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.

The Spanish Flu on the home front

Mary Ann Elizabeth Hollins, my second cousin twice removed, was born in 1877 in Rugeley, Staffordshire. The second oldest child of William and Sarah Hollins (nee Wood). She had one older brother William (born 1875, Rugeley), one younger sister Harriet (born 1881, Rugeley) and three younger brothers Horace (born 1879, Rugeley), Charles (born 1884, Rugeley) and George (born 1886, Rugeley)

Her father William was the well-known local band master of the territorials for over 50 years and had worked at the Phoenix Tannery for the same length of time. The family home was on Queen Street, Rugeley and like most families in Rugeley had suffered losses during the War.

Her older brother William, had moved to Coventry and was working on munitions after being in the old volunteers. Horace had been killed in France in 1916 serving with the Royal Welch Fusiliers. Charles had been discharged before 1916 and George had just been awarded the Military Medal for bravery whilst serving in the Royal Engineers. Harriet’s husband, James Fisher had been killed during the attack on the Hohenzollern redoubt in Oct 1915, One the first men from Rugeley killed in action.

Mary married Frederick John Williscroft on the 11th April 1898 in Rugeley, their first child, also called Frederick John was born a year later in 1899. Mary and Frederick had six more children, Edith Mary (born 1901), Horace William (born 1902), Elsie Hannah (born 1906), Sarah Lillian (born 1909), Harriet (born 1912) and Leslie (born 1913)

Frederick worked as a labourer at the Stokes and Negus Phoenix Tannery along with Mary’s father. In 1911 Frederick and Mary were living next door to her parents
He had enlisted with the 6th North Staffordshire Regiment on the 30th July 1914. At 5ft 8 ½ inches and 35 years 10 months old.

Fred Williscroft

Frederick was discharged from the army on September 28th 1914 due to being medically unfit.

During the summer and autumn of 1918, the second wave of the Spanish flu pandemic swept across the world. It infected some 500 million people around the world and resulted in the deaths of 50 to 100 million (3-5% of the world’s population). Most influenza outbreaks disproportionately killed the young, elderly or people with existing underlying conditions. In contrast, the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic predominately killed previously healthy young adults.

Although under reported in Britain, Germany, France and the United States due to war time censorship and the need to maintain morale at the front, nowhere was safe. On the 11th October 1918 the Lichfield Mercury reported that

“An epidemic of influenza raging in Lichfield and all the schools, with the exception of the high school, have been closed”

Two weeks later on the 1st November 1918 the Lichfield Mercury reported

“The Lichfield mercury reported on the influenza epidemic that was causing acute anxiety in Lichfield. Worries about the epidemic caused many schools to be closed in the city and the outlying villages; so many cases had been reported that a lack of nursing staff soon became evident.

A number of reasons had been put forward to account for the rapid spread of the disease in Lichfield, which included overcrowding in homes, with medical staff soon realising that the disease spread more quickly in such circumstances and the rate of mortality was higher. The lack of milk “an essential food in all cases of illness”, was another problem faced by the medical authorities in the city and a number of people suggested the setting up of an invalid kitchen in Lichfield where nourishing foods could be obtained either free or at a nominal cost.”

It was during this period that Mary Williscroft, aged just 41, died from pneumonia after catching influenza during the Spanish flu epidemic. She left behind her husband Fred and their seven children.
Fred Williscroft re-married on 19th June 1919 to Florence Jane Gould (Nee Eccleshall) at St. Augustines Church, Rugeley. Florence’s husband Joseph Gould had passed away aged 29 in January / February 1919.

August 1914 - August 1918 Four Years and Five Days in France

On the 12th August 1918 my Great Grand Uncle William Alfred Bush was killed in action.
Sergeant William Bush was serving with the 363 Motorised Transport Company of the Army Service Corps

William had been in France with the British Expeditionary Force since war broke out in August 1914 and had previously served in the Army Service Corps from 1905-08. Before joining the army in 1905 he had been employed as a boiler maker and in 1911 was a house painter as were a number of his cousins

William was born in Wimbledon in 1879, the second youngest child of the late William and Jane Bush (nee Napp). He had two older sisters Elizabeth Clara (born 1863, Wimbledon) and Jane (born 1871, Wimbledon), One older brother Albert Henry (born 1873, Wimbledon) and one younger brother James Charles (Born 1881, Wimbledon). He had 3 other siblings who all died in childhood (William John aged 2, Alice Cave aged 2 and Susan Mary aged 5).

William and the family, his wife Elizabeth and their four children, Lillie, William, Ivy and Dorothy were living at 6 Leyton Road, Wimbledon, having previously lived in Goodenough Street, Wimbledon. He had married Elizabeth Jane Pope at Wandsworth Register Office on the 24th July 1905. William and Elizabeth had four children Lillie (born 28th June 1908), William (born 17th March 1911), Ivy (born 24th September 1912) and Dorothy (born 6th April 1914). Their first child also called William died in infancy, Dorothy was only four months old when William was mobilised on the 6th August 1914.


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.


The ASC MT Companies performed a number of functions and some like the 363 company were attached to the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA) as Ammunition Columns / Parks. 363 Company, which was formed May 1915 was the Ammunition Column for 18th Brigade RGA. The 18th Brigade later came under V Corps Heavy Artillery.

The heavy guns and howitzers of the RGA, with attendant equipment and ammunition, needed motorised transport to haul them. The MT Companies called Ammunition Parks operated dumps, or stores, of ammunition, with the larger calibres of artillery shells required special mechanical handling equipment.

There is no doubt these ammunition parks would have been a prized target during any attack.

The Battle of Amiens was the opening phase of the Allied offensive which began on 8 August 1918, later known as the Hundred Days Offensive, that ultimately led to the end of the First World War. Allied forces advanced over 11 kilometres (7 mi) on the first day, one of the greatest advances of the war, with Henry Rawlinson's British Fourth Army playing the decisive role. The battle is also notable for its effects on both sides' morale and the large number of surrendering German forces. This led Erich Ludendorff to describe the first day of the battle as "the black day of the German Army". Amiens was one of the first major battles involving armoured warfare and marked the end of trench warfare on the Western Front; fighting becoming mobile once again until the armistice was signed on 11 November 1918.

On 21 March 1918, the German Army had launched Operation Michael, the first in a series of attacks planned to drive the Allies back along the length of the Western Front. With the collapse of  revolutionary-controlled Russia, the Germans were able to transfer hundreds of thousands of men to the Western Front, giving them a significant, if temporary, advantage in manpower and materiel.


By the end of the Marne-Rheims offensive (15-17 July), the German manpower advantage had been spent and their supplies and troops were exhausted. The Allied general, General Ferdinand Foch, ordered a counteroffensive which led to the Second Battle of the Marne, after which victory he was promoted to Marshal of France. The Germans, recognising their untenable position, withdrew from the Marne to the north. Foch now tried to move the Allies back onto the offensive.

The battle began in dense fog at 4:20 am on 8 August 1918

Total German losses were estimated to be 30,000 on 8 August. The Fourth Army's casualties, British, Australian and Canadian infantry, were approximately 8,800, exclusive of tank and air losses and those of their French allies.

The German General Erich Ludendorff described the first day of Amiens as the "Schwarzer Tag des deutschen Heeres" ("the black day of the German Army"), not because of the ground lost to the advancing Allies, but because the morale of the German troops had sunk to the point where large numbers of troops began to capitulate.

Whilst the Battle of Amiens was drawing to a successful close for the Allies, fighting continued along the Western Front and during the night of the 11th August and the early morning of the 12th the Base depot of the 353rd Company Army Service Corps was subjected to an enemy air raid. Sergeant William Alfred Bush who had served for 4 years and 5 days since the war began died of wounds to his skull from the bombing raid.

In his official war records it states - Died of bomb wounds skull received in action (enemy air raid) In the field, France

He is buried at the Les Baraques Military Cemetery, Sangatte in the Pas de Calais region of Northern France.

Les Baraques Military Cemetary Sangatte

Buried alongside him are six of his comrades from the 364 Mechanical Transport Company, Base Depot (N) who also died on the same day

Private          A Heath                   M39672         Age 35 Chepstow
Lance Corporal William Haddock Robinson   M2/082708         Age 39 Bristol
Corporal                  E Hamshar           M2/050271
Lance Corporal William George Edwin Woodward M2/079669 Age 55 Brixton
Private         George Fairbrother           DM2/224389 Age 27 Blackburn
Private         William Purves Miller   M2/266650         Age 25 Newcastle

Sergeant                William Alfred Bush   M/22781         Age 39 Wimbledon

He is also remembered on the War memorial in the All Saints Church in South Wimbledon

All Saints Church Wimbledon

The inscription reads “Remember before God the men of this parish who gave their lives in the Great wars”

One can only imagine the catastrophic tradegy and sense of loss for his wife Elizabeth, too have their 13 year marriage cut short and for William’s children Lillie aged 10, William aged 7, Ivy aged 5 and Dorothy aged 4


Sources
Commonwealth War Graves

All Saints Church, Wimbledon

Keeping the aircraft flying

On the 21^st March 1917 William “Bill” John Wraight, my Grand Uncle, joined the Royal Navy Air Service aged 18.

He was born on the 24^th February 1899 in Willesden, London one of seven children born to Solomon and Alice Wraight (nee Uden). William’s older brother Solomon Charles Wraight had emigrated from England in 1915 and was now living in Philadelphia USA. His older sister Alice (born 1897) had died in 1911 aged just 14. He had two younger sisters Elsie (born 1903) and Ivy - my Grandmother (born 1904) and two younger brothers Arthur (born 1907) and Frederick (born 1911).

Wraight Family circa 1910 - William is likely to be the taller boy in the photo

1911 the family were living at 14 Eland Road, Lavender Hill, London. Bill’s father Solomon was working as a builder’s joiner / shop foreman.

By 1917 as well as their father, both Bill and his brother Solomon (in America) also worked as a carpenter & joiners.

Bill was 5 foot 9 inches tall, with brown hair, brown eyes and a medium complexion and enlisted with the Royal Navy as an ACM2 rating – An Aviation Carpenter’s Mate 2nd Class Petty Officer and was based initially at Crystal Palace and Chingford until the 28th April when he was transferred to Eastbourne.

No doubt Bill's carpentry skills were put to good use, building, repairing and re-fitting aircraft, which was proving vital to the modern war effort in 1917.

Bill’s Uncle Albert Benjamin Uden who was serving with the 4^th Field Mounted Engineers of the Canadian Army was also a carpenter by trade.

Life on the home front

Walter and Rose Matilda Bush (nee Cane) celebrated the birth of their eighth child and fifth daughter Joyce Elizabeth Bush on the 25th January 1917 in Dartford, Kent. Walter was aged 41 and Rose 40.

Walter Bush

Walter (my first cousin four times removed) was born on the 29th October 1875 in Clapham, Surrey, the son of Robert and Sarah Ann Bush (nee Clarke). He married Rose Matilda Cane in 1898 in Windsor.

Joyce had 3 older brothers Walter Morris (born & died 1901 in Harrow), Walter Edwin Frederick Bush (born 1904 in Harrow) and John Thomas Frank Bush (born 1908 in Kent). Her four sisters Doris Minnie Bush (born 1899 in Harrow), Rose Kathleen Bush (born 1902 Harrow), Muriel Annie Bush (born 1913 in Dartford) and Isabelle Margaret Bush (born 1914 in Kent).

In 1911, the family lived at 28 Bexley Lane, Dartford, Kent and Walter was working as a butcher, the same trade as his father.

Walter Bush, who was aged 41 in 1917, had been sent to Crayford to work in the Vickers munitions factory as he was unfit to join the armed services as he had one leg shorter than the other. The family moved into 35 Maiden Lane, Crayford one of the first families to move into the Barnes Cray estate which was built to house workers at the factory.

Walter’s eldest daughter Doris also worked with her father at the munitions factory in 1916/17. Lodging with the Bush family was William Samuel King (known as Billy) who was also unfit to serve at the front and was sent to the same munitions factory to work.

Doris Minnie Bush

The Barnes Cray Estate was built by an organisation connected with Vickers to house a good proportion of the 12,000 people employed by the firm at that time.

The main function of the Vickers Crayford Works in the years of the First World War was the manufacture of the Vickers machine gun, a development of Maxim's invention, and aircraft like the FB5 'Gun-bus'.

Doris Minnie Bush and William King married in 1923.

Reference - Verbal history of Joyce Elizabeth Bush,

From Sheep Fair to Slaughter

William Henry Cunningham was born in 1892 in Rugeley, Staffordshire, the son of Thomas and Hannah Cunningham (nee Mills). William had two sisters Edith (born 1886) and Gertrude (born 1895) and two brothers Thomas (born 1899) and Reginald (born 1909).

William’s younger brother Thomas would become the father in law of my Aunt Dorothy Hollins.

In 1911 William was working in the local colliery below ground as a rope rider and living with the family at 74 Sheep Fair, Rugeley. His father was working above ground at the colliery as a banksman.

 By 1917 his parents moved and were living at 18 Queen Street just a few houses from George, William and Charles Hollins. George despite his time having expired had re-enlisted and in December returned to France serving with the Royal Engineers.

William was serving as a Private with A Company 1^st Battalion the North Staffordshire Regiment and had sailed to France on the 5^th March 1915 along with my Great Uncle Benjamin Hollins.

On 14^th January 1917, after nearly two years in France and Flanders Private William Henry Cunningham aged 26 was killed in action alongside his comrade from D Company Lance Corporal Ernest James Wood from Tooting, London.

Both are buried at the Philosophe British Military Cemetery at Mazingarbe, which lies between Bethune and Lens.

Philosophe Military Cemetry (CWGC)

The loss for the Cunningham family was as you would expect great, as this newspaper article in the Staffordshire Advertiser 12^th Jan 1918 shows

Cunningham – In loving memory of Pte. W. Cunningham (40010), 1^st North Staffordshire Regiment, killed in action Jan 14, 1917. Twelve months have gone and still miss him. Friends may think the wound has healed. But they little know the sadness deep within our hearts concealed – From his loving Father, Mother, Brother and Sisters.

Although it is unclear how William meet his death, the following story published in the Stoke Sentinel By Richard Ault  (Posted: August 29, 2016) highlights the conditions and daily danger for the men of the 1^st Battalion during their time at the Somme in August 1916. William of course was part of A company.

The 1st Battalion of the North Staffordshire Regiment was a battle hardened unit of fighting men. They had been on the Western Front for two years by the time the Somme offensive was launched.

Yet, while the less experienced troops of the Pals battalions and the Territorial Force, like the 1st/5th and the 1st/6th North Staffords, were ordered over the top on July 1, 1916; the 1st North Staffords were kept in reserve.

They first took over a section of the British front line on the Somme on August 9, 1916, near Guillemont village, a key position in the German defence system which had resisted all attempts at capture during the early phases of the Battle of the Somme.

Those defences meant the Germans were able to bring down concentrated machine gun and artillery fire onto any unit attempting to take the village.

That was the position facing the 1st North Staffords when they arrived in the lines in August, 1916. Yet their role in the fight for Guillemont would not be an especially dramatic one, their job was not to attack with rifles and Mills Bombs, as they had done many times before. Instead, they were sent out with shovels, to dig another trench.

The front line was in a poor state after weeks of fighting, and the British top brass had realised that to reduce casualties during any attack on Guillemont, the amount of space between the British and German lines must be reduced.

Their job was to dig a new trench, closer to the German lines, meaning the British attackers would have less distance to cross, and the German machine guns less time to do their murderous work.

Although, this time, the 1st North Staffords wouldn't be fighting, that didn't mean that their job was any less dangerous.

That menial task would require them to move 100 yards closer to the enemy, with its wealth of artillery and rapid fire weapons, under cover of darkness, and to dig.

The North Staffords took over the line on August from the 1st/10th (Scottish) Battalion of the Kings (Liverpool Regiment), who had made a costly and failed attack on Guillemont.

As soon as dark fell, members of the North Staffordshire battalion went out into No Man's Land to help carry back men who had been wounded during that attack.

That first night, the North Staffords were supposed to start digging the new trench, but the order came in to postpone the task. One company of men, A Company, was already in 'Teale Trench', ready to start the work. During that night Teale Trench was shelled heavily by the enemy and one soldier, Private Francis Cliffe, from Hilton, was killed – the first man of the 1st North Staffords to be killed on the Somme.

The next night, at 11.45pm, the order was given to start digging. The men of A Company went out to start the job. Only C Company would join them before dawn. The men of B Company arrived late, and D Company did not managed to get started.

It wasn't long before the noise attracted the attention of German observers based at forward listening posts. The message soon got back to the commander of the enemy artillery barrage.

The night was dark and the British worked quickly, knowing their best chance of survival was to dig as quickly as possible. The dark of night made it difficult for the enemy artillery fire to pick them out – yet that did not stop the Germans from trying.

All through the night the North Staffords worked – and all through the night they were shelled by the enemy. Sometimes the bombs would explode harmlessly in the mud. Other times shrapnel would rip into flesh and one of the soldiers would cry out and collapse into the mud.

By the end of the night, the battalion had dug 120 yards of trench. But six men had been killed during the night.

They had not been involved in a single attack or trench raid during this time. This gives some indication of the daily losses experienced by the British army.

William Henry Cunningham is remembered on the Rugeley War Memorial.

Rugeley War Memorial (photo by Allison Smith)

Defending from air attack

On the 4^th October 1916 Henry Renshaw was posted to the 29^th Anti-Aircraft Company of the Royal Garrison Artillery.

While the normal role of the air forces during the Great War was mainly reconnaissance for the purposes of assisting the artillery, tactical and strategic bombing, together with ground support and strafing, grew in importance. Shooting down enemy aircraft, or at least frightening them off, naturally followed as an important aspect of defence.

Henry Renshaw was my 1^st Cousin twice removed and was born in Colwich, Staffordshire in 1883, the son of Henry and Elizabeth Renshaw (nee Mills). He had three brothers, Charles (born 1877), Walter (born 1880) and Arthur (born 1888) and two sisters, Lizzie (born 1879) and Mary (born 1884).

In 1911 he was living with his parents who were farmers, his two siblings Mary and Arthur were also working on the farm. Henry was working as an Estates Clerk.

Henry married Ethel James in October 1915 at Christ Church, Stone and joined the Royal Garrison Artillery on the 11^th December 1915. They lived at 10, Taylors Lane, Rugeley, With Henry still working as an Estates Clerk at the Anglesey Estate Office in Rugeley. He was aged 31 years and 1 month when he joined the army and was 5 foot 7 inches tall.

The First Day of the Somme

The 1^st July 1916 is a date infamous in British military history – The first day of the Somme.

The British in an effort to relieve the pressure on their French allies in Verdun mounted a huge offensive in the Somme area along a 15 mile front involving some 750,000 men. The attack was due to begin at 7.30am after an eight-day bombardment.

Albert Hollins (my half cousin 3 times removed) was a sergeant serving with the 8^th Battalion, Prince Alberts, Somerset Light Infantry. Albert from Sandy Lane, Rugeley worked before the War in the grocery trade and had arrived in France in September 1915. On the 1^st July he was just 22 years old.

Albert Hollins 8th Bat. SLI

The War Diary for the Battalion describes the events of the day.

8th Battalion Somerset Light Infantry War Diary 1^st July 1916

At 6.30am Trench ladders & bridges were put in place and an intense artillery barrage was opened.

7.30-am – Was ZERO time for assault.

7.25 am Front waves of B & C Coys crawled out.

T

he battalion was ordered to attack in the following formation B and C Coys in front B on right and C on left. To advance in 4 lines of platoons at 2 paces interval about 100 ft between lines – supported by A Coy in 2 lines of ½ coys. D Coy coming on in seal in artillery formation. E.g. in lines of platoons in file as a carrying party for SAA – bombs, picks and shovels.

The artillery barrage lifted our men advanced in quick time. They were met by very heavy machine gun fire and although officers and men were being hit and falling everywhere the advance went steadily on, and was reported by a Brigade Major who witnessed it to have been magnificent.

The leading platoon lost quite 50% going across “No man’s Land” On arrival near the enemy’s front line they were momentarily held up by a machine gun, but as the successive supporting lines came up they soon got in.

Already the enemy had opened an artillery barrage on “No Man’s Land” and our front line trench – which caused heavy casualties among the supports. The only enemy found alive in his front line were a few machine gunners, who were immediately killed.

Our men worked their way down the German communication trenches, bombing dugouts which contained live Germans, then on to where the trenches had been battered out of all recognition and only consisted of a mass of craters.

They were supported by one Stokes gun but the officer in charge and the team were soon knocked out; then a Lewis gun team of ours got … & but considerable help; enabling our men to make a further advance. This party was under 2LT Kellett and worked its way from crater to crater until it got to Lozenge Alley which had not been straffed by our artillery, here they consolidated – making fire steps etc. because it was only a communication trench. The enemy’s barrage of shrapnel prevented further advance.

In Lozenge Alley 2Lt Kellett’s party joined up with 2LT A.H. Halls party making a total of about 100, who had been doing much the same work. They held this position all night – during which time they repulsed a bombing attack coming from the direction of Fricourt.

The high hopes of the Officers and men of the first day were soon replaced by grinding attrition. The attacks had soon stalled and the appalling loss of life made the first day of the Somme the worst in British military history. In total 57,470 casualties were recorded including 19,240 dead.

The 8^th Battalion Somerset Light Infantry suffered 116 casualties killed on the first day.

Like most of country, family and friends had to wait for news of their loved ones.

News of Albert’s fate was reported in the Lichfield Mercury Friday 21^st July 1916

Local Casualties

Sargent A. Hollins. Information has been received by Mr and Mrs Thomas Hollins, Sandy Lane, Rugeley that their son, Sergeant Albert Hollins, has been killed in action. Sergt. Hollins joined the Somerset Light Infantry Sept 1^st 1914 and went out to the front in Sept 1915. 

He went all through the Battle of Loos, and was promoted to the rank of Sergeant for gallantry in the field. Previous to enlistment he was employed by messers Siemens. He was home on leave about two months ago. 

The Sergeant-Major of his company, in a letter of sympathy to his deceased parents, says: He died as he lived, a solider. He was killed about three yards from machine gun, which he was charging and trying to take. His end must, have been instantaneous as he had four bullet wounds, from his head to his throat. Deceased has a brother in the Royal West Kent Regiment.

Albert has no known grave and is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial (Pier 2 and Face 2A) and on the war memorial in Brereton, near Rugeley.

Thiepval Memorial

Brereton War memorial

The Battle of Jutland - On Board HMS Indomitable

Robert Harris, my Great Grandfather in law, had been serving on board HMS Indomitable as a stoker since the outbreak of war and was involved in the pursuit of the Goeben, the shelling of the forts at Dardanelles and the Battle of Dogger Bank.

Robert Harris - HMS Indomitable

On May 22nd The 3rd Battle Cruiser Squadron commanded by Admiral Hood, including Indomitable had sailed north to Scapa Flow with Invincible and Inflexible for intensive gunnery practice temporarily assigned to the Grand Fleet.

On the morning of May 30th Indomitable was in Pentland Firth for 12 inch gun practice, the results of which were described as “highly satisfactory” and by 3.45pm was back at anchor at Scapa Flow. The British were expecting another excursion by the German navy from decoded message intercepts. The entire Grand Fleet, along with Admiral Beatty's battle cruisers, was ordered to sea to prepare for an excursion by the German High Seas Fleet and at 6.25pm Admiral Jellicoe told Hood to raise steam for 22 knots. The stokers set to work and at 8.50pm Indomitable was ordered to weigh anchor and ten minutes later moved out to sea accompanied by fellow Battle Cruisers Invincible and Inflexible, two light cruisers Chester and Canterbury and four destroyers.

May 31st - The Battle of Jutland

In order to support Beatty 2nd Battle Cruiser Squadron, Admiral Hood took his three battle cruisers around 25 miles ahead of the Grand Fleet and at about 2:30pm Invincible intercepted a radio message from the British light cruiser Galatea, attached to Beatty's Battle cruiser Force, reporting five enemy battle cruisers in sight and later signals reporting that he was engaging the enemy on a south-easterly course. At 4:06pm Hood ordered full speed and a course of south-southeast in an attempt to converge on Beatty. Indomitable and the other Invincibles belched black smoke and dashed away to support Beatty. At 4:56pm, with no British ships in sight, Hood requested Beatty's course, position and speed, but never received a reply.

Hood continued on course until 5:40pm when gunfire was spotted in the direction to which his light cruiser Chester had been dispatched to investigate other gunfire flashes. Chester encountered four light cruisers of Hipper's 2nd Scouting Group, Frankfurt, Wiesbaden, Pillau and Elbing, and was badly damaged before Hood turned to investigate and was able to drive the German cruisers away from her.

At 5:53pm Invincible opened fire on Wiesbaden, Indomitable and Inflexible followed two minutes later. The German ships turned for the south after fruitlessly firing torpedoes at 6:00pm and attempted to find shelter in the mist. As they turned Invincible hit Wiesbaden in the engine room and knocked out her engines while Inflexible hit Pillau once. 

HMS Indomitable

The 2nd Scouting Group was escorted by the light cruiser Regensburg and 31 destroyers of the 2nd, 9th Flotillas and the 12th Half-Flotilla which attacked the 3rd BCS in succession.

They were driven off by Hood's remaining light cruiser Canterbury and the five destroyers of his escort. In a confused action the Germans only launched 12 torpedoes and disabled the destroyer Shark with gunfire. Having turned due west to close on Beatty's ships, the three Invincibles were broadside to the oncoming torpedoes, Invincible turned north, while Inflexible and Indomitable turned south to present their narrowest profile to the torpedoes. All the torpedoes missed, although one passed underneath Inflexible without detonating. As Invincible turned north, her helm jammed and she had to come to a stop to fix the problem, but this was quickly done and the squadron reformed heading west.

At about 6:19pm, Hood led his three battle cruisers in an 180 degree turn placing him some 4,000 yards ahead of HMS Lion and Admiral Beatty. Hipper moved within range of Hood's 3rd Battle cruiser Squadron, but was still also within range of Beatty's ships. Hipper's battle cruisers were 9,000 yards away and all three Invincibles almost immediately opened fire on Hipper's flagship Lutzow and Derfflinger.

At first, visibility favoured the British: Indomitable hit Derfflinger three times and Seydlitz once, while Lützow quickly took 10 hits from Beatty’s flagship HMS Lion, Inflexible and Invincible, including two below-waterline hits forward by Invincible that would ultimately doom Hipper's flagship.

But at 6:30pm, Invincible abruptly appeared as a clear target before Lützow and Derfflinger. The two German ships then fired three salvos each at Invincible, and sank her in 90 seconds. A 12 inch shell from the third salvo struck Invincible's Q-turret amidships, detonating the magazines below and causing her to blow up and sink. Invincible broke in half, with both halves perpendicular on the sea bed.

There were a few survivors nearby. These men waved as Inflexible and Indomitable swept past. “I have never seen anything more splendid” said an officer in Indomitable “than these few cheering as we raced by them”.

All but six of her crew of 1,032 officers and men, including Rear-Admiral Hood, were killed.

Inflexible and Indomitable remained in company with Beatty for the rest of the battle. They encountered Hipper's battle cruisers only 10,000 yards away as the sun was setting about 8.19pm and opened fire. Seydlitz was hit five times before the German battle cruisers were rescued by the appearance of the pre-dreadnought battleships of Rear Admiral Mauve and the British shifted fire to the new threat. Three of the pre-dreadnoughts were hit before they too were able to turn into the gloom.

Although classes continued into the night and the early hours of the 1st June as the German High Seas fleet broke through the British lines to escape back to port in Germany Indomitable saw no further action during the battle of Jutland.

One can only imagine the experiences of a stoker deep in the bowels of a fast moving battle cruiser. Hard physical work and probably unaware of the strategic naval action and manoeuvres taking place, no knowledge of the fate of Indomitable's sister ships, destroyed in massive explosions with huge loss of life.

A midshipman on Indomitable provided a graphic picture of the effort made in the engine and stoke rooms.

"The furnaces devoured coal as fast as a man could feed them. Black, begrimmed and sweating men working in the ship's side dug the coal out and loaded it into skids which were then dragged along the steel deck and emptied on the floor plates in front of each boiler.... If the ship rolled or pitched there was always a risk that a loaded skid might slide and crush a man. Looking down from the iron catwalk above, the scene had all the appearance of one from Dante's inferno....Watching the pressure gauges for any fall in the steam pressure, the Chief Stoker walked to and fro, encouraging his men. Now and then the telegraph from the engine room would clang and the finger on the dial move round to the section marked "more steam". The Chief would press the reply gong with an oath, "What do the bastards think we're doing? Come on boys, shake it up, get going." and the sweating men would redouble their efforts, throw open the furnace doors and shovel still more coal into the blazing inferno."

(Description of Indomitable stokers recounted following the Battle of Dogger Bank)

The loss of the three battle cruisers at Jutland, Invincible, Queen Mary and Indefatigable "which had prompted Beatty's famous Jutland quote "There seems to be something wrong with our bloody ships today" led to the force being reorganised into two squadrons, with Inflexible and Indomitable in the 2nd Battle Cruiser Squadron. 

References

Castles of Steel - Robert K Massie

Discharged on Medical Grounds

On the 16^th May 1916, Alfred Walter Reed Lewis, my Great Grandfather in Law, was discharged from the army on medical grounds as being no longer physically fit for War service.

Alfred had enlisted with the Army Service Corps (ASC) on the 1^st May 1915 at Holloway, North London and served in A Company of the 41^st Field Butchery. He had been posted as part of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force to Salonika, Greece in Oct 1915, but had returned home in January 1916 suffering from heart problems and shortage of breath following heavy exertion.

He had been hospitalised since his return to England and on the 16^th March 1916 the medical board reported that he was suffering from Valvurian Disease of the Heart (Mitral), which had originated 12 years ago in London, in civilian life. It was not caused by or aggravated by active service however it recommended that he be discharged with permanent disability capacity as on enlistment as per Kings Regulations.

Alfred was aged 29 years 177 days old and was 5ft 6 inches tall, with dark hair, blue eyes and a fresh complexion. He was discharged from the ASC discharge depot, Catterick, Yorkshire. His discharge papers indicated a good military character and that he was a good butcher. He had served for 1 year and 17 days and had spent the last three months in hospital.

Alfred returned home to Kelvin Road, Highbury Park, North London and his wife Alice May, his daughter Doris (Dolly) aged 4 ½ years and son Alfred aged 3 ½.

Al Barnes Tango Band

Alfred Walter Reed Lewis pictured with the Al Barnes tango band in 1931. 

At 12.30 Gas was heard

Sergeant Horace Hollins (My second cousin twice removed) was serving with the 10^th Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers and on the 30^th April 1916 Horace was in the trenches at Kemmel, Belguim.

Originally from Rugeley, Staffordshire he had served in the Boer War and on his return had married Emily Leader in 1904 and then moved to Coventry working as an Iron Moulder.

Horace Hollins

The battalion war diary details the events of the early morning of the 30th April 1916.

War Diary – 10^th Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers 30^th April 1916

Kemmel Trenches

At 12.30 gas was heard hissing from the cylinders and the cloud seen. Rapid fire was at once opened. Alarm gongs and Strombos horns were sounded. Gas was by far the thickest opposite our right at E.1, where the trenches were only 35 to 40 yards apart. Some men were gassed at this point before they could get their helmets properly adjusted, but in the main helmets were perfectly satisfactory.

The Germans had difficulty in leaving their lines, and only at one point did a few enter our trench, coming through the gap on our right into E.3, but they retreated when met by Lieut. Piercy and a few bombers. Capts. Bell and Follit took up the supporting platoons from Regent St. Dugouts, and by 1.21 the gas had cleared, and the situation was well in hand.

The gas came over in two waves. Regent St. Dugouts, Pall Mall, and Piccadilly were fairly heavily shelled, the barrage being just behind Regent St. Dugouts and the head of Regent St.

The Brig. Gen. was at Kemmel Shelters, and was in continuous communication with O.C> 10^th R.W. Fus.

As we had about 26 casualties and 50 cases of men suffering from gas, a company was asked for to reinforce Regent St. Dugouts, and one company to garrison G.H.Q. line at Lindenhoek in case the enemy renewed his attack.

When it got light some dead were seen near the enemy’s parapet, and two wounded were actually brought into our trench for purposes of indentification. Our heavy artillery must have done good work, as the Germans were not able to advance in large numbers, and their communications to the rear were being shelled by our lighter guns. Meanwhile 12” shells fell into their lines.

The remainder of the day was quiet. In the evening about 10pm the gas alarms were heard on our right, and the alarm was taken up by us. E trenches reported no gas; F trenches reported very slight, which subsequently turned out to be a mistake, arising from clouds of smoke from bursting shells and trench mortar bombs.

Note: It is extremely difficult under these conditions to judge whether gas is present or not when helmets are worn. During the evening trench F.5 was taken over by 1^st G. H., we leaving two Lewis guns and one bombing squad.

Casualties :

Killed - 5 O.R.

Killed (Gassed) - 3 O.R.

Wounded - 2/Lt E. Vaughan and 24 O.R.

Wounded (Gassed) - Capt. E.W. Bell, 2/Lt E.W. Edwards and 45 O.R.

From Commonwealth War Graves Commission website

The eight soldiers killed were:

Lance Corporal H Dudley (aged 21)

Pte. J.T. Fisher

Pte. T harries (aged 21)

Pte. Michael Hester (aged 30)

Pte. Francis Valentine Horton (aged 27)

Pte. Charles Shepley

Pte Frank Sigley (aged 25)

And

Sgt. Horace Hollins (aged 37)

He left behind his wife, Emily, who at the time of Horace’s death had moved back from Coventry and was living back in Rugeley at 73, Queen Street and his two children Harold (aged 10) and Mabel (aged 8)

All eight are buried in Lindenhoek Chalet Military Cemetry in Belguim, which is located about 9 Kms south west of Leper on a road connecting Leper to Kemmel.

It is not known which three were killed by gas.

Horace's death was reported in the local papers of both Rugeley and Coventry.

26^th May 1916 – Lichfield Mercury

Rugeley sergeant killed in action. Information has been received that sergeant Horace Hollins, of the Royal Welch Fusiliers, has been killed in action. Sergeant Hollins was a reservist. He joined the Grenadier Guards in 1900 and fought in the Boer War. On the outbreak of the present war he joined the Royal Welch Fusiliers and was soon promoted to the rank of sergeant. He is the second son of bandmaster Hollins, of Rugeley, who has served upwards of fifty years with the colours. He was for 37 years in the old volunteers. Bandmaster Hollins has had 4 sons and 2 sons in law, all of whom have answered their countrys call. Sergeant George Hollins, 1/6 th North Staffords, has just returned from the front, his time having expired. Charlie has been discharged and William, who was a member of the old volunteers, is now working on munitions. A son-in-law Private Jim Fisher, was one of the first Rugeley men to be killed in action, and his other son in law has been discharged from the army.

Coventry Telegraph

Coventry Military Band

Sergeant Hollins Killed

Seventeen members of the Coventry Military Band are serving with the colours, and of those Sergt. Horace Hollins has been recently killed in action. Corpl. W. Owen, another member, was the first of the bandsmen to be wounded.

Sergt. Hollins came from a military family. His father has thirty-seven years of military service to his credit, and all his brothers have served as volunteers, Territorials, or Regular soldiers. His younger brother has recently come to Coventry for munitions work after thirteen months of active service in France. His brother in law was killed in action a short time ago while rescuing wounded comrades. Sergt. Hollins served through the South African campaign and shortly after the outbreak of the present war was called to the colours and rejoined his old regiment the Grenadier Guards. He then served as instructor in several depots, and finally went to the front with the 10^th Royal Welsh Fusiliers. He was home on leave a month ago, and was killed on the Sunday following his return. In his early career he was a bandsman in the North Staffordshire Regiment, serving with his father and three brothers. When he came to Coventry he joined the Coventry Military Band, and played with them for twelve years. He was very popular among local bandsmen, and by his straightforwardness and honesty of purpose earned the respect and good wishes of all his associates. He leaves a widow and two children.

Horace is also remembered on the Ancient Order of Foresters role of honour memorial in Rugeley and the Rugeley war memorial.

Ancient Order of Foresters Memorial - Rugeley

His second cousin and my Great Uncle Edward Hollins sounded the Last Post when the Memorial was first dedicated.

Wimbledon War time Marriage

On the 26^th February 1916 Frederick Lemon (my Great Grand Uncle) married Edith Annie Lambert at St. Andrew Church, South Wimbledon, Surrey.

Frederick Lemon was born in Wimbledon in 1885, the seventh of nine children, born to Joseph and Eliza Lemon (nee Walker). He had two brothers Edward Albert (born Wimbledon 1873) and Joseph (born Wimbledon 1881) and five sisters, Sarah Jane (born Wimbledon 1871) Emily Elizabeth (born Wimbledon 21^st May 1875), Rosey (born Wimbledon 1878), Olive (born Wimbledon 1889) and May (born Wimbledon 1890).

Fred Lemon

His sister Emily Elizabeth Lemon had married by Great Grandfather Albert Henry Bush on the 9^th July 1898.

In 1911 both families were living next door to each other The Lemon’s at 118 Graham Rd, Wimbledon and the Bush’s at number 120. Fred Lemon was working as a Carpenter, as was his father Joseph.

Fred had been serving as a Private with the 1^st Battalion East Surrey Regiment and had been in France since 16^th August 1914. At some point during the War he transferred to the Labour Corps and it may have been during this time that he married Edith.

On board a Grimsby trawler

On the 12^th April 1916, Frederick Charles Bush (my first cousin three times removed) was serving on board HMT Wallington, a 259 tonne Grimsby trawler at the Auxiliary Patrol Base at Grimsby. He had joined the Royal Navy exactly one year previously on the 12^th April 1915 and had been serving on board the Waveney St. George since September 1915.

He had been transferred to HMT Wallington from Waveney St. George on the 6^th November 1915 and 100 years ago today was promoted to Stoker 1^st Class.

HMT Wallington was employed as a boom defence vessel guarding the Humber estuary, patrolling and maintaining the defences and torpedo nets in all weather.

Back from Salonkia

Alfred Walter Reed Lewis (my Great Grandfather in Law,) serving with A company of the 41^st Field Butchery in the Army Service Corps, had been stationed in Salonkia, Greece since October 1915.

In December 1915 the British element fought a battle at Kosturino, north of Lake Doiran,

However, the intervention came too late to save Serbia and after a brief winter campaign in severe weather conditions on the Serbian frontier, the Anglo-French forces found themselves back at Salonika.

At this point the British advised that the troops be withdrawn. However, the French - with Russian, Italian and Serbian backing - still believed something of strategic importance could be gained in the Balkans and started preparing the port of Salonika for defence.

Alfred had suffered with heart trouble since he was 16, often becoming short of breath during periods of physical exertion and whilst doing heavy work at Salonkia in November his heart began to trouble him again.

He was posted back to England arriving on home shores on the 30^th January 1915, 100 years ago today. He was hospitalised and diagnosed with Valvular Heart Disease (Mitral).

Paid three Shillings a day

On the 12^th January 1916 Corporal Charles Henry Bush, serving with the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) was appointed Clerk. He was serving with 35th Company and was based at the New End Military Hospital in Hampsted.

New End Military Hospital

Charles had been born and grew up in Wimbledon, Surrey. He had served in South Africa and had been stationed at No. 9 General Hospital in Nantes during 1914, returning back to England at Christmas 1914. In July 1915 he had been promoted to Corporal and now with his new appointment he was being paid 3 Shillings a day.

As part of the application Charles was required to submit a letter to check hand writing and composition and in it he describes his experience as a clerk, a job he had done for over four years, including being a clerk in the office of the PMO Cape Colony and that he had been appointed as the chief clerk at the New End Military Hospital on the 25^th March 1915.

Hand writing test

His elder brother Alfred Charles Morris Bush, a Regimental Sergeant Major with the RAMC had been killed in Gallipoli in August 1915