C/9887 Rfm Ralph S Butt, 20th Bn, KRRC

C/9887 Rifleman Ralph Stanley Butt of the 20th Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps, was killed in action on the 19th June 1917. He was born in Frome, Somerset and enlisted there in January 1916. He was the son of Mrs Louisa R Butt of 4 Bell Lane, Frome, and was 24 years old when he died. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial 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

22/1191 Sgt John Dugdale MM, 22nd Bn, Northumberland Fusiliers

22/1191 Sergeant John Dugdale MM of the 22nd Battalion (Tyneside Scottish) Northumberland Fusiliers, was killed in action on the 5th June 1916. He was born in Southwick, County Durham and enlisted at Sunderland between November 1914 and January 1915. There is a note on his medal index card that his widow, who had re-married, applied for a gratuity and a Distinguished Conduct Medal. Her name and address are given as Mrs M Richardson, 58 5th Street, Horden, County Durham.

John Dugdale has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial.

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

I will be travelling on the 5th June and am therefore posting this one day ahead of John Dugdale's death anniversary.

40457 Pte Henry G Wond, 10th Bn, RDF

40457 Private Henry George Wond of the 10th Battalion, Royal Dublin Fusiliers, was killed in action on the 24th May 1917. He had previously served with the King's Liverpool Regiment and had the number 11083.

Henry was born in Bermondsey, was living in Falkirk and enlisted at Warley in Essex. His service record does not survive but it is clear from his medal index card that he arrived overseas with the King's on or after the 1st January 1916. There are a couple of possibilities for his joining date. 11083 would have been issued to a regular soldier in the King's in early 1911 or to a Special Reservist (3rd Battalion) in August 1914. There was a 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion but I have no evidence to suggest that the original numbering in this battalion reached as high as 11083. If it did, it was certainly post August 1914.

My data for the DLI is a little thin but it would appear that the transfer took place post August 1916.

Henry has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial.


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

240068 Cpl Walter Bulloch, 5/6th Cameronians

240068 Corporal Walter Bulloch of the 5/6th Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), was killed in action on the 21st May 1917. He was one of 440 British Army officers and men to die on this date.

Walter was born in Dalziell, Lanarkshire and enlisted at Motherwell. His medal index card indicates that he was serving with the 6th Battalion, Scottish Rifles, and that his original number was 1328. This in turn dates his enlistment to around February 9th 1911, give or take a day or so. He arrived in France - as a lance-corporal - on the 20th March 1915 and had therefore been on active service for over two years at the time of his death.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission notes that Walter was 24 years old, the son of William and Catherine Bulloch of 42 Quarry Street, Knowetop, Motherwell, Lanarkshire. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial. The 5/6th Battalion was created in May 1916 when the 1/5th and the 1/6th Battalions merged.

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

300913 Cpl Archibald Morrison, 1/8th Bn, A&S Highlanders

300913 Corporal Archibald Morrison of the 1/8th Battalion, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, was killed in action on the 16th May 1917. He was born in Taynuilt, Argyllshire, and was the son of Mrs Mary Campbell of Pass of Brander, Taynuilt. He is commemorated on the Arras Memorial.

Archibald's age at death is recorded as 18. His number - original number 2768 - dates to January 1915 which means that at best he was 17 when he joined up, or younger still. This may have been discovered by the authorities as he certainly did not proceed overseas until 1916 at the earliest.

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

14006 Pte Cecil Rose, 8th Bn, Suffolk Regt

14006 Private Cecil Rose of the 8th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment, was killed in action on the 7th May 1917, one of over five hundred British Army officers and men to die on this day. He was born in Drinkstone, Suffolk, and enlisted at Drinkstone. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras 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

14937 Pte John Nicholas, 7th Bn, Shropshire LI

14937 Pte John Nicholas of the 7th Battalion, King's Shropshire Light Infantry, was killed in action on the 5th May 1917. He was 26 years old, the son of Mrs. Elizabeth Nicholas, of Glanavon, Kilgerran, Pembrokeshire. Soldiers Died in The Great war notes that he was born in, and lived in Kilgerran, Pembrokeshire. He enlisted at Tonypandy.

John Nicholas has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras 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

306098 Pte Ernest Goodacre, 1/8th Bn, Sherwood Foresters

4,585 British officers and men died on his single day - 23rd April - in 1917. 306098 Private Ernest Goodacre of the 1/8th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters was one of 70 Notts and Derbyshire men to die on this day. He was killed in action.

Ernest was living in Worksop and he enlisted in Newark. His original number with this Territorial Force battalion was 3507, indicating that he enlisted in the second half of January 1915. He arrived in France on the 28th June 1915.

Ernest was 29 years old when he died. He was the son of Thomas and Clara Goodacre of 2 Duke Place, Worksop, and the husband of Mabel Alice Goodacre of 12 Forrest's Yard, Worksop. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial.

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

G/8807 L/Cpl William Charles Wrack, 8th Bn, RWK

G/8807 Lance-Corporal William Charles Wrack of the 8th Battalion, Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regt, was killed in action on the 16th April 1917. He was born in Peckham, south east London, but was living at Stoke Poges (Buckinghamshire) and enlisted at High Wycombe around July 1915. He hads no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial.

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

S/22736 A/Sgt Cyril Robertson Aikman, 7th Bn, Cameron Highlanders

S/22736 Acting-Sergeant Cyril Robertson Aikman of the 7th Battalion, Cameron Highlanders, was killed in action on the 29th March 1918, one of over a thousand British soldiers to die on this date. He was born in St Pancras, London but enlisted in Inverness around May or June 1916.

Cyril was serving with C Company at the time of his death. He was 26 years old, the son of Mrs. Jessie Aikman of 36 Falkland Road, Kentish Town, London. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial.

Despite the fact that he was killed in action, papers exist for Cyril in the WO 364 (pensions) series at the National Archives. He first enlisted as a territorial with F Company, the 9th Londons, on the 21st February 1910. That was at 56 Davies Street, London and Cyril was 17 years and three months old and working as a clerk, possibly for a coffee merchant although the writing on his attestation form is difficult to decipher. He was five feet, eight inches tall and in good health. He was given the number 1147.

On 1st April 1912, Cyril was appointed lance-corporal and he attended the battalion's annual camps for each of the four years he served with the Queen Vic's. He was discharged on the 28th March 1914 as a time-expired territorial. His next of kin is recorded on these papers as his mother who was living at 320 Easton Road, London NW.

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

G/12311 Pte Ruben Cecil Harradence, 20th Bn, Middx Regt

The Kaiser's men continue their push forwards and 1786 British Army officers and men die. 26th March 1918.

G/12311 Pte Ruben Cecil Harradence of the 20th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, was killed in action on this date. He was born in Shepherd's Bush, was living in Lower Edmonton, and enlisted at Mill Hill. Pages from his service record survive in the WO 363 series at the National Archives, and the following information is taken from this.

Ruben Harradence enlisted on the 1st February 1916. He was 19 years and six months old, five feet five inches tall, and he gave his address as 21 Balham Road, Lower Edmonton. His occupation is recorded as clerk.

Ruben was posted to the 15th Battalion on the 9th February and, after a brief period training, was sent to France. He arrived there on the 3rd May 1916 and was immediately posted to the 13th Battalion. He was posted again, this time to the 12th Battalion, on the 19th June.

In 1917, Ruben was back in England, recovering at the war Hospital Huddersfield as a result of trench fever (PUO or pyrexia of unknown origin according to his service record). At that stage he was with the 15th (2nd Reserve) Battalion, but a transfer document notes that he is to be transferred to the 20th Battalion. He had arrived back in England on the 11th March and so that transfer to the 20th Battalion post dates this. He was granted leave to see his family between the 7th and 16th April 1917. A month later, on the 25th May 1917, he returned to France for the last time.

Ruben Harradence sailed for France with the 13th Battalion, was posted to the 16th Battalion on the 20th July, and finally to the 20th Battalion on the 11th February 1918. He was granted leave between the 21st February and 7th March 1918 and this would have been the last time that his family saw him alive.

Ruben Harradence (Reuben according to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission) has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial.

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

T/207034 Sgt Alfred Woolnough, 11th Bn, The Queen's

T/207034 Sergeant Alfred Woolnough of the 11th Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment), was killed in action on the 23rd March 1918, one of over 3000 men to die on this date.

Alfred was a Suffolk man; living in Saxmundham and enlisting at Ipswich. He originally joined the 64th Provisional Battalion (a Home Service only battalion) which later became the 14th Battalion. His number with the 14th Battalion was 290238. This indicates that he joined the 14th Suffolk Regiment between June and October 1916 and may well have served with another battalion prior to this.

Alfred has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial. In December 1922, his widow, Mrs S A Woolnough, applied for her late husband's medals.

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

G/9735 L/Cpl William Harry Shillito, 6th East Kent Regiment

G/9735 L/Cpl William Harry Shillito of the 6th Battalion, The Buffs, was killed in action on this day, 11th July, in 1917. His medal index card (MIC) and Soldiers Died in the Great War (SDGW) both incorrectly record his name as SHILLITS.

William was born in 1896, his birth registered at Dover in the December quarter of that year. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission notes that he was the son of Son of Mr and Mrs D H Shillito of 26 Balfour Road, Dover and SDGW records that he was living in Dover when he enlisted there. His army service number indicates that he must have joined the Buffs around 24th March 1916.

William has no known grave and is commemorated on Bay 2 of the Arras Memorial. He was 20 years old when he died.

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

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (Medal index card, BMD registers)
Army Service Numbers 1881-1918
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Soldiers Died in the Great War

2667 Pte George Stephen Idle, 15th London Regiment

2667 Pte George Stephen Idle of the 15th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Civil Service Rifles), died of wounds on 4th July 1916.

George was born in Battersea, south London in 1892. He was the son of George and Mary Idle and appears on the 1901 census living at 30 Eccles Road, Battersea. The household comprised George W Idle (head, aged 45, a linen goods manufacturer), his wife Mary M [sic] Idle (aged 46) and their seven offspring. In age order they were: Lilian Mary Idle (bookkeeper, aged 19), Ethel Muriel Idle (shirt seamstress, recorded as 19 but probably aged 16), Rose F Idle (aged 14), Arthur Wilberforce Idle (recorded as aged 6 but probably aged 11), George (aged 9), and Wilfred Bruce Idle (aged 6).

George's number indicates that he joined the 15th Londons on about the 1st September 1914 and he arrived in France on St Patrick's Day, 17th March 1915.

I'm not sure when George was wounded, but he was obviously returned to the UK and probably died of wounds at his home. He is buried in Croydon (Mitcham Road) Cemetery; grave reference C5 8936. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission records the additional information that he was the son of George Washington Idle and Mary Elizabeth Idle, of 43, Dagnall Park, South Norwood, London.

George's two brothers also served their King and Country during the First World War. Wilfred served with the Royal Army Medical Corps and Arthur with the 5th London Regiment. His number (9882) indicates that he joined up almost as soon as war was declared. After a short period of training he was sent to France, landing there on 4th November 1914. He was killed in action on 28th March 1918 and is commemorated on bay 9 of the Arras Memorial.

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

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (1901 census, FreeBMD, Medal index card)
Army Service Numbers 1881-1918
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Soldiers Died in the Great war 1914-1919