THE KNUTSFORD LADS
WHO
NEVER CAME HOME

By
Tony Davies

Published By - Tony Davies 2014

Copyright ©Tony Davies, 2014

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition, including this condition, being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

All rights reserved; no part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted by any mean, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

ISBN 978-09568294-6-7

Ebook ISBN 978-0-9568294-7-4

Kindle ISBN 978-0-9568294-5-0

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This book is dedicated to the millions of men and women of all nations who fought and died during The Great War especially Edward Davies of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers and John Dykins of the Royal Engineers (my grand-father and great-grandfather respectively), who both, fortunately for me, came home safely.

PREFACE

I am certain that my fascination for The First World War all started when I was about 11 years old and I would walk the two miles to the home of my grand-parents one evening a week (I think it was a Thursday) and together with my grand-father I watched the 27 weekly part of a programme on the BBC, showing The Great War. I sat there and he would explain to me all that was happening in those very grainy pictures. It was a long time after that I truly realised that the gentle, kind and softly spoken man I sat with had been through all that carnage.

He spoke of being on the Somme and going over with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers at Mametz Woods; it was later, when reading his letters to my grand-mother, then of course, only his girlfriend, telling of how he had been knocked off his feet by a shell, and the sergeant being very pleased with him as I never spilt a drop of the tea I was carrying’. My Grand-father was born in 1900, making him just 16 years old at the time of The Somme.

In this book I am writing to celebrate the lives of the local lads who went to fight ‘the war to end all wars’, but never came home.

Knutsford
Cheshire
November 2013

IN MEMORY OF THE LADS FROM KNUTSFORD WHO
GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR.

William Ainscoe – Cheshire Regiment

Wilfred Cecil Alcock – Royal Flying Corp

Herbert Aldcroft – Cheshire Regiment

William Peter Allen – Duke of Wellington (West Riding Regiment)

Albert Andrew Arthern – Royal Irish Rifles

Albert Atkinson – Royal Engineers

Daniel Bailey – Ox & Bucks Light Infantry

John Bailey – Kings Shropshire Light Infantry

John Bailey – Inniskillings Regiment

Lionel Bailey – Manchester Regiment

Vernon Bailey – Ox & Bucks Light Infantry

William Henry Bainbridge – Dragoon Guards

Harold Seymour Baird – Kings Shropshire Light Infantry

James Robertson Barber – Royal Field Artillery

James Robertson Barber – Cheshire Regiment

Thomas E Barber – New Zealand Expeditionary Force

John Barnes – Cheshire Regiment

Harold Baronian – Cheshire Regiment

Frank Barrow – Cheshire Regiment

Joseph Barrow – Manchester Regiment

Tom barrow – Royal Sussex Regiment

Nathaniel James Merriman Barry – East African Transport Company

George Edward Baskerville – Cheshire Regiment

John Fred Baskerville – Lancashire Fusiliers

George Arthur Bebbington – Royal Field Artillery

Harold Bebbington – Kings Liverpool Regiment

John Thomas Bell – Cheshire Regiment

Philip Oswald Bell – Royal Field Artillery

Tom Bell – Cheshire Regiment

Ernest Bentley – Kings Own Royal Lancaster Regiment

Arthur J Berry – Cheshire Regiment

Albert Beswick – Border Regiment

Harry Birchall – Manchester Regiment

George J Birkenhead – Lancashire Fusiliers

James Bradley – Suffolk Regiment

Shephin Bradley – Suffolk Regiment

George H Brandreth – Manchester Regiment

Raymond Arthur Brereton – Northumberland Fusiliers

Frederick Brierley – Cheshire Regiment

Thomas Britcliffe – Kings Liverpool Regiment

Joseph Booth – Cheshire Regiment

Harry Bowyer – East Yorkshire Regiment

Samuel Bowyer – Kings Shropshire Light Infantry

Matthew Ollier Bostock – Cheshire Regiment

Gilbert John Bracegirdle – Royal Garrison Artillery

James Bracegirdle – Kings Shropshire Light Infantry

William Bracegirdle – Kings Shropshire Light Infantry

Arthur Cuthbert Brooke-Taylor – Manchester Regiment

John Brooks – Royal Field Artillery

John Henry Brown – Machine Gun Corp

Leonard Brown – Machine Gun Corp

William Brown – Cheshire Regiment

John Arthur Burgess – Cheshire Regiment

Sidney Burgess – Royal Field Artillery

Sidney Burgess – Kings Shropshire Light Infantry

John Burns – Cheshire Regiment

Albert Cash – Cheshire Regiment

Donald Cash – Royal Field Artillery

George Cash – South Wales Borderers

Daniel Caulfield – Cheshire Regiment

Joseph Chapman – Welsh Regiment

Harry Clarke – Leicester Regiment

Leonard Clarke – Kings Shropshire Light Infantry

Robert Clarke – Labour Corp

William Taberer Clayton – Rifle Brigade

John Brook Close-Brooks – Manchester Regiment

James Collier – Royal Engineers

Edward Connor – Royal Fusiliers

Joseph Consterdine – Grenadier Guards

William Cooper – Cheshire Regiment

Christopher Cork – Grenadier Guards

Thomas Cork – Royal Dublin Fusiliers

Alfred Cottrell – Cheshire Regiment

Donald Cragg – Loyal North Lancashire Regiment

Harry Cragg – East Lancashire Regiment

Harry Cummins – Royal Engineers

James Cummins – Cheshire Regiment

Albert E Curbishley – Cheshire Regiment

Edward Curbishley – Prince of Wales South Lancashire Regiment

Oliver Curbishley – Cheshire Regiment

Charles Henry Daniel – Cheshire Regiment

Thomas Daniel – Royal Warwickshire Regiment

Samuel Daniel – Cheshire Regiment

Fred Darlington – Cheshire Regiment

Frederick Darlington – Royal Flying Corp

Harry Darlington – Loyal North Lancashire Regiment

Tom Darlington M.C. – Queens Royal West Surrey Regiment

Hugh Mercer Davies D.C.M. – Royal Engineers

Reginald Alexander Forbes Downie – Cameron Highlander Regiment

Robert Theodore Manners Downie – Highland Light Infantry

Arthur Lancelot Dawson – Royal Field Artillery

Peter Drinkwater – Royal Army Service Corp

William Henry Dutton – Royal Field Artillery

William Eden – Cheshire Regiment

Fred Edge Edwards – Cheshire Regiment

John Eyres – Cheshire Regiment

James Fagan – Lancashire Fusiliers

James Finn – Prince of Wales Own West Yorkshire Regiment

Benjamin Ford – Scots Fusiliers

James Foster – Cheshire Regiment

John George Fowles – Royal Engineers

George Walter Garft – Manchester Regiment

Herbert Garner – West Yorkshire Regiment

John Garner – East Lancashire regiment

Arthur Ewan Gidman – Loyal North Lancashire Regiment

Joseph Gidman – Manchester Regiment

Thomas Gillett – South Lancashire Regiment

George Marcus Erskine Girard – Prince of Wales (Leinster Regiment)

William Gott – Royal Welsh Fusiliers

Ernest Gough – Royal Devon Yeomanry

William Grear – Australian Army

George Gregory – South Lancashire Regiment

Eric Walter Greswell – Royal Flying Corp

Harold George Greswell – Royal Engineers

James Griffiths – Royal Field Artillery

Ernest Groves – Kings Royal Rifle Company

George Groves – Royal Welsh Fusiliers

Sidney Groves – Tank Corp

Alfred Hale – Labour Corp

George Hamman – Cheshire Regiment

Harry Hammond – Ox & Bucks Light Infantry

Jack Hammond – Lancashire Fusiliers

James Hammond – Cheshire Regiment

John James Hammond – Cheshire Regiment

William Hammond – Cheshire Regiment

Thomas Henry Harrison – Welsh Regiment

Alfred Harrop – Cheshire Regiment

James Harrop – Lancashire Fusiliers

James Harrop – South Lancashire Regiment

Henry Hatton – Cheshire Regiment

Percy Healy – Royal Field Artillery

Herbert Hulse – Northumberland Fusiliers

Thomas Holden – Loyal North Lancashire Regiment

Sidney Howard – Manchester Regiment

Samuel Starkey Howarth – Cheshire Regiment

Walter George Howarth – Lancashire Fusiliers

George Wilkinson Hulme – Manchester Regiment

John Hulse – Machine Gun Corp

Arthur Hulson – Royal Engineers

James Hurdsfield – Home Defence Corp

Harry Illidge – Cheshire Regiment

Peter Jackson – South Wales Borderers

Thomas Jackson – Border Regiment

Sidney Jackson – South Wales Borderers

Joseph Jervis – Royal Engineers

Arthur Johnson – Royal Field Artillery

Fred Johnson – Cheshire Regiment

Harry Johnson – Royal Field Artillery

William Johnson – Manchester Regiment

Clarence William Jones – Lancashire Fusiliers

Horace William Jones – Cheshire Regiment

George Kennerley – Cheshire Regiment

William Frederick Keens – Cheshire Regiment

Harry Kent – South Lancashire Regiment

Albert Kettle – Cheshire Regiment

Donald Currie Kingsley – New Zealand Expeditionary Force

Leopold Fred Kirk – Cheshire Regiment

Frank Knowles – London Regiment

Tom Lea – Cheshire Regiment

William Leach – Cheshire Regiment

Fred George Leach – Cheshire Regiment

Patrick Leech – Cheshire Regiment

William Leigh – Manchester Regiment

Sydney Leicester – Manchester Regiment

John Leonard – Royal Welsh Fusiliers

Harry Light – South Wales Borderers

Mervyn Lloyd – Northumberland Fusiliers

William Harrison Lomas – South Lancashire Regiment

Charles Asgill Lover – North Staffordshire Regiment

Joseph Lowe – South Wales Borderers

George Lucas – Cheshire Regiment

Rowland Francis Keith Macdonald – London Regiment

Francis Patrick McGowan – Rifle Brigade

Robert Melrose – Cheshire Regiment

Gordon Holland Merriman – Royal Field Artillery

Fred Miller – Kings Liverpool Regiment

William Sidney Moore – Royal Field Artillery

Fred Moss – Lancashire Fusiliers

Edward Moston – Royal Warwickshire Regiment

Leonard Moston – Army Cycle Corp

William Murphy – Cheshire Regiment

Peter Murphy – Royal Field Artillery

John Higginson Norbury – Royal Fusiliers

Reginald Norbury – Royal Welsh Fusiliers

Robert Norbury – Royal Field Artillery

Samuel Norbury – Kings Shropshire Light Infantry

William Ernest Oakes – Northumberland Fusiliers

Eric William Ogden – Inniskillings Regiment

William Ollier – Cheshire Regiment

Fred Padmore – Kings Own Lancashire Regiment

Fred Parmenter – Durham Light Infantry

Samuel Edward Parrot – Gordon Highlanders

George Peers – Royal Army Medical Corp

Samuel Last Peers – Machine Gun Company

Mason Penn – Australian Infantry

William Thomas Pennington – Cheshire Regiment

Charles Leigh Pickering – Royal Flying Corp

William Arthur Pierce – Border Regiment

Harold William Pierpoint – Manchester Regiment

Guy Kenyon Pierson – Royal Fusiliers

James Mills Preston – Hampshire Regiment

John Joseph Price – Manchester Regiment

Thomas Rayner – Lancashire Fusiliers

Charles Richardson – Cheshire Regiment

Peter Edward Richardson – Northumberland Fusiliers

William Richardson – Northumberland Fusiliers

Charles Ridgway – East Surrey Regiment

Donald Marshall Rigby – Cheshire Regiment

Charles Frederick Riley – Cheshire Yeomanry

George Riley – Cheshire Regiment

Arthur Parry Roberts – Machine Gun Corp

Harry Royle – Kings Shropshire Light Infantry

Jack Rushton – Cheshire Regiment

Fred Saunders – Kings Shropshire Light Infantry

Robert Yardley Sidebottom – Lancashire Fusiliers

Herbert Simcock – Cheshire Regiment

Heinrich Helmut Simon – Royal Field Artillery

John Charles Simpson – Royal Warwickshire Regiment

Duncan Sinclair – South Lancashire Regiment

James Skelhorn – South Wales Borderers

Fred Slade – London Regiment

George William Slade – London Regiment

Edward Pierce Smith – Kings Liverpool Regiment

George Arthur Smith – Manchester Regiment

John Hubert Southern – Manchester Regiment

James Spilsbury – Cheshire Regiment

William Street – Manchester Regiment

Albert Sumner – Queens Royal West Surrey Regiment

Henry Taylor – Cheshire Regiment

Thomas Taylor – Kings Royal Rifles

Wilfred Taylor – Grenadier Guards

Sidney Taylor – Cheshire Regiment

George Thornber – Cheshire Regiment

George Tickle – Welsh Regiment

Fred Timmis – Cheshire Regiment

William Russell Tonge – Manchester Regiment

Francis Allaby Tunstall – Canadian Infantry

William Henry Tunstall – London Rifles

Henry Vernon – Royal Field Artillery

Percy Vernon – Royal Engineers

Charles Vickers – Cheshire Regiment

William Ward – Cheshire Regiment

Colin Webb – Cheshire Regiment

William Whiston – Cheshire Regiment

James Henry White – Scots Guards

Ernest Whittaker – Kings Shropshire Light Infantry

George Whittaker – Manchester Regiment

James Wilding – Cheshire Regiment

William Benjamin Wilkinson – Canadian Infantry

Ernest Williams – Manchester Regiment

Harold Wilson – Kings Liverpool Regiment

Walter Newton Wilson – Royal Engineers

Percy Ralph Winser – Royal Horse Artillery

Gordon Sandy Wunsch – Canadian Infantry

John Yarwood – West Yorkshire Regiment

They went with songs to the battle, they were young. Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow. They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted, They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will remember them.

Laurence Binyon

INTRODUCTION

LIFE OF A SOLDIER DURING WORLD WAR ONE

Britain always had a small standing army and in 1914 it numbered around 200,000, for as an island nation we believed our strength lay in the navy.

Once the war started, in August 1914, it was soon realised that a lot more manpower would be required and when Lord Horatio Kitchener was appointed Secretary for War, he issued a call for volunteers. His finger pointing out of the posters, demanding that “Your Country Needs You”. The original call was for 100,000 volunteers but by the end of September that number reached 750,000 and by January, following the defeat at the Battle of Mons, it was raised to nearly one million. The stipulation for those joining was that they would only enlist ‘for the duration of the war’.

This then was the ‘New Army’ that was being formed, with the now famous ‘Pals Battalions’ coming into being, but often, once these men were trained they were sent to join other regular units to replace the losses.

The old army looked on in distain as these civilians in uniform swelled their ranks. One man wrote to this father:

‘We are distinctly queasy about this new army that they are sending us – they slouch about, salute poorly and are untidy and seem uncomfortable when in uniform and are careless with their weapons.’

The recruit was required to have a certain physicality about him. He needed to be at least 5’3” tall and aged between 18 and 38 (He was not allowed to be sent overseas until he was 19 – but see page 108) and a chest of 331/2” but on many a recruitment form are written the words ‘Will improve with drill’.

With the outbreak of the war men up to the age of 45 were accepted, provided they had previously served in the military.

As we can see, the initial response to the call ‘YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU’ was overwhelming but soon it settled down to about 100,000 a month – but this was not enough so later conscription came into being, following the National Registration Act of July 1915 which discovered just how many men between the ages of 15 and 65 were in the UK and engaged in what trade. The result of this census was available later that year.

On the 27^th January 1916 the Military Service Act was introduced, which put an end to voluntary enlistment. So all males aged between 18 and 41 were conscripted providing they met the physical criteria and were resident in Great Britain (excluding Ireland) and were un-married or a widower on the 2^nd November 1915. This act was extended to Married men on the 25^th May 1916. Prior to this act the recruit had a choice of the regiment he wanted to join but not any longer.

It was General Haig’s view that the British army would be unable to fight an all-out war until 1917 as the country lacked the basic industrial capacity to support this massive ‘New Army’ but he was to become pleasantly surprised.

Britain rapidly rose to the challenge and transformed these civilians that the ‘old army’ had questioned into an effective fighting force, and the country, mainly thanks to its women-folk, into a highly mechanised system to feed this new ravenous beast fighting throughout the world.

So, back to our recruit – following the ‘swearing in’ called the attestation, the recruit ‘took the kings shilling’ (the recruiting sergeant getting sixpence a man), and then the recruit went home and awaited his ‘call up’ which could be a few days to a year to arrive.

The British military had fought what they described as a ‘limited war’ against the Boers in South Africa a few years before but it was clear that the Field training manual needed to be upgraded now.

The recruit was introduced to physical training, basic drill, marching, essential field craft and later some specialised and went on to further training as a rifleman, machine gunner, signaller etc. He also received basic first aid training; instruction on ‘wiring’ and gas defences and most importantly, weapon safety.

The months of training were designed to mould the recruit into an effective fighter, part of a team, able to obey orders.

Once they arrived at the front, where-ever that front might be, training continued at a unit level – the training sergeant’s favourite phrase being “Listen well lads for what I am going to tell you, WILL save your life.”

Tactics were constantly being re-taught, and amended as the tactics and technologies changed, and of course with the vast influx of replacements coming into the Battalions. New training schools opened, specialising in certain areas of warfare.

On the Western Front training focused on the prevailing conditions of trench warfare and through this training the British Army became a highly proficient, mobile force capable of ‘all arms’ battles.

Training these men was one thing, but where to house them was quite another. The vast numbers joining the forces soon overwhelmed the existing training facilities, so it soon became apparent that new facilities were needed. Public buildings were forced into use, church halls, schools and warehouses were pressed into service, and even private homes were used to billet recruits.

So new training camps were set up all over the country – some were vast, with their own canteens, hospitals and post offices (for mail was an essential part of the fighting man’s life as we shall examine later).

Once on the Western Front and in the stabilised areas new camps were set up for training. One of the largest being The Bull Ring at Etaples.

One of the myths surrounding the Great War is that the armies were constantly in the trenches but as a matter of fact, only a relatively small proportion actually served there.

The trenches were of course the front line and a very dangerous place to be but behind there was a vast network of supply lines, communication trenches, training facilities, stores, workshops and garages and of course headquarters. This is where the vast majority of the troops were employed.

The infantryman was in the trenches with the support of the machine gunners.

The Trenches.

If you ask people to give you one words that relates to World War One they would most probably say “trenches”, (the others being “slaughter” and “mud”). So what were they like?

The idea of digging a hole in the ground for the protection and movement of troops is certainly not just the province of WW1 – it has been used throughout the centuries, and used to great effect during the American Civil War some fifty years before.

But the trench system was caused by the stagnation of the armies, causing them to ‘dig in’ and so a trench system snaked over 450 miles from the English Channel to the Swiss border.

The basic trench varied considerably and was of course dependant on the conditions of the terrain. Some area were easier to dig than others – for in the Somme region for example, the ground was chalk and thus easier to did, but the sides crumbled easily with the rain of the vibrations of the shelling so they needed to be ‘revetted’ – that is reinforced with wood or sandbags. At Ypres the ground was boggy with a high water table so a breastwork type was used (the trench was built up from the ground with sandbags).

On every front trenches were cut – in Italy and Gallipoli they were hewn from rock; in the Middle East in sand.

The German trenches were dug well into the ground, their dug-outs sometimes 40 or 50 feet below, well away from the shelling – they even were equipped with furniture. The British, on the whole were not so comfortable and it has been suggested that the soldier was not to be made to feel too comfortable but to feel in a way transient, with the need to keep moving forward.

The trenches were never straight lines but as well as following the contours of the land, they had turns every so often called ‘bays’ or ‘traverses’ – this gave the defenders and easier job and also it prevented any blast from continuing along a long length of trench.

Sticking out into no-mans-land were often smaller trenches called ‘saps’. These housed an artillery spotter or a listening post of perhaps a couple of infantrymen, who could give advanced warning of any enemy activity.

Firing steps were also cut into the sides of the trench, where a sentry would stand in quiet times looking out into no-mans-land, usually through a box telescope – but woe be tied if he was caught asleep at his post (see appendix six). Specialists (machine gunners or signallers) were excluded such duty. Sometime the gap between the two opposing sides was less than fifty yards.

Behind the front-line trench were the supply trenches, housing the company commanders HQ and the communication telephones. Along these trenches the vital equipment was brought to the front line.

The more static the battlefield became, the stronger the defences became. In front of the trench system vast areas of barbed wire were place, some many feet thick.

And these had to be maintained, which was one of the most dangerous of all the ‘housekeeping’ jobs of the trench war system.

The typical trench system consisted of three main fire and support trenches connected by communication trenches, with various posts, strongpoints and saps. By 1916, the German system of defence had three or four such trench systems layered back over a couple of miles. By 1917 the system had deepened even further so that the allied assaults of 1918 faced a defensive system several miles deep.

Wherever possible the floor of the trench was covered by a wooden ‘duckboard’ in an effort to keep the soldiers feet out of the mud. The necessary latrine was dug close-by – that being a deep hole in the ground over which a plank was place for the man to sit on. He, of course had to ask permission to use this facility.

Life in the trenches was far from comfortable and varied widely between the different theatres of war, but with so many men living in such a confined space, plus the proximity of the latrine (which was regularly targeted by the enemy), the discarded food, the lice and the rats (some the size of cats, living off the bodies of the dead), the whole place was one massive health risk. Diseases such as trench fever, trench foot, exposure and frostbite accounted for large numbers of casualties.

How long did he stay in the trenches?

Usually there was a four day rotation system in place. Four days in the ‘front line’, four days in what was termed ‘close reserve’ and four days ‘rest’. This system depended on many factors including the weather, the number of troops etc.

In close reserve the men were on short notice to return to the front line, depending on the circumstances. The time when they battalions rotated was always a trying time and noise was kept to a minimum for any noise usually drew enemy fire or shelling.

Other than when in battle, trench life tended to be boring, with hard physical work thrown in. Boredom often led to mistakes and an air of nonchalance, and any loss of concentration could lead to being exposed to a snipers bullet.

At dawn and dusk, the whole British line was ordered to ‘stand to’. Which meant that for a short period, the whole trench was in readiness for an enemy attack?

All of the men posted to the fire trench and most of those in the support trench had to wear their equipment at all times. Men in the front line had to keep their bayonets fixed during hours of darkness or mist, or whenever there was an alert of enemy activity.

A man could not leave his post without permission of his immediate commander, and an officer had to approve him leaving the trench. One officer per Company was on trench duty at all times, and his NCOs had to report to him hourly. He was under orders to move continually up and down his assigned trenches, checking that the equipment was in good state, that the sentries were alert and that the men were as comfortable as the conditions allowed. The NCOs had to inspect the men’s rifles twice daily and otherwise ensure that fighting equipment and ammunition was present and in good order. From mid-1915, every trench had some form of warning of gas attack. Often this was an empty shell casing, held up by wire or string, that would be hit (like a gong) with a piece of wood or similar. If the gas gong was heard, all officers and men would know that they had to put on their gas masks as soon as they could. Some of the gasses used were invisible, and if their delivery by gas shells popping on impact with the ground had not been heard, they could sometimes be detected by their distinctive smell.

Every day, the battalion holding the line would request from the nearby Brigade workshop a list of stores it needed. Some special items such as wire ‘knife rests’ (a wooden support for a barbed wire entanglement), signboards, boxes, and floor gratings would be made up at Brigade and brought to the trenches ready to use. Sandbags, wood, cement, barbed wire, telephone cable, and other supplies would also be sent up as needed. Men would be sent back to Brigade as a carrying party to fetch it.

Rations would be brought up through the communication trenches at night. This too would be when the all-important mail arrived. The British postal service was second to none. The letters from home could take a little as two days to reach a soldier in the trenches (better than today), and the lads would share the things they received in parcels (except socks – those they kept for themselves). They even shared their families, reading each other’s letters.

It can be said that the British army went through four stages during the war.

The first was the British Expeditionary Force – the original standing army that was dispatched to France in 1914 – but by 1915 they were virtually all gone.

The second was the Territorial Army – reservists who at least had some training in the ways of the military – but by the end of 1915 they was nearly all gone too.

The third was Kitchener’s Army – volunteers from 1914 who were now called up to fight – these had no experience and over 600,000 became casualties. It has been said it too two years to train but disappeared in the first two hours of the Battle of the Somme.

And fourthly came the conscript army who saw out the war.

The dead.

Almost one million British servicemen died in the Great War. Some were killed in their thousands in the great battles, other alone – from a shell, sniper or disease.

Thousands have no known grave.

This then is my small attempt to remember those local lads who fell……

WILLIAM AINSCOE

William Ainscoe was born in Knutsford in 1893, the son of Samuel (a butcher) and Martha Ainscoe. He was a butcher living at 9, Minshall Street, Knutsford.

He enlisted in the army on the 4^th September 1914 in the 12^th Battalion of the Cheshire Regiment as Private no. 15610.

Brief history of the Battalion:

The 12^th (Service) Battalion, Cheshire Regiment was raised in Chester on the 13^th of September 1914 as part of Kitchener’s Second New Army and joined 22^nd Division as army troops. They trained at Seaford, spending the winter in billets in Eastbourne. In February 1915 they transferred to 66^th Brigade, still with 22^nd Division. They moved to Aldershot for final training in June and preceded to France on the 6^th of September, landing at Boulogne, the division concentrating near Flesselles. In October they moved to Marseilles by train and embarked for Salonika on the 27^th. 67^th Brigade, 9^th Borders, 68^th Field Ambulance and the Advanced Divisional HQ saw their first action in the second week of December in the Retreat from Serbia. In 1916 the division fought in the Battle of Horseshoe Hill and Battle of Machukovo. In 1917 they were in action during the Battles of Doiran. They were in action at Doiran just before the Armistice with Bulgaria was signed at the end September 1918.

Thanks to the Wartime Memories Project.

He contracted malaria in 1916 and was hospitalised. On recovery he returned to his Battalion.

William was killed in action on the 31^st March 1918.

On that fateful day:

The war diary for that day records no activity.

WILFRED CECIL ALCOCK

Wilfred Cyril Alcock was born in Knutsford in 1882, one of six children born to Frederick (a printer and stationer) and Harriet (printers assistant) of Caxton House, 95 King Street, Knutsford. He too was a printer working for his father.

Just prior to the war being declared Wilfred sailed for America, settling just outside Boston.

We also know he was a prominent Mason whilst in Massachusetts.

He joined the Royal Canadian Flying Corp as a cadet no. 74783 but was accidentally killed during his training on the 24^th November 1917, aged 25.

On that fateful day:

There is no record of how he met his death, but it is believed it was in a ‘flying acident’.

HERBERT ALDCROFT

Herbert Aldcroft was born in Mobberley, Cheshire in 1886, one of six children born to William (a farmer) and Ann Aldcroft of Moss farm, Moss lane Mobberley. Daniel was a farm labourer.

He enlisted in the army and became Private no 27612 of the 1^st Battalion of the Cheshire Regiment.

Brief history of the Battalion:

The 1^st Battalion, Cheshire Regiment was a regular unit of the British Army and was in Londonderry when war broke out in August 1914 with 15^th Brigade in 5^th Division. They returned to England and proceeded to France with the British Expeditionary Force, landing at Le Havre on the 16^th of August 1914. They saw action at The Battle of Mons, The Battle of the Marne, The Battle of the Aisne, The Battles of La Bassee, at Messines and in The First Battle of Ypres. Between the 3^rd of March and 7^th of April 1915 they were attached with 15^th Brigade to 28^th Division in in exchange for 83^rd Brigade in order to familiarise the newly arrived troops with the Western Front. In 1915 they were in action in The Second Battle of Ypres and the Capture of Hill 60. In March 1916 they took over a sector in the front line in the southern edge of Vimy Ridge, in front of Arras. The 5^th Division arrived on the Somme to relieve the British units who had suffered badly in the attack on the first of July and went into action at High Wood, being withdrawn in October.

Herbert died of wounds on the 2^nd August 1916.

On that fateful day:

Herbert’s service records no longer exist so I have found it impossible to locate where and when he received his wounds, but it is more than likely they were received during the Battle of the Somme.

WILLIAM PETER ALLEN

William Peter Allen was born in Chelford, Cheshire, one of six children born to Emma. They later moved to 1, Clifford Street, Patricroft, Lancashire. William was a slater’s labourer.

He enlisted in the 10^th Battalion of the Duke of Wellington (West Riding Regiment), becoming Private no. 16042.

He arrived in France on the 29^th August 1915.

Brief history of the Battalion:

The 10^th Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment was raised at Halifax in September 1914 as part of Kitchener’s Third New Army and joined 69^th Brigade, 23^rd Division. 23^rd Division concentrated in Hampshire in September with 68^th Brigade at Bullswater, 69^th and 70th brigades at Frensham. The artillery units assembled at Mytchett Camp in November. As the winter set in, the Division moved to Aldershot, with CII and CIII Artillery Brigades moving to Ewshott. At the end of February 1915 they moved to Shorncliffe, Kent, and some of the infantry were engaged in constructing defences to the south of London in April and May, before the Division moved to Bordon, Hampshire at the end of the month. They proceeded to France in the third week of August, landing at Boulogne and concentrating near Tilques. On the 5^th of September 23^rd Division became attached to III Corps, moving to the Merris-Vieux Berquin area, for trench familiarisation under the guidance of the 20^th (Light) and 27^th Divisions. They took over front line sector between Ferme Grande Flamengrie to the Armentieres-Wez Macquart road in their own right on the 14^th. During the Battle of Loos CIII and CV Brigades RFA were in action attached to 8th Division. With 23rd Division holding the front at Bois Grenier, they were relieved from that sector at the end of January 1916 and Divisional HQ was established at Blaringhem with the units concentrated around Bruay for a period of rest. On the 3rd of March they returned to the front line, taking over a sector between the Boyau de l’Ersatz and the Souchez River from the French 17th Division, with the Artillery taking over an exposed position between Carency and Bois de Bouvigny where it was subjected to heavy shelling. In early March a Tunnelling Company was established and men with a background in mining were transferred from the ranks to the Royal Engineers. In mid-April they returned to Bruay area for rest until mid-May when they again took over the Souchez-Angres front, just before the German Attack on Vimy Ridge on the 21^st. The brunt of the attack fell on 47^th (London) Division, to the right of 23rd Division and the 23^rd Divisional Artillery went into action in support of the 47^th. On the 1st of June the Artillery supported 2^nd Division as they undertook operations to recover lost ground. On the 11^th of June the 23^rd Division Infantry moved to Bomy and the artillery to Chamblain Chatelain and Therouanne to begin intensive training for the Battles of the Somme. They were in action in The Battle of Albert including the capture of Contalmaison, The Battles of Bazentin Ridge, Pozieres, Flers-Courcelette, Morval and The Battle of Le Transloy including the capture of Le Sars.

Thanks to the Wartime Memories Project.

William was killed in action on the 29^th July 1916.

On that fateful Day

The war diary states:

‘29.7.16 BECOURT WOOD

The enemy was shelling the main road through village and was very near to doing some serious damage. The Battn was soon again in action. We sustained somewhat severe casualties which reads –

Officers – 2 killed, 4 wounded, 1 missing.

Other ranks – 31 killed, 124 wounded, 13 shell-shocked, 30 missing.’

ALBERT ANDREW ARTHERN

Albert Andrew Arthern was born in High Legh, Cheshire in 1887, one of eleven children born to Thomas (a police officer) and Martha Arthern of High Legh. Albert was a farm labourer.

He enlisted in the Royal Irish Rifles at the beginning of the war, becoming Private no. 17550 of the 3^rd Battalion. They were a ‘Reserve Battalion’ and did not serve abroad.

He died in Dublin on the 26^th October 1914.

I have been in touch with the Royal Irish Rifles Museum in Belfast but they have no record as to how Albert died.

ALBERT ATKINSON

Albert Atkinson was born in Knutsford in 1897, the son of James (a caretaker/postman) and Eliza Atkinson of Green Street, Knutsford.

Albert initially enlisted in the 5^th Battalion of the Cheshire Regiment but was transferred to the 21^st Signals Company of the Royal Engineers, becoming Private no. 37837.

Brief history of the Company:

21^st Divisional Signals Company, The Royal Engineers provided communications for 21^st Division. The Division was established in September 1914, as part Kitchener’s Third New Army. The Division concentrated in the Tring area, training at Halton Park before winter necessitated a move into local billets Chesham. In May 1915 they moved to Wendover and on the 9^th of August they moved to Witley Camp for final training. They proceeded to France during the first week of September and marched across France to going into the reserve for the British assault at Loos on the 26^th of September suffering heavy casualties. In 1916 they were in action in the Battles of The Somme, including The Battle of Morval in which the Division captured Geudecourt. In 1917 they were in action during The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line, the Arras offensive, the Third Battles of Ypres and The Cambrai Operations. In 1918 they fought on The Somme then moved north and were in action during the Battles of the Lys, the Battle of the Aisne, The Somme, the Battles of the Hindenburg Line and the Final Advance in Picardy.

Thanks to the Wartime Memories Project.

Albert was killed in action on the 28^th May 1918.

On that fateful day:

At the time of writing the Battalion War Diary was unavailable.

DANIEL BAILEY

Daniel Simcock was born in 1896, the son of Sarah, who married Enoch (a council roadman) and lived with her mother in Pepper Street, Mobberley. By the age of 15 Daniel was using his mother’s maiden name of Daniel.

His service records no longer exist but we know he enlisted sometime after 1915 in the Cheshire Regiment as Private no. 76625 and later transferred to the 2^nd Battalion of the Oxford and Buckingham Light Infantry as private no. 24815.

Brief history of the Battalion:

In January 1916, the 2^nd Ox and Bucks were at Cottes St.Hilaire; the 2^nd Division was at that time taking its turn in the corps reserve. The Battalion later moved to Bethune and then returned to the Festubert trenches. The ¼^th Ox and Bucks took part in the First Day of the Somme on 1 July 1916, in which the British Army suffered over 60,000 casualties – the largest number sustained in a day by the British Army. The battalions of the Ox and Bucks on the Western Front saw extensive service during the Battle of the Somme (1 July – 18 November), suffering heavily, including at Mametz Wood, Pozières and at Ancre, the last major subsidiary battle. On 28 July the 2^nd Ox and Bucks moved to front-line trenches near Waterlot farm and sustained heavy casualties at the battle there on 30 July. The 2^nd Ox and Bucks fought on the Somme battlefield at Delville Wood, Guillemont and on 13 November in the battle of Beaumont Hamel: a large attack on the Redan Ridge in the battle of the Ancre. The 2^nd Ox and Bucks sustained many casualties during the battle of Beaumont Hamel, including Captain RB Kite who within the previous 12 months, had been awarded the Military Cross and twice mentioned in dispatches.

The New Year of 1917 brought with it a period of severe weather conditions on the Somme plain which led to an unofficial truce between the two sides. In March 1917, the Germans began the withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line (14 March – 5 April) and at the end of March the 2^nd Ox and Bucks moved from the Somme to the back areas of Arras. The 2^nd Ox and Bucks and other battalions of the regiment saw much involvement in the Arras Offensive (9 April – 16 May), including at the Battles of Scarpe and Arleux. The 2^nd Ox and Bucks took part in the battle of Arras from 11 April and had a leading role in the battle of Arleux on 28–29 April: during the battle the battalion protected the right flank of the Canadian 1^st Division which was critical to the capture of the village of Arleux and sustained more than 200 casualties. In the summer of 1917, the 2^nd Ox and Bucks held the line at Bailleulemont, near Arras. The battalions of the Ox and Bucks saw further service in many of the subsidiary battles during the Battle of Passchendaele (also known as Third Ypres) that took place between 31 July-6 November. Some of the battles that the Ox and Bucks took part in included Menin Road and Polygon Wood in September and early October. The 2^nd Ox and Bucks and the 6^th (Service) Battalion, Ox and Bucks also took part in the Battle of Cambrai (20 November-3 December) that saw the first large-scale use of tanks by the British and was the last major battle of the year.

In January 1918, the 2^nd Ox and Bucks marched to Beaulencourt, later that month they moved to Havrincourt Wood and then on 9 February to Metz-en-Couture. The 2^nd Ox and Bucks were at Vallulart Camp, Ytres when on 21 March 1918 the Germans launched the last-gasp Spring Offensive (Operation Michael). The 2^nd Ox and Bucks and other battalions of the regiment sustained heavy casualties as part of the defence of the Somme during the Battle of St. Quentin (21–23 March), the First Battle of Bapaume (24–25 March) and in subsequent battles that saw the Germans achieve significant gains. After that offensive lost its momentum, the Germans launched Operation Georgette in April which the Ox and Bucks defended against in the Battle of the Lys and subsequent actions. By August the German offensives had failed and the Allies had launched a counter-attack. In August the 2^nd Ox and Bucks took part in the Battle of Albert (1918) (21–23 August) and the Second Battle of Bapaume (31 August – 3 September) while the 2/4^th Ox and Bucks and the 2/1^st Buckinghamshires took part in the advance into Flanders, with both offensives seeing the Allies advance to the Hindenburg Line by early September. The 2^nd Ox and Bucks took part in the offensive against it that saw the Allies break through the defences, taking part in the Battle of Havrincourt (12 September), Battle of the Canal du Nord (27 September – 1 October) and the Second Battle of Cambrai (8–9 October). The Regiment then took part in the last actions of the war, taking part in the Battle of the Selle and the Battle of Valenciennes. The 2^nd Ox and Bucks final battle of the war was the Battle of the Selle (17–25 October).

Daniel was killed in action on the 1^st October 1918.

On that fateful day:

The war diary states:

“1.10.18 CANAL du NORD area

From midnight 10^th Sept until 5.30am 1^st Oct enemy shelling was slight as was also machine gun fire. At zero hour (6am) our artillery opened on the initial barrage line for 6 minutes during which time the two front companies (C and D) moved out into ‘worm formation’, as close up to the barrage as possible so as to be ready to go forward at 6.06am. The barrage lifted and C and D companies advanced with A and B in support. They at once came under heavy machine gun fire from four distinct points and many casualties resulted. Our own shells falling short also caused casualties. The Coy advanced 400 – 500 yards when, owing to the extent of front to be occupied, to the losses sustained and to the fact that the left flank of the 3^rd Division (co-operating on out right) had not got forward, our leading companies lost direction, with the result that the regiment covered only half its allotted frontage. About this time the support companies reinforced the front line and the whole pushed forward to the line of the railway, where they captured 3 German machine guns with their teams and several other prisoners. Further advance became impossible, as the enemy machine gun nests immediately opened very heavy fire on any movement. The senior officers present (Captain Eagle, D Company and Lt Cowell, C Company) ordered their men to dig in.

The situation remained unchanged throughout the day until 6.30pm whan an attack was made by the 24^th R.F. and 2^nd H.L.I. which surprised the enemy, who were evidently expecting to be attacked from another direction. The attack was successful and the Regiment became support Battalion.

Communication all day was very difficult, all ground over which orderlies had to move being in full view so they had to crawl for very long distances.

Casualties – Lt L. Bartlett and 33 OR killed, 3 officers and 125 OR wounded; and one man wounded and missing.”

JOHN BAILEY

John Bailey was born in Knutsford, the son of Mr and Mrs J. Bailey of The Old Hall, Tatton Park, Knutsford.

His service record no longer exists but we know he enlisted in ‘C’ Company, 7^th Battalion of the Kings (Shropshire Light Infantry).

Brief history of the Battalion:

A war-raised Service Battalion under Lt. Col. J.H. Barber, it was formed in Shrewsbury in September 1914 and joined the 76^th Brigade of the 25^th Division; landed at Boulogne on 28^th September 1915 and served entirely on the Western Front.

7 KSLI first saw action in the Ypres Salient in the winter of 1915-16 and moved to the Somme in July 1916; fought at Bazentin Ridge and then at Serre on the Ancre later in the year.

It was in action at Arras and in the three severe battles of the Scarpe in April-May 1917. Back in the Ypres sector in 1917, the 7^th took part in the fighting at Polygon Wood in September (3^rd Battle of Ypres) and was back on the Somme for the battles of 1918.

After taking part in the offensives of summer-autumn of 1918, at Albert, Bapaume, the Canal du Nord and the Selle, the 7^th ended the war as part of the 8^th Brigade of the 3^rd Division, at Romeries, near Solesmes, France. It was disbanded in Shrewsbury in June 1919.

The 7^th suffered more casualties than any other KSLI battalion, with 1048 killed in action or died during the war, and earned more battle honours than any other KSLI battalion.

John was killed in action on the 25^th April 1917.

On that fateful day:

The war diary has no specific entry for this day.

JOHN BAILEY

John was born in 1890 in Mobberley, the son of John and Charlotte Johanna Bailey of Barnshaw Cottage, Mobberley. John is a photographic student.

He enlisted in the army, becoming Private no. 27397 in the South Lancashire Regiment before transferring to the 1^st Battalion of the Royal Inniskillings Regiment, becoming Private no. 49599.

He went to France sometime after 1915.

Brief history of the Battalion:

The 1^st Battalion was raised on the August 1914 in Trimulgherry, India. They were recalled to UK at the outbreak of the war and landed at Avonmouth on 10 January 1915. On the 10 January 1915 they came under command of 87^th Brigade in 29^th Division. They moved to Rugby. In March 1915 they sailed, going via Egypt, and landed at Cape Helles, Gallipoli, on 25 April 1915. In January 1916 they evacuated from Gallipoli to Egypt. On the 18 March 1916 the battalion landed at Marseilles for service in France. On the 5 February 1918 they transferred to 109^th Brigade in 36^th (Ulster) Division.

He was killed in action on the 15^th October 1918.

On that fateful day:

The war diary states:

This action commenced on the 14^th October 1918 – they had also been in heavy fighting at the beginning of the month too.

“15.10.18

At 0900 the 2^nd Battn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers attacked GULLEGHEM and the 1^st Battn. moved forward behind the 9^th Battn.

On reaching the line G.22 Central the 9^th Battn. passed through the 2^nd Battn. Royal Inniskillings Fusiliers and took HEULE. The 1^st Battn moving up in support to them to G.22 Central reaching this position at 11.00. Headquarters established at XXXX

Information received form O.C. 9^th Battn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers that his Battn. had captured HEULE and was in position on the railway to the east of it and in touch with the 29^th on the left but his right flank was in the air. It was then discovered that the Brigade on the right was held up on the line. The O.C. 1^st Inniskilling Fusiliers ordered ‘B’ and ‘D’ Companies men to cover the flank. ‘D’ Company to take up position along the bank of the HEULEBEKE. ‘B’ Company was ordered to move alongside of the GULLEGHEM – HEULE Road and attack the farms and occupy them.