and District U3A Dodworth Family History

DODWORTH WAR MEMORIAL GROUP REMEMBERS

Captain Thomas Coote Allport

1st/5th Battalion of the York and Lancaster Regiment Died 1st of August 1915 Aged 33

The project was funded by the Dodworth Ward Alliance and the Barnsley and District U3A

Captain Thomas Coote Allport – 1st/5th Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment

Thomas was born on the 23rd of May 1882 in Nottingham; his parents were Howard Alston Allport, a civil engineer, and Sarah Coote. Thomas was probably named after his Grandfather Thomas Coote who was at one time the High Sheriff of Huntingdonshire.

We believe the family moved from Nottingham to Dodworth in 1883

In the 1891 Census we see the family living at The Grove in Dodworth, Barnsley, this was not to change over the next twenty years. At that time father Howard was described as being a ‘Colliery Proprietor and Civil Engineer’. The family consisted of Howard, his wife Sarah, James Howard aged 14, Thomas aged 8, Ann Helen aged 6 and Charles John who was 4. There was another sister, Sarah, who in 1891 aged 10 was a boarder at Cheltenham College.

Thomas’ mother, Sarah, died in 1897; the 1891 census shows a ‘Nurse/Servant’ living with the family so possibly Sarah was not well at the time.

In 1901 the family had thinned out a little and, at the time of the census, consisted of father Howard, James, Sarah and Thomas. Thomas is shown as aged 18 and an undergraduate at university, presumably Oxford.

His father in 1901 married Marguerite Katherine Mary Bockenham at Poole in Dorset. Thomas was to then see two half brothers born, Howard William in 1902 and George Joseph in 1904.

Thomas had his early education in Bournemouth and then was 4 years at Winchester College before entering New College, Oxford in 1900 where he studied Modern History taking a 4th class Honours Degree in 1903. He then entered the service of the Midland Railway which his grandfather Sir James Allport was the creator of. Eventually Thomas became an Assistant Superintendent of the Welsh District but gave up that position to join his father in the management of Wharncliffe Woodmoor Colliery.

He joined the 5th Battalion of the York and Lancaster Regiment, which was a Territorial Battalion, during 1908.

By 1911, Thomas’s father was described as being a Civil Engineer, Chairman and Managing Director for the Wharncliffe Woodmoor Colliery. Thomas, now aged 28, is shown as BA Oxford (New College) Director of the Wharncliffe Woodmoor Colliery and Assistant to the Managing Director.

The 1913 Electoral Roll sees Thomas having his own rooms at The Grove.

5th Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment – accounts tell us -

The Battalion was a unit of the Territorial Force with their Head Quarters in , A,B and F Companies were based in Rotherham, C and E Companies in Barnsley, D Company in Wath on Dearne, G Company in Treeton and H Company in Birdwell. The Two Barnsley Companies had their Drill Hall where the Barnsley Chronicle have their current offices. The Battalion was part of the West Riding Division and towards the end of July 1914 they were at their annual training camp near Whitby. On the 3rd/4th August as war broke out they were recalled to their home bases. They were all invited to volunteer for Overseas Service and mobilised for war and all moved to for training. In November they moved to Gainsborough and in February 1915 they moved to York to prepare for overseas duty which they did in April 1915. There is a film of the Battalion leaving York held by the Film Archives.

The Battalion arrived in Boulogne on the 15th April to join the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), joining the 8th Division from the West Riding Division for trench training. On the 28th April they took over its own section at Fleurbaix forming part of the IV Corps. On the 9th May 1915 they joined the attack at Aubers Ridge this was an unmitigated disaster for the British army, no ground was won and no tactical advantage gained. On the 12th May the Division for the next nine months took no part in any major offences but was continually engaged in day-to-day trench warfare, much of it in the Ypres Salient.

During all the above time Thomas Coote Allport was Captain of the 5th Battalion.

A family photograph of Thomas in the Hooge reserve trenches near Ypres.

Soon after returning from a home leave Thomas was killed on the 1st of August 1915 by a German sniper and buried the following day.

Accounts recall-

“On the night of 31st July a small party of the enemy approached the Battalion front with the evident intention of bombing it but one of the bombs carried accidentally exploded, wounding one of the enemy who was heard calling for help. Early on the morning of 1st August, Captain Allport endeavoured to get the injured man into our trenches and while looking over the parapet to try and locate him, Captain Allport was shot and killed by one of the enemy’s snipers.

A lengthy account appears in the Barnsley Independent of the 7th August – in it is quoted a letter from one of his colleagues, Captain Rideall, in which he reports that three German bomb-throwers made an attack during the night. Two of the throwers were killed and the other wounded near the British trenches. It was about two or three o clock in the morning and, hearing cries in British from the wounded German and noticing the man’s head, Captain Allport was making an endeavour to render assistance and bring the wounded man to safety when he was shot by a sniper, through the head, death being instantaneous.”

A further obituary appeared in the same newspaper of the 14th August. In it was reported a letter from Corporal W. Fletcher, a Barnsley Territorial who said – “No doubt by this time it will have become known in Barnsley about Captain Allport being killed. It would be a terrible shock to them especially as he had only just returned from leave.” – “All our fellows were deeply touched when they heard the news as Captain Allport was a very popular officer.”

Corporal Fletcher stated that he had been on duty at the Headquarters telephone when the message came through for the Doctor to go up to the trenches as Captain Allport had been hit. He at once went and delivered the message but on returning to the phone was told the Captain was dead. He had been struck by a bullet to the forehead, fell down and expired in two minutes. – “I need hardly tell you what a shock it was to me” observed Corporal Fletcher who adds that he saw him a few hours afterwards at a farm a short distance from the trenches and the deceased officer was interred there the next day, all the officers who were not on duty attending – “We are all very sorry to lose such a good officer “concludes Corporal Fletcher. Thomas is remembered on the Dodworth Memorial and as described on the 1st of August 1915 he was killed in action and buried the following day, his grave is at Talana Farm Cemetery, Ypres – plot 11. D.15

Talana Farm Cemetery

with Thomas’s grave there.

Following the news of Thomas’s death both local newspapers in Barnsley, the Independent and the Chronicle, reported his death.

Picture and articles courtesy of Barnsley Archives.

Records show that Thomas’s monetary effects at the time of his death are recorded but not to whom they were sent to.

A little later 1915 probate records show

Thomas’s father had died in 1916 and it was his sister Sarah Gwendolen who requested his service medals in 1922 which included the War and Victory Medal together with the 1915 Star recognising his involvement in the early part of the war.

Sarah at the time was single and living in London. She went on to marry Wilbur C Sharpe in 1926.

Thomas is remembered not only on the Dodworth War Memorial but also elsewhere.

St Edwards Church, Kingstone, Barnsley remembers Thomas where his family were active congregation members, the book ‘Kingstone Remembers by Gill Brookes’ notes that the casualty they have listed on their memorial tablet is incorrect as it shows Thomas’s brother Charles John Allport who survived the Great War and returned home to his wife..

Winchester College remembers Thomas on their website www.winchestercollegeatwar.com –

“The son of Harry Ashton Allport and Sarah Allport of Barnsley, he received his early education with the Reverend G S Rogers at Bournemouth. He became a Commoner Prefect and a member of Sixth Book and in 1900 went up to New College, Oxford, taking his degree in 1903. He then entered the service of the Midland Railway and eventually became assistant superintendent of the Welsh District. He joined the 5th Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment in 1908, and immediately war broke out volunteered for Foreign Service. He went to France in April 1915 and was killed at Boesinghe on 1st August that year, while attempting, so it is reported, to give assistance to a wounded German who was lying close to the British lines and calling out for help.”

Wakefield Golf Club remembers Thomas on their memorial to members who lost their lives during WW1 which was unveiled in January 1922. A memorial plaque was added to the memorial in 2014 showing his name, albeit his initials are reversed.

We assume that Thomas must have been an active member of the club at Sandal.

One intriguing record during our research found is an Andrews Newspaper Index Card dated 1st August 1941 which could be from the London Gazette, which shows –

It was inserted 26 years after Thomas’s death – ‘In ever-living memory’ – from Nancy

We have not been able to connect any family member called Nancy.

Acknowledgements-

Ancestry.co.uk, Barnsley Archives, Barnsley War Memorial Project, Gill Brookes (Kingstone Remembers), Find My Past,

IWM, York and Lancaster Regiment Archives, Rotherham, and members of the Allport family.