in London until 1 June 1917 and made very good progress towards recovery but at some point thereafter he went to the Prince of Wales’ Convalescent Hospital for a further 4 weeks and got worse, which he attributed to a lack of activity or being in the country. He then went to Nazanet Convalescent Home in Stoke Gabriel, Devon and made some progress but after a week was recalled for a medical board and sent to the Cavalry Command Depot at Eastbourne for further treatment. He spent 2 months there and had a medical board on 8 September 1917 which found that he still suffered pain in his back, especially when riding, so believed he would be unfit for general service for 5 months, unfit for light duty for 2 months and needed to be treated at a Command Depot. He was posted to join 73 Divisional Artillery at Chelmsford on 1 December 1917 but the day before he was due to report there this order was cancelled since he had been asked to join the Department of Aeronautical Supply. He worked at the Department of Aircraft Production in the Ministry of Munitions in Whitehall Place, his home address being given as 25 Albany Mansions, Albert Bridge Road, London SW. Guy attended various further medical boards which still concluded he was unfit for general service. He attended the Repatriation Camp at Winchester on 7 April 1919 and was demobilised on 15 May 1919, probably after being repatriated to Brazil on the SS “Colonia”. He returned to the UK later that year, sailing from Santos in Brazil to Liverpool on the SS “Darro” which docked on 19 September 1919. A few months later he returned to Brazil, sailing on 6 January 1920 from Liverpool on the SS “Darro” for Santos, Brazil. He made several further journeys between Brazil and the UK: on 22 May 1922 he arrived in Liverpool from Santos on the SS “Deseado” on 2 March 1922 with his wife and two children, Phyllis Mary Unity Everill, aged 3, and Jerrold Mountford Everill, aged 1; on 8 February 1927 Guy and Nancy arrived in Southampton from Santos on the SS ”Arlanza” along with their third child, three year-old Frederick Simon Everill with Guy now describing himself as an electrical engineer; the family returned to Brazil a month later, sailing on the SS “Andalucia” from London on 11 March 1927 and Guy arrived back in the UK on 2 December 1933, docking at Liverpool on the SS “Brittany” from Santos. During WW2 his son Jerrold was killed serving in the RAF, he was the pilot of a Wellington bomber of 166 Squadron RAF which was lost on 11 April 1943 over France. Guy Everill appears to have died in Brazil in 1958, aged 73.
|
Gnr.
|
Ewart
|
James
|
34518
|
C/58
|
James Ewart’s parents, William and Janet were Scots who had moved to Settle, Yorks, where William was a police officer. James was born in Settle in 1894 and worked as a mill hand in the woollen mills before the war. He enlisted into the RFA on 8 January 1915 in Dewsbury, and was posted to France on 22 May 1915, returning to the UK on 21 September 1915 due to a crushed fifth finger on his right hand and was admitted to Edinburgh War Hospital, Bangour, West Lothian that day. James was discharged from that hospital on 27 November 1915 and posted to the Mediterranean theatre of war on 15 January 1916 and from there to France, arriving on 28 June 1916. He was serving in C/58 when he was mortally wounded, dying on 9 October 1917. James is buried in Dozinghem Military Cemetery. His brother William was killed while serving in the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry.
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Dvr.
|
Fairclough
|
Herbert
|
136990
|
|
Herbert Fairclough enlisted on 26 February 1916 and was serving with 58 Bde when he was discharged from the Army on 15 October 1917 as being no longer fit for active service due to wounds he had received. He was awarded a Silver War Badge and a weekly pension of 27 shillings 6d from 16 October 1917 until at least 13 November 1917. His address after his discharge was 1 South View, Kirkham, Lancs.
|
L/Bdr.
|
Farley
|
|
28996
|
B/58?
|
L/Bdr Farley was replaced in his position by Ernie Baron (148993) on 4 April 1918 and so reverted to the rank of Gunner.
|
Saddler
|
Farmer
|
Peter
|
91112
|
B/58
|
Peter Farmer was posted overseas as a Saddler, arriving in Egypt on about 7 July 1915. He joined 58 Bde from the Royal Artillery Reinforcement Camp on 4 April 1918 and was assigned to B/58.
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Gnr.
|
Farnham
|
Harry Leonard
|
177416
|
|
Harry Leonard Farnham was born on 7 July 1891 in Hastings, Sussex, the son of water manager Jamie Farnham and Isabel Farnham. In 1911, Harry was working as an assistant butcher. He enlisted on 21 September 1916 and was serving with 58 Bde when he was discharged from the Army on 21 December 1918 as being no longer fit for active service due to sickness. He was awarded a Silver War Badge and lived after demobilisation in Queen’s Road, Hastings. Harry married Hannah Theresa Murray in 1920 and they were living as boarders in 53 Queen’s Road, Hastings the following year and stayed at that address until at least 1929., although they were briefly registered as living at 4 Manor Road, Hastings in 1924. Between at least 1959 and 1961, they were living at 273 London Road, Hastings. Harry Farnham died in Hastings in 1961, aged 70.
|
Cpl.
|
Faughlan
|
F
|
|
|
Cpl F Faughlan (possibly Gnr John Faughlan, service number 38043) was convicted of drunkenness by a Court Martial held at Zahrieh Camp, Egypt, on 26 February 1916 and reduced to the ranks as a result.
|
Gnr.
|
Featherbe
|
Alfred Herbert
|
168948
|
C/58
|
Alfred Herbert Featherbe was born in 1895, the son of hotel porter James Edward Featherbe and Frances Elizabeth Featherbe. Alfred went to Sidney Street Schools in Folkestone, and, aged 14 he was living with his family at 6 Invicta Road, Folkeston and he was working as an errand boy. Before he enlisted into the Army, Alfred was working at the Reliance Laundry in Folkestone. He enlisted in Dover and was serving with C/58 when he died of his wounds on 3 October 1917. After he died, one of his comrades wrote to his parents to tell them that he died instantly “with his face to the foe”. Alfred Featherbe is buried in Minty Farm Cemetery, Belgium.
|
Gnr.
|
Fell
|
Henry
|
77841
|
B/58
|
Henry Fell was posted overseas to the Balkans theatre of war, arriving on about 7 August 1915. He was serving as a Gunner in B/58 when he was admitted to No.4 General Hospital in Dannes Camiers on 14 January 1917 with a severe as yet undiagnosed fever (pyrexia of unknown origin). He was wounded towards the end of the war.
|
Ftr S/Sgt.
|
Fellgett
|
Harold Clement
|
51825
|
C/58
|
Harold Clement Fellgett was born in 1888 in Lewisham, the son of George and Hannah Fellgett. They moved back George’s home town, Ipswich, Suffolk, where George was a grocer’s manager. Harold was awarded the 1914-15 Star for service in the Egyptian theatre of war with a qualifying date of 14 July 1915 – the same date as many of the men who were members of 58th Bde in the early stages of the war. He was certainly serving in C/58 as a Fitter Staff Sergeant when he was killed in action on 19 July 1917. He is buried in Bard Cottage Cemetery, Belgium.
|
Bdr.
|
Fenton
|
Arthur
|
77072
|
B/58
|
Arthur Fenton was from Walsall. He qualified for the 1914-15 Star due to arriving in the Egyptian theatre of war on 19 July 1915. He was serving in B/58 when he was awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the field by the Canadian Corps commander on 13 November 1918.
|
Gnr.
|
Ferdinando
|
|
|
D/58
|
Gnr Ferdinando was instructed to accompany the brigade’s interpreter when the latter was obtaining billets in St Hilaire on 21 October 1917.
|
Bdr.
|
Fergusson
|
|
|
A/58?
|
On 24 January 1915, Bdr Fergusson was replaced as a Bdr in A/58 by A/Bdr Charles Brown (11171).
|
L/Bdr.
|
Ferrier
|
Edward William
|
951517
|
B/58
|
Edward William Ferrier was born in 1898, the son of tramway driver Robert Ferrier and Barbara Ferrier. Edward was working as a stationer and was living at 66 Brunswick Street, Edinburgh when he enlisted into the Territorial Force‘s 2/1 Lowland Bde RFA which was based at 30 Grindley Street, Edinburgh on 3 June 1915. He joined 2 Midlothian Battery, was given service number 1688 and was mustered as a Gunner, agreeing also to serve overseas if needed. His only recorded misdemeanour during his military service was that on 22 January 1916 while at Retford, Notts., Edward hesitated to obey an order so was fined 1 day’s pay. While serving in the UK he qualified as a layer and was granted 4 days’ leave on three occasions: in December 1915, and on 17 July and 9 September 1916. He was appointed Acting Bombardier on 19 September 1916. His battery was renamed as C/325 in May 1916 but it was decided to keep this unit in the UK for home defence, so, perhaps because of his willingness to serve overseas, he was posted first to 6 Reserve Bde RFA (Territorial) at Luton and then to another Territorial Force unit, 3/5 London Bde RFA where he reverted to Gunner on 9 October 1916 and was given the new service number 3278. When Edward was sent overseas, he sailed from Southampton on 12 December 1916, disembarking at Le Havre the next day. He was posted to B/169 Bde RFA on 23 December 1916 and a few weeks later his battery was renamed as C/14 Bde Royal Horse Artillery on 27 January 1917. On 7 May 1917 his battery was renamed again, this time as 400 Battery RFA, although it continued to serve in 14 Bde RHA. During 1917, all Territorial Force soldiers were given new 6-digit service numbers and Edward was allocated 951317. On 31 July 1917, Edward was wounded in action by poisoning from a gas shell. He was admitted to No.53 General Hospital at Wimereux on 2 August 1917 from where he was evacuated back to the UK on 10 August 1917 on the Hospital Ship “St. Patrick”. He was admitted to 2/1 Southern General Hospital, Dudley Road, Birmingham on 11 August 1918 and was transferred from there to the King’s Lancashire Military Convalescent Hospital in Blackpool on 15 September 1917 where he stayed until 11 December 1917. After probably a few days leave, he was admitted to Catterick Military Hospital on 21 December 1917. He then went to the Royal Artillery Command Depot at Ripon on 4 January 1918 and then conflicting records state that either he stayed there until 22 February 1918 or that he was posted on 29 January 1918 to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps depot at Catterick. In either case, he was posted on 23 February 1918 back to 6 Reserve Bde RFA (Territorial) and from there was posted back to France on 3 April 1918 and joined the Base Depot. On 17 April 1918 he was posted to B/58 with whom he would stay until he was demobilised. A week after the Armistice Edward was appointed a paid Acting Lance Bombardier on 18 November 1918 to replace Thomas De Boos (22873) and assumed these duties on 11 December 1918 which was the date Thomas was hospitalised with influenza. On 5 July 1919, Edward was posted back to the UK via Boulogne for demobilisation and so two days later he attended a dispersal centre, giving his home address as 51 Dalmeny Street, Leith and was demobilised on 3 August 1919, his battery commander describing him as a “good hard-working NCO”. In 1931 Edward was living with his parents at 15A Wilfred Terrace, Edinburgh but then appears to have married Sophia Anne Margaret Foreman (known seemingly as Margaret) because he was living with her between 1932 and 1954 at 5A Roseneath Street, Edinburgh, before moving to 11 Craighouse Road where they lived with Edward’s parents until 1959, when Edward died, aged 60.
|
Dvr.
|
Figg
|
Frederick
|
16634
|
B/58
|
Frederick Figg enlisted into the RFA on 25 August 1914. He was posted overseas, arriving in the Balkans theatre of war on on 25 April 1915, which suggests that he went to Gallipoli, landing at Helles. At some point he served as a Driver in B/58 but was at some subsequent time transferred to the Labour Corps and given the new service number 357766. He served in 802 Area Employment Company of that corps, which was based in Alexandria, Egypt. Frederick was on the Absent Voters List for Wandsworth in 1918 and 1919 which gave his home address as 25 Vermont Street, SW18. He was discharged from the Army on 9 March 1919 due to no longer being physically fit because of sickness, and was awarded a Silver War Badge and in 1919 was living at 10 Iron Mill Place, Garrett Lanes, Wandsworth.
|
Sgt.
|
Finnerty
|
Stephen
|
57532
|
B/58
|
Stephen Finnerty was born in 1890. He enlisted into the RFA on 7 June 1909 and went to France with 18 Bde RFA as a Gunner on 21 September 1914. He was serving as an Acting Sergeant in B/58 when he was admitted to No.149 Field Ambulance with influenza on 23 January 1917, aged 27 with 8 years of military service at that time. He was transferred on 25 January 1917 to the Divisional Rest Station, 3 Field Ambulance. He was wounded a month or two before the end of the war and was discharged on 15 March 1919, aged 29, while serving in 4b Reserve Bde RFA due to being surplus to military requirements having suffered impairment since entry into the service. He returned to live at 7 Stewart Street, Castleford, Yorks and was awarded a Silver War Badge and a weekly pension of 12 shillings from 16 March 1919, rising to 21 shillings and 8d from 6 December 1920 for at least a year. Stephen died on 28 October 1966, leaving a widow, Susan. This is almost certainly the same Stephen Finnerty who was born in Fryston, Yorks, the son of Michael Finnerty and Ellen Finnerty and who was serving as a Gunner with 92 Battery,17 Bde RFA at Trimulgherry [now Tirumalagiri], India in April 1911. He married Susan Bedford in Brentford in early 1923 and was living with her at 1a Milson Road, Hammersmith in 1931. In September 1939 they were living at 31 Princes Avenue, Watford, and Stephen was working as a printer’s warehouseman.
|
Gnr.
|
Fisher
|
George
|
11107
|
A/58
|
George Fisher was born on 10 September 1890 at the Union Workhouse in Salford, Lancs. His name was registered as George Fowles, his mother – Elizabeth Fowles – being an unmarried waterproof garment maker of 71 Broster Street, Salford. He was the second of three children to be born to Elizabeth out of wedlock. Shortly after George’s birth, Elizabeth moved from Salford to Aston, Warks. On 27 July 1893 she married John Fisher at Aston Registry Office, both were living at 254 Witton Road at the time. By 1911, George and his family were living in Erdington, Warks and George was working as a machinist for an electrical appliance manufacturer. He married Maud Elizabeth Nicholls on Christmas Day 1912 at St Peter and St Paul’s Church, Aston. In the middle of the following year, he went to work in the capstan shop of the General Electric Company’s Witton Works and a year later, he and Maud had a son, George Fisher, who was born on 14 July 1914. He was still working for General Electric when he enlisted into the RFA in Birmingham shortly after war was declared. He will have been posted initially to the RFA’s No.3 Depot at Hilsea and from there to his unit, which was likely 58 Bde. He went to Egypt in July 1915 and probably served at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli, and afterwards in Egypt before going to France. On 9 April 1917, 58 Bde was acting in support of 3rd Division as it took part in the initial attacks as part of the First Battle of the Scarpe, which was part of the Second Battle of Arras. George was serving in A/58 and was wounded in action that day. He was evacuated back to No.2 Canadian General Hospital, Le Tréport, where he died on 27 April 1917 due to gas gangrene as a result of his wounds. He is buried in the nearby Mont Huon Military Cemetery, and his mother Elizabeth and wife Maud had travelled to be with him and were able to attend his funeral.
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Gnr.
|
Fishstein
|
David
|
125225
|
D/58
|
David Fishstein was born on 11 April 1892 in Whitechapel, London. In 1911 he was working as a compositor. During the war he joined the RFA and served in D/58.
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Lt.
|
Fitton
|
Richard
|
n/a
|
|
Richard Fitton was born on 9 July 1890 in Shaw, Lancs. He was commissioned into the RFA as a temporary 2/Lt on 23 September 1914 having been a cadet at an Officers Training Corps. He served with A/59 Bde RFA and sailed from Devonport with his brigade on the SS “Haverford” on 2 July 1915. On 9 August 1915, along with his battery commander Maj H P Cowell, he took 30 men forwards armed with rifles to drive off a party of advancing Turks. During the engagement Maj Cowell was mortally wounded. Two months later, Richard went sick on 9 October 1915. On 7 December 1915, having been discharged from hospital in Malta as now being fit for active service, he sailed on Hired Transport “Bornu” from Malta for Egypt and rejoined 59 Bde at Wardan, Egypt on 20 January 1916. He was Mentioned in Dispatches for his service at Gallipoli and was made a temporary Lt on 1 January 1916. He was awarded the Military Cross; the award being gazetted on 2 February 1916. He was still serving in A/59 when he sailed with his brigade from Alexandria on the “Haverford” on 27 June 1916, arriving in Marseilles on 4 July 1916. He was made an acting Captain on 11 October 1916 when made second in command of a battery and assumed command of B/59 on 11 December 1916 so was appointed acting Major on 25 December 1916. He relinquished his acting rank on 20 April 1917, because he joined 58 Bde from B/59 on 22 April 1917. He transferred to the Royal Flying Corps and was accepted as an Observer on probation on 11 June 1917 and was made a Flying Officer (Observer) on 31 October 1917 with seniority from 23 August 1917. That latter date was also when he was attached to 34 Squadron and he was transferred to the RFC General List at the same time. On 12 October 1917 he was the observer in an RE8 conducting photographic reconnaissance, but the aircraft was written off on landing. He and the pilot were unharmed. The following year with the squadron now in Italy, he was injured when the Bristol F2b he was in crashed on landing. He resigned his commission on 2 July 1919 and five years later bought ‘Whitehall’ in Sawtry, Huntingdonshire in 1924 and lived there with his wife, Lily, and three children. During the Second World War he served in the Home Guard (1st Bn Huntingdonshire Regt) as an acting Lt. Col. He died on 17 October 1970 and is buried in Shaw, Lancs.
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Gnr.
|
Fleming
|
Harry
|
84293
|
|
Harry Fleming was born in Gibraltar in about 1884. He enlisted in Elgin, Aberdeenshire and was posted overseas to Egypt, arriving there on 14 July 1915. He was serving in 58 Bde when, on 27 August 1915, he died of wounds he received at Gallipoli and was buried at sea. He is commemorated on the Helles Memorial.
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Gnr.
|
Fletcher
|
Louis
|
140741
|
C/58
|
Louis Fletcher was born on 5 September 1892 in New Clee, Grimsby, Lincs, the son of James Tye Fletcher and Mary Jane Fletcher. He worked as a ship’s rigger in Grimsby and, when he attested in Grimsby on 11 December 1915, he said that he had previously served in 1st North Midland RFA Bde of the Territorial Force. He was mobilised on 26 April 1916 and reported to the RFA’s No.1 Depot at Newcastle-upon-Tyne on 28 April 1916. He was posted to France on 12 August 1916 and was posted to 11 DAC on 20 August 1916 and from there to C/58 on 29 October 1916. On 6 September 1917 Louis was wounded by multiple gun shot wounds to his head and left thigh so was admitted to 1/2 Highland Field Ambulance that day and then to No.8 Stationary Hospital at Wimereux from where he was evacuated back to the UK on HS “St. Andrew” on 16 September 1917 and was admitted to Derbyshire Royal Infirmary, Derby later that day. On 3 November 1917 he was transferred to Darley Dale Voluntary Aid Detachment Hospital, from which he was discharged on 19 December 1917. He arrived at the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick on 3 January 1918. In May 1918 there was discussion of him being released to return to the shipbuilding industry but that did not appear to happen so instead he was discharged to draft on 17 July 1918 and he returned to France on 5 August 1918. He was posted to A/174 on 1 September 1918 and was admitted to hospital on 21 October 1918 before being posted to A/246 on 5 March 1919. He had leave to the UK between 23 August and 6 September 1919 before attending the Dispersal Centre at Ripon on 18 September 1919. In September 1939 Louis and his younger sister Doris were living with their parents in 313 Wellington Street, Grimsby and Louis was working as a ship’s rigger as well serving as an ARP warden. Louis Fletcher died in 1977 in Grimsby and is buried in the Scartho Road Cemetery, Grimsby.
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Far. S/Sgt.
|
Flockton
|
Joseph
|
51219
|
A/58
|
Joseph Flockton was born in about 1866 in Methley, Yorks, the son of Daniel and Mary A Flockton. He married Sarah Jane Cherrett in Methley Parish Church on 26 December 1896 and they had at least two children, Harry and Grace. Both children were born in Christchurch, Hampsire (now in Dorset) because Joseph appears to have been serving in the Army at the time. He served in South Africa in 1899 and so was awarded the Queen’s South Africa Medal with clasps for Tugela Heights and the Relief of Ladysmith. He was also awarded a Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. In 1901 he was serving in 136 Battery RFA at Woolwich as a Shoeing Smith and in 1911 he was serving in 132 Battery RFA as a Farrier Staff Sgt at Ewshot Barracks, Farnham. When the war broke out he was 49 and working as a farrier when he re-enlisted in Leeds for one year’s service on 8 September 1914. He was posted to 184 Battery (later renumbered as A/58) the following day in his old rank of Farrier Staff Sergeant. He sailed with 58 Bde from Devonport on 1 July 1915, arriving in Alexandria on 14 July 1915, and then sailed from Alexandria on 1 August 1915, landing on Gallipoli on 12 August 1915. He left Gallipoli on 8 September 1915, arriving back in Alexandria on 23 September 1915. On 19 January 1916 he was admitted to Mustapha (probably the Base Hospital Mustapha) in Alexandria with rheumatism and was evacuated back to the UK from Alexandria on 28 January 196 on the Hospital Ship “Nevasa”. On arrival back in the UK he was admitted to No.2 Western General Hospital, Manchester on 10 February 1916 and was posted to 5C Reserve Bde for administrative purposes the same day. On 27 July 1916 he was transferred to Class W of the Army Reserve so that he could work as a farrier in the Savile Colliery, Methley, Yorks. While working there he also took over the licence of the Queen’s Inn, Methley on 26 March 1917 and in August of that year left the colliery due to his rheumatism. He rejoined No.2 RFA Depot at Preston on 17 February 1918 but that appears to have been due to his infirmity and to seek a discharge because he was invalided out of the Army as being physically unfit three days later on 20 February 1918 and he was awarded a weekly pension of 27 shillings 6d and a Silver War Badge. His address on discharge was given as the Queen’s Inn, Methley. Joseph Flockton died aged 60 in the Leeds General Infirmary on 13 September 1925 and Sarah Jane was still living atthe Queen’s Inn the following year.
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Dvr.
|
Flowers
|
George Edward
|
42713
|
D/58
|
Born on 30 December 1896, the son of Edward John Flowers and Sarah Bertha Flowers, George Edward Flowers was the eldest of their 5 children. He was born in Fulham and educated at Higher Grade School, William Street, West Kensington. At 14 he was working as an errand boy while living in Hammersmith, and later as a tailor. His father died in 1912 and George enlisted in November 1914. His last letter home to his mother of 9 March 1917 was full of optimism: looking forward to an end of the cold and the coming of summer, and, after the German withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line, he believed the war “will finish about August”. Three days later, while serving with D/58 at Arras, he was seriously wounded and died of his wounds the following day, 13 March 1917. George Flowers is buried in Varennes Military Cemetery, France. His commanding officer wrote to his mother saying “He was a great favourite with all, and was missed by everyone, especially by myself, as I always found him cheerful and willing to do whatever was given him, however irksome it may have been, and I shall find it difficult to fill his place.” His mother was awarded a small pension for life after his death.
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A/Bdr.
|
Forbes
|
Donald
|
1581
|
A/58
|
Donald Forbes was a fitter from Newcastle, near Clonmel in County Tipperary. He enlisted in Birmingham on 29 August 1914 and was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea. He was posted to 3B Reserve Brigade on 9 September 1914 and then to A/58 on 12 February 1915. Donald embarked at Devonport on the HMT “Knight Templar” on 1 July 1915, arriving at Alexandria on 14 July 1915. He broke out of the ship at Alexandria and was severely reprimanded for doing so by Lt Col Drake. He then re-embarked at Alexandria on 28 July 1915, landing at Gallipoli on 9 August 1915. After service at Gallipoli and in Egypt, he sailed from Alexandria on 25 June 1916, disembarking in Marseilles on 3 July 1916. He was reprimanded by Maj Hayley for being absent off parade at El Ferdan on 5 May 1916. He was appointed an A/Bdr on 5 October 1916 and was awarded the Military Medal on 8 December 1916. Along with at least 6 other members of the brigade he was sent on an advanced telephone course on 22 January 1917 and he was appointed A/Bdr again on 24 February 1917 (replacing MacDonald). He passed as a 1st class signaller by XIII Corps school on 22 March 1917. He was appointed a paid A/Cpl on 13 October 1917 and was promoted to Cpl on 29 November 1917 (replacing 2893 Edwardes). He was appointed an Assistant Signalling Instructor on 2 March 1918 which earned him an extra 2d pay a day, an appointment he relinquished on 3 August 1918 but reassumed on 7 September 1918. He was reprimanded by Lt Col Wray for “when on active service: (1) not complying with an order; (2) neglect of duty in failing properly to maintain signalling communication” on 21 March 1918. He became a Signaller Cpl on 22 August 1918. He had a medical examination at St Amand on 9 March 1919 and was sent for demobilisation to the Dispersal Centre at Coventry on 23 March 19. He was therefore demobilised on 21 April 1919 having spent his whole service in A/58, and was discharged on 31 March 1920.
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Dvr.
|
Ford
|
John
|
10653
|
B/58
|
John Ford enlisted in Bristol soon after the war was declared and was posted overseas to Egypt, arriving on 14 July 1915. He was serving in B/58 in the Ypres salient when he was seriously wounded and died from his wounds on 13 July 1917. He is buried in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium.
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Dvr.
|
Ford
|
Reginald Hugh
|
62622
|
B/58
|
Reginald Hugh Ford was born in Wickham, Hants in 1894, the son of Richard and Martha Ford. He was a carter by trade. He enlisted in Gosport on 11 January 1915, aged 20, and was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea, and from there to 13 Reserve Battery on 15 January 1915. He was posted to B/87 on 12 February 1915, but he sailed with 25 Division Ammunition Column from Southampton to Le Havre in September 1915. He suffered a contusion to his thigh so was laid up in hospital between 19 and 24 November 1915. A month later he had a fractured foot so was admitted to 25 Divisional resting Station on 28 December 1915, and on 3 March 1916 he was discharged from No.6 Convalescent Depot at Etaples, to the Base Details Depot. From there he was posted to 42 Bde RFA (part of 3rd Division) on 23 March 1916 and then the following day to the brigade ammunition column. He was posted to Base on 7 March 1917 again from No.6 Convalescent Depot at Etaples and from there to B/58 on 14 March 1917. After another period in hospital, he was discharged to duty from 109 Field Ambulance in June 1917 and suffered another contusion to a leg so was admitted to 25 Field Ambulance on Armistice Day, 11 November 1918. He was demobilised from 58 Bde on 2 April 1919 and discharged from the Army due to “impairment since entry into active service” and was awarded a Silver War Badge and a pension of 5s 6d for at least 6 months due to some disability in his left foot. His address when he was demobbed was given as Little Tapnage Farm, Wickham, Fareham, Hants. He probably died in 1953 aged 58.
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Gnr.
|
Fortune
|
Cowling
|
205042
|
A/58
|
Cowling Fortune was born in Skipton, Yorks on 14 December 1879. He was the son of James and Isabel Fortune and worked as a whitesmith and bellhanger, and also as a blacksmith. He married Annie Ellam in Skipton and they had one daughter, Lilian Fortune who was born on 31 August 1900. The family settled in 16 Milton Street, Middletown, Skipton. Cowling served in the 3rd Volunteer Battalion (later the 6th Battalion) of the West Riding Regiment in the Territorial Force, serving between 5 February 1895 and 13 March 1914 during which he rose to the rank of Sergeant and was awarded the Territorial Efficiency Medal. He enlisted into the RFA on 11 December 1915, probably in the Derby Scheme, so did not get mobilised for over a year and joined on 2 February 1917 at Halifax. He was sent to the RFA’s No.1 Depot at Newcastle-upon-Tyne where he arrived on 5 February 1917. From there he was posted to 29 Reserve Battery, 5B Reserve Bde RFA at Ballincollig, Cork where he was appointed A/Bdr on 20 June 1917, though appears to have reverted to Gunner soon afterwards. On 30 July 1917 he was posted to 6th Reserve Bde RFA (Territorial Force) at Luton and was sent to France in September 1917. He probably joined 58 Bde the following month and was serving in A/58 when he was wounded by mustard gas. He was admitted to No.4 Stationary Hospital from where he was transferred to Base by No. 37 Ambulance Train before being evacuated back to the UK where he was admitted to St. Luke’s War Hospital in Halifax, Yorks on 27 May 1918. He was discharged from there on 11 June 1918 and sent to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick, arriving there on 22 June 1918. From there, he was discharged to draft on 2 August 1918 and sent to 4th Reserve Bde RFA (Territorial Force) at High Wycombe. He was posted back to France and joined C/276 from 55 Division Ammunition Column on 17 November 1918. From there he was posted to 179 Army Bde RFA and joined 462 Battery on 21 March 1919. He was serving in No.2 sub-section of 462 Battery when he was posted to the Dispersal Centre at Clipstone on 13 May 1919, which he attended two days later. In September 1939, Cowling and Annie were still living at 16 Milton Street and Cowling was working as a whitesmith in a cotton mill. He died in Skipton in 1944.
|
A/Bdr.
|
Foster
|
George
|
67907
|
C/58
|
George Foster was born in South Norwood, London in about 1893, the son of railway guard Robert Foster and Caroline Foster. In 1901, the family were living at 10 Addison Road, South Norwod. George enlisted in Croydon and was posted to France on 23 March 1915. The following year, he was serving in 42 Bde RFA as a Bombardier when he was admitted to No.149 Field Ambulance on 18 October 1916 with furunculosis on the buttocks and was transferred four days later to a Casualty Clearing Station in Acheux. He was serving as a Bombardier in 58 Bde (one record says in A/58, another says C/58) when he died in No.1 South African General Hospital, Abbeville on 15 February 1917. George is buried in Abbeville Communal Cemetery Extension, France.
|
2/Lt.
|
Foster
|
J
|
n/a
|
|
2/Lt J Foster joined 11 Division Ammunition Column from Base on 2 April 1917. He then joined 58th Bde from 11 DAC on 9 April 1917.
|
Dvr.
|
Foster
|
Luke
|
43105
|
C/58
|
Luke Foster was serving as a Driver in the RFA when he was posted overseas, arriving in the Balkans Theatre of War on about 30 September 1915. He was wounded at least once, possibly twice, in the autumn of 1917 at which time he was serving as a Gunner. He was wounded again in the spring of 1918 and was serving in C/58 in France when he was discharged from No.10 Convalescent Depot on 2 May 1918 to No.5 Rest Camp, St. Martin’s, Boulogne. When he was wounded, in both 1917 and 1918, his next of kin was stated to be living in Golborne, Lancs, so this may be the Luke Foster who was born in 1888, the son of Robert and Martha Foster, and who married a widow, Ellen Campbell, née Thompson, on 8 August 1908 in the parish church Golborne, Lancs. Robert was living at 60 Leigh Street, Golborne and working as a labourer at the time, Ellen was living at 54 Leigh Street. Ellen died in 1918, so Luke was left with six children to look after: his and Ellen’s three children, Harry, Elizabeth and Doris Foster, and his three stepdaughters Lois, Annie and Ivy Campbell. In 1921, they were all living at 54 Leigh Street and Luke was working as a labourer for Herbert Heaton builder and contractor.
|
A/Capt.
|
Foster
|
Thomas Charles
|
n/a
|
C/58
|
Thomas Charles Foster was born into a military family on 23 March 1879 in Portsmouth, Hants. His father, Thomas Renshaw Foster was a soldier, and his mother, Elizabeth Foster, was from Scotland. In 1891 the family were living at Shorncliff Camp, Cheriton, Kent, and by 1891 they had settled in Hounslow, Middx. He worked as a grocer’s assistant and was living in Bath Road, Hounslow until, shortly after his fourteenth birthday, he enlisted into the RFA as a ‘boy’ on 28 April 1893 and was assigned service number 97229. He served in the ranks for over 21 years, including in South Africa between 1 January 1900 and 14 January 1905, and was then in Bangalore, India until 25 October 1906 during which he contracted malaria. Foster stated that he was awarded the Queen’s South Africa Medal with clasps for Cape Colony, Paardeburg, Driefontein, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill and Wittebergen, as well as the King’s South Africa Medal with clasps for 1899, 1900, 1901 and 1902, although for the latter medal the only clasps ever awarded were for 1901 and 1902. He served on the permanent staff of 1 Highland Bde RFA (TF) in Aberdeen between 1908 and 1915 as a sergeant instructor and while living in that city married Mary Knowles on 25 November 1909. Foster was promoted to BSM of 1 Highland Bde on 28 April 1914 and appointed a Warrant Officer 2nd Class on 29 January 1915. He was appointed Acting Regimental Sergeant Major 17 Division Ammunition Column on 19 April 1915 before being posted with the same rank to 80 Bde RFA on 7 May 1915. He was commissioned as a 2/Lt on 13 June 1915 and was posted to 163 Bde RFA on 19 June 1915, taking command of D/163 on 25 June 1915. He was posted to 5B Reserve Bde RFA on 28 August 1915 and to 28 Reserve Battery RFA on 20 October 1915 and then to 6A Reserve Bde RFA on 10 November 1915. On 7 December 1915 he and his wife had a daughter, Stella Mary Elizabeth Foster and was appointed a Temporary Lieutenant on 17 December 1915. The following month he took over command of 32 Reserve Battery RFA on 3 January 1916. He was appointed an Adjutant in the Territorial Force between 4 May and 19 August 1916, possibly with the Glamorgan Battery of the RHA. He first went to France on 24 October 1916 and was posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column (11 DAC) five days later. But within a few weeks he was taken sick and so returned to the UK. He left 11 DAC on 3 December 1916, sailing on the Hospital Ship “Cambria” from Calais to Dover on 14 December 1916 and was struck off the strength of the unit on Christmas Day 1916. He was examined at the Officers’ Hospital, Anstie Grange, Holmwood, Surrey before going to stay in Jersey at Isabella Villa, First Tower. A medical board held on Jersey in late January 1917 found him unfit for general service for a month but was fit enough for home service, so he was posted to 3A Reserve Bde RFA in Hilsea, Portsmouth joining them on 11 February 1917 and was due to attend a medical board on about 1 March 1917. It is not recorded just when he returned to France nor when he joined 58 Bde, but he was appointed an Acting Captain on 10 April 1917 and he had joined C/58 by 20 June 1917. He was commanding that battery that day near the Wytschaete-Messines ridge when he was wounded below the right knee by a shell but was able to return to duty the next day. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 1 July 1917 and went on 14 days’ leave on 7 July 1918. In mid-September 1917, he was wounded a second time when a German 4.2” gas shell exploded near his dug out. He was blown “about 75 yards” and was picked up and taken to a dressing station and from there to No.61 Casualty Clearing Station at Lozinghem. After recovering, he returned to C/58 and the following summer acted as a member of the Executive Committee for the 11th (Northern) Division’s Horse Show which took place on 29 and 30 June 1918. Three months later he made a reconnaissance of potential crossings of the Canal du Nord, along with Lt J E Norton. For this, he was awarded the Military Cross, his citation being “On September 27th, 1918, he went forward through continuous shell fire to reconnoitre the possible crossings of the Canal du Nord near Marquion, in order that the brigade might come into action on the east of the cavalry. He returned to headquarters brigade with full information and piloted the brigade safely into action. He afterwards organised the arrangements for the supply of ammunition between the ammunition dump and the guns, and-kept all batteries fully supplied throughout the engagement. Throughout the day he repeatedly behaved gallantly under fire, disregarding his personal safety and unhesitatingly pursuing his duty for the welfare of the brigade.” After the Armistice, he went to the UK on 13 December 1918 as the conducting officer for coal miners going home for demobilisation, after which he had 14 days’ leave. When Maj E M Hutchinson DSO left C/58 to assume command of 58 Bde, Foster was appointed acting commander of C/58 and made an Acting Major with effect from 22 January 1919. He had a further 14 days’ leave to UK between 31 March and 18 April 1919. He remained in the post of OC C/58 until 58 Bde was disbanded on 3 July 1919 and arrived home with the cadre of 58 Bde on 5 July 1919. After returning to the UK he served in 40 Bde RFA at Dreghorn Barracks, Edinburgh and was recommended to become the Adjutant of the 3rd East Lancashire Bde RFA (TF) in August 1919 to serve again under former 58 Bde commander, Lt Col C Ernest Walker DSO, who was about to take over command of that unit. At much the same time, Foster sought to overturn the decision not to award him a wound gratuity, “if only for a small sum”. He doesn’t appear to have taken up the post with 3rd East Lancs, instead being appointed the Garrison Adjutant for Edinburgh on 16 November 1919. He remained in that post until the day he retired, 16 October 1920, on which day he was placed on the half pay list. On 3 April 1921 he informed the War Office that he was re-locating to Jersey, to live again at Isabella Villa. However, his move coincided with the strikes in the coal industry, so, as an officer in the Reserve of Officers, he was instructed to report for duty but successfully applied to be exempted from service in the emergency. By 7 August 1921 he had moved from Isabella Villa to Clifton House, 18 Val Plaisant, Jersey. The following year he and Mary had their second child, Monteith Alastair Charles Foster who was born on 26 December 1922. In 1925 he applied to join the waiting list to become a retired recruiting officer and, although his application was successful, he was warned that posts became vacant very infrequently. He remained in the Reserve of Officers until his 50th birthday in March 1929. The Fosters lived in Jersey during the German occupation in World War 2, their address being given as Le Chalet, Havre des Pas, St Helier on their registration cards of 7 January 1941. Thomas Foster died on 8 April 1946, leaving his presentation sword to his son Monteith.
|
Sgt.
|
Francis
|
Alfred Charles
|
68105
|
D/58
|
Alfred Charles Francis was born in 1894 in Salcott, Essex, the son of Alfred Charles and Eliza Francis. He was a pre-war soldier who enlisted in Colchester and went to France with the original BEF as a Driver in 37 (Howitzer) Bde RFA on 23 August 1914. He was wounded soon after and was evacuated back to the UK and admitted to 2nd Eastern General Hospital, Brighton. He was serving as a sergeant with D/58 when he was killed in action on 3 June 1917. While recovering from a wound, his former commanding officer, Capt Carlton Roberts wrote back to another officer in D/58 on 25 June 1917 regretting the news of his death, saying “I was sorry to hear about Francis. He was a nice boy and I thought he would be a great success.” Alfred Francis is buried in La Clytte Military Cemetery, Belgium.
|
Capt.
|
Franklin
|
Edgar John
|
6599
|
C/58
|
Edgar John Franklin was born in Colchester in 1880 into a military family – his father was a soldier – and he grew up in the married quarters of the barracks in Little Warley, Essex. He followed his father into the Army when he attested for long service (12 years with the colours) on 25 October 1894, aged 14. He joined the RFA and was posted as a “boy” to 1st Depot. On 26 June 1895 he was posted to 78 Bty and on 10 October 1898 he was mustered as gunner and appointed A/Bdr the same day. He served in the South African campaign in 1899 for which he was awarded the Queen’s and King’s South African Medals. He reverted to Gunner for misconduct on 23 June 1900 but was re-appointed A/Bdr the same day, so in effect lost his seniority. He was promoted Bdr on 4 December 1900, to Cpl on 25 July 01 and to Sgt on 31 March 1902 for gallantry in the field. On 13 March 1905 he re-engaged into the Army at Nasirabad “to complete 21 years” service. He was promoted to BQMS and posted to 80 Bty on 16 November 09. Svc nr 6599. He joined the Freemasons while serving in Jubbulpore in 1910 but was back in the UK two years later when he married Elizabeth Alice Hooker at the Baptist Tabernacle, Manor Park, London on 2 March 1912. Later that year he was posted to No.2 Depot on 12 December 1912, which was renamed as No.5 Depot on 1 August 1913 during a reorganisation. A few weeks after the war broke out, he was commissioned as a 2/Lt on 26 September 1914. He had joined 58 Bde by early 1915 and was a Temporary Lt while acting as the brigade’s adjutant. He was promoted to Lt (while already acting as a Captain) on 9 June 1915. He sailed on SS “Knight Templar” from Devonport on 1 July 1915 as the commander of C/58, arriving in Alexandria on 14 July 1915. Unusually for a battery, he kept a brief War Diary for C/58 between 29 June and 29 October 1915. He was Mentioned in Dispatches on 12 July 1916 for distinguished and gallant service during the period of Gen Charles Munro’s command of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. He was still serving in C/58 when he sailed with the brigade on the “Kingstonian” from Alexandria on 25 June 1916, arriving in Marseilles on 2 July 1916. When Maj Hutton joined A/58 as the new battery commander in late July 1916, he praised Capt Franklin as a “good fellow”. He was granted 10 days’ leave on 27 October 1916. He returned from a subsequent period of leave on 19 January 1917, resuming command of C/58 two days later. He was made an acting Major on 25 February 1917 due to his position as a battery commander. He was wounded in action on 9 April 17 with shrapnel wounds to his left leg. He was admitted to 96 Field Ambulance and from there was transferred to 3 General Hospital. He relinquished the rank of acting Major due to being evacuated. From 3 General Hospital he boarded the “Hospital Ship” Lanfranc for transfer back to the UK, but on 17 April 1917 a German U Boat torpedoed and sank HMHS “Lanfranc” and Capt Franklin was missing, believed drowned. He is commemorated on Hollybrook Memorial, Southampton.
|
Dvr.
|
Franklin
|
Herbert
|
10922
|
B/58
|
At 14, Herbert Franklin, known as Bert, was working as a machinist in a cycle factory. He had been born in Coventry in about 1895 and enlisted alongside his older brother Thomas into the RFA in Nuneaton on 5 September 1914. He claimed to be 19, like his brother, but was in fact only 17. He was working as a gear cutter (for motors) at the time. He was posted initially as a Driver to No.3 Depot at Hilsea, and from there to B/58 on 10 September 1914. He liked to get up to lots of “little pranks” with his brother and their friend, Bill Theakston (Dvr Wilfred Theakston, 93052) and was confined to barracks for 7 days by Maj Meyricke for being absent without leave from 12pm on 26 February to 9.55pm on 28 February 1915. He was punished again by Maj Meyricke for neglecting to obey an order while at Milford Camp on 15 May 1915. He went abroad with the brigade on 1 July 1915. Probably after illness or minor injury while serving in Egypt or Gallipoli, he was posted to 146 Bde Ammunition Column (part of 28 Division) in Egypt on 21 November 1915 which was sent to Salonika a couple of months later. He was posted to 22 Bty on 14 April 1917, and then on 29 May 1917 was spotted by a mounted military policeman acting in breach of Salonika Standing Order No.3 (Trotting Transport Horses) for which he was awarded 3 days’ Field Punishment No.2. He ended the war in 18 Division Ammunition Column and went to the Dispersal Centre at Fovant for demobilisation in May 1919.
|
Sgt.
|
Franklin
|
Thomas
|
49159
|
D/58
|
Thomas Franklin was from Tottenham, London. He was 27 years old and serving as a Driver in 60 Bde RFA, 11 (Northern) Division when he was admitted to No.149 Field Ambulance with influenzaon 23 January 1917 from where he was sent to the Divisional Rest Station, 3 Field Ambulance the same day. He was serving as a Sergeant in D/58 when he was awarded the Military Medal on 3 November 1918.
|
Dvr.
|
Franklin
|
Thomas Reeves
|
10923
|
B/58
|
Born in 1894, Thomas Reeves Franklin was a tobacconist’s assistant from Coventry when he was aged 16. As a 19 year-old shop assistant, he enlisted in Nuneaton on 5 September 1914 alongside his younger brother Herbert. He was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea, and a few days later on 10 September 1915 to 185 Bty, which became B/58. He married Catherine Cunningham in Leeds Registry Office on 26 September 1914, and their son, Reginald, was born on 4 April 1915. He was posted to HQ 58 Bde on 7 October 1915. After the Armistice, he was sent to Chiseldon Dispersal Centre on 18 February 1919 while serving with 11 Division and was transferred to Class Z on 19 March 1919. He died in 1980, in Coventry, aged 85.
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Gnr.
|
Fraser
|
Robert George
|
232430
|
C/58
|
Robert George Fraser enlisted into the RFA and was serving as a Gunner in C/58 just after the Armistice when he was admitted to No.5 Convalescent Depot, Cayeux, France on 3 December 1918 with inflammation of the connective tissue in his foot.
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Lt.
|
Frazer
|
Douglas Villiers
|
n/a
|
|
Douglas Villiers Frazer was born on 19 November 1889 in 16 Spencer Place, Leeds. He was the son of Edward Lillie Frazer and Adelaide Frazer (née Cooper) and he attended Leeds GramMarch School. By 1911, the family had moved to live in Munster Lodge, Parkstone, Dorset and Douglas worked there as a bank clerk. He joined the Territorial Force unit, the Hampshire Carabiniers Yeomanry, in which he served as a Private in ‘D’ Squadron. He applied for a commission on 14 November 1913 into 6th (Hampshire) Battery of 3rd Wessex Brigade RFA (TF) and was commissioned into that unit on 14 January 1914. He does not appear to have gone to India with his brigade later that year after war had been declared. He was a Lieutenant and temporary Captain when he served as an adjutant in an unknown unit between 13 October 1916 and 15 February 1917. He was taken on strength of 6 Reserve Bde RFA at Biscot Camp, Luton, Beds on 27 April 1917 and went to France in July 1917. He went to the Base Depot and from there joined 11 Division Ammunition Column (11 DAC) on 9 July 1917. A few days later Douglas was posted to 58 Bde on 13 July 1917 and was appointed acting Captain while second-in-command of a battery probably shortly before his death. The Battle of Langemarck began on 16 August 1917 and 58 Bde were heavily involved. On that day Douglas Frazer was acting as cable officer and was last seen walking with a cable about a quarter of a mile towards Ferdinand Farm just to the west of the Steenbeek stream to a place from which he intended to observe the enemy. Only about 10 minutes later a shell was seen to fall just where he was. His body was never recovered and so, after a while, the Army concluded that he had been killed in action. He is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, near Ypres, Belgium.
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2/Lt.
|
French
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Cecil Charles
|
n/a
|
C/58
|
Cecil Charles French was born in Poplar, London, on 29 January 1890, the son of William George and Helen Ann French. He was a civil servant, working as a clerk, initially in the Board of Trade from about 1905 and then from about 1909 in the Labour Exchange. He joined the RFA Territorial Force on 14 July 1908, aged 18, for a period of 4 years’ service. He joined 1st Essex Battery in 2nd East Anglian Bde RFA, and attended their annual camps at Lydd, Kent, leaving at the end of his service on 13 July 1912. He enlisted into the RFA as a driver on 26 November 1914 in Stratford, London, and was assigned service number 46338. He was posted initially to No.6 depot at Glasgow and from there to A/102 Bde on 19 December 1914. He was promoted to Corporal on 1 January 1915. He was serving with A/102 in Canterbury when he applied for a temporary commission. He was commissioned into the Special Reserve of Officers as a 2/Lt on probation on 19 May 1915. On 7 October 1915, he was reported as about to arrive from Mudros to join 58 Bde while they were at Gallipoli. He passed his probation and so was confirmed in rank on 9 February 1916. He was serving in C/58 when he sailed with the brigade on the “Kingstonian” from Alexandria on 25 June 1916, arriving in Marseilles on 2 July 1916. On 20 November 1916 he was still serving in C/58 when he was granted 10 days’ leave, returning from leave on 7 December 1916. However, shortly afterwards, on 17 January 1917, Cecil French left 58 Bde to transfer to the Royal Flying Corps’ Kite Balloon Section and he subsequently joined the RAF after its formation in 1918. He was diagnosed with neurasthenia dating from 8 March 1918 and so spent 3 months in hospital followed by 2 months of leave after which he returned to hospital. A Medical Board held at the RFC Auxiliary Hospital, Shirley Park, Croydon, on 20 September 1918 found that he was still suffering from neurasthenia and would get giddy so decided he was no longer fit for any service. He was awarded a Silver War Badge on 10 December 1918. He returned to living in Manor Park, London, and obviously recovered to at least some extent because on 16 December 1920 he wrote to the War Office enquiring whether he was still a member of the Armed Forces and if so whether he could be appointed to a commission in the new Territorial Force (TF). He was informed he had no further obligation of military service but given instructions as to what to do if he did want to join the TF. He died in Bournemouth in 1975, aged 85.
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Bdr.
|
French
|
Edward John
|
97362
|
C/58
|
Edward John French was born in Brighton, Sussex on 12 July 1894, the son of labourer Edward French and Emma French. He enlisted into the RFA and was posted to France, arriving on about 5 September 1915. He was serving in C/58 in the Ypres salient when he died of wounds in No.10 Casualty Clearing Station at Remy Siding on 27 July 1917, aged 23 and is buried in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium.
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Sgt.
|
Fry
|
|
|
B/58?
|
Sgt Fry witnessed a misdemeanour by Cpl Ernie Baron (148993) when the latter “made an improper reply to an NCO” on 18 January 1918.
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Cpl.
|
Fryer
|
Edgar E
|
10823
|
C/58
|
Cpl Edgar E Fryer was posted to Egypt on 1 July 1914. He was serving in C/58 when he was sent to 5th Army Artillery School to go on a gunnery course on 15 February 1917. He ended the war as a Sergeant. This is very likely Edgar Edmund Fryer who was born on 14 February 1894, the son of Edgar Fryer and Kate Fryer. He was baptised in St. Martin’s church, Salisbury, Wilts on 11 April 1894 and married Rosina Hemmings in Bristol in the summer of 1917. After the war he became a bus driver for Bristol Omnibus Company, and joined the Transport and General Workers’ Union (TGWU). In September 1939, Edgar, Rosina and probably three children lived at 2 Clifton Street, Bristol and two years later Edgar was elected to the union’s national executive council. He was elected chair of the TGWU in 1948, remaining as chair until his retirement in 1959. During his time as chair of the TGWU, the local branch of the TGWU passed a resolution in 1955 passed a resolution that “coloured” workers should not be employed as bus crews, a fact that only appeared to come out later on during the Bristol Bus Boycott of 1963. Edgar Fryer died in 1964.
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Gnr.
|
Fuller
|
Henry John
|
97957
|
|
Henry John Fuller was born in Wickhambrook, Suffolk, the son of farmer John Richardson Fuller and Caroline Fuller (née Scott). In 1911, Henry was working on his brother Walter’s farm in Layham, Suffolk. Henry enlisted into the RFA in Bury St Edmonds, Suffolk, and was posted to the Balkans theatre of war, arriving on about 17 November 1915. Less than a month later, he was serving with 58 Bde when he died of wounds on Malta on 13 December 1915. Henry Fuller is buried in Pietà Military Cemetery, Malta.
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BSM
|
Fuller
|
Jonathon
|
28646
|
C/58
|
Born in Gorleston, Norfolk in 1878, Jonathan Fuller enlisted in the militia on 26 April 1898, serving in the Prince of Wales Own Norfolk Artillery. He was 19 years old at the time and worked as a labourer. However, 3 months later he enlisted in the Army on 5 July 1898, joining the RFA and so was posted initially to No.2 Depot in the Eastern Division RA. In 1909 he was a corporal serving with 18th Battery in Nowshera, India [now Pakistan] and decided to re-enlist to serve the full 31 years with the colours. He was still with 18th Bty when he was promoted to Sgt on 31 October 1914 but returned to the UK shortly afterwards with his unit. He went to France on 15 January 1915, but received a gunshot wound to his leg on 8 May 1915, so went to No.4 General Hospital, Versailles and was then evacuated back to the UK on 15 May 1915. He stayed in Cambridge Hospital, Aldershot, between 16 May and 21 August 1915. Jonathon was posted to C/181 Bde on 17 October 1915, being appointed Acting BSM on 26 October 1915 and being confirmed in rank the same day. He went back to France on 1 June 1916 and was posted to Base on 9 October 1916 and from there to No.2 Section 11 Division Ammunition Column on 12 February 1917. He joined C/58 as their BSM on 11 April 1917. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal which was gazetted on 3 June 1918 “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. This W.O. has served throughout the operations with his battery, and by his example, hard work, and untiring energy has maintained a high standard of efficiency amongst the NCOs and men. In particular he rendered valuable service during two months’ heavy fighting, when there were many casualties to the officers of the battery.” He was gassed on the final day of the war, 11 November 1918. After the war, he was sent to No.1 Dispersal Unit at North Camp, Ripon on 4 July 1919 and discharged on 1 August 1919. He was awarded a pension of 17 shillings 6d for life. Jonathan married Florence H Nicholls in the spring of 1919 and lived wiith her in her mother’s house at 13 Back Chapel Lane, Gorleston. In 1921 he was working as a nightwatchman at the Trinity Stores on South Quay Street, Great Yarmouth. Jonathon Fuller died in 1922, aged 43, in Gorleston and is buried in Great Yarmouth.
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Bdr.
|
Fulton
|
Frederick Norris
|
10593
|
B/58
|
Frederick Norris Fulton was born in Birmingham, Warks in about 1895. He was the son of Edward Norris Fulton and Clara Fulton (née Amiss). His father died when Fred was very young and in about 1907 his mother re-married, becoming Clara Rastall. In 1911 he was employed as a warehouse boy and in 1914 as a commercial traveller. He was 19 years old and living in Small Heath, Birmingham when he enlisted into the RFA in Rugby on 5 September 1914. He went to No.3 Depot in Hilsea the following day and was posted as a Gunner to 185 Battery on 10 September 1914. On 13 November 1914 he was promoted to Bdr. After 185 Battery was renamed as B/58, he sailed with his battery on 1 July 1914 from Devonport, arriving in Alexandria on 14 July 1915. He temporarily left his unit when he was attached to the Royal Artillery Records 3rd Echelon GH2 on 5 September 1915. Four weeks later he was posted back to 58 Bde – which was serving at the time at Suvla Bay – as a Bdr Artillery clerk on probation. He was appointed an A/Sgt on 15 December 1915. He sailed from Alexandria to go to France on 5 July 1916, arriving in Marseilles on 11 July 1916 and was posted to the Royal Artillery Section 3rd Echelon on 15 July 1916. He was granted special leave between 7 and 12 September 1916 and then a few weeks later he returned to his permanent rank of Bdr on 31 October 1916 when he re-transferred to the RFA for regimental duties, joining 1st Army Artillery School two days later. He was more fortunate than most in the amount of leave he was then granted: he had leave to the UK between 26 January and 5 February 1917 and again between 30 July and 9 August 1917. He was promoted to Cpl on 1 November 1917 and then had two further spells of leave: between 8 and 22 March 1918 (travelling via Boulogne) and between 22 May and 6 June 1918. He was promoted to Sgt on 18 June 1918 and after the Armistice was sent back to the UK on 29 December 1918 for demobilisation, attending the Dispersal Centre at Chiseldon on New Year’s Eve 1918. He moved back to Small Heath and two years later married Helen Charlotte Nossiter in St.Luke’s church, Parkstone, Dorset. When he married, he was working as a printer but the following year when he joined the Freemason’s he was described as a branch manager. They returned to live in Birmingham, and in 1939 Fred was working as a sales manager for a food manufacturer. Fred Fulton died on 3 July 1943 in Knowle, Warks, aged 47.
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Cpl.
|
Gadsby
|
Thomas
|
91064
|
B/58
|
Thomas Gadsby was born in Burton-upon-Trent on 22 April 1895, the son of shoe maker Henry Gadsby and Agnes Gadsby. In 1901, the family were living at 59 Waterloo Street, Horninglow. He was serving in B/58 and manning one of its guns on 29 October 1916, when a shell from a German 5.9″ howitzer scored a direct hit on the gun. He was badly wounded, dying a little later, aged 21, while three other members of the gun crew, Gnr Frederick Leadbeater (11104), Gnr David Lloyd (99731) and Gnr Sylvester McCreath (104730), were killed instantly. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. His older brother, Private Harry Gadsby, had been killed the previous year while serving in the North Staffordshire regiment.
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Gnr.
|
Gall
|
Norman W
|
167933
|
B/58
|
Norman Gall was born in about 1893 in Fetteresso, Kincardineshire, to Adam W Gall and Mary Jane Gall. By 1911 the family had moved to Northumberland where Norman worked as a butcher. Norman enlisted in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and had been serving in B/58 when he died of wounds on 11 August 1918. He is buried in Pernes British Cemetery, France.
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Bdr.
|
Gallimore
|
|
|
B/58?
|
Bdr Gallimore was probably serving in 185 Battery (later B/58) when he reported Dvr John Orom (93135) absent from Chapeltown Barracks between 12 and 16 October 1914.
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2/Lt.
|
Gardner
|
J
|
n/a
|
A/58
|
2/Lt J Gardner was attached to A/58 on 14 February 1918. He had previously been serving with 11 Division Ammunition Column (11 DAC) having been posted to join them from the Base Depot on 27 December 1917. But less than a week after he joined A/58 he was posted to join 11 Division’s Trench Mortar batteries and so left A/58 on 20 February 1918. The trench mortar batteries were absorbed into 11 DAC on 8 February 1919, so 2/Lt Gardner was back within 11 DAC when he was sent back to the UK for demobilisation on 21 April 1919.
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Bdr.
|
Garlick
|
Thomas Edmund
|
12643
|
A/58
|
Thomas Edmund Garlick was born in Blyth, Notts, on 5 April 1892. He worked as a hotel porter in Doncaster in 1911 but was working as a drayman when he enlisted on 30 August 1914 in Doncaster aged 22. He was sent initially to No.2 Depot, Preston and posted from there to 212 Bty and then to 278 Bty, which became B/89 Bde. He suffered a contusion to his shoulder in April 1915 while training in the UK and was appointed A/Bdr on 10 July 1915. He served in France between 7 July and 3 November 1915, during which time, on 3 September 1915, B/89 was renumbered as B/130 Howitzer Bde. He was promoted to Bdr on 15 October 1915. From France he went to Egypt, arriving on about 12 November 1915, where he was admitted to 15 General Hospital in Alexandria with venereal disease on 30 November 1915. He was severely reprimanded for being in Alexandria town without a pass on 27 March 1916. He joined A/58 Bde at El Ferdan on 5 April 1916 (his 24th birthday) having been posted to them from Base Depot Sidi Bishr. With 58 Bde, he returned to France in July 1916 and was awarded the Military Medal for “bravery in the field”, the award being gazetted on 6 January 1917. He returned from sick leave on 14 February 1917 but two months later, on 9 April 1917, he was serving in the Headquarters of 58 Bde when he was wounded in his left thigh by a gunshot wound which fractured his femur. After treatment at No.44 Field Ambulance he was sent on No.31 Ambulance Train from Warlincourt on 9 April 1917 arriving in Rouen the next day where he was admitted to No.11 Stationary Hospital before being evacuated to the UK on Hospital Ship “Western Australia”. He was given a surgical boot and transferred to King George Hospital, London, on 3 June 1917. The injury was described as permanent and made him unfit for military service, so he was discharged on 3 April 1918, awarded a Silver War Badge and paid a pension of 30 shillings a week for 4 weeks then 24 shillings for 48 weeks. He was described as of good character and “steady, sober and reliable”. After the war he returned to working as a hotel porter, working in the Abbey Court Hotel, 15 Netherhall Gardens, Hampstead, London, NW3. On 7 July 1919 he married Phoebe Valerie Kent. They had four daughters and a son. After WW2 was declared he enlisted into the Middlesex Regt and was assigned service number D/15950. He hadn’t informed his wife who was, understandably, not best pleased. Due to his old injuries he was however quickly discharged, working instead as a telephonist in the postroom at Inglis Barracks, Mill Hill. In 1960, the old wound to his leg resulted in the need to have the leg amputated. Thomas passed away on 29 December 1975, aged 83.
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Dvr.
|
Garvey
|
George
|
104728
|
D/58
|
George Garvey was born in about 1881 and came from Liverpool. He was serving in D/58 when, on 23 August 1918 he was helping get a wagon out of a ditch. An enemy aeroplane swooped and dropped 5 bombs on the party seeking to get it out. Nine of the group, including George, were killed, one more later dying of wounds. George was 37 when he died and he is buried in Hersin Communal Cemetery Extension. France. George named a Miss Amelia Gaskin of 4 Bulkeley Road, Wallasey, Cheshire as his sole legatee.
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Dvr.
|
Garwood
|
Albert Edward George
|
926444
|
C/58
|
Albert Edward George Garwood was born on 15 July 1896, the son of George and Florence May Garwood. On 29 September 1914 he enlisted into 3rd (London) Bde RFA of the Territorial Force in Leonard Street, London EC claiming to be 19 years old and signing his name as Robert Edward George Garwood. Almost all of his military papers therefore refer to him as Robert Garwood. He agreed at that time that he was willing to serve overseas and was initially assigned service number 1694, but at some point this was changed to 2887 and then in 1917 when the numbers of all Territorial Force soldiers were changed to have 6 digits, he was given number 926444. On 1 September 1916 he transferred into 290 (2/1 London) Bde RFA and was posted overseas early the following year, sailing from Southampton on 20 January 1917, arriving in Le Havre the following day and going to the Base Depot. He served as a signaller in C/290 which was part of 58 (2/1 London) Division and served with them on the Somme and at Bienvillers, Ervillers, Monchy, Hill 60, near Cambrai, Arras, Albert, Bullecourt and Ypres. He was admitted to No.1 Field Ambulance on 8 December 1917 with an unknown fever, which he described as trench fever. He spent Christmas in No.8 Stationary Hospital in Boulogne and after a period at No.1 Convalescent Camp he was discharged to No.3 Rest Camp on 15 January 1918 and from there to the Base Depot at Le Havre the following day. While there he was granted leave back to the UK between 14 February and 1 March 1918 but overstayed his leave until 4pm on 3 March 1918 for which he was docked 13 days’ pay. He was then posted to C/58 on 4 March 1918 at Hesdigneul-les-Béthune and spent the rest of the war in C/58 experiencing a great deal of shelling and “horrible scenes”. On 18 August 1918 he saw the King pass through Houdain where the brigade was resting at the time and then a few weeks later on 27 September 1918 he also saw the Prince of Wales. In the final weeks of the war he witnessed the intensity of the push for victory and the collapse of the German Army and managed to acquire a few souvenirs. When the Armistice came he and all his comrades were exhausted and so showed little enthusiasm – it took a while for it to sink in. On 9 March 1919 he signed his demobilisation papers at the brigade HQ in St Amand, went to Boulogne on 19 March 1919 and sailed for home two days later, attending No.1 Dispersal Unit at Crystal Palace on 22 March 1919. In 1939 he was working as a clerk in the insurance industry and was married to Lilian and they had a daughter Daphne who had been born in 1928. Albert Garwood died in London in 1976. A short diary he kept during his time in 58 Bde is held by the Imperial War Museum.
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Gnr.
|
Gay
|
George Alfred Hewitt
|
141494
|
C/58
|
George Alfred Hewitt Gay was born in Bristol in 1893. He was the youngest of Aaron & Maria Gay’s children. In 1911 the family were resident at 1 Harding Barton, Bethel Road, St. George, Bristol. Aaron, Maria and all three of their children, including George, were boot makers. George married Maud Daisy Leonard on 28 September 1913 in St. George’s church, Bristol and they had a daughter, Edna Phyllis Gay who was born on 21 March 1914. George enlisted into the Army and was serving with C/58 when he was killed in action on 25 August 1917, aged 24. George Gay is buried in Bard Cottage Cemetery, Belgium.
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Gnr.
|
Gebbie
|
Robert
|
92496
|
A/58
|
Robert Gebbie was born in Kilmarnock in about 1894, the son of Robert Gebbie senior and Jeanie Gebbie. He enlisted in the Territorial Force for a period of 4 years’ service when he was aged 17, in Kilmarnock on 6 March 1911. In civilian life he worked as a compositor and he joined the 1/2nd Ayrshire Battery of the 1/2nd Lowland Bde RFA, was assigned service number 2216, and attended their annual camps. On 24 September 1914, he agreed to volunteer to serve overseas. On 9 June 1915 he sailed from Devonport, arriving in Port Said, Egypt with his unit on 23 June 1915. On 6 February 1916 he went to the Base Depot in Alexandria ready to go back to the UK having completed his 4 years’ service, sailing on HMT “Tunisian” on 22 March 1916. He was discharged on 4 April 1916 and returned to live with his family in Darvel, Ayrshire. He must have enlisted into the regular Army shortly afterwards because he was serving with A/58 seven months later when he was killed in action on 1 November 1916. He is buried in Courcelette British Cemetery, France.
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Dvr.
|
Gibbett
|
George
|
65181
|
A/58
|
George Gibbett arrived in Egypt on about 1 April 1915. Nearly two years later, he was serving in A/58 when he was admitted to No.7 Canadian General Hospital, Etaples on 28 February 1917 with trench feet.
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Gnr.
|
Gibbs
|
David
|
10714
|
C/58
|
David Gibbs was born in Nuneaton, Warks. in about 1898, the son of Charles and Sarah Ann Gibbs. In 1911, he was living with his grandparents, Richard and Emma Steptoe at 65 College Street, Chilvers Coton, Warks. and was working in a brickyard. David enlisted into the RFA shortly after war was declared and went abroad, arriving in Egypt on 14 July 1915. He was serving as a Gunner in C/58 when he was wounded, almost certainly at Gallipoli, and must have been evacuated back to the UK because he died in Liverpool Highfield Hospital, aged 19, on 14 October 1915. He is buried in Liverpool (Kirkdale) Cemetery.
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Gnr.
|
Gill
|
Lithgow Gilbert
|
117458
|
|
Lithgow Gilbert Gill was born on 27 December 1890 in Fylde, Lancs, to John and Jennie Gill. Lithgow (occasionally spelled Lythgow) enlisted into the Army on 1 December 1915. He was wounded in the autumn of 1916 and again in the spring of 1918. He was serving with 58 Bde when he was discharged from the Army on 21 February 1919 due to no longer being fit for military service on account of wounds he had received. Lithgow returned to live at 1 Portland Road, Blackpool and was awarded a Siver War Badge and a weekly pension of 13 shillings 9d for a year due to a shell wound to his right arm, and this was increased in 1920 to 20 shillings for the next year. In September 1939, he was an inmate at a facility at 13 Eden Street, Blackpool and was a confectionary salesman by trade. Lithgow Gill had been living at 93 Ansdell Road, Blackpool when he died on 19 January 1962 in Blackpool, Lancs, aged 71.
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Gnr.
|
Gill
|
Noah
|
158564
|
C/58
|
Noah Gill was born on 13 July 1879 in Wakefield, Yorks, the son of Henry and Eliza Gill. He married Amelia Siddall on 27 April 1901 in Wakefield while working as a warehouseman at the time. They had two daughters, Myra and Marjorie. Noah was subsequently an agent and collector for the Provident Clothing and Supply Co. He enlisted under the Derby Scheme on 1 December 1915 and wasn’t mobilised until 1 August 1916. He was posted to 1 Reserve Bde (Territorial). He was posted to France, arriving there on 15 December 1916 where he was posted to 2 Division Ammunition Column on 20 December 1916, then on 26 January 1917 he was posted to 34 Bde Ammunition Column. He was admitted to No.4 Australian Divisional resting Station (DRS) with an abscess on his buttock on 25 January 1917 and was transferred to No.2 Australian DRS the following day. He then suffered an accident where he was burned by petrol so was taken by No.31 Ambulance Train from Contay on 13 March 1917 to Rouen where he arrived the next day. He was then evacuated to the UK on Hospital Ship “Lanfranc” on 15 March 1917 and was admitted the following day to the War Hospital Netley with burns to the right side of his face and his hands caused by petrol and was posted to 5C Reserve Bde for administrative purposes. His birns were healing well and after 11 days he was transferred to the 3rd Western General Hospital in Neath and from there to the British Red Cross “Cottesmore” Auxiliary Hospital, Haverfordwest. He was then posted to the Royal Artillery Command Depot at South Camp, Ripon on 15 May 1917. He returned to France that autumn and was posted to C/58 on 26 October 1917 and would stay with that battery for the remainder of his military service. He was granted 14 days’ leave to the UK via Boulogne (with rations) between 21 October and 4 November 1918. Noah was sent to Clipstone Dispersal Centre ready for demobilisation on 22 May 1919, giving his home address as 18 Clarendon Street, Wakefield. He, Amelia and their daughters were still living there in 1921. In September 1939, the four of them were living at 3 Albion Street, Wakefield and Noah was still working as an agent for Provident Clothing and Supply Co. Noah Gill had been living at 102 Bradford Road, Wakefield when he died in Clayton Hospital, Wakefield on 19 January 1947.
|
Gnr.
|
Gill
|
Richard
|
16574
|
D/58
|
Richard Gill was from Salford and had been born in about 1894. He enlisted into the RFA on 5 April 1915. He was serving as a Gunner in D/58 when he was accidentally shot in the left foot. He was admitted to No.11 Casualty Clearing Station, Varennes on 21 March 1917 and then evacuated by No.22 Ambulance Train two days later. He was discharged from the Army on 24 April 1919 while at the Royal Artillery Command Depot at Ripon as no longer being fit for active service due to wounds he had received, so he was awarded a Silver War Badge. This may be the Richard Gill who was born in Salford on 23 March 1894, the son of Samuel and Margaret Gill, and was living at 18 Bertram Street, Salford in 1901, and in 1911 was a joiner’s apprentice while living with his family at 77 Florin Street, Pendleton, Salford.
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Maj.
|
Gilmore
|
Alfred Edward
|
n/a
|
|
Alfred Edward Gilmore was born in London on 7 July 1865. He was the son of Mungo Smith Gilmore of the Bengal Civil Service and Charlotte Sophia Gilmore (née Blunt), the elder sister of the 7th Baronet Blunt. Alfred appears to have travelled to New Zealand as a young man where he met and married 20-year old Adeline Violet Howard Kerr-Taylor on 15 November 1894 in Auckland. The family story appears to be that Violet, as she seems to have been known, told her mother she was going shopping when in fact she went to marry Alfred. Some things though have crept into the family story down the years which don’t appear to be quite accurate, so this may be an embellishment. During the Second Boer War, Alfred returned to the UK with his family and obtained a commission as a 2/Lt in the Imperial Yeomanry on 3 April 1901. He served in South Africa for which he was awarded the Queen’s South Africa Medal with “Cape Colony” and “Orange Free State” clasps though resigned his commission after just four months on 8 August 1901. On 28 October 1908 he was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the RFA Territorial Force, serving in 2nd Wessex Ammunition Column until 20 August 1910 when he transferred into the 5th Hants Battery RFA TF. He joined 1st South Midland Bde RFA TF on 27 October 1910 and the following year, he and his family were living at Darley Dale, Libertus Road, Cheltenham. He was promoted to Captain on 13 June 1913. Immediately after war was declared he was embodied for service on 5 August 1914. He worked at the Territorial Force’s Administrative Centre and Depot at Dover between 20 November 1915 and 24 April 1917 and was described by his commanding officer as “a most efficient officer & capable administrator”. He was seconded for special duty in charge of artillery horse lines on 23 June 1917 and joined 315 (Army) Bde RFA three days later. He was posted to 58 Bde on 5 July 1917 but started to suffer from dermatitis in August 1917. He was promoted to Major on 6 October 1917, though was granted seniority dating back to 1 June 1916). He had leave to the UK between 28 September and 5 October 1917. Two months later, on 2 December 1917 he was examined by Lt Col H W Williams RAMC at No.7 Casualty Clearing Station who considered Alfred – then aged 53 – to be too old for duty in the line but “sound & fit for administrative work”. Three days later, on 5 December 1917, Alfred took a group of men to fetch remounts. He went on leave on 7 January 1918 and sailed from Boulogne to Folkestone the following day. Alfred had his leave extended because of the dermatitis and because he also sprained his ankle. His own doctor stated on 7 February 1918 that he was not yet fit to return to the front and recommended he be transferred to a home appointment and was struck off the strength of 58 Bde on 16 February 1918. He attended a medical board in the Military Hospital, GramMarch School, Aylesbury on 26 February 1918 which found that his dermatitis had cleared up but that he occasionally suffered from muscular rheumatism. The board declared him unfit for general service but fit for home service, a conclusion that was confirmed by another medical board held in the same hospital on 3 April 1918. Alfred was very keen to remain in employment and initially asked if he could serve in a Remount Depot or, failing that, as an Embarkation or Transport Officer. No post was available for him so he was transferred to the Territorial Force Reserve on 24 May 1918, a decision he sought, unsuccessfully to have over-turned pointing out that he was “willing to undertake employment of any kind” suitable to his “age and ability” and stressing the recommendation he had received from his former Commander Royal Artillery in 11th Division, Brig O de l’E Winter, for a post as a commandant of a prisoner of war camp. He remained though in the Reserve and was serving in 59th (3rd Home Counties) Bde RFA TF when, having attained the age limit, he retired on 28 September 1921. Alfred and Violet had four children, Edward Maurice Blunt Gilmore was born in New Zealand in 1899 and followed his father into the Army, Ronald Howard Gilmore who died young, Dennis Everard Gilmore who was born in 1907 and went into the church and Beatrice Violet Elizabeth Gilmore who was born in 1919 when Alfred was 54. In September 1939, Alfred and Violet were living at Elmdene, Exmouth, Devon and were still there when Alfred died on 15 November 1943.
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2/Lt.
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Glossop
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Charles
|
n/a
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A/58
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Born on 17 July 1884 in Arundel, Sussex, Charles Glossop was a Corporal in C Battery, RHA in 1911. He was based at Christchurch Barracks, Christchurch, Hants and had been married to Agnes Mary Glossop for less than a year. He was subsequently promoted to Sgt (service number 28437) and was serving in Q Battery RHA when he went to France on 11 November 1914. He was serving as the BSM of A/156 when he left that unit on 25 May 1916 to take up a commission which had been granted “for service in the field” on 16 May 1916. He was promoted to Lt on 26 November 1917 and was awarded the Military Cross (gazetted on 17 December 1917) “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in volunteering to go out beyond our outposts and along our most advanced positions and bringing back the first definite information as to our line, all under very heavy sniping fire. Later, when gassed, he refused to leave the battery, but sent others away who had been wounded and gassed. Another time he did excellent work as forward observation officer, getting back information by visual under machine-gun fire from both flanks and from aeroplanes.” It is not clear how soon after he was commissioned that he joined 58 Bde, but he was certainly a member of the unit by 5 October 1917 when he returned. He had another two weeks’ leave between 27 January and 13 February 1918 but was gassed soon after on 9 April 1918 along with many others. He reported to the Casualty Clearing Station and was struck off the strength of 58 Bde on 14 April 1918 having been “wounded gas” and was transferred back to the UK on 7 May 1918. After the war he served in the British Military Mission to South Russia as part of the doomed Allied support for the White Russians. He was made a temporary Captain “while acting as an instructor” from 4 August 1919, returning to be a Lt on ceasing to act as an instructor on 19 July 1920. For this service he received a bar to his Military Cross: “For conspicuous gallantry near Boutourlinovka, on 2nd October, 1919, when with the 2nd Battery, Don Horse Artillery Division, accompanied only by an interpreter, he rushed an enemy machine gun which was hindering the advance, and captured the gun and crew, thus enabling the advance to continue. Capt. Glossop has on other occasions shown marked gallantly and enterprise.” He was placed on the half-pay list on 17 October 1920 and retired on retired pay on 16 November 1920. On his 50th birthday, 17 July 1934, he reached the age when he was no longer liable to recall and so ceased to belong to the Reserve of Officers.
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Gnr.
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Glover
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Andrew
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84632
|
B/58
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Andrew Glover was serving in the RFA when he was posted overseas to Egypt in July 1915. Shortly afterwards he was serving as a Gunner in B/58 when he was reported to have been wounded in a telegram sent on 5 September 1915, though no date was given for when he had been wounded. At some point after that he transferred to the RGA and was assigned the new service number 201060. This may be the Gnr Glover who was reported to have taken part in an 11 Division Artillery boxing competition at Witley Camp in June 1915.
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Dvr.
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Goddard
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|
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B/58
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Driver Goddard won 2nd prize in the 11th (Northern) Division’s horse show class ‘RFA Jumping Competition with Led Horses’ on 29-30 June 1918.
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Gnr.
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Goldie
|
Robert
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142908
|
D/58
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Robert Goldie was born in Cockpen, Midlothian, in about 1896. His parents were William W and Helen C Goldie and in 1901 the family were living at 35 Polton Street, Bonnyrigg, Midlothian. Robert enlisted in Edinburgh and he was serving in D/58 on 23 August 1918 when he was helping get a wagon out of a ditch. An enemy aeroplane swooped and dropped 5 bombs on the party seeking to get it out, killing nine of them, including Robert, with a tenth later dying of wounds. Robert is buried in Hersin Communal Cemetery Extension, France.
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Gnr.
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Goodhind
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Joseph Henry
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10663
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A/58
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Joseph Henry Goodhind was born on 25 August 1890 in Bristol to Joseph and Susan Goodhind and was baptised on 14 September 1890 in St Philip and St Jacob’s Church, Bristol. Before the war he was living with his parents and sister, Mary Jane Goodhind, in 1 Tower St, Temple, Bristol, while working as a tinsmith in T S Hall’s factory. On 1 September 1914, he enlisted into the RFA at Bristol Recruitment Office No.2 and was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea. From there, he was posted to 184 Bty, which became A/58, on 2 September 1914. During training he was confined to barracks for 3 days by Maj Crozier for being absent from roll call on 27 January 1915. He appears to have served with A/58 while they were at Gallipoli, but must have left the brigade, most likely due to illness, in late 1915 or early 1916 because on 2 April 1916 he was posted to Base. This was probably the Base Depot in Egypt since records imply that he stayed in the Mediterranean war theatre for the rest of his service. Where he served for the following year is unclear, but on 29 October 1917 he was posted to A/54 Bde which had recently arrived in Egypt on its way to Palestine. He was again posted to Base on 21 July 1918, and from there to an unidentifiable unit on 26 July 1918 and then to 130 Bde Ammunition Column at Salonika on 15 November 1918, leaving on 20 December 1918 to return to the UK, arriving there on 30 December 1918. He was sent to Kitchener Military Hospital, Brighton to recuperate from illnesses that he had caught on active service. Joseph returned to live at 1 Tower Street and was awarded a pension of 5 shillings 6d a week from 23 May 1919 for at least 6 months due to debility from malaria and dysentery contracted during his service. He was formally demobbed on 31 March 1920 and his character was described as “v good”. After the war, Joseph married Edith Emily Welch in December 1921 (they had one son, Bertram John Goodhind) and he died in Bristol in 1974, aged 83.
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Sgt.
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Gorman
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John
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79013
|
A/58
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John Gorman was from Preston, Lancs. He was posted overseas, arriving in Egypt on about 12 July 1915. He was serving as a Sergeant in A/58 when he was awarded the Military Medal on 3 November 1918.
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Dvr.
|
Goulding
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Matthew
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4773
|
C/58
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Matthew Goulding was born in Wigan, Lancashire in 1891, the son of coal miner John Goulding and Catherine Goulding. in 1901, the family were living at 14 Lower Morris Street, Wigan. By 1911, his parents had both died and so he was living with his widowed aunt at 76 Corporation Street, Poolstock, Wigan and Matthew was working as a coal hewer’s trammer. He enlisted in Wigan and was serving with C/58 when he died on 15 August 1917 of wounds he had received. He is buried in Bard Cottage Cemetery, Belgium. His older brother, Anthony, had been killed two weeks earlier serving as a Gunner in 50 Battery RFA.
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Dvr.
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Grady
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John Murray
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93023
|
B/58
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John Murray Grady was born in Newton Mearns, near Glasgow in about 1887, the son of John and Annie Grady. In 1901 he was working as a bus conductor, aged 14. Thirteen years later he was working as a coachman when he enlisted into the RFA on 26 August 1914 in Glasgow. He went to No.6 Depot in Glasgow the next day and was posted as a Driver to 185 Battery on 14 September 1914. He contracted gonorrhoea and so spent 24 March until 12 April 1915 in Leeds Military Hospital. On 1 July 1915 he sailed with his battery (now renamed B/58) from Devonport, arriving in Alexandria on 14 July 1915. From there he sailed on 28 July 1915, landing on Gallipoli on 9 August 1915. On 9 December 1915 he was admitted to No.27 General Hospital at Mudros with sciatica and four days later on the 13th he was transferred to 11 Infantry Base Depot in Mudros, rejoining his unit back in Alexandria on 17 January 1916. He then sailed for France with his battery from Alexandria on 25 June 1916, arriving in Marseilles on 3 July 1916. He had 10 days’ leave to the UK between 11 and 21 May 1917. John was appointed A/Bdr on 21 August 1917 to replace Bdr Drinkwater and was promoted to Bdr on 8 September 1917. In January 1918 he spent a week in 1/1 North Midland Field Ambulance with scabies. He had 14 days’ leave to the UK from 5 February 1918, travelling via Boulogne, but then on 9 April 1918 he was wounded by gas and evacuated to No.7 General Hospital in St.Omer where his injury was regarded as mild. His wounding may have been worse than initially diagnosed because when he was transferred to No.2 Canadian General Hospital at Le Tréport on 17 April 1918 his injury was assessed as severe. From there he was evacuated back to the UK on the Auxiliary Transport “St David” on about 21 April 1918 and admitted to 1st Scottish General Hospital (also known as Oldmill Military Hospital) in Aberdeen on 24 April 1918. He had 1st degree burns to his scrotum and abdomen, a marked laryngitis cough and moderate expectorations. A week later his wounds had healed and he was discharged from the hospital on 10 June 1918 and given 10 days’ leave. He reported to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot at Hipswill Camp, Catterick on 20 June 1918 where he said he was suffering from photophobia, dyspnoea, cough and pain in his chest. He was examined on 22 June 1918 where his heart and lungs appeared normal but was categorised Class IIB. Five days later his condition had improved a little so he was reclassed as IIA. On 6 September 1918 he was sufficiently recovered that he was discharged to draft and so was posted a week later to 5C Reserve Bde on 13 September 1918, joining 50 (Reserve) Battery at Charlton Park. The day after the Armistice he missed the 1.45 p.m. parade for which he was reprimanded – seemingly the only time he got into trouble, his character being described when he was demobilised as “very good”. He was sent to the Dispersal Centre at Georgetown, near Paisley for demobilisation on 5 February 1919 and was demobilised on 3 April 1919. After the war he returned to live in Newton Mearns.
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Bdr.
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Grafton
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|
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A/58
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Bdr Grafton successfully completed a signalling course on 22 March 1917 at the XIII Corps school and was certified as a 1st class signaller.
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2/Lt.
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Graham
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Richard Thorley
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n/a
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C/58
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Richard Thorley Graham was born on 18 July 1884 in Huddersfield, Yorks, the son of Richard Hewley Graham and Frances Mary Graham. His father died the following year and by 1891, his mother and her children were living at 13 Goldington Road, Bedford. Richard attended Bedford GramMarch School and then worked as a telegraphist. In 1914 he was working for the Eastern Telegraph Company as a cable telegraphist on the Azores. He returned to the UK on the “Drina” sailing from Lisbon to Southampton where it docked on 2 May 1916 and sought a commission in the artillery so enlisted at Whitehall in London on 14 August 1916 and was posted that day to the Royal Horse Artillery Officer Cadet Unit at St. John’s Wood, London from where he was commissioned into the RFA Special Reserve on 18 December 1916. He was then sent to France where he was posted from the Base to 11 Division Ammunition Column on 10 March 1917. On 24 June 1917 he was attached to 2nd Army Artillery School for a course of instruction and on his return he was posted to C/58 on 19 July 1917. He was wounded, but remained on duty, on 22 August 1917 and a month later was wounded for a second time on 22 September 1917, this time with a gunshot wound to his face. He was admitted to 1/2 Highland Field Ambulance the following day and was also treated at No.20 General Hospital in Camiers before being sent to Base Details at Etaples on 29 September 1917. On 7 October 1917 he returned to C/58. Along with Capt. Bird, he was selected to go to Royal Artillery V Corps on 2 December 1917, and Richard was attached to No.22 Veterinary Hospital to attend the 10th Course of veterinary instruction so left 58 Brigade the following day and was struck off its strength. He was promoted to Lt on 18 June 1918. He acted as an adjutant and so was appointed an acting Captain between 8 September 1918 and 15 March 1919. He was serving in one of the Light Divisions (either the 14th or 20th Divisions) when he disembarked at Folkestone on 2 April 1919 and was demobilised the following day. He resigned his commission on 10 July 1919 and was granted the rank of Captain. The following day he boarded the SS “Melita” in Liverpool to emigrate to Canada to become a fruit farmer in Kelowna, British Columbia. The ship arrived in Quebec on 20 July 1919. On 25 July 1928, he married Janet Eileen Victoria Moodie in Summerland, British Columbia. Richard became a Canadian citizen and he and Janet sailed on the “Queen Mary” from New York to Southampton where they arrived on 16 April 1956 to spend four months in Horney Common, Sussex. Richard Graham died on 9 August 1970 in Kelowna.
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2/Lt.
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Graham-Clarke
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Leonard Warre
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n/a
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|
Leonard Warre Graham-Clarke was born in June 1872 in Frocester Manor, Stonehouse, Glos, to Leonard John and Flora Eliza Graham-Clarke. He was educated at Malvern College. It is unclear when he moved to Ceylon [Sri Lanka] but he worked there as a tea planter and served there as a police magistrate for 9 years. During the South African War, he served in the Ceylon Mounted Infantry in 1900-1901 and after that in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Own Volunteer Rifles. In 1905 when returning to the UK from Natal, South Africa, his profession was given as “Mounted Police”. The following year he married Evelyn Mary Jenner Davies of Stonehouse, Glos in the church of St Michael’s and All Angels, Columbo on 24 October 1906. Leonard was living in Ambalangoda, Ceylon [Sri Lanka] at the time. In 1912, Leonard, his brother and a number of others were each bequeathed £500 in the will of a Mrs Louisa Darell Brown. Although he was then aged 43, he returned to the UK in February 1916 to apply for a commission. This required him to take leave from the company he worked for – who would only grant him 12 months leave – and give up an annual income of £1200. He applied for a commission in the cavalry on 24 February 1916 and was instructed to report to the Cavalry Cadet Squadron at Netheravon on 18 March 1916. He was subsequently commissioned into the Reserve Cavalry as a temporary 2/Lt on 24 July 1916 and was posted to the 5th Reserve Regiment of Cavalry, joining them on 31 July 1916. He was posted to France, arriving there on 18 December 1916. He was serving in 6th Reserve Regiment of Dragoons and was confirmed in his rank on 21 December 1916. He was attached to the RFA and appointed a staff officer to 11 Division Artillery on 23 December 1916 and was assigned for duty with artillery horse lines. He was admitted to No.2 Stationary Hospital with myalgia on 9 February 1917 and from there to Officers’ Convalescent Hospital in Dieppe, returning to the division on 13 March 1917. He was granted leave between 16 and 26 March 1917 and a few days after his return he was attached to 58 Bde on 1 April 1917 where he served as Wagon Line Officer. He performed well but his personal circumstances forced him at about that time to apply to return to Ceylon, either to re-join the Ceylon Mounted Rifles or to resign his commission. His company were refusing to grant him an extension to his leave and so his position and pension were under threat. His application was supported by Brigadier Lamont, the Commander Royal Artillery for 11th (Northern) Division. He was granted 3 months leave to Ceylon during which his application was successful and so he relinquished his commission on 25 May 1917, being granted the honorary rank of 2/Lt. After the war, his wife Evelyn petitioned in 1921 for “restitution of conjugal rights” but in 1923 filed for divorce. That year Leonard was living at Glanrhôs, Llanwrthwl, Rhayader, Radnorshire. In 1924 Leonard re-married, marrying May Lindsay Jackson in St George’s church, Hanover Square, London. In 1927 he and May returned from a trip to Madeira. At the time he was described as a landowner and was still living in Rhayader. In September 1939 he and May were staying in Oswald’s Hotel, Palermo Road, Torquay, Devon. By 1947 he and May were living at Wester Kinloch House, Blairgowrie, Perthshire when he died in Torquay on 19 December 1950, aged 78.
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Gnr.
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Gray
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Arthur Edward
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3631
|
C/58
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Arthur Edward Gray was born in about 1892, the son of Walter George Gray and Margaret Gray (née Slade). Arthur enlisted into the Army and was posted to the Balkans theatre of war, arriving there on about 9 July 1915. He married a widow, Ellen Maud Ralph (née Harrison) in Tooting parish church on 11 December 1917 and they had a son, Malcolm Walter Arthur Gray, who was born on 23 September 1918, but unfortunately Ellen died very shortly afterwards. Arthur and his father were absent from their home at 1 Broadwater Cottages, Garratt Lane, SW17 for the October 1918 election, and Arthur was said to be serving with C/58 at the time. After being demobilised, Arthur remarried, this time to Ada Elizabeth Tilley in the parish church, Merton, Surrey on 31 January 1920. They had a daughter, Patricia Maud Gray, and the three of them and Arthur’s son Malcolm were living at 128 Cromwell Road, Hounslow in 1921 and Arthur was working as a motor driver for Mann Crossmans, Twickenham. Arthur Gray may have died in 1927, aged 34.
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Dvr.
|
Gray
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William
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51498
|
B/58
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William Gray was born in Liverpool. He enlisted in Preston and was posted to France, arriving on about 11 March 1915. William married Matilda Uren in Essex on 3 November 1915 and they had a son, William Joseph Gray who was born on 25 July 1916. A year later, William was serving as a Driver in B/58 in the Ypres salient when he died on 8 August 1917 of wounds he had received. He is buried in Brandhoek New Military Cemetery, Belgium.
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Gnr.
|
Greaves
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Benjamin
|
20890
|
C/58
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Benjamin Greaves was born on 29 August 1894 in South Bank, Yorks, the son of Thomas (Tom) Greaves and Zephra (Zeph) Greaves, née Jinks. Before the war Benjamin worked as a ship’s painter in Smith’s Dock Company Ltd, North Shields. Shortly after war was declared, he enlisted into the RFA in South Bank on 4 September 1914 and was posted initially to No.1 Depot at Newcastle-upon-Tyne. From there he was posted to 60 Bde RFA on 12 September 1914 and was assigned to 192 Battery which was subsequently renamed as C/60. He went overseas with his battery sailing from Devonport of 4 July 1915, arriving in Egypt on 19 July 1915. In 1916 he was posted to B/60 and was subsequently posted to C/58 on 2 April 1917. He was one of the many casualties 58 Bde suffered from intense gas attacks in April 1918 and was admitted to No.22 General Hospital at Dannes Camiers on 10 April 1918 with gas poisoning. He was then evacuated back to the UK and admitted to Mersey Park Hospital, Birkenhead. He was discharged from that hospital on 15 June 1918 and given 10 days’ leave. He reported to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick on 24 June 1918. He was examined the following day where his heart sounded loud and rapid but his lungs appeared normal. He complained of suffering from dyspnoea, some dyspepsia and a pain in his chest. He was classed as IIB and a month later as IIA. On 6 August 1918 he was classed as I so was discharged ten days after that to draft and was was posted to 50 (Reserve) Battery. Benjamin was serving in 49 (Reserve) Battery, when he was sent to the Clipstone Dispersal Centre on 20 January 1919 from which he was demobilised on 18 February 1919, with his character being described as “very good”. Following his demobilisation, he returned to the family home at 10 Miles Street, South Bank and was paid a weekly pension of 5s 6d which was to be reviewed after 6 months. By 1922 he was living at 50 Codd Street, South Bank. He was single when he left the Army but in September 1939 he was described as a widower. At that time he appeared to be boarding in a house in Surrey Street, Eston, Yorks, and was working as a dockyard painter. It is possible that he subsequently married his, also widowed, landlady Louisa A Grafton since she was later known as Louisa A Greaves. Ben Greaves had been living at 3 Bangor Close, Eston, Teeside when he died on 7 August 1974, aged 79.
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Fitter
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Griffin
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David
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79407
|
B/58
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Born in 1895 in Chalford, Glos, David Griffin was the son of Francis (Frank) Edward and Kate Elizabeth Griffin. Before the war he worked as a turner and fitter at the JES Motor Works, Worcester Street, Gloucester, whose owner described him as competent and trustworthy. He enlisted in Bristol on 12 August 1914 claiming to be 21 years old, though he was in fact 18 or 19. He was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea and then on 4 February 1915 to B/78 at Swanage as a fitter. Two weeks later he went absent without leave for 10 days. He was then posted to 68 Bde Ammunition Column at Bulford on 20 March 1915. He sailed from Avonmouth on 17 June 1915, disembarking in Alexandria on 5 July 1915. He re-embarked at Alexandria on 11 October 1915, arriving at Salonika on 15 October 1915. He was admitted to 4 Canadian General Hospital due to an injury to his legs on 17 December 1915. Soon after this he caught influenza on 27 December 1915 and so he was sent on Hospital Ship “Dunluce Castle” to Malta, where he was admitted to St David’s Hospital, Malta on 27 January 1916. He was transferred to All Saints Convalescent Camp, Malta, on 17 March 1916. He was posted to the Base Depot at Sidi Bishr in Egypt and from there he was posted to B/58 on 5 April 1916. From Egypt he would have travelled with 58 Bde to France in July 1916. He was killed in action on 25 October 1916 aged 21 and he is buried in Courcelette British Cemetery, France.
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Maj.
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Griffin
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Peter Gerald
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n/a
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OC D/58
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Peter Gerald Griffin was born on 29 June 1878 in Altavilla, Rathkeale, Co. Limerick. Between October 1895 and 1898 he served as an officer in the Limerick City Artillery (Militia), first as a Lt then as a temporary Capt. He then moved to India and served in the Northern Bengal Mounted Rifles between 1898 and 1909. While in India he married Cara Lillian Ponsonby on 3 January 1907, they had 5 children. He left the military when he left India in 1909 and became a gentleman farmer. On 27 August 1914 he applied for a Commission in the Special Reserve and was appointed a Captain in the RFA. He served at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli with 57 (Howitzer) Bde RFA, part of 10th (Irish) Division and on 3 November 1915, he was commanding A/57 there when he was admitted to 35 Field Ambulance with jaundice, so was evacuated off the peninsular on 7 November 1915. On 12 January 1916 he boarded SS “Kaiser-i-Hind” at Malta to travel to Egypt “to join unit at own request and own expense”. His journey appears to have been a long one since he disembarked in Alexandria at the start of March from a different ship, the HT “Kyarra”. Instead of rejoining 57 Bde, he appears to have joined 133 Bde RFA and served in “the desert East of Suez Canal”. He was commanding A/133 when the brigade sailed on the HMT “Minnewaska” from Alexandria on 28 June 1916, arriving in Marseilles on 2 July 1916. On 29 November 1916, and by now a Major, Peter Griffin took over command of D/58, probably on transfer from A/133 when it was split up and its personnel distributed across 58 Bde. He returned from leave on 7 January 1917 and took over temporary command of the brigade from Maj Hutton. He again took over command of the brigade on 27 January 1917 when Lt Col Winter went on a special mission. On 13 February 1917 he took over command of C/58 and was officially appointed Lt Col Winter’s replacement whenever Winter was away. He contracted bronchitis following influenza and left 58 Bde on 2 March 1917 and sailed on 12 March 1917 on “Princess Elizabeth” from Boulogne, arriving at Dover same day, and was admitted to the Russian Hospital, London. On 17 April 1917 he was posted to 65 Division Artillery in Kildare, Ireland, because he was only fit for light duties. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order in the King’s Birthday Honours on 5 June 1917, being described as “late C/58”. He was twice Mentioned in Dispatches, on 4 January 1917 and on 18 May 1917. After the war he was serving in 140 Bty, 16 Bde, RFA in Palestine when he died of heart failure while playing polo on 26 March 1921, aged 43. He was pronounced dead in Palestine General Hospital Ludd. At the time, his wife Cara was living in the old family home of Altavilla and in 1927 she applied for a Kitchener Scholarship for their son; by that point she was living in Dollar, Clackmannanshire.
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2/Lt.
|
Griffiths
|
Edward
|
n/a
|
D/58
|
Edward Griffiths was born on 3 January 1889 in Ludlow, Salop, the son of William Powell Griffiths and Fannie Griffiths. He attended Clyde House School in Hereford and in 1911 was working as a butcher in Pontypool, Monmouthshire. He enlisted into the RFA on 26 August 1914 in Newport, Monmouthshire and was assigned the service number 92577. He was posted initially to No.2 Depot at Preston as a driver and from there to 175 Battery RFA, part of 10th (Irish) Division on 4 September 1914. He was appointed A/Bdr on 14 November 1914 and promoted to Bdr on 21 January 1915 at about the time his battery was renamed as A/55. He was promoted to Cpl on 13 April 1915 and sailed with his brigade to Egypt on 7 July 1915. During the voyage he was promoted to Sgt on 12 July 1915 and the brigade arrived in Alexandria, Egypt on 21 July 1915. He sailed from Alexandria on 9 August 1915 but did not disembark at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli until 9 September 1915. He was admitted to hospital on 8 November 1915 before being evacuated back to Alexandria on the Hospital Ship “Dover Castle” on 16 November 1915 and was admitted on 21 November 1915 to No.21 General Hospital in Alexandria with jaundice. On 14 January 1916 he was evacuated back to the UK on Hospital Ship “Essequibo” and was admitted to No.2 Birmingham War Hospital on 26 January 1916 with a possible changed diagnosis of enteric fever. For administrative purposes he was posted at that time to 5C Reserve Bde. On 23 June 1916 he was posted to the Royal Artillery and Royal Engineers Depot at Ripon where he stayed until 2 November 1916 when he joined the Headingley Detachment of 2C Reserve Bde. Towards the end of 1916 he applied for a commission and was posted to the Officers’ Cadet School at Exeter on 2 February 1917. He was commissioned as a 2/Lt in the RFA Special Reserve on 6 May 1917 and was sent to France to the Base Depot. From there he was posted on 2 July 1917 to 11 Division Ammunition Column and was then posted to B/58 on 12 July 1917 but was attached the same day to D/58. He was court-martialled for “conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline” on 17 September 1917, for which he received a reprimand. On the first day of the Battle of Broodseinde, 4 October 1917, he acted as D/58’s Forward Observation Officer and then had leave in the UK between 10 and 26 October 1917. On 23 November 1917 he was formally posted to D/58 and was then a candidate for 11 Division’s Commander Royal Artillery’s “examination of 2/Lts for promotion (1st sitting)” on 16 December 1917. He went on leave to the UK on 29 January 1918 returning on 14 February 1918. On 11 May 1918 he and 16 “other ranks” went to 1 Army Royal Artillery Rest Camp for a week. He attended a 2 day camouflage course at Wimereux and so was absent from the brigade between 28 July and 3 August 1918. Then on 26 August 1918, soon after the “100 days” began, he was part of a mobile battery (“A” 58 Mobile Battery) which the brigade assembled. During another fortnight’s leave to the UK between 14 and 28 October 1918 he rejoined 58 Bde from the mobile battery but soon after was admitted to No.8 British Red Cross Hospital in Boulogne with influenza. While in hospital his promotion to Lt came through on 6 November 1918 and he was discharged from hospital back to duty on 10 November 1918, just one day before the Armistice. He left the brigade on 27 January 1919 and sailed from Dieppe back to the UK for demobilisation on 31 January 1919. He went to No.2 Dispersal Unit at Prees Heath where he was demobilised on 2 February 1919.
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Bdr.
|
Griffiths
|
|
|
A/58?
|
Bdr Griffiths was one of the witnesses to Gnr George McGuire (93021) being absent overnight on 5 June 1915 at Milford Camp.
|
Lt.
|
Grinley
|
Geoffrey Chapman
|
n/a
|
C/58
|
Geoffrey Chapman Grinley was born on 30 November 1888 in Bromley, Kent. He joined the territorial cavalry regiment, 2/County of London Yeomanry, on 19 June 1908, aged 22, and was given service number 384. Five years later he was a Sgt in the regiment. After war was declared, he applied for a temporary commission on 8 October 1914, and was commissioned into the RFA on 25 January 1915. He was serving with 58 Bde by 1 July 1915 when he embarked on SS “Knight Templar” at Devonport with the brigade, arriving in Alexandria on 14 July 1915. He was granted the temporary rank of Lt on 1 July 1916 and was serving in C/58 when he sailed with the brigade on the “Kingstonian” from Alexandria on 25 June 1916, arriving in Marseilles on 2 July 1916. Lt Grinley returned to 58 Bde from leave on 26 October 1916. He rejoined B/58 on 21 January 1917. Capt Grinley went on 10 days’ leave on 14 February 1917 “on special grounds”, returning on 27 February 17. He was promoted to A/Maj to command B/58 from 18 April 1917, but only eight days later he received a flesh wound on 26 April 1917 from an enemy 4.2″ high explosive shell on his way back from an observation post with 2/Lt Stanley Taylor (also of B/58) who was similarly wounded. They were both evacuated to a Casualty Clearing Station. He had suffered a ‘gunshot wound’ near Ecoust, France, and was admitted to 2/2 West Riding Field Ambulance. As a result, he relinquished his temporary rank of Major on ceasing to command a 6 gun battery on 28 April 1917. He was transferred to England on Hospital Ship “Western Australia” on 15 May 1917. In a letter of 25 June 1917, Capt Roberts, formerly of D/58, said that he had recently heard from Grinley who was recuperating in Cornwall and should be fit again soon. On 19 September 1917 he married Eleanor Gertrude Baxter in Chiddingfold, Surrey. His home address at the time was given as The Cottage, Mayfield Rd, Sutton. He was finally declared fit on 17 December 1918 and was reinstated as an A/Major and was posted to 342 Bde at Brooke, Norfolk. In 1930 he was living at Claremont, Farnborough, and two years later he sailed to Lisbon, being described as an insurance official. He died in 1974.
|
Dvr.
|
Guise
|
William Harold
|
11139
|
A/58
|
William Harold Guise was born in Droitwich, Worcs, on 12 September 1889, the son of bricklayer and plasterer Henry Guise and Eliza Guise. In 1911 he was working as a domestic groom in Snelston, Ashbourne, Derbyshire. He was still working as a groom three years later (though perhaps not still in Snelston) when he enlisted in Rugby on 4 September 1914. He was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea and from there to 184 Bty on 5 September 1914, which became A/58. His subsequent service becomes hard to determine. He stayed in the Mediterranean theatre of war from 2 July 1915 for 1 year and 90 days, so probably sailed with A/58 to Egypt and Gallipoli before at some point being transferred to another unit. He returned to the UK in September 1916 and then spent at least two spells in France (one of which began on 25 June 1917) as well as at some point being posted to F Battery, No.7 Depot and 51st Reserve Battery at Charlton Park, Wilts. He was demobilised on 12 March 1919 and was granted a small pension due to malaria he had contracted on active service until the start of 1922. William was working as a nightwatchman and living at 38 Miller Street, Droitwich when he married Edith Annie Priddey on 13 January 1923 in St, Nicholas church, Droitwich. They had a son, Roger Guise, who was born on 19 April 1924 and the three of them and Edith’s xxx were living at 39 Manning Road, Droitwich in September 1939 and William was working as a head hotel hall porter. William Guise died, aged 90, in Droitwich in 1980.
|
Sgt.
|
Gunson
|
John Charles
|
20605
|
C/58
|
John Charles Gunson was born on 22 February 1895 in Walkley, near Sheffield, Yorks, to Sidney Littlewood Gunsonyand Elizabeth Gunson. He was working as a groom when he enlisted aged 19 in Sheffield on 5 September 1914 and was posted initially to No.1 Depot, Newcastle. From there he was posted to 60 Bde RFA Ammunition Column and was transferred from there to the new D/60 on 22 January 1915. He was appointed A/Bdr on 26 June 1915 and confirmed in rank on 15 October 1915. Along with the rest of his battery he was posted to form the new C/133 on 26 April 1916. On 23 March 1917 he was serving as a Cpl in C/58 when he neglected some duty so was reprimanded by his battery commander, Capt Franklin, the following day. He was appointed A/Sgt in January 1918 and replaced as Cpl by Albert Johnson. In about April of that year he was wounded and was admitted to No.1 Australian General Hospital and was sent then to a camp in Boulogne. When he was demobilised at the North Camp, Ripon on 26 March 1919, he gave his unit as C/58 so it is unclear whether or not he returned to his battery. John had married Ann Gillott in St. Mary’s church Walkley on 9 February 1918 and in 1921 they and their 9 month old daughter, Margaret Gunson were living at 60 Hoole Street, Walkley and John was working as a warehouseman for the wholesale grocers, Nichols and Co. of Sheffield. Ann appears to have died in 1932, do in 1937 John married Gladys Gee in Sheffield. He was living with Gladys and three sons, Geoffrey (born in 1922), John (born in 1925) and Ernest B Gunson (b in 1930) at 58 Fieldhead Road, Sheffield and John was working as a contractor for Public Works at the time. John Gunson died in 1961.
|
Gnr.
|
Hadfield
|
Fred
|
214520
|
|
Fred Hadfield was born in Ashton inder Lyne, Lancashire on 3 December 1897. He enlisted into the RFA on 3 March 1917 when he was about 19 years old. Fred was wounded in about August 1918 and was serving with 58 Bde the following year when he was discharged from the Army on 30 May 1919 aged 21 as being no longer fit for military service due to wounds received. He returned to live at 36 Park Parade, Ashton under Lyne and was awarded a Silver War Badge and a weekly pension of 27 shillings 6d from 31 May 1919 for at least 6 months. In 1921 he was still living at 36 Park Parade with his parents, James Howard Hadfield and Mary Hadfield and he was working as a motor mechanic at a Discharged Soldiers Training Centre in Manchester. He married Polly Warburton in 1922 and they had at least four children. The six of them were living at 38 Park Parade, Ashton under Lyne in September 1939 and Fred was working as a furniture remover motor driver, Fred died in Ashton under Lyne in 1971, aged 73.
|
Dvr.
|
Hall
|
William George
|
170618
|
A/58
|
William George Hall was a farm labourer from Wisbech, Cambs who had been born in November 1890. On 3 January 1914, he married Elizabeth May Green-Smith in Lincoln. He attested on 5 June 1916 in Wisbech aged 25 while living at 2 Whitby St, Wisbech. He was mobilised 19 September 1916 and was posted to 4C Reserve Bde on 22 September 1916. He was posted to France on 3 January 1917 and joined A/58. Six months later he was severely wounded, receiving wounds in his legs, face, chest and abdomen and so was admitted to No.4 General Hospital on 15 July 1917 and needed to have his right leg amputated. He attended a review of his disability at Charterhouse Military Hospital, London EC1, and was discharged from the Army on 4 October 1918, being described as being of very good character. He was awarded a Silver War Badge and a pension starting the following day of 27 shillings 6d a week, which would then drop to 22 shillings on 7 January 1919 and would then be reviewed after 26 weeks. In September 1939, he, Elizabeth and their children were living at 12 Burcroft Road, Wisbech and William was working as a box maker and was described as a disabled pensioner. William Hall appears to have died in the Spring of 1942.
|
Gnr.
|
Hambleton
|
Philip Edward
|
12218
|
C/58
|
Philip Edward Hambleton was born in in 1892 in Cadoxton, Barry, Glam, to Charles and Angelina Hambleton. His father was a butcher. In 1911, Philip worked as a biller at the New Theatre Royal in Barry. He enlisted early in the war and was serving with C/58 in Gallipoli when he was wounded and evacuated to Malta. He died there on 8 December 1915 and is buried in the Pietà Military Cemetery. Two of his brothers also served in the Army, one also being killed, Cpl Sydney Charles Hambleton of 16th Welsh (Cardiff City) battalion who died in July 1916, while the other, Frederick served with the Welsh Guards and survived.
|
Bdr.
|
Hammon
|
Reginald Arthur
|
122230
|
C/58
|
Reginald Arthur Hammon was born in Smeeth, Kent on 5 December 1891, the eldest of the three children of Arthur Edwin Hammon and Rose Emily Hammon (née Hoile). In 1911, the family were living at The Laurels, Sellindge, Hythe, Kent and Reginald was working on his father’s farm. Reginald enlisted into the RFA and was serving as an Acting Bombardier in C/58 when he was gassed on 16 September 1917. He was evacuated back to the UK and admitted to 5th Southern General Hospital, Portsmouth on 17 November 1917. From there he went to Northwood House Voluntary Aid Detachment Hospital, Cowes, Isle of Wight for further recuperation before being discharged on 10 December 1917. After probably ten days’ leave, he reported to Hipswell Camp, part of the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick and was examined there on 21 December 1917 where the effect of the lethal gas had primarily affected his stomach, causing gastritis. He was classed as IIB until 27 February 1918 when he was reclassed as IIA. A month later he was classed as I so was discharged to draft on 17 April 1918. He survived the war and in late 1919, married Maggie K Wiseman in East Ashford, Kent. In September 1939, Reginald and Maggie were living in Rushbrooke Cottage, West Ashford, Kent and Reginald was working as a head cowman at the time. Reginald Hammon died in Ashford, Kent on 27 August 1978, aged 86.
|
S/S.
|
Hammond
|
Ernest
|
11248
|
B/58
|
Ernest Hammond was born in St Phillip’s, Bristol in about 1891. He was employed as an ironworker building railway wagons for the Bristol Wagon Works Company [presumably Bristol Wagon & Carriage Works Co.] before the war. He enlisted soon after war was declared and was posted to No.3 RFA Depot at Hilsea on 5 September 1914. From there he was posted to 58 Bde at Leeds on 13 September 1914. He suffered a compound fracture to the maxillary bone in his face so stayed in Leeds Military Hospital between 5 March and 12 April 1915. A few weeks after returning to duty he joined the Brigade Ammunition Column as a Driver on 21 June 1915. The following year while in Egypt after the withdrawal from Gallipoli, he was appointed a Shoeing Smith in D/58 on 12 February 1916 so was in that battery when it was transferred to become the new A/133 Howitzer Bde on 26 April 1916. He was posted back to 58 Bde later that year when A/133 was broken up, joining B/58 on 4 December 1916. He was allocated a place on a course for blacksmiths at the Corps Royal Engineers’ Workshops at St Amand, starting on 5 January 1919, but a few days beforehand he suffered a crushed foot when a 14lb hammer fell on his right foot on 21 December 1918. He attended No.33 Casualty Clearing Station and No.26 General Hospital before being evacuated back to the UK and being admitted to Essex County Hospital in Colchester on 7 January 1919 where he stayed until 16 February 1919. On that day he was transferred to East Leeds War Hospital, Leeds ready for dispersal which took place a few days later, following a Medical Board held at that hospital on 24 February 1919. The board reported that his foot appeared to be recovering well and awarded him a £35 gratuity for his injury. He was demobilised on 25 March 1919. After leaving the Army he was living at 2 Mill Street, Marsh Lane, Leeds and was awarded a pension of 8 shillings 3d a week from 28 March 1919.
|
Gnr.
|
Hammond
|
Richard Gregory
|
10640
|
C/58
|
Richard Gregory Hammond was born on 11 November 1896. He enlisted into the RFA in Nuneaton on1 September 1914 and was posted to No.3 Depot RFA at Hilsea. He was posted to 186 Battery (later renamed as C/58) on 10 September 1914 and was posted overseas, arriving in Egypt on about 14 July 1915. After the withdrawl from Gallipoli, he was still serving in C/58 when he was admitted to No.19 General Hospital, Alexandria, Egypt on 3 March 1916 with pleurisy. He was transferred to Convalescent Depot Mustapha at Zahrieh Camp on 22 March 1916. He was discharged from the Army on 31 May 1920 but re-enlisted at Coventry into the Pioneer Corps on 19 March 1940 and was posted to No.4 Centre. On 1 April 1940 he was posted to 92 Company and appointed an Unpaid Lance Corporal on 9 May 1940. He was posted to 122 Company on 18 June 1940 and appointed Acting Corporal on 3 July 1940, a rank that was made substantive on 1 October 1940. He was then posted to 237 Company on 21 January 1941 and discharged the same day due to no longer being able to fulfil Army Medical Requirements.
|
Bdr.
|
Hancock
|
George Edmund
|
11053
|
A/58
|
George Edmund Hancock was born in Walton, Leics in about 1893. He was the son of Edmund and Caroline Hancock and in 1911 was working as a farm labourer. Shortly after war was declared he enlisted into the RFA in Rugby, Warks, probably in early September 1914. He may have been serving in 58 Bde when he was posted overseas to Egypt in July 1915 and was certainly serving in A/58 when he became sick with gastro-entiritis in February 1916. He was serving as a Corporal in X/11 Trench Mortar Battery when he was killed in action on 4 June 1917 while serving in the north-east of Kemmel in the Ypres salient. George Hancock is buried in La Laiterie Military Cemetery, Belgium alongside 2/Lt Vivian Sylvester Moses who had also transferred to the Trench Mortars from 58 Bde and who was killed on the same day.
|
Dvr.
|
Hannah
|
Robert
|
109016
|
|
Robert Hannah was serving with 58 Bde when the absent voters list for Dundee was compiled in the autumn of 1918. His home address was 50 Hill St, Dundee.
|
Gnr.
|
Hardiman
|
Thomas George
|
10546
|
C/58
|
Thomas George Hardiman was born in Hastings, Sussex, in 1893 to Stephen and Mary Hardiman. In 1901 the family had moved to Bedworth, Warks, to live with Thomas’s uncle Joseph Hardiman who ran the “Haunch of Venison” public House on the High St in Bedworth. Thomas’s father Stephen worked as a coachman. In 1911 Thomas was still in Bedworth and was working as a miner (filler). He enlisted in Coventry soon after war was declared, served in the Mediterranean theatre of war – probably at Gallipoli with 58 Bde – and was serving in C/58 when he was killed in action on 21 October 1916. He is buried in Serre Road Cemetery No.2, Somme, France.
|
Gnr.
|
Hardman
|
Albert
|
3243
|
Bde HQ
|
Albert Hardman was born in Dymock, Glos in about 1893. In 1911 he was aged 18 and was working as a railway porter and living as a boarder in the house of 20 year-old Charles Morgan and Charles’s 22 year-old sister, Louisa. Albert married Louisa Morgan in St. John the Baptist church, Gloucester on 15 April 1915 and they had a daughter, Irene Mary Hardman on 18 October 1915. He was living in 4 Alvin St, Gloucester, when he enlisted on 7 June 1915 in Gloucester into the Territorial Force and joined the yeomanry regiment, the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars as a private with service number 3078. He was appointed an unpaid L/Cpl on 16 September 1915. His wife was awarded a separation allowance of 14/5 and in addition he allotted 3/6 of his pay to her. On 14 March 1916, he transferred to the RFA as a gunner, joining 1st South Midland (Gloucestershire) Bde. At some point he agreed to serve overseas and so on 9 August 1916 he joined 1 Territorial Base Depot, Rouen. From there he was posted to the base depot in Le Havre on 7 October 1916 and shortly afterwards on 18 October 1916 he was posted to 11 Division Artillery. He was allocated to HQ 58 Bde on 24 October 1916 but was mortally wounded by gunshot wounds in his right side the next day, dying later that same day at 9 Casualty Clearing Station. He is buried in Contay British Cemetery, France. His widow, Louisa, and their daughter lived at 23 Norfolk St, Gloucester, but moved in about 1918 to 85 Theresa St, Gloucester. She was awarded a widow’s pension of 18/9 with effect from 14 May 1917.
|
Cpl.
|
Hardy
|
Arthur
|
47292
|
B/58
|
Arthur Hardy was the son of Mrs Emma Hardy of Leicester. He was born in about 1884. He was serving with B/58 on 2 January 1917 when he was awarded the Military Medal (award gazetted on 19 February 1917). He was awarded a bar to his Military Medal on 2 November 1917 by which point he had been promoted to Sgt, but a month later while serving with 504 Bty in 65 Bde RFA he was killed in action on 5 December 1917, aged 33. He is buried at Fins New British Cemetery, Sorel-le-Grand.
|
Bdr.
|
Hargist
|
|
|
B/58?
|
Bdr Hargist was one of the witnesses to Dvr Ernest Ballard (10994) being absent from roll call between 18 and 19 January 1915.
|
2/Lt.
|
Harmer
|
Frank Lewis
|
n/a
|
|
Frank Lewis Harmer was born in Brixton, London on 18 June 1895, the son of Robert Charles Harmer and Rachel Harmer (née Levy). The family were living at 39 Holland Road shortly after his birth. His father died when Frank was three years old, and so when Frank was 15 he was already working as a clerk in an auctioneer and surveyor’s firm. He joined the RFA Territorial Force and was assigned service number 837. He was serving as a Sergeant when he went to France on 16 March 1915 but three months later he was commissioned as a temporary 2/Lt on 30 July 1915. He was serving in 46 Division when he was posted to A/133 Bde RFA with effect from 30 August 1916 and joined 58 Bde during the reorganisation of 29 November 1916 when A/133 was split up and distributed across the various batteries of 58 Bde, but a few days later he was posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column on 2 December 1916. On 1 July 1917 he was appointed a temporary Lieutenant. In 1918 he applied for a commission in the Regular Army and this was granted, with his seniority as a Lieutenant back-dated to 20 April 1916. Between 8 August and 7 September 1918 he was attached to A Signals Service. After the Armistice he was appointed an Acting Captain while 2nd in Command of a battery on 21 November 1918, a rank he relinquished on 6 June 1919, though during this period he was formally promoted to Lieutenant. He appears to have remained in the Army because on 7 October 1924 he married Beatrice Mary Nicholl in St Saviour’s Church, Chelsea at which time he was described as a Lieutenant in the RFA and was living in the Royal Artillery Mess in Woolwich. Frank was promoted to Captain on 19 February 1929 but died the following year on 27 January 1930 and is buried in Aldershot Military Cemetery, Hants.
|
Dvr.
|
Harris
|
Frederick Thomas
|
10607
|
B/58
|
Frederick Thomas Harris was born in 1885 in Tatworth, near Chard, Somerset. He worked as a labourer and married Elizabeth Knight in Chard on 11 September 1909; they had two children before war broke out. Before the war he had served in the Somerset Militia but had bought himself out. But after war was declared he enlisted in Taunton on 1 September 1914 into the RFA and was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea, and from there to 185 Bty on 10 September 1914 which became B/58. While training in Leeds he was absent from 12pm on 6 January until 7am on 7 January 1915, so was admonished by 2/Lt Borthwick. He then suffered a “trivial” contusion and was admitted to the Military Hospital in Leeds on 20 March 1915. On 27 or 20 April 1915 he was posted to 58 Bde Ammunition Column but was posted back to B/58 on 9 June 1915. A few months late he left 58 Bde and was posted on 21 November 1915 to 146 Bde Ammunition Column, part of 28 Division, and served with them in Salonika. He was appointed A/Bdr on 1 April 1916, reverting to gunner on 22 June 1917. His wife heard that he was in Malta in early 1917. He was posted to 116 Bde Ammunition Column on 12 March 1918. He ended in 3/4 Reserve Bde and was granted a small pension due to 20% debility caused by malaria, though in other records his injury is described as exotosis of the right knee. He was discharged from the Army on 31 March 1920.
|
Gnr.
|
Harris
|
R G
|
|
HQ
|
Gunner R G Harris was an orderly at 58 Bde HQ, who was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal on 19 June 1918.
|
2/Lt.
|
Harris
|
William Hamilton
|
n/a
|
C/58
|
William Hamilton Harris was born on 21 May 1886 in Leyburn, Yorks, the son of Henry Harris and Eliza Harris. The family had moved to Plumstead in SE London by 1891 and William was a clerk before he joined the Army where he became a fitter in the RFA. In 1911 he was serving at the military barracks, Barracks Road, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. On 17 August 1913, he married Alice Elizabeth Beaven in the parish church of Plumstead, and was serving as a Fitter Corporal at the time. He was still a Fitter Corporal when he went to France with 27 Bde RFA, part of 5 Division, on 19 August 1914. He had been promoted to Sgt and was serving in 120 Battery when he was commissioned as a 2/Lt on 26 April 1918 for service in the field, and so it was the following day when he joined 11 Division Ammunition Column. He was then posted to C/58 on 12 May 1918 and went on 14 days’ leave on 11 June 1918. A service was held on 4 August 1918 to commemorate the 5th year of the war and 2/Lt Harris was appointed the officer commanding the men of the brigade who attended it. One of his battery’s signallers, Percy Whitehouse, had known William from before the war – they had served together – and Percy liked him, describing him as “a smart, neat chap, rather short, about like myself. We took to each other and used to swap yarns about the early days of the War, and often found ourselves teamed up.” After the Armistice, William had another period of leave to the UK between 1 and 18 December 1918. He transferred to 58 Bde HQ to act as Orderly Officer on 22 December 1918 and a few months later took over the role of adjutant for the brigade on 14 February 1919 replacing 2/Lt Cox, so was appointed an acting Captain. After the war, he and Eliza had two children, Muriel and Arnold. In September 1939 the family was living in Thackeray Ave, Tottenham, and William was working as a government clerk. In 1960 William Harris was living in Urmond Road, Canvey Island, Essex when he died on 10 March 1960, aged 73.
|
Capt.
|
Harrison
|
A H
|
n/a
|
OC 58 Bde AC
|
Capt A H Harrison sailed with 55 Bde RFA from Devonport on 7 July 1915 on the SS “Kingstonian”, arriving in Alexandria on 19 July 1915. He was serving as the brigade’s Adjutant in the Headquarters of that brigade at that time. He and 55 Bde re-embarked onto the “Kingstonian” in Alexandria on 8 August 1915 though didn’t sail until two days later. They arrived at Mudros on 13 August 1915 but stayed on board for over 2 weeks as food and water ran scarce. They disembarked into camp on 28 August 1915 but the following day embarked on HMT “Melville” which took them to Suvla Bay the day after that where they landed at W Beach. On 19 November 1915 Capt Harrison was posted from being the Adjutant of 55 Bde RFA to take over command of 58 Bde’s Ammunition Column. This appears to be Alfred Herbert Harrison who was born on 11 March 1878 and was commissioned as a 2/Lt in the RFA on Christmas Day 1897. He went to France with the BEF in August 1914, died of pneumonia on 3 November 1918, aged 40, and was buried in South Shoebury (St Andrew) Churchyard, Essex, leaving a widow, Edith Emily Harrison.
|
Cpl.
|
Harrison
|
John
|
6773
|
|
John Harrison enlisted on 3 September 1914. He was serving in 58 Bde when he was discharged on 28 February 1919 as being no longer fit for military service due to sickness.
|
Dvr.
|
Hart
|
S
|
2261
|
|
Dvr S Hart is stated as having served in 58 Bde.
|
Gnr.
|
Havens
|
Frederick George
|
16866
|
|
Frederick George Havens was born on 23 August 1893 in Pimlico, London, the son of Henry Havens and Maria Elizabeth Havens (née Gouldsmith). Fred enlisted into the RFA on 7 November 1914. He was serving in 58 Bde presumably at Gallipoli when he was wounded. He must have been evacuated because he was reported as seriously ill on 19 November 1915 while at Gibraltar and his condition had not changed by 26 November 1915. On 9 April 1916, Fred Havens was serving in 49 Reserve Battery in the UK when he was discharged from the Army due to the wounds he had received and was awarded a Silver War Badge. His wounds appear to have left him blind so after leaving the Army, Fred worked as a masseur and on 8 December 1917 he was living in the renowned hostel for the blind, St. Dunstan’s, Regents Park, London when he married Marjorie Elizabeth Mary Johnston in St. Luke’s church, Finchley, London. In 1919 he and Marjorie were living at 30 Stanhope Avenue, Finchley, but the next year Fred was living in Bournemouth where he joined the Freemasons. Frederick Havens was living at Heatherbank, Richmond Hill, Bournemouth when he died at St. Thomas’ Hospital, London at 4am on 6 March 1926, apparently of his wounds following several operations to remove shrapnel from his head.
|
Gnr.
|
Hawes
|
Reginald Gordon
|
123188
|
B/58
|
Reginald Gordon Hawes was serving in B/58 when he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal on 17 June 1918. This may be the Reginald Gordon Hawes who was born on 17 February 1885, the son of Henry Elliott Hawes and Minnie Elizabeth Hawes of 55 Connaught Road, Norwich. He was baptised in Norwich in 1899. When his mother died in 1937, Reginald was described as a wood carver. Reginald Hawes may have died in Wells, Somerset in early 1939.
|
A/Bdr.
|
Hawkes
|
Joseph John
|
22826
|
B/58?
|
Joseph John Hawkes was born in about 1879 in Wednesbury, near Walsall, Staffs. He served in 3rd Bn Staffordshire Militia while working as a roller and then enlisted into the RFA in Walsall on 29 September 1897 and joined at Woolwich the following day. He was allocated service number 22826 which stayed with him throughout his subsequent military career. He was posted to 87 (Howitzer) Battery and served in the Second Boer War in South Africa between 27 January 1900 and 1 October 1902. He married Elizabeth Martha Bumpey in Newcastle-upon-Tyne on 21 November 1903. He was transferred to the Army Reserve on 14 March 1904 but re-engaged on 27 September 1909. He was working as a horsekeeper in 1911 for the Territorial Association RFA and he re-engaged in Section D Army Reserve on 1 May 1915 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Immediately after war was declared he was mobilised at Hilsea on 5 August 1914 and posted to 6 Brigade Ammunition Column the next day. He was promoted to Bdr on 20 October 1914. He suffered problems with his right knee which hospitalised him for 100 days between 14 December 1917 and 23 March 1918, after which he was posted to 5C Reserve Bde on 2 April 1918 and then sent back to France on 9 April 1918. He was posted to B/58 on 5 May 1918 and appointed A/Cpl on 28 June 1918, replacing L/9528 Johnson who had gone to hospital and being replaced as Bdr by Ernie Baron, reverting to Bdr on 6 September 1918 when Johnson returned from base. He continued in the service from 27 September 1918 under the Military Service Act 1916 (session 2). He made a claim for a bounty on 11 October 1918 under Army Order 209/16, which amounted to: for present issue £6.13.4 and for subsequent issue £3.6.8. He was sent to the Dispersal Centre at Ripon on 9 February 1919 and was discharged on 10 March 1919 having served a total of 21 years 165 days in the Army, the Militia and the Reserve without ever being wounded except when he was kicked by a horse in 1898. He died in Newcastle in 1940, aged 61.
|
Dvr.
|
Hayes
|
James
|
139215
|
|
James Hayes was serving with 58 Bde when the absent voters list for Southwark was compiled in the autumn of 1918.
|
Gnr.
|
Hayes
|
Ted
|
10672
|
58 Bde AC
|
Ted Hayes (who was registered as Teddy Hayes at birth) was born on 12 May 1895 in Walsall, Staffs. Before the war he worked as an iron caster. He enlisted in Birmingham on 1 September 1914. He was posted to 58 Bde Ammunition Column on 13 September 14 and transferred into D/58 on 21 January 1915. While training at Milford Camp, he went absent without leave for 9 days between 4 and 13 May 1915 so Lt Col Drake awarded him 9 days’ field punishment No.1 and the forfeiture of 9 days’ pay. One month later he overstayed leave by 3 days (12-15 June 15) so was fined 15 days’ pay by Lt Col Drake. Along with the rest of D/58 he embarked at Devonport on 3 July 1915, but when he arrived in Alexandria on 18 July 1915 he was admitted to hospital with appendicitis. He was transferred to Cyprus on 31 July 1915 and was discharged on 16 August 1915. On 20 August 1915 he embarked in the “Handgreen” in Alexandria for overseas, embarking at Gallipoli on 8 September and disembarking at Alexandria on 23 September 1915. He was admitted to 17 General Hospital with appendicitis (again) on 30 January 1916, to Red Cross Montazah on 21 February 1916 and then to the Convalescent Camp at Sidi Bishr on 18 March 1916. He rejoined his unit at El Ferdan on 19 March 1916. He was again admitted to hospital in about late May 1916 with scabies and was discharged to duty on 8 June 1916. He left Alexandria on 28 June 1916, arriving in Marseilles on 7 July 1916. He was posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column on 4 December 1916. Admitted to 34 Field Ambulance on 1 February 1917 with an unknown fever, and then to 25 Hospital with scabies on 3 February 1917, rejoining from hospital on 12 February 1917. He was posted back to D/58 on 25 April 17. He was awarded 7 days’ Field Punishment No.2 for ill-treating a horse on 19 April 1917 by his battery commander, Maj Dane. Shortly afterwards, he was granted leave to the UK between 16 and 26 May 1917. After he returned, he was wounded in action on 2 August 1917, rejoining his unit on 17 August 1917. He was granted a further 14 days’ leave to the UK via Boulogne between 4 and 18 February 18. He was due back by 6.30am on 18th but didn’t return until 6.30am on 19th so was sentenced by Field General Court Martial to being absent without leave so was awarded 28 days’ Field Punishment No.1 which was subsequently confirmed by B.Gen Winter. He again spent a few days in 34 Field Ambulance in May 1918 and again in March 1919, before going to the dispersal centre at Harrowby Camp, Grantham on 30 April 1919. He married Mary Ann Richards in 1919. He died on 18 January 1957 in Walsall.
|
Capt.
|
Hayley
|
William Burrell
|
n/a
|
OC A/58
|
William Burrell Hayley was born on 17 April 1882. He was commissioned into the Royal Artillery and was serving as a 2/Lt by 1902. He was promoted to Captain on 21 December 1913 and was promoted to Major on 11 September 1915, which was subsequently antedated to 9 September 1915. He arrived to take command of A/58 on 11 October 1915 while they were serving at Gallipoli though was described as Capt Hayley. Following the British withdrawal from Suvla Bay, he, along with 9 other officers from the brigade and 45 Other Ranks, embarked onto the SS “Tunisian” at Lemnos, sailing the next day. They arrived in Alexandria on 2 January 1916 and disembarked the following day. Several months later, and now described as Maj Hayley of 58 Bde’s Headquarters, he sailed from Alexandria on the SS “Arcadian” on 26 June 1916 for Marseilles. Shortly after arriving in France, he left the brigade to join the Royal Horse Artillery, joining ‘Y’ Battery RHA as their new commanding officer on 7 August 1916 during the Battle of the Somme. On 1 October 1917 he went on what was meant to be three weeks’ leave to the UK but was recalled after nine days, though was able to return to his leave on 18 October 1917, returning to his battery on 8 November 1917. On 2 December 1917 he was appointed a Brigade Major. During the war he was Mentioned in Despatches and on 1 January 1918 he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order. After the war, he married Clare Marie Louise Fitzgerald-Murphy in 1920 in the Brompton Oratory, the wedding being reported in “The Times” of 18 February 1920; he was living in Lincoln House, Basil Street, London SW at the time. In 1934, he was appointed Provost Marshal, Commander of the Corps of Military Police and the Officer in Charge of Records for Military Provost Staff Corps Headquarters at Ash Vale. In about 1939 he was on the board of directors of Cambridge and Counties Crematorium Ltd. He died on Sark in the Channel Islands on 21 January 1966.
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Gnr.
|
Hemmings
|
John
|
204975
|
A/58
|
John Hemmings was born in about 1896, one of the eight children of William Henry Hemmings and Maria Hemmings. Jack, as he appears to have been known, was described as an earthenware merchant in 1914, which probably meant that he was working for his father, a wholesale glass and china dealer. The family had been living at 76 Drayton Street, Wolverhampton since at least 1901 when Jack enlisted into the RFA in Wolverhampton on 10 December 1916. He was not mobilised until 31 January 1917 and then reported to No.1 RFA Depot in Newcastle-upon-Tyne on 2 February 1917 and was posted to 5A Reserve Bde in Athlone, Ireland on 10 February 1917. He contracted tonsillitis so stayed in a Military Hospital between 31 May and 5 June 1917 for treatment. He was sent overseas, being posted to France on 19 June 1917 and from there to 16 Division Ammunition Column on 20 July 1917. He was posted to C/177 on 5 August 1917. He was admitted to No.112 Field Ambulance on 26 Jan1918 with an unidentified fever (pyrexia). He may have been evacuated to hospital, because he was not discharged to the Base Depot until 12 March 1918. From the Base he was posted to A/58 on 10 April 1918. Jack was granted 14 days’ leave to the UK via Calais between 22 July and 5 August 1918 and shortly after returning, he was attached to 1st Army Anti-Tank School on 11 August 1918. He left 58 Bde when he was posted on 5 March 1919 to C/245, part of 49 (West Riding) Division. He was granted leave to the UK between 8 and 22 May 1919, but was four days late returning to his unit in Angelsdorf, Germany on 27 May 1919 so forfeited 4 days’ pay. On 14 October 1919, 245 Bde was at Solingen, Germany when Jack was posted for dispersal from C/245 to the Dispersal Unit Crystal Palace which he attended on 19 October 1919 and transferred to Army Reserve Class ‘Z’ on 16 November 1919. He returned to his parents’ home in Drayton Street. In 1939, a John Hemmings, born on 12 March 1896, was working as a china dealer in Wolverhampton and was living at 94 Raby Street, Wolverhampton with his wife, Edith. This is very likely the same man.
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Gnr.
|
Hemsley
|
Harry
|
106593
|
|
Harry Hemsley enlisted on 14 September 1915. He was serving in 58 Bde when he was discharged on 5 June 1918 because he was no longer fit for military service due to wounds he had received.
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Gnr.
|
Henderson
|
James Duncan
|
125463
|
B/58
|
James Duncan Henderson was born in 1892, the son of James Henderson and Mary Ann Henderson (née Robertson). He was a school teacher and was living with his mother at 23 Step Row, Dundee when he attested in Dundee on 22 November 1915. This may have been under the Derby Scheme, since he was not mobilised into the RFA until 14 January 1916. He was posted to No.6 Depot in Glasgow the following day and then to 35 Reserve Battery, 6B Reserve Bde in Edinburgh on 21 January 1916. On 20 March 1916 he was posted to 56 Reserve Battery, 4A Reserve Bde in Woolwich before going overseas to France on 17 April 1916. He was posted to V.32 Trench Mortar Battery on 27 April 1916. On about 2 July 1916, James was wounded by a gunshot wound to his left knee so went to hospital, staying in No.1 Stationary Hospital, Rouen, from 5 July 1916 before being evacuated back to the UK on Hospital Ship “St. George” on 7 July 1916, where he was posted for administrative purposes to 5C Reserve Bde while he received further treatment in a hospital in Exeter. Four days later, his wound having started to heal, he was sent to the Voluntary Aid Detachment hospital in Honiton, Devon where he stayed until being discharged on 21 August 1916. He was then posted back to 4A Reserve Bde on 9 September 1916 and from there to France on 13 September 1916 where he went to the Base Depot before being posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column on 20 September 1916. A year later he was posted to B/58 on 2 September 1917 and was granted 14 days’ leave to the UK from 1 November 1917. James was promoted to paid Lance Bombardier on 28 June 1918. He was then posted back to the UK to attend No.2 Officer Cadet School (OCS) at Topsham Barracks, Exeter to train to be an officer. Before his course started, he went first to 2B Reserve Bde, Brighton from where he was granted furlough between 31 July and 14 August 1918. He was to attend the OCS by 4 p.m. on 15 August 1918. A little over two months later, James contracted influenza so was hospitalised again in Exeter on 31 October 1918, staying there until 13 December 1918 during which his pneumonia, bronchitis and laryngitis were all cured. During his stay in hospital, the Armistice was declared and so he did not finish the course, instead being posted on 3 January 1919 to No.1 Dispersal Unit at Duddingston for demobilisation. His widowed mother had died in 1917, so James gave his home address as 44 Magdalen Yard Road, Dundee. He was demobilised on 2 February 1919 and was still living at 44 Magdalen Yard Road in 1921. On 18 May 1929, James’s 29-year old wife, Caroline Stuart Fowlie Henderson died at Blairgowrie. She and James had been living at 2 Nairne Place, Seafield Road, Dundee at the time. James Henderson had been living at 8 Marchfield Road, Dundee when he died on 23 September 1963.
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Lt.
|
Henderson
|
James Logan
|
n/a
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A/58
|
James Logan Henderson was born in Glasgow on 25 June 1875. He worked as a pastry baker and was serving in 1st Volunteer Battalion of the Highland Light Infantry when he enlisted into the Royal Artillery in Glasgow on 25 February 1897, aged 21 and was assigned service number 18910. He was sent to India, sailing on the SS “Dilwara” on 14 October 1897 and arriving in India on 4 November 1897. He served in at least Nasirabad, Barrackpore and Darjeeling before returning in November 1902 for service in Ireland. He was promoted to Sgt on 27 May 1907. While serving in 36 Battery, on 13 September 1909 he married Ellen Elizabeth Jacobs in St Matthew’s church, Ipswich. In 1910 he was in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and on 2 March 1911 returned to India and served at Fyzabad [Faizabad]. On 17 October 1914 he arrived in France and then on 17 December 1914, after having served in the ranks for 17 years and 337 days, he was promoted to Battery Sgt Major and posted to 5 Bde RFA’s Ammunition Column. He was posted to 64 Battery, 5 Bde RFA on 13 May 1915 and was commissioned a 2/Lt in the RFA in the field on 25 October 1915 and promoted to Lieutenant on 1 July 1917. He was serving in 11 Division Ammunition Column when on 13 September 1917 he was posted to A/58. Two weeks later he was blown up by a heavy shell at Ypres on 29 September 1917. He did not immediately realise it, but once he started to develop gastric, cardiac and respiratory symptoms it was discovered that he had also been poisoned by gas. He reported sick on 30 September 1917 and was struck off the strength of the brigade on 3 October 1917 because the Casualty Clearing Station reported that he had been gassed. He sailed from Le Havre on 10 October 1917, arriving in Southampton the following day for admission that day to No.3 Southern General Hospital in Oxford. A medical board held there on 26 October 1917 found that he still had a rapid pulse and dyspacea. His home address at this time was given as No.9 Garrioch Quadrant, North Kelvinside, Glasgow. A medical board held on 26 November 1917 had assessed him as unfit for general service but fit enough for service at home, so he was posted to 67 Divisional Artillery in Canterbury, Kent on 7 December 1917. Shortly afterwards he was however back in hospital, being admitted to No.2 Eastern General Hospital in Hove on 18 December 1917. He was discharged from there on 21 January 1918 and told to report to 31st Reserve Battery in Glasgow, which he joined two days later. A medical board held on 16 April 1918 still believed him unfit for general service and that he was only fit for service in the UK. This remained the case for another year, and he was finally declared fit on 15 April 1919. Having been so severely wounded he was awarded a £250 wound gratuity. After the war he was attached to the Royal Army Ordnance Corps at the Ordnance Depot Aintree, near Liverpool, but when he reached his 45th birthday on 25 June 1920 he was told he had to retire as part of the “reduction in the number of officers required for duty consequent upon the cessation of hostilities”. He chose to retire and take the gratuity of £1500 rather than receive retired pay. His address at this time was 73 Ibrox Street, Glasgow and 5 years later when he reached 50 he ceased to belong to the Regular Army Reserve of Officers.
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Sgt.
|
Henderson
|
Peter Gordon
|
23152
|
A/58
|
Peter Gordon Henderson was born in Edinburgh in about 1889. He had spent 6 years serving in the Territorial Force’s 1st Lowland Bde RFA rising to the rank of Sgt before being discharged in May 1912. He was working as a clerk in the Board of Trade when he wrote to No.6 Depot RFA shortly after the war broke out to ask to be allowed to enlist and was aware that if he enlisted he would immediately be promoted to Cpl. He was instructed that if he wanted to enlist he should report to a recruiting office which he did in Kirkcaldy on 26 September 1914. Having enlisted on 30 September 1914, he was posted first to No.6 Depot at Glasgow on 1 October 1914 and was duly promoted to Cpl the same day. He was then posted to join 59 Bde Ammunition Column at Sheffield on 20 October 1914. On 9 December 1914 he was reprimanded for irregular conduct while training at Sheffield, though only a month later was appointed A/Sgt on 11 January 1915. He joined D/59 in January 1915 and sailed with his brigade from Devonport on 2 July 1915, arriving in Alexandria on 15 July 1915. He then sailed from Alexandria on 1 August 1915, disembarking on Gallipoli on 9 August 1915. While serving there he was confirmed in the rank of Sgt on 28 September 1915. As British forces withdrew, he embarked at Suvla Bay on 10 December 1915, arriving back in Alexandria on 22 December 1915. In April 1916 he was posted, along with the rest of D/59, to form the B/133 Bde. On 4 December 1916 he was posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column and from there to B/58 on 6 January 1917. At some point he was appointed A/BQMS in 58 Bde, a post he retained until he was admitted to No.4 Casualty Clearing Station with diarrhoea on 26 April 1917 and was not discharged back to duty until a month later on 25 May 1917. On 12 June 1917 he was posted to A/58. Several months later he was severely reprimanded by the OC of A/58, Maj Skey, for having neglected his duty on 8 November 1917. The following spring along with many others in the brigade, he was gassed on 8 April 1918 and was admitted to 35 Field Ambulance the same day. He was then admitted to No.7 General Hospital at St Omer on 10 April 1918 and then transferred to No.3 Canadian Hospital, Le Tréport on 17 April 1918 and then to No.3 Convalescent Depot at Le Tréport on 27 May 1918, before reporting to the Base Depot at Le Havre on 2 July 1917. From the Base Depot he was posted on 12 July 1918 to 6/40 Bde RFA and was promoted to BQMS on 2 September 1918 (his promotion subsequently being back-dated to take effect from 21 August 1918). Later that month he was posted to 42 Bde RFA on 26 September 1918. He was granted two weeks’ leave to the UK between 14 and 28 October 1918. On 9 November 1918 the War Office wrote to ask if he would be willing to return to his civilian employment at his old civilian pay. He appears to have accepted this because on 24 December 1918 at Le Havre he was ordered to return to the UK for demobilisation and to report to the Scottish Discharge Centre located at East London Street Schools, Edinburgh. On 24 January 1919 he was demobilised.
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Dvr.
|
Henry
|
Joseph Charles
|
34546
|
A/58
|
Joseph Charles Henry was born in about 1894 in Frome, Somerset, the son of Catherine. He enlisted into the RFA and was mustered as a Driver and given service number 34546, before being posted to France, arriving on about 8 July 1915. During his service in the RFA, he served in 19 Division, in both the 19 Division Ammunition Column and in 87 Bde RFA, as well as in A/58. He was still serving in the RFA but now as a Gunner, when he was awarded the Military Medal (MM) which was gazetted on 5 November 1917 which one source states was for “bringing in wounded under heavy fire”. He was wounded, possibly during the occasion when he won the MM, since a report was issued about his wounding on 8 December 1917. At some point after his award, he transferred to the infantry, joining the Royal Fusiliers as a Private with service number L/17542. In early 1917, Joseph married a widow, Lucy Futcher (née Ruddick). Lucy’s first husband had been killed in January 1916 while serving in the 6th Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry and there were two children Willliam Edward Futcher (born on 5 January 1912) and Edgar John Futcher (born in 1914). Joseph had returned to the UK, according to one source because he was a miner and had been posted back to the UK to work in the mines, when he died on 20 October 1918 in Frome, Somerset and is buried in Frome (Holy Trinity) churchyard. Despite his marriage, Joseph’s mother, Mrs Catherine Fox of 20 King Street, Burnley, Lancs., claimed a pension after his death.
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Lt.
|
Hepburn
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John
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n/a
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D/58
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John Hepburn was born in London on 17 April 1886, the son of a Scottish father, Andrew Hepburn, and a South African mother, Emily Alma Hepburn (née Hunt). The family lived at 102 Downs Park Road, Clapton, London and John was baptised the following month at the Clapton Presbyterian church. In 1891 they were living in Croft Lodge, Woodford, Essex. John emigrated to South Africa and served for 5 years as a Driver in B Battery, Natal Field Artillery and then served as a Gunner, Bombardier and then Lieutenant in 12th Citizen Battery, taking part in the campaign conducted by South African forces in German South West Africa [Namibia] in 1914. After that campaign was over, he sailed from Durban on the SS “Llandovery Castle”, arriving in Plymouth on 8 October 1915. He came with recommendations from former senior officers in South Africa as cool, collected, keen and observant and was described as “one of the finest horsemen in the Union” and four days after arriving back in the UK, he applied for a commission in the RFA on 12 October 1915. Having previously held the rank of Lieutenant in the South African forces, John was quickly commissioned as a temporary Lieutenant in the RFA on 27 October 1915. He went to France on 1 December 1915 and the following year was in temporary command of 461 (Howitzer) Battery, also known as C/118 (Howitzer) Bde, in early June 1916 and was still serving in that battery the following month when he and his battery transferred to become the new D/60 at Croisette on 15 July 1916. When, at the end of January 1917, 60 Bde was itself broken up, John was posted to D/58 on 4 February 1917. He was appointed an Acting Captain on 18 April 1917 while second in command of a battery, probably to replace Capt Carlton Roberts in D/58, who had been wounded two days earlier. He ceased to be an Acting Captain on 11 July 1917, probably due to the recent arrival of Capt H Lowther. John left D/58 on 5 August 1917 to go on leave and sailed the next day from Calais to Dover. He was due to spend his leave at his parents’ home of Stanhill Court, Charlwood, Surrey until 16 August 1917 but during his leave he saw a specialist who recommended he be granted at least an additional week’s leave. He remained in the UK to attend a medical board and was struck off the strength of 58 Bde on 4 September 1917. A medical board held on 17 September 1917 concluded that he was still unfit for service and that, since he had had all of the medical leave on full pay he was entitled to, he should relinquish his commission due to ill-health. The cause of his ill-health is not recorded. Later that month, he was a patient at the Manor War Hospital in Epsom on 26 September 1917 and he relinquished his commission due to ill-health on 27 November 1917. On 4 December 1918 he married Gladys Olive Campbell in the Royal Chapel of the Savoy. Gladys was from a prominent South African family – her late father had been a Senator – but was serving as a driver with the Voluntary Aid Detachment in No.3 Motor Unit in France. They appear to have returned to settle in South Africa, where John worked as a merchant. The two of them made frequent return visits to the UK, sailing to Southampton from Natal in at least 1929, 1931, 1933 (twice), 1937, 1938, 1950 and 1955. They were in the UK shortly after the outbreak of WW2 and were living in Buckland Lodge, Betchingworth, Surrey where John also served as a part-time volunteer ARP warden and was described as a “director of companies in South Africa”. It is not clear when John died, but he pre-deceased Gladys who died on 11 July 1966 in Durban.
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Gnr.
|
Hetherington
|
Percy
|
203742
|
B/58
|
Percy Hetherington was born in about 1889 in Blyth, Northumberland, the son of Robert and Mary Ann Hetherington. He was working as a grocery warehouseman before the war and he enlisted in Blyth. He was serving in B/58 when he was severely wounded, and he died of his wounds on 27 October 1917 in 7 General Hospital, France.
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Dvr.
|
Hewitt
|
William
|
75676
|
B/58
|
William Hewitt was born in Marston, near Northwich, Cheshire in about 1887. Before he enlisted, he worked as a carter at the Goods Department, Glodwick Road Station, Oldham, Lancs, for the London and North Western Railway company. He enlisted aged 27 in Oldham on 15 January 1915 and was posted initially to No.2 Depot at Preston and from there to 70 Bde RFA. He went overseas with his unit on 7 July 1915, sailing from Southampton, arriving at Le Havre the next day. After nearly a year overseas, he was granted leave to the UK in May 1916. On 8 June 1916 his battery was renumbered as B/73. On 19 October 1916, one of the horses he was tending, “No.59”, kicked him so he was admitted to a Casualty Clearing Station, and transferred to 8 General Hospital, Rouen, two days later, with a “contused back”, though the assessment at the time was that the injury would not, in the longer term, interfere with his duties as a soldier. However, he had further back problems towards the end of that year and so was again hospitalised on 28 December 1916, from which he was posted to Base on 1 January 1917. He was posted to B/58 on 11 January 1917. He continued to have health issues: he was admitted to 108 Field Ambulance with tooth decay on 22 June 1917, rejoining his unit the following day; and was then admitted to 34 Field Ambulance with an unknown fever on 6 December 1917, rejoining B/58 two days later. In between these, he was granted 10 days’ leave to the UK on 15 August 1917 and had another spell of 14 days’ leave to the UK from 12 March 1918. Towards the end of the war he was awarded the Military Medal on 7 December 1918 (Authority XXII Corps, No. A4340/16) for bravery in the field, the citation reading “On night of September 26th 18 at Cambrai being the leading driver in the team, showing great skill and courage when under very heavy shell fire, and got through safely.” He ended the war as Bdr and left France on 3 April 1919, arriving at No.1 Dispersal Unit, Heaton Park, Manchester the following day. He returned to civilian life on 2 May 1919. Later that year he was living back in Oldham when, on 23 September 1919, he wrote to ask for information about his Military Medal which had been gazetted on 22 July that year, and subsequently his former employer, LNER, asked if they could present him with his medal.
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Capt.
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Heywood
|
|
n/a
|
|
Capt Heywood was serving with 58 Bde when he left Gallipoli on 8 October 1915 heading for Mudros.
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Gnr.
|
Hickinbottom
|
James
|
81219
|
A/58
|
James Hickinbottom, known as Jim, was born on 24 April 1894 in Tipton, Staffs, the son of Edward and Sarah Hickinbottom, and was a bottle blower by trade. He enlisted on 25 May 1915 in Wolverhampton into the South Staffordshire Regt and was assigned service number 19124, joining at Lichfield on 1 June 1915 and becoming a private in that regiment. Two days later he was sent to Sunderland for training but later that month he transferred to the RFA on 28 June 1915. He was assigned a new service number 81219 and was appointed as a driver. He was posted initially to No.1 Depot at Newcastle-upon-Tyne and while training there he overstayed leave from 6 pm on 5 September 1915 until 6.30 a.m. the following day so was awarded 5 days’ confinement to barracks. He was posted to 4A Res Bde, Woolwich, and then on 15 March 1916 he went overseas, sailing from Devonport and disembarking in Alexandria on 27 March 1916. The following month he was posted to 59 Bde Ammunition Column. On 27 June 1916 he sailed from Alexandria to Marseilles, docking there on 4 July 1916. On 20 July 1916 he was posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column and he was granted leave to the UK from 14 to 24 July 1916. He had a further 14 days’ leave to the UK, via Boulogne, in spring 1918. He was attached to 1st Army School of Mortars between 7 and 21 August 1918. He was posted to 58 Bde on 14 December 1918 and was granted leave to the UK via Calais between 22 March and 4 April 1919. He left 58 Bde on 18 June 1919 when he was sent to go via Boulogne to the demobilisation centre at North Camp Ripon. He was demobilised on about 20 June 1919 and returned to live in Tipton. He was formally discharged from the Army on 31 March 1920. He died in 1973 in Dudley.
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Lt.
|
Hickman
|
C
|
n/a
|
A/58
|
Lt Hickman was serving with A/58 when he was wounded on 4 October 1917. It was apparently a light wound because he stayed at duty without needing to be hospitalised. On 18 January 1918 he went on 14 days’ leave to England, returning on 2 February 1918. But on 8 April 1918 he and some of his men were caught in an intense enemy bombardment – estimated at about 15,000 shells. These included some gas shells containing an unknown gas type, and he, along with 15 of his men were gassed. He had to go to the Casualty Clearing Station and he was struck off the strength of the brigade on 14 April 1918 due to his injuries.
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Sgt.
|
Hill
|
George
|
11012
|
A/58
|
George Hill was the son of Henry and Annie Hill. Before the war he worked as a printer and enlisted in Coventry on 1 September 1914, aged 24. He was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea and then to 184 Bty on 2 September 1914 which subsequently became A/58. He obviously had a talent for leadership because he was promoted several times in quick succession: to Bdr on 14 September 1914, he was appointed Cpl on 17 October 1914 and promoted to the rank the same day and promoted Provisional Sgt on 2 April 1915. He was transferred to D/58 on 6 May 1915. Before leaving for Gallipoli he married Cecilia Sarah Jane Spreckley in the Registry Office at Hambledon, near Guildford, Surrey on 4 July 1915. The will he subsequently made out simply said “In the event of my death I give every thing I possess to my wife Cecilia Sarah Jane Hill”. After service in Gallipoli, when he was in Egypt as member of D/58 he was transferred to A/133 when D/58 left the brigade to help form the new 133 Bde on 26 April 1916. He went to France on 29 June 1916 with his new unit and was wounded on 7 August 1916 by “gunshot wound” to his left shoulder and suffered a fractured clavicle. After spells in No.6 Stationary Hospital, Frévent, and No.1 General Hospital, Etretat, he was transferred back to the UK on 22 August 1916, where he remained for the rest of the war. He was posted to the Command Depot in Ripon on 28 April 1918 and then posted to C Group Prisoner of War Reception Camp on 18 November 18. He went to No.1 Dispersal Unit in Chiseldon on 27 January 1919 and when he left active service on 26 February 1919, he was awarded a pension of 9 shillings 9d a week due to his injured shoulder. After the war he lived at 1 Crabmill Lane, Stoney Stanton Road, Coventry.
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Gnr.
|
Himsworth
|
Arthur Reginald
|
117053
|
D/58
|
Arthur Reginald Himsworth was born in Salford, Lancs, in 1893, the eldest of six children of Thomas and Elizabeth Henrietta Himsworth. Like his father, he worked as a pawnbroker’s assistant before the war. He enlisted in Salford and was serving in D/58 when he was killed in action on 3 October 1917. He is buried in New Irish Farm Cemetery, Belgium.
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Capt.
|
Hince
|
Charles William
|
n/a
|
OC B/58
|
Born on 7 May 1878 in Church Stretton, Salop, the son of a corn merchant, Charles William Hince, was working as his father’s assistant in 1901. He joined the Territorial Force and served in the Shropshire & Staffordshire Royal Garrison Artillery (Volunteers), and then transferred from them to the Shropshire Battery, Royal Horse Artillery on 1 April 1908. He was serving as a Captain in the unit when he resigned his commission on 27 September 1911. On 4 September 1914 he was recalled from the General Reserve of Officers to be a Captain in the Royal Artillery and he was posted on 9 September 1914 to join 185 Battery, 58 Bde as a battery commander. He must have left the brigade either at the end of 1914 or early in 1915. He married Margaret Theresa O’Sullivan on 11 January 1915 in Hampstead, London, served overseas at some point that year and was promoted to Major on 15 November 1915. After the war, he and his wife were living at 35 Greville Rd, Hampstead, in 1922. He died on 28 September 1933 in London, aged 55.
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Gnr.
|
Hirons
|
John
|
11071
|
|
John Hirons was the son of Robert and Mary Ann Hirons, of Kilsby, Rugby. He had been born in about 1889 in Barby, Northants and he worked in the British Thomson-Houston Lamp Factory in Rugby before the war. He went overseas, arriving in Egypt on about 19 July 1915, and he was serving in 58 Bde when he contracted a slight case of the skin disorder seborrhoea and after a period at the Reception Hospital Mustapha in Egypt, he was discharged to Zahrieh Camp just outside of Alexandria on 23 February 1916. It is not clear if he rejoined his unit because at some subsequent point he served as a L/Bdr in 96 Battery, 19 Bde RFA probably serving with them in Salonika. Some weeks after the Armistice he died of bronchial pneumonia on 22 December 1918, aged 29, in the Military Hospital in Faenza, Italy having most likely been evacuated from Salonika to Faenza which acted as part of the lines of communications for the Salonika Front. John Hirons is buried in Faenza Communal Cemetery, Italy.
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2/Lt.
|
Hirschland
|
Herbert Ernest
|
n/a
|
D/58
|
Herbert Ernest Hirschland was born on 16 October 1892 in Edmonton, London. He was the eldest of the three children of Edward and Jenny Hirschland who were German by birth but had become British subjects. In 1901 the family were living in Stroud Green, Hornsey, Middx and in 1911 they were living in Hampstead, London and Herbert was working as a clerk in his father’s woollen merchant’s business. Herbert enlisted into the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) where he was assigned service number 286 and was an A/Bdr when he went overseas, arriving in Egypt on about 21 April 1915. The HAC’s two horse artillery batteries, A and B batteries, sailed for Egypt on 9 April 1915 so he was presumably serving in one of these. He returned to the UK from Egypt to obtain a commission and after attending No.2 Officer Cadet School in Exeter, he was commissioned as a 2/Lt in the RFA on 3 August 1916. He was posted to France and joined D/60 RFA on 25 August 1916 at Estrée-Wamin, west of Arras, just before his unit moved to the Somme. He was awarded the Military Cross “For conspicuous gallantry while carrying out a reconnaissance with a view to establishing an O.P. In spite of constant sniping and heavy fire he succeeded in reaching Coy. Hdqrs. and established communication with the By. O.P. This officer secured most valuable information as to the existing situation.” This award was gazetted on 14 November 1916 and it is possible that this relates to his time at Stuff Redoubt, where he acted as a Forward Observation Officer later saying that he “spent a most unhappy time there, it was one of the most perfectly damnable places” he was in during the war. On 24 January 1917, as part of the breaking up of 60 Bde RFA, the right section of D/60 was assigned to D/58 and this very likely included Herbert because three days later he left D/58 on 27 January 1917 to join the Division’s Trench Mortars. Herbert later said that he had been “lucky enough to escape from that particular death-trap with a whole skin”. His escape occurred on 1 April 1917 when he was appointed a Staff Lieutenant (replacing temporary Lt D A Frazer) at the divisional artillery headquarters at Bullecourt and so was appointed a temporary Lt. The role he had taken on was to be the Reconnaissance Officer for the divisional artillery, though Herbert himself rather disparagingly referred to his role as “Soda Water Boy”. He stayed in that role until well into 1918 when he was transferred to the headquarters of 11th (Northern) Division. While there, he served as the GSO3 and was promoted to Lieutenant on 3 February 1918. On 27 September 1918 he was wounded on the first day of the Battle of the Canal du Nord. When he left Division HQ on 12 May 1919 to be demobilised he had most recently been serving as the Acting Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General. He formally relinquished his commission on 1 April 1920. In about 1930, Herbert was living in London when he wrote to another former 58 Bde officer, Richard Blaker, to congratulate him on his book “Medal Without Bar” describing it as “is the truest war book of the lot.” Twenty years later Herbert Hirschland had been living in Kensington, London, when he died in The Mount Vernon Hospital, Northwood, Middx on 14 October 1950.
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Spr.
|
Hobbs
|
A
|
|
HQ
|
Sapper A Hobbs worked in the HQ of 58 Bde in November 1918, signing his name on the signals he received for the unit.
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Gnr.
|
Hobbs
|
William John Isaac
|
75978
|
A/58
|
William John Isaac Hobbs was born in Deptford, London on 1 October 1886, the son of Isaac and Edith Hobbs. He was a general labourer and he married Lilian May Sargent in Stratford St.John, Essex on 3 October 1914. Three months later he enlisted into the RFA on 9 January 1915. He went overseas later that year, arriving at Gallipoli on about 27 September 1915. On about 16 November 1915, he was serving in A/58 when he suffered from asthma and bronchitis, resulting in a loss of appetite, coughing, breathlessness, insomnia and chest pain. He was admitted to 19th General Hospital, Alexandria and then to the Montaza Home [presumably the Convalescent Hospital Montazah, Alexandria] before being evacuated to the UK where he was admitted to the Lord Derby War Hospital, Warrington on 15 January 1916. He was still complaining of chest pain and he looked debilitated, fatigued and anaemic, but his heart and respiratory murmur both sounded normal. Four days later he was feeling a little better but was stooping very much and asked for a support to be procured for hi,. He was still coughing on 12 February 1916 and was transferred to the Military Convalescent Hospital, Eastbourne on 14 March 1916 and he was recommended for discharge to light duty. He was serving in B Instructional Battery, Larkhill when he was discharged from the Army on 18 February 1918 aged 31 due to his sickness. In September 1939, he, Lilian and 3 of their children were living at 14 Essex Road, Ilford, Essex, and William was working in a railway machine shop. William Hobbs died in Ilford in 1954, aged 67.
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Gnr.
|
Hodgkinson
|
Leslie Grosvenor
|
20981
|
B/58
|
Leslie Grosvenor Hodgkinson was born on St Andrew’s Day, 1893, the son of Charles Grosvenor Hodgkinson and Mary A. Hodgkinson, of Billingborough, Lincs. He was confirmed at All Saints, Raleigh Street, Nottingham, in 1912 and was a regular communicant. He enlisted into the RFA in September 1914. Some of his experiences are recounted in a couple of short articles published in the Grantham Journal in 1915 and 1917. In the 1917 article it says that he had been “abroad for two years. After going through the Gallipoli campaign, he was sent to Egypt for six months, prior to being transferred to France, where he has been fighting since June 1916. His battery was engaged in all the big battles on the Somme and although he saw severe fighting at Arras, La Boisselle, Pozieres, Thiepval, Courcellette, Le Says, Bapaume and Bullecourt, his worst experiences were in the Ypres Sector.” He had been promoted to Bdr by the summer of 1915 and to Cpl sometime thereafter, but when he was killed in action on 28 July 1917 he had reverted to Gunner. He died aged 23 and although a cross was erected for him on the battlefield his remains were not found, so he is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial. His parents gave a stained glass window (a three-light window in the east side of the lady chapel, the centre light constituting the memorial) to St Andrew’s Church, Billingborough, Lincs.
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Gnr.
|
Holden
|
John William
|
111693
|
B/58
|
John William Holden was born in Dunstable, Beds. He enlisted in Walsall, Staffs, and was serving in B/58 when he died of wounds on 2 October 1918. He is buried in Cagnicourt British Cemetery, France.
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A/Bdr.
|
Holdsworth
|
Walter
|
10601
|
B/58
|
Walter Holdsworth was born in about 1895 in Saltby, Birmingham, Warks, the eldest child of Walter and Eliza Holdsworth. In 1911, aged 15, he was working as a machine tool maker, and when he enlisted in Rugby on 5 September 1914, aged 19, he described himself as an engineer. He was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea and from there to 185 Bty 10 September 1914, which subsequently became B/58. He was appointed A/Bdr 2 April 1915. Along with his unit, he sailed from Devonport on 1 July 1915, disembarking at Alexandria on 14 July 1915. He re-embarked at Alexandria on 28 July 1915 bound for Gallipoli. On 10 September 1915 he was wounded in the left leg by a shell burst and was sent the same day to the Casualty Clearing Station by 2nd Welsh Field Ambulance. He was transferred the same day to the Hospital Ship “Glenmart Castle” for evacuation to Egypt, where he was admitted to the Military Hospital Cairo on 16 September 1915. He was transferred to the Base Depot Mustapha, Alexandria, on 1 December 1915 and posted from there to join A/57 on 22 January 1916. While in Metras [modern-day El Metras], Alexandria, he was promoted to Bdr on 22 January 1916. His battery was re-numbered to B/132 to help form the new 132 Bde RFA in Metras on 5 March 1916. With 132 Bde he sailed from Alexandria on 9 March 1916, disembarking at Marseilles on 16 March 1916. His battery was again re-numbered and became D/147 on 13 May 1916. Later that year he was wounded for a second time: on 20 October 1916 he received “gunshot wounds” to his back and so was admitted to 18 General Hospital Camiers before being evacuated to England on 24 October 1916 where he stayed in the Military Hospital Lichfield for 6 days before being transferred for convalescence until 24 November 1916. He went back overseas on 20 March 1917 and joined 49 Division Artillery, being posted to C battery of 245 (1st West Riding) Bde RFA. He was confirmed in his rank of Sgt on 1 November 1917 and was awarded the Military Medal while serving in B/245 just before the cessation of hostilities, the award being gazetted on 17 June 1919. He was granted 14 days’ leave to the UK from 31 December 1918 to 14 January 1919, and soon after went to No.2 Dispersal Unit Chiseldon for demobilisation.
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2/Lt.
|
Hollick
|
Roland
|
n/a
|
|
Roland Hollick was born on 11 October 1884 in Stivichall, Coventry, the son of John and Kathleen Mary Hollick. Although he was baptised as Rowland, he appears to have spelled his name as Roland. He was educated at King Henry VIII School, Coventry and entered the legal profession in August 1906. By 1911 he was established as a solicitor living in Leamington Spa, Warks. Later that year he married Muriel Catherine Hingston in Warwick and they appear to have had two sons. On 23 December 1915, he enlisted at St John’s Wood and was assigned service number 126861. He joined the RHA Officers’ Training Corps, ‘B’ Reserve Brigade on 3 January 1916 where he was appointed an A/Bdr and was commissioned as a 2/Lt in the Special Reserve of Officers on 11 May 1916. Roland went to France in July 1916 and served in 11 Division Ammunition Column before joining 58 Bde on 27 October 1916. A week later he was granted 10 days’ leave to England on 4 November 1916. He presumably returned to his unit after his leave but left 58 Bde again on 10 December 1917 to return to the UK with a strained heart, sailing from Calais to Dover on 16 December 1916. He was admitted to No.2 Eastern General Hospital in Brighton from which he was discharged on 19 December 1916 and was struck off the strength of 58 Bde on 22 December 1916. A medical board found him only fit for light duty at home, so he was posted to 1C Reserve Bde RFA at Hemel Hempstead which he joined on 13 April 1917. He attended a medical board at Aylesbury on 22 June 1917 which again declared him only fit for light duty at home. While serving in 37 Reserve Battery, RFA in Northampton, he attended a further medical board on 13 November 1918 following which it was decided that his services in the Army could not be retained and so, on 3 January 1919 Roland Hollick relinquished his commission due to ill health. He returned to his career in the law and was practising again as a solicitor in Coventry by September of that year and he worked in the firm Roland Hollick & Co in Coventry. In September 1939 he was still practising as a solicitor living in Bridge House, Hunningham, Warks and also acting as a special constable in the Warwickshire Police. He may have re-married in 1956 to a Rosamund Alexandra Sarah Hellis and he had been living at 22 Northumberland Road, Leamington Spa, Warks when he died on 22 June 1966, aged 81.
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Bdr.
|
Holman
|
|
|
D/58
|
Bdr Holman had been serving in D/58 when he was replaced by Christopher Smart on 24 May 1917.
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Gnr.
|
Holmes
|
Ralph
|
66608
|
D/58
|
Ralph Holmes was born on 15 June 1894 in West Herrington, County Durham, the son of Ralph Holmes and Catherine Holmes. In 1911, Ralph was 16 years old and working as a banksman above ground at a coal mine. He was working as a miner and living at 35 George Street East, New Herrington, County Durham when he enlisted into the RFA in Sunderland on 25 January 1915. He was assigned service number 66608 and was posted as a Gunner to No.3 RFA Depot at Hilsea, Hants which he attended the following day. Two days later he was posted on the 28th to 15 Reserve Battery at Larkhill and then on 5 February 1915 to 3C Reserve Bde at Deepcut where he joined 44 Reserve Battery. He was appointed an A/Bdr on 6 July 1915. On 29 August 1915 he was posted to 4A Reserve Bde at Woolwich and was then posted overseas to the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force Base on 18 October 1915 at which point he reverted to Gunner. He arrived in theatre on about 17 November 1915 when he was assigned to D/58 at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli. Ralph left the peninsular when D/58 was evacuated from Gallipoli on 12 December 1915. He arrived in Alexandria on 2 January 1916 and in early 1916, he need treatment for scabies, so spent time in the Reception Hospital Mustapha, Alexandria before being discharged to Zahrieh Camp from there on 26 February 1916. On 26 April 1916, Ralph, along with the rest of D/58, was posted to form A Battery of the new 133 (Howitzer) Bde. After the brigade had been transferred to France, he was wounded for the first time on 13 October 1916 but remained at duty and then on 4 December 1916 when 133 Bde was broken up, Ralph was transferred to B/58. He was wounded for the second time on 10 April 1917 by a penetrating wound to his left knee. He was admitted to No.3 Convalescent Depot at Le Tréport on 18 April 1917 and then posted to Base on 24 April 1917 and so left 58 Bde. He was posted to C/72 on 5 May 1917. At some point, potentially soon after joining C/72, he suffered his third wounding when he was gassed so was admitted to No.8 Stationary Hospital and was subsequently transferred to No. 1 Convalescent Depot, Boulogne. He was again posted back to Base on 13 August 1917 and from there to B/296 on 11 October 1917. On 1 November 1917, Ralph was again appointed an A/Bdr and was promoted to Bdr on 1 April 1918. Shortly afterwards, he came down with severe pleurisy and was admitted to 2/2nd West Riding Field Ambulance on 21 April 1918 and transferred by No. 26 Ambulance Train to No.11 Stationary Hospital, Rouen on 22 April 1918. Probably as a result, he returned to the UK and was posted to 5C Reserve Bde on 29 July 1918 and was serving in 60 Reserve Battery at Lessness Park Camp, Abbey Wood in September 1918 before returning to France on 2 October 1918. After the Armistice, he attended No.1 Dispersal Unit at Purfleet on 9 January 1919 and was demobilised on 6 February 1919. He married Nora Young in the spring of 1919. He was found to be suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis which was attributed to his war service and so was awarded a weekly pension from 3 December 1919 of 17 shillings and 4d, which rose from 3 June 1920, presumably as his condition deteriorated, to 43 shillings and 4d. At about this time, he was living at 27 Barrack Row, Shiney Row County Durham. In September 1939, Ralph, Nora and their 19-year-old son, Robert, were living at 38 The Crescent, Houghton-le-Spring, County Durham, and Ralph was still working as a coal miner. Ralph Holmes died in 1970 in County Durham, aged 75.
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Cpl.
|
Honeyman
|
Norman McLeod
|
41431
|
A/58
|
Norman McLeod Honeyman was born on 22 August 1886 in Bathgate, Scotland. His parents were probably William and Maggie Honeyman. In 1911 he was living with his sister, Jane, and brother-in-law in South Shields and Norman was working as an asset storekeeper in a marine engineering company. Norman was also described as a reservist so had presumably been a regular soldier who, after a few years in uniform, had now transferred to the Army Reserve. As a reservist he will have been recalled when war was declared and so went to France with the British Expeditionary Force, arriving on 11 September 1914 with 2 Bde RFA, part of 6th Division. He was promoted to Corporal at some point and was serving in A/58 when he was gassed on 8 April 1918. He was evacuated back to the UK and two days after he was gassed he reverted to Gunner. Once in the UK he was admitted to Haxby Road Military Hospital, York. He was discharged from hospital and granted 10 days leave on 4 May 1918 before reporting to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick on 13 May 1918, where he was examined the next day and said that he was suffering from vomiting and inflammation of the eyes. He had some tachycardia which sounded “faint and impure”, his tongue was red and unhealthy looking and there was some dried secretion about his eyelids. It was not until 9 July 1918 that he was assessed as medical class I so was discharged to draft on 31 July 1918. He survived the rest of the war and in 1926 he married Catherine Batey Oliver in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. In September 1939, he and Catherine were living in 22 Ashwood Crescent, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Norman was working as a clerk in a marine engineering company but three years later Norman Honeyman died on 20 November 1942, aged 57.
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2/Lt.
|
Hope
|
Hugh Lewis
|
n/a
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D/58
|
Hugh Lewis Hope was born on 20 June 1897 in Folkestone, Kent, and baptised in Christ Church in that town on 27 July of that year. His father was Col. Lewis Anstruther Hope CB who was ADC to King Edward VII and George V, his mother was Lucy Elizabeth Hope. He went to Winchester College in September 1910 and during his time there he served in the Officers’ Training Corps, rising to the rank of corporal. He was living at Gate Helmsley House, York, when he applied for a commission on 7 October 1914. Since he was only 17, his father had to approve his application. After training as a Gentleman Cadet at the Royal Military Academy, he was commissioned as a 2/Lt in the RFA on 28 July 1915. He went to France in late November 1915 and joined 118 (Howitzer) Bde RFA from Base on 30 November 1915 but was admitted to 7 General Hospital with rubella on 20 February 1916, being discharged on 1 March 1916. Along with his battery he joined 58 Bde on 15 July 1916 to form the new D/58. He was reported as doing “good work” on 14 September 1916. On 2 December 1916 he was awarded the Military Cross for “daring FOO work at Wonder Work and making a valuable reconnaissance under heavy fire and carrying back a wounded man”. He was on leave between 4 and 19 January 1917. Shortly after returning, he went on a signalling course at 11 Division signalling school at Yvrench on 25 January 1917. A month later he was wounded in the back on 26 February 1917 by a “gunshot wound” while acting as Forward Observation Officer following up the German withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line. At the same time all three of the signallers with him were also wounded, two of them subsequently being captured while the third was found the next day. Hugh Hope was patched up at 43 Field Ambulance and discharged the same day so remaining at duty. He was granted 10 days’ leave to the UK on 22 April 1917, re-joining from sick leave on 5 May 1917. A month later he was severely wounded in his right hand at the battery position by a shell on 18 June 1917 and was admitted to 34 Field Ambulance. The injury led to him being evacuated to the UK on 21 June 1917 on HMHS “St. Patrick” from 14 General Hospital so was struck off the strength of the brigade on 29 June 1917. He was promoted to Lt on 1 July 1917. After recuperating, he arrived back in France at Le Havre on 22 November 1917 and was posted to Y Bty RHA which he joined at Boursies on 26 November 1917. He was attached to the Cavalry Corps Equitation School on 9 May 1918, re-joining his unit on 23 June 1918. He was then posted to the Ammunition Column of 7 Bde RHA on 2 July 1918 but re-joined Y Bty RHA on 20 July 1918. He was given 14 days’ leave to the UK from 19 August 1918. On the day before the Armistice, he was wounded for a third time, receiving “gunshot wounds” to his right leg on 10 November 1918 near Villers-Saint-Amand, Belgium and admitted to 1/3 West Lancashire Field Ambulance the following day, Armistice Day. He was evacuated back to the UK from 20 General Hospital on 20 November 1918. In 1920 he resigned his commission and applied to join the Reserve of Officers. He reported for duty at No.4 Depot, Woolwich, on 9 April 1921, but 2 weeks later on 25 April 1921 was notified that his service was not required. He married Ethel Lillian King on 9 June 1921 but died a few weeks later on 19 October 1921, possibly as a result of his wounds. In Richard Blaker’s novel, “Medal Without Bar”, one of the central characters, Reynolds, is clearly based very heavily on Hugh Hope and Blaker portrays the Shakespeare-quoting Reynolds (Hope) with great warmth.
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2/Lt.
|
Hothersall
|
William
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n/a
|
D/58
|
William Hothersall was born on 31 March 1893 in Blackburn, Lancs . He was the son of John Edwin Hothersall and Lydia Hothersall (née Caldwell). He worked as a fitter before the war and was living at 33 Elliot Street, Nechells, Birmingham when he enlisted at Woolwich on 29 January 1915 as a Gunner. He was assigned service number 51561 and that same day he was assessed in his proficiency as a fitter and, having passed, was immediately promoted to Fitter Staff Sergeant. He was posted to 4A Reserve Bde on 1 March 1915 and was posted to France on 10 March 1915. Two weeks later he was in Le Havre when he was posted to 105 Battery, 22 Bde RFA in 7 Division on 29 March 1915. He sought a commission in December 1915 in a Labour Battalion of the Royal Engineers but appears to have been unsuccessful. He applied again for a commission on 28 January 1917 and left France on 10 February 1917 because he had been instructed to report to No.2 RFA Officer Cadet School in Topsham Barracks, Exeter the following day. He was commissioned as 2/Lt in the Special Reserve of Officers on 17 August 1917 and returned to France, arriving in Le Havre on 13 October 1917. He was posted to 11 Division Artillery on 16 October 1917 and was posted to join 11 Division Ammunition Column from the Base on 20 October 1917, but the next day he joined 58 Bde and was assigned to D/58. He went on 14 days’ leave to England on 18 January 1918, returning on 3 February 1918. He attended 1st Army Anti-Tank School between 11 and 26 August 1918 and on the day of his return he joined a new mobile battery during the “Hundred Days” called ‘A’ 58 Mobile Battery. He had another 14 days’ leave in the UK between 25 September and 14 October 1918, and returned to D/58 from the mobile battery on 26 October 1918. He left to return to the UK for demobilisation on 25 January 1919, sailing on the SS “Prince George” from Dieppe on 30 January 1919 and was demobilised at No.1 Dispersal Unit at Chiseldon on 1 February 1919. His home address was given as Charford House, Alum Park, Birmingham and was promoted to Lieutenant on 17 February 1919. He relinquished his commission on 1 April 1920 and later that year he married Isabel Tennant in St Peter and St Paul church, Aston, Warks on 18 August 1920. In September 1939, he and Isabel were living in 70 Grange Road, Erdington, Birmingham. William was working as an electrical engineer and also serving in the Auxiliary Fire Service. He was still living at that address when he died in Birmingham on 1 May 1976, age 83.
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Capt.
|
Hoult
|
Joseph Murray
|
n/a
|
58 BAC
|
Joseph Murray Hoult was born in Cheshire on 21 December 1889, the son of Joseph Hoult and Julia Anne Hoult. He was commissioned as a 2/Lt in the territorial force unit, 3rd Welsh Bde RFA, on 4 May 1911, having previously been a Cadet Serjeant in the Cambridge University Contingent of the Officers Training Corps. He transferred into the Special Reserve of the RFA on 24 May 1913 and went to France on 17 August 1914. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 9 June 1915. Following the British withdrawal from Suvla Bay, he, along with 9 other officers from the brigade and 45 Other Ranks, embarked onto the SS “Tunisian” at Lemnos, sailing the next day. They arrived in Alexandria on 2 January 1916 and disembarked the following day. He relinquished his temporary rank of Captain on 20 February 1916 on ceasing to command a battery. Lt J M Hoult was with 58 Brigade Ammunition Column on the “Kingstonian” when it took 58 Bde from Alexandria on 25 June 1916, arriving in Marseilles on 2 July 1916. He took over command of B/59 on 31 August 1916 and on 13 October 1916 he was posted from 59 Bde to be temporarily in command of B/133. On 27 November 1916 he was appointed an Acting Major while commanding a battery. This was the date that 133 Bde RFA was broken up with B/133 joining 59 Bde. On 17 July 1917 he was promoted to Captain. On 14 March 1919 he resigned his commission and was promoted to Major the same day, though with seniority dating back to 27 November 1916. He served again in the Second World War until 27 September 1944 when he ceased to be employed and was granted the honorary rank of Lt. Col. He became Chairman of the Steam Transport Company Ltd of Liverpool though the company was voluntarily wound up in 1925. He was living at Norton Place, Bishop Norton, Lincs when he was nominated for Sheriff in the King’s Bench Division of the High Court of Justice on 13 November 1944 and on 2 August 1946 was appointed Sheriff of the County of Lincoln. Joseph Hoult moved soon after to Africa and was living at Voorspoed, Tokai Road, Retreat, Wynberg, Cape of Good Hope when he died on 20 May 1948, aged 58. He is buried in St. Peter’s Churchyard, Bishop Norton, Lincs. This might be the same officer who punished Dvr Richard Semple (93493) for being absent from parade on 13 February 1916 so he may have been commanding B/58 at the time.
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Dvr.
|
Hounsell
|
Sidney
|
11289
|
B/58
|
Sidney Hounsell was the son of Frederick William Hounsell and Eliza Hounsell (née Bishop). He was born on 1 August 1894 in Litton Cheney, Dorset and was baptised on 2 September 1894. In 1911 he was working as a wheelwright, aged 16, and two years later in 1913 he was working as an apprentice blacksmith. He probably enlisted early in the war – possibly alongside another Litton Cheney man, Reginald Peach (11031). After his military training he was posted to Egypt arriving there on about 19 July 1915. He served in 11 (Northern) Division’s artillery and was recorded as serving in B/58 in October 1918 when the absent voters list for Dorset was compiled. After the war he married Pearl Annie Hawkins on 31 August 1931 in Winterbourne St Martin, Dorset, and he, Pearl and their family were living at Dowerfield Dairy Farm, Long Bredy, Dorset in 1939. They were still there when Sidney died suddenly after an intermittent illness on 16 December 1952, aged 58. Members of the British Legion, of which Sidney had been a member, attended his funeral to pay their respects.
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Sgt.
|
House
|
Daniel James
|
41108
|
D/58
|
Daniel James House was born on 6 April 1890, the son of William House and Dorothea Barbara House. In 1911, Daniel was living in Wealdstone, Middx with his parents and was working as a carman. He married Emily Mary Birch on 6 June 1914 in St. John the Evangelist’s church, Kensal Green, Paddington, London. They were living together in 356 Ladbroke Grove at the time and Daniel was working as a labourer. Their daughter, Doris Emily House, was baptised on 4 October 1914. Daniel enlisted into the RFA and went to France on about 13 July 1915. Three years later, he was serving as a Sergeant in D/58 in September 1918 when he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, the citation reading: “On the night of 18/19 September 1918 he was in charge of five ammunition wagons and teams, when heavy shell fire was put down on the road, inflicting severe casualties on two teams. He got his other three teams away, and stayed to assist the wounded drivers into dug-outs at the side of the road. On 27 September he again displayed great gallantry while bringing his sub-section into action under heavy fire.” His award was gazetted on 11 March 1920. After the war, Daniel and Emily lived at 21 Herga Road, Wealdstone until at least 1920, but by 1926 they appeared to have separated because Daniel was living with his parents, William House and Dorothy Barbara House in 58 Herga Road. His parents died in the 1930s and so between at least 1938 and September 1939 he was living at 22 Milton Road, Harrow, Middx. Daniel House was working as a ganger at the time and died in 1947, aged 57.
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Gnr.
|
Houston
|
Andrew
|
22182
|
D/58
|
Andrew Houston was the son of Alexander and Ann Houston (née McNaughton). He was born in about 1882 and enlisted in Bridge of Weir, Renfrewshire, on 12 September 1914. He appears to have joined 461 Bty and he went to France on 13 July 1915. He had some leave at home in January 1916 before returning to his unit at Armentières. He was posted to D/60 on 15 July 1916. His section of 2 howitzers was posted to join D/58 on 29 January 1917. He was severely wounded, dying of his wounds on 5 June 1918, aged 37. He is buried in Pernes British Cemetery, France, and is commemorated on the Bridge of Weir Memorial. Some sources give his service number as 22182, but there appears to have been a clerical error many years ago: that number belonged to a Gnr Alexander Houston from Paisley who was discharged from the Army in January 1915, but some of Andrew Houston’s details were inadvertently added to Alexander Houston’s records.
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Cpl.
|
Hudson
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F E
|
|
D/58
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Cpl F E Hudson of D/58 was cited as a source by Lyn MacDonald in her book “Passchendaele”.
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2/Lt.
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Hughesdon
|
Arthur Hamilton
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n/a
|
A/58
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Arthur Hamilton Hughesdon was born on 27 September 1886 at 9 Connaught Road, Stroud Green, Hornsey, Middx. He was the son of Arthur James Hughesdon and Janet Louisa Hughesdon and he was educated at Tollington Schools. He was granted the Freedom of the City of London on 3 November 1908 because his father was the assistant clerk to the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers. He was initiated into the Freemasons’ United Strength Lodge on 8 November 1910. He married Olive Fenton Ward on 11 March 1911 in St Mary’s church, Church End, Finchley and they had two sons, John Arthur Hughesdon who was born on 3 May 1912 and Colin Reginald Hughesdon, born on 12 April 1915. He worked as a ship broker before the war and he and Olive set up home at “Ottawa”, Westbury Road, North Finchley, London. On 18 January 1915, he enlisted into the Territorial Force as a Cadet in the 2/28th County of London Regt – the Artist’s Rifles Officer Training Corps – with service number 3184. He was serving in A Company of that battalion in Hut 24 of Hare Hall Camp, Romford, Essex when he applied for a commission on 24 July 1916 and was instructed to report to the RFA Officer Cadet School at Exeter on 18 August 1916. After completing his training, he was commissioned into the Special Reserve of Officers as a 2/Lt on probation in the RFA on 2 December 1916. He was posted to France and arrived on 30 January 1917. He was posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column (11 DAC) from Base on 1 March 1917 but just a few days later reported sick with gonorrhoea to 2nd West Riding Field Ambulance on 7 March 1917 and was sent to No.47 Casualty Clearing Station at Varennes later that same day. On 12 March 1917 he was transferred to No.39 General Hospital and was discharged to the Reinforcements Camp at Le Havre on 7 April 1917. He returned to 11 DAC on 14 April 1917 and was posted to A/58 on 22 April 1917. A few weeks later, he was posted to C/59 Bde RFA on 25 June 1917 and then to the HQ of 59 Bde on 8 July 1917. He was granted leave to the UK between 24 August and 3 September 1917 and again between 12 December and 26 December 1917. He appears to have acted as adjutant to 59 Bde during February 1918 and was promoted to Lieutenant on 2 June 1918. He had a further spell of leave back in the UK between 13 and 27 July 1918. On 25 August 1918 he was attached to D/59 but a week later returned to C/59 on 31 August 1918. On 27 September 1918, ‘Hughie’, as he was known to his fellow officers, was part of an advance when he led a group of Canadian soldiers to rush an enemy machine gun which was hidden in a belt of barbed wire. Sadly, he was killed in this action and, when his body was recovered, all of his personal belongings had already been taken. He was buried two days later by the brigade’s padre, the Rev J H H Doorbar. Arthur Hughesdon was 32 years old when he died and he is buried in Sains-les-Marquion British Cemetery, France. In a letter to Arthur’s father, Rev Doorbar said that “[w]e were all passionately fond of ‘Hughie’” and he had “unstinted admiration of the fine qualities” which Arthur possessed.
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2/Lt.
|
Humphris
|
James Henry
|
n/a
|
B/58
|
James Henry Humphris was born on 31 May 1893 in Stratford, London, one of the five children of William Richard Humphris and Alice Lena Humphris. He lived in East Ham, London and worked as a clerk before the war. On 29 May 1915, he enlisted into 173 (East Ham) Bde RFA in East Ham, London and was assigned the service number 28636. He was posted as a Driver to B/173 on 26 June 1915 and appointed an A/Bdr on 24 July 1915. He was promoted to Cpl on 25 November 1915 two days before he sailed, probably with his brigade, from Southampton, arriving in Le Havre the following day, 28 November 1915. He was then appointed to A/Sgt on 13 March 1916 and confirmed in that rank on 8 May 1916. Soon afterwards he had some leave to the UK between 16 and 23 May 1916 and then on 28 July 1916 he was admitted to 1/3 North Midland Field Ambulance with an unknown fever, though after a week he was discharged back to his unit on 4 August 1916. He was serving in C/173 when he left his brigade on 29 May 1917 to return to the UK with a view to obtaining a commission. He joined No.3 Officer Cadet School at Weedon on 24 August 1917 and was commissioned into the RFA Special Reserve on 20 January 1918. He served in 11 Division Ammunition Column until 30 March 1918 when he was attached to B/58. Just 10 days later on 9 April 1918 he was gassed along with many others and retired to the wagon lines. He was posted from B/58 to A/58 on 5 May 1918 and was one of several of the brigade’s officers who were noted as being sick as of 12 May 1918. He returned briefly to B/58 on 20 May 1918 but was back in A/58 when he went on a signalling course on 21 August 1918. During the “100 days” he formed part of a mobile battery on 26 August 18, and after a short period of leave returned to his unit on 6 November 1918. He was awarded the Military Cross on 23 December 1918. After the Armistice he was sent on a gas course on 16 November 1918 and went on 14 days’ leave to the UK on 20 March 1919, returning on 6 April 1919. He went to Bessemer Dump on 19 April 1919 and was demobilised at the Officers’ Dispersal Unit in London on 28 June 1919. On 12 September 1929 he married Deborah Louisa Warrstall in St.Barnabas, Manor Park, Essex. In 1939 he was working as a commercial traveller, and he, Deborah and three boarders were living back in his parents’ old home of 144 Milton Avenue in East Ham. James Henry Humphris died on 18 January 1951 in the East Ham Memorial Hospital, aged 57.
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Gnr.
|
Hunt
|
Arthur
|
10554
|
A/58
|
Arthur Hunt was born in Yeovil, Somerset. He enlisted in Yeovil and after travelling in July 1915 with his unit, A/58, from the UK to Alexandria, died there on 8 August 1915. He is buried in Alexandria (Chatby) Military and War Memorial Cemetery.
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2/Lt.
|
Hunt
|
Norman
|
n/a
|
D/58
|
Norman Hunt was born in 1893. In civilian life he had worked as a shipping merchant and lived in Alma Park, near Manchester. He had served in an Officers Training Corps and so was commissioned as a temporary 2/Lt in the RFA on 15 October 1914. He joined 58 Bde and on 1 July 1915 he and his soldier servant embarked on the SS “Empress Britain” at Liverpool along with 7 other officers of 58 Bde and their soldier servants. They sailed for Alexandria, Egypt, arriving about two weeks later. On 2 October 1915 he was “OC Details” and awarded Dvr Frank Nichol (10675) of C/58 seven days’ confinement to camp for “irregularity on parade”. Four days later he was at Mudros on 6 October 1915 with 82 men and was in charge of horses & transport for both 58 & 59 Bdes. In mid-February 1916 he was at Zahrieh camp and reported Gnr Christopher Smart for neglect of duty. Norman was demobilsed from the Dispersal Unit in Crystal Palace on 9 October 1919 and his address after the war was given as 50 Linden Road, Alma Park, Levenshulme, Manchester.
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2/Lt.
|
Hunter
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Norman Thomas Crichton
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n/a
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C/58
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Norman Thomas Crichton Hunter was born on 7 April 1897 in 3 Salisbury Terrace, Cherry Bank, Perth, Perthshire, to Robert Hunter and Mary Stewart Hunter (née Crichton). He was educated at Clifton Bank School, St Andrews, and at Sharps Institution in Perth. He was training in the law and living at the family home of St John’s, 123 Glasgow Road, Perth when he attested in Perth on 11 December 1915 and was assigned service number 130264. While waiting to be mobilised he applied for a commission and was ordered to report to the RFA Officer Cadet School, Topsham Barracks, Exeter on 1 March 1916. After training, he was commissioned as a temporary 2/Lt in the Special Reserve on 27 July 1916. He was posted to France, arriving on about 5 August 1916. He must have joined C/58 very soon after arriving because on 26 September 1916 he was slightly wounded while serving as a Forward Observation Officer for the battery on the first day of the Battle of Thiepval Ridge. It appears that he received a bullet wound to his right forearm making movement of his hand and fingers difficult and gripping impossible. He was evacuated back to the UK on 30 September 1916 on the Hospital Ship “Cambria” sailing from Calais to Dover. A medical board held on 3 October 1916 at No.1 Eastern General Hospital in Cambridge concluded that he was unfit for general service for 3 months and that his injuries might be permanent. Further medical boards concluded that he was still not fit for any service, until a few months later he was posted to 6A Reserve Bde and joined 32 Reserve Battery on 5 March 1917. A further medical board held on 21 April 1917 found that he was now fit for general service and he returned to France where he was attached back to C/58 on 23 May 1917. He was given leave to the UK between 15 and 25 September 1917 and then on 16 December 1917 he was a candidate for 11 Division Commander Royal Artillery’s “examination of 2/Lts for promotion (1st sitting)”. He went on 14 days’ leave to England on 6 January 1918 and was placed in charge of 11 Division’s leave party for the journey, returning to his battery on 22 January 1918, and was promoted to Lieutenant a few days later on 28 January 1918. He was sent to 1 Corps Officers’ Rest Station on 3 May 1918 with debility and was then admitted to 34 Field Ambulance on 9 May 1918. He was included in a list of several of the brigade’s officers who were sick as of 12 May 1918, Norman being at a Casualty Clearing Station at the time. After returning to the rest station, he was discharged back to duty on 29 May 1918 and re-joined C/58 that same day. He went on 14 days’ leave to the UK via Calais on 20 September 1918, returning to his unit on 6 October 1918 and was awarded the Military Cross the same day. His medal was awarded for an act of bravery near Boiry Nôtre Dame the citation saying that it was “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. While the enemy were shelling the battery position, a camouflage net covering a dump of ammunition caught fire. This officer rushed to the spot and threw earth over the fire at great personal risk. It was due to his courage and initiative that the whole of the ammunition and a quantity of equipment were saved. Having extinguished the fire, he moved two gunners who were badly wounded to a place of safety.” The brigade had been near Boiry Nôtre Dame in mid-September of that year so the action may have taken place shortly before he went on leave. As the Germans continued to retreat, he and Signaller Percy Whitehouse went out on mounted patrol at 7 a.m. on 6 November 1918 to ascertain and report what was going on and returned with “most valuable and accurate information” obtained “under great difficulty”. He formed a brigade cavalry party comprising himself and 30 other ranks to act independently the day before the Armistice, 10 November 1918. They located the enemy at 8.30 a.m. that day and withdrew under machine gun fire. He passed the location of the machine gun to the brigade who silenced it by shell fire. After the war was over, he was posted back to the UK for demobilisation on 14 February 1919, sailing from Boulogne the following day. He attended No.1 Dispersal Unit at Georgetown in Paisley on 19 February 1919 and was demobilised the next day. He relinquished his commission on 1 April 1920 and after the war worked as a solicitor in Perth. Norman Hunter died in 1973.
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Dvr.
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Hurford
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Frederick
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48314
|
C/58
|
Frederick Hurford was born in about 1895 and was serving as a Driver in C/58 when he contracted influenza and was admitted to No.34 Field Ambulance on 8 April 1919 with a temperature of 104F having been ill for 4 days. He was transferred the same day to No.57 Casualty Clearing Station, where he was admitted to Ward C with pains and shivering. On 9 May 1919 he was transferred to No.42 Casualty Clearing Station and from there was evacuated on No.15 Ambulance Train on 20 May 1919 and admitted to No.32 Stationary Hospital in Wimereux the following day. On 8 June 1919 he was evacuated back to the UK and admitted to the Military Hospital, Endell Street, London. Frederick recovered and was discharged to duty probably on 10 June 1919.
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Maj.
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Hutchinson
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Edward Maitland
|
n/a
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OC B/58
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Born on 21 November 1884 in Bedford, Edward Maitland Hutchinson was commissioned as a 2/Lt into the RFA following training at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, on 23 December 1903. In 1911 he was a Lt and was staying in the Officers Mess, Hilsea. Once war was declared, Lt E M Hutchinson was promoted to Captain on 30 October 1914 “and remain seconded”: he was attached to the Bikaner Camel Corps of the Indian Expeditionary Force at the time. Maj E M Hutchinson was restored to the establishment on 1 April 1917. Later that year he had joined 58 Bde and was commanding C/58, but after the previous battery commander, Maj Baines, returned on 5 October 1917, he moved to take command of B/58. He acted as the brigade commander probably for a few days later that year but was replaced in that role on 7 December 1917 when Maj Dane returned. He went on the 5th Senior Officers’ Course at Shoeburyness, on 4 January 1918, returning to the brigade after the course and some leave on 5 February 1918. He was due to go on a 6-week long learner’s Staff course in April 1918, but before he could do so he was wounded by gas and so was temporarily struck off the strength of the brigade on 14 April 1918. He was soon back with B/58 and was both Mentioned in Dispatches on 24 May 1918 and awarded the Distinguished Service Order in the King’s Birthday Honours of 4 June 1918. On 4 October 1918 he took over the post of A/GSO3 at 11th (Northern) Division’s HQ and he returned from Royal Artillery HQ on 16 December 1918 and assumed command of the brigade since the OIC, Lt Col Bedwell, had gone to take command of 11 Division Artillery. He was posted to command C/58 on 1 January 1919, though soon after went on leave, returning on 17 January 1919 when he also assumed command of the brigade again and was made a temporary Lt Col for being in command of a brigade on 22 January 1919. He went to the Division’s Artillery HQ on 27 February 19 and was then posted to command A/58 on 15 March 1919. He then went on leave again to the UK on 26 April 1919, returning on 13 May 1919. After 58 Bde was disbanded he at some point joined 1st South Midland Bde RFA as a supernumerary Major and acted as their adjutant but was “restored to the establishment” on 1 May 1920 when he was replaced as adjutant. In 1939, he and his wife Phyllis and their children John and Diana were living in Amersham, Bucks, and he was working as a District Manager for Cannon Brewery Co Ltd, of London. He died on 4 April 1957 and is buried in Bowstridge Lane Cemetery, Chalfont St Giles, Bucks.
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Capt.
|
Hutton
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Thomas Jacomb
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n/a
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OC A/58
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Thomas Jacomb Hutton was born on 27 March 1890 in Nottingham and educated at Rossall School. He was commissioned as a 2/Lt in the RFA on 23 December 1909 after having attended the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. In April 1911 he was a 2/Lt in 134 Battery, stationed in Louisburg Barracks, Bordon, Hants. His battery was part of 32 Bde RFA, 4 Division. He was promoted to Lt the following year and after war was declared he went to France as part of the BEF with his battery. He was still serving in 134 Battery, 32 Bde RFA when he was first Mentioned in Dispatches on 22 June 1915, having been awarded the Military Cross shortly beforehand (gazetted on 3 June 1915). He was Mentioned in Dispatches a further three times, which appeared in the London Gazette on 4 January 1917, 18 May 1917 and 11 December 17. He joined 58 Bde on about 27 July 1916 and received a “very warm welcome” from Lt Col Winter and was appointed the commanding officer of A/58. He was bruised in the stomach on 23 October 1916 at Courcelette by a large shell fragment, but fortunately it did no worse damage than making him very sore. Along with Maj Piper of B/58, he went to dinner with the CRA on 30 October 1916 and had a night’s rest. He was again hit, but seemingly not injured, by a bit of shell on 8 November 1916 and then on 16 November 1916 he went sick suffering from shell-shock. His own diary simply records: “I was sent down to the clearing station at Gomiecourt”. He was away for 6 weeks, returning just after Christmas, and was promoted to A/Major since he was now in command of a 6-gun battery – his promotion being back dated to 27 November 1916. He assumed temporary command of the brigade on 1 January 1917, returning to command A/58 when Maj Griffin returned from leave, ten days later. On 4 May 1917 he returned from some sick leave and then had some normal leave, returning on 22 June 1917. He was wounded by a shell in the leg, chest and arm on 21 August 1917 and evacuated, so reverted to the rank of Captain on 21 August 1917 on ceasing to command a battery. He returned to 11 Division on 25 September 1917 and was appointed the artillery’s Brigade Major. He was attached to 32 Inf Bde between 5 and 10 October 1917 during their failed attack. He was appointed a Brevet Major on 2 January 1918 and moved to B/58, and was commanding that battery on 9 April 1918 when he was gassed along with many others and retired to the wagon lines. He was temporarily struck off the strength of the brigade on 14 April 1918 after having been “wounded gas” but returned a fortnight later on 28 April 1918. On 11 June 1918 he was posted to act as temporary Brigade Major (BM) to 34 Infantry Bde when their BM went on leave, and he was struck off the strength of 58 Bde on 4 July 1918 when he again stood in for the 34 Inf Bde BM who went off on a staff course. He himself had been nominated the previous month to go on the 3rd Staff Course at Cambridge and in due course he became staff qualified and acted as GSO3 to 51 Division from 4 September 1918. He then served as BM to 34 and 185 Inf Bdes. After the war he served as Assistant Military Secretary, Constantinople, 1919 – 1920, which is where he met his future wife, the Scottish psychiatrist, Dr Isabel Galloway Emslie, who he married in 1921. He had a long and distinguished career in the Army, ending up as a Lt Gen and being awarded a KCB and KCIE, before retiring in 1944. He retained the honorary role of Colonel Commandant of the Royal Artillery until 1952. His wife passed away in 1960 and he died on 17 January 1981 and is buried in St Andrews churchyard, Clevedon, North Somerset. Both Wikipedia and King’s College London have articles on him.
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Gnr.
|
Hyde
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Thomas
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10933
|
B/58
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Thomas Hyde was born in Uploders, near Bridport, Dorset, in January 1890 to parents William John Gundry Hyde and Emily Gill Hyde. He was baptised on 9 February 1890. He worked as a baker and was living in Piddletrenthide, Dorset when he enlisted in Bridport on 2 September 1914, aged 24. He was initially posted to No.3 Depot at Hilsea and then on 10 September 1914 to 185 Bty as a gunner, which became B/58. He was hospitalised in the Military Hospital Leeds with cowpox between 14 and 21 October 1914. He sailed from Devonport with 58 Bde on 1 July 1915, arriving on 14 July 1915 in Alexandria, then sailed from Alexandria on 28 July 1915, disembarking at Gallipoli on 9 August 1915. A few weeks later he was admitted to hospital with dysentery and then evacuated to Malta on HMHS “Assaye” where he was admitted to hospital on 26 September 1915. From Malta, he sailed on 31 October 1915 on HMHS “Panama”, arriving back in the UK on 8 November 1915 and was admitted the next day to Clearing Hospital Eastleigh. After his recuperation, he was posted to France on 6 January 1916 and joined 19 Division Ammunition Column (DAC), but 3 months later was ill again and was admitted to 32 Casualty Clearing Station on 19 April 1916 with jaundice. He was transferred back to the UK on HS “Delta” on 23 April 1916 and was admitted to 4th General Hospital London the following day. He was discharged on 5 May 1916 and after recovering from that, he went back to France on 27 August 1916 and was posted to 25 DAC on 5 September 1916 and then to A/112 Bde RFA on 14 September 1916. He was briefly appointed A/Bdr while in 112 Bde on 9 March 1917. He was wounded with a “gunshot wound” to his right forearm and was admitted to 34 Field Ambulance on 18 June 1917. He was evacuated to the UK on HS “St David” from Boulogne on 23 June 1917 and stayed in 3rd Western General Hospital, Cardiff, between 23 June and 28 August 1917. He married Grace Ann Marsh Barter on 5 January 1918 in Netherbury, Dorset, and they settled in Beaminster, Dorset. Grace received a separation allowance. Thomas returned to France on 18 February 1918 where he joined B/242 (Army) Bde RFA. After the Armistice, he returned to the UK on 25 January 1919 and went to the Dispersal Centre Fovant for demobilisation.
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Cpl.
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Inch
|
Ernest
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21122
|
C/58
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Ernest Inch was the son of John Henry and Emily Inch. He was born in Ashgate, Derbyshire, in 1894, and worked as a tram conductor for the Chesterfield Corporation before the war where it was said that he won the regard of his passengers “by his courtesy and kindly consideration”. He enlisted in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, on 3 September 1914 aged 20, and was posted probably to D/60 and was trained in Norwich. After serving with his battery at Suvla Bay, he probably transferred to 133 Bde along with all his battery in April 1916 and after serving in France was transferred to C/58 probably at the end of 1916. He had leave to the UK in August 1917 and returned to his battery on 30 August 1917. On the morning of 29 September 1917, he was asleep in his dug out with some of his comrades when a shell struck, killing him as well as Gnr John Crockford and Bdr Harold Wragg. They were buried the next day by the Chaplain, Rev Cecil G Ruck, and all are believed to be buried in New Irish Farm Cemetery, Belgium. After his death, his fiancée Miss R Colliss received letters from a friend of Ernest’s who had served throughout the war with him, George Aindow, who mourned his “splendid comrade” Ernie, and from one of his officers, Captain T C Foster, who regretted the death of “a very good and energetic NCO” who, just before he died, he had recommended for promotion to sergeant.
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Gnr.
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Inman
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Thomas
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233480
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B/58
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Thomas Inman lived in Croydon before he enlisted in Woolwich. He was serving with B/58 when he was killed in action on 2 October 1918. He was initially buried just outside the village of Fontaine-les-Croisilles, but he was subsequently re-buried in Quéant Road Cemetery, Buissy.
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Dvr.
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Irving
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David
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93069
|
A/58
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David Irving was born in Irvine, Ayrshire in 1889. He was the son of David and Jeanie Irving though in 1901 he appears to have been living with his aunt, Jessie Muir. Before the war he was apprenticed as a joiner to a Mr Charles Wark and had served a year in the RFA Territorial unit, 1 Battery, 3 Lowland Bde RFA. On 25 August 1914, he enlisted into the RFA aged 25 and was sent to No.6 RFA Depot in Glasgow, from which he was posted as a Driver to the HQ staff of 184 Battery, which later became A/58. He sailed with the brigade from Devonport on 1 July 1915, arriving in Alexandria on 14 July 1915. He sailed from Alexandria on 1 August 1915, landing on Gallipoli on 12 August 1915. After the evacuation from Gallipoli, he was punished by a Lt Jones for having been improperly dressed on 27 January 1916 and was posted to 58 Bde Ammunition Column on 12 February 1916. On 11 March 1916, the War Office tried to track down his aunt, Miss Jessie Muir who had apparently lived in Glasgow, but the City of Glasgow Police drew a blank in trying to find her. He sailed with his unit on 25 June 1916 from Alexandria, arriving in Marseilles on 3 July 1916. But three days later he was admitted to No.7 Canadian Stationary Hospital in Le Havre with a septic arm and pyaemia, so on 22 July 1916 was invalided back to the UK from Le Havre on the Hospital Ship “Dunluce Castle”. On 24 July 1916 he was posted to 5C Reserve Bde for administrative purposes and on the same day was admitted to Merryflats War Hospital, Govan, Glasgow. He stayed in that hospital for nearly 4 months, not being discharged until 18 November 1916. On 29 November 1916 he was posted to the Royal Artillery Command Depot at Ripon. On 17 February 1917 he was posted to “F” Battery of No.7 Depot at Frome, Somerset and a month later overstayed his embarkation leave from midnight on 6 March 1917 until 8 a.m. on the 8th so was docked 6 days’ pay and confined to barracks for 4 days. He returned to 5C Reserve Bde on 19 March 1917 and was posted back to France on 11 April 1917. Shortly after arriving he was admitted to No.39 General Hospital in Le Havre on 17 April 1917 with an undiagnosed condition. After being discharged on 2 April 1917 he was posted to join C/223 Bde RFA on 5 May 1917. His pay was increased to 3d a day from 29 July 1917 and to 4d per day from 25 August 1917. He was granted 14 days’ leave to the UK between 24 February and 10 March 1918. He was posted back to the UK on 19 January 1919 for demobilisation, sailing from Dieppe on 26 January 1919. He attended No.1 Dispersal Unit at Georgetown, near Paisley, Renfrewshire on 28 January 1919 and was demobbed on 25 February 1919. After the war he returned to live in Irvine.
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Sgt.
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Isaac
|
William
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67750
|
D/58
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William Isaac was a shoemaker and was born in Islington, Middx. He joined the pre-war regular Army when he enlisted, aged 18, on 17 November 1911 for a period of 3 years active service followed by 9 years in the reserve. He had 5 days in hospital at the Curragh between 14 and 18 June 1913 with scabies. He served in 15 Bde and after war was declared went to France on 19 August 1914. Two months later he was wounded on 20 October 1914 by a gunshot wound to his abdomen. He was admitted to 15 Field Ambulance at Béthune and then after being evacuated to the UK was admitted to 3rd Northern General Hospital, Sheffield, on 23 October 1914. His next of kin was said to be his unnamed wife at 90 Murray St, New North Road, London N1. He joined 118 Bde RFA and returned to France with them, landing at Le Havre on 11 March 1915. He was granted leave between 11 and 19 December 1915 and was appointed A/Bdr on 24 February 1916. He was briefly hospitalised between 24 and 30 May 1916, and then along with the rest of his battery he was transferred to 58 Bde on 18 July 1916 to form the new D/58. On 29 October 1916, he was admitted to 19 Divisional Rest Station with nasal polyps, had a minor operation to remove them and so was discharged to duty two days later. He was promoted to Bdr in early 1917 to replace Bdr Herbert Browne (39280) who had been wounded and evacuated to the UK. On 5 April 1917 he was involved in reporting an offence committed by Gnr George Bayliss ( 133632) and four days later he was promoted to replace a casualty – he became a Cpl to replace Cpl Frank Craig (7252) who had been killed by a premature – and the following month was promoted a third time to become a Sgt on 24 May 1917. He was then granted 10 days’ leave to the UK on 3 June 1917, but the following month was wounded in action on 27 July 1917 with a “gunshot wound” to his right shoulder. He was admitted to 138 Field Ambulance and after a period of recuperation joined the Base depot on 12 August 1917 and was posted back to D/58 on 22 August 1917. He was granted 14 days’ leave to the UK via Boulogne on 14 March 1918 and the following month married Léopoldine Lobel Isaac of 22 rue de l’Alma, Noeux les Mines, Pas de Calais, France. He was awarded the Belgian Croix de Guerre on 15 April 1918 and on 13 August 1918 he left 58 Bde to return to the UK for a 6 month tour of duty under the terms of WO letter 114/Gen/No/5812(AGI) dated 12 January 1918. He sailed from Le Havre on 29 August 1918 and was posted to 415 Battery on 25 September 1918. He was sent to the Dispersal Centre at Crystal Palace in February 1919 ready for demobilisation and was discharged on 5 March 1919 as being no longer physically fit for war service. After being discharged, he sought a pension due to deafness, which he said dated from March 1917. He had not reported to hospital at any point due to it and was assessed as having less than 20% debility in December 1919. However, after an appeal, he was examined by a specialist on 19 May 1920 who diagnosed “labyrinthine deafness of both ears and chronic non-suppurative inflammation of both middle ears” though the subsequent Medical Appeal Board found he still had less than 20% debility from this. He was therefore awarded a gratuity of £71 5s though deductions were to be made from this of any pay he had received during the period covered by the award.
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Gnr.
|
Jackson
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Richard
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97385
|
B/58
|
Richard Jackson was born in Hounslow, Middx. He was living in Acton Green, London, when he enlisted. He was serving in B/58 when he died of wounds on 23 September 1917 while serving in the Ypres salient. He is buried in Duhallow Advanced Dressing Station Cemetery, Belgium, and his war gratuity was paid to his widow, Jane.
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Sgt
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Jackson
|
|
|
C/58?
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Sgt Jackson was cited as a witness to Gnr Arthur Tiley (11150) being absent from Milford Camp from 12 p.m. on 2 May to 10 p.m. on 3 May 1915 due to having over-stayed his leave.
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Bdr.
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Jackson
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|
|
C/58
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On 2 September 1917, Bombardier Jackson had his duties in C/58 taken over by Percy Ellard (94116).
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Dvr.
|
Jagger
|
Elijah
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785790
|
A/58
|
Elijah Jagger was born on 5 October 1895 in Kearby, Yorks, the son of David and Harriet Jagger. By the age of 15 he was already working on his father’s farm. He enlisted into the 3rd West Riding Bde of the RFA’s Territorial Force. Late in the war, he was serving in A/58 when he suffered a fracture in his right tibia. He was evacuated back to the UK and admitted to Fairvale Military Hospital, Sheffield. From there he was dicharged and went on 5 December 1918 to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick. After the war, Elijah returned to farming and on 12 June 1922 married Alice Cariss at the Weslyan Methodist Chapel, Stoney Hill, Eccleshill, Yorks. In September, Elijah was a dairy farmer living at Marsh Farm, Hemsworth, Yorks with his wife, Alice, and their children. Elijah Jagger died in a mental health asylum, the Stanley Royd Hospital, Wakefield on 13 September 1962.
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Gnr.
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James
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George William
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11245
|
D/58
|
George William James enlisted into the RFA on 5 September 1914 and was serving as a Gunner in D/58 when he was posted overseas, arriving in Egypt on about 19 July 1915. At some subsequent point, he was transferred to the Royal Garrison Artillery and was assigned the new service number 223143. He was discharged from the Army on 27 February 1919 as being no longer physically fit for military service and so was awarded a Silver War Badge.
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Sgt.
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Jarvis
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Ernest Edward
|
52612
|
A/58
|
Sgt Ernest Edward Jarvis was serving in A/58 when he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal on 24 June 1917. The citation for his award stated that it was given “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. Whilst under heavy gas shell fire in his gun-pit, the roof was pierced, and he and two other inmates were gassed and wounded. In spite of his own suffering, he carried the wounded man to the dressing station. He has on previous occasions been recommended for displaying the utmost courage and coolness under fire.” Due to the wounds he sustained in this action, he did not return to A/58.
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BQMS
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Jefferson
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|
|
C/58
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BQMS Jefferson was serving as the battery quartermaster sergeant of C/58 in Egypt when he was posted away from the brigade on 9 February 1916 and so was replaced by Herbert Prestidge (10598). BQMS Jefferson is very likely to have been BQMS William Jefferson (62488) who was a pre-war soldier and who was serving as a Cpl in 2 Bde RFA when he went to France as part of the British Expeditionary Force on 11 September 1914.
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Gnr.
|
Jinks
|
William
|
99569
|
B/58
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William Jinks was born in North Ormesby, Yorkshire on 30 January 1896. He was the son of Stephen and Hannah Jinks, and they had him baptised on 20 February 1896 in Middlesbrough Circuit Primitive Methodist Church, Middlesbrough, Yorkshire. Before the war he worked as a labourer in an iron foundry and was probably one of the original men who joined 58 Bde when it was formed. He was serving in B/58 in the Ypres salient when he was wounded. He was evacuated to 53 General Hospital, Boulogne, but died of his wounds there aged 21. He is buried in Wimereux Communal Cemetery, France.
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BSM
|
Johns
|
|
|
D/58?
|
BSM Johns was probably serving in D/58 when he witnessed Dvr William Robinson (10712) being late for the 1130 parade at Leeds on 30 January 1915.
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Gnr.
|
Johnson
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Albert Edward
|
10701
|
C/58
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Albert Edward Johnson was born in 1896 in Chilvers Coton, near Nuneaton, Warks. In 1911 he was living with his widowed grandmother, Mary Elson, and his father, Harry Johnson, and Albert as working as a general labourer in a stone quarry at the time. On 4 September 14, he enlisted in Nuneaton, aged 19, and was now working as a miner. He was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea, and then on 10 September 1914 to C/58. After training, he sailed from Devonport with his battery on 1 July 1915, Arriving in Alexandria on 14 July 1915. He sailed from Alexandria on 1 August 1915, disembarking on Gallipoli on 12 August 1915. A week before his battery was evacuated from Gallipoli, Albert was awarded 28 days’ Field Punishment No.2 on 11 December 1915 for “While on active service neglect of duty as telephonist”. After the evacuation, he arrived back in Alexandria on 1 January 1916. Along with his battery, he sailed from Alexandria on 26 June 1916, arriving at Marseilles on 3 July 1916. In France, he was reported for neglect of duty on 21 October 1916 and so was awarded 5 days’ Field Punishment No.2 a week later on 28 October 1916. He was granted leave to the UK between 12 and 31 January 1917. In September 1917, he started to receive a number of promotions: on 29th he was promoted to Bdr, then on 22 January 1918 he was appointed A/Cpl, and then on 25 April 1918 was appointed paid A/Sgt. He was granted extra pay of 2d per day throughout July and August 1918 for being an Assistant Instructor in signalling. He was re-designated as a Signaller Sgt on 12 October 1918 and was posted back to the UK earlier than most on 30 December 1918 so that he could be released and return to his work as a miner. He therefore reported to No.2 Dispersal Unit, Chiseldon, on 1 January 1918 and was formally demobbed on 31 March 1920. In 1920 he was living in George St, Attleborough, Nuneaton.
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Ftr S/Sgt.
|
Johnson
|
Henry Ernest
|
52136
|
A/58
|
Henry Ernest Johnson was born in about 1892. He was the son of Harry and Mary Louisa Johnson of 25, Pendine Road, Whitchurch, Glam. During a very heavy barrage on 21 August 1917, he was serving with A/58 when he was singled out for praise by his battery commander for putting out dumps and providing aid to the wounded of the battery and other batteries. Sadly, he was killed in action a few weeks later, on 12 September 1917 and is buried in Gwalia Cemetery, Belgium. He was awarded the Military Medal, though this was not gazetted until 19 November 1917, two months after his death.
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Cpl.
|
Johnson
|
John Thomas
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L/9528
|
B/58
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John Thomas Johnson was born in Runcorn, Cheshire, in about 1896. He moved to Manchester, where he worked as a carter and he married Mary Alice Whyatt on 8 August 1914 in St Matthew’s Church, Manchester, and their son, George Thomas Johnson, was born on 21 November 1914. He enlisted in Lytham St Annes on 22 February 1915, aged 19. He was posted first to 149 Bde and then on 13 May 1915 to 169 Bde. He was appointed an acting full Bdr on 24 October 1915 and promoted to A/Cpl on 13 November 1915, being confirmed in that rank on 18 June 1916. He sailed with his battery in January 1916 for Egypt, but a few weeks later they re-embarked at Alexandria on 29 February 1916 and arrived in Marseilles on 9 March 1916. He was admitted to 93 Field Ambulance with an ulcerated leg on 30 June 1916, being discharged to duty at Base Details Etaples from 20 General Hospital on 7 August 1916. On 30 August 1916 he was posted to C/169 which became A/169 the same day, but the following month he was re-admitted to hospital in 137 Field Ambulance with rheumatic fever on 18 September 1916, and then sent three days later to 1 Convalescent Depot. He was posted to 157 Bde in December 1916. He was granted leave between 5 and 12 February 1917 and was admitted to 2/2 South Midland Field Ambulance with an unknown fever (pyrexia of unknown origin) on 2 April 1917 but was returned to duty from 107 Field Ambulance four days later. He was admitted to 102 Field Ambulance with a sprained – possibly fractured – right ankle on 16 September 1917 which he sustained while in action when serving in C/157. He was evacuated to the UK on 26 September 1917 and was admitted to St George’s Hospital at Hyde Park Corner in London the same day, staying there until 23 October 1917. An x-ray showed that he had not fractured the ankle. He went to the Royal Artillery Command Depot at Ripon on 2 November 1917 and had a denture re-made on 4 January 1918 before returning to France on 18 February 1918. He was then posted to B/58 on 16 April 1918. His run of ill-health continued: on 28 June 1918 he was admitted to 34 Field Ambulance suffering from boils, so his place as A/Cpl was taken by Bdr Hawkes (22826). When John Johnson returned to the unit from the Base Depot on 6 September 1918, Hawkes reverted to Bdr. After the Armistice, he went to No.1 Dispersal Unit at Heaton Park on 4 April 1919 for demobilisation.
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2/Lt.
|
Johnson
|
Richard McMaster
|
n/a
|
B/58
|
Richard McMaster Johnson was born on 2 January 1887 in Kensington, London, the son of John W Johnson, a clerk, and Ethel P Johnson, a journalist and author. He was living in Stafford when he enlisted into the RFA on 13 November 1914 and was posted to No.3 Depot at Hilsea barracks. He was commissioned as a temporary 2/Lt into the RFA on 11 December 1914 and assigned to 58 Bde, serving initially in B/58 and later in 58 Bde’s Ammunition Column. While in training at Leeds he had epileptic fits, so a Medical Board was held which found him fit. However, his commanding officer, Lt Col Kuper objected to taking him abroad and after he had more fits, a second Medical Board was held for him at Witley Camp on 17 May 1915. A certificate was provided by a military doctor stating that he had seen Johnson during a fit and in his opinion Johnson had “True Epilepsy (Grand Mal)”. The board therefore determined that since he suffered from epilepsy he could not be employed in the Armed Services even on light duties so was gazetted out due to ill health. In 1916, Johnson worked temporarily as an interpreter at a Prisoner of War Camp, but sadly had another fit. He therefore had to write to the War Office requesting another medical board to determine his fitness for working for the Director of Prisoners of War, claiming to be “in very good health” and “quite fit for this work”. However, the War Office said that due to the findings of the Witley Medical Board he could not “be considered for any military employment as a commissioned officer”.
|
Gnr.
|
Johnson
|
Sidney
|
176572
|
|
Sidney Johnson (sometimes spelled Sydney Johnson) enlisted on 12 February 1916. He was serving in 58 Bde when he was discharged from the Army due to his wounds on 22 November 1918.
|
Dvr.
|
Johnston
|
William
|
167344
|
B/58
|
William Johnston was born on 27 February 1892 in Alyth, Perthshire, the son of William Johnston senior and Elizabeth Johnston (née Grant). He worked as a grocer and attested on 28 January 1916 but it was not until 25 September 1916 that he was mobilised at which time he was living at 7 Robertson Street, Partick. He enlisted into the RFA in Glasgow and was sent initially to No.6 Depot in Glasgow before going to 6B Reserve Bde in Edinburgh on 29 September 1916. After only 3 months training, William was posted to France on 26 December 1916 and was posted to join B/58 on 11 January 1917 at which point the brigade was in action at Englebelmer. He stayed with B/58 for the rest of his military service. On 4 February 1917, his mother died and William was granted a period of leave to the UK between 8 and 17 February 1917. The following year he was again granted another 14 days’ leave from 17 January 1918. After the Armistice he was granted a further 14 days’ leave between 21 December 1918 and 5 January 1919, travelling via Boulogne. However, seemingly while he was still in the UK, he was instructed to attend No.1 Dispersal Unit at Kinross for demobilisation on 21 February 1919 and he was demobilised on 22 March 1919 giving his father’s address of Brae Cottage, New Alyth, Alyth, Perthshire as his home address. William died on 22 February 1948 just before his 56th birthday.
|
Dvr.
|
Jones
|
Francis John
|
11161
|
B/58
|
Francis John Jones was born in Bristol in about 1895, the son of Daniel and Evelina Jones. He was working as a fitter while living at Folly Lane, St Phillips, Bristol, when he enlisted in Bristol on 4 September 1914. He was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea, and then on 10 September 1914 to 185 Bty (later B/58). While training in Leeds, he was punished for “neglecting to obey an order” on 20 March 1915, and so was given 5 days’ confinement to barracks by Maj Meyricke. While training at Milford Camp he slightly overstayed his leave – by just 2 hours and 45 minutes – on 26 May 15, for which he was given 7 days’ confinement to barracks again by Maj Meyricke. He appears to have served with the unit in Egypt and possibly Gallipoli but, probably after being evacuated sick or wounded, he was posted to A/130 on 28 November 1915, which became D/31 25 July 16, and so served at Salonika for the remainder of the war. He was posted to base on 6 June 1918 and then to 101 Bde Ammunition Column on 13 June 1918, before returning to D/31 on 19 July 1918. Soon after, he was insolent to an NCO, A/Bdr White, and given 28 days’ Field Punishment No.1 on 27 August 18 by the commander of 31 Bde RFA. After the Armistice, he left the Mediterranean Theatre on 16 December 1918 and went to “Russia” (probably Batoum – modern day Batoumi in Georgia) as part of the Allied Intervention forces but left there on 18 January 1919 and was sent to No.1 Dispersal Unit Fovant in April 1919.
|
2/Lt.
|
Jones
|
R A
|
n/a
|
HQ
|
2/Lt R A Jones was serving in 58 Bde when he acted as the referee for an 11th Division boxing tournament held at Witley Camp in late June 1915. A week or so later he sailed on the SS “Empress Britain” from Liverpool on 1 July 1915 as an officer in 58 Bde and at the end of the month he was acting as the brigade’s orderly officer. He would have arrived in Egypt in mid-July and sailed for Gallipoli about 2 weeks later. He landed at B Beach just south of Suvla Bay from HMT “Suevic” on 9 August 1915 and accompanied the brigade commander, Lt Col Drake, to look for the brigade’s guns which had been landed further south along the bay. Following the British withdrawal from Suvla Bay, he, along with 9 other officers from the brigade and 45 Other Ranks, embarked onto the SS “Tunisian” at Lemnos, sailing the next day. They arrived in Alexandria on 2 January 1916 and disembarked the following day. This was probably Robert Avery Jones who had been born on 27 December 1891 in Hereford and been commissioned into the RFA on 21 January 1915 and who ended the war as a Major. He married Doris May Steele Orkney in 1918 before emigrating to the USA and settling in Springfield, New Jersey, USA, where he managed the Baltusrol Golf Club including during the 1936 US Open championship. He was still living there in 1942 before retiring to Lake Helen, Florida with Doris, where he died on 11 August 1960, aged 69 and is buried in Oakdale Cemetery, DeLand, Florida.
|
Lt.
|
Jones
|
|
n/a
|
A/58
|
A Lt Jones was posted to join A/58 on 16 October 1916.
|
Gnr.
|
Jones
|
|
|
B/58
|
After attending a course at XIII Corps school, Gnr Jones was passed as a 1st class signaller on 22 March 1917.
|
Cpl.
|
Jones
|
|
|
HQ
|
A Bdr Jones of HQ 58 Bde witnessed an offence by Dvr W Birch (11284) on 18 June 1915 while they were training at Milford Camp. Probably the same Bdr Jones of HQ 58 Bde was replaced as Bdr – potentially because he had been promoted to Cpl – by Joseph Lynch (104930) on 13 August 1916. And again, probably the same man in HQ 58 Bde was a Cpl when on 22 December 1916 he was awarded the Military Medal.
|
Gnr.
|
Joynson
|
William
|
75917
|
C/58
|
William Joynson was born in about 1896, the son of William and Annie Joynson. Before the war he worked as a warehouse lad in a pottery, while living at 10 Hazelhurst Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent. On 5 October 1917, he and Bdr Davidson were killed in action in the Ypres salient from a direct hit on their gun pit. He is buried alongside Davidson in New Irish Farm Cemetery, St Jean-les-Ypres, Belgium.
|
Dvr.
|
Kay
|
Robert
|
194223
|
B/58
|
Driver Robert Kay was said to be serving in B/58 in the 1918, Spring 1919 and Autumn 1919 Absent Voter Lists for Oldham which gave his home address as 36 Huxley Street, Oldham, but no records corroborate that a man with these details served in the RFA.
|
Gnr.
|
Kebble
|
Edward Stanley
|
50272
|
B/58
|
Edward Stanley Kebble was born on 2 July 1891 in Leyton, Essex, the son of Edward William Kebble and Amy Kebble (née Dean). In 1911, the family were living in Peckham and Edward was working as a packer for a tea bonder. He enlisted into the RFA and was posted abroad arriving possibly at Salonika on 19 October 1915. He was serving in B/58 in Egypt when, after treatment in No.19 General Hospital in Alexandria, he was transferred to the Convalescent Depot at Mustafa on 14 March 1916. After leaving the Army, Edward worked as a porter for the London and North West Railway and married May Elizabeth Simmons on 9 June 1919 in St. Alban’s church, Preston, Sussex. They had a daughter, Eva Emily May Kebble, who was born in 1921. Between at least 1923 and 1929, they lived at 12 Dulka Road in Battersea and then between at least 1930 and 1934 in the ground floor flat of 77 Dunstan’s Road, Dulwich. In September 1939, Edward and family were living at 27 Enmore Avenue, Croydon and Edward was still working as a railway goods porter. Edward Kebble died in Croydon, Surrey in 1952.
|
Gnr.
|
Keep
|
Albert Victor
|
10660
|
A/58
|
Albert Victor Keep was born in Bristol on 25 October 1888, the son of John and Elizabeth Keep, and was baptised in St Philip and St Jacob Church, Bristol, on 18 November 1888. Before the war, he worked as a drayman for a brewery and lived with his widowed mother in Commercial Road, Bristol. On 31 August 1914, he enlisted in Bristol Recruiting Office No.2 and was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea. He was posted to 184 Bty on 10 September 1914, which became A/58. He went overseas with 58 Bde on 1 July 1915 and probably served at Gallipoli before leaving his unit and the area on 1 November 1915 to return to the UK, probably due to either sickness or injury. Injury seems the most likely, because he remained in the UK for the next 18 months, being assigned to 5C Reserve Bde, then posted to the Royal Artillery Command Depot at Ripon on 25 August 1916 and 2A Reserve Bde on 13 October 1916, before being posted to a Howitzer Bde on 23 November 1916. He then went to France on 2 May 1917 with his new brigade and was appointed A/Bdr on 23 July 1917. He returned to the UK, again probably due to illness or injury, on 14 January 1918, before returning to France in mid-May 1918, and then returning again to the UK a month before the Armistice on 11 October 1918. He was sent to a dispersal centre ready for demobilisation in February 1919. Albert Keep died in Bristol in 1947, aged 59.
|
Gnr.
|
Kellaway
|
William Edwin
|
135439
|
D/58
|
William Edwin Kellaway was born in Portsmouth in 1891, the son of Charles and Alice Kellaway. In 1911 he was an unemployed dock worker in Portsmouth, and the following year he married Matilda Norton. They had two children. He enlisted in Ryde, Isle of Wight, and was serving in D/58 when he died of wounds on 2 November 1916. He is buried in Warloy-Baillon Communal Cemetery Extension, France.
|
Gnr.
|
Kelly
|
John
|
82839
|
D/58
|
In some records, John Kelly was born on 28 February 1873 in St. Pancras, London, the son of William Kelly and Mary Ann Kelly. In later life his date of birth was recorded as 18 February 1872. He attended New Jerusalem School in Camden from 1878. John was living at 21 Powis Terrace, Bayswater and working as a carman when he enlisted into the RFA on 7 July 1890 and was assigned service number 79872. He was posted to India so sailed on HMS “Euphrates” on 22 January 1902 and in India he was mostly based in Kirkee [now Khadki] before returning to the UK on board the Hired Transport “Dilwara” in February 1898. During his time in India he was hospitalised a dozen times, mostly for ague. On 2 July 1899, John married Elizabeth Cummings in St. Silas church, Pentonville and they would go on to have nine children. He served in South Africa during the Boer Wars between 16 November 1899 and 29 August 1902, so was awarded both the Queen’s South Africa Medal and the King’s South Africa Medal. Shortly after returning to the UK, John’s period of engagement expired so he left the Army on 19 September 1902 with his character being described as “exemplary”. In 1911, he, Elizabeth and three of their children were living at 59 Collier Street, Clerkenwell and John was working as an advertising bill poster. At the age of 41, John was working as a carman when he re-enlisted into the RFA in Islington, London on 17 August 1914 and was given the new service number 82839. He was posted to the RFA’s No.4 Depot at Woolwich and then on 8 December 1914 he was posted to 458 Battery, one of the batteries in 118 (Howitzer) Bde and went with them to France on 12 March 1915. Shortly after 58 Bde arrived in France from Egypt, 458 Battery was transferred to become the new D/58 on 15 July 1916, so that is when John joined 58 Bde. On either 27 or 30 October 1916, he was in a gun pit at Courcelette preparing for action when a German shell exploded. John was wounded in his left ankle, the shell also causing an incomplete fracture of his left tibia and a slight wound to his left shoulder. He was admitted to No.9 Casualty Clearing Station and was subsequently evacuated back to the UK on 3 November 1916 where he was admitted to the Metropolitan Hospital, London that day and posted to 5C Reserve Bde for administrative purposes. He was then moved to St. George’s Military Hospital [this is likely to be St. George’s Hill Military Hospital, Weybridge] where he stayed from 11 January to 21 February 1917 before returning to the Metropolitan Hospital where, on 27 February 1917 it was reported that his wound had healed but that he had “hesitation of movement of the left ankle causing difficulty in walking, some of which will probably be permanent.” John was therefore assessed as being unfitted for full military duties. On 1 March 1917 he was discharged from the Metropolitan Hospital. He was declared permanently unfit on 16 April 1917, so was discharged from the Army due to wounds on 7 May 1917 and was awarded a Silver War Badge. His address at this time was 28 Pulteney Street, Islington, London. Despite this, John was working again as a bill poster when on 4 June 1919, he re-enlisted for a second time this time to join the Labour Corps as a Private where he was given service number 698598. John was posted back to France where he joined 89 Labour Company on 9 July 1919 and then 200 Labour Company on 22 February 1920. He was posted back to the UK for discharge on 24 April 1920 and was discharged on 3 May 1920, giving his address as 3 Rodney Residences, Pentonville Road, London. He was still there the following year and was still a bill poster, his employer being Thomas Smith Advertising of 11 Frith Street, Soho, and he and Elizabeth now had at least 5 children. They were still at 3 Rodney Residences in 1933, but in September 1939, John, Elizabeth and two, possibly three, of their children were living at 31 Marcellus Road, Islington and John was still working as a bill poster.
|
Sgt.
|
Kelly
|
Walter
|
96251
|
B/58
|
Walter Kelly was born in Leeds, Yorks, on 1 November 1893, to Isaac and Annie Kelly, and was baptised in the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, Roscoe Place, Leeds on 8 June 1899. In 1911 he was an engineer’s apprentice and by 1914 he was working as a draughtsman. He enlisted in Leeds, aged 20, on 31 August 1914, and was posted initially to No.1 Depot at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and from there to 153 Battery, which became C/47 Bde RFA, part of 14 (Light) Division. He was appointed Bdr on 1 January 1915 and A/Cpl on 12 April 1915. Between 22 and 30 April 1915 he stayed in the Cambridge Hospital in Aldershot with influenza and scabies. He embarked at Southampton with his unit on 20 May 1915, disembarking in Le Havre on 22 May 1915. He was Mentioned in Dispatches, this being announced in the London Gazette on 1 January 1916. He was appointed A/Sgt on 12 May 1916 but was then wounded in action by a shell fragment in his chest on 1 September 1916. He was admitted to a Casualty Clearing Station and then transferred by Ambulance Train to a General Hospital on 3 September 1916. It was obviously a fairly superficial wound since he was sent to a Convalescent Depot a week later, on 10 September 1916 and two days later was posted to the Base Depot, before being posted to a front-line unit, B/58, on 16 September 1916. A few weeks later, on 7 October 1916, he was lifting a sand bag when he wrenched his back. He was admitted to 10 General Hospital with a contused back and returned to the UK on 13 October 16 on board the Hospital Ship “West Australia”. He stayed in the Military Hospital York between 19 and 27 October 1916. On the day of his discharge from hospital, his award for the Military Medal was gazetted and on 4 November 1916 he married Edith Sunderland in Beeston Church, Leeds. His injury kept him in the UK for the rest of the war, and he was for example at the Royal Artillery Command Depot at Ripon between 8 November 1916 and 19 March 1917. The following week he reverted to Cpl on relinquishing appointment as A/Sgt when he was posted to 6C Reserve Brigade on 24 March 1917. A decision was taken on 17 October 1917 while he was at Waterloo Barracks, Aldershot, to x-ray his lumbar region to look for evidence of long-term injury. This showed that he had actually sustained a fracture to his sacrum, not just a contusion. Over a year later, on 28 November 1918, the medical officer at these barracks was puzzled as to why the injury should still be causing any difficulties to him. He was finally discharged on 18 February 1919 so that he could work in a shipyard, presumably in his old civilian trade of draughtsman. He was awarded a small pension in 1919 after he was discharged of 6 shillings per week due to 20% disablement. At about this time he was living in 46 Cross Flatts Crescent, Beeston, Leeds. In 1939 he was living with Edith in Grovehall Drive, Leeds and was working as an engineering works manager, and he probably died aged 68 in 1962.
|
Dvr.
|
Kemlett
|
Mark
|
211654
|
B/58
|
Mark Kemlett served in B/58 according to the British Jewry Book of Honour.
|
Sdlr.
|
Kemp
|
Frederick
|
48122
|
|
Frederick Kemp enlisted into the RFA and was posted to France, arriving on about 5 September 1915. He was said to be serving as a Saddler in 58 Bde in the 1918 and Spring 1919 Absent Voter Lists for Norfolk which game his home address as Rushall Road, Startston, Norfolk in 1918 and Pulham Road, Starston in 1919.
|
Bdr.
|
Kendrick
|
|
|
58 Bde AC?
|
Bdr Kendrick was probably serving in 58 Bde Ammunition Column (shortly before it became D/58) when he witnessed Dvr William Robinson (10712) missing the 10 p.m. tattoo roll call at Leeds on 13 January 1915.
|
Dvr.
|
Kent
|
William Evan
|
54071
|
B/58
|
William Evan Kent was born in St Nicolas, Cardiff, Glam on 5 April 1899, the son of Evan and Annie Kent. He was apprenticed on a merchant ship and enlisted on 23 November 1914, aged 15. He served at Gallipoli from April 1915 and when the Entente forces were being evacuated, his boat capsized and he nearly drowned. While stationed in Egypt he was apparently involved in “several engagements” and went to France in June 1916. He was hospitalised for a while with trench sores and septic poisoning. He was working as a signaller with B/58 when he was wounded and gassed while in action at Poelcapelle and died from these injuries in 3 Canadian General Hospital Boulogne on 20 October 1917. He is buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery.
|
Gnr.
|
Kerr
|
Jonathan
|
81
|
A/58
|
Jonathan Kerr was born in Annan, Dumfries, in about 1886, the son of Robert and Agnes Kerr. He worked as a groom before the war and enlisted in Leeds on 31 January 1915, though his service was reckoned from 29 August 1914. He was absent from Milford Camp between 12 noon on 7 June 1915 and 11a.m. the following day, so was confined to barracks for 3 days by Maj Crozier and he forfeited 1 day’s pay. He sailed with his battery from Devonport on 1 July 1915, disembarking at Alexandria on 14 July 1915, and then sailed from Alexandria on 1 August 1915 for Gallipoli, landing there a week or so later. He left Gallipoli after four weeks, on 6 September 1915, disembarking back at Alexandria on 12 September 1915. He was still serving in 58 Bde later in the war, because he was granted proficiency pay in September 1916 and granted 10 days’ leave to the UK in September 1917, both while serving in the brigade.
|
2/Lt.
|
Kerr
|
William
|
n/a
|
C/58
|
William Kerr was born on 24 October 1898 in Houston, Renfrewshire and may have been the son of William Kerr and Isabella Kerr (née Weir). He went to Paisley GramMarch School and then Edinburgh Academy until July 1916 after which he began studies in medicine at Edinburgh University. Both at university and at the Academy, he served in their Officers Training Corps, with one of his commanding officers describing him as “Smart and capable. Good command. Rides fairly well.” On 13 March 1917 he applied for a commission and was tested in gun drill and other military skills at 6B Reserve Bde in Piershill Barracks, Edinburgh on 23 March 1917. He was then instructed to report to the Royal Artillery Officer Cadet School at St. John’s Barracks, London on 10 May 1917. He was commissioned as a 2/Lt in the RFA Special Reserve on 6 October 1917. He was posted to France and disembarked at Le Havre on 21 December 1917, was posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column on 26 December 1917 and then attached to A/58 which he joined on New Year’s Eve 1917. He was sent on a gas course on 1 March 1918, returning on 10 March 1918, though the following month while he was serving in C/58 he had to retire to the wagon lines on 10 April 1918 following gas attacks over the previous 2 days. From the wagon lines he was sent to No.55 Casualty Clearing Station and was struck off the strength of the brigade on 14 April 18 having been “wounded gas”. He spent time in the Liverpool Merchants’ Hospital (also known as No.6 British Red Cross Hospital) in Etaples recuperating and was evacuated back to the UK on 10 May 1918 for 21 days’ sick leave. He rejoined the brigade from Base on 13 June 1918 and rejoined C/58 but was severely wounded in the head by a bullet on 13 September 1918 at Etaing, which some reports believed to come from a sniper, though the brigade itself believed to have been caused by a spent falling machine gun bullet from efforts to shoot down an enemy plane. The bullet destroyed his left eye and badly damaged the right, leaving him completely blind. He was sent to No.33 Casualty Clearing Station and then No.8 General Hospital in Rouen where his left eye was removed on 17 September 1918. He was evacuated back to the UK, sailing from Boulogne to Dover on 20 September 1918 on the Auxiliary Transport “Cambria” and was admitted to 3rd London General Hospital in Wandsworth where he was under the care of the surgeon, Capt Holyoak. In December 1918 he was fitted with two artificial eyes, at a cost of £2 2s each, and was recommended the next month to go to St. Dunstan’s Hostel for Blind Soldiers and Sailors. He was placed on the retired list on account of ill-health caused by wounds on 16 May 1919. The “St. Dunstan’s Review” of July 1979 reported the death of “William (Willie) Kerr of Edinburgh”, saying that he had died in hospital on 5 June 1979, aged 80 and provided the following short biography: “Mr. Kerr enlisted in 1916, was commissioned and served until he was wounded, only a few weeks before the end of the First World War. He joined St. Dunstan’s in 1919, trained as a physiotherapist and practised successfully in Edinburgh for some fifty years. He did both private and hospital work. He was married and had two daughters. His wife died in 1965 and he later suffered very poor health, but was cared for devotedly at home, with spells in Pearson House. Recently, he had to remain in hospital, where he died very peacefully. He leaves two daughters, Eileen and Elizabeth.”
|
Whlr.Cpl.
|
Kettle
|
James
|
12632
|
A/58
|
James Kettle was born in about 1886. Before the war he lived with his wife and two sons at 28, Viaduct Street, Earlestown, Lancs and worked as a wagonmaker at the Viaduct Works. He was also the captain of the Earlestown Cycling Club. He enlisted into the Army and joined the RFA in September 1914 and was nicknamed “Spokey” by his friends in the army. On 11 June 1917, 58 Bde was near Wytschaete during the Battle of Messines. James Kettle had apparently only been back in France eight days after a period of leave when he was killed in action, aged 31. His family received at least three letters of sympathy, one from Gunner Frederick Downall, and another from the battery second-in-command, Captain P.T. Lewis who said that James Kettle “was at the Gun line, assisting us to make a dug-out, when an enemy shell burst near him, killing him instantly.” His loss was also mourned by his battery commander who regarded him as a “real good craftsman and a very faithful soldier”, even mistaking him for a pre-war regular soldier. He is buried in Wytschaete Military Cemetery.
|
Whlr.
|
Key
|
Arthur
|
83002
|
|
Arthur Key sailed with 58 Bde from Devonport on 1 July 1915. On 21 July 1915, a week after arriving in Alexandria, he was tried by General Court Martial for the offences of breaking out of barracks, disobedience and drunkenness. He was sentenced to 6 months’ hard labour which was commuted to 21 days of Field Punishment No.2.
|
Sgt.
|
Kibble
|
John David
|
29826
|
|
John David Kibble was born in Plumstead, Kent in 1888, the son of George H Kibble and Anna Kibble. This is likely to be the John Kibble who was born in Plumstead and was serving as a Gunner in ‘X’ Battery, RHA in India in 1911. John David Kibble went to France as a Gunner, arriving on about 16 December 1914. He had been promoted to Sergeant by the time he was posted to join 58 Bde on 17 September 1916, while the brigade was involved in the Battle of Flers-Courcelette. He died of wounds on 22 May 1918 serving in C/78, probably while being treated in one of the several hospitals in Rouen and is buried in St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, France.
|
2/Lt.
|
Killeen
|
Edmund
|
n/a
|
B/58
|
Edmund Killeen was born on 15 November 1895 in St Bedes, Jarrow, County Durham and was educated at the Franciscan College, Oxford. He was the son of Martin Joseph Killeen and Mary Ann Killeen and before the war he worked as a clerk. After war was declared he enlisted into the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) on 18 September 1914 in Jarrow. He was appointed a Private and assigned service number 1873. He was sent to France, arriving on 6 or 7 January 1915. He was appointed an acting Corporal on 25 April 1916 and, after 6 months attached to 1 Army Headquarters, he applied for a commission in the RFA in April 1917. He returned to the UK on 5 June 1917 and was instructed to report first to the Officer Commanding the RAMC in Blackpool and then was told to report on 3 September 1917 to No.1 RFA Officer Cadet School at St John’s Wood, London. He was commissioned into the RFA as a 2/Lt in the Special Reserve of Officers on 9 February 1918. He served in 11 Division Ammunition Column and was posted from there to join A/58 on 28 April 1918, though was transferred into B/58 very soon afterwards. He and three NCOs were sent on a 10 day course at the Reserve Army Artillery School on 6 May 1918, and on 31 May 1918 he was in charge of a gun which had been taken up just behind the trenches to bombard the German rear positions. Unfortunately, the brigade had used this ploy too often in the past and the Germans gave Edmund and his crew a “very bad time”. Having though fired off all their ammunition, they started to withdraw the gun on a light railway at dawn, but the train de-railed almost immediately leaving the gun exposed to the enemy. Edmund ran about 2 miles back to fetch a limber, returning with it at the gallop, and safely managed to get gun and crew to safety for which he was praised by his battery commander for a “very smart piece of work”. Edmund went on 14 days’ leave to the UK on 31 October 1918, returning a week after the Armistice on 18 November 1918. He was granted a further 14 days’ leave to the UK on 25 February 1919 and led a party to the Bessemer Dump on 31 March 1919, returning on 18 April 1919. In Spring 1919 he was entitled to a proxy vote because he was absent from his home of 22 Albert Road, Houghton-le-Spring, Jarrow, Co Durham After 58 Bde had been disbanded, he was promoted to Lieutenant on 9 August 1919 and was serving in 65 Bde RFA when he attended No.1 Dispersal Unit in Ripon on 17 September 1919. He was demobilised the following day and returned to Jarrow to live at 31 Salem Street. He resigned his commission on 1 April 1920 and married Charlotte Catherine Abel in South Shields in 1923. He went into the mining industry and did well for himself: he successfully passed the Board of Mining Examinations in 1926 for Mine Managers and in September 1939 he and Charlotte were living in Kimblesworth House, Chester-le-Street and Edmund was working as a colliery manager at the time. Edmund Killeen died in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1977, aged 81.
|
Gnr.
|
King
|
Fred
|
99573
|
HQ
|
Fred King was a member of the HQ of 58 Bde when he was awarded the Military Medal (MM) on 22 December 1916. The following month, he and at least 6 others from the brigade were sent on an advanced telephone course on 22 January 1917, and his award of the MM was gazetted on 19 February 1917. At some point after that, he appears to have transferred to the Royal Engineers with a new service number (311068).
|
Bdr.
|
King
|
Henry John
|
10583
|
B/58
|
Henry John King was from Wincanton, Somerset. After joining the RFA he was first posted overseas to Egypt where he arrived on 14 July 1915. He was serving with B/58 in the Ypres salient as a Bdr when he was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry in the field on 11 October 1917, the award being gazetted on 12 December 1917.
|
Lt.
|
King
|
N
|
n/a
|
|
Lt N King was serving in 58 Bde when he went on 7 days’ leave to Paris on 8 July 1918.
|
Bdr.
|
King
|
William Albert
|
62962
|
A/58
|
William Albert King was born in 1890 in Birmingham, Warks. He had been working as a farm labourer when he enlisted into the RFA on 10 November 1910 in Birmingham. He was posted to Cosham on 16 November 1910 and from there to Bulford Camp on 11 January 1911 where he served in 37 Battery as a Driver. He spent five days in hospital in Bulford between 4 and 8 August 1911 due to scabies and then another seven days in hospital at Tidworth between 12 and 18 January 1912 with influenza. On 3 October 1912 he left Bulford to go to Kildare in Ireland. He was serving as a Driver in 8 (Howitzer) Bde RFA when he went to France with his unit, arriving there on 19 August 1914. He was serving as a Bombardier in A/58 when he was admitted to No.4 General Hospital in Dannes Camiers on 14 January 1917 with a severe as yet undiagnosed fever (pyrexia of unknown origin) which appears to have been subsequently diagnosed as influenza. He probably left 58 Bde at this point and it is not known which unit he was serving with when he was shell shocked on 10 August 1917 and just a few days later was wounded by a gun shot in the right shoulder on 15 August 1917. He was evacuated back to the UK and stayed in Berrington War Hospital, Shrewsbury until 29 September 1917 when he went to the 1st Southern General Hospital in Edgbaston, Birmingham from which he was discharged for duty on 11 October 1917. He was promoted at some point to Corporal and also transferred into the Army Service Corps, possibly on 21 October 1918, where he was given the new service number T/40480. He was discharged from the army due to sickness on 4 March 1919 and was awarded a Silver War Badge. A medical board held in Birmingham on 26 June 1919 concluded that the cumulative effects of his woundings, shell shock and bronchitis resulted in his being 20% disabled.
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Whlr.
|
Kleiter
|
Fred
|
10568
|
B/58
|
Fred Kleiter was born as Fritz Heinrich Kleiter in Birmingham on 30 October 1888, to Ulrich and Agnes Collins Kleiter. Before the war he worked as a motor engineer in Coventry. When he enlisted in Rugby on 5 September 1914, aged 25, he had anglicised his name to Fred and gave his father’s name as William (his mother having died in 1894). He was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea and from there was posted as a gunner to 185 Bty on 10 September 1914, which became B/58. During the period of his training in Leeds he was treated in the Military Hospital, Leeds, for tonsillitis in November 1914 and for gonorrhoea and soft chancre between 17 January and 1 March 1915. He was also hospitalised in Lichfield Military Hospital with a “mild case” of scarlet fever between 27 March and 23 April 1915. While training at Milford, he attended the workshops at the Ordnance College at Woolwich where he was successfully tested for proficiency as a Wheeler on 9 May 1915 and was assessed as being “skilled”. He was therefore appointed Wheeler on 29 June 1915, just before he sailed with the brigade for Egypt and then Gallipoli. He landed on Gallipoli on 9 August 1915, where he served until he was hospitalised with dysentery on 11 December 1915 and transferred to St George’s Hospital, Malta on 17 December 1915. After his recovery, he sailed on the Hospital Ship “Bornu” from Malta on 26 January 1916 for Alexandria and he re-joined 58 Bde on 7 February 1916. He went with his unit to France and was hospitalised with conjunctivitis between 9 and 15 February 1917 in 34 Field Ambulance. Very soon after he was back in hospital, this time with influenza, between 22 February and 15 March 1917 in 2/2 West Riding Field Ambulance. He was granted leave to the UK between 8 and 18 May 1917 and left 58 Bde when he was posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column on 25 June 1917 with whom he remained for the rest of his time in the Army. He was reclassified for Class I proficiency pay on 1 July 1918 and his pay was increased to 4d per day from 5 September 1918. He was granted further leave to the UK between 3 and 17 January 1919 (and so was entitled to 14 days’ ration allowance) and was demobilised during that period of leave, going to No.3 Dispersal Unit, Clipstone, on 17 February 1919, and being demobilised on 1 March 1919. He applied for a pension due to partial loss of sight in both eyes – which he described as atrophy of the retina – but his claim was rejected; he was living at 4 Dover Street, Coventry at the time. At some point after the war, he married Kathleen, who in 1939 was a housewife. He returned to work in the motor industry after the war, working as a supervisor at Triumph’s crankshaft shop at Canley, near Coventry. He retired in 1948.
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Dvr.
|
Knighton
|
Thomas Alfred
|
182707
|
|
Thomas Alfred Knighton was born in Raunds, Northants, in about 1888, the son of John Loweth and Mary Ann Knighton. He worked as a leather dresser in Rushden, Northants, before the war. In October 1918 he was recorded as serving with 58 Bde so was entitled to a vote by proxy in elections in his home town of Rushden, his address being 8 Station Road, Rushden.
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Gnr.
|
Knox
|
Richard James
|
86448
|
C/58
|
Richard James Knox was born in about 1893, the son of George Knox, a boilermaker. Before the war he worked as a labourer and on 23 November 1913, he married Ethel Beatrice Donnellan in St Peter’s church, Liverpool. He enlisted shortly after the outbreak of the war and was serving in C/58 when he was killed in action on 21 October 1916. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. Sadly, Ethel died two years later, on 9 October 1918.
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Lt. Col.
|
Kuper
|
Charles Victor Bremer
|
n/a
|
Bde Cdr
|
Charles Victor Bremer Kuper was born on 24 May 1855 in South Brent, Devon, the son of Augustus Leopold and Emma Margaret Kuper. He attended Cheltenham College, leaving in 1872. He was commissioned into the Royal Artillery and was made a Lt on 12 February 1874. He was posted to Ceylon [Sri Lanka] and played for the Colombo Cricket Club in a match between Colombo and Up-Country in 1875. He served in the Afghan War (1878-79) in 8 Battery, 11 Bde Royal Artillery though was not entitled to a campaign medal. On 27 March 1883 he married Clementina Maud Lambe in St John’s Church, Ivybridge, Devon. They had two daughters: Gwendoline Maud Victoria Kuper and Vera Kuper. Later that year he was promoted to Capt on 31 August 1883. In 1887 he was Aide de Camp to the commander of the Meerut District, India, and he was promoted to Major on 29 May 1891. In 1892 he was in India at Nusseerabad [Nasirabad], India. He was promoted to Lt Col on 15 March 1900. During the Second Boer War he served on the Staff in South Africa as Officer Commanding Remounts at the Remounts Depot, Durban from 22 June 1902, having disembarked in Port Elizabeth in January 1902. He returned to the UK on the “Carisbrooke Castle” on 5 March 1902. He was awarded the Queen’s South Africa Medal with clasp for his service. He retired on retired pay in 1903, and in 1908 he appears to have abandoned Clementina after she refused to lend him money. He was recalled from the Reserve of Officers for service during the Great War as officer commanding 58 Bde RFA, 11th (Northern) Division. It is not known exactly when he joined the brigade but he had assumed command by at least early December 1914. However, Clementina filed for divorce on 31 March 1915 citing abandonment and misconduct because Charles was living with another woman in Virginia Road, Leeds, close to where Charles was training his unit at Chapeltown Barracks. Charles was replaced as commanding officer of the brigade at about this time, probably due to the scandal. Clementina was granted a decree nisi on 27 July 1915, and subsequently in 1918 she and her two daughters changed their names to Cupar. Having obtained the divorce, Charles married Marion E W Williams in 1916 in Steyning, Sussex, and he was appointed to the Staff on 24 August 1917, relinquishing the appointment in February 1919. He died in 1934 in Bristol.
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Sgt.
|
Lamb
|
Albert Wilson
|
75120
|
C/58
|
Albert Wilson Lamb was born in about 1891 in Burton Pidsea, Yorks, the son of John and Emily Mary Lamb. Before the war the family had moved to Hull and Albert worked as an electric crane driver in an oil refinery. He enlisted shortly after the outbreak of the war and was serving in C/58 when he and five others were killed in action on 25 August 1917, aged 26. He is buried alongside them in Bard Cottage Cemetery, Belgium.
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2/Lt.
|
Lanktree
|
Barnaby Joseph
|
n/a
|
B/58
|
Barnaby Joseph Lanktree was born in Dublin on 1 January 1892, the son of Barnaby Dane Lanktree and Mary Josephine Lanktree (née Fogarty). He sailed from Liverpool on 6 March 1909 on the SS “Highland Heather”, aged about 18, to Buenos Aires, describing himself as a farmer. He had lived there continuously since then when he returned to the UK and sought a commission in the RFA on 27 September 1915, giving his permanent address as ‘Gweedore’, Blackrock Road, Cork, Ireland. He was assigned to 5B Reserve Bde in Ballincolly, from where he was commissioned as a 2/Lt (on probation) in the Special Reserve on 18 October 1915 and was posted to France on 15 January 1916. Barnaby was posted to 94 Bde RFA, part of 21 Division, from the Base on 21 January 1916 and then to 97 Bde RFA, also of 21 Division, on 20 May 1916. He had only been serving in B/97 Bde for a few days when he was granted leave back to Ireland between 26 May and 3 June 1915 where he needed dental treatment on a broken denture which meant he had to stay an extra week before returning to France. On 28 August 1916, he was posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column (11 DAC) and then on 27 September 1916 he was posted from there to join D/58 though that was amended to B/58 two days later. He returned to 11 DAC on 2 December 1916 and was granted leave between 4 and 14 February 1917 and again between 21 and 31 July 1917. He was eligible for promotion to Lt on 1 July 1917. He was awarded the Military Cross which was gazetted on 17 September 1917. It was awarded “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when working on a dump which was set on fire by heavy hostile shelling. Although repeatedly knocked down and severely burnt by explosions, he succeeded in extinguishing the fire, thereby saving a large quantity of ammunition and considerable loss of life. He displayed the greatest gallantry and determination, as he has also done on several occasions when getting ammunition forward under trying circumstances.” He was promoted to A/Capt on 15 September 1917 but returned to Lt “on ceasing to command a section of a DAC” on 22 December 1917 because he went on unpaid leave back to Argentina, sailing from Swansea on 18 January 1918 on the SS “Highland Rover” bound for Buenos Aires. He was aged 26 and described himself now as a rancher and was living at Los Potreritos, Ballasteros. He was due to return from his leave on 23 March 1918 but wrote to the War Office to be allowed to resign his commission due to a combination of ill health, which he claimed was caused by his previous active service and “urgent financial circumstances”. In terms of his health, his doctor in Argentina stated that he had been suffering from nervous prostration, rheumatism and complications and Barnaby himself said that he was deaf in his left ear having been hit in the head in Stuff Redoubt in October 1916 and that he had gone to Argentina in the hope of recuperating his general state of ill health but that instead his health “had broken down completely”. As for his finances, he had returned to Argentina to find that his place as manager had been taken by a German and that disease and bad harvests had meant that he had “lost fully three fourths of what I was worth.” He formally resigned his commission on 14 December 1918 and was granted the rank of Lt. Subsequently, he sought reimbursement for his travelling expenses back to Argentina, but this was denied. Barnaby married Hilda Patricia Daly in 1922, probably in Argentina. He subsequently worked at another ranch, Necochea, and as a second butler at a ranch in Puerto Cooper in Paraguay before in 1926 as an administrator at Las Gamas, Vera, Santa Fe for La Forestal Argentina until his death. Barnaby Lanktree died in 1940 in Laguna Larga, Córdoba, Argentina.
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Dvr.
|
Laverick
|
Jacob
|
33102
|
|
Jacob Laverick was born in about 1888 in Pelton Fell, Durham, the son of coal miner Jacob Laverick senior and Ellen Laverick. In 1891, the family were living in Pit Rows, Pelton Fell. Jacob enlisted into the RFA and went to France on about 11 May 1915. In 1919, Jacob was recorded as serving in 58 Bde in the two Absent Voter lists compiled that year for Chester-le-Street, for the Spring list his home address was given as 26 James Street, Newfield and for the Autumn list it was 15 West Row, Newfield. His brother William was killed in action on 18 September 1918 serving in 2nd Bn Yorks and Lancashire regiment. Jacob appears to have stayed on in the Army after the war since he was assigned a new service number of 1022546.
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2/Lt.
|
Lawrence
|
F
|
n/a
|
|
2/Lt F Lawrence joined 11 Division Ammunition Column from Base on 12 September 1917 and was posted to 58 Bde the following day. This is almost certainly Frank Hamer Lawrence who was born on 19 July 1894 in Kidderminster, Worcs, the son of William and Agnes Lawrence. After training at an Officers’ Cadet Unit with service number 130330, Frank was commissioned into the RFA Special Reserve on 28 July 1916 alongside 4 others who would go on to serve in 58 Bde: Robert Campsie, Norman Hunter, Arthur Tawse and Arthur Waterhouse. Frank married Hilda Dorothy Pearson in 1917. It is not clear how long he served in 58 Bde before transferring to its sister unit, 59 Bde RFA, for the remainder of the war. On 28 January 1918 Frank was promoted to Lieutenant and was then appointed 2nd in command of A/59 on 3 July 1918, so was made an Acting Captain. He was awarded the Military Cross on 10 December 1918 and had some leave in the UK early the next year. That leave was extended three times pending his demobilisation, first to 9 Feb, then to 24 February and finally to 12 Mar. He relinquished his commission on 1 April 1920 and was granted the rank of Captain. He had not though finished with his military career since he appears to have joined the Territorial Army and was a Major commanding the guard of honour when the Prince of Wales visited Leamington Spa in 1923. On 2 October 1937, the now Lt Col Lawrence, of ” Restharrow,” Moor Green Lane, Moseley, Birmingham, was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant for the County of Warwick. He was awarded the OBE in the 1939 Birthday Honours having recently stepped down as CO of the 68th (South Midland) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, Territorial Army (RA (TA)), and in the 1949 Birthday Honours he was awarded the CBE as a Brevet Colonel in the RA (TA). On 4 January 1954, Frank was made a Serving Brother of the Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem. Frank Lawrence had a long career working for a Birmingham company making electricity meters and died in the first quarter of 1981 in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warks.
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Dvr.
|
Lawson
|
Alfred
|
115944
|
D/58
|
Alfred Lawson was born on 17 January 1897 in Seacombe, Cheshire, the son of George and Isabella Lawson. After his mother died in 1904, his father remarried. Alfred worked as a pawnbroker’s assistant before the war and enlisted in late 1915, aged 18. He was serving in D/58 when he was wounded, dying of his wounds on 21 June 1917, aged 20. He is buried in Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, Nord, France.
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Gnr.
|
Lawson
|
David
|
93424
|
A/58
|
David Lawson was born in Peebles in the Scottish Borders, in about 1892, the son of Andrew Lawson. He was a member of the Boy Scouts and before the war worked as a motor mechanic with Peebles Motor Company. He enlisted in Dundee in August 1914, aged 22, and served, probably with A/58, at Suvla Bay, Egypt and in France. On the morning of 9 April 1917, he was one of A/58’s signallers working in the signallers’ shed during a British barrage in preparation for an attack, when a German shell fired in retaliation hit the shed. He was dug out and his wounds “appeared not to be very bad”, his fellow signallers being miraculously unhurt. He was evacuated and admitted to a hospital in Boulogne from which he sent his parents a field post card, stating that he had been admitted to a hospital in France suffering from wounds due to the explosion of a shell. His parents subsequently heard that he had been transferred back to the UK and been admitted to the Ontario Military Hospital, Orpington, Kent. The hospital alerted his parents that he had taken a sudden and dangerous turn for the worst, so they hurried from Peebles to Kent to be with their son. Sadly, they arrived too late, he having passed away on 17 April 1917. His parents had his remains transferred back to his home town and he was buried in Peebles Cemetery on 21 April 1917. Amongst those who attended his funeral were wounded soldiers from the Military Hospitals at Morelands and Kingsland, and by large number of Boy Scouts. His coffin was carried by wounded members of the Royal Artillery.
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Gnr.
|
Leadbeater
|
Frederick
|
11104
|
B/58
|
Frederick Leadbeater was from Birmingham and he enlisted early in the war. He was the son of Arthur and Adelaide Leadbeater and he worked as a carter in the London and North West Railway goods depot before the war. He was serving in B/58 and manning one of its guns on 29 October 1916 when a shell from a German 5.9″ howitzer scored a direct hit on the gun. He, Gnr David Lloyd (99731) and Gnr Sylvester McCreath (104730) were killed instantly, while Cpl Thomas Gadsby (91064) was badly wounded, dying a little later. The three gunners are buried alongside each other in Courcelette British Cemetery.
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Dvr.
|
Leathard
|
Frederick Thomas
|
109178
|
A/58
|
Frederick Thomas Leathard was born in Wylam, Northumberland in 1895, the son of Thomas and Margaret Leathard (née Yielder). Before the war he worked in London as a boy clerk in the Civil Service and for Barclays Bank in Berwick-on-Tweed as a clerk. He enlisted in late 1915 in Berwick-on-Tweed. He was serving in A/58 on 25 August 1917, when he and six comrades – Gnr Alec Armitage (152294), Gnr John Barber (91942), Gnr Howard Denley (74517), A/Bdr William Monks (67578), Gnr Arthur Noble (L/5762) and Gnr Herbert Taylor (141267) – were killed. He was 22 years old. He is buried alongside his comrades in the New Irish Farm Cemetery, near Ypres, Belgium.
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2/Lt.
|
Leder
|
Louis Alfred de Lorme
|
n/a
|
B/58
|
Louis Alfred de Lorme Leder was born on 31 January 1892 in Fisherton Anger, Alderbury, Wilts, the son of Charles John and Fanny Caroline Leder (née Delorme). He was educated at the Strand School, King’s College, London, and then in September 1908 he went to the Battersea Polytechnic Secondary School, where he was initially offered a Pupil Teachership though this was withdrawn due to his conduct and it appears he may have been expelled. He worked as an accountant with the Canadian General Finance Ltd and enlisted into the Territorial Force on 4 March 1913, becoming a trooper in A squadron of the City of London Yeomanry (the “Rough Riders”) with service number 2056. When war was declared, he was embodied on 5 August 1914 and he was commissioned as a temporary 2/Lt into the RFA on 15 December 1914 and was assigned to 11 Division Artillery, joining B/58 on 3 January 1915. He left the brigade a couple of months later, going to 2a Reserve Brigade on 19 March 1915 and then to 9 Reserve Battery. He was posted to France on 25 June 1915 and was promoted to Lt on 15 March 1916. He sailed from Marseilles to Bombay on 16 September 1916, arriving exactly three months later on 16 December 1916, and appears to have served with 80th Anti Aircraft Section in Mesopotamia for the next 2 years. He was appointed A/Capt when he commanded the unit between 5 July and 18 December 1917, and again from 28 December 1917 until he was promoted to Capt on 26 April 1918. He was Mentioned in Dispatches, which was gazetted on 27 August 1918. On 16 January 1919 he joined the Field Cashier Military Accounts in Poona [Pune] and spent time with them also in Rawalpindi and Lahore before being admitted to hospital in Lahore on 6 June 1919, after which he was given a medical certificate entitling him to 3 months leave in Simla from 31 July 1919. He returned to the UK on board the HT “Prince Ludwig”, sailing from Bombay on 16 November 1919 and went to the Officers’ Dispersal Unit in London on 2 December 1919 where he relinquished his commission. In 1920 he married Marjorie Robinson and they had three children: Mary, born in 1922, Elizabeth, born in 1927 and John, born in 1928. It is not clear when he joined the RAF, but he was serving with them as a Flying Officer in the 1920s working in at least the Motor Transport Repair Depot and in the Accountant Branch. He retired from the RAF as a Squadron Leader in 1938 but was presumably recalled when the Second World War started. On 13 August 1940 he was serving at RAF Andover when it was bombed by the Luftwaffe who believed it to be a bomber station. Leder was one of two people killed in the raid when 12 bombs were dropped badly damaging the station headquarters building and the officers’ quarters. He is buried in Penton Mewsey churchyard.
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Bdr.
|
Lee
|
Sidney George
|
11239
|
B/58
|
Sidney George Lee was born in Taunton in about 1895, the son of Thomas Lee, an engine driver with Great Western Railways (GWR), and his wife, Mary Ann Lee. The family moved to Bristol and Sidney worked as a train recorder in the traffic department of GWR. He enlisted early in the war and joined the RFA as a Gunner. He was serving in B/58 as an Acting Bombardier when he was killed in action on 1 December 1915 at Gallipoli, aged 20. Sidney is commemorated on the Helles Memorial and was the first of three brothers to be killed in the war.
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2/Lt.
|
Lennox
|
W M
|
n/a
|
C/58
|
2/Lt W M Lennox was from Kilmarnock and gained a commission in the Territorial Force (TF). He joined the brigade on 19 January 1917 and was assigned to C/58, but left shortly afterwards, when he was posted to the Divisional Ammunition Column on 27 January 17. He was promoted to Lt on 30 August 1917, with precedence from 1 July 1916, and on 10 November 1917 it was announced that he, and many other TF officers, would be granted the pay and allowances of his rank of Lt as from 1 July 1917. He was appointed an A/Capt on 22 December 1917 and reverted to Lt on ceasing to command a section of a DAC on 20 January 1919.
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Gnr.
|
Lerway
|
Reginald Robert
|
11167
|
B/58
|
Reginald Robert Lerway was born in 1895 in Clifton, Bristol, the son of Thomas William and Rosina Lerway. He was apprenticed to a Tailor and Outfitter and was working as a shop assistant when he enlisted in the Colston Hall, Bristol on 4 September 1914. He was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea, and from there to 185 Bty on 10 September 1914, which became B/58. He sailed with his battery from Devonport on 1 July 1915, and after a few days in Alexandria sailed for Gallipoli. Within a day or so of arriving at Gallipoli, he was injured when he fractured his left tibia while moving one of the guns on 12 August 1915. He was admitted to 14 Casualty Clearing Station, and then evacuated first to Mudros and then back to the UK on “HS Soudan” on 24 August 1915. On arrival back in the UK, he was admitted to the Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley, Hants on 4 September 1915. He was posted to 5C Reserve Brigade on 9 September 1915, and was admonished twice, on 7 November and 17 December 1915, for overstaying leave by a few hours. After his recovery, he was posted to join 9 Division Ammunition Column on 13 January 1916 and from there he joined C/51. He went for demobilisation on 8 February 1919. After the war, he married Daisy Matilda Derrick in 1937 and they had one daughter. He died in Bristol in 1957, aged 62.
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Dvr.
|
Lewis
|
Alfred
|
120469
|
D/58
|
Alfred Lewis was born in Honor Oak, Kent in 1892, the son of John William and Emma Lewis. He worked as a fruiterer’s assistant before the war. He enlisted in London in late 1915 and was serving in D/58 when he was helping get a wagon out of a ditch on 23 August 1918. During that an enemy aeroplane swooped and dropped 5 bombs on the party seeking to get it out, killing him and 9 others. He died aged 26 and is buried in Philosophe British Cemetery, Mazingarbe, Belgium.
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2/Lt.
|
Lewis
|
Percy Tyson
|
n/a
|
D/58
|
Percy Tyson Lewis was born in Cape Town, South Africa, on 2 October 1884, the son of Classics Professor, Charles Edward Lewis and Elizabeth Tryphena Lewis (née Williams). He studied at Oxford University and before the war was a barrister in Cape Town. He was nick-named ‘Plum’ and played 1st class cricket for Western Province as a batsman, playing also in a single Test Match for South Africa in December 1913 but was out for a duck in both innings. After war broke out, he gained a commission in the RFA, being made a 2/Lt on probation in the Special Reserve of Officers on 16 August 1915. Shortly afterwards, he was posted out to Gallipoli, sailing from Devonport on 12 October 1915 and arriving at Gallipoli on 26 October 1915, where he joined D/58. Following the British withdrawal from Suvla Bay, he, along with 9 other officers from the brigade and 45 Other Ranks, embarked onto the SS “Tunisian” at Lemnos, sailing the next day. They arrived in Alexandria on 2 January 1916 and disembarked the following day. On 23 February 1916 he was confirmed in rank as a 2/Lt. At some point he must have transferred from D/58 to A/58 before D/58 left the brigade in April 1916, because he was serving in A/58 when he sailed with the brigade on the “Kingstonian” from Alexandria on 25 June 1916, arriving in Marseilles on 2 July 1916. When Capt Hutton arrived in late July 1916 to take over as the new battery commander of A/58, he praised Lewis as an “excellent fellow” who at one point that autumn “had no rest at all for over three nights”. On 10 August 1916, he was acting as Forward Observing Officer (FOO) in the trenches in front of Agny when he put out a bomb store which had caught fire after a shell landed in the trench. He got away and bound up a wounded man and extinguished the fire on his own. He and the other FOOs had a very bad time on 27 September 1916 but did “very good work” and he was awarded the Military Cross, the award being made on 10 October 1916 and the citation reading “For conspicuous gallantry. When acting as FOO he heard that a shell had ignited some smoke bombs, and at once went to the spot. A private with him was wounded by the explosion of a detonator, but, after binding up his wound, he returned to the fire, pushed away into safety a bag of hand grenades, and finally extinguished the fire with sandbags.” A few days after the award, on 14 October 1916, he was slightly wounded in the head from a high explosive shell when acting as FOO during an attack on the Schwaben redoubt – a large piece of shell went through his helmet and made a nasty wound over his eye. He was evacuated from Puchevillers on 16 October 1916 by No.31 Ambulance Train which described him as having a gunshot wound to the left orbit and which took him to Boulogne the following day where he was admitted to the Base Hospital (No.7 Stationary Hospital). He returned to his battery on 8 November 1916 and went off on 23 November 1916 to attend a course at Larkhill followed by some leave, returning to the battery on 24 December 1916. He was made A/Capt while second in command of A/58 and in that capacity wrote a letter of sympathy to the family of Wlr Cpl James Kettle after he was killed on 11 June 1917. He was Mentioned in Dispatches on 18 May 1917 and was granted a few days’ leave in Paris along with 2/Lt Atwill in mid May 1917. He had further leave from 30 June 1917, during which he was promoted to Lt on 1 July 1917 and a few days later, on the 10th, he went to be liaison officer with the infantry. He had a few more days’ leave in Paris, returning on 18 August 1917, and was wounded 3 days later on 21 August 1917 but was able to remain at duty. On 29 September 1917, he was observing from the top of a house when it was hit by a shell. Besides being badly wounded in the left leg, he also fell some 20 feet to the ground, landing on his head. He was evacuated to 3 General Hospital and so left the brigade, relinquishing his rank of A/Capt with effect from 1 October 1917 due to ceasing to be send in command of a battery. He was evacuated to the UK on AT “Warilda” on 2 November 1917 and was admitted to 5 London General Hospital. He was still being treated for his wounds over a year later at the Lady Carnarvon’s Hospital, London. As a result of his injury, his left leg was about 2” shorter than his right leg, so he was advised by his surgeon to get a pair of specially-made surgical boots, for which he reclaimed the cost from the War Office. He was examined by a Medical Board on 22 March 1920 who determined that he should be retired on medical grounds, which took place with effect from 1 April 1920 and so he was placed on the Retired List on account of ill health caused by his wounds. He sailed back to South Africa on SS “Balmoral Castle” on 4 June 1920 and returned to being a barrister. Two of his bothers were killed in the war – Charles Williams Lewis was a surgeon who died at the Battle of Jutland on the battlecruiser “HMS Queen Mary” and Capt Reginald Cameron Lewis M.C. was serving in 2/Royal Berkshire Regt when he was killed on the opening day of the Battle of the Somme. After the war Percy continued to play cricket at a club level although a runner had to stand in for him and he visited the UK at least once more, arriving in Southampton on board the “Kenilworth Castle” on 18 June 1934. He re-enlisted in WW2 and served as a lieutenant colonel in a non-combat role and was the Officer-in-Charge of demobilization at South Africa House in London when the war ended. Percy ‘Plum’ Lewis died on 30 January 1976 in Durban, South Africa, aged 91.
|
Cpl.
|
Lewis
|
William Stephen Stewart
|
11163
|
B/58
|
Born on 17 November 1886 in Bristol, William Stephen Stewart Lewis was the son of William H and Elsie Lewis. Aged 14, he worked as a machinist making boots, then later as a stationer with Bennett Brothers, Counterslip Works, Bristol. At some point in that time, he served in the Territorial Force with the 3rd Gloucestershire Volunteers. Shortly after the war broke out, he enlisted in Bristol Recruiting Office No.2 on 4 September 1914 and joined the RFA. He was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea, and from there to 185 Bty on 10 September 1914. He married Elsie Marion Rowlands on 26 December 1914 in St Agnes Parish Church, Bristol. This resulted in negotiations over the next couple of months as to whether she should get a separation allowance from the War Office. In support of his case, he obtained letters from a City Missioner and from his previous employers, Bennett Brothers, confirming his intention to marry, and both 2/Lt Borthwick and Maj Meyricke also wrote in support. Although it is unclear if the allowance was granted, he seemed to have a good case. He appears to have been assigned to D sub-section in B/58 and was appointed A/Bdr on 5 February 1915, then promoted to Bdr six days later on 11 February 1915 and was promoted to Cpl on 20 April 1915. He was transferred to D/58 on 7 May 15. He sailed with his battery from Devonport on 4 July 1915, disembarking at Alexandria on 18 July 1915, then re-embarked in Alexandria on 1 August 1915 before arriving in Gallipoli on 12 August 1915. On 4 December 1915 he was appointed A/Sgt and posted to C/58 to replace Sgt Steele (93425) who was sick. After evacuation to Egypt, he too fell sick with pyorrhoea and so was admitted to 35 Field Ambulance at El Ferdan on 15 May 1916 and was transferred the next day to 31 General Hospital, Port Said. He left 58 Bde at this point and was transferred to the Base Depot at Sidi Bishr on 20 May 1916, and then to B/116 on 20 August 1916. He went to the Salonika Front but was soon ill again, this time with malaria in Salonika on 2 November 1916, and after a period in hospital went to No.2 Convalescent Camp on 24 November 1916, then to General Base Depot on 6 January 1917. On 10 January 1917 he returned to 116 Bde and was promoted Sgt on 11 October 1917. He was posted to 3A Reserve Brigade on 14 October 1918 and was then sent to the Dispersal Centre at Chiseldon for demobilisation on 31 January 1919. He was demobbed on 1 March 1919 and was living at 9 King Square, Stokes Croft, Bristol when he was awarded a weekly pension of 6s 6d from 2 March 1919 due to a 20% disability caused by the malaria. He was described as being of very good character. A medical board was held on 6 November 1919 because he had suffered a further attack of malaria causing him to be hospitalised and so his pension was increased to 28s. In September 1939, he and Elsie were still living at 9 King Square and he was described as doing heavy work as a checker in a paper warehouse.
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Dvr.
|
Lintern
|
William
|
10992
|
A/58
|
Driver Lintern was serving in A/58 at Suvla Bay when in October 1915 he wrote to a friend in his home town of Bath about his experiences at Gallipoli. He said that he had had some very narrow escapes, including having horses killed under him and getting buried in dirt after a shell exploded nearby, but that he had always come away without a scratch. He described the attack on Scimitar Hill (also known as Hill 70) on 21 August 1915 carried out by the 2nd Mounted (Yeomanry) Division, praising the courage of the men of that division. This is almost certainly William Lintern. William was born in Langridge, Somerset in about 1894, the son of Frances Lintern and an unknown father. In 1901 the family were living at 3 Mount Beacon Place, Beacon Hill, Bath and in 1911 William was working as a farm labourer and staying with the Alway family in North Stoke, near Bath. He enlisted into the RFA soon after war was declared and went to Egypt, arriving on about 17 July 1915.
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A/Bdr.
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Lipsett
|
Joseph
|
22201
|
D/58
|
Joseph Lipsett was born in Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, in about 1894. His family moved to Clydebank, Dunbartonshire, and he enlisted there on 7 September 1914, aged 20. He had been working as a brass moulder. He was posted initially to No.6 Depot at Glasgow and from there to 253 Battery in Swanage on 30 October 1914, which became A/81 on 12 January 1915. He went to France in July 1915, probably now as a member of 461 Battery, 118 (Howitzer) Bde and was serving in that battery when he was admitted to No.4 Stationary Hospital, St. Omer on 24 February 1916 with scabies. He was wounded on 3 November 1916. He was serving in D/58 as an A/Bdr when he was passed as a 2nd class signaller by XIII Corps school on 22 March 1917. He was subsequently appointed A/Cpl/Signaller and was awarded the Military Medal by the Canadian Corps commander on 13 November 1918.
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Gnr.
|
Livesey
|
Peter
|
34644
|
A/58
|
Peter Livesey was from Wigan. He was serving as a gunner in A/58 when he was awarded the Military Medal for “gallantry in the field” on 12 July 1918.
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Dvr.
|
Livy
|
William
|
38672
|
|
William Livy was born in about 1890 and enlisted into the RFA on 30 September 1914. He was posted to France, arriving there on about 25 July 1915 and was serving as a Driver in 58 Bde when he contracted dysentery in about April 1918. He was admitted to No.25 Stationary Hospital, Rouen before being evacuated back to the UK where he was admitted to Addington Park War Hospital, Croydon on 14 May 1917. He was discharged from there on 6 June 1917 and the following year he transferred into the Army Veterinary Corps on 18 February 1918 as a Private and was given the new service number SE/34473. He was discharged from the Army on 6 January 1919 as no longer physically fit for war service.
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Cpl.
|
Lloyd
|
David
|
58639
|
C/58
|
David Lloyd was born in about 1888 in Pancarreg, Cardiganshire. He was the son of Mrs Ruth Lloyd and the elder brother of Mary Anne and Catherine Lloyd. His mother was widowed by 1901 and appreared to re-marry. David joined the RFA and went to Egypt, probably with 58 Bde, arriving there on 14 July 1915. He was serving in C/58 at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli, when he was promoted on 24 September 1915 and so was replaced as A/Cpl by Albert Trott (10588). He left the brigade at some point after that because he was serving as a Corporal with A/105 Bde RFA in 23 Division when he was killed in action on 7 August 1916. He is buried in Flatiron Copse Cemetery, Mametz, France.
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Gnr.
|
Lloyd
|
David John
|
99731
|
B/58
|
David John Lloyd was born in Grangetown, Yorks, in about 1891, the son of William and Margaret Lloyd. In 1911 he was working in a steel rail mill. He enlisted in South Banks, Yorks, in about September 1914, and was probably assigned to 58 Bde. He was serving in B/58 and manning one of its guns on 29 October 1916 when a shell from a German 5.9″ howitzer scored a direct hit on the gun. He, Gnr Frederick Leadbeater (11104) and Gnr Sylvester McCreath (104730) were killed instantly, while Cpl Thomas Gadsby (91064) was badly wounded, dying a little later. The three gunners are buried alongside each other in Courcelette British Cemetery, France.
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Bdr.
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Loader
|
William George
|
62538
|
D/58
|
William George Loader was born in Henley, near High Ham, Somerset, in about 1892, the son of John and Rose Anna Loader. By 1901 the family had moved to Penarth, Glamorgan. Willie, as he was known, may have been a pre-war regular or territorial soldier since he went to France in August 1914. He was serving in D/58 when he was killed in action on 17 November 1916, aged 24. After his death his officer, 2/Lt R S Blaker wrote to tell his parents of the news. In reply, Rose Loader wrote “Your letter conveying the sad news of the death of my dear son, Willie, duly received and it is with a broken heart that I thank you for your kindness and sympathies offered by yourself and his comrades. It is terribly hard to hear that he has met his death after being out in the midst of the fighting right from the commencement of this sad and terrible War. Willie was my only living boy and it is very hard to think that he has been taken away from me without seeing his dear face once again. It is a great consolation to me to know that he passed away free from all pain”. Willie Loader is buried in Courcellette British Cemetery, France.
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2/Lt.
|
Lockhart
|
Leslie Keith
|
n/a
|
D/58
|
Leslie Keith Lockhart was born on 5 June 1897 in Sidcup, Kent, the son of Edwin and Annie Lockhart. After studying at the Royal Military Academy, he was commissioned as a 2/Lt on 28 July 1915 and went to France on 26 November 15 with 118 Bde RFA. He was serving in 461 (Howitzer) Battery, also known as C/118 (Howitzer) Bde, when he and that battery transferred to become the new D/60 at Croisette on 15 July 1916. It is not clear when he joined 58 Bde – the first definite mention of him occurs on 16 February 1917 when he returned to the unit from leave, but it is likely that he was one of those who transferred into 58 Bde when 60 Bde was broken up in December 1916. He was awarded the Military Cross which was gazetted on 1 January 1917. On 27 February 17 he found a signaller who had gone missing in action with 2/Lt Hope the previous day and brought him back to safety. On 19 June 17 he was awarded a bar to his Military Cross for helping Lt Col Winter put out a fire in an ammunition dump on 2 June 17, the citation reading “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in extinguishing a burning ammunition dump, aided by another officer, at great personal risk, thereby saving a large number of rounds and considerable loss of life.” He was promoted to Lt and had some leave, returning from leave on 4 December 17. He briefly acted as adjutant to the brigade in early 1918 and was sent to the 1st Corps Officers’ Rest Station on 6 March 1918. He acted as a committee member for the 11 (Northern) Division boxing competition between 20 – 22 July 1918. He was appointed a Staff Lt (1st Class) between 28 September and 25 October 1918 and was posted to B/58 on 25 November 1918 though was still attached to the Royal Artillery HQ. After the Armistice, he left the brigade on 20 April 1919 and went back to the UK ready for service in the RFA or RHA abroad. However, he was “seconded whilst holding a special appointment” from 15 October 1920. This probably indicates when he went to Ireland to work for British Intelligence and became part of the so-called “Cairo Gang”. The head of British Intelligence in Ireland at the time was his former commanding officer in 58 Bde, Ormonde Winter and Lockhart became his private secretary. During operations there Lockhart was in a car in Dublin with Winter on 2 June 1921 when it was ambushed by the IRA; both he and Winter survived, though Winter’s hand was wounded. In about 1926 Lockhart married Freda Margaret Groves. When WW2 broke out, he was a Colonel and was sent to the USA presumably in a liaison capacity and he also gave a number of well-received talks. He returned to the UK in 1942, was appointed A/Brigadier on 4 September 1943, and by 1945 was Deputy General Officer Commanding Anti-Aircraft Units 21st Army Group, North-West Europe. He was awarded the CBE on 24 January 1946 for services in North West Europe and was awarded the Legion of Merit (Degree of Officer) by the US President on 23 May 1947. In 1949, he was the Major General commanding 5th Anti Aircraft Group at Kimberley, Notts and then between May 1951 and his retirement from the Army in December 1952, he commanded 54th (East Anglian) Division. Leslie Keith Lockhart passed away on 27 March 1966 in New Zealand, where he is buried.
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Bdr.
|
Lockyer
|
Algernon Arthur
|
11252
|
B/58
|
Algernon Arthur Lockyer was born in Portsmouth, Hants in about 1896. He was named after his father, also Algernon Arthur Lockyer, and his mother was Kate Lockyer. He was a sheet metal worker and he enlisted into the RFA soon after war was declared and went to Egypt, arriving there on about 14 July 1915. He was serving in B/58 when he was one of the many casualties from a gas attack on 8 April 1918. He was evacuated back to the UK and admitted to Glen Parva Military Hospital, Leicester. From there, he was posted to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick, arriving there on 20 June 1918. He was discharged to draft from Catterick on 16 August 1918 and ended his military as a Bdr. After the war he was living at 20 Waltham Street, Landport, Portsmouth. In 1925 he married Maragaret Eveline Penn and they had two daughters, Marguerita Patricia Lockyer and Heather Grace Lockyer. Algernon Lockyer died in the Queen Alexandra Hospital, Cosham, Hants on 10 February 1962.
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Maj.
|
Lodge
|
Hugh Robert
|
n/a
|
OC A/58
|
Hugh Robert Lodge was born on 8 April 1891 in India, where his father worked as the Inspector General of Forests, Hyderabad. He was educated at Ovingdean Hall and at Marlborough College (September 1904 to December 1909) and then attended the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, as a gentleman cadet from 1911. He was commissioned as a 2/Lt in the RFA on 20 July 1911 and was posted to 10 Bty RFA in India, serving in Secunderabad, Allahabad and Barrackpore [Barrackpur], India, between November 1911 and July 1915. During this period, he was promoted to Lt on 20 July 1914. He arrived in the Egyptian theatre of war on about 20 July 1915, serving in 368 Bty RFA, which was part of 147 Bde, 29 Div, and served with them at Gallipoli from 23 July to 25 September 1915, during which he was made a temporary Capt on 12 September 1915. He served briefly then with “B” Bty RHA at Gallipoli between 26 September and 8 November 1915, before returning to 29 Div and joining 13 Bty, 17 Bde RFA for a few days between 9 and 14 November 1915. He was then posted on 15 November 1915 to join D/60, 11 Div, all the while still at Gallipoli and he remained with them during their withdrawal from the peninsular and their service in Egypt. He was the battery commander of C/133, a battery in 11 Division’s new howitzer brigade, when he sailed with his new brigade on the HMT “Minnewaska” from Alexandria on 26 June 1916, arriving in Marseilles on 7 July 1916. He was promoted to Capt on 8 August 1916 when he also appears to have left France, not returning until 13 July 1917. A week later, on 20 July 1917 he was in C/331 when he was appointed to command A/331 so was made an acting Major commanding a battery. In 1918 he was serving with A/331 (formerly known as 2/II East Lancs Bde), 66 Div, when he was awarded the Military Cross “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. Throughout ten days’ fighting this officer commanded his battery with skill and determination, time after time bringing it out of action after inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy, firing over open sights up to the last moment. His reports were of great use, and he many times reported in person when all communications were cut, coming in at great personal risk under intense fire of all descriptions.” The award was almost certainly given for the role he and his battery played during the German Spring Offensive in 1918, when the 66th Division was heavily involved in the Battle of St Quentin and the British retreats, and during which, in March 1918 he was wounded. His award was gazetted on 16 September 1918 and a bar to his MC was gazetted on 3 June 1918. After his wounding, Hugh was evacuated from France and returned to the UK on 2 April 1918. He returned to being a Capt on 17 October 1918, but a few days later, on 22 October 1918 he joined 58 Bde and was attached to A/58 in preparation for assuming command of that battery. He went to the wagon lines at Anzin St Aubin the next day. Instead though he stood in for Maj Baines, taking command of B/58 on 29 October 1918 while Maj Baines was in temporary command of 58 Bde, and it was not until the day after the Armistice, 12 November 1918, that he took over command of A/58 as planned. He was officially re-appointed an A/Maj while commanding a battery from 19 November 1918. The previous day he had sat as a member of a Court of Enquiry looking into the cause of a fire which had broken out at a factory 4 days earlier. While Lt Col Bedwell and Maj Baines were on leave, Lodge acted as commander of 58 Bde between 22 and 28 November 1918, but he re-assumed command on 1 December 1918, when Baines went to 11 Div HQ, until 12 December 18 when Bedwell returned from leave. He had a few days’ leave in Paris, returning on 6 January 1919, but went on a 10 days’ course with the RAF the following day. He had to go to hospital sick on 22 January 19, rejoining on 30 January 1919, but had to return to hospital sick on 17 February 1919 so ceased to be an A/Maj the following day and was evacuated back to the UK on 3 March 1919. After the war he remained in the Army, serving amongst other appointments as Assistant Superintendent of Experiments & Experimental Staff, Shoeburyness, 27 March 21-23 May 22; as a Capt in 107 Bty and “V” Bty VIII Field Bde, RA; and as Maj and commanding officer of “V” Bty 1930-32. He went onto the half-pay list from 7 June 1930 and retired on 17 August 1932. He settled in Kenya, living at Rivelyn Estate, Naivasha and working in gold-mining. On 8 August 1942, he was re-employed for war service and appointed a temporary Lt Col. He married Joan Pauline Dear in 1948, and died aged 61 on 28 August 1952 in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, the probate for his will stating that he left an estate which was only worth £43.
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Sgt.
|
Logan
|
|
|
B/58?
|
Sgt Logan was probably serving in B/58 on 21 September 1914 when he witnessed Dvr Richard Semple (93493) being absent from parade while training at Leeds.
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Dvr.
|
Lomas
|
Fred
|
136285
|
|
Fred Lomas enlisted on 27 February 1916. He was serving in 58 Bde when he was discharged from the Army on 6 March 1919 as being no longer fit for active service due to wounds he had received.
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Gnr.
|
Love
|
William
|
145982
|
D/58
|
William Love had worked as a master window cleaner before enlisting into the RFA. He was serving in D/58 in 1917 when he was wounded by gun shot wounds to both legs. He was evacuated back to the UK and was treated at Kingston Military Hospital, Surrey. After he left there he went on 12 February 1918 to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick, from where he was discharged to draft on 31 July 1918. This is very likely the William Love who was born on 6 March 1882, the son of William Love and Sarah Alice Love in Upper Teddington, Middx. He married Rose in about 1908 and they lived at 246 King’s Road, Reading, Berks and had at least 4 children. By 1933 the family were living at 77 King’s Road, Kingston-on-Thames, Surrey. Rose died in 1935 and in September 1939 William, now a widower, was still living in 77 King’s Road with his daughter Dorothy A Love and was working as a master window cleaner.
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Capt.
|
Lowther
|
H
|
n/a
|
D/58
|
Capt H Lowther was serving in D/58 when he was wounded on 22 July 1917. The following year he rejoined 58 Bde on 2 June 1918 from 6 Divisional Artillery and was appointed 2nd in Command of D/58. He was granted 14 days’ special leave to the UK from 18 July 1918, returning on 3 September 1918. During the advances of the “100 Days”, he was appointed as one of the officers to lead a mobile battery on 26 August 1918. After the Armistice, he went to the UK on 22 December 1918 with a group of men being sent home for demobilisation and after he handed them over he had another period of 14 days’ leave. He left 58 Bde on 10 March 1919 when he and Lt Castle were posted to 49 Divisional Artillery.
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Dvr.
|
Luther
|
Martin
|
L/11738
|
C/58
|
Martin Luther was born in Wood Green, London in 1875, the son of James Luther and Edith Luther. In 1901 the family were living at 12 Edinburgh Place, Islington. Martin worked as a house keeper between at least 1901 and 1908. He married Florence Denman in Holy Trinity church, Haverstock Hill, London on 25 April 1908 and they had at least two children, James Martin Luther born on 3 March 1909 and Florence Catherine Luther born on 30 August 1910. Martin was aged 37, working as a carman and was living at 6 York Rise, Highgate, London NW when he enlisted into the RFA on 20 March 1915 at Deptford. He joined two days later at East Dulwich and was posted to 156 (Camberwell) Brigade Ammunition Column, 33 Division. He went to France, sailing from Southampton on 11 December 1915 and disembarking at Le Havre the next day. He was posted to No.1 Section of 33 Division Ammunition Column (DAC) on 22 May 1916 and was wounded by a gunshot wound to the back two months later so was admitted to 1/1 South Midland Casualty Clearing Station on 30 July 1916. He was transferred to No.1 Australian General Hospital, Rouen from where he was evacuated back to the UK on the Hospital Ship “St. Andrew” on 6 August 1916. He was admitted to Belmont Auxiliary Military Hospital, Liverpool on 7 August 1916 and stayed there until 28 September 1916. After recuperating, Martin was posted back to France on 11 November 1916 and four days later was posted to C/133 RFA, 11 (Northern) Division. Two weeks later, when 133 Bde was broken up on 29 November 1916, Martin was transferred to C/58. He was admitted with diarrhoea on 20 January 1917 to No.149 Field Ambulance which recorded his unit as A/58, and was meant to be transferred the next day to No.3 Casualty Clearing Station at Pucherville but he appears instead to have been admitted to No.11 Casualty Clearing Station that day. After time at No.6 Convalescent Depot, he was discharged from there on 17 February 1917 to the Base. He joined 1st Section, 50 (Northumbrian) Division Ammunition Column on 6 March 1917. His only recorded misdemeanour is that he was late for parade on 20 July 1917 so was confined to barracks for 2 days. Martin was granted 14 days’ leave to the UK on 5 December 1917. He was posted to the Headquarters of 50 DAC on 26 July 1918 and was admitted to hospital with an unknown fever on 30 October 1918, rejoining his unit on 5 November 1918. He was granted leave to the UK between 9 and 23 December 1918, although in practice he did not return until the 26th. He was back serving in No.1 Section of 50 DAC when he was posted back to the UK for demobilisation on 20 January 1919. He attended No.1 Dispersal Unit, Wimbledon on 27 January 1919. During his time in the military, Martin had acquired the specialist military qualification of being a medical orderly and his character was described as ‘very good’. Martin returned to live with Florence and their two children at 6 Gayton Road, Hampstead and he was working as a conduit cleaner for the London County Council tramway at their Holborn Depot in 1921. Martin died in London in 1946.
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Sgt.
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Lynch
|
Joseph
|
104930
|
HQ
|
Joseph Lynch was born in Kirkdale, Liverpool, on 18 September 1889, the son of Joseph and Catherine (Kate) Lynch. In 1911 he was living as the head of a household which included three of his younger siblings and he was working as a railway clerk. He enlisted on 4 August 1915 in Liverpool into the RFA giving his next of kin as his younger sister, Frances. This was not his first military service – he had previously served 4 years in the King’s Liverpool Regiment before being discharged on 9 May 1912. He was posted initially to the depot in Preston on 7 August 1915 and went quickly through 2nd and then 4th Reserve Brigades before embarking after only a few weeks at Portsmouth on 16 September 1915 to serve overseas. He disembarked at Gallipoli and was posted to D/58 on 7 October 1915. While there, he contracted dysentery and was evacuated on SS “Folkestone” from Suvla Bay on 8 December 1915 for admission to 16 Australian Stationary Hospital, Mudros. After recovering, he returned to 58 Bde in Alexandria on 17 January 1916 and was posted to HQ 58 Bde on 29 January 1916. He was promoted to Bdr on 11 February 1916 and was admitted to hospital in Alexandria with scabies on 10 March 1916, being discharged back to duty a week later on 17th. He would have travelled with his unit to France in the middle of that year and was granted 10 days’ leave on 25 November 1916 during which he married Mary Ann Godfrey at St Francis de Sales Church, Walton, Liverpool – the church in which he had been baptised as an infant – on 5 December 1916. He was appointed A/Cpl on 7 June 1917 in place of Cpl George Clark 54164 who had been wounded and was confirmed in rank on 16 June 1917. He was granted his first Good Conduct badge on 7 August 1917 and was promoted to Sgt on 11 July 1918 and was posted the same day to join A/58. After the Armistice, he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal in the New Year’s Honours 1919 and was Mentioned in Dispatches on 7 July 1919. By then he had been demobilised, having sailed from Dieppe on 30 January 1919 and gone to the Dispersal Centre at Prees Heath where he was demobilised on 1 March 1919.
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Gnr.
|
Lyons
|
Denis
|
77236
|
C/58
|
Denis Lyons was born on 16 February 1896, son of Michael Lyons and Alice Lyons. In 1911 the family were living in Thurles, County Tipperary, Ireland. Denis did mechanical work before enlisting into the RFA on 26 March 1915 in Ireland and was posted as a Gunner to No.5 Depot at Athlone the following day. On 31 March 1915 he was posted to 5B Reserve Bde in Edinburgh and then to 4A Reserve Bde at Woolwich on 29 August 1915. He was posted to join 11th (Northern) Division at Gallipoli on 15 September 1915 and was assigned to C/58 on 7 October 1915. On 28 January 1916 he was transferred from Luxor Convalescent Hospital to await transfer to the UK due to a heart condition (disordered action of the heart, known colloquially as ‘soldier’s heart’) and was sent to convalesce in Hahnemann Hospital, Hope Street, Liverpool on 10 February 1916, so was posted to 5C Reserve Bde for administrative purposes the same day. On 15 May 1916 he was posted to 2B Reserve Bde in Brighton. He was posted as a Gunner to France on 15 November 1916 and was appointed an acting Bombardier shortly after that. He returned to the UK on 22 October 1917 and it may have been at this time that he stayed in 2nd Military Hospital, Old Park, Canterbury. He was posted to the Royal Artillery Collection Station at Catterick on 31 December 1917. On 19 June 1918, Denis was compulsorily transferred to the Royal Garrison Artillery and was given service number 220604. He served in 38 Anti-Aircraft Company. He was discharged from the Army as no longer physically fit on 31 August 1918 and was granted a pension of 30 shillings for 4 weeks from 1 September 1918 after which it would reduce to 6 shillings for a further 48 weeks. His character was described as ‘very good’ and that he was ‘a sober, steady and hard-working NCO’. After leaving the Army, Denis lived briefly at 1 Nursery Terrace, Bill Street, Rochester, Kent and at 91 Weston Road, Strood, Rochester. In early 1919, Denis married Annie Margaret Graves in Strood. By October 1921, Denis was living at Sunnyside, Horndon on the Hill, Stanford-le-Hope, Essex. In September 1939, Denis was living at The Nook, Oxford Road, Stanford, Essex and was working as an engineer’s fitter with Annie and four children. Denis Lyons died in Thurrock, Essex in late 1975, aged 79.
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Fitter
|
Lyons
|
Edwin
|
25974
|
|
Edwin Lyons enlisted on 7 September 1914 and served in the RFA as both a driver and a fitter. He had been serving with 58 Bde when he was discharged from the Army on 13 July 1918 as being no longer fit for active service after having been poisoned by gas. He is recorded as being absent from his home 474 Eccles New Road, Salford in October 1918 on the Absent Voters List so may have still been recuperating in hospital.
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2/Lt.
|
Macdonald
|
Douglas Ovenstone
|
n/a
|
|
On 18 November 1914, 2/Lt Douglas Ovenstone Macdonald sat on a board of enquiry. The board investigated the accident which Dvr Frederick Chaplin (11143) had had on 9 November 1914, and exonerated Frederick of any blame.
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Bdr.
|
MacDonald
|
|
|
A/58?
|
Bdr MacDonald was replaced by A/Bdr Donald Forbes (1581) on 24 February 1917.
|
2/Lt.
|
Mackay
|
Frederick Horace
|
n/a
|
B/58
|
Frederick Horace Mackay was born on 6 January 1898 in Sunderland, the son of Malcolm Mackay and Annie Donkin Mackay of 12 Frederick Street, Sunderland. He attended Sunderland Bede Collegiate School and was 18 years old and a student teacher at St Paul’s School when he attested on 11 January 1916 in Sunderland and was assigned service number 173047. While waiting to be mobilised, he sought a commission in the Royal Garrison Artillery. He was though posted to the RFA’s Officers’ Cadet School at Exeter on 29 September 1916 from which he was commissioned as a 2/Lt in the RFA Special Reserve on 13 January 1917. He was posted to 5C Reserve Bde RFA at Charlton Park, Woolwich and then went to France on 6 March 1917 where he joined the Base Depot. From there he was posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column (11 DAC) on 10 March 1917. He was then attached to B/58 on 15 March 1917, but the following month, having at some point transferred to C/58, he was posted back to 11 DAC on 22 April 17. He had leave to the UK between 30 July and 9 August 1917 and again between 14 and 28 January 1918. On 8 April 1918 he was admitted to 33 Field Ambulance with scabies and was transferred the following day to No.25 General Hospital. He was evacuated back to the UK on 18 May 1918 on the Ambulance Transport “January Breydel”, which docked in Dover, and was admitted to the Prince of Wales Hospital the same day. He did not serve overseas again, but during the year he spent in France and Flanders he took part in engagements on the Somme in March 1917, the battles of Arras in April 1917, Bullecourt in May 1917 and Messines in June 1917, and then served in the Ypres salient from June to October 1917. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 13 July 1918 and later that year may have been posted to 69 Division Artillery. It was not until 25 March 1920 that he attended the Officers’ Dispersal Unit in London while serving in 1 Reserve Bde RFA and he was demobilised that day. He returned to live in Sunderland at 29 Cuba Street and relinquished his commission on 1 April 1920. He became a schoolmaster and in 1924 he married Elsie M A Beer in Sunderland. He appears to have moved around with his work: in 1926 they were living at 28 Broadway, Kettering, Northants; in 1929 they were living at 50 Manchester Road, Pendleton, Lancs and in September 1939 they were living at 4 Leybourne Avenue, Southport, Lancs. It is likely that Frederick died on 21 September 1973 in Eastbourne, having been living in Flat 10, Windermere Court, Trinity Trees, Eastbourne.
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Bdr.
|
Mackie
|
|
|
B/58?
|
Bdr Mackie was probably serving in 185 Battery (later B/58) when he reported Dvr John Orom (93135) absent from Chapeltown Barracks between 12 and 16 October 1914.
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Gnr.
|
Mail
|
William
|
20985
|
HQ
|
Augustus William Mail, known as William, was born in Hull, the son of John Henry and Rose Anna Mail. He worked as a waggoner on a farm and a farm labourer before the war and was living in Newland, Hull. He enlisted in Hull on 6 September 1914, aged 24, and was posted initially to No.1 Depot, Newcastle-on-Tyne, and from there to 60 Bde RFA Ammunition Column on 12 September 1914. On 22 January 1915, the Ammunition Column was reformed and transferred to form the new D/60. He went abroad with D/60 and served in the Dardanelles, and after withdrawal to Egypt he, along with the rest of D/60 were posted to help form the new 11 Division Howitzer Bde (133 Bde) on 26 April 1916. He was posted to the HQ of 133 Bde on 4 December 1916 and transferred from there to the HQ of 58 Bde. On 27 September 1917 he was wounded by multiple shell fragments in his right thigh, arm, hand and chest. He was evacuated back to the UK and spent a month in hospital in Exeter from 14 October to 16 November 1917 before being transferred to the Crediton Voluntary Aid Hospital where he stayed until 4 February 1918. He was then transferred to the Voluntary Aid Organisation Temporary Hospital Exmouth for electrical treatment to help with his hand. He could not close his hand and experienced numbness and a grip of only 19 lbs. He was also given whirlpool treatment for the pain in his hand and forearm which appeared to be successful. Despite the treatment, he was declared permanently unfit for military service so was discharged from the Army on 12 June 1918, being described as “steady, sober and hardworking”. He died in 1955, aged 65.
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Gnr.
|
Malin
|
Harold
|
81932
|
|
Gunner Harold Malin was posted overseas to the Balkans theatre of war on 26 October 1915, probably joining 58 Bde on arrival at Gallipoli. While serving in the RFA, he was wounded twice, reports of the woundings being issued on 16 November 1916 and on 25 February 1918. At some point after his second wounding, he was transferred to the Labour Corps with service number 591787 and he was demobilised on 22 February 1919. Harold’s next of kin lived in Farthinstone, Northants, so this may be Harold Arthur Victor Malin who was born in Farthingstone on 24 April 1895, the son of Thomas Malin and Eliza Jane Malin, and who married Gertrude Amelia Clifton in late 1919. He was working as a labourer at the Ordinance Department at Weedon in 1921 and as a groom in 1939, and died in Norwich on 18 June 1980.
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2/Lt.
|
Manbey
|
Alban Henley Olaf
|
n/a
|
A/58
|
Alban Henley Olaf Manbey was born on 4 July 1881 in Acton, Middlesex. He married Catherine Isabella Ward in 1906, and in 1911 he described himself as a professional athlete. He was commissioned as a temporary 2/Lt in the RFA on 8 June 1915. He arrived in France on 9 July 1916 and was soon in action, winning the Military Cross (MC), his citation reading: “For conspicuous gallantry. With the assistance of 2 men, he dug out six men of another unit, who had been buried in a dug-out, and got them into safety. He was working over an hour under intense shell fire.” The award was gazetted on 14 November 1916. He joined 11 Division Ammunition Column on 5 May 1917 and was posted to C/59 ten days later on the 15th. He joined A/58 on 2 June 1917 at Kemmel but was only with them until the following day. However, during that brief period he performed an act of courage which earned him a bar to his MC “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty.” An enemy 8” battery was bombarding A/58 and quickly set fire to 4 ammunition dumps and a gun pit and so Manbey, “showed great promptitude and courage in extinguishing a fire in a gunpit containing a large supply of shells. Though knocked down and injured by a hostile shell, he carried out his work successfully at great personal risk, and averted heavy loss of life and ammunition.” In this work he was assisted by Gunner George Meadley (10602) who was awarded the Military Medal. Manbey’s award was gazetted on 14 August 1917. He was made an A/Capt from 25 June 1917 and was Mentioned in Dispatches on 14 December 1917. After leaving the Army, he returned to live in Essex and at some point in the following few years he changed his name by deed poll to “de Manbey”. On his 50th birthday, 4 July 1932, he reached the age when he ceased to be liable for recall to military service so was removed from the Reserve of Officers. His wife Catherine died in 1936 (they had had one son) and in 1939 he was working as a dairy farmer. In 1943 he married Marjorie Chambers. He died on 31 August 1951 in West Mersea, Essex, aged 70.
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Gnr.
|
Mann
|
Albert Edward
|
179728
|
A/58
|
Albert Edward Mann was born in about 1892. He worked as a motor driver before enlisting into the RFA on 10 November 1916. He was gasssed on about 12 April 1918 while serving in A/58 and evacuated back to the UK. He was treated in the Killingbeck Section of the East Leeds War Hospital, Leeds before being discharged and going to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick on 19 June 1918. While there, he suffered from pyrexia of unknown origin and neurasthenia. He was admitted to Catterick Military Hospital for transfer to a neurological hospital suffering with neurasthenia on 16 October 1918. He was discharged from the Army due to sickness on 11 or 16 November 1918 and awarded a Silver War Badge.
|
Capt.
|
Mann
|
Edward Hamilton
|
n/a
|
A/58
|
Edward Hamilton Mann was born on 21 August 1891 in York. In 1911 he was a Gentleman Cadet at the Royal Military Academy Woolwich and was commissioned as a 2/Lt on 23 December 1911. After war was declared he disembarked in France on 20 August 1914 and was awarded the Military Cross in the New Year’s Honours 1916. He was promoted to Capt on 8 August 1916. He was posted to A/58 from 1st Army Artillery School on 14 February 1919, but left soon afterwards, being posted to 1st Army HQ on 25 February 1919 where he was appointed ADC to GOC First Army on 20 March 1919. He was seconded for service to the Egyptian Army on 8 June 1919. In 1922 he was with 6 Bde RFA at Ewshott Camp, near Aldershot, Hants. In 1939 he was living in Chatham, Kent, with his wife Augusta, and he appeared to be working at the Army Technical School for boys enlisted into the Royal Artillery at Fort Darland, Chatham.
|
Gnr.
|
Manning
|
George Boyne Cecil
|
168801
|
HQ
|
George Boyne Cecil Manning was born on 21 December 1893, in Acton, West London, the son of John and Mary Ann Manning. He worked as chief order clerk for the electrical meter manufacturer Evershed and Vignoles, Acton Lane Works, Chiswick before the war. He enlisted on 5 November 1915 in London into the Territorial Force and joined initially the 3rd County of London Yeomanry with service number 2384, and then transferred to 4th Home Counties Howitzer Bde with a new service number, 1594. He was transferred to the Regular Army on 13 September 1916 and was given a new service number, 168801, and shortly afterwards was posted to France, arriving there on 1 October 1916. He was posted to 58 Bde on 29 November 1916 and joined the brigade headquarters. The following year, he was admonished by Lt Col Winter for having disobeyed an order given to him by Lt Monks on 5 March 1917 and then lying about it. A few months later he was wounded by a shell which fractured his jaw and he was evacuated to 2 Canadian General Hospital, Le Tréport, and then back to the UK on 5 August 1917 where he was treated at the Edmonton Military Hospital. Towards the end of the year a Medical Board decided he was no longer fit for military service and so he was discharged from the Army on 2 January 1918 and awarded a Silver War Badge. He was described as being of good character and was interested in working as a clerk in Government offices. He returned to live at 50 Newton Avenue, Acton, London. In 1939 he was living in Croydon as a clerk in the civil service and had been promoted the previous year “from the unpensionable permanent grade of the Departmental Clerical Class” while working in the Ministry of Labour. By 1945 he was living in Chertsey and he died in Chichester, Sussex on 17 September 1962.
|
Cpl.
|
Mansbridge
|
Arthur
|
170248
|
D/58
|
Arthur Mansbridge had served in the Territorial Force, probably with service number 966, before enlisting into the regular Army in 1916 when he was allocated the new service number 170248. He was serving as a Corporal when he was posted overseas to join D/58. On 20 January 1917, he was serving in 11 Division Headquarters when he was admitted to No.149 Field Ambulance suffering from inflammation of the connective tissue in his legs and was transferred to No.3 Casualty Clearing Station at Puchevillers the next day. At some point after this, he was transferred to the Labour Corps and assigned the service number 475190, before then transferring to the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA) where he was assigned the service number 319682. He was aged 26 and was serving in the “London RGA” when he was demobilised on 24 February 1919 due to no longer being physically fit for military service.
|
Lt.
|
Manson
|
Thomas Walter
|
n/a
|
A/58
|
Thomas Walter Manson was born on 22 July 1893 in Tynemouth, Northumberland. He was the son of Thomas Francis Manson and Joan Manson (née Johnson). He attended Tynemouth Municipal High School. By 1911 he had followed his father into teaching, working as an indentured pupil teacher for the County Borough Council. He was part way through an MA degree at Glasgow University when he enlisted into the RFA in North Shields on 11 January 1916 as a Gunner and was given service number 127980. He was posted initially to No.1 Depot at Newcastle-upon-Tyne and from there to 34 Reserve Battery in Edinburgh on 30 January 1916. In March 1916 he was posted to 56 Reserve Battery, 4A Reserve Bde at Woolwich and while a member of B sub-section in that battery he sought a commission. On 28 April 1916 he went to the Royal Artillery Cadet School at Topsham Barracks, Exeter from which he was commissioned on 3 August 1916 as a 2/Lt into the Special Reserve of Officers. He was sent to France on 15 August 1916 and was posted to D/59 on 25 August 1916. While serving on the Somme with his battery, he was wounded in the right scapula by shrapnel on 9 October 1916 and, after being admitted to No.14 General Hospital in Boulogne, he was evacuated to the UK on HMHS “Panama”, arriving in Southampton from Boulogne on 15 October 1916. On 28 October 1916 he attended a medical board at the 2nd Western General Hospital in Manchester which concluded that his wound was almost healed. He was posted to join 69 (2nd East Anglian) Division, a home defence division, joining 346 Bde on 7 December 1916. Another medical board was held at Wheatley Hall, Doncaster on 21 December 1916 which passed him fit since his wound was now healed. He was posted to 348 Bde, also part of 69 Division, on 16 February 1917 and would stay with that brigade for nearly a year. During his stay in the UK, Tom, as he was known by closer friends, attended at least two courses, a telephone and cable-laying course at Dunstable between 14 and 26 May 1917 where his practical and theory were described as ‘excellent’, and he qualified as a Regimental Instructor in Anti-Gas Measures at the Northern Command Anti-Gas School at Farnley Park, Otley in September 1917. He also created an unspecified invention in conjunction with fellow officer Harry F Slattery. The invention appeared to be for use in the artillery and was submitted to Lt.Col. G R V Kinsman, the Chief Instructor in Gunnery, whose initial reaction appears to have been to consider that it might be useful in defence works but that it was less likely to be useful for field operations. Tom was promoted to Lieutenant on 3 February 1918 and was posted back to France on 18 February 1918, arriving at Le Havre the following day. He was posted three days later to 11 Division Ammunition Column, where he appeared to serve in No.3 Section. He was attached to A/58 on 12 April 1918 and stayed with that battery for the remainder of his service. He was one of several officers in the brigade who were sick as of 12 May 18. He attended 1st Army Anti-Tank School between 11 and 26 October 1918, and after the Armistice he was posted to the UK for demobilisation on 22 January 19, sailing from Dieppe on 27 January 1919 on Hired Military Transport “Caesarea”. He attended No.1 Dispersal Unit in Ripon the following day and was demobilised the day after. After the war he returned to his parental home at School House, 8 Albion Road East, North Shields. He also returned to Glasgow University and then studied further at Cambridge University. He became a renowned biblical scholar and in 1936 was appointed Rylands Professor of Biblical Criticism and Exegesis in the University of Manchester, a position which he held until his death on 1 May 1958. He was much in demand as a lecturer and preacher, receiving for example invitations from the University of Leiden, Duke University and the University of Aarhus. He was awarded various honorary doctorates and was elected a Fellow of the British Academy on 11 July 1945. He had married Nora Wallace in 1926 who survived him. They had no children. He has an entry in Wikipedia.
|
Dvr.
|
Marks
|
Frank
|
10618
|
C/58
|
Frank Marks was born in about 1895. He enlisted into the RFA on 1 September 1914 and was posted to Egypt, arriving there on about 14 July 1915. He was serving in C/58 when he was admitted to No.2 General Hospital, Le Havre in the second half of 1916. He was serving in 121 Bde RFA when he was discharged from the Army, aged 23, on 20 September 1918 due to wounds.
|
Gnr.
|
Marle
|
William James
|
L/1164
|
|
William James Marle enlisted into the Army on 19 October 1915. He was serving in 58 Bde when he was discharged from the Army on 14 August 1918 as being no longer fit for military service due to wounds he had received.
|
Capt.
|
Marsden
|
James Weymouth
|
n/a
|
OC 58 BAC
|
James Weymouth Marsden was born on 6 February 1884 in Bangalore, India, the son of James Cort and Eleanor Rosa Marsden. He attended Bedford Modern School before joining the Army and attending the Royal Military Academy Woolwich as a Gentleman Cadet. He was commissioned as a 2/Lt into the Royal Garrison Artillery on 15 July 1903 and was promoted to Lt on 15 July 1906. In 1911 he was serving with 55 Company RGA but the following year he was seconded to study Japanese from 20 January 1912. He was promoted to Capt on 30 October 1914. In mid-February 1915 he was serving in 58 Bde and by early June that year he was serving in 58 Bde as the commanding officer of the Brigade’s Ammunition Column. He sailed with the brigade from Devonport on 1 July 1915 on SS “Knight Templar” arriving in Alexandria on 14 July 1915. While serving at Gallipoli he left 58 Bde when he transferred into 57 Bde RFA of 10th (Irish) Division, on 31 October 1915, to gain experience in fighting a field unit and in observing fire. On 11 November 1915 he joined 57 Bde and took command of A/57. That brigade was transferred from Suvla Bay, Gallipoli to Helles, Gallipoli on 15-16 December 1915. The brigade, now named 57 (Howitzer) Bde RFA and part of 29 Division left Gallipoli and went to Metras Camp, Alexandria where it refitted. On 8 March 1916 the brigade was renamed as 132 (Howitzer) Bde RFA and so James became the commanding officer of B/132 as his battery was renamed. The following day, James and half of 132 Bde sailed from Alexandria, disembarking at Marseilles on 15 March 1916 and moved up to Englebelmer to go into action. In May 1916, James and his battery were posted away from 132 Bde to join another RFA brigade. Later that year while convalescing in the Endsleigh Palace Hospital London, James married Kathleen Gresham Hall on 1 September 1916 in St Pancras Church London. He was appointed A/Major on 5 May 1917 and promoted to that rank on 29 January 1918. After the end of the war he was appointed Assistant Military Attaché (GSO 2nd Grade) on 12 December 1918, probably at the embassy in Tokyo since he was serving there in that role in 1920. He was seconded “for service on the Staff” on 1 May 1920 and the Japanese Emperor awarded him the Order of the Sacred Treasure 4th Class that year, the award being reported in the London Gazette on 18 August 1920. His knowledge of Japanese was put to use again when he joined the Government Code & Cypher School (GC&CS) on 28 April 1927 as a Junior Assistant because of his expertise in Japanese. The following year he was promoted to Lt Col on 15 July 1928. He published an article on “The Japanese Army” in the Journal of the Royal United Service Institution in February 1933, an abstract of which was also printed in the U.S. “Coast Artillery Journal” two months later. On his 55th birthday, 6 February 1939 he reached the age when he was removed from the Reserve of Officers. He was still working at GC&CS when World War 2 broke out and was working in the Japanese Diplomatic Section in Room 7 at Bletchley Park in December 1940. He joined Bletchley Park’s Home Guard platoon and was appointed a section commander. In March 1942 GC&CS’s Diplomatic sections moved to London and worked from offices in Berkeley Street; it is likely that James moved with them at that time because he was working there as a translator in the Japanese Diplomatic Section in mid-1943. After the war he served for a while as an interpreter in Japan with the Occupying Forces. On 4 October 1950 he attended a lunch for Old Bedford Modernians in London and in 1956 he acted as Chairman to an illustrated talk given in the Victoria and Albert Museum to the Japanese Society of London by Richard Storry. James Marsden died aged 90 on 3 October 1974 in Tonbridge, Kent.
|
BSM
|
Marsh
|
J L
|
|
C/58?
|
During training in Milford Camp, Sgt Marsh was one of the witnesses to Gnr Cyril Smith (11256) of C/58 overstaying his leave from 12pm 2 May to 11pm 3 May 1915 and of Gnr Arthur Tiley (11150) who was absent for almost exactly the same period. BSM J L Marsh was found guilty of drunkenness by a Court Martial held at Zahrieh Camp, Egypt on 18 January 1916 so was reduced to Corporal.
|
Gnr.
|
Marshall
|
John
|
661115
|
|
John Marshall enlisted into the Army on 12 January 1916. He was serving in 58 Bde when he was discharged from the Army on 14 August 1918 as being no longer fit for military service following an accident.
|
Gnr.
|
Marshall
|
Matthew
|
84341
|
C/58
|
Matthew Marshall was serving in the RFA as a Gunner in C/58 when he went to Egypt, arriving on about 14 July 1915. At some subsequent time, he was transferred to the Royal Garrison Artillery and was assigned the new service number 202369. He was demobilised on 4 August 1919.
|
Gnr.
|
Martin
|
Arthur Henry
|
15404
|
D/58
|
Arthur Henry Martin first went overseas with the RFA when he went to France on about 12 March 1915. He was serving as a Gunner in D/58 when he was admitted to No.6 Convalescent Depot in Etaples on 21 December 1918 with an alveolar (dental) abscess.
|
Gnr.
|
Mason
|
Ernest
|
99804
|
C/58
|
Ernest Mason was born in about 1896. He was serving in the RFA when he arrived in Egypt on 14 July 1915. Later that year he contracted dysntery and was evacuated back to the UK where he was admitted on 3 December 1915 to Beaufort War Hospital, Bristol with dysentery and a disordered action of the heart. On 8 January 1916, he was transferred to Oaklands Red Cross Hospital, Clevedon, Somerset from where he was discharged on ten days’ sick furlough on 3 March 1916.
|
Dvr.
|
Mason
|
George Forster
|
219867
|
|
George Foster Mason enlisted into the Army on 21 June 1915. He was serving in 58 Bde when he was discharged from the Army on 1 May 1919 as being no longer fit for military service due to wounds he had received.
|
Bdr.
|
Massey
|
Frederick William
|
11173
|
B/58
|
Frederick William Massey was serving as a Bombardier in B/58 when he was posted to Egypt on 1 July 1915. At some point later in the war, he was transferred to the Labour Corps and given the new service number 409931. He ended the war as a Corporal in that corps and he was demobilised on 10 April 1919.
|
Lt.
|
Masson
|
Eric Dartnell
|
n/a
|
D/58
|
Eric Dartnell Masson was born on 10 April 1891 in Estcourt, Natal [now KwaZulu-Natal], South Africa. He worked as a civil servant in Natal, including spending five years in the Prime Minister’s office and then 16 months in the Government Hospital in Durban. He served in ‘C’ Battery, Natal Field Artillery before the war and during the campaign that the South African forces fought in German South West Africa [modern day Namibia] in 1914, Eric served in XII Citizen Battery and was promoted to Sgt. His battery was demobilised on cessation of hostilities in that campaign. He then worked his passage to the UK from South Africa so that he could seek a commission in the British Army and was commissioned on probation as a 2/Lt in the RFA Special Reserve on 10 December 1915. He was promoted to Lt on 1 July 1916 but had to leave his battery, B/77 RFA, on 17 July 1916 because he had nephritis. He was evacuated to the UK on 23 July 1916, sailing on the Hospital Ship “January Breydel” from Boulogne to Dover. After recovering in hospital and spending time at The Mount, Portland Bay, Isle of Wight, Eric returned to duty on 23 November 1916 and joined 54 Reserve Battery, 6B Reserve Bde RFA the following day. A few weeks later though he suffered from another bout of nephritis so was admitted to Yorkhill War Hospital, Glasgow on 11 January 1917 and he was still in Ward 9 of that hospital as of 2 April 1917. Later that year he returned to France and was posted from the Base Depot to 180 Bde RFA in 16 Division on 23 September 1917. He initially joined D/180, but a few days later, on 1 October 1917, he transferred to A/180. A few weeks later he fell ill with albuminuria and so was admitted to 136 Field Ambulance on 11 December 1917. He then went to No.1 Red Cross Hospital in Le Touquet before being evacuated back to the UK via Calais to Dover on 31 December 1917 on the Ambulance Transport “Ville de Liège” and was admitted to the South African Hospital, Richmond Park, London the same day. He was transferred to the Martineau Hospital, Holyport, Berks on 13 March 1918 and the following month he wrote claiming that the disease which was keeping him from being passed fit by a medical board – bilharziasis haematuria – was common amongst South Africans and should not prevent him from returning to active service. Finally, on 4 June 1918 orders were issued for him to report as soon as possible to 1B Reserve Bde RFA in Forest Row, Sussex since he was now regarded as fit for general service and he returned to France, arriving at Le Havre on 28 June 1918. He was posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column from Base on 5 July 1918 and was attached to D/58 a week later on 11 July 1918. He was sent on a 3 week-long course for Forward Observation Officers and Signallers at the 11 Divisional Artillery school on 20 August 1918, rejoining the brigade on 7 September 1918. On 27 September 1918, the first day of the Battle of the Canal du Nord, Eric was wounded in action at Sains-les-Marquion, receiving a “very severe” gun-shot wound to his right leg. He was evacuated to No.5 British Red Cross Hospital in Wimereux the next day. He was discharged from that hospital on 24 October 1918 but was admitted back into No.2 General Hospital in Le Havre four days later due to complications from the wound. He had a medical board on 30 October 1918 which found he had ulcers around his wound and so had him evacuated back to the UK, probably on the following day on the Ambulance Transport “Aberdonian”. He was admitted to the Officers’ Convalescent Hospital, 5 Chichester Terrace, Brighton where he had an operation on the wound and he then remained in hospital for just over 6 months, at the end of which he was still unable to take “healthy exercise”. Although it was announced that he resigned his commission on grounds of ill-health on 3 June 1919, this did not take place on that date since there were a number of administrative difficulties which needed to be resolved. Eric had not been paid since 31 March 1919 and had been unaware of his options about being repatriated back to South Africa. He therefore engaged in a lengthy correspondence with the War Office to get this rectified and to seek a wound gratuity. In June 1919 he was staying in Wentworth Private Hotel, Marine Parade, Brighton, and stated that, due the lack of pay, he was now “destitute”. He presumably also wanted to be paid because he was about to get married; Eric married Emily (or Emilie) G L Parks in Brighton between July and September of that year. On 2 December 1919 he attended the Officers’ Wing of the Repatriation Camp at Pirbright before returning to South Africa and upon his arrival back in South Africa on 27 December 1919, he relinquished his commission. Eric Masson died in 1941 in Cape Province, South Africa.
|
Bdr.
|
Matheson
|
|
|
B/58?
|
Bdr Matheson witnessed Dvr F J Jones (11161) neglecting to obey an order while they were training in Leeds on 15 March 1915.
|
Gnr.
|
Mathieson
|
William
|
104159
|
A/58
|
William Mathieson, son of George Mathieson, was a merchant’s assistant from West Aquhorthies, Inverurie, Aberdeenshire. He enlisted into the RFA aged 19 in Aberdeen on 15 September 1915 and was posted initially to No 6 depot at Glasgow. He was posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column on 27 March 1916 and sailed from Southampton on 3 July 1916, arriving in Le Havre the next day. He was posted to A/58 on 29 September 1916 and with at least 6 other members of the brigade was sent on an advanced telephone course on 22 January 1917. He was granted 10 days’ leave to the UK from 11 September 1917. While still serving in A/58 he was reassigned as a signaller on 22 August 18 and was granted further leave to the UK via Boulogne between 8 and 22 October 1918. After the Armistice he was appointed a paid acting L/Bdr on 22 December 1918 and then a paid acting Bdr on 9 April 1919. He was granted further leave on 25 April 1919 and on 5 July 1919 he went for demobilisation to Kinross. Shortly afterwards his award of the Military Medal for bravery in the field was reported in the London Gazette on 23 July 1919, having been awarded on 7 December 1918. William Mathieson was described as extremely conscientious, reliable and hard-working by one of his officers, Lt Window.
|
Gnr.
|
Matthews
|
Harry
|
123535
|
A/58
|
Harry Matthews was the son of Henry and Emily Matthews of Tipple Hill, Woodside, Caddington, Beds. He enlisted into the Army in about April 1916. He was serving in A/58 when he was seriously wounded and he died in 53 Casualty Clearing Station on 17 June 1917 and is buried in Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension Nord, France. Two of his brothers, Frederick and John were also killed in 1917 while serving in the Army.
|
Bdr.
|
Matthews
|
|
|
C/58
|
Bombardier Matthews was serving in C/58 at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli when he was promoted in October 1915 and so was replaced as a Temporary Bombardier by Percy Ellard (94116).
|
Cpl.
|
Mayston
|
|
|
D/58
|
Cpl Mayston (possibly Elias Joshua Mayston) was posted from Base to join D/58 on 2 December 1916.
|
Sgt.
|
McAvoy
|
Thomas
|
50459
|
D/58
|
Thomas McAvoy was born in Stranorlar, County Donegal, Ireland in about 1869. He was working as a labourer when he enlisted on 26 October 1886 in Glasgow, aged 18, initially joining the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (service number 2407) before transferring to the artillery on 15 October 1887 where he was given the new service number 63255. He served in the Royal Garrison Artillery including periods in Malta and Jamaica as well as in the UK until he was discharged on 25 October 1907 having completed his period of service. He was working as a valet when war broke out and, aged 45, he re-enlisted in London on 9 September 1914 for a year’s service in the Special Reserve. He was immediately promoted to Sgt. He was posted to 58 Bde Ammunition Column (58 BAC) on 13 September 1914 and then to D/58 when 58 BAC was converted to become the new fourth battery in the brigade on 21 January 1915. On 9 March 1915 he left 58 Bde and was posted to 11th (Reserve) Battery where he stayed until a reorganisation which took place on 16 February 1917 and he joined No.4 RFA Officer Cadet School. Ten days later he was posted to 37th (Reserve) Battery of 1C Reserve Bde RFA and then on 5 February 1919 he was posted to 6th Reserve Bde before going to a dispersal centre on 9 March 1919 for demobilisation. He was demobilised on 8 April 1919.
|
Gnr.
|
McCaig
|
Charles
|
192653
|
A/58
|
Charles McCaig was from Dumfries and was born in about 1888. He was married to Agnes and he enlisted in Dumfries. He was serving in A/58 when he was killed aged 29 on 13 October 1917 and he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
|
Sgt.
|
McCannah
|
Joseph
|
24436
|
B/58
|
Joseph McCannah was from Manchester. After enlisting in the RFA, he was posted to Egypt, arriving on 14 July 1915. He was serving as a Sgt in B/58 when he was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry on 2 October 1917. On 6 August 1918 he was a witness to Gnr Pearce (67937) fighting on parade, and at about the start of December 1918 he witnessed Cpl Baron (148993) making a complaint contrary to procedure.
|
Gnr.
|
McCarthy
|
Arthur Samuel
|
99287
|
C/58
|
Arthur Samuel McCarthy was born in about 1896 in Northfleet, Kent, the son of Frederick and Fanny McCarthy. He was working as a butcher’s assistant in 1911 and enlisted into the RFA in Gravesend, Kent. He was posted to France, arriving on 15 October 1915. On 25 April 1918, he was serving in C/58 when he was part of a party clearing up the old wagon lines of C/58 just after they had moved to a new location. The party came under shell fire and both he and Sgt Frank Dobby (20929) were killed. He is buried alongside Dobby in Hersin Communal Cemetery Extension, France.
|
Gnr.
|
McClean
|
Arthur Henry
|
183122
|
C/58
|
Arthur Henry McClean was born in about 1886. He worked as an electrician before enlisting into the RFA. He was serving in C/58 when he was gassed in Spring 1918. He was evacuated back to the UK and treated at Balmoral Voluntary Aid Detachment Hospital, Llandudno, North Wales. After being discharged from hospital he went on 18 November 1918 to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick.
|
Sgt.
|
McCorkindale
|
Peter
|
33374
|
D/58
|
Peter McCorkindale was born in about 1886 in Slammanan, Stirlingshire. In 1901, his parents were named as Alexander and Catherine Baird, so it is possible that his mother had (re)married since he was born. He became a miner and was living in Cowie, near Falkirk. He decided to join the Army when he was 18 and enlisted on 25 January 1904, joining the RFA. The following year he decided to extend his service to a total of 8 years with the colours. He served most of these years in India, during which he was made an A/Bdr, but he reverted to Gnr after “highly improper conduct in barracks” while drunk. With the 18 Battery RFA he took part in the engagement at Matta in April 1908. In 1912 he had completed his 8 years and so transferred to the Reserve on 3 February 1912. He had served as a battery signaller for the previous 4 years and his reference said that he was “accustomed to care of horses and harness and can both ride and drive”. He was described as suited for a job on the railways, had qualifications as a groom, in semaphore and Morse code signalling and that “he is possessed of very good abilities and is smart, intelligent and respectful.” During his service he was awarded the India General Service Medal 1908 with North West Frontier clasp and a Good Conduct badge, first class. After leaving the Army he decided to emigrate to Canada and sailed from Glasgow on 20 April 1912 for St John, New Brunswick, Canada on the SS “Cassandra”. He arrived at St. John’s ten days later, on the 30th, describing himself as a miner and said he was bound for Humboldt, Saskatchewan. The following year, he married Agnes Menzies, of Humboldt on 24 June 1913 in Humboldt and they had a daughter, also called Agnes, on 13 April 1914. As a reservist he was recalled to serve in the RFA when war was declared and so returned to the UK, sailing on the SS “Uranium” from Quebec, arriving in Avonmouth on 16 September 1914. He was mobilised at Woolwich in 4B Reserve Brigade on 18 September 1914 and was posted to 458 Battery, 118 Bde RFA on 8 December 1914 and promoted to Bdr the same day. He went to France with his battery on 12 March 1915, was appointed A/Cpl on 22 April 1915 and promoted to that rank two days later. He was Mentioned in Despatches on 27 January 1916 and was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal “For conspicuous gallantry in charge of signallers. He invariably displayed great bravery and energy in the performance of his duties, and gave a fine example to all with him”, the award being gazetted on 10 March 1916. He was promoted to Sgt on 30 January 1916. On 15 July 1916, 458 Battery was posted en masse to be the new D/58. He was still serving in D/58 when he was killed by a German 5.9″ shell on 2 March 1917 as he was going down Waggon Road, near Beaumont-Hamel. He is buried in Beaumont-Hamel British Cemetery. His widow, Agnes, remained in Canada, living with her father in Nanaimo, BC. Peter McCorkindale is mentioned by name in Richard Blaker’s “Medal Without Bar”.
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Gnr.
|
McCreath
|
Sylvester
|
104730
|
B/58
|
Sylvester McCreath was born in Liverpool in about 1889, the son of Sylvester and Mary McCreath (née Henigan). He enlisted into the RFA and was serving in B/58 and manning one of its guns on 29 October 1916 when a shell from a German 5.9″ howitzer scored a direct hit on the gun. He, Gnr Frederick Leadbeater (11104) and Gnr David Lloyd (99731) were killed instantly, while Cpl Thomas Gadsby (91064) was badly wounded, dying a little later. The three gunners are buried alongside each other in Courcelette British Cemetery.
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Dvr.
|
McCue
|
Lawrence
|
53485
|
B/58
|
Lawrence McCue was born on 11 February 1890, the son of Lawrence McCue. He went to France with 15 Bde RFA, 5th Division as part of the British Expeditionary Force, arriving there on 19 August 1914. Between 1917 and 1919, he received two periods of treatment, one due to a right inguinal hernia and the other for shrapnel wounds to his face, right arm and right foot. He had been serving in B/58 at the time of at least one of these periods of treatment and was variously treated at Evington Military Hospital, Leicester and 3rd Scottish General Hospital, Glasgow, Stobhill. On 8 February 1919 a Medical Board recommended that he be transferred to a ‘disposal hospital’ and he does appear to have been discharged and awarded a pension due to his injuries. In the interim, on 17 September 1918, Lawrence married Mary Caroline Porter (seemingly known as Caroline) in St Margaret’s church, Plumstead, Woolwich, London. Two months later, their daughter Winifred Caroline McCue was born on 11 December 1918. In September 1939, he, Caroline, Winifred and Caroline’s younger sister, Annie Charlotte Porter, were living in 2 Doran Grove, Plumstead and Lawrence was working as an engineer’s examiner. Lawrence McCue probably died in Woolwich in 1946, aged 56.
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Lt.
|
McCusker
|
Hugh Joseph
|
n/a
|
A/58
|
Hugh Joseph McCusker was born on 4 July 1892 and educated at Stonyhurst College. He was the son of Mr and Mrs J McCusker of Neilston, Renfrewshire and one of their four sons all of whom joined the Army. While living at Neilston he applied for a commission on 19 August 14 at Hamilton, requesting cavalry or artillery because he had “always been among horses”. On his service record this is crossed out and “Infantry” was written in. He was however commissioned as a temporary 2/Lt on 22 September 1914 into the RFA having been a cadet in an Officers Training Corps. He was posted to 107 Bde RFA and attended a Medical Board in January 1915 while serving with D/107. On 4 February 1915 he was promoted to temporary Lt and later that year he was posted to join 58 Bde, his imminent arrival in the brigade being noted on 7 October 1915 while the brigade was serving at Suvla Bay. Following the British withdrawal from Suvla Bay, he, along with 9 other officers from the brigade and 45 Other Ranks, embarked onto the SS “Tunisian” at Lemnos, sailing the next day. They arrived in Alexandria on 2 January 1916 and disembarked the following day. He was serving in A/58 when he sailed with the brigade on the “Kingstonian” from Alexandria on 25 June 1916, arriving in Marseilles on 2 July 1916. When Capt T J Hutton joined A/58 as the new battery commander in late July 1916, he praised Lt McCusker as an “excellent fellow” and said he and the other Forward Observation Officers had had a very bad time on 27 September 1916 but had done very good work. He had some leave between 9 and 24 November 1916 but went to hospital sick on 10 December 1916. On 17 December 1916 he was transferred back to the UK on HMHS “Cambria” with varicose veins and so was struck off the strength of the brigade five days later. He an operation on the varicose veins in his right leg and was posted in March 1917 to 6C Reserve Bde, in Radford Barracks, Edinburgh. He was passed fit for general service on 10 April 1917 and returned to France. On 10 June 1917 he was at the RFA Reinforcements base at Le Havre, but was sent back to the UK on the “Grantully Castle” since he had dermatitis on his elbows, buttocks and groin, possibly caused by a parasite. This had originally been diagnosed in April as scabies so he had been given “the usual treatment”. By the time he arrived at the British Red Cross Hospital at Netley, he had dermatitis “all over his body” which had been “aggravated by active duty”. Following treatment, he was due to report at 6B Reserve Bde, Edinburgh on 10 October 1917. He was appointed an A/Capt while second in command of a battery on 20 January 1919.
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Gnr.
|
McDonnell
|
James
|
167176
|
C/58
|
James McDonnell was born in about January 1898, the son of Patrick McDonnell. James was living with his parents at 63 Cochrane Street, Bathgate, Linlithgoshire and was working as a coal miner when he enlisted at Glasgow on 10 January 1916. He was not immediately called up due to his work as a miner, instead he was posted to the Army Reserve and was not mobilised until 15 September 1916 and was posted to No.6 Depot RFA at Glasgow and from there to 32 Reserve Battery. However, James was returned to civilian life as part of Class “W” of the Army Reserve on 2 December 1916 because he was still needed in the mines. He worked at Robert Forrester & Co. Ltd. In Glasgow, but left them on 24 March 1917, possibly to go to work at a foundry in Bathgate and was working for Renton & Fisher, Hopetoun Steel Works in Bathgate as a steel dresser in September of that year. However, on 26 September 1917 James was recalled to the Army and went back to No.6 Depot. From there he was posted to 6B Reserve Bde on 6 October 1917 and joined 34 Reserve Battery in Edinburgh. He was admitted to a hospital in Edinburgh on 23 March 1918 with scabies but was discharged the same day. He then attended the RH and RFA Signalling Training Centre at Swanage during which time he was admitted to Swanage Hospital on 27 April 1918 from where he was discharged on 1 May 1918. James returned to the training centre and at some point qualified as a 1st Class Signaller. From there he was posted to France on 22 May 1918 and joined C/58 on 29 May 1918 as a Gunner. On 12 October 1918 he was re-designated as a Signaller. On 5 December 1918 he was admitted to No.35 Field Ambulance with influenza and was admitted to No13 (Harvard USA) General Hospital in Boulogne on 9 December 1918 suffering from mild influenza. James was examined at No.10 Convalescent Depot on 28 December 1918 and stated that he did not claim to be suffering from a disability due to his military service, so was posted to Duddington Dispersal Centre for demobilisation so that he could resume his work as a coal miner. He embarked on SS “Tule”(possibly the passenger ship SS “Thule”) on 7 January 1919 and attended the dispersal centre on 9 January 1919. James was demobilised on 6 February 1919.
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Gnr.
|
McDougall
|
George
|
10525
|
|
George McDougall was born in Coventry, the son of John McDougall. He enlisted in Coventry soon after war was declared and was serving in 58 Bde in the Ypres salient when he died on 11 October 1917 of wounds he had received. He is buried in Dozinghem Military Cemetery, Belgium.
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Gnr.
|
McEwan
|
William Alexander
|
93198
|
A/58
|
William Alexander McEwan was born on 19 March 1889 in Edinburgh, the son of James and Jessie McEwan (née Henderson). Before the war he worked as a book binder and on 26 June 1914 he married Lily Thornton, a bookbinder’s collator, in 13 Dryden Place, Edinburgh. On 22 July 1917, he as serving in A/58 and was sitting up in his dugout with other battery members at dawn when a shell from a German 4.2″ howitzer scored a direct hit. One of his comrades sought to hold the weight of the dugout roof on his shoulders while they were all rescued, but sadly William had died. The others in the dugout all survived. William died aged 28 and is buried in Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery, Belgium.
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2/Lt.
|
McGuffie
|
Thomas Dunlop
|
243532
|
B/58
|
Thomas Dunlop McGuffie was born on 30 December 1898 in Taungoo, Burma [Myanmar], the son of Thomas Chalmers and Janet Agnes Scobie McGuffie (née Dunlop). The family returned to the UK and settled in Hove, Sussex. Thomas Dunlop McGuffie was educated at Windlesham House School For Boys in Brighton and then at Charterhouse School where he served in the Officers Training Corps (OTC) for 4 years. When he left the OTC in April 1917, his commanding officer said that he would make an efficient officer and had been trained for the infantry. He enlisted as a cadet on 30 January 1917 and was granted an admission to an Officer Cadet Unit once he reached the age of 18½. Shortly after he reached that age, he was mobilised at Brighton on 9 August 1917 and joined No.2 RFA Officer Cadet School at Topsham Barracks, Exeter the following day. He was commissioned as a 2/Lt in the Special Reserve of Officers on 6 January 1918 and was posted to France, disembarking at Boulogne on 28 March 1918. He was posted from the Base to 11 Division Ammunition Column on 13 April 1918. On 11 June 1918 he was posted to B/58 and on his second day in the brigade he took part in, and won, a bare-backed mule race that was open to all comers. He went on 14 days’ leave to England on 24 October 1918, returning by coincidence on Armistice Day, 11 November 1918. While Lt J E Norton was on leave, McGuffie stood in for him as the brigade’s Education Officer from 1 December 1918. He left the brigade on 12 January 1919 to return to the UK for demobilisation and was disembodied at No.1 Dispersal Unit, Wimbledon on 19 January 1919. He relinquished his commission on 1 April 1920. After the war he lived in Chertsey, Surrey and in London. He married Marjorie Grinling in 1926 but he passed away on 20 June 1934, aged 35. They had one child.
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Gnr.
|
McGuire
|
George
|
93021
|
A/58
|
George McGuire worked as a carter from Barony, Lanarkshire, before the war. He married Elizabeth Millar on 22 December 1900 though when he enlisted on 25 August 1914 at Glasgow, he claimed to have been born in 1886 and so was 28 years old, which would have meant that he had married at age 14. He was posted initially to No.6 depot in Glasgow the day he enlisted and the following day was posted to 184 Battery, which subsequently became A/58. During training George McGuire ran frequently into trouble with the military authorities: he went absent without leave overnight on 11 October 1914 while at Leeds for which he was confined to barracks for 8 days and forfeited 3 days’ pay, then on 8 March 1915 he was absent off leave and was confined to barracks for 7 days, he was again absent overnight on 5 June 1915 while at Milford Camp and was again confined to barracks for 7 days. All of these punishments were awarded by his battery commander, Maj Crozier. Going overseas did not curb his instincts: he broke out of the SS “Knight Templar” at 7pm on 14 July 1915 shortly after docking in Alexandria and didn’t return until 9.30pm the next evening. For this he was fined 1 days’ pay by Lt Col Drake. Then at Zahrieh Camp, Alexandria, he was found guilty by a Field General Court Martial that on 20 July 1915 he had been drunk and his conduct had been prejudicial of military discipline. The Court Martial awarded him 56 days’ Field Punishment No.2 on 22 July 1915. He returned to duty on 16 August 1915 after the brigade had sailed for Gallipoli. He was therefore still at Zahrieh Camp on 27 September 1915 when he failed to obey an order so was confined to camp for 7 days and deprived of 4 days’ pay by Capt Ashford. He left 58 Bde when he was posted to Ras el Din Battery on 11 December 1915, though was then absent from their alarm parade on 22 May 1916 so was confined to camp for 14 days. He overstayed a pass by 1½ hours on 23 September 1916 while at Ras el Din, so was confined to camp for a day. He was then posted to the General Base Depot on 23 January 1917 and to 85 Anti-Aircraft section on 5 June 1917. He returned to the General Base Depot on 21 November 1917 and then went to a battery in probably Calcutta on 7 February 1918. He returned again to the Base Depot on 11 June 1918 before being attached to the Royal Garrison Artillery on 15 August 18. In May 1919 he was suspected of having contracted typhoid, so had to provide a stool sample, though the results came back negative. He was demobilised direct from Addington Park War Hospital on 3 August 1919, at which point he gave his year of birth as 1872 – fourteen years earlier than the date he gave when he enlisted. This may be because when he enlisted in 1914, if he had been born in 1872, he would have been 42 years old at a time when the maximum age for enlisting was 38. Although he had served in several other units, when he was demobilised and thereafter he was still signing for himself as being in A/58, including in 1921 when he acknowledged receipt of his medals. He was living at 21 Warwick Street, South Side, Glasgow after the war and qualified for a pension for 20% disability due to dysentery. He and Elizabeth had at least 6 children.
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Bdr.
|
McIntyre
|
William Robert
|
27910
|
D/58
|
William Robert McIntyre was born in about 1884. He enlisted into the RFA in about 1903 and a few days after war was declared, he went to France on 16 August 1914 as a Driver with 36 Bde RFA, part of 2nd Division. In 1918, he suffered from two bouts of illness, getting bronchitis and synovitis. He was serving in D/58 when he was taken ill with bronchitis and was admitted to 1/1 East Lancashire Field Ambulance on 23 March 1918. From there he was transferred No.1 Casualty Clearing Station and then to No.2 Canadian Stationary Hospital on 28 March 1918 where he was described as having pain in chest and a cough, though his chest was clear, so he was transferred the same day to No.1 Convalescent Camp from where he was discharged back to duty on 1 April 1918. William appears to have been posted to C/156 because he was with that battery when a limber overturned and his knee was jammed between the door and the trail. He was admitted to No.64 Field Ambulance on 18 September 1918 where it was believed he had suffered internal derangement of the right knee joint. He was admitted to No.56 General Hospital on 20 September 1918 who amended his diagnosis to synovitis of the right knee, noting he had a slight abrasion and great stiffness. The following day, William was evacuated back to the UK,initially on No.27 Ambulance Train and was admitted to 4th Northern General Hospital, Lincoln the same day. He was discharged back to duty ‘SF and Cl II’ which probably means he was given sick furlough and was medical class II, so was not fully fit, on 4 November 1918.
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Dvr.
|
McKellor
|
Donald
|
84244
|
A/58
|
Donald McKellor was probably born in August 1894 in Bannockburn. He gave his occupation as being a groom when he enlisted into the RFA on 21 August 1914 in Edinburgh and was posted to No.6 Depot in Glasgow the following day. He was posted to 184 Battery on 15 September 1914 which was later renamed as A/58. He suffered from laryngitis so was treated in a military hospital between 30 December 1914 and 14 January 1915. On 1 July 1915, Donald went overseas with his battery, arriving in Gallipoli in August 1915 but later that month was admitted to hospital in Malta on 25 August 1915 from the Hospital Ship “Ascania” with an injury to his groin. It is unclear if he returned to 58 Bde because it was not until 12 January 1916 that he was posted to 5C Reserve Bde in the UK before going to 3B Reserve Bde on 21 January 1916 and then to 4C Reserve Bde on 6 June 1916. On 17 July 1916 he was posted to 521 (Howitzer) Battery, though was not posted back overseas until he sailed from Southampton on 11 May 1917, landing in Le Havre the following day. However, just over two weeks later he was admitted to 13 Canadian Field Ambulance with dysentery on 30 May 1917. The diagnosis of dysentery may have been incorrect because a week later it was determined that he required an appendectomy which was performed at No.1 Casualty Clearing Station on 7 June 1917. Following treatment at No.35 General Hospital in Calais, he was then evacuated back to the UK on 25 June 1917 on board the Hospital Ship “Newhaven” and stayed in the Kitchener Hospital, Brighton between 25 June and 23 July 1917 before being transferred to the Convalescent Hospital, Eastbourne. He stayed in Eastbourne until 14 August 1917 when he was discharged as fit from the hospital and granted some furlough. He was posted to 5C Reserve Bde on 23 August 1917. He was fitted with dentures at the Royal Herbert Hospital, Woolwich on 1 November 1917 and was posted to 4A Reserve Bde on 20 February 1918. On 22 April 1918, Donald was posted to the Discharge Centre at Ripon so that he could be employed in ship-building because he was now saying that his occupation was as a boiler-maker, so he went to work for Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Greenock. Donald was discharged from the Army on 14 December 1918.
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Dvr.
|
McKim
|
John Logan
|
133849
|
D/58
|
John Logan McKim was born in about 1890 in Clydebank, Scotland, the son of Andrew and Elizabeth McKim (née Mirren), and he worked as a grocer’s assistant in Dalmuir. On 16 July 1913 he married Mary Brown in Clydebank and they had at least two children, Andrew born on 7 April 1914 and Margaret born on 30 May 1916. He attested in Clydebank on 12 December 1915 and was mobilised on 21 April 1916 when he was sent to No.6 RFA Depot in Glasgow. On 28 April 1916 he was posted as a Driver to 52 Battery, 6C Reserve Bde for training. He may have been a reluctant soldier since his record suggests that he moved jobs after attesting and sought to avoid being mobilised. Once he had joined up, it was noted that he had been absent on three occasions during his training: between 1 and 2 July 1916 while based at Craiglockhart School; he missed a ride he was supposed to have taken on 5 January 1917 at Redford Barracks in Edinburgh; and later that month he overstayed his leave by 6 days between 19 and 25 January 1917 while still at Redford. He went to France on 2 February 1917 and was posted to the Ammunition Column of 28 Army Field Artillery Bde on 15 February 1917. He suffered inflammation of the connective tissue in his left leg and was admitted to 13 Field Ambulance on 10 June 1917 and to No.42 Casualty Clearing Station the same day. He was discharged to the Base Depot on 30 July 1917 and was posted to D/58 on 13 August 1917. On 14 January 1918 he was granted 14 days’ leave to the UK, but overstayed his leave by 2 days so forfeited 3 days’ pay and was sentenced to 7 days’ Field Punishment No.2. He took part in and won 1st prize in the 11th (Northern) Division’s horse show class ‘RFA Turn-out, Individual, Mounted’ on 29-30 June 1918. In January 1919 he was granted leave to the UK and while there was demobilised at Georgetown Dispersal Centre on 21 February 1919. He appears to have died on 5 January 1962 in Glasgow.
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A/Bdr.
|
McKinnie
|
Andrew
|
75067
|
D/58
|
Andrew McKinnie was born in Sunderland, County Durham, in about 1897, the son of James Bruce and Elizabeth Emma McKinnie. In 1911 he was working, aged 14, underground in the coal mines as a trapper boy. He enlisted into the RFA, probably underage, and was first posted to France, arriving on 11 March 1915. He was serving in D/58 when he was killed in action, aged 20, on 17 April 1917. He is buried in Grévillers British Cemetery, France.
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Gnr.
|
McKinnon
|
Charles
|
93047
|
B/58
|
Charles McKinnon was serving as a Gunner in B/58 when he was poste to Egypt, arriving on 14 July 1915. At some later time, he was transferred to the Royal Garrison Artillery and was assigned new service number 202199.
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Gnr.
|
McLean
|
Duncan
|
640162
|
D/58
|
Duncan McLean was born in Greenock, Renfrewshire, in about 1889, the son of Duncan and Agnes McLean. He served in the Territorial Force in 2nd Highland Bde RFA and was serving in D/58 a few days before the Armistice when he was killed when his howitzer had a premature. The gun and carriage were completely destroyed and one other man was wounded. Duncan McLean died aged 29 and is buried in Verchain British Cemetery, Verchain-Maugré France.
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Dvr.
|
McLean
|
Neil
|
93026
|
B/58
|
Neil McLean was born in Barony, near Glasgow in Lanarkshire in about 1885. He married Jessie Forbes on 23 October 1905 in Glasgow and they had at least 5 children born between 1905 and 1915. He worked as a carter and on 26 August 1914 he enlisted into the RFA, aged 29. He was posted the next day to No.6 Depot at Glasgow and was posted to 185 Battery on 14 September 1914, which became B/58. While serving in the Army, Neil agreed to give a third of his Army pay to his wife, Jessie. While training at Chapeltown Barracks in Leeds he was found smoking in the canteen on 23 January 1915 when he should have been on duty so he was confined to barracks for 7 days by 2/Lt Borthwick. He went overseas on about 2 July 1915 and arrived in Egypt on about 15 July 1915. Back in Egypt, he was posted to C/58 on 27 January 1916. Two months later he was posted to the General Base Depot on 14 March 1916 and then to Salonika where he served in 30th Infantry Bde’s Small Arms Ammunition Column on 7 May 1916. On 18 August 1916 he was posted to A/67 also in Salonika. At some point he was declared a malaria case so it was determined that he should not be posted to a place where malaria was prevalent. He must have been evacuated back to the UK with malaria because he stayed in 2nd Eastern General Hospital, Brighton between 29 July and 10 August 1918 with that condition. He was posted to 4 Reserve Battery, 1B Reserve Bde, Forest Row on 8 July 1918, and while there got into trouble twice by overstaying leave. Six months later, he was sent to No.1 Dispersal Unit, Georgetown, Paisley on 30 January 1919 for demobilisation. On 27 February 1919 he was discharged from the Army, aged 35, and was awarded a small weekly pension of 5s 6d for 6 months from the day after his demobilisation due to his malaria. After the war, he returned to live in Glasgow and lived at 34 Carrick Street, Anderson.
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Sgt.
|
McLeod
|
Daniel
|
93603
|
B/58
|
Daniel McLeod was born in Barony, Glasgow, in 1891, the son of Daniel and Agnes McLeod. He was 22 and working as a van driver in Glasgow when he enlisted into the RFA on 30 August 1914 in that city. He was posted initially to No.6 RFA Depot in Glasgow and from there to 33 Bde RFA on 6 September 1914 before being sent instead to 58 Bde to serve in 185 Battery on 14 September 1914. In a surprisingly rare clerical error, there was some confusion over the service numbers he and another soldier called Donald McLeod were allocated. Initially Daniel McLeod was given number 93478, but then he was re-attested while training at Chapeltown Barracks and given number 93603. After 185 Battery was re-numbered as B/58, he was appointed as a paid A/Bdr in “A” sub-section of that battery on 5 February 1915. He was promoted to Bdr on 2 April 1915 and posted later that month, on 30th to D/58. He sailed with D/58 from Devonport on 3 July 1915, arriving in Alexandria on 17 July 1915, and after a few weeks in Egypt he sailed for Gallipoli disembarking at Suvla Bay on 12 August 1915. He was appointed A/Cpl on 21 October 1915. After being withdrawn from Gallipoli back to Egypt, he was admitted to 17 General Hospital in Alexandria with nephritis on 21 February 1916 and was discharged back to duty on 8 March 1916. On 26 April 1916 D/58 was transferred to form the new A battery of the new 11 Division Howitzer Bde, which was then renumbered as 133 Bde RFA. Along with his unit, he sailed from Alexandria on 28 June 1916, arriving in Marseilles on 7 July 1916. He was appointed A/Sgt on 28 July 1916 but reverted to Cpl on 11 October 1916. When A/133 was broken up to provide additional guns to other batteries, he was posted to A/58 on 29 November 1916. He was appointed A/Sgt, posted back to B/58 Bde and promoted to Sgt on 17 February 1917. On 26 June 1917 he was wounded with shell wounds to his back and side, so was admitted briefly to 108 Field Ambulance. These appear to have been superficial wounds because he was probably discharged back to duty the same day. He was granted 14 days’ leave to the UK on 16 February 1918. He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal in the 1919 New Year’s Honours, the citation reading “From 8 to 10 April 1918, the battery was very heavily shelled with mustard gas shells near Hulluch. There were many casualties in the battery, nearly 50 per cent of the men being sent to hospital. Although suffering from the effects of the gas he stayed on at the gun line, setting a fine example to all ranks by his cheerfulness and energy. On many other occasions since coming to France he has shown great courage and resource under the most trying circumstances.” Just before the Armistice, he was admitted to the 3rd South Midland Field Ambulance on 9 November 1918 possibly with inflammation of his left hand. Whatever his injury was it was sufficient to cause him to still be in hospital in February the following year because he was discharged from the Dispersal Hospital Stobhill, Glasgow, on 12 February 1919.
|
Dvr.
|
McMillan
|
Alexander
|
11266
|
58 Bde AC
|
Born in about 1881, in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Alexander McMillan married Helen Woodfield in St Nicholas’s Church, Warwick on 16 March 1902. In 1911 he was working as a gardener and on 2 September 1914 when he enlisted in Warwick, aged 33, he was working as a groom. He was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea and from there to 58 Bde Ammunition Column on 13 September 1914. When the new D/58 was established on 21 January 1915 he was transferred into that battery. He overstayed a period of leave by 3 days between 14 and 17 March 1915, for which he was confined to barracks for a day and forfeited 3 days’ pay. He embarked at Devonport on 3 July 1915, disembarking at Alexandria on 17 July 1915. He then sailed from Alexandria on 1 August 1915, disembarking at Suvla Bay on 12 August 1915. After the evacuation from Gallipoli, he arrived back in Alexandria on 17 January 1916. On 26 April 1916, D/58 was transferred to form the new A battery of the new 11 Division Howitzer Bde, which was then renumbered as 133 Bde RFA. When A/133 was broken up to provide additional guns to other batteries, he was posted to B/58 on 29 November 1916. He was granted 14 days’ leave to the UK with rations on 4 December 1917. He served in B/58 for the rest of his service until he went for demobilisation, going to No.1 Dispersal Unit Fovant on 4 April 1919. His character was described as “very good”. He and Helen had at least five children, two of whom died in infancy.
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Lt.
|
McNair
|
John Kirkland
|
n/a
|
D/58
|
John Kirkland McNair was born on 21 October 1893 in Aylesbury, Bucks. He was the son of Henry Bingham and Sybilla McKenzie McNair (née Kirkland). He was commissioned into the RFA on 18 July 1913 and went to France with his unit, 87 Battery, 12 Bde RFA, as part of the British Expeditionary Force, arriving in St. Nazaire on 11 September 1914. He was promoted to Lt on 9 June 1915 and appointed a temporary Captain while commanding a battery on 29 April 1916. He ceased to command a Trench Mortar battery on 5 August 1916 so returned to being a Lt. He was posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column (11 DAC) on 29 August 1916 and was then posted to D/58 on 21 September 1916. Just a month later he was operating forward of the battery when he was wounded on 22 October 1916 and appears to have been admitted to No.1 British Red Cross Hospital in Le Touquet so may have left 58 Bde as a result. He was promoted to Capt on 18 July 1917 and at some point returned to serving in 11 DAC because he was posted from there to 59 Bde on 8 April 1918 and appointed T/Major the same day. He reverted to Capt two weeks later on 22 April 18 and was them appointed A/Major on 13 June 1918. He was appointed President of 11th (Northern) Division’s weekly Field General Court Martial to be held at Bracquemont on 28 July 1918. After the war he stayed in the Army and was posted to India where he and his wife had a daughter in Kasauli, India on 27 October 1920. On 20 January 1928 he vacated the post of GSO 2nd Grade for the Madras District in India. In 1939 he was a Colonel working in the General Staff in the War Office and from 3 July 1940 he was appointed an Acting Brigadier and served as Deputy Director of Military Operations (O), War Office. On 10 March 1941 he was appointed as Brigadier Royal Artillery, Southern Command and the following year was working as Deputy Director of Organization in the War Office. He then went to Washington in 1942 to take up the post of Brigadier General Staff at the Joint British Staff Mission. It was probably in that capacity that he attended at least three of the conferences held between President Roosevelt and Winston Churchill: the first Quebec conference (“QUADRANT”) in August 1943 and the 1st and 2nd Cairo Conferences held in November and December 1943. He was awarded the CBE and in 1946 President Truman awarded him the Legion of Merit (Degree of Officer). He retired from the Army on 6 August 1946 and was granted the honorary rank of brigadier. He then spent several years working for the Imperial War Graves Commission, including as Director of Graves Registration & Enquiries, War Office. Between 1954 and 1957 he served as a Conservator of Ashdown Forest in Sussex and he died in Uckfield, Sussex in 1973.
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Bdr.
|
McSkimming
|
John
|
84075
|
C/58
|
John McSkimming was the son of James and Mary McSkimming. He enlisted into the RFA in Paisley, Renfrewshire and went overseas, arriving in Egypt on about 15 July 1915. On 19 April 1918 he was serving in C/58 as a Bdr when he was replaced by Gnr E Burke (10610). He was serving in B/155 when he was killed in action on 30 September 1918 and is believed to be buried in Quéant Road Cemetery, Buissy, France.
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Dvr.
|
Meader
|
William
|
45962
|
C/58
|
William Meader was born on 28 May 1885 in Mile End, London, the son of Charles Meader and Mary Ann Meader (née Carty). In 1901, when William was aged 16, the family were still in Mile End Old Town and William was working as a labourer in a saw mills. Between 1902 and 1907 he attended Farm School, Redhill after which, while William was working as a blacksmith he enlisted in London into the RFA on 12 February 1907. He served as a Driver in 33 Battery in Preston, Lancs and then in 20 Battery in Lucknow, India, before joining the Reserve on 1 November 1913. As a reservist, he was mobilised on 5 August 1914 and posted to 26 Brigade Ammunition Column (Bde AC) RFA the following day. He went to France with his unit as part of the British Expeditionary Force, arriving there on 16 August 1914. He was absent during the night of 18/19 October 1914 for which he was given 7 days’ Field Punishment No.2. On 13 March 1915 he was posted to Base Details and on 8 March 1915 he was posted to 8 (Howitzer) Bde AC RFA. On 22 May 1916, when 8 (Howitzer) Bde was broken up as part of an organisational change, William was transferred to 5 Division AC. On 17 April 1917 he was posted to A/15 Bde RFA, still within 5 Division, before three months later being posted back to the Base on 27 July 1917. He was granted some leave to the UK while there which he overstayed by a few days so was fined 5 days’ pay. On 2 September 1917 he was posted to C/58. Three months later he had to be evacuated due to debility. He boarded No.31 Ambulance train at Chocques on 21 December 1917 and was taken to Boulogne where he disembarked the same day. He was evacuated back to the UK and was admitted to Middlesex War Hospital. After recuperating, he went to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Ripon on 25 May 1918. On 19 July 1918 he was posted to No.5C Reserve Bde at Charlton Park where he was mustered as a Gunner six days later. He was granted embarkation leave which he overstayed by a day, returning on 23 August 1918 so was fined 1 day’s pay. He contracted venereal disease and so was treated at Warlingham Hospital in Surrey but broke out of the hospital against orders on 6 November 1918 and was absent until 13 November 1918; for this he was sentenced to 28 days’ Field Punishment No.2. He was posted to the Dispersal Centre at Crystal Palace on 21 January 1919, his character being described as very good. His application for a pension due to the loss of some teeth was rejected since the loss was deemed to have been neither caused by nor aggravated by his military service. After demobilisation he returned to Mile End, living at 2 Harlow Place and a week later returned to work but was then out of work from February 1921 and had lost the paper describing his character so wrote to the Royal Artillery Records Office to obtain a copy since he said that, owing to the Depression, he was finding it hard to get employment again without it. On 9 November 1924, William married Catherine Alice Cooper in the Burdett Road Congregational Church in Mile End Old Town, London. William was working as a toy packer and Catherine as a domestic servant at the time. Their son, George William Meader had been born a few weeks earlier. In September 1939, William was working as a night watchman at a bank and was living with Catherine and George at 1 Sutton Dwellings, Coventry Road, London. William Meader died on 23 February 1944 while still living in Sutton Dwellings.
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Gnr.
|
Meadley
|
George
|
10602
|
A/58
|
George Meadley may have been born in 1891 in Upton Warren, Worcs and married Maud Corey on 23 November 1912 in Birmingham. He enlisted into the RFA shortly after the start of the war and went, probably with 58 Bde, to Egypt in July 1915. In 1917 he was serving in A/58 as the servant of the battery commander, Maj Hutton. During the night of 2/3 June 1917, an exploding German shell started a fire in a gun pit and ammunition dump which risked setting the ammunition on fire. George Meadley helped 2/Lt Manbey move the shells and extinguish the fire, and for this action he was awarded the Military Medal which was gazetted on 18 July 1917. On 5 August 1917 he was wounded and died of his wounds. Maj Hutton commented that he was “a real good fellow and I was very sorry to lose him”. He is buried in Dozinghem Military Cemetery, Belgium.
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Gnr.
|
Meeks
|
George Herbert
|
L/18759
|
A/58
|
George Herbert Meeks was born on 17 November 1894 in Croft, Lancs, the son of Edmund Meeks and Miriam Meeks (née Daniels). The family lived in Jacques Cottage in Croft, just outside Warrington, Lancs. In 1911 he was 16 years old and was working as a farm labourer. On 12 January 1915, he enlisted, aged 20, into the County Palatine RFA in Warrington and joined at Lythym St Annes. He was in the Military Hospital in Grantham between 20 and 27 August 1915 with scabies. On 29 November 1915 he was with his unit, 151 Bde RFA at Larkhill when he was sent overseas, sailing from Southampton that day and arriving in Le Havre the following day. On 18 February 1916 he was serving in C/151 when he had some pay stopped due to having lost some of his kit. He left 151 Bde to join D/256 on 7 February 1916. Between 15 and 21 June 1916 he stayed in 2/1 Highland Field Ambulance with rheumatoid fever and was appointed A/Bdr on 13 August 1916. On 15 September 1916 he was admitted to 2 Australian Casualty Clearing Station having received slight shell wounds to both feet. He was sent to No.3 Canadian General Hospital, Boulogne from where he was evacuated back to the UK on Hospital Ship “St.David” on 18 September 1916 and was admitted to Queen Mary’s Military Hospital, Whalley the following day. He stayed there until 17 November 1916 before going to the Royal Artillery Command Depot in Ripon ten days later. On 17 February 1917 he was posted to No.7 RFA Depot and was posted to France as an A/Bdr on 18 July 1917 and then to A/58 on 2 August 1917. Later that month, George was wounded in action, receiving gun shot wounds to his right abdomen and left shoulder on 28 August 1917. He was admitted to 33 Field Ambulance that day and then went to No.6 British Red Cross Hospital (also known as Liverpool Merchants Hospital) at Etaples. He was evacuated back to the UK on 6 September 1917 on Auxiliary Transport “Stad Antwerpen” and admitted to the Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley the following day. He stayed there until he was transferred on 25 September 1917 to Summerdown Convalescent Hospital, Eastbourne from which he was discharged on 3 November 1917. He was posted to 4 Reserve Bde RFA TF at High Wycombe on 12 November 1917. On 10 January 1918, he reverted to Gunner for misconduct. George returned to France on 17 July 1918 and was posted to D/175 on 10 August 1918, and subsequently to No.2 Section, 57 Division Ammunition Column in which he was still serving when he was sent to No.1 Dispersal Unit, Prees Heath on 26 May 1919 from where he was demobilised on 24 June 1919. In September 1939, George was working as a mental nurse and was living with his wife Kate in 41 Sunny Mead, Huddersfield. George Meeks died in Huddersfield, West Yorks, in 1987, aged 92.
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Gnr.
|
Meese
|
William Clifford
|
51261
|
C/58
|
William Clifford Meese was born on 14 October 1872 in Tipton, Staffs though mostly grew up in Kinver, Worcs. He was the son of Richard and Mary Ann Meese, and by the age of 18 was, like his father, an iron worker. He enlisted into the RFA on 12 January 1892 in Birmingham as a Gunner and was assigned the service number 88350. His enlistment was for a period of 7 years with the colours and then 5 years in the Reserve, though he subsequently extended that twice, first in 1901 to serve 12 years with the colours and then re-engaging in 1903 to serve for 21 years. Amongst a variety of postings, he spent 10 years with 60 Battery RFA between 8 December 1893 and 1 December 1903 most of which time was spent in India, and then his last two years with 88 Battery between 30 September 1909 and when he left the Army. During his service he married Alice Beet in Holy Trinity Church, Birchfield, Staffs on 5 January 1903 while he was serving in 60 Battery RFA Ballinrobe, County Mayo, Ireland and they had a daughter, Doris Gertrude Maude Meese, who was born in Dover on 25 January 1909. At the age of 38, after eighteen years in the RFA and having been awarded four Good Conduct badges, William requested a discharge from the Army which was granted on 4 January 1912 at Deepcut Barracks. He had served as an officer’s servant for some years and was described as being “a good valet, tidy in person and fond of gardening. Is honest and a respectable man.” He was granted a pension of 1s per day for life. He went to live in Birmingham but two years later the war broke out and so William went to the Recruiting Officer No.3 at the Technical Schools, Suffolk St, Birmingham where he enlisted back into the RFA on 10 September 1914 as a Special Reservist for a period of a year, though in fact he served throughout the rest of the war. On 16 September 1914 he was posted as a Gunner with his new service number of 51261 to join 184 Battery, which became A/58 in January 1915, and was transferred to C/58 on 28 April 1915. He sailed with his battery from Devonport to Alexandria, arriving there on 14 July 1915. William probably served with C/58 at Suvla Bay and in Egypt before going to France with the brigade. He was aged 44 and serving in 58 Bde in France when he was admitted to No.11 Casualty Clearing Station at Varennes, Somme on 17 October 1916 with a diffuse alveolar haemorrhage and was then transferred to No.9 Ambulance Train the following day. He left 58 Bde when he was posted to the Base Depot on 27 October 1916. It is unclear what he did over the next two years but he appears to have been posted back to the UK, leaving on 29 November 1918 and was then posted to a Dispersal Centre at Woolwich on 15 January 1919 for demobilisation. After he was demobbed on 13 February 1919, William returned to live in Birmingham and in 1927 Alice passed away. William re-married, his new wife, Gertrude, being 32 years younger than him. In 1939 William and Gertrude were living in 33 Rosebery Rd, Smethwick and William was working at a confectionary works making the bases for cakes. William Meese died suddenly on 11 February 1948 at his home in Rosebery Road of a thrombosis of the superior mesenteric vein. He was 79 years old.
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Maj.
|
Meyricke
|
Rupert John Chabbert
|
n/a
|
OC B/58
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Rupert John Chabbert Meyricke was born in Cheltenham on 19 June 1877, the son of Edward Meyricke and Evelyn Maria Meyricke (née Richardson). He was baptised in All Saints Church, Cheltenham, on 30 May 1878, and lived in Nubie House, Westal Green, Cheltenham. Like his twin elder brothers, Edward and Robert before him, he was educated at Cheltenham College, attending there between September 1887 and December 1894. He also followed his brothers into the Army and was a gentleman cadet at the Royal Military Academy Woolwich. He was commissioned as a 2/Lt into the RFA on 1 September 1897 but a year later appeared before Medical Boards on 4 August 1898 in London and on 9 November 1898 in Horfield Barracks, Bristol. The cause was that he had had an epileptic fit in the Spring, but the boards concluded that he had not had any further since then so after the second board he was declared fit for duty. The earlier board had speculated that the cause of his epilepsy was an injury he had suffered when he was 10 years old. He was posted to South Africa the following year and after arriving attended another Medical Board on 28 November 1899 which also concluded that he was suffering from epilepsy so sent him back to the UK to recover. His doctor in Cheltenham subsequently said that he had had no further seizures and was in robust health. He was promoted to Lt on 1 September 1900 and returned to South Africa to serve in the Second Boer War in 1902 in operations in the Cape Colony and Orange River Colony for which he was awarded the Queen’s South African Medal with three clasps. He then went to India in early 1903 and served in ‘E’ Battery, RHA. But after only 6 months in India he attended a Medical Board at Mhow on 30 September 1903 since he was suffering from extreme debility and insomnia due to service in India, as well as attacks of malaria. He was therefore instructed to return to the UK to recover and was described at the time as phlegmatic of character and regular of habits. He was promoted to Captain on 1 September 1904. In 1907 he was serving in 56 Battery RFA when he attended two further Medical Boards, one at Devonport on 3 August and the other at Bristol on 3 December. They concluded that he was suffering from nervous weakness accompanied by uncontrollable muscular spasms which were occurring several times a day. The board at Bristol though concluded that he had recovered sufficiently so was “suffering from some slight undefined nervous symptoms” and that getting back to duty would be good for him. On 25 July 1910 he attended the wedding of his sister, Evelyn, at St. Stephen’s church, Cheltenham to a fellow RHA officer, Capt Percy Herbert. When war was declared he commanded the ammunition column for 12 Howitzer Bde RFA, part of 6th Division. His servant, Dvr Ted Woolley (56143), carefully packed up and catalogued all of his belongings which he did not wish to take with him on active service before the unit went to Ireland before they headed via Cambridge to France. Capt Meyricke landed at St. Nazaire, France with his unit as part of the British Expeditionary Force on 9 September 1914. He was promoted to Major on 30 October 1914 and had a few days’ leave in Paris from 24 November 1914. At some point he returned to the UK and was assigned to 58 Bde to be the commander of B/58. On 2 February 1915 he intervened to try to help one of his men, Gnr WSS Lewis (11163), obtain a separation allowance for his wife. He sailed on SS “Knight Templar” from Devonport on 1 July 1915, arriving in Alexandria on 14 July 1915. A box of safety cartridges was sent after him on SS “Ionic” which sailed from Devonport a few days after his departure. He then sailed from Alexandria on 28 July 1915, landing at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli on 9 August 1915. On 12 November 1915 he was admitted to 35 Field Ambulance with jaundice and was evacuated to Malta on the Hospital Ship “Kildonan Castle”, arriving in Malta on 18 November 1915. He was admitted to the Royal Naval Hospital, Bighi (now Villa Bighi, Kalkara, home of Heritage Malta) overlooking the Grand Harbour. As well as the jaundice he had tropical ulcers on one of his legs and his back and an unspecified gradually worsening “nervous disease”. A week later, the jaundice and ulcers had largely healed but Maj Meyricke was still suffering from considerable weakness and debility. He had wished to stay on Malta until he was fit for duty but was instead told that he was to be evacuated back to the UK on Hospital Ship “Soudan” on 25 January 1916. The “Soudan” was due to sail at 1.30 p.m. on the 25th but at 10.00 a.m. that day, Maj Meyricke had himself carried on a wheeled chair to the terrace at the front of the hospital over-looking the harbour, sat on a wooden garden seat and after a few minutes produced a Colt automatic pistol he had hidden about himself and committed suicide. He was 38. He is buried in Pietà Military Cemetery, TTriq id-Duluri, Malta. Both of Rupert’s elder brothers pre-deceased him while serving in the Royal Engineers: Robert from enteric fever in 1900 during the Boer War and Edward from a horse-riding accident while taking part in the Open Military Steeplechase in Aldershot in 1905. Rupert had attended Edward’s funeral which had been held in Ludlow on 4 December 1905.
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A/Bdr.
|
Miller
|
George
|
65160
|
D/58
|
George Miller was born in about 1894 in Chatham, Kent, the son of William and Eliza Miller. The family fell into poverty and so between at least 1904 and 1907 George lived principally in the local poorhouse, the Union Cottage Homes operated by the Medway Union. He was often accompanied by his younger sister Catherine, aged 6. In 1911 he, Catherine and their older sister Dora were working as servants to a fishmonger in Chatham. Soon after he turned 18, he enlisted in the Army on 8 May 1911 in Chatham, signing on for 3 years with the Colours and a further 9 years in the Reserve. He served in 45 Battery RFA. At the end of his 3 year service, he transferred to the reserve on 7 May 1914 and was described as “thoroughly hard-working” “honest, sober and trustworthy” and that he took a pride in his personal appearance. After war was declared he was mobilised and was posted to 29 Bde RFA, one of the artillery brigades that were part of 4th Division. He went to France with his brigade on 22 August 1914 but a few weeks later was suffering from deafness so was first admitted to hospital in St Omer on 14 October 1914 before being evacuated back to the UK four days later and admitted to 2nd London General Hospital, Wandsworth. He was posted to 118 Bde RFA and on 11 March 1915 returned to France when that brigade was posted there. He was granted leave to the UK between 23 and 31 January 1916, but shortly after getting back to his unit from leave he was suffering from laryngitis so was sent to 3 Canadian Field Ambulance on 9 February 1916. After spells in the North Midland Divisional Casualty Clearing Station and 2nd Army Rest Station, he was discharged to duty on 23 February 1916. When 118 Bde was broken up to provide howitzer batteries for 11 Division, he was posted to D/58 on 15 July 1916 and was granted a further 10 days’ leave on 4 August 1916. He was appointed an A/Bdr on 24 June 1917. On 3 October 1917 George Miller was killed in action while serving in the Ypres salient. He is buried in New Irish Farm Cemetery. His personal possessions, which included letters, photos, a religious book, a letter case and a silver watch chain were sent to his sister Dora, now Mrs Dora Harland. She also applied for his medals.
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Bdr.
|
Miller
|
James
|
51110
|
B/58
|
James Miller was from Stamford Hill, London. After joining the RFA he was first posted overseas to Egypt where he arrived on 14 July 1915. He was serving with B/58 in the Ypres salient as a Bdr when he was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry in the field on 11 October 1917, the award being gazetted on 12 December 1917. Before his service ended, he had been promoted to Sgt.
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Dvr.
|
Mills
|
William Henry
|
745198
|
B/58
|
William Henry Mills was born in Oldham, Lancs, the son of James and Hannah Mary Mills. He was baptised on 1 April 1896. By 1911 his father had died and William was working, aged 15, in an iron works in Oldham turning the rollers in the foundry. After enlisting into the Army, he was first posted overseas with the RFA to France, arriving on 23 November 1915. He was serving in B/58 towards the end of the war when he was killed in action on 10 October 1918 during the 2nd Battle of Cambrai. He died aged 22 and is buried in Canada Cemetery, Tilloy-Les-Cambrai, France.
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Gnr.
|
Mitchell
|
Arthur
|
99684
|
B/58
|
Arthur Mitchell was born in Leeds, Yorks on 9 January 1895, the son of Alfred and Elizabeth Mitchell. Before the war he worked as a spring forger for Woodedge and Sons, Kirkstall Road, Leeds. Shortly after war was declared, Arthur enlisted into the RFA in Leeds on 5 September 1914. On 10 September 1915 after a few days at No.6 RFA Depot in Glasgow, he was posted to 185 Battery (later B/58) in his hometown of Leeds. He went overseas with his unit on 1 July 1915 and served at Gallipoli and in France. He was wounded in the autumn of 1916. On 16 or 17 December 1918 he was at Charleroi when the big toe on his right foot was crushed by a General Service wagon accidentally running over his foot. He was admitted to No.3 Canadian Hospital in Boulogne before being evacuated back to the UK and was admitted to Graylingwell War Hospital, Chichester on 21 December 1918 before being transferred on 8 January 1919 to the Military Convalescent Hospital in Woldingham, Surrey where he stayed until 11 February 1919. On 14 February 1919 he attended the Dispersal Hospital in Brighton and a few days later married Annie Elizabeth Tomlinson in All Saints parish church in Leeds. Arthur was demobilised on 15 March 1919, his character being described as very good, and after demobilisation he was due to return to live at 29 Ashley Road, Leeds. In 1939, he, Annie and their son Kenneth were living at 6 Charlton Place, Leeds and Arthur was working as a tram conductor.
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2/Lt.
|
Monks
|
Thomas Francis
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n/a
|
D/58
|
Thomas Francis Monks was born in Dublin on 22 August 1889, the son of Thomas Francis and Margaret Mary Monks (née O’Brien). He followed his father into the law and was admitted as a solicitor on 9 November 1911, joining his father in his practice. He had had some “slight training as a volunteer” before he applied for his commission. He was commissioned as a temporary 2/Lt on 17 December 1914 and had hoped to be posted to an Irish Division, but instead on 31 December 1914 he joined 58 Bde, part of 11th (Northern) Division. He was probably assigned to D/58 since he sailed with that battery from Devonport on SS “Karroo” on 5 July 1915, disembarking in Alexandria on 17 July 1915. He then sailed from Alexandria on 28 July 1915, landing on Gallipoli on 9 August 1915. Within a fortnight he was suffering from a sore throat so was admitted to hospital on 22 August 1915 but was discharged the following day. After the evacuation from Gallipoli, he was promoted to Lt on 1 January 1916. On 16 March 1916 he was posted from D/58 to 58 Bde Headquarters and on 22 June 1916 he sailed on the SS “Ivernia” from Alexandria for Marseilles as part of 11 Division’s Advanced Party. In late July 1916 in France he was acting as the brigade’s Orderly Officer and was described as very nice if a bit young for the role. Later that year he was granted 12 days’ leave to the UK on 24 October 1916, returning from leave on 10 November 1916. He appears to have served as the brigade’s Orderly Officer until 21 January 1917 when he went on an advanced signallers’ course at IV Corps at Crécy. He was granted 10 days’ leave on 7 May 1917. On the first day of the Battle of Messines, 7 June 1917, he acted as the brigade’s liaison officer with the Royal Irish Regiment when they made their attack and he “did extremely well”. It may well have been for this that he was awarded the Military Cross which was gazetted on 17 September 1917 “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in advancing with the infantry and maintaining accurate and continuous communication with his brigade headquarters in the face of heavy hostile fire. He has on three previous occasions distinguished himself by gallant conduct of a similar nature.” Having seemingly stood in for the Adjutant on occasions in the Spring of 1917, he was appointed the brigade’s Adjutant and made A/Capt on 18 July 17 (though his new rank was only officially recorded from 3 August 1917). He was granted 4 days’ leave to Paris on 1 November 1917 and then granted 14 days’ leave to the UK on 22 December 1917, returning on 7 January 1918. On his return he was attached to 11 Divisional Artillery for a month, returning to the brigade on 30 March 1918. In late June he had a “3 day fever” but was nominated to act as prosecutor at a General Court Martial to be held at Bracquemont on 1 July 1918. He went on a 3 day course at the Royal Artillery 3rd Section Echelon Brigade at Rouen on 18 July 1918, returning on 25 July 1918. He went to 1 Corps Officers’ Rest Camp on 31 August 1918, returning on 8 September 1918. He left 58 Bde the day before the Armistice, 10 November 18 and handed over the post of Adjutant to Lt Cartmel-Robinson. The following day he took up the post of Staff Capt Royal Artillery to 8 Divisional Artillery and was appointed T/Capt. He returned to the UK on 17 December 1918 on leave which was extended until he went for demobilisation. He formally ceased to be Staff Capt on 16 January 1919 and was demobilised on 4 March 1919 at the Officers’ Dispersal Unit, London, being granted the rank of Captain. After the war he went to Singapore and was admitted to the Bar on 6 September 1920 to act as a barrister in the firm of J.G. Campbell. During his war service, he appears to have been nick-named ‘Gaddy’ Monks by his brother officers and he was portrayed, unsympathetically, in Richard Blaker’s “Medal Without Bar” as ‘Taffy’ Dolbey, the brigade’s Orderly Officer.
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A/Bdr.
|
Monks
|
William
|
67578
|
A/58
|
William Monks enlisted into the Army in Warrington, Lancs. He was first posted overseas in the middle of 1915, arriving in Egypt on about 6 July 1915. He was serving in A/58 in the Ypres salient as an A/Bdr on 25 August 1917 when he and six comrades – Gnr Alec Armitage (152294), Gnr John Barber (91942), Gnr Howard Denley (74517), Dvr Frederick Leathard (109178), Gnr Arthur Noble (L/5762) and Gnr Herbert Taylor (141267) – were killed. He is buried alongside them in the New Irish Farm Cemetery, near Ypres, Belgium, leaving a widow, Esther.
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Gnr.
|
Montgomery
|
James
|
92724
|
58 BAC
|
James Montgomery was born in Crieff, Perth in 1894. He married Lizzie Agnes Kerins of Mail Coach Road, Sligo, Ireland in Glasgow on 22 April 1913 and they had a daughter, Bridget, born in Glasgow two months later on 24 June 1913. James was working as a labourer when he enlisted in Glasgow on 22 August 1914. He was posted to No.6 RFA Depot in Glasgow the following day and was posted to 187 Battery RFA part of 59 Bde RFA on 16 September 1914. While at Sheffield with 187 Battery, he had been due to return from his leave by 10p.m. on 9 January 1915, but did not return until 5.25a.m. on 13 January 1915 so was confined to barracks for 5 days and forfeited pay. On 26 January 1915 he was posted to 58 Bde Ammunition Column in Leeds. He again overstayed some leave between 1 and 10 March 1915 so was confined to barracks for 10 days and forfeited pay. Later that month he was drunk and absent from duty on 27 March 1915 so was given 3 days’ Field Punishment No.2. After 58 Bde had moved to Milford Camp, he once again overstayed some leave between noon on 30 May until 2p.m. on 1 June 1915 for which he was fined a few days’ pay. On 6 June 1915, James was absent from church parade and watering orders so received 5 days’ Field Punishment No.2 and was again fined. James went overseas, arriving in Egypt on about 12 July 1915, and was still serving in 58 Bde Ammunition Column when he was found drunk in Alexandria at about 11p.m. on 29 January 1916 for which he was awarded a further 10 days’ Field Punishment No.2. A few weeks later at Zahrieh Camp, he was found guilty of allowing a prisoner in his charge to escape on 5 March 1916 so received another 5 days’ Field Punishment No.2. James was posted to Base on 22 June 1916 and then to 68 Bde on 29 July 1916. He was posted to A/65 on 28 December 1916 and at some point the following year to the Base Depot, Salonica. He was posted to the Royal Artillery Base Depot on 26 October 1918 and then to A/54 on 7 November 1918. At a Field General Court Martial held on 9 December 1918 he was found guilty of having used insubordinate language to a superior officer on 29 November 1918 and so was sentenced to 28 days of Field Punishment No.1. He was invalided back to the UK on 2 April 1919 and probably spent time in the Connaught Hospital, Aldershot. He was posted to 3A Reserve Bde RFA at Larkhill on 29 April 1919. The following month, while serving in 13 Reserve Battery, his mother wrote in late May 1919 asking if James could be released since his wife and his father were both apparently seriously ill. The request appears to have been granted very quickly because James went to the Dispersal Unit at Kinross on 28 May 1919 for demobilisation.
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Dvr.
|
Mooney
|
Stanley
|
L/13701
|
C/58
|
Stanley Mooney was born on 28 March 1895 in Manchester, the son of Albert and Jane Mooney. By 1901 the family had moved to Preston, Lancs, and in 1911 he was working as a messenger. On 22 April 1915 he had been working as a clerk when he enlisted in Preston, aged 20. He joined the RFA at Lytham St Annes on 26 April 1915 and was posted to B/151 (County Palatine) Howitzer Bde the same day. He was posted to 8th Reserve Battery on 14 December 1915 and to 4A Reserve Bde on 18 January 1916 and then, after spending 13 days in Brooke War Hospital, Shooters Hill, Woolwich with rubella, between 13 and 31 March 1916, he was posted on discharge to 2A Reserve Bde. He was posted to France as a “First class signaller” on 27 September 1917, having obtained a certificate as a signalling instructor at Fulwood Barracks, Chester earlier that year. Shortly after arriving in France he was posted to C/58 on 9 October 1917. A few months later, he was admitted to 1 Casualty Clearing Station on 6 April 1918 with a fever (pyrexia of unknown origin). On release from hospital he was posted to Base on 26 May 1918 and posted to A/187 on 17 June 1918. His rank was re-styled as L/Bdr Signaller in August 1918. Owing possibly to an administrative error, 58 Bde appeared to regard him as still on their strength when they recorded that he had been posted back to the UK on 13 August 1918 for a 6 month tour at home. He was in fact granted 14 days’ leave via Calais between 21 September and 5 October 1918 by 187 Bde and remained in the UK until he was posted to the Dispersal Centre at Heaton Park from which he was demobilised on 24 February 1919. In 1924 he joined the Territorial Army and he died in 1970 in Preston.
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Bdr.
|
Morehen
|
Percy
|
75346
|
D/58
|
Percy Morehen was born in Clifton Reynes, Bucks in about 1896, the son of Walter and Elizabeth Morehen. The family was living in Northamptonshire shortly afterwards and so Percy was baptised in Milton Malsor, Northants on 2 February 1896. In 1911 he was living in Northampton and was working as a shoe operative. He enlisted into the RFA in Northampton and was first posted overseas when he went to France on about 8 May 1915. On 23 August 1918 he was 22 years old and serving as a Bdr in D/58 helping get a wagon out of a ditch. While he and others were busy doing that an enemy aeroplane swooped and dropped 5 bombs on them, killing Percy and eight others, with a ninth man later dying of wounds. He is buried in Hersin Communal Cemetery Extension, France alongside 7 of his former comrades.
|
Dvr.
|
Morgan
|
Frederick William
|
89058
|
D/58
|
Driver Frederick William Morgan went to France on 21 May 1915 as part of 14 Division Ammunition Column. He was serving in D/58 when he suffered from dermatitis and adenitis, and was therefore evacuated on No.31 Ambulance Train from Chocques on 21 December 1917 and taken to Boulogne the same day. After recuperating he transferred to the infantry and served as a Private in the Royal West Kent Regiment with service number G/21103 and then transferred to the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry with service number 01384.
|
A/Bdr.
|
Morgan
|
John David
|
11253
|
B/58
|
John David Morgan was born in Portland, Dorset on 16 July 1894, the son of John David Morgan. He enlisted into the Royal Navy joining the training ship HMS Impregnable in Devonport on 4 July 1910 as a “boy 2nd class” being promoted to “boy 1st class” on 23 January 1911. He then served briefly on HMS Leviathan, HMS Victory and HMS Caesar, before being discharged since his service was no longer required on 31 January 1912. He then worked as a sheet-metal worker until he enlisted into the RFA in Portsmouth on 3 September 1914, aged 20, claiming never to have served in HM Forces before. He was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea and from there to 185 Bty on 10 September 1914, which became B/58. He was appointed A/Bdr on 14 April 1915 and, after service in Egypt and Gallipoli, was promoted to Bdr on 28 June 1916. He was reprimanded for neglecting his duty on 9 May 1917 but a few weeks later was wounded by gas on 3 June 1917 which resulted in him being evacuated back to the UK on 10 June 1917 where he was treated at the Cornelia Hospital, Poole. He was posted to the Royal Artillery Command Depot at Ripon then to 4 Reserve Bde before ending up being posted to B/320 on 19 November 1917. It may have been while serving in B/320 that he suffered gunshot or shrapnel wounds to his neck. On 28 May 1918 he was again posted to a reserve brigade and remained in the UK until he went to Fovant Dispersal Centre from where he was demobilised on 28 May 1919, being described as of very good character. He returned to live in Portsea, Portsmouth after the war and died there in 1972, aged 77.
|
Dvr.
|
Morgan
|
Michael
|
L/7614
|
A/58
|
Michael Morgan was born in about 1870 and worked as a miner before enlisting into the RFA. He was serving in A/58 when he injured his knee on 29 November 1917. He was evacuated back to the UK and treated at Beckett Park Military Hospital, Leeds. He was then sent to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick, arriving there on 1 March 1918. He was discharged from there to draft on 5 June 1918.
|
Cpl.
|
Morgan
|
|
|
A/58
|
Cpl Morgan served in A/58 while the brigade was training in Leeds. In early April 1915 he was cited as a witness to two other members of A/58 missing roll call: Gnr Evans (10995) on the 3rd and Dvr Birch (11284) the following day.
|
Gnr.
|
Morley
|
George Edward
|
208463
|
C/58
|
Born in about 1888, George Edward Morley worked as a tobacconist before enlisting into the RFA. He was serving as a gunner in C/58 when he was wounded on 22 September 1917, suffering from gunshot wounds to his left thigh and left wrist. He was evacuated back to the UK and admitted to the War Hospital, Edmonton, London. Aftre treatment there he went to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick, arriving there on 11 March 1918. He remained at Catterick until he was discharged to draft on 5 June 1918. At some point he appears to have transferred to the Labour Corps and was assigned the new service number 565144.
|
Lt.
|
Morley
|
George Stuart
|
n/a
|
D/58
|
George Stuart Morley (known as Stuart) was born on 9 December 1880. He was commissioned into The Queen’s Regiment (Royal West Surrey) from Sandhurst on 11 August 1900 but resigned his commission on 19 November 1902. On 1 January 1915 he was appointed a temporary Lt in the RFA. He was posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column (11 DAC) on 29 August 1916 and from there to D/58 on 29 September 1916. At some point he transferred to A/58 since he was serving with them on the Somme when he was admitted to hospital sick on 5 October 1916. It is likely that he did not return to 58 Bde. The following year he was appointed Acting Capt on 23 November 1917. He died in 1973 in Bromley, London, aged 92.
|
2/Lt.
|
Morris
|
E
|
n/a
|
C/58
|
On 8 August 1916, Lt F Morris was posted to 133 Bde RFA in 11 (Northern) Division. He was then posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column (11 DAC) on 20 August 1916 “with effect from” the 17th. This is very likely the same man as the 2/Lt E Morris who was posted to 11 DAC on 21 August 1916 and was posted from there to 58 Bde on 27 September 1916, possibly to replace the injured 2/Lt Hunter. He was sent on a course at the Trench Mortar School, Valhereux, on 5 December 1916 and when he returned on 22 December 1916 he was posted to 11 DAC but was attached to C/58 for duty. He left the brigade to join a Trench Mortar unit on 27 January 1917.
|
2/Lt.
|
Morris
|
Harry Oswald
|
n/a
|
A/58
|
Harry Oswald Morris was born on 24 January 1898 in Bonsall, Derbyshire, the son of Humphrey and Elizabeth Oswald. Educated at Matlock Council School and Lady Manners GramMarch School, Bakewell. Like his father, Harry worked as a joiner and after conscription came into force he attested on 8 February 1916 in Matlock and was mobilised on 10 May 1916. Two days later he was joined the RFA and was posted to No.1 Depot at Newcastle-upon-Tyne on 12 May 1916 as a Gunner and was assigned service number 149236. On 25 May 1916 he was posted to 6C Reserve Bde in Scotland where he served in 52 Battery in Redford Barracks, Edinburgh and was appointed an A/Bdr on 21 November 1916. While there, he was reprimanded for neglect of duty on 21 January 1917 and he also applied for a commission on 8 February 1917. He was instructed to attend No.2 RFA Officer Cadet School at Topsham Barracks, Exeter on 16 March 1917 but failed to show up due apparently to having been in isolation. Instead he joined the school on 30 March 1917 from which he was commissioned into the RFA (Special Reserve) as a 2/Lt on 19 August 1917. He was posted overseas and sailed from Folkestone to Boulogne on 1 November 1917. Two days later he was posted to 3 Division Ammunition Column and was then attached to 40 Bde RFA on 30 November 1917 where he served in 49 Battery. He was granted 14 days’ leave to the UK between 2 and 16 March 1918 and then a few weeks after returning he was posted from there to join 11 Division Artillery on 9 April 1918 and was assigned to 58 Bde two days later where he was attached to A/58. On 1 August 1918 he and three other ranks went on a 10 day veterinary course at Neufchâtel, returning on 11 August 1918. He had some leave in November 1918 and didn’t return to his battery until the day after the Armistice, 12 November 1918. He left to attend a 4 day balloon course with the RAF on 13 January 1919, rejoining on 19 January 1919. On 22 January 1919 the brigade starting demobilising its animals and 2/Lt Morris was selected to take command of the demobilisation of the first 100 animals and take them to Camp Benain and then to serve between Douai and the Base. He returned to the brigade on 17 February 1919 from Codners Camp though was sent again next day back to Codners Camp for more animal demobilisation. He was promoted to Lt on 19 February 1919 and went to the UK for 14 days’ leave on 22 February 1919, returning on 12 March 1919. He went again to Codners Camp on 15 March 1919. After 58 Bde was disbanded Harry was posted to another unit and was serving in A/104 Bde RFA when he returned to the UK and attended No.1 Dispersal Unit in Ripon on 18 September 1919 and was demobbed the following day. He returned to the family home in Rutland Steet, Matlock and relinquished his commission on 1 April 1920. He married Kathleen Emma Morley in 1922 and they had at least one son, Thomas David Morley Morris. In 1939, the family was living in Smedley Street East, Matlock, Derbyshire, where Harry was still working as a joiner. Harry Morris died in Derbyshire on 28 January 1979, aged 81.
|
Gnr.
|
Morris
|
|
|
D/58
|
Gunner Morris left D/58 to return to the UK for a 6 month tour at home on 13 August 1918.
|
Gnr.
|
Morrish
|
William Edward
|
183648
|
B/58
|
William Edward Morrish was born in 1898 in Teignmouth, Devon, the son of Frederick William and Ellen Morrish. He enlisted in Newton Abbott. He was serving in B/58 when he died in 4 General Hospital, Lincoln, on 19 October 1917, aged 19. He is buried in Teignmouth Cemetery.
|
2/Lt.
|
Moses
|
Vivian Sylvester
|
n/a
|
A/58
|
Vivian Sylvester Moses was born in 1897 in London, the only son of Samuel and Beatrice Moses. In 1910 he gained the Senior Entrance Scholarship at University College School and the following year he obtained an Entrance Scholarship at St Paul’s School. He obtained an open Classical Scholarship at Emmanuel College, Cambridge in 1916, but that same year he applied for a temporary commission on 8 July 1916 and was commissioned into the RFA on 2 December 1916. He was posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column (11 DAC) on 11 February 1917 from the Base and was then posted to A/58 on 24 February 1917. A week later he was posted to C/59 on 3 March 1917 and then to B/59 on 15 March 1917. He was instructed to stay behind at the wagon lines when 59 Bde moved from near Authie at the end of March 1917 to hand them over to the Town Major for that place. He was posted back to 11 DAC on 23 April 1917 and was attached to Y Trench Mortar Battery, 11 Division Artillery, on 1 June 1917 but was killed 3 days later on 4 June 1917 by shell fire when observing his trench mortar fire. He was 19 years old. He is buried in La Laiterie Military Cemetery, Belgium. He was described by one of his former schoolmasters as “one of the most lovable of boys, greatly gifted, yet wholly modest, of exceptionally virile intellect, yet the personification of simplicity.” His parents donated £150 to his local synagogue in his memory to provide a fund for Jewish widows of former RFA men who lived in London and had engraved onto his headstone the epitaph “An only son. Willingly he gave his young life for his country.”
|
A/Sgt.
|
Mount
|
|
|
B/58
|
A/Sgt Mount was replaced as Sgt in D/58 by Daniel McLeod (93603) on 17 February 1917 and “reverted”, presumably to Cpl.
|
| |
Moxon
|
|
|
C/58?
|
According to Signaller Percy Whitehouse (71794) a Yorkshireman called Moxon was serving in 58 Bde when he received a flesh wound in the thigh by shellfire on 6 November 1918.
|
Gnr.
|
Munden
|
Bertie
|
10280
|
B/58
|
Bertie Munden was born in Poole, Dorset, and enlisted into the Army in that town probably shortly after the declaration of war. He was serving in B/58 when he was killed in action on 12 July 1917 and is commemorated on the Menin Gate memorial at Ypres, Belgium.
|
2/Lt.
|
Murgatroyd
|
Norman Arthur
|
n/a
|
B/58
|
Norman Arthur Murgatroyd was born on 23 February 1897 in Huddersfield, Yorks, the son of William and Harriet Murgatroyd. He was living at Park Drive, Huddersfield and working as a cloth dyer when he applied to join the Inns of Court Officers Training Corps on 3 January 1916. Later that year, he married Annie Helen Leitch in St. Pancras, London. He was very likely posted to No.2 Officer Cadet School in Exeter on 23 June 1916 and was commissioned as a 2/Lt (on probation) into the 3rd West Riding Bde RFA on 28 October 1916 having previously been a cadet in this Territorial Force unit. He had been serving in 17 Division Artillery when he joined 11 Division Ammunition Column on 8 October 1917 but was then quickly posted to join B/58 four days later. He was a candidate for the Commander Royal Artillery’s “examination of 2/Lets for promotion (1st sitting)” on 16 December 1917. He had 14 days’ leave, returning to his battery on 10 January 1918. He was one of several officers and men who suffered from gas attacks in April 1918, and he had to retire to the wagon lines on 10 April 1918 following the gas attacks of the previous 2 days. He was promoted Lt on 28 April 1918. On 20 August 1918 he was sent on a 3 week course for Forward Observation Officers and Signallers at the 11 Division Artillery school. He went on 14 days’ leave on 3 October 1918. After the Armistice, he was appointed a member of the weekly divisional Field General Court Martial being held on 9 December 1918 in St. Amand and was later selected to take part in the trial game for the 11th (Northern) Division Officers’ Rugby Football team being played on 15 January 1919. On 27 February 1919, he reported to the hospital sick with what later medical boards would say was influenza with bronchial-pneumonia, and was treated at No.57 Casualty Clearing Station and No.24 General Base Hospital. He returned to the UK on 10 March 1919, sailing from Calais to Dover, in a state of weakness due to pneumonia following the influenza and was treated further at the Prince of Wales Hospital, Marylebone and at Eaton Hall, Chester. He attended No.1 Dispersal Unit, Ripon on 29 May 1919 and was disembodied the same day. At some point in his military career he received an adverse report, but a later report stated that he was up to the average of his rank and “shows great improvement”. In September, Norman and Annie were living at ‘Carnassarie’, Edgerton, Huddersfield and he was working as a cloth bleacher and finisher. Norman Murgatroyd had been living at 3 Cedar Avenue, Huddersfield when died on 24 July 1980.
|
Bdr.
|
Murkin
|
James Abraham
|
21079
|
C/58
|
James Abraham Murkin was born in the village of Dullingham Ley, near Newmarket, Cambs, on 6 April 1891. He was one of the 10 children of John and Emily Murkin. He enlisted into the RFA on 3 September 1914 and was posted as a driver, probably to D/60 Bde RFA. After training in Norwich and at Witley Camp, he was posted to Egypt, arriving on about 19 July 1915, and probably served at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli. At some point he was promoted to Bdr and during his time in the Army he embroidered a number of pictures which he sent home to his family. He travelled to France in July 1916 and was probably serving in C/58 when he was wounded on about 1 June 1917, possibly from a shell fired by a nearby battery which exploded prematurely. He was admitted to No.4 General Hospital, Camiers, and had two operations, one in France on 9 June and the second back in the UK on 10 August 1917. He recuperated in the St John and St Elizabeth Hospital in London and was discharged from the Army on 28 January 1918 due to the wounds he had received, so was awarded a Silver War Badge, number 306754. He married Gladys Violet Barlow in 1922 and they set up home in the village of Brimington, near Chesterfield, Derbyshire. In 1939, James was working as a blacksmith’s sticker, and in 1952 he died, aged 61, in the same cottage as he and Gladys had been living in since their marriage.
|
Gnr.
|
Murphy
|
Patrick
|
76800
|
|
Patrick Murphy was born in about 1896. He enlisted into the RFA and, after training, went to France on about 27 September 1915. He was serving as a Gunner in 58 Bde when he received a gun shot wound to his forearm, probably in August 1917 and was treated in No.35 Field Ambulance and No.64 Casualty Clearing Station. The following year he contracted laryngitis so was treated in No.34 Field Ambulance before being discharged back to duty on 13 May 1918. He was subsequently promoted at some point to Corporal.
|
Sgt.
|
Murrell
|
Joseph
|
42172
|
|
Joseph Murrell was a pre-war regular soldier who was probably born in about 1888 in Millwall and was serving with 148 Battery at Woolwich in 1911. He went to France as part of the BEF, arriving there on 16 August 1914 as a member of 43 Bde RFA. At some point he was promoted to Sgt and it was in that rank that he joined 58 Bde on 17 September 1916 in France.
|
Sgt.
|
Mycock
|
Joseph
|
92598
|
D/58
|
Joseph Mycock was born on 3 April 1890 in New Silksworth, Durham, the son of Thomas Mycock and Elizabeth Ann Mycock (née Reynolds). On 1 March 1909, Joseph enlisted into the RFA Territorial Force in Silksworth for 4 years, joining 3rd Northumbrian Bde, subsequently re-engaging for a further 3 years. On 30 November 1911, he married Susannah Dixon in New Silksworth and was working as a coal miner. They had two children during Joseph’s military service, Thomas and Elsie. As a territorial soldier, Joseph was embodied on 5 August 1914 and he was also promoted to Bombardier that day. He went to France with his unit on 18 April 1915 and was serving in the 2nd Battery of the brigade when he was promoted to Corporal on 20 June 1915. On 20 April 1916, and with his battery now having been renumbered as B/252, he was promoted to Sergeant. He was posted to 11 Division Artillery on 20 October 1916 and joined D/58 on 1 November 1916. On 5 April 1917 Sgt Mycock was involved in reporting an offence committed by Gnr George Bayliss (133632). On 24 April 1917 he was replaced as a Sergeant in his battery by William Isaac because he was being posted back to the UK, returning there two days later where he joined 4A Reserve Bde at Woolwich. The day after his arrival he was awarded a bounty of £15 for staying on in the Army after his service period had expired. However on 12 August 1917 he was arrested and was scheduled to be tried by a District Court Martial. The Court Martial found him guilty on 23 August 1917 of an unknown offence and ordered that his seniority as a Sergeant be changed to reckon from 20 April 1917. He was returned to duty and posted to 21 Reserve Battery but later that year Joseph was deemed no longer physically fit for active service so was discharged from the Army on 31 October 1917, returning to live at 2 George Street, New Silksworth. He was awarded a Silver War Badge and a pension was due to commence for him from 1 November 1917 due to him having a disorded action of the heart. In September 1939 he, Susannah and their son, Fred Mycock, were living at 9 Lord Street, Silksworth and Joseph was working as a ‘below puller’ in a coal mine. Joseph Mycock died in Sunderland in 1977, aged 87.
|
Dvr.
|
Myerscough
|
Thomas Jackson
|
136236
|
B/58
|
Thomas Jackson Myerscough was born on 5 September 1883 and baptised the following month in Poulton le Fylde, Lancs, the son of William and Janet Myerscough. He was serving as a driver in B/58 when he was awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the field – the award was gazetted on 4 July 1919. He was discharged from the Army on 31 May 1920. On 21 April 1925, he married Elizabeth Horn in the parish church of St Michael’s on Wyre, Garstang, Lancs and they had at least one son, John. In 1939 the family were still living in St Michael’s on Wyre and Thomas was working as a dairy farmer. He died in 1944, aged 61 and was buried on 13 December 1944 in his local churchyard.
|
Gnr.
|
Neal
|
George James
|
11175
|
|
George James Neal enlisted into the RFA on 2 September 1914. He was posted overseas, arriving in Egypt on about 19 July 1915. He was serving in 58 Bde when he was discharged from the Army on 13 June 1918 as being no longer fit for military service due to wounds he had received.
|
Capt.
|
Nelson
|
David
|
n/a
|
A/58
|
David Nelson was born in 1886 in Stranooden, County Monaghan, the son of George and Mary Anne (‘Annie’) Nelson. David was working as a shop assistant when he enlisted into the RFA as a Gunner on 27 December 1904 in Clonmel, Ireland and was assigned service number 34419. He served in No.5 Depot until he was posted to 98 Battery on 22 December 1905. He was appointed a paid Acting Bombardier on 7 April 1906 and transferred to “L” Battery RHA on 28 December 1907, reverting to Gunner. He was appointed a paid Bombardier on 8 September 1908 and promoted to Bombardier on 18 May 1910. He was promoted to Corporal on 7 January 1911 and obtained a first class certificate in gunnery from the School of Gunnery at Shoeburyness, Essex in March 1913. The day after war was declared, he was promoted to Sergeant on 5 August 1914 and ten days later, on about the 15th, he arrived in France with the BEF. On 1 September 1914, David Nelson was one of the surviving members of “L” Battery RHA who fought the famed action at Néry where, despite being badly wounded, he remained firing the last working gun of the battery against overwhelming odds. For this, he was awarded the Victoria Cross, the citation reading “Helping to bring the guns into action under heavy fire at Nery on 1st September, and while severely wounded remaining with them until all the ammunition was expended—although he had been ordered to retire to cover.” He had received shrapnel in the chest and the bullet was removed in France, before he was transferred back to the UK on 20 October 1914 was treated at 1st London General Hospital between 25 October and 16 November 1914. On 15 November 1915, David married Ada Jane Jessie Bishop (known as Jessie) in Erith, Kent and was commissioned as a temporary 2/Lt the same day. He was appointed a Captain-Instructor in Gunnery at the School of Gunnery at Shoeburyness on 1 March 1915 and was promoted to Lt on 9 June 1915. In 1915, he and Jessie had a son, Victor Cyril Nelson. David was “restored to the establishment” on 11 December 1917 which was when he was posted back to France, arriving in Le Havre the following day. He was, by then, an acting Captain and was posted to join 11th (Northern) Division. He joined C/59 from Base on 18 December 1917 and was posted to A/58 for instruction on 29 December 1917, probably in how to command a battery, because on 1 March 1918 he was posted to be Battery OIC of D/59 and so was appointed an acting Major. Just a few weeks later, David Nelson was severely wounded near Lillers, France on 7 April 1918, receiving wounds to his back, left forearm, right foot and skull. He died the following day at 5.15 p.m. of his wounds at 58 (West Riding) Casualty Clearing Station, aged 31, and is buried in Lillers Communal Cemetery, France.
|
Dvr.
|
Newth
|
Frederick Charles
|
11154
|
B/58?
|
Frederick Charles Newth was born on 13 June 1897 in Stroud, Glos. He was the eldest of the seven children of Charles Herbert Newth, a carpenter, and Emma Newth (née Bishop). By 1911, the family had moved to live in Llwynypia, Rhondda in South Wales. Fred, as he was known, enlisted under-age into the RFA in early September 1914, aged only 17 and may have been posted to B/58. He went overseas, arriving in Egypt on 14 July 1915 and served at Gallipoli and, later in the war, at Passchendaele. After the war he settled in Bedminster, Bristol and worked as a rubber tyre salesman. On 6 June 1923 he married Vera Blanche Taylor at the Weslyan Chapel, Bristol and they had two daughters. Later, Fred worked as a store manager for Edmunds Walker selling car parts, and during WW2 he served as an ARP warden and built an Anderson shelter in his back garden. Vera passed away in 1983 and Fred died on 1 October 1984 in Bournemouth, Dorset.
|
Dvr.
|
Nichol
|
Frank
|
10675
|
C/58
|
Frank Nichol was probably born on 13 July 1897. He was born in Birmingham, the son of William and Theresa Nichol, and was the youngest of 4 children, with older brothers William and Horace and sister Elsie. He worked as an art metal worker in Bordesley, near Birmingham, and he enlisted in Birmingham on 31 August 1914, claiming to be aged 19 though was probably only 17. He was posted to 186 Battery on 10 September 14, which became C/58 and sailed with them to Alexandria in July 1915. On 2 October 1915 he was “irregular” on parade according to Sgt Maj Buchan and so was awarded 7 days’ confinement to camp by 2/Lt N Hunt, OC Details. This may have occurred on the island of Lemnos. He was posted to 5C Reserve Bde on 10 January 1916 having been evacuated back to the UK and admitted to The Lord Derby Hospital in Warrington, Lancs with paratyphoid. After a month there he was discharged and permitted 6 weeks’ furlough, between 1 April and 13 May 1916. He was then posted to the Royal Artillery Command Depot at Ripon on 19 May 1916, then to 21 (R) Battery on 16 September 1916 before being posted back overseas to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force as a driver on 11 November 1916. He joined 84 Small Arms Ammunition Column at Salonika. After the Armistice he was posted to join the Expeditionary Force in southern Russia at Batum, arriving there on 29 January 1919 but leaving again on 8 February 1919 to return to Salonika on his way back to the UK. He was sent for demobilisation at the Dispersal Centre Chisledon, leaving Salonika on 2 March 1919 and arriving back in the UK on 14 March 1919. He probably married Florence May Vernon and they had a son Maurice Vernon Nichol. He probably died in 1979, aged 82.
|
A/Bdr.
|
Nicholls
|
Thomas Sidney
|
10621
|
B/58
|
Thomas Sidney Nicholls was born on 15 November 1890 in Upper Quinton, Glos [now Warks], the son of Sidney Richard and Mary Nicholls. In 1901 the family were living in Birmingham and in 1911 Mary, now a widow and Thomas were living in Rugby where Thomas worked as a machinist for an electrical manufacturer. When war broke out Thomas was working as a mechanic and enlisted in Rugby on 31 August 1914, aged 23, and joined the RFA. He was posted initially to No.3 depot at Hilsea and from there to 185 Battery on 10 September 1914. He was appointed an A/Bdr on 3 May 1915. Probably during his pre-embarkation leave, he married Lillian Maud Heath in New Bilton, Rugby, Warks on 5 June 1915 and they appear to have gone to live with Thomas’s mother, Mary. Their son, Frederick Sidney Richard Nicholls was born on 17 February 1916. Thomas sailed from Devonport with the brigade on 1 July 1915, arriving in Alexandria on 14 July 1915. He then sailed from Alexandria on 28 July 1915, landing at Gallipoli on 9 August 1915. He was appointed a temporary paid A/Bdr on 17 September 1915 and then a T/Bdr on 12 December 1915. He was granted 10 days’ leave to the UK on 11 November 1916. On 5 February 1917, he was admitted to 34 Field Ambulance with diarrhoea, returning to duty on 10 February 1917. On 29 March 1917 he was admitted to 3 Canadian Stationary Hospital and was discharged back to duty on 9 April 1917. He was granted 14 days’ leave to the UK on 19 October 1917. He was appointed paid A/Cpl on 6 January 1918 and promoted to Cpl on 19 February 1918. He was redesignated as a Signaller Cpl in November 1918. After the Armistice, he was posted to Chisledon Dispersal Centre on 20 January 1919, sailing from Dieppe on 24 January 1919 and was demobilised on 23 February 1919. On 1 November 1921, he and Lillian had a second son, James D L Nicholls, and in 1939 the family were still living in Rugby where Thomas was working as a motor and general mechanic. He died in Rugby in 1975, aged 84.
|
Gnr.
|
Nicholls
|
William
|
685950
|
|
William Nicholls enlisted into a West Lancashire Territorial Force artillery brigade on 19 May 1915. He was serving in 58 Bde on 26 February 1918 when he was discharged from the Army due to sickness.
|
Dvr.
|
Nicholls
|
William Henry
|
10730
|
58 Bde AC
|
William Henry Nicholls was born in about 1895 in East Ogwell, near Newton Abbott, Devon, the son of George and Florence Nicholls. He enlisted in Exeter on 1 September 1914, aged 19, having been working as a forester. He was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea and from there to 58 Bde Ammunition Column on 13 September 1914. He joined D/58 on its creation on 21 January 1915 and embarked with his battery at Devonport on 3 July 1915, arriving in Alexandria on 17 July 1915. He sailed with the brigade from Alexandria on 1 August 1915, landing on Gallipoli on 12 August 1915. He was admitted to hospital on Gallipoli on 19 September 1915 and was evacuated to Malta. He was evacuated back to the UK from Malta on the Hospital Ship “Italia” on 29 October 1915. On arrival back in the UK he was admitted on 10 November 1915 to 8th London General Hospital, Wandsworth with pleurisy. He was discharged on 24 January 1916 and was posted to Mesopotamia, sailing again from Devonport on 7 May 1916 and disembarking at Basrah on 11 June 1916, where he joined 8th Battery, 13 Bde RFA on 5 July 1916. The following year he was admitted to 20 Canadian Field Ambulance on 7 February 1917 with malaria, being discharged to duty on 20 February 1917. He must have left the region for some reason over the next year or so because he re-embarked for Mesopotamia on 7 May 1918 and was granted leave to India from 28 May 1918. However, he didn’t return to Mesopotamia after his leave so was struck off the strength of the Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force (MEF). He embarked at Bombay on 17 November 1918 and so was taken back on the strength of the MEF, disembarking at Basrah on 24 November 1918. He was posted back to 8th Battery two days later. After the Armistice, he embarked at Basrah on HT “Cocanada” on 31 January 1919. to go back to the UK for demobilisation, arriving on 30 April 1919, when he went to No.1 Dispersal Unit, Fovant. He was demobilised on 7 June 1919 and was discharged from the Army on 31 March 1920.
|
Cpl.
|
Ninham
|
Alfred
|
27059
|
|
Cpl Ninham was serving in 58 Bde when he was sent on a course at V Army School on 24 November 1916. This was probably Cpl Alfred Ninham. Alfred Ninham was born on 17 May 1885 and joined the Army on 10 October 1902. He married Minnie Elizabeth Booth in early 1917 and was discharged from the Army on 3 February 1919 due to wounds he had received. He was serving in 250 Bde RFA at the time. in 1939 he was living in Woolwich with Minnie and working as a builder’s labourer. They had 4 children. Alfred died in London in 1966, aged 80.
|
Gnr.
|
Noble
|
Arthur
|
L/5762
|
A/58
|
Arthur Noble was born in Moortown, Leeds, Yorks in 1896, the son of Walter and Mary Jane Noble. In 1911 he was working as gardener. He enlisted in Leeds and was first posted to France on 29 December 1915 where he served in B/48 Bde of 14th (Light) Division, another of the “K1” divisions. He was wounded in the leg probably late in 1916 and while he was recovering in January 1917 needed crutches to get around for a while. He was posted to A/58, probably after his recuperation, and was serving in that battery on 25 August 1917 in the Ypres salient when he and six comrades – Gnr Alec Armitage (152294), Gnr John Barber (91942), Gnr Howard Denley (74517), Dvr Frederick Leathard (109178), A/Bdr William Monks (67578) and Gnr Herbert Taylor (141267) – were killed. He is buried alongside them in the New Irish Farm Cemetery, near Ypres, Belgium.
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Gnr.
|
Nolan
|
William Michael
|
93183
|
C/58
|
William Michael Nolan was born on 16 March 1882 in Aldershot, the son of an Army Sgt, Michael, and his wife, Fanny. He enlisted – probably into the Territorials – on 28 April 1908. He was a postman by trade. He was awarded the Military Medal in the June 1916 King’s Birthday Honours. He was wounded on 5 October 1917 with multiple gunshot wounds to left leg and foot. He had a Medical Board on 7 May 1918 when he was described as 100% disabled and was discharged from the Army as being unfit for military service on 28 May 1918, when he was described as steady, sober and reliable. He was 36 years old. He then had several more assessments on at least 30 September 1918, 24 October 1919, 20 September 1920 (at which time he was able to walk short distances) and 27 September 1921, when his left foot was still described as “inverted”. He was given a surgical boot to help his mobility. He married Florence and they had at least 5 children, 1 of whom died in infancy. They lived in Leeds, Yorks, after the war. In 1939 he and Florence were still living in Leeds: he was still working as a postman, but Florence was an invalid.
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Sgt.
|
Norris
|
Lindsay
|
93068
|
A/58
|
Lindsay Norris was born in about 1891 in Pittsburgh, USA, the son of John Norris. He appears to have arrived in Glasgow in November 1893, along with his mother May, and siblings Jennie and John on board the “Devonia”. He was working as an ironworker in Greenock, Renfrewshire, when he enlisted, aged 24, on 27 August 1914 in Greenock. He joined the RFA and was posted to No.6 Depot, Glasgow the same day and from there to 184 Battery as a gunner the following day. He was appointed a paid A/Bdr on 23 October 1914 and promoted to Bdr on 5 January 1915. After 184 Battery became A/58, he was promoted to Cpl on 27 January 1915 and to Sgt on 24 March 1915. He went absent without leave for 21 hours on 4 April 1915 while training at Chapeltown Barracks, Leeds, for which he was severely reprimanded by Lt Col Drake. He was posted to 58 Bde Ammunition Column on 29 April 1915. The following month, presumably during his pre-embarkation leave, he married Letitia Gillespie on 31 May 1915. He sailed from Devonport with the brigade on 1 July 1915, disembarking in Alexandria on 14 July 1915. He was posted back to A/58 on 20 October 1915. While at el Ferdan, Egypt, he was tried by Court Martial on 29 March 16 on a charge of conduct to prejudice of good order and military discipline, but he was found not guilty. Along with the brigade he embarked at Alexandria on 25 June 1916, arriving in Marseilles on 3 July 1916. He was awarded the Military Medal by OIC A/58 on 16 November 1916. On 12 January 1916 he left 58 Bde when he was posted back to the UK to be an instructor and was posted to No.1 Royal Artillery Cadet School, St John’s Wood on 6 February 1917 to train the cadets probably in gun-laying. However, he absented himself without leave between 2 p.m. on 23 March and 9.55 p.m. on 28 March 1917 so was tried by a District Court Martial conducted at Chelsea Barracks on 5 April 1917. He was found guilty and was sentenced to be reduced to Corporal, but his sentence was subsequently remitted by the General Officer Commanding the London District two days later on account of his previous good service. He was though removed from his instructor post and was posted to No.3 Reserve Bde (Territorial Force) at Bulford on 10 April 1917 and then he was transferred to the RGA on 11 June 17, where he was assigned the new service number 173616. He attended the Siege School at Prees Heath and was assigned to 468 Siege Battery. He was posted to 112 Siege Battery on 22 December 1917 to act as a gun-layer and took part in the defence against the German onslaught of 21 March 1918. He suffered a “mild” gunshot wound to his neck on 25 May 1918 when a shell landed in the battery position wounding him and two others, Gunners Barnet and Seabourne. He was admitted to 3 General Hospital at Le Tréport on 30 May 1918, re-joining his unit on 23 June 1918. On Armistice Day he was awarded 14 days’ leave to the UK, returning to his unit on 25 November 1918. He was demobilised on 18 March 1919 at Georgetown Dispersal Centre. On 7 June 1930 he sailed from Glasgow for Canada on the “Minnedosa”, arriving in Montreal on 15 June 1930, and his trade at the time was given as steel erector. Six months later, his wife Letitia, and their three sons, Alexander, John and Lindsay, sailed on the “Antonia” from Greenock on 16 May 1931 to Canada, presumably to join him.
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Gnr.
|
North
|
George Timothy
|
211657
|
C/58
|
George Timothy North was born on 20 January 1893, the son of George and Winifred North in Aston Rowant, Oxfordshire. After his father died, he and his mother lived with his grandmother, Susannah Chapman, in Chinnor, Wallingford, Oxon. In 1911, George was working as a butcher. He was serving as a gunner in C/58 when he was killed in action on 30 August 1917, aged 24. He is buried in Bard Cottage Cemetery, Belgium.
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2/Lt.
|
Norton
|
James Eliot
|
n/a
|
B/58
|
James Eliot Norton was born in India on 20 October 1894. He was educated at Wellington College, Berks, and was commissioned into the RFA as a 2/Lt on 30 November 1914 after being a cadet in an Officers Training Corps. He went to the Mediterranean Theatre of war, arriving on 11 October 15 and was posted to join 58 Bde. His arrival with 58 Bde as a replacement was announced on 25 October 1915 and he was assigned to B/58. Following the British withdrawal from Suvla Bay, he, along with 9 other officers from the brigade and 45 Other Ranks, embarked onto the SS “Tunisian” at Lemnos, sailing the next day. They arrived in Alexandria on 2 January 1916 and disembarked the following day. He was still serving in B/58 when he sailed with the brigade on the “Kingstonian” from Alexandria on 25 June 1916, arriving in Marseilles on 2 July 1916. He was awarded the Military Cross in the New Year’s Honours 1917, with the award being gazetted on 25 January 1917. The citation read: “For conspicuous gallantry in action. He continued to pass the orders to two isolated sections after telephonic communication had been broken down, thereby enabling three guns to be kept in action. On another occasion he kept his battery in action under very heavy fire and set a fine example to his men.” He was actually on leave when his award was announced, having been granted 10 days’ leave on 23 December 1916, returning on 4 January 1917. He apparently went sick, returning to his battery on 1 March 1917. He was granted a further 10 days’ leave on 5 May 1917, not returning though until 8 June 1917. He was promoted to Lt on 1 July 1917, but that autumn he suffered from ill-health and so was invalided out of the Army, relinquishing his commission on 8 December 1917. Shortly after the German Spring Offensive on March 1918, he rejoined the Army and was appointed a T/Lt again on 3 April 1918, with seniority from 1 July 1917. He even managed to return to his old battery, after having joined 11 Division Ammunition Column from Base on 4 May 18, he was posted back to B/58 the following day. A week later on 12 May 1918 he was sick again, along with several other officers of the brigade. He was appointed T/Capt between 4 July and 13 September 1918. On 27 September 1918 he helped Capt Foster reconnoitre the Canal du Nord. On 23 December 1918 he was awarded a bar to his Military Cross “For conspicuous gallantry and ability at Meaurhin [Meaurain, Belgium] on 6th November 1918, while performing liaison duties with attacking infantry. On one occasion he brought back information personally through a heavy barrage. Later he got a line through to the infantry, which he maintained all night in spite of the severity of the hostile barrage, going out under heavy fire when the signallers were unable to repair it, and mending, all the breaks himself”. After the Armistice he went on 14 days’ leave to the UK on 16 November 1918, returning on 5 December 1918. While he was away, he was appointed the Brigade Education Officer on 1 December 1918 to help prepare the men for civilian life. He went on a 10 days’ course with the RAF between 5 and 12 January 19 and returned to the UK for demobilisation. In 1939 he was living in Woking, Surrey, with his wife Mona and working as a chartered accountant. He died in Aldershot, Hants in 1969, aged 74.
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Dvr.
|
Nunn
|
Thomas Wilfred
|
2758
|
184 Bty
|
Thomas Wilfred Nunn was born on 3 June 1891 in West Stow, Suffolk, the son of Robert Nunn and Agnes Nunn. In 1911, the family were living in Grundisburgh, Suffolk and Thomas – who may actually have been known as Wilfred – was working as a farm labourer, probably on his father’s farm. He enlisted into the RFA on 2 September 1914 in Ipswich, Suffolk and was posted to No.4 Depot at Woolwich the following day. On 10 September 1914 he was posted to 184 Battery, 58 Bde in Leeds but was considered unfit for service by his battery commander on 13 October 1914. Nevertheless, he stayed in the RFA and went to Gallipoli and Egypt, seemingly with 58 Bde. In Egypt he was posted to the General Base Depot on 14 March 1916, then to 30 Small Arms Ammunition Section on 17 May 1916 which may have been at Salonika at the time since a month later he was posted to 29 Small Arms Ammunition Section, 67 Bde RFA, which was part of 10th (Irish) Division at Salonika. He was posted to 263 Bde RFA on its formation in Egypt on 27 September 1917 and this brigade joined 10th (Irish) Division at Rafa [Rafah] in Palestine on 11 October 1917. A few weeks later he was posted back to Base on 5 November 1917 having been classified as B1 (only fit for lines of communication or garrison duty) two days earlier. He was reclassified as being fit for active service on 9 January 1918 so was posted to No.3 Section, 10 Division Ammunition Column on 5 February 1918. It is not clear exactly when, but at some point he spent some time in what he called ‘Shibra Hospital, Cairo’ which was probably the Choubra Hospital in Cairo which had been set up to handle infectious disease cases. On his return to the UK, he was admitted to the Scottish National Red Cross Hospital, Bellahouston, Glasgow on 19 February 1919 with dysentery and was then transferred on 11 March 1919 to the Edinburgh War Hospital, Bangour. Once he had recovered, he was sent on 3 April 1919 to the Dispersal Hospital, Colchester for dispersal. He submitted a request for a pension to be paid to him due to the dysentery, but since he had fully recovered, the claim was rejected and he was demobilised on 6 May 1919. In 1924, he married Eleanor Gwendoline Elmer in Stow and they had at least one son, Claude W Nunn who was born in 1925. In September 1939, he and his family were living in The Street, Grundisburgh and he was working as a coal merchant. Thomas Wilfred Nunn was still living in The Street, Grundisburgh when he died on 11 January 1942.
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Gnr.
|
Oak
|
|
|
B/58
|
Gnr Oak was cited as a witness to Gnr George McGuire (93021) being drunk and of conduct to the prejudice of military discipline at Zahrieh Camp, Alexandria, on 20 July 1915.
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Dvr.
|
Oakford
|
Frederick John
|
211650
|
A/58
|
Frederick John Oakford was probably born in 1887, the son of Harry and Ellen Oakford in Haslemere, Surrey. His father died, so in 1901 the family were living with Alfred C White, in Shackleford, Surrey. In 1911, Frederick was working as a baker in Eastbourne. He had moved back to Surrey to live in Pyrford when he was conscripted, enlisting in Woking, Surrey. He was probably serving in A/58 when he was killed in action on 5 August 1917. He is buried in La Belle Alliance Cemetery, Belgium.
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Gnr.
|
Oates
|
Joseph Henry
|
785974
|
C/58
|
Joseph Henry Oates was born in about 1888 and worked as a bookkeeper before joining the RFA’s Territorial Force. He joined the 3rd West Riding Brigade RFA but was serving in C/58 when he was wounded by a gunshot to his left foot on 19 March 1918. He was evacuated back to the UK and was treated at 1st Northern General Hospital, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. On 18 May 1918 he went to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick, from where he was discharged to draft on 20 September 1918. At some point his service number was changed to 290612. This is very likely the Joseph Henry Oates who was born in Sheffield, Yorks, the son of Joseph Oates and Ada Oates (née Whitham). In 1911, he was living with his widowed mother and cousin in 75 Otley Street, Sheffield and Joseph was working as a confectionary manufacturer’s clerk. He married Florence Lillian Gillat in 1911 and he died on 23 February 1938 in Sheffield.
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Bdr.
|
Oatey
|
Wilfred Hedley
|
10570
|
C/58
|
Wilfred Hedley Oatey was born on 29 March 1892 in Hambridge, near Langport, Somerset, the son of William Henry and Mary Ann Oatey. He followed his father into the grocer’s trade and in 1911 was working as a grocer’s assistant, probably working for his father. He enlisted in Taunton on 3 September 1914 alongside another Hambridge man, Harry Priddle (also of C/58 and with service number 10569) and was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea. From there he was posted to 186 Battery in Leeds on 10 September 1914 which was later re-numbered C/58. He was appointed an A/Bdr on 2 November 1914 and was promoted to that rank on 14 November 1914. He went abroad with his battery to Egypt and then to Gallipoli. He was probably back in Egypt when he was posted to 17 Bde RFA, part of 29 Division, on 5 March 1916. A few days later he sailed with them to France on 9 March 1916 and his unit became No.2 Section 29 Division Ammunition Column. He voluntarily reverted to the rank of gunner on 4 September 1916. He was posted to 15 Battery on 12 November 1916 and then suffered from inflammation of the connective tissue in his buttocks so was evacuated on No.7 Ambulance Train on 23 January 1917. He recovered and was sent to the Base on 1 February 1917. At some point he joined D/94 and was serving in that battery when he was sent to the Dispersal Centre at Fovant for demobilisation, which took place on 11 April 1919. He then claimed a pension due to valvular disease of the heart so was awarded 11 shillings a week. He returned to Hambridge to be the manager of a grocer’s store but travelled back to Leeds to marry Ethel Gautrey in the Wesleyan Church, Harehills Lane, Leeds on 13 September 1919. They had at least one son, Raymond, and in 1939 Wilfred and family were living in Blackpool, Lancs where Wilfred was working as a van salesman. He died in Hampshire in 1974, aged 82.
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Lt.
|
O’Kelly
|
Patrick Joseph
|
n/a
|
D/58
|
Patrick Joseph O’Kelly, known as “PJ” was born Patrick Joseph Kelly in Caher, Feakle, County Clare, Ireland. He was born on 29 July 1889, the son of Patrick and Margaret Kelly, and was educated at Skerry’s College, Dublin. He was living in Athlone, Ireland when he applied for a commission on 21 September 1914 and was commissioned as a temporary 2/Lt in the RFA on 13 November 1914. He married Mary O’Connell (sometimes called Mabel) on 30 December 1914 in St Peter’s church, Athlone and they had a son, Gerard Charles O’Kelly, born on 7 December 1915. He was promoted to Lt on 20 May 1916 and was serving as Adjutant to 118 (Howitzer) Bde RFA in June 1916 and may have been attached to 458 Battery – one of 118 Bde’s batteries – the previous year on 9 July 1915 for a fortnight’s training. He probably transferred to 58 Bde in July 1916 when 118 Bde was broken up because he was serving in D/58 when, on 26 September 1916 the Battle of Thiepval began. On the first day of the battle, he was acting as a Forward Observing Officer when he was killed in action. He was buried initially about 150 yards south west of La Boisselle Communal Cemetery with documents identifying him buried alongside him in a bottle. Mary received a gratuity of £140 and a pension of £100 a year, and Gerard was granted a gratuity of £43 13s 4d and a pension of £24 a year. In 1920 his remains were reinterred in Ovillers Military Cemetery, France. Mary must have re-married because in 1936 she applied again for a widow’s pension, having recently been re-widowed.
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Dvr.
|
Oldfield
|
William
|
79590
|
58 BAC
|
William Oldfield was serving as a Driver in the RFA when he first went overseas, arriving in Egypt on 14 July 1915. He was serving in 58 Brigade Ammunition Column when he was admitted to the British Red Cross Convalescent Hospital, Montazah in Egypt on 31 January 1916 with appendicitis.
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Gnr.
|
O’Malley
|
John
|
4858
|
A/58
|
John O’Malley was born in Rathkeale, Limerick in about 1884. He was a general labourer who enlisted into the RFA at Limerick on 14 November 1908. He re-engaged for 4 years on 20 May 1912. On 20 August 1914, John was posted to France, probably with 5 Division Ammunition Park. He was then posted to 6 Division Ammunition Column on 9 November 1914 where he was awarded 28 days of Field Punishment No.1 on 29 November 1914. He was admitted to No.13 General Hospital, Boulogne on 10 March 1915 with scabies, from where he was transferred to Base on 31 March 1915. He must have been re-admitted to that hospital because on 17 April 1915 it sent him back to the UK on the Hospital Ship “Oxfordshire” suffering from boils. Later that year he embarked for Gallipoli, disembarking there on 26 October 1915 and was posted to A/58 the same day. He was still serving in 58 Bde while they were in Egypt when he had to forfeit 1 day’s pay for having been absent from 12.30 a.m. until 10 a.m. on 18 March 1916. He then sailed with the brigade from Alexandria on 25 June 1916, landing at Marseilles on 3 July 1916. He was admitted to a Divisional Rest Station with myalgia on 29 October 1917, being discharged back to duty two days later. On 25 April 1917 he was admitted to No.9 General Hospital, Rouen having received a gunshot wound to his left knee and it seems likely that this is when he left 58 Bde. Four days later he was transferred to the Royal Horse and Royal Field Artillery Base and was posted from there on 8 May 1917 to a new unit. He was granted 10 days leave to the UK between 7 and 17 June 1917. On 1 October 1917 John was transferred to the Labour Corps as a Private where he was given the new service number 299955 and posted to 717 Labour Company. He forfeited 1 day’s pay and was confined to camp for 7 days on 4 May 1918 and was granted leave between 4 August and 3 September 1918. He was admitted to 36 Casualty Clearing Station with influenza on 15 January 1919 from where he was transferred by No.16 Ambulance Train to No.8 Stationary Hospital, Wimereux on 24 January 1919. From there he was discharged to a convalescent camp on 8 February 1919 and three days later was posted back to the UK for demobilisation at Oswestry on 11 February 1919. He was discharged on 19 November 1919. John re-enlisted into the Army on 20 February 1920 and served with the Royal Fusiliers with service number GS/143154.
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Dvr.
|
O’Neill
|
James
|
964
|
D/58
|
James O’Neill was born in Albrest, County Tyrone, Ireland, the son of Margaret O’Neill. He enlisted into the RFA in Paisley, Renfrewshire, and was serving in D/58 when he died on 13 August 1917 of wounds. He is buried in Mendinghem Military Cemetery, Belgium.
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Dvr.
|
Orom
|
John
|
93135
|
B/58
|
John Orom was born in Auchterderran, near Lochgelly, Fife on 25 February 1890, the son of Samford and Agnes Orom. He attended Foulford Infants School and then Foulford School, Fife. He was 24 years old and working as a miner when he enlisted into the RFA in Cowdenbeath on 26 August 1914. He went to No.6 RFA Depot at Glasgow and was posted as a Driver to 185 Battery (which was subsequently renumbered as B/58) on 14 September 1914. While training at Leeds with his battery, he was twice punished for being absent, firstly between 12 and 16 October 1914 for which he was docked 5 days’ pay and confined to barracks for 7 days by his battery commander, Capt Hince, and then on the evening of 1 December 1914 for which Capt Hince confined him to barracks for 3 days. He sailed from the UK on 1 July 1915 for Egypt and probably therefore served at Gallipoli with his battery. At some point he appears to have transferred to 31 Division which was serving at Salonika because in 1916 he was serving with 31 Division’s Small Arms Ammunition Column (SAAC) at Salonika when he contracted dysentery. He was evacuated to Malta and was treated at St Andrew’s Hospital between 4 July and 2 August 1916 where he had been put on a chicken diet due to debility caused by repeated attacks. He returned to the UK and attended “C” Division of Barton Dysentery Depot at New Milton on about 20 October 1916. He was serving with 5C (Reserve) Bde at Hemel Hempstead when he was granted leave between 21 and 30 October 1916 to return home to Lochgelly. While in the UK he served in 52 (Reserve) Battery during which time he overstayed a pass on 17/18 November 1916, was absent from the unit on 23/24 December 1916 and overstayed leave 19/20 January 1917. He was also found guilty of insubordination and insolence to an NCO on 9 January 1917 for which he was docked 7 days’ pay and of missing a parade and kit inspection for which he was docked a further 3 days’ pay. He was posted overseas on 23 January 1917, probably back to Salonika to join 69 Battery, 31 Bde RFA who were part of 28 Division. The following year he was evacuated by ship on 25 October 1918, arriving in Malta on 27 October 1918. On 10 November 1918 his family were informed that John was dangerously ill with influenza. He left Malta on 22 January 1919 and arrived back in the UK on 29 January 1919. The following day he was admitted to Liverpool Royal Infirmary suffering from malaria. He was discharged from the Army on 6 April 1919 and the following month was granted a small pension due to the malaria he had caught. He returned to live at 42 Auchterderran Road, Lochgelly, Fife. John Oram died in October 1954, aged 64, and is buried in Lochgelly Cemetery.
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Cpl.
|
Orpin
|
Edward Henry
|
78309
|
D/58
|
Edward Henry Orpin was from Hastings, Sussex. He went to France on about 13 March 1915 and was serving in D/58 when he was awarded the Military Medal by the Canadian Corps commander on 13 November 1918.
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L/Bdr.
|
O’Toole
|
Lawrence Thomas
|
41278
|
A/58
|
Lawrence Thomas O’Toole was born in about 1891. He worked as a ship’s cook before enlisting into the RFA. He was appointed a Driver and went to France on 13 July 1915. He was serving as a Lance Bombardier in A/58 when he was gassed on 12 April 1918. He was evacuated back to the UK and admitted to 2nd Western General Hospital, Manchester. After treatment there he went to the Red Cross Hospital, Alderley Edge, Cheshire for further recuperation before being sent on 21 June 1918 to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick, from where he was discharged to draft on 16 August 1918. This may be the Lawrence T O’Toole who was born on 16 May 1892 and was living in September 1939 at 10 College Street, Hull, East Yorks with a Mrs Catherine B McMurray. This Lawrence was divorced at the time and was working as a fishmonger and poultry salesman, and was also serving as a volunteer ARP warden. He died in Hull in 1948, aged 56.
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Gnr.
|
Padfield
|
James Marmion
|
285818
|
B/58
|
James Marmion Padfield was born on 29 October 1885, the son of George and Elizabeth Padfield. He came from Bedminster, Bristol and in 1901, aged 15, he was working as an upholsterer’s apprentice. In about 1910 he married Florence, who was also from Bedminster, and the following year James was working as a furniture packer for the Co-operative Wholesale Society. He attested under the Derby scheme on 30 November 1915 and joined the Territorial Force artillery unit, 3/1 South Midland Bde RFA, in May 1916 where he was assigned service number 826461. In January 1917 he was officially assigned a new service number (285818) to denote that he had originally enlisted into the regular Army, though he may have never been aware of the fact. He was serving in B/58 (though some records suggest it was D/58) when he was admitted to 11 Casualty Clearing Station on 26 April 1917 suffering from mastoiditis and was transferred the next day to 3 Canadian Stationary Hospital. He was discharged from the Army due to sickness on 7 March 1919. In 1939 he was a widower and was living alone in Thanet Rd, Bedminster and was working as a store keeper in an upholstery factory. He died in Bristol in 1948, aged 62.
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Gnr.
|
Page
|
Ernest William
|
103048
|
|
Ernest William Page enlisted into the RFA and was posted overseas, arriving probably at Gallipoli on about 26 October 1915. He was serving in 58 Bde in Egypt when he was discharged to Zahrieh Camp from the Reception Hospital, Mustapha, Alexandria on 26 February 1916 after having had seborrhoea.
|
Bdr.
|
Paine
|
Harold Godfrey
|
14729
|
D/58
|
Harold Godfrey Paine was born in 1897 in Hailsham, Sussex, the son of Godfrey Edward and Edith Annie Paine, née Bates. Harold was educated at Lindfield School. In 1911 the family were living in Lindfield, Sussex and Harold was working as a baker’s errand boy, aged 15. He enlisted into the RFA in Haywards Heath. He was serving in D/58 in the final stages of The Somme Offensive during The Battle of The Ancre, when he and Sgt Arthur Wright (82835) were killed by a shell on 2 or 3 November 1916. He was 19 years old and is buried in Courcelette British Cemetery, alongside Sgt Wright.
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Dvr.
|
Palliser
|
Frederick
|
110887
|
C/58
|
Frederick Palliser (known throughout his life as Fred) was born on 21 July 1895 in Knayton, near Thirsk, Yorks, the son of Thomas and Mary Palliser (née Clark). By 1901, the family had moved to Otley, Yorks, where Thomas worked as an iron moulder. In 1911 Fred was working as an assistant boot salesman in Otley. On 15 October 1915, he and his elder brother Leonard enlisted into the RFA in Keighley, Yorks. The brothers were posted to No.4 Depot at Woolwich the following day, and from there to 12th Reserve Battery, 2B Reserve Bde in Preston Barracks, Brighton on 27 October 1915. On 6 November 1915 he was posted to 11th Reserve Battery which was also in Preston Barracks, before being posted back to Woolwich to join 20th Reserve Battery, 4A Reserve Bde on 22 February 1916. Fred and Leonard were posted overseas to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force Base Depot, so embarked at Devonport on 15 March 1916, arriving in Alexandria on 26 March 1916. They were both then posted to join C/58 at El Ferdan on 10 April 1916. The two brothers parted when Fred sailed with 58 Bde from Alexandria on 26 June 1916, arriving in Marseilles on 2 July 1916, while Leonard was in hospital with an abscess. The following year, still while serving in C/58, Fred was awarded the Military Medal, which was gazetted on 14 September 1917. He was admitted to 35 Field Ambulance with bronchitis on 23 October 1917 and was evacuated back to the UK on 8 November 1917 where he was hospitalised with a scald to his right foot and stayed in the Kitchener Hospital Brighton until 31 December 17. He was discharged from that hospital on 1 January 1918 and given 10 days’ leave. Fred then reported to Hipsell Camp at the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick on 12 January 1918 where his scar was assessed as having healed though he still felt it to be a little tender. He was classed as IIA until 4 February 1918 when he was assessed a sfully fit. Fred was presented with his Military Medal by the Chairman of Otley Urban District Council on 25 February 1918. On 1 March 1918 he was discharged to draft from Catterick and later that month was serving with 49 Reserve Bde at Charlton Park when he was a day late returning from embarkation leave on 19 March 1918 so was fined 2 days’ pay. He returned to France on 26 March 1918 and after passing through 4 Division Ammunition Column, he joined 29 Bde RFA on 1 April 1918. He was appointed L/Bdr on 13 May 1918, and A/Cpl the following month on 25 June 1918. On 17 July 1918 he relinquished his appointment as A/Cpl when he set off to return to the UK to attend an Officer Cadet Unit. On 14 January 1919 he was posted from No.3 RFA Cadet School to 5C Reserve Bde Charlton Park, returning to the ranks at his own request. On 9 February 1919 he was sent for demobilisation and attended No.1 Dispersal Unit Ripon on 13 February 1919. In the spring of 1920, Fred married Florence (Florrie) Hartley and by the November of that year he was working as a manager in Durham. In 1939 he was living with Florrie in Walsall, Staffs, where he worked as the manager of a shoe store. He died on 21 March 1981 in Wharfedale, West Yorks, aged 85.
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Dvr.
|
Palliser
|
Leonard John
|
110888
|
C/58
|
Leonard John Palliser was born on 11 May 1894 in Knayton, near Thirsk, Yorks. He was the elder son of Thomas and Mary Palliser (née Clark) and his younger brother, Fred, was also a 58 Bde soldier. By 1901, the family had moved to Otley, Yorks and in 1911 Leonard was an apprentice compositor in a printing works. He and Fred enlisted into the RFA on 15 October 1915 in Keighley, Yorks; Leonard was aged 21 at the time and had been working as a linotype operator. The brothers were posted to No.4 Depot at Woolwich the following day, and from there to 12th Reserve Battery, 2B Reserve Bde in Preston Barracks, Brighton on 27 October 1915. On 6 November 1915 he was posted to 11th Reserve Battery which was also in Preston Barracks, before being posted back to Woolwich to join 20th Reserve Battery, 4A Reserve Bde on 22 February 1916. Leonard and Fred were posted overseas to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force Base Depot, so embarked at Devonport on 15 March 1916, arriving in Alexandria on 26 March 1916. They were both then posted to join C/58 at El Ferdan on 10 April 1916. A fortnight later Leonard was admitted to 35 Field Ambulance on 26 April 1916 with infected periosteum. He rejoined his unit two days later, but was re-admitted to 35 Field Ambulance on 14 June 1916 with an abscess. On 23 June 1916 he was transferred to 31 General Hospital in Cairo and was discharged back to duty on 10 August 1916. While he was in hospital, his brother Fred sailed with 58 Bde from Alexandria on 26 June 1916, so the two brothers parted. Leonard was posted to the General Base Depot at Sidi Bishr on 6 September 1916 but was then re-admitted to hospital on 26 September 1916 when he went to 17 General Hospital, Alexandria. He was discharged back to the depot on 31 October 1916. The following year, he was attached to 91 Heavy Battery, RGA on 19 April 1917. He was admitted to hospital on 21 June 1917 with an ulcer on his left leg, returning back to Base Depot on 25 August 1917. He then rejoined 91 Heavy Battery RGA on 1 September 1917. He was found in a brothel in Palestine on 9 April 1918 so was sentenced to 4 days’ Field Punishment No.2. On 30 November 1918 he was admitted to hospital, rejoining his unit on 28 December 1918. On 26 January 1919, his father, Thomas, wrote to the War Office asking if Leonard might be permitted to return to the UK because his wife, Leonard’s mother, was dangerously ill and was “constantly asking for him”. That request appeared to be granted because on 8 March 1919, Leonard embarked on the SS “Malwa” in Egypt, arriving back in the UK on 21 March 1919. On his discharge from the Army Leonard was described as reliable, intelligent and of good sobriety. After the war he returned to live in Otley, Yorks, and on 4 July 1921 he married Elsie Williamson in the Parish Church, Guiseley, Yorks. They had at least 2 daughters. In 1939, he and Elsie were living in Stockport, Cheshire, and Leonard was again working as a linotype operator. He died in 1959, aged 65.
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S/S.
|
Palmer
|
Andrew
|
65517
|
|
Andrew Palmer enlisted into the RFA on 21 January 1915. He was appointed a Shoeing Smith and was serving in 58 Bde when he fell sick. He was evacuated back to the UK and was admitted to Norfolk War General Hospital, Thorpe, Norwich on 1 July 1917. He was serving in 63 Reserve Battery when he was discharged from the Army on 7 June 1918 as being surplus to military requirements having suffered impairment since entry into the service and so was awarded a Silver War Badge.
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A/Sgt.
|
Parker
|
George Edward
|
4765
|
B/58
|
George Edward Parker was posted overseas to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, arriving in Egypt on about 13 October 1915. He was serving in B/58 when he was appointed A/Sgt on 6 January 1918, his place as Cpl being taken by Bdr T S Nicholls (10621).
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Dvr.
|
Parkin
|
Bernard Edmund
|
92782
|
A/58
|
Bernard Edmund Parkin was born in 1899 in Sheffield, the son of George and Rose Ellen Parkin. In 1901 the family was living in Norton, Derbyshire but in 1911 Rose and her children were living in Blackpool. Bernard enlisted underage into the RFA and was serving in A/58 when he was part of a party taking up pack animals on 11 July 1917 when they got badly shelled. He was killed and two others were wounded as were several horses. He died aged 18 and is buried in Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery, Belgium.
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Capt.
|
Parkin
|
Carol Lewis
|
n/a
|
B/58
|
Carol Lewis Parkin was born on 15 November 1893 in London, the son of Montagu Lewis and Alice Winifred Parkin (née Owen). He attended Radley School and served in their Officer Training Corps (OTC) between 1908 and 1911 and then went to study at Brasenose College, Oxford also joining their OTC between 1912 and 1914, where he served in the Artillery Section as a Sgt. After war was declared, he was commissioned as a temporary 2/Lt in the RFA on 26 August 1914, having previously been in the Officer Training Corps. He served in 47 Bde RFA in 14 Division in France until September 1917. He sailed with his brigade to France, arriving there on 22 May 1915 and was promoted to Lt on 12 September 1915. He was granted leave to the UK from 4 to 12 January 1916 and joined A/47 Bde RFA on 6 February 1916. He was appointed the brigade’s adjutant on 1 April 1916. On 30 December 1916 he re-joined A/47 and on 1 January 1917 he was awarded the Military Cross in the New Year’s Honours and on 21 March 1917 he was appointed an A/Capt while Second-in-Command of a 6-gun battery. He was granted leave to the UK between 20 and 30 June 1917. At some point that year he attended the Senior Officers’ Course at St Omer. He was promoted to Captain on 18 September 1917 but his knee joint became inflamed and so he was admitted to II ANZAC Officers’ Rest House on 3 October 1917, rejoining his unit on 4 November 1917. A week later he was granted leave to the UK from 12 November 1917 and his leave was subsequently extended on medical grounds. He attended at least one medical board on 14 December 1917 which declared him fit for home duty but would not be fit for general service for at least 3 weeks, so he spent some time as an instructor at the Royal Artillery depot in St John’s Wood. On 21 June 1918 he returned to France, arriving in Boulogne and joining 1st Army Artillery Reinforcements. He was posted back to 14 Division to join the 14 Division Ammunition Column on 24 June 1918 but was posted to 1 Corps on 12 July 1918. That was probably when he took up post as the Officer Commanding 1 Corps Artillery School. He was expected to join B/58 on 20 July 1918 though was expected to stay for a little longer at the artillery school before joining. It is possible that this was an administrative mistake and that he never did join 58 Bde, because on 28 August 1918 he was posted to 158 Army Artillery Bde. He was serving in A/158 on 4 April 1919 when he sailed from Boulogne to go for demobilisation. He attended No.1 Dispersal Unit at Crystal Palace the following day when he was demobilised. He relinquished his commission on 1 September 1921. He sailed on 30 October 1919 for Batavia in the Federated Malay States to be a commercial manager. He spent some time living in Kuala Lumpur and then in Singapore but within a few years he settled in South Africa where he married Angela Vivian Quin on 19 December 1925 in Bloemfontein. In 1939 he and Angela were living at 10 Wexford Avenue, Westcliffe, Johannesburg and Carol was working as a road engineer. On 21 March 1939 he applied to join the Union Reserve of Officers in South Africa and during World War 2 served in the South African Forces as a Lt Col. On 8 May 1941 he took over command of 2nd South African Anti-Tank Regt and fought with them in the Western Desert. He was Mentioned in Dispatches which was gazetted on 15 December 1942 and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) which was gazetted on 19 December 1946. The citation for his DSO read “For gallantry and devotion to duty while in command of his regt. from June 41 to June 42. From 18 November 41 his unit was continuously in action in the EGYPTIAN and LIBYAN deserts. In November 41 his regt. was in the fighting which culminated in the capture of the OMARS and in December 41/January 42 played its part in the capture of BARDIA and HALFAYA. In the fighting at EL AGHEILA and the withdrawal to GAZALA his unit suffered heavy casualties in men and equipment. At all time this officer set a gallant example to his men and his initiative and energy in reorganising his unit in the minimum time so that it was ready to take its place in battle was conspicuous.” Carol Parkin apparently died in Durban, South Africa on 22 April 1995.
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Bdr.
|
Parrott
|
Harry
|
11176
|
A/58
|
Harry Parrott enlisted into the RFA shortly after the outbreak of the war. He went overseas, possibly with 58 Bde, in July 1915 to Egypt. He was serving in A/58 when he died on 30 August 1917 and he is buried in Dozinghem Military Cemetery, Belgium, leaving a widow, Nellie, who lived in Shabbington, near Thame, Oxon. This may have been Harry Parrott, a farm labourer and the son of George and Ellen Parrott who was born in about 1890 in Pyrton, near Thame, Oxon, and who was baptised on 6 April 1891 in Stoke Talmage, Oxon.
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Gnr.
|
Parsons
|
Walter Henry
|
10575
|
C/58
|
Walter Henry Parsons was born on 9 October 1896 in Wellington, Somerset, the son of Walter and Matilda Parsons. He worked as an errand boy and later as a shop assistant. On 1 September 1914 he enlisted underage into the RFA in Yeovil, claiming to be 20 years old. He was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea and from there to 186 Battery, which later became C/58. He was promoted to Bdr on 9 September 1914 but was reduced to gunner presumably for some misdemeanour on 22 February 1915. He sailed with the brigade to Egypt on 1 July 1915, will have served in Gallipoli, and then sailed with the brigade to France in June 1916. On 15 September 1916 he returned to the UK, probably due to illness or having been wounded, and was posted to 5C Reserve Bde. There is no indication that he served overseas again. He was ready for discharge from the Convalescent Hospital Crownhill, Plymouth, on 16 August 1918, though was not reckoned to be fit for active service so was assigned to 15th (Reserve) Battery at Larkhill. He was discharged from the Army on 9 March 1919 from No.1 Dispersal Unit Fovant with bronchitis and returned to live in Wellington.
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Ftr S/Sgt
|
Patterson
|
Alexander
|
51786
|
D/58
|
Alexander Patterson was from Killykergan, Coleraine, and first served overseas during the war when he went to France in March 1915, possibly with 118 (Howitzer) Bde. He was serving in D/58 when he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal on 17 June 1918. On 1 September 1918 he was sent on a 5 day course to learn how to overhaul machine-guns, since the brigade had recently acquired some for anti-aircraft purposes. He was selected to attend another, unspecified, technical course on 11 December 1918.
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2/Lt.
|
Payne
|
Humphrey Lancelot Hugo
|
n/a
|
|
Humphrey Lancelot Hugo Payne, possibly known as Lancelot, was born on 6 April 1895 in Bangalore, India, the son of Edward Henry Payne and Harriet Mary Payne. He was a University candidate who was appointed a 2/Lt on 16 September 1914, having been posted to join 58 Bde at Leeds two days earlier on 14 September 1914. He must have left the brigade soon afterwards because he went overseas with the BEF later that year, probably with 15 Bde RFA, part of 5 Division. On 9 June 1915 he was promoted to Lt. He was appointed A/Capt on 1 October 1917 before being promoted to Capt on 8 February 1918. After the Armistice he was appointed an A/Maj while commanding a battery between 23 March and 17 August 1919. He married twice: to Anthea Penne Firth in 1921 from whom he separated on 27 July 1925, and then to Gwendolyn Marguerite Philpot the following year. He was appointed a Capt in the RFA Reserve on 4 April 1923, with seniority from 1 October 1917. He died in Shropshire on 16 January 1955, aged 59.
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Cpl.
|
Peach
|
Albert Reginald
|
11301
|
A/58
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Albert Reginald Peach, known as Reginald, was born on 3 April 1894 in Litton Cheney, near Dorchester, Dorset, the son of George and Emily Peach. He worked as a labourer before the war and enlisted into the RFA in Dorchester on 2 September 1914, aged 20. (He may have enlisted at the same time as his near neighbour Sidney Hounsell (11289) who also served in 58 Bde). He was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea and from there to 184 Battery, which became A/58. He went to Egypt with the brigade and after Gallipoli and going to France he was appointed A/Bdr on 25 October 1916 and was promoted to Bdr on 23 July 1917. He was appointed paid A/Cpl on 15 September 1917 and was promoted to Cpl on 5 October 1917. On New Year’s Eve 1917 he was part of a carrying party returning through the snow and the ice to the wagon lines when one of the party, Bdr Downall (12686) slipped and dislocated his elbow, so Reginald provided a short witness statement to help show it was an accident. He was then also involved in an accident on 23 April 1918 which resulted in him getting a severe wound to his scalp so was admitted to St John’s Ambulance Brigade Hospital, Etaples. It is not clear if he returned to the brigade after this. On 17 December 1918 he was posted to 24th (Reserve) Battery, 4B Reserve Bde, Boyton, Wilts and in February 1919 went to the Dispersal Centre Fovant for demobilisation. In March 1919, he returned to live in Litton Cheney and was granted a small weekly pension of 6s for 9 months due to 20% disability caused by a back contusion. After the war he moved to Lower Edmonton, London, and on 8 April 1920 he married Annie Nettleship in Market Rasen, Lincs. In 1939 he and Annie and their two sons were living in Morden, Surrey and he was working as a commercial heavy driver. He died on 21 January 1977 in Nailsea, near Bristol, aged 82.
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Dvr.
|
Pearce
|
Alfred George
|
10968
|
B/58
|
Alfred George Pearce (known as George) was born on 31 December 1897 in East Coker, Somerset, the son of Alfred Joseph Chaffey Pearce (known as Joseph) and Annie Matilda Pearce. By 1911, the family had moved to Ryme Intrinseca, Dorset. George enlisted underage on 31 August 1914 in Yeovil claiming to be a 19 year old butcher, when he was in fact only 16 years old. He was posted to No.3 Depot at Hilsea the next day and from there to 185 Battery on 10 September 1914, which subsequently became B/58. After service in Egypt and in all probability Gallipoli, he was serving with B/58 in France when he was appointed A/Bdr on 23 July 1916 and promoted to Bdr on 7 August 1917. He was awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the field which was gazetted on 25 January 1918. He was injured with gas poisoning on 12 October 1917 and was evacuated back to the UK and spent time in both the Netley Victoria Military Hospital and in Shorne Hill Hospital, Totton. He was discharged from the latter on 12 January 1918 and given ten days’ leave. He reported to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick on 21 January 1918. His chest was normal but he was suffering from tachycardia with irregularity but no impurity of sound. He was classed as III until 6 February 1918 when he was reclassed as IIB and a month later as IIA. When he left Catterick on 26 June 1918 he was classed as BII for the next six months which is probably when he was posted to 5B Reserve Bde. On 23 January 1919 he was sent to the Dispersal Centre in Ripon for demobilisation. In 1920 he became a dairy farmer, taking over Wilderwick Dairy Farm, Dormansland, Surrey, and on 15 December 1920 he married Winifred Frances Potter in Dormansland parish church. He and Winifred and their family, including George’s mother Annie, were still living at Wilderwick Farm. He may have died in 1991, aged 93.
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Bdr.
|
Pearce
|
William
|
67937
|
B/58
|
William Pearce was born in 1894, the son of Thomas Richard and (probably) Jessie Pearce. He worked as a carman in Clapham, London, and enlisted into the RFA on 5 January 1915 in Lambeth. He was posted to No.4 Depot at Woolwich on 8 January 1915 and then to No.2 Depot at Preston on 27 January 1915. From there he was posted to 69 Bde Ammunition Column, 13th Division, on 3 May 1915. He embarked at Avonmouth on 20 June 1915 and went to Egypt. He was admitted to hospital in Alexandria with venereal sores on 26 September 1915, and after being released was posted to the 13th Base Depot, Mustapha, Alexandria on 28 October 1915. He sailed from Egypt to go to Gallipoli on 15 November 1915. A fortnight later, on 30 November 1915, the War Office issued a note about the separation allowance which had been granted for his mother since she was dependent on him. However, that allowance was being stopped since his mother had “left her husband and gone away with another man”. William’s father could be considered for the allowance if William submitted the necessary application. He was admitted to hospital in Alexandria again with venereal disease on 30 December 1915. He was struck off the strength of 69 Bde and posted to Base Depot, Sidi Bishr on 10 March 1916, then to B/58 at El Ferdan on 16 March 1916. He sailed with 58 Bde from Alexandria on 25 June 1916, disembarking in Marseilles on 3 July 1916. He was awarded 7 days’ Field Punishment No.2 by Lt Col Winter on 1 August 1916 for damaging private property and indecent language to an NCO. He was admitted to 11 Division Rest Station with impetigo on 17 December 1916, rejoining his battery on 30 December 1916. He was granted Class I Proficiency Pay on 5 January 1917. On 24 February 1917, he was admitted to 2/3 West Riding Field Ambulance with suspected phthisis – a progressive wasting disease – on 24 February 1917 but was discharged to duty the following day. He was granted 10 days’ leave to the UK between 16 and 26 June 1917, though the leave was extended to 1 July 1917. He was appointed paid L/Bdr on 9 March 1918, replacing Bdr Weldon (20344) who had been sent to hospital. He decided though to revert to gunner at his own request on 24 May 1918, the request being approved by Lt Col Wray as CO 58 Bde. He was awarded 3 days’ Field Punishment No.2 on 12 July 1918 by Maj Cameron for being absent from roll call at parade on 10 July and was awarded a further 7 days’ Field Punishment No.2 on 6 August 1918 by Maj Cameron for fighting on parade. He was granted leave to the UK via Calais between 19 March and 2 April 1919 and was then sent back to the UK for demobilisation via Boulogne on 18 June 1919.
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2/Lt.
|
Pearson
|
Hughes Henry
|
n/a
|
B/58
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Hughes Henry Pearson was born in London on 22 July 1881, the son of John Henry Pearson and Ada Pearson (née Lester). In 1891, when he was 9 years old he was lodging with the Dobson family in Chelsea along with his younger brother John. He was working as a printer’s apprentice and serving in a militia infantry regiment, the 3rd Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment when he enlisted into the RFA at Dover on 24 August 1901 and was assigned service number 18627. He signed on for 7 years with the Colours and then 5 years in the Reserve and was posted to the depot at Woolwich on 27 May 1901. He was promoted to Bdr on 12 January 1907 and to Corporal later that same year on 7 October 1907. On 5 August 1909 he chose to extend his service with the Colours to 12 years. On 6 December 1909 he married Lily Collins in St Mary’s church, Sheffield and before the war they had two children: Edna Beatrice May Pearson who was born on 6 July 1911 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne while he was stationed at the Military Barracks on Barrack Road, and John Worthington Pearson who was born in Aldershot on 9 December 1912. He was promoted to Sergeant on 3 February 1912 and although he signed on to complete 21 years on 28 December 1912, he decided to leave the Army and did so on 11 March 1914 in Gosport. He had been serving with 91 Battery RFA in India before this and the previous year had contracted malaria. When he left the Army his character was described as “exemplary” at that time. He got a job as a postman and was living at 72 Tillotson Road, Heeley, Sheffield when he enlisted for 4 years into Section D of the Army Reserve at Sheffield on 7 April 1914. He was appointed a Sergeant in the Reserve and shortly after war was declared he was mobilised at Hilsea on 6 August 1914. Two days later he was posted to 140 Battery RFA though a few days later he was posted to 33 Bde RFA on 14 August 1914. On 5 November 1914 he was posted to 3B Reserve Bde before being posted to 100 Battery, 31 Bde RFA on Christmas Day 1914. He may have been serving in that battery when he went to France on 16 January 1915 and took part in the Second Battle of Ypres in which he may have been injured because part way through the month-long battle he arrived back in the UK and was posted to 13 May 1915 to 5C Reserve Bde. He remained in the UK for a year and was described as a “good physical drill and gymnastic instructor and pay clerk”. On 23 August 1916, Sgt Pearson was serving in 315 Bde RFA when he was approved for a permanent commission in the RFA. He was posted to 11 Divisional Artillery and so left the UK to return to France and joined 11 Division on 31 August 1916 at which point his commission as a 2/Lt took effect. He joined B/58 but was posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column on 10 October 1916. Probably about a year later he was serving in C/165 Bde RFA when he reported sick. His debility was ascribed to him having had “22 months of continuous front line duty”. He had a series of medical boards at Lezarde Valley Camp, Le Havre, including on 19 October 1917 and 16 November 1917. He complained of attacks of giddiness, headaches and occasional feelings of sickness and the latter board found that he was improved but still very anaemic, debilitated and “war-worn”. Another medical board held at Lezarde Valley Camp on 4 April 1918 found that he was still debilitated and needed a further month at a Base after which the board expected him to be ready for general service. This diagnosis was confirmed by a medical board held at Harfleur, Le Havre on 6 May 1918 which declared him fit for general service. He was promoted to Lieutenant during 1918, with different sources stating this occurred either on 1 March 1918 or on 27 August 1918. After the Armistice he was appointed a Quay Officer (Class HH) on 1 April 1920, a post he relinquished on 17 October 1920 and so went onto half pay. He retired on retirement pay on 27 November 1920 and joined the Regular Army Reserve of Officers. He was living at 28 Dagnall Park, South Norwood, London when he reported for duty at No.4 RFA Depot at Woolwich on 10 April 1921 but was informed that his services were not required two weeks later. In 1939 he and Lily were living in Croydon, Surrey, and he worked as a Night Telephonist with the GPO. Lily died on 11 December 1944 and since Hughes was suffering from angina, his daughter gave up her full-time employment to look after him, so she and her son moved in with Hughes at 41 Adastra Avenue, Hassocks, Sussex. Hughes’s son-in-law was serving in the RAF in India at the time. Hughes Pearson died on 16 January 1948 in Cuckfield, Sussex, aged 67.
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Lt.
|
Peel
|
Robert Lloyd
|
n/a
|
A/58
|
Robert Lloyd Peel was the third son of Herbert and Mary Susannah Ainsworth Peel (née Lee) of Taliaris Park, Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire. He was born in Llandeilo on 11 June 1889 and was educated at Malvern College. Before the war he worked as a tea planter in India and served as a Trooper in the Southern Provinces Mounted Rifles in India. After war had been declared he resigned from that unit in order to see active service, so sailed from Colombo, arriving in the UK on 12 December 1914. On 22 December 1914, he applied for a regular commission, requesting to join the RFA and was commissioned as a temporary 2/Lt the following day. He was assigned to A/58 and, being 25, he was older than most subalterns so was nicknamed “old John Peel”. He sailed from Liverpool on 1 July 1915 on the “Empress Britain” with seven other 58 Bde officers and their soldier servants, arriving in Alexandria on 14 July 1915. He re-embarked at Alexandria on 28 July 1915, landing on Gallipoli on 9 August 1915. He was promoted to Lt on 1 January 1916 and was still serving in A/58 when he sailed with the brigade on the “Kingstonian” from Alexandria on 25 June 1916, arriving in Marseilles on 2 July 1916. When Capt Hutton joined A/58 as the new battery commander in late July 1916, he praised Lt Peel as an “excellent fellow”. The following month, Lt Peel acted as the town commandant of Magnicourt, and then on 3 September 1916 he acted as the Forwarding Observing Officer (FOO) with a battalion of the Black Watch (probably the 4th/5th Black Watch) during an attack astride the River Ancre. He also acted as a FOO on 27 September 1916 when he and the other FOOs “had a very bad time” but did “very good work”. A month later, on 24 October 1916 an enemy shell hit No.4 gun emplacement. Lt Peel and Sgt Robert Cameron (93125) took swift action, the brigade War Diary recording “Battery was being shelled and a 5.9″ hit a gun emplacement, wounding some of the detachment and burying the rest. Lt Peel and Sgt Cameron immediately rushed out and dug the buried men out, thereby saving their lives”. They saved eight men, though they had all been badly burned, but a ninth had been killed instantly. Robert Peel was awarded the Military Cross for this action on 20 November 1916, the official citation reading “For conspicuous gallantry in action. He and a serjeant rescued several wounded men from a burning gun-pit, and thereby saved many lives. Later, he continued to extinguish the fire, and prevented an explosion of ammunition.” He went on 10 days’ leave on 9 December 1916, returning on 23 December 1916. On 17 March 1917 he was wounded, rejoining his battery on 24 March 1917. He acted as a FOO again in a big attack on 7 June 1917. He then had a few days’ leave, returning on 4 July 1917. Then on 3 September 1917, he was in the battery position when he was hit by a shell fragment in the abdomen, and according to his commanding officer “though everything possible was done, he knew from the first that he could not live. It was characteristic of him that he told the doctors not to waste time with him but to get on with the others. His loss cast a gloom over us all.” He died of his wounds the same day in 18th Corps Medical Dressing Station, aged 28. His CO added that Peel was “universally loved for his unfailing courage and disregard of his own comfort. His unselfishness was of a very rare degree and I don’t think there was ever an opportunity of showing it neglected. His sense of duty led him almost into absurdities and no doubt his example did much to make the other subalterns the good fellows they were.” He added that “to the end he kept up his reputation as the most unselfish fellow in the world” … “often we had laughed at his habit of selecting the wettest and most uncomfortable place to sleep in and many a time we had told him to look after himself, I don’t think however we quite realized till the end how much his unselfishness was part of his nature. Few officers can have been regretted more by all.” Robert Lloyd Peel is buried in Bard Cottage Cemetery, Belgium. His elder brother Capt Alan Ralph Peel had been killed in 1914 in Nigeria. Their father, Herbert, died 4 months after Robert on 12 January 1918.
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2/Lt.
|
Pember
|
Edward Horace
|
|
n/a
|
Edward Horace Pember was born on 18 October 1897 at 6 Sussex Gardens, Paddington, London, the son of barrister Francis William Pember and Margaret Bowen Pember, née Davey. Edward attended Harrow School where he served in their Officers Training Corps as a Lance Sergeant. He had been admitted to Balliol College, Oxford for 1915, when he applied for a commission in the RFA Special Reserve on 2 May 1915, a few months short of his 18th birthday. His father was Warden of All Soul’s College, Oxford, so Edward was living in the Warden’s Lodgings at this time. Edward was commissioned on probation on 1 July 1915 and was posted to Egypt, arriving on about 9 December 1915, on which date he was posted to 58 Bde from 4 Reserve Bde. The Brigade was in the middle of evacuating from Gallipoli and going into camp on the nearby Greek islands of Lemnos and Imbros. Along with 9 other officers from 58 Bde and 45 Other Ranks, Edward embarked onto the SS “Tunisian” at Lemnos on 29 December 1915, sailing the next day. They arrived in Alexandria on 2 January 1916 and disembarked the following day. He will have spent the next six months in Egypt and at the Suez Canal, but when 58 Bde left the canal region to head back to Alexandria en route for Marseilles and the Western Front, Edward did not join them – the day after their ship left Alexandria, Edward was posted to the General Base Depot at Sidi Bishr on 26 June 1916. He left that depot on 11 October 1916, embarking at Alexandria to return to the UK for attachment to the Royal Flying Corps (RFC). He was serving in 5 Squadron, RFC when he was killed in action on 30 September 1917. Edward Pember is buried in Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extension.
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S/S.
|
Pemberton
|
John
|
37288
|
D/58
|
John Pemberton went to France as a Driver in 24 Bde RFA, arriving on 11 September 1914. He was serving as a Shoeing Smith in D/58 when he was discharged to Details Camp, class “A” (i.e. fully fit) from No.6 Convalescent Depot, Etaples on 15 January 1917.
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Dvr.
|
Pender
|
Robert
|
84134
|
|
Robert Pender was serving as a Driver in the RFA when he went to France on 13 July 1915. Two years later he was serving in 58 Bde when he was found guilty by Court Martial on 24 April 1917 of sleeping on duty, so was sentenced to be imprisoned with hard labour for 1 year, though this was commuted to 90 days.
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Gnr.
|
Pendle
|
Frank
|
86853
|
D/58
|
Frank Pendle was born on 7 June 1895 in Little Coxwell, near Faringdon, Berks. He was one of the eight children of Henry and Jane Pendle and in 1911 Frank was working as a domestic gardener. Three years later he was working as an ostler when he enlisted in Kingston-on-Thames on 23 August 1914, aged 19. He reported to No.4 Depot at Woolwich the same day and was posted as a Gunner to 4A Reserve Bde on 26 August 1914. On 7 May 1915 he was posted to the Base Depot in France and from there was posted to 458 Battery RFA on 16 May 1915. This battery was renamed as A/118 Bde RFA and it became the new D/58 on 15 July 1916. He was serving in D/58 when he was taken prisoner of war near Beaumont-Hamel. While his service record says that this happened on 25 March 1917, the International Committee of the Red Cross records show that this happened on 25 February 1917 which accords with 58 Bde’s records showing that two signallers from D/58 were captured that day. These two men and a third signaller were with the Forward Observation Officer, 2/Lt H L Hope, when it appears that all four may have been wounded. Hope and one of the signallers returned and it appears that Frank Pendle was one of the two who were captured. In June 1917 he was being held in Limburg POW Camp. While he was listed as missing, his mother Jane was awarded a weekly pension of 3s 6d from 28 January 1918 but only 4 weeks later died of stomach cancer on 20 February 1918. After the Armistice Frank was released and repatriated to the UK, arriving at Dover on 28 November 1918 and so was posted to the Clearing Office on 1 December 1918 before being posted to 882 Battery, 326 Bde on 16 April 1919. He attended No.1 Dispersal Unit at Fovant on 27 May 1919 and was demobbed on 24 June 1919 as no longer physically fit for military service due to a gun-shot wound to his leg and deafness. Either, or even both, of these might have been caused just prior to his capture. As a result of his injuries he was granted a weekly pension of 8s 6d from 24 June 1919 which was to be reviewed after a year and a Silver War Badge. His home address on demobilisation was given as 14 Exeter St, Swindon, Wilts. In 1920, Frank married Rhoda Kent (née Gribble). Rhoda was a widow, her first husband having worked for the railways in Swindon, but he had died the previous year leaving her with a 12-year-old daughter, Lena. Frank and Rhoda had at least 3 children before Rhoda died in 1939 with Frank surviving her for over 20 years before passing away on 30 August 1962, aged 66.
|
Gnr.
|
Penney
|
James
|
11268
|
C/58
|
James Penney was born on 22 October 1887 in Exhall, Warks, the son of Robert G and Mary Ann Penney. In 1901, aged 13, he worked as a doorboy in a coal mine. He became a coal miner and on 28 December 1907 he married Sarah Alice Freeman (known at the time as Alice) in Exhall Parish Church. They had at least three children: Horace, Minnie and Laura. He enlisted into the RFA at Budbrooke Barracks, Warwick on 2 September 1914, aged 26, where he gave and signed his name as James Penny – the spelling that was used throughout his military service. He was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea, and from there on 10 September 1914 to 186 Battery, which became C/58. He sailed to Egypt with his battery on 1 July 1915, arriving in Alexandria on 14 July 1915 and then sailed from Alexandria on 28 July 1915, landing at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli on 9 August 1915. He was taken ill with dysentery and was admitted to 35 Field Ambulance on 23 September 1915 before being transferred to No.26 Casualty Clearing Station the following day. He was evacuated back to Egypt and was admitted to No.21 General Hospital in Alexandria on 29 September 1915 and then sent to a convalescent camp the following day. He rejoined C/58 on 22 January 1916 but fell ill again with a fever so was admitted to No.17 General Hospital in Alexandria on 29 February 1916, rejoining his unit on 18 March 1916. On 10 May 1916 he was going to be posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column at el Ferdan but that was cancelled and instead he was posted to C/133 Bde RFA on 22 June 1916 arriving just in time to sail with them from Alexandria six days later, arriving in Marseilles on 7 July 1916. When 133 Bde was broken up in November 1916, he was posted back to C/58 on 29 November 1916. He was granted leave to the UK between 12 and 22 May 1917 and was wounded on 1 October 1917, though was well enough to return to his unit the following day. On 30 January 1918 he was granted 14 days’ leave to the UK. On 9 April 1918 he was wounded by gas and admitted to 2/1 Wessex Field Ambulance the next day before being transferred to No.56 General Hospital in Etaples. After recovering he was posted to the Base Depot on 4 May 1918 and from there to C/122 Bde RFA on 20 May 1918. He was wounded a second time – this time receiving a gunshot wound to his left hand so was admitted to 130 Field Ambulance on 29 September 1918 before being transferred to No.2 Canadian General Hospital in Le Tréport on 1 October 1918. He was posted back to the Base Depot on 9 October 1918 and then to C/84 Army Artillery Bde on 20 October 1918. After the Armistice he was offered the chance to complete his Army service back in the coal mines. He therefore returned to the UK on 14 December 1918 via Boulogne and Folkestone and attended the Southern Command Discharge Centre at Airlie Hutments, Winchester. He was to return to his old colliery, Exhall and was transferred to the Army Reserve on 11 January 1919. He received a small pension after the war due to his woundings and a medical board was held on 22 April 1920 at which he said he was suffering from headaches due to having been gassed and had chest pains and vomiting each morning after breakfast. In 1939 he and his wife were living in Coventry, where he worked as a grinder in an engineering works. James Penney probably died in 1966, aged 78.
|
Dvr.
|
Pepper
|
Samuel John Wood
|
141038
|
C/58
|
Samuel John Wood Pepper was born in Hoyland, near Barnsley, Yorks, in 1889, the son of William Wordsworth and Harriett Elizabeth Pepper (née Robinson). Harriett died and William re-married. In 1911 Samuel was still living in Hoyland but was now living with his grandmother, Ann Robinson, and 6 of his siblings, and he was working as a hay and chop merchant. In 1915 he married Elizabeth Wildsmith in Barnsley. He enlisted into the RFA and was serving in C/58 when he died of wounds on 9 or 10 October 1917, aged 28. He is buried in Poelcapelle British Cemetery, Belgium.
|
Dvr.
|
Percy
|
Aubrey
|
10614
|
D/58
|
Aubrey Percy was born on 3 July 1896 in Marsh Baldon, near Oxford, the son of Francis (known as Frank) and Elizabeth Percy. He was baptised on 13 September 1896 in Marsh Baldon where the family were still living in 1901. In 1911 the family was living in Balsall Heath, Birmingham and Aubrey was working as a butcher’s boy, aged 14. He was working as a shop assistant when he enlisted into the RFA in Birmingham on 1 September 1914, claiming to be 20 years old when he was in fact 18. He was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea and from there to 58 Bde Ammunition Column on 13 September 1914. He developed tonsillitis so spent 8 days in the Military Hospital in Leeds between 17 and 24 December 1914. He was transferred into the newly-formed D/58 on 21 January 1915. He sailed from Devonport with his battery on 3 July 1915, disembarking in Alexandria on 17 July 1915 and then landed on Gallipoli on 9 August 1915. He was admitted to 35 Field Ambulance on Gallipoli with jaundice on 21 November 1915, returning to duty on 25 November 1915. Back in Egypt, he was posted to join the HQ of 58 Bde on 28 January 1916 and sailed from Alexandria with the brigade on 25 June 1916, landing in Marseilles on 3 July 1916. On 1 September 1916 he was awarded a Good Conduct Badge. He was granted 10 days’ leave to the UK between 10 and 20 August 1917. In January 1918 he was attached to 11 Division Royal Artillery HQ. On 30 October 1918 he was clipping a horse when it lashed out and kicked him on the nose and forehead. He was sent for demobilisation to No.1 Dispersal Centre Chiseldon which he attended on 8 February 1919. After the war he married Annie Godson in King’s Norton, Warks in 1920. In 1939 he and Annie were living in Birmingham where he was working as a butcher’s assistant. He died in Worcester in 1980 aged 84.
|
Gnr.
|
Perry
|
Thomas
|
76098
|
D/58
|
Thomas Perry was born in about 1895. He worked as a cotton spinner before enlisting into the RFA prior to the war on 21 February 1914. He first served overseas when he went to France on 7 May 1915. Two years later he was serving in D/58 in the Ypres salient when he was wounded on 2 August 1917, receiving multiple gunshot wounds to his left thigh and buttock. He was evacuated back to the UK and admitted to the Voluntary Aid Detachment Hospital, Sevenoaks, Kent. He then went to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick on 10 January 1918, but after a few weeks there needed to be admitted to the Catterick Military Hospital on 5 February 1918. While serving at 2a Reserve Bde RFA Thomas was discharged from the Army due to his wounds on 17 February 1919 and was awarded a Silver War Badge.
|
Dvr.
|
Pettis
|
Charles Frederick
|
10338
|
D/58
|
Charles Frederick Pettis was born in about 1895. He attended Cranborne Church of England School in Cranborne, Dorset. He enlisted into the RFA early in the war, and was posted to Egypt, arriving on about 1 September 1915. In the Absent Voter Lists for Dorset in the Spring and Autumn of 1919 it was stated that he was serving in D/58 and that his home address was Water Street, Cranborne. He stayed on in the Army after the war and was given the new service number 1037081. In 1921, the Absent Voters List for Dorset gave his unit as 120 Battery, 27 Bde RFA.
|
Dvr.
|
Petty
|
Joseph
|
152339
|
C/58
|
Joseph Petty, sometimes known as Joe, was born on 24 December 1885 in Knottingley, Yorks, the son of Joseph and Elizabeth Petty. Like his father, he worked as a butcher. He was killed in action on 20 June 1918 alongside two other members of C/58, Leslie Savage and John Caton. All three are buried alongside each other in Philosophe British Cemetery, Mazingarbe, France.
|
A/Capt.
|
Pharazyn
|
William Noel
|
n/a
|
B/58
|
William Noel Pharazyn was a New Zealander born on 10 April 1894 in Wellington, NZ. He attended Nelson College and then Dulwich College, before attending the Royal Military Academy Woolwich and was commissioned as a 2/Lt on 12 August 1914, the same day as another future 58 Bde officer, David Aikenhead. He served in France with 35 Bde in 1914 and so was awarded the 1914 Star. He was promoted to Lt on 9 June 1915. He was wounded on the Somme in 1916 and joined B/58 on 1 May 1917 as a temporary Capt, relinquishing the acting rank of Major on ceasing to command a battery. At the end of the same month, he was described as a Major when he went on 10 days’ leave on 30 May 1917 and had another period of leave from 6 October 1917. He was formally promoted to Capt on 3 November 1917 (although was an acting Major at the time). He was awarded the Military Cross while serving with 35 Bde again, gazetted on 1 January 1919. After the war he married Lydia Helen Hughes Field on 26 November 1919 in Wellington and stayed on in the Army before retiring in 1923. He subsequently became a Marxist and a supporter of trades unions though renounced his Marxism following the Stalinist purges in the Soviet Union. He was recalled for military service in 1940 and appointed Military Attaché for New Zealand in Washington with the rank of Lt Col in 1941, serving there for 4 years. He died on 11 June 1980 in Wellington, Lydia having died in 1971. They had no children. The Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, Ta Ara, has an article on him.
|
Dvr.
|
Phillips
|
Harold Sidney
|
65214
|
D/58
|
Harold Sidney Phillips was born on 23 March 1894 in Birmingham, the son of Frederick Charles Phillips, who had been born Leopold Frederick Kuhczinsky, a Polish Jew who escaped the pogroms by coming to England, and Frances Phillips, née Barratt. In 1911 he was living with his family in Birmingham and was working as a core maker in an aluminium works but enlisted into the RFA in Birmingham on 6 May that year, aged 18. He served in 125 Battery, 46 Battery and 103 Battery in Bordon, Hants, before being posted overseas in 1913 to serve in 83 Battery in Karachi, India [now Pakistan] and then 98 Battery in Nasirabad, India. During all this time he regularly ran into trouble for not obeying orders, absence and insolence. After war was declared many units were recalled from India to join the BEF in France, so on 12 October 1914 Harold was posted to 11 Bde RFA and arrived in France on about 7 November 1914. He was admitted to No.4 General Hospital, Versailles, on 6 February 1915 and had been discharged by 5 March 1915 when he wrote a postcard to his sister. In 1917, while serving in 7 Division Ammunition Column, he was in No.1 Stationary Hospital Rouen. But he broke out of the hospital at about 9 p.m. on 15 July 1917 and was absent for 4 days until he turned himself in back at the hospital on 19 July 1917. Probably shortly after being discharged from the hospital he was posted to D/58 and he was serving in that battery when he was killed in action on 15 August 1917, the day before the Battle of Langemarck. He may have been bringing up ammunition ready for the opening barrage when he was killed. He was 22 and is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.
|
Gnr.
|
Pierce
|
Frank
|
226671
|
C/58
|
Frank Pierce was born on 6 October 1892 in Westbury-on-Trym and baptised in Horfield, Bristol. He was the son of Edwin Thomas and Elizabeth Pierce (née Reakes). In 1911 he was working on his father’s farm in Horfield. He enlisted in Bristol and was serving in C/58 on 8 or 9 October 1918 when a bomb was dropped in front of a gun pit killing him and wounding two others. He died just after his 26th birthday and is buried in Sains-Les-Marquion British Cemetery, France.
|
Gnr.
|
Pilkington
|
Percy
|
117851
|
B/58
|
Percy Pilkington was born on 13 July 1888 in Elton, Bury, Lancs. He was the younger son of Hubert and Alice Pilkington. In 1901 the family were living in Wilmslow, and then in 1911 they were in nearby Alderley Edge and Percy was working as a salesman for a home trade warehouse. He enlisted into the RFA in Manchester and was serving in B/58 when he died of wounds on 1 October 1917, aged 29. He is buried in Dozinghem Military Cemetery, Belgium.
|
Gnr.
|
Plant
|
|
|
A/58?
|
Gnr Plant was at Zahrieh Camp on the outskirts of Alexandria in Egypt on 20 July 1915 when he witnessed Gnr George McGuire (93021) being drunk and his conduct deemed prejudicial of military discipline.
|
Dvr.
|
Plummer
|
John Henry
|
211177
|
D/58
|
John Henry Plummer (sometimes given as Henry John Plummer) was born in Holloway, Islington, London in about 1889. He worked as a cattle drover and was married to Kate Mirian Plummer. They had at least one son. He enlisted into the RFA in Islington and was serving in D/58 when died of wounds on 30 October 1918 at No.1 Casualty Clearing Station at Escaudouevres, France. He was originally buried in cemetery of the local convent but after the war was re-interred in Ramillies British Cemetery, France.
|
Gnr.
|
Podmore
|
George
|
66656
|
|
George Podmore enlisted into the RFA and was posted overseas, arriving probably at Gallipoli on about 17 November 1915. He was serving in 58 Bde in Egypt when he was discharged to Zahrieh Camp from the Reception Hospital Mustapha, Alexandria on 26 February 1916 after having had scabies.
|
Bdr.
|
Pooley
|
George William
|
81387
|
C/58
|
George William Pooley was born in Drypool, Hull on 26 May 1893, the son of Thomas Pooley and Alice Annie Pooley (née Cowling). In 1911, George was working as a coal porter in the docks. He married Daisy Rose in St Peter’s church, Drypool, Hull on 13 April 1914 and between 1915 and 1935 they had nine children. The family was living at 5 Model Terrace, Beaumont Street, Hull and George had been working as a rullyman when he enlisted into the RFA in the Central Hull Recruiting Office on 16 July 1915. He was posted initially to No.1 RFA Depot at Newcastle-upon-Tyne before being posted to 1A Reserve Bde RFA on 4 August 1915 and then to 4A Reserve Bde RFA on 9 November 1915. Four days later he was posted to France and went to the Base Depot there before being posted to B/62 RFA on 26 November 1915. On 8 July 1916 he was evacuated by ambulance train due to an accident which had caused inflammation of the connective tissue in his right knee and returned to the UK. He was posted to 5C Reserve Bde RFA at Hemel Hempstead where on 10 November 1916 he was confined to barracks for 3 days for having missed a parade two days earlier. He was posted back to France and was posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column on about 20 December 1916. He transferred to C/58 the following year where he was appointed an A/Bdr on 19 July 1917. While 58 Bde were at Poelcapelle, George suffered a severe gunshot wound to his right arm on 5 October 1917 so was evacuated and admitted to No.22 General Hospital at Dannes Camiers on 9 October 1917. He was evacuated back to the UK on 12 October 1917 and spent time recuperating in Woodchurch Voluntary Aid Detachment Hospital, Birkenhead before transferring to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick, arriving there on 20 March 1918. Having recovered, he was discharged to Draft on 12 June 1918 and was posted the following day to No.4 Reserve Bde TF RFA before being sent back to France on 14 August 1918 where he rejoined 58 Bde, initially joining D/58 before returning to C/58. After the Armistice, he was posted to the Dispersal Centre at Clipstone for demobilisation but was in fact at North Camp, Ripon, when he was demobilised on 18 July 1919 and returned to live at 5 Model Terrace. He was awarded a pension until at least December 1920 due to continued problems from the injury to his arm. On 3 July 1929, George was sentenced to 4 months’ imprisonment for assault. In September 1939, George and family were living at 8 Strawberry Street, Hull, and George was working as a pit-wood worker. In later life, he worked as a dock labourer. George Pooley died on 8 April 1958 in Hull from myocarditis and chronic bronchitis. He is buried in Hedon Road Cemetery, Hull.
|
Dvr.
|
Powell
|
Walter Herbert
|
19023
|
58 BAC
|
Walter Herbert Powell was born in Nottingham on 19 October 1889, the son of Walter and Harriet Powell. Walter Herbert worked together with his father as house painters and decorators prior to enlisting. He enlisted in Nottingham on 11 September 1914 and was initially assigned service number 19024 but this was changed at some point to 19023. He was posted to the RFA’s No.5 Depot at Athlone, Ireland on 14 September and joined 26 Reserve Battery on 24 November 1914. On 3 February 1915 he was posted to 58 Bde at Chapeltown Barracks in Leeds where he was assigned to the brigade’s newly re-formed ammunition column (58 BAC). He absented himself for two hours on the morning of 15 February 1915 so was admonished by Capt. Marsden. He was disciplined a second time, on this occasion by the brigade’s commanding officer, for refusing to obey an order given to him by a Cpl Skinner [possibly Dominic Logan Skinner of C/58] and so Walter was awarded seven days of Field Punishment No.2. After the brigade moved to Milford Camp, near Godalming in Surrey, Walter married Beatrice Brooks in St. Mary’s church, Nottingham on 10 June 1915. They would go on to have two sons and a daughter. He embarked at Devonport on 1 July 1915, most likely on the SS “Knight Templar”, disembarking in Alexandria on 14 July 1915. He then sailed with the brigade on 31 July 1915, disembarking at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli on 9 August 1915. Less than a fortnight later he was admitted to hospital on 21 August 1915. He was evacuated back to the UK and was admitted to the 2nd Southern General Hospital, Bristol on 2 October 1915 with rheumatism, suffering from pain in his left hip, feet and great toes. That same day he was posted to 5C Reserve Bde for administrative purposes. Two days later he was transferred to the Voluntary Aid Hospital, Almondsbury where he stayed until 30 December 1915 and where he was put on a chicken diet, prescribed rest and massages and given Faradic baths twice a day. He was posted to 4A Reserve Bde on 15 January 1916 before being posted to France on 23 January 1916. On 4 February 1916 he was posted to 48 Brigade Ammunition Column and then joined 14 Division Ammunition Column (14 DAC) on 21 May 1916. He was appointed a saddler in 14 DAC on 17 July 1916 and was granted Class I Proficiency Pay of an extra 6d per day on 11 September 1916. He was granted 10 days’ leave back to the UK between 13 and 22 August 1917, but was late returning to Victoria train station from that leave, not rejoining his unit until the 24th so forfeited 1 or 2 days’ pay and was given 3 days of Field Punishment No.2 by his commanding officer. On 25 May 1918 Walter was admitted to No.6 Casualty Clearing Station with tonsillitis but a few days later was fit to return to duty on 1 June 1918. On 27 September 1918 he was awarded 14 days leave to the UK. Walter was serving in No.2 Section of 14 DAC when he was sent back to the UK on 11 January 1919 as a pivotal worker, embarking at Boulogne on 18 January 1919. He attended Harrowby Dispersal Centre from where he was demobilised on 17 February 1919 and returned to his family at 42 Waterway Street, Nottingham. At some point, Walter was estranged from his wife and children due to mental health issues and apparently returned to live and work with his father. His father died in 1937, so in September 1939 Walter was living with his sister Mabel and her husband John Wright at 1 ‘Ash View’, Lowdham Road, Nottingham, Walter describing himself as a house painter and land worker. Walter Herbert Powell died on the 4 June 1948 of myocardial degeneration with a secondary cause of schizophrenia.
|
Lt.
|
Power
|
William Henry
|
n/a
|
D/58
|
Lt William Henry Power was commissioned as a 2/Lt into the infantry on 8 July 1915. He transferred as a 2/Lt from the Machine Gun Corps to the Royal Engineers on 22 November 1915. He went to France in May 1916. On 1 December 1918 he “rejoined” D/58 from hospital, so presumably had been serving in D/58 prior to that date. The following day though he returned to the UK and so was struck off the strength of 58 Bde. He was appointed an A/Capt on 2 February 1919 and relinquished his commission on 4 January 1920 and was granted the rank of Captain.
|
Sgt.
|
Pratley
|
John
|
2712
|
|
John Pratley enlisted on 1 September 1914. He had been promoted to Cpl when he first went to France on 22 August 1915. He was serving in 58 Bde when he was discharged from the Army on 10 January 1919 being unfit for military service due to wounds he had received.
|
Dvr.
|
Pratt
|
Frederick George
|
42724
|
C/58
|
Frederick George Pratt was born in about 1895. He was a farmer who enlisted into the RFA and was posted to France on 8 September 1915. Two years later, on 8 October 1917 while serving in C/58 in the Ypres salient, Frederick received gunshot wounds to both thighs and his right forearm. He was evacuated back to the UK and admitted to Epsom Hospital. After treatment there he went on 13 January 1918 to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick. While at Catterick he was admitted on 23 March 1918 to the Catterick Military Hospital with scabies. Frederick was discharged to draft on 17 April 1918.
|
Dvr.
|
Pratt
|
|
|
A/58
|
Driver Pratt left A/58 on 13 August 1918 when he was posted back to the UK for a 6 month tour at home.
|
BQMS
|
Prestidge
|
Herbert
|
10598
|
C/58
|
Herbert Prestidge was born in Newbold-on-Avon, near Rugby, Warks on 24 June 1894, the only child of Daniel and Emma Prestidge. He worked as an engineer, apprenticed to the company Williams and Robertson in Rugby for 5 years from 1911. But he cut short his apprenticeship to enlist into the RFA in Rugby on 5 September 1914, aged 20. He was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea and from there to C/58 on 10 September 1914. He was rapidly promoted through the ranks: he was appointed an unpaid A/Bdr on 28 November 1914 and promoted to a paid A/Bdr on 1 February 1915 and then to Bdr on 24 March 1915. He was promoted to Cpl on 27 April 1915 (though this was ante-dated to 20 April 1915) and was then promoted again, this time to Sgt on 11 May 1915. He sailed from Devonport with the brigade on 1 July 1915, disembarking in Alexandria on 14 July 1915. He then sailed from Alexandria on 28 July 1915, landing on Gallipoli on 9 August 1915. On 5 October 1915 he was wounded by a gunshot to his left hand and after visiting 26 Casualty Clearing Station was transferred on the Hospital Ship “Gloucester Castle” to Egypt where he was admitted to the “Citadel” on 10 October 1915. Three days later he was transferred to the Convalescent Depot at Abbassia. On 30 October 1915 he headed back to Mudros when he was posted to 11 (Northern) Division’s base. He rejoined C/58 back in Alexandria on 20 January 1916 and was appointed A/Battery Quarter Master Sergeant on 9 February 1916, still only aged 21. He sailed from Alexandria with the brigade on 25 June 1916, landing in Marseilles on 3 July 1916. On 12 November 1916 he was granted 10 days’ leave to the UK and shortly after he returned, he reverted to Gnr from BQMS at his own request on 8 December 1916. He was transferred back to the UK on 2 March 1917 for munitions work and was sent back to work for his old employer, Williams and Robinson Ltd, Victoria Works, Rugby. He was discharged surplus to military requirements on 14 December 1918. He married Beatrice A Walker in 1925 in Nuneaton, Warks. In 1939 he and Beatrice were living in Nuneaton where Herbert worked as a fitter of gun turrets in aircraft. He died in 1968, aged 74.
|
Gnr.
|
Price
|
Henry
|
22323
|
|
Henry Price enlisted into the RFA on 3 September 1914. He was first posted overseas when he went to France on 10 September 1915. At some point he joined 58 Bde, since he was serving with the brigade when he was discharged from the Army on 17 May 1918 as being no longer fit for military service due to wounds he had received. He was therefore awarded the Silver War Badge.
|
Gnr.
|
Price
|
Isiah
|
100292
|
B/58
|
Isiah Price arrived at Gallipoli on about 7 October 1915. It is likely that he was then posted to B/58 since he was serving in that battery when he was admitted to a hospital on Malta from Hospital Ship “Nevasa” on 8 December 1915 with an injury to his back. Some time later, probably on 18 May 1917, he transferred to the Army Service Corps where he was initially given service number M/15170 and then M/39635. He appears to have joined the Army Section B Reserve on 11 April 1919, which would mean that he had completed the period of service he had enlisted for, and was now in the Reserve and liable to be recalled to the Army in the event of general mobilisation for the following few years.
|
Dvr.
|
Priddle
|
Henry George
|
10569
|
C/58
|
Henry George Priddle, often known as Harry, was born on 6 August 1893 in Hambridge, near Langport, Somerset, the son of Samuel and Catherine Pile Priddle (née Nation). In 1911 he was working as a farm labourer but when he enlisted into the RFA on 3 September 1914 he had been working as a brewer. He enlisted in Taunton, aged 21, alongside another Hambridge man, Wilfred Oatey (also of C/58 and with service number 10570) and was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea. From there he was posted to 186 Battery on 10 September 1914, which became C/58. He sailed to Egypt with 58 Bde on 1 July 1915 and served with his battery at Gallipoli. However, within a few days of landing on Gallipoli, he was evacuated with enteric fever and was admitted to 17 General Hospital in Alexandria on 19 September 1915 before being transferred to the Transit Convalescent Camp at Port Said on 31 October 1915. On 24 November 1915 he sailed from Alexandria on the Hospital Ship “Dover Castle” arriving back in the UK on 4 December 1915 and was admitted to the 2nd Western General Hospital in Manchester the following day and posted to 5C Reserve Bde that same day. The hospital declared him fit but only for light duties so granted him furlough between 4 April and 10 May 1916. He was then posted to the Royal Artillery Command Depot, Ripon, on 19 May 1916 and then to 4A Reserve Bde on 16 June 1916. Between his release from hospital and going abroad again, he overstayed leave twice and was absent from stables at least once. He then was posted overseas again on 11 November 1916 when he was sent to Salonika where he joined 84 Small Arms Ammunition Group (SAAG), 146 Bde on 19 December 1916. On 22 August 1917, 84 SAAG was transferred to 3 Bde RFA. After the Armistice he sailed on 13 March 1919 to return to the UK, arriving on 3 April 1919. He went for dispersal in Liverpool on 26 April 1919 at which point he was described as serving in 18 Battery, 3 Bde RFA, 28 Division. However, he was sick and was suffering from gastritis and malaria and it may have been at this time that he was admitted to the Lord Derby War Hospital in Warrington. He was demobilised on 4 May 19 and returned to live at The Abbotts, near Taunton. As a result of the malaria he was awarded a small weekly pension of 5s 6d, though between 26 May and 23 November 1920 he was paid 8s before the sum returned to 5s 6d. He married three times, to Mabel K Old in 1920, to Ellen Louisa West in 1929 (both of whom died young) and then to Violet Habberfield in 1938. In September 1939 he and Violet were living in Isle Abbotts, just a few miles from Hambridge, where Harry worked as a pig and poultry farmer. Harry Priddle died on 28 October 1977.
|
Gnr.
|
Prince
|
Walter Thomas
|
10685
|
C/58
|
Walter Thomas Prince was born on 26 October 1892 in Atherstone, Warks, the son of Joseph Henry and Maria Prince. After leaving school, he served briefly in the Army but was discharged. On 16 March 1913, he married Eliza Holland in St Mary’s church, Atherstone and they had at least two sons, Walter Thomas and Joseph Arthur Prince. He worked as a coal miner and after war was declared he enlisted into the RFA in Atherstone on 1 September 1914, aged 22. He was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea and from there to C/58 on 10 September 1914. He was confined to barracks for 10 days by Lt Col Kuper for being absent between 10 p.m. on 3 February 1915 until he was found in bed at 7.05 a.m. the next day, and for using insubordinate language to an NCO. Two weeks later he was absent from church parade on 21 February 1915, so was awarded a further 4 days’ confinement to barracks by Capt Angus. He sailed with 58 Bde from Devonport on 1 July 1915, disembarking in Alexandria on 14 July 1915. He re-embarked at Alexandria on 24 July 1915 before heading for Gallipoli. He was appointed A/Cpl on 6 November 1915 and after returning to Egypt he sailed with 58 Bde from Alexandria on 25 June 1916 to head for France and Flanders, landing in Marseilles on 3 July 1916. He was reprimanded for neglect of duty by 2/Lt French in August 1916 and the following month he sprained his ankle on 24 September 1916 at Bouzincourt while bringing ammunition from the wagon lines to the guns. As a result, he was admitted to 77 Field Ambulance and then 22 General Hospital before being evacuated to the UK on the Hospital Ship “Brighton” on 3 October 1916. On arrival back in the UK he was admitted to 2nd Birmingham War Hospital on 4 October 1916, staying there until 27 October 1916 at which point, he was transferred to the Convalescent Hospital, Eastbourne where he stayed until 21 December 1916. He was then posted to No.7 Depot RFA on 25 December 1916. He served in 51 (Reserve) Battery at Charlton Park and on 13 February 1917 he was admonished for “whilst being on active duty refusing to have a bath” and a few days later he was admonished again for neglect of duty. He was sent back overseas and was posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column on 10 June 1917, then back to C/58 on 17 June 1917. He was wounded in his right arm on 12 September 1917 by a shrapnel wound to his right forearm and was admitted to 1/2 Highland Field Ambulance the same day. Three days later after having stayed in No.20 General Hospital, he was evacuated back to the UK, again on Hospital Ship “Brighton”. He was admitted to the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading on 15 September 1917 and stayed there until he was discharged on 10 October 1917 and transferred to No.1 War Hospital in Reading on 21 December 1917. He was posted to the Clearing Office, 1 Collecting Station, Catterick on 2 January 1918. At that point the three scars on his arm had healed. He was classed as IIB until 23 January 1918 when he was reclassed as IIA. He was discharged to draft and returned to France on 2 April 1918, being posted to 311 Army Bde on 17 April 1918 and was promoted to Sgt on 9 June 1918. He served in B/311 and after the Armistice returned to the UK via Boulogne on the SS “Yale” on 18 December 1918, going to No.2 Dispersal Unit, Chiseldon on 19 December 1918. After the war he continued to suffer pains in his right elbow which were sometimes shooting. In 1939 he, Eliza and their son Joseph were living in Atherstone, where Walter worked as a roadman in a mine.
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Dvr.
|
Pringle
|
James
|
65898
|
D/58
|
James Pringle was born in about 1882. He worked as a miner before enlisting into the RFA and went to France with them on 30 August 1915. A little over two years later, James, now aged 35, suffered from trench fever while serving in D/58 near Liévin, Pas-de-Calais, France. He was evacuated back to the UK towards the end of 1917 and was admitted to the Military Hospital, Napsbury, Herts. On 20 March 1918 he reported to the Royal Artillery Collecting Station, Hipswell Camp, part of the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick. James was discharged to draft on 15 May 1918.
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Gnr.
|
Proude
|
George
|
2744
|
A/58
|
George Proude was born in Wolverhampton in about 1896, the son of Emma Maud Proude. By 1901 his mother had married a Henry James Bolt. In 1911, George was working as a filer in a lock works, aged 15. He enlisted into the RFA in Wolverhampton and was sent overseas arriving in the Mediterranean theatre of operations on about 7 August 1915. He was serving in 58 Bde when he was discharged to Zahrieh Camp from the Reception Hospital Mustapha, Alexandria on 26 February 1916 after having had scabies. The following year he was serving in A/58 when he died of wounds on 4 October 1917. He is buried in Dozinghem Military Cemetery.
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2/Lt.
|
Pyle
|
Henry Dixon
|
n/a
|
B/58
|
Henry Dixon Pyle was born on 1 January 1896 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, while his British-born parents, Henry Emerson Pyle and Hannah Pyle (née Grey), were temporarily living there. Henry Dixon Pyle was educated in the UK at Washington Station Board School and at the North Eastern County School (NECS) for Boys in Barnard Castle, County Durham. He served in the Officer Training Corps at NECS between November 1910 and July 1911 and then joined the Yeomanry regiment, the Scottish Horse on 6 December 1915 until 20 November 1916 where he was assigned service number 2030 and was appointed a paid A/Lce Cpl on 10 February 1916. He left that unit to transfer into the Machine Gun Corps (Cavalry) where he was assigned service number 47403. He was posted to France on 16 January 1917 and was assigned to No.12 Squadron of the MGC (Cav) on 20 January 1917. He was serving as a Lance Corporal when he applied for a commission into the RFA in April 1917, though was promoted to Corporal on 5 May 1917 before returning to the UK for a commission on 6 June 1917 at which point his character was described as “very good”. He attended No.1 RFA Officer Cadet School at St. Johns Wood from 3 September 1917 until he was commissioned as a 2/Lt in the RFA on 9 February 1918. He returned to France, arriving at Boulogne on 24 April 1918 and went to the 1st Army Artillery Reinforcements Camp from where he was posted on 27 April 1918 to 11 Division Ammunition Column and was then attached initially to B/58 the following day but three days later was transferred to C/58 on 1 May 1918. On 29 July 1918, he and two NCOs went on a gas course at 1 Corps school, returning to the brigade on 10 August 1918. Soon after he went on a 3 week long Forward Observation Officer and Signallers course at the 11 Division Artillery school on 20 August 1918, returning to his battery on 7 September 1918. His performance in the brigade though was clearly not felt to be satisfactory: his commanding officer, Lt Col Bedwell wrote a damning report on him on 19 October 1918, describing him as “slow, lacks initiative and push. Has little power of command and is unfit to command a section.” Bedwell recommended that Pyle not be retained as an officer and in a subsequent discussion with the commanding officer of 11th (Northern) Division he explained that Pyle had never been considered efficient but that during trench warfare his faults were not so easy to notice as they had been in the more open warfare that the brigade had been engaged in more recently. Bedwell believed that Pyle “has not brains enough to carry out the duties of an officer”. Pyle saw the 19 October report two days after it was written and he left 58 Bde on 3 November 1918 when he was posted to 49 Division Artillery where he joined C/246 Bde RFA. Shortly afterwards he was granted 14 days’ leave to the UK, so left his unit on 17 November 1918, travelling from Calais to Dover two days later, and returned to spend his leave on his father’s farm, Brockley Whins Farm, Boldon Colliery, County Durham. He left at 9.40 a.m. on 3 December 1918 to return to France, arriving back at his unit on 7 December 1918 only to discover that he had been ordered back to the UK and to report in writing to the War Office, so arrived back at his father’s farm on 15 December 1918. During the intervening period each level of the Army hierarchy had agreed with Bedwell’s recommendation to dispense with Pyle’s services so a letter was written to him on 6 January 1919 requesting that he resign his commission. Pyle responded a few days later: “I beg to state that although I do not agree in any way with the report sent in, I feel the futility of my contesting it” and so he agreed to submit to resign his commission, although he had previously stated that he did not know that he had not been doing well until he saw this report. His resignation was of course accepted and took effect on 2 February 1919. Pyle’s father, Henry Emerson Pyle, died later that year and so on 6 July 1922 Pyle sailed from London bound for Australia and was described as a farmer. He gave his address as Woollahra, Sydney New South Wales, Australia. A Henry Dixon Pyle died on 9 March 1929 in Sydney where he was described as a motor mechanic and is buried in Woronara Memorial Park, near Sydney, Australia. It is not clear if this is the same man.
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Dvr.
|
Rabone
|
Morris
|
11271
|
B/58
|
Morris Rawbone was born in Wellesbourne, Warks on 24 January 1895, the son of George and Anne Rawbone. In 1911 he was working as a labourer and in 1914 as a groom. When he enlisted into the RFA in Warwick on 2 September 1914, he was 19 years old and was known as Morris Rabone, later in life also re-spelling his first name so became Maurice Rabone. After enlisting he was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea and from there to 185 Battery on 10 September 1914, which became B/58. He was appointed as a driver and he sailed with the brigade to Alexandria on 1 July 1915. It is likely that he went to Gallipoli when his battery went there on 9 August 1915, but he fell sick and so was evacuated back to the UK, arriving on 9 September 1915 and was admitted to 2nd Southern General Hospital in Bristol on the same day, also being assigned to 5C Reserve Brigade at the same time. He was posted to 4A Reserve Brigade, Woolwich, on 15 October 1915 and then to 22 Reserve Battery, 4B Reserve Brigade at Boyton, near Warminster, on 5 November 1915. While at Boyton he was reported as having been absent in the nearby village of Codford at about 10.10 p.m. on 1 October 1916. He attended the Ordnance College and was assessed as being a skilled fitter on 17 April 1917 and so was appointed as a fitter that day. He returned overseas when he went to France on 25 October 1917 and served with the trench mortars of 38 Division in December 1917. He was then serving with 42 Division Ammunition Column when he was wounded on 30 June 1918 with gunshot wounds (probably caused by shrapnel) to his back, left thumb and right leg. He was admitted to 3 General Hospital in Le Tréport on 2 July 1918 and then evacuated to the UK on 17 July 1918 where he was admitted to Berrington War Hospital in Shrewsbury. He married Lilian Robinson on 9 November 1918 in Plumstead. He attended No.1 Dispersal Unit at Purfleet on 29 January 1919 for demobilisation and was demobilised on 26 February 1919 though his claim for a pension due to an inguinal hernia was rejected. After the war he lived in 1 Forders Villa, Wootton, near Bedford and he and Lilian had at least one son. Shortly after the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 they were living in Stewartby, near Bedford, and they appeared to have taken two evacuee children into their home. Maurice was working as a labourer in a brick works at the time as well as being an assistant ARP warden. He died in 1961, aged 66.
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Gnr.
|
Rafferty
|
Peter
|
92698
|
A/58
|
Peter Rafferty was born in Edinburgh in about 1885. He worked as a contractor’s carter and had served in the Edinburgh Royal Garrison Artillery Militia until the end of his period of service on 17 April 1912. After war was declared he enlisted into the RFA in Leith on 24 August 1914, at which time he was married to Honor Fraser Rafferty and they had two children, Ellen and Francis. He was posted to No.6 RFA Depot in Glasgow on 25 August 1914 and was posted from there as a Gunner to 184 Battery in Leeds. He went absent without leave from 26 November to 2 December 1914 and again from 30 December 1914 to 12 January 1915. Shortly after 184 Battery was renamed as A/58, Peter Rafferty was discharged from the Army due to misconduct on 29 January 1915.
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Dvr.
|
Rainey
|
William George
|
10566
|
D/58
|
William George Rainey was born in Weston Zoyland, near Bridgwater, Somerset, on 26 August 1893 the son of George Edmond Rainey and Charlotte Ann Rainey. In 1911 he was working as an agricultural labourer, aged 17. After war was declared he enlisted on 3 September 1914 in Taunton and was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea. From there he was posted 58 Bde Ammunition Column (BAC) as a driver on 13 September 1914. He transferred with the rest of the BAC into the new D/58 on 21 January 1915. He sailed from Devonport with his battery on 3 July 1915, arriving in Alexandria on 17 July 1915. After the brigade had been withdrawn from Gallipoli and was stationed by the Suez Canal at el Ferdan, he was posted to the Headquarters of 58 Bde on 18 March 1916. He sailed with the brigade to France and the following year was granted 10 days’ leave to the UK between 13 and 23 May 1917. He was wounded on 2 September 1917 and, while records do not say in what way, it was presumably slight because he remained at duty. He went on 14 days’ leave to the UK on 16 February 1918 and had been due to return to his unit by 3 March 1918 but had not done so by 12 March 1918 so the Acting Adjutant of 58 Bde, Capt G H Colson, set in motion an investigation as to his whereabouts. It transpired that William had been unwell and had been under treatment by a Dr Moorhead but on 11 March 1918 he was fit to begin the return journey to France and so rejoined 58 Bde on 14 March 1918. Soon after his return he was attached to the HQ 11 Div Royal Artillery. He had a small operation at No.1 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station for a deep abscess on his left buttock on 22 September 1918 and was admitted to 34 Field Ambulance the same day. He was transferred to 32 Stationary Hospital two days later and was evacuated back to the UK on the Hospital Ship “de Coninck” on 28 September 1918. Once back in the UK he was admitted to an unnamed hospital which he left on 15 October 1918 and was then posted to 59 Reserve Battery on 27 October 1918. A month later, he suffered an inflammation of connecting tissue in his left hand and was in hospital for 20 days between 27 November and 16 December 18. On 2 February 1919, he was ordered to go to No.2 Dispersal Centre Fovant ready for demobilisation, which he attended two days later. He returned to live at Andresea, Weston Zoyland and applied for a pension due to injury to his testicles, though this was not attributed to his war service so no pension was awarded. He married Clarissa D Sellick and they had at least 5 children. In 1939 he and Clarissa were still living in Weston Zoyland and William was working as a farm labourer. William Rainey died in 1965, aged 72.
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2/Lt.
|
Ramsey
|
|
n/a
|
B/58
|
On 24 February 1917, a 2/Lt Ramsey was posted from 11 Division Ammunition Column to join B/58.
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Capt.
|
Raper
|
Graeme Farren
|
n/a
|
B/58
|
Graeme Farren Raper was born on 24 February 1884 in Rajputana [Rajasthan], India. the son of Lt Col Allan Graeme Raper and Anne (known as Annie) Raper. In 1891 he was living with his parents and older sister in ‘St Mary’s’, Newport, Salop and in 1901 was studying at the Royal Military Academy in Woolwich from which he was commissioned as a 2/Lt in the Royal Regiment of Artillery on 24 December 1902. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 24 December 1905 and to Captain on 30 October 1914 “and to remain seconded”. He arrived in Egypt in August 1915 to join the Egyptian Expeditionary Force. On 30 January 1916 he was restored to the establishment, having been a supernumerary Captain. Later that year he was serving in B/58 when he sailed from Alexandria on the SS “Arcadian” on 26 June 1916 for Marseilles. After his arrival in France he issued march orders for 58 Bde on 27 August 1916. A few months later he was acting as a battery commander in the brigade so was A/Maj Raper when he had 48 hours’ leave to Paris on 24 November 1916. He was struck off the strength of the brigade on 6 February 1917 when he was transferred back to the UK. Later that year he married Meta Janette Steel Crawley (née Grant) in London on 20 December 1917. Meta was a widow, her first husband, Thomas Henry Ouseley Crawley, having been killed at Gallipoli in 1915 only a few weeks after their marriage. On 11 May 1918 Maj Raper was graded for pay as a Brigade Major while second in command of an Officer Cadet School. After the Armistice, he acted as a Major Instructor in Gunnery between 9 July and 19 August 1919 and was seconded for service with the Territorial Force from 10 March 1920. He held the post of adjutant in 67 (South Midland) Bde RFA in the Territorial Force until 11 March 1923 and was restored to the establishment on that date. He was promoted to Lt Col on 25 September 1931 and after four years as a regimental Lt Col he was placed on the half-pay list with effect from 25 September 1935. He retired from the Army on 25 March 1936 and on 24 February 1939 he reached the age of 50 so was no longer liable for recall from the Reserve of Officers. However, with the advent of WW2, he was serving as a Lt Col in 2nd Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery in September 1939 at which time he and Meta were living in Wintercombe, Upper Road, Eastnor, Ledbury, Herefordshire. Meta passed away in 1953. Graeme Raper had been living at The Old Rectory, Shrawley, Worcs when he died on 5 October 1975, aged 91.
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A/Cpl.
|
Rea
|
Dennis
|
41599
|
C/58?
|
Dennis Rea (occasionally mis-spelled as Dennis Rae) was born in Loughrea, Co. Galway in about 1880. He served in 110 Battery RFA at some point before the war and was working as a miner when he re-enlisted into the RFA in Preston on 2 September 1914, aged 34. He was posted initially to No.2 Depot at Preston. He sailed to Alexandria from the UK, arriving on 14 July 1915 so may have been serving in 58 Bde at this time. He was definitely serving in 58 Bde – probably in C/58 – as a Cpl on 6 November 1915 at Gallipoli when his place was taken by Walter Prince (10685). It is not clear if Dennis had been promoted or if he had been evacuated due to sickness or wounds. On 7 March 1916, Dennis was a Sgt still serving in 58 Bde when he was admitted to the Convalescent Camp Polymedia on Cyprus. He was probably struck off the strength of 58 Bde at about this time since after recovering, he was posted from the Mediterranean theatre to Salonika on 25 June 1916. He died in an accident in Salonika while serving as an A/Sgt with D/101 on 26 November 1916. He is buried in Karasouli Military Cemetery, Greece.
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Bdr.
|
Reachill
|
Wallace William
|
2766
|
D/58
|
Wallace William Reachill was born in Old Charlton, Kent in 1894, the son of Reuben Reachill and Ellen Reachill. In 1911, Wallace was 16 years old and working as a silk packer. He enlisted into the RFA and served as an A/Bdr going to Gallipoli on about 7 August where he served in D/58. He was promoted to Bdr on about 1 October 1915. It is likely that he transferred to A/133 in April 1916 in Egypt when D/58 was transferred to form the new A/133. He was serving in A/133 when he was killed in action on 19 September 1916, aged 22, probably during the Battle of Flers-Courcelette. Wallace Reachill is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, incorrectly listed as Wallace Walter Reachill. A pension of 5s a week was paid to his father with effect from 8 May 1917 until his father’s death.
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WO1
|
Read
|
Arthur William
|
51515
|
HQ
|
Arthur William Read was born in about 1864 in South Lopham, near Diss in Norfolk. He was working as a gardener when he joined the RFA in Rotherham on 28 May 1883, aged 19, and served in the South African Wars where he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal and Mentioned in Despatches in 1901 as well as being awarded the Queen’s South Africa Medal with 5 clasps and the King’s South Africa Medal with two clasps. He married Florence Mabel Bosley on 2 December 1891 in Wallingford, Oxon and they had eight children between 1894 and 1912. After 25 years, Arthur left the Army on 27 May 1908, having served the last 5 years as a Warrant Officer. He was working as a horse keeper and living at 76 Heeley Bank Road, Sheffield when he re-enlisted into the RFA as a Special Reservist in Sheffield on 11 September 1914 when he was 50 years old. He joined 58 Bde that day and was promoted to Acting Sergeant Major (Warrant Officer, Class 1) the following day. Arthur is very likely the ‘Sgt Read’ who found Dvr Neil McLean (93026) smoking in the canteen in Chapeltown Barracks, Leeds on 23 January 1915 when Dvr McLean should have been at roll call. On 1 July 1915, Arthur sailed with the brigade from Devonport on the SS “Knight Templar” to Alexandria, disembarking there on 15 July 1915. He served with the brigade at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli between August and December 1915, but then appears to have been taken sick because he was evacuated back to the UK and admitted to 3rd Southern General Hospital, Oxford on 1 February 1916 and was posted for administration purposes to 5C Reserve Bde the same day. He was then posted to 40 Reserve Battery, 2C Reserve Bde in Leeds on 11 March 1916. On 11 September 1916 he was compulsorily transferred from there to the RGA and assigned the new service number 285914 and posted to No.20 Company at the Forth Outer Defences on the island of Inchkeith, near Edinburgh. He returned to the RFA, on 18 October 1917 with his old RFA service number of 51515 and was posted from 53 Reserve Battery at Aldershot on 14 January 1918 to 354 Bde RFA, 73 Division at Brentwood though this brigade was broken up on 25 February 1918, so after some time in 2 Reserve Bde he was posted on 12 April 1918 to 320 Bde RFA, 64 Division at Aylsham. He was still serving in 320 Bde when, shortly after the Armistice, Arthur was discharged from the Army on 24 November 1918 as physically unfit due to having varicose veins in both legs. He returned to live at 10 Store Street, Heeley, Sheffield and was granted a pension of 5s 6d per week for a year and awarded a Silver War Badge.
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2/Lt.
|
Reade
|
John Bacon
|
n/a
|
A/58
|
John Bacon Reade first served in France as a dispenser in the British Red Cross Society hospital in Rouen, landing in France with the BEF on 23 September 1914. He subsequently sought a commission so attended an Officer Cadet Unit and was commissioned as 2/Lt in the RFA on 4 December 1916. He was posted to join 11 Division Ammunition Column from the Base on 10 March 1917 and 5 days later was attached to A/58. The following month he was at the C/58 battery position in Arras when he was wounded along with the OC of C/58, Maj E J Franklin, and 10 other soldiers on 9 April 1917. He may have left 58 Bde after this wounding, but his Army career came to an end the following year when he was cashiered for forgery which was reported in brief detail in the London Gazette: “2/LT J B Reade is removed from the Army, the King having no further occasion for his services as an officer, 8th January 1918.” As a result, he was not issued with the medals to which he would otherwise have been entitled.
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Bdr.
|
Reader
|
James Edward
|
93050
|
C/58
|
James Edward Reader was born in East Ham, London, the son of James E and Elizabeth Reader. He enlisted into the RFA in Mill Hill, NW London. He went overseas, arriving in Egypt on 17 July 1915. He was serving in C/58 when he was replaced as an Acting Bombardier by Percy Ellard (94116) on 4 June 1917. A few weeks later, James was killed in action on 25 August 1917. Killed alongside him were Gnr Joseph Bell (74801), Gnr George Gay (141494), Sgt Albert Lamb (75120), Gnr Edmund Saunders (92098) and Gnr Harold Saunders (43356). They are buried alongside each other in Bard Cottage Cemetery, Belgium.
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Saddler
|
Reaney
|
|
|
A/58
|
On 7 May 1918, Saddler Reaney left A/58 because he was surplus to the battery’s needs and so was transferred to 55 Division Ammunition Column.
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Sgt.
|
Redding
|
|
|
A/58
|
Sgt Redding served in A/58 and was cited as a witness to the offences of three men: Dvr William Birch (A/58, 11284) being absent from roll-call at Chapeltown Barracks, Leeds on 15 November 1914; Dvr Neil McLean (B/58, 93026) who missed roll-call on 28 January 1915 and was found smoking in the canteen; and Gnr George McGuire (A/58, 93021) who was drunk and whose conduct was deemed to be prejudicial of military discipline at Zahrieh Camp, Alexandria, on 20 July 1915.
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Gnr.
|
Redfern
|
Ernest James
|
11120
|
B/58
|
Ernest James Redfern was born in Coventry on 26 March 1897, the son of John and Hannah Redfern. In 1911 he was 14 years old and was working as a drilling machine operator making motor fittings. He enlisted into the RFA in Rugby on 4 September 1915 describing himself as 19 years old – when he was in fact only 17 – and a tool-maker. He was posted to No.3 Depot at Hilsea the following day and from there to 185 Battery on 10 September 1914, which later became B/58. For some reason he had to re-do his enlistment at Chapeltown Barracks, Leeds on 10 December 1914. Shortly before the brigade went overseas he was posted to the HQ staff of B/58 on 25 May 1915. He went overseas with his battery, sailing from the UK on 1 July 1915 but probably while at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli, fell sick. He was evacuated back to the UK and was admitted to the Lord Derby War Hospital in Warrington on 9 November 1915 and was posted to 5C Reserve Bde the same day. He remained in the UK until the following summer: on 17 April 1916 he was posted to 37 Reserve Battery, 1C Reserve Bde then to 4A Reserve Bde on 30 May 1916. He was posted to France, arriving there on 17 June 1916 and, after a few days in No.2 General Base Depot, he joined Y Battery RHA on 23 June 1916. On 1 December 1916, Y Battery RHA joined 7th RHA Brigade. He was awarded 3 days’ Field Punishment No.2 for not complying with an order. In June 1917 he was admitted to No.9 Cavalry Field Ambulance. On 9 October 1917 he was sick again, and was admitted to No.10 Stationary Hospital, St Omer with an as yet undiagnosed condition. Presumably after recovering, he was posted to the Base Depot at Le Havre on 25 October 1917. A few weeks later, he was posted to O Battery RHA on 16 November 1917 and soon after, on 8 December 1917 was appointed a paid A/Bdr on 8 December 1917. A month later he was promoted to Bdr on 8 January 1918 and was awarded the Military Medal on 29 April 1918. He was appointed an A/Cpl on 4 June 1918 and promoted to Cpl the same day. He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal on 22 June 1918, the citation stating: “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He advanced with Forward Observation Officer behind infantry and maintained visual communication all day under exceptionally heavy shell fire. Through his absolute disregard for danger much valuable information was passed back to brigade headquarters when all other channels of communication with the infantry had failed.” On 4 August 1918 he was admitted to a field ambulance with an as yet undiagnosed condition and transferred to hospital 5 days later. He was appointed a signaller on 22 October 1918 and after the Armistice, still serving in O Battery RHA, he was granted leave to the UK between 26 December 1918 and 9 January 1919. He attended No.2 Dispersal Centre at Chisledon for demobilisation on 26 January 1919 and then returned to his parents’ home in Coventry and opted to have his medals presented to him in a public ceremony. In 1939 he was still living in Coventry and was working as a commercial traveller selling flour and provender. He was also married, to Grace A Redfern. He died in Coventry in 1989, aged 92.
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Maj.
|
Reeves
|
Robert Clanmalier
|
n/a
|
|
Robert Clanmalier Reeves was born on 13 March 1878 in Glandore, Co. Cork, the son of Isaac Morgan Reeves and Adelaide Reeves (née Ussher). He was commissioned into the RFA in about 1900 and was promoted to Lt in about 1902. On 5 January 1905, he married Margaret Mackay in St James’s Church, Trowbridge and they had at least a son and a daughter. When the war broke out he was a Captain, but was promoted to Major on 30 October 1914 and joined the BEF, landing in France on 2 November 1914. It is not clear when he joined 58 Bde – he did not sail with the brigade from the UK in early July 1915 – but he was serving with them as a battery commander at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli in late September 1915 and on the 24th he was selected to superintend the building of emplacements for new batteries of guns due to arrive in the Suvla Bay area. On 6 October 1915 he was ordered to proceed two days later to Mudros from Suvla Bay, along with Capt Heywood and 2/Lt Edney-Hayter and to report to the Base Commandant on Mudros when he got there, so presumably left 58 Bde at that point. Later in the war he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order in the 1918 New Year’s Honours. While stationed in Swanage, Dorset, along with several of his brother officers, he joined the Freemasons and was initiated on 18 February 1918. He was appointed brigade commander of 186 Bde RFA in 39 Division on 1 September 1918 and was appointed an acting Lt Col on 11 September 1918, relinquishing that acting rank on 12 June 1919. He stayed on in the Army until 18 November 1930 when, after four years serving as a Regimental Lt. Col. he went onto the half-pay list. In 1939 he and Margaret were living in Liss Forest, Hants. He died in Hampshire on 18 November 1957, aged 79.
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Gnr.
|
Reid
|
James
|
93479
|
B/58
|
James Reid was born in Dundee, the son of William Reid. He worked as a confectioner and served in the Territorial Force with the City of Dundee Battery, RFA. On 26 August 1914 he enlisted into the regular Army, aged 24, and was posted the same day to No.6 Depot at Glasgow. From there he was posted to 185 Battery on 14 September 1914, which subsequently became B/58. On 11 December 1914, due to what appears to have been a clerical error, he had to re-enlist while at Leeds. He was appointed an unpaid A/Bdr on 19 April 1915 and was promoted to Bdr a few weeks later on 16 May 1915. He sailed with 58 Bde from Devonport on 1 July 1915, arriving in Alexandria on 14 July 1915. He then sailed from Alexandria on 28 September 1915 and disembarked at Gallipoli on 9 August 1915. On 2 September 1915 he was appointed A/Cpl. After arriving back in Egypt from Gallipoli, he was admitted to hospital at Ward-el-Din, Alexandria with a dislocated shoulder and so reverted to his substantive rank of Bdr. From hospital he went first to Nasrieh Schools Military Hospital in Cairo and then to the Base Depot at Sidi Bishr. In about July 1916 he was posted to the Ammunition Column (AC) of 146 Bde RFA at Salonika. This unit was renumbered as 3 Bde AC RFA on 22 August 1917. On 24 December 1918 he was appointed A/Sgt and was sent for demobilisation on 8 April 1919 to the Dispersal Unit at Kinross. In 1921 he appears to have been working in the sanitary depot, Eastern District Office in Hong Kong.
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Gnr.
|
Reid
|
|
|
A/58?
|
Gunner Reid probably served in A/58. On 11 October 1914 he was cited as one of the witnesses who verified that Gnr George McGuire (93021) had gone absent without leave while they were training at Chapeltown Barracks in Leeds. Probably the same man had been promoted to Sgt by the end of January 1915 because a Sgt Reid witnessed the absence from roll-call of Dvr William Birch (11284) at Chapeltown Barracks on 31 January 1915, and he also witnessed McGuire being drunk and behaving in a way that was deemed prejudicial to military discipline at Zahrieh Camp, Alexandria, on 20 July 1915.
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Dvr.
|
Reynolds
|
Henry Daniel
|
62481
|
A/58
|
Henry Daniel Reynolds was born in early 1889 in Notting Hill, Middx, the youngest of at least seven children of Edward Reynolds and Susan Reynolds (née Morris). By 1891, Henry’s father, Edward, had apparently died so his mother was working at a laundry to care for her family. Henry was living at 64 Stanley Road, London and working as a labourer when he married Elizabeth Green on 16 April 1911 at All Saints Church, South Acton, Middx. and they had a daughter, Florence E Reynolds on 29 July 1915. He was working as an engineer when he enlisted into the RFA at Shepherd’s Bush Exhibition in London on 11 January 1915 and was posted to the RFA’s No.3 Depot at Hilsea, Hants and was then posted to 13 Reserve Battery. He embarked at Southampton on 6 September 1915 as a member of 22 Division Ammunition Column, landed at Le Havre on 7 September 1915. He then embarked at Marseilles on 19 November 1915, when his division was sent to Salonica, disembarking at Salonica on 29 November 1915. He was admitted to No.40 Casualty Clearing Station with a right inguinal hernia on 8 December 1915 and was evacuated to Malta where he was admitted to St. Patrick’s Hospital on 10 January 1916. On 23 February 1916 he was discharged from hospital and sent to Ghain Tuffieha Convalescent Camp. He joined the General Base Depot at Alexandria on 15 May 1916 and was posted on 30 May 1916 to join 58 Bde who were at el Ferdan on the Suez Canal at the time. He sailed with the brigade from Alexandria on 25 June 1916, disembarking at Marseilles on 3 July 1916. On 21 September 1916 was admitted to hospital with another hernia after being thrown from a horse and, after a period in No.7 Canadian Stationary Hospital he was evacuated to the UK on the Hospital Ship, “Carisbrooke Castle” on 5 October 1916. On 11 October 1916 he was admitted to Tooting Military Hospital, London where he had a double hernia operation on 18 October 1916. After the operation, a large haematoma formed in the wound on his right side, so it was not until 10 January 1917 that Henry was discharged from that hospital for 10 days’ furlough before reporting for duty. Henry was posted to 5C Reserve Bde RFA on 18 March 1917 and then sent to France on 29 March 1917 where he was posted to the Base. From there, he was posted to 155 Army Field Artillery Bde on 5 April 1917. He suffered another inguinal hernia, this time on his left side so was admitted to No.64 Casualty Clearing Station on 28 October 1917. He was recuperating in No.6 Convalescent Depot when he was discharged to the Royal Horse and Royal Field Artillery Base on 3 November 1917 from where he was posted to A/165 Bde RFA. He was granted leave to the UK between 28 February and 14 March 1918, but was again admitted to hospital with a hernia, this time to No.48 Field Ambulance on 10 April 1918. He was discharged to the Medical Base Depot on 14 April 1918 who sent him two days later to join No.1 Infantry Base Depot and he was transferred as a Private to the Labour Corps on 19 April 1918, joining 56 Labour Company three days later, and was issued the new service number 516932. On New Year’s Eve 1918 he was posted to 358 Prisoner of War Company, and he was granted leave to the UK between 16 and 30 January 1919, although he did not return from his leave until 8 February 1919. He was posted back to the UK for demobilisation at Shorncliffe and was demobilised on 29 April 1919, giving his home address as 31 Petersfield Road, Acton, London. He and Elizabeth were still living there the following year. He was awarded a £35 gratuity in lieu of a pension for his injuries which were believed to have been caused by “constantly horse-riding” during his service. A son, Stanley Henry William Reynolds, was born on 21 January 1921. Between at least 1921 and 1933, he and Elizabeth were living at 44 Testerdon Street, London and in 1921, he was working as a foreman engineer at DNWS, Enfield Road, Acton. By 1936 they were living at 17 Warley Avenue, Hayes, Middx. and they were still there when Henry Reynolds died on 10 August 1940.
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Bdr.
|
Rice
|
Sidney George
|
880190
|
D/58
|
Sidney George Rice was born on 3 November 1894 in Aldgate, London, the younger of two sons of Charles Henry and Jane Rice (née Collett). The family were living in Royal Mint Street in the City of London at the time. In 1911, they were living in West Ham in the East End of London and Sidney was working as an assistant in a draper’s, aged 16. He enlisted into the Territorial Force in Romford, Essex, and served initially in the 2nd East Anglian Bde RFA. On 23 August 1918 he was serving in D/58 and was one of several men helping get a wagon out of a ditch when an enemy aeroplane swooped down and dropped 5 bombs on the party. Nine of the men were killed with another man later dying of wounds. He is buried in Pernes British Cemetery, France.
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Gnr.
|
Rich
|
George Sanderson
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20842
|
|
George Sanderson Rich was born in Ecclesfield, Yorks on 16 August 1886, the son of William and Agnes Rich. In 1901 he was working as a stable boy, aged 14. In about 1910 he married Ellen Keyworth and the following year he was working in an iron works and they were living in Sheffield. He enlisted into the RFA on 5 September 1914. He went overseas arriving in the Balkans or Mediterranean theatre of war on 28 July 1918. He had been serving in 58 Bde when he was discharged from the Army on 7 August 1918 due to wounds he had received. In 1939 he, his wife Ellen and their daughter also called Ellen were living in Sheffield, and George was working as a gateman.
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Gnr.
|
Richards
|
Harold
|
166432
|
A/58
|
Harold Richards was serving in A/58 when he was admitted to No.7 Convalescent Depot, Boulogne from No.3 Canadian General Hospital with tonsillitis on 8 March 1918.
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L/Bdr.
|
Richardson
|
Arthur Ernest
|
940166
|
D/58
|
Arthur Ernest Richardson was born on 20 June 1896, the son of Henry Thomas Richardson and probably Fanny Richardson. Like his father, Arthur became a carpenter and he worked for the Lift and Hoist Company, Deptford, SE London. He enlisted into the Territorial Force on 18 December 1913 in Lewisham and so after war was declared he was embodied on 5 August 1914 and served initially in 1/4th London Bde RFA, later renamed 283 Bde RFA. He served in France between 4 October 1915 and 4 April 1917 during which he was appointed an acting Bombardier on 3 February 1916 and promoted to Bombardier on 29 April 1916. He returned to the UK, potentially for medical treatment but was posted back to France on 25 October 1917, arriving there two days later. On 7 November 1917 he was posted to D/330 RFA though was posted back to the Base Depot on 26 March 1918. From there he was posted to D/58 on 17 April 1918 but returned to hospital on about 30 June 1918 so was replaced as a Bombardier in his battery by Charles Dixson (118672). On 30 August 1918 he was posted to D/38 RFA but went back to the Base Depot a few weeks later on 21 September 1918. On 1 November 1918 he was transferred to the Labour Corps and was assigned the new service number 655084 and was posted to 356 Prisoner of War company. He returned to the UK for demobilisation and was demobilised on 21 February 1919, giving his home address as 54 Braidwood Road, Catford, SE London. He applied for a pension due to disordered activity of the heart and neurasthenia which he attributed to shellfire, and said that he had been treated at different times at No.26 General Hospital, Etaples and No.72 General Hospital in Trouville. However, a medical examination held at Le Havre on 20 January 1919 found no evidence at the time of any heart problems or physical symptoms of neurasthenia so his claim was rejected. On 4 September 1920, Arthur married Edith Maud Burns in St. Mark’s, Plumstead, London and they had at least two children, one of whom was Donald R Richardson, born on 10 August 1923. In September 1939 Arthur and his family were living at 97 Brightside Road, Lewisham and Arthur was working as a carpenter’s foreman. It is likely that Arthur Richardson died in October 1964 in Lewisham.
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Dvr.
|
Ridgway
|
George
|
86604
|
58 BAC
|
George Ridgway was born in 1895 in Wybunbury, Cheshire, the son of George Ridgway and Agnes Ridgway (née Walker). Agnes died in 1897, so in 1901, the family were living in Moss Lane, Wybunbury and his father had remarried. He had been working as a farm labourer when he enlisted in Crewe on 24 August 1914 and was posted to the RFA’s No.2 Depot at Preston the following day. On 15 September 1914 he was posted to 218 (Howitzer) Battery which was renamed B/69 (Howitzer) Bde RFA a few weeks later. He was posted overseas to Egypt with his battery, sailing from Avonmouth on 20 June 1915 and arriving there on 6 July 1915. On 6 December 1915 he was admitted to hospital and then transferred to No.17 General Hospital, Alexandria on 10 January 1916 from where he was discharged on 19 March 1916. He was struck off the strength of 69 (Howitzer) Bde and was posted to 58 Bde Ammunition Column on 5 April 1916 which was at El Ferdan, Egypt at the time. He sailed with his new unit from Alexandria on 25 June 1916, arriving at Marseilles on 3 July 1916. Shortly after his new unit arrived in France, he joined the newly consituted 11 Division Ammunition Column when all of the division’s Brigade Ammunition Columns were combined. He was granted leave to the UK between 8 and 18 February 1917. The Crewe Absent Voter lists for October 1918, as well as Spring and Autumn 1919 gave his home address as Dig Lane, Shavington, Crewe. He was granted leave to the UK from 19 December 1918 to 2 January 1919, but did not return to his unit until over 2 months later, rejoining it on 13 March 1919. For this he was tried by Field General Court Martial and sentenced to 90 days of Field Punishment No.2. He returned to the UK on 7 July 1919 and attended No.1 Dispersal Unit at Prees Heath the same day, and was demobbed on 5 August 1919. He appears then to have lived at 24 Moorfields, Willaston, near Nantwich in Cheshire, although the following year he was living at Beauty Bank, Darnhall, Winsford, Cheshire when he married Elsie Batho on 20 November 1920 in the Primitive Methodist Chapel, Mill Street, Crewe. Sadly, Elsie appears to have died a year later in the Isolation Hospital, Crewe, and George probably died in 1962 in Crewe, aged 67.
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Gnr.
|
Riding
|
William
|
79459
|
D/58
|
Born in about 1881 in Chorley, Lancs, William Riding married Elizabeth Ellen Roughsedge in Sacred Heart’s Church, Chorley on 16 April 1904 and they had at least 3 sons. William was a builder’s labourer working for Brindle & Sons, Contractors, in Chorley from about 1906 and Elizabeth worked as a cotton weaver. William enlisted in Chorley on 25 January 1915, aged 34. He was posted initially to No.2 Depot in Preston the same day and then as a driver to 17 Division Artillery on 1 February 1915. On 15 April 1915 he was mustered as a gunner and two days later, on the 17th, he was posted to 81 Bde Ammunition Column and went to France with them on 13 July 1915. On 12 August 1915 he was posted to 118 Bde Ammunition Column and from there the following year to one of the batteries of that brigade, 458 (Howitzer) battery on 18 May 1916. Along with the rest of the battery, he was transferred to 58 Bde on 15 July 1916 to form the new D/58. While D/58 was serving in the Ypres salient, he was probably acting as the cook for the D/58 officers’ mess and was in the mess when a shell struck it, severely wounding him with shrapnel wounds to his thigh, chest and both arms on 6 August 1917. He was admitted to No.8 Stationary Hospital, Wimereux but was then evacuated to the UK on 8 September 1917 and was admitted to George East Ward (2), Edmonton Military Hospital after he arrived back in the UK. By February 1918 he was staying in the Military Hospital Fulwood, Preston and on 18 March 1918 he was sent home and discharged from the Army as being no longer fit for active service on 18 March 1918. He was awarded a Silver War Badge and returned to live at 7 Buckingham Street, Chorley and was paid a pension for a year given his injuries. The weekly pension started at 27s/6d in the first few weeks before decreasing over time to 19s/3d in the final 3 months. William died in Chorley on 26 March 1924 from basal meningitis, aged 44. In Richard Blaker’s semi-autobiographical novel, “Medal Without Bar”, the character “Riding” is very likely a portrayal of William Riding. If so, he was a hard worker, a man with no frills and very happy to help others by lancing boils “better, it was affirmed, than the Doctor”.
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Dvr.
|
Risley
|
John William
|
12368
|
B/58
|
John William Risley was born in about 1875. He worked as a machine hand before enlisting in the RFA. He was posted overseas to Egypt, arriving there on about 10 October 1915. He was serving in B/58 in December 1917, when he suffered from inflammation of the connective tissue in his left middle finger. He was evacuated back to the UK and was admitted to Chichester Military Hospital, Sussex. After treatment there he went to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick, arriving on 13 February 1918, and from which he was discharged to draft on 5 April 1918.
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2/Lt.
|
Rivers-Smith
|
Percy Eric
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n/a
|
58 Bde AC
|
Percy Eric Rivers-Smith was born on 27 August 1897 in Hampstead, London. He was the only child of Percy Rivers-Smith and Florence Collette Peteress Rivers-Smith (née D’Ardenne) and may have been known as Eric. He was educated at University College School, London and served in their Officers’ Training Corps for 2 years. He was living with his family at 101 Anson Road, Cricklewood, London when he applied for a commission on 17 September 1914, but since he was only just 17 years old at the time, he claimed to have been born on 27 August 1896 on his application so that he would appear to be 18. He had hoped to join the mechanical Transport Section of the Army Service Corps since he had a keen interest in engineering and rode a motorbike, but he was instead commissioned into the RFA as a 2/Lt on 10 October 1914. He served in the UK with 17 Divisional Artillery until May 1915 when he went to 5B Reserve Bde RFA until August 1915 and then, after a few weeks with 4A Reserve Bde RFA, was posted overseas, arriving in Egypt on about 25 September 1915. He was posted to join 57 Bde RFA at Suvla Bay, joining them as a reinforcement on 7 October 1915 and was posted to D/57 three days later. On 24 November 1915 he was transferred to 58 Bde. The following year he appeared to be serving in 58 Bde Ammunition Column in Egypt when he was transferred into the new 133 (Howitzer) Bde on 8 June 1916 but left again on 19 June 1916 to go to the General Base Depot and instead travelled to Bombay [Mumbai], India the following month. He was posted to the Indian Mountain Artillery and served in the North West Frontier Province from September 1916 until May 1918. During that period he was appointed an Acting Captain on 3 January 1918. He returned to Egypt in June 1918 and shortly after the Armistice he applied for a commission in the regular Army while serving in 29 Mountain Battery, Indian Mountain Artillery in Ramleh and relinquished the rank of A/Captain on 4 June 1919. Later that year he attended the Officers Dispersal Unit in London on 3 November 1919 and was discharged from the Army on 31 March 1920. After the war, he enlisted into the Territorial Force, joining the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) on 28 June 1920 with service number 1396084 and was posted as a Driver to A Battery. However, 6 months later on 14 December 1920 he left the HAC at his own request. He died in London in 1933, aged 35.
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Dvr.
|
Roan
|
John
|
711405
|
|
John Roan was born in about 1894. He was from Bury, Lancs and was working as a carrier when he enlisted into 3 East Lancashire Bde RFA TF and was assigned service number 711405. He was serving as a Driver in 58 Bde when he was gassed in France on 16 May 1918. After being evacuated back to the UK, he was treated at East Suffolk Hospital, Ipswich from where he was discharged on 17 June 1918 and transferred to the Convalescent Hospital, Eastbourne. He was granted 10 days’ leave on 13 September 1918 before reporting to No.4 Reserve Bde TF, High Wycombe on 23 September 1918. On 2 November 1918 he was then transferred to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot at Catterick. He still complained of coughing and pain in his side and his breath was described as sounding “harsh” while his heart sounded extremely weak. He was classed as B2 on 14 November 1918 and as A2 on 12 December 1918.
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Capt.
|
Roberts
|
Carlton Francis
|
n/a
|
D/58
|
Carlton Francis Roberts was born on 25 February 1890 in Wanstead, Essex, the son of Carlton and Georgina Mary Roberts (née Francis). He attended Glengorse School in Eastbourne and then Berkhampsted School before taking up a career as an engineer, starting as a Thorneycroft apprentice. He joined the Territorial Force in 1911 becoming a soldier in the Hampshire Carabiniers Yeomanry until 17 October 1914 on which date he was appointed a 2/Lt in 81 Bde RFA. He served in A/81 and was transferred to 118 Bde RFA when A/81 was re-assigned to that brigade on 12 August 1915 and renamed as 460 Battery. He was confirmed in the rank of 2/Lt on 28 October 1915. He was promoted to Lt on 9 June 1915 and went to France with his battery on 13 July 1915. When A/81 was transferred to 118 (Howitzer) Bde to become the new C/118, Roberts may have been one of those transferred. By June 1916 he was commanding 458 Battery in 118 Bde and was appointed a temporary Capt on 23 June 1916. On 16 July 1916, he was posted from 118 (Howitzer) Bde into 58 Bde when A/118 was transferred to become the new D/58 and Roberts was appointed the battery commander of D/58. He was sent on a gunnery course at the Overseas Artillery School in England on 9 February 1917 and was appointed to take charge of the brigade’s baggage wagons on 13 April 1917 ahead of a 3-day march. He was awarded the Military Cross on 18 April 1917, the citation saying that it was awarded “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He carried out a daring reconnaissance under very heavy fire and brought back most valuable information. He has on many previous occasions done fine work.” However, he was not with the battery when the award was made: he had been severely wounded two days earlier. He had been trying to get a gun out of a shell hole on 16 April 1917 when an enemy shell exploded nearby, and the shrapnel caused a compound fracture of the bones in his left leg and foot. He was admitted to 3 Australian Field Ambulance the same day where his left leg was immediately amputated below the knee. He was then transferred to No.8 General Hospital in Rouen and from there was evacuated back to the UK on Hospital Ship “Panama” which sailed from Le Havre on 13 May 1917, arriving in Southampton the following day. A Medical Board held at Caxton Hall on 31 May 1917 anticipated that he would be incapacitated for four and a half months from the time of his injury. He was fitted with an artificial limb and on 22 June 1917 was transferred to the Red Cross Hospital for Officers in Brighton. His sick leave, which had started on 13 May 1917, was extended for a further 2 months on 2 August 1918 in the hope that he might then be fit for clerical work. While on leave, the Ministry of Labour was keen to employ him in the Officers’ University and Technical Classes, though it is not clear if he ever took up such a position. A Medical Board was held on 16 October 1918 which declared him fit (category Cii) so that he could take up clerical duties. While recuperating he kept in touch with many of the officers and men of the brigade, a practice that he clearly continued after the war, often for example, turning up to the divisional reunions. He retired from the Army on 3 January 1919 due to his wounds. After the war he worked for 22 years as the transport manager to Hovis Ltd, before moving to Transport Services Ltd as their chief engineer. He was appointed divisional stores officer for British Road Services in 1949, and on his retirement became associated with the Aero Motor Spirit Co. Ltd. He was a founder and council member of the Institute of Road Transport Engineers and a member of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers. Carlton Roberts died on 30 June 1958 in Worthing, Sussex, aged 68. He was clearly highly thought of, for example when Capt Hutton joined A/58 as the new battery commander in late July 1916, he praised Roberts as a “good fellow” and Roberts is warmly portrayed by Richard Blaker as Capt ‘Dicky’ Richards – “a fine officer” – in his semi-autobiographical novel “Medal Without Bar”.
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Gnr.
|
Robertson
|
John
|
193146
|
C/58
|
John Robertson was born in Ardrossan, Ayrshire in about 1888. He married Christina on 10 July 1912 and they had a daughter, Grace, born on 27 October 1914. John’s employment before the war was variously given as a stonecutter, a furnaceman and a self-employed stationer and tobacconist. He enlistied into the RFA on 21 January 1917 in Ayr and was sent initially to No.6 RFA Depot in Glasgow before going on 26 January 1917 to 35 Reserve Battery in Edinburgh. He was posted to France in October 1917 and was admitted to No.39 General Hospital in Le Havre very soon after arriving with a skin rash. On 19 October 1917 he was posted to C/58. On 23 January 1918 he was playing football near Béthune when he was kicked just above the ankle on his left leg and went to 1 Casualty Clearing Station with a contused and lacerated wound. From there he went to No.2 Canadian Stationary Hospital, Boulogne before being evacuated back to the UK on 18 February 1918 on the Auxiliary Transport “St.David”. On arriving in the UK he was admitted to Woodlands Hospital (also known as St John’s Voluntary Aid Detachment Hospital) in Southport the next day where his wound was initially thought to have been caused by a gun shot. He stayed at Woodlands until 19 April 1918 when he transferred to Meols Hall Auxiliary Hospital, Southport. He was discharged from hospital on 10 May 1918 and granted 10 days’ leave, so reported to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick on 20 August 1918. He stayed there until 22 October 1918 but was still not fully fit and appears not to have gone overseas again. On 24 January 1919 he was examined at Boyton Camp, Wilts since he still had a slight limp and said that walking was painful. He was serving in 22 Reserve Battery when he was demobilised on 24 February 1919. John returned to live at 44 Parkend Road, Saltcoats, Ayrshire and he was awarded a small weekly pension of 5s 6d for six months due to the ulceration on his wounded left leg.
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Gnr.
|
Robinson
|
James
|
L/8056
|
A/58
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James Robinson was born in about 1878 and worked as a miner. He enlisted into the RFA on 1 March 1915. He appears to have deserted in the autumn of 1916 since his records show that he forfeited all service prior to 4 October 1916 due to desertion. On 8 April 1918 he was serving in A/58 at Philosophe, near Béthune when he, along with many others in the brigade, suffered from mustard gas poisoning during a heavy barrage on the unit of high explosive and gas shells. He said that about two hours after the shelling began his eyes began to smart, he was coughing, sneezing and vomiting, he had a sore throat, was feeling weak and about three hours later had a husky voice and felt smarting on his body and legs. He was evacuated to No.35 Field Ambulance and from there to No.1 Casualty Clearing Station the same day before being admitted to No.2 Australian General Hospital the following day. He was transferred back on the Hospital Ship “Cambria” to the UK for treatment and was admitted to the 16th Canadian General Hospital (Ontario), Orpington, Kent on 12 April 1918. He was suffering from smarting of the eyes, sore throat, tightness across the chest, superficial burns on his body and legs, a cough, photophobia and was coughing up a lot of mucus. On 10 May 1918, James was discharged from hospital and granted 10 days furlough and after that reported to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick on 24 May 1918 from where he was discharged to draft on 29 August 1918. James was serving in 2c Reserve Bde RFA when he was discharged from the Army on 14 February 1919 due to sickness and was awarded a Silver War Badge.
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Sgt.
|
Robinson
|
Reginald Harry
|
1281
|
B/58
|
Reginald Harry Robinson was the son of Harry and Emily Robinson and was born in about 1891. They lived in Rothersthorpe, near Wootton, Northants. In 1911 he was living in Earls Barton, near Northampton and was working as a manager of a coal merchant’s. In 1914 he was working as an armature winder for The British Thomson-Houston Co in Rugby. He enlisted into the RFA in Rugby on 2 September 1914, aged 24, and was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea. From there he was posted to 189 Battery on 11 September 1914, which became C/59. He was appointed a paid A/Bdr on 14 September 1914, promoted to Bdr on 17 October 1914 and on 27 February 1915 he was posted to 59 Bde Ammunition Column (BAC) as an A/Cpl. He sailed from Devonport on 2 July 1915, arriving in Alexandria on 15 July 1915. He was appointed A/Sgt on 1 January 1916, was posted to A/59 on 9 May 1916 at Ballah and from there back to 59 BAC on 3 June 1916. He sailed with the BAC from Alexandria on 27 June 1916, landing in Marseilles on 4 July 1916. He was confirmed as a Sgt on 27 June 1916 and was posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column on 20 July 16. Then on 24 April 1917 he was posted to B/58. He was granted 14 days’ leave to the UK on 7 November 1917. On 9 April 1918 he was one of several men in the brigade who were wounded in a gas attack. He was admitted to 35 Field Ambulance the same day and transferred to No.3 General Hospital at Le Tréport before being evacuated back to the UK on the Hospital Ship “Western Australia” on 10 May 1918. He was admitted to the Lord Derby War Hospital in Warrington on 12 May 1918. He would stay there for over 7 months, before being released on 31 January 1919. He appeared to make a full recovery, though suffered from chest problems in later life.
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Gnr.
|
Robinson
|
William
|
10712
|
D/58
|
William Robinson was born in about 1895 in Burbage parish, Leics, one of ten children of George Daniel and Mary Eliza Robinson. In 1911 the family were living in Hinckley, Leics and William was working as a shoe hand, riveting shoes. On 3 September 1914 he enlisted into the RFA in Nuneaton, aged 19. He was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea and from there to 58 Bde Ammunition Column (58 BAC) on 13 September 1914. Along with the rest of 58 BAC he transferred into the new D/58 on 20 January 1915. He got into trouble twice in January 1915 while training at Leeds: on the 13th he missed the 10 p.m. tattoo roll call and on the 30th he was late for the 11.30 a.m. parade. For the first offence he was confined to barracks for 2 days, for the latter he had all passes stopped for a fortnight. He sailed with his battery from Devonport on 3 July 1915, disembarking at Alexandria on 17 July 1915. He then sailed from Alexandria on 1 August 1915, disembarking at Gallipoli on 12 August 1915. He left 58 Bde soon after, possibly due to getting sick because he left Gallipoli in September 1915, arriving back in Alexandria on 23 September 1915 and two months later was attached to 1/1st Notts RHA and proceeded to help guard the Western Frontier of Egypt on 26 November 1915. At Matruh he was awarded 21 days’ Field Punishment No.2 for “using threatening language to a NCO” on 30 March 1916. The following month he was posted to the Base Depot at Sidi Bishr on 15 April 1916 and from there to join 68 Bde RFA, part of 10th (Irish) Division at this time, at Salonika, so sailed from Alexandria for Salonika on 2 May 1916. When the division was ordered from Salonika to join the Egypt Expeditionary Force in the autumn of 1917, William sailed from Salonika on 29 August 1917, disembarking at Alexandria on 5 September 1917 and was posted to No.2 Section, 10 Division Ammunition Column (DAC) on 25 September 1917. He appears to have fallen sick because on 21 November 1917 he joined the Mustapha Base Depot from hospital. He was posted to B/68 on probably 17 February 1918. and will have taken part in the Palestinian campaign. He fell sick again, so was admitted to No.69 General Hospital, Alexandria on 30 October 1918 with an unknown fever (pyrexia of unknown origin). He left the hospital and was posted to the Garrison Base Depot on 3 January 1919 and on 22 January 1919 was posted back to 10 DAC. On 12 June 1919, he was posted back to the UK from Port Said for demobilisation and attended the Dispersal Centre in Ripon. During his service he contracted malaria at some point – it is not clear which of his periods sick was attributable to that. After the war he returned to live in Hinckley.
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Lt.
|
Robinson
|
William Kennedy
|
1341
|
B/58
|
William Kennedy Robinson was born in Bromyard, Herefordshire on 22 August 1892, the son of Wesleyan minister, William Ovington Robinson and Margaret H Robinson. He enlisted into the RFA and served as a gunner before being commissioned in November 1915 into the RFA Special Reserve. He served with 17 Division’s artillery and was promoted to Lt on 1 July 1917 before being posted on 8 October 1917 to join 11 Division Ammunition Column (DAC), though the following day he was posted to 298 Bde RFA. Just 3 days later he returned to 11 DAC and then on 21 October 1917 he was posted to 58 Bde RFA. While serving in B/58, he went on leave on 16 December 1917 and was placed in command of 11 Division’s leave party for the journey back to the UK, returning from leave on 2 January 1918. He was appointed A/Capt for the period 13 – 29 April 1918 and went on 14 days’ leave to the UK on 5 September 1918, returning on 23 September 1918. Four days before the Armistice he was wounded on 7 November 1918 though was not evacuated and remained at duty. For his actions that day he was awarded the Military Cross on 23 December 1918, the citation reading: “For conspicuous gallantry and coolness under heavy shell fire on the 7th November, 1918, when his battery came into action within 700 yards of the enemy at Gussigny, and had to ford a wide river. Several teams were knocked out, and many casualties occurred. He displayed the greatest courage and skill in guiding teams on to the positions, and getting them away, and set a splendid example to all ranks until he was severely wounded.” William Robinson relinquished his commission on 1 April 1920 and after the war went to live in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he worked in commerce. He returned to the UK in 1936, having sailed from Rio, docking at London on 7 April 1936 and was planning to stay at the Grand Hotel in Harrogate. In the following years he lived in Halton, near Leeds, Yorks, with his widowed father and his younger sister, Evelyn Blanche Robinson. In 1939 he was working as a life insurance broker and was a member of the officers’ emergency reserve. The following year William Kennedy Robinson MC (136007) was promoted to Lt in the Royal Artillery on 6 May 1940 and he continued serving in the Forces until at least 1948, by when he would have been at least 55 years old. He died on 12 April 1967 at Castle Hill Hospital, Cottingham, Yorkshire.
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| |
Robinson
|
|
|
A/58
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A signaller called Robinson was serving in A/58 when he was wounded on about 26 September 1916 during the Battle of Thiepval.
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Gnr.
|
Robson
|
Thomas Crawford
|
84235
|
C/58
|
Thomas Crawford Robson was born in about 1893 in Selkirk, the son of John Crawford Robson and Janet Reid Moffat Robson. In 1901 the family were living at 7 Milton Street, Edinburgh and at some point Thomas had lived at Bristo United Free Church in Edinburgh with his father who was the caretaker at the church. In 1911 he was aged 20 and was serving as a Private in the Royal Scots Greys at the Cavalry Barracks, Fulford Road, York with his older brother, Andrew. He transferred into the RFA and went overseas, arriving in the Gallipoli area on about 7 August 1915. He was posted to C/58 at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli and was serving as a field telephone operator and signaller in that battery when he was wounded in probably late August or early September 1915. In Cardiff in the Spring of 1916, he married Maude Winzer Gilbert of 74 Woodville Road, Cathays, Cardiff and that became his home address. They had a son, Phillip Crawford Robson the following year, but a week before the Armistice, Thomas Robson was serving with C/210 when he was killed in action. He is buried in Capelle-Beaudignies Road Cemetery, France.
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Gnr.
|
Rosier
|
George
|
10603
|
D/58
|
The son of Edwin and Louisa Rosier, George Rosier was born on 28 January 1883 in Bridgwater, Somerset. Like his father he worked as a labourer in a brickyard. He married Bessie Russell in Bridgwater on Christmas Day, 1912 and they had at least three sons, William, Edwin and Bertie, born in 1913, 1915 and 1917 respectively and a daughter, Lorna, born in 1929. He enlisted in Taunton on 30 August 1914, aged 28. He was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea and from there to 58 Bde Ammunition Column (BAC) on 13 September 1914. He transferred into D/58 when the BAC was converted into the new D/58 on 21 September 1915. On 22 June 1915 he was posted back into the new 58 BAC. He sailed from Devonport with the BAC on 1 July 1915, disembarking at Alexandria on 14 July 1915. He then sailed from Alexandria on 10 August 1915, disembarking at Mudros on 25 August 1915. While at Mudros, he was admitted to hospital with dysentery on 22 October 1915, and was discharged to duty by 2 Australian Stationary Hospital on 16 November 1915. He rejoined 58 Bde back in Egypt on 18 January 1916 but a few days later was found drunk in town on 29 January 1916 so was awarded 10 days’ Field Punishment No.2. He was posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column on 20 July 1916 and was granted leave to the UK between 12 and 27 December 1916. He was admitted to 34 Field Ambulance with diarrhoea on 6 March 1917, but was discharged to duty again on 16 March 1917. He was granted leave on 5 November 1917. He fell sick and spent the night of 3-4 February 1918 in hospital. He was back in the UK when the Armistice was declared, having been granted leave between 2 and 17 November 1918, though he did not rejoin his unit until the 21st. He sailed from Dieppe back to the UK for demobilisation and went to the Dispersal Centre at Fovant on 3 February 1919; he was demobbed on 3 March 1919. In 1939 he, Bessie and three of their children were living in Bridgwater where George was working as a tile maker in a brickyard. He died in Bridgwater in 1958, aged 75.
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Gnr.
|
Rosling
|
Thomas
|
201135
|
|
Thomas Rosling was born in London on 28 April 1891, the son of John Heffield Rosling and Harriet Rosling. On 7 May 1894 he started school at Vauxhall Street School, Lambeth. After leaving school he worked as a general labourer and on 8 September 1912 he married Matilda Ellen Thompson in St John’s Church, Newington. He joined the Territorial Force with service number 3206. He transferred to the regular Army under the new service number 201135 and was serving with 58 Bde RFA in the Ypres salient when he was wounded. He was taken to No.4 Casualty Clearing Station at “Dozinghem” where he died of his wounds on 1 October 1917, aged 26. He is buried in Dozinghem Military Cemetery, Belgium.
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Dvr.
|
Rout
|
Albert
|
76766
|
C/58
|
Albert Rout (occasionally seen as Albert E Rout) was serving as a Driver in 36 Bde RFA in 2nd Division, when he went to France as part of the British Expeditionary Force on 16 August 1914. In 1917 and 1918 he was serving in C/58 when he needed two periods of hospitalisation, the first for Inflammation of Connective Tissue (ICT) of his foot, and the second for ICT of his hand. Between these two periods of treatment he was admitted to No.48 Field Ambulance, No.35 Field Ambulance, No.63 Casualty Clearing Station, No.6 General Hospital in Rouen, No.2 Convalescent Depot and No.11 Convalescent Depot. After the second period of treatment he was discharged back to duty on 23 April 1918.
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2/Lt.
|
Rowbotham
|
Robert Neville
|
n/a
|
D/58
|
Robert Neville Rowbotham was born on 17 January 1889 in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. He went to Mill Hill School, playing cricket for the school in 1906-07, and then studied at Jesus College Oxford where he was a member of the Officers’ Training Corps between 1908 and 1910. He moved to Ceylon [Sri Lanka] to work as a planter and joined the Ceylon Planters Rifle Corps in 1914. In December 1914, Neville, as he was known, applied for a commission and had his medical examination in Columbo. He then sailed for the UK and went to Grantham, home of the newly established 11th (Northern) Division because he appears to have known some of the senior officers in the division, including Brigadier General R D Gubbins, who was the Commander Royal Artillery for the division. Brigadier Gubbins instructed Neville to join 58 Bde on 16 February 1915 pending his being gazetted as an officer in the RFA which took place a week later on the 23rd. On 5 July 1915 he embarked on SS “Karroo” in Devonport with his battery, D/58, arriving in Alexandria on 17 July 1917. He sailed from Alexandria on 1 August 1915, landing on Gallipoli on 12 August 1915. On 17 January 1916, he arrived back in Alexandria after the brigade was evacuated from Gallipoli. Along with the rest of D/58 he was posted on 26 April 1916 to form the new A Battery of the 11th Division Howitzer Bde (later restyled as A/133). He sailed with his new brigade from Alexandria on 26 June 1916 on the HMT “Minnewaska”, arriving in Marseilles on 7 July 1916. On 20 July 1916 he was left in command of a guard for all of 133 Bde’s guns as the brigade was about to hand them over to units it was relieving in the line. He sat for examinations A and B on 11 October 1916 and rejoined 58 Bde on 29 November 16 when A/133 was split up and he joined B/58. Soon after he was promoted to Lt and so on 25 January 1917 Lt Rowbotham was sent on a signalling course at 11 Division Signalling School at Yvrench. Between 16 and 24 March 1917 he was attached to 11 Division Artillery HQ. He was appointed A/Capt on 18 March 1917 while acting as second-in-command of B/58. He had some leave, returning to B/58 on 27 May 1917. On the evening of 2 July 1917, he had gone into the town of Bailleul with Lt Baldwin of A/58 for dinner when a bomb was dropped about 20 yards away, injuring them both. Neville was admitted to No.7 Stationary Hospital the following day with multiple shrapnel wounds to the right side of his body including to his face, and three days later was evacuated back to the UK on the Hospital Ship “St Denis” which sailed from Boulogne on 6 July 1917, arriving in Dover the same day. After a period of recuperation, he was declared fit for Home Service and so served briefly with 67 Division Artillery in Canterbury. A Medical Board was held in Canterbury on 29 October 1917 where he was declared fully fit and ordered to return to his unit. He returned to 58 Bde from England on 3 December 1917 and was posted to be second-in-command of A/58. He went on 14 days’ leave on 1 March 1918. As the Allied advance began towards the end of the war, he formed part of a mobile battery on 26 August 1918 to help chase the enemy back. After the Armistice he went on 14 days’ leave to the UK on 15 November 1918, returning on 4 December 1918. He was selected to take part in the trial game for the 11th (Northern) Division Officers’ Rugby Football team being played on 15 January 1919. He was posted back to the UK for demobilisation on 3 February 1919, so relinquished the acting rank of Captain, though it was not until 14 June 1919 that he attended the Officers’ Wing of the Repatriation Camp at Pirbright. He returned to the Homadola Estate at Udugama and in 1921 joined the local branch of the Freemasons. On 2 September 1924 in E St Paul, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada he married Mary Elzina Montgomery, the daughter of Dr E W Montgomery. He therefore became brother-in-law to Roland Bull who had married another of Dr Montgomery’s daughters. Rowbotham and Bull had served together in D/58, then in A/133 and then again back in 58 Bde which might account for how Rowbotham met Mary. By 1929 they had had a daughter, Pamela, who had been born in Sri Lanka and the three of them spent a few months in Canada, sailing from the UK on 31 May 1929 for Canada, returning to the UK from Montreal on 1 November 1929. He and Mary sailed from Sri Lanka to Los Angeles, California on the SS “Shinyo Maru” arriving on 9 November 1931 with the intention of living in the USA permanently. He, Mary and Pamela were living in California in 1940 and from 1942 they were living in San Dimas, California and Robert was working for his father-in-law, Dr Montgomery. In 1947, Robert and Mary were living at 601 West Covina Boulevard, San Dimas when they applied for US citizenship, Robert describing himself as a citrus grower. Their applications were granted in 1950. In May 1958 he and his wife Mary returned to the UK for about 4 months. He applied to join the Officers Emergency reserve on 13 February 1939 and was due to be removed by January 1944 due to age. R Neville Rowbotham had been living at 91711 Claremont, Los Angeles, California when he died on 4 January 1971 and is buried with Mary in Oak Park Cemetery, Claremont, Los Angeles, USA.
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Sgt.
|
Ruck
|
Charles Henry
|
68662
|
C/58
|
Charles Henry Ruck was born in 1889 in Camden Town, London, the son of Charles and Emily Ruck. In 1911 he was working as a pawnbroker’s assistant but by 1914 he was working as a steward. He was in Sydney, Australia in late 1914 when he decided to volunteer to join the British Army, so he sailed on the SS “Hororata”, arriving in London on 23 December 1914. He enlisted into the RFA in London at Wood Green on 12 January 1915, aged 25. He was posted initially to No 4 Depot at Woolwich and was then posted to join 4C Reserve Brigade at Weedon, Northants, where he was appointed A/Bdr on 19 March 1915 and was posted to 47 Reserve Battery on 27 April 1915. He was promoted to Cpl on 14 May 1915 and to Sgt on 19 August 1915. He left 47 Reserve Battery on 16 November 1915 when he was posted to 154 (Howitzer) Bde RFA, part of 36 (Ulster) Division. Three days later he married Agnes Balderson on 19 November 1915. He sailed with the brigade when they first went overseas, leaving from Southampton on 27 November 1915 and arriving in Le Havre the following day. He attended a gunnery school for instruction between 16 January and 2 February 1916 and was attached to the School of Instruction on 1 April 1916 to learn about trench mortars. Following that he was posted to 36Z Trench Battery on 6 April 1916 but was wounded on 27 June 1916 with a gunshot wound to his left shoulder. He was admitted to No.10 General Hospital in Rouen on 30 June 1916 before being invalided back to the UK on Hospital Ship “St Patrick” on 2 July 1916, arriving in the UK the following day and was attached to 5C Reserve Bde. He then joined 19th Reserve Battery, 4A Reserve Bde, but left them to return to France, arriving on 14 October 1916 and was posted to D/247. He was transferred to 232 Bde RFA on 3 January 1917 probably initially joining D/232 before transferring to A/232 with whom he was appointed A/BSM on 30 August 1917 having already taken up the duties a fortnight earlier. He attended 3rd Army Artillery School from 8 June 1917, rejoining his unit on 4 July 1917. He was wounded for a second time by gunshot wounds to his left arm and right forearm and was admitted back into No.10 General Hospital in Rouen on 30 November 1917. As a result, he reverted to his permanent rank of Sgt. He was again evacuated back to the UK from that hospital on 3 December 1917 on the Hospital Ship “Carisbrooke Castle”. He was admitted to hospital on 19 February 1918 and remained there for 58 days and so was posted for administrative purposes to the Royal Artillery Command Depot at Ripon on 20 February 1918. He returned to France on 27 April 1918 and was posted from the Base Depot to C/58 on 9 May 1918, still with the rank of Sgt. Three months later he left C/58 on 5 August 1918 to return to the UK as a candidate for a commission. He was granted a fortnight’s leave and ordered to report to No.2B Bde RFA at Preston Barracks, Brighton, on 22 August 1918. He planned to spend that leave with his wife in Weedon. What happened next is a little unclear: although Preston Barracks, Brighton was home to No.4 Officer Cadet School, his record suggests that he actually attended No.2 RFA Officer Cadet School in Topsham Barracks, Exeter. In any case, he did not receive a commission, though whether that was due to being unsuccessful in the course or because the Armistice was declared before he had completed it and so there was no further need for new officers, is unclear. He left the Cadet School and was posted as a Sgt to 3A Reserve Bde at Larkhill on 5 January 1919 where he served in 15 Reserve Battery. Probably while at the Cadet School he was twice admitted to hospital (No.4 Section) between 11 and 18 October 1918 and then between 29 October and 5 November 1918 with influenza. He was sent for demobilisation to No.1 Dispersal Unit at Crystal Palace where he attended on 9 February 1919. He considered being repatriated after the war back to Australia but in a letter of 28 April 1919 made clear that he had in fact decided to remain in the UK having been offered a job and so settled back into living in North Finchley, London.
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Gnr.
|
Russ
|
Ernest William
|
10586
|
C/58
|
Ernest William Russ was born in about 1884 in Milton Clevedon, Somerset, the son of Thomas G Russ and Sarah Eliza Hobbs (née Reakes). In 1901 he was working as a groom and gardener and when he enlisted into the RFA in Taunton on 2 September 1914, he had been working as a labourer and believed he was aged 27 (though was probably 29 years old). He was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea and from there to 186 Battery on 10 September 14, which became C/58. He had a bout of rheumatism which resulted in him staying in the Military Hospital in Leeds between 21 and 25 January 1915. He sailed with 58 Bde from Devonport on 1 July 1915, arriving in Alexandria on 14 July 1915. He was admitted to 17 General Hospital in Alexandria on 12 February 1916 with diffuse alveolar haemorrhage and was evacuated back to the UK on the Hospital Ship “Dunluce Castle” which sailed from Alexandria on 23 March 1916, arriving back in the UK on about 4 April 1916. That same day he was admitted to the 2nd Southern General Hospital, Southmead, Bristol and stayed there until 17 April 1916. He was formally posted to 5C Reserve Bde on 5 April 1916, then to 4A Reserve Bde on 6 May 1916 before returning to France on 11 May 1916. He was posted from No.2 Guards Base Depot to the Guards Division Ammunition Column on 1 June 1916 and was then posted to A/61 on 25 August 1916. During a reorganisation he was posted to C/74 on 14 November 1916. On 4 April 1917 he was ordered to “make good value 3s 9d 1f for losing by neglect 1 PH helmet value 2/6, 1 case waterproof wallet value 5d 3f, and 1 pair goggles, anti-gas value 9d 2f” which he had lost the previous day. He developed an abscess on his back and was hospitalised with it from 27 August 1917 until he returned to duty on 16 September 1917. He was then admitted to 3 Field Ambulance on 22 September 1917 with diarrhoea and then went to No.6 General Hospital in Rouen from which he was evacuated back to the UK on 17 October 1917 having now been diagnosed as suffering from colitis on the Hospital Ship “Western Australia” and was admitted to the Queen Mary’s Military Hospital, Whalley, Lancs, until he was discharged on 13 November 1917. He was posted to the Royal Artillery Command Depot at Ripon on 11 February 1918 and then overstayed his embarkation leave by 24 hours between 10 p.m. on 27 February 1918 until 10 p.m. the following day so was docked 2 days’ pay. After his leave, he returned to France on 6 March 1918 and was posted to 92 Battery, 17 Bde RFA on 17 March 1918. He was appointed a Lance Bdr on 9 August 1918 but, at his own request, reverted to gunner on 29 November 1918. He sailed from Antwerp on 29 May 1919 for demobilisation and went to No.1 Dispersal Centre at Fovant on 9 June 1919. He returned to Milton Cleveland after the war and wrote to state that he believed there was some “special distinction” for those who were part of 2nd Army when it crossed the River Rhine.
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A/Bdr.
|
Russell
|
John
|
11052
|
A/58
|
John Russell was born on 19 January 1893 in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland. He was the son of Charles Russell and Sarah Ann Russell (née Large). The family moved several times during John’s childhood – in 1901 they were living in Swinton, Yorks and in 1911 they were living at 23 Elliot Street, Nechells, Birmingham, where John worked as an iron turner for an eletrical engineering company. John enlisted early in the war into the RFA and possibly joined 58 Bde shortly afterwards. He was posted overseas, arriving in Egypt on 14 July 1915. He was serving as an acting Bombardier in A/58 in the Ypres salient when he was gassed on 12 September 1917. He was evacuated back to the UK and admitted to Warwick Military Hospital, Warwick. After treatment in Warwick, he went to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick on 15 January 1918. On 1 March 1918 he was recommended to return to active service and he was serving in A/250 on 27 May 1918 as a Lance Bombardier when he he was taken prisoner of war at Craonne. John died on 26 September 1918 in Saarbrücken POW Camp and is buried in Niederzwehren Cemetery, Kassell, Germany.
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S/Smith
|
Ruttledge
|
A
|
|
|
Shoeing Smith A Ruttledge was found guilty of drunkenness and conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline at a Court Martial held at Hencourt on 26 August 1916 and was sentenced to 35 days’ Field Punishment No.1.
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Gnr.
|
Salkeld
|
John
|
221546
|
B/58
|
John Salkeld was born on 26 May 1885 in High Bentham, Yorks, the son of Thomas Salkeld and Elizabeth Salkeld. By 1901 his father had died and his mother had remarried and they were now living in Skipton, Yorks. In 1911 John was still living in Skipton and was working as a grocer’s assistant for the Co-operative Society. He enlisted into the RFA on 20 January 1916. On 26 September 1917, John was serving in B/58 in the Ypres salient when he fell ill with dysentery. He was evacuated back to the UK and admitted to Barton-on-Sea Military Hospital, Bournemouth, Hants. After treatment there he went on 13 February 1918 to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick. While serving at 3c Reserve Bde RFA, he was discharged on 27 September 1918 due to sickness and was awarded a Silver War Badge. In September 1939, John was working as a Grocer’s Branch Manager for the Co-operative Stores and was living at 36 Great Wood Avenue, Skipton with his wife Alice and six children. John died in Skipton in 1945, aged 60.
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Gnr.
|
Sanby
|
Edwin
|
20381
|
58 Bde AC
|
Edwin Sanby was born in Norton, Derbyshire on 17 October 1895, the son of Edwin and Rose Annie Sanby. In about 1911 the family moved to Sheffield where Edwin worked for the company Robert Sorby & Sons as a blacksmith’s striker making edge tools. When the war came along, Edwin enlisted into the RFA in Sheffield on 5 September 1914 aged 19 and was posted to No.1 Depot at Newcastle-upon-Tyne. From there he was posted to 58 Bde Ammunition Column (BAC) on 13 September 1914 and then to D/58 when 58 BAC was converted to become the new fourth battery in the brigade on 21 January 1915. He spent the night of 15/16 March 1915 in the Military Hospital in Leeds with suspected appendicitis. He embarked with his battery at Devonport on 3 July 1915, arriving in Alexandria on 17 July 1915. He then sailed with the brigade from Alexandria on 28 July 1915 and disembarked at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli on 9 August 1915. He returned to Alexandria on Christmas Day 1915 and three days later was admitted to a Field Ambulance at Wardan, Egypt with jaundice. On 8 January 1916 he was transferred to Boulak el Dakrour in Cairo, rejoining the brigade on 2 March 1916. On 27 April 1916, he and his battery, D/58, were transferred to become the new A Battery of XI Division’s Howitzer Bde (later renamed 133 Bde). But on 7 June 1916 he was admitted to 35 Field Ambulance at el Ferdan, Egypt with a benign tumour (lipoma) on his neck. Three days later he was admitted to 26 Casualty Clearing Station but was transferred the same day to 31 General Hospital in Port Said. On 4 July 1916 he went to the Base Depot in Alexandria and was posted to join 26 Division’s artillery in Salonika on 2 August 1916. On 16 May 1917 he was posted to join 26 Division’s 115 Bde RFA. He was granted 21 days’ leave to the UK and while on his way back to the UK in July 1917 he suffered from an attack of malaria. It appears he therefore broke his journey to be treated at St Germain No.2 Rest Camp in France between 19 August and 23 September 1917 and so did not arrive home until 26 September 1917. He married Lucy Adams on 17 October 1917 and reported to 4th Battalion of the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry and was attached to that unit, presumably for administrative purposes because he remained a member of the RFA, but immediately after reporting to them he was sent hospital in October 1917. On 21 November 1917 he was admitted with malaria to the Military Hospital in Rugeley Camp, Staffs where he stayed until 17 June 1918. He then went to the Military Convalescent Hospital in Ashton-in-Makersfield, probably between 17 June and 16 October 1918 during which he was posted to the RH and RFA Clearing House on 2 October 1918. He was admitted to The Lord Derby War Hospital in Warrington on 17 October 1918 and placed in ward 6BE. Two days later a blood test found no trace of malaria, though he had a further attack on 14 November 1918. His former employers, Robert Sorby & Sons, wrote to the hospital asking for his release so that he could return to work claiming that “he would at once enable us to find employment for two or three other men”. He was however admitted to Wharncliffe War Hospital in Sheffield on 14 January 1919 with malaria, although he had suffered from no further attacks since the previous November and so was dispersed a week later on 21 January 1919. He was demobilised on 9 March 1919 and he and Lucy were still living in Sheffield in 1939 and Edwin was still working as an edge tool forger. On 25 February 1955, Edwin Sanby died in Wharncliffe Hospital, Sheffield, where 36 years previously he had been treated for malaria and from which he had returned to civilian life after the war.
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Sgt.
|
Sanders
|
Ernest James
|
25152
|
C/58
|
Ernest James Sanders was born in Seacombe, near Wallasey, Cheshire in 1892, the son of Henry Herbert Sanders and Annie Sanders (née Hughes). He had 5 sisters and three brothers. He enlisted into the RFA in Liverpool probably shortly after war was declared and may have served in 58 Bde for much, or even all, of his time in the Army. Although he survived until after the Armistice, he was a patient in the Auxiliary Hospital in Orrell, near Wigan, where he died on 14 February 1919, aged 26. He is buried in Wallasey (Rake Lane) Cemetery, Merseyside. Two of his younger brothers were also killed in the war.
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Gnr.
|
Saunders
|
Edmund Francis
|
92098
|
C/58
|
Edmund Francis Saunders was born in 1881 in Cuxham, Oxfordshire, the son of Francis and Ann Saunders. In 1907 Edmund married Rose and two years later they had a son, also called Edmund. In 1911, Edmund (senior) was working as a brewer’s drayman. He enlisted first into the Army Veterinary Corps as a private with service number 14792 but transferred at some point to the RFA as a gunner with a new service number, 92098. He was serving in C/58 when he and five others – Gnr Joseph Bell (74801), Gnr George Gay (141494), Sgt Albert Lamb (75120), Bdr James Reader (93050) and Gnr Harold Saunders (43356) – were killed in action on 25 August 1917. He was 36 years old. He is buried alongside them in Bard Cottage Cemetery, Belgium.
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Gnr.
|
Saunders
|
Harold
|
43356
|
C/58
|
Harold Saunders was born in Birkenhead on 9 October 1889, the son of Irving Steele Saunders and Mary Anne Saunders. In 1911, he was working as a boilermaker in ship-repairing. He enlisted in Birkenhead on 25 August 1914 into the Cheshire Regiment (with service number 11563). He was posted to B company of the 8th (Service) battalion but was discharged as medically unfit on 13 October 1914 while at Draycott Camp, Swindon. He apparently re-enlisted in July 1915 into the RFA with service number 43356 and was posted that October to the Egyptian Expeditionary Force. He was serving in C/58 when he and five others – Gnr Joseph Bell (74801), Gnr George Gay (141494), Sgt Albert Lamb (75120), Bdr James Reader (93050) and Gnr Edmund Saunders (92098) – were killed in action on 25 August 1917. He is buried alongside them in Bard Cottage Cemetery, Belgium. He was described by an unnamed officer as “one of my most reliable gunners”.
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Gnr.
|
Savage
|
Leslie Thomas
|
935573
|
C/58
|
Leslie Thomas Savage was born in Highbury, London, in 1898, the son of Thomas Robert and Emily Savage. On 27 November 1913 he was registered as a temporary boy clerk in the Civil Service. He enlisted into the Territorial Force’s 3rd London Bde RFA in Leonard Street in Shoreditch, London. He was 20 years old and serving in C/58 when he was killed in action on 20 June 1918. Two other members of his battery were also killed that day, Dvr John Caton (229173) and Dvr Joseph Petty (152339). The three of them are buried alongside each other in Philosophe British Cemetery, Mazingarbe, France.
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Gnr.
|
Schofield
|
Walter
|
775768
|
B/58
|
Walter Schofield was born in Leeds on 12 April 1897, the eldest son of John and Susan Annie Schofield. In 1911, the family was living at 56 Recreation View, Holbeck, Leeds and Walter was aged 13 but was already working as a telegraph messenger. By 1915 he was working as a tailor’s cutter when he enlisted in Leeds on 6 April 1915 claiming to be nearly 20 years old, when in fact he was just approaching his 18th birthday. On that day he enlisted into the 2/1st West Riding Bde of the RFA Territorial Force and immediately volunteered for overseas service. He was assigned the service number 2141 and was intially embodied as a Driver though he was reappointed as a Gunner subsequently. Following his training, he was posted to France, sailing from Southampton on 7 January 1917 with his brigade, now renumbered as 310 Bde RFA, arriving in Le Havre the following day. During 1917, he was assigned a new service number along with all other RFA Territorial Force soldiers, and he was allocated 775768. On 30 June 1917, Walter was admitted to 2/3 West Riding Field Ambulance with inflammation of the connective tissue in his leg and was discharged back to his unit a week later on 6 July 1917, although at the end of that month, Walter was posted to the Base Depot. On 19 October 1917, Walter was posted to B/58 where he served in ‘A’ sub-section. After the Armistice, he was granted leave between 15 and 29 December 1918, rejoining his unit on 30 December 1918. On 15 April 1919, Walter was admitted to No.57 Casualty Clearing Station suffering from influenza, but after a month’s treatment he was fit enough to be discharged back to B/58 on 14 May 1919. As he prepared to leave 58 Bde to return to the UK for demobilisation he was described as a “good hardworking man” who had acted as the orderly in the Officers’ Mess. He returned to the UK for demobilisation, sailing from Boulogne on 5 July 1919 and he attended No.1 Dispersal Unit, North Camp, Ripon on 7 July 1919. Walter was demobilised from the Army on 3 August 1919. In September 1939 he was still single and was still living with his parents, although now at 19 Parkwood Road, Leeds, where Walter was working as a fishmonger and greengrocer. Walter Schofield died in Leeds in 1988, aged 91.
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Gnr.
|
Scholey
|
John
|
233230
|
C/58
|
John Scholey was one of 11 children of Robert and Emily Scholey. He was born on 1 April 1890 in Wortley, near Leeds, Yorks and was baptised on 8 June 1890. In 1911 he was working on his father’s farm, Bank End Farm, in Wortley. Between 1911 and 1915 he married Sophia and they had one child. He enlisted on 11 December 1915 in Sheffield aged 25, but was not mobilised until 22 May 1917. After mobilisation, he was posted initially to the RFA’s No.1 Depot in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and from there to 4B Reserve Bde on 2 June 1917. He was then posted to the Royal Horse and Royal Field Artillery Central Signalling depot at Swanage on 8 December 1917, leaving there on 16 January 1918. He was late returning from his pre-deployment leave in January 1918 so was confined to barracks for 3 days and lost 2 days’ pay. He was serving in C/58 when he suffered from severe trench fever in February 1918 and after attending No.18 Casualty Clearing Station, he was evacuated on No.14 Ambulance Train. He returned to the UK and was discharged as medically unfit due to sickness from the Military Heart Hospital, Sobraon Barracks, Colchester on 29 May 1918. As a result, he was awarded a weekly pension of 27s 6d for a year after being discharged and awarded a Silver War Badge. His address at the time was given as Warren Lane, Chapeltown, Sheffield. Twenty years later he re-enlisted into the Royal Artillery (Territorial Army) on 7 March 1939, but his application was not finally approved under paragraph 17 of the Territorial Army regulations on about 10 May 1939 and so he was discharged. Later that year, he, Sophia and their daughter were living in Wortley, where John worked as a blacksmith. John Scholey died in 1948 in Wortley, aged 58.
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Maj.
|
Sedgwick
|
Francis Roger
|
n/a
|
184 Bty
|
Francis Roger Sedgwick was born on 5 July 1876 in Bombay [Mumbai], India, the son of Roger Buttery Sedgwick and Anna Diana Sedgwick, née Acworth. Francis was commissioned into the RFA on 21 March 1896 after attending the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich and was promoted to Lt on 21 March 1899. On 7 December 1901 he was seconded to the Colonial Office and on 27 July 1905, Francis married Madeline Louise Jennings in Trinity Church, Upper Chelsea, London. Francis was still seconded when he was appointed a Captain, having been a supernumerary Captain on 14 September 1905. In 1908 he was serving in the West African Frontier Force and then on 11 August 1910 he was seconded for service under the Canadian Government. He was promoted to Major on 5 October 1912 “and to continue to be seconded” and retired on retired pay on 21 June 1913. He and Madeline had three children, Barbra Sedgwick born in 1907, Roger John Peter Sedgwick, born in 1908 and Ursula Madeline Sedgwick who was born in 1913 while the family were living in Nova Scotia, Canada though she was baptised in St. Jude’s Church, Kensington, London on 15 June 1914. After was was declared, Francis was recalled from the Reserve of Officers and was posted to and joined 58 Bde’s 184 Battery on 9 September 1914. He cannot have stayed with that battery long since eleven days later he apparently went to France on 20 September 1914. He was awarded the Distinguished Service order in the New Years Honours of 1916. He was promoted to Lt Col and served in that rank with 57 Bde RFA in 10th (Irish) Division at Salonika. After the war he was awarded the CMG (Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George) in the Birthday Honours of 1919. In 1921, he and Madeline were living at Tarrant Monkton House in Dorset. They moved to Aylesbury, Bucks living at Hartwell Cottage, but Madeline died on 20 February 1930. Four years later, Francis returned from Tangiers on the “Rajputana”, docking at Plymouth on 7 March 1934 and married Marjorie Helen Fell on 3 July 1934 in Colehill, Dorset. He and Marjorie took a trip to Australia in 1936, sailing on the “Moldavia” from London on Christmas Eve, 1936 bound for Brisbane. In September 1939, he and Marjorie were living at Yolsom House, Thame Road, Haddenham, Bucks. Francis Sedgwick had been living at The Little House, Stewkley, Bucks when he died on 3 May 1955. Francis was the author of at least four books on military matters: “The Indian Mutiny of 1857, a Sketch of the Principal Military Events” published in 1908; “The campaign in Manchuria 1904 to 1905; second period: the decisive battles, 22nd Aug. to 17th Oct. 1904”, published in 1912, together with “The Russo-Japanese War On Land: A Brief Account of the Strategy and Grand Tactics of the War” and “The Great War in 1914: A Sketch of the Operations in Europe and Asia, With Some Reflexions and Observations”.
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Sgt.
|
Seed
|
William
|
675036
|
B/58
|
Sgt William Seed joined B/58 on 3 June 1918 on appointment to be their new acting Battery Quartermaster Sergeant. He had previously been serving in A/275, part of 1/1 West Lancs Bde RFA in 55 Division, but joined 58 Bde to take over as the BQMS of B/58 to replace BQMS Robert Eadie (715419). Eadie had moved that same day to be the BQMS of C/58 to replace Harold Single who was being demoted for inefficiency.
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Dvr.
|
Sellick
|
Leslie
|
11058
|
|
Leslie Sellick was born in 1896 in Bristol, the son of Arthur Henry and Mary Ann Sellick. Although he was registered at birth as Harry Leslie Sellick, and was sometimes also called Henry Leslie Sellick, he appears to have been known as Leslie. In 1911 he was 14 years old, living in Brislington, Bristol, and was working as a clerk. He enlisted early in the war and joined the RFA. He went overseas, probably with 58 Bde, arriving in Egypt on 14 July 1915. He served throughout the war and was discharged from the Army on 20 March 1919 due to suffering from malaria and returned to live in Bristol, at 38 Sandringham Road, Brislington. For six months Leslie was granted a weekly pension of 8s which was then reduced to 5s 6d for a further year. On 1 April 1920, he was also given a grant of £5 to buy plumber’s tools. On 11 August 1923 he appears to have emigrated to Canada on the SS “Pittsburgh”, sailing from Southampton bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia. He gave his profession as plumber. Harry Leslie Sellick died on 1 April 1974 in Ladysmith, British Columbia, aged 77.
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A/Bdr.
|
Semple
|
Richard
|
93493
|
B/58
|
Born in 1894, in Burnbank, Lanarkshire, Richard Semple was the son of Matthew Semple and Mary Semple. Before he enlisted into the Army on 27 August 1914 in Hamilton, Lanarkshire and joined the RFA, he had been working as an electrician in a colliery. He was posted initially to No 6 depot in Glasgow and from there as a driver to 185 Battery on 10 September 1914. A few days later while training in Leeds he missed a parade on 21 September 1914 and so was confined to barracks for 7 days. After 185 Battery had been renumbered as B/58, Richard was appointed an unpaid A/Bdr on 18 May 1915. He was posted overseas, arriving in Egypt on 14 July 1915 and probably served at Gallipoli. The following year he was absent from the 10.30 a.m. parade while at Zahrieh, Egypt on 13 February 1916 and so was awarded 5 days’ Field Punishment No 2. Three months later he was in trouble again, having gone out of camp after lights out on 6 June 1916 at el Ferdan, so was confined to camp for 6 days. After travelling to France, he was appointed A/Bdr on 2 September 1916. He was awarded the Military Medal for bravery on 22 December 1916, the award being gazetted on 19 February 1917. Along with at least 6 other members of the brigade he was sent on an advanced telephone course on 22 January 1917 and he passed as a 1st class signaller by XIII Corps school on 22 March 1917, having been formally promoted to Bdr on 7 March 1917. On 13 October 1917 while the brigade was taking part in the 3rd Battle of Ypres, he was gassed with mustard gas. Although the effects were described as “mild” they were enough to have him admitted to No.2 Canadian General Hospital in Le Tréport on 15 October 1917 from where he was evacuated back to the UK on 23 October 1917. He was treated at 1st Southern General Hospital, Birmingham and then at Abbey Manor Voluntary Aid Detachment Hospital, Evesham, Worcs on 1 December 1917 and then to the Royal Artillery Collecting Station at Hipswell Camp, Catterick on 22 December 1917. On 2 January 1918 he went to the Clearing Office at the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot at Catterick. He was examined on 4 January 1918 which found a scar over his left buttock, rapid heart rate and that he was suffering from nervous debility. The following month he was admonished for again being absent from parade, this time on 5 February 1918. He was posted to 5C Reserve Bde on 1 March 1918, serving in 60th Reserve Battery in Lessness Park Camp, Abbey Wood. From there he went to 5C Signalling Training Centre on 6 April 1918 and was appointed a Signaller Bdr on 16 July 1918. In October 1918 he was serving at the RH and RFA Signalling Training Centre in Crowborough when his Military Medal was sent to him and it may have been formally presented to him by the commandant of the centre. He was serving in 56th Reserve Battery when he was discharged due to sickness from his gassing on 6 January 1919 after attending a dispersal centre in Surbiton, and his character was described as “very good”. After being discharged he returned to live with his parents at Corrydene, Anderson Street, Burnbank and was awarded a pension of 6s a week for the following 91 weeks due to 1% disability from the gassing. At some point after 1921, William moved to 1 Earnock Street, Burnside.
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BQMS
|
Sewell
|
James Lewis
|
40995
|
A/58
|
James Lewis Sewell was born on 12 January 1888 in Portsmouth, the son of Henry (sometimes referred to as Harry) Sewell and Maria M F Sewell. James attended the Royal Hospital School in Greenwich before enlisting into the RFA. He was serving as a Bombardier in 68 Battery RFA at Deepcut Barracks, Surrey in 1911 and 1912. On 28 August 1912, he was aged 25 and married a widow, Edith Barbara Carlton Walker, in the parish church, Aldershot. His first posting overseas during the war was to Egypt in early July 1915. He was serving as the BQMS of A/58 when he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for devotion, the award being gazetted on 17 June 1918. In 1922 he was still in the RFA and was serving as a Sgt Major and was living at 3 Grimwood Road, Twickenham. Between at least 1928 and 1929, James and Edith were living in the Warrant Officers’ Quarters in Deepcut Barracks, Surrey. James Sewell may have died in early 1970 in Christchurch, Hants.
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Gnr.
|
Shackleton
|
Bernard
|
116166
|
|
Bernard Shackleton was born on 3 January 1896 in Rochdale, the son of John and Elizabeth Ann Shackleton. On 22 January 1912 he followed his father into the drapery business when he was apprenticed out for 3½ years to Stretch & Harlocks Drapers Store in Nantwich, Cheshire. He enlisted into the Army and joined the RFA as a gunner. He was posted to France, arriving on about 3 July 1916. At some point he was then posted to 58 Bde and was serving in the brigade during the Battle of Messines in June 1917. He was wounded and left the brigade on 17 July 1917. He was evacuated back to the UK to recuperate, spending time in Lees Court Military Hospital, Sheldwich, near Faversham, Kent. He was awarded a wound stripe on 13 August 1917. His fiancée, Constance Jane Jackson, known as Connie, travelled from her home in Nantwich to Lees Court where they were married on 15 August 1917. Bernard transferred from the RFA into the Military Mounted Police (MMP) where he was assigned the new service number P/17473 and he returned to active service on 10 March 1918. He served in the MMP including as part of the British Army on the Rhine after the Armistice until he was discharged on 14 January 1920, by which point he was acting as a Cpl. He and Connie set up home in Connie’s home in Nantwich, the Rifleman Inn, from which Bernard ran a draper’s business. They stayed in Nantwich and in 1939 was serving as an ARP Warden while Connie worked as a draper. Bernard also served in the Nantwich Home Guard during the war and he and Connie moved to live in Tollgate House, Audlem Rd, Nantwich in 1944. After the war, Bernard continued to operate a draper’s business and also ran a riding stables. He enjoyed the good life – nice cars, large cigars – and going to the races throughout the UK. He died suddenly in Barony Hospital, Nantwich on 6 July 1960.
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Gnr.
|
Shacklock
|
Fred
|
152022
|
|
Fred Shacklock was born on 23 July 1897 in Caistor, Lincs the eldest son of Joseph and Sarah Jane Shacklock. In 1911 he was an apprentice general joiner. He enlisted into the Army on 10 December 1915 and joined the RFA. He was serving in 58 Bde when he was discharged from the Army on 29 October 1918 as being no longer fit for active service due to wounds he had received. He returned to live in Caistor and subsequently married Elsie Queenie Brighton in 1926. In 1939 he was working as a haulage contractor. He died in Caistor on 27 February 1948, aged 52.
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Sgt.
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Shannon
|
|
|
C/58
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Sgt Shannon was posted to 58 Bde on 5 December 1917 and joined C/58, having been posted there from 46 Division’s Artillery.
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Dvr.
|
Shaw
|
Arthur James
|
112235
|
58 Bde AC
|
Arthur James Shaw, known as James Shaw, was born in Stalybridge, Lancs in 1888, the middle of the three sons of Arthur and Annie Shaw. In 1891 the family were living in Salford and then in 1900 James’s father died, his mother re-marrying in about 1906. James became a music hall artist and performed as one member of The Hewson Trio – the other two members being his future wife Doris “Dolly” Almgill and her younger sister, Ira. James married Dolly in All Saints Register Office, Manchester on 6 July 1915. Three months later he enlisted into the RFA in Manchester on 13 October 1915, aged 27. The following day he was posted initially to No.2 Depot in Preston and from there to 7 Reserve Battery at Fullwood Barracks in Preston on 15 October 1915. Three days later he was posted to 10 (Reserve) Battery, 2B Reserve Bde in Brighton where he overstayed leave from midnight on 9 February 1916 until midday on 13 June 1916 so was confined to barracks for 8 days and docked 4 days’ pay. On 22 February 1916 he was posted to 20 (Reserve) Battery, 4A Reserve Bde at Woolwich. On 14 March 1916 he was posted to the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force’s Base Depot in Egypt, so sailed from Devonport the following day, arriving in Alexandria on 26 March 1916. On 10 April 1916 he joined 58 Bde Ammunition Column and two days later back in the UK his daughter, Hope, was born. Two weeks later he was admitted to 35 Field Ambulance at el Ferdan on 1 May 1916 with gout and was then transferred to No.31 General Hospital. On 22 May 1916 he was transferred to the Convalescent Depot at Boulaq ad Dakrour, near Cairo and from there to the Camp at Mustapha on 15 June 1916 to await posting to a unit. He did not return to 58 Bde, who left Egypt later that month, but was instead posted to join D/57 RFA, part of 10th (Irish) Division at Salonika, joining them on 20 July 1916. His division left Salonika in September 1917 and went to Egypt and James left Salonika on 20 September 1917 arriving back in Alexandria on 28 September 1917 where he was immediately posted to the newly-formed C/263 Bde RFA which was joining 10th Division as it assembled at Rafa after its journey from Salonika. James will have participated therefore in 10th Division’s successful campaign in Palestine before returning to Egypt after the Armistice with the Turks. On 12 March 1919 he joined 10 Division Ammunition Column and then sailed on the “Theseus” from Alexandria on 23 June 1919 arriving back in the UK on about 4 July 1919 where he attended the Dispersal Centre at Crystal Palace on 6 July 1919. He was demobbed from the Army on 3 August 1919 and returned to live with Dolly and Hope in Brixton, south London. James and Dolly had a son in 1920 but by 1922 there is no further trace of James. James Shaw’s granddaughter is the media personality and businesswoman Sharon Osbourne.
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Bdr.
|
Shelton
|
Alexander Reuben
|
208003
|
A/58
|
Alexander Reuben Shelton was born in Fulham, Middx in 1883, the son of Harry Thomas and Matilda Shelton. Some records suggest that he enlisted into the Dragoons of the Line in 1899, claiming to be 18, and served for 12 years with 4th Dragoon Guards. However, when he married Alice Lucy Davey on 29 July 1906 in Putney Church, his marriage certificate records that Alexander was working as a groom at the time. In 1911 he was working as a carman for a wholesale newsagents, and he and Alice had two children, Patricia and Ronald. He enlisted in Wandsworth and joined the RFA. He was serving as a Bdr in A/58 when he was wounded under heavy shell fire on 9 March 17. He was taken to 18th Casualty Clearing Station at Lapugnoy near Béthune, France, where he died the following day, aged 34. He is buried in Lapugnoy Military Cemetery and was described as a “devoted husband, father and son, loved by all, forgotten by none”.
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Gnr.
|
Shelton
|
Robert
|
20393
|
C/58
|
Born in about 1895 in Radford, Nottingham, Robert Shelton was the eldest of the 4 children of Robert and Mary Ann Shelton. In 1901 he and his family were living in Wollaton, Nottingham, and ten years later in 1911 he was working as a dairyman, aged 15. He enlisted early after war was declared and went overseas with the RFA to Egypt, arriving on about 19 July 1915. He was serving in C/58 when he was killed in action, aged 22, on 30 August 1917. He is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
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Gnr.
|
Sheppard
|
Thomas
|
135349
|
B/58
|
Thomas Sheppard was born in about 1890 in Box, Wilts. He was the eldest son of Frederick George and Anne Elizabeth Sheppard. Tom, as he appears to have been known, followed his father and became a stonemason. On 16 February 1915, Tom married Gladys Annetta Lilly in Neston, Wilts. He enlisted in Corsham and joined the RFA. He was serving with B/58 when he was killed in action on 2 August 1917, aged 27. He is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, at Ypres.
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Gnr.
|
Sheppard
|
William Henry
|
92537
|
D/58
|
William Henry Sheppard was the son of Mr and Mrs W H Sheppard. He grew up in Bristol and enlisted into the Army there, joining the RFA. He was serving in D/58 when he died on 23 November 1916 from wounds he had received and is buried in Abbeville Communal Cemetery Extension, France. He was “Sadly missed by Mother & Dad & sisters, also Maud, Will & Ronald”.
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Dvr.
|
Sheridan
|
Christopher
|
88985
|
B/58
|
Christopher Sheridan was born in about 1891. He worked as a ship builder before the war. He enlisted into the RFA and was sent overseas, arriving in Egypt on 15 July 1915. He was serving in B/58 when he, along with many others in the brigade was gassed on 8 April 1918 at Philosophe, near Béthune. He was evacuated back to the UK and admitted to the Military Hospital, Colchester, Essex. After treatment at Colchester he went on 25 June 1918 to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick, from where he was discharged to draft on 4 December 1918.
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Sgt.
|
Sherman
|
Francis Cornelius
|
3479
|
C/58
|
Francis Cornelius Sherman, known as Frank, was born in Walthamstow, Essex on 21 June 1879, the son of James Sherman and Eliza Sherman. He was working as a brickmaker for a Mr Stotter in Folly Lane, Walthamstow when he enlisted into the militia in November 1896, joining 4th Battalion of the Essex Regiment aged 17 but claiming to be a year older than he was. The following year he was working as a carman when he enlisted into the regular Army, now aged 18, and in 1911 was serving as a Cpl in 83rd Battery RFA in India. He married Rose Alice Jerram on Christmas Day, 1914 in Woolwich Parish Church, London, and was described as a Sergeant at the time and his forenames were given as Frederick Charles. However, when he went to Egypt, arriving on about 19 July 1915, he was a Corporal again. He was serving in 58 Bde when he was replaced as a Cpl by Harry Wheeler (99250) on 8 April 1917 and Frank was probably promoted to Sergeant at this time. The following month Frank was court-martialled in the field on 6 May 1917 for desertion; he was found guilty and reduced to the ranks and awarded 90 days’ Field Punishment No.1. He had subsequently been restored to the rank of Sergeant when, on 3 October 1918, he set off to go on a veterinary course when he was killed in action en route. He is buried in Sains-Les-Marquion British Cemetery, France, leaving a widow, Rose Alice Sherman and two daughters, Rose Alice Elisabeth Grace Sherman and Ivy Dorothy Cicerina Sherman.
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Saddler
|
Shute
|
Arthur George
|
L/4744
|
HQ
|
Saddler Shute was transferred from the HQ of 58 Bde to 55 Division Ammunition Column on 7 May 1918 because he was surplus to the establishment. This was probably Saddler (later Cpl) Arthur George Shute, L/4744, who had first arrived in France on about 26 November 1915.
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L/Bdr.
|
Sigsworth
|
Edward Thomas
|
71522
|
D/58
|
Edward Thomas Sigsworth was born in York in about 1894, the eldest son of John George and Sarah Ann Sigsworth (née Linley). He followed his father, a railway porter, into working for North Eastern Railway and was working for them as a greaser in 1911, aged 17. In October 1918 he was serving in D/58 as a L/Bdr when the Absent Voters List for York was compiled. He probably married Louisa Brierley in 1920 and died in York in 1966.
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Dvr.
|
Simmonds
|
Albert Charles
|
82466
|
C/58
|
Albert Charles Simmonds was born on 6 June 1893 in London. He married Ada Matilda Lydia Beech on 27 April 1913 at St. Peter’s church, Walworth, London. They had at least two children, Albert George Simmonds (born 16 August 1913) and Ada Jane Simmonds (born 21 January 1915). Before the war Albert worked for a Mr Johnson of Cowley Lodge, Cowley Street, Brixton as a stocker. Albert enlisted on 10 August 1914 at Camberwell Town Hall and was sent initially to No.2 RFA Depot at Preston. On 17 December 1914 he was posted to 69 Bde RFA and on 13 January 1915 to D/69. He served with his unit in Egypt, arriving there on about 8 July 1915, and probably went to Gallipoli, before a wart on his right little finger turned septic in early 1916. Two phalanges in his right little finger were amputated as a result in an operation performed at No.17 General Hospital, Alexandria on 1 April 1916. He was posted to C/58 on 12 September 1916 and was serving with that battery at Passchendaele when he was wounded by a gun shot wound to his right thigh on 9 October 1917, He was evacuated by train from Carnieres to Boulogne to be taken back to the UK on the Hospital Ship “St. Denis”. He was then admitted to Lily Lane Military Hospital, Manchester. After a period of treatment there he was sent to the Voluntary Aid Detachment Hospital, Holyhead before going to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick on 22 January 1918. He was posted to 5C Reserve Bde on 1 March 1918 before returning to France two weeks later on 15 March 1918 where he was posted to 45 Battery, 42 Bde RFA. On 18 August 1918 he was tried by a Field General Court Martial for drunkenness and was sentenced to 36 days’ Field Punishment No.1 and fined 10 shillings. He was wounded again, suffering a gunshot wound wound to his right thigh, though fortunately this was classed as a simple flesh wound. After attending No.49 Casualty Clearing Station he was evacuated by No.4 Ambulance Train. Albert was demobilised on 19 March 1919 and returned to live at 29 Pitman Street, Camberwell, London. He was granted a small pension due to the loss of part of his finger for a year before being awarded a gratuity of £28. It appears that in September 1939 Albert was living at 72 Sultan Street, Camberwell with a Johanna Chappell. Albert Simmonds died on 13 January 1970 in London, aged 76.
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S/Smith
|
Simmonds
|
Frank
|
99106
|
|
In 1918, Frank Simmonds was absent from his home of 30 Berryfield Road, Southwark and serving with 58 Bde as a shoeing smith so was entitled to a vote by proxy in elections.
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Gnr.
|
Simmons
|
William John Norris
|
906204
|
C/58
|
William John Norris Simmons was born on 2 December 1884 in Ashford Kent, the son of William Isaac Simmons and Harriett Simmons. By the time he was 6 years old, the family had moved to St.Mary in the Castle, Hastings, Sussex. In 1901, at the age of 16, William was working as a telegraph messenger and he was then appointed a postman in Hastings on 17 March 1905. He married Frances Emma Morris in Hastings on 12 October 1912. On 29 October 1915 he enlisted into the Territorial Force in Hastings. He was given service number 1720 but was not called up for duty until 22 April 1916 when he reported for duty at High Wycombe and was assigned to 3/2 Home Counties Bde RFA in the Territorial Force. He volunteered for overseas service and was posted to France, arriving there on 12 April 1917. He was posted initially to 11 Division Ammunition Column on 5 June 1917 before being posted to C/58 four days later. Six months later while still in C/58 he suffered from inflammation of the connective tissue in his right knee and was admitted to 34 Field Ambulance on 19 December 1917. He then boarded No.31 Ambulance train at Chocques on 21 December 1917 and was taken to Boulogne where he disembarked the same day. After a brief stay in No.83 General Hospital in Boulogne, he was evacuated back to the UK on the Auxiliary Transport “St.Patrick” on 23 December 1917 and was admitted to No.1 Northern General Hospital, Newcastle-upon-Tyne on Christmas Day 1917 where he was diagnosed as having an abcess on his knee. He stayed there until 21 January 1918 when he was sent to an auxiliary hospital, Eastbourne Military Hospital, for further recuperation. On 4 March 1918 he was discharged and he went to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick on 20 April 1918 until 23 May 1918. On 21 July 1918 he was at No.4 Reserve Bde of the Artillery Territorial Force at High Wycombe when he was posted to the Royal Horse and Royal Field Artillery Signalling Training Centre at Swanage. He then went to Crowborough, and, having now been designated a Signaller rather than a Gunner, he was posted on 5 November 1918 to Italy. He joined 104 Battery of 22 Bde RFA in Italy on 20 December 1918 and was sent to No.1 Dispersal Unit, Wimbledon which he attended on 11 February 1919. He returned to live with his wife at 40 Milward Crescent, Hastings. In September 1939, he and Frances were living at 52 Upper Park Road, St.Leonards-on-Sea, Sussex and William was working as a postal inspector. He and Frances had at least two children, Frances Minnie and Gertrude, and possibly at least two others. William Simmons died in St.Leonards-on-Sea on 27 March 1941.
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Bdr.
|
Simpkins
|
Tom
|
98043
|
D/58
|
Tom Simpkins was born in Wootton Bassett, Wilts, on 21 October 1896. He was the son of Mary Hannah Simpkins (sometimes known as Mary Ann Simpkins or Mary Anna Simpkins) and possibly George William Simpkins. Although he had several older siblings, Tom was the only one of them living with his mother in Broad Town, near Wootton Bassett in 1901 and 1911. He enlisted in Swindon probably early in the war and went to France on about 22 July 1915. He was serving in D/58 when he died of wounds in No.4 General Hospital, Camiers on 5 March 1917 and is buried in Etaples Military Cemetery, France.
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Bdr.
|
Sinden
|
Charles William
|
76866
|
B/58
|
Charles William Sinden, known as Charlie, was born on 28 April 1890 in Sundridge, Kent, the son of Charles Leonard Sinden and Mary Ann Sinden (née Hayes and seemingly known as Annie). In 1911, the family were living in Paynes Villa, Dunton Green, Kent and Charlie was 20 years old and working as a gardener. He went to France as a Gunner in 24 Bde RFA, 6 Division on 11 September 1914. In late 1917, Charles married Kate E Simmons in Sevenoaks, Kent. On 28 February 1918 he was serving in B/58 when he was admitted to No.4 General Hospital, Amiens but was recommended to visit a dentist. He ended the war as a Corporal and left the Army still having some shrapnel in his head. One family story says that during a gas attack he moved from gun to gun to keep them firing while others in his battery were incapacitated by the gas. In September 1939, he, Kate and one of their children were living at 18 Bedford Road, Dartford, and Charlie was working as a carpenter and joiner, as well as serving as a warden. After the war, Charlie went on to help rebuild London including making the wooden pattern for the dome of the Bankers Clearing House and putting up a wooden ceiling in the library of possibly the same building. Charlie Sinden died on 7 November 1964 apparently of lung cancer in Dartford and was cremated a few days later in Greenwich, London. His medals – the 1914 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal – his medals – are displayed in a case he made. He was described as “a gentle, kind and patient man” who loved playing lawn bowls.
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BQMS
|
Single
|
Harold
|
62203
|
C/58
|
Harold Single was serving in D/58 when he was transferred to C/58 on 27 November 1917 to replace BQMS Bull who was promoted that day to be the brigade’s RSM. A few months later, however, Harold Single was demoted for inefficiency to Sgt on 3 June 1918 and so was in turn replaced as BQMS for C/58 by Robert Eadie (715419). In October 1918, he was registered as an absent voter for St Albans to enable him to vote by proxy or by post, at which point he appears to have been serving in 11 Division Ammunition Column.
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Gnr.
|
Skeen
|
John Thomas
|
105434
|
B/58
|
John Thomas Skeen was born on 4 March 1890, the son of dyer John Skeen and Caroline Skeen. They were living at 11 Newton Street, Bramhill Moor, Hazel Grove, Cheshire in 1911 and John was working as a general labourer. He was still living there when he enlisted in Stockport on 23 August 1915, aged 25. He was posted to the Mediterranean theatre of war, sailing from Devonport on 14 January 1916 and disembarking at Alexandria on 23 January 1916. On 3 February 1916 he was absent in Alexandria without a pass and was absent from 10p.m. that evening until he was apprehended by the piquet. For this he was fined 4 days’ pay. On 7 February 1916, John joined 11 (Northern) Division when he was posted to D/60 Bde RFA. He and his battery were transferred on 26 April 1916 at el-Ferdan to a new howitzer brigade that the division was setting up, called initially XI Division Howitzer Brigade, and later renamed 133 Bde RFA. John’s battery became the new C/133. On 28 June 1916, John was posted to A/133 and sailed with his battery to France, disembarking at Marseilles on 7 July 1916. On 8 November 1916, John was admitted to No.56 Field Ambulance with a contused left knee and sent the same day to No.90 Field Ambulance. John rejoined A/133 on 14 November 1916. Two weeks later, when 133 Bde was broken up, John was transferred to B/58. He was admitted to No.35 Field Ambulance on 12 January 1917 and transferred the next day to No.3 Casualty Clearing Station with inflammation of the connective tissue in his body. He was admitted to No.18 General Hospital with what was now described as boils, and, after being evacuated by No.27 Ambulance Train on 15 January 1917 and then by the Hospital Ship “Warilda” on 19 January 1917, John was admitted to hospital at the Curragh in Ireland on 21 January 1917 with boils. The boil on his neck was opened and cured so he was discharged from there on 31 January 1917. On 11 June 1917 he was posted to 25 Division Ammunition Column but 4 days later was posted to A/112. He was wounded by gas on 18 July 1917 and admitted to No.2 Canadian General Hospital, Etaples from where he was evacuated back to the UK by hospital ship on 26 July 1917 and was admitted to the Northamptonshire War Hospital, Duston. Shortly before being posted back overseas, he overstayed his final draft leave at the end of October 1917 by 2 days so forfeited 3 days’ pay. He went back to France on 6 November 1917 and joined No.2 Section, 35 Division Ammunition Column from the base depot on 12 November 1917 but was admitted to hospital the same day. On 22 November 1917 he was admitted to No.39 General Hospital with an as yet undiagnosed condition though it was assessed to be ‘mild’. He was discharged from there to Reinforcements at Le Havre on New Year’s Day 1918. On 9 January 1918 he was posted to 383 Battery, 179 Army Field Artillery Brigade. He contracted influenza, so was admitted to No.3 Australian Field Ambulance on 25 June 1918, returning to duty on 14 July 1918. He was granted leave to the UK between 2 and 16 October 1918 and on return to his unit was briefly attached to 74 Division Train from 23 October until rejoining his unit on Armistice Day. He returned to the UK for demobilisation so attended No.1 Dispersal Unit, Prees Heath on 20 June 1919. He returned to live at 11 Newton Street and on 27 September 1919, John married Florrie Gallimore. Florrie was a widow – her first husband having been killed in the war and she had two sons and was living at 11 Angel Street, Hazel Grove, Cheshire. Sadly, the younger of Florrie’s two sons from her earlier marriage, 4 year old Albert Gallimore, was accidentally knocked down and killed by a cart on 13 May 1920. In 1921, John was working as a platelayer for London and North West Railways and was living at 11 Angel Street with Florrie and their 1 year old son, Harold Skeen and Florie’s 7 year old son Kenneth Gallimore. In September 1939, John, Florrie, Harold and Kenneth were living at 15 Angel Street and John was working as a plate layer for a railway company. John Skeen was still living at 15 Angel Street the following year when he died in Cheshire on 8 November 1940, aged 50.
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Capt.
|
Skey
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Arthur James
|
n/a
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A/58
|
Arthur James Skey was born on 9 May 1886 in Kilburn, London, the son of Arthur and Edith Amy Skey. In 1891 the family were living in Chalfont St. Giles, Bucks, and in 1901 were in Amersham, Bucks where the 14-year old Arthur James Skey was working as a printer’s apprentice. Later, he acted as assistant to Harold H Child, then editor of the literary periodical, “The Academy”, before taking over as editor when Child retired. He was living at Grange House, Cuffesgrange, County Kilkenny when he joined 2nd King Edward’s Horse as a trooper on 25 August 1914 with service number 232 and was then based at Hounslow Barracks. On 21 November 1914 he applied for a commission hoping to join the cavalry or the RFA and was commissioned into the RFA as a temporary 2/Lt on 17 December 1914. He was posted to C/60 Bde RFA and sailed from Devonport on 4 July 1915, arriving in Alexandria on 19 July 1915. He spent 16-30 August 1915 in hospital in Port Said before sailing from Alexandria on 18 October 1915, disembarking at Suvla Bay on 25 October 1915. When British forces withdrew from Gallipoli, he re-embarked at Suvla Bay on 18 December 1915, arriving back in Alexandria on 22 December 1915. He was granted temporary rank of Lt on 25 February 1916, though this does not appear to have been officially confirmed until 4 May 1916. When the brigade was getting ready to move to France, he sailed on the SS “Ivernia” from Alexandria on 22 June 1916 for Marseilles as part of 11 Division’s Advanced Party. A few days after arriving he was posted as an instructor at the Trench Mortar School on 16 July 1916 and was therefore appointed A/Capt the following day. In his role which he described as being the Divisional Officer Trench Mortars he attended a demonstration of Toby Mortars on 31 July 1916 during which 2/Lt Atwill of X/11 Trench Mortar Battery was slightly wounded and so gave evidence at the subsequent enquiry. He was awarded the Military Cross (MC) in the New Year’s Honours of 1917 and was appointed Staff Capt for 11 Division Artillery on 25 January 1917, replacing Capt A F B Cottrell. He was attached to A/58 on 21 June 1917 and formally left the post of Staff Capt on 23 July 1917 when he was posted to join A/58 at which point he was replaced as Staff Capt by Lt H L Farrar. He was posted for a month to 59 Bde RFA, serving with them between 28 July and 21 August 1917, after which he returned to A/58 to learn how to be a battery commander. On 5 September 1917 he was appointed an A/Maj since he was now in command of A/58, a 6-gun battery, and was granted 10 days’ leave to the UK on 10 September 1917. While he was on leave, he was appointed T/Capt on 18 September 1917 (though was still an A/Maj). Shortly after his return he was slightly wounded on 27 September 1917 but was able to remain at duty. He returned to the UK to attend the Overseas Artillery Course on 23 November 1917, rejoining his battery on 8 January 1918. Along with many other members of the brigade he was gassed on 9 April 1918 and retired to the wagon lines. Although he returned to duty two days later, on 11 April 1918, he appears not to have been fit because three days after that, on 14 April 1918 he was admitted to 1 Corps Officers’ Rest Station with debility, rejoining his unit on 2 May 1918. When 58 Bde held a Horse Show on Sunday 23 June 1918, Maj Skey acted as the “Hon. Secretary, Stakeholder and Clerk of the Course”. The following month he stood in for the 11 Divisional Artillery Brigade Major when that officer went on leave on 23 July 1918. As the Germans started falling back and mobile warfare started again, Maj Skey was detached from 58 Bde to command a mobile battery comprising four 18pdrs of A/58 and 2 howitzers of D/58 on 26 August 1918. The guns would be pulled by mobile traction, rather than by horses and the battery, designated “A” Mobile Battery was attached to the Cavalry Corps. He returned to 58 Bde on 26 October 1918, and was awarded a bar to his MC on 23 December 1918: “For conspicuous gallantry and determination during operations from 4th to 11th November, 1918, at Estinne. He handled his battery with great courage and skill, keeping up with the advancing infantry, and constantly going forward to obtain information under heavy machine-gun fire”. The day after the Armistice he was posted from the brigade on 12 November 1918 to join 8 Division Artillery on 15 November 1918 to command 1/45 Bde RFA. He was granted leave to the UK between 2 and 16 January 1919 and in March 1919 he was instructed to return to the UK and report to SD 4 in Room 270 at the War Office because he was required for duty in Russia. The London Gazette reported that he relinquished the acting rank of Maj on 29 March 19 presumably because that was when he ceased to command 1/45 Bde and was posted to Russia. This caused him subsequent difficulties because he joined the ill-fated Northern Russian Intervention at Murmansk on the understanding that he would still do so as a Major. There he formed and acted as Commandant of a new White Russian Artillery School where he trained, equipped and put into action five White Russian artillery batteries. After the British withdrawal from Murmansk that autumn, he went to the Officers’ Dispersal Unit in London on 28 November 1919 for demobilisation. He then found it difficult to find employment and so wrote to the War Office on 9 November 1921 believing there to be opportunities to re-enlist and serve in the Tank Corps in Egypt, but the rumour turned out not to be true: the War Office had no such plans. Instead, he set up a school, Southminster GramMarch School in Southminster, Essex, and on 1 February 1922 was successful in his application to join the Reserve of Officers, though since he did not report he was moved from Class I to Class II in the Reserve of Officers in 1925. Arthur Skey married three times: on 8 December 1905 he married Elizabeth Rutherford Riddell in the Presbyterian Church on Highgate Hill in London; in 1925 he married Margaret Beatrice Marion Dewhurst in St George’s Church, Hanover Square, London and they had a son, Giles Skey Brindley, born on 30 April 1926 in Woking, Surrey; in about 1930 he abandoned his wife and son, and on 2 February 1933 he married Henrietta Maria Lilian Shaw. Arthur Skey died 3 years later on 12 February 1936, aged 49.
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Dvr.
|
Skinner
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Dominic Logan
|
93036
|
C/58
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Born in Kirkcaldy, Fife in about 1887, Dominic Logan Skinner was the son of Joseph Logan Skinner and Euphemia Skinner (née Stubbles). He was appointed a temporary assistant postman in October 1903 and on 14 June 1907 he married Minnie Cameron McDowall in Pathhead, Kirkcaldy. By 1914 they had had three children, Helen Cameron Skinner (born 1907), Euphemia Stubbles Skinner (born 1910) and Joseph Logan Skinner (born 1914). Dominic enlisted in Kirkcaldy on 26 August 1914 and was posted initially as a driver to C/58. He was appointed an A/Sgt on 8 May 1916 but reverted to Cpl on 24 June 1916. He was again appointed A/Sgt on 10 July 1917 and was confirmed in rank 10 days later. He was awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the field on 25 September 1917. He was wounded twice in 1917, the second of which occurred on 18 November 1917. He was posted to a depot on 17 April 1918 and was in 4th Battery, 1B Reserve Battery just before being discharged on 17 October 1918 because he was deemed unfit any longer for military service due to deafness in his right ear as well as gunshot wounds in his head, right groin and left arm. After the war he returned to Kirkcaldy and returned to his job as a postman.
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2/Lt.
|
Skinner
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Frederick George
|
n/a
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D/58
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Frederick George Skinner was born on 4 April 1879 in St Mary’s, Battersea, London, probably the son of William H and Mary A Skinner. He worked on a farm until he was 15, then as porter as well as serving in the militia unit, 7th Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps before enlisting into the RFA at Woolwich on 4 August 1897 and was assigned service number 21528. He served in South Africa between 26 September 1899 and 24 November 1901 and was awarded the Queen’s and King’s South Africa Medals with clasps for Paardeberg, Johannesburg and Cape Colony. When he left South Africa he went to India where he spent over 4 years, returning to the UK on 24 April 1906. During his time there he was promoted to Sergeant on 18 November 1904. He married Clara Maud Belcher in the parish church of St Paul’s, Wokingham, Berks on 3 October 1906 and they had at least two children, George Henry Belcher Skinner who was born on 30 November 1908 and Frederick Clifford Skinner who was born on 27 April 1914. He was serving in 46 Battery, 39 Bde RFA when he went to France as part of the BEF in mid-August 1914. On 30 October 1914 he was wounded by a gun-shot wound to his left arm, and after a period in hospital was evacuated back to the UK on 19 November 1914 on the Hospital Ship “Asturias”. He was designated a Warrant Officer Class II on 29 January 1915 and was posted to No.1 Depot on 15 March 1915 and appointed an acting Regimental Sgt Major on the same day. He was posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column (11 DAC) on 1 June 1916 so returned to France sailing from Southampton on 3 July 1916 and arriving in Le Havre the next day. He was still serving in 11 DAC when on 31 October 1916 he was commissioned as a 2/Lt for services in the field and was posted to 19 Divisional Artillery. Later that year he was posted back to 11 DAC and from there was posted to join D/58 on 20 December 1916. Not long after, he returned to 11 DAC on 7 January 1917 and was admitted to hospital on 13 January 1917. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 1 May 1918 and five days later on 6 May 1918 he was appointed an acting Captain while second in command of a section of 11 DAC. After the Armistice he was elected as the Honorary Secretary of the 11th (Northern) Division’s boxing sub-committee while serving in No.3 section of 11 DAC, and proceeded to start organising a divisional tournament. In January 1919 he was also nominated to run a totaliser for the divisional horse-raving tournaments being held on 10-11 January 1919. While 11 DAC was at Rouvignies, he was posted to No.4 “Z” Horse Depot, Rouen on his 40th birthday, 4 April 1919 and relinquished his acting rank on 23 December 1919. He retired from the Army on 3 February 1920 and decided to take the gratuity of £1500 rather than receive retirement pay and returned to live at 7 Valentia Road, Reading, Berks. During the strikes in the coal industry the following year, he re-joined the Army briefly, serving as a Captain in 34 Battery RFA between 11 April and 11 June 1921.
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Gnr.
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Skinner
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George William
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681996
|
B/58
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George William Skinner was born in about 1886. He worked as a gardener and enlisted into 2 West Lancashire Bde RFA of the Territorial Force. He was serving in B/58 during the Battle of the Canal du Nord when he was injured, receiving a gun shot wound to his right hand. He was evacuated back to the UK and admitted to Fir Vale Military Hospital, Sheffield. From there he went on 16 December 1918 to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick.
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Bdr.
|
Smart
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Christopher
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22549
|
D/58
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Christopher Smart was born on 15 March 1895 in Edmonton, London, the son of John Smart and Sarah Smart (née Hockley). In 1911, aged 16, Christopher was working as an assistant salesman in a florist’s, though simply described himself as a labourer three years later. He enlisted into the RFA in Tottenham on 3 September 1914 and was initially appointed as a Driver. On 24 September 1914, Christopher was posted to No.5 RFA Depot in Athlone, Ireland and assigned to 183 Battery, part of 10th (Irish) Division. On 15 January 1915 he was posted to No.4 Section of the 10 Division Ammunition Column and on 5 April 1915 he was posted to 57 Bde RFA Ammunition Column and was appointed a Gunner that same day. On 6 July 1915, he was posted to C/55 and the following day embarked at Devonport from where he sailed to Alexandria, arriving there on 21 July 1915. He then left Alexandria on 9 August 1915 and landed at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli on 17 August 1915. On 31 August 1915 he was given 2 days’ Field Punishment No.2 for failing to salute an officer (Maj Roger Casement). While stationed at Lala Baba, Christopher was transferred to the HQ of 55 Bde. This brigade was evacuated from Gallipoli and, after a stay at Mudros, arrived in Alexandria on 3 January 1916. Although records only show Christopher joining 58 Bde much later that year, in mid-February 1916 he was reported for neglect of duty by 2/Lt Hunt and punished by Lt A L Cameron of D/58. He was posted to the Base depot on 18 February 1916. At some point he went to France because on 20 July 1916 he was posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column and was appointed A/Bdr on 20 September 1916. He was granted leave between 13 and 23 December 1916 and on 4 February 1917 he was posted to D/58. On 24 May 1917 he was promoted to Bombardier, but then on 4 August 1917 he was wounded, suffering a gunshot wound to the right foot and a compound fracture of the third toe. He was admitted to 1/2 Highland Field Ambulance that day and then sent to No.32 Stationary Hospital at Wimereux. The day after his wounding he had an operation resulting in the amputation of the toe through the first phalanx. He was evacuated back to the UK on the Hospital Ship “St. David” on 9 August 1917 and was admitted to 3rd Northern General Hospital, Sheffield from where he was discharged on 6 November 1917 and was posted to the Royal Artillery Command Depot at South Camp, Ripon on 17 November 1917. On 19 January 1918 he was posted to 4 Reserve Bde Territorial Force at High Wycombe and while there was reprimanded for smoking on parade. He was also severly reprimanded for being absent between 5 and 6 February 1918 and was posted back to France on 14 February 1918. He rejoined D/58 on 22 March 1918. In February 1919 he was given 14 days’ leave back to the UK and embarked at Boulogne on 4 April 1919 to return to the UK for demobilisation. He attended the Dispersal Centre at Crystal Palace the following day and was demobilised on 3 May 1919. In late 1920, Christopher married Daisy Dickinson in Epping, Essex and Christopher appears to have died in Epping in 1955, aged 60.
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Cpl.
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Smart
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W
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|
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Corporal W Smart was serving in 58 Bde when he was tried by Court Martial on 24 March 1917 and found guilty of insubordination or threatening behaviour for which he was reduced in ranks to Bombardier.
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Sgt.
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Smith
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A
|
|
C/58
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Sgt A Smith of C/58 wrote a letter to a friend in Chapeltown, Leeds from Gallipoli in about mid-September 1915 about the division’s landing at Suvla Bay. He said that the infantry were splendid under gun fire and that “Shell after shell would burst upon them as soon as they landed and in some cases before they got out of the small boats.” He stated that C/58 did not incur any casualties when they landed despite being under fire all the time, but that they had “only had about six wounded since landing, and four of those were with one shell, which made the middle of the water-cart go as well.” He added that the troops have many difficulties but that “by the time we get to Constantinople we shall forget all about the present privations.”
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Dvr.
|
Smith
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Bert
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10636
|
C/58
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Bert Smith was born in Chilvers Coton, near Nuneaton, Warks on 24 June 1894, the son of Abraham and Florence Smith. He was already working as a miner in 1911 and was living with his family in Stockingford, Nuneaton. He enlisted in Nuneaton on 31 August 1914, aged 20. He was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea and from there to 186 Battery on 10 September 1914 which was subsequently renamed as C/58. While at Milford Camp, he overstayed leave by 3 days between 24 and 27 May 1915 so Capt Franklin confined him to barracks for 7 days. He sailed with his battery to Egypt in July 1915 and was appointed an A/Bdr on 20 February 1917. On 25 June 1917 he was slightly wounded by a gunshot wound in his left foot and was admitted to No.18 General Hospital, Camiers. He was re-admitted to the same hospital on 7 July 1917 with a severe fever and was then sent to No.6 Convalescent Depot at Etaples on 18 July 1917. He was appointed A/Cpl on 29 September 1917 and was promoted to Cpl on 10 October 1917. The following year he was appointed a paid A/Sgt on 26 September 1918. After the Armistice he attended No.2 Dispersal Unit at Chiseldon on 1 January 1919 and was demobbed on 29 January 19, his character being described as “very good”. His mother accidentally burned his discharge papers in 1934. Bert married Violet Constance Bell in 1919 and they had at least eight children. He died in 1959, aged 64.
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Gnr.
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Smith
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Cyril Percy
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11265
|
C/58
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Cyril Percy Smith was born in 1892 in Walsgave-on-Sowe, near Coventry, the son of William Henry Smith and Elizabeth Smith. In 1911 he was working as a coal miner and was living with his family in Foleshill, Coventry. He was still employed as a coal miner when he enlisted into the RFA in Warwick on 2 September 1914, aged 22. He was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea and from there to C/58 on 10 September 1914. While at Milford Camp, he overstayed his leave from 12pm on 2 May until 11pm on 3 May 1915, so was confined to barracks for 7 days by Lt E J Franklin and was docked 1 day’s pay. He sailed from Devonport on 1 July 1915, arriving in Alexandria on 14 July 1915. He then sailed from Alexandria on 28 July 1915, disembarking at Gallipoli on 9 August 1915. Two months later he had pyrexia so was admitted to 35 Field Ambulance on 9 October 1915 and was discharged on 15 October 1915 but only to limited duties. After the brigade re-deployed to France and Flanders, he was wounded by gas on 23 September 1917 and sent to No.1/2 Highland Field Ambulance. He was transferred to No.8 British Red Cross Hospital at Le Touquet Paris-Plage on 25 September 1917 and then evacuated back to the UK on the Hospital Ship “January Breydel” on 17 October 1917. When he got back to the UK, he was admitted to No.17 Canadian General (Ontario) Hospital, Orpington, Kent on 18 October 1917. When he was discharged, he was granted furlough between 6 and 16 November 1917 before being posted to Irish Command Depot, Tipperary on 20 November 1917 to recuperate. On 5 February 1918 he was posted to 60th (Reserve) Battery and then on 12 March 1918 to 50th (Reserve) Battery. A few days later, on 16 March 1918, he was posted to the Signalling Training Centre before being posted back to France on 22 April 1918. He reported to the Base Depot and was assigned to A/147 RFA on 2 May 1918. Shortly after the Armistice he was admitted to 57 Casualty Clearing Station with influenza on 22 November 1918. He was demobbed from No.2 Dispersal Unit Chiseldon on about 28 January 1919 and returned to live in Bedworth, near Nuneaton, Warks. He married Florence Hadley (known as Florrie) in 1919. Cyril Smith died in Nuneaton in 1968, aged 75.
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A/Bdr.
|
Smith
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Daniel
|
20401
|
|
Daniel Smith was born on 15 April 1888 in Newbottle, Durham, the son of William and Mary Ann Smith. He was baptised just under two weeks later at St Michael’s, Houghton-le-Spring. In 1911 he was working as a coal miner and living with his widowed mother and younger siblings. He joined up and served in the RFA. He was appointed an A/Bdr and was serving in 58 Bde when he was tried by Field General Court Martial in Egypt. He was found guilty on 26 July 1915 of disobedience and sentenced to 6 months’ hard labour which was commuted to 84 days of Field Punishment No.2 and he also reverted to Gunner. He was awarded the Military Medal, which was gazetted on 12 December 1917. He was serving in D/121 when he was killed in action aged 30 on 12 September 1918. He is buried in Rocquigny-Equancourt Road British Cemetery, Manancourt. He left a widow, Margaret Smith, of 33 North View, Colliery Row, Fence Houses, Durham.
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Bdr.
|
Smith
|
F
|
|
C/58
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Bdr F Smith of C/58 wrote a letter on 28 December 1915 to the Burton Observer and Chronicle while on board ship in Mudros Harbour. In it he wrote “I have received your third parcel of tobacco and cigarettes quite safe, and under very unusual circumstances. We have – you are no doubt aware by now – evacuated Gallipoli, and are aboard HM [name censored out], and are at present in Lemnos harbour, or Mudros Bay, as it is called. When the mails were brought on board, having been fetched aboard from Lemnos, we were very much delighted when we received our Christmas parcels and letters, and I was pleased with your parcel of tobacco and cigarettes, which arrived in good condition. I am unable to state at present where we are going to now, but if any more parcels are on the way I shall probably receive them at Alexandria. So I must conclude now, wishing you and your paper every success.”
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Lt.
|
Smith
|
J
|
n/a
|
|
Lt J Smith was serving in 11 Division Ammunition Column (11 DAC) when he was attached to 58 Bde RFA on 21 October 1917. He stayed with the brigade until 14 February 1918 when he returned to 11 DAC before going off to join 59 Division on 23 March 1918.
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Bdr.
|
Smith
|
Joseph
|
20404
|
D/58
|
Joseph Smith was born in about June 1892 in Barrow-in-Furness, Lancs, the son of Ernest Smith. Joseph worked as a miner before enlisting into the RFA in Sunderland on 2 September 1914. He was posted to 58 Bde Ammunition Column on 13 September 1914 and when that unit was re-organised as the new D/58 he joined that battery on 21 January 1915. He spent 3 days in the Military Hospital, Leeds between 1 and 3 February 1915 with gonorrhoea. He sailed with his battery from Devonport on 3 July 1915 arriving in Alexandria on about 17 July 1915, before sailing again on 28 July 1915 on his way to Gallipoli where he disembarked on 9 August 1915. On 1 October 1915 he was appointed a temporary Acting Bdr to replace Wallace Reachill who had been promoted to Bdr. He was evacuated from Gallipoli with jaundice, and was transferred by the Hospital Ship “Rewa” to Malta where he was admitted to hospital on 3 December 1915. He was posted to the Base Depot at Sidi Bishr, Alexandria on 9 March 1916 and from there to 100 Bde Ammunition Column (BAC) on 1 April 1916 at Salonika. While at the depot he had asked to revert to Gunner but this was not completed until 17 May 1916. On 26 July 1916 he was admitted to No.25 Casualty Clearing Station. This may have been the beginning of a long running battle with malaria, since he was further hospitalised with malaria between 27 November and 20 December 1916 (in No.28 General Hospital) and between 10 and 19 April 1917 (in No.4 Canadian General Hospital) after both of which after a short stay at the Base Depot he returned to 100 BAC. But was then hospitalised for two months between 23 October and 27 December 1917 (in 68 Field Ambulance, No.31 Casualty Clearing Station, No.52 General Hospital, No.6 Convalescent Depot, No.48 General Hospital and No.1 Convalescent Depot) after which he was posted to Base on 5 January 1918 and then to D Medium Trench Mortar Battery, 1 Trench Mortar Bde on 6 March 1918. He was again appointed an Acting Bdr on 12 February 1918 but again reverted to Gunner at his own request on 26 September 1918. Two days later the Armistice was signed on the Salonika Front with Bulgaria. Joseph was reported for being drunk on 14 October 1918 so was given 28 days’ Field Punishment No.2 and was given another 7 days of that punishment in December for having been absent from duty for an hour. He was mentioned in dispatches which was gazetted on 30 January 1919. He left Salonika to go to Batoum [Batumi, Georgia] in mid-December 1918, where he stayed until 8 February 1919. He then sailed back to Salonika, arriving there on 16 February 1919 before sailing for the UK on 22 March 1919 where he was posted to the Dispersal Centre at Ripon on 3 April 1919 for demobilisation which he attended on 10 April 1919. In 1920, Joseph was living at 7 Staverdale Street, Dawdon Colliery, County Durham.
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Gnr.
|
Smith
|
Matthias
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159832
|
|
Matthias Smith enlisted into the RFA on 11 November 1915. He was serving in 58 Bde when he was discharged from the Army on 1 November 1917 due to wounds he had previously suffered and so was awarded a Silver War Badge.
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Dvr.
|
Smith
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Samuel Appleton
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895924
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D/58
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Samuel Appleton Smith was born in about 1881 in Horncastle, Lincs. He was brought up by his single-parent mother, Elizabeth Ann Smith and by his grandmother, Ann Smith. In 1911 he was living with his mother and his son, Cyril Watson Smith, and he was working as a poultry dealer. The following year he married Lily Holmes on 15 December 1912 in South Willingham, Lincs, and they had a daughter the following year. He joined the RFA Territorial Force and possibly served initially in 69 (2nd East Anglian) Division. He was serving in D/58 on 23 August 1918 and was working to help get a wagon out of a ditch when an enemy aeroplane swooped and dropped 5 bombs on the party seeking to get the wagon out. Samuel and eight others were killed, with another soldier later dying of wounds. Samuel was 37 years old and is buried in Hersin Communal Cemetery Extension, France.
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Gnr.
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Smith
|
|
|
C/58
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Gnr Smith was serving in C/58 when he was passed as a 1st class signaller by XIII Corps school on 22 March 1917.
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Gnr.
|
Smyth
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William Darley
|
14154
|
D/58
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William Darley Smyth was born in about 1895 in Old Harbour, Jamaica. He was the son Mrs. Albertina L. Smyth and had at least two siblings: Frederick and Madeline. He went to France on about 11 December 1915 and served in 458 Battery, 118 Bde RFA. He probably transferred to D/58 when that battery was reassigned to 58 Bde in July 1916. On 2 or 3 October 1917, he was serving in D/58 in the Ypres salient when one of the gun pits received a direct hit from an enemy shell killing him and up to 6 others. He died aged 22 and is buried alongside five of these comrades from D/58 in New Irish Farm Cemetery, Belgium: Gnr Henry Batten (233475), Gnr Arthur Himsworth (117053), Bdr George Miller (82899), Gnr Lewis Wakelin (111325) and Cpl Alfred Wilcox (96541).
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Dvr.
|
Sooley
|
Walter H
|
85984
|
D/58
|
Walter H Sooley was born on 21 September 1883 in Portsmouth, Hants, the son of Walter and Jessie Sooley. He served in the RFA from 1901 until his period of service came to an end in 1904, during which time his service number was 15418. He married Caroline Arnott in Sydenham Parish Church on 6 February 1906 and they had three children over the next 5 years. The family lived in Miall Road, Lower Sydenham, London where Walter worked as a painter. Shortly after war broke out, he re-enlisted into the RFA (Special Reserve) in Woolwich on 24 August 1914 and had a medical the same day at 263-267 High Street, Lewisham. He signed on for a period of 1 year, though in fact served for nearly 5 years until he was demobbed in 1919. He attended No.4 Depot at Woolwich before being posted as a Driver to 458 (Howitzer) Battery on 8 December 1914. He went to France with his battery on 11 March 1915. During 1916 he joined D/58, presumably when 458 Battery became the new D/58 on 15 July 1916. He was serving in D/58 when he was recovering from sickness or injury later that year since he was discharged to Details Camp Class ‘A’ from No.6 Convalescent Depot, Etaples on 29 December 1916. He probably returned to his battery because on 22 May 1918 he was posted to A/159 RFA, part of 35 Division. For some reason he left that unit when he was posted to Base on 24 September 1918 before being posted to D/250 on 19 October 1918. In November 1918, probably shortly after the Armistice, he was granted leave to the UK and had been due to be back with his unit on 1 December 1918, but returned a day late so was punished by being awarded a week of Field Punishment No.1. He was posted back to the UK to go to No.1 Dispersal Unit at Crystal Palace for demobilisation, attending there on 26 March 1919, his character being described as “very good”. After that he returned to live in Miall Road, Lower Sydenham and in 1939 he, Caroline, one of their daughters and his mother-in-law were still living there at whch time Walter was working as a builder’s labourer. Walter Sooley died in Lewisham in 1958, aged 74.
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Dvr.
|
Soutar
|
George
|
192965
|
A/58
|
George Soutar was born in 1884 in Broughty Ferry, Forfarshire. He was the son of George and Christina Soutar and in 1901 was working as an apprentice blacksmith. He had been working as a poulterer when he enlisted into the Army on 11 February 1916 in Dundee, aged 32, and after his medical examination he was classed as Aii. He was serving with A/58 when the absent voters list for Dundee was compiled in the autumn of 1918 and his home address was given as 180 King St, Dundee. He was discharged from the Army on 23 October 1919 due to being unfitted for duties. This appears to have been caused by a deterioration in his health: he spent 3 months in bed at the end of 1919 with exfoliative dermatitis. A medical board of 18 March 1920 stated that he “complains of general weakness and some skin trouble.” Their examination showed some slight evidence of scaly exfoliation in patches of general distribution, that his musculature was flabby and that he suffered from tremors in both his hands as well as some cyanosis [blue or purple discolouration]. The board decided that he was suffering from 15% debility that was attributable to his military service. Despite this, George’s request for a pension was denied.
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Bdr.
|
Southey
|
|
|
B/58?
|
Bdr Southey reported that Gnr Ernest Ballard (10994) was missing from Chapeltown barracks on the evening of 1 December 1914, resulting in Ballard getting punished for his absence.
|
A/Bdr.
|
Southway
|
Phillip Thomas
|
10654
|
B/58
|
Phillip Thomas Southway was born on 6 November 1890 in Bristol, the son of Charles J and Ellen Southway. In 1911 Phillip was working as a dock labourer and when he enlisted three years later he was working as a sawyer. He enlisted at Bristol Recruiting Office No.2 on 31 August 1914 and was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea. From there he was posted to 184 Battery on 10 September 1914 and he was appointed A/Bdr on 5 November 1914. He reported the absence from Chapeltown Barracks of of Dvr John Oram (93135) of B/58 on the evening of 1 December 1914. After 184 Battery had been renamed A/58 in January 1915, Phillip was posted to B/58 on 25 May 1915. He embarked with his battery at Devonport on 1 July 1915, disembarking at Alexandria on 14 July 1915. He then sailed from Alexandria on 28 July 1915, disembarking at Suvla Bay on 9 August 1915. Four weeks later he was wounded for the first time – over the course of the war he would be wounded a total of 4 times. On this first occasion he was wounded by shrapnel in his left shoulder on 7 September 1915, which resulted in him being evacuated to Malta on the Hospital Ship “Guildford Castle” on 9 September 1915 where he was admitted to St David’s Hospital, Malta on 12 September 1915. He was transferred to the Convalescent Depot at Ghajn Tuffieha Camp, Malta on 21 September 1915, rejoining his unit on 16 November 1915. He was promoted Bdr on 1 December 1915 to replace his fellow Bristolian, Bdr Sidney Lee (11239) who had been killed earlier that day. After the brigade had left Gallipoli and Egypt and gone to France, Phillip was wounded on 4 April 1917 by a severe gunshot wound to his right arm. He went to No.44 Field Ambulance and was then admitted No.13 General Hospital, Boulogne on 6 April 1917. He was evacuated back to the UK on the Hospital Ship “St Denis” on 19 April 1917 and was posted to 5C Reserve Bde the same day. On 17 September 1917 he went to the Clearing Office at the Royal Artillery Command Depot in the South Camp at Ripon. A week later he was posted to 50 Reserve Battery on 26 September 1917 and then on 19 January 1918 he was posted to the Signalling Training Centre, Swanage. He was then posted back to B/58 on 25 March 1918, but just two weeks later he was gassed on 9 April 1918. He was admitted to 35 Field Ambulance the same day and then went to the Australian General Hospital in Le Tréport before being transferred on 16 April 1918 to No.3 General Hospital in the same town. He was posted back to the Base on 20 May 1918 and from there to B/251 Bde RFA on 17 June 1918. Three months later he was wounded with a mild gunshot wound to his right thigh and after initial treatment at No.30 Casualty Clearing Station he was admitted to No.4 General Hospital, Camiers on 29 September 1918 before being evacuated back to the UK where he was admitted to St John and St Elizabeth Hospital, Grove End Road, London. He attended the Dispersal Hospital on Millbank in London on 11 March 1919 where he was described as sick and wounded. He was demobbed on 8 April 1919. He was awarded a pension of 9 shillings a week due to a 30% debility caused by the most recent injury to his thigh. He had married Florence Emily Gregory on 6 June 1915, and they had set up home at 247 North St, Ashton Gate, Bristol; Phillip’s parents were just a few doors away at no.263. On 16 September 1920, Phillip was awarded a gratuity of £75. In 1939 Phillip and Florence were living at 2 Hardy Ave, Bristol and Phillip was working as a petrol lorry driver at the time. Phillip Southway died in 1980 in Weston-super-Mare aged 89.
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Sgt.
|
Spittle
|
Wilfred Arnold
|
10595
|
B/58
|
Born on 3 December 1895 in Birmingham, Wilfred Arnold Spittle was the son of Arnold Spittle and Laura Spittle (née Derry). In 1911 he was aged 15 and was working in the drapery business at home. He enlisted into the RFA on 5 September 1914 in Birmingham and was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea. From there he was posted to 185 Battery, which became B/58. He was appointed as A/Cpl on 13 November 1914 and three months later was promoted to Sgt on 11 February 1915. The next day however, he was posted to C/55 RFA, in 10 (Irish) Division. He was appointed A/BSM on 6 August 1917 though reverted to Sgt a few weeks later on 31 August 1917. He was re-appointed A/BSM on 1 October 1917, reverting to Sgt again on 14 August 1918. After the Armistice, he was posted to a dispersal centre on 3 March 1919 for demobilisation and returned to live at 11 Woodfield Road, Balsall Heath, Birmingham. His subsequent claim for a pension due to neurasthenia was rejected since it was deemed not to have been attributable to his military service. After the war he became a commercial traveller and on 22 August 1922 he married Doris Kathleen Jones in Christ Church, Sparkbrook, Birmingham. By 1930 they had moved to live in London and in 1939 he and Doris were living in Harrow, Middx. At that time Wilfred was working as a commercial traveller selling women’s clothes and was also working as a special constable in his spare time. Doris passed away on 14 November 1954 in London and Wilfred died in London in 1970, aged 74.
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Gnr.
|
Spreadborough
|
Walter
|
10531
|
D/58
|
The eldest of the four children of Walter and Clara Spreadborough, Walter Spreadborough was born on 16 December 1892 in Woking, Surrey. In 1901 the family was living in Reigate and in 1911 in Redhill where the 18-year old Walter was working as a mechanical engineer. On 2 September 1914 he was still working as a mechanic when he enlisted into the RFA in Coventry aged 21. He was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea on 4 September 1914 and from there to 58 Bde Ammunition Column (58 Bde AC) on 13 September 1914. Three months later while training in Leeds, he spent a week in the Military Hospital, Leeds between 16 and 23 December 1914 with whitlow (an abscess in the soft tissue near either a fingernail or toenail). On 21 January 1915 he joined the new D/58. He sailed with his battery from Devonport on 3 July 1915, arriving in Alexandria on 17 July 1915. He then sailed from Alexandria on 28 July 1915 bound for Gallipoli. A few weeks later he was admitted to hospital at Gallipoli on 30 September 1915 and was then evacuated back to Egypt where he was admitted to Kaser-El-Ani Hospital in Cairo on 10 October 1915. After a stay there he was sent to the Convalescent Camp in Port Said on 31 October 1915 but he does not appear to have got fully better from whatever was ailing him since he was evacuated back to the UK on the Hospital Ship “Dover Castle” which left Alexandria on 24 November 1915. Also on the “Dover Castle” for that voyage was another 58 Bde soldier, Dvr Henry Priddle (10569). Walter did not serve overseas again, instead he was posted to 5C Reserve Bde on 6 December 1915 and to 1A Reserve Bde on 14 April 1916. Soon after, he was released for munitions work at the Royal Aircraft Factory, South Farnborough on 11 September 1916 but only two weeks later was posted to No.3 Depot on 25 September 1916. Shortly after the Armistice Walter was discharged from the Army on 14 December 1918 because he must have had a job to go to that was classed as essential to the country in the immediate post-war period and his address at the time was given as Bromyard, Herefordshire. On 17 April 1919 he married Mary Josephine Reynolds in the parish church in Cove, near Farnborough. Between at least 1933 and 1936 he and Mary lived in Battersea, London, before moving to Liverpool where in 1939 he and Mary were living with their 12-year old daughter, Josephine. Walter was working as an engineer’s rate fixer at the time. Walter stayed living in Liverpool until at least 1955.
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Dvr.
|
Sprowson
|
John William
|
112286
|
B/58
|
John William Sprowson was born on 15 May 1883, the son of John William Sprowson Snr and Millicent Sprowson. On 17 June 1907 he married Florence Bowyer in All Saints church, Stockport. Their first three children, Florence, Stanley and Dora were born in Stockport on 30 December 1907, 12 November 1909 and 6 June 1915 respectively. John was working as a plasterer and living with his family at 19 Sharples Street, Stockport when he enlisted into the RFA in Stockport on 16 October 1915 and was posted to 7 Reserve Battery on 19 October 1915 as a Driver. He was posted to 20 Reserve Battery, 4A Reserve Bde in Woolwich on 12 February 1916 and from there to the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force on 13 March 1916. On 10 April 1916 he joined B/58 in Egypt. At el-Ferdan near the Suez Canal, he was admitted to 35 Field Ambulance with scabies on 30 May 1916, rejoining his unit on 15 June 1916. He embarked at Alexandria and sailed with 58 Bde to Marseilles, disembarking on 3 July 1916. On 16 August 1916 he was admitted again into 35 Field Ambulance with a contusion to his right knee, rejoining his unit again on 6 September 1916. He fell ill three months later and so was admitted to No.11 Casualty Clearing Station on 18 December 1916. The diagnosis was later given as ‘myalgia’ and after being in No.3 Canadian General Hospital, he was discharged from there on 2 January 1917 and sent to No.7 Convalescent Depot, Boulogne. It will have been at about that time that he left 58 Bde. He was posted to the Base Depot on 1 June 1917 and to 31 Division Ammunition Column (DAC) on 25 June 1917. John was granted leave to the UK between 9 and 19 August 1917 and was temporarily attached to 165 Bde RFA between 19 and 25 June 1918. Between 21 September and 5 October 1918 he had some more leave in the UK and he was still serving in 31 DAC, in No.1 Section, when he was posted for demobilisation arriving back in the UK on 6 February 1919 and attending No.1 Dispersal Unit, Prees Heath two days later. In September 1939, John, Florence, Dora and probably a fourth child, were living at 44 Sharples Street, Stockport, and John was working as a travelling plasterer. John Sprowson died in Stockport on 24 November 1961.
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Gnr.
|
Stanley
|
John Robert
|
75284
|
C/58
|
John Robert Stanley was born on 3 July 1884 in Barton-upon-Irwell, Eccles, Manchester, the son of Robert Stanley and Mary Ann Stanley. In 1891, the family were living at 5 Green Street, Barton, Eccles and in 1901, they were living at 5 Brottargh Street, Pendleton, Lancs and John was 16 years old and an apprentice machine man. John married Mary Eleanor on 30 July 1910 in Manchester and the following year they were living at 25 Whit Lane, Pendleton, Lancs, and John was working as a section beamer in a cotton weaving shed. He was working as a cotton operator when he enlisted into the RFA on 12 January 1915 in Stockport. He was posted initially to No.2 Depot at Preston and from there to 5 Reserve Battery on 7 March 1915, before joining 37 Divisional artillery on 14 April 1915 where he joined 124 Brigade Ammunition Column. On 8 June 1915 he was posted to 2B Reserve Bde RFA at Preston Barracks, Brighton, and was deemed to require dental treatment so was provided with upper dentures on 21 August 1915. He then joined 4A Reserve Bde RFA in Woolwich on 30 August 1915 and from there was posted overseas on 15 September 1915 and joined 368 Battery in 147 Bde RFA, part of 29 Division on the Gallipoli peninsular on 7 October 1915. As part of the withdrawal from Gallipoli, he embarked from there on 6 January 1916 and landed at Alexandria on 9 January 1916 and went to Suez Camp. He and his unit left Alexandria on 11 March 1916, arriving at Marseilles on 18 March 1916. On 12 September 1916, John was posted to 97 Battery in the same artillery brigade. He was admitted to hospital with bronchitis, and after a period in No.26 General Hospital, Etaples, was evacuated back to the UK on the SS “Dieppe” on 26 October 1916, arriving in the UK the following day. He then stayed in the North Evington Military Hospital, Leicester between 28 October and 25 November 1916 before being transferred to ‘Uppingham’, which was presumably refers to the Uppingham Auxiliary Hospital on Leicester Road, Uppingham, Leics. He was then posted to No.7 Depot on 1 December 1916 and from there he returned to France on 10 February 1917 and joined C/34 on 3 April 1917 from the Base Depot, but very soon after he was admitted to 2/1 Highland Field Ambulance with piles. From there he was transferred to No.30 Casualty Clearing Station on 18 April 1917 and to No.6 Convalescent Depot, Etaples, three days later. On 24 April 1917 he was discharged back to the Base Depot from where he was posted to 15 Division Ammunition Column on 2 May 1917 before being posted on to A/70 Bde RFA five days later. His bronchitis returned, so on 14 August 1917 he was admitted to 113 Field Ambulance who sent him to No.18 General Hospital at Camiers the following day. On 24 August 1917 he was sent back to No.6 Convalescent Depot and from there to No.11 Convalescent Depot at Buchy on 31 August 1917. He returned to the Base Depot on 12 October 1917 and from there was posted to C/58 on 19 October 1917. During 1918 he was awarded two periods of 14 days’ leave to the UK, the first on 13 January and the second after the Armistice on 12 December. On 2 January 1919 he was appointed a paid acting Lance Bombardier while still in C/58 but then on 29 January 1919 he was posted back to the UK for demobilisation and embarked at Dieppe on 2 February 1919 for the journey home. He attended No.2 Dispersal Unit at Prees Heath on 5 February 1919 and was demobbed on 5 March 1919. He returned to his home at 69 High Street, Cheadle. In September 1939, John and Mary were living at 9 Cornbrook Grove, Stretford, Manchester, and John was working as a shopkeeper. Mary died on 9 January 1942, aged 65, and John died on 5 April 1945, aged 60 while living at 86 Cornbrook Street, Manchester. They are buried together in the Southern Cemetery, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Greater Manchester, along with an Emma Billingsley and her husband Frederick Billingsley who both died in 1952.
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Gnr.
|
Stanton
|
Thomas
|
106852
|
D/58
|
Thomas Stanton was born in about 1894. He enlisted into the RFA on 17 August 1915 and after about 6 weeks was posted to France, arriving there on about 4 October 1915. He was serving in D/58 when he was admitted to No.2 General Hospital in the second half of 1916. He was serving as a paid Lance Bombardier in 159 Bde RFA when he was discharged from the Army on 14 March 1919, aged 25, due to sickness.
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2/Lt.
|
Steel
|
Francis George
|
n/a
|
B/58
|
Francis George Steel was born on 5 July 1892 in Bromley, Kent. He was the son of shipowner Francis Baker Steel and Alice Ada Steel. In 1901 the family were living at West Hall, Warlingham, Surrey and then in 1911 they were living at Ardentinny, Grosvenor Road, St. Albans, Herts, where Francis was 18 years old and working as a clerk to an insurance broker. He was commissioned as a 2/Lt in the RFA Special Reserve on 19 May 1915 and was posted overseas where it was reported on 7 October 1915 that he was arriving at Suvla Bay to join B/58 as a reinforcement. His stay with the unit lasted only a few weeks because he had been serving in the headquarters of 58 Bde when he was evacuated on the Hospital Ship “Somali” with mild gastritis and ulcers, and admitted to the Blue Sisters Hospital in Malta on 17 December 1915. In 1916 Francis married Norah Violet Hyland in St. Albans, Herts. After the war, he returned to work as an insurance broker for Lloyds and that included travelling by sea to Colombia in 1920 and France in 1930. In 1926, Francis and Norah had a daughter, Pamela Jane Steel. At the outbreak of WW2, Francis was granted a commission in the Administrative and Special Duties Branch of the Royal Air Force and a few days later was a patient in the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and described as a Flying Officer in 937 Sqn RAF which was a barrage balloon squadron based in Newcastle. Francis Steel probably died in 1963 in Watford, Herts, aged 70.
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Bdr.
|
Steel
|
S
|
|
|
Bdr S Steel was found guilty by a Court Martial held on 30 September 1915 in Alexandria of breaking out of barracks, so was reduced to the ranks and awarded 7 days’ detention.
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Gnr.
|
Steele
|
Frederick H
|
10608
|
|
Frederick H Steele served in the RFA as a gunner and went overseas, arriving in Egypt on 14 July 1915. He was serving in 58 Bde when he and at least 6 other members of the brigade were sent on an advanced telephone course on 22 January 1917. He subsequently transferred to the Royal Engineers – something that happened to many signallers in the RFA – and he was given the new service number 360363.
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Sgt.
|
Steele
|
Robert Jardine
|
93425
|
C/58
|
Robert Jardine Steele was born on 3 August 1891 in Peebles, the son of George Steele and Sarah Steele (née Boustead). He enlisted into the RFA on 25 August 1914 and was serving as a Cpl in 58 Bde when he found Dvr John H Banks (92448) absent from reveille at Leeds on 6 January 1915. On 26 May 1915 at Milford Camp he was serving as a Cpl in 58 Bde when he witnessed Dvr Francis Jones (11161) of B/58 overstaying his leave by a couple of hours. Shortly after this, he went overseas with the RFA when he went to Egypt arriving on about 12 July 1915. He was serving as a Sgt in C/58 when he fell ill and so was replaced on 4 December 1915 by A/Sgt William Lewis (11163). After redeploying to France, he was tried by Court Martial at Blangermont on 15 July 1916 which found him guilty of drunkenness and punished him by reducing him in rank to Bombardier. He was serving as a Bombardier in D/58 when he was admitted to No.149 Field Ambulance with a cracked great toe on 22 January 1917. He was transferred the same day to the Divisional Rest Station, No.3 Field Ambulance. On 20 February 1917, Robert was replaced as a Bombardier by A/Bdr Harry Wheeler (99250) which may suggest that Robert had been promoted to Corporal. On 26 February 1918 he married Isabella Beattie in the George Hotel, Halkerburn. He was wounded twice, the reports of his woundings being published on 24 August 1917 and 6 June 1918. On 8 February 1919, Robert was serving as a Sgt in 103 Bde RFA when he was discharged from the Army due to wounds he had received, one of these apparently being a gunshot wound to his left foot. He was awarded a Silver War Badge and his address at the time was given as The Mount Lodge, Peebles. He worked after the war as a wool salesman. He and Isabella had a daughter, Christina Cormack Steele, known as Ena, on 6 December 1920. The family emigrated to the USA, sailing on 17 October 1925 on the SS “Scythia” from Liverpool and arriving in Boston on 27 October 1925. The following year he applied for US citizenship giving his address as 1258 Commonwealth Avenue, Allston, Mass. Throughout the rest of the 1920s and early 1930s he made several trips between the USA and UK, presumably for his work as a wool salesman. In April 1930, he, Isabella and Christina were living at 15 Boulevard Terrace, Boston. Isabella appears to have died in 1935, and so in 1942 Robert was living at 81 Warren Avenue, Boston and working for Raymond’s Department Store on Washington Street, Boston. Robert Jardine Steele died in Barnstable, Mass. on in 1952.
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S/Smith
|
Steer
|
Frederick
|
98034
|
C/58
|
Frederick Steer, known as Fred, was born in about 1878 in South Perrott, Dorset, the son of Edwin and Sarah Steer. He came from a family of blacksmiths and so after working as a domestic servant on a farm he went into that trade. After enlisting into the RFA he went overseas to France on about 14 July 1915. He was serving as a shoeing smith in C/58 when he died of wounds on 9 June 1917 in No.1 Australian General Hospital in Rouen. He is buried in St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, France.
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Gnr.
|
Steer
|
Noel
|
10731
|
185 Bty
|
Noel Steer was born in about 1893 in Brixham, Devon, the son of John and Sarah Steer. He was working as a groom when he enlisted in Exeter on 1 September 1914, aged 20. He joined the RFA and was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea the following day. From there he was posted to 185 Battery. He spent 9 days in the Military Hospital Leeds between 18 and 27 January 15 with laryngitis. On 30 April 1915, he married Florence Louise Hayman in St Augustine’s church in Plymouth. For some reason he did not go overseas with the brigade in July 1915, instead on 3 November 1915 he was posted to 4A Reserve Bde and was then posted to the Expeditionary Force Base Depot in France on 13 November 1915. From there he was posted to join 24 Division Ammunition Column on 30 November 15 and in June 1916 joined the 24 Division’s Trench Mortar Battery. After the Armistice he was posted to the Dispersal Centre at Fovant on 13 February 1919 and was demobbed on 14 March 1919, his character being described as very good.
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Sgt.
|
Stevens
|
|
|
D/58
|
A sergeant called Stevens appears to have served in D/58.
|
Cpl.
|
Stewart
|
|
|
A/58?
|
Along with Cpl Peter Wardlaw, a Cpl Stewart witnessed Dvr William Birch being absent without leave on 9-10 January 1915 while training at Chapeltown Barracks Leeds.
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Gnr.
|
Still
|
James Edgar
|
92535
|
|
James Edgar Still was born in 1881 and came from Bedminster, Bristol. He enlisted into the RFA on 9 November 1915. He was serving in 58 Bde when he was discharged from the Army on 24 July 1918, aged 37, due to wounds he had received.
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Gnr.
|
Stokes
|
William Cyril
|
129963
|
D/58
|
Born on 28 February 1895 in Nottingham, William Cyril Stokes was the son of William and Julia Stokes (née Jenkins). By 1911 he had followed his father into the Nottingham lace industry where he was dyeing and bleaching the lace. He married Maria Elizabeth Dowell in Nottingham in 1916 and they had a son born that year also called William Cyril Stokes. He was serving in D/58 on 23 August 1918 and was helping get a wagon out of a ditch when an enemy aeroplane swooped and dropped 5 bombs on him and his comrades, killing 9 of them including William with a further man later dying of wounds. William died aged 23, and is buried in Hersin Communal Cemetery Extension, France.
|
Bdr.
|
Stratton
|
Thomas Bruce
|
80791
|
A/58
|
Thomas Bruce Stratton was born in Orral, Stirlingshire, the son of Alexander Stratton. Before the war he worked as a woodcutter and game-keeper for two years for a Mr Struthers before he enlisted on 10 August 1914 in Kirkcaldy. He was posted initially to No.6 Depot at Glasgow and from there to 184 Battery which subsequently was renamed A/58. On 4 April 1915 he missed roll-call until 10.45 p.m. while training at Leeds so was confined to barracks for 3 days. He went overseas, arriving in Egypt on about 17 July 1915. He was appointed an A/Bdr on possibly 22 September 1916 and was posted to Base on 8 April 1917, returning to A/58 a few weeks later. He was promoted to Bdr on 16 September 1917 but only a few weeks later was wounded in his left buttock by a shell fragment so was admitted to No.2 General Hospital, Wimereux on about 14 October 1917. His condition was serious and it wasn’t until 20 October 1917 that he was taken off the danger list. He was then evacuated back to the UK and was admitted to Toxteth Park Military Hospital, Liverpool. A Medical Board was held on 5 June 1918 at the 1st Western General Hospital, Fazakerley, Liverpool to confirm his discharge from the Army due to the wounds he had received, which also included an extensive abscess on his right hip. He was formally discharged on 26 June 1918 at which point he hoped to return to game-keeping and he was described as being of very good character. After the war he lived in Belvedere, Dunfield Road, Perth and appears to have married twice, to Jane Davidson with whom he had three children before her early death in 1922, and then to Catherine (sometimes spelled Katherine) Elizabeth Fisher. Between at least 1931 and 1960 he and Catherine lived in Forgandenny, Perth. Thomas died on 31 March 1982 in Perth Royal Infirmary and is buried in Forgandenny Churchyard, Perth and Kinross, alongside his second wife.
|
A/Bdr.
|
Sturt
|
Frederick James
|
2761
|
B/58
|
Frederick James Sturt was born on 25 February 1891 in Chobham, Surrey, the son of Sarah Louise Sturt who was unmarried at the time. His father was not recorded. He grew up living with his grandparents, James and Elizabeth Sturt in Burrowhill, near Chobham. In 1911 he was working as a golf caddy and by the time he enlisted into the RFA in Guildford on 31 August 1914 he had been working as a carman. He was posted initially to No.4 Depot at Woolwich and from there to 185 Battery the same day, which became B/58. While training at Leeds he was hospitalised in the Military Hospital, Leeds with a contusion to his leg between 16 and 22 February 1915. He was appointed an unpaid A/Bdr on 14 April 1915 and then a paid A/Bdr on 7 May 1915. He went overseas with the brigade, arriving in Egypt on 14 July 1915. He was promoted to temporary Bdr on 17 September 1915 thus making a vacancy which was filled by Thomas Nicholls (10621). While serving at Gallipoli, Frederick went sick with dysentery so was admitted to No.26 Casualty Clearing Station at Suvla Bay on 3 November 1915 and was then evacuated to Malta on HS “Maria” on 10 November 15. From there he was evacuated back to the UK and was admitted to 2nd Western General Hospital in Manchester on 29 November 1915. He therefore left 58 Bde and was assigned to 5C Reserve Bde. A year later he was examined by No.2 Travelling Medical Board at Hilly Fields, Brockley, SE London on 13 November 1916 and was classified as “B1”. He was therefore posted to the School of Instruction at Shoeburyness the same day though was again hospitalised two days later with influenza until 23 November 1916. At some point he transferred to the RGA and so was assigned a new service number of 149435. He was posted to the Anti Aircraft Depot on 5 May 1918, was appointed a paid A/Cpl on 8 July 1918 and then to paid A/Sgt on 22 July 1918. He was promoted to Sgt on 7 October 1918 and was posted the same day back to France to join 116 Anti-Aircraft Section. He was demobbed on 30 March 1919 at Dover and his character was described as very good. He went to live in West Wittering, near Chichester, Sussex. In 1921 he applied to join the RAF. In 1939 he was working as a gardener with his wife, Alice M Sturt. He probably died in 1953.
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Gnr.
|
Sturt
|
Harry
|
94132
|
C/58
|
Harry Sturt was born in Kingston-on-Thames, Surrey on 21 March 1894, the son of Charles Henry Sturt and Sarah Sturt. Between 1901 and 1911, his mother re-married becoming Sarah Tottingham. In 1911 Harry was living with his mother and step-father in 3 New Cottages, Barns Green, Horsham, Sussex and Harry was working as a shop assistant. On 15 April 1912 he enlisted into the Royal Navy for a period of 12 years but was discharged after 2 months because, although his character was very good, he was regarded as “Generally dull and slow at work, very slovenly in his clothes and appearance, and it is not considered that he will ever make an efficient Cooks Rating.” After war broke out, Harry was living at 11 Highgate Road, Portsmouth with his mother and was working as a bricklayer’s labourer when he enlisted into the RFA in Portsmouth on 11 February 1915. He was posted initially to No.6 Depot at Glasgow and then to 11 Reserve Battery, 2B Reserve Bde RFA at Brighton on 6 May 1915. The following month he was posted on 17 June 1915 to join 20 Reserve Battery, 4A Reserve Bde RFA at Woolwich. A few days’ later he was posted on 23 June 1915 to 60 Bde RFA, joining 60 Brigade Ammunition Column on 29 June 1915. Less than 3 weeks later he went overseas, embarking at Devonport with his unit on 17 July 1915 and disembarking in Alexandria on 29 July 1915. On 22 December 1915 he was admitted to No.17 General Hospital in Alexandria suffering from diarrhoea and was discharged from hospital to return to his unit on 7 January 1916. He went to Zahrieh camp and was posted a couple of weeks later on 25 January 1916 to D/60. When 11th (Northern) Division created a new howitzer brigade, his battery was transferred to form the new C/133 on 24 April 1916 at el Ferdan, Egypt. On 28 June 1916 he sailed with his unit from Alexandria, arriving in Marseilles on 7 July 1916. On 29 November 1916 he was transferred again as part of a re-organisation – 133 Bde was broken up and so Harry was posted to C/58. On 21 August 1917 he was granted 10 days’ leave to the UK and on 26 September 1917 he was posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column, though was posted back to C/58 on 11 October 1917. He was granted 14 days’ leave to the UK in probably late February 1918 and was then appointed an acting L/Bdr on 22 April 1918 and was promoted to Bombardier on 7 August 1918. Harry was granted another two weeks’ leave to the UK on 27 October 1918, travelling via Boulogne. It is likely that it was during this leave that he married Minnie Card in Portsmouth, after which he returned to France on the day of the Armistice. On 18 June 1919 he was posted back to the UK for demobilisation and attended No.1 Dispersal Unit at Fovant on 20 June 1919. He was demobilised on 18 July 1919, returning to live at 11 Highgate Road, Portsmouth. In September 1939, Harry and Minnie were living at 195 Copnor Road, Portsmouth and Harry was described as a distemperman. Harry Sturt probably died on 9 March 1945 and is buried in Kingston Cemetery, Portsmouth.
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Bdr.
|
Sumner
|
Thomas Arthur
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|
|
Thomas Arthur Sumner was born on 19 October 1883. He was from Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs. He apparently served in 58 Bde during the Great War. After the war he moved to India where he joined the Indian police force and on 5 September 1923 he married Evelyn Maude Pereira in Madras, he was 39, she was 20.
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Gnr.
|
Sutherland
|
James Bremner
|
10406
|
58 Bde AC
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The son of Alexander and Margaret Sutherland (née Bremner), James Bremner Sutherland was born on 4 December 1890 in Wick, Caithness. Before the war he worked as a fishmonger and he enlisted into the RFA in Southampton on 1 September 1914, aged 23. He was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea and from there to 188 Battery on 11 September 1914, which became B/59. He was posted to 58 Bde Ammunition Column (AC) on 26 January 1915. Despite the Ammunition Column being left behind in the UK, he nevertheless sailed with the brigade from Devonport on 1 July 1915, disembarking at Alexandria on 14 July 1915. He then sailed from Alexandria on 31 July 1915 for Gallipoli. While there he was admitted to hospital with dysentery on 18 October 1915 and was discharged back to duty four days later on the 22nd. He was posted to 58 Bde HQ on 17 November 1915 and then back to 58 Bde AC on 9 December 1915. After arriving back in Alexandria he was posted to B/58 on 28 January 1916. He was admitted to hospital with an undiagnosed condition on 10 July 1916 and was discharged the same day and sent to the Base. He was posted to join the 4th Section of 2 Division AC on 22 August 1916 and at some point thereafter joined 2 Division’s X Trench Mortar Battery. He applied for a commission and was due to report to 2B Bde in Brighton on 5 February 1918. He attended a course at No.3 RFA Officer Cadet School at Weedon but was released from the course on 23 October 1918 and was “relegated to the ranks as unlikely to make efficient Artillery Officer”. After the Armistice he was posted to No.1 Dispersal Centre at Kinross on 24 February 1919 which he attended three days later. After the war he returned to live in Wick and on 3 December 1924 he married Mary Brooks Innes and they had at least 2 sons. He died on 12 May 1974, aged 83.
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Dvr.
|
Sutherland
|
Robert
|
92248
|
A/58
|
Robert Sutherland was the son of George and Emma Sutherland. He was born in Liverpool on 29 May 1892. He worked as a labourer and then on 26 August 1914 he enlisted into the RFA in Liverpool, aged 22. He was posted to No.2 Depot at Preston and from there to A/66 Bde in 13 (Western) Division as a driver on 15 September 1914. On 16 October 1914 the City Electrical Engineer for Liverpool wrote to Robert via the War Office asking him to complete a certificate. Robert went overseas on 14 June 1915 to Egypt and – probably after service on Gallipoli – served at Salonika. He was posted to A/58 on 10 April 1916 and sailed with the brigade from Alexandria on 25 June 1916 bound for France. Over the course of his military service he got into trouble a few times and on 24 February 1917 he was found to be absent from camp between 0930 and 1030 so was awarded 4 days’ Field Punishment No.2 by his battery commander, Maj Hutton. On 20 September 1917 while serving with his battery in the Ypres salient, he was awarded the Military Medal (MM). The next year he was posted back to the UK arriving there on 14 April 1918 and he went to the Royal Artillery Camp Depot at Ripon. He was sent to the Dispersal Centre No.3 at Heaton Park in January 1919. On 16 April 1919 he wrote – according to him – for the third time requesting that his MM be sent to him. He said that he was going abroad shortly and wanted the medal to be sent to the Lord Mayor of Liverpool so that it could be presented to him. The medal was duly sent later that month. Later that year he married Edith Annie Parry and they subsequently moved to Wrexham. Robert died on 6 January 1955 in Wrexham. His medals came up for sale in 2014.
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Gnr.
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Sutton
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George Percy
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125293
|
B/58
|
George Percy Sutton was born in Marylebone, London on 2 August 1896, the son of Charles Percy and Elizabeth Sutton. When he was 4 years old he started attending St Matthew’s National School, Westminster, and in 1911 he was attending the Field Lane Boys Certified Industrial School, Hillfield Road, West Hampstead where he was learning to be a tailor. He married Charlotte Elizabeth Hawkins in Southwark on 26 November 1915 and was working as a tailor when he enlisted into the RFA in Southwark Town Hall the following day. He probably enlisted under the “Derby Scheme” because he wasn’t mobilised until 1 May 1916 at which time he reported to the Central London Recruiting Depot in Whitehall before being sent to No.4 RFA Depot at Woolwich. On 10 May 1916 he was posted to 47 (Reserve) Battery, 4C Reserve Bde at Weedon. While there, he went Absent Without Leave between 10 p.m. on 9 June and 8 p.m. on 13 June 1916 for which he was docked 3 days’ pay. He was also confined to barracks for 2 days having been found with a light on in his tent after “lights out” on 27 August 1916. He was posted to France on 21 December 1916 and once there was assigned first to 11 Division Ammunition Column on 22 January 1917 and then on 17 February 1917 to B/58. He had trained as a signaller and a few weeks later was out, apparently deploying signalling lamps, on 9 March 1917 when he was wounded in the right arm and left leg probably by shrapnel and was taken to No.11 Casualty Clearing Station at Varennes that day. He was then evacuated on No.25 Ambulance Train on 11 March 1917 to No.1 General Hospital in Etretat from where he was evacuated back to the UK on the Hospital Ship “Grantully Castle” on 20 March 1917. He was assigned to 5C Reserve Bde for administrative purposes the following day and was admitted to King George Hospital, Stamford St, London that same day. He was discharged from the hospital on 30 May 1917 to furlough and then was posted to 1C Reserve Bde but then, while serving in “F” Battery, No.4 Reserve Bde (T) at High Wycombe, he again went Absent Without Leave (AWOL) on 21 December 1917 and four weeks later surrendered himself in uniform at Old Street police station in London on 18 January 1918. He was placed under arrest and tried for desertion by Regimental Court Martial on 31 January 1918. He pleaded not guilty and was found not guilty of desertion but guilty of going AWOL so was sentenced to 42 days’ detention. He was released and returned to duty on 14 March 1918. He returned to France and was posted to X Trench Mortar Battery of 211 Bde RFA as part of 42 (East Lancs) Division. On 29 July 1918 he and Charlotte had a daughter, Doris Irene, though she died in childhood and they went on to have two sons. On 13 August 1918, George was granted 14 days’ leave back to the UK but was 24 hours late returning to his unit so was docked a day’s pay and awarded 14 days’ Field Punishment No.2. After the Armistice he appears to have joined B/161 RFA and was part of the occupation force in Germany. He went to the Dispersal Unit at Crystal Palace on 17 September 1919 and was demobilised from the Army on 16 October 1919. In 1939, he and Charlotte were living in Tottenham, London and George was working as a factory manager for a tailor’s though three years later Charlotte probably died in 1942 and the following year George married Joan Rosetta Lazenby in London and they had one son. George and Joan separated in about 1950, leaving George to look after his son. George Sutton died on 15 March 1980 in London, aged 83.
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Far. Sgt.
|
Swan
|
David
|
56426
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B/58
|
While serving in B/58 Farrier Sgt Swan was posted back to the UK on 13 August 1918 for a 6 month tour at home. This is most likely Farrier Sgt David Swan, service number 56426, who at the start of the war had served in 43 Bde RFA as a Shoeing Smith and who went to France with the British Expeditionary Force on 14 August 1914.
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Gnr.
|
Swarman
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Frederick John
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235374
|
C/58
|
Frederick John Swarman was born on 13 August 1880 in Hackney, London. In 1901, Frederick was working as a grill cook and was living at Somerford Grove, Hackney, with his widowed mother Jane and his younger sister, Ada. In 1911 Census, the three of them were living at 88 Rectory Rd, Stoke Newington, London and Frederick was working as a motorman on the council tramway. Frederick enlisted into the RFA and just after the Armistice, he was serving in C/58 as a Gunner when he was admitted to No.10 Convalescent Depot at Écault on 9 December 1918 with enteritis. In September 1939, Frederick and his sister Ada were living at 33 Rectory Road, Hackney and he was working as a transport inspector with the London Passenger Transport Board Transport. Frederick Swarman had been living at ‘Clovelly’, Thissett Road, Canvey Island, Essex when he died on 14 June 1957.
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Dvr.
|
Sweeney
|
Thomas
|
93046
|
A/58
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Born in Burntisland, Fife in 1895, Thomas Sweeney (sometimes given as Thomas Sweeny) was the son of James and Christina Sweeney. He was a 19-year old labourer when he enlisted into the RFA on 26 August 1914 in Kirkcaldy, Fife. He was posted initially to No.6 RFA Depot in Glasgow the following day and from there was posted as a Driver to 184 Battery on 10 September 1914. After 184 Battery had been renamed as A/58 and during his training in Leeds, he spent 18 days in the Military Hospital in Leeds between 6 and 23 March 1915 with an abscess on his toe. At Milford Camp he was absent from 12 p.m. on 5 June until 11 a.m. the following day so was confined to barracks the following day. A few weeks later he went overseas, sailing from Devonport on 1 July 1915 and arriving in Alexandria on 14 July 1915. He then sailed from Alexandria on 28 July 1915, landing at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli on 9 August 1915. While at Gallipoli he was admitted to hospital on 8 November 1915 having been kicked in the head, presumably by one of the horses. He was discharged to duty on 17 November 1915 and rejoined his battery back in Alexandria on 27 January 1916. After 5 months in Egypt, he sailed with the brigade from Alexandria on 25 June 1916, docking in Marseilles on 3 July 1916. He was granted 10 days’ leave to the UK between 10 and 19 December 1916 and the following year had a further 14 days’ leave from 13 November 1917. He was on leave between 1 and 15 November 1918 during which the Armistice was declared. He returned to the UK, sailing from Boulogne on 11 February 1919 and attended the Dispersal Centre in Kinross the following day. He was demobilised on 14 March 1919 and settled back in Kirkcaldy.
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Dvr.
|
Sweeney
|
William
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19750
|
C/58
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William Arthur Sweeney was born in Maindee, Newport, Monmouthshire in October 1892, the son of Mary Jane Sweeney. William worked as a labourer before enlisting into the RFA in Newport on 5 September 1914. He was posted first to No.5 RFA Depot at Athlone, Ireland, arriving there on 17 September 1914 and was posted to 27 Reserve Battery on 1 December 1914. In January 1915 he was absent without leave for nearly two days so was confined to barracks for 2 days and forfeited 3 days’ pay. On 3 February 1915 he was posted to 58 Bde, joining the newly re-formed Brigade Ammunition Column before joining C/58 on 20 May 1915. He went overseas with his brigade on 1 July 1915, sailing from Devonport on 1 July 1915 and disembarking at Alexandria on 14 July 1915. He then went to Gallipoli, but left there on 8 September 1915, possibly as part of the party of 116 men sent off the peninsular at about that time. He disembarked back at Alexandria on 23 September 1915. On 24 March 1916 he was admitted to No.15 Stationary Hospital, Port Said with gonorrhoea. He was discharged from that hospital on 7 April 1916 but five days later, on the 12th, he was re-admitted to No.31 General Hospital, Port Said with Epididymitis. He was discharged back to his unit, now at el-Ferdan on the Suez Canal on 21 April 1915. On 27 May 1916 he was back in hospital with gonorrhoea, this time in 1/1 Lowland Field Ambulance. It appears that he stayed in hospital for a couple of months before being posted to the Base Depot and so leaving 58 Bde before being admitted to No.17 General Hospital, Alexandria still suffering from gonorrhoea. On 25 October 1916 he was evacuated back to the UK, and was posted to 51 Reserve Battery, 5C Reserve Bde on 13 November 1916. On 19 January 1917 he was posted back overseas, travelling to France where he was posted to D/317 on 1 February 1917. He was granted leave back to the UK between 15 and 27 December 1917. He was one of several men in 317 Bde who were awarded the MM for their service in the Ypres salient during the Third Battle of Ypres (‘Passchendaele’), the awarded being gazetted on 4 February 1918. On 16 May 1919, he was posted back to the UK for demobilisation to attend the Dispersal Centre at Chisledon. He gave his home address as that of his mother and step-father, Mary Jane McHugh and John McHugh, at 15 Riverside, Newport. He may have married Florence G. Hemmens in 1926 and been living with her at 227 Milton Road, Newport in September 1939 while working as a shipyard labourer. William Sweeney died in Newport in 1940, aged 48.
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Gnr.
|
Tait
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Alexander
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93465
|
C/58
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Alexander Tait was born in Dalry, Ayrshire in about 1892, the son of Alexander and Mary Tait. He probably enlisted shortly after the war was declared and was appointed a Shoeing Smith. He went overseas arriving in Egypt on 14 July 1915. He was reduced to Gunner by a Field General Court Martial on 10 August 1918 and he was killed in action serving in C/58 two weeks later. On the morning of 26 September 1918, C/58 was shelled in its wagon lines and suffered one man killed – presumably Alexander Tait – and three other men wounded. Alexander was 25 when he died and he is buried in Sun Quarry Cemetery, Chérisy, France. He left a widow, Jeanie.
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Gnr.
|
Tait
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John
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144139
|
|
John Tait was born in about 1888. He enlisted into the RFA on 8 August 1916 and was serving in 58 Bde when he was discharged from the Army on 7 December 1918 aged 30 due to wounds he had received.
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Sgt.
|
Tarbin
|
William
|
9020
|
B/58?
|
William Tarbin was serving as a Corporal in the RFA when he went to France on 10 July 1915. Just after the Armistice, William was serving as a Sgt in 58 Bde, probably in B/58, when he reported Dvr A V Baird (92748) as being absent from early morning parade on 13 November 1918. Two months later, William was selected to attend a course in veterinary science given by the 22nd Mobile Veterinary Section between 8 and 22 January 1919.
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Dvr.
|
Tavanyar
|
Lionel Anthony Guy
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98101
|
A/58
|
Lionel Anthony Guy Tavanyar was born in 1898 in Portsmouth, Hants, the son of actress Alma Victoria Tavanyar. He enlisted into the RFA and first went overseas to France on 30 May 1915. He was serving with A/58 when he was awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the field, the award being gazetted on 24 January 1919. After the war he married Amy B C White in Medway, Kent in 1925 though by the following year he was living in London apparently without Amy. In 1940 he married Vera E Cannell (or Eynstone) in 1940 and they lived in London though by 1955 he and Vera were living in Gloucester. His Victory Medal came up for sale in 2018.
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2/Lt.
|
Tawse
|
Arthur Edward
|
n/a
|
D/58
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Arthur Edward Tawse was born on 26 August 1887 in Broughty Ferry, Forfarshire, the son of James and Hannah Tawse. He was educated at Loretto School, Musselburgh and worked as a bridge engineer in London before the war. He enlisted into the RFA on 30 November 1914 in London and was assigned service number 46824. He was posted initially to No.6 Depot at Glasgow and was posted to B/97 Bde RFA, part of 21 Divisional Artillery, on 4 December 1914. On 12 March 1915 he was promoted to Bdr and then to Sgt on 16 April 1915. He sailed with his battery from Southampton on 9 September 1915, disembarking in Le Havre the following day. On 21 January 1916 he applied for a commission and so left his battery on 7 March 1916 to return to the UK to attend the Officers’ Cadet Unit in Topsham Barracks, Exeter from which he was commissioned as a temporary 2/Lt in the Special Reserve of Officers on 28 July 1916. He was posted to D/58 and when the brigade marched from Magnicourt on 28 August 1916 for Englebelmer to temporarily join 29 Division, he was placed in command of the baggage wagons at the rear of the march column. Two months later he was knocked down by an exploding high explosive shell. It dazed him and caused grazing to a buttock and some bruising. He was evacuated on 26 October 1916, sailing to the UK from Le Havre on 5 November 1916 on board the Hospital Ship “Asturias”, arriving in Southampton the following day and was admitted to Birkett Hospital, Mandeville Place, London. A medical board was held on 17 November 1916 at Caxton Hall which concluded that he would be unfit for any service for at least 4 weeks. He was struck off the strength of 58 Bde and after another medical board held at Caxton Hall on 16 December 1916 concluded he was now fit for service in the UK, he was posted to 67 Divisional Artillery at Canterbury, Kent on 29 December 1916. He served with 336 Bde RFA at Ramsgate until a final medical board held at Margate on 31 January 1917 concluded he was now fully recovered. He went to France and joined 341 Battery, 337 Bde RFA part of 18 Indian Divisional Artillery. He sailed with his new unit from Marseilles on the Hired Transport “Maryland” on 22 October 1917 for Basrah, arriving there on 19 November 1917. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 28 January 1918. He was slightly wounded in action in Mesopotamia on 25 October 1918 when his battery was involved in the early stages of the Battle of Sharqat and he was admitted to 38 Canadian Field Ambulance that day. He was then admitted to 32 British General Hospital in Amarah [al Amarah, Iraq] from which he was discharged on 19 November 1918 and rejoined his battery on 4 December 1918 at Tikrit. On 27 December 1918 he was posted to the Headquarters of 337 Bde and was acted as the brigade’s Adjutant between 28 December 1918 and 5 April 1919 so was made an A/Capt. He, along with one other officer and 219 other ranks, left the brigade on 5 April 1919 to return to the UK for demobilisation, the first leg of which was on board the Hired Transport “Franz Ferdinand” which sailed on 27 April 1919. They arrived in Bombay [Mumbai] on 3 May 1919 at which point Arthur’s journey was interrupted as he was posted two days later to 227 Bde RFA at Secunderabad and then to 1104 Battery at Meerut on 6 July 1919. He finally attended the Dispersal Unit at Crystal Palace on 22 October 1919 and was demobilised that day, resigning his commission on 1 April 1920. The previous month he had married Edith May Page in Lewisham. They continued living together until 1939 when they presumably divorced since Arthur married Dorothy M Ressich that year, while Edith died on Christmas Day 1969. After Arthur’s marriage to Dorothy, they lived in Kensington, London, and Arthur was working as the Managing Director of a bridge and construction company. Arthur died on 3 July 1973 in Lymington, Hants. His younger brother, James Gordon Tawse, had also served as a Captain in the RFA in the war but he died on 25 April 1917 from wounds he had received.
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Gnr.
|
Taylor
|
Herbert
|
141267
|
A/58
|
Herbert Taylor was born in Bradford, Yorks, the son of David Taylor. He enlisted into the RFA in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. He was serving in A/58 on 25 August 1917 in the Ypres salient when he and six comrades – Gnr Alec Armitage (152294), Gnr John Barber (91942), Gnr Howard Denley (74517), Dvr Frederick Leathard (109178), A/Bdr William Monks (67578) and Gnr Arthur Noble (L/5762) – were killed in action. He is buried alongside them in the New Irish Farm Cemetery, near Ypres, Belgium.
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Gnr.
|
Taylor
|
James Reginald John
|
64943
|
|
James Reginald John Taylor was born in 1883 in Heywood, Wilts the son of John and Jane Taylor. In 1904 he married Mary Ann (surname unknown) and by 1911 they were living in Bath with their three children where James worked as a carter. He enlisted on 14 January 1915. He was wounded in the summer of 1917 and was serving in 58 Bde when he was discharged from the Army on 3 April 1918 due to the gunshot wounds to his face and head wounds he had received. He returned to live at 45 Avon Street, Bath and was awarded a Silver War Badge and a weekly pension of 52s 10d due to 70% disability. He and his wife had at least four children of whom at least one died in childhood. It is likely that James Taylor died in Bath in 1934, aged about 51.
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2/Lt.
|
Taylor
|
Stanley
|
n/a
|
B/58
|
Stanley Taylor was born on 27 May 1889 and worked in civilian life as a manufacturer. On 8 March 1909, he enlisted in London into the Territorial Force for 4 years as a gunner in A Battery of the Honourable Artillery Company (1st City of London Horse Artillery) and was assigned service number 158. He re-enlisted in 1913 and had been appointed a shoeing smith when he agreed just after war broke out to serve overseas. He sailed with his battery to Alexandria, arriving there on 21 April 1915, having been promoted to Bdr the previous day. While at Kantara (now El Qantara) near the Suez Canal he was promoted to Cpl on 7 November 1915 and just 4 days later he was promoted to Sgt. He injured his elbow so was admitted to a Field Ambulance on 16 December 1915 and was then admitted to Mena House Hospital in Cairo before being transferred on 25 January 1916 to the Red Cross Hospital in Giza, near Cairo. On 1 February 1916 he was discharged from hospital back to his unit. On 10 February 1916 he embarked the Hired Transport “Proton” at Alexandria to sail along the coast to Mersah Matruh to join the Western Frontier Force, but two months later he sailed again from Alexandria this time back to the UK on 28 April 1916 on Hired Transport “Northland” to prepare for a commission. He was instructed to report to 3B Reserve Bde at Exeter on 9 June 1916 to attend an Officer Cadet unit and was subsequently commissioned on 3 August 1916. It is unclear how soon after that he was posted to 58 Bde, but it appears likely that when 58 Bde marched from Magnicourt on 28 August 1916 for Englebelmer to temporarily join 29 Division, the 2/Lt Taylor who was placed in command of the brigade’s Battery Quartermaster Sergeants who were to set up a re-filling point part-way along the route of the march was him. What is certain is that Stanley had already been serving in C/58 when he was posted to join B/58 on 13 October 1916. He was then posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column (11 DAC) on 30 December 1916 but was again attached to B/58. Again, it is less clear if the 2/Lt Taylor who was posted from 11 DAC to A/58 on 24 February 1917 was him, but he was certainly serving in B/58 on 26 April 1917 when he was injured. That day, he was returning from an observation post with his battery commander Maj Grinley when they were both wounded by an enemy 4.2″ high explosive shell near Bullecourt. Although both officers received what were described as flesh wounds, they were evacuated to a Casualty Clearing Station, with Stanley having shrapnel wounds to his right buttock (on the inner side of his right leg), on his left thigh and an abrasion on his left side. He was admitted to 2/2 West Riding Field Ambulance and then went to No.2 British Red Cross Hospital in Rouen. Stanley was evacuated back to the UK on the Hospital Ship “Western Australia” which arrived in Southampton on 16 May 1917. Capt Carlton Roberts (formerly of D/58) met him in the UK while he was recuperating and wrote in a letter dated 25 June 1917 that Stanley Taylor “is going strong too, has got engaged since he has been back”. He attended two medical boards at Caxton Hall, London on 6 June and 6 July 1917. Medical board held on 29 August 1917 considered that he would be unfit for active service for at least 3½ months, so he was granted leave from 15 May 1917, when he had left France, to 19 September 1917. In October 1917 he was instructed to report to 64 (Highland) Division Artillery in Norwich. A further medical board held at The Close, Norwich on 6 December 1917 still found him unfit for active service but that he could be used for home service so was instructed to return to his present unit (64 Division Ammunition Column, which was based at Old Catton, Norwich) for duty. This decision was reiterated by another medical board held on 4 March 1918 and the following day, Stanley attempted for the third time to claim a wound gratuity since his injury by again writing to the War Office and on this occasion getting his commanding officer to endorse his application, but the War Office refused to grant this. On 23 January 1918 he was returning from a Board of Enquiry at the Cavalry Barracks in Norwich when his horse fell as they crossed the nearby Mousehold Heath. Stanley suffered concussion and was in bed for 4 days recuperating. He was serving in 64 Division’s A/320 Bde RFA when he attended No.2 Dispersal Unit at Crystal Palace on 22 March 1919 and was demobilised the following day, relinquishing his commission on 1 April 1920. He and Kathleen had married by this time and set up home in Orchard Corner, Cokes Lane, Chalfont St Giles, Bucks where Stanley lived for the rest of his life. Stanley wrote to Richard Blaker (also formerly of D/58) in February 1930 to congratulate Blaker on his book, “Medal Without Bar”. In 1939, Stanley owned a perfume manufacturing company and he and Kathleen had had at least one son, Jeffery. Stanley Taylor died on 20 January 1966 in St John’s Hospital, Stone, Aylesbury, aged 76.
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Gnr.
|
Taylor
|
Thomas
|
98311
|
B/58
|
Thomas Taylor was born on 15 October 1882 or 1883 in Islington, London, the son of Thomas Taylor. He worked as a stable lad, including possibly at ‘Maison Laffitte’ in Paris where he had apparently lived and worked for at least 3 years sometime before he enlisted into the Army. He enlisted into the RFA on 1 September 1914 in Croydon and was posted initially to No.4 Depot in Woolwich, from where he was posted to 60 Bde RFA on 19 September 1914. On 1 May 1915 he was posted to 60 Bde Ammunition Column. He embarked at Devonport on 3 July 1915 with his unit and sailed to Alexandria, arriving there on 17 September 1915. On 13 October 1915 he was posted to 60 Bde HQ and then sailed from Alexandria five days later, disembarking on 25 October 1915 probably at Suvla Bay. As part of the withdrawal from Gallipoli back to Egypt, Thomas left Suvla Bay on 10 December 1915, arriving back in Alexandria on 20 December 1915 and a few weeks later was posted to B/60 before being assigned to 11 Divisional Artillery HQ on 20 May 1916. He sailed from Alexandria on 27 June 1916, arriving in Marseilles on 3 July 1916. He was granted leave back to the UK between 27 December 1916 and 5 January 1917 and later that month on the 25th he was posted to B/58. He went back to 11 Divisional Artillery HQ on 15 May 1917. On 3 September 1918 he was deprived of 14 days’ pay for using abusive language to an NCO. On 20 January 1919 he was posted back to the UK for demobilisation, sailing from Dieppe four days later and attended No.1 Dispersal Unit Wimbledon the following day and was demobilised on 22 February 1919. Two months later Thomas re-enlisted into the Army on 15 April 1919 as a Private in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps (RAOC) with the new service number S/9333 and was assigned to the Depot Details Store Section. He had joined the RAOC to take part in the military intervention in North Russia. He sailed on the “BraeMarch Castle” from Leith on 18 May 1919 for Murmansk, arriving there on 25 May 1919. That intervention only lasted a few months before all units were withdrawn and Thomas left Russia on the “Cape Verde” on 29 September 1919. Thomas was punished with 24 hours detention and losing 2 days’ pay after having absented himself for over 2 days between 10 and 12 October 1919. A week later he attended the Dispersal Unit at Crystal Palace to be demobilised again, being granted leave until 17 December 1919 at which point he was transferred to the Reserve.
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Gnr.
|
Taylor
|
Thomas Ernest
|
94074
|
C/58
|
Thomas Ernest Taylor was born in Southampton, Hants on 10 July 1884, the son of Charles Henry Taylor and Georgina Taylor (née Sims). He appears to have been known as Ernest and before the war he worked as a cowman. It is likely that in 1911 he was living and working for James Gibson on Locks Farm, Bishops Waltham, Hants. The other person working for Gibson there was an Agnes Bonner. On 24 February 1912, Ernest married Agnes Louisa Bonner in Droxford, Hants and they settled at The Chase Road, Bishops Waltham, Hants, where their daughter, Agnes Helena Taylor was born the following year. Ernest enlisted into the RFA in Winchester on 8 February 1915 and went the following day to the RFA’s No.6 Depot in Glasgow. While training there he suffered from measles and was sent to Ruchill Fever Hospital in Glasgow. On 30 June 1915 he was posted to 31 Reserve Battery in Glasgow and then on 28 August 1915 to 19 Reserve Battery in Woolwich ahead of being posted overseas. He sailed from Devonport on 12 October 1915 to the Mediterranean theatre of war. He must have disembarked at Mudros since he was awarded 28 days of Field Punishment No.1 at the 11 Infantry Base Depot there on 3 November 1915 “for conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline”. A fortnight later, however, he arrived at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli on 17 November 1915 joining C/58 the same day. After the withdrawal from Gallipoli, he arrived in Alexandria on 1 January 1916 and two months later was admitted on 4 March 1916 to No.17 General Hospital in that city with debility. It was sufficiently serious that several weeks later he was evacuated back to the UK on the Hospital Ship “Valdivia”, which sailed on 21 April 1916. He was posted to 5C Reserve Bde RFA for admistrative purposes and then, after being discharged from hospital, he was posted to the Command Depot at Seaford on 21 July 1916 then to another depot on 12 December 1916. Following his stay in the UK, Ernest and Agnes had another daughter, Florence Mary Taylor, born on 12 December 1916. Ernest was posted to 50 Reserve Battery on 20 March 1917 before returning overseas after a year in the UK when he was posted to France on 11 April 1917. He joined 15 Division Ammunition Column from the Base Depot on 20 May 1917 and was then posted to D/70 Bde RFA on 4 June 1917. Very soon after he was wounded by shell fragments in his right shoulder on 3 July 1917 so was admitted to 46 Field Ambulance before being treated at No. 2 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station. Two weeks later, he rejoined his unit on 17 July 1917. The following month he needed further hospital treatment since he was suffering from ‘myalgia, trench fever’. He again went to 45 Field Ambulance and then to No.8 Casualty Clearing Station before being admitted to No.9 General (USA) Hospital in Rouen on 6 October 1917. He was evacuated back to the UK on the Hospital Ship “Essequibo” on 21 October 1917 and admitted to Dorset County Hospital, Dorchester the following day. During his treatment he was variously suffering from feeling cold and weak with pains in his shins, ankles and knees and was diagnosed with an enlarged spleen. After recovering, he was discharged from the hospital on 23 November 1917, and was posted to the Royal Artillery and Tanks Corps Command Depot, Catterick on 5 December 1917 and then to the Royal Artillery Command Depot in Ripon on 10 December 1917 where he suffered from rheumatism. On 1 February 1918 he was posted to 49 Reserve Battery, 5C Reserve Bde RFA at Woolwich before being posted back to France on 6 March 1918. He joined 11 Division Ammunition Column (11 DAC) on 15 April 1918. After the Armistice he was granted 14 days’ leave from 11 DAC to go to the UK via Calais between 15 and 29 March 1919. A few months later, he was posted back to the UK for demobilisation and attended No.1 Dispersal Unit at Fovant on 8 July 1919 and he was demobilised on 5 August 1919. After initially staying at 5 Victoria Road, School Hill, Bishop’s Waltham, Hants he moved to Park Place Cottage, Wickham, Hants. Ernest, Agnes and their five children emigrated to Canada in 1925, sailing on the SS “Melita” from Southampton on 4 April 1925 and arriving in St. John, New Brunswick on 13 April 1925. They settled in Port Alberni, British Columbia where Ernest intended to farm. On 23 July 1973, Thomas Ernest Taylor died in Port Alberni aged 89 and is buried with Agnes in Alberni Valley Memorial Gardens, Port Alberni, British Columbia.
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Cpl.
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Taylor
|
|
|
C/58
|
On 21 February 1915, Cpl Taylor reported Gnr Walter Prince (10685) for being absent from church parade while they were training at Leeds. On 3 May 1915, the now Sgt Taylor witnessed Gnr Cyril Smith (11265) overstaying his leave from Milford Camp on 3 May 1915.
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Dvr.
|
Theakston
|
Wilfred Edgar
|
93052
|
B/58
|
Wilfred Edgar Theakston was born on 28 January 1898 in Kings Cross, London the son of George A and Alice M Theakston. He had two brothers and two sisters. He was keen on sport, captaining the school football team and was swimming champion. He left school at 15 and had a brief spell working in an office but did not enjoy that so went instead to work in a factory which he found more interesting. Within a few days of the war starting a cousin of his was killed while serving in the Royal Navy when his ship was sunk, so on 26 August 1914 he went to enlist into the RN in a recruiting office in the High Road in Edmonton, London. The recruiting sergeant told him that the RN did not need anyone and tried to persuade him to join the infantry but he opted instead for the artillery. The sergeant deliberately recorded his name incorrectly as William and gave him the nick-name “Bill” which stuck. The sergeant also accepted “Bill’s” age as 19 and profession as a motor driver, even though he was really only 16 and it was his father who was the driver. Bill and a few others went straight from there by train to No.6 RFA Depot in Mary Hill Barracks in Glasgow as a Driver on 29 August 1914 and he only informed his parents of what he had done after arriving in Glasgow. For a fortnight he only had the clothes he had been wearing when he enlisted but shortly after he arrived in Chapeltown Barracks in Leeds to join 185 Battery on 14 September 1914, which later became B/58. Four days later he was appointed A/Bdr on 18 September 1914 and he was one of the NCOs who reported Dvr Ernest Ballard (10994) being absent from barracks over New Year 1915. Bill reverted to Driver on 24 February 1915. During his training he got up to lots of “little pranks” with Bert Franklin (Driver Herbert Franklin, 10922) and twice injured himself doing gymnastics. He got into trouble several times during training: on Christmas Eve 1914 he was admonished for neglect of duty and being absent, on 21 February 1915 he again neglected his duty so was reduced to Driver by the CO of 58 Bde, Lt Col Kuper. Shortly afterwards he was Absent Without Leave between 26 and 28 February 1915 for which he was confined to barracks for 7 days and at Milford Camp he overstayed his leave from 12 p.m. on 13 May until 8.30 a.m. the following day. During his training he also learned how to ride, how to groom a horse and went to Grantham for training in small arms. He went with the brigade to Egypt and served at Suvla Bay. He was admitted to the Public Health Depot Hospital, Glymenopoulo Ramleh, Alexandria on 25 August 1915 suffering from swollen testacles. On 21 November 1915, he was posted to 146 Bde RFA, 28 Division at Salonika. While serving there he was punished for being neglectful while on piquet duty and for losing a rifle. He was also transferred at some point to 84 Infantry Bde’s Small Arms Ammunition Column, also part of 28 Division. He was admitted to No.27 Casualty Clearing Station and to No.28 General Hospital at Salonika before transferred on 6 June 1916 onto the Hospital Ship “Dunluce Castle”. He was suffering from valvular disease of the heart and was being sent home permanently so that he would not serve overseas again. He was posted to 5C Reserve Bde on 16 July 1916. He then went to the Royal Artillery Command Centre at Ripon on 8 September 1916. His charge sheet while back in the UK was extensive with seven offences recorded while at Boyton (near Warminster) and Salisbury between 23 October 1916 and 25 August 1917. When he left Salonika he had been described as sober, intelligent and very reliable and had expressed interest in becoming a groom which may influenced why he was posted to No.2 RFA Officer Cadet School in Exeter on 5 September 1917. However, while there he got into a great deal of trouble including being drunk and creating a disturbance in Exeter High Street on 2 March 1918 as well as violently resisted the escort. Then on 30 May 1918 he used obscene language to an NCO and created “a disturbance after lights out”. He was absent from 10pm tattoo roll call until 11.50 pm on 15 June 1918, he broke out of barracks whilst in open arrest and was absent from 10pm that day until 6.30am on 17 June 1918. After the Armistice, he attended No.1 Dispersal Unit at Crystal Palace on 22 February 1919 and was discharged from the Army on 22 March 1919. His application the following year for a disability pension was rejected, because it was determined he had no disability. He returned to live in his parents’ home in Edmonton after the war. In later life historian Peter Hart recorded a lengthy interview with Bill about his war service which is held by the Imperial War Museum.
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Dvr.
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Thompson
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Arthur
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112402
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A/58
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Arthur Thompson was the son of Robert and Jane Thompson of Moss Side, Tarleton, Preston, Lancs. On 8 March 1917, a section of A/58 had to be moved up to the front line on a congested road. The road came under fire and Dvr Arthur Thompson was killed, aged 22. He is buried in Ancre British Cemetery, Beaumont-Hamel, France.
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Dvr.
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Thompson
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Thomas
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84239
|
A/58
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Thomas Thompson was serving in the RFA as a Driver when he was first posted overseas, arriving in Egypt on about 12 July 1915. He was serving in A/58 when he suffered from myalgia so after a period recuperating at No.3 Convalescent Depot in Le Tréport, he was discharged from there on 23 April 1918 as fit for active duty and so was posted to the Base Details.
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Dvr.
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Thompson
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Francis Edwin
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110884
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C/58
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Francis Edwin Thompson was born on 31 December 1890 in Draughton, near Skipton, Yorks the son Edwin and Isabella Thompson. He worked as a warp dresser and married Jessie Gladys Willmore on 25 April 1914 in Sutton-in-Craven near Keighley, their son Jack was born on 7 November 1914. Francis enlisted into the Army on 17 October 1915 in Keighley and was posted initially to No.4 Depot at Woolwich. From there he went to 2B Reserve Bde and then to 4A Reserve Bde before being posted overseas to the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force Base Depot. He sailed from Devonport on 15 March 1916, arriving in Alexandria on 26 March 1916. From there he joined C/58 at el-Ferdan near the Suez Canal on 10 April 1916. He then sailed with his battery from Alexandria on 25 June 1916, docking in Marseilles on 3 July 1916. He was awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the field, the award being gazetted on 17 September 1917 and was granted 10 days’ leave to the UK on 16 September 1917. He was appointed an A/Bdr on 1 April 1918 and then promoted to Bdr on 2 June 1918, replacing Bdr Stanley Mooney (L/13701). The following year he was granted 14 days’ leave to the UK between 28 September and 17 October 1918. On 21 January 1919 he was appointed a paid A/Cpl to replace A/Cpl James Bell (710204) who had returned to the UK for demobilisation. He had further leave from 26 April 1919, then on 18 June 1919 he was sent back to the UK via Boulogne for demobilisation. He attended No.1 Dispersal Unit, North Camp Ripon on 20 June 1919 and was demobbed on 18 July 1919. At his request the separation allowance had been stopped for his wife (and replaced by a “motherless rate” for his son, Jack) in December 1917 after he had found out that Jessie was co-habiting with another man. They divorced in 1920 and in 1923 Francis married Dorothy Barrett. In 1939 he and Dorothy were living in Skipton and both were working in the local worsted industry where Francis was a foreman wanger. Francis died in 1955, aged 64.
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BSM
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Thorne
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William
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21917
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B/58
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William Thorne (occasionally spelled as Thorn) was born in Bedminster, Bristol in about 1882, the son of William Henry and Emma Thorne. He was a pre-war soldier who was awarded the Queen’s South Africa Medal which was given to those who served in South Africa during the Second Boer War at some time between 11 October 1899 and 31 May 1902. William served as a Gunner in 19th Battery RFA and was awarded two clasps: Tugela Heights and Relief of Ladysmith. He was evacuated back to the UK on 30 August 1900. He married Catherine Melvin and they appeared to have settled in Gateshead. He was serving as a Sergeant in 30 Bde RFA in 1914 when he went to France as part of the British Expeditionary Force, landing in France on 19 August 1914. He was serving as the BSM of B/58 in the Ypres salient when he was killed in action, aged 35, on 26 September 1917. He is buried in Bard Cottage Cemetery, Belgium.
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Gnr.
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Thornton
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William Henry
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970741
|
|
William Henry Thornton was born in 1895. He enlisted into the Army on 17 February 1915 and served in the Territorial Force in 2nd London Bde RFA. He was serving in 58 Bde when he was discharged from the Army on 3 May 1918 due to wounds he had received. He gave his address as c/o Mrs Bleek Lois, Weedon, nr Towcester, Northants.
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Gnr.
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Tilbury
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Edward Lionel
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1128
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D/58
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Edward Lionel Tilbury was born in about 1895 in Meonstoke, Bishops Waltham, Hants, the son of James and Margaret E M Tilbury. In 1911 he was working as an under-gardener and in 1914 as a groom. He enlisted into the RFA in Winchester on 3 September 1914 aged 19 and was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea. On 1 October 1914 he was posted to A/60, then at some point to HQ 60 Bde. He sailed with the brigade from Devonport on 4 July 1915, disembarking in Alexandria on 19 July 1915. He then sailed from Alexandria on 18 October 1915, landing at Suvla Bay on 25 October 1915. After the withdrawal from Gallipoli and return to Egypt, he sailed from Alexandria on 2 July 1916, arriving in Marseilles on 10 July 1916. He was granted leave to the UK between 12 and 21 January 1917 and shortly after his return he was posted to 11 Division’s Royal Artillery HQ staff on 28 January 1917. Three months later he was posted to D/58 on 26 April 1917. While in D/58 he acted as the soldier servant to 2/Lt Richard Blaker and after Blaker left the brigade on 10 July 1917 due to sickness, Edward wrote to him on 21 September 1917 regarding Blaker’s kit, adding that he regretted no longer having such a “cushy” job as being Blaker’s servant: he had taken over the role as D/58’s mess cook after Gnr William Riding (79459) had been injured on 6 August 1917. He was granted 14 days’ leave to the UK on 18 January 1918 and after the Armistice he was granted another 14 days’ leave to the UK via Boulogne on 23 December 1918. On 23 January 1919 he was posted to the Dispersal Centre at Wimbledon and was demobbed on 20 February 1919. He married Dottie Eva Triggs in 1921 in Droxford, Hants and they had a daughter. Edward died in 1931 in Westhampnett, nr Chichester, Sussex at the age of 36.
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Gnr.
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Tiley
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Arthur
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11150
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C/58
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Arthur Tiley was born in 1895 in Portbury, Somerset. He was the son of George and Sarah Ann Tiley and in 1911 was working as a farm labourer, aged 15. He was working as a labourer when he enlisted in Bristol on 4 September 1914, aged 19. He was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea and was then posted to 185 Battery on 10 September 1914. On 23 December 1914 he was posted to C/58. While at Milford Camp he over-stayed leave by 22 hours on 2-3 May 1915 so was confined to barracks for 7 days CB and docked a day’s pay by Lt E J Franklin. On 1 July 1915 he sailed with his battery from Devonport, arriving in Alexandria on 14 July 1915, then sailed from Alexandria on 1 August 1915, disembarking on Gallipoli on 12 August 1915. He was evacuated from Gallipoli a few weeks later and was admitted to 17 General Hospital in Alexandria on 19 September 1915 with an undiagnosed fever. He was embarked on a hospital ship on 24 or 25 September 1915 for evacuation to the UK, by which time his illness appears to have been diagnosed as enteric fever and was back in the UK by 7 November 1915. Ten months later he was posted to France on 20 September 1916 and was posted to B/59 on 2 October 1916. Just a few weeks later, on 10 November 1916, he was wounded with shrapnel in his left thigh and knee so was admitted to 12 Canadian Field Ambulance but appears to have rejoined his battery later the same day. On 6 February 1917 he was admitted to 34 Field Ambulance with scabies and was discharged back to his unit on 8 March 1917. On 27 August 1917 he was attached to D/59, but returned to B/59 on 5 September 1917. He then went to 11 Divisional Artillery school for a signalling course on 25 November 1917, returning to his battery on 22 December 1917. Between 20 January and 4 February 1918 he attended further signalling training at the same school and then again yet more training between 17 June and 8 July 1918. He was granted 14 days’ leave to the UK via Calais between 14 and 28 October 1918. He was attached to Bessemer Dump between 2 and 4 March 1919 and then returned to the UK for demobilisation, attending No.1 Dispersal Centre at Fovant on 26 March 1919. He was demobbed on 23 April 1919. Later that year he acted as best man to his brother Frank, when Frank married a Miss Maud Irene Waters at the English Congregational Church, Bridgend on 18 November 1919. Arthur appears to have joined the Civil Service because the Civil Service Commission made enquiries about his military service in 1925.
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Gnr.
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Tindall
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Fred
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63854
|
|
Fred Tindall enlisted into the RFA on 4 January 1915. He was posted to France, arriving on about 9 September 1915. He was serving in 58 Bde when he was discharged from the Army on 28 December 1917 due to wounds he had received.
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Gnr.
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Tinkler
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George Frederick
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231560
|
|
George Frederick Tinkler was born on 20 January 1876 in Widmerpool, Notts, the son of Arthur Tinkler and his wife Anne Tinkler. In 1901, the family were living at 4 Mettham Street, Nottingham and both Arthur and George were working as dairymen. In 1902, George married Bessie Butler and they had a son, also called George Frederick, on 3 March 1903. In 1911, the three of them were living at 10 Harley Street, Lenton, Nottingham. George enlisted into the RFA and was recorded as serving in 58 Bde in the Spring 1919 Absent Voter List for Nottinghamshire, his home address still being 10 Harley Street. In September 1939, George, Bessie and George junior were still living at 10 Harley Street and George was still working as a dairyman. George had been living at 24 Hart Street, Lenton, Notts when he died on 1 November 1953 .
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Gnr.
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Toghill
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William Joseph
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11003
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B/58
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William Joseph Toghill was born on 30 July 1895 in Earthcott, near Bristol. He was the eldest son of Mark and Amelia Selina Toghill. In 1911 he was 16 years old and living with his family in Mangotsfield where he worked as a carpenter. He was working as a motor tester when he enlisted into the RFA in Bristol on 5 September 1914 aged 19 and was posted to No.3 Depot at Hilsea the following day. He was then posted to 185 Battery on 14 September 1914 which became B/58. He went to Egypt with the brigade but then two days before the brigade landed on Gallipoli, William was severely wounded on 7 August 1915 and was evacuated back to the UK. He was admitted to the American Hospital in Paignton on 26 August 1915 and posted, for administrative purposes, to 49 Reserve Battery, 5C Reserve Bde the same day. He remained in the UK for the remainder of the war. On 2 October 1916, the American Hospital in Paignton reported that he was “almost convalesced”. In 1917 he married Sarah Cecily Jefferies and after the Armistice he attended No.1 Dispersal Unit at Chiseldon on 17 February 1919 and was demobilised on 19 March 1919. He returned to live in Bristol, settling in Colston St, Soundwell. He and Sarah lived for many years in Soundwell and in 1939 he, Sarah and their son, William E F Toghill, were still living there and he was working as a driller in a tool room. William Joseph Toghill died in Bristol in 1975, aged 79.
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Gnr.
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Tomlinson
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Herbert Leslie
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835572
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C/58
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Herbert Leslie Tomlinson was born on 28 August 1896 in Balsall Heath, Birmingham, the son of Henry Willliam and Janet Tomlinson. In 1907 he went to St Edward’s School in Birmingham where he studied a primarily scientific, rather than classical, curriculum. According to the school’s records his marks at school were about average with his highest performance in French and he came second in his class in 1912 in gymnastics. He enlisted in Birmingham and was appointed a despatch rider in the Royal Engineers. He then transferred to the Royal Artillery Territorial Force (TF), joining the 3rd South Midland Bde RFA (TF), part of 46 (South Midland) Division and was assigned service number 1594. He went overseas to France probably with that brigade on 1 April 1915. When the TF service numbers were reorganised he was assigned the new number 835572. In March 1917 he was serving in 15 Division Ammunition Column. On 22 May 1918 he was serving in C/58 and was apparently in one of the hospitals in St Omer, presumably No.10 Stationary Hospital, when it was bombed by enemy aircraft. He was killed aged 21 and his body was recovered the following day. The reason for Herbert being in hospital is not given, but it was reported that he had twice been gassed during his Army service and it is possible that he was one of the many members of 58 Bde who were gassed on 9 April 1918 and as a result had been hospitalised. He left all of his possessions to his younger sister Janet Kathleen Tomlinson and he is buried in Longuenesse (St. Omer) Souvenir Cemetery, France.
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Gnr.
|
Townsend
|
Tom
|
252145
|
C/58
|
Tom Townsend was born in about 1898. He worked as a farm labourer before enlisting into the RFA. During the Battle of the Canal du Nord, Tom was serving in C/58 when he was wounded, receiving gun shot wounds to his left shoulder and back. He was evacuated back to the UK and admitted to Stepping Hill Military Hospital, Stockport. From there he was transferred to the Red Cross Hospital, Altrincham, Cheshire before going on 6 December 1918 to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick.
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Sgt.
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Townsend
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|
|
B/58
|
Sgt. Townsend was one of the old soldiers who rejoined the Army after war was declared and served in 185 Battery (later renamed B/58) training the new recruits of that battery. He had previously served as a ‘rough rider’.
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Sgt.
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Tracey
|
|
|
D/58?
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On 19 April 1917, Sgt Tracey witnessed Gnr Ted Hayes (10672) mis-treating a horse, leading to Hayes being punished.
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2/Lt.
|
Trotman
|
Percy Harold
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n/a
|
C/58
|
Percy Harold Trotman was born on 3 August 1880 in 228 Euston Road, London. He was the son of William Howard Trotman and Harriet Trotman (née Starley) and was educated at Brighton GramMarch School and Haywards Heath College. In 1901 he was working for his father, a pleating manufacturer, as his father’s clerk. On 21 September 1908 he married Elsie Amelia Ashdown in St George’s church, Hanover Square, London and three years later in 1911 he was working as an automobile engineer. They had a daughter, Ursula Trotman, on 4 August 1912. By 1914, the family were living at 1 Basing Hill, Golders Green and on 26 September 1914 he went to Armoury House, Finsbury, where he enlisted as a Gunner into the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) and joined A Reserve Battery where he was appointed a Wheeler. He was assigned service number 583 and, although he had joined a Territorial Force unit, he immediately also agreed to serve overseas. On 26 December 1914 he was promoted to Wheeler A/Cpl. By August 1916, Percy had been appointed a Fitter Corporal and had a new service number, 624084, and his battery was now known as 2/A Battery HAC. On 19 August 1916 while his battery was stationed at Hoath Farm, Canterbury, Kent, he applied for a commission and was instructed to report on 29 September 1916 to B Reserve Bde, Royal Horse Artillery at St John’s Wood, London. He was commissioned into the RFA Special Reserve on 7 February 1917 and was posted to France, where he joined the Base Depot at Le Havre from which he was posted on 5 May 1917 to join 11 Division Ammunition Column (11 DAC) which he did two days later. On 21 June 1917 he was admitted to 108 Field Ambulance with neurasthenia and was then sent to No.7 Stationary Hospital in Boulogne from where he was discharged back to duty on 1 August 1917. He joined the Reinforcements 3 days later but a medical board held on 17 August 1917 determined that he was not fit for general service so he was instructed to work at the Base Depot for a month. He returned to hospital on 22 October 1917 when he was admitted to No.2 General Hospital in Le Havre with gastritis but was returned to duty and went to No.32 Base Park in Le Havre on 28 October 1917. On 26 November 1917 a medical board in Le Havre found he was fit again for general service so he rejoined the Base Depot on 19 December 1917 and was posted back to 11 DAC three days later. On 30 March 1918 he was attached to C/58 but just 10 days later he was gassed on 9 April 1918 along with many others and so he retired to the wagon lines. He was admitted to 34 Field Ambulance on 11 April 1918 and was struck off the strength of the brigade on 14 April 1918 due to having been “wounded gas”. He was sent to No.8 British Red Cross Hospital in Boulogne and from there was evacuated back to the UK on 20 April, sailing on the Ambulance Transport “Brighton” from Boulogne to Dover. He attended a medical board at Devonport which pronounced him fit only for home service. He was instructed to report to 6C Reserve Bde at Waterloo Barracks, Aldershot on 1 August 1918 and was promoted to Lieutenant on 7 August 1918. His health was still poor when he attended another medical bard on 2 December 1918 due to chronic bronchitis probably aggravated by the gas poisoning. The board recommended that he relinquish his commission due to ill health, which he carried out on 21 January 1919. By 1939 he, Elsie and Ursula had moved to Hove, Sussex. Percy Trotman died aged 60 on 4 November 1941 in Hove, Sussex just a few months after Elsie had passed away.
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Bdr.
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Trott
|
Albert Charles
|
10588
|
C/58
|
Albert Charles Trott was born in 1887 in Drayton, near Langport in Somerset, the son of Charles and Fanny Trott. By the age of 13 he was already working as a general farm labourer. He married Albina Maud Moore in Wells, Somerset on 23 October 1909 and they lived with Albina’s parents in Street, Somerset. In 1911 Albert was working as a mason’s labourer. Shortly after war was declared Albert enlisted into the RFA in Taunton on 5 September 1914. He was posted to No.3 Depot at Hilsea and from there to 186 Battery which became C/58. He was appointed A/Bdr on 2 November 1914 and promoted to Bdr on 24 March 1915. He sailed with the brigade from Devonport on 1 July 1915 arriving in Alexandria on 14 July 1915. He then sailed again from Alexandria on 29 July 1915 and landed on Gallipoli on 9 August 1915. On 24 September 1915 he was appointed A/Cpl to replace Cpl David Lloyd (58639) who had himself been promoted. Only a few weeks later Albert was promoted to Sgt on 6 November 1915 in place of a Sgt Taylor. Albert sailed with the brigade from Egypt to France on 25 June 1916. He will have left 58 Bde when he was evacuated back to the UK due either to sickness or wounds and was in hospital in 2 Western General Hospital in Manchester with myalgia [muscle pain] between 14 May and 5 July 1917. He was suffering from pain in his back and legs as well as headaches. He attended a Clearing Office on 14 July 1917 and was posted to 49 Reserve Battery, 6th Reserve Bde in Luton on 7 August 1917. Shortly after the Armistice he was hospitalised with influenza In Brook War Hospital in Woolwich between 4 and 18 December 1918. He attended a dispersal centre at the Crystal Palace on 15 February 1919 and returned to live in Street. On 8 September 1922 he enlisted into the territorial army in Glastonbury. He was assigned service number 747937 and he joined 374 Battery, 94th Somerset Bde RFA. Albert and Albina were still living in Street when Albert died on 15 July 1959.
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Gnr.
|
Turner
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Albert Lawrance
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53720
|
C/58
|
Albert Lawrance Turner was the son of Thomas and Jane Turner of Wood Green, London. He enlisted into the RFA and was posted to France arriving there on about 3 September 1915. He was serving in C/58 when he died on 29 March 1917, aged 23, and is buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, France.
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Gnr.
|
Turner
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Charles Henry
|
137529
|
A/58
|
Charles Henry Turner was the son of Thomas Henry Turner and Sarah Ann Turner. He was born in Stockport, Cheshire in about 1897 and was baptised in St Augustine’s church, Stockport on 19 September 1897. He first joined the RFA at Preston on 15 December 1915. He was serving in 56 (Reserve) Battery when he was posted overseas to France on 20 September 1916 and was then assigned to join 11 Division Ammunition Column on 2 October 1916. On 4 February 1917 he was posted to join A/58 but was wounded by a gun shot wound in his back on 5 June 1917 and was admitted the same day to 113 Field Ambulance. After a period in No.3 LR Camp, he was discharged to Base on 20 June 1917. On 4 July 1917 he was posted to 88 Battery, 14 Bde RFA. He was granted leave to the UK between 9 and 23 November 1917 and shortly fter reurning to his unit he was wounded a second time on 3 December 1917 but managed to remain at duty. He was admitted to 108 Field Ambulance with a wound to his eye, but was discharged back to his unit on 5 February 1918. On 4 May 1918 he was admitted to hospital for dental work, returning to his unit on 17 May 1918. He was wounded for a third tim by a gun shot wound to his left knee on 29 September 1918. After treatment in No.1 Australian General Hospital he was evacuated back to the UK on the Hospital Ship “Grantully Castle” on 4 October 1918. He was treated in No.1 Hospital, Exeter between 6 and 31 October 1918 and was then treated in the Voluntary Aid Hospital in Seaton until 2 December 1918 before being demobilised on 6 February 1919 and being awarded a small pension until 12 August 1919.
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| |
Upton
|
W
|
|
D/58
|
On 2 December 1916, W Upton wrote to his commanding officer, 2/Lt Richard Blaker, from No.9 General Hospital in Rouen to thank Blaker for the help he had given him after he had been wounded by a shell fragment in his ankle. Upton was recovering after having had the fragment removed and was expecting to return to the UK for further recuperation.
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Gnr.
|
Vanhegan
|
Robert Edward
|
92557
|
B/58
|
Robert Edward Vanhegan was born in Bristol in 1889. He was the son of Royal Engineer Adam Vanhegan and Mary Ann Vanhegan (née Bowell). In 1901 they were living in Maidstone St, Bedminster. He married Beatrice Maddicks in St Matthew’s church, Kingsdown, Bristol on 31 August 1908, and they had two daughters before the war, Beatrice Jessie Vanhegan (seemingly known as Jessie) born on 9 March 1909 and Marjorie Doreen Vanhegan born on 2 December 1911. Before their second daughter was born the family moved to Aston Manor, Warks where Robert worked as a postman and then to Handsworth, Birmingham. At some point Robert had served in the 1st Volunteer Battalion of the Gloucestershire Regiment and then on 11 December 1915 he enlisted in the RFA Territorial Force where he was assigned service number 3341. He may have joined under the Derby scheme because he was not mobilised until 17 April 1916 when he was then posted as a Gunner to the 3rd South Midland Bde of the RFA Territorial Force. He was posted to France and reported to the 1st Territorial Base Depot in Rouen on 9 August 1916. From there he was posted to 48th Base Depot in Le Havre on 7 October 1916 and then to 11 Division Ammunition Column (11 DAC) on 18 October 1916. His service number was changed at some point to 92557. On 30 October 1916 he was posted to B/58 with whom he served until 9 May 1917 when he returned to 11 DAC. He was posted to B/59 Bde RFA on 2 September 1917 and between 20 and 30 September 1917 he was granted 10 days’ leave to the UK. On 14 March 1918 he was admitted to 33 Field Ambulance with inflammation in the connective tissue of his right foot, but was discharged back to his battery shortly afterwards. He was granted 14 days’ leave to the UK between 13 and 27 October 1918 and after the Armistice was posted to B/245 Bde RFA on 6 March 1919 and possibly served as part of the Army of Occupation in Germany. He had a further fortnight’s leave between 9 and 23 June 1919 before being posted back to the UK for demobilisation. when he attended No.1 Dispersal Unit, Fovant on 23 September 1919. On 27 November 1923 he was appointed a Sorting Clerk and Telegraphist (Postal) in the Post Office in the Birmingham area and two years later his daughter Jessie followed him into working for the Post Office as a telegraphist. Robert and his wife were living in Birmingham when Robert died in East Birmingham Hospital on 4 November 1965, aged 76.
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Gnr.
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Varallo
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Frank Albert
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94385
|
C/58
|
Francesco Albert Varallo (known as Frank Albert Varallo) was born on 27 July 1897 in Poole, Dorset, the son of Vincent Varallo (Vincenzo Nicola Varallo) and Sarah Jane Varallo (née Hobbs). He enlisted into the Dorset Regiment on 1 November 1914 in Dorchester and was assigned service number 12371. However, he was deemed to be medically unfit so was discharged from the Army on 14 January 1915. Instead, Frank enlisted into the RFA in Bournemouth on 15 February 1915 having been working as a grocer’s porter and living at 4 South Road, Poole. He was posted initially to No.6 Depot in Glasgow and from there was posted to 11 Reserve Battery, 2B Reserve Bde in Brighton on 6 May 1915 before being posted to 20 Reserve Battery, 4A Reserve Bde in Woolwich on 17 June 1915 and then to 60 Bde Ammunition Column on 23 June 1915. He sailed with his unit from Devonport on 17 July 1915, disembarking in Alexandria on 29 July 1915. He contracted gonorrhoea and so was admitted to the Reception Hospital at Mustapha Camp on 16 November 1915 but was transferred to No.17 General Hospital in Alexandria on 13 January 1916. On 24 March 1916 he was finally discharged to Base at Sidi Bishr and so on 10 April 1916 Frank was posted to B/59. He sailed with his new brigade from Alexandria on 27 June 1916, disembarking in Marseilles on 4 July 1916. He was posted to the new Y11 Trench Mortar Battery on 17 July 1916. The following year he was posted to C/58 on 27 April 1917. He was granted 14 days’ leave to the UK in January 1918 and another 14 days just after the Armistice on 14 November 1918. By January 1918, Frank was now serving as a Driver and on the 17th he was helping unload a wagon when the tip of his right hand ring finger was severly crushed between a barrel and the edge of the wagon. On 18 June 1919 he was sent back to the UK for demobilisation, travelling via Boulogne, and attending the Dispersal Centre in Fovant two days later. On 2 January 1924, Frank married Florrie Winnifred Richards in Branksome Park, Dorset. In 1939 Frank was working as a corporation transport handyman and he and Florrie were living at 71 Wroxham Road, Poole. Frank Varallo died in Poole in 1994, aged 97.
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BSM
|
Varney
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William Ewart
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51358
|
B/58
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William Ewart Varney was born in 1883 in Newington, London the son of George and Annie Varney. In 1901 he was working as a hospital porter. He was a pre-was regular soldier having enlisted into the Army in London on 11 February 1903, aged 19 for 3 years with the Colours and 9 years in the Reserve. He was a tall man at just under 6′ and joined the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA) with service number 14522 and joined No.1 Depot Company RGA at Dover Castle the following day. He fell ill with influenza so was hospitalised between 26 February and 3 March 1903 and was then posted to No.7 Company RGA on 14 March 1903. Army life must have suited him because after nine months he decided to extend his service to 8 years with the Colours. On 4 February 1904 he was posted overseas, being sent to join No.85 Company RGA in India. He fell ill with ague [possibly malaria] and so was hospitalised between 5 and 11 November 1904. He was hospitalised again the following year when he got tonsillitis between 9 and 16 June 1905. Shortly after this he was granted his 1st Good Conduct badge on 14 July 1905 though he subsequently forfeited the badge on 14 September 1907. He again fell ill with ague between 23 and 31 July 1906. He was appointed A/Bdr on 25 March 1907 and was posted to Aden on 13 January 1909. He was promoted to Bdr on 21 March 1909 and to Cpl on 6 April 1910 before being posted to Bombay [Mumbai] on 5 October 1910. He had further extended his service to 12 years with the Colours on 13 July 1910 but the following year probably during his furlough back in the UK he was discharged at his own request on 31 July 1911. After war was declared he re-enlisted into the Army this time joining the RFA on 16 September 1914 as a Cpl and was assigned the service number 51358. He sailed to Egypt on 2 July 1915 possibly with 59 Bde RFA and by 22 November 1915 he had become a BSM in 59 Bde because on that date a refund of £9 was paid to Albert E Varney. It is unclear when he transferred to 58 Bde: he is first noted serving in that brigade when he reverted to BSM on 27 November 1917 and was posted to B/58 having previously been acting as the RSM for the brigade. After this he was cited as a witness to at least two B/58 soldiers’ offences: Gnr William Pearce (67937) was absent from roll call at parade on 10 July 1918 and Cpl Ernie Baron (148993) made an improper complaint on 3 December 1918. William Varney was Mentioned in Despatches on 23 December 1918. He died on 8 September 1939 in Knowle, Fareham, Hants, leaving a widow, Louisa Ellen Varney.
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Gnr.
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Vertigan
|
George Albert
|
10625
|
B/58
|
George Albert Vertigan was born on 14 November 1892 in Kempston, Beds the son of Isaac Albert and Susanna Vertigan. He was initially known as Albert George, but this had changed to George Albert by the time he was baptised in 1897. In 1911 he was working as a steel turner and by 1914 he was working as a marker-off and turner, most likely for The British Thomson-Houston Co in Rugby. He enlisted into the RFA in Rugby on 31 August 1914, aged 21, and was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea. From there he was posted on 10 September 1914 to 185 Battery which became B/58. During his training he got into trouble twice: on 31 January 1915 he missed the 9 a.m. parade then broke out of barracks whilst a prisoner at large and did not return until 9 p.m. on 2 February 1915 so was confined to barracks for 7 days by his battery commander Maj Meyricke, then a few days before being posted overseas he was absent from the 4 p.m. water and feed for the horses at Milford Camp on 27 June 1915 so was confined to barracks for 5 days by Maj Meyricke. He may have escaped some of this later punishment because on 1 July 1915 he sailed with the brigade from Devonport on 1 July 1915, disembarking at Alexandria on 14 July 1915. He then sailed from Alexandria on 28 July 1915, landing on Gallipoli on 9 August 1915. On 10 December 1915 he was admitted to No.54 Casualty Clearing Station at Suvla Bay and then transferred to No.26 Casualty Clearing Station at Mudros with pyrexia. He was evacuated to Malta where he was admitted to hospital on 16 December 1915. He was then sent to the Convalescent Camp at Ghajn Tuffieha, Malta on 23 February 1916. At some point he then made his way to France, because he was granted leave to the UK from the Base depot at Le Havre between 24 October and 3 November 1917 during which he married Lillian Mabel Chambers in St Andrews Church, Rugby on 31 October 1917. After his leave ended he was posted to join 31 Battery in 35 Bde RFA in Italy on 16 November 1917. He travelled by train and arrived in Italy on 30 November 1917 and appears to have acted as a trumpeter in this unit. A year later he was admitted to hospital with influenza on 19 October 1918 and ten days later was sent to the Convalescent Depot. He attended No.2 Dispersal Unit at Chiseldon on 19 January 1919 and was demobbed on 16 February 1919. After this he returned to live in Rugby and may have returned to work for The British Thomson-Houston Co. He and Lillian were still living in Rugby in 1939 at which time George was working as a machine shop foreman in an engineering company. George Vertigan died on 29 December 1972, aged 80.
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Lt. Col.
|
Vigne
|
Robert Austen
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n/a
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Bde Cdr
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Robert Austen Vigne was born in London on 15 January 1862, the son of John and Frances Anna Vigne. He attended Wellington College and was commissioned into the Royal Artillery on 26 July 1881 as a Lieutenant having been a Gentleman Cadet at the Royal Military Academy. On 15 January 1890 he was promoted to Captain and the following year he was serving at the Royal Artillery barracks at Hilsea. On 8 April 1890 he married Edith Isabel Scott in Christ Church, Cheltenham and in about 1904 they had a son, Percy Godfrey A Vigne, while Robert was stationed in India. He was promoted to Major on 9 October 1899 and was commanding 35 Battery, part of 37 Bde RFA, in Madras in 1903 when it was announced that that brigade would return to the UK and would be stationed at Hillsborough Barracks, Sheffield. He was promoted to brevet Lt Col on 21 July 1907. He served for 5 years as the commander of 21 Bde RFA, the last few months of which were spent in Bloemfontein, South Africa and he retired from the Army on 20 July 1912. After war was declared he rejoined from the Reserve of Officers and was posted to be commander of 58 Bde RFA at Leeds on 16 September 1914. He must have left the brigade by February 1915 because by then Lt Col Kuper was the brigade commander. In 1916 he was serving as commander of 66 Bde RFA in Mesopotamia. In the King’s Birthday Honours of 1918 he was appointed a Companion to the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George. He had been serving as the Anti Aircraft Defence Commander for Hull, when he was replaced on 1 February 1919 because his services were no longer required. However, on 15 May 1919 he was appointed a District Remount Officer on retired pay for No.17 District Northern Command and on 3 June 1919 he was appointed a CBE. In 1926 he was living at The Old Rectory, Aisthorpe, near Lincoln. He retired as a District Remount Officer for No.13 District, Northern Command on his 65th birthday, 15 January 1927. Robert’s wife Edith died in Eastbourne on 19 May 1935 and three years later he married Joan Slingsby in St. Phillip’s church, Earls Court, London on 24 November 1938 in what was described as a “quiet ceremony”. Joan was 36 years younger than Robert and they were living in Moscow Mansions, 224 Cromwell Road, London in September 1939 and Joan was working in the canteen of a police headquarters at the time. They only had two years of married life together because while they were staying at ‘Marine’, 3 Glandovey Terrace, Aberdovey, Wales when Robert Vigne died on 10 November 1940 of cardiac failure, toxaemia and chronic pyuria, aged 77.
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Gnr.
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Wakelin
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Lewis
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111325
|
D/58
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Lewis Wakelin (born Louis Wakelin) was born in about 1895 in Selby, Yorks, the son of James Herbert and Elizabeth Wakelin. He served in 458 Battery, 118 Bde RFA, and presumably transferred with his battery to join the new D/58 on 15 July 1916. He was 22 years old and was serving in D/58 when he and four comrades were killed in action on 3 October 1917 while serving in the Ypres salient. The five of them were originally buried at 28c.4.d.9.3, but he and his four comrades, Gnr W D Smyth (14514), Gnr A Himsworth (117053), Cpl A H Willcox (965451), Bdr G Miller (82899), were all re-buried in New Irish Farm Cemetery, Belgium on 4 December 1919.
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2/Lt.
|
Waldron
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Reginald Stephen
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n/a
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D/58
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Reginald Stephen Waldron (known as Stephen) was born on 14 April 1877 in Ramsbury, Wilts, one of the 12 children of gentleman farmer Stephen Waldron and his wife Mary and he was educated as a boarder at a school in Westbury-on-Trym. He was 34 years old and working as a tea planter when he enlisted as a private into the 16th Lancers at Woolwich on 1 September 1914 and was assigned service number 7061. His medical records showed that he was missing the forefinger of his right hand at the time of his enlistment. Stephen’s younger brother, Raymond Waldron, also joined the 16th Lancers and was assigned service number 7054. Just over three weeks later the two brothers were posted to France on 25 September 1914 and probably joined their regiment at Limé as reinforcements on the 27th as part of a group of 185 men and 4 officers. Stephen was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (gazetted on 3 June 1915) “For gallantry in holding back the enemy from advancing along our trench. By his prompt and effective fire he saved the Squadron on his right from coming under enfilading fire.” This likely refers to an action at 6 a.m. on 21 February 1915 when the Germans exploded three mines near where D Squadron of 16th Lancers were and the “enemy at once rushed the trench and attempted to make their way down our line of trenches to their left and our right. Close fighting ensued. Enemy were definitely stopped shortly before they reached the centre communication trench by the gallant conduct of A Sqd and one troop of C Sqd, aided by the M.G.” Stephen was also subsequently awarded the Medal of St George 3rd Class which was gazetted on 25 August 1915. Stephen and Raymond were discharged from the Lancers the following year because they were both granted a temporary commission in the RFA Special Reserve on 11 October 1915. Stephen’s service over the following year is not known, the next record shows that he was serving as a 2/Lt in D/58 when he was granted 10 days’ leave to the UK on 26 December 1916. While the brigade was resting early the following year, he was sent on a signalling course at 11 Division’s Signalling School in Yvrench on 9 February 1917. On 10 April 1917 he was admitted to 42 Field Ambulance, returning to his unit on 21 April 1917. On 1 July 1917 he was promoted to Lt and a fortnight later on 15 July 1917 he was granted 10 days’ leave to the UK, but this was subsequently extended on medical grounds to 15 August 1917 on advice from a dentist since he had an exposed nerve in his teeth. He was granted further leave to the UK on 15 November 1917, returning to D/58 on 1 December 1917. While on leave, his award of the Military Cross was gazetted on 19 November 1917 saying that it was awarded “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. When his battery came under heavy enemy shell fire which exploded an ammunition dump and buried one of the officers of the battery, he worked with two others for half an hour under heavy fire until they succeeded in digging out the officer. His gallantry and utter disregard of danger were a magnificent example to all.” He had a further period of leave from 27 February 1918, returning on 15 March 1918. On 27 May 1918 he was sent to 1 Corps Officers’ Rest Station suffering from debility, returning to his battery on 12 June 1918. He left France, when he was sent for a tour of 6 months’ duty at home on 19 June 1918. Waldron was clearly a popular officer in his battery and, being so much older than most subalterns, was inevitably known as Daddy Waldron. He is portrayed warmly by Richard Blaker as “Dad” Whitelaw in his semi-autobiographical account of life in D/58 “Medal Without Bar”. While one mutual acquaintance remarked that Blaker had “hit Roberts and Daddy Waldron off perfectly,“ Waldron himself commented that Blaker had “made me seem a little bolder than I ever felt”. On 9 January 1919 Lt R. Stephen Waldron attended No.1 Dispersal Unit at Crystal Palace for demobilisation and resigned his commission on 11 March 1920. He returned to live in Maidenhead after the war, describing himself as a ranch owner and as a stock breeder, though by 1930 appeared to be basing himself while in the UK in the Red Lion Hotel, Henley-on-Thames. He is recorded as having made many long sea voyages, including returning to Southampton from Buenos Aires on 28 April 1923 on SS “Arlaza”, and going from Bristol via Bermuda to Kingston, Jamaica, in 1925 and again in 1927. He sailed from London on the “Mooltan” on 4 March 1938 for Marseilles, and he arrived back in Avonmouth on 25 March 1939 on SS “Ariguani” from Kingston, Jamaica. He died on 21 April 1967 in Reading, Berks, aged 90.
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Gnr.
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Walford
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Edward Thomas
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31198
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B/58
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Edward Thomas Walford was a pre-war regular soldier having enlisted in probably 1903. He was likely serving in No.7 Ammunition Column in India in 1911 and went to France with, probably, 5 Bde RFA on 6 November 1914. On 21 October 1917 he was serving in B/58 in the Ypres salient when he suffered an internal derangement to his left knee. He was evacuated back to the UK and admitted to No.2 Military Hospital, Canterbury, Kent. He was discharged from there on 4 February 1918 and given 10 days’ leave after which he reported on 13 February 1918 to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick. He said that he suffered pain in his knee after walking a short distance and there was evidence of some swelling but there was no evidence of fluid. He was classed as IIB and two weeks later had improved so was now classed as IIA, before being classed as I [fully fit] on 12 March 1918. He was discharged to draft on 17 April 1918. At some point he transferred to the Royal Garrison Artillery where he was given the new service number 223081, before joining the Royal Engineers (RE) and was given a new service number 1860947. His transfer to the RE, together with his civil occupation which was given as ‘telegraphist’ suggests that he acted as a signaller. He subsequently joined the Royal Air Force where he was promoted to Corporal and was given another new service number, 350537. He must have returned to India with the RAF because he was deemed elligible in 1925 by the RAF for the India General Service medal. This is likely the Edward Thomas Walford who was born on 26 August 1887 and in September 1939 was living in Basingstoke, Hants with his wife, Barbara, and was working as a heavy milk tanker driver.
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Lt.
|
Walker
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Cameron Mathew
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n/a
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A/58
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Cameron Mathew Walker (sometimes spelled Cameron Matthew Walker) was born in London on 14 September 1891, the eldest child of John Cameron Walker and Marion Reid Walker. The family returned to live in Scotland in about 1898 and in 1901 were living at 13 Park Terrace, Stirling. Cameron was educated at Stirling High School and the Dollar Institution where he was a cadet in their Officers’ Training Corps, before leaving that school in 1908. He was working as a chartered accountant and living with his family at Hazelbank, Larbert, Stirlingshire when he applied for a commission in the Territorial Force (TF) of the RFA on 12 October 1915 and was commissioned as a 2/Lt in the 2nd Lowland Bde RFA (TF) on 16 November 1915. This brigade was part of 65th (2nd Lowland) Division which was kept in the UK for home defence duties. Cameron was promoted to Lieutenant on 1 July 1917 but did not go overseas until he was posted to France, arriving there on 13 April 1918, possibly as a result of the disbandment of 65th Division in early 1918. On 28 August 1918 he joined A/58 though was not formally attached to them until 28 October 1918. At about the time of the Armistice he was granted leave, rejoining his battery on 21 November 1918. He had a further spell of leave between 19 January and 12 February 1919, and was then sent to the UK for demobilisation on 15 February 1919, so attended No.1 Dispersal Unit at Clipstone on 19 February 1919 where he was demobilised. In 1933, after his father had died, Cameron was described as a manufacturer. Cameron Walker died on 18 March 1965 in Edinburgh, at which point he appeared to have been living at the Royal Hotel, Bridge of Allan.
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Lt. Col.
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Walker
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Charles Ernest
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n/a
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Bde Cdr
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Charles Ernest Walker, known as Ernest, was born in Bolton, Lancs on 18 December 1866, the son of Thomas Walker and Elizabeth Walker (née Butterworth). He was educated at The Leys School, Cambridge. In 1888 he joined the Bolton Artillery and in 1895 he married Ethel Anne Winder in Bolton. He and Ethel had two children, Clarice Emily Walker who was born in 1896 and Robert Guy Thomas Walker who was born in 1900 but died in infancy. In 1911 Ernest was working as the head of a leather tannery and was living at The Lodge, Brooklyn, Bolton. After war was declared, he was in command of 1/3 East Lancashire Bde RFA TF and served with his brigade as part of 42 Division in Egypt. On 4 September 1915 he sailed with his headquarters from Alexandria, arriving at Cape Helles, Gallipoli five days later. He left Gallipoli on 3 or 4 January 1916 with his brigade and went to Mudros before sailing to Alexandria which the brigade reached on 20 January 1916. On 31 May 1916 the brigade was renamed as 212 Bde RFA TF until Christmas Day 1916 when it was renamed again, this time as 211 Bde RFA TF. In March 1917 he moved with the brigade from Egypt to the Western Front and he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order on 4 June 1917, as well as being Mentioned in Dispatches for his service in the Sinai Peninsular. On 9 September 1917, Ernest was wounded by gas and it is likely that he left 211 Bde at that point to recover from his wounds since a new commander for that brigade was appointed a few days later. On 7 February 1918, Ernest was attached to 58 Bde from 42 Division. A week later he assumed command of 58 Bde while its commander, Lt Col Henry Wray was absent attending a course between 15 February and 4 March 1918. The following month Ernest again assumed command when Lt Col Wray was slightly gassed and needed to go to a rest station on 20 April 1918, returning ten days later on 30 April 1918. Ernest probably left 58 Bde on 4 May 1918 when he was appointed that day to be the officer in command of the new 11 Division Artillery School. On 15 December 1925, Ethel passed away in Windermere, Westmoreland and in 1929 Ernest re-married, marrying Violet Ellen Thorne Winder (née Russell) in Worcestershire. Violet had previously been married to Ethel’s brother Robert, but he had died in 1920. In his professional life, Ernest served as a magistrate in Bolton between 1906 and 1930 and from 1936 became president of the family tanning business, William Walker and Sons Ltd of Bolton. He was also appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Lancashire. Ernest Walker died on 2 December 1946 at his home in Bewell Alfrick, Worcs aged 79.
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Sgt
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Walker
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|
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A/58
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During a very heavy barrage on 21 August 1917, Sgt Walker was described as conspicuous among the men of A/58 in putting out dumps and providing aid to the wounded of his battery and other batteries.
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Gnr.
|
Wall
|
Samuel George
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951288
|
A/58
|
A son of Joseph Samuel Baker and Caroline Baker enlisted in Kennington, London into the Territorial Force and joined the 5th London Bde RFA under the name Samuel George Wall. (The Bakers appear to have been known as Samuel and Carry and had two sons and two daughters with the two sons being Samuel Baker who was born in about 1894 and George Baker who was born in about 1896. Both sons were born in Newington, London). On 23 April 1917 Samuel George Wall was serving in A/58 near Arras when he was killed in action aged 21, another member of A/58 being wounded at the same time.
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2/Lt.
|
Wallington
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Frank Edgar
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n/a
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D/58
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Frank Edgar Wallington was born on 5 January 1894 in Camberwell, London, the youngest of the 11 children of Alfred Wallington and Alice Mary Wallington (née Abbott). By 1911, Frank was working as an insurance clerk. He joined 1/9th Battalion of the London Rifles as a Private with service number 3690, later being titled a Rifleman and in 1917 being assigned a new service number 391052. He went to France, arriving on about 21 April 1915, presumably as a reinforcement to that battalion which had originally gone to France the previous November. He later sought a commission in the RFA (Territorial Force) and was commissioned as a 2/Lt on 20 May 1917 having been a cadet and joined 3/2nd London Bde RFA. He left that unit on 3 July 1917 when he proceeded overseas and joined the Base depot in France. From there he was posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column (11 DAC) on 9 July 1917 but then moved on from 11 DAC four days later when he was posted to 58 Bde on 13 July 1917 and assigned to D/58. He was acting as a Forward Observation Officer at Poelcapelle in support of the First Battle of Passchendaele when he was wounded in action on 12 October 1917, a bullet entering the outer side of the upper third of his right thigh and exiting at the lower and outer border of his right buttock. This caused a rupture to the extensor muscle in the upper third of his thigh. Despite his wounds, he reported back to the brigade to inform them of what was going on before seeking treatment. His wounds appear to have been sufficient for him to be evacuated and so to leave 58 Bde. He was a patient in the Cambridge Hospital, Aldershot when a medical board was held on 16 November 1917 to consider his state of health as a result of these wounds and which recommended that he be sent to an auxiliary hospital for treatment. At some point he was posted to 6th Reserve Bde (TF) and another medical board was held at Biscot Camp, Luton, Beds on 11 April 1918, which concluded that he was unfit for general service but could undertake service in the UK. He was therefore transferred to the Royal Garrison Artillery on 1 June 1918 and joined No.4 Siege Artillery (Reserve) Bde. A medical board held at Lydd on 8 June 1918 confirmed that he was still unfit to ride or to walk on rough ground as a result of his wounds. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 20 November 1918 and attended No.2 Dispersal Unit at Crystal Palace on 1 February 1919 from which he was demobilised the following day and probably returned to his home at Ullswater Lodge, West Norwood, London. He seems to have returned to working in the insurance industry and relinquished his commission on 30 September 1921. By 1930, Frank and his 23-year old wife, Enid Mabel Wallington, had apparently moved to South Africa, since they returned to the UK that April giving South Africa as their permanent country of residence. They also returned to the UK from South Africa in 1959 for a period of 4-5 months.
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Gnr.
|
Walsh
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Charles
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116453
|
B/58
|
Charles Walsh was born in about 1888, the son of a clogger, Nathaniel Walsh and Mary Walsh. The family were living at 11 Millgate Street, Wigan in 1901. On 24 August 1910, Charles married Annie Light in Wigan parish church, both were said to be living at 11 Millgate at the time. Charles, Annie and their daughter Mary Elizabeth Walsh were still living there the following year and Charles was working as an electrician for the county borough. Charles enlisted into the RFA and the Absent Voter List for Wigan in 1918 as well as those for Spring & Autumn 1919 stated that he was serving in B/58 and that his home address at the time was 2 Ivy Street, Wigan, Lancs. In September 1939, Charles and Annie were still living at 2 Ivy Street, along with their daughter Edith, who had been born on 9 April 1915 and a lodger, Nathaniel James. Charles was working as an electrician maintaining buses. Charles and Annie were still living at 2 Ivy Street when Charles died on 23 July 1946 and he is buried in Lower Ince Cemetery, Ince in Makerfield, Wigan.
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Gnr.
|
Walsh
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Thomas
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74318
|
|
Thomas Walsh enlisted into the RFA on 3 January 1915. He was posted overseas, arriving in the Balkans theatre of war on about 17 November 1915 and he probably joined 58 Bde at Gallipoli at that point. At some point, after he had been promoted to Corporal, he was transferred to the Labour Corps and was given the new service number 516814. He was serving as a Corporal when he was discharged on 28 May 1919 because he was no longer physically fit due to sickness. Thomas was living at 48 McCormick Street, Wigan shortly after the war and was awarded a Silver War Badge. This is very likely the same Thomas Walsh who was living at the same address in 1921, aged 27, with his wife Margaret and two daughters Annie and Margaret; Thomas was working as a colliery drawer underground at Maypole Colliery. In September 1939, this family were living at 25 Harper Street, Wigan and there were now 7 children, with Thomas working as a railway shunter.
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Lt.
|
Ward
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Harold Towry
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n/a
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D/58
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Born in Leek, Staffs on 22 August 1883, Harold Towry Ward was the third of the five children of Anthony and Anne Ward, of Daisy Bank House, Leek, Staffs. He was educated at Rossall School, Lancs from 1897 and was at Oundle School, Northants in 1901. He then attended the Royal Agricultural College in 1905 before taking up a position as an Estate Agent (farm manager) in Northumberland. While there, he served in a militia unit, being commissioned as a 2/Lt into the Northumberland Royal Garrison Artillery on 7 April 1906. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 8 April 1907 and transferred to the RFA (Special Reserve) on 26 July 1907 before resigning his commission on 23 July 1912. He went to New Zealand and was working for a Mr F P Nelson as a farmer in Pahiatua when he enlisted in Napier on 13 August 1914 as a Private into New Zealand’s Wellington Infantry Battalion and was assigned service number 10/1016. He was promoted to Lance Corporal on 21 September 1914 and sailed 2 days later for Egypt, arriving there after a 51 day long journey on 3 December 1914. His unit was at Zeitoun the following year when he transferred to the RFA on 3 June 1915 and was appointed to a temporary commission in the RFA as a Lieutenant the following day. His service for the next several months is unclear though he may have joined 60 Brigade Ammunition Column later that year. On 5 or 6 February 1917 he was serving in 59 Bde RFA when he reported to the Casualty Clearing Station suffering from piles. On 6 March 1917 he was still serving in 59 Bde RFA when he was posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column. On 18 June 1917 he joined 58 Bde and was serving in D/58 on 9 October 1917 when he was granted an extension to his leave due to a medical certificate. He was granted the acting rank of Captain between 6 September and 18 October 1917 and took temporary command of four howitzers of D/58 on 9 December 1917 to help 46 Division’s Artillery while Capt Aikenhead was recovering from a knee injury. He went on 14 days’ leave to the UK on 12 January 1918, returning to his battery on 28 January 1918. Between 13 April and 3 June 1918 he was again appointed an A/Capt, during which on 7 May 1918 he was sent to the 1 Corps Officers’ Rest Station. He took eight other ranks to the Divisional Reception Camp on 24 September 1918 prior to them all going on leave. He returned from leave to his battery on 24 October 1918. In the last days of the conflict as the Germans were retreating he was sent out on a mounted patrol at noon on 6 November 1918 to ascertain and report what was going on and after the patrol he returned with what was described as most valuable and accurate information obtained “under great difficulty”. After the Armistice he was appointed Area Commandant of the commune of La Croisette, Pas de Calais on 27 February 1919. He went on 14 days’ leave to the UK on 19 March 1919 and then on 19 June 1919 he was back in the UK to attend the Officers’ Dispersal Centre at Pirbright from which he was demobilised and relinquished his commission the following day. He was entitled to be repatriated to New Zealand but opted instead to go to Kenya as a “soldier settler”, sailing on the SS “Garth Castle” on 21 November 1919. He settled in the Nakuru area in the Rift Valley and had at least two farms, however after a year there he found the climate did not suit him so in March 1921 sought a second repatriation passage from Kenya back to New Zealand. Since he had already had one paid trip to Kenya, his request was denied. He visited the UK on at least two occasions thereafter: he sailed from London to Mombasa, Kenya in November 1924 and then sailed from Cape Town, South Africa to the UK on the SS “Nestor” which arrived in Liverpool on 19 December 1926. He was still in Kenya in 1933 and was living in Subukia but appeared to be making preparations to return to New Zealand and so sought particulars of his war service so that he could use them on his return to obtain the allowances he would be due. He returned to New Zealand and married Eileen Maud Adkins in 1934 with whom he had three children, all born in Auckland and Harold was described as “a most wonderful loving and cheerful father”. In 1948 he and his family returned to one of the farms in Kenya, a dairy farm in Thomsons Falls, but had to leave Kenya in 1954 due to the Mau Mau uprising, so he and his family moved to Cape Town in South Africa. Harold Ward died in Cape Town on 29 June 1973, aged 89.
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Cpl.
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Ward
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|
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B/58?
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On 10 July 1918, Cpl Ward was cited as the witness to Gnr William Pearce (67937) of B/58 being absent from roll call at parade.
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2/Lt.
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Wardlaw
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Peter Hutchinson
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10626
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A/58
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Peter Hutchinson Wardlaw was born on 29 June 1888 in Alloa, Clackmannanshire, the son of James and Mary Wardlaw (née Hutchinson). He was educated at Alloa Secondary Academy and trained as an engineer. In 1911 he met Catherine Bell Hay (known as Kate) and they began a romance. Also that year he moved to Rugby to find work as an engineer and in 1913 helped set up a new company in Lutterworth, Leics, to make a new seed-sowing machine. That work was interrupted by the outbreak of war and, feeling it his duty to volunteer, Peter enlisted in Rugby on 1 September 1914. He was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea and from there was posted to 185 Battery on 10 September 1914 in Leeds. He was promoted to Cpl on 13 November 1914 and was transferred to 184 Battery on 5 January 1915 which became A/58. He was promoted to Sgt on 11 February 1915 and had a week’s farewell leave before sailing for Egypt and Gallipoli with his battery. While serving at Gallipoli, Peter was appointed A/BQMS on 16 October 1915. After 58 Bde was withdrawn back to Egypt, Peter applied for a commission in March 1916. He was appointed to a commission as a temporary 2/Lt on probation and assumed the duties of an officer with effect from 1 May 1916 and did “not require further training before taking up the duties of an officer”. He was serving in 58 Brigade Ammunition Column when he sailed with the brigade on the “Kingstonian” from Alexandria on 25 June 1916, arriving in Marseilles on 2 July 1916 but his battery commander wanted him to remain in his own battery, and although at the time A/58 had its full complement of officers, the request was granted. He therefore re-joined A/58 in late August 1916 and was described by his commanding officer as “a real good fellow” and “very Scotch”. A month later, Peter was acting as a Forward Observation Officer with the infantry during the first day of the Battle of Thiepval on 26 September 1916 when he was severely injured by a shell blast. He had a preliminary operation at a Casualty Clearing Station and then his left leg was amputated above the knee at No.7 Stationary Hospital, Boulogne; he had also been wounded in the head and hand and was partially deaf in his right ear. He was evacuated back to the UK on 11 October 1916 on the HS “St Andrew” and admitted to 2nd Western General Hospital, Manchester, where his leg was further amputated in the thigh to leave a stump suitable for an artificial limb. He was granted sick leave until 25 May 1917 and a gratuity of £250 for the loss of his leg. Meanwhile his fiancée, Kate, who had spent the past 5 years teaching in New Zealand, returned to the UK, via the USA, to be with Peter. A Medical Board held on 23 May 1917 at Leicester concluded that Peter would still be unfit for any duty for at least a further 3 months so sent him home to Lutterworth pending availability at Queen Mary’s Convalescent Auxiliary Hospital for Officers, in Dover House, Roehampton. He went to Roehampton a few weeks later and was fitted with an artificial leg and pelvic band, the cost of £20 17s for the new leg being borne by the War Office. Peter returned to Lutterworth to recuperate and he and Kate married on 20 September 1917 but sadly separated shortly afterwards. Peter attended a further Medical Board at Adastral House on 1 October 1917 which stated that he was now fit for office work. He worked for the Ministry of Munitions in Sheffield and was promoted to Lt on 1 November 1917. Kate gave birth to a son, Elliott, on 4 January 1918 but with the estrangement, Peter never met his son. On 31 January 1918, Peter sought a Medical Board with the aim of being invalided out of the service. This was held on 12 March 1918 at 3rd Northern General Hospital, Sheffield which confirmed that he was fit for administrative duties and it wasn’t until a further board on 3 June 1919 at East Leeds War Hospital when he was declared no longer fit for any military service and so was discharged, relinquishing his commission on 2 July 1919 due to ill health caused by wounds. Kate returned to Alloa with her son but died aged 50 on 3 December 1938. Shortly afterwards, Peter, who was now living in London, married Carrie Whiston in February 1939 and that same year he was working in the War Office, but two years later, he died suddenly aged 53 on 3 July 1941. Further information can be found in “Broken by Messines” by Dr Mark Wardlaw.
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2/Lt.
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Watchorn
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Bruce Baynton
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n/a
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B/58
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Bruce Baynton Watchorn was an Australian who was born on 19 February 1897 at Battery Point, Hobart, Tasmania, the son of Edwin Thomas and Ethel Maude Watchorn. His father was a Colonel and had served in the South African War, and Bruce had served for 4 years in the cadet force in Tasmania when he arrived in the UK on the SS “Corinthic” as a 19-year old clerk on 9 November 1916. On 6 December 1916, he enlisted as a cadet gunner in the RHA with service number 175241 and studied at St John’s Wood until he was commissioned as 2/Lt on 26 May 1917. He went to France, sailing from Southampton on 9 July 1917 arriving in Le Havre the following day. He was posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column on 15 July 1917 and joined B/58 on 6 August 1917. He was awarded the Military Cross on 13 October 1917. The unit’s war diary described it as “For gallantry and great devotion to duty in bty position at various dates and particularly on 4 October when, one gun being knocked out by a direct hit, he fired full rate with remaining two guns” though when the official announcement of his award was made it said “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He was in charge of a battery engaged in firing a barrage. The battery was heavily shelled, suffering severe casualties to one of its detachments. He, however, carried out the task allotted to him, showing the utmost courage and resource under most trying circumstances.” He was granted leave to the UK between 28 October and 7 November 1917. He acted as Forward Observation Officer on 9 October 1917 and went on 14 days’ leave between 10 and 26 February 1918. On 1 March 1918 the CO of 58 Bde, Lt Col Winter warmly recommended him for a permanent commission, describing him as a “keen and zealous officer” who had “performed his duties in a most satisfactory manner”. In 1920, that application was turned down by the War Office. Bruce Watchorn was temporarily attached to C/58 on 10 April 1918 following the major gas attacks on the brigade over the previous two days. Along with 16 other ranks he was sent to 1st Army Royal Artillery Rest Camp on 21 April 1918. He then attended a 6 week course at 1st Army Signal School, returning to the brigade on 11 June 1918 and was attached to HQ 58 Bde. He left to attend another signalling course at 1 Army Signalling School on 15 September 1918, returning to the brigade on 7 October 1918. He then had another period of leave between 19 October and 4 November 1918 and was promoted to Lt on 20 November 1918. He went to Royal Artillery HQ on 22 January 1919 and went to the UK on leave on 17 February 1919. He left 58 Bde on 15 March 1919 when he was posted to 49 Division Artillery and relinquished his commission on 12 May 1920. He joined the Australian Armed Forces in 1921 and served in India before joining the Australian Staff Corps in 1924. He served with 3rd Battery RA in Meerut for a year from May 1926 and was described by his former commanding officer as “a very good fellow: keen, physically well-built, and very even-tempered” and was apparently “very popular with his brother officers”. In 1931 he considered transferring back to the British Army from the Australian Staff Corps, but subsequently withdrew his application. He married Gwendoline Sarah Isabel Fulton Rofe, and they had a daughter Rosemary Baynton Watchorn. During WW2 he was a Lt Col serving as the commander of the Royal Australian Artillery’s 1st Naval Bombardment Group. He was awarded the OBE shortly after the war. He died at Double Bay, Sydney, Australia on 8 August 1957, aged 60.
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2/Lt.
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Waterhouse
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Arthur Stanley
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n/a
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B/58
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Arthur Stanley Waterhouse was born in Woollhara, New South Wales (NSW), Australia on 22 December 1893, the son of Jabez Bunting Waterhouse and Emilie Marion Waterhouse. He obtained a scholarship to Sydney Boys High School and then worked as an assistant master teaching classics and mathematics at a boy’s preparatory school in NSW but was just starting to study medicine when he sailed to the UK in early 1916 to seek a commission in the RFA. He had been serving as a gunner in the 4th Australian Field Artillery Bde (Militia) between January 1915 and January 1916 but at that point decided to go to the UK since at 22 he was not yet old enough to obtain a commission in the Australian Imperial Forces. In early March 1916 he applied for a commission and a few days later enlisted into the Royal Horse Artillery at St Johns Wood on 11 March 1916 and was assigned service number 127130. After training at No.2 RFA Officer Cadet School in Topsham Barracks, Exeter, where he was described as “sober and trustworthy” and of a “very good” military character, he was commissioned as a 2/Lt in the RFA Special Reserve on 28 July 1916. He probably joined B/58 on 9 September 1916 and was certainly serving with the brigade on the Somme that autumn. He was sent on a signalling course at 11 Division Signalling School at Yvrench on 25 January 1917 and then was sent on another signalling course at 2 Corps School on 11 February 1917. On 22 March 1917, XIII Corps passed him as a 1st class signaller and he had 10 days’ leave to the UK shortly afterwards, being away between 30 March and 9 April 1917. He was awarded 4 days’ leave to Paris on 2 June 1917 and shortly after returning he acted a Forward Observation Officer on the first day of the battle of Messines on 7 June 1917. After 58 Bde had moved to Ypres, he had another 10 days’ leave to the UK leaving his battery on 18 August 1917 and travelling via Calais to Dover the following day. During his leave he consulted a doctor, since he was feeling run down and was suffering from headaches, poor sleep and bad dreams. His eyes were also weak probably because he had been slightly gassed. The doctor recommended that he spend 2-3 additional weeks in the UK to recover, particularly since Arthur had apparently nearly had a severe nervous breakdown two years previously. A medical board was convened at Caxton Hall on 13 September 1917 which recommended that he be admitted to No.4 London General Hospital, Denmark Hill due to the nervous exhaustion he was suffering. A medical board held on 28 September 1917 at that hospital noted that he was much improved and sent him home, but also noted that he was unlikely to be fully fit for 5 months and that he should spend 6 weeks at Craiglockhart War Hospital in Edinburgh. He was duly admitted there on 13 October 1917 and a board held on 27 December 1917 noted that he had made marked progress but was still sleeping badly and still getting headaches so needed further treatment for his neurasthenia. He continued to improve and was discharged from Craiglockhart on 31 January 1918 and was granted 3 weeks’ leave. After his leave he was employed on home service in Scotland as an assistant adjutant of the ‘OTTC’, Old School, Edinburgh University for which duties a medical board held on 23 March 1918 at No.2 Scottish General Hospital, Craigleith, Edinburgh thought he was “quite able”. He was also apparently working in his spare time as a medical student. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 28 January 1918. At a medical board held at No.2 Scottish General Hospital on 23 July 1918, he declared himself fully recovered and the following month he transferred into the R.A.F. where he trained as an observer at No.1 School of Aeronautics, Reading. However, he returned to the RFA after the Armistice and had been serving in 15th (Reserve) Battery when he attended the Repatriation Camp at Winchester on 31 March 1919. He was demobilised on 12 May 1919 after returning to Australia on the SS “Shropshire” and his address on returning was given as Torrington Road, Strathfield, NSW. He re-entered Sydney University to study medicine on 26 May 1919 and relinquished his commission on 1 April 1920. He obtained his Bachelor of Medicine in 1924 and Master of Surgery in 1927. During his studies he was informed that he had inadvertently been overpaid just over £153 by the Army Agents and attempts were made to reclaim this money. He had however, spent the money in good faith and, as a student with no income, had no prospect of re-paying it until after his studies. On 21 February 1925, he was informed that, given the circumstances, the claim was waived. His engagement to Margaret Mary Hope Pearse was announced on 16 November 1935 and they married on 29 January 1936. They had two children. He had a long medical career culminating in him becoming Superintendent of the Royal North Shore Hospital in NSW. He died on 9 March 1974, aged 80.
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BSM
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Wealleans
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Joshua Phillip
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36806
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D/58
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Joshua Phillip Wealleans was born on 26 June 1885 in Guiseborough, Yorks, the son of John and Martha Wealleans. In 1901 he was working as a stock man with cattle, aged 16, at Middleton on Leven, Yorks. He seems to have enlisted into the Army in 1905 and joined the RFA. He married Florence Mary Hooper in 1907 and the following year he and Florence were living in Frimley Green, Surrey when they baptised their son, John James Wealleans on 3 December 1908. In 1911 he was a Bdr and had had a second son and the family were living in Aldershot. After war was declared he joined 58 Bde’s Ammunition Column as their BSM very soon after the formation of the unit since he was there on 13 September 1914 and was cited as a witness to Bdr Frederick Adams (10979) being absent from parade. The following Spring, after the Ammunition Column had been converted into D/58, he was cited again twice as a witness to soldiers’ offences: Dvr Alexander McMillan overstayed leave by three days between 14 and 17 March 1915, and in Milford Gnr Ted Hayes (10672) went absent without leave between 4 and 16 May 1915. It is not clear when he left 58 Bde, but he went to Egypt in July 1915. Just before the Armistice he was serving in C/59 when he was awarded the Military Medal on 3 November 1918. In 1939 he and Florence were living in Lyng Easthaugh, near Norwich where Joshua was working as an unestablished postman. Joshua Wealleans died in Norfolk in 1950, aged 65.
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L/Bdr.
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Weldon
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George
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20344
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B/58
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On 9 March 1918, L/Bdr George Weldon was serving in B/58 when he went to hospital so was replaced as L/Bdr in the battery by William Pearce (67937).
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Gnr.
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Westacott
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James Henry
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89572
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B/58
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James Henry Westacott was born in Great Wyrley, Staffs on 4 November 1894. He was the fifth of Lewis James and Phoebe Westacott’s six children. By 1901, the family had moved to live in Aston, Birmingham and were still there ten years later. James enlisted into the RFA early in the war and went overseas, arriving in Egypt on about 19 July 1915. He was serving in B/58 when he was found guilty by court-martial on 22 June 1917 for being absent from camp and was awarded 42 days’ Field Punishment No.1, which was subsequently remitted by 14 days. Just a few weeks later he was killed in action in the Ypres salient on 2 August 1917 and is buried in New Irish Farm Cemetery, Belgium.
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Gnr.
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Westbury
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Arthur Innes
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180042
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C/58
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Arthur Innes Westbury was born in 1887. He worked as a printer and was living in Brixton when he attested in Lambeth on 30 November 1915. When doing so, he gave his next of kin as a Mr and Mrs Harry King of 13 Angel Road, Brixton, although they were apparently no relation to him and his early years are a mystery. It was not until a year later that he was mobilised on 22 November 1916 at which time he was posted to No.4 RFA Depot in Woolwich where he joined No.11 Section. Shortly after he arrived there, the Receiver for the Metropolitan Police at New Scotland Yard wrote to the depot asking to be informed in the event of Arthur being wounded. The reason for this is unclear, though as Arthur was demobilised in 1919 there is a suggestion that he worked for the Metropolitan Police. From the depot in Woolwich, Arthur was posted on 8 December 1916 to ‘A’ Instructional Battery at Shoeburyness, Essex. Then on 29 January 1917 he was posted to 20 (Reserve) Battery, Woolwich. While there he had pre-embarkation leave but overstayed that by a few hours on 12 June 1917 so forfeited 2 days’ pay. Soon after, he was posted to the RH & RFA Base Depot in France on 20 June 1917. On 9 September 1917 he was posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column and was serving in C/58 when he was wounded in action on 9 October 1917, receiving a mild gunshot wound, with different records stating this was either in his chest or back. He was admitted to No.35 Field Ambulance the same day and, after a brief stay in No.46 Casualty Clearing Station, the following day he was admitted to No.22 General Hospital at Dannes Camiers before being evacuated back to the UK on 13 October 1917 on the Hospital Ship “Pieter de Coninck”. Once back in the UK, he was admitted to the Military Hospital Bagthorpe, Notts on 13 October 1917, from where he was discharged 18 days later on 30 October 1917. He then went to the Royal Artillery Command Depot, Ripon South arriving on 8 November 1917 where he further stayed in hospital until he was discharged on 14 December 1917. On 17 December 1917 he was posted to 60 (Reserve) Battery at Lessness Park, E London. While there he was punished for being absent without leave between 9 and 11 February 1918. On 26 February 1918 he was posted to 50 (Reserve) Battery and then on 2 March 1918 he went to the RH and RFA Signalling Training Centre at Swanage. He returned to France and on 16 April 1918 he joined No.3 Section of 46 Division Ammunition Column (46 DAC) before being attached to the Headquarters of 46 Division Artillery on 27 April 1918. On 23 August 1918 he was re-designated as a Signaller. On 25 November 1918 he re-joined No.1 Section of 46 DAC and was granted 14 days’ leave to the UK between 27 April and 11 May 1919. He was posted back to the UK for demobilisation on 2 August 1919, arriving at the Dispersal Unit at Crystal Palace the following day. After the war he lived in 32 Albert Square, Clapham. Arthur married Blanche Elvy in 1932, although they had been living together as husband and wife since at least 1920. In 1937, they were living at 39 Manville Road, Balham, SW17. Arthur may have died in London in 1943.
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A/Bdr.
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Weston
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William
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15648
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A/58
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William Weston was born in Polegate, near Eastbourne in Sussex in about 1882. He was the son of William and Ellen “Matilda” Weston (née Smith) and had four older sisters. It is possible that in 1901 he was serving in the RFA as a driver and was based in Colchester, however by 1911 he was working as a house decorator. He married Daisy Elizabeth Barker in 1910 and they had a daughter, Daisy Eleanor Joyce Weston on 13 December 1910. The following year they were living in Eastbourne. He enlisted into the RFA soon after war was declared and was appointed a driver. He went overseas to France, arriving on about 12 March 1915. He was serving as an A/Bdr in A/58 near St Léger, south of Arras, France when his battery was very heavily shelled between 2.30 a.m. and 6 a.m. on the morning of 24 April 1917 by enemy 5.9″ howitzers, receiving about 500 rounds. William was killed and three other men were wounded. Although his wife was still alive, their daughter’s guardian appears to have been one of William’s older sisters, Jessie. (In 1939, William’s daughter was married and living in Royal Tunbridge Wells and staying with her was Jessie who was now matron at the Royal Eye Hospital in Eastbourne). William Weston is buried in Croisilles British Cemetery, France.
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2/Lt.
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Wheeler
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Edward Blue
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n/a
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C/58
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Edward Blue Wheeler was born on 5 November 1895 in Marion County, South Carolina, USA. He was the third child and second son of Edward B. Wheeler and Effie Wheeler (née Blue) and was educated at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, joining as a Midshipman on probation on 24 June 1914. He served on the battleship “Missouri” but resigned on account of defective vision. He was appointed a naval attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Paris in April 1916 and applied for a commission in the British Army on 28 December 1916 due apparently to his sympathies with the Allies. He was instructed to report to the Royal Artillery Officer Cadet Unit at Exeter the following day and was commissioned into the RFA as a 2/Lt on 29 April 1917 having come first in his class of 50. He was posted to join 11 Division Ammunition Column (11 DAC) on 5 July 1917 and two days later he transferred to 58 Bde. In September 1917 he suffered what would be the first of four woundings when he was gassed in the Ypres salient. After hospitalisation in France, he was discharged to duty on 2 December 1917 and a medical board held at Le Havre found him to be fit again. He therefore returned to 11 DAC on 14 January 1918 and again transferred quickly to 58 Bde, joining C/58 on 19 January 1918. At some point he was shell-shocked and was gassed a second time. A medical board held at No.1 Base at Havre on 25 July 1918 found him fit for general service after that gassing. A few weeks later he was wounded for the fourth time when he received gun-shot wounds to his left thigh, face and right wrist. His mother was informed on 5 September 1918 of this latest wounding and a medical board held at No.1 Base at Le Havre on 17 September 1918 granted him sick leave until 8 October 1918. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 29 October 1918 and appointed A/Capt while acting as second in command of a battery on 5 January 1919. On 9 July 1919, he replaced a Lt H J H Wales as an adjutant in possibly the “Western DAC” since that was the unit he said he was in when he attended ‘C’ Wing of the Officers’ Wing at the Repatriation Camp, Pirbright on 20 October 1919. He returned to the USA on board the SS “Lapland” and on arrival on 2 November 1919 was demobilised. Although he had to relinquish the temporary rank of Captain on ceasing to be an adjutant when he demobilised, when he relinquished his commission on 1 April 1920, he was granted the rank of Captain. He returned to Marion, South Carolina travelling on the SS “Lapland” which left Southampton on 22 October 1919 and arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia on 30 October 1919. Back in Marion he went into business and married Meta Sophronia Nichols on 26 April 1922. They had two daughters, Meta Nichols Wheeler and Jane Cherry Wheeler, before Edward died on 12 January 1934 in Marion County, South Carolina, USA, aged 38. He is buried in Rose Hill Cemetery, Marion.
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Cpl.
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Wheeler
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Harry
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99250
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C/58
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Harry Wheeler was born in about 1884 in Swallowfield, Berks, the son of William and Lucy Wheeler (née Allum). In 1901 he was working as a railway porter in Reading and enlisted into the RFA later that year with service number 16509. He would have signed on for 12 years, though how many he chose to serve “with the colours” and how many in the Reserves is not known. His father had died in 1897 and his mother re-married in about 1904 to become Mrs Lucy Clark. In 1911 Harry was living with his mother and stepfather in Swallowfield where he was working as a domestic gardener. On 12 June 1915 in Kingston-upon-Thames he enlisted for a second time into the RFA, and on that occasion was 31 years old and was working as an attendant at Horton Asylum, Epsom. He was posted initially to No.4 Depot at Woolwich the next day and then after spells with 4A Reserve Bde at Woolwich, including some time with 24th Reserve Battery, he sailed from the UK to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force on 11 October 1915, arriving at Mudros on 25 October 1915. He was ostensibly posted to join 54 Bde RFA but that had left Mudros earlier that month to go to Salonika. Harry did not follow them, instead leaving Mudros on 9 November 1915 and arriving in Alexandria three days later. On 21 November 1915 he was posted to join 58 Bde at Zahrieh. After 58 Bde returned to Egypt from Gallipoli, Harry joined C/58 on 29 January 1916. He sailed with the brigade from Alexandria on 25 June 1916 arriving in Marseilles on 3 July 1916. He was appointed A/Bdr on 20 October 1916 and promoted to Bdr on 20 February 1917 replacing Bdr Robert Steele (93425). Harry was then appointed A/Cpl on 8 April 1917 to replace Cpl Frank Sherman (3479). Harry was still serving in C/58 when he was awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the field in June 1917, the award being gazetted on 21 August 1917. He was appointed an A/Sgt on 14 July 1917, reverting to Cpl on 27 September 1917 when he was admitted to hospital with back strain which the XVIII Corps Dressing Station described as “trivial”. He had strained his back while helping drag a gun up a steep incline and his battery commander, Maj E M Hutchinson, confirmed that Harry was “in no way to blame” for his injury. After his recovery he appears to have left 58 Bde when he was posted to join B/317 Bde RFA on 20 November 1917 and was re-appointed A/Sgt the same day. Harry was taken ill with influenza and so spent 24 May – 21 June 1918 in the Red Cross Hospital in Christchurch, Hants before being transferred to the Military Convalescent Hospital in Wokingham where he stayed until 2 July 1918. He was then posted to the Irish Command Depot in Tipperary until 6 September 1918 and while there had to go through various physical tests including marching 8 miles without equipment and then doing it twice 3 days apart with full equipment. During his time in Tipperary he showed good improvement in his levels of physical fitness so was sent to 5C Reserve Bde ready for deployment. He was posted back to France on 2 October 1918 and three weeks later, on 24 October 1918, he joined 381 Battery of 158 Army Bde RFA. After the Armistice he was posted to the UK and sailed from Dunkirk on 30 January 1919. He attended the Dispersal Centre at Dover the following day for demobilisation and returned to live with his wife in Vauxhall, London before re-settling in Epsom.
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Gnr.
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Whetstone
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Charles Walter
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2749
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B/58
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Charles Walter Whetstone was the fourth son of James and Eliza Maria (sometimes given as Maria Eliza) Whetstone. He was born in 1894 and was baptised on 3 November 1894 in St Mary’s church, Ewell, Surrey. In 1911 he was working as a farm labourer at the age of 16 and before he enlisted into the Army he was working for a Mr Horlick of Arbrook Farm, Claygate, Surrey. He enlisted in Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey and joined the RFA. In 1917 he was serving in B/58 when he was awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the field but the award was gazetted on 16 October 1917, a month after he was killed in action on 23 September 1917. One of his brothers was with him at the time and attended his funeral. He is buried in the Divisional Collecting Post Cemetery and Extension, Belgium.
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Gnr.
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White
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Alfred
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68148
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D/58
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Alfred White was born in Artington, near Guildford, Surrey on 8 August 1894, the son of Isaac and Annie White (née Choules) and attended the village school. In 1911, 16-year old Alfred was working as a milk boy though apparently enlisted into the RFA in Guildford later that year. Shortly after war was declared he went to France on 23 August 1914 as part of the British Expeditionary Force, serving in 37 (Howitzer) Bde RFA. The following March he was evacuated back to the UK due to either wounds or sickness and was then posted in early April 1915 to join the newly-formed 118 (Howitzer) Bde RFA which had gone to France the previous month. He probably transferred into 58 Bde when A/118 Bde became the new D/58 on 15 July 1916. On 18 November 1916 he was serving with the guns of D/58 when a premature explosion of an 18 pdr shrapnel shell from a battery sitting behind D/58 went off killing Alfred instantly. Both Capt Carlton Roberts and 2/Lt Richard Blaker wrote to Alfred’s family, with Capt Roberts describing Alfred as “an excellent fellow, always the first to offer himself for any dangerous work that was on hand, and his death is a sorrow to my Battery and to his country….He was killed instantaneously, and he did not suffer for he fell right into my arms.” 2/Lt Blaker said that Alfred “died bravely near his gun”. Alfred’s family wrote back to Blaker on 26 November 1916 thanking him for letting them know of Alfred’s death. Alfred died aged 22 and is buried in Courcelette British Cemetery, France, alongside Bdr Willie Loader (62538) also of D/58 who had similarly been killed by a premature the previous day.
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BQMS
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White
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J
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|
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Battery Quartermaster Sergeant J White was serving in 58 Bde at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli, when he was instructed to proceed to Suvla on 26 October 1915.
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Cpl.
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White
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|
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B/58?
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Cpl White was probably serving in B/58 in early 1915 when he was twice cited as a witness to offences committed by Gnr Ernest Ballard (10994). The first was on 13 January 1915 when Ballard was absent from stables and subsequently found in bed, and again a couple of weeks later when Ballard was absent between 10 p.m. on 1 February 1915 and 7.15 a.m. the next day. He also reported Bdr Bill Theakston (93052) for absence and neglect of duty on Christmas Eve 1914.
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A/Bdr.
|
Whitehouse
|
John Frederick
|
10652
|
A/58
|
John Frederick Whitehouse, who may have been known as Frederick, was born on 16 July 1893 in Edgbaston, Birmingham, the son of John and Louisa Whitehouse (née Hackett). Before the war he worked as a barman for the brewers Mitchells and Butlers. On 31 August 1914 he enlisted in Birmingham, aged 21 and was posted initially to No.3 Depot at Hilsea and from there to 184 Battery, which was subsequently renumbered as A/58. He was confined to barracks in Leeds by Maj Crozier for being absent from roll call on 4 April 1915. The following month he was appointed A/Bdr in HQ 58 Bde on 25 May 1915. He sailed from Devonport with the brigade on 1 July 1915, disembarking at Alexandria on 14 July 1915. He sailed from Alexandria on 28 July 1915, disembarking at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli. After the withdrawal back to Egypt, he was reprimanded by Lt Jones for being improperly dressed on 27 January 1916. He sailed with the brigade from Alexandria on 27 June 1916, arriving at Marseilles on 3 July 1916. He was awarded a Good Conduct Badge on 5 August 1916. He remained serving in HQ 58 Bde for the remainder of the war and was granted leave to the UK on three occasions: between 8 and 17 February 1917, on 18 January 1918 for 14 days and another 14 days from 21 November 1918. He was serving as the orderly to Lt F G Bell, the brigade’s Medical Officer, on 26 December 1918 and they were both mounted when his horse slipped and fell on him breaking his foot. He was admiited to 35 Field Ambulance that day who discovered that he had fractured the 4th metatarsus in his left foot. He was evacuated back to the UK on 4 January 1919 and admitted to Barry Road Auxiliary Hospital in Northampton. He attended the Northamptonshire War Hospital, Duston, Northampton on 20 February 1919 and was discharged from the Army as being sick and wounded on 28 March 1919.
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Sig.
|
Whitehouse
|
Percy
|
71794
|
C/58
|
Percy Whitehouse was born on 19 December 1893. He was raised by a foster parent, Mrs Elizabeth Nolan, who was an elderly widow with married children all of whom Percy described as “very kind”. Percy would occasionally see his birth-mother on his birthdays. He left school at 14 and had a number of jobs over the next five years, including working for 6 months for an auctioneer and then 3 years with a metal merchant before short stints in a warehouse and as a plumber’s mate. On 9 January 1913, instead of going to work, he went to the Army Recruiting Office in Newton Street, Birmingham and enlisted into the RFA for a period of 6 years with the colours and then 6 more years in the Reserve. At the time he was living with Mrs Nolan’s daughter and her husband, a Mr and Mrs Roberts who were very kind to Percy and sorry to hear that he had enlisted. He was posted as a Driver to Fort Widley near Portsmouth where he went through very thorough training and found his previous physical training in a gymnasium to be of great help. After a few weeks he was posted for the next phase of his training to Fort Purbrook about a mile east of Widley. From there he was posted to 8th (Howitzer) Bde in Kildare, Ireland. After a short time in 65th Battery he was posted to 37th Battery. While there he was chosen to train as a signaller and passed the training and exams as a 1st class signaller. When war was declared he was appointed to work in the HQ of 8th Bde and went with his brigade from Kildare to Dublin where they boarded the “Crown of Toledo” and sailed to Le Havre as part of the British Expeditionary Force, landing there on 19 August 1914. He took part in the first battle of Mons and the retreat including the battles of Le Cateau and the Marne. During 1915 he took part in the battles of Hill 60, Neuve-Chapelle and the second battle of Ypres and it was at about this time he moved, at his own request, from the brigade HQ to join 37th Battery. Later that year he was promoted to Bdr and had a week’s leave in the UK. In 1916 he had a further week’s leave in the UK in February before taking part in the battle of the Somme and witnessing the use of tanks at Flers-Courcellette where he was injured in the ankle on the first day of the attack, 15 September 1916. For his actions that day, he was awarded the Military Medal, the award being gazetted on 9 December 1916. As a result of his injury he was evacuated from Le Havre to Southampton on the “Asturias” and sent for a fortnight to the Dudley Road Hospital in Birmingham before going to a VAD hospital at Harborne Hall and then to Summerdown convalescent camp on the outskirts of Eastbourne. He spent the next few months training new recruits in signalling, first at Preston Barracks in Brighton and then at a camp in Hemel Hempstead where on one occasion he missed roll call and was reduced to the ranks. He returned to France in the spring of 1918 and after a brief stay at the Base in Harfleur joined C/58 Bde near the village of Philosophe in the La Bassée area. He was promoted back to Bdr and in June 1918 went down with Spanish flu. In late August 1918 he was selected to attend a six-week long signallers instructors’ course at the the Divisional Signals School which he passed with a mark of Distinguished. He was also selected to be one of the brigade’s cavalry party which went out on 10 November 1918 under Lt Hunter to try to capture enemy guns or prisoners. After the Armistice he had leave back in the UK over Christmas 1918 before being demobilised in March 1919. On 15 October 1921 Percy married Clara Bennett in Birmingham and in 1926 they moved to Worcester. They had four children. In September 1939, Percy, Clara and their children were living at 312 Ombersley Road in Worcester and Percy was working as a salesman and distributor of tea, coffee and cocoa. Percy was still living at 312 Omberseley Road when he died on 16 May 1976, aged 82, with Clara surviving him for about a further 8 years.
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L/Bdr.
|
Whitfield
|
Fenwick
|
111398
|
C/58
|
Fenwick Whitfield was serving as a Bombardier in C/58 when he was promoted to Corporal on 7 August 1918 and so was replaced as Bdr in C/58 by Harry Sturt. Fenwick ended the war as an Acting Sergeant.
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2/Lt.
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Whitney
|
C
|
n/a
|
|
2/Lt C Whitney was reported on 27 September 1915 as a reinforcement for 58 Bde who was to join them at Suvla Bay from Mudros. This is very likely the New Zealander John Cecil Whitney who was born on 3 March 1892 in Remuera, Auckland, the son of Cecil Arthur and Mary Ellen Whitney. He attended King’s College, Auckland where he served in their cadet force for 5 years and then served for 18 months in the NZ Territorial Force’s Auckland Signal Company before being commissioned as a 2/Lt into the NZ Territorial Force’s Garrison Artillery Division on 16 September 1912. He worked as an engineer in his father’s company, Colonial Ammunition Company Ltd of Mt Eden, Auckland which was responsible for the manufacture of small arms ammunition for the New Zealand Government. In 1913 he was granted two years’ leave of absence to go to the UK for training. He was due to sail on the SS “Maheno” to Sydney where he was to board the SS “Malwa” for the UK. After war was declared he enlisted in the British section of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF) in London on 5 October 1914 as a Private with service number E/174 and embarked for Egypt on 12 December 1914, arriving there on 23 December 1914 where he transferred to the ASC on 28 December 1914 and then on 11 January 1915 he became a despatch rider in the Otago Mounted Rifles with a new service number 9/174A. He transferred to the RFA in Egypt when he was commissioned as 2/Lt on 4 June 1915. As previously mentioned, he probably joined 58 Bde at Suvla Bay in late September or early October 1915 but did not appear to stay with the unit long because he was posted to and joined 59 Bde RFA on 13 October 1915. Along with 2/Lt Thomas Pim and 32 other ranks he withdrew from the Gallipoli peninsular as part of the overall British withdrawal on 12 December 1915. He was serving in C/59 when he sailed with his brigade from Alexandria on the “Haverford” on 27 June 1916, arriving in Marseilles on 4 July 1916. He was still serving with 59 Bde in January 1917 when a cable was sent to London from New Zealand asking that he be recalled to New Zealand for essential war work on munitions. He therefore reported to NZEF HQ in London on 3 March 1917 and attended a course at the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich to learn about the manufacture of the Mark VII bullet. He relinquished his commission in the RFA on 26 June 1917 on his appointment to the NZ Forces before sailing from Plymouth in June 1917 on the SS “Arawa”, arriving back in New Zealand on 25 September 1917 and starting back at work at the Colonial Ammunition Company the following day. He settled back in Auckland, living in Victoria Avenue, Remuera. Since he played no further part in the military he officially resigned his commission from the NZ Garrison Artillery on 4 June 1918. On 17 July 1918 he married Gladys Torrance Culling in Auckland. Gladys died in 1953. John appears to have re-married because he sailed to the UK for a 7 month business trip and holiday with a Mrs T P Whitney who had been born on 12 March 1900. They arrived in London on the SS “Orsova” on 11 April 1955. John Whitney died in Auckland on 6 May 1976, aged 84.
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Sgt.
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Whittaker
|
Alfred Norman
|
77789
|
A/58
|
Alfred Norman Whittaker was from Warwick. He was serving as an A/Sgt when he went overseas, arriving in Egypt on about 21 February 1915. He was serving as a Sgt in A/58 on 2 October 1917 when he was awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the field.
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Bdr.
|
Whittle
|
Arthur
|
47421
|
D/58
|
Arthur Whittle went to France on 15 April 1915 and served in 458 Battery in 118 (Howitzer) Bde. (Arthur may also be the Gunner Whittle who was mentioned as being a telephonist and getting wounded on 2 June 1916 while serving in 459 Battery of 118 Bde). He would have transferred into D/58 on 15 July 1916. He was awarded the Military Medal for bravery on 22 December 1916. He was promoted to Bdr and he and at least 6 other members of the brigade were sent on an advanced telephone course on 22 January 1917, probably at XIII Corps school. He was still serving in D/58 when he was killed in action on 26 September 1917 and he is buried in New Irish Farm Cemetery, Belgium. His sole legatee was his mother, Mrs Elizabeth Freeman. In Richard Blaker’s novel about his time in D/58 “Medal Without Bar” there is a signaller called Bdr ‘Jumbo’ Whittle, a chatty and reliable man, and it is likely that Blaker drew his inspiration for the character from Arthur Whittle.
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Sgt.
|
Wiley
|
Thomas
|
67014
|
D/58
|
Thomas Wiley was from Guisborough, Yorks. When he enlisted he may have done so alongside a close relative: a Christopher Wiley who also joined the RFA has the service number 67015. Thomas went to France with the RFA on 10 March 1915 and it is likely that he served with 458 Battery in 118 (Howitzer) Bde. He was serving in D/58 when he was awarded the Military Medal for bravery on 2 January 1917. He was wounded later that year, appearing in the War Office’s weekly casualty lists for 2 October 1917. He obviously recovered because he was awarded a bar to his Military Medal while serving in B/93 Army Bde RFA, his award being gazetted on 11 February 1919. He appears as a character in Richard Blaker’s novel about his time in D/58 “Medal Without Bar” as Sgt Wiley and was recognised by one of Blaker’s readers, also a former member of the battery.
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Bdr.
|
Wilkinson
|
Edgar
|
20366
|
58 BAC
|
Edgar Wilkinson was born in St. Peter’s parish, Sheffield in about 1894. He enlisted into the RFA in Sheffield on 4 September 1914. On 26 January 1915, he was posted to the newly re-constituted 58 Brigade Ammunition Column and was appointed A/Bdr on 24 February 1915. Edgar went overseas with his unit, sailing from Devonport on 1 July 1915 and disembarking in Alexandria on 14 July 1915. It is likely that he was the Bdr Wilkinson who was cited as a witness to Gnr George McGuire (93021) being drunk and of conduct held to be to the prejudice of military discipline at Zahrieh Camp, Alexandria on 20 July 1915. Edgar was admitted to No.17 General Hospital, Alexandria on 30 August 1915 with gonorrhoea and was transferred to the Detention Barracks Isolation Hospital, Abbassia on 1 September 1915. He was discharged from that hospital on 2 November 1915 to return to duty. However, on 20 December 1915 he was admitted to the Convalescent Camp, Mustapha with an un-yet diagnosed condition. He was transferred back to No.17 General Hospital on 12 January 1916 and was discharged from there back to duty on 24 February 1916. Four days later though he was admitted to the Convalescent Depot, Mustapha with gonorrhoea before being transferred back to No.17 General Hospital on 11 April 1916. On 20 April 1916 he was again discharged to duty and at some point afterwards was posted to join 67 Bde RFA on the Salonika front. On 8 October 1916 he was admitted to 30 Field Ambulance with pyrexia. He rejoined his unit in January 1917 and was posted to A/67 on 23 January 1917. On 24 April 1917, Edgar was admitted to 31 Field Ambulance with psoriasis, recovering enough to rejoin his unit on 2 May 1917. On 19 September 1917 he sailed from Salonika to Alexandria, disembarking there on 26 September 1917 and was admitted to hospital that day. He was not discharged from hospital until November 1917 and was posted back to 67 Bde from Base. He subsequently went to Palestine with his unit and reverted to Gunner from Bombardier on 18 April 1918 at his own request. On 1 August 1918 he was admitted to 165 Camel Field Ambulance suffering from malaria. After treatment he was posted to 10 Division Ammunition Column from Base on about 18 September 1918 and then back to 67 Bde a few days later. He appears to have joined B/67 because he was serving in that battery when, on 22 February 1919, he embarked at Port Said to return to the UK for demobilisation giving his home address as that of his older sister, Annie Shears, 101 Flodden St, Crookes, Sheffield.
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Cpl.
|
Willcox
|
Alfred Holton
|
965451
|
D/58
|
Alfred Holton Willcox was born in London on 24 July 1895, the son of John and Barbara Willcox. As a boy he sang in the choir of St Anne’s Church, Kew Green and in 1911 he was living with his family in Kew, London and was working as an office boy. He joined the Territorial Force in Woolwich as a Gunner with service number T.895 and served in 8 London Bde RFA. He arrived in France on 16 March 1915. At some point he appears to have joined 458 Battery, later known as A/118, and so may have joined 58 Bde when that battery was transferred to become the new D/58 in July 1916. On 3 October 1917 he was 22 years old and was serving as a Corporal in D/58 when he and four comrades were killed in action while serving in the Ypres salient. The five of them were originally buried at 28c.4.d.9.3, but he and his four comrades, Gnr William Smyth (14514), Gnr Arthur Himsworth (117053), Gnr Lewis Wakelin (111325), Bdr George Miller (82899), were all re-buried in New Irish Farm Cemetery, Belgium on 4 December 1919. There is a memorial to him in St Anne’s Church, Kew Green, London.
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Sgt.
|
Willday
|
William
|
10997
|
A/58
|
William Willday was born on 31 October 1886 in Leicester, the son of Emma A Willday. When the Census was taken in 1891, William was a patient in the District General Infirmary in Leicester, though the cause why he had been hospitalised was not recorded. In 1901 the 14 year-old William was working in a printing works as a printing machine feeder. He married Hannah Farrar on 1 August 1910 and they had a son, William Albert Edward Willday the following year. In 1911 he was working making bicycle tyres in a rubber works. He had been working as an engineer in the Coventry Ordnance Works, Coventry before he enlisted into the RFA on 31 October 1914 in Coventry, aged 27 and was posted to No.3 Depot at Hilsea the next day. He must have been promoted swiftly to Sgt because he was at least twice cited as a witness to the offences of men serving in the brigade while holding that rank: he reported the absence of Gnr George Vertigan (10625) of B/58 from Chapeltown Barracks, Leeds between 31 January and 2 February 1915 and then reported the absence of Gnr Jonathan Kerr’s (81) of A/58 from Milford Camp between 12 noon on 7 June 1915 and 11 a.m. the following day. He will have sailed with the brigade from Devonport and so he arrived in Egypt on 14 July 1915. While serving at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli in A/58 he wrote to the Midland Daily Telegraph to thank someone for sending him two parcels of local papers for distribution among men from Coventry. While at Suvla, he contracted dysentery and was evacuated to Malta where he was admitted to St John’s Hospital. He then left Malta on 23 December 1915 to return to the UK on the Hospital Ship “BraeMarch Castle”. Once back in the UK he was treated in Stratford Military Hospital and Birmingham Military Hospital. At some point after he recovered he transferred into the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA) and was allocated the new service number 211981. After the Armistice he was serving with 2/1 Siege Artillery Reserve Bde of the RGA in Shoreham-by-Sea where on 10 January 1919 he was examined for a potential pension claim due to disability caused by the dysentery, which he claimed required him to have a special diet. His claim was rejected and he was discharged on 13 February 1919. He returned to live in Coventry and was still living there with his wife Hannah and their family in 1939 and was working in engineering as a borer and driller. He was also serving as a section leader in the Special Constabulary. William Willday probably died in Coventry on 5 February 1952, aged 65.
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Gnr.
|
Williams
|
David
|
56164
|
D/58
|
William James Davies was the son of David T and Margaret Davies from Senghenydd, Glam. When he enlisted into the RFA in Abertridwr, Glam, he used a false name and so enlisted as David Williams. He was posted to France, arriving there on about 25 August 1915. He was serving in D/58 in the Ypres salient when he died of wounds on 19 August 1917, aged 23. He is buried in Brandhoek New Military Cemetery No.3, Belgium and he left his effects his siblings David T Davies, John Davies and Elizabeth M Davies.
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Gnr.
|
Williams
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Henry William Charles
|
13968
|
|
Henry William Charles Williams was born in 1893, the son of Charles Banner Williams and Louisa Margaret Williams. He was born in Cardiff but by 1911 the famly were living in Taunton, Somerset where Henry was working as a sanitary engineer. He appears to have been living in Bristol when he enlisted into the RFA on 3 September 1914 but he was not posted overseas in 1914 or 1915. Henry was serving in 58 Bde when he was discharged from the Army due to sickness on 6 June 1919. His address at the time was given as 18 Cogan Terrace, Cathays, Cardiff but it appears that at some subsequent point he moved to Osborne Villas, St. Michael’s Park, Bristol. He was awarded a Silver War Badge and a weekly pension of 8s due to suffering from neurasthenia, though this was reduced to 7s 6d from 3 April 1923 until the pension ceased a year later. Henry Williams probably died in Bristol in 1962, aged 69.
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2/Lt.
|
Williams
|
Hugh Llwyd Harries
|
n/a
|
B/58
|
Hugh Llwyd Harries Williams, known as Llwyd, was born in 1898, the son of William Levi Williams and Martha Philipps Williams (née Harries). In 1915 he passed the London Matriculation. He was educated at Cheltenham College and was commissioned as a 2/Lt in the RFA on 8 April 1917 having attended an Officers’ Cadet Unit. He went to France in September 1917 and was posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column on 19 September 1917, from where he was posted to 58 Bde two days later on 21 September 1917. Two weeks later he was wounded on 7 October 1917 but not severely since he was able to stay at duty. He did though attend the Casualty Clearing Station two days after that, presumably to have his wound treated. On 13 January 1918 he was granted 14 days’ leave to the UK. On 8 March 1918 he was in command of a detachment of B/58 when it came under heavy enemy shellfire. He and his men were shelled with high explosive and gas shells from 7.45 p.m. that evening until 2.30 the following morning at which point they were forced to withdraw. The following month he was wounded again when on 18 April 1918 he was in the gun position when an enemy high explosive shell exploded nearby. This time he had to be evacuated and so left 58 Bde, causing the adjutant to comment that he had been “A keen and efficient officer lost to the brigade when he could ill be spared”. He must have recovered because on 9 August 1918 it was announced that he was to be employed with the Royal Engineers and he was promoted to Lt on 8 October 1918. He relinquished his commission on 1 April 1920 but appears to have joined the Territorial Force as a Captain in the Royal Army Service Corps, serving in the Welsh Divisional Train, though he relinquished his commission on 16 November 1920. He married Frances Hilary Hillary in Bathampton, Somerset on 7 May 1924 and they had two sons. Llwyd joined his father’s firm of solicitors in Cardigan, Williams & Williams. Although Llwyd continued to practise as a solicitor into the mid-1950s, he and the company were declared bankrupt in 1938 and possibly again in 1944. He died in 1966, aged 68.
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Bdr.
|
Williams
|
|
|
C/58
|
Bombardier Williams was one of a group of men helping unload a wagon on 17 January 1919 when Driver Frank Varallo badly injured his finger and so Williams provided a witness statement about the accident.
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A/Capt.
|
Williams
|
Thomas John
|
n/a
|
OC B/58
|
Thomas John Williams was born in Anthracite, Alberta, Canada on 18 January 1895, the son of Welsh parents William Price Williams and Mary Anne Williams (née Harris) who had both emigrated to Canada. The family moved to the village of Bellevue, Alberta where Thomas suffered from scarlet fever in 1901. He was a student when he enlisted into the Canadian Field Artillery (CFA) in Toronto on 30 November 1914 and was assigned service number 83612. He joined 14 Battery of 4 Bde CFA, rising to the rank of Cpl. Between 11 and 17 January 1915 he was in hospital in Toronto with a broken nose. His unit sailed from Canada on SS “Missanabie” on 20 May 1915, arriving in the UK ten days later. On 7 September 1915 he applied for a commission in the RFA and was commissioned as a 2/Lt in the RFA Special Reserve on 11 September 1915. He sailed to Egypt, arriving there on about 20 November 1915 and was posted to D/60. He transferred along with all of D/60 to form the new 133 Bde Ammunition Column on 26 April 1916 and led a brigade signalling course for his new brigade which commenced on 3 May 1916. He was struck off the strength of 133 Bde on 27 June 1916 after having gone sick. He must have returned to 133 Bde though since he was serving in that unit when he was wounded on 7 November 1916 at Pozières, but remained at duty. He was promoted to Lt possibly on 1 July 1917 and appointed A/Capt between 11 and 29 April 1918 and again from 24 June 1918. He was awarded the Military Cross, possibly in the 1918 Birthday Honours. On 13 September 1918 he was posted to join 58 Bde and was placed in command of B/58 to cover for Maj A L Cameron who had gone on leave and who returned on 30 September 1918. Two weeks after the Armistice Capt Williams went on a sports organisation course on 25 November 1918, rejoining 58 Bde on 9 December 1918. He was posted to command A/58 on 25 February 1919. He had some leave, returning to the unit on 10 May 1919 and the following day was posted to join the Highland Division which formed part of the force occupying the Rhineland in Germany, known as the Army of the Rhine. He was serving as an A/Capt in B/310 RFA when he attended the Officers’ Wing of the Repatriation Camp at Pirbright where he was demobilised on 22 March 1919. He formally relinquished his commission on 1 April 1920 at which time he was granted the rank of Captain. After the war he apparently married Marie Aneta Ellen Beatty on 7 November 1923 and at some point became President of the C.J. Archer Real Estate and Insurance Co. Thomas Williams died on 31 May 1961, aged 66 in Vancouver, British Columbia and is buried in Capilano View Cemetery, West Vancouver, British Columbia.
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Dvr.
|
Willis
|
David
|
151453
|
D/58
|
David Willis was born in Wallsend, Northumberland. He enlisted into the RFA in Wallsend and was serving in D/58 on 23 August 1918. He was helping get a wagon out of a ditch when an enemy aeroplane swooped and dropped 5 bombs on him and his comrades as they worked to free the wagon. David, along with 8 others, was killed, with one more man later dying of wounds. He left a widow, Florence, and is buried in Hersin Communal Cemetery Extension, France.
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Gnr.
|
Willmott
|
George
|
204833
|
B/58
|
George Wilmott was born in about 1892. Before enlisting into the RFA, he had worked as a colliery weighman. He was serving in B/58 when he was taken ill with nephritis. He was evacuated back to the UK and admitted to 4th Northern General Hospital, Lincoln. He was subsequently sent to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick, arriving there on 16 March 1918. On 12 June 1918, George was discharged to draft. This may be the George Willmott who was working as a colliery weigh clerk in 1911, aged 20, and who had been born in Clowne, Derbyshire, the son of George and Susannah Willmott. And it might also be the George Willmott who was born on 21 March 1891 and who was working as a colliery weighman in Doncaster, Yorks in September 1939 and who was married to Honor A Willmott.
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2/Lt.
|
Wilson
|
Edgar Hawthorne
|
n/a
|
D/58
|
Edgar Hawthorne Wilson was born in Bradford, Yorks on 11 July 1898. He was the son of Arthur Wilson and Lucy Ellen Wilson of Sunny Mead, Daisy Hill, Bradford. He was educated at Bradford GramMarch School and at Sedburgh School, where he joined the Officer Training Corps on 20 January 1913 and was subsequently appointed a Sergeant in that corps. The officer commanding the Sedburgh OTC contingent, Capt G F Woodhouse, recommended him to a Cadet Unit. He was accepted and was instructed to report to No.4 RFA Cadet School at Brighton on 20 April 1917 and was commissioned as a 2/Lt in the RFA (Special Reserve) on 21 September 1917. He landed at Le Havre in France on 13 December 1917 and was posted to 11 Division Ammunition Column from the Base Depot on 23 December 1917 and was posted to D/58 the following day, joining them on Christmas Day 1917. He was granted 14 days’ leave from 10 March 1918 and was to travel back to the UK via Boulogne. Later in the year he went to 1 Corps School to attend a Lewis Gun course on 17 August 1918, returning to the brigade on 4 September 1918. He was granted a further leave of 14 days to the UK and so was away when the Armistice took place, being absent between 2 and 18 November 1918. Soon after his return he was appointed commandant of the La Croisette area on 30 November 1918 and made Salvage Officer for the brigade area on 1 December 1918. He was selected to take part in the trial game for the 11th (Northern) Division Officers’ Rugby Football team being played on 15 January 1919. He transferred from D/58 to B/58 on 25 February 1919 and a month later left the brigade on 16 March 1919 to return to the UK for demobilisation since he was regarded as “pivotal”. He travelled again via Boulogne on 19 March 1919 and attended No.1 Dispersal Unit at Ripon the following day and was demobilised the day after that. He relinquished his commission on 1 April 1920. He had entered into a partnership with a Frank Dalby to create a wool merchants in Peels Buildings, Bradford called ‘Dalby and Wilson’, but they dissolved that partnership on 24 July 1920 and the company was re-styled ‘Edgar H Wilson’. On 21 June 1921 he married Doris Mary Whitley in St Philip’s Church, Girlington, Yorks. They were living in Stone House, Pool-in-Wharfedale, Yorks in 1939 with their two sons, George and Arthur, and Edgar was working as the governing director of a wool merchants and was also the deputy head warden for the local ARP. He and Doris arrived back in the UK by ship on 10 March 1950 and they were still living in Stone House at the time. Edgar Wilson died in Yorkshire in 1973
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2/Lt.
|
Wilson
|
Edwin Harold
|
n/a
|
D/58
|
Edwin Harold Wilson was born on 1 March 1895 in Wandsworth, London, the eldest of the three children of Edwin Baxter Wilson and Mary Wilson (née Robinson). He was educated at the GramMarch School, Wandsworth and joined the University of London Officers Training Corps on 19 May 1915, before transferring to the Inns of Court Officers Training Corps on 7 October 1915. He was working as a secretary when he applied for a commission in the RFA Special Reserve on 22 July 1916 and so was posted to 3B Reserve Bde RFA in Exeter on 4 August 1916 from where he was commissioned on 11 November 1916. He was posted to France in March 1917 and was posted from Base to 11 Division Ammunition Column (11 DAC) on 6 April 1917 and was attached to D/58 two days later. On 29 April 1917 he was attached to B/58 and then two weeks later was attached to C/58. On 26 June 1917 he returned to 11 DAC but at about this time he started suffering from dyspepsia and vomiting with epigastric pain which was followed by symptoms of jaundice so on 4 July 1917 he was admitted to No.138 Field Ambulance. He was transferred to No.20 General Hospital from which he was evacuated back to the UK on Hospital Ship “Newhaven” with jaundice and debility on 7 July 1917 and was admitted to Endsleigh Palace Hospital in London the following day. It was later stated that as well as the jaundice, he had been gassed. He was at the Command Depot in Eastbourne when he contracted appendicitis and so was admitted to the Military Hospital, Eastbourne where he had an appendectomy on 1 October 1917. At the end of that month, he was granted 21 days’ leave. He was posted to 68 Divisional Artillery in Suffolk on 22 November 1917 and served in 343 Bde RFA at Henham Park, Wangford, Suffolk. He was admitted to Shafford Military Hospital, St. Albans on 23 February 1918 from the General Military Hospital, Colchester suffering from gonorrhoea and was discharged from Shafford apparently cured on 23 May 1918. However, after a single day’s riding with his battery, he suffered a relapse of his gonorrhoea and so was re-admitted to Shafford Military Hospital on 27 June 1918 from Henham Park, Wangford. He was discharged from there on 16 July 1918. He was posted to 67 Divisional Artillery on 23 September 1918 and was serving in 67 DAC in Ipswich when he attended a medical board held on 2 October 1918 about his relapse of gonorrhoea and it found that the disease had gone and that he was now fit for general service so was instructed to return to his unit. Edwin was serving in 60th Reserve Battery when he was demobilised on 25 February 1919 at No.2 Dispersal Unit, Crystal Palace, giving his permanent address as Redcliffe, 22 Pathfield Road, Streatham, London SW, and he relinquished his commission on 1 April 1920 and retained the rank of Lieutenant. He moved to Wanstead in Essex soon after this. In September 1939 he was staying at Stebonheath Guest House, 38 Grove Hill, South Woodford, Essex and was described as Joint Managing Director of Grocery Provision Stores. Edwin Wilson may have died in Worthing, Sussex on 13 February 1977.
|
Dvr.
|
Wilson
|
Arthur William
|
42095
|
B/58
|
Arthur William Wilson was from Deptford and enlisted into the RFA. He was sent to France, arriving there on about 3 September 1915. He was serving as a Driver in B/58 when he was awarded the Military Medal for bravery on 7 December 1918, the award being gazetted on 23 July 1919.
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2/Lt.
|
Windover
|
Reginald Ernest Thompson
|
n/a
|
B/58
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Reginald Ernest Thompson Windover was born on 19 December 1894, the son of Ernest Lawrence Windover and Leah Windover (née Thompson). He was educated at Highgate School, playing in their cricket 1st XI. He was a student in City and Guilds College, University of London when he sought a commission on 10 September 1914 having been a member of the university’s Officers Training Corps for two years. He was commissioned as a 2/Lt in the RFA on 23 September 1914 and went to France on Christmas Eve 1914. He was serving there the following year when he was evacuated back to the UK suffering from neurasthenia. He left his unit on 19 May 1915 and sailed from Boulogne on the Hospital Ship “St David” on 22 May 1915, arriving in Dover the same day. A medical board held at 10 Palace Green, Kensington granted him leave to recuperate between 4 June and 16 July 1915. After that he joined 5C Reserve Bde on 25 August 1915. At some point he returned to the Mediterranean theatre of war because on 8 February 1916 he was recovering from jaundice having been treated at the Convalescent Officers Hospital in Palermo, Sicily and was transferred from there, via Naples, to Malta for further recuperation. It is unclear when he joined B/58 though he was serving in that battery on 6 June 1916 at el Ferdan, Egypt when he punished A/Bdr Richard Semple (93493) for being out of camp. He was serving in B/58 when he sailed with the brigade on the “Kingstonian” from Alexandria on 25 June 1916, arriving in Marseilles on 2 July 1916. Two months later he was acting as the Forward Observation Officer for the battery on 3 September 1916 supporting an attack taking place that day. On 28 September 1916 he went to hospital sick and was evacuated back to the UK, sailing from Boulogne on the Hospital Ship “St Denis” on 1 October 1916, arriving in Dover the same day. A medical board held at 2nd Western General Hospital in Manchester granted him leave to recuperate between 8 October and 5 November 1916. He returned to 58 Bde when he was posted back to the brigade from the Base Depot on 7 May 1917. He was promoted to Lt on 1 July 1917 and went to Paris on leave with Maj T J Hutton between 5 and 10 August 1917. Two months later he was wounded when observing from a dug-out on the Poelcappelle Road in St Julien on 12 October 1917. A shell hit the dug-out and he was wounded behind his right ear on the back of his head. The dug-out then caved in onto his shoulders and sprained his back. He did not need an operation but was evacuated back to the UK, sailing from Le Havre on 15 October 1917 and arriving in Southampton the following day. He was again admitted to 2nd Western General Hospital in Manchester on 17 October 1917. A medical board held on 20 November 1917 at that hospital believed he would require at least another 3 months to recover from his injuries. In January 1918 he was living back at his family home of Stanley Lodge, 137 Hornsey Lane, London N6. He was assessed as being classed as C(1), which meant that he was deemed able to stand service in garrisons at home so he was instructed to report to the Royal Artillery Command Depot at South Ripon, Yorks on 1 February 1918. A medical board held on 12 June 1918 at Ripon concluded that he was no longer incapacitated, adding that he was “Tender in upper part of back between the shoulders. No evidence can be found of any injury. His knee jerks are exaggerated. Wound of scalp is healed.” It is not clear if he served overseas again, but after the Armistice he attended No.2 Dispersal Unit at Crystal Palace, London on 31 January 1919 and relinquished his commission the following day on completion of service, retaining the rank of Lieutenant. After the war he returned to live in London and joined the family firm of Windovers, a carriage-makers who made bodies for, amongst others, Rolls Royce and Bentley cars. In 1924 he married Ruth Millicent Dove and in 1939 they were living in Hornsey and he was a director of the family company. He was in charge of the company when it had to close in 1956. He and Ruth then appear to have left London and retired to Angmering, Sussex. Reginald died in Worthing Hospital on 6 October 1961, aged 66.
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2/Lt.
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Window
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Alfred McEwen
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n/a
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A/58
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Alfred McEwan Window was born on 4 February 1897 into an Army family in Campbellpore, India. By 1911 the family were back in the UK and living in London where his father, Alfred Serapis Window was an NCO in the RFA and his mother Martha Fraser Window was working as a schoolmistress. He joined the RFA and was assigned service number 209073 and then sought a commission. He was commissioned as a 2/Lt in the RFA on 10 November 1917 and was posted to France, arriving on 20 December 1917. From the Base Depot he was posted a week later to join 11 Division Ammunition Column on 27 December 1917 and three days later was assigned to A/58. He went on 3 week course for Forward Observation Officers and Signallers at the 11 Division Artillery school on 20 August 1918. A few days later on 26 August 1918, as the German resistance began to crumble, he formed part of the mobile battery which the brigade created. At 5 p.m. on 6 November 1918 he was sent out on a mounted patrol to ascertain and report what was going on and he returned with “most valuable and accurate information” obtained “under great difficulty”. After the Armistice he went on 14 days’ leave to the UK on 16 December 1918, rejoining from leave on 5 January 1919. He was assigned to take over command of the calibration range at Ecaillon on 8 February 1919, rejoining on 13 February 1919. He was sent to Codners Camp in charge of a group of animals being demobilised on 14 February 1919, returning to the unit on 27 February 1919. He repeated the journey with a second group of animals on 6 March 1919, returning on 17 March 1919, before going off on a course to the Indian Royal Artillery Advanced Base Depot in Rouen on 31 March 1919. Later that year he joined the Freemasons. In 1928 he married Marjorie Alford Wright in Lewisham, London and in 1936 they were living in The Avenue, Witham, Essex. When World War 2 was declared he re-enlisted and was awarded the Military Cross in 1943 when he was a temporary Major in the Royal Artillery. He was promoted to Lt.Colonel and appointed the commanding officer of the new 5 Combined Operations Bombardment Unit in India. In 1961 he married Margrethe Antoinette Bille Brahe Selby. He retired to the Canary Islands and died on 18 March 1981 in Queen Victoria Hospital, Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Spain, aged 84.
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Lt. Col.
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Winter
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Ormonde de l’Epée
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n/a
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Bde Cdr
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Ormonde de l’Epée Winter was born on 15 January 1875 in Chiswick, Middx, the son of William Henry and Fanny Cheney Winter. He attended Cheltenham College between 1889 and 1892 and was then a career soldier. He was commissioned into the RFA as a 2/Lt on 17 November 1894. He was promoted to Lt on 17 November 1897 and to Capt on 1 February 1901 and served in 7th Battery RFA in India that year. In 1904, he is reported to have struck with an oar a 15-year old boy who had been throwing stones at him while he rowed on the River Ouse. The boy was killed by a single blow and Winter found guilty of manslaughter. In 1905, he passed an exam for officers in Russian. In 1908 he was serving in Peshawar with 67 Battery RFA and in 1911 in 2nd Ammunition Column RFA. By 1912 he had been promoted to Major. He was the officer in command of 10th Battery, 147 Bde RFA in 29th Division when that division sailed from Avonmouth in March 1915, landing at Gallipoli the following month and Winter was awarded the Distinguished Service Order later that year as well as being Mentioned in Dispatches for the first time in the war on 5 November 1915. He would be mentioned a further four times, on 2 January 1917, 18 May 1917, 11 December 1917 and on 24 May 1918. He was appointed a temporary Lt Colonel while in command of an artillery brigade on 4 January 1916, which is likely when he assumed command of 58 Bde and he was definitely serving as the commanding officer of 58 Bde by at least 1 February 1916. He was promoted to Lt Colonel in April 1916. After the brigade had gone to France, he welcomed Capt T J Hutton warmly to the brigade in late July 1916. On 1 August 1916, C/133 was temporarily attached to 58 Bde and the expanded unit was known as Winter’s Group. He witnessed the failed British attack astride the River Ancre on 3 September 1916 and wrote a coruscating criticism of it, though whether his report was ever sent is not clear. In mid September 1916 while at Leipzig redoubt, Winter was hit on the head by a bit of shell. On 6 December 1916 he spent the first of several periods standing in for the Commander Royal Artillery (CRA) of 11 Division while the latter was away. He then went on leave on 6 January 1917, returning on 22 January 1917. A few days later he went on a “special mission” with British and French counter-battery groups on 27 January 1917. On 1 March 1917 he went to hospital for a few days, returning on 5 March 1917, and the following day was appointed commander of the “Left Group” which comprised 59 Bde RFA and 14 Army Horse Artillery Bde. On 7 May 1917 he was granted 10 days’ leave to go to Paris. He was awarded the CMG in the King’s Birthday Honours on 5 June 1917 and was also awarded a bar to his Distinguished Service Order on 19 June 1917 for helping to put out a fire in an ammunition dump on 2 June 1917. He had some leave, rejoining the brigade on 12 December 1917. A few days later, on 15th, he was sent on a week’s course in Amiens on co-operation between the artillery and the Royal Flying Corps, returning to the brigade on 21 December 1917. Two days later he relieved Maj Dane as commander of the Cambrin Group. The following day however, 24 December 1917, he was promoted to Brigadier General and appointed as CRA of 11 Division’s Artillery (11 DA) in place of Brigadier Lamont who had gone for a tour in the UK having been ill periodically for some time, so Winter left 58 Bde on 26 December 1917 to take up his new role. He was appointed President of the weekly divisional Field General Court Martial scheduled to be held at Bracquemont on 1 June 1918, though his place was subsequently taken by a Major in 59 Bde. He took part in the 11th (Northern) Division’s horse show on 29-30 June 1918, winning the class ‘Officer’s Charger, Light Weight’. On a number of occasions he acted as General Officer Commanding (GOC) 11th (Northern) Division, when the GOC, Maj Gen Davies, was absent, including 6-7 July 1918 and 9-18 August 1918. On 23 August 1918 he was again scheduled to act as President at a General Court Martial at Bracquemont. When Maj Gen Davies was wounded on 13 September 1918, Winter again assumed command of the division, and did so again when Davies was on leave between 26 September and 12 October 1918. Winter relinquished command of 11 DA on 13 October 1918. He again took temporary command of 11th (Northern) Division on 26 November 1918 when Maj Gen Davies went to hospital and again between 29 January and 8 February 1919 and, after Davies left the division, Winter assumed temporary command between 17 and 22 March 1919. Winter left the division when he returned to the UK for duty on 27 March 1919. After the war, he was appointed Chief of Intelligence in Ireland during the Irish War of Independence and was head of the so-called Cairo Gang, surviving at least one assassination attempt, and was awarded the KBE in the 1923 New Year’s Honours. He briefly joined the British fascists and in 1927 he married Marjorie E Pinder and they settled in Kensington. In 1940, when he was 65, he joined the Finnish Army in their defence against an invasion by the Soviet Union. Ormonde Winter died in Myrtles Nursing Home, Worthing on 13 February 1962, aged 87. He clearly divided opinion. After his death, he was described by one of his former battery commanders, Thomas Hutton (by then a Lt General) as “the bravest man I have ever known” and that he “really seemed to enjoy war and yet was one of the most considerate of commanders” and noted that on one occasion Winter “had been out watching the battle, well in front as usual and had had his horse shot under him.” Not all officers who served under him had such a favourable view: Richard Blaker depicted him as “a hollow little thing” in “Medal Without Bar”. Winter published his memoirs in 1955 as “Winter’s Tale, An Autobiography”. There are several articles about him on-line, and he has an entry in Wikipedia.
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Lt.
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Wood
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Percy Neville
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n/a
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B/58
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Percy Neville Wood was born on 3 April 1884 in Halifax, Yorks the son of Percy and Beatrice Mary Wood. In 1911 he and his widowed father were living in London where they worked together at a boiler works, the father as a director and London manager and the son as the assistant London manager. After war was declared he enlisted into the “Artist’s Rifles” which was more officially known as the 28th battalion of the London Regiment as a Private with service number 2654 but within a few weeks he applied for a regular commission in the RFA on 21 December 1914. He was aged 30 at the time and was commissioned a week later on 28 December 1914 as a 2/Lt in the RFA. He was serving in C/56 when he was selected to be part of the detachment of 56 Bde RFA, 10th (Irish) Division, which was left at Basingstoke when the rest of the brigade went overseas in July 1915, but he rejoined his unit at Mudros with the detachment on 16 August 1915 and then went to Cape Helles, Gallipoli with the brigade on 23 August 1915. On 6 December 1915 he was promoted to Lieutenant, and on 27 December 1915 he was sitting in the officers’ mess when he was struck by a bullet in the wrist and went to hospital to have his wound treated. As a result, he was evacuated to Malta and the bullet was removed at Hamrun Hospital on 1 January 1916. He was described as “much run down in health”and on 8 February 1916 he was recovering from this wound at the Convalescent Officers Hospital in Palermo, Sicily when he was transferred from there, via Naples, to Malta for further recuperation. He joined 58 Bde in 1916, though the precise date is unknown, but was was serving in that battery when he sailed with the brigade on the “Kingstonian” from Alexandria on 25 June 1916, arriving in Marseilles on 2 July 1916. On 10 September 1916 he left B/58 due to “debility through overwork”. He was evacuated back to the UK on the Hospital Ship “Lanfranc” on 13 September 1916, sailing from Le Havre and arriving at Southampton the next day. He was sent to the Convalescent Home for Officers at Osborne on the Isle of Wight. He was appointed an A/Captain on 1 June 1918. He applied to help the Army Ordnance Department, which is presumably when he transferred to the Royal Army Ordnance Corps and was appointed an A/Major as a result on 12 June 1919. On 17 September 1919 he married Meryl Broomfield in Holy Innocents church, South Norwood, London. On 23 May 1939 he was a Major in the Reserve of Officers and reached the age when he was no longer liable for recall so was removed from the Reserve of Officers. Later that year he and Meryl were living in Forest House, Uckfield, Sussex and he was working as the managing director of a company making boilers. This appears to have been Sentry Boiler Company, which until 1938 had been called Wood, Russell and Co. Percy Wood died in Uckfield on 24 October 1952, aged 68.
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2/Lt.
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Woodland
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Leonard Milverton
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n/a
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B/58
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Leonard Milverton Woodland was born on 2 April 1893. He was commissioned as a 2/Lt in the RFA Special Reserve on 10 September 1916. He was serving in 17 (Northern) Division’s artillery when he was posted to join 11 Division Ammunition Column on 8 October 1917 and from there was posted to B/58 on 12 October 1917. He went on 14 days’ leave to the UK on 2 December 1917 and went on a course at the Lewis Gun School on 3 March 1918 with 4 other ranks. He was promoted to Lt on 10 March 1918. He was in hospital and was one of several officers who were sick as of 12 May 1918. He did not return to the brigade so was struck off the strength on 1 June 1918 because a medical board had declared him unfit for active duty on 2 May 1918 but was able to stand service on lines of communication (medical category B2). He was appointed A/Capt on 15 July 1918. After the Armistice he was appointed A/Major on 25 June 1919 while commandant of a Royal Artillery Reception Camp, relinquishing that acting rank on 18 November 1919. On 1 April 1920 he relinquished his commission and was granted the rank of Captain. In 1939 he was living in Epsom with his wife Ida Catherine Woodland and was working as a company secretary and director of a tailors and outfitters. He was also acting as a part-time ARP warden in Epsom. He died in 1971 in Battle, Sussex, aged 78.
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Cpl.
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Woodruff
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Percy Frederick
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35648
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C/58
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Percy Frederick Woodruff was born on 16 February 1894 in Buxton, Derbyshire. He was the son of Frederick William Woodruff and Martha Woodruff (née Gough). He worked as a motor mechanic before enlisting into the RFA as a Driver, though was subsequently mustered as a Gunner. He went to France on about 30 August 1915 and he was serving in C/58 probably in early 1918 when he suffered a gunshot wound to his left middle finger. He was evacuated back to the UK and admitted to Carrington Military Hospital, Nottingham. After treatment there, he went to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot, Catterick on 14 May 1918. He was discharged to draft on 2 August 1918. On 4 October 1919, Percy married Evangeline Gould in Christ Church, Heaton Norris, Lancs; Percy was described as being a Sergeant in the RFA at the time. In September 1939, Percy was working as a public service driver and was living with his wife, Annie and a Thomas Snell, in ‘Lympne’, Ightham, Kent.
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Cpl.
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Wooland
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7625
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B/58
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While serving at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli, Cpl Wooland (7625) reported sick and was probably evacuated. He was replaced by A/Cpl Daniel McLeod (93603). This may be Cpl Horace Edgar Wooland who arrived in Egypt on 14 July 1915, though his service number was 9113. Horace Edgar Wooland was killed on 18 August 1916 in France aged 22 while serving with 107 Battery, 23 Bde RFA.
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Bdr.
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Wragg
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Harold
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20310
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C/58
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Harold Wragg was born in about 1890 in the parish of Ecclesfield, near Sheffield, Yorks, the son of Tom and Mary Ann Wragg. He was one of eight of their children, but five of his siblings sadly died in childhood. In 1911 he was living with his family in West Brightside, Sheffield where his father was a beerhouse keeper and Harold was working as a storekeeper in an iron foundry. He probably enlisted shortly after war was declared and he joined the RFA. He went overseas to the Balkans, arriving there on about 9 August 1915. Two years later Harold was 27 years old and was serving as a Bdr in C/58. On the morning of 29 September 1917 he was in his dug out with some of his comrades when a shell struck. He was killed as well as two of his comrades, Gnr John Crockford (94307) and Cpl Ernest Inch (21122). They were all buried the next day by the Chaplain, Rev Cecil G Ruck, and are believed to be buried in New Irish Farm Cemetery, Belgium. Harold is also commemorated on the lych gate war memorial of St Leonard’s Church, Wortley, near Barnsley, Yorks.
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Lt. Col.
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Wray
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Henry Cecil
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n/a
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Bde Cdr
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Henry Cecil Wray was born on 11 December 1878 in Scarborough, Yorks, the son of Cecil Henry Wray and Edith Catherine Wray (née Pease). In 1881 the family were in Hastings, Sussex and in 1891 they were living in The Hall, Thurlby, Kesteven, Lincs. Henry studied at Haileybury College between 1892 and 1896, and then went to Christ Church College, Oxford where he joined the Freemasons in 1899. He joined the RFA straight from Oxford the following year and was commissioned 26 May 1900 as a 2/Lt. He was promoted to Lt on 31 March 1902 and in April 1904 he was serving in 65th Battery and applied to joined the RHA. His application included a report from his battery commander who described him as “fond of outdoor sports, very keen on hunting, and takes every opportunity of riding to hounds.” Although his application was approved, four years later he was again serving in 65th Howitzer Battery in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1908. The following year, Henry married Bessie Phillipson on 31 October 1909 in St Nicholas Church, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. He was promoted to Capt on 1 April 1911 and was the adjutant of 2 Highland Bde, a post he left on 31 October 1912. In February 1914, he was stationed in Jullundur [Jalandhar], Punjab, India and wrote to the War Office agreeing to come under the new Royal Warrant of 31 August 1911. He was promoted to Major on 30 October 1914 and had been serving with 18th Battery in India when it was sent back to the UK after war was declared in readiness for deployment to France. Maj Wray was left behind in India to give instruction and hand over the battery’s horses to the Territorial unit which was to replace his old battery in India. Having done that he returned to the UK in early 1915 and wrote to the War Office to seek instructions on 4 February 1915. He was assigned to command B/51 Bde RFA, part of the new 9th (Scottish) Division, and left Bordon camp on 10 May 1915 with them to go via Southampton to Le Havre, arriving on 12 May 1915. He left 9th Division on 28 December 1915 when he was posted to 6th Division. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order in the King’s Birthday Honours in June 1917 and was twice mentioned in despatches, on 21 January 1916 and on 18 May 1917. On 27 December 1917, he left 6th Division Artillery and joined 58 Bde to take command of the brigade to replace Lt Col Winter who had just left on promotion. Henry Wray was made an acting Lt Col on 9 January 1918 and was also described as the OIC of the “Cambrin Group” when he went on 14 days’ leave to the UK on 6 January 1918, returning on 21 January 1918. Two days later he reconnoitred the battery positions of 230 Bde RFA ahead of taking over these positions in the St Elie sector of the Béthune salient. He was sent on a Brigade Commanders’ Course at the Overseas School on 15 February 1918, returning to the brigade on 4 March 1918. On 20 April 1918 he went to the 1st Corps Officers’ Rest Station at Aire having been slightly gassed, returning to the unit on 30 April 1918. On 19 June 1918 he was sent home for 6 months’ tour of duty at home so had a farewell lunch, relinquishing his acting rank the following day so reverted to being a Major. He retired on retired pay on 16 June 1921, this having been gazetted the previous day. He retired to live in Low Wood, Winthorpe, Newark, Notts. On 2 June 1920 he bacame the attached officer for the Commander Royal Artillery for 46th (North Midland) Division (TF), taking up his duty there a week later. On 11 April 1921 he was posted to 20th Battery, 9th Bde RFA at Deepcut Barracks though his posting was delayed due to state of emergency which had been called in response to strikes. He never took up this posting, retiring on 6 June 1921, before rejoining the following month to be appointed as the Major in command of 237 (Howitzer) Battery, part of the 60th (North Midland) Bde (TF) on 31 July 1921. That year he also became a Justice of the Peace, a role he continued to have for much of the rest of his life. In 1931 he was living in Winthorpe, Newark but by 1935 had moved into his parents old home of Ling Moor, Swinderby, Lincoln. In 1939, he and Bessie were living there with Henry’s widowed father, Cecil. At that time Henry was retired but was serving in the ARP service while Bessie was in the Women’s Voluntary Service. Henry Wray died on 12 January 1957, aged 79.
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Sgt.
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Wright
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Arthur
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82835
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D/58
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Arthur Wright was born in Ticehurst, Sussex. He enlisted into the Army in Woolwich and went to France on 11 March 1915. He probably served in 458 (Howitzer) Battery, which became A/118 Bde. He was serving in D/58 near Courcelette in France on 2 November 1916 when he and Bdr Harold Paine (14729) were killed by an enemy shell. He is buried in Courcelette British Cemetery, France alongside Harold Paine. Richard Blaker portrays a Sgt Wright in his semi-autobiographical novel, “Medal Without Bar” as a calm, well-organised man who inspired confidence. Another former D/58 member, Ftr John Bailey, recognised Sgt Wright from the book and regretted that a good man such as Dick Wright – as he knew him – had been “knocked out”.
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S/Smith
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Yates
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Frederick
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90680
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A/58
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Frederick Yates was born in Shrewsbury, Salop in about 1890. His father was Thomas Yates and his mother was Fanny Yates. Frederick enlisted in Manchester first into the infantry where he served as a Private in the Lancashire Fusiliers with service number 3540 before transferring to the RFA where he was assigned a new service number, 90680. He was serving as a shoeing smith in A/58 when he was killed in action, aged 26, on 27 October 1916. He is buried in Courcelette British Cemetery, France. He is commemorated on the Blackley War Memorial in Manchester where his mother was living shortly after the war. It is possible that Frederick was actually the soldier referred to in one set of memoirs who was killed by an enemy 5.9″ shell which hit the emplacement of A/58’s No.4 gun emplacement on 24 October 1916, throwing a man 60 yards and whose body was not found for several days.
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Dvr.
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Young
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Alexander Farquhar
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84337
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A/58
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Alexander Farquhar Young was from Montrose. He was born in about 1893. He went abroad very likely with 58 Bde to Egypt arriving there on 14 July 1915. He appears to have been wounded while at Suvla Bay, though there are no further details related to that. On 26 March 1916 he was admitted to No.15 Stationary Hospital, Port Said from No.54 Casualty Clearing Station with slight gonorrhoea. He was still in the brigade in 1918 and was working as a signaller in A/58 when he was awarded the Médaille Militaire by the French Government on about 30 April 1918, the award being gazetted on 17 August 1918. In January 1919, Alexander suffered from severe phimosis and so after attending No.33 Casualty Clearing Station he was evacuated by No.16 Ambulance Train. On 11 February 1926 Alexander, along with his wife Ellen Louisa Young and daughter Ellen Catherine Young, emigrated to Australia, sailing from London on the SS “Berrima” for Sydney. Alexander described himself as a golf club maker at the time and the family had been living in 12 Gordon Road, Richmond, Surrey before their departure.
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58th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery 