Pte Bert Akers, Oxon & Bucks Light Infantry

[janecavell]

The Witney Gazette of 4 August 1917 reported (under the heading 'Stanton Harcourt') that the relatives of Pte Bert Akers, Oxon & Bucks Light Infantry, had ‘been officially informed of his probable death in action at about the middle of August last’, when he had been reported missing.

It seems likely that this is 202267 Pte Albert Akers, 1st/4th Bn Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, born in Stanton Harcourt, who died 13 Aug 1916, according to SDGW. CWGC calls him “Aubert” Akers, gives his age as 25, and his parents as George and Emily Hunt of Stanton Harcourt. He is buried at Serre Road Cemetery No. 2, XXVII D.2.

The CWGC cemetery report notes that ‘In the spring of 1917, the battlefields of the Somme and Ancre were cleared by V Corps and a number of new cemeteries were made', including Serre Road no. 2. It goes on to say that there were around 475 graves there, in Plots I and II, by the end of the war, but eventually there were 7127 Commonwealth burials, of which 4944 were unidentified. Since Pte Akers is buried in Plot XXVII, I am assuming that he was buried some time after the war.

Are there likely to be any details of when and where Pte Akers' remains were discovered and how they were identified?

Thanks

[izzy]

The c.w.g.c have maps that show where the bodies were recovered from. I sent them a list of names a few years ago and was told when the body was recovered and the map reference. Out of 7 names i got 2 hits the other 5 bodies were buried soon after the battle. The 2 bodies were found after the war by the graves recovery service.

[janecavell]

Thank you izzy for that very helpful advice. I shall try asking the CWGC.

[KevinBattle]

He's one of 11 men from Stanton Harcourt in the CWGC records

AKERS A 202267 1ST/4TH BN 13/08/1916 OXFORD AND BUCKS LIGHT INFANTRY

ALLEN FW 16502 5TH BN 15/09/1916 OXFORD AND BUCKS LIGHT INFANTRY

BARNETT HJ 18343 2ND BN 01/07/1916 ROYAL BERKSHIRE REGIMENT

BELCHER WW 16634 1ST BN 25/08/1918 GRENADIER GUARDS

BULLOCK R 8959 2ND BN 11/03/1915 ROYAL BERKSHIRE REGIMENT

FRANKLIN PJ 10675 5TH BN 25/09/1915 OXFORD AND BUCKS LIGHT INFANTRY

PORTER AB - 4TH BN ATTD 2ND BN 03/10/1915 HIGHLAND LIGHT INFANTRY

TALBOT HT 18232 58TH BTY 35TH BDE 15/06/1918 ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY

WALKER P 14020 7TH BN 24/04/1917 WILTSHIRE REGIMENT

WEBB PW 24351 12TH BN 11/08/1917 DEVONSHIRE REGIMENT

HARRIS GH 1348 37TH BN 30/01/1917 AUSTRALIAN INFANTRY, A.I.F.

For what it is worth, Bert was one of 14 1st/4th Battalion men killed that day.

001 AKERS A 202267 1ST/4TH BN 13/08/1916 OXFORD AND BUCKS LIGHT INFANTRY

002 COBBETT FT 201735 1ST/4TH BN 13/08/1916 OXFORD AND BUCKS LIGHT INFANTRY

003 CULL A 200590 1ST/4TH BN 13/08/1916 OXFORD AND BUCKS LIGHT INFANTRY

004 ESSARY G 202479 1ST/4TH BN 13/08/1916 OXFORD AND BUCKS LIGHT INFANTRY

005 HUMPHRIES R 200579 1ST/4TH BN 13/08/1916 OXFORD AND BUCKS LIGHT INFANTRY

006 KING A 201840 5139 C COY 1ST/4TH BN 13/08/1916 OXFORD AND BUCKS LIGHT INFANTRY

007 LOVEDAY HD 200929 1ST/4TH BN 13/08/1916 - - 14/08/1916 OXFORD AND BUCKS LIGHT INFANTRY

008 LOWE JRS 201048 3342 D COY 1ST/4TH BN 13/08/1916 OXFORD AND BUCKS LIGHT INFANTRY

009 NEWELL J 202278 1ST/4TH BN 13/08/1916 OXFORD AND BUCKS LIGHT INFANTRY

010 NICHOLLS E 200610 1ST/4TH BN 13/08/1916 OXFORD AND BUCKS LIGHT INFANTRY

011 ROUTLEY WF 202497 1ST/4TH BN 13/08/1916 OXFORD AND BUCKS LIGHT INFANTRY

012 WALTON J 200188 1ST/4TH BN 13/08/1916 OXFORD AND BUCKS LIGHT INFANTRY

013 WOODLEY FA 201415 1ST/4TH BN 13/08/1916 OXFORD AND BUCKS LIGHT INFANTRY

014 WOODLEY WJ 202332 1ST/4TH BN 13/08/1916 OXFORD AND BUCKS LIGHT INFANTRY

Most do not have known graves, apart from Privates Newell (close Service Number, so may have been Pals), Walton and W Woodley (who does have Additional Information from his Next of Kin) whereas F Woodley does not. That makes me assume they are not brothers but possibly related.

Two of them are identified as being in C and D Company, so might be a clue that the others were too.