THE SOMME BUGLE 11 SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

From Watford to Manchester Pal in just six months. Written By Rob Hewer Edited By Steve Berridge The almost lost archive. This story is about a young man, Harold Chilton who was conscripted in early 1916 at the age of 24 years. Friends of the Chilton Family have brought to my attention various documents that they discovered when the last surviving relative of Harold Chilton, his niece Coral, died and the house was cleared in 2010. But for their intervention, all this detail would have been thrown into the skip awaiting the contents of her home.

Harold Chilton was the youngest and only male child of his parents, James and Lydia Chilton, who lived at 52 Plough Cottage, Chenies, near Rickmansworth, Bucks. Harold had three older sisters of whom only one married. The village and Chenies Estate was owned at that time by the Duke of Bedford who lived at Woburn Abbey. The Duke's wife, however, Duchess Adeline, lived at Woodside House, Chenies. The village had about 250 residents most of whom worked for the Estate. The earliest part of Chenies Manor House was built in 1460. Harold worked as a gardener for Lady Ella Russell, the sister of the Duke of Bedford who lived at Chorleywood House about a mile from Chenies. Harold Chilton was a single man and still living with his parents at time of conscription. His parents did not want him to join up but, it was thought, he considered it all a great adventure, once conscripted.

Young Harold and his mother

Harold Chilton had not succumbed to the patriotic zeal and propaganda of Lord Kitchener, Rudyard Kipling and others, during the earlier years of the Great War. In 1915 he would have heard of the death of his cousin and fellow Chenies resident 2660 Pte Frank Chilton of the 3 Btn Royal Fusiliers who was killed on the 14 April 1915 at the Ypres Salient at age 25 years. He was also aware that his cousin's brother, K/1760 Leading Stoker James Chilton, was serving with the Royal Navy on HMS Indefatigible. He died in May 1916, some 3 months before Harold.

It is possible that Harold Chilton, as a single man, was subject of Lord Derby's Scheme which was described as “conscription in all but name”. The scheme “paid lip service to the ideal of a volunteer army”. Every man between the ages of nineteen and forty two was required to register. If he was not debarred from military service as being unfit or employed on work of national importance he would have had a choice. Either he could enlist immediately in the regiment of his choice, or he could wait to be called up in his category and sent wherever the army chose. He would have been given six weeks to make up his mind. Under Lord Derby's scheme the Government gave an assurance that no married men would be called until all the single men were in the ranks. (Macdonald 1993).

In January 1916 the Military Service Act was passed and conscription was introduced for all those eligible.

Harold Chilton reported to the Bedfordshire Regiment Headquarters at Bedford on 8 February 1916. Initially part of the Bedfordshire Regiment, at some time after training he was transferred to the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment.

Harold Chilton pictured here, front row second from the right.

The friends who saved the archive now in my hands asked me if I could discover more about the action in which Harold Chilton was killed. Perusal of several publications suggested that the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment were not active as a Regiment on the Somme Battlefield at the time of Harold Chilton's death on 3 September 1916. The answer to this puzzle lay in the saved documents, in particular a letter sent from the Somme Battlefield after Harold Chilton's death. Several days before his death Harold sent a pre-written card suggesting he was well. The card does not indicate this but he had been transferred to the 20th Battalion Manchester Regiment. He was now a 'Manchester Pal'.

HAROLD Chilton was killed on 3rd September 1916 during one of the early attacks to capture the village of Ginchy which is “situated on the crossing of six roads. It stood on a high plain that defended Combles which is four kms to the southeast. It was a forward position in the German defence line.” (Gliddon 1990).

General Rawlinson's 7th Division, (of which 20 Manchester's were a part) were set the task of capturing the heavily defended village of Ginchy and the high ground to the east of the village, on a line that was approximately north and south through Ginchy Telegraph, that is a high point and former site of a Napoleonic Semaphore Station. Ginchy was protected by a crescent-shaped defence line that ran from north to south and 'wrapped' itself around the village.

The trenches that were immediately in front of Ginchy, to the west, were Porter Trench and Stout Trench. To the north of them was Beer Trench and to the south, going towards Guillemont, was ZZ Trench. In addition to 7th Division forces, the 91st Brigade bombers, two battalions of the 22nd Brigade and also the 1st Royal Welch Fusilliers were involved in the 7th Division attack on this occasion. Earlier in the day attacks were made to capture the 'Alcohol Trenches' but not all attacks were successful. German troops remained in some strategically important positions. For several days before the attack the weather had deteriorated with heavy rain making the going very difficult.

Cuttell (2007) writes: “Five minutes before zero the 20th Manchester's and the Royal Welch Fusilliers moved forward from the assembly trenches. At 12.05pm the Manchester's on the right dashed across no-mans land, disappearing into the southern part of Ginchy. The Royal Welch Fusilliers on the left came under enfilade fire from the untaken Alcohol Trenches.

The right company (of the Royal Welch Fusilliers), overcoming the obstacles, entered Ginchy from the north but was not seen again. The support company had difficulty getting forward against the ever increasing fire from the front and flank but a few men reached the orchards to the north of Ginchy ...... The Manchester's had indeed remained in the village and were busy consolidating their position under fire from the Germans coming down from the north. A full counter attack developed driving the survivors ….. gradually west as far as Porter Trench to the west.

Later in the day the much depleted forces of the Manchester's retired from the line and were replaced by the Royal Irish who attacked again and occupied the village. German artillery, however, was very heavy and by mid evening the enemy had re-taken the village.

Also on that day at this site, 2nd Lt F. E. S. Phillips of the Royal Flying Corps was awarded the Military Cross for his patrol work. “On one occasion he came down very low and his machine was hit by machine gun and rifle fire. He carried on and successfully put the British artillery on to the enemy who were massing for a counter attack.” (Gliddon G.1994.p175).

“On 4th September another attack was made on Ginchy by the 9th Devons with the help of a company from the 2nd Border Regiment, both of the 20th Brigade of the 7th Division. They entered the village and later withdrew.” (Gliddon G 1990).

“In another narrow fronted attack Rawlinson threw in his 7th Division. From 4th September they hammered at the defences for three days – the Division was so decimated that it was unable to take any further active part for months. Only on 9th September after an attack by a full eight battalions of the 16th (Irish) Division did its defences fold.” (Barton 2006) p213.

For those who would wish to see the site of this attack, go to Flers and approach Ginchy from the north along the D20e. As you approach Ginchy, on the left you will see the 1914 French Memorial to the 18th Territorial Infantry Regiment. On this site was the junction between the trenches Ale Alley to the west and Lager Lane to the east. The 20th Manchester's and Royal Welch attacked Ginchy to the right of this road, with Delville Wood and other Alcohol Trenches to their right. The Royal Welch entered the north of the village straight ahead of you. The Manchester's skirted to the west (right) of the village and entered the village further south near the crossroads and the village laverie.

If you park at the Ginchy Village Cemetery and take the track to the rear of the cemetery you will follow the course of the Manchester's to the right of the village. You will notice that many of the enclosures behind the village are grassed over. The trench map suggests the north/south trenches were here. The grassed areas here are very uneven suggesting filled-in trenches and eroded shell holes. If you continue along the track and turn left onto the road (Hans Crescent Trench) that takes you to the South African Memorial, you will notice a little further on, an enclosure on the right quite badly pitted near to the crossroads. None of these areas appear to have been cultivated, but rather have been left undisturbed.

It is likely that The Manchester's over-ran the German trenches and attempted to consolidate their position on the eastern side of the village looking east toward the Telegraph on the higher ground. The German counter attack is likely to have come from the north-west, direction Lesbouefs and the Triangle, the latter a German strong-point.

False hope. For several weeks Harold Chilton was listed as missing and his parents informed.

During that time the letter below was sent to his mother suggesting he may have survived.

L/Cpl J E Hammond 1736 20 Bn Manchester Regiment Grenade Coy BEF France. Sep 26/9/16 Dear Friend Just a few lines to say that I received the parcel which you sent to Pte H Chilton and all the boys and myself was sorry he was not here himself to receive it He was wounded in the last attack on Sep 3rd and some of his Pals told me he was hit in the leg, they said they did not think it was serious. I believe he managed to get away all right, you may have word from him by the time you receive this letter and you should hear from him, please let me know where he is. He was in my section and I found him to be a very nice chap he was always willing to do anything when asked, he was also liked by all his mates and they miss him very much. The parcel we shared amongst all the mates, because it would only be wasted if we returned it, then again it might not land. It is a rule among all the lads that parcels for the wounded men should be shared among all the lads. I hope this is quite in order to you in sharing the parcel. Well Dear Friend, I hope that he will have a speedy recovery and it is to be hoped the year is over before he comes out again. I do assure you, we have been through some very heavy fighting and the place where Harold got wounded was a awfully hot place. Well, we have taken over another part of the line and it is very quiet indeed so I am writing this in the trenches while I have got a bit of spare time to my self. I will now close hoping you have tidings of him since you sent the parcel. I remain yours sincerely

L/Cpl J E Hammond

I have consulted the Commonwealth War graves website. The author of the letter sent to Harold Chilton's Mother, L/Cpl J E Hammod is not listed among the dead so presumably he survived the conflict.

Finally news of his death in action.

Duchess Adeline, wife of the Duke of Bedford wrote to the War Office several times, on his parents' behalf. When the telegram arrived with news of Harold's death, his mother fainted.

In 1922 his parents received Harold's medals and “Death” Penny. I am told that his mother was so upset that they were placed in a drawer never to be looked at again in her lifetime. Upon his mother's death these and all the other documents in the box went to Harold's niece Coral with whom they stayed until her own death in 2010.

Harold Chilton has no marked grave and his name is recorded on the Thiepval Memorial Pier, Face 11A.

Harold's two cousins, who also died in the Great War, in summary. His cousin Pte 2660 Frank Chilton of the 3rd Battalion Royal Fusilliers died on 14 April 1915 age 25 years serving on the Ypres Salient. He is remembered at Tyne Cot on the Zonnebeeke British Cemetery No:2. Memorial No:8.

Frank had an older brother serving with the Royal Navy. He was Leading Stoker K/1760 James Chilton. He served on HMS Indefatigable. He was killed on 31 May 1916 at age 28 during the Battle of Jutland when HMS Indefatigable was sunk. He is remembered at the Royal Naval Memorial, Plymouth.

Their bereaved parents.

Frank and James Chilton were the sons of John and the late Maria Chilton who lived at 8 New Cottages, Chenies, Rickmansworth. Bucks.

John Chilton is said to have suffered mental health difficulties for the rest of his life after hearing of the deaths of both his son's.

Harold, Frank and John Chilton are remembered on a plaque in the Church of St Michael, Chenies.

References:

Barton. P (2006) The Somme, a New Panoramic Perspective. Constable & Robinson. London W6.

Cuttell. B (2007) 148 Days on the Somme: GMS Enterprises. Peterborough.

Gliddon. G (1994) The Battle of the Somme: A Topographical History. Alan Sutton Publishing. Stroud.

Macdonald. L (1993) 1915: The death of Innocence. Headline Publishing.

Map IGN 2408E Bray-sur-Somme

Archive rescued by Geoff and Jacquie Clifton of Amersham, Bucks.