8877 Pte George Flack, 2nd Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment

According to Soldiers Died in The Great War, 68 British Army officers and men died one hundred years ago today on the 16th December 1914. 8877 Private George Flack was one of these men.

George was born in Stepney and enlisted in the Lincolnshire regiment on the 1st April 1910. He was 20 years old and stood five feet, nine and three quarter inches tall. During his time with the regiment he saw service overseas in Gibraltar, then Bermuda and finally Canada, before arriving in France as a member of the 2nd Battalion on the 5th November 1914.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission notes that George was 25 years old when he died and was the son of William Flack of 65, Artillery Street, Tower Bridge Road, Bermondsey, London, and the late Jane Flack.  He is buried in Rue Petillon Military Cemetery in Fleurbaix (above, courtesy CWGC).

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

5875 Pte Josiah Hall, 1st Bn, Lincolnshire Regiment

According to Soldiers Died in The Great War, 746 British Army officers and men lost their lives on this day, 1st November, in 1914. The 1st Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment suffered particularly heavy losses on this day, taking part in a counter-attack on Wystschaete and coming under "murderous fire". The battalion war diary records that seven officers and 293 other ranks were killed, wounded or reported missing.

5875 Pte Josiah Hall was one of the men killed. He was born in Eastville, Boston in 1882 and was living in Pudsey, Leeds when he enlisted (although his place of enlistment is recorded as Louth). His regimental number dates to 1901 which suggests that he was probably a Section D Reservist when Britain went to war in August 1914. His medal index card indicates that he did not sail with the Battalion in August but arrived in France on the 13th September.

Both Soldiers Died in the Great War and The Commonwealth War Graves Commission record this man as Joshua Hall. However, his medal index card, birth index entry and census returns record his name as Josiah Hall. He appears on the 1891 census as an eight-year-old living with his parents and three siblings at 17 Priory Road, Louth (pictured above). His father was George Hall, a 41 year old labourer, married to Eliza Hall (aged 47). Josiah was the eldest of four children, followed by Sarah (aged seven), Harry (aged five), and Arthur (aged three).  On the 1911 census he is probably the same Josiah Hall (aged 27) recorded with the 1st Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment in Aden. He has the trade of "carpenter" entered against his name.

Josiah has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate memorial in Ypres.

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

203894 Pte Henry Bagworth, 2nd Bn, Lincs Regt

203894 Private Henry Bagworth of the 2nd Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment was killed in action on the 2nd December 1917. He was 35 years old, the son of Richard William and Katherine Bagworth, and the husband of Minnie Bagworth of 10, Diamond Jubilee Cottages, Bank's Lane, Heckington, Sleaford, Lincolnshire. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot 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

40627 Pte Harry Broughton, 6th Bn, Lincs Regt

40627 Private Harry Broughton of the 6th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment was killed in action on the 27th November 1916. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial on the Somme.

Harry's original number - 4722 - suggests that he initially joined on of the Territorial Force battalions and transferred to the 6th Battalion once overseas. 4722 for the 4th Battalion dates to October 1915; for the 5th Battalion, January 1916. He certainly didn't proceed overseas until 1916. No service record appears to survive for him.

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

7892 Pte George Toon, 1st Bn, Lincs Regt

7892 Private George Toon of the 1st Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment, was killed in action on the 13th November 1914. He was 45 years old, the husband of Louisa Toon, of 44 Freeling Street, Caledonian Road, King's Cross, London. George's medal index card indicates that he arrived overseas on the 26th October 1914. Given his age, I wonder whether he was a time expired soldier who had enlisted in the Special Reserve in August 1914 and then been sent overseas as a draft for the 1st Battalion. If this is not the case, his number with the regular battalions dates to January 1907.

George has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate 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

Lt Maurice A Ley, 1st Bn, Lincs Regt

Lieutenant Maurice Aden Ley of the The Buffs was attached to the 1st Battalion, The Lincolnshire Regiment, when he was killed in action on the 1st November 1914. He was 19 years old, the son of Sir Francis Ley, 1st Bart, and Lady Ley (later Dowager Lady Ley of Lealholm Lodge, Lealholm, Yorkshire). He is buried in White House Cemetery, Ypres.

Maurice's older brother Christopher was killed in a flying accident in 1918. De Ruvigny's has biographies and photos of both men (above).

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

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC, De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour)
Officers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

25501 Pte Sam Jessop, 8th Bn, Lincs Regt

25501 Private Sam Jessop of B Company, the 8th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment, died on the 20th September 1918. He was a Nottinghamshire man, born in Worksop, living in Mansfield and enlisting at Retford in June 1916. He was the son of John and Elizabeth Jessop of 45 Norfolk Street, Worksop. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission adds that he was a native of Bothamsall, Notts. He is buried in Ruyaulcourt Military 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

6485 L/Cpl Patrick McLoughlin, 1st Bn, Lincs Regt

393 British Army officers and men died on the 24th August 1914. Dublin-born 6485 Lance-Corporal Patrick McLoughlin was killed in action on this day. He was 27 years old, the husband of Catherine McLoughlin of 22 Great Brunswick Street, Dublin. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the La Ferte sous Jouarre 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

13047 Pte Arthur Kirton, 6th Bn, Lincs Regt

13047 Private Arthur Kirton of the 6th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment, died of wounds on the 28th July 1915. He was born in Long Bennington, Lincolnshire and was living there when he enlisted at Newark, Nottinghamshire in late October or early November 1914. He is buried in the Lancashire Landing Cemetery on Gallipoli.

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

11945 Pte Edward James Backlog, 1st Bn, Lincs Regt

11945 Private Edward James Backlog of the 1st Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment, was killed in action on the 16th June 1915. He was born in Thetford, Norfiolk and was still living there at the time of his enlistment. He enlisted at Bourne in Lincolnshire in September 1914 and was in France by the 11th November 1914. Such an early arrival overseas suggests that he probably had previous military experience and as he was 37 years old when he died, this would seem to be a distinct possibility. He was perhaps a time-expired regular with the Lincolnshire Regiment, although in the absence of a service record this must remain conjecture for the time being.

Edward was the son of John Edward and Sarah Ann Backlog of 30 Bury Road, Thetford, Norfolk. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate 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

22612 A/Sgt Albert F Ouzman, 7th Bn, Lincs Regt

22612 Acting Sergeant Albert Frederick Ouzman of the 7th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment, died of wounds on the 18th June 1918. He was born in Long Eaton, Derbyshire, and enlisted at Spilsby in Lincolnshire. He was 26 years old, the son of George and Eveline Ouzman of Spilsby, and the husband of Laura Ouzman, of The Lilacs, Reynard Street, Spilsby. He is buried in Niederzwehren in Germany. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission writes:

"The cemetery was begun by the Germans in 1915 for the burial of prisoners of war who died at the local camp. During the war almost 3,000 Allied soldiers and civilians, including French, Russian and Commonwealth, were buried there In 1922-23 it was decided that the graves of Commonwealth servicemen who had died all over Germany should be brought together into four permanent cemeteries. Niederzwehren was one of those chosen and in the following four years, more than 1,500 graves were brought into the cemetery from 190 burial grounds in Baden, Bavaria, Hanover, Hesse and Saxony. There are now 1,796 First World War servicemen buried or commemorated in the Commonwealth plot at Niederzwehren. This total includes special memorials to 13 casualties buried in other cemeteries in Germany whose graves could not be found."

Albert's service record survives and there is also an entry about him in De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour. It reads:

OUZMAN, ALBERT FREDERICK, Sergt, No 22612, 7th (Service) Battn, The Lincolnshire Regt, s[on] of George Ouzman of Simpson Street, Spilsby, Metal Merchant, by his wife Evalina, dau[ghter] of John and Eliza Wilkins of Wells, co[unty] Somerset; b[orn] Long Eaton, co[unty] Derby, 10 June 1892; educ[ated] Spilsby; was a metal merchant; enlisted 7 April 1916, served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from 24 July following, and died at Cassel, Germany, 14 June 1918, from wounds received in action during the 21 March previously, when he was taken prisoner. Buried in the Cassel Camp Cemetery. He m[arried] at East Keal near Spilsby, 21 June 1915, Laura (Reynard Street, Spilsby), dau[ghter] of Joseph (and Sussanah) Meers, and had a dau[ghter], Sybil Winifred May, b[orn] 18 March 1916.

Albert's service record notes that he originally attested on the 17th November 1915, possibly under the Derby Scheme, and was called up on the 9th April 1916. His number is noted as 9/22612 and his home address given as Queen Street, Spilsby. Albert's occupation is recorded as storeman, and the date of his wound given as 24th March 1918.

Albert set sail from Folkestone on the 24th July 1916 and arrived at Boulogne the following day. He proceeded to the 9th Infantry Base Depot at Etaples the same day and was posted to the 8th Battalion of the The Lincolnshire Regiment. On the 16th August he was posted to the 7th Battalion. His service record is a little unclear in places due to water damage but he was first appointed lance-corporal, then promoted to corporal on the 11th May 1917. He was appointed paid lance-sergeant on the 31st August 1917 and appointed paid acting sergeant on the 26th January 1918.

There is a report in Albert's file giving details of his death. He had received a gunshot wound in his back and died of "Suppurative Pleurisy". His date of capture is noted as the 25th March 1918 at Le Transloy and his date of admission at Camp Cassel, Niederzwehren as the 30th April that year. His relatives were notified of his death on the 15th June 1918. His parents' names and address, and his wife's name and address are all recorded.

In March 1919, the Pensions' Office wrote to Laura Ouzman advising her that she had been awarded a weekly pension of 22 shillings and eleven pence for herself and her daughter

On 14th September 1922, three days after receiving Albert's British War and Victory medals, Laura Ouzman wrote to the Officer in Charge of Records at Lichfield asking if her late husband's memorial scroll could also be sent to her. There is no recorded reply.

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

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC, WO 363, De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

9735 Pte John Harold Noble, 1st Bn, Lincolnshire Regt

9735 Private John Harold Noble of the 1st Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment, was killed in action on the 28th January 1916.

John Noble was born in the village of Girton near Newark in Nottinghamshire. He was living in Normanton when he enlisted at Lincoln in June or July 1914. He arrived overseas on the 19th January 1915 and had therefore served on the Western Front for just over a year before he was killed.

John's birth was registered at Newark in the June quarter of 1896. He appears on the 1901 census as the four-year-old son of John and Emma Noble, and the sibling of George Noble (aged six), Albert Noble (aged three) and Horis Noble (aged one). John Noble senior was working as a domestic gardener and the family was living in Girton. Private Noble is buried in the Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery in Armentieres, France. He would have been eighteen years old when he died.

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

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (MIC, BMD, 1901 census)
Army Ancestry
Army Service Numbers 1881-1918
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Soldiers Died in The Great War

7174 Pte Alfred Ledgard, 1st Bn, Lincolnshire Regt

7174 Private Alfred Ledgard of the 1st Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment, was killed in action on the 27th October 1914, aged 29. He was the husband of Emily Ledgard of 106 Chassum Street, Manningham, Bradford in Yorkshire and he had originally joined the Lincolnshire Regiment in November or December 1903.

According to his medal index card, Alfred arrived overseas on the 25th August 1914 and was killed in action on the 17th October 1914, although the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and Soldiers Died in The Great war both give the 27th.

Alfred was born in Manningham, Bradford and enlisted in Bradford. He had married Emily Ryder in Bradford in the December quarter of 1909.

Alfred Ledgard has no known grave and is commemorated on the war memorial at Le Touret.

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

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (MIC, Marriage index)
Army Ancestry
Army Service Numbers 1881-1918
Commonwealth War Graves Commission

319 L/Cpl Fred Manning, 10th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment

319 L/Cpl Fred Manning of the 10th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment, died of wounds on 2nd August 1916. The 10th Battalion was a Pals' Battalion, also known as the Grimsby Chums, and Fred's number indicates that he must have joined it in mid September 1914.

Soldiers Died in The Great War notes that he was born in Hull and enlisted at Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) adds that he was the son of Henry and Lucy Manning of Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire.

CWGC also records Henry's age - 18 - which means at the very least he must have been 17 when he took the King's Shilling. He appears on the 1901 census as a three year old, living with his parents and siblings at West Street, Alford. The household comprised Henry Manning (head, aged 47, a piano tuner and dealer, born in Gloucestershire), his wife Lucy Manning (a 37 year old Yorkshire woman) and their six children. In age order, the children are: Lily Manning (14), Harry Manning (12), Flora (nine), John (eight), Samuel (four) and Frederick bringing up the rear.

Fred's medal index card indicates entitlement to the British War and Victory Medals. The 10th Lincolns, arrived in France on 9th January 1916 and it would seem likely that Fred, as an original Grimsby Chum, was amongst that contingent. Less than seven months later he was dead, probably dying of his wounds at either the 3rd or 44th Casualty Clearing Station.

Fred is buried at Puchevillers British Cemetery, grave reference II.C.50. He is probably also remembered by name on the war memorial at Mablethorpe, although I can't be sure about this. There is an image of the Mablethorpe war memorial HERE.

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

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (BMD, MIC)
Army Ancestry
Army Service Numbers 1881-1918
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Soldiers Died in the Great War
Image of the Puchevillers' Cross of Sacrifice from Pierre Vandervelden's excellent In Memory website.