Bob
MATTHEWS, Alfred W.
Enlisted: 07/09/1914, Devizes.
Age given: Born Purton 1894.
Address / Next Of Kin, family details: Son of Mr Alfred W and Mrs Emily J Matthews, of Marston Meysey, Cricklade.
MIC details / Medal entitlement.
13467 5th (Service) Battalion Wiltshire Regiment.
1079 2nd Battalion, Leinster Regiment.
British War Medal, Victory Medal, 15 Star.
09/07/1915 Arrived in (2B) Balkans (Gallipoli) (Detail from MIC). Battalion diary records that the Battalion was in Malta destined for Gallipoli on this date.
From details on his MIC and detail of his death it is presumed that Alfred was wounded either on the Gallipoli Peninsula or in Mesopotamia where the 5th Battalion moved after its withdrawal from Gallipoli. After recovery he was drafted to his new Battalion and returned to France / Flanders.
Death / Burial / Memorial details.
Died of wounds received aged 22 on 21st October 1918. Buried in DADIZEELE NEW BRITISH CEMETERY I B 29. (Moorslede, Belgium). Headstone inscription reads “REST IN PEACE”. Dadizeele new cemetery was constructed after the War, an extension to Dadizeele communal Cemetery. It was used to concentrate scattered burials from the area.
Evidence for inclusion on the Purton Parish list: SDGW listing.
MATTHEWS, Harry Robert Thomas.
Enlisted: 31/08/1915, Devizes (5th Battalion).
Address / Next Of Kin, family details: Purton. Grandmother Sarah of Upper Square, Purton.
MIC details / Medal entitlement.
9943 6th (Service) Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment.
British War Medal, Victory Medal, 15 Star.
30/06/1915 Arrived in (2B) Balkans (Gallipoli) (Detail from MIC), (5th Battalion Wiltshire Regiment).
The 5th Battalion did not reach the peninsula until 16/07/1915.
From details on his MIC and detail of his death it is presumed that Alfred was wounded either on the Gallipoli Peninsula or in Mesopotamia where the 5th Battalion moved after its withdrawal from Gallipoli. After recovery he was drafted to the 6th Battalion as part of the Somme offensive preparation and returned to France / Flanders.
Death / Burial / Memorial details.
Killed in action on the 2nd July 1916 on the Somme Battlefield. Harry has no known grave, Remembered THIEPVAL MEMORIAL, Face13 A. (Somme, France). The memorial book in St Mary’s states burial somewhere in France.
Evidence for inclusion on the Purton Parish list: Purton War Memorial (Recorded as H.MATTHEWS), Memorial Board in St Mary’s Church, name listed in the Memorial book in St Mary’s Church, SDGW listing.
EDMONDS, Charles Reginald.
Enlisted: 01/09/1914, Devizes (3rd Battalion).
Age given: 18 years 1 month.
Occupation: Carpenter. Death certificate lists his occupation as Engine cleaner in railway factory.
Address / Next Of Kin, family details: Lydiard Green. Son of Alfred and Alice Edmonds, of Lydiard Green, Purton. Brother of William Edmonds listed below.
MIC details / Medal entitlement.
10619 5th (Service) Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment.
British War Medal, Victory Medal, 15 Star.
Extracts from: Pension records, 5th Battalion War Diary.
20/12/1914 to 04/01/1915 Weymouth Hospital.
03/12/1915 Arrived (2B) Balkans (Gallipoli) (Detail from MIC) with the 5th Battalion.
29/02/1916 5th Battalion arrives in Basra, Mesopotamia (Iraq).
08/05/1919 Transferred to Z class.
Death / Burial / Memorial details.
Died age 22 on the 25th May 1920. Buried in LYDIARD MILLICENT CHURCH CEMETERY grave G. 29 under a CWGC headstone. Headstone inscription reads “REST IN PEACE”.
The death certificate for Charles gives the cause of death as Phthisis (TB), his Father is listed as being present (The Dr present was A C Oakley-Brown). Even though he died in May 1920 Charles is recorded as an official War casualty, he lies under a CWGC headstone in a registered War grave.
Evidence for inclusion on the Purton Parish list: National Archive details (Service records), SDGW listing.
EDMONDS, William John.
Enlisted: 16/03/1915, Devizes (3rd Battalion).
Address / Next Of Kin, family details: Lydiard Green. Son of Alfred and Alice Edmonds, of Lydiard Green, Purton.
MIC details / Medal entitlement.
19171 1st and 5th (Service) Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment.
British War Medal, Victory Medal, 15 Star.
Extracts from: Wilshire Regiment records.
17/09/1915 Arrived in the Balkans (Gallipoli) (Detail from MIC). Battalion diary records that draft replacements joined the Battalion at Lala Baba.
January 1916 the 5th Battalion departed Gallipoli, February 1916 they arrived in Mesopotamia where it stayed for the remainder of the War. William is presumed to be wounded at either location and returned to UK for treatment then drafted to the 1st Battalion Wiltshire Regiment on mainland Europe.
30/01/1917 Listed on Wiltshire records as embarking, joining the Infantry Base Depot the next day in France.
04/03/1917 Joined the 1st Battalion, with 5 OR’s at Mont Des Cats in France where they were undertaking training.
30/01/1918 to 13/02/1918 leave.
04/04/1918 Appointed Lance Corporal
12/04/1918 Reported missing.
Death / Burial / Memorial details.
Killed in action aged 23 on the 12th April 1918. William has no known grave, but his name is remembered on PLOEGSTEERT MEMORIAL Panel 8. (Comines-Warneton, Belgium). William is remembered on the War Memorial in Lydiard Millicent.
DASH, Percy Edward.
Enlisted: 26/05/1915, Devizes (3rd Battalion). Percy was 17 years old on enlistment.
Age given: Born October 1897, Purton.
Address / Next Of Kin, family details: Swindon. Son of Francis James and Ellen Dash, of 36 Clifton Street, Swindon.
MIC details / Medal entitlement.
20888 5th (Service) Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment.
British War Medal, Victory Medal, 15 Star.
Extracts from: 5th Battalion War Diary.
17/11/1915 Arrived in 2(

Balkans (Gallipoli). (Detail from MIC).
29/02/1916 5th Battalion arrives in Basra, Mesopotamia (Iraq).
09/04/1916 The Battalion was in contact with Turks at Sannaiyat.
Death / Burial / Memorial details.
Killed in action aged 18 on the 9th April 1916 in Mesopotamia (Iraq). Percy is buried in AMARA WAR CEMETERY, XVI. L. 1. (Mesopotamia, Iraq).
Evidence for inclusion on the Purton Parish list: SDGW listing.
LITTEN, Frederick Henry.
Enlisted: 11/05/1915, Devizes (3rd Battalion).
Age given: Born Purton.
Address / Next Of Kin, family details: Husband of A E Litten, (Married 1913) Hungerford. Resident of 4, Council Houses, Inkpen Common, Berkshire.
MIC details / Medal entitlement.
20723 5th (Service) Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment.
British War Medal, Victory Medal, 15 Star.
Extracts from: 5th Battalion War Diary.
17/11/1915 Arrived (2B) Balkans (Gallipoli) (Detail from MIC).
29/02/1916 5th Battalion arrives in Basra, Mesopotamia (Iraq).
25/01/1917 Trenches, Mesopotamia.
Death / Burial / Memorial details.
Killed in action aged 25 on the 25th January 1917 in Mesopotamia. Frederick has no known grave, remembered on AMARA WAR CEMETERY, XVII. A. 11. (Mesopotamia, Iraq).
Evidence for inclusion on the Purton Parish list: SDGW listing.
Regards
Bob