Arthur Head – War Casualty

October 21, 2011 — Nikellom

Menin Gate

Arthur Head is my first cousin, four times removed. He was born circa 1885 in March, Cambridgeshire and according to the 1901 Census was a Tailor’s Apprentice and lived at Park Road, Milnthorpe, Westmorland. Special thanks are owed to Trevor Higgins for writing the following text:-

Arthur was a member of the 2nd Btn Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, who in November 1914 were part of the defensive force positioned east of Ypres, attempting to stop further advances by the German forces. The British 1st Division, which included the Dukes, were confronted by 4 Btns of the German Grenadiers who were advancing through Polygon and Nonne Bosschen woods, (Nuns Copse) north of Gheluvelt village. On this front north and south of the Dukes, the British forces numbering 7800 men were confronted by 25 battalions of Germans totalling 17500 infantry.

Fighting was fierce and by midnight of the 11th the Duke of Wellingtons had lost 380 soldiers of on original figure of 826 rank and file, many killed during continuing bombardment from the Germans.

Menin Gate

Arthur’s body was never found and he is commemorated on the Menin Gate inYpres. The Memorial now bears the names of more than 54000 officers and men who have no known grave, and chosen in its present location because of the hundreds of thousands of commonwealth soldiers who marched that way through Ypres on their way to the many battle fronts.

This is a revised version of a post which was originally published on my WordPress Blog on 03/01/2010 and republished on Mollekin Portalite on 11/05/2011.

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Harry Ernest Hall – War Casualty

October 21, 2011 — Nikellom

Harry Ernest Hall is second cousin, thrice removed. He was born circa 1896 in Barnsley and according to the 1911 Census was a Coal Agent’s Clerk and lived at 22 Queens Road, Barnsley. Special thanks are owed to Trevor Higgins for writing the following text:-

Harry was a member of the 13th Btn York and Lancaster Regiment, the ‘Barnsley Pals’, which was part of the 31st Division, engaged in offensive operations in the Artois region of France, and more specifically to the east of Arras.

Oppy Wood and village were held by the Germans who would not give up the area, even after several bloody engagements which began on the 3rd May 1917. The casualties to both armies were costly, when they were engaged in the exchange of artillery barrage, and attacks and counter attacks by infantry.

On the 28th June at 7.10 pm, the 12th, 13th and 14th battalions of the York and Lancasters, together with the East Lancashire Regiment, launched an attack on Oppy Wood. A creeping barrage preceded the troops which was devastating on the Germans. The 14th on the right, and the 12th to their left, achieved their objectives with very few casualties. The East Lancashires met their objectives with losses of 10 killed and 74 wounded. The 13th 2 killed and 36 wounded. The wood was captured, and with attacks on Oppy village to the rear, the whole was a complete success.

Because the battle was over before midnight, we can presume Harry was one of the wounded, dying on the 29th. Other information suggests he was buried near the battle site, and re-interred within St Catherines Cemetery after the Armistice. St Catherines is situated in a suburb of Arras, and contains 339 soldiers.

This is a revised version of a post which was originally published on my WordPress Blog on 15/01/2010 and republished on Mollekin Portalite on 10/05/2011.

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Maurice Gill – War Casualty

October 21, 2011 — Nikellom

Napier Street

Maurice Gill is my third cousin, twice removed. He was born circa 1895 in Sheffield and according to the 1911 Census was a Farm Servant and lived at 144 Napier Street, Sheffield. Special thanks are owed to Trevor Higgins for writing the following text:-

Maurice was a member of the 1/4 York and Lancaster Regiment (Hallamshires) a Sheffield Battalion.

After protracted research, which has been difficult to trace where the regiment was at the time of Maurice’s death, it is concluded they were north of Ypres making offensive advancement to clear the area of pockets of German soldiers. No major offensive was taking place at this time, and it would appear the Hallamshires were engaged in skirmishes and small engagements with the enemy. Advancing east, just north of the city, fights took place and it appears Maurice was killed near Elverdinghe. His body appears to have been interred in a burial plot at Brielen.

Duhallow Advanced Dressing Station Cemetery, which is situated on the D369 out of Ypres to the north, was begun in July 1917, and after the Armistice, bodies were recovered from small cemeteries and burial plots around Ypres. The cemetery now has 1544 casualties buried there of which 231 are unidentified.

This is a revised version of a post which was originally published on my WordPress Blog on 17/01/2010 and republished on Mollekin Portalite on 10/05/2011.

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Willie Checkley – War Casualty

October 21, 2011 — Nikellom

Headstone

Willie Checkley is fourth cousin, twice removed. He was born in 1899 in Sheffield and according to the 1911 Census lived at 31 Kirkstone Road, Hillsborough, Sheffield. Special thanks are owed to Trevor Higgins for writing the following text:-

William, whose grave, is in Croisilles British Cemetery, fought in battles to take the Hindenberg Line which crossed Arrasand the northern area of the Somme, and was Germany’s last defensive line. Boyelles, Croisilles, and Bullecourt were three of the main attacks, commencing on the 24th August 1918. At the end of it on 28th August, the Division had lost 123 officers and 2381 other ranks. One can presume William was a member, and casualty, of this attack. The cemetery contains 1173 Commonwealth burials of which 647 are unidentified. A personal message marked on his gravestone states, ‘In loving remembrance from father sisters and brothers’.

Croisilles Cemetery

This is a revised version of a post which was originally published on my WordPress Blog on 10/09/2009 and republished on Mollekin Portalite on 10/05/2011.

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Wilfred Higgins – War Casualty

October 21, 2011 — Nikellom

Wilfred Higgins

Wilfred Higgins is my third cousin, thrice removed. He was born circa 1881 in Barnsley and according to the 1911 Census was a Colliery Labourer and lived at 10 Clayfield Road in Mexborough, South Yorkshire. Special thanks are owed to Trevor Higgins for writing the following text:-

Wilf was a member of the 2nd Btn Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry who arrived in France and was involved in the battles at Mons, Le Cateau, the Marne and in support of the Canadians in the First Battle of Ypres,at St Julian. On the 4th May 1915, the Btn was withdrawn from Ypres and were ordered to march to Hill 60 at Zwartleen. They were to assist in a counter attack to retake the Hill from the Germans.

Hill 60

Hill 60 was not naturally formed, but a spoil heap created by the Belgians in the construction of the Ypres to Comines railway line. It was named so by the British because it was 60 metres above sea level. Strategically, it was very important to anyone holding it because of the panoramic views of Ypres and the surrounding area. It had been taken from the French in 1914, and was fought for several times.

At 2.30 am on the 7th May, Wilf’s Btn. attacked the forward trenches of the Germans. and within 100 metres, 21 soldiers were killed, from machine gun fire. The btn pressed on taking the first trench after close combat fighting, and carried on forwards. As dawn broke it became evident that although the salient to the hill had been taken, the hill itself was still held by the Germans, and the British withdrew.

Menin Gate

The casualties for this attempt were 21 killed in action, 116 wounded and 40 were missing. Of all the soldiers killed in this action, and future ones, none of the bodies were ever recovered. They were buried in the trenches, both British and German alike, and remain in the soil today. Hill 60 is considered a mass war grave cared for by the CWGC.

This is a revised version of a post which was originally published on my WordPress Blog on 06/01/2010 and republished on Mollekin Portalite on 10/05/2011. Special thanks are also owed to Dawn Stancliffe for donating the photo of James for this post.

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John Edward Berry – War Casualty

October 21, 2011 — Nikellom

John E. Berry

John Edward Berry is my third cousin, thrice removed. He was born circa 1897 in Gawber, Barnsley and according to the 1901 Census, lived in the Wood Vale area of Dodsworth, Barnsley. Special thanks are owed to Trevor Higgins for writing the following text:-

John was a member of the 2/4th Duke of Wellingtons Regiment attached to the 62nd Division, who was attached to the attacking force intending to break through the Hindenburgh Line, positioned on the northern Somme near Cambrai. General Byng’s intention was to ’smash’ the line along a front extending for 12 miles. German intelligence, which was considered very good by all Allied Commanders, were fully aware of the impending offensive, and were prepared. Over 300 British tanks were deployed to assist the infantry. One of the infantry commanders refused to allow his troops to walk closely behind the tanks, thinking they would be killed as artillery targeted the tanks. His troops walked about 150 yards behind the tanks, and were quickly cut down by machine gun fire. The use of tanks was not a success, and by the end of the second day most were out commission.

Headstone

The offensive commenced at 8pm on the 20th November, and the first 24 hours, the 62nd made good progress, taking the villages of Havrincourt and Graincourt, a distance of 5 miles behind the German line. On the second day they were halted near to Bourlon Ridge and dug in.

On the 22nd, the 62nd launched an attack on Bourlon Wood. The Germans had taken advantage of the British digging in on the ridge, and had reinforced their troops within the wood. Fighting was fierce, and the 62nd found it impossible to enter the wood. Some 4000 casualties were sustained, 180 tanks were out commission and the British were halted. By the 7th December all British gains had been lost except for a small area near Havrincourt. British losses in total exceeded 45.000.

Roquigny-Equancourt Cemetery

John died on the 22nd, no doubt in the attacks on Bourlon Ridge or the Wood. The Roquigny-Equancourt Road Cemetery is situated 5 klms south of Havrincourt midway between the two villages after which it is named. The burials are of soldiers treated at Ytres CCS (4 klms south of Havrincourt). There are 1838 commonwealth burials within the Cemetery.

This is a revised version of a post which was originally published on my WordPress Blog on 30/12/2009 and republished on Mollekin Portalite on 10/05/2011. Special thanks are also owed to Trevor Wood for donating the photo of John for this post.

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James Wilfred Loukes – War Casualty

October 21, 2011 — Nikellom

James W. Loukes

James Wilfred Loukes is my third cousin, thrice removed. He was born in Sheffield and according to the 1901 Census was a Bricklayer’s Labourer and lived at 2 Little London Place in Sheffield. Special thanks are owed to Trevor Higgins for writing the following text:-

James is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial, which is situated in Berkshire Cemetery, Ploegsteert, Belgium. The memorial contains 11,000 inscriptions of men who died within a defined area, who were never recovered. None of them died in a major offensive, but were casualties during daily trench skirmish, or small engagements in support of offensives taking place nearby.

Memorial

James was a member of the 2nd Btn York and Lancaster Regiment, which is recorded during the battle of Armentiere, as being part of an attacking force to capture Meteren, North West of Armentiere near the town of Bailleul. Bailleul has several large cemeteries with the greatest number of burials in each as ’known only to God’.

This is a revised version of a post which was originally published on my WordPress Blog on 06/01/2010 and republished on Mollekin Portalite on 09/05/2011. Special thanks are also owed to Mel Pack for donating the photo of James for this post.

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Leonard Osborne Saxton – War Casualty

October 21, 2011 — Nikellom

Leonard O. Saxton

Leonard is my third cousin, thrice removed. He was born in Handsworth near to Sheffield in 1893 and lived in Park Lane, Handsworth on the 1901 Census. Special thanks are owed to Trevor Higgins for writing the following text:-

Leonard was a member of the 1st Btn Coldstream Guards, within the Guards Division.

In February 1917, the German army decided to withdraw from the Somme and retreat to the newly constructed and well defended Hindenburg line. Shorter than the Somme line, it was a series of broken trenches, deeply dug with enforced artillery and machine guns posts. The line was just being reinforced with troops from the Eastern front. In their withdrawal, the Germans caused as much damage as they could to hinder any possible pursuit by the British Army. Villages were destroyed, roadside tree’s cut down to create barriers, wells were poisoned and animals slaughtered.

When the British Army advanced in early March, they left the desolation of the Somme, entering green fields and forests. When leaving

Headstone

Bapaume, they could see the extended chalk banks of the Hindenburg Line about 5 klms in front of them. They were also confronted with pockets of well set German artillery and infantry, strategically placed to further hinder their advance, many Germans hiding in village houses and farm buildings, totally unseen by British forces.

Advances were commenced 10th March, when the Guards Division, together with ANZAC troops, fought for the occupation of villages to clear them of German troops. Their advance was initially slow because of the number of hamlets and villages held by hidden Germans. It is possible Leonard was killed just south of where he is now interred. The cemetery was made after the armistice in 1918, and it is known that 62 members of the foot guards were taken from smaller cemeteries at Charing Cross and Hebule, south of Sailly-Saillisel village. The cemetery now contains 471 commonwealth soldiers.

This is a revised version of a post which was originally published on my WordPress Blog on 05/01/2010 and republished on Mollekin Portalite on 06/05/2011. Special thanks are also owed to Sheila O’Brien for donating the photo of Leonard for this post.

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Ernest Alfred Price – War Casualty

October 21, 2011 — Nikellom

Headstone

Ernest is my first cousin, twice removed and son of Amelia Pinder and Alfred Thomas Price.

Ernest was born in Sheffield in 1894 and lived in the Kimberworth area of Rotherham. Five years prior to his death in 1911, he was a Glass and China Shop Assistant.

Ernest is remembered in his home town on the cenotaph in Clifton Park, Rotherham.

Special thanks are owed to Trevor Higgins for writing the following text:-

Ernest was a member of the 8th btn York and Lancaster Regiment, which was formed from men of the same geographical area at Pontefract. It was a regiment never given the ‘Pals Battalion’ title as were many other locally formed regiments.

Blighty Valley Cemetery, Authuile Wood (Copyright Trevor Higgins)

Blighty Valley Cemetery

The 8th were part of 70th Brigade and assigned to the Western Front of the Somme. On the night of the 30th June 1916, the soldiers of the battalion were located to trenches between Authille Wood and Ollivers . Their orders were to take the village of Ollivers when the attack was launched at 7.30 am on the 1st July.

The attack did not go well and many men were killed almost immediately. Those that remained, 70 of them, actually reached the third line of defence of the Germans, but none ever returned. Of those left defending the first trench, including members of the KOYLI Regiment, stood their ground until eventually overwhelmed.

war-memorial-clifton-park-rotherham-01-06-14-9

Rotherham War Memorial

Of 680 soldiers and 23 Officers, only 68 remained to return to the rear.

The Battle of the Somme is written in history as the greatest military loss in one day of conflict, some 19857 men killed or missing. It has also been suggested it was never a battle designed to win but, a campaign to cause the Germans to withdraw troops from Verdun in the south to defend the Western Front. Whatever the reason the battle was bloody and sacrificial. German losses were described as ‘the muddy grave of the German Field Army.’

This is a revised version of a post which was originally published on my WordPress Blog on 10/01/2010.

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