73567 Pte Thomas Harrison, 2nd Bn, RWF

Sixty-two British Army officers and men died on the 5th December 1918, and Thomas Harrison of Wigan was one of these men. He died of wounds whilst serving with the 2nd Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers. He is buried in Etaples Military Cemetery and was almost certainly a late entry - 1917 or 1918 - into the war.

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 Frank Lipp, 2nd Bn, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)

Lieutenant Frank Lipp of the 2nd Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), died of wounds on the 30th May 1916. At the time of his death he was attached to the 8th Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Frank was 24 years old at the time of his death. He was the son of James and Eliza Mary Lipp of La Perouse, Fochabers, Morayshire. He died at the station hospital in Karachi and was buried in the Karachi Cemetery (now Pakistan but at that time, part of India). He is commemorated on the Delhi Memorial (India Gate).

Frank's medal index card indicates that he first arrived overseas at Gallipoli on the 23rd October 1915. At that stage he was a second lieutenant. He later transferred to the RWF. The address given on his MIC is "J Lipp Esq, Hadlow House, Fochabers, Scotland." Today, Hadlow House at 22 The Square, Fochabers, is an antiques' shop.

Frank's brother, Vernon Robertson Lipp, also died during the First World War. He was a second lieutenant serving with the 5th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, but attached to the 12th Battalion. He was 26 years old when he was killed in action on the 17th June 1916. He is buried in Berks Cemetery Extension in Belgium. Vernon's medal index card gives his wife's address at Lorne Grove, Radcliffe-on-Trent, Nottingham. She was Elsie C Thompson and the couple's marriage was registered at Lincoln in the June quarter of 1916. Thus Elsie was a wife and a widow within the space of three months.

Frank and Vernon Lipp both appear on the 1901 Scotland census as visitors - along with many others - at the Invercauld Arms in Glenmuick, Aberdeenshire. The boys' ages are noted as nine and eleven respectively. Together in 1901, fate would see them die within three weeks of each other in the service of their King and Country, fifteen years later.

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

396749 Pte Abel Parfitt, Labour Corps

396749 Private Abel Parfitt of the 49th Company, The Labour Corps, was killed in action on the 25th May 1918. He died when a shell exploded in the village where he happened to be, causing heavy casualties. Ironically, he had not been feeling well that day, had reported sick and, along with a party of other men, was on his way to see the doctor when the shell dropped.

Abel Parfitt had previously served with the 3rd Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers (number 61539). According to Soldiers Died in The Great War he was born in Abram, Lincolnshire, was living at Woodlesford, Leeds, and enlisted at Leeds.

Abel was 37 years old, the son of Abel and Elizabeth Parfitt, and the husband of Nan Parfitt of 3 Springside, Todmorden, Lancashire. The Commonwealth war Graves Commission records that he was born at Wigan. He is buried in Querrieu British Cemetery in France.

Abel's partial service record survives at the National Archives in London. He attested on the 15th February 1916 but it wasn't until the 27th April 1917 that he was called up. He gave his address at attestation as 4 Back Eshald Place, Woodlesford although he appears to have moved subsequently as a second address - 13 Victoria Street, Featherstone - has been over-written. He was aged 33 years and 10 months at attestation, a coal miner by trade. He was posted to the 3rd Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers.

Hannah Jane Shaw is recorded as Abel's next of kin, her relationship to him noted as "paramour". There is a marriage date noted however- 22nd February 1908 - although their two children are recorded as William Henry Shaw (born 5th May 1909) and John Shaw (born 5th April 1911). Both children were born at Ashton-under-Line.

A note by Hannah Shaw to CSM Dakin of the 49th Company, written after Abel Parfitt was killed, reads, "Please note that the c/o has addressed me as Mrs Parfitt, as I was known to everyone as the wife of Pte A Parfitt..."

Having arrived in France with the RWF on the 9th August 1917, Abel was transferred to the 35th Company Labour Corps (15th October 1917) and later, still in France, posted to the 49th Company. By this stage he had already been hospitalised in France (in January 1918) with PUO: Pyrexia of Unknown Origin, the medical term generally used to describe trench fever.

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

36970 L/Cpl Brinley Aubrey, 9th Bn, RWF

36970 Lance-Corporal Brinley Haydn Aubrey of the 9th Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, died of wounds on the 14th May 1918. He was born and lived in Briton Ferry, Glamorgan, and he attested at Port Talbot on the 18th November 1915. Brinley's partial service record survives in WO 363 and the following information is taken from this.

When he joined up, Brinley gave his age as 35 years, his address as 89 Neath Road, Briton, and his trade as assistant school teacher. He joined the regiment's 20th Battalion at Port Talbot on the 21st November 1915, and the following April was appointed unpaid lance-corporal. He was promoted to acting corporal on the 27th June 1916.

Ont he 28th August 1916 he reverted to paid lance-corporal and then, three days later,was posted to the 3rd Battalion. On the 29th January 1917 he was appointed acting corporal, and by August that year he had been appointed unpaid lance-sergeant. On 28th January 1918 he sailed for France as part of a draft for the 19th Battalion, and on the 18th March he was posted to the 9th Battalion. It was whilst serving with this battalion that he was mortally wounded. He died at the 83rd General Hospital in Boulogne. He is buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery.

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

6504 Pte William Lyle, 9th Bn, RWF

6504 Private William Lyle of the 9th Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, was killed in action on the 18th April 1918. He was born in Llanwonno, Glamorgan and enlisted at Abercynon.

William was 20 years old when he died. He was the son of Mr and Mrs Bert Lyle of 33 Avondale Street, Ynysboeth, Abercynon, Glamorgan, and the young husband of Alice Eliza Lyle. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial at Zonnebeke.

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