553 replies to this topic

[Alan Seymour]

My Grand Uncle:
Arthur Seymour, Pte. G/11689, 6th Bn. The Buffs (East Kent Regt.), killed in action while serving in 'B' Company VIII Platoon during the 3rd Battle of the Scarpe, 3rd May 1917, age 26. Arthur, has no known grave and is commemorated on 'Bay 2' of the ARRAS MEMORIAL.

[ian b]

My relatives:-

Cresswell Ernest Knight, Lance Corporal, 2336, Leicestershire Regiment, Died of wounds 16 October 1915, buried Lillers Communal Cemetery, Pas de Calais.

Herbert Knight, Private, 90989, 29th Coy Machine Gun Corps, Died 12 April 1918, Ploegsteert Memorial.

Charles Brownson Hollingsworth, private, 106036, 2/5 Sherwood Foresters then 49895 1st Batt Essex Regiment, Survived; died 1979.

[Charles Fair]

My grandmother's two brothers:

2/Lt Reggie Secretan, enlisted MT RASC as despatch rider December 1914, went to France 30 Dec 1914 w 1st Army Signals; commissioned Herts Regt Dec 1916 tf 1/1 Hertfordshire, 39 Div, kia St Julien 31/7/17, Menin Gate.

Capt Humphrey Secretan MC, enlisted 10th Royal Fusiliers (Stockbrokers), commissioned Oct 1915, 2 Queens RW Surrey, 7 Div.  Went over the top 1 July 1916, awarded MC, served in F&F until October 1917.

My grandmother's sister married:

Lt-Col Carl Champion DSO, 11 S Lancashire (St Helens Pals), 30 Div.  Served with the battalion from its raising until its disbandment in mid 1919 by which time he was CO.  He had two brothers who also served in the same battalion:

Capt Alan Champion
Lt Eric O Champion, killed 6 June 1917, buried Bedford House Cem

My grandmother married my grandfather in Sept 1917:

Major (A/Lt-Col) Charles Fair DSO, enlisted Honourable Artillery Company 10 Aug 1914, commissioned 19th London Regt 18 Sept 1914, served w 1/19th London Regt, 47 Div in F&F from 5 Nov 1915 until Jan 1918.  Awarded DSO after High Wood 15 Sept 1916.  Passed senior officers school in August 1917.  Hated soldiering.

The next three arent actually relatives, but can be considered close under the circumstances:

My grandmother would have married this officer in summer 1916 but he was killed just before their wedding:

Capt Francis Dodgson, 8 Green Howards, 23 Div, kia Contalmaison 10/7/16, buried Serre No 2 Cem.  Also commemorated on Thiepval and by a private memorial just outside Contalmaison.

He had two brothers:

Capt Guy Dodgson, 1/1 Herts Regt, att 1/1 Cambs, dow Caudry 14 Nov 1918, b Caudry Mil Cem.

Capt Philip Dodgson, 47 Division RFA (19th County of London Bty) - served throughout the war with this unit.

[shinglma]

Dick

I have a copy of the 135 SB History but it was kind of you to bring it to my attention.  I had not noted the LG date of his MM so that is useful.

I have visited the gun positions near Arras on a couple of occasions and the spot
(M position) where he won the MM.  In doing so I was following in his footsteps from two previous occasions - 1918 and 1962 when he revisited many of the battery's positions.   Photographs and an original trench map have helped piece together some of puzzle.

You may be interested to know that one of his officers was CE Lucas Phillips who later made a name for himself as the author of Cockleshell Heroes and The Greatest Raid of All.  A keen gardener he also wrote "The Small Garden" which still appears in bookshops from time to time.

The CO of the 135 was Colonel Heath whose photo appears in the 135 SB history.  My grandfather held both these men in the highest esteem.  He proudly attended the annual reunions of the battery until finally they ceased in the early seventies due to dwindling numbers.  These alternated between Nottingham and London - I have a list of them somewhere.  I have some of the correspondence with Lucas Phillips and Colonel Heath from towards the end of their lives.

I would be interested if you had any additional information regarding the officers and men of the 135.  I may be able to provide a little information with regard to some of them - though I have yet to commence any major research on this as my time is currently spent on my great-uncle and the 8 KRRC.

My thanks once again for your attentive post.

Kind regards


Mike Shingleton

[Steve Bramley]

My Grandfather,

Francis Moody, no rank known, no number. All we know is that he served with the Middlesex Regt. in Mesopotamia and lived in Whetstone, he never spoke about his time there.

Steve.

[Michelle Young]

My Relatives

My paternal Great Grandad, Sgt Ernest Mildenhall, RFA 1903-1920 (See my avatar)

My Maternal Grans cousin Cpl E Serls (see signiature)

My Maternal Great Grandad seved in Oxfordshire Hussars (rank unknown or any other details

Waynes relatives

Pte E Young (see signiature)

Pte A Allen (see signiature)

Possibly Pte FJ Young, KIA 6-11 16 , 6th Wilts, buried Puchevillers

[Rod Walker]

My Great-Grandfather

Private Charles Joseph Walker L/6828, 2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex, died of wounds 22.11.1914, aged 39, buried at Le Touquet paris-plage cemetery

[Terry]

My grandfather, Henry James Burgess, enlisted Army Service Corps 29 May,1889 (service number 8753); to army reserve Sept.,1894; recalled to army service 1 Jan.,1900; South Africa (QSA,KSA); discharged 28 May 1910 as sergeant; enlisted ASC 16 Sept.,1914 (service number T1SR-625; discharged 3 Oct.,1917 (medical); 14-15 Star,War Medal,Victory Medal.

[Brian Buck]

I will add my relatives details later. The 'Remembering Today' name at the top of the page is a nice touch. How are names selected?

[jemimajane]

One more to add to my list - not a relative, but a "could-have-been" relative - my great aunt's boyfriend!

Lance Corporal Percy James Ashby - No: 1208 Ist Battalion Middlesex Regiment
                                      died 17-6-1917, buried at Doullens

[Neil Burns]

See signature below. Quite possibly relatives in Austro-Hungarian and German Armies.
Polish side of the family from Mlawa (near East Prussia) and Zakopany (mountains near present day Slovakia).
Recently found out what happened to my wife's Great-Grandfather in the Austro-Hungarian Army during the war: died September 1918 buried outside Trieste present day Italy.
Frantisek Hrusovsky 72nd Infantry Regiment.
Take care,
Neil

[Brian Buck]

My father
Arthur Daniel Buck (1892-1971) Private 4th Battalion Suffolk Regiment 1915-17. Wounded at Battle of The Somme July 1916. Sergeant 3rd Battalion Kings African Rifles 1917-1920 fought in East African Campaign.

My father’s brother
Charles Victor Buck (1897-1915) Private 4th Battalion Suffolk Regiment. KIA 12th March 1915 age 17 at Battle of Neuve Chapelle. No known grave. Remembered on Memorial to Missing Le Touret Military Cemetery.

My father’s brother-in-law, husband of Emma Buck
Arthur Backhouse Bridges (1887-1915) Sergeant 4th Battalion Suffolk Regiment. Mortally wounded 11th March 1915 at Battle of Neuve Chapelle. Died 15th April 1915 age 27. Buried in home village at St Andrews Parish Church, Aldringham Suffolk.

My mother’s brother
Harry Chaplin (1896-1915) Private 4th Battalion Suffolk Regiment. KIA 22nd January 1915 near Neuve Chapelle age 19. Buried Pont du Hem Military Cemetery.

[jimmyjames]

My great-uncle, Pte Charles Herbert William Pearce, 7th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment, killed in action during Battle of Kut-al-Amara on 10th February 1917, aged 27.   Buried in Amara Military Cemetery.

The following Notice was placed in the Gloucestershire Echo on 9th February 1918
"Pearce  -  In ever loving memory of Pte Charles Herbert Willy Pearce, Glos Regt.   Dearly beloved son of Joseph and Salbrah Pearce, killed in action in Mesopotamia on February 10th 1917, aged 27 years.
The call was short the shock severe
To part with one we loved so dear
His gentle voice his smiling face
No one on Earth can fill his place

From his sorrowing Father, Mother, Sisters, Frank and Harry

(Frank was my Grandfather)

Attached Files

•  pearce_chw.jpg   0bytes   0 downloads

[jrreid]

My Relative is Grand Father
WR/276482 SPR Stanley William Davies
61st Broad Guage Railway Operating Company
Formerly G/269993 M.G.C. (61st B.G.O.Coy.)
Aged 29
Born: Newport Monmouthshire
Enlisted: Paddington Middx
Husband of Ellen Davies and Three children 1boy 2 girls one who was my mother Frances Ellen
At the time of his death (died) 6th November 1918 and is buried in Etaples Military Cemetery.
We will remember them - Remember 'Service not Self'
Jamiewee

[christine liava'a]

Just found this cutting

SINEL
All the sons of Mr T E Sinel of Auckland have volunteered for active service
and six of them are now in khaki.   The other two have been declared unfit
for active service.   All the brothers have served in the volunteer or
territorial forces before the war.   The first son E J SINEL, went to Samoa.
After returning he re-enlisted in one of the early reinforcements and went
to Gallipoli whence he returned wounded and sick.   He has since re-enlisted
and left as a Corporal in a recent reinforcement.   The second son, Major W
C SINEL, left as Second in Command of the sixth Haurakis, Main Body, landed
at Gallipoli on 25 August 1915, was gazetted Major in the field and fought
through until 7 August and was wounded in the knee and invalided to England,
thence to NZ and Rotorua.   Upon recovering he was again passed as fit for
active service and left NZ as Officer Commanding a reinforcement draft.   The
fourth son, Regimental Sergeant Major R SINEL, Field Artillery, is now
Instructor at Featherston and will leave shortly for the front.   The sixth
son, Corporal P M SINEL, also left with reinforcements.   The seventh son
Sergeant H G SINEL, is now in the trenches in France as is also the eighth
son Private Kenneth SINEL.   Another son, Mr J C SINEL, is now in London
working at his profession as a commercial artist.   He offered himself for
duty in Kitchener's army but was rejected on account of physical unfitness.
The remaining son, Mr A H SINEL, chief clerk of the NZ Shipping Co, Auckland
branch office, was also anxious to go but on account of a serious accident
to his head on board the Ayrshire some years back, has not gone.   Three of
the brothers were members of the reinforcement draft of which Major SINEL
was in command.   [AWN 08.02.1917]

AND, they all came back alive!

[soltown]

mine

George Sunley, gunner with the Royal Field Artillery, 118th Bty. 26th Bde and died 28th Aug 1914 in Etreux

Anthony Smith, believed to have served with a regiment based in the brompton area, possibly the Royal Engineers,

[Alec McCudden]

Here's mine

Great Uncles Bob and  Geoffrey Samuel, Honourable Artillery Company.

Both survived the war. Geoffrey brought back a square of fabric taken from von Richtofen's triplane. He promised to give it to me but when he died shortly after, his widow cleared out (threw away!!) all his belongings and I never got it!

One of my life's regrets.

Alec

[Eddie Bosano-Andrews]

I've haven't seen this thread before here are mine:

Fathers Side:

Great Grandfather:

16459 Private Henry Edward Andrews
1st Bn Northamptonshire Regiment 1898-1902 served in India
2nd Bn Northamptonshire Regiment 1914-1915
who fell 14/03/15 at Neuve Chapelle

Great Grand Uncle (his brother):

4923 Lance Serjeant George Frederick Andrews
2nd Bn Wiltshire Regiment 1899-1911 served through Boer War
5th Bn Connaught Rangers 1914-1919
captured by the Bulgarians in 1915, survived the War


Mothers side:

Grand Uncle
3766 Private Leopoldo Bosano
1st/22nd Bn London Regiment
who fell 19/09/16 at Fleurs Courcellete

[Stephen White]

My Great Grandfather George White,who fought and died with the 2nd Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment.

My Great Great Uncle,Jesse Samuel Coulson who served with the 7th (Princess Royal's) Dragoon Guards.

My Great Great Uncle,Thomas Coulson who served with,The 6th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment and was then transferred to the 1st/7th Battalion The Essex Regiment.

Steven

Edited by Stephen White, 27 February 2005 - 02:05 PM.

[Clive Harris]

Stev I was in a silmiar situation with my Gunner G/Grandfather, his MIC did give his date of entry into France and this tied up with the 12 Div arrival, there were similar service numbers to his killed with the 12 Div as well, a few years later a letter turned up that confirmed he served with them, dont give up hope just yet.....
Clive

[Andy]

Brilliant thread this!

Here's my 'pennyworth..

My Grandmothers first husband....
Private Harry (AKA Henry) Wellens MM. 6289, 7KSLI.
Served in 2KSLI in the Boer war.
Rejoined as a reservist at the outbreak of war.
Trained in Pembroke Dock, went to France 'Jan 1916 and joined 1KSLI.
Transferred to 7KSLI after they took heavy casualties at The Bazentin's July 1916.
Wounded south of Trones Wood Aug 1916.
Died of wounds 5th Sept. 1916.
Buried at Abbeville.

Andy Fitton.