On a slow boat to India

James Othen married Annie Cobbold (my great grand aunt in law) in 1905 in Epsom, Surrey. They had four children Rosey (Born 1905), Mabel (1907), Alfred (born 1909) and Florence (born 1911) and in 1911 were living at 32 Folkland Hill, Dorking, with James working as a labourer.

James had been born in 1880 in Farnham, Surrey the youngest son of Charles and Elizabeth Othen. James had 4 older brothers and two older sisters. Annie Cobbold was the daughter of Alfred and Sarah Cobbold (nee Alston) and had been born in 1886 in Burnham, Essex. After marrying James the family lived in Great Bookham, Surrey where their first three children were born and then 1910/11 they moved to Dorking where Florence was born.

Annie had two older brothers Frederick (born 1874 in Braintree, Essex) and Alfred (born 1884 in Burnham, Essex). Alfred's brother in law John Joseph Graffham had been killed whilst serving in France with the 2nd Battalion The Royal West Surrey Regiment in July 1915

James had enlisted with the 5^th Reserve Battalion “The Queens” Royal West Surrey on the 5^th October 1914 aged 34 years and 6 months and was 5 feet 5 3/4 inches. He was living at 71 Orchard Rise, Dorking, Surrey and was considered physically fit. James was employed as a bricklayer's labourer at that time. 

He had been stationed in England since enlisting but on the 28^th October 1916 James, was at Devonport, embarking with the 1 / 4^th Battalion Royal West Surreys to India.

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.

Rugeley losses at the Somme

Herbert Vernon was born in 1890 in Brereton, Rugeley, Staffordshire, he was the youngest son of Joseph and Jane Vernon (nee Heaton). He had 4 older brothers, John (born 1875), Joseph (born 1882), George (born 1880) and Samuel (born 1885) and one older sister Selina (born 1877) all were born in Brereton.

In 1911, Herbert, aged 21, was living with his parents and older brother Samuel at 16 Talbot Road, Brereton and was working as a miner, as was his brother and father.

Herbert had married Eliza Fisher at St. Michael’s Church, Brereton in 1912 and had their first son Herbert W Vernon in 1913.

In 1911 Eliza was living at 40, Brereton Road working as a Jappener (Box Maker), her older brothers James and Albert and father James were working at the local colliery.

Eliza’s brother, James Fisher was married to my second cousin (twice removed) Harriet Hollins, and had been killed on the 13^th Oct 1915 during the attack on the Hohenzollern Redoubt

Herbert’s brother Joseph, was married to my Grandaunt Elizabeth Ann Renshaw and was serving with Royal Army Medical Corps.

Herbert Vernon was serving with the 1^st Battalion Grenadier Guards and had enlisted in March 1915.

The battle of the Somme, which had began on the 1st July with such heavy losses continued to rumble on, inflicting heavy casualties on both sides for little territorial gain. During this continued fighting Herbert Vernon, aged 26, was killed in action on the 12th September. 

The local newspaper - The Lichfield Mercury published the news a couple of weeks later.

29^th Sept 1916 – Lichfield Mercury

Rugeley Casualties

Killed in Action. Official information has this week been received by Mrs E Vernon, Brereton Road, Rugeley, that her husband Private H. Vernon Grenadier Guards, was killed in action on Sept 12^th, He joined the Grenadier Guards March 1915 and has been out at the front since last April. Previous joining the Army was employed as a miner the Brereton leaves a wife and one child.

Herbert is commemorated on Pier and Face 8D Thiepval Memorial and on the Brereton War Memorial.

Herbert Vernon - Brereton War Memorial

Lost at the Somme

William Herbert Hollins (My third cousin once removed) was serving as a Lance Corporal with the 7^th Battalion Duke of Cornwall Light Infantry. He had enlisted in November 1915 and had been out in France since April 1916.

He was the oldest son of William and Amy Hollins (nee Saunders) and in 1916 he was just 19 Years old. His father William was working on munitions and his uncles had all joined up. Horace had been killed in April1916, Charles was still serving and George had just re-enlisted in the Royal Engineers after coming home following serving with the 6th North Staffords. His two aunt’s husbands - James Fisher, had just been killed at Hohenzollern Redoubt in October 1915 and Fred Williscroft had been discharged from the army in August 1914.

William Herbert Hollins

The battle of the Somme began on the 1^st July, with heavy losses for the attacking British forces including his half first cousin Albert Hollins. The battle dragged on throughout the following weeks and months into one of terrible attrition.
 

The 7^th DCLI were positioned in the ‘Brompton Road’ Trench, near Guillemont, which they had moved into on the 21^st August, having relieved the 3^rd Rifle Brigade and 12^th Royal Fusiliers who had ‘gained and retained’ the railway station’ after heavy fighting. They remained in this frontline trench under heavy bombardment with significant German counter attacks occurring on the 23^rd and 24^th August. The net was closing around the village and the Germans were desperate to retain this high ground, throwing artillery and ‘bombs’ at the Brompton Road line.  The DCLI’s final engagement in this area involved a heavy bombardment and follow up attack by the enemy who were targeting the supply lines to the frontline.

Bombarding the supply lines and DCLI HQ which was situated in and around the Station, plus an advance on the Brompton Road. Again the attack was repulsed and finally on the 25^th August the DCLI were relieved from the frontline and returned to Carnoy (3 miles South West of Trones Wood for R&R. 

Throughout this ‘rest’ period, the 7^th Battalion were repeatedly marching back to this sector at night to repair and rebuild trenches. The weather is noted as atrocious with persistent storms and heavy rain.

On the 29^th of August, the DCLI once again moved forward and relieved the 10^th Rifle Brigade. They had just completed a 9 hour fatigue (trench repairs) and were immediately moving straight back into action. New trenches had been dug and immediately attracted enemy fire, such that when the DCLI came up to take occupancy they found very little cover, many dead or wounded and the trenches literally ‘knee deep’ in mud.

This would have been William’s final experience as no sooner had the DCLI completed the relief of the frontline, the enemy shelling started once again.

The Battalion War diary for the night of the 30^th/31^st August reads as follows:

“Very wet night. Men very tired, many of the men developing a form of trench foot. Incessant bombardment in support and reserve trenches. Many tear or lachrymatory shells used by Hun in this area. Bombardment so heavy and general that attack by enemy was expected but did not materialise.”

It can be assumed that William lost his life during this bombardment, and due to the poor weather and terrain it’s not difficult to understand why his body remains unidentified or indeed lost.

Guillemont Station (Sept 1916)

This would have been directly behind William as he fought in the Brompton Road Trench.

William is commorated at the Thiepval Memorial on Pier and Face 6B. On the same panel are 5 comrades from the 7^th Battallion who were listed as killed on the 31^st August.

L.Cprl Edgar Fuller 15592 Age 25

Pte Ernest Came 22316

Pte Ernest Hazel Griggs 17455

Pte Archie Smith 24477 aged 27

Pte James Herbert Tullett 24347

The Coventry Evening Telegraph reported the news of William’s death on Saturday 23^rd September 1916

Mr & Mrs W. Hollins, 11 Francis Street have received official notice that their son Corpl. W.H. Hollins 23942, Duke of Cornwall LI was killed in action in France on August 30^th last. He enlisted on Nov 30, 1915 and was in France four months. Previous to joining the colours he was employed at Messrs. Matherson, Huxley and Watson Ltd.

The following notice appeared in the Coventry Evening Telegraph on the 30^th August the following year and the year after that.

Hollins – In Loving memory of Lance Corporal William Herbert Hollins, DCLI who was killed in action in France August 30^th 1916. Deeply mourned by father, mother, brothers and sisters.

He sleeps not in his native land,

But under foreign skies,

And far from those who loved him best

In a hero’s grave he lies.

With thanks to Stan Hollins who provided the original research.

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.