Pupils of Gordon’s Boys Home who died in the Great War 1914-1919 No. 1884

William Thomas Sherman was born in Northampton on the 21st October 1890 the only child of William Elliott Sherman (Blacksmith) and Rosetta (nee Munton). (He was baptised on the 18th September 1900 at St. Edmunds Ch., Northampton.)

On the 1891 census taken on the 5th April William was aged “under 5/12” and the family were living at 69 Talbot Rd., Northampton.

When the census was taken on the 31st March 1901 the family had moved to 4 Bouverie St., Northampton. In the same year his mother died, her death registered in Northampton in the 2nd quarter and later that year his father married Elizabeth Seal Peggs (nee Elliot) a widow with 3 daughters and a son.

He joined Gordon’s on the 6th February 1905 and had the number 1884. He was 4ft-10in (1.5m) tall had a chest measurement of 27ins (68cm) and weighed 82lbs (37kgs). Prior to joining he had been an errand boy earning 2s-6d (25p) a week. His father was earning £2-6s -0d a week and agreed to pay the Home 2/6d (25p) a week for William. When he was medically assessed he had a slight hernia. He left Gordon’s in 1908

William Thomas enlisted in the Northamptonshire Regiment in October/November 1908 and was allocated the Regimental number 8729.

When the census was taken in 1911 he was a Private in the 2nd Battalion serving in Malta.

The 2nd Battalion were in Alexandria, Egypt when war broke out in August 1914. They returned to England, in October and joined 24th Brigade, 8th Division.

They proceeded to landing at Le Harve on the 5th of November 1914, a much needed reinforcement to the BEF.

In 1915 they were in action at The 10th March – 22nd April and The Battle of on the 9th May.

It was at the latter that William Thomas was killed in action. His body was never identified and he is remembered on the Ploegsteert Memorial.

He was awarded the 1914 Star & Clasp and also the British War and Victory Medals.

His father would have received his medals and also the Death Plaque and Scroll. No record of his “Effects” have been found.

Sources. 1, 2, 3(C), 6(M), 7(a &b), 9, 11, 13 & 14(a)

References 1. UK, Soldiers Died in WW1 (Details, often including place of enlistment) 2. Commonwealth War Graves Commission (Cemetery or Memorial) & relatives? 3. 1901 census (Military (M) or (C)) 4. 1901 census (Gordon Boys Home - Age only) 5. 1911 census (Gordon Boys Home - Age, place of birth and Trade) 6. 1911 census (Military (M) or Civilian. (C)). 7. Army Medal Card 7(a) - Rolls 7(b) - Effects 7(c) 8. Naval and marines medal roll 9. www.1914-1918 or Long Long Trail (Division, Regiment & Battalion dispositions) 10. Service Record (some survived WW2 blitz - various state of damage) 11. Reference literature (Specific) Long Long Trail - Paul Noble - 12. National Archive Naval Records. Pupils of Gordon’s Boys Home who died in the Great War 1914-1919 No. 1884

13. Army Service Numbers 1881-1914 - Paul Noble (Blog) 14. Gordon’s Records (a) The Children’s Society (b)

Both 1st & 2nd Battalions fought at the Battle of Aubers on the 9th .

Total casualties sustained on the 9th were 986 (1st Batt 560 & 2nd Batt 426) of which 461 were killed and a further 22 dying in the following 10 days.

Battle of Aubers (Condensed)

The British offensive on the 9th May was in support of a major French attack on Ridge that was planned for the 7th but due to bad weather this was postponed and both attacks took place on the 9th.

The British First Army planned a pincer attack against German positions to the north and south of Neuve Chapelle with Aubers Ridge, which overlooked the British lines, the first objective.

The Northern pincer would be made by 8th Division, moving south-east towards Rouges Bancs, then spreading to capture the line between and La Cliqueterie. The 7th Division was to be their reserve. The northern attack would be supported by the of the West Riding Division.

The Southern attack was to be made in easterly direction by the 1st and Meerut (Indian) Divisions, on a 2400-yard front with the 2nd Division (which contained the 1st/Northamptonshires) in reserve.

A second phase of the offensive, once the Aubers Ridge was captured, would be an advance to the Haute Deule Canal some five miles distant. No definite objectives were fixed for the day of attack; units were encouraged to press on as far as possible.

Northern pincer movement 5.00am: British bombardment opens with field guns firing shrapnel at the German wire and howitzers firing High Explosive shells onto front line. Many reports are received that British 4.7- inch shells are falling short, and even on and behind the British front line (Later it is agreed that this is due to faulty ammunition, as well as excessive wear to gun barrels).

5.30am: British bombardment intensifies, field guns switch to HE and also fire at breastworks. Two guns of 104th Battery, XXII Brigade RFA had been brought up into the 24th Brigade front and they now opened fire at point blank range against the enemy breastworks; they blow several gaps, although one of the guns is inaccurate due to the unstable ground on which it is located.

The lead battalions of the two assaulting Brigades of 8th Division, the 2/Northants and 2/East Lancashire of24th Brigade and the 2/Rifle Brigade, 1/Royal Irish Rifles and 1/13 London Regiment (Kensingtons) of 25th Brigade has move out into the narrow No Man's Land (in this area it is only 100-200 yards across) and German bayonets can be seen behind their parapet.

5.40am: On further advance the East Lancs are hit by heavy machine-gun and rifle fire by the time they had progressed thirty yards from their own trench; the Northants, coming up ten minutes later, were similarly hit, but a party got through one of the gaps blown by the field guns, and into the German front trench.

The attack of 25th Brigade is much more successful: the wire on the left had been well-cut and the infantry poured through, crossing the almost-undamaged breastworks and into the German fire trenches. They moved onto the first objective (a bend in the Fromelles road), and the Rifle Brigade bombers extended the trench system they occupied to 250 yards broad. On the blowing of two mines at 5.40am, the lead companies of the Kensingtons rushed to occupy the craters, moved forward to capture Delangre Farm, and then formed a defensive flank as ordered. Pupils of Gordon’s Boys Home who died in the Great War 1914-1919 No. 1884

6.10am: The 1/Notts & Derbys, are ordered to support the attack of the Lancashires, but they are also held up with high losses, at almost unbroken wire. The front and communication trenches are by now very crowded and chaotic; German shelling adds to confusion. By now, the fire across No Man's Land was so intense that forward movement was all but impossible. The support battalion of the 25th Brigade, the 2/Lincolns, was ordered forward, to cross by the craters; they did so, despite losing many men on the way. Men of the Brigade were at this time seen to be retiring to their front line, having apparently received a shouted order. German prisoners, making their way to the British lines, were mistaken for a counterattack and there was a great deal of confusion

8.30am: The attack had established three small lodgements in the enemy positions, but they were not in contact with each other and were under tremendous pressure. Otherwise the attack had come to a standstill and all movement into or out of the trench system had become impossible. The men in the German positions were cut off.

8.45am and again at 11.45am: Haig orders Rawlinson (CO, IV Corps) to vigorously press home the attack.

1.30pm: A renewed attack (with 2/Queens of 22nd Brigade in support), did not take place as the troops were heavily shelled in the assembly areas and many casualties were suffered even before the original support lines had been reached. Major-General Gough (CO, 7th Division, whose 21st Brigade had now also been ordered forward by Haig) reported that after a personal reconnaissance he was certain that forward movement was at the present time impossible.

5.00pm: General Haig, hearing of the continued failure of the Southern attack and the hold-up after initial success of the Northern attack, ordered a bayonet attack at dusk, 8.00pm.

6.00pm: With such chaos in the trench system and on the roads and tracks leading to it that it becomes clear that fresh units will not be ready for the 8pm attack and Haig cancelled the attack.

7.30pm: At a meeting of Corps Commanders it was decided to renew the attack next day, taking advantage of night to reorganise. Efforts were made throughout the evening to reinforce the small garrisons of the lodgements in the enemy trenches. During the evening 26 men of the 2/Northants, of which 10 were wounded, returned to the British front.

2.30am 10 May: The 200 or so surviving Rifle Brigade and Royal Irish Rifles were withdrawn from their position in the German trenches, all efforts to reinforce them having been repulsed.

3.00am 10 May: The last few Kensingtons also returned from their position; all British troops were now out of the German lines.

9.00am 10 May: The Army and Corps commanders learned that there was insufficient artillery ammunition to continue two attacks. They also heard that the 4.7-inch ammunition that had caused problems was too defective for further use and that the fuses on 15-inch heavy rounds were also defective and the shells simply did not burst on hitting the wet ground. All further orders for renewing the attack were cancelled at 1.20pm.

More than 11,000 British casualties were sustained on 9 May 1915, the vast majority within yards of their own front-line trench. The wounded British casualties from the 9 May attacks continued to move through the Field Ambulances for at least three days after the attack.

Pupils of Gordon’s Boys Home who died in the Great War 1914-1919 No. 1884

Mile for mile, Division for Division, this was one of the highest rates of loss during the entire war. British casualties in the Northern pincer on 9 May 1915 8th Division: 4,682 of which 192 officers 49th (West Riding) Division: 94 of which 2 officers 7th Division: 25 of which 1 officer

Worst infantry casualties in the Northern attack, by battalion 2/ Rifle Brigade 654, of which 21 officers First wave of 24th Brigade 1/ Royal Irish Rifles 467, of which 23 officers First wave of 25th Brigade 1/13/ London (Kensington) 436, of which 13 officers First wave of 25th Brigade 2/ Northamptonshire 426, of which 12 officers First wave of 24th Brigade

British casualties in the Southern pincer on 9 May 1915 1st Division: 3,968 of which 160 officers 7th (Meerut) Division: 2,629 of which 94 officers 47th (2nd London) Division: 79 of which 2 officers 2nd Division: 20 of which no officers

Worst infantry casualties in the Southern attack, by battalion 1/ Northamptonshire 560, of which 17 officers First wave of 2nd Brigade 2/ Royal Sussex 551, of which 14 officers First wave of 2nd Brigade 1/ 509, of which 21 officers First wave of Dehra Dun Brigade 1/ 475, of which 14 officers First wave of 1st Brigade 41st Dogras 411, of which 12 officers First wave of Bareilly Brigade 2/ 398, of which 19 officers First wave of 3rd Brigade 1/ Gloucestershire 262, of which 10 officers Afternoon attack of 3rd Brigade 2/ Welsh 256, of which 11 officers First wave of 3rd Brigade 2/ King's Royal Rifle Corps 251, of which 11 officers Support wave of 2nd Brigade 1/ Cameron Highlanders 249, of which 9 officers First wave of 1st Brigade 2/ Black Watch 234, of which 8 officers First wave of Bareilly Brigade 1/ South Wales Borderers 233, of which 9 officers Afternoon attack of 3rd Brigade 58th Rifles 232, of which 10 officers First wave of Bareilly Brigade 1/5/ Royal Sussex 202, of which 11 officers Support wave of 2nd Brigade 1/4/ Seaforth Highlanders 175, of which 3 officers First wave of Dehra Dun Brigade 1/4/ Black Watch 174, of which 7 officers First wave of Bareilly Brigade

This battle was an unmitigated disaster for the British army. No ground was won and no tactical advantage gained. It is very doubtful if it had the slightest positive effect on assisting the main French attack fifteen miles to the south.

There is no memorial to the attack at Auber’s Ridge.