Remembrance – Bertie Rudkin

Remembrance – Bertie Rudkin

Today we remember Kirkby underwood man, Bertie Rudkin who gave his life in the Great War 100 years ago in 1916.

Bertie Rudkin was born in Morton in 1893 to Henry James Rudkin, a wagoner and his wife Mary Ann Wrighton.

Bertie was one of 7 children and the family moved from Morton to Witham on the Hill, Corby Glen and then on to Swinsted. Later the family settled at Kirkby Underwood.

Bertie can be found on the 1911 census was living with the Cook family in Swinsted and working as a wagoner on a farm.

He enlisted, along with his brother, Ernest, and joined the 1st Lincolnshire regiment.

During the week of the 23rd September, the battalion had been encamped near Fricourt and were called into action on the 25th September to be part of an attack. That day the battalion lost 21 men with 127 wounded and 16 missing in action.

On the 27th September Bertie Rudkin died of wounds and is buried at Etaples Military cemetery.

Etaples was the site of the final military hospital before being shipped back to England, it can be assumed that he died of wounds attained in the earlier fighting with his battalion but never made it back as far as being evacuated back to England.

Bertie is commemorated on the stained glass window at Kirkby Underwood Parish Church as well as the memorial plaque in the church.

Photograph courtesy of Lincolnshire Free Press

 

Remembrance – George Hill

Remembrance – George Hill

Today, 25th September, we remember George Hill who was killed in action 100 years ago today in 1916.

Rippingale born George and his brother Arthur, both signed up to fight for King and Country, unfortunately, along with their brother in law, Charlie Sharpe, none were to make it home at the end of the war.

George, a Wagoner working in Rippingale, signed up in Bourne on the 30th September 1914, first serving with the 10th battalion and then later with the 1st battalion Lincolnshire regiment. George was killed during the on going actions for the Battle of the Somme on the 25th September 1916.

George Hill is buried in Guards Cemetery, Lesboeufs, France and also commemorated on the Rippingale Memorial.

A short history of George’s military career can be found on the Rippingale pages on the Jamie and Sue website.

Photo courtesy of Jim Latham

           

Remembrance – Albert Chambers

Rouen was the final resting place of over 8000 men who died of wounds during WW1 whilst in one of its many hospitals.

Today we pay our respects to Bourne Man Private Albert Chambers 4838 of the 2nd Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment), who died of wounds received on the Somme on 20th September 1916 age 26.

Albert was the son of John Thomas and Dinah Chambers of 11 Stanley street Bourne and was a resident of Cawthorpe.

Remembered on the Bourne Memorial, Buried in St Sever Cemetery, Rouen.

Rest in Peace

    

Remembrance – Robert Wand

Remembrance – Robert Wand

This week we remembered the 100th Anniversary of the death of Haconby man Lance Corporal Robert Wand, of the 6th Lincolnshire Regiment, killed on the Somme on 14th September 1916.

Robert was the son of Richard Wand, a farm labourer and his wife Sarah Ellis. One of 12 children, he was born in 1883.

Robert was a member of the choir and also a bell ringer at Haconby and worked as a waggoner on a farm in Dunsby.

He was one of 9 men from the parishes of Haconby and Morton who joined up in October 1914. He first saw overseas service with the 6th Battalion Lincolnshire regiment in 1915.

On September 12th 1916, the Battalion left Bouzincourt and marched to trenches north of Orvilliers. In the following 2 days the Battalion lost 7 men with a further 30 wounded before being moved to the Battalion HQ on the 15th.

Robert is buried at Ovillers Military Cemetery and commemorated on the Haconby Memorial.

Robert’s cousins Tom Hutchins and Edward Ellis along with his nephew Thomas Wand all gave their lives in the service of their country during the Great War.