A letter from the King and a French General

On the 16th July 1918, Sergeant William Lovegrove, who was serving with the 52nd Royal Warwicks died of Pneumonia whilst at home. His death was reported in the Reading Mercury the following week.

Reading Mercury 27th July 1918

Sunninghill – Military funeral – Sergt. William Lovegrove 52nd Royal Warwicks, was buried with military honours at Sunninghill Churchyard on Saturday the coffin was carried on a motor aeroplane trailer and firing party was provided by the Royal Air Force, the band of the depot also being in attendance. The deceased was one of the eight solider sons of Mr & Mrs T. Lovegrove, and although he died while on home duty, he had been wounded in action on two more occasions. Three of his brother had been previously killed in action.

It was also reported in the Western Times that Mr & Mrs Thomas Lovegrove, of Kildare, Sunninghill had received a letter of congratulations from the King on their having eight sons in the army.

Sergeant William Charles Lovegrove died on the 16th July 1918, He was aged 30 and was the Son of Thomas and Marguerite Lovergrove, Sunninghill and the Husband of Ethel Lovegrove of St. Georges Cottages, Oriental Road, Berks.

William had married Ethel Emily Ellis in 1914 in Dorking, Surrey with their daughter Phyllis A R Lovegrove being born later that year. Their second child Joffre Douglas J Lovegrove was born in Windsor in 1916 and was obviously named after the French Commander in Chief - General Joseph Joffre. William and Ethel had a third child Trevor born in Portsmouth in 1917

Joffre Lovegrove would become the son in law of Annie and James Othen (My Great Grand Aunt / Uncle in law) when he married their daughter Edith Othen in 1938.

William’s brothers were
• Leslie Lovegrove (born 1881)
• Percy Dixon Lovegrove (born 1884)
• Preston Darry Gordon Lovegrove (Born 1885)
• Henry Lasam Herbert Lovegrove (born 1887)
• Horace Leonard Lovegrove (born 1896) died 22nd November 1915 (Basra Memorial)
• Francis George Lovegrove (born 1890)
• Samuel Ernest Lovegrove (born 1892) died 26th October 1917 (Tyne Cot Memorial)
• David Lovegrove(born 1896)
• Maurice Hestor Lovegrove(born 1897)

Another brother Roberts was born in 1900 and William also had a sister Hilda Dorothy born in 1896.

It has not as yet been possible through research to positively identify the seven other brothers mentioned in the letter from King George V. or the third brother mentioned in the paper as being killed in the War.

The Kitchener Connection

Lord Kitchener was the Secretary of state for war during the First World War (until his death in 1916). His recruitment poster, a masterpiece of marketing, encouraged millions of young men to join up and do their bit.

On the 9^th July 1915 Lord Kitchener inspected the 2^nd battalion The Queens Royal West Surrey Regiment. The regiment including my Great Grand Uncle in law John Joseph Graffham lined the road north of St. Hilare.

It was not the first time John Graffham’s battalion had been inspected by senior commanders. On the 21^st April Field Marshall Sir John French (Commander in Chief of the BEF) had inspected the regiment.

And on 27^th May the Allies supreme commander, General Joffre had inspected the regiment. The 2^nd Battalion war diary for that day stated:

Gen. Joffre, C-in-C of the allied forces honoured the 7^th Division this afternoon by inspecting it. The Division was formed up in a large field near Bas Rieux just east of Lillers. The 22^nd Bde was in the centre, each Bde being formed up in mass of battalions in quarter column. Gen. Joffre accompanied by F.M French and other distinguished officers passed down the lines after which three cheers were given and the troops marched past.

My Grandmother, Dorothy Renshaw, working as a domestic servant at Shugborough Hall for Lord Anson, the Earl of Lichfield, was once presented along with the rest of the staff to Lord Kitchener apparently for the excellent table setting. (Family Verbal History).

Dorothy Renshaw

I am still researching the exact date of when this event happened.

Dorothy was born in Brereton, Staffordshire on the 9th January 1902, The youngest of three daughters of George and Matilda Renshaw (Nee Thompson). In 1911, Dorothy and her parents were living at 8 Talbot Road, Brereton, with George being employed as a Coal Miner. Dorothy's sisters Alice was working as a domestic servant in Longdon (near Rugeley) and Elizabeth was married to Joseph Vernon, who also worked as a Coal Miner and were living at 6 Talbot Road.

Continuing the Kitchener connection, my Great Uncle Benjamin Hollins, originally from Rugeley, but living in Armitage in 1915 with his wife Hilda and two young children Benjamin and Henry, had been out in France serving with the 1/6^th North Staffordshire Regiment since March. His third son was born between April and June 1915. The boy’s name -  George Kitchener Hollins.