Catford Bridge Rugby Football Club Memorial Pages

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Catford Bridge Rugby Football Club

Memorial Pages

Index

Introduction - page 3 Finding the records of the fallen - page 4 Enlisting in the army – joining the great fight – page 7 Recognitions and awards of the Great War - 12 Index to the memorial - 17

Introduction

The Great War claimed the lives of many men including the 24 members of Catford Bridge Rugby Club who paid the ultimate sacrifice. The clubs memorial was originally hung at the Catford Bridge Rugby Club in Catford and following the purchase of lands at Barnet Wood Road by William (Bill) Warman, it was placed in the new clubhouse in 1956. It was removed and renovated in 2011. In 2014, following a discussion about the memorial it was suggested that those killed should be better remembered by researching their background, military history, where they died and are buried or remembered. This presentation is the result of that research. In addition to the memorial there are some pages briefly detailing the processes of enlistment and the medals and awards giving to the men.

For some of these men there is family history and for others there is scant records from the 1901 or 1911 census, military records and Commonwealth War Graves Commission. To treat all these men with the same respect and dignity they are all assigned one page in this remembrance.

Finding the records of the fallen

Researching the lives of the men of Catford Bridge Rugby Club who were killed in the Great War took many paths and presented several challenges. To begin with there are very few records from that time apart from several team photographs and fixture cards. Most of the men were easy to find through CWGC searches. The challenge was finding evidence that would link a man who might have played rugby in Catford in the years before the Great War. It is possible they may have played one game when staying in the area and were recorded in the club records. Likewise, they may have worked, trained or studied in London and played at the club (Catford Bridge was a popular club in London at this time). Some of the men are ‘closest match’ to the name on the memorial and may not be that person as proof of membership to the club is impossible. It is hoped that people reading this may have further information and the records can be updated in the future. Other challenges were around the lack of information about enlisted men as much of the records were destroyed in World War Two when the Public Records Office was damaged by bombing. Sometimes a men’s name was not recorded correctly or misspelt in handwritten documents.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

The first place to search for some basic information was the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC). As all the men were killed in service there will be a recorded on their website with their age, rank and number. Also included is date of death, regimental details location of cemetery or memorial and in some case their next of kin details and head stone inscriptions. Included in the record will be the location of the cemetery and the grave or memorial of the man. The cemetery index pages can

4 provide details of the next of kin or the address of the deceased. For example, the index entry for Sidney Clark East (above) indicates the following information East, 2nd LT. Sydney Clark. Hon. Artillery Company. 9th Oct., 1917. Age 37. Son of the late Thomas Overton East and of Mrs. S. A. East, of Louth, Linc.; Husband of Marguerite East of “Jolimont”, London Lane, Bromley

Image is from Tyne Cott Memorial, Tyne Cott Cemetery, Ypres, Belgium

Not all grave indexes provide such details and so other resources are required.

Medal Index Card

The Medal Index Card (MIC) is a valuable means of identifying the regiment or regiments the man served in, the date of commencement of service overseas, theatre of war and medals or awards. The quality of the details did vary and following conscription less time was spent on the detail in these cards, probable due to the high volume being processed. Men’s Effects lists including their bank details and beneficiary of their will is another good source of information when tracing family members.

Most of this information is available through Ancestry and other genealogy websites.

Other resources

Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk) • Census 1901 & 1911 • Birth and death records • Next of kin records • Place of birth

Imperial War Museum - Live of the Great War (Imperial War Museum) School Memorial pages from Google search Lewisham Memorials (lewishamwarmemorials.wikidot.com/) The Long Trial (www.longlongtrail.co.uk)

Enlisting into the army

The expansion of the British Army from the small professional force to a vast citizen army, capable of defeating the world’s most formidable military machine, was a truly extraordinary national achievement. How was it done? What can you learn about the way your soldier joined up? Types of service available: up to the declaration of war

Since 1908 the British Army had offered four forms of recruitment. A man could join the army as a professional soldier of the regular army or as a part time member of the Territorial Force or as a soldier of the Special Reserve. Finally, there was the opportunity to join the National Reserve. There was a long-running battle, with politicians and military men taking both sides, about whether Britain should have a system of national conscripted service. By 1914 this had not come about and Britain’s army was entirely voluntary.

Regular army

A man wishing to join the army could do so providing he passed certain physical tests and was willing to enlist for a number of years. The recruit had to be taller than 5 feet 3 inches and aged between 18 and 38 (although he could not be sent overseas until he was aged 19). He would join at the Regimental Depot or at one of its normal recruiting offices. The man had a choice over the regiment he was assigned to. He would typically join the army for a period of 7 years full time service with the colours, to be followed by another 5 in the Army Reserve. (These terms were for infantry: the other arms had slightly different ones. For example, in the artillery it was for 6 years plus 6). When war was declared there were 350,000 former soldiers on the Army Reserve, ready to be called back to fill the establishment of their regiments.

Special Reserve

The Special Reserve provided a form of part-time military service. It was introduced in 1908 as a means of building up a pool of trained reservists in addition to those of the regular Army Reserve. Special Reservists enlisted for 6 years and had to accept the possibility of being called up in the event of a general mobilisation and to undergo all the same conditions as men of the Army Reserve. This meant that it differed from the Territorial Force (below) in that the men could be sent overseas. Their period as a Special Reservist started with six months full-time preliminary training (paid the same as a regular) and they had 3-4 weeks training per year thereafter. A man could extend his SR service by up to four years but could not serve beyond the age of 40. A former

7 regular soldier whose period of Army Reserve obligation had been completed could also re-enlist as a Special Reservist and serve up to the age of 42.

Territorial Force

The Territorial Force came into existence in April 1908 as a result of the reorganisation of the former militia and other volunteer units (the Haldane Reforms). It provided an opportunity for men to join the army on a part-time basis. Territorial units of most infantry regiments and of each of the Corps (Artillery, Engineers, Medical, Service and Ordnance) were formed. For example, most county regiments of the infantry formed two Territorial battalions. These units were recruited locally and became more recognised and supported by the local community than the regulars. Recruits had a choice of regiment, but naturally the local nature of the TF meant that in general the man joined his home unit. The TF County Associations, the administration of the local TF, were planned to be a medium by which the army could be expanded in wartime. Men trained at weekends or in the evenings and went away to a summer camp. Territorials were not obliged to serve overseas, but were enlisted on the basis that in the event of war they could be called upon for full-time service (“embodied”). The physical criteria for joining the Terriers was the same as for the Regular army but the lower age limit was 17.

National Reserve

Members of the National Reserve were trained officers and men who had no further obligation for military service. Their names were placed on a register and they could be mobilised in the event of imminent national danger. The register was maintained by the County Association that also organised their Territorial Force. The was no age limit for joining or leaving the National Reserve. National Reservists were not required to undertake any definite liability; however, they were invited to sign an honourable obligation to present themselves for service if and when required. They could be used to reinforce existing units of the Army or the TF once it had mobilised and could also be used, among other things, to strengthen Garrisons (such as those in India) or guard vulnerable strategic points across the country.

Types of service available: from August 1914 to the introduction of the Group Scheme

On his appointment as Secretary of State for War shortly after the declaration of the war, Field-Marshal Lord Kitchener issued a call for volunteers to increase the size of the army. He did not believe that the Territorial Force was an appropriate structure for doing this. The public response to Kitchener’s appeal was rapid and at times overwhelming but soon died down to average only 100,000 men per month. Steps soon had to be taken to encourage further enlistment.

Regular army

It was still possible to enlist into the regular army on standard terms, usually twelve years as described above, throughout the war. In addition to this, on Lord Kitchener’s instructions in August 1914 a new form of “short service” was introduced, under which a man could serve for “three years or the duration of the war, whichever the longer”. Men joining on this basis, including all of “Kitchener’s Army” and the “Pals” units were technically of the regular army and were serving on this basis.

The wartime volunteers continued to have, in theory at least, a choice over the regiment they joined. They had to meet the same physical criteria as the peace time regulars, but men who had previously served in the army would now be accepted up to the age of 45. There are many recorded instances of underage and indeed overage men being accepted into the service. It was not necessary to produce evidence of age or even of one’s name in order to enlist.

Special Reserve

Enlistment into the Special Reserve remained open. The SR was mobilised in August 1914 and its men were on full-time service.

Territorial Force

Enlistment into the TF remained open. The TF was mobilised in August 1914 and its men were on full-time service (“embodied”). Men joining from September 1914 were expected to sign the “Imperial Service Obligation”, which gave the army powers to send them overseas or transfer them to a different TF unit if required.

The Group Scheme (or “Derby Scheme”)

By spring 1915 it had become clear that voluntary recruitment was not going to provide the numbers of men required for the continued prosection of the expanding war. The Government passed the National Registration Act on 15 July 1915 as a step towards stimulating recruitment and to discover how many men between the ages of 15 and 65 were engaged in each trade. The results of this census became available by mid-September 1915.

On 11 October 1915, Lord Derby – who had played a major part in raising volunteers, especially for the King’s (Liverpool) Regiment – was appointed Director-General of Recruiting. He brought forward a scheme five days later, often called the Derby Scheme although officially it wa sthe Group Scheme, for raising the numbers. It was half-way to conscription.

The Military Service Act 1916 (Conscription)

Disappointed at the results of the Derby Scheme, the Government introduced the Military Service Act on 27 January 1916. All voluntary enlistment was stopped. All British males were now deemed to have enlisted on 2 March 1916 – that is, they were conscripted – if they were aged between 19 and 41 and resided in Great Britain (excluding Ireland) and were unmarried or a widower on 2 November 1915. Conscripted men were no longer given a choice of which service, regiment or unit they joined, although if a man preferred the navy it got priority to take him. This act was extended to married men, and the lower age dropped to 18, on 25 May 1916.

This was not the first time in British history that there had been compulsory military service but it was the first time that it was universally applied (except for Ireland).

A system of appeals tribunals was established, to hear cases of men who believed they were disqualified on the grounds of ill-health, occupation or conscientious objection. Some trades were deemed to be vital to the war economy: they were called starred occupations

The Act initially failed to deliver: only 43,000 of the men called up qualified for general service in the army. Another 93,000 failed to appear when called up, filling the courts. 748,587 men claimed some form of exemption, filling the tribunals. In addition, were the 1,433,827 already starred as being in a war occupation, or those who were ill or who had already been discharged on these grounds. The manpower of the army never caught up with its planned establishment. 10

From September 1916, men called up were first assigned to a unit of the Training Reserve. It had been found that the traditional regimental means of training was not keeping up with the flood of men coming through, and the TR was established as a means of doing so.

A further extension of the Military Service Act on 10 April 1918, followed a serious political crisis concerning the provision of manpower – which along with a large extension of the British section of the Western Front, was cited as a prime cause of the defeat of the Fifth Army in March 1918. This act reduced the maximum age of recruitment to 50 and allowed soldiers aged 18 years and 6 months to be sent overseas as long as they had had six months training.

The introduction of conscription made it very much more difficult for a recruit to falsify his age and name. Conscription ceased on 11 November 1918 and all conscripts were discharged, if they had not already been so, on 31 March 1920.

Re-enlistment and post-war incentives Faced with the need to demobilise and get industries back to work, but at the same time still being involved in conflict in North Russia, a difficult situation in Ireland and with new garrisons to man in the old Empire, Palestine and Germany, the government offered incentives for re-enlistment.

Recognitions and awards of the Great War

The 1914 Star

The 1914 Star was commonly called the ‘Mons’ Star and a total of 378,000 were issued. It was awarded to all officers, Warrant Officers, Non-commissioned Officers and men of the British and Indian Forces, including civilian medical practitioners, nursing sisters, nurses and others employed with military hospitals, who actually served in France and Flanders on the establishment of a unit of the British Expeditionary Forces, between the 5th August 1914 until midnight of 22nd / 23rd November 1914. A bar (or clasp as it was known) bearing the dates 5th Aug – 22nd Nov 1914 was issued to those who came under enemy fire during this period. Recipients of the bar were permitted to wear a small rosette on the ribbon bar when the medal was not being worn. The Star could not be awarded singly and was always accompanied by the British War Medal and Victory Medal

The 1914 – 15 Star

The 1914 – 15 Star was similar in appearance to the 1915 Star but differs in that ‘August and November 1914’ are replaced with a central scroll which reads ‘1914-15’. A total in the region of 2,366,000 were issued. It was awarded to all Officers, Warrant Officers, Non-commissioned Officers and men of the British Dominion, Colonial and Indian Forces, including civilian medical practitioners, nursing sisters, nurses and others employed with military hospitals, who actually served on the establishment of a unit in a theatre of war between the 14th August 1914 and 31st December 1915 inclusive. Like the 1914 Star the 1914-15 Star could not be awarded alone and automatically entitled the recipient to the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

The British War Medal 1914 – 1920 (Silver)

The British War Medal was awarded to those (defined by a set of criteria) who entered on duty a theatre of war (which was defined by a set of regulations) during periods or spheres (subject to a further set of laid down criteria), or, who left their place of residence and rendered approved service overseas (other than waters dividing different parts of the United Kingdom), between the 5th August 1914 and the 11th November 1918, inclusive. A total of 6,595,352 were awarded. An identical medal, cast in bronze, was awarded to members of the Native Labour Corps and other native personel who were mobilised for war service and paid military pay. About 110,000 of these medals were issued and they include members of the South African, Chinese and Maltese Labour Corps.

The Victory Medal 1914 – 1919

The Victory Medal was awarded to all Officers, Warrant Officers, Non-commissioned Officers and men of the British, Dominion, Colonial and Indian Forces, members of women formations who had been enrolled under direct contract of service for service with His Majesty’s Imperial Forces, medical practitioners, nursing sisters, nurses and others employed with military hospitals, who actually served on the establishment of a unit in a theatre of war (which was defined by a set of regulations), within specifically defined periods. About 6,561,518 medals were issued.

The most frequently awarded combinations of these three medals are as ‘trios’ and ‘pairs’. Trios were made up of one or other of the 1914 or 1914-15 Stars (they could not be awarded together), the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. The three medals were sometimes irreverently referred to as “Pip, Squeak and Wilfred”, after long-running British strip cartoon published in the Daily Mirror newspaper in 1919. The cartoon concerned the adventures of an orphaned family of animals – Pip, who assumed the ‘father’ role, was a dog, while the ‘mother’, Squeak, was a penguin and Wilfred was the ‘young son’ and was rabbit with very long ears. Pairs are generally for servicemen who served overseas on or after the 31st January 1916, and are the British War Medal with the Victory Medal, colloquially known as the “Mutt and Jeff” pair (after a popular American cartoon strip about the adventures of two mismatched characters). Occasionally just one medal was issued, the British War Medal.

The Territorial Force War Medal (Bronze)

The Territorial Force War Medal was awarded to all members of the Territorial Forces and Territorial Nursing Service who were members of the service on the 4th August 1914 and to those who had completed four years service prior to the 4th August 1914, on the condition that they had re-joined the Force on, or prior to, the 30th September 1914. Members had to meet other specifics criteria. There were just 33,944 of these medals awarded which make it the least common of the Great War Campaigns medal.

The Mercantile Marine War Medal 1914 – 1918 (Bronze)

The Mercantile Marine War Medal was instituted in 1919 and awarded by the Board of Trade to all members of the British and Overseas Mercantile Marine who served at sea during at least on voyage through a ‘danger zone’. This could include those who serve as sea pilots and or Trinity Lighthouse Ships, Government cable ships or as fishermen. A total of 133,345 were awarded. All medals had to be claimed by the Seaman or his next of kin, they were not issued automatically.

The Territorial Force Imperial Service Badge

The Territorial Force Imperial Service Badge of Tablet was introduced by Army Order 3 of 1910: “imperial Service Badge – His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to approve of a badge being worn on the right breast of officers and men of the Territorial Force when in uniform who take the liability to serve outside the United Kingdom in time of national emergency”. As soon as a soldier signed the Imperial Service Obligation, he would be entitled to wear the Imperial Service Badge. They were struck in a variety of alloys, typically cupronickel or brass but can also be found in silver. Due to the large number of manufacturers there can be a variation in size.

The Silver War Badge

The Silver War Badge was issued in the United Kingdom and the British Empire to service personnel who had been honourable discharged due to wounds or sickness from military in the Great War. The badge, sometimes known as the “Discharge badge”, the “Wound Badge” or “Services

Rendered Badge”, was first issued in September 1916, along with an official certificate of entitlement. The large sterling silver lapel badge was intended to be worn on civilian clothes. The decoration was introduced as an award of “King’s Silver” for having received wounds or injury during loyal war service to the Crown’s authority. The secondary causation for its introduction was that a practice had developed in the early years of the war in the United Kingdom where some women took it upon themselves to confront and publicly embarrass men of fighting age they saw in public places and not in military uniform, by ostentatiously presenting they with white feathers, as a suggestion of cowardice.

The Memorial Plaque

The Memorial Plaque was issued after the Great War to next of kin of all British and Empire service personnel who were killed as a result of the w ar. It was decided that the design of the plaque, about five inches in diameter cast in bronze, was picked from submissions made in a public competition. Over 800 designs were submitted and the competition was won by sculptor and medallist Edward Carter Preston. Carter Preston’s winning design includes an image of Britannia holding a trident and standing with a lion. The designer’s initials, E.CR.P, appear above the front paw. In her outstretched left hand, Britannia holds and olive wreath above the rectangular tablet bearing the deceased’s name cast in raised letters. Below the name tablet, to the right of the lion, is an oak spray with acorns. The name does not include the rank since there was to be no distinction between sacrifices made between individuals. Two dolphins swim around Britannia, symbolising Britain’s sea power, and at the bottom a second lion is tearing apart the German eagle. Around the picture the legend reads (in capitals) ‘He died for freedom and honour’ or for the six hundred plaques issued to commemorate women – ‘She died for freedom and honour’. The plaques were issued in a pack with a commemorative scroll from King George V; though sometimes the letter and scroll were sent first. The plaques were made of bronze and hence were known as the “Dead Man’s Penny”, because of the similarity in appearance to the somewhat smaller penny coin. 1,355,000 plaques were issued, which used a total of 450 tonnes of bronze and continued to be issued into the 1930s to commemorate people who died as a consequence of the Great War.

INDEX to the memorial

The index below contains name, rank and regiment. It also includes date of death and a link to the deceased man’s page on Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s website.

Name Rank Regiment Died / CWGC link Balkwill, Charles Vince 2nd Lt. London Reg. 5th City of London 1st July 1916 Balkwill, John 2nd Lt. 6th Batt. Royal Warwickshire Regiment 1st July 1916 Collingwood, George A 2nd Lt. 6th Border Regiment 10th Aug 1915 Davis, Charles John Private 8th Royal Welsh Fusiliers 8th Dec 1915 Davies, Norman S 2nd Lt. 7th Batt. Essex Regiment 2nd Sept 1918 Dear, Roy Evers 2nd Lt. Royal Warwickshire Reg – attd to 6th East 30th April 1917 Lancashire Regiment Denton, Arthur 2nd Lt 20th Batt. London Regiment attd to 2nd Batt 16th June 1917 London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers) East, Sydney Clarke 2nd Lt Honourable Artillery Company 9th Sept 1917 Gant, Harold Holden 2nd Lt 2nd Batt. London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers) 1st Sept 1918 Higgins, Thomas Ross L/Cpl 1/5th London Regiment (London Rifle 3rd May 1915 Brigade) Hinton, Walter R 2nd Lt 2nd Batt Border Regiment 14th July 1916 Hodgson (MM), John Henry Lt 4th Middlesex Regiment 30th April 1918 Jacobs (MC), Alan E A 2nd Lt 8th Batt. East Surrey Regiment 7th August 1916 Kingcombe, Alexis R Lt 11th Batt. Yorkshire Regiment 28th June 1915 Masters, G.G.O. Lt 1/4th Batt. Gloustershire Regiment 25th July 1916 Mouat-Biggs J.A Captain 3rd Royal Irish Regiment 22nd March 1918 Neal, Henry Charles Rifleman 2/17th London Regiment 2nd April 1918 O’Callaghan, John Private 1st Battalion The Queens Royal West Kent 7th September 1915 Regiment Pethybridge, Herbert Thos Driver Royal Field Artillery 29th October 1918 Ridler, G.J. Sub Lt Anson Batt, Royal Navy Reserve 26th March 1918 Roe, J,L, Private 10th (Scots) Battalion, The King’s (Liverpool) 4th April 1916 Regiment Sargeant, C.H. Private 2nd Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment 9th May 1915 Wilson, C.W Petty HMS ‘Indefatigable’, Royal Navy 31st May 1916 Officer

Charles Vince Balkwill 2nd Lieutenant 1st/5th London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade)

Charles Vince Balkwill was born in Lewisham in 1887 to Francis Baldwill and Mary Jeffery. He went to St Dunstan’s College in Catford and is remembered on their Roll of Honour. It was in the field of sport that Charles made his mark, being one of the best school athletes of his generation. In Lacrosse, he was goalkeeper and coverpoint for the 2nd XII (1897- 1898) and won his Colours; he went on to the 1st XII (1899-1900) and was Captain of Lacrosse for 1900-1901. He was equally distinguished in Cricket, being in the 2nd XI (1898-99) and the 1st XI (1900). But perhaps he was most outstanding in Rugby, Captaining the 2nd XV in 1897, joining the 1st XV in1899, and being Captain of Rugby for 1900-1901. His all-round ability had led to his election onto the Athletic Committee in 1899, of which he then became the Chairman in 1900. Charles left St. Dunstan's College in April 1901, but he continued a close association with the College via Old Dunstonian Sport; he was in the Old Dunstonian Cricket XI 1905-1906, and in the Forest Hill Cricket Club 2nd XI 1905-1908. His Rugby progressed quickly, and he began playing for the Catford Bridge 1st XV in 1903, continuing for some years and becoming ViceCaptain by 1907. He was selected for the Kent County XV in 1903 and played as a forward for the county for six seasons. He was also a member of the Blackheath Harriers and took part in their Wednesday meetings to run as part of his Rugby training. In 1911 the census shows he is a railway clerk In August 1914 he enlists in The London Regiment as a private and went to France with 1st Battalion in November 1914. He was promoted to Sergeant in December 1914. He is wounded at Ypres on 26th April 1915. He was commissioned on 8th December 1915 and rejoined 1st Batt. In France 27th May 1916.

The Battle of the Somme, also known as the Somme Offensive, was a battle of the First World War fought by the armies of the British Empire and Franceagainst the German Empire. It took place between 1 July and 18 November 1916 on both sides of the upper reaches of the River Somme in France. The battle was intended to hasten a victory for the Allies and was the largest battle of the First World War on the Western Front. More than three million men fought in the battle and one million men were wounded or killed, making it one of the bloodiest battles in human history. On Saturday 1 July 1916 Charles’ battalion had 19 officers and 553 other ranks killed, wounded or missing. Following his death, Charles was initially numbered amongst those posted as ‘Missing,’ but the Army Council later made the decision that for official purposes it was to be assumed that he had died on or after 1 July 1916. 2nd Lieutenant Charles Vince Balkwill was killed in action on or after 1st July 1916. He was 29 years old. He has no known grave and remembered the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.

Thiepval Memorial commemorates more than 72,000 men of British and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave, the majority of whom died during the Somme offensive of 1916.

Great War medal entitlements: The 1914 Star, The British War Medal and The Victory Medal

CharlesJohn Vince Balkwill Balkwill 22ndnd Lieut.Lieutenant - 1/6 1thst /5(Territorial)th London RegimentBattalion, (London Royal Warwickshire Rifle Brigade)

Regiment

John Balkwill was born in Lewisham in 1883 to Francis and Mary Vince

Balkwill. They lived at 6 Garlies Road, Forest Hill, London. Like his brother Charles Vince Balkwill he attended St Dunstan’s College in

Catford. He is remembered on their Roll of Honour.

At St. Dunstan's College John was awarded School Prizes for French and

Science. He was the Head Prefect for 1898-1899, and awarded a Leaving Prize in 1899, having been in the Rugby 1st XV, Lacrosse 1st XII, Cricket 1st XI; Captain of Athletics. John had played Rugby for Catford Bridge "A" XV, 1899-1901; was on the committee of the Old Dunstonian Club, 1902- 1903 and 1908. Prior to enlisting in the army in September 1914, John had been employed by the Northern Assurance Co. Ltd. having started working for the company at its London office in May 1899, and had been transferred to work in Birmingham, Warwickshire as a Surveyor in July 1908.

The 1/6th (Territorial Force) Battalion, The Royal Warwickshire Regiment in which John served, had its Headquarters at the Drill Hall, Thorpe Street, Birmingham, Warwickshire in 1914, serving with the Warwickshire Brigade, South Midland Division. The units which formed the South Midland Division had just departed for their annual summer camp in 1914 when the Great War commenced, and they were at once all recalled. The division was mobilised for war service on Sunday 5 August 1914 and had moved to concentrate in the Chelmsford, Essex area by the second week of August 1914 and commenced training. At the time of being posted to serve with the British Expeditionary Force in France on Monday 22 March 1915, John was serving as a Private in the 1/6th (Territorial Force) Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment when it sailed from Southampton to the French port of Harve, by which time Johns’ battalion became part of the renamed 143rd Brigade, 48th (South Midland) Division. He was serving as a Corporal in the same battalion when he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant on Sunday 19 September 1915, details of which were published in a Supplement of The London Gazette dated Wednesday 22 September 1915. The Battle of the Somme, also known as the Somme Offensive, was a battle of the First World War fought by the armies of the British Empire and Franceagainst the German Empire. It took place between 1 July and 18 November 1916 on both sides of the upper reaches of the River Somme in France. The battle was intended to hasten a victory for the Allies and was the largest battle of the First World War on the Western Front. More than three million men fought in the battle and one million men were wounded or killed, making it one of the bloodiest battles in human history. 2nd Lieutenant John Balkwill was killed in action on 1st July 1916. He was 33 years old. He was buried at Pargny British Cemetery, Somme, France The inscription on his headstone: “ALBAM EXORNAT”

On 1 July every year from 1919 to 1925 inclusive, the dedication “In loving and honoured memory of my two dearest pals Johnny and Charlie killed in action 1 July 1916 – LEWIS” appeared in the In Memoriam column of The Times.

Great War medal entitlements: The 1914 Star, The British War Medal and The Victory Medal

George Albert Collingwood 2nd Lieutenant 6th Border Regiment

George Albert Collingwood was born in Plymouth in 1895. The 1901 census showed him living with his mother, Louisa Collingwood, and siblings, Richard and William at 48 St. John’s Ave, Harlesden. He attended St Bees school in Cumbria from 1907—1913 and ‘was a very useful member of the south team which was first to win the Football Cup under the new system’ George was Gazetted on 11th November 1914 and joined the 6th Border Regiment as a 2nd Lieutenant.

The 6th (Service) Battalion The Border Regiment was formed at Carlisle in August 1914 as part of Kitchener's K1 and attached to 33rd Brigade subordinate to the 11th (Northern) Division. The battalion moved from Cumbria to Belton Park (Grantham) and then to Frensham in April 1915 (training). It sailed with other 11th Division units from Liverpool on 1 July 1915 for Gallipoli, landing at Helles 20 July and was complete at Suvla Bay by August 1915. They were operational at Suvla Bay from August 1915 - December 1915 - moved from Gallipoli and spent Christmas at Mudros on Lemnos. The battalion was then withdrawn to Egypt January 1916 (Suez Canal protection duties). The 6th Borders had spent Sunday 8th August on the beach near Lala Baba and that evening received their orders to join in 33 Brigade's attack on the Anafarta spur and the W Hills, which had been brought forward to dawn after Hamilton's intervention. 6th Borders were on the right flank, their objective was the W Hills. They had a two hour march from Lala Baba in the dark to get to the start line at the eastern foot of Chocolate Hills in time for the 5.15 am start. All went well until about 6.10 am when nearing the W Hills and successfully rushing some trenches at their foot the leading platoons came under fire from Scimitar Hill – that same Scimitar Hill which a few hours earlier had been occupied by 6th East Yorks. The effect of being enfiladed from this unexpected quarter was devastating. Twelve officers and 21 men were killed, five officers and 241 men wounded and 31 missing. Amongst the officers killed were the four company commanders, all of them long-serving Regular officers. 2nd Lieutenant George Collingwood is reported killed in action between 7th and 9th August 1915. His official date of death is 9th August 2017 and he is buried at Green Hill CWGC Cemetery, Gallipoli, Turkey. He was 20 years old. He is remembered on the St Bees School Roll of Honour

Green Hill Cemetery was made after the Armistice when isolated graves were brought in from the battlefields of August 1915 and from small burial grounds in the surrounding area. There are now 2,971 servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 2,472 of the burials are unidentified but special memorials commemorate several casualties known or believed to be buried among them.

Great War medal entitlements: The 1915 Star, The British War Medal and The Victory Medal

Charles John Davies Private 24453 - 8th Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers

Charles John Davies was born in Mile End, Bethnel Green in 1894 to Joseph and Jane Davies. He lived at his mother’s address of 7 Medhurst Road, Grove Road, Bow. He was attested on 31st April 1915 at Shoreditch on a Short Service (for the duration of the war) and joined the Royal Welsh Fusiliers on 4th June 1915 and was posted to 3rd RWF on 5th June and then to 8th RWF on 15th October 1915 He married Elizabeth Alice Trewin from Wandsworth at St Barnaton Church, Bethnal Green on 31st August 1915. On his army Short Service Attestation form his occupation was a horse hairdresser

8th (Service) Battalion (Pioneers) Formed at Cardiff in August 1914 as part of K1 and came under orders of 40th Brigade in 13th (Western) Division. Moved to Salisbury Plain and was at Chisledon in October 1914. Went into billets in Bournemouth in December. January 1915: converted into Pioneer Battalion to same Division. Moved to Aldershot in February 1915. Embarked at Avonmouth on 15 June 1915 and landed at ANZAC cove on 5 August 1915. December 1915: evacuated from Gallipoli and went to Egypt via Mudros. February 1916: moved to Mesopotamia.

Gallipolli In early 1915, the British government resolved to ease Turkish pressure on the Russians on the Caucasus front by seizing control of the Dardanelles channel, the Gallipoli peninsula, and then Istanbul. From there, pressure could be brought on Austria-Hungary, forcing the Central Powers to divert troops from the Western Front. The first lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill, strongly supported the plan, and in February 1915 French and British ships began bombarding the Turkish forts guarding the Dardanelles. On December 15, Allied forces begin a full retreat from the shores of the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey, ending a disastrous invasion of the Ottoman Empire. The Gallipoli campaign resulted in 250,000 Allied casualties and a greatly discredited Allied military command. Roughly an equal number of Turks were killed or wounded. In September, Sir Ian Hamilton, the British commander, was replaced by Sir Charles Monro, who in December recommended an evacuation from Gallipoli. On January 8, 1916, the last of the Allied troops were withdrawn. Private Charles John Davies was killed in action on 8th December 1915 and has no known grave. He was 21 years old. He is remembered on The Helles Memorial, Gallipoli

The Helles Memorial serves the dual function of Commonwealth battle memorial for the whole Gallipoli campaign and place of commemoration for many of those Commonwealth servicemen who died there and have no known grave.

Great War medal entitlements: The 1915 Star, The British War Medal and The Victory Medal

Norman Stollard Davies Second Lieutenant 7th Batt. Essex Regiment

Norman Stollard Davies was born in 1895 at Forest Hill to James William and Kate Eliza Davies. In 1911 the family live as Clayton House, 13 Church Road, Forest Hill, London. His father worked as paint manufacturer’s agent. th Norman worked as bank clerk before joining 7 Battalio n Essex Regiment. His two brothers were also served during the war. One died in Egypt of pneumonia on 25th November 1918 and the other survived.

2nd Battalion Essex Regiment The 2nd Battalion Essex Regiment was engaged with the German Army near the village of Eterpigny south east of Arras during the final months of the war. Below is the regimental war diary entry for the 31st August to 2nd September 1918

War Diary Entry “Sat. Aug 31, 1918 ETERPIGNY, FRANCE The Battalion relieved the 1st Hampshire Regiment in ETERPIGNY. Very bad relief, and only "A" Company succeeded in getting in to position along S.E. edge of village. Remainder of Companies disposed around trenches in O.17.b. Minor enterprise carried out by "A" Company against Machine Gun position at P.13.d in Sunken Road was not successful. Casualties: - 2nd Lieut. G.A. WROE joined Battalion for duty. 4 ORs wounded. 5 ORs to F.A.1 OR. Accidental Injury. (Signed) A.E. Maitland Lieut. Colonel. Commanding 2nd Battalion, The Essex Regiment Sun, Sep 1, 1918 FRONT LINE (ARRAS SECTOR), FRANCE B. C. & D. Coys moved up to assembly positions at night. Casualties: - A/Capt. G. PARKER and 2nd/Lieut. E.A. LANE Killed 31.8.18. Lieut. A. SLOAN Wounded. 8 ORs. Killed. 14 ORs Wounded. 16 ORs to F.A. (N.Y.D.N. GAS) 4 ORs to F.A.4 ORs Reinforcements. Mon., Sep 2, 1918 FRONT LINE (ARRAS SECTOR), FRANCE Battalion assembled in depth by 4.0 am in P.13.d and attacked enemy trenches in P.14, P.15 at 5.0 am. Attack successful, but some confusion caused by other troops occupying same trenches. Battn. Hdqrs. established at P.14.d.1.6. Estimated casualties 20 Killed 50 Wounded.” Second Lieutenant Norman Stollard Davies was killed in action on 2nd September 1918. He is buried at Dury Crucifix Cemetery

Dury Crucifix Cemetery The cemetery was begun by Canadian units (mainly the 46th and 47th Battalions) immediately after the capture of the village, and it contained at the Armistice 72 graves (now in Plot I, Rows A and B). It was then enlarged by the concentration of graves from the battlefields of April and May, 1917, and March, August and September, 1918, North and West of Dury, plus the following cemetery:- ESSEX CEMETERY, ETERPIGNY, was on the South side of the village of Eterpigny and contained the graves of 33 soldiers from the United Kingdom who fell in September, 1918, 19 of whom belonged to the 2nd Essex, and ten to the 2nd Seaforths. There are 2058 First World War casualties buried in this site. Of these, 1766 are unidentified.

Great War medal entitlements: The British War Medal and The Victory Medal

Roy Evers Dear 2nd Lieutenant, The Royal Warwickshire Regiment

Roy Evers Dear was born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia in 1894 to Edmund Evers Dear and his wife Helen Dear. In 1911 Roy was a student and lives with his widowed mother and his sister at 27 Beatrice Avenue, Norbury, Surrey. He started his military life as a private soldier (1418) with 18th Battalion Royal Fusiliers. He was discharged to a commission with 4th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment on 4th Aug 1916. He was attached to 6th East Lancashire Regiment as a 2nd Lieutenant. He was Gazetted on 20th October 1916

8th In November 1915 the 22nd Division, including the 9th East Lancashires and South Lancashires, was despatched from France to Salonika in Macedonia, where an Anglo-French force was assembling to assist the Serbs in resisting Germany’s Bulgarian allies. Later, the much travelled 1/12th Loyal North Lancashires were also in Macedonia from January to June 1917.

Compared to other theatres of war, stalemate characterised this arduous campaign in mountainous Balkan terrain, with offensive operations largely confined to raids and patrolling. In December 1915 the 9th East Lancashires were in action at Kosturino and, on 13th-14th September 1916, the same battalion saw more serious fighting at Macukovo. All three battalions took part in the first Doiran offensive, April-May 1917. For the best part of two years the battalions took their turn in trenches overlooked by the immensely strong fortified heights of Pip Ridge and Grand Couronne. These were their objectives when the second Battle of Doiran was launched in September 1918. The South Lancashires attacked Pip Ridge on the 18th with ‘consummate gallantry and self-sacrifice’ but, despite initial success, were compelled to withdraw after several hours of fierce fighting with two thirds casualties. The following day the East Lancashires made an equally heroic solitary assault, enfiladed by machine guns on both flanks. Their sacrifice was not entirely in vain, for three days later the enemy abandoned their positions and on 29th September Bulgaria was the first of the Central Powers to unconditionally surrender. 2nd Lieutenant Roy Evers Dear was killed in action 30th April 1917. he has no know grave and is remembered on the Basra Memorial, Iraq.

The Basra Memorial commemorates more than 40,500 members of the Commonwealth forces who died in the operations in Mesopotamia from the Autumn of 1914 to the end of August 1921 and whose graves are not known. The memorial was designed by Edward Warren and unveiled by Sir Gilbert Clayton on the 27th March 1929

Great War medal entitlements: The 1915 Star, The British War Medal and The Victory Medal

Arthur Denton, 2nd Lieutenant - 20th Battalion London Regiment

Arthur Denton was born in London in 1887. In 1911 he was living with his parents, John and Ellen Denton at 10 Oxley Street, Bermondsey, S.E.

He joined the 16th (County of London) Battalion (Queen’s Westminster Rifles) London Regiment as a Rifleman 6131 from 25th August 1916 to 21st September 2016. He was commissioned to 20th (County of London) Battalion (Blackheath and Woolwich) London Regiment. In 1917 he was attached to 2nd (City of London) Battalion (Royal Fusiliers) London Regiment.

Battle of Bullecourt (3–17 May 1917) After the initial assault around Bullecourt failed to penetrate the German lines, British commanders prepared for a second attempt. British artillery began an intense bombardment of the village, which by 20 April had been virtually destroyed. Although the infantry assault was planned for 20 April, it was pushed back several times and finally set for the early morning of 3 May. At 03:45, elements of the 2nd Australian Division attacked east of Bullecourt village, intending to pierce the Hindenburg Line and capture Hendecourt-lès-Cagnicourt, while British troops from the 62nd (2nd West Riding) Division attacked Bullecourt, which was finally taken by the British 7th Division and despite determined effort by the Germans was held by the British 62nd Division. German resistance was fierce and when the offensive was called off on 17 May, few of the initial objectives had been met. The Australians were in possession of much of the German trench system between Bullecourt and Riencourt-lès-Cagnicourt but had been unable to capture Hendecourt. To the west, British troops managed to push the Germans out of Bullecourt but incurred considerable losses, failing also to advance north-east to Hendecourt.

2nd Lieutenant Arthur Denton was killed in action on 16th June 1917. He was 30 years old. He has no known grave. He is remembered on The Arras Memorial.

The Arras Memorial The memorial commemorates nearly 35,000 soldiers of the British, South African and New Zealand forces with no known grave. Most of those commemorated were killed in the Battle of Arras, fought between 9 April and 16 May 1917

Great War medal entitlements: The 1915 Star, The British War Medal and The Victory Medal

Sydney Clark East 2nd Lieutenant - Honourable Artillery Company

Sydney Clark East was born in 1880 the son of the late Thomas Overton

East and of Sally Ann Clark, of Louth, Lincs. He marries Marguerite in 1904 and in 1911 they lived at 17 Caterham Road, Lewisham. with their 2 daughters and one son. Sydney works as a manager for and an electric company. After the war his wife moved to "Jolimont," London Lane, Bromley. Sydney took a commission with Honourable Artillery Company Territorial Force. he arrived in France on 22nd February 1917.

The Battle of Passchendaele, also known as the Third Battle of Ypres, was a campaign of the First World War, fought by the Allies against the German Empire.[a] The battle took place on the Western Front, from July to November 1917, for control of the ridges south and east of the Belgian city of Ypres in West Flanders, as part of a strategy decided by the Allies at conferences in November 1916 and May 1917. Passchendaele lay on the last ridge east of Ypres, 5 mi (8.0 km) from a railway junction at Roulers, which was vital to the supply system of the German 4th Army. The next stage of the Allied plan was an advance to Thourout–Couckelaere, to close the German-controlled railway running through Roulers and Thourout. Further operations and a British supporting attack along the Belgian coast from Nieuwpoort, combined with Operation Hush (an amphibious landing), were to have reached Bruges and then the Dutch frontier. The resistance of the 4th Army, unusually wet weather, the onset of winter and the diversion of British and French resources to Italy, following the Austro-German victory at the Battle of Caporetto (24 October – 19 November),enabled the Germans to avoid a general withdrawal, which had seemed inevitable in early October. The campaign ended in November, when the Canadian Corps captured Passchendaele. 2nd Lieutenant Sydney Clark East was killed in action on 9th October 1917. He was 37 years old. he has no know grave and is remembered on the Tyne Cott Memorial, West-Vlaanderan, Belgium.

The Tyne Cot Memorial Tyne Cot or Tyne Cottage was a barn named by the Northumberland Fusiliers which stood near the level crossing on the road from Passchendaele to Broodseinde. Around it were a number of blockhouses or ‘pillboxes'. The barn, which had become the centre of five or six German blockhouses, or pillboxes, was captured by the 3rd Australian Division on 4 October 1917 in the advance on Passchendaele. The Tyne Cot Memorial now bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known.

Great War medal entitlements: The British War Medal and The Victory Medal

Harold Holden Gant 2nd Lieutenant - 2nd Battalion (City Of London) Fusiliers

Harold Holden Gant was born in 1886 to Arthur Sidney and Margaret Tyler

Gant of Holden Road, Wood Side Park, North Finchley, London. He was one of

6 children. In 1901 the family lived in Leyland Road, Lewisham. He attended St Olaves School from November 1899 - July 1902. Harold was a Lance Corporal in the Honourable Artillery Company from 2nd October 1916 to 23rd March 1917. He was discharged to officer training and was commissioned to 2nd Battalion (City of London) Fusiliers on 26th March 1918.

The Second Battle of Bapaume was a battle of the First World War that took place at Bapaume in France, from 21 August 1918 to 3 September 1918. It was a continuation of the Battle of Albert and is also referred to as the second phase of that battle. The British and Dominion attack was part of what was later known as the Allies' Hundred Days Offensive. The Second Battle of Bapaume was carried out over a period of two weeks and involved the divisions of IV Corps; the British 5th, 37th, 42nd, and the 63rd Divisions along with the New Zealand Division. On 29 August, elements of the New Zealand Division, after heavy fighting in the days prior, occupied Bapaume as the defending Germans withdrew. It then pushed onto the Bancourt Ridge, to the east of Bapaume. Sailly-Saillisel, standing at the north end of a ridge, was the objective of French attacks in September and October 1916, and was captured on 18 October. The village remained in Allied hands until 24 March 1918 when it was lost during the German advance but was recaptured by the 18th and 38th (Welsh) Division on 1 September 1918.

2nd Lieutenant Harold Holden Gant was killed in action on 1st September 1918 in an advance that took the village of Bouchavesnes. He was originally buried Aldershot Military Cemetery, Bouchavesnes. After the Armistice graves were brought in from isolated positions chiefly south and east of the village and from the following small burial grounds. 2nd Lieutenant Gant was reinterred at Sailly-Saillisel British Cemetery. At his father’s request, his headstone has the inscription

“GREATLY LOVED GREAT SON GREAT BROTHER GREAT SOLDIER”

Sailly-Saillisel British Cemetery The cemetery contains 771 burials and commemorations of the First World War. 300 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to eight casualties known or believed to be buried among them. The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.

Great War medal entitlements: The 1915 Star, The British War Medal and The Victory Medal

Thomas Ross Higgin Lance Corporal - 1/5th London (London Rifle Brigade) Regiment

Thomas Ross Higgin was born Stoke Newington in 1879 to Ross and Ellen Higgins. In the 1901 census he was a merchant’s clerk and was living with his grandmother in Burnt Ash Hill, Lewisham. He married Elsie Florence Edwards on 3rd January 1914 at St. John’s Church, Deptford, Lewisham and is working as a commercial traveller. They lived at Braidwood Road, Catford, London. Thomas joined 1/5th London Rifle Brigade and arrived in France on 14th March 1915.

The London Rifle Brigade (LRB) were affiliated to the Rifle Brigade and wore black buttons and shoulder titles. Their headquarters was at Bunhill Road, and in August 1914 they were at their annual camp at Crowborough in Sussex. They crossed to France in November 1914, joining the 11th Brigade, 4th Division, serving with them in the trenches at Ploegsteert, or 'Plugstreet'. Men from the battalion took part in the Christmas Truce in December 1914. They took part Battle of St Julien (part of Second Battle of Ypres) and in April-May 1915 where they lost 16 officers and 392 men. Battle of St Julien On 24th April the German Army launched a large offensive (including the use of poisonous gas) against the Ypres Salient, driving its perimeter back and creating a break in the line over four miles long. Canadian troops created a series of defensive posts and secured the line for a time, until this broke and St Julien fell to the Germans. This is the first time poisonous gas is used on the battlefields of The Great War. Lance Cpl. Thomas Ross Higgin was killed in action on 3rd May 1915. He has no known grave and is remembered on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.

The Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, often referred to simply as the Menin Gate, bears the names of more than 54,000 soldiers who died before 16 August 1917 and have no known grave. The memorial was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield and was built between 1923 and 1927. Since 1928, the Last Post has been sounded every evening at 8pm under the memorial. Only during the Second World War was the ceremony interrupted

Great War medal entitlements: The 1915 Star, The British War Medal and The Victory Medal

Walter Reginald Hinton Second Lieutenant - 2nd Battalion Border Regiment

Walter Reginald Hinton was born in Lewisham in 1891 to Henry Oastler and Eliza Rowlatt Hinton. They lived at 29 Lewisham Park, London. His father was a leather salesman. The 1911 the census records Walter as a clerk accountant and the family have moved to 119 Pepsy Road, New Cross,

London. He joined 20th London Regiment in September 1914 as a private soldier. He was invalided home from France with trench fever in September 1915 and when he recovered applied for a commission. He was commissioned into the Border Regiment on 4 January 1916. In the summer of 1916 2nd Batt Borders Regiment taking part in the Battle of the Somme (1st July to 18th November 1916) They took part in The Battle of Albert, The Battle of Bazentin and the attacks on High Wood, The Battle of Delville Wood, The Battle of Guillemont, Operations on the Ancre.

The Battle of Bazentin Ridge (14–17 July 1916) was part of the Battle of the Somme on the Western Front in France, during the First World War. The British Fourth Army (General Henry Rawlinson) made a dawn attack on 14 July, against the German 2nd Army (General Fritz von Below) in the Braune Stellung from Delville Wood westwards to Bazentin le Petit Wood. Dismissed beforehand by a French commander as "an attack organized for amateurs by amateurs", the attack succeeded. Attempts to use the opportunity to capture High Wood failed due to the German success in holding on to the north end of Logueval and parts of Delville Wood, from which attacks on High Wood could be engaged from the flank. Cavalry, intended to provide a faster-moving force of exploitation, were badly delayed by the devastated ground, shell-holes and derelict trenches. In the afternoon, infantry of the 7th Division attacked High Wood, when an earlier attack could have entered the wood unopposed. The British found that German troops had occupied parts of the wood and also held the Switch Line along the ridge, cutting through the north-east part of the wood. The cavalry eventually attacked east of the wood and overran German infantry hiding in standing crops, inflicting about 100 casualties for a loss of eight troopers. The attack was assisted by an artillery-observation aircraft, whose crew saw the Germans in the crops and fired at them with Lewis guns. The British struggled to exploit the success and the 2nd Army recovered, leading to another period of attritional line straightening attacks and German counter-attacks, before the British and French general attacks of mid-September. 2nd Lieutenant Walter Reginald Hinton was killed in action on 14th July 1916. He was 25 years old. He was buried in a small battlefield cemetery following the Battle of Bazentin. After the Armitice small cemeteries and battlefield graves were moved to larger cemeteries. 2nd Lieutenant Hinton is buried at Flatiron Copse Cemetery, Mametz,

Flatiron Copse was the name given by the army to a small plantation a little to the east of Mametz Wood. The ground was taken by the 3rd and 7th Divisions on 14 July 1916 and an advanced dressing station was established at the copse. The cemetery was begun later that month and it remained in use until April 1917.

Great War medal entitlements: The 1914 Star, The British War Medal and The Victory Medal

John Henry Hodgson M.M. Lieutenant – 4th Battalion Middlesex Regiment

John Henry Hodgson was born in High Moorsley, Co Durham in 1892. His father James worked for the Prudential Assurance Company. He was one of 6 children and worked as a mercery clerk.

Little is known of his schooling. He enlisted in the 3rd Hussars and embarked

st th overseas on 31 May 1915. He was commissioned to 4 Battalion Middlesex Regiment on 10th October 1916. He was awarded the Military Medal during his time as a private soldier.

The 1918 Spring Offensive, or Kaiserschlacht ("Kaiser's Battle"), also known as the Ludendorff Offensive, was a series of German attacks along the Western Front during the First World War, beginning on 21 March 1918, which marked the deepest advances by either side since 1914. The Germans had realised that their only remaining chance of victory was to defeat the Allies before the overwhelming human and matériel resources of the United States could be fully deployed. They also had the temporary advantage in numbers afforded by the nearly 50 divisions which had been freed by the Russian withdrawal from the war by the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. There were four German offensives, codenamed Michael, Georgette, Gneisenau, and Blücher- Yorck. Michael was the main attack, which was intended to break through the Allied lines, outflank the British forces, which held the front from the Somme River to the English Channel and defeat the British Army. Once that was achieved, it was hoped that the French would seek armistice terms. The other offensives were subsidiary to Michael and were designed to divert Allied forces from the main offensive effort on the Somme. Lieutenant John Henry Hodgson was killed in action on 30th April 1918. He was 26 years old. He is buried at Couin New British Cemetery, France

Couin Chateau was used as a divisional headquarters from 1915 to 1918. The BRITISH CEMETERY was begun in May 1916 by the field ambulances of the 48th (South Midland) Division, and was used by units and field ambulances during the Battle of the Somme in 1916. It was closed at the end of January 1917 because further extension was not possible, and now contains 401 Commonwealth burials of the First World War and three German graves. The NEW BRITISH CEMETERY was opened across the road and was used by field ambulances from January 1917 (with a long interval in 1917-18) to the end of the war. One grave was moved there after the Armistice from a cemetery at Coigneux. It now contains 360 Commonwealth burials of the First World War and two German war graves. Both cemeteries were designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.

Great War medal entitlements: The 1914 Star, The British War Medal and The Victory Medal

Alan Edward Aklalo Jacobs M.C. 2nd Lieutenant, 8th Batt. East Surrey Regiment

Alan Edward Aklalo Jacobs was born in Tooting in 1895 to Edward Aflalo Jacobs and Elizabeth Amy Jacobs. They lived at Henley Lodge, Ravensbourne Park, Catford.

He attended St Dunstan’s School in Catford and is remembered on their roll of honour. His was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 8th Battalion East Surrey Regiment. His commission appeared in the London Gazette of 12 February 1915

Alan was awarded the Military Cross in 1916. The citation for his Military Cross was gazetted on 16th May 1916, it reads: “For conspicuous gallantry on several occasions, notably when, after having been for the moment forced back by a very superior number of the enemy, he rallied his platoon, and led it in a counter-attack, by which the enemy were driven back again”

8th East Surrey Regiment 1916, Erquinghem, France On the 4th August the 8th Battalion move from Erquinghem to relieve 1/3rd New Zealand R.B. It was remarked by all ranks how clean the trench was. On the 5th the German Artiliaty had registered the trenches and were bombing with whizz bangs and trench mortars. On 6th August the Germans increased their bombardment and retaliation was requested. British 18pr guns fire on the German front line. After midnight on 7th August the German bombardment increased with up to six trench mortars being fired continuously for over an hour. The regimental diary for 7th August reports; “we suffered the following casualties during the bombardment: Killed 15 O.R. Wounded 29 O.R. Missing 2 O.R. and one officer 2/Lt A.E.A. Jacobs. 2nd Lieutenant Alan Edward Aflalo Jacobs M.C was killed in action on 7th August 1916. He has no know grave and remembered on the Ploegsteert Memorial. He was 21 years old,

The PLOEGSTEERT MEMORIAL commemorates more than 11,000 servicemen of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in this sector during the First World War and have no known grave. The memorial serves the area from the line Caestre-Dranoutre-Warneton to the north, to Haverskerque-Estaires- Fournes to the south, including the towns of Hazebrouck, Merville, Bailleul and Armentieres, the Forest of Nieppe, and Ploegsteert Wood. The cemetery, cemetery extension and memorial were designed by Harold Chalton Bradshaw, with sculpture by Gilbert Ledward.

Great War medal entitlements: Military Cross, The 1915 Star, The British War Medal and The Victory Medal

Alexis Randolph Kingcombe Lieutenant, 11th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment

Alexis Randolph Kingcombe was born in 1893 and the only son of Mr and Mrs A.W. Kingcombe of 68 Salford Road, Streatham Hill, London. His father is a solicitor and Alexis was studying law at the outbreak of the war. A newspaper obituary described him; “He was a young fellow of fine physique and stood 6ft 2in. in height. He was born at Catford and was educated at Felton School, where is served with the O.T.C. He was a member of Catford Bridge Rugby Club and played at three quarter”

At the outbreak of the war Alexis enlisted in the London Rifle Brigade and proceeded to France with that regiment in early November 1914. He was commissioned to 11th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment in late November 1914. He joined the 11th Battalion in Darlington and was promoted to assistant adjutant. In May 1915 he was transferred to the Royal Dublin Fusiliers and was sent to the Dardenelles with this regiment.

Battle of Gully Ravin The Battle of Gully Ravin was fought at Cape Helles on the Gallipoli peninsula. By June 1915 all thoughts the Allies had of a swift decisive victory over the Ottoman Empire had vanished. The preceding Third Battle of Krithia and the attack at Gully Ravine had limited objectives and had much in common with the trench warfare prevailing on the Western Front. Unlike previous Allied attacks at Helles, the Gully Ravine action was largely successful at achieving its objectives though at a typically high cost in casualties. From War Diary of Royal Dublin Fusiliers 28th June 1915 “Casualties 9 officers (Capt L E George attached from 9 Somerset LI, Capt A Dickenson attached from 11 Yorks Regt, Capt R F Rogers attached from 14 Rifle Brigade, Capt H M Floyd of 1 RDF, Lt L C Banstead of 1RDF, Lt H G Rogers attached from 9 Somerset LI, Lt A J Halstead attached from 15th Rifle Brigade, Lt A R Kingcombe attached from 11 Yorks Regt, Lt A R Kinght attached from 14th Rifle Brigade) and 45 other ranks killed, 1 officer (Lt R G S Rucker attached from 14th Rifle Brigade) and 138 other ranks wounded, 1 officer (Lt A C C Taylor of 1RDF) and 42 other ranks missing, 4 OR sick. Strength after the attack stood at 8 officers and 669 other ranks.” Lieutenant Alexis Randolph Kingcombe was killed in action on 28th June 1915. He was 22 years old. He is buried at Twelve Tree Copse Cemetery, Gallipoli.

Twelve Tree Copse Cemetery was made after the Armistice when graves were brought in from isolated sites and small burial grounds on the battlefields of April-August and December 1915. The most significant of these burial grounds were Geoghegan's Bluff Cemetery, which contained 925 graves associated with fighting at Gully Ravine in June-July 1915

Great War medal entitlements: The 1915 Star, The British War Medal and The Victory Medal

George Gilbert Onslow Master Lieutenant – 1/4th Bn. Gloucestershire Regiment

th George Gilbert Onslow Master was born in 16 February 1894 in South Africa. His father was Charles Onslow Master and his mother was Wilhelmina Franken. He had one brother and one sister. In 1911 he is living in Bourton Grange, Flax Bourton, Somerset. He was admitted to Trinity College, Cambridge as a pensioner on 25th June 1913. He is remembered on the Great War Memorial in Trinity College Chapel, Cambridge. George joined the 1/4th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment as a 2nd Lieutenant on 21st August 1914. His promotion was mentioned in The London Gazette (Gazetted) on 29th September 1914.

1/4th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment The first-line territorial regiments proceeded to France in March 1915 as part of the 48th (South Midland) Division; the 1/4th and 1/6th Battalions in the 144th Brigade, and the 1/5th Battalion in the 145th Brigade. Their first significant experience of battle came during the Somme offensive; on 16 July, during the Battle of Bazentin, the 1/4th Battalion fought north of Ovillers, and the 1/5th and 1/6th Battalions went into action in the same area on 20 and 21 July respectively. They returned to the area during the Battle of Pozières and fought a number of actions between 13 and 27 August. The Battle of Pozières (23 July – 3 September 1916) took place in France around the village of Pozières, during the Battle of the Somme. The costly fighting ended with the British in possession of the plateau north and east of the village, in a position to menace the Germanbastion of Thiepval from the rear. The Australian official historian Charles Bean wrote that Pozières ridge "is more densely sown with Australian sacrifice than any other place on earth." In the fighting around Pozières the 48th Division suffered 2,844 casualties from 16–28 July and 2,505 more from 13 August.The 1st Australian Division lost 7,700 men, the 2nd Australian Division had 8,100 casualties and the 4th Australian Division lost 7,100 men. From 27 July – 13 August the 12th Division had 2,717 casualties. George Gilbert Onslow Master was killed in action on 25th July 1916. He was 23 year old. He is buried at Bouzincourt Communal Cemetery Extension, Somme, France. At the request of his father the inscription on his grave reads ‘In ever loving memory of our beloved son’

Bouzincourt was used as a field ambulance station from early in 1916 to February 1917, when the Allied line went forward from the Ancre. It was in German hands for a few days in the spring of 1918. BOUZINCOURT COMMUNAL CEMETERY was used for burials from March to July 1916 and again from April to June 1918; it contains 33 Commonwealth burials of the First World War. The adjoining CEMETERY EXTENSION was begun in May 1916 and used until February 1917. In the early part of July 1916, it was used not only for burials from the field ambulances but also for the interment of many soldiers killed in action and brought back from the line. The extension was reopened from the end of March 1918 until the following September. In 1919, 20 graves were brought from the immediate neighbourhood of Bouzincourt and 108 more were brought from the various Somme battlefields. The extension was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.

Great War medal entitlements: The 1914 Star, The British War Medal and The Victory Medal

Ernest Septimus Miller Private 2191 - City Of London Yeomanry (Rough Riders)

Ernest Septimus Miller was born in 1888 in Lewisham. He was seventh of eight children born to George and Emily Miller. In 1891 the family were living at 1 John’s Place, Lewisham. His father was a house decorator and by 1901 he was a building materials dealer. By 1911, Ernest’s father had died and the family (Ernest’s mother and two siblings) were now living at

Clarendon Road, Lewisham. Ernest was working as an assistant teacher. Between 1911 and 1915 he married Gladys. Following the war Gladys remarried and moved to Chichester Ernest enlisted in the City of London Yeomanry in early 1915 and was posted to Gallipoli in May 1915.

The Gallipoli Campaign The eight-month campaign in Gallipoli was fought by Commonwealth and French forces in an attempt to force Turkey out of the war, to relieve the deadlock of the Western Front in France and Belgium, and to open a supply route to Russia through the Dardanelles and the Black Sea. The Allies landed on the peninsula on 25-26 April 1915; the 29th Division at Cape Helles in the south and the Australian and New Zealand Corps north of Gaba Tepe on the west coast, an area soon known as Anzac. On 6 August, further troops were put ashore at Suvla, just north of Anzac, and the climax of the campaign came in early August when simultaneous assaults were launched on all three fronts. The aim of the Suvla force had been to quickly secure the sparsely held high ground surrounding the bay and salt lake, but confused landings and indecision caused fatal delays allowing the Turks to reinforce and only a few of the objectives were taken with difficulty. Green Hill and Chocolate Hill (which form together Yilghin Burnu), rise from the eastern shore of the salt lake. They were captured on 7 August 1915 by the 6th Lincolns and the 6th Border Regiment but once taken, no further advance was then made. On the two following days, unsuccessful efforts were made to push on along the ridge of 'W' Hill (Ismail Oglu Tepe), leading to Anafarta Sagir and on 21 August, the attack of the 11th and 29th Divisions and the 2nd South Midland Mounted Brigade to take Scimitar Hill, although pressed with great resolution, left the front line where it had been. Private Ernest Septimus Miller was killed in action 21st August 1915 and is buried at Green Hill Cemetery, Gallipoli. He was 27 years old. The inscription on his headstone reads;

“HE ANSWERED THE CALL OF DUTY, HIS NAME LIVETH FOR EVER. GLADYS”

Green Hill Cemetery was made after the Armistice when isolated graves were brought in from the battlefields of August 1915 and from small burial grounds in the surrounding area. There are now 2,971 servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 2,472 of the burials are unidentified but special memorials commemorate a number of casualties known or believed to be buried among them.

Great War medal entitlements: The 1915 Star, The British War Medal and The Victory Medal

John Alborough Mouat-Biggs Captain, 3rd Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment

John Alborough Mouat-Biggs was born an only child in 1894 at Bideford in Devon. He attended Bedford Modern School and is remembered in their First Wold War Roll of Honour. He was gazetted as a lieutenant to Royal Irish Regiment on 8th May 1915 and it is believed promoted to captain on 1st July 1917. His mother was widowed and by start of the war she was living at 28, Pickwick Road, Dulwich Village, SE 21.

Operation Michael On 21 March 1918, the Germans launched Operation MICHAEL, the main offensive of the German Spring Offensive (or Kaiserschlact), at 0440 hours when their heaviest preparatory artillery bombardment yet seen on the Western Front pounded the British around St Quentin in depth with the forward trenches receiving mustard, chlorine and tear gas thickened by smoke. Then at 0940 hours the Germans attacked using their recently developed ‘Offensive in Trench Warfare’ tactics. Elite infiltrating stormtroopers led the assault and the infantry followed, attacking out of an early morning mist made dense by artillery and trench mortar smoke. Among the Irish infantry facing the German spring offensive were the 1st, 7th, 8th and 9th Battalion The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers; the 1st, 2nd, 12th and 15th Battalion The Royal Irish Rifles and the 1st and 9th Battalion The Royal Irish Fusiliers; the 1st Battalion The London Irish Rifles in another area bore the brunt of a German attack supporting Operation MICHAEL around St Quentin. In the 36th (Ulster) Division's 108 Brigade, the 1st Faughs (1st Batt RIR), (soon lost contact with 12 RIR in the Forward Zone; the intense enemy artillery barrage cutting all communications. As the Rifles fought desperately throughout the morning against the German infantry, the attack against the 1st Faughs did not arrive until 1300 hours; the 12th Battalion was annihilated. Because flanking units fell back under the enemy pressure, 1st Faughs became isolated until 9th Faughs moved forward into line on the left. By dusk, for fear of being isolated again, both Battalions had withdrawn. The 1st Faughs' casualties were estimated at the time as 10 men known to be dead, one officer and 55 men wounded and nine officers and 275 other ranks missing - many of those missing were later discovered to be casualties. The 9th Battalion was even less certain of its losses. On 22nd March, Captain John Alborough Mouat-Biggs was wounded and was captured by the Germans. He died of his wounds and was buried in a battlefield cemetery. He is now buried at Honnechy British Cemetery. His mother requested the following be inscribed on his headstone;

“MAY LIGHT PERPETUAL SHINE UPON HIM”

Honnechy British Cemetery was part of the battlefield of Le Cateau in August 1914, and from that time it remained in German hands until the 9th October 1918, when the 25th Division and the 6th Cavalry Brigade captured it. It had been a German Hospital centre, and from its capture until the end of October it was a British Field Ambulance centre.

Great War medal entitlements: The 1915 Star, The British War Medal and The Victory Medal

Henry Charles Neal Rifleman 571436 – 2nd / 17th London Regiment (Poplar & Stepney Rifles

th Henry Charles Neal was born in Camberwell in 1895, 6 child of Albert and Susannah Neal. In 1911 they were living at 6 Caitlin Road, Bermondsey, East London. Henry was working as an officer messenger for a stationary company. Henry joined the 17th Batt. London Regiment in 1916 and went overseas with his th battalion when it was mobilised in June 1916 to Harve. In November 1916, 17 th Batt was deployed to Salonika as part of 60 (London) Division and in June 1917 redeployed to Egypt as part of the Egypt Expeditionary Force in 1917.

Second Transjordan attack on Shunet Nimrin and Es Salt The 1918 the 2nd / 17th London Regiment (Poplar and Stepney Rifles) were part of 60th (London) Division, Egypt Expeditionary Force (EEF). The Second Transjordan attack on Shunet Nimrin and Es Salt, officially known by the British as the Second action of Es Salt and by others as the Second Battle of the Jordan, was fought east of the Jordan River between 30 April and 4 May 1918, during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of the First World War. The battle followed the failure of the First Transjordan attack on Amman fought at the beginning April. During this second attack across the Jordan River, fighting occurred in three main areas. The first area in the Jordan Valley between Jisr ed Damieh and Umm esh Shert the Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF) defended their advanced position against an attack by units of the Seventh Army based in the Nablus region of the Judean Hills. The second area on the eastern edge of the Jordan Valley where the Ottoman Army garrisons at Shunet Nimrin and El Haud, on the main road from Ghoraniyeh to Amman were attacked by the 60th (London) Division many of whom had participated in the First Transjordan attack. The third area of fighting occurred after Es Salt was captured by the light horse brigades to the east of the valley in the hills of Moab, when they were strongly counterattacked by Ottoman forces converging on the town from both Amman and Nablus. The strength of these Ottoman counterattacks forced the EEF mounted and infantry forces to withdraw back to the Jordan Valley where they continued the Occupation of the Jordan Valley during the summer until mid-September when the Battle of Megiddo began. Private Henry Charles Neal was killed on 2nd May 1918. He has no known grave and is remembered on The Jerusalem Memorial.

Jeruselem War Cemetery This cemetery was begun after the occupation of the city, with 270 burials. It was later enlarged to take graves from the battlefields and smaller cemeteries in the neighbourhood. There are now 2,514 Commonwealth burials of the First World War in the cemetery, 100 of them unidentified. Within the cemetery stands the JERUSALEM MEMORIAL, commemorating 3,300 Commonwealth servicemen who died during the First World War in operations in Egypt or Palestine and who have no known grave. The memorial was designed by Sir John Burnet, with sculpture by Gilbert Bayes. In addition, the mosaic in the Memorial Chapel was designed by Robert Anning Bell. The Memorial was unveiled by Lord Allenby and Sir James Parr on 7 May 1927.

Great War medal entitlements: The British War Medal and The Victory Medal

John O’Callaghan L/10353 – 1st Battalion Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment

John O’Callaghan was born in Deptford in 1895 to Michael and Ellen O’Callaghan of Deptford. John worked as a labourer at the Peek Freans biscuit factory in Bermondsey. He joined the Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment (RWK) special reserves as private 8895 on 27th November 1913. He enlisted in the 1st

Battalion Royal West Kent Regiment (Regular Army) on a short service contract on 27th April and was posted to his battalion in Dublin 30th April 1914.

The Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment (Regular Army) The 1st Battalion, which was a Regular Army unit stationed in Dublin at the outbreak of war in August 1914, was one of the first units to be moved to France where it became part of the 13th Brigade in the 5th Division.[11] Among its first major engagements were the Battle of Monson 23 August and the Battle of Le Cateau three days later. In October, the battalion made a heroic stand at the Battle of Neuve Chapelle; being the only unit not to fall back. Out of 750 men, only 300 commanded by a lieutenant and a second lieutenant survived. Apart from a brief period from December 1917 to April 1918, when it was moved with the 5th Division to the Italian Front, the 1st Battalion was stationed on the Western Front for the duration of the war. The 2nd Battalion was shipped from Multan to Mesopotamia, via Bombay, arriving in Basra in February 1915, where it was attached to the 12th Indian Brigade. Two companies were attached to the 30th Indian Brigade (part of the 6th (Poona) Division) and were captured in the Siege of Kut in April 1916. The remaining companies were attached to 34th Indian Brigade (part of 15th Indian Division), and were transferred to 17th Indian Division in August 1917. The 2nd Battalion remained in Mesopotamia for the duration of the war. Private John O’Callaghan died in a swimming accident on 7th September 1915. He is buried at Carnoy Military Cemetery, Somme, France

Carnoy Military Cemetery The cemetery was begun in August 1915, by the 2nd King's Own Scottish Borderers and the 2nd King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, when the village was immediately South of the British front line. It continued in use by troops holding this sector until July, 1916, when Field Ambulances came up and a camp was established on the higher ground North of the village. It was closed in March 1917. From March to August 1918, it was in German hands, and German (and a few British) graves were made between the British graves and the entrance, and also in a German Cemetery alongside; but the German graves and the German Cemetery were removed in 1924.

Great War medal entitlements: The 1914 Star, The British War Medal and The Victory Medal

Herbert Thomas Pethybridge Driver 209040, 317th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery

Herbert Thomas Pethybridge was born in 1880 to William and Hannah Pethybridge of Deptford, London

He married Norah Francis Baxter at St. John the Evangelist, East

Dulwich on 15th June 1905. His son Harold William was born in 1907.

In 1911 the family lived at 77 Culverley Road, Catford. Harold had a business as a paper merchant.

After the Battle of Cambrai, the allies advanced almost 2 miles (3.2 km) and liberated the French towns of Navesand Thun-Saint-Martin. Although the capture of Cambrai was achieved significantly quicker than expected and with moderately low casualties, German resistance northeast of the town stiffened. By 11 October, the Fourth Army had closed up on the retreating Germans near Le Cateau, with the Germans taking up a new position, immediately to the east of the Selle River. General Henry Rawlinson was faced with three problems: crossing the river, the railway embankment on the far side and the ridge above the embankment. The decision was made to commence the assault at night and as the river was not very wide at this point, planks would be used for the soldiers to cross in single file. Later, pontoons would be required for the artillery to cross the river. Field Marshal Douglas Haig, aware that the Germans were near exhaustion, initiated a series of operations designed to get British troops in strength across the river and clear a way for a move against the Sambre–Oise Canal, a further 5 miles (8.0 km) to the east.

Driver Herbert Thomas Pethybridge was wounded and probably brought to 21st and 48th causualty Clearing station at Ytres. He died of his wounds on 29th October 1918 and was buried at Rocquingny Equancourt Road British Cemetery, Manancourt, France. He was 38 years old. The inscription from his wife reads:

“OUR DEAR BERT FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH AT REST TILL HE COME”

ROCQUIGNY-EQUANCOURT ROAD BRITISH CEMETERY, MANANCOURT Etricourt was occupied by Commonwealth troops at the beginning of April 1917 during the German withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line. It was lost on the 23 March 1918 when the Germans advanced, but regained at the beginning of September. The cemetery was begun in 1917 and used until March 1918, mainly by the 21st and 48th Casualty Clearing Station`s posted at Ytres, and to a small extent by the Germans, who knew it as "Etricourt Old English Cemetery". Burials were resumed by Commonwealth troops in September 1918 and the 3rd Canadian and 18th Casualty Clearing Stations buried in it in October and November 1918. The cemetery contains 1,838 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 21 of the burials are unidentified and nine Commonwealth graves made by the Germans which cannot now be found are represented by special memorials. The cemetery also contains 198 German war burials and the graves of ten French civilians. The cemetery was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.

Great War medal entitlements: The 1914 Star, The British War Medal and The Victory Medal

John George Ridler Lieutenant, ‘Anson’ Battalion, Royal Naval Reserve

John George Ridler was born in 1883, the eldest son of John and Magdalene Ridler of Brockley Kent. He attended Aske’s Boy’s School, Hatcham, Kent He immigrated to the USA in 1911 and became a journalist for the St Paul Pioneer Press, Minnesota. He returned to England on the outbreak of war th in August 1914 and joined 25 Battalion (Cyclists) The London Regiment (TF). John was a NCO in this Territorial regiment prior to leaving for the USA. He was gazetted as a sub-lieutenant Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve on 27th April 1915 and promoted to Lieutenant on 2nd January 1918. He married Beatrice Lansford in August 1915 and they had a daughter, Constance Beatrice Anson Ridler in 1918.

He served with ‘Anson’ Battalion as part of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force at Gallipoli from September 1915; after the evacuation of the Peninsula he served with Eastern Mediterranean Squadron, proceeding to Salonika with ‘Anson’ Battalion, Royal Naval Division in February 1916. The following May he served with the Battalion in France and was wounded at the Battle on Ancre 1916 and was invalided home to England. He returned to his Battalion in December 1917

Royal Naval Division On 16 August 1914, Winston Churchill the First Lord of the Admiralty, decided to embody two more naval brigades with surplus men of the Naval Reserve, to join with the Marine Brigade to produce a composite Royal Naval Division. A few petty officers and ratings were transferred from the navy to provide a cadre and some officers were provided by the army but most of the recruits were reservists or men who had volunteered on the outbreak of war. The eight battalions were named after naval commanders, Drake, Benbow, Hawke, Collingwood, Nelson, Howe, Hood and Anson, Lieutenant John George Ridler was killed in action near Martinpuich, Somme, France on 25th March 1918. He was 35 years old. He has no known grave and is remembered on the Arras Memorial His battalion commander wrote: “He was an extremely gallant officer, and had won the admiration of all by his cheerfulness and courage in the face of danger and hardship” Another officer: “His utter disregard of self-preservation in his keenness for his company’s welfare was amazing” Arras Memorial The memorial commemorates almost 35,000 servicemen from the United Kingdom, South Africa and New Zealand who died in the Arras sector between the spring of 1916 and 7 August 1918, the eve of the Advance to Victory, and have no known grave.

Great War medal entitlements: The 1914 Star, The British War Medal and The Victory Medal

Joseph Leonard Roe Private 3414 - 10th (Scots) Battalion, The King’s (Liverpool) Regiment

Joseph Leonard Roe was born in Totnes, Devon in 1892 to Francis and Mary Roe. His father was a wholesale grocer assistant. Joseph’s mother died in 1898 and his father in 1902. The 1911 census showed Joseph as a boarder at Blundell’s School, Tiverton, Devon and he remembered on their roll of honour. Joseph joined the army shortly after the start of the war. He was attested into 10th (Scottish) Battalion, The King's (Liverpool) Regiment on 28th August 1914. On 1st November 1914 he embarked for France with his regiment to join the British Expeditionary Force.

When war was declared in August 1914, the Liverpool Scottish mobilised and moved to Scotland under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel William Nicholl, with the rest of the South Lancashire Brigade, as part of the defences of the Firth of Forth. Duplicate battalions were formed in Liverpool from personnel unable to volunteer for overseas service. The second-line battalion, designated as the 2/10th to distinguish it from the original, was organised in October, the third-line in May 1915. They became responsible for the training of recruits and provision of drafts for overseas service. The 2/10th, raised and organised by Captain (later Lieutenant-Colonel) Adam Fairrie, was committed to the Western Front in 1917. The third-line remained in Britain for the duration of the war. Considered by contemporaries to be socially élite and reasonably well-trained compared to other territorial units, the 1/10th volunteered for overseas service and became the seventh territorial battalion to be dispatched to the Western Front. The battalion took passage aboard the SS Maidan at Southampton on 1 November 1914, completing its disembarkation at Le Havre on the morning of the third with the Queen's Westminster Rifles. The battalion's original strength - those who qualified for the 1914 Star - became known as the "Maidaners" in reference to the vessel.

Joseph Leonard Roe was taken ill on 14th November and taken off the line. He was admitted to 10th Stationary Hospital, St Omar. On 29th November he was transferred to the General Hospital in Rouen and then returned to England. His diagnosis was ‘Myalgia’, Bronchitis’ & ‘Diarrhoea’ Private Joseph Roe died on 4th April 1916 at his uncle’s house in Weston-Super-Mare. The cause of death was pulmonary tuberculosis. He is buried with his mother and father at Follaton Municipal Cemetery, Totnes, Devon He is remembered on the Roll of Honour at Blundell’s School

Great War medal entitlements: The 1914 Star, The British War Medal and The Victory Medal

Charles Henry Sargeant Private 3/8092 – 2nd battalion Northamptonshire Regiment

Charles Henry Sargeant was born in St. Peter’s, Northampton in 1891 to Thomas and Emily Sargeant. His occupation in 1911 was a shoe hand assembler. His father also works in the shoe trade. Charles enlisted shortly after the outbreak of war in August 1914. He joined the Northampton Regiment at Landguard, Essex and departed to France th with his battalion on 20 September 1914. The 2nd Battalion, which had been in Alexandria, returned to England and then landed at Le Havre as part of the 24th Brigade in the 8th Division in November 1914 also for service on the Western Front.

The Battle of Aubers Ridge The battle was the initial British component of the combined Anglo-French offensive known as the Second Battle of Artois. The French commander-in-chief, Joseph Joffre, had enquired of Sir John French, commander of the British Expeditionary Force, if British units could support a French offensive into the Douai Plain around late April or early May 1915. The immediate French objectives were to capture the heights at Notre Dame de Lorette and the Vimy Ridge. The British First Army was further north, between La Bassée and Ypres (Belgium). It was decided that the British forces would attack in the southern half of their front line, near the village of Laventie. Their objective in the flat and poorly drained terrain was Aubers Ridge, an area of slightly higher ground 2–3 kilometres (1.2–1.9 mi) wide marked by the villages of Aubers, Fromelles and Le Maisnil. The area had been attacked in the Battle of Neuve Chapelle two months earlier. The battle marked the second use of specialist Royal Engineer tunnelling companies, when men of 173rd Tunnelling Company tunnelled under no man's land and planted minesunder the German defences to be blown at zero hour. Private Charles Henry Sargeant was killed in action on 9th May 1915. He is buried on Le Trou Aid Post Cemetery. The inscription from his mother reads;

“Rest in Peace”

Le Trou Aid Post Cemetery, Fleurbaix In October 1914 British soldiers serving in the Fleurbaix sector began burying their fallen comrades beside a regimental aid post and dressing station located not far from the support trenches that led to the front-line. Le Trou Aid Post cemetery was used until July 1915 and when the war ended it contained just 123 burials. In the years after the Armistice, the cemetery was enlarged when the remains of Commonwealth soldiers were brought here from other burial grounds and battlefields throughout the region. The cemetery is now the final resting place of officers and men killed in heavy fighting at Le Maisnil in October 1914, the Battle of Aubers Ridge (9- 10 May 1915), the Battle of Loos (25 September – 14 October 1915), and the Battle of Fromelles (19-20 July 1916). The unique architectural features and landscaping in the cemetery were designed by Sir Herbert Baker, the celebrated British architect who also designed the Indian Memorial at Neuve Chapelle.

Great War medal entitlements: The 1914 Star, The British War Medal and The Victory Medal

William Charles Wilson Petty Officer – Royal Navy

William Charles Wilson was born in Mawnan, Cornwall in 1882 to Charles and Priscilla Wilson. In 1916 his family are living parents lived at 3 Hoe Park Terrace, Plymouth. William joined the Royal Navy in 1900. His first ship was

HMS ‘Impregnable’. He served on several ships and was ‘passed educationally for Petty Officer’ in 1908. He was promoted to Petty Officer on HMS ‘Leander’ November 1912. He joined HMS ‘Indefatigable’ in June 1915.

The Battle of Jutland (German: Skagerrakschlacht, the Battle of Skagerrak) was a naval battle fought by Britain's Royal Navy Grand Fleet under Admiral Sir John Jellicoe, against the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet under Vice-Admiral Reinhard Scheer during the First World War. The battle unfolded in extensive manoeuvring and three main engagements (the battlecruiser action, the fleet action and the night action), from 31 May to 1 June 1916, off the North Sea coast of Denmark's Jutland Peninsula. It was the largest naval battle and the only full-scale clash of battleships in the war. Jutland was the third fleet action between steel battleships, following the smaller but more decisive battles of the Yellow Sea (1904) and Tsushima (1905) during the Russo- Japanese War. Jutland was the last major battle in world history fought primarily by battleships. HMS Indefatigable was the lead ship of her class of three battlecruisers built for the Royal Navy during the first decade of the 20th Century. When the First World War began, Indefatigable was serving with the 2nd Battlecruiser Squadron (BCS) in the Mediterranean, where she unsuccessfully pursued the battlecruiser Goeben and the light cruiser Breslau of the German Imperial Navy as they fled towards the Ottoman Empire. The ship bombarded Ottoman fortifications defending the Dardanelles on 3 November 1914, then, following a refit in Malta, returned to the United Kingdom in February where she rejoined the 2nd BCS. HMS Indefatigable was sunk on 31 May 1916 during the Battle of Jutland, the largest naval battle of the war. Part of Vice-Admiral Sir David Beatty's Battlecruiser Fleet, she was hit several times in the first minutes of the "Run to the South", the opening phase of the battlecruiser action. Shells from the German battlecruiser Von der Tann caused an explosion ripping a hole in her hull, and a second explosion hurled large pieces of the ship 200 feet (60 m) in the air. Only three of the crew of 1,019 survived. Petty Officer William Charles Wilson was killed in action on 31st May 1916. He was 34 years old. He has no know grave and remembered on The Plymouth Naval Memorial, Hoe, Plymouth.

The Plymouth Naval Memorial An Admiralty committee recommended that the three manning ports in Great Britain - Chatham, Plymouth and Portsmouth - should each have an identical memorial of unmistakable naval form, an obelisk, which would serve as a leading mark for shipping. The Plymouth Naval Memorial was unveiled by HRH Prince George on 29 July 1924.

Great War medal entitlements: The 1914 Star, The British War Medal and The Victory Medal