New CWGC Commemorations

[Terry Denham]

CWGC added the following 'new' WW1 casualties to its Debt of Honour database today – Thursday 30th April.

Pte Robert BANNAN

11449 9th Bn, Cameronians

Died 25.09.15 Age 25

Commemoration: Loos Memorial, France

CSM Harry CRUTCH

30010 7th Bn, Royal Berkshire Regiment

Died 16.12.18 Age 37

Commemoration: Doiran Memorial, Greece

Pte William John SUMMERS

15071 10th Bn, Worcestershire Regiment

Died 03.07.16

Commemoration: Thiepval Memorial, France

Rfn Harry WYMAN

5523 1/8th Bn, London Regiment (Post Office Rifles)

Died 07.10.16 Age 25

Commemoration: Thiepval Memorial, France

NOT FORGOTTEN

The first two above are cases from the ‘In From the Cold Project’.

Pte BANNAN was declared missing presumed killed in action.

(Volunteer: John Hartley)

CSM CRUTCH died of unknown causes in Salonika.

(Volunteer: Adrian Wright)

Pte SUMMERS was put forward on 11.03.09 on behalf of member, Geoff Sullivan.

Rfn WYMAN was put forward on 12.03.09 on behalf of member, Pam Linge.

[stevem49]

Never Forgotten

[Guest KevinEndon]

Can the project stop now please. I have gone round all the major memorials thinking I have got all the names covered only to have to go back now, ah well another excuse for a trip to the battlefields.

These 4 are now remembered forever.

Kevin.

p.s. Well done A.J., A.W., G.S., and P.L. the more excuses I can come up with to get to the battlefields the better.

[Will O'Brien]

Raising a glass to the memory of Robert, Harry Crutch, William & Harry Wyman. Raising another to John, Adrian, Geoff & Pam for their efforts in bringing these men back in from the cold.

[chrisharley9]

May They Rest In Peace

[River97]

Rest in peace

Gone and no longer forgotten

Cheers Andy

[1690philip]

Lest We Forget.

Phil

[apwright]

Great to see Harry Crutch commemorated. My first IFCP success for my "local" memorial at Doiran (see my avatar).

I can't wait to see his name up there one day. I'm so excited I feel like taking a chisel to it myself.

I won't of course, but I will certainly plant a poppy cross there with his name on next time I visit.

Rest in Peace, Harry!

Adrian

[linge]

Great to see Harry Wyman and the others remembered

Harry Wyman was born on the 9th August 1891 at 8, Ashton Street, Mount Pleasant, Liverpool he was the son of Miranda Hephzibah "Effie" Henry and his name was registerd as Hans Henry. At the time of the 1891 Census his mother living at the address of his birth and at the time pregnant had adopted the name of Effie Weiman. By the time of the 1901 Census Effie and Hans Weiman had moved to Poplar Road, Camberwell. By 1911 Effie Weiman was living at 116, Royal Road, Kennington (the contact address given in the Territorial Service Gazette), Hans then aged 19 years was visiting with the Crook family in Hendon his occupation was given as Post Office Assistant.

Sometime after this and before Hans enlisted in the Post Office Rifles the name of Hans Weiman must have been considered to be too Germanic and he changed his name to Harry Wyman

Harry went to France on 5th July 1916 and was posted missing in action on 7th October 1916 during an attack on Snag Trench infront of the Butte de Warlencourt.

On the 30th December, 1916 Harry's mother posted a notice and photograph into the Missing Section of the Territorial Service Gazette (TSG) this was repeated on 6th January 1917. The notice is shown bepow:

On the 3rd February 1917 the following reply was printed in the TSG from Rifleman, 5517, Edgar Robert Arthur Coldwell, 8th London R.

5523 Rflmn. H. WYMAN, D Co., 15 Plat., London Regt.

Missing since Oct. 7. Mrs. Wyman (116, Royal Road, Kennington, S.E.) has received the following letter from Rflmn. E. Coldwell:-

“I am an old chum of your son’s, and spent a good time with him at Fovant, also while he was in France. Perhaps you wonder how I managed to get your address, which I couldn’t obtain before or I would have written earlier. Well, it happened this way: I was on a fatigue yesterday (Jan 11) cleaning out our medical hut, and I was picking up the paper lying about when one piece caught my eye, which I noticed had photos. of soldiers on. So I looked at it, and, much to my surprise, one of the photos. was that of my old chum Wyman. (“T.S.G.,” Jan. 6.) I read the few words which were underneath and much to my surprise, I saw that he was still “missing.” I knew that you wouldn’t give up, as more times than not these missing cases are reported afterwards, now wounded, or now prisoner. But it is as far back as Oct. 7, so that we know he can’t be “wounded” but we can still believe and hope and trust that he may be a prisoner. It was on July 6 last that you son, myself and many of the other boys came out here. I had the good fortune of being with Harry for many months, we first being with the Q.V.R.’s. I happened to go back again to the base, and so did your son; then we came up the line again and joined the ……. on the Somme. We kept together until the day before we made the attack; we got parted then owing to Harry being in the Company and I in the Lewis Gun Section, but all the same, we were not far from each other, and on the afternoon of Oct. 7 we both went over the top. I didn’t see him go, but I knew he was there, and the part he was going across the Germans were shelling very heavily, and also sweeping the ground with machine gun fire. I heard no more until we came away from the trenches, which was two days afterwards. The roll was called, and Harry was not there to answer it, so he was put down as “missing.” I made several inquiries among the boys, asking if they had seen anything of him, but not one of them could give me any news. Unfortunately, he was not the only one who couldn’t be accounted for, and I believe that his company suffered the most casualties. That is all I can tell you about him. It isn’t very much but perhaps some of the other boys have corresponded with you and can tell you more? If they have I should be very pleased to hear from you and be able to say that he is alive and well. Since our little bit of fighting we have been having a fairly quiet time, and are a good way from those battlefields, thank goodness. We spent our Christmas in the trenches, but like things at home, everything was quiet – no excitement; artillery on both sides had a day off. One of my chums (Bill) Spiller wishes to be remembered to you and joins me in hoping we shall hear good news of Harry shortly.”

Unfortunately, Mrs. Wyman has had no other news than that contained in her kindly correspondent’s letter, but she was very pleased to receive the account, as it broke somewhat the terrible suspense she has suffered since her son was reported “missing.” Perhaps some other lad who escaped the attack, and has been invalided home, can give some later information?

Harry Wyman still missing but not forgotten RIP

Pam Linge