Children Named After The War

[James A Pratt III]

I have two names Zeppelin related:

Zeppelina Clark later Wilson 1916-2004 she hated the name and preferred to be called Lena

Samual Leefe Robinson Batley 1916-1984

[KevinBattle]

Not seen this topic previously, but a few years ago whilst researching a nearby War Memorial I came across

DE PREE, JOHN BOURLON. Lieutenant 2nd Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders Taken prisoner and died in captivity in Germany 30th August 1942. Aged 24. Son of Major General Hugo De Pree CB. CMG. DSO. & Mrs Diones De Pree of Beckley. Husband of Veronica Hope De Pree of Blair Drummond, Stirlingshire. Buried in Hanover War Cemetery, Germany.

[NOTE Bourlon Wood was a bitterly contested WW1 battle zone, particularly for Canadians. I wonder if it had special significance for John’s mother, or a family member who may have been killed or survived near death there.]

(At first I just noted the name had WW1 connotations, but further investigations revealed just why he had been named....)
Lieutenant J B De Pree killed in bid to escape from Nazi camp.
Mr W McNair Snadden, M P for West Perthshire, yesterday authorised the statement that his son in law, Lieutenant John Bourlon De Pree, the Seaforth Highlanders, earlier reported to have died in a prisoner of war camp in Germany as the result of an accident, met his death through the collapse of a tunnel while he was attempting to escape from Oflag VIB. Lieutenant De Pree was the youngest son of Major General H D De Pree C B, DSO, Oakhill, Beckley, Sussex. (The Glasgow Herald Sept 23 1942).
.
On the evening of 24 November, IV Corps issued orders for a renewed attack by 40th Division with tanks on Bourlon at 7.00 am the next day. Woollcombe and his chief staff officer, Major General Hugo De Pree, in pressing to complete their allotted task, committed a serious error at this point. On the morning of the same day, Third Army had in fact ordered all tanks (except those of "I" Battalion already in action) to be withdrawn into reserve to refit and to permit the tank crews to recuperate. Later that evening, IV Corps headquarters staff compounded the error when asked by 40th Division to provide 12 tanks to support the 14th HLI now known to be in Bourlon village and who expected to be counter attacked the following morning. The staff of 40th Division issued orders for an attack in the morning to relieve 14 HLI in Bourlon based on IV Corps promise to provide tank assistance. Yet there were no tanks (extract from "Cambrai 1917: The Myth Of The First Great Tank Battle").
The Battle had been planned for some months, but was audacious and totally unlike Haigs previous plans. Much of this was to do with the implementation of the use of the tank as a breakthrough force in its own right, rather than as infantry “mobile pill boxes” and also for the first major use of predictive fire whereby targets were plotted without preliminary ranging fire, thus preventing the enemy from preparing for the inevitable follow up infantry assault. Initially the battle made impressive gains, for the very first time in the War the British advance was measured in miles, not yards, up to 5 miles in places.
When first presented with the Byng's plan for the attack, Douglas Haig recommended strengthening the left flank in order to take Bourlon Wood very early. He wasted his breath: Byng ignored his advice. By nightfall on the 20th, it was clear that Haig had been right. From the dominating height of the wood, the Germans held the British advance in front of Anneux and Graincourt. 
On the morning of the 21st, the Highlanders moved forward with the aid of two tanks towards Fontaine Notre Dame, but were held up by fire from the wood. Harper ordered a halt until the 62nd (2nd West Riding) Division had captured the heights. The latter had a violent and costly battle for Anneux, led by the 186th Brigade under Roland Boys Bradford. 
To the north, the 36th (Ulster) Division, planning to continue their advance beyond Moeuvres, waited for the success signal, signifying that the 62nd had captured Bourlon. 
It never came, for the 62nd could not penetrate beyond the sunken lane facing the wood. By the evening of the 21st, Haig was satisfied that 'no possibility any longer existed of enveloping Cambrai from the south'. The British were now in an exposed position in the lee of Bourlon Wood, the capture of which would still prove to be useful, in cutting German access to key light railway lines feeding their front. Haig and Byng decided to press on, even though it meant deepening the salient that had been created and throwing in even more troops into this northern sector of the battlefield. 
On 22 November, the GOC 40th Division at Beaumetz-les-Cambrai received orders to relieve the 62nd Division the next day. The 40th was a division of Bantams, men under regulation height. By now the roads were breaking up under the strain of thousands of men, wagons and lorries. It took 40th Divisional HQ 15 hours to travel the 9 miles to Havrincourt. A relief and assault plan was quickly drawn up: 121 Brigade to capture Bourlon, 119 Brigade to go for the wood, both jumping off from the sunken lane. On their right, the 51st would move forward to Fontaine. On the left, the 36th would go in again at Moeuvres. 92 tanks would support these units. They attacked through ground mist on the morning of the 23rd. 
Some of the units of the 40th had to cross 1,000 yards down the long slope from Anneux, across the sunken lane and up the final rise into the wood, all the while under shell fire. There was close and vicious fighting in the wood, but after 3 hours the Welsh units of 119 Brigade were through and occupying the northern and eastern ridges at the edge of the undergrowth. 121 Brigade was cut down by heavy machine gun fire, and few men got as far as the village. 7 tanks did but were unsupported and the survivors withdrew. On the flanks, the 36th and 51st Divisions made little progress, against strengthening opposition. 
Over the next few days, further troops were thrown into the battle, including the Guards Division, which advanced into Fontaine. Once his troops had been driven from the wood, the enemy switched all of his artillery onto it. Battalions in the wood were wiped out. Three companies of the 14th HLI miraculously penetrated to the far side of Bourlon but were cut off and gradually annihilated. And it began to snow. The weary troops settled into the newly-won positions. The British now sat some way ahead of the position of 20th November, being in possession of a salient reaching towards Cambrai, with the left flank facing Bourlon and the right alongside the top of the slope which ran down towards Banteux.
The now familiar situation of the Western Front now recurred. The German mounted massive counter attacks from the high ground of Bourlon Ridge and soon were back to almost the same starting positions for both sides. Had the Bourlon Heights been made the priority target instead of one edge of a flank, the entire battle might well have been the long hoped for breakthrough and the often dreamt of cavalry exploitation of the unravaged land beyond. Truly Cambrai may have seen the War ended in 1917.

Major-General Hugo Douglas De Pree CB CMG DSO (25 December 1870 - 30 March 1943) was a British Army officer who became Commandant of the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich.
Military career: Educated at Eton College and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, De Pree was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1890. He served on the North West Frontier of India in 1897 and fought in the Second Boer War as well as World War 1. He was appointed Commander of the 13th Indian Infantry Brigade in 1920, General Officer Commanding 55th (West Lancashire) Infantry Division in 1925 and Commandant of the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich in 1926 before retiring in 1931. There is a memorial to him at All Saints Church in Beckley. He married firstly Diones Thornhill; they had three sons and one daughter. He later married Mary Fisher.]

Hugo De Pree was a nephew of Field Marshal Earl Haig and was one of the family mourners at his funeral parades in London and Scotland. 
Extracts from Memories of Earl Haig Ruth De Pree (Mr Peter De Pree, as copyright holder)
These memories of her uncle, Field Marshal Earl Haig were written by Ruth De Pree. Her father was the second child of John Haig of Cameron Bridge and Douglas Haig the eighth and youngest child. She married Colonel Cecil George De Pree, the son of George Charles De Pree (Royal Bengal Artillery and Surveyor General of India) and Mary Elizabeth Haig, elder sister of Field Marshal Earl Douglas Haig.
My Uncle was not concerned with the affairs of the heart, nor interested in the fair sex. His martial goal was more to him than his matrimonial, but when he did get married a kinder or more thoughtful husband could not be. His engagement happened when he was invited to stay for Ascot week at Windsor. 
The first night at dinner he sat opposite one of the Queen's Maids of Honour, Dorothy Vivian. Thursday evening came and he asked her to get up early next morning, as he had something to say to her. He proposed at an early hour on Friday morning on the terrace at Windsor Castle, and she accepted him. He then went off to have a game of golf with his nephew, now Major General Hugo de Pree, at Sunningdale. As he played, a mounted messenger came from the King, to summon him back to Windsor. 
Miss Vivian had meantime gone to tell the Queen that General Haig had proposed to her. The Queen was in her bath so Doris had to call the news that General Haig had proposed to her loudly through the door. The Queen got out of her bath quickly and congratulated the Maid of Honour, and told her she would have to send and get Douglas back to receive the King's consent, so the game of golf was stopped and my Uncle sent for his knee breeches and valet. 
The King gave his consent and said to Doris "I am losing my best girl". That night in the drawing room the Queen shook her fan at Doris.

 

George Charles de Pree married Mary Elizabeth Haig on 22nd Feb 1870. They had at least two sons: Hugo Douglas de Pree born 25th Dec 1870 Brome, Suffolk and Cecil George de Pree born 1872. Both boys went to Eton and per the Eton War record:
de Pree, C.G., Major Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, empld, Lt Col Loyal N Lancashire Regiment., MID, France, Egypt, Gallipoli
de Pree, H.D., CB, CMG, DSO, Brig-Gen (RA), MID 4, France
From the Distinguished Service Order
De Pree, H. D. (DSO LG 3.6.19) b 25.12. 70; s of Col G. C. De Pree and Mary d. of John Haig, of Fife; m Diones d. of F E Thornhill JP; 3 sons; 1 dau; educ. Eton, RMA, Woolwich; 2nd Lt RA, 25.7.90; Lt 25.7.93; Capt 3.2.00; Div Adjt. 11.4.00 to 18.4.01; Major 19.1.08; Lt Col 11.1.15 to 10.1.20; T/Brig-Gen 5.3.16 to 26.4.19; Bt. Col 1.1.17; T/Brig-Gen 2.12.19 to 21.12.20; Col 11.1.19; Col Comdt 1.1.21; served NW Frontier, India 1897-98 (Medal 2 clasps); British E Africa 1901 (Medal clasp); S. Africa, 1901-2 (Queens Medal 5 clasps); European War, 1914-18; Mentioned in Despatches 5 times; CB 1918; CMG 1916.

 

This also has another sad twist.....

They bought Beech Hill at Haddington, East Lothian, in 1918 after their previous house, in Edinburgh (Saughton Hall) was burnt down. On the night of 22nd October 1944 a Mosquito aircraft of No 132 Operational Training Unit got in difficulties and crashed into the house killing Ruth, her brother Lt Col John Haig DSO, her grandson David and his nannie. Cecil De Pree died, broken hearted in 1946.
Six persons were killed when an aircraft crashed into Beechhill, Haddington, East Lothian about 11 pm and set the house on fire. They were Mrs Ruth De Pree, wife of Colonel De Pree the owner of the house, David Pitcairn, aged 5, son of Mrs Goda Pitcairn, Colonel De Pree's daughter; Miss Margaret Spears, David Pitcairns nurse, of Longshaw, Galashiels; Colonel Haig (retired) brother in law of Colonel De Pree and two members of the crew of the aircraft (Mosquito).
Colonel C G De Pree, Mrs Pitcairn, the butler and the cook escaped. Colonel De Pree was in the dining room with Colonel Haig. Colonel Haig ran towards Mrs De Prees room to help her but was not seen again. This part of the house was already in flames. (The Times 24th October 1944).

 

I found this research fascinating because of the many layers of human stories involved, simply from wondering why Bourlon had been chosen.

Hope this hasn't been boring, perhaps use it as a cure for insomnia, but it piqued my interest and I never knew our little part of Sussex had such a connection to the Haig family.

[Sidearm]

 

That's not been boring to read at all. Thanks for sharing.

 

I think I have seen a similar thread somewhere about Boer war names that crop up in the names of WW1 soldiers.  (I had a relative named Redvers Buller...)

 

Gwyn

[kevin donaldson]

My great uncle James Donaldson who served in WW1 in the 160th Wearside brigade, had the nickname 'Buller', when i first starting researching James i assumed that Buller was his christian name, this had me pulling my hair out, until my father stated that it was his nickname, don't know why he was given it, but he had it all his life.

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

I have referred elsewhere (Who Is This?) to Vimy Morgan b1921.

Mother of rugby legend Barry John and his 5 siblings including brother Delville.

 

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?/topic/214619-who-is-this/&page=153#comment-2374503

 

[Peter Welsh]

In Washington/Usworth/Harraton - we had Antwerp Colpitts, Neuve Chapelle Isaac Smith, Thomas Verdun Alfred Williams, John Verdun Irwin, Joy Aisne Huddart, Iris Alsace Lorrraine Williams, Agnes Louvain Patterson and Edith Loos Drummond - all baptised during the war.

[StephenJohnRoberts1958]

I had a great uncle called George Verdun Yoxall. His brother was called Douglas Haig Yoxall.

[Derek Black]

I came across an article about a soldier being home wounded in early 1915, he gave his new baby the middle name Marne, as that was where he received his wounds.

Derek.

[Neill Gilhooley]

Brebis Bleaney (physicist) was named after Le Brebis in France where his father served. 

Edited 23 February , 2017 by Neill Gilhooley

[ulsterlad2]

Vimy Ridge Payne

 

http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2272556/PAYNE, VIMY RIDGE

[Khaki]

I recall as a youngster not liking my given name, but reading the previous posts it could have been much worse, (Dardanelles) , I think I would have had it legally changed.

 

khaki

 

 

 

[Martin Bennitt]

Here's a great one: Verdun, christened weeks after the beginning of the battle, went into action on D-Day and now the oldest skydiver on record at the age of 101+

 

http://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-england-devon-39908622/d-day-veteran-101-breaks-skydive-record

 

Good on him

 

Cheers Martin B

[seaJane]

Splendid!

[Ron Clifton]

There was an interview with the family on BBC Breakfast today. He, his son, his grandson and his great-grandson all took part in the jump. Good for them!

 

Ron

[Arnold McBay]

I found a couple of family members in this category.

Verdun Honsberger of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (KIA 24 October, 1944). Top.

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2641837/VERDUN HONSBERGER/

Douglas Haig McIntee of the Essex Scottish Regiment (KIA 1 March, 1945).  Bottom.

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2232022/DOUGLAS HAIG McINTEE/

 

Off topic as well, I have four ancestors named after Isaac Brock, two of which were named just shortly after 1812 (their fathers served in the war) and two others who were named Brock a year or two after the first Brock Monument was destroyed by Benjamin Lett a few years after the 1837 Rebellion.

Edited 2 April , 2021 by Arnold McBay

[Kath]

All Truro born.

Fathers lost when HMT Royal Edward was torpedoed 13 August 1915.

 

MEDLIN, Richard Royal Edward 
Born 24 Aug 1915 Died 17 Oct 1975  

 

ROWE, Benjamin Royal Edward.
Born 23 Oct. 1915  Died 14 Nov. 1942
1/ DCLI
Alamein Memorial

 

THE WEST BRITON AND CORNWALL ADVERTISER, THURSDAY, 22 JUNE 1916,
Inquest Truro, yesterday, relative to (he death Royal Edward Simmonds. aged 31/2 months, son of the late Mr. Harry Simmonds (drowned on H.M. Transport “Royal Edward).
 

Edited 2 April , 2021 by Kath

[Guest]

Mate,

 

When kids the lady next door was named Merris Olsen, as her father was wounded in that battle (he served in the 1Bn AIF during fighting there in early 1918,)

We lived in Kensington Sydney, the 1Bn AIF was known as the City of Sydney Bn.

 

S.B

[BullerTurner]

On 04/09/2016 at 21:06, kevin donaldson said:

My great uncle James Donaldson who served in WW1 in the 160th Wearside brigade, had the nickname 'Buller', when i first starting researching James i assumed that Buller was his christian name, this had me pulling my hair out, until my father stated that it was his nickname, don't know why he was given it, but he had it all his life.

Buller is a fine nickname!  I chose it because as a boy I sat during mass, next to the memorial tablet in St Mary’s, Thatcham to Albert Buller Turner VC!  Probably where I absorbed my interest in the Great War. Via osmosis I suspect??

[Michelle Young]

There's a chap buried in Vermelles, his daughter had the name Vermelles, it's on his headstone inscription. Unfortunately, the CWGC site still haven't got it correct, having a comma after Vermelles. It's an improvement from what they did have, which was Vepmelles Hugh In A instead of Vermelles Hughina.

[trenchtrotter]

Should you find yourself at Vermelles Cemetery near Loos, take a wonder over to Hugh Munro's grave. On the epitaph is listed his daughters name. Hughina Vermelles Munro. 

 

[Michelle Young]

That's the one Tim, as above. "In memory of a Daddy I will never see" 

[Steviebullsatatter]

On 30/10/2012 at 01:05, IPT said:

A quick glance at the BMD records during the war period shows the following names (mostly middle names). The numbers are approximate, of course.

Between 1914 and 1918, 725 people were named "Mons", 311 "Ypres" (including a "Kitchener Ypres"). 2277 with the name "Verdun", 27 with the name "Flanders", 181 with the name "Loos", and 133 with the name "Arras". 95 were named "Somme", including a "Guillemont Somme" and 20 "Messines".

There were also 2321 with the name "Kitchener", 789 with the name "Haig", including 131 Douglas Haigs, 782 named "French", including 167 called John French. Arthur E Yeomans, Notts & Derby, called his son Sherwood.

Some were clearly named in a spirit of patriotism, such as Joffre French Kitchener Morris, born in 1915 and Kitchener Haig Smith, born in 1916. Some Victorys were born on 11/11/1918 and then a few hundred called "Armistice", but there were over 400 called "Peace".

Sadly, in many cases, the reason for the name is obvious. An example was Hazel Irene Guillemont Craddock, born 4th November 1916. Her father, 17057 Alfred William Craddock, 7th Northants had been killed three months earlier on 17th August 1916.

My grandfather was born, I believe on 25/12/1915 and his name was David  Lloyd George Hiscox 

[Madmeg]

I was going through BMDs the other day and noticed a Louvain (male) - which reminded me of an old lady I met here in NZ some years ago whose name was also Louvain- she told me it was for the Belgium town- I can't remember now whether it was that she was born on the day the Germans invaded or the day the town was relieved.

[stripeyman]

I purchased a Humber Super Snipe in 1969, from a chap from St Austell, his two Christian names were Leonard Foch. I cannot remember his surname but I remember the car it had a Perkins diesel fitted, went on my second visit to the Western Front in 1970. Good grief is it 51 years ago.....

[Steviebullsatatter]

Not sure if I have already posted this but here goes..

My grandfather was born on 25/12/1915

His father named him David Lloyd George Hiscox 

What a name to have to live up to 

19 hours ago, stripeyman said:

I purchased a Humber Super Snipe in 1969, from a chap from St Austell, his two Christian names were Leonard Foch. I cannot remember his surname but I remember the car it had a Perkins diesel fitted, went on my second visit to the Western Front in 1970. Good grief is it 51 years ago.....

and being 9 you drove illegally 😆 lol