6th Lincs in Lincolnshire Free Press August 1915

by | Aug 8, 2026 | Newspaper Article, Uncategorised

DARDANELLES HEAVY TOLL
Eight Bourne Soldiers in Recent Casualty List
PTE. BLOODWORTH THE ONLY ONE TO ESCAPE INJURY
SIX RURAL MEN KILLED OR WOUNDED
LETTERS TELL A TERRIBLE TALE
Several Bourne families have been in a state of great anxiety during the past week or so concerning their relatives who have experienced fierce fighting in the Dardanelles. It is a terrible ordeal, and it would seem that the 6th Lincolns were in the Suvla and the fight for Hill 70. Some of the casualties we have published in a previous issue, but during the past week we have been able to glean further particulars as to how the local men fell, and appended are letters giving vivid descriptions of the furious battle. The intensity of the fighting is evidenced by the casualty lists, and in a few days the following Bourne men were put out of action, viz.:—
Bourne Casualty List
Name, Rank, Regiment, Status
A. A. Kingsford Sergeant Welsh Regiment Killed in Action
P. Cleary Signaller 6th Lincolnshire Regiment Killed in Action
Harry Darner Private 6th Lincolnshire Regiment Wounded
Jack Baldock Private 6th Lincolnshire Regiment Wounded
E. Robinson Private 6th Lincolnshire Regiment Wounded
Vickers Lance-Corporal 6th Lincolnshire Regiment Wounded
Fred Savage Private 6th Lincolnshire Regiment Wounded
Frank Baldock Private 6th Lincolnshire Regiment Wounded
With the exception of Sergt. Kingsford, all the above-named joined Kitchener’s Army at the beginning of the war; they went to Belton Park, to hospital at Alexandria; the Baldocks are brothers (sons of Mr. Baldock, South-street, Bourne), and Pte. Robinson was in hospital, but at the time of writing it was not known where Frank was; and Vickers is also shown to be in hospital. Corporal H. Bloodworth (a son of the Bourne Gasworks manager) was the only Bourne man to escape, and by letters from him the unfortunate news was imparted.
We have also heard during the week of several soldiers belonging to villages near Bourne, having been in the thick of the fight in the Dardanelles, with the following result:—
Rural Villages Casualty List
Tom Hutchins, Private 6th Lincolnshire Regiment, Haconby, Killed in Action
S. Turner, Private 6th Lincolnshire Regiment, Baston, Killed in Action
Walter Archer, Private, 6th Lincolnshire Regiment, Toft, Wounded
C. Walpole,Private 6th Lincolnshire Regiment, Elsthorpe, Wounded
Warner, Driver, Royal Field Artillery (R.F.A.), Witham-on-the-Hill, Wounded
Alf. Chessum, Private 6th Lincolnshire Regiment, Pointon, Wounded
Practically all the above-named belonged to the Lincoln Regt. Before enlistment Pte. Chessum was in the service of Mr. Birch-Reynardson, J.P., of Holywell Hall, and while in training at Belton Park acted as servant to one of the officers. Mr. and Mrs. Chessum, of Pointon, have two other sons in the Army. Pte. Turner, the Baston hero, of only 20 summers, had, it is stated, only been in the firing line about a day.
MEMORIAL SERVICE AT HACONBY
By the death of Pte. Hutchins, Haconby mourns the loss of the first of her sons who have fallen in battle. Hutchins was a chorister in Haconby Church, and a memorial service was held on Sunday afternoon week, impressively conducted by the Vicar (Rev. J. H. Boldero). The service consisted of the Litany and the Burial Service. The beautiful little church—one of the sentinels of the Fens—was filled to its utmost seating capacity, the people assembling to pay tribute to one who had died for them. Mr. J. W. Palmer, the organist, in an able manner played appropriate music, including “O Rest in the Lord.”
A number of Bourne soldiers have recently been drafted to the Dardanelles, including—Pte. W. Hobbs (who has been twice wounded, and seen active service in France), Pte. F. Hinson, and Pte. F. Fisher.
TURKS BAYONET OUR WOUNDED.—HOW SIGNALLER CLEARY DIED.
Corpl. Bloodworth, writing to his parents, says:—
“Just a line to let you know that I am alive and well (dated August 16th), but we have been through it lately. Poor Vic, Jack and Signaller (or Bluey) Jack was bayonetted at the point of the bayonet, after advancing under a hail of lead for 3/4 miles. We lost over 250 men, but they was not as bad as when we attacked a hill previously. Our Bourne boys were in the firing line at the time, and it was terrible. How I escaped, god knows, but I did, only getting a bullet through my haversack. Cleary got killed, the Turks bayonetted him after he was wounded—the swines! Jack Baldock, Frank Baldock, Fred Savage, and Harry Darner were all wounded, but I have heard nothing at all of Robinson. Our battalion was awfully smashed up. All my section but one are gone.”
Wounded Burnt in a Wood
The letter proceeded:— “To make matters worse the whole village took fire, and burnt a lot of our wounded, despite the fact that we did all we could to rescue them. We also lost our good old Captain Brown, also one young lieutenant, nearly all our seargents, and there was only myself, three corporals, and three men left in our Company, so you can guess what sort of hell on earth we were in. Every man acted like a hero, or is killed or wounded, so I think I must have been born under a lucky star. The poor old Lincolns suffered much, but they fought bravely and well.”
Killed a Turk
“I saw a Turk running over a field, but I had something that stopped him, catching him the first shot. I don’t want you to worry about me, as I feel sure that we shall come back a bit like that again, and I feel sure that my luck is in. Just now we are at a little place by the cliffs of the sea, and quite safe from the bullets, so I am enjoying it watching our Navy bombarding the Turks’ positions. I wish they would send some more Lincolns here, but the Navy doesn’t do amiss.”
Corpl. Bloodworth concludes that he has to go the next day.
Writing on August 20th, Corpl. Bloodworth says:—
“I am still in the land of the living, and am A1. We are in the trenches again, but not in the firing line. It is quite all right and safe, but for a few shells, but we do get time short, and is all there when used to it. I do not know anything more about our wounded boys. I get a bit of training, and is very nice. I think we have got another stripe now, so am a full corporal, and am graduated, but not officially. The Turks have just shown the white flag. I don’t know what they are after, so they have done this sort of thing before.”
A Bourne Soldier Recommended for the D.C.M.
The last letter received from Corpl. Bloodworth was dated August 20th, and contained the following notes of interest:—
“I am still A1, and now writing in the trenches. We are having some busy days in the reserve. We got it pretty hot while we were in the firing line from snipers. If we give them half a chance, it means instant death. They always aim for the head, and they are dead shots. When we were in support, we were out at night trench digging, very often under fire, but we came through all right. I have had a few close shaves from shrapnel and snipers, but they haven’t got me yet, and I shall take care they don’t if I can help it. The boys from Bourne are all out here, and are quite well. I expect you will hear from some of them before long. The weather out here is very hot, and when we are marching to and from the trenches, it makes the sweat run, not half. I expect things at Bourne are a bit quiet now, most of the young men have enlisted. But wait while we come home! Tell the people in Bourne to ‘keep the pot boiling’ and keep smiling.”
The above-named soldier has since been wounded, also the Bourne “boys” out there, as recorded above.

Newspaper Entry

by | Feb 4, 1918 | Newspaper Article, Uncategorised

Lincolnshire Echo Monday 4th February 1918

LINCOLNSHIRE DAY BY DAY
Mr and Mrs Stennett of Horbling, near Billingborough, have received the sad news that their only son, Jos. Hy. Stennett, has given his life for his country. The notice received from the Admiralty records that he lost his life while on duty on one of H.M. ships on war service. Deceased, who was 22 years of age, was a first-class stoker, and only joined the Navy about a month before the outbreak of hostilities.

Newspaper Article

by | May 29, 1915 | Newspaper Article, Uncategorised

The Lincoln Leader and County Advertiser

Saturday May 29th 1915

LINCOLN TERRITORIAL KILLED

Hit in the Communication Trench

UNDER NOTICE FOR PROMOTION

HELPED TO BURY LANCE-CORPORAL LEAMY

“SPLENDID IN EVERYTHING HE DID”

By the death Of Lance Corporal Albert Codling the 4th Lincoln territorials have lost yet another valued an promising non commissioned officer. ” I had him under notice for further promotion writes captain Tetley and it is a Distinct loss to his platoon that such an energetic and intelligent young soldier should have been fatally wounded so soon after his arrival in the trenches. Additional poignancy is added to the circumstances in view of the fact that the deceased Lance Corporal was a close comrade of the late Lance Corporal Leamy, who under like conditions lost his life a few weeks ago. Codling in fact was one of those who attended to the burial of Leamy and in a letter home he remarked at the time on the loss he and his comrades had sustained. It had been said by those in authority that the magnificent standard of efficiency attained by the British Army at present in France and Belgium is to a very large extent due to the unselfish and untiring efforts of the non-commissioned officers and Captain Tetley in his letters has more than once paid high tribute to the service of this important branch of our present army.

CAPTAIN TETLEY BREAKS THE NEWS

The 1st news of codling’s death was received by his parents early this week, when a letter was received from Captain Tetley to the following effect:-
“I am very grieved to have to tell you that your son Lance Corporal Codling was killed last Thursday night during an attempt by the Germans to blow up a mine that was in the trench that we were holding. The enemy was throwing trench mortar bombs and it was necessary to vacate the trench temporarily, in addition to these bombs there was a hail of shrapnel, and it was one of these bullets that hit him as he was going down a communications trench. I feel his loss very much, and he will be missed by everyone in his platoon and company. He was splendid in everything he did and I had him under notice for further promotion. His lost to you will be great, and all my sympathy and that of his comrades is with you and yours in your great bereavement. Take comfort from the fact that he died doing his duty and in the service of his country (Signed) F Eric Tetley.”

HIS HOPEFUL LETTERS

Deceased, who was only 22 years of age, wrote regularly from the trenches, but rarely mentioned the doings of either himself or his company. Shortly before his sad end he wrote in a letter to his mother: “Just a line to let you know that I am in the pink. We have just come out for arrest again. It is very cold here today, though it is nice and dry. I had two boxes of woodbines and one of gold flake from the boys at the Lindum and have plenty of fags now, but I can always find plenty of room for them… I did not expect there would be much fair this year, they are more particular about the lights in England than what they are here; In fact the people live right under shellfire. I expect they go down the seller when they begin to drop 2 near. It is alright hearing shells come screaming along so long as they keep whistling but a little bit before they burst they stop whistling, so we have a good idea whereabouts they’re going to drop. We know the report of their guns, an as they go off we know there is one coming. They are rotten shots.

HE DID HIS DUTY

Under date 23rd inst. Colour Sergeant Maplethorpe writes:- ” Dear Madam, – It is with deepest Sympathy that I enclose these few lines along with the money that was found on your son. It was handed to me by Captain Dean, who asked me to forward it to you. His few private things have been sent to the base and will be forwarded from there. I knew your son very well, and he was one of the old H company, of which I was colour Sergeant, and I am very sorry we lost him and so are all the company. But he did his duty and did it well to the end, and I hope that that will be a little consolation to you for his loss.”

AN OLD TERRITORIAL

Lance Corporal Codling was an old member of the territorial’s, he having joined the 4th battalion 2 years ago and having attended 2 camps previous to mobilisation. After leaving school at the age of 13 he was employed as dray man by the Midland Railway Company and was very well known and liked by all the employees at the station. He was a youth of pleasant demeanour, and all who came in contact with him quickly became attached to him. As a soldier he was ever popular alike with his superior officers and with the men under him. Along with the late Lance Corporal Lee me he was transferred to the front about 10 weeks ago, and together with him received his first stripe not many weeks later. As already stated codling was close by when Leamy was hit, and it was his extremely unpleasant task to assist in burying his comrade.
A second son of Mrs Codling is at present with the 2/4th Lincolns at Luton, and is anxious to get out to the scene of action and do his duty.
In a letter home at the time of his comrade’s death the Lance Corporal wrote: “I received Dad’s letter when we entered the trenches at 3:30, I was just against poor Leamy when he was hit. He was one of my pals, and he got promoted at the same time as I did. He was in the same section as I am. It was mustard that night, bullets were coming like rain around us and we were taking no notice of it when he got hit, poor chap. It unnerved us a bit. I feel sorry for his wife, he having only been married after mobilisation. He was only 21 that day. The corporal of the section and myself and some others saw that he got a decent burial”

Saturday 30th January 1915

by | Jan 30, 1915 | Newspaper Article

Saturday 30th January 1915
From the Grantham Journal

Aslackby

The war is depleting the village of most of its young men. Three young fellows joined the colours this week, namely, Wm Bates, Chas Pickering and A Key. There are only a few now who have not recognised their duty to the women and children, as well as their King and country.