Lest We Forget

It is impossible for me to imagine the suffering and sacrifices that my ancestors made during the First World War and like millions of others many of my ancestors made the ultimate sacrifice

Roll of Honour – Great War

1915

Harry Wilson – Died 8th February 1915 – Rugeley, Staffordshire
Private, Army Service Corps
Buried Rugeley Cemetery

John Joseph Graffham – Killed 28th July 1915 – France
Corporal, The Queens 2nd Battalion Royal West Surrey Regiment.
Buried Rue Des Berceaux, France

Alfred Charles Morris Bush – Killed 25th August 1915 – Gallipoli, Turkey
Regimental Sergeant Major, Royal Army Medical Corps

Buried Helles Memorial, Turkey

James Fisher – Killed 13th October 1915 – France
Private, 1/6th Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment 
Loos Memorial

Benjamin Hollins – Died of Wounds 12th November 1915 – Paignton, Devon
Lance Corporal, 1/6th battalion North Staffordshire Regiment
Armitage Churchyard









1916

Horace Hollins – Killed 30th April 1916 – France
Sergeant 10th Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers
Lindhoek Chalet Military Cemetry

Albert Hollins – Killed 1st July 1916 – France
Sergeant, 8th Battalion Somerset Light Infantry
Theipval Memorial










Horace Wilson – Killed 1st July 1916 – France
Private, 1/6th Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment
Theipval Memorial

William Herbert Hollins – Killed 30th August 1916 – France
Lance Corporal, 7th Battalion Durham Light Infantry
Theipval memorial










Herbert Vernon – Killed 12th September 1916 – France
Private, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards
Theipval memorial

1917

William Henry Cunningham – Killed 14th January 1917 – France
Private, 1st Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment
Philosophe British Cemetery

Horace Vernon – Killed 8th May 1917 – France
Corporal, 2/6th Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment
Theipval memorial

James Wilson – Killed 1st December 1917 – France
Lance Corporal 3rd Battalion Coldstream Guards
Cabaret – Rouge British Cemetery

1918

William Lovegrove – Died 16th July 1918 – England
Sergeant 52nd Royal Warwicks
Sunninghill Churchyard

William Alfred Bush – Killed 12th August 1918 - France
Sergeant, Army Service Corps
Les Barques Military Cemetery, Calais, France

Alfred Sidney Searle – Killed 19th August 1918 – France
Private, 2nd Battalion Royal Fusiliers
Ploegsteert Memorial

Joseph Vernon – Killed 22nd August 1918
Private, RAMC / Kings Own Scottish Borderers.
Bois-Guillaume Cemetery, Rouen, France

We Will Remember Them

9am on 11th Nov - The Attack begins

My Great Uncle Solomon Charles Wraight was serving with the Machine Gun Company of the 315 Infantry Regiment of the United States Army. The last couple of months had seen him involved in some of America's heaviest fighting of the First World War at Meuse - Argonne and at Grand Montagne. General Pershing - in command of the American Army was determined to keep on the offensive.

Solomon Wraight

The Official War History of the 315th Regiment picks up the story from the 8th November  

At 3am November 8^th, we were relived by the 311^th Machine Gun Battalion as we were to go forward with the attack planned for that day. The first platoon and one section of the Third platoon were to go forward in support of companies “E” and “F”, the balance of the Company remaining under the command of Sergeant Borresen. At 11am the infantry started forward, covered by a barrage delivered by the 312^th machine Gun Battalion, and advanced about 3 kilos to the Bois de Reville, where the First Platoon and the section of the Third above mentioned immediately mounted their guns, awaiting an expected counter attack, which did not materialize.

The next morning we moved through the village of Etraye, which had been captured by the 315^th Infantry. Just beyond Etraye, we met strong opposition from the enemy artillery and machine guns on Cote d’Orne, and there we were held up all day. All that night our guns maintained a harassing fire into the German advance positions, for the benefit of their machine gunners. At 6am November 10^th, we laid down an overhead barrage to aid the infantry, which again advanced slowly but surely all day.

On the night of the 10^th, the remainder of the Company, which been under Sergeant Borresen, was brought forward, and at 5am November 11^th, orders were received to move forward to the hill east of Wavrille.

We moved on ahead of the infantry, took up positions, and prepared to put over a barrage on the enemy positions on Cote de Morimont. Our movements were concealed by a heavy fog, and we got close to the enemy without being seen. At 9am we let go with all 12 guns. The Boche laid down a terrible barrage, attempting to blow us off the earth, but his aim was poor and we suffered no casualties. At 10.45am the guns were dismounted and taken to dugouts and at 11am the Captain informed us that the Armistice had been signed, announcement which made everybody sore (?).

The company spent the next two days in those dugouts and on the afternoon of the 13^th moved back to Etraye

Photo of machine gun company

List of roster

So after four year and four months of fighting the Armistice was signed and the gunfire ceased. For my Great Uncle Solomon Wraight, the fighting continued right up to the 11^th hour of the 11^th Day of the 11^th Month and then just stopped. One can only wonder at his feelings and thoughts at that moment.

For Solomon's uncle - Albert Benjamin Uden serving with the 4^th Field Company, Canadian Engineers, the official war diary has the following entry for the 11^th November

An Armistice was declared at 11.00 hrs this morning.

A Coy were on road repair work, filling in crater at Viic46 (sheet 45) laying corduroy road. Repairing road at p28a97 P34a56. Widening road bridge at P34c27 (sheet 45) clearing debris from road at P34a79 to P35d91 (sheet 45) and making reconnaissance of roads.

B Coy were removing road mines.

C Coy were repairing road and filling craters

D Coy were standing by.

Both were thousands of miles away from their new homes in Philadelphia and Toronto, but both had made it through the War.