Arthur James Springham, Fireman at Harlow Killed in Action Arthur
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Arthur James Springham, Fireman at Harlow Killed in Action Arthur James Springham was born in 1881 in High Wych to James, an agricultural labourer and Sarah Springham and had an elder brother William. At the time of his birth, the family lived at Cottage number 7, Allens Green, High Wych, Hertfordshire. In January 1910 he marries Edith Ellen nee Wybrew and moves to Bury Road, Harlow, and shortly afterwards joins the Harlow Fire Brigade. His occupation at this time is a Postman. On Wednesday 22nd June 1910, he is a member of the Harlow Fire Brigade who participate in the St John’s Fete at Harlow, in which even though he has only been a member of the brigade for 6 months he wins two silver medals in the contests organised between different fire brigades. In 1911 he has a daughter Dorris May, who is two months old at the time of the 1911 Census. At this time Arthur and his family are visiting his parents at Allens Green, High Wych, Hertfordshire, and the census form for Bury Road, Harlow indicates this by stating that ‘Family Away’ is put on the form when it is submitted. After the outbreak of World War 1, Arthur enlists with the Essex Regiment at Harlow and is given the regimental number 30539. However he later transfers to the 1st Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment, his regimental number here being 33388. It would appear that for the duration of the war that his wife, Edith and daughter, have moved back to Edith’s parents address in The Square, Ugley, Bishop’s Stortford. On the 4th August 1914, the first battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment was Stationed at Mullingar as part of the 15th Brigade of the 5th Division and on the 16th August was mobilised for war and landed in France and was engaged in various actions on the Western Front. In 1917, the battalion was involved in various battles including ; The Battle of Vimy, The Attack on La Coulotte, The Third Battle of the Scarpe, The Capture of Oppy Wood, The Battle of Polygon Wood, The Battle of Broodseinde, The Battle of Poelcapelle, and The Second Battle of Passchendaele. However in December 1917 the battalion was deployed to Italy to strengthen the Italian resistance after a recent disaster at the Battle of Caporetto and the Division was positioned along the River Piave and remained there until April 1918, when they returned to France. In September 1918 the battalion was engaged in the Battle of Drocourt-Queant, and it would appear that during this battle, on the 2nd September 1918, two months before the end of the war that Arthur was killed in action. His final resting place is unknown, but he is mentioned on the war memorial at Vis-en-Artois British Cemetery, Haucourt, Department du Pas-de-Calais France. Charles Driver, Fireman at Witham Charles drive was born in 1887 in Witham, his father James, was a Carpenter and his mother was Annie. By the 1891 Census he had 4 Siblings, Alice, Ethel, Fred and Arthur and can be found living in Bridge Street, Witham. Charles was a very active and sporty person and was named on match sheets several occasions between 1904, when he was elected vice captain of Witham Albion Football Club, to at least 1907. He can be found playing for Witham against such teams as Bocking (a friendly) and league matches against Heybridge (twice) , the Warren (Woodham) and many others. By the 1911 Census, the Driver family had moved to Mill Road, Witham by which point Charles had become a coach painter and, it is believed, had joined the Witham Fire Brigade. The exact date he joined is not known, as the records of this brigade have either been destroyed or lost. However it is know that he was a member of the Brigade on the 14th February 1913 as he takes part in the fireman’s dinner. He was obviously a good singer as he was involved in a number of concerts, several of which were in connection with the Conservative and Unionist Association, as far away as Maldon. A family orientated person, he missed a concert in 1914 when he pulled out of the annual dinner of the Essex (Fortress Engineers) Royal Engineers at Shire Hall, Chelmsford, because his brother was seriously ill. Following the outbreak of War, he joins the 5th Battalion of the Essex Regiment with a regiment number of 2238, and serves overseas during which he is awarded the Military Medal. The Military Medal was a level 3 Gallantry Medal which was established during the First World War to recognise personnel of the British Army and other services and personnel of Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank. It was the equivalent to the Military Cross (which was awarded to Commissioned Officers and rarely to Warrant Officers, who could also be awarded the MM). It was awarded for “Acts of gallantry, and devotion under fire or for individual or associated acts of bravery which were insufficient to merit the Distinguished Conduct Medal.”(Forces War Records) Charles later transfers to the Gloucestershire Regiment and was serving with this Regiment in France, when he was Killed in Action. Charles Edward Cooper, b.1880 d.1916 - Fireman at Brentwood Charles Edward was born in 1880 to Henry Cooper and Matilda (nee Laver) in Great Warley, Essex. In 1881 was shown in the census as living at 1 Barbrooks Cottages, Woodman Road, Great Warley. He had one elder sister and, in the 1891 census was shown as having two younger sisters, Sophia,aged 9 yrs and Mary aged 7 yrs. His Father died on 31st July 1897 and at this time he is still living with his mother Matilda at the same address. Between 1899 and 1902, it is believed that Charles was involved in the 2nd Boer War, as a corporal in the 3rd Volunteer Special Services Company 1st Essex Regiment, his regimental number being 7066. Upon leaving the army he became a house painter and in 1908 he married Ellen Elizabeth Bright, 32 years of age. In the census held on 2nd of April 1911 they are shown as living at 19 Tower Hill, Brentwood and had one child, Laurie, aged 2 yrs. At some time, probably after his wedding and moving to Brentwood, he became a member of the Brentwood Fire Brigade, as in February 1914 he is mentioned as coming first in the two man hydrant drill exercise with Fireman Queenan in a time of 51 seconds. This was in the annual display and series of competitions in connection with the Brentwood Fire Brigade, which was held near the Yorkshire Grey Public House in Brentwood High Street. He is also considered as an efficient fireman (Essex Newsman). At the outbreak of war he joins the 2nd Battalion of The Essex Regiment and, as a result of his pervious rank in the Boer War, he was an acting Sergeant in 1916. His regimental number was 3/2994. At the outbreak of war the 2nd Battalion was stationed at Chatham as part of the 12th Brigade of the 4th Division and then moved to Cromer, Norwich and Harrow. On 24.08.1914 the battalion was mobilised for war and landed at Havre, transferring to the 12th Brigade of the 36th Division. Between 05.11.1915 and 03.02.1916 the battalion was attached to the 109th Brigade of the same Division, initially concentrated around Flesselles and also attached to the 4th Division for trench familiarisation and training. On the 3rd February 1916 they returned to the 12th Brigade and the Division took over the front line section between the River Ancre and the Mailly-Maillet to Serre Road and engaged in various actions including ‘The Battle of Albert.’ It was during this time on the 3rd October 1916, at the age of 39 yrs. Charles was Killed in Action. His body, however, was never recovered. He is mentioned on the Thiepval Memorial, Department de la Somme, Picardie, France and on the War Memorial in Brentwood Frederick Charles Sell Fireman, West Ham Fire Brigade - killed: Silvertown 17th January 1917 Silvertown Memorial Frederick Charles Sell was born in 1872 in Fulham to Thomas, who was a police sergeant, and Rosalie Sell. In 1898, at the age of 26, Frederick married Caroline Louise Muntz in Great Yarmouth and he became a fireman with the Metropolitan Fire Brigade where in 1901 he was stationed at Mile End in London, his address being Jewel Street, Mile End Road. By the census of 1911, he had left the Metropolitan Fire Brigade and joined the West Ham Brigade, which was officially in Essex. He was living at 14 Agnes Street, Silvertown, and has a family of 4 sons, Harold, Frederick, Thomas and Leonard and 1 daughter, Winifred. Friday 19th January 1917 was a day which would have devastating consequences for the Sell family. At 6.52 pm. a blast occurred at a munitions factory that was manufacturing explosives for Britain's World War I military effort. Approximately 50 tons of trinitrotoluene (TNT) exploded, killing 73 people and injuring 400 more, as well as causing substantial damage in the local area. Initially, a fire had broken out in the melt-pot room, efforts to put it out were under way when Silvertown Fire the TNT exploded. Seventy-three people were killed, and more than 400 injured. Up to 70,000 properties were damaged, 900 nearby ones destroyed or unsalvageable damaged, including to the Silvertown Fire Station at which Frederick was based. Fireman Sell and his daughter Winifred were killed in the explosion, Winfred being 15 years of age and a scholarship pupil at the Central Secondary School.