Hull & Barnsley Railwaymen casualties

[nicktamarensis]

Hello,

Big ask this - as part of my research work on the H&BR I would like to know any basic info on these four officer casualties (all 2Lt.). All four worked for the H&BR and at least two of them were summer 1914 volunteers.  Apologies, the info. I have so far is very sparse and mostly derived from the H&BR memorial which now in the Hull Streetlife Museum. 

1. ANSON. S.E. 1Bn EYR. Died 4/6/16.  Worked in H&BR Chief Offices, Charlotte St., Hull.

2. ANDREW J.  KOYLI.    ?                                "         "      "          "         "              "            "        "

3. SKEVINGTON. W.P.  11Bn EYR.  Died 8/9/18. Superintendent of the Lines Dept. (as far as I can trace Skevington was a railway shunter  in 1914 - the only one of the four not to have been a white collar worker.

4, WHITTAKER. L.  ?     Worked in H&BR Chief Offices, Charlotte St., Hull.

 

Any information very gratefully received.

 

Many thanks,

 

Nick.

[rolt968]

2/Lt Stanley Edmund Anson of 44 Dover Street, Hull, East Yorkshire Regiment, died in France 4 June 1916. Probate and Administration to his father Richard Anson, post office superintendent. Probate, London,  6 October 1916. (Probate Calendar, ancestry). There is also a Register of Soldiers' Effects entry giving the same information about administration. (ancestry). Medal Rolls Index Card seems to suggest that he went to France on 17 April 1915 as a private (serial number 2333, subsequently 200549). Medals to R. Anson (father), 40 Dover Street (ancestry). In 1911 Census he is shown living with his parents and five siblings at 40 Dover Street, aged 18, occupation "Clerk (Railway)", born in Hull. His father's occupation is given as "Chief Supt. P.O., Hull" (ancestry).

His commission date should be in the London Gazette.

RM

Edit: According to the 1914-15 Star Medal Roll he was commissioned on 23 April 1916. No battalion shown on any of his medal documents.

Perhaps we can work that out from when he went to France?

 

Edit 2: According to CWGC, he was serving with 1 East Yorkshire Regiment when he was killed. They give the date of death as 4 June 1916 and his parents as Richard and Matilda Anson of 44 Dover Street.

 

With those serial numbers he must have been a territorial.

 

Edit 3: The date of arrival in France and his second serial number suggest that his service in the ranks was with 1/4 East Yorkshire Regiment.

http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/east-yorkshire-regiment/

 

Edit 4: Corrected date!

Edited 22 September , 2017 by rolt968

[Mark1959]

William Percy Skevington 11 E Yorks. Also entered in the ranks according to Medal Index Card. Seems to have variou numbers not all clear on the card. Entered Egypt 22/12/15. 

1914/15 Star Roll gives his number as 10/111 and say discharged to Commission 3EYR  29/1/18.

1911 census has him as a boarder living in Hull. Occupation railway porter.

1901 in Elloughton with family aged 9. 9 children showing.

Birth registered in Beverley, E. Riding Mar-Jun 1891.

War Graves Record

https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/204042/skevington,-william-percy/

That says he was in B company of 11 EYR at time of death. The War Diary the battalion made an attack that day. It says at the end of the operation on the 9 that there were no officers killed but one is missing. Presumably WPS. If him he was found as he has a known grave. 

The 11th were known as the 2nd Hull or alternatively the Hull Tradesmen

His officer file is at Kew

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C732877

Remembered at Elloughton

http://www.elloughtonbrough-pc.gov.uk/Data/Sites/13/media/warmemorialinscriptions.pdf

NB the other Skevington. It is his brother, CWGC has him as Kings Liverpool rather than W Riding Regt. Died 20/6/17.

See also

https://ww1hull.org.uk/index.php/streets-people-came-from/FOUNTAINROAD/8988-skevington

Baptism record for him says dob was 9/4/1891

The Hull Daily Mail article supports the theory he was the missing officer. His CO told family he was shot in the head and would have died instantly. Article mention pre-war time with the railway

Edited 25 September , 2017 by Mark1959

[rolt968]

There are one or two mentions of Stanley Edmund Anson in the Hull Daily Mail in 1916.

RM

[Mark1959]

Skevington

[rolt968]

A possible J Andrew?

2/Lt J Andrew, 3 att 10 KOYLI, kia 1 Jul 1916. Gratuity to widow, Dorothy Andrew.

 

He was John Andrew (SDGW - ancestry)

 

RM

Edited 22 September , 2017 by rolt968

[IPT]

Presumably J. Andrew is 2nd Lt John Andrew, 3rd KOYLI  att. 10th, embarked 29/5/1916, killed 1/7/1916.

 

Wife's address - 47 Park Avenue, Hull.

[IPT]

There's a John Andrew who is a 24 year old railway clerk on the 1911 census

[rolt968]

Probate: John Andrew 47 Park Avenue Kingston on Hull, 2/Lt, KOYLI died in France 1 July 1916. Administration (with wil)l, 4 November 1916 to Dorothy Andrew, widow. There should be a will somewhere.

RM

[rolt968]

Possibly? a John Andrew married Dorothy Hyde in Sculcoates, Apr-Jun 1915.

 

Hull Daily Mail, 18 Nov 1916: "A Hull 2nd Lieutenant's Will". "........... had held a position in the accounts department of the Hull and Barnsley Railway before the war....."

There is an excellent article with picture in the addition of 16 September 1916.

Enlisted March 1915.

Commissioned 29 May (1915 or 1916?)

Enthusiastic oarsman.

Old Hull Grammar School boy

+ much we have had from other sources.

Aged 29, son of Mr & Mrs John W Andrew of 38 Westbourne Avenue.

 

RM

[IPT]

355713 Pte Lionel Austin Hyde Whitaker, Hampshire Regiment.

 

WHITAKER Lionel Austin Hyde Private TF/355713, 1/9th Battalion, The Hampshire Regiment. Indian Army. Died of disease in India 27th May 1918. Aged 41. Son of Joseph Edward & Constance Zulieka Whitaker of 42, Westbourne Avenue, Hull. Born in London Enlisted in Southampton. No known grave. Commemorated on The Kirkee 1914/18 Memorial, India - http://www.djbryant.co.uk/westbourne-yesteryear/war-memorial.html

 

CWGC - https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1482282/whitaker,-lionel-austin-hyde/

Hull & Barnsley Railway worker - https://ww1hull.org.uk/index.php/component/mtree/WESTBOURNEAVENUE/4921-whitaker?Itemid=

 

[Mark1959]

A relative has done quite a bit on Anson and has a family tree on Ancestry. Dob 21/7/1892, West Sculcoates

see also

http://dinsdalelist.co.uk/directory/listing/anson-5

 

Edited 22 September , 2017 by Mark1959

[nicktamarensis]

Hello all,

Many, many thanks for all this information. 

This very much appreciated and will go towards a detailed H&BR Roll of Honour which I hope to complete one day for all of the 183 H&B men who fell in the war.

Nick.

[rolt968]

I think the last one is more likely to be:

2/Lt Leonard Whitaker, 7 KOYLI, killed in action 16 August , 1917, commemorated at Tyne Cot.

https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/876730/whitaker,-leonard/

 

I had a feeling about him but could not find some documents, so since I was at TNA today, I had a quick look at his record. I can see where the confusion comes from.

 

Born Sculcotes. Father; Leonard; mother: Louise.

Enlisted 30 August 1914, Hull. Aged 19 years 180 days. (DoB: 20 February 1895). Gave occupation as "clerk" (alas not where!). Requested Corps of Hussars. Allocated briefly to 13 Reserve Cavalry Regiment (17589).

23 October 1914 to 8 Somerset Light Infantry (15501). To France 8 September 1915 (Medal Roll Index Card -  ancestry but only indexed for SLI.

Reached sergeant then brought back to UK as potential officer, officer cadet battalion, then commissioned into 7 KOYLI.

 

Crucially among the papers are the two people he gives as character referees:

1. Rev W H Heap, Queen's Hall, Hull (Wesleyan Methodist minister)

2. R. Pawley Esq., Chief Engineer, Hull and Barnsley Railway, Hull.

Alas the actual references are not in the file.

He was commissioned on 29 May 1917.

Killed in action 16 August 1917.

 

There was soldier's will leaving everything to his mother. There was some confusion as he had left it with his mother and it dated from the days when he was a sergeant in the SomLI.

 

The family home was at 71 Peel Street, Hull. he had two sisters: Daisy and Elsie W (28 & 26 respectively at the time of Leonard's death.)

 

RM

 

TNA File: WO 339/91369.

 

 

Edited 23 September , 2017 by rolt968

[nicktamarensis]

Many thanks for this invaluable research Rolt968.  Very considerably in your debt. 

Leonard is recorded on the H&B Roll of Honour as being employed by the company at their head offices in Charlotte St, Hull where he was a clerk.

Any idea of any detail of the circumstances of his death?  From another posting the 7KOYLI Langemarck attack across the Steenbeek was mentioned. I assume this was where Leonard was killed.

Nick.

[rolt968]

The Langemarck attack seems likely to me. He was reported killed in the Daily Casualty List of 30 September 1917, so they must have been sure early on. None of the documents say "on or after".

 

There is nothing in the record about the actual circumstances of his death. He should be mentioned in the battalion war diary. There are a number of pages showing calculations of his gratuity (Craig would have been delighted.). There was also a little confusion because some material went to the Somerset Light Infantry Depot. There was also some correspondence including at least two copies, since his will had been left with his mother and not found on him or in his effects.

 

One curious feature: in applying for the hussars, he said he could ride which was a little surprising.

RM

[nicktamarensis]

Thanks for the extra info. RM. As you say, surprising that he said he said he could ride given the nature of his background. Perhaps it was a hopeful punt to avoid the infantry?

N

[nicktamarensis]

Regarding 2nd Lt. Skevington, can anyone tell me where the 11 EYR was on the 8 September 1918 the day he was killed?

N

[Mark1959]

My post 3 stated the known circumstances of his death. The war diary gives the unit's location as a map ref. B96 63 (Sheet 36). He is buried in Steenwerck. The CWGC has a concentration report that shows he was exhumed and then reburied at the Trois Arbes cemetery there. He was exhumed from map ref St 36 B6 d 58. So sheet 36 again. It should be possible from Trench maps to work out were this was. I think we are around Nieppe/Bailleul W of Armentieres but I am no expert on the maps. That map ref will be his battlefield burial. The concentration report has  Steenwerck 3/49 E written on it but not sure what that signifies. The report is dated 29/10/19 and indicates his original burial was marked by a cross.

Edited 25 September , 2017 by Mark1959

[nicktamarensis]

Many thanks Mark1959.  Much appreciated.

Nick.