Pte John Richard Skerratt 18008 Kings Shropshire Light Infantry

[skerma]

I have just started researching my family tree. John Skerratt was my grandfather and he was a Private in the Kings Shropshire Light Infantry, he was missing believed killed on 22 September 1918 during, I believe, the german offensive known as Operation Michael. I have seen a reply in this forum (cannot find it at the moment) from 2009 where his name is mentioned along with his two brothers George and Joseph. I know very little else about him or his brothers. If anyone can help me throw some light on him or point me in the right direction I would be grateful.

I also have some information from my Grandmothers brother Robert Anthony Barber who also was from Crewe and joined the KSLI. He was killed at Ypres on 24 Sept 1915.

One point I have always found of interest is why when the family are from Nantwich and Crewe yet these brothers joined the Kings Shropshire Light Infantry?

Hope someone can help. Thank you.

Mike

[Sandie Hayes]

'Missing believed Killed' would explain why he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to The Missing (of the Somme)

SDGW:

Name: John Richard Skerratt

Birth Place: Nantwich, Ches.

Death Date: 22 Mar 1918

Death Location: France & Flanders

Enlistment Location: Crewe

Rank: Private

Regiment: King's (Shropshire Light Infantry)

Battalion: 1st Battalion

Number: 18008

Type of Casualty: Killed in action

Theatre of War:

Western European Theatre

CWGC:

SKERRATT, JOHN RICHARD

Rank: Private

Service No: 18008

Date of Death: 22/03/1918

Age: 38

Regiment/Service: King's Shropshire Light Infantry 1st Bn.

Panel Reference Bay 7.

Memorial ARRAS MEMORIAL

Additional Information:

Son of Joseph and Mary Skerratt, of Beech St., Crewe; husband of Margaret Skerratt, of 2, Roebuck St., Crewe.

[Sandie Hayes]

Sadly, Robert was another young man with no known grave.

Name: Robert Anthony Barber

Birth Place: Crewe

Death Date: 24 Sep 1915

Death Location: France & Flanders

Enlistment Location: Crewe

Rank: Private

Regiment: King's (Shropshire Light Infantry)

Battalion: 5th Battalion

Number: 16967

Type of Casualty: Killed in action

Theatre of War:

Western European Theatre

BARBER, ROBERT ANTHONY

Rank: Private

Service No: 16967

Date of Death: 24/09/1915

Age: 19

Regiment/Service: King's Shropshire Light Infantry 5th Bn.

Panel Reference Panel 47 and 49.

Memorial YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

Additional Information:

Son of the late T. and Mary Barber, of 2, Roebuck St., Crewe, Cheshire.

Can I ask what the connection is between both men and 2 Roebuck Street?

Sandie

[Sandie Hayes]

All 3 brothers joined up together, Private 18008 John Skerratt, Private 18009 George Skerratt & Private 18010 Joseph Skerratt. They were one behind the other in the enlistment queue.

Joseph first went to France on 12th Oct'15. His brothers went after 1st January 1916.

[Sandie Hayes]

Robert Anthony first went to France on 22nd May'15.

[Sandie Hayes]

I can't find either families in the 1911 census. In the 1901 census the Barber family and the Skerratt family were living next door to each other in Stafford Street, Monks Coppenhall.

[skerma]

Sandie Thank you for your prompt replies.

I didn't know the two families lived next door to each other in Stafford Street. Roebuck Street is/was the next Street up from Stafford Street.

My grandfather John Richard Skerratt married Mary Barber (Robert Anthony Barber's sister).

I don't know much as yet about the Barber side of the family but I do have in my possession a Bronze Plaque sent to Roberts mother (also named Mary) with the motto 'He died for his country' engraved on it and an accompanying note from Buckingham Palace. Also his British War Medal Victory Medal. These were sent on 11 Nov 1921 to his parents who were still living at 2 Roebuck Street. There is also a copy of a booklet 'Easy French for our men abroad' which I presume was also Robert's.

Robert was 19 when he was killed and the story in the family is that he was acting as a strecher bearer at the time, how true this is I do not know.

[skerma]

Sandie, Just to clarify my use of the name Mary, my grandmother's name was Margaret Mary Skerratt (nee Barber). There seemed to be a tradition in both families to call people by their second names. So my grandmother was know as Mary, my grandfather as Richard. The same happened to their children my father Thomas Vincent and uncle John Cecil who were known as Vincent and Cecil respectively.

[NeilEvans]

Hi,

It's quite common for men to join nearby regiments. That said it would make sense for them to have joined the Cheshire's.

There are many potential reasons for joining the ksli, from relatives already serving or had served, to answering a local newspaper advert calling for men. Some recruiting sergeants etc, may also have persuaded them to join X regiment.

I'll look throught my records, though I doubt I'll find anything.

Neil

[NeilEvans]

Just found R. Barbers entry in the ksli casualty list in the wellington journals and shrewsbury news. I'm not able to add it just yet, so I'll try to get a friend to load it

[skerma]

Neil,

Thanks for your reply.

Because they all joined together and I understand it was either in Crewe or Nantwich this seems to indicate that the ksli were recruiting in these towns. Was that the usual case then? As you indicated I would have thought that recruitment in those places would have been the Cheshires.

[ss002d6252]

Here's the casualty report from the times

[Sandie Hayes]

So your Grandad married the 'girl next door'. The war must have been very difficult for both families.

The plaque you have is a Next of Kin Memorial Plaque, it came with a scroll from the King. How fortunate you still have it in the family, you see so many of them for sale.

Read this:http://www.greatwar.co.uk/memorials/memorial-plaque.htm

Robert had a 1914/15 Star Medal too, I assume that isn't with your collection.

[Sandie Hayes]

Mike, I've just realised Joseph Skerratt was killed too.

Another poor boy with no known grave.

Name: Joseph Skerratt

Birth Place: Crewe

Death Date: 11 Feb 1916

Death Location: France & Flanders

Enlistment Location: Crewe

Rank: Private

Regiment: King's (Shropshire Light Infantry)

Battalion: 5th Battalion

Number: 18010

Type of Casualty: Killed in action

Theatre of War: Western European Theatre

SKERRATT, J

Rank: Private

Service No: 18010

Date of Death: 11/02/1916

Regiment/Service: King's Shropshire Light Infantry 5th Bn.

Panel Reference Panel 47 and 49.

Memorial YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL

Additional Information: None supplied

[Sandie Hayes]

Here's the previous thread you mentioned earlier: http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?app=core&module=search&do=search&fromMainBar=1

[Sandie Hayes]

John & Joseph Skerratt and Robert Barber are commemorated on the Crewe War Memorial:http://www.carlscam.com/warmem/crewe.htm

[skerma]

Thank you all.

Sandie - Yes we regularly visited the Crewe War Memorial as I am from there originally. George was the only brother, I think, who survived the war. I currently have no information at all on him including birth and death dates but I am in the early stages of my research.

Re the medals I only have the plaque and the 1 Victory Medal with the two ribbons shown below. The letter with this does not say what these ribbons are for.

[skerma]

Not sure I copied the picture in correctly last time.

[Sandie Hayes]

George Skerratt was born in Nantwich, his birth being registered in September 1883. He died on 9th October 1950.

He left his estate to Rosa Haddock nee Skerratt, wife of Joseph Haddock (marriage Sept 1919 Nantwich).

George was living at 7 Camm Street, Crewe and died at 44 Newdigate Street, Crewe.

Good luck with your family history research,

Sandie

[6th Shropshires]

Hi Mike

I am glad I spotted this thread because I noticed I have incorrely recorded John Richard Skerratt enlisting at Nantich instead of Crewe (got the two the wrong way round). Also I now have details on George's birthplace, thanks to Sandie.

It's not uncommon for men to join Regiments from Counties outside their own, before the war the Kings Shropshire Light Infantry recuited from the big towns all over England and Wales and this would have continued at start of war. Men had a choice in early years of the war of Regiment some picked a certain Regiments because kin were already serving in them, there just because they liked the Regiments name (group of lads from Blackburn chose the Shropshires because it just sounded fancy).

The three brothers would have enlisted around mid May 1915. George went to 1st Battalion and John went to the 6th Battalion like Sandie mentions some time after 1st January 1916 and Joseph went much sooner then his brother to the 5th Battalion which may mean he alread had some sort of military service under his belt so did not need as much training as his brothers ?

The story of the brothers may have turned from joyus reunion on the night of 11th/12th Februry 1916, when the 6th K.S.L.I. relieved the 5th Battalion from trenches below Pilckem, there was much chatter which the German's were very likely to have heard (trenches close in places in the sector they took over) because a very heavy bombardment opened on the trenches and canal (which contined in places during 12th), and sadly Joseph met his end.

Annette

[AdrianBruce]

Re recruitment into the KSLI for the Crewe & Nantwich area. The book "Dear Mrs Jones: The Next Generation" by Mark Potts & Tony Marks records that of the deaths on the Crewe & Nantwich memorials, 292 came from the Cheshire Regiment and the next highest were 86 from the KSLI, 75 from the RE, 67 from the RFA. My maternal granddad's brother was also serving in the KSLI when killed.

I sort of suspect a lot of carry over from knowing people from south of the area who joined up into their county regiment, so people followed their mates. Funnily enough, having said that, the next highest infantry regiment is the Manchesters, with 60 deaths while Staffordshire regiments come nowhere on the list (probably not implying that there weren't any Staffs regiment deaths in the area, but that there were less than their cut-off for analysis).

[skerma]

Thank you all for the help.

[thommydee]

to annette

hi this is thommydee i have chatted with you over the KSLI you asked me for copies of any paper work i had on my grandfather i would post it here for you but am not sure how to so a little help there or your e/m would make all the difference my e/m i gthomas1@talktalk.net

[6th Shropshires]

Hi thommydee

I'll will email you

[nikkstercricket]

Just stumbled on this thread and am interested because my Great-Great-Uncle Private Frederick Charles Guegan 28638 of 7th Bn KSLI was killed on 23/08/1918 and is commemorated on the Vis-En-Artois memorial, Harcourt. Incidentally I am writing this in Ypres and am on a visit having photographed Frederick's name earlier this week. What puzzles me is that Frederick, like myself, was born in Jersey, joined a Training Battalion (don't have the exact info to hand at the moment) but ended up in the KSLI rather than the Channel Islands Militia? Any ideas? Any further info on him would also be much appreciated. I have the bronze plaque but sadly no photo/scroll etc and believe he was killed taking the Arras-Bapaume railway line near Moyenneville? Thank you!