After the horror of Hohenzollern - A final resting place in Armitage.

On the 12^th November 1915, my Great Uncle, Benjamin Hollins, who was a Lance Corporal serving with the 1/6^th North Staffordshire regiment died of his wounds.

Benjamin Hollins

The Lichfield Mercury reported the news on Friday 19^th November

Armitage – Military Funeral – The funeral took place, with military honours, at the parish church on Monday afternoon of Lance-Corporal Hollins, the North Staffords, who died of wounds received in action in France. The service was conducted by the Rector (The Rev E. Samson). An escort and firing party attended, and the conclusion of the service the last post was sounded. Lance Corporal Hollins had been in the Old Volunteer Force and Territorials for some years, at the outbreak of war offered himself for foreign service and had been out in France for eight months. A few weeks ago was seriously wounded in the leg and was also badly gassed at Loos. He was removed to the American Women's Hospital, Paignton, South Devon. Leaves Wife and three children. The eldest child is only six years old and the youngest, born since he has been in France, has never seen Lance Corporal Hollins, who was a native of Rugeley and has three brothers now serving with the army, one of them having been twice wounded.

It is likely that Benjamin Hollins received his wounds during the attack on the HohzollernRedoubt on the 13th October, the plight and suffering of the wounded is described in detail during that terrible day.

Also wounded that day was Sergeant Sydney Norton, of the 1/6th North Staffords, who also eventually arrived at a hospital in Devon. From there, he was able to write to his wife in Fazeley and describe how he had reached his present destination:

"I am very comfortable and being well looked after. I only wish they had put me a bit closer to home so you can come and see me but never mind, you will know I am in a safer place and in old England again.

It's a very nice place where I am. About 200 in the same ward and they are all strangers to me. I don't know any of them. It's about 14 miles to Plymouth on the sea coast. I shall be able to tell you more about it next letter.

I arrived here on Sat. night at 6. I started from a place called Bethune in France in a hospital train. It took us 26 hours to get to Le Havre. I was in a bed - nicely fitted up - but in awful pain on my back - could not move. Then I got to No. 2 General Hospital and got my wound dressed before going on the hospital ship. Then we moved on to the ship into beds all fitted up to date. Doctors coming to see us all the while and nurses galore. Then I landed at Southampton and we had to stop in the harbour all night till Sat. morning. We were put into a hospital train there. It took us 10 hours to get to this hospital so you see I had a bit of knocking about”.

I can only assume that Benjamin must endured a similar experience during his evacuation to the American Women’s Hospital in Paignton.

American Women's Hospital, Paignton.

The American Women’s Hospital was the former Oldway Mansion of the Singer family (Of Singer Sewing Machines) The American Women’s War Hospital was housed in a marbled mansion with mirrored corridors reflecting sculptures, paintings and Singer wealth. Its sweeping staircase became the entrance to an operating theatre, its grand ballroom and domed riding school wards of beds, and its ambulances were made by Rolls Royce. Over the course of the war, more than 5,000 men were treated at Oldway.

One can only wonder if Benjamin’s wife Hilda was ever able to visit.

Lance Corporal Hollins was buried at St. John the Baptist Churchyard, Armitage.

Armitage War Memorial

Benjamin Hollins 1915

Of those listed as killed in 1915 on the Armitage war memorial James Clarke (aged 21) was in the 1/6^th North Staffs and died on the 10^th August, Arthur Legge Samson (aged 33) was in the Royal Welch Fusiliers and died on the 25^th September, his father The Rev E. Samson conducted Benjamin’s funeral. Reginald Clarke (aged 19) was killed on the 13^th October in the attack on The Hohenzollern Redoubt and served with the 1/5^th North Staffords. Samuel Leigh (Aged 47) who served in the Royal Veterinary corps and died in March 1915 is also buried at St. John The Baptist in Armitage.

Sources

Callan Chevin - Hell at Hohenzollern

CWGC website

British Newspaper Archive website.