Can anyone assist a newbie

[Guest Steve Seaman]

I have read the excellent advice given on the Great War Website about how to research an individual and intend to visit the PRO soon. I was wondering if anyone had any information on serviceman with the surname of BOSHER who served with the 7th Btn The london Reg. My reason for asking is that on a recent tour i saw that two BOSHER'S were buried side by side in the Bois -Carre Military Cemetary, they were named as

Ronald Frederick BOSHER Cpl 2449 D Coy 7th Btn London Reg died 19/10/15 aged 22

CW BOSHER Cpl 2446 7th Btn London Reg died 19/10/15 aged 31

My first impression was that that were brothers or maybe half brothers. I have found CW Bosher's parents on the 1901 census site but with no mention of him. I have had no luck with Ronald BOSHER.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Guest Stoner]

Hi Steve

Just from Soldiers died in the Great War:

Charles Walter Bosham

Enlisted, Sun Street

Resided, Egham

Killed in action 19/10/15

Ronald Fred

Enlisted, Sun Street

Resided, Egham

KIA 19/10/15

This would suggest that they are closely related, hope this of help?

Mark

[Terry Denham]

Soldiers Died gives both as resident in Egham, Surrey and both as enlisting at Sun Street (where was that?)

[Guest Hill 60]

Soldiers Died gives both as resident in Egham, Surrey and both as enlisting at Sun Street (where was that?)

There is a Sun Street in Reading, which is 29.4 miles from Egham. I couldn't find a Sun Street in Egham, they might have travelled out of town to join up.

[Kevin Lynott]

I seem to recall giving this information before:-

Charles Walter BOSHER born on 2/4/84 in Egham Surrey, the only son of Walter John & Winifred BOSHER of 8 High St Egham. Educated at Cranleigh School joined the 1/7th Londons in Sept. 1914 and landed in France on 17/3/15, he was killed by an explosion on 19/10/15, his cousin Ronald Frederick BOSHER who had enlisted in the 1/7th Londons with him on the same day was killed by the same explosion.

Ronald was born on 24/3/93 in Lewes, Sussex, the son of Ellington and Alice(nee Garratt) BOSHER, educated at Lewes Grammar School.

Source: De Ruvigny Roll Of Honour

Hope this is of some us

Kevin

[Kate Wills]

Steve,

I have had a look through 'Harry's War' (Pte Harry Stinton's experiences and paintings of service with the 7th Londons). It is a very thick book with an skeletal index, and sorry to report no sign of any Boshers.

[ianw]

I seem to recall that Sun St was a well known London recruiting centre. I am sure some Pal will be able to confirm this.

[ianw]

Steve,

3 Corporals and 4 men were killed in the explosion and they are all buried in adjacent graves in rank/alphabetical order. Graves A11 to A17 inc. The Boshers are in the first 2. So they still lead their men in death.

This explosion will probably be mentioned in the war diary.

To complete the group is W Bowers, H F Buckingham, N M Nisbett, H Stubbs, H W Walden.

All except one enlisted at Sun St which is probably somewhere in the City or east London.

I have printed the listing if you would like it Steve.

[Alan Seymour]

The following is taken from the War Diary of Pte. 2472 R. S. (Jack) Ashley, 7th (City of London) Battalion, The London Regt. (He became P.O.W. in Oct. 1916.)

Tues. 19.10.15

07:00 hrs., The Germans pump trench mortars into us. In one bay, the whole garrison of 7 men were killed with one mortar, They were 'D' Comp. men. The place seems to be keeping up its reputation.

Wed. 20.10.15

"Fatigues all day - for water and carrying down dead men in waterproof sheets. One big Scot that I and another fellow carried must have weighed 15 stone I should think..."

Thurs. 21.10.15

"Carrying out dead men in afternoon and have to help bury 9 men by Battalion Headquarters - it was a ghastly job. We start the burial service with the Colonel, Chaplain and Police sergeant, but the German's see us and start shelling - putting the wind up the Colonel properly, although the nearest shell must have been 50 yards away. At 9.30 PM we are relieved from the front line by the P.O. Rifles and go into the support line. It starts raining heavily."

The following is taken from the history of the 7th Bn. compiled by C. Digby Planck, chapter 7, page 44:

"During the early hours of the 14th (Oct. 1915) "ours" moved up into support, occupying the old British front line opposite Hulloch. After four days in this position, "ours" took over the front line from the 8th London near Hohenzollern Redoubt. Continual rain waterlogged the trenches, and the men suffered considerable discomfort. Our lines received a good deal of attention from the enemy's artillery (apparently the lines were only 80 yards apart), and the battalion suffered the loss of the following N.C.O.'s and men: Cpls. N. M. Nisbett, C. W. Bosher, R. F. Bosher, L/Cpl. F. H. Eastoe, Pte.'s W. Bowers, H. F. Buckingham, A. Jacobs, H. Stubbs and H. J. Walden, all killed by shell fire during this spell in the line....."

The HQ. of the 7th London's was 24, Sun St., Finsbury Sq., London E.C.

Alan Seymour

[ianw]

So it was 7 mates including our 2 related men who were in the same bay ( in a part of the line of ill-repute) and copped a mortar shell. I doubt they would have known too much about it and they remain together now.

A Jacobs died on 20.10 and is in grave A15. F H Eastoe is on the Loos Memorial. Given that 9 men were buried , his grave would seem to have been lost. A nice aside on the C.O getting "windy" when shelled at the funeral service.

[Guest Steve Seaman]

Thanks to everyone that posted . I never expected so much information, all of it very useful for my first piece of research.

Steve