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Remembered Today:

Gallipoli brothers


bobpike

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Bob,

As a welcome home from Gallipoli present, here are details on another set of brothers.

Major John George Blackburne, aged 42, 9th Bn. Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regt). Killed 22/8/1915. Son of George Lees Blackburne and Mary Shadford Boger Blackburne, of Dryclough, Oldham. Husband of Lilian Monica Blackburne, of New Century Club, Hay Hill, London W1. Buried Green Hill Cemetery IC 2.

Lt-Charles Harold Blackburne DSO , 5th Dragoon Guards. Lost when the R.M.S. Leinster was torpedoed in the Irish Sea 10/10/18 (see my byline at end of message). Buried Officers Ground, Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin. His son Peter, who was also lost in the sinking is buried with him. His daughter Audrey's body was never recovered. The children's governess Rose De Prury was also lost. Sole survivor of the family group was Harold's wife Beatrice. My book on the sinking was recently published. I have a lot more information on Blackburne if you are interested.

If you search through the messages I posted on the forum you will find an item about a book written by another Blackburne brother written as a tribute to Charles.

I was in Gallipoli in 2001 and put one of those small wooden crosses with a poppy on Major John Blackburne's grave.

Regards,

Philip

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Philip,

Thank you, but what a tragic set of events! I hope the book is a great success, it deserves to be,

Bob

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Bob,

Pte. Peter Frawley, 9309, D Coy, 2nd Bn. Leinster Regt. Aged 27. KIA 20/10/1914. Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery, Armentiers, France: Grave: XN8.

Pte. Patrick Frawley, 6334. 1st Bn. Royal Munster Fusiliers. KIA 25/4/1915. Helles Memorial.

Sons of Michael Frawley, Turnpike, Ennis, Co. Clare, Ireland. Peter and Patrick were two of six sons serving.

Regards,

Philip

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Pte. William Charles Falconer, Wellington Regiment, NZEF, died 08/08/1915, Chunuk Bair (New Zealand) Memorial

and Pte. Lake Falconer, 2nd Bn. Australian Infantry, A.I.F., died between 06/08/1915 and 09/08/1915, Lone Pine Memorial

Both sons of Lake & Elizabeth Falconer of Riwaka, Nelson, New Zealand. Family story is that they were both killed on the same day which may very well be the case.

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Guest howsevc

Bob

Full details are on the ADFA site, but 5 sons of Anne Berriman served. 3 were on Gallipoli with ALH, and the youngest, Frank was KIA near Ypres.

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CSMMo & howsevc,

Very many thanks, very helpful. You might be interested that related 'sets of brothers' who qualify has topped 1000!

Bob

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Guest geoff501

Bob,

you may remember recently I gave you three brothers (Nash), one died in Gallipoli. I've been trawling the local newspaper archives and came across a letter to their father, Mr Thomas Nash, from the King, dated 5th October 1915, thanking him for the family's spirit of patriotism - Five sons were serving their country in the Army. Thankfully the other two survived.

I've also picked up a couple more Gallipoli brothers, can't help getting side-tracked from what I was searching for:

Alfred WIDDUS Pte. 21365 4th Bn. Worcesters Kia 6/8/15 Gallipoli. Age 33. Leaves a widow and 6 children.

Ernest WIDDUS Cpl. 10867 1st Bn. Worcesters KiA 16/11/14 F&F.

Cyril Decimus FIELD 2/Lt. 5th Bn. Worcesters KiA 4/6/15 Gallipoli.

Howard FIELD Lt (T/Capt.) 4th Bn. Worcesters KiA 6/8/15 Gallipoli. Age 21.

Sons of Mr and Mrs W. F. Filed of Streatham Common and Wandsworth Rd. Clapham.

There were other sons, one was Capt Myford Field R.M.L.I. - not sure if he was a casualty.

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Guest geoff501

Bob,

Yet another pair from today's research:

Alfred William PARRY Pte. 14201 9th Worcesters KiA 10/8/15 Gallipoli. Age 20

Walter PARRY Pte 240408 2/8th Worcesters DoW 15/11/17 Home. Age 20

Sons of Arthur and Ann Maria Parry, Bromsgrove.

Looks like they are twins.

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Guest geoff501

Bob,

Thought I had finished for the weekend, here is another and possibly a second set which I've not been able to confirm:

Charles FIELD Pte. 12316 4th Worcesters. Age 26. Son of Mr Henry Field, Bournheath, Worcs. Served 3 years in army. Stationed in India when war broke out. Transferred to Gallipoli. Survived several engagements unscathed, contracted Dysentry there. Returned to England. Died at Devonport Military Hospital 01/09/15.

SDGW has only Died at Home, but I'm sure he qualifies.

Walter FIELD Pte. 12624 2nd Worcesters. DoW F&F 07/03/15

Another possible pair, I have not been able to check if either Arthur or Percy are brothers to Hubert:

Hubert PENNY Pte. 19936 4th Worcesters KiA Gallipoli 06/08/15. Son of Mrs Penny, Providence Road, Sidemoor, Bromsgrove.

Arthur PENNY Pte. 27087 3rd Worcesters KiA F&F 24/08/16

Percy PENNY L/Cpl. 67963 Royal Fusiliers (Cit of London Reg.) KiA F&F 30/12/17

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Geoff,

These are great, thank you. I'll do a little research myself, please keep being distracted!

Regards,

Bob

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest geoff501

Bob,

Pte. 19792 Harold SHEWARD 4th Bn. Worcestershire Regiment.

KiA Gallipoli 06/08/1915

Son of Henry James and Mary Jane Sheward.

Pte. 21224 Arthur SHEWARD 9th Bn. Worcestershire Regiment.

DoW Mesopotamia 08/04/1916

(CWGC Service no. Z/224 seems in error)

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Geoff,

Thank you again & still they keep coming, amazing, but tragic,

Bob

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Guest geoff501
Thank you again & still they keep coming,

Bob

Bob,

I sometimes wonder about this.

If we take the UK Gallipoli casualties at 26,213 (from the mother site). If we assume these all had on average at least 1 brother (probably more, this was before the days of 2.4 kids). If we also assume that the brothers enlistement rate was 20% (this is the overall UK male rate for all ages, so I would expect brothers rate to be at least this). We then assume that their casualty rate is 17% (typical for Infantry, the highest).

A quick multiply gives us 891 sets of brothers. (26213x0.2x0.17). This is just for the UK figures.

Any Statisticians of Mathematical Modellers amongst the pals who can improve my crude model?

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Geoff,

I'm no mathematician so cannot comment, but at present the list stands at 908 sets of brothers; I have a few to add but my feeling is that they're beginning to 'dry up.' So very close to your figures!

Bob

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Hi Bob,

Do any of the following men come up in your list?

QMS James Callander, 9419, 1st Bn. King’s Own Scottish Borderers

Pte. Alexander Milligan, 1907, 1/5th Bn. King's Own Scottish Borderers

Pte. Andrew Watson, 2662, 1/5th Bn. King's Own Scottish Borderers

Cpl. William Moffat Paterson, 2021, 5th Bn. Highland Light Infantry

Pte. David Douglas Clark, 2088, 1/7th Bn. Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)

If they do I've saved myself a lot of typing. If not, I will post the relevant sibling details for you.

Stuart

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Guest geoff501
Geoff,

I'm no mathematician so cannot comment, but at present the list stands at 908 sets of brothers; I have a few to add but my feeling is that they're beginning to 'dry up.' So very close to your figures!

Bob,

My original 'guestimate' did not include ANZAC numbers, I think your current total does. I see that no Math types have commented yet.

Here is another set, these are local lads, I have only just discovered that they are actually brothers:

Pte. 20488 Henry SHEPPARD 4th Bn. Worcesters.

DoW Gallipoli 16/9/1915 age 29

Driver T3/030514 John SHEPPARD 27th Div RASC

Died Salonika 20/10/1916 age 24

Sons of Henry (Harry) Sheppard, Mere Green, Hanbury, Worcestershire.

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Geoff,

Ah, that makes a difference, as a fair few are ANZACs, their records being so good. THank you for the Sheppards.

Stuart, I'm afraid it means more typing, they're ALL new to me - sorry, but thank you,

Bob

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Stuart, I'm afraid it means more typing, they're ALL new to me - sorry, but thank you,

Should have known :P

Here they are:

QMS James Callander, 9419, 1st King’s Own Scottish Borderers

Born c.1886, Maxwellton, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland.

Pre-war regular (9 years service – 4 years Egypt, 4 years India)

KIA 21st Aug 1915, Dardanelles, age 29 years.

Pte. David Callander, 301535, 1/7th Royal Scots

Born 12th Oct 1898, Dalbeattie, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland.

Enlisted May 1916. Twice wounded at Gaza.

Died of Wounds on Saturday 24th Nov 1917, age 19 years.

Buried at Cairo War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt, Grave O.23

James and David were, respectively, the eldest and youngest of seven sons (no daughters – a mother’s nightmare!?) of George and Elizabeth (nee Galloway) Callander.

Another son, L/Cpl George Callander, 11007, 1st King’s Own Scottish Borderers, was also a pre-war regular (9 years service – 4 years Egypt, 4 years India) – must have joined up with his brother. He was wounded in May 1915 at Gallipoli, possibly during the Second Battle of Krithia (6-8th May), but survived.

n.b. CWGC gives Pte. David Callander's unit as 1/9th, but the roll of honour states 1/7th. As far as I can determine the 1/7th were in the right place at the right time (David would probably beg to differ!) for the details to fit.

_____________________________________________________

Pte. Alexander Milligan, 1907, 1/5th Bn. King's Own Scottish Borderers

Date of death: 11/11/1915, age 26

Buried at East Mudros Military Cemetery: III. C. 84.

Pte. David Milligan, 17305, 2nd Bn. Royal Scots Fusiliers

Date of death: 19/12/1915, age 20

Buried St. Sever Cemetery, Rouen: A. 15. 37.

Born at Corwall, Mochrum, Wigtownshire.

Sons of John and Agnes Milligan, of Carsenaw Cottage, Newton Stewart, Kirkcudbrightshire. A local roll of honour connects them to Greddoch Mill, Palnure, Wigtownshire.

_____________________________________________________

Cpl. William Moffat Paterson, 2021, 5th Bn. Highland Light Infantry

Date of death: 19/12/1915, age 29

Commemorated on Helles Memorial: Panels 173-177

Pte. Joseph Moffat Paterson, S/11018, 1st Bn. Seaforth Highlanders

Reported missing between 17-22/04/1916 (Battle of the Bait Aisa), presumed dead.

Commemorated on Basra Memorial: Panels 37-64

Sons of James Paterson, 59 Millburn Street, Kirkcudbright, Scotland. Remembered on a headstone in Kirkcudbright Graveyard.

_____________________________________________________

Pte. Andrew Watson, 2662, 1/5th Bn. King's Own Scottish Borderers

Date of death: 30/12/1915, age 21

Commemorated at Redoubt Cemetery, Helles: Sp. Mem. B.77

Pte. Joseph Watson, 2689, 1/5th Bn. King's Own Scottish Borderers

Date of death: 12/07/1915, age 27

Commemorated on Helles Memorial: Panels 84-92 or 220-222

Sons of Andrew and Margaret Watson. Remembered on a headstone in Borgue Parish Churchyard, Kirkcudbrightshire.

_____________________________________________________

Pte. David Douglas Clark, 2088, 1/7th Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)

Date of death: 28/06/1915, age 23

Commemorated at Twelve Tree Copse Cemetery, Helles: Sp. Mem. B.6

Pte. Robert Douglas Clark, 12039, 4th Manchester Regiment

Date of death: 10/10/1914, age 24

Buried in Kirkcudbright (St. Cuthbert) Old Churchyard (in north part of Old ground)

Sons of David and Mary Clark, of 19 Union Street, Kirkcudbright. Remembered on a headstone in Kirkcudbright Graveyard.

_____________________________________________________

Depending on what other information you require, I may be able to get hold of a photo (from newspaper) and article relating to QMS James Callander.

I would suggest that searching for siblings of men of the 1/5th and 1/4th KOSB who died at the Dardanelles would probably be quite worth your while for this project. Both these units were decimated on 12th July 1915 (almost 90th anniversary):

1/5th: Casualties were 6 officers killed and 5 wounded, 76 ORs killed and 188 wounded. Unsure about the 1/4th casualties, but I've a feeling they fared even worse - the 1/5th

followed the 1/4th KOSB into the attack.

I think out of all my reading on WW1 (very limited w.r.t. other forum pals) the mention of the man in overall charge, Lieut.-Gen. Hunter-Weston, still fills me with the greatest mixture of rage and nausea. Supposedly, Maj.-Gen. Egerton, the Commanding Officer of the 52nd (Lowland) Division, was temporarily dismissed from his command for protesting at the treatment of his troops.

Hope this helps.

Stuart

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Start,

Very kind, thank you. If it's not too much trouble I'd particularly be interested in the Callander article for background information.

I'll certainly give S'Died a thorough search for the KOSB as you suggest & as for Hunter-Bunter.... words fail, I'm afraid!

Bob

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Very kind, thank you. If it's not too much trouble I'd particularly be interested in the Callander article for background information.

I'll certainly give S'Died a thorough search for the KOSB as you suggest & as for Hunter-Bunter.... words fail, I'm afraid!

I will try and find the article for you - I may be some time.

As for Hunter-Weston, yes I've had my little rant. On another thread I've posted a short (very negative) biography I found on the Web about him 28th June 1915, Gallipoli

Stuart

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Bob,

Second Lt. J.G.M. Dunlop (28), 2nd Bn. Royal Dublin Fusiliers. 27/8/1914. Honnechy British Cemetery: 11.C. 9.

Captain George Malcolm Dunlop, (26), 1st Bn. Royal Dublin Fusiliers. 25/4/1915. V Beach Cemetery: Special Memorial A.46.

Sons of Archibald Dunlop MD. and Bessie Dunlop, "St Helen's", Holywood, Co. Down, Ireland.

Regards,

Philip

p.s. Conor Dodd should be able to get you J.M.G.'s name/s.

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  • 3 weeks later...
Bob

Do you know of the Perkes brothers of the 7th South Staffs, both killed on 9th August 1915? There is general confusion between the CWGC, SDGW and local war memorial about spelling as Perkes or Perks - I don't know which is correct "

Pte George Perkes 15480 7th SS, aged 28. Son of Mr and Mrs. Elizabeth Perkes, of 65, Regent St., Woodsetton, Dudley. Husband of Mrs Perkes, of Canal Street, Tipton, Staffs.

Pte John Perkes 15489 7th SS, aged 22. Son of Mr and Mrs. Elizabeth Perkes, of 65, Regent St., Woodsetton, Dudley.

A third older brother, William,  was also present on the 9th August, but survived this only to be killed on 28th April 1917.

Pte William Perkes 15495 2nd SS. Husband of Mrs Perks, of New Cross Street, Tipton, Staffs. SDGW doesn't say that he was previously 7th SS but I think he must have been as he was present on 9th August, but the 2nd SS weren't.

I have an article from a local paper of the time which talks of Willaim carrying his brother George back to the Aid Post after he was shot in the head, but by the time that he then returned to the 'firing line', he found that his other brother had been killed.

Tragically 24th April 1917 sees his own demise at the Batttle of Arras.

None of the three brothers has a grave, two on Helles and one on Arras memorials.

If you would like the details from the local newspaper articles and bits of other information I have let me know. Unfortunately I don't have photographs of all the brothers just one of John, although strangely I do have one of their sisters !

Regards

Andy Johnson

Researching the men of Tipton who were killed in the Great War.

perk brothers

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