Friday 11 November 2011

11/11/11


Remembering our dead today. In particular, Rfm John Frederick Nixon, KiA on the 3rd October 1918.

At the Going Down of the Sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Light a Light of Remembrance on the Imperial War Museum's Centenary Wall.

Monday 10 October 2011

30724 Pte George Rolfe, 9th Bn, Suffolk Regt


30724 Private George Rolfe of the 9th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment was killed in action on the 10th October 1916; one of over 650 British Army officers and men to die on this day. He was born in Depden Green, Suffolk and enlisted at Bury St Edmunds. He was 27 years old, the son of Thomas and Annie Rolfe, of Bury Road, Depden. George has no known grave and is commemorated on the imposing Thiepval Memorial on the Somme.


At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.


Sources:


WW1 Medal Index Cards
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers - FREE
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission - FREE

Imgae courtsey of Paul Reed and borrowed from his page on the Thiepval Memorial.

Monday 26 September 2011

Remembering Loos - 96 years ago today


On the 25th September 1915, 96 years ago, nearly 10,000 British army officers, NCOs and other ranks laid down their lives for King and Country. This was the opening day of the Battle of Loos and the majority of the 9661 men who died on this day, died in the assault towards Loos.

1310 Rifleman Joseph Hart of the 8th (City of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Post Office Rifles) was one of the casualties on that day. He was born in Westbourne Park and was living at Notting Hill when he enlisted in late January or early February 1911. Like the majority of the men in the battalion he was probably a postman by trade. Joseph was 23 years old, the son of Edward and Fanny Elizabeth Hart of 23 Silchester Terrace, Notting Hill, London. He is buried in St Mary's Advanced Dressing Station Cemetery at Haisnes.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Friday 23 September 2011

9309 Pte Thomas Wilken Cairns, 1st Bn Northumberland Fusiliers


The Battle of Mons - 97 years on

Ninety-seven years ago on the opening day of the Battle of Mons, 23rd August 1914, 9309 Private Thomas Wilken Cairns of the 1st Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers was killed in action. He was one of 277 officers and men of the British Army to die on this day.

Thomas was born in Sunderland and was living there when he enlisted with the regiment in 1903. He was probably on the Reserve when Britain went to war in August 1914 but his medal index card reveals that he arrived overseas on the 13th August. Ten days later he was dead. Thomas has no known grave and is commemorated on the La Ferte-sous-Jouarre Memorial.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Image from Wikipedia

Tuesday 30 August 2011

2530 Cpl Frank Kilsby, 1/8th Worcs Regt

2530 Corporal Frank Kilsby of the 1/8th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment was killed in action 95 years ago today on the 30th August 1916. Frank was living in Redditch and enlisted there in September 1914. His medal index card notes that he arrived in France as a private on the 1st April 1915 and was later promoted to corporal. He is buried in Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission



Monday 29 August 2011

1989 Pte William M Roberts, 1/6th Bn, Welsh Regt

1989 Private William Mates Roberts of the 1/6th Battalion, Welsh Regiment died of wounds on the 29th August 1915. He was born at Aberavon, was living at Penygraig when he enlisted, and joined up at Swansea. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission records that he was 38 years old and the cousin of Rachel Harwood of High Street, Swansea.

William's number dates to the second week of August 1914 and so he was an early volunteer. His medal index card notes that he arrived overseas in France on the 29th August 1914 and thus, had he survived, he would have been entitled to wear the 1914 Star and the clasp that designated him as an Old Contemptible. His MIC also notes the appointment of Lance-Corporal and it is this which is impressed upon his 1914 Star, whilst the rank of Private appears on his British war and Victory medals. He is buried in Etaples Military Cemetery.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:
Ancestry (MIC)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission


Saturday 27 August 2011

11135 L/Cpl Thomas Pinch, 2nd Bn, Royal Scots

11135 Lance-Corporal Thomas Pinch of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots was killed in action on the 27th August 1914. He was born in London and was living at Southwark when he enlisted in late April or early May 1912. He arrived in France on the 11th August 1914 and was killed a little over two weeks later, one of two men of the 2nd Battalion Royal Scots to die on this day.

Thomas was buried in Bethencourt Communal Cemetery, a little north of Le Cateau, and is commemorated on a special memorial there. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission notes: "A German hospital was posted in the village of Bethencourt in August and September, 1914. There are now over 80, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, a small number are unidentified and nine graves which cannot now be traced, are represented by special memorials. The plot covers an area of 326 square metres."

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission



Friday 1 July 2011

1st July 1916 - 95th anniversary

Remembering today, the men of the British Empire who gave their lives for King and Country on the 1st July 1916. I remember in particular the veterans I interviewed who were there on the Somme on that bright but fateful day ninety-five years ago today.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Monday 11 April 2011

13241 Pte Harry V A Hull, 1st Bn, Beds Regt

13241 Private Harry Valentine Alexander Hull of the 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment was killed in action ninety-six years ago today. He was born and bred in Markfield, Leicestershire and enlisted at St Albans in early September 1914. His medal index card notes that he arrived overseas on the 11th March 1915. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (which appears to have transposed his middle names and records him as Harry A V Hull) notes that he was 19 years old when he died and was the son of Harry Hull, of Birch Hill, Copt Oak, Markfield, Leicester. He is buried in Tuileries British Cemetery in Belgium.

Two other 1st Battalion men also died the same day. They were, 10308 Acting Lance Corporal Charles Gunn and 14413 Private William Jackson. William is buried in Oosttaverne Wood Cemetery whilst Charles Gunn has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial at Ypres.


At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Tuesday 29 March 2011

21877 Gdsmn William D Matson, 3rd Bn, Grenadier Guards

21877 Guardsman William Dunn Matson of the 3rd Battalion, Grenadier Guards was killed in action on the 29th March 1916. He was born in Brotten, Yorkshire and enlisted at Whitby in the second week of January 1915. William was 21 years old, the son of John and Margaret Matson of Brotton. He is buried in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery in Belgium.

William was one of our Grenadier Guardsman to die on the 29th March 1916. The other three men, all of whom died of wounds, were:

14250 Gdsmn Arthur Edwin Hine, 1st Bn, enlisted Feb/Mar 1909
18420 Gdsmn Arthur John Lane, 2nd Bn, enlisted Sep 1914
17106 Gdsmn James Frederick Parker, 2nd Bn, enlisted Aug 1914

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Thursday 24 March 2011

32976 L/Cpl William Eaglesham, 14th HLI

3,025 British Army officers and men died on the 23rd March 1918 and 32976 Lance-Corporal William Eaglesham of the 14th (Service) Battalion, Highland Light Infantry was one of these men. He was killed in action.

William was born in Camlachie, Lanarkshire and he enlisted at Glasgow. He is buried in Douchy-Les-Ayette British Cemetery in France.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Saturday 12 March 2011

79607 Pte Jacob Sarfaty, RAMC

79607 Private Jacob Sarfaty of the 37th General Hospital, Royal Army Medical Corps was killed in action in Salonika on this day, the 12th March, in 1917. He was 29 years old and the son of Mordecai and Jean Sarfaty of 60 Sydner Road, Stoke Newington, London. Jacob was born in Tower Hamlets and was living in Stoke Newington when he enlisted. On this, the 94th anniversary of his death, he is not forgotten.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Wednesday 9 March 2011

825 Pte Alexander Ness, 5th Bn, Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)

825 Private Alexander Ness of the 5th Battalion, Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) was killed in action on the 9th March 1915. According to Soldiers Died in The Great War he was born in Arbroath and enlisted at Carnoustie. His regimental number indcates that he joined the 5th (Territorial Force) Battalion in 1908 or 1909 and he was overseas as early as the 1st November 1914 thus qualifying - had he but known it - for the clasp to his 1914 Star.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission records Alexander as A R Ness and notes that he is buried in the Rue-du-Bacquerot No 1 Military Cemetery in Laventie.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.
Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Wednesday 9 February 2011

2783 L/Cpl George Gray, 2nd Bn, Northumberland Fusiliers

2783 Lance-Corporal George Gray of the 2nd Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers died of wounds on the 9th February 1915. He was born in Rennington, Lancashire, and enlisted at Alnwick in Northumberland.

George's medal index card notes that he was a drummer, although this rank is scored through on the card. He arrived overseas on the 19th January 1915 and had therefore only been in France for a few weeks before he was fatally wounded. He is buried in Hazebrouck Communal Cemetery in France.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Tuesday 4 January 2011

8571 Pte William E Syratt, 2nd Northamptonshire Regiment

8571 Private William Edward Syratt of the 2nd Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment was killed in action on the 4th January 1915. He was born in Buckingham and enlisted at Northampton on the 16th August 1907. He was therefore just a couple of weeks away from being transferred to the Reserve when war was declared.

William's service record - 39 pages of it - survives in WO 363 and from it we can see that he was eighteen years and five months old when he joined up and that he was a shoe finisher by trade. He stood five feet, five and a half inches tall, weighed 114 pounds, had a fair complexion, green eyes and brown hair. He was tattooed on both forearms and had a scar on the back of his neck.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission records that William was 28 years old, the son of William and Elizabeth Syratt of 54 Spencer Street, New Bradwell, Wolverton, Bucks. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Le Touret War Memorial.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC, WO 363)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Naval & Military Press