by James | Apr 11, 2018 | Uncategorised
Today we commemorate the 101st anniversary of the death of local Bourne man, Private William Thompson (36295)
2nd Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers Regiment, Formerly 140864, R.F.A.
Died 11th April 1917 age 29.
Willie Thompson was born in 1893 in Scottlethorpe, Edenham, Bourne, Lincolnshire. He was the 8th of 9 children born to Joseph Glassup Thompson, a farmer born in Woolthorpe and his wife Susannah Booth of Haconby.
In 1901 Willie is living with his parents at Wong Farm, Ruskington, Lincolnshire. In 1911 he is living with the Sindall family at Harlaxton Road, Grantham and is working as an apprentice butcher.
In 1915 Willie was married to Margaret Annie Sandall of Stainby. The marriage was registered in Grantham and they were blessed with a son, Norman W G Thompson who was born in 1916.
It is not known when William Thompson signed up, when he saw acton with the Royal Field Artillery or the circumstances of his posting to the Lancashire Fusiliers.
As we are not sure when Willie was posted to the 2nd Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers we have to assume that he joined prior to the 1st April 1917, which is the last mention of reinforcements being posted to the battalion prior to the Battle of Arras.
The following transcription has been taken from the Battalion Diary of the 2nd Lancashire Fusiliers and describes the Battalions actions in the lead up to and in the Battle of Arras.
1st April – Ostreville
Company training preparatory to offensive action.
Lieut Hartley and 62 other ranks reinforcements arrived.
2nd April – Ostreville
Company Training
3rd April – Ostreville
Batallion training attack practice
4th April – Ostreville
Company training
5th April – Ostreville
Brigade practice attack
6th April – Ostreville
Brigade practice attack
7th April – Ostreville
Battalion moved to Y hutments (1000 yards west of Etrun on main Arras road)
8th April – “Y” Hutments
Last preparation before attack. Grenades bombs etc issued
9th April – ‘Y’ Hutments
3.30am
Reville
4.30am
Battalion moved to assembly area in G.15.a
7.25am
Battalion arrived at assembly area
9.30am
Men had a hot meal.
The assembly area was near a prisoners cage and the sight of so many prisoners made the men cheerful and made them forget the rain and coming attack.
10.20am
Battalion moved off from assembly area, by platoon at 100 yards distance, behind the Essex.
Route:- Track from G.15.b.9.1 to Road junction G.16.a.1.1 – Cross Roads G.16.c.6.9 – Road junction G.16.c.5.7 – G.16.d.3.7 track North of Oil factory to G.18.a.0.0
From this point battalion moved by a beaten track on the Northern outskirts of St Laurent Blangy making from Railway Bridge across Blangy-Athies Road at H.14.b.0.3
12.50pm to 1.30pm
As companies arrived under cover of Railway Embankment they formed up into artillery formation. “C” is on right with rigt on main road, “B” is on left (C W Directing). “D” is on right in support to CW, “A” is on left in support to “B” company.
Battalion Headquarters have go into touch with Headquarters Kings Own Royal Lancashire Regiment south of the Road.
Casualties up to 12.30pm estimated at 1 officer wounded, 18 other ranks killed and wounded, caused by shell fire in vicinity of Cemetery about G.18.b.5.5
1.30pm
Battalion moved on to Brown Line or trenches in G.4.b
2pm
Arrived Brown Line.
C & B companies assembled in trenches from approximately H.14.b.9.3 to H.15.c.1.6
D & A companies assembled in trenches from approximately H.14.b.6.3 to H.14.b.7.6
3.15pm
Battalion moved off in rear of barrage to attack German 4th system and to push on and dig in on green line.
Parts of objectives allotted to battalion:-
4th system from H.16.d.10.05 to H.16.d.70.95
Green Line from H.18.a.9.2 to H.12.c.7.0
Except for a few shells and wild rifle fire the battalion reached the 4th German system without any difficulty.
Casualties, 1 officer wounded, 1 other rank killer, 3 other ranks wounded
The greater part of the Germans came out and surrendered but a few started to run away, many of which were accounted for Lewis Gun fire.
At this point the Germans dropped many shells amongst the trenches composing the 4th System. This added to the discomfort of German prisoners but did no damage to us.
The number of prisoners taken is doubtful estimated at 2 officers and 50 other ranks.
Nine small guns were captured in 4th German system. (Whizz Bangs). five at G.16.d.4.5, four at G.16.a.8.6
C & B companies pushed out patrols to their front.
3.50pm
At about 3.50pm posts were pushed out on to Sunken Road in G.17.B. The left posts took four guns (approximately 4.2’s) on Sunken Road
4.12pm
D & A companies passed through C & B companies and pushed on to green line. On reaching line of Fampoux-Gaurelle Road the companies came under heavy machine gun fire.
They pushed on but finally had to dig in just east of the road.
Touch was maintained with the Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment and Essex Regiment on right and left respectively and a continuous trench dug.
As a counter attack was imminent a defensive position was soon built.
Enemy were seen to be massing and advancing in artillery formation. No Attack however took place.
Casualties
Officers wounded 2nd Lieut C st M Williams, 2nd Lieut Parkes
Other ranks killed 6, Died of wounds 2, wounded 53, missing 1
The weather throughout the day was very changeable at the assembly area it rained hard. During the day it rained occasionally. At night it snowed hard.
10th April
During the morning the enemy were active. Sniping and shelling.
In the afternoon the cavalry came up to attack. We were going to attackin support of them. Objective the Plouvain-Gaurelle Road and Greenland Hill. No action took place.
casualties – Officers Wounded – Capt W R Fanner, Lieut E L Hartley
Other Ranks killed 5, died of wounds 2, wounded 64.
11th April
Morning, artillery and aircraft active
12-noon
Battalion attacked – B and C companies were in support to the Kings Own Royal Lamcashire Regiment on the right.
A & D companies remained on green line in divisional reserve.
2pm
As attack was held up on the right by machine gun fire, D co was sent up to report to OC KOR Lanc R to come under his orders.
1:20pm
Cavalry attempted to break through, but owing to machine gun firs did not succeed.
At night B, C & D companies were first in front of original line Kings Own Royal Lancashire Regiment on the right, Dukes on the left “A” company was still on the green line on the left of some Irish Fusiliers who were next to the Dukes with Essex on the left.
Reorganisation was then taken in hand after warning the necessary people on right and left of A company. The company was moved to get in touch with B, C & D companies. This was accomplished without much difficulty.
Casualties
Officers wounded 2nd Lieut G L Wilkins.
Other ranks killed 6, wounded 12, missing 4
Battalion stayed in the line until the 14th April.
In memory of Private William Thompson, 362959, 2nd Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers Regiment who died on 11 April 1917 Age 29
Son of J Glassup Thompson of Gunby, Grantham: husband of Margaret Thompson of Stainby, Grantham, Lincs
Remembered with honour, Arras Memorial.
We will remember them.
by James | Apr 10, 2018 | Uncategorised
On 10th April we remembered Morton man, Cecil Cox who was killed 100 years ago this day in 1918.
Cecil Cox was born in Stainfield, Lincolnshire in c 1898.
His birth was registered in Bourne in the March quarter of 1898 indicating a birth between January and March of that year.
Cecil was the fifth child of Albert Edward Cox a Cottager from Stainfield and his wife Fanny Wilson.
Cecil’s father, Albert, was born in Dunsby c1864. He married fanny Wilson in 1886, she was born in Morton c1865. This marriage was registered in the Bourne District but it is likely that this could have taken place in Morton.
The children of Albert and Fanny are:
Albert c1889,
Emily Alice c1892,
Burton c1890
Sarah c1892
Cecil 1898 (WW1; 10th Bn Lincolnshire Regiment)
Mabel A 1898
Percy 1902
On the 1911 census Cecil Cox was living in Morton aged 13 with his mother, twin sister and younger brother.
Cecil is next mentioned in a clipping from the Grantham Journal from 12th April 1919 in the “In Memoriam” section from his Mother, Sisters and Brothers.
The Soldiers Died in the Great War records show Cecil’s place of residence as Bourne Lincolnshire.
Other comments on the CWGC records show that Cecil was the Son of Mrs Fanny Cox, of School House, Morton, Bourne, Lincolnshire.
Military History
Cecil’s war office records are yet to be uncovered and may be part of the records that were destroyed by fire in the Blitz.
The medal rolls do not show Cecil as eligible for a 1915 Star so we must assume that he did not serve abroad before 1816.
Cecil Cox was killed in action on 10 April 1918.
The trenches to the south of Armentieres were heavily defended by the 10th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment during the morning of the 10th April. By 3.15pm the forward trenches had been captured by the enemy and Brigade had called a general retirement.
Parts of the 10th Battalion covered the rear guard of this retirement and held the enemy off until 7pm. It is generally recognised that the actions that day allowed a retirement with relatively little loss.
It was also noted that on the 10th April, B Company of the 10th Battalion received a draft of ninety-seven 19 year olds making it the strongest company in the Battalion; “these lads fought splendidly” noted the battalion’s diary.
On the day he died Cecil Cox would have only just turned 20. It is not known if Cecil was one of these this draft or if he had been with the Battalion for some time. More research is required.
From the Commonwealth War Graves Commission we know that Cecil was serving in the 10th Battalion, The Lincolnshire Regiment, when he was killed on 10th April 1918
Memorial
Private Cecil Cox 28430, 10th Battalion The Lincolnshire Regiment, is remembered with honour at the Ploegsteert Memorial, Belgium.
Ref: Panel 3.
by James | Apr 9, 2018 | Uncategorised
Today we commemorate the 101st Anniversary of the death of one of our local men.
Lance Corporal John Thomas Taylor, 8th battalion Lincolnshire Regiment, was born in Rippingale in 1896.
Son of Rippingale farm worker John Edward Taylor and his wife Sarah Ann Barber also of Rippingale.
By 1911 John Thomas Taylor was living with the Levesley family in Scottlethorpe Road, Edenham and was working as a waggoner on a farm.
When the war broke out John was one of the many villagers to join up and he was posted to the 8th Battalion Lincolnshire regiment.
The Battalion trained at Grimsby during August 1914, and then at Halton Park in November. The Battalion moved into billets at Leighton Buzzard for the winter of 1914
In the spring of 1915 the Battalion moved to Halton Park Camp, Wendover and miniature rifle practice commenced. After completing the musketry course and a Review by Lord Kitchener, the Battalion moved to Witley Camp North, marching past His Majesty the King and Lord Kitchener, 12 August 1915.
All the Battalion commanders had been in retirement at the outbreak of war. Of the 21st Division in which the 8th Lincolnshire were attached only 14 officers had any previous experience in the Regular army.
The Battalion entrained for overseas service at Milford Station on 9 September 1915 leaving England the next day, sailing via Folkestone to Boulogne. For a week the Battalion stayed in the Watten area before receiving orders to move to the front.
A long and really arduous march took place which led the Battalion to the front and their first engagement of the war, The Battle of Loos.
During this battle an immediate gain was overturned and the highly inexperienced Battalion suffered tremendous losses.
In their first battle the 8th Battalion lost 22 of their 24 officers. 471 other ranks were killed, wounded or missing that being nearly half of all men in the Battalion.
The next major offensive for the Battalion was during the battle of the Somme in July 1916. The Battalion saw action in Albert, Bazentin Ridge, Fleurs-Courcelette, Morval, Gaudecourt, Transloy Ridge and eventually in November the Battle of The Ancre.
During the spring of 1917 the German Army retreated to the heavily fortified defensive Hindenburg Line.
When the retreat started the 21st Division were at Halloy spending a period out of the line in training exercises.
On the first of April the Battalion attended a voluntary Church Parade at Neuville Au Cornet before the following day being route marched to Denier for an attack on a trench system. Over the next days the Battalion moved to Avesnes-le-Conte, Givenchy-le-Noble, Lattre St Quentin before arriving at Duisans to withdraw equipment ready for their move onto the assembly area at Arras.
The Battalion entered the Battle of Arras at Battery Valley on the 9th April 1917 at 4pm digging in until 8pm.
The Battalion moved east and halted around midnight. At daybreak considerable enemy activity was observed round Monchy-le-Preux, also enemy troops and transport moving north east from Roeux. Artillery was asked for in both cases but there was no response.
At 9am the Battalion prepared to advance to its original objective as soon as the 111th brigade advanced on Monchy.
At 10:30 am Major Greatwood was informed that the 8th Somerset Light Infantry were in Monchy and that he must support them. They advanced to teh valley but in this advance they suffered heavy casualties as they had no artillery support.
At 4pm Major Greatwood issued orders to attack Monchy with the 8th Somerset on the right, Lincolns on the left. Again with no artillery support they had to dig in on high ground receiving orders to attack at dusk.
When they had already opened out for the attack, orders arrived from Brigade cancelling the attack and consolidate the position and patrols were posted in front.
By the end of the 10th April the Battalion had 9 officers wounded, 30 other ranks killed, 187 other ranks wounded and 8 missing.
John Taylor was a casualty of this action.
Grantham Journal Saturday 2 March 1918
Lance-Corpl J T TAYLOR, Scottlethorpe
The parents of Lance-Corpl John Thomas Taylor of the Lincolnshire Regiment, who live in the hamlet of Scottlethorpe, belonging to the village of Edenham, a few days ago received the official notice that he has been missing since April 1917 and is now believed to be dead, as nothing further has been heard of him since then. He was their only child. On the outbreak of the war in 1914, he with others from this village joined the Lincolnshire Regiment as privates at once. They all went to the front in September 1915 and fought at Loos. Since then Taylor had been made Lance-Corporal and joined the Machine Gun Section. All in the parish sympathise with the parents.
In memory of Lance Corporal John Thomas Taylor, 11889, 8th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment who died on 9 April 1917 Age 21
Son of John Taylor of Scottlethorpe, Bourne, Lincs
Remembered with honour, Arras Memorial.
Lest we forget
by James | Apr 7, 2018 | Uncategorised
Today we commemorate 101 years since the death of Bourne man, Private Cyer Parker of the 2nd/4th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment.
Cyer John Parker was born in Bourne in the spring of 1893. One of 10 children born to John Thomas Parker, a Farm Labourer of Bourne and his wife Mary Ann Copper from Toft.
By 1911, Cyer is still living in Bourne with his parents and was working as an assistant General Dealer.
Cyer joined the 2nd/4th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment during the war, unfortunately due to a lack of surviving records the details of his service is not known
During the time immediately before his death, the 2nd/4th Battalion was in action.
On the 23rd February 1917 the 2nd/4th Lincolnshires dembarked on the SS Lydia from Southampton and arrived in Le Harvre, France the following day. They had been appointed to the 59th Division (2nd North Midland) and the 177th Brigade.
They took over a sector close to Estrees but within two weeks they were in pursuit of the retiring German army, finding themselves crossing the Somme and by 18th March they occupied Peronne.
During Spring of 1917 the enemy carried out a tactical withdrawal back to the Hindenberg Line, this allowed them the shorten the front and hold better defensive positions.
On the 31st March the 2/4th Lincolnshire and the 2/5th Leicesters were involved in the capture of Hesbécourt and Hervilly, before moving east to take Hill 140 as part of the 177th Brigade.
On the 2nd April the 2/4th Leicestershire Regiment were unsuccessful in their goal to take Fervaque Farm. The Lincolnshires were tasked with the same goal the following day but again were unsuccessful.
On the 5th April the Battalion was once more in action near Templeux. By Noon they had took a new outpost on the line between Templeux and Hargicourt village and suffered heavy shelling during the afternoon.
The 6th saw more heavy shelling and the battalion HQ was hit. A patrol that advanced to and old German trench north of Hargicourt was shelled out. The day saw 4 killed and 16 other ranks wounded.
On the 7th patrols were sent out to take German posts on the outskirts of Hargicourt but no enemy were found there. The patrol laid up for the rest of the day but saw nothing. The afternoon saw more heavy shelling and the post was shelled out and moved to a disused German trench. 1 other rank was killed and 6 wounded.
Private Cyer John Parker lost his life on the 7th April as a result of these actions.
In memory of Private C Parker, 2nd/4th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment who died on 7 April 1917
Remembered with honour, Templeux-Le-Guerared Communal Cemetery Extension.
RIP
Lest we forget
by James | Mar 30, 2018 | Uncategorised
Today we commemorate the 100th anniversary of the death of one of our local Billingborough men.
Private Jim Rylott 242061 of the 2nd / 5th battalion Leicestershire regiment died of pneumonia on 30th March 1917 whilst on active service with his battalion in France, age 19.
Jim was born in Billingborough in 1897 to James Rylott Avison and his wife Catherine Gale both born in Boston.
From 1897 the family had been living in Billingborough where James was working as a poultry labourer.
Jim is listed on the 1911 census as the 3rd surviving son of the the 13 children born to James and Catherine. They had lost 7 children before 1911.
Jim later enlisted in the Leicestershire Regiment in Lincoln.
The 2/5th Battalion, Leicestershire embarked in Southampton and sailed on the SS Huntscraft arriving in Harve, France on the 21st February 1917.
After a night in rest camp no 1, the battalion entrained for Saleux where they were billeted for three nights before moving to Bayonvillers.
In the early part of March the Battalion was in line around Bayonvilles and on the 8th March went into trenches on the main Amiens to Estrees Road to relieve the 8th Durhams.
The brigade received word on the 17th that the enemy had retired from their positions. They advanced on the 17th and consolidated the new positions on the banks of the River Somme, sending patrols over the river the following day without seeing any enemy.
After a few days in divisional reserve in Foucaucourt the Battalion was moved to Le Mesnil and then Eterpigny. By the following day, 29th, the division was based at Catelet and the 2/5th Leicesters moved to Hancourt.
It is not known when Jim fell ill during this period and how long he was in the line during the early part of March 1917.
The Grantham journal reported
OUR HEROES. – Mr and Mrs J Rylott of High Street have received the sad news that their son Pte. Jim Rylott (Leicestershire Regiment) has died from pneumonia, while on active service abroad. He was in Ireland during the troubles last year. Much sympathy is expressed for the family in their bereavement.
In memory of Private Jim Rylott, 2nd/5th Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment who died on 30 March 1917 Age 19
Son of James and Catherine Rylott of High Street, Billingborough, Lincs
Remembered with honour, Bray Military Cemetery.
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