L/14059 L/Cpl Charles F H Brown, 4th Middx

L/140459 Lance-Corporal Charles Frederick Henry Brown of the 4th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment was killed in action 100 years ago today on the 14th October 1914. He was born in Clapton Park and enlisted at Enfield on the 17th April 1912. He was 18 years and 5 months old at the time of his enlistment and gave his occupation as "Casual Labourer".

After nearly five months' training, Charles was posted to the 4th Battalion. He was appointed unpaid lance-corporal in July 1913 and paid lance-corporal on the 9th February 1914. His surviving service record notes that he was posted missing between the 12th and 14th October 1914 but both the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and Soldiers Died in the Great War confirm his date of death as the 14th.

Charles had arrived in France with his battalion on the 13th August 1914 and to a young soldier with no overseas' service, it must have seemed like quite an adventure. Unfortunately for Charles and many others, that adventure was to be short-lived. He was overseas for just 63 days before he was killed.

On 11th November 1919, five years after his death, the record office at Hanwell sent some photos and letters to Charles's father, Mr C Brown, at 13 Cornwallis Grove, Lower Edmonton. A few months earlier, his father had completed Army Form W.5080 which listed Charles's surviving family members: no fewer than four half-brothers and eight half-sisters ranging in age from 19 to seven months.

Charles Brown has no known grave and is commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial (pictured above, courtesy of the North Irish Horse website).

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

2nd Lt Charles G Sothers, 18th Middx Regt

Second Lieutenant Charles Gordon Sothers of the 18th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment died of wounds on the 6th December 1917. He was 32 years old, the husband of May Kathleen Sothers of 15, Paget Road, Stoke Newington, London. His name almost certainly appears on the imposing memorial in the library in Church Street, Stoke Newington and he is buried in Potijze Chateau Grounds Cemetery in Belgium.

Charles's medal index card shows that he originally arrived in France as a corporal with the 23rd London Regiment. His number was 5272, which indicates that he originally joined in May 1916, and he was later renumbered 702090. He was subsequently commissioned in the Middlesex Regiment.

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

L/9560 Pte James Rider, 4th Bn, Middx Regt

L/9560 Private James Rider of the 4th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, was killed in action at Mons on the 23rd August 1914 as the British Army encountered the massed the German Army. He was born in Homerton, Hackney and enlisted at Stratford in late 1903 or early 1904. He was 29 years old, the son of Alfred and Rosetta Rider. He is buried in St Symphorien 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

G/54435 Pte William A Moakes, 19th Bn, Middlesex Regt

G/54435 Private William Alfred Moakes of the 19th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment died on the 11th July 1918. He was born in Barnet, and was living at Victoria Street, Middlesex. He enlisted at Whitehall; probably in late 1916, and he is buried in Terlincthun British Cemetery in France having almost certainly died in a nearby base hospital as a result of sickness or injury.

There is birth registration for a William Alfred Moakes born in the June quarter of 1899 and this is almost certainly the same man.

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

G/7050 Pte Arthur Airth, 4th Bn, Middx Ret

G/7050 Private Arthur Airth of the 4th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, died in Bailleul, France on the 15th June 1915, probably as a result of sickness. He was born in Hackney, was living at Maida Vale, and enlisted somewhere in London. His number indicates that he enlisted for wartime service only in early January 1915, and his medal index card shows that he arrived overseas in France on the 7th April that year. He is buried in the Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension (Nord).

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

L/12280 Pte Albert Wiggins, 3rd Bn, Middx Regt

L/12280 Private Albert Wiggins of the 3rd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, was killed in action on the 15th February 1915. He was one of 216 British Army soldiers to die on this date and one of 63 Middlesex Regiment men.

Albert was born in Willesden and joined the army at Mill Hill on the 7th September 1908. He was 20 years and one month old and was working as a carman. His surviving attestation papers show that he initially joined the Royal Irish Regiment and then transferred to The Middlesex Regiment on the 23rd September. Albert was five feet, four inches tall, had a fresh complexion, brown eyes and light brown hair.

Initially attached to the 6th (Extra Reserve) Battalion, Albert was posted to the 4th Battalion on the 28th September 1908 and then to the 3rd Battalion on the 1st October 1909. The same day he sailed for Singapore and would remain there until December 1910 when he moved west into India. He left for India on the 19th December 1910 and would remain there until the 18th November 1914 when he sailed for the UK. He was in England for a few months until he sailed again, this time for France, arriving there on the 18th January 1915.

Albert's papers record his next of kin as his parents: Henry and Lydia Wiggins of 5 Junction Terrace, Harlesden. It is also noted that he had three older brothers: Ernest, Charles and William; and two younger brothers: John and Henry.

A note on Albert's file states that he was killed in action between the 12th and 15th February 1915, but that his presumed date of death was the 15th. 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.co.uk (MIC)
Army Service Numbers 1881-1918
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Soldiers Died in The Great War

G/89536 Pte Walter Tupling, 20th Bn, Middlesex Regt

G/89536 Private Walter Tupling of the 20th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, was killed in action on the 8th February 1918. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission records his name as W Tupling and gives his date of death (incorrectly) as the 6th February 1918. It adds the additional information that he was the son of Mr F Tupling of 48 Westwood Street, Peterborough.

Soldiers Died... notes that Walter, a driller by trade, was born in Peterborough and enlisted at Northampton although he was living at Peterborough at the time. He was called up on the 26th February 1917 aged 18 years and three months. Initially posted to the 28th Training Reserve Battalion and then the 30th TRB, he joined the 5th (Reserve Battalion) Middlesex Regiment on the 13th December 1917 and was subsequently posted to the 20th Battalion on the 18th January 1918. He embarked for France the same day and joined his battalion in the Field, two days later. According to surviving service papers in WO 363 he was killed in action on the 8th February and not the 6th as stated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Walter Tupling is buried in Mory Abbey Military Cemetery in Mory, France.

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

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (WO 363)
Army Service Numbers 1881-1918
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Soldiers Died in The Great War

2nd Lt Francis Claude Uzzell, 2/5th Bn, Royal Warwickshire Regt

Second Lieutenant Francis Claude Uzzell of the 2/5th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, died of wounds on the 3rd February 1918. He was 21 years old, the son of George and Elizabeth Uzzell, of "Muilla," London Road, Cheltenham.

Francis had previously served as a private with the Middlesex Regiment before being commissioned in the Royal Warwickshires. His number suggest that he originally joined up in the autumn of 1916. He is buried in Ham British Cemetery in Muille Villette, France.

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

Sources:

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

L/6899 Pte Harry Jarvis Bobbins, 1st Bn, Middx Regt

L/6899 Private Harry Jarvis Bobbins of the 1st Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, died of wounds on the 13th January 1915. He was born in St George's, west London and enlisted in London in January or February 1901.

According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Harry was the son of Mrs. Amelia Bobbins, of Marylebone Lane, London, and the husband of Mary Bobbins, of 75, Northway, Brentfield Estate, Willesden, London. He also has an entry in De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour (Volume 1, page 40), which however, yields no additional information. His medal index card indicates that he arrived overseas on the 14th September 1914.

Harry appears on the 1891 census as a 10 year old resident at Leopold House in Mile End, east London. This was a home for orphaned boys between the ages of ten and 13 and had been opened in 1883. You can read more about Leopold House, and see photographs of it, here. Harry is recorded on the census simply as being ten years old and having been born in England. I have been unable to find Harry on the 1901 census but he would certainly have been serving with the Middlesex Regiment at this time.

Harry married Mary Hodgkiss at Willesden, west London, in the June quarter of 1910. Unless he had extended his terms of service, he would have been on the army reserve at this time. The following year, a son - also named Harry Jarvis Bobbins - was born. His birth was registered in the September quarter of 1911. A second son - John C Bobbins - followed in 1912 (birth registered in the December quarter of that year) - and a daughter - Alice M Bobbins - whose birth was registered in the March quarter of 1914. When he died, therefore, Harry left a widow and three children aged four, two and under one year - coincidentally almost exactly the same ages as my own three children on this date, 95 years on.

Harry Bobbins is buried in Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery in Armentieres.

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

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (MIC, De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour, BMD, 1891 census)
Army Ancestry
Army Service Numbers 1881-1918
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Soldiers Died in The Great War

2310 Pte Ronald Ashley Ottewill, 10th Bn, Middx Regt

2310 Private Ronald Ashley Ottewill of the 10th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, died of dysentry in India on the 7th January 1915.

He enlisted with the 10th Middlesex at Stamford Brook on the 3rd September 1914. His surviving attestation papers note that he was living at 27 Silver Crescent, Gunnersbury and that he died at Barrackpore (Calcutta, West Bengal). He was 20 years old when he joined up, and stood just five feet and three inches tall. His physical development and vision are recorded as "good".

Surviving papers record that Ronald was the son of Ashley and Ellen Ottewill of 35 Uplands Road, Hornsey, and the brother of George, Leslie, May, Violet and Olive Ottewill. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission records his surname as OTTEWELL and notes that he was buried in Barrackpore New Cemetery and commemorated on the Madras Memorial in Chennai. Today, the cemetery is in ruins and has been vandalised over many years and it would appear unlikely that if it still exists, Ronald's grave is identifiable.

Ronald, who'd taken the imperial service obligation in September 1914, sailed for India on the 29th October. He'd been in khaki for less than two months, but the 10th Middlesex and other Territorial Force battalions like them were needed to free up regular battalions in some of the British Empire's far-flung outposts.

Ronald Ottewill was entitled to the British War Medal and this would have been sent to his father after the war.

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

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (MIC, WO 363)
Army Ancestry
Army Service Numbers 1881-1918
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Soldiers Died in The Great War

L/10042 Pte Pierce Dowling, 4th Bn, Middlesex Regiment

L/10042 Private Pierce Dowling of the 4th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment was killed in action on the 14th October 1914.

Pierce had joined the Middlesex Regiment in early 1905 and thus was probably recalled to the Colours as a reservist when Britain went to war with Germany. His medal index card notes that he arrived overseas on 12th September 1914 and that an application for the claps for his 1914 Star was made on the 9th December 1920. This was duly sent to his next of kin at 53 Streatham Road, Acre Lane, Brixton.

Pierce Dowling was born in Kilkenny, Ireland and enlisted in Dublin. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial in France.

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

Sources:

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

L/6415 Pte Michael Henry Kiley, 4th Bn, Middlesex Regiment

L/6415 Private Michael Henry Kiley of the 4th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment died of wounds on the 24th September 1915. Michael was a Londoner, born in Hoxton, and his number indicates that he joined the Middlesex Regiment around July or August 1900. This being the case, he probably saw service during the Boer War.

Pte Kiley's medal index card at the National Archives makes no mention of him dying of wounds but instead states "demob" which is strange as both the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and Soldiers Died in The Great War agree that the man with these names and this number died on 24th September 1915. Michael's card shows that he arrived in France on 7th April 1915.

Michael Kiley is buried in Divisional Cemetery near Ypres in Belgium; grave reference E.10.

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

Sources:

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

10924 Pte Thomas Vizard, 2nd Bn, Middlesex Regiment

10924 Pte Thomas Vizard of the 2nd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, died of wounds on the 15th August 1917. According to Soldiers Died in The Great War, Thomas was born in Stowbridge, Worcestershire and enlisted in London. He was a career soldier who had originally joined the Middlesex regiment in 1906 and who had first set foot in France on 7th November 1914.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission adds no additional information about this man. He is buried in The Huts Cemetery near Ypres, grave reference II.C.18.

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

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (MIC)
Army Service Numbers 1881-1918
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Soldiers Died in the Great War

G/17827 Pte Henry Robert List, 16th Middlesex Regiment

East Londoner Henry Robert List was killed in action on this day, 15th July, in 1917. Soldiers Died in The Great War records that he was born in Canning Town, and living in Canning Town when he enlisted there. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission notes that he was the son of Mr and Mrs List of 56 Blanche Street, Hermit Road, Plaistow, London. He was 23 years old when he died.

Henry's army number tells us that he enlisted for wartime service only (G/ prefix) and that he joined up in the second half of August 1915. His medal index card confirms that he must have arrived overseas on or after 1st January 1916.

Henry is buried at Canada Farm Cemetery near Ypres, Belgium. His grave reference is I.D.14.

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

Sources:

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

L/13163 Pte John Francis Friday, 3rd East Surrey Regiment

Seven months after the Armistice was declared, L/13163 Pte John Friday of the 3rd East Surrey Regiment, died at home in Gillingham, Kent; on this day 6th July, 1919.

Soldiers Died in The Great War notes that he was born in Gillingham and that he enlisted in Lille, France. It also records the fact that he had previously served with the Middlesex Regiment where he had the number 62089. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission additionally notes that he was 21 years old, the son of John Thomas and Laura Ann Friday, of 7 Danes Hill, Gillingham.

John Friday's medal index card at the National Archives also indicates two other army service numbers: 21684 with the East Surrey Regiment and 51325 with the Manchester Regiment. 21684 looks to date to around June 1916 and 51325 is the following year, between March and July 1917.

My data for enlistments into the Middlesex Regiment, particularly late on in the war, is not as complete as it is for other regiments. However, it looks as though he joined the Middlesex regiment in 1918 and then transferred for a third time, back to the East Surrey Regiment. The L/ prefix for the East Surrey number indicates an enlistment for regular terms of service - seven years with the Colours and five on the Reserve.

John Friday is buried in Gillingham (Woodlands) Cemetery; grave ref: H 320.

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

Sources:

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