Home by Christmas

23^rd December 1914

Home by Christmas

Private Charles Henry Bush (my 1^st Cousin 3 times removed) 100 years ago was serving with the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) and had been out with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in France since August 20^th.

Charles was serving at No 9 General Hospital, which had been initially established in Nantes at the outbreak of war and it had moved to Rouen in November 1914.

The common perception when war broke out in August 1914 was that the conflict would be all over by Christmas and everyone would be return home victorious.

How wrong that would prove to be! 

However, for Charles Bush, on the 23^rd December 1914, that situation was about to change. After 126 days in France, Charles, aged 36, was posted to New End Military Hospital, Hampsted and was home for Christmas Eve 1914.

New End Military Hospital

A huge change from the tented general hospitals based in Rouen. This new military hospital was established to cope with the ever increasing number of wounded servicemen from the front. Originally a Workhouse, which closed in January 1915 to become a military Hospital.

Tony

The attack was timed for 6.15am. There was a heavy mist...

7^th November 1914

Diary extract from the 2^nd Battalion, The Queens– Royal West Surrey Regiment

The attack was timed for 6.15am. There was a heavy mist and it was only just becoming day light… the Queens forming the first two lines. They advanced over the rise in the ground and a heavy machine gun fire was opened by the Germans. The second line came up with the first and together the charge was made. It was completely successful and the enemy got out of their trenches and ran away. The advance continued and the trench D was taken but could not be hold owing to enfilade fire. During the charge Capt. Roberts was hit when he had led his men almost up to the German position. Lt. Lang Browne & Lt Collis were also wounded & taken prisoner. Lt. Haigh was killed and Lt. Pascoe wounded, Sgt. Major Lucas was also killed.

Three machine guns were taken in the German trench… There was considerable rifle fire all day and the enemy also fired many high explosives, percussion & shrapnel, but did no damage…

The losses of the Regiment had been heavy but the enemy were driven from the footing they had secured and time was given for the French reinforcements to come up.

Casualties on 7^th Nov

Killed -14 - Officers 2, Other ranks 12

Wounded – 64 - Officers 5, Other ranks 59

Missing 19

Total Casualties - 97

Although the Battalion remained in the field for the following day, the 7^th November saw their last action in the Firstbattle of Ypres.

Serving with the 2^nd Battalion was Private John Joseph Graffham (my Great Grand Uncle in law). John was born in 1891 in Dorking, Surrey, the son of Peter and Sarah Graffham; he had 3 brothers and 3 sisters. He married Daisy Denman in 1911 in Reigate, Surrey and their first son Albert had been born earlier in 1914.

The 2^nd Battalion had been stationed in South Africa at the outbreak of war, recalled to England in September and finally arriving in Zeebrugge on the 4^th October. They had been in contact with the enemy almost immediately upon arrival, retiring, holding lines, supporting the Belgium and French armies and other units of the BEF. 

John Graffham’s Battalion had been involved in fierce fighting continually from 15^th October onwards, Casualties were high - 18 Killed, 123 wounded and 37 missing on the 21^st. 16 killed on the 24^th. 9 Casualties on the 26^th , 12 on the 27^th, 13 on the 28^th, 92 on the 29^th, 90 on the 30^th, 99 on the 31^st, 24 between the 1^st & 3^rd Nov and a further 30 casualties on the 5^th.

The Queens Royal West Surrey Regiment as a whole recorded 457 fatalities (Commonwealth War Graves Commission) from 4^th Oct to the 8^th November 1914 highlighting the heavy fighting and huge losses of Britain's professional army in 1914.  The 2nd Battalion itself had suffered 676 casualties since landing in Zeebrugge in October.

As the open war of movement stagnated into fixed trench warfare all along the Western front, new replacements appeared in the ranks and John Graffham had undergone a baptism of fire.

Tony

Royal Army Medical Corps - 20th August 1914

On the 20th August 1914, Charles Henry Bush (my 1st Cousin 3 times removed) embarked for France with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) having been mobilised from the Army reserve on the 5th August 1914 with the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) No. 9 General Hospital as a private. He had re-enlisted in the reserve in May 1913 having previously joined the RAMC at the age of 21 on the 23rd May 1901, at that time he was working as a barman. He served in South Africa from December 1901 to September 1904 being awarded the Queens medal with 4 clasps including Cape Colony.

He married Edith Pearson on 12th June 1905 and had their first child, Charles Alfred exactly 1 year later. By 1911 Charles, Edith & Charles along with their 2nd son Herbert were living at 69 Pelham Road, Wimbledon, with Charles' occupation listed as a bill poster for a theatre. Herbert died a few months later just as their daughter Edith was born.

Royal Army Medical Corps Cap Badge

Charles was born in Wimbledon in 1878, the son of Charles Henry Bush and Caroline Wigman, he was one of 5 children, an elder sister and brother Louisa and Alfred and younger siblings Nellie and William. His father Charles had died young at only 34 and his mother had re-married to William Clack, a scavenger with Wimbledon Borough Council, having a further 7 children. All living at 11 Ashbourne Terrace, Wimbledon, which had been the Bush family home before his father's death.

Charles was 5 foot 7 inches tall, with a fresh complexion, brown eyes and dark brown hair and was 36 when the Great War started.

His elder brother, by 3 years, Alfred Charles Morris Bush had also served in the RAMC in the Boer War and had remained in the services, by 1911 he was a staff sergeant with the London Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance. Alfred also served with the RAMC in WW1, he was married to Ellen and had two children Amy and George.

His cousin William Alfred Bush had already been mobilised and was already in France, serving with the Army Service Corps in Rouen. Charles Henry Bush was posted to No. 9 General Hospital, which was initially based in Nantes.

Tony

References
1911 census - Ancestry.com
WW1 British Army Service records - Ancestry.com
Queens South Africa medal info - Wikipedia

Pack up your troubles

On the 8th August 1914, William Alfred Bush (my Great Grand Uncle) set sail from Liverpool for France as part of the British Expeditionary Force. Born in 1879 in Wimbledon, Surrey. The son of the late William and Jane Bush.

William had initially joined the Army, enlisting in the Army Service Corps in January 1905 as a boiler maker and riveter, having previously been an apprentice for six years at the L & SW Railway works in Wimbledon. he married Elizabeth Jane Pope at Wandsworth Register Office on the 24th July 1905.

Army Service Corps Cap Badge and shoulder title

He completed his three years service in 1908 being based in Aldershot and was put onto the reserve list. William and Elizabeth had four children Lillie, William, Ivy and Dorothy. Their first child also called William died in infancy, Dorothy was only four months old when William was mobilised on the 6th August 1914.

The family were living at 6, Leyton Road, Wimbledon at the outbreak of war, having previously lived at 5, Goodenough Street, Wimbledon where in 1911 William listed his occupation as a house painter. William was 35 when he set of for World War One, 5 feet 4 1/4 inches tall, fair complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. He had a small tattoo mark on the back of his right forearm and a 1/2 inch long linear scar above his right eyebrow.

He set sail from Liverpool on the 8th August 1914 and disembarked at Rouen on the 18th August. In the Mechanical Transport Depot of the Army Service Corps.

Tony