John Edward Fitzpatrick, 2nd Bn., Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regt.); Pte., 10765, KIA (Gas Poisoning), 5 May 1915

[ilkley remembers]

16 hours ago, malcway said:

 

Thank you for this - it really is quite intriguing!  Is there any chance of seeing the report about the court proceedings, please? Quite happy to PM you my e-mail details if so.  Thanks again - Malcolm

 

The newspaper article has been PMd to you

[malcway]

On 17/05/2020 at 22:29, ilkley remembers said:

There is a report in a newspaper relating to a court appearance which states that he formally served in both the navy and the army

 

Thank you for this - it really is quite intriguing!  Is there any chance of seeing the report about the court proceedings, please? Quite happy to PM you my e-mail details if so.  Thanks again - Malcolm

PM RECEIVED :

Thank you so much!  I think this has to be my man - In 1891 John was living at 18, Berry St., in the Parish of Northowram, Halifax with his parents William and Ann Fitzpatrick, and brothers Stephen, Edward and Thomas and sisters Mary and Annie.  In 1901 the family (minus John) were living at Well St., Parish of Charlestown St. Thomas, Halifax. 

The father, William Fitzpatrick, died in May 1902.

I'm very grateful for the information and the cutting - really does help to add a bit of humanity to the bare bones of names and dates on a family tree when there are people like your good self willing to share their knowledge and experience!  Stay safe,

Malcolm

[sadbrewer]

40 minutes ago, malcway said:

 

Thank you for this - it really is quite intriguing!  Is there any chance of seeing the report about the court proceedings, please? Quite happy to PM you my e-mail details if so.  Thanks again - Malcolm

PM RECEIVED :

Thank you so much!  I think this has to be my man - In 1891 John was living at 18, Berry St., in the Parish of Northowram, Halifax with his parents William and Ann Fitzpatrick, and brothers Stephen, Edward and Thomas and sisters Mary and Annie.  In 1901 the family (minus John) were living at Well St., Parish of Charlestown St. Thomas, Halifax. 

 

The father, William Fitzpatrick, died in May 1902.

 

I'm very grateful for the information and the cutting - really does help to add a bit of humanity to the bare bones of names and dates on a family tree when there are people like your good self willing to share their knowledge and experience!  Stay safe,

 

Malcolm

 

 

Wonder if this lad is one of your Fitzpatricks....from May 1902.

 

Edit....could I ask if the article mentioned above is the one where John does the gas meter?

 

Edited 31 May , 2020 by sadbrewer

[ilkley remembers]

2 hours ago, malcway said:

In 1891 John was living at 18, Berry St., in the Parish of Northowram, Halifax with his parents William and Ann Fitzpatrick, and brothers Stephen, Edward and Thomas and sisters Mary and Annie.  In 1901 the family (minus John) were living at Well St., Parish of Charlestown St. Thomas, Halifax

 

Berry Street is actually in the Charlestown area which was just north of Halifax Parish Church but the parish boundary put it into the neighbouring parish of Northowram (pronounced North arum if you are interested) which is a village about a mile north east of Halifax.

[malcway]

44 minutes ago, ilkley remembers said:

 

Berry Street is actually in the Charlestown area which was just north of Halifax Parish Church but the parish boundary put it into the neighbouring parish of Northowram (pronounced North arum if you are interested) which is a village about a mile north east of Halifax.

Me Mam wuz a Yorkie lass from Foulby (pronounced FOWLBY....  Lol!)  But many thanks for info on Charlestown - the Census return did have me scratching my head, looking at Victorian maps and wondering if I was looking at the right Berry Street!  KR Malcolm

[Dmet]

On ‎18‎/‎05‎/‎2020 at 11:01, RaySearching said:

PECKOVER HERBERT

Private HERBERT PECKOVER

12368 2nd Bn Duke of Wellingtons West Riding Regiment

Herbert was wounded in action (gas poisoning) on Hill 60 during the Battle of St Julien and died of his wounds aged 43 on 5th May 1915

He was the son of Jane Peckover and the husband of Hannah Peckover (nee Hart) the couple married in Middlesbrough in 1899  

Herbert can be found on the 1901 census residing with his wife at her parent’s address Toll Bar Cottages North Ormesby employed by the corporation as a road labourer. On the 1911 census Herbert can be found residing as a boarder at 7 Temple Street Middlesbrough employed as a steelworker, at the time of Herbert’s death the family were residing at 31 Avon Street Middlesbrough, A later address for his wife Hannah is St Neots in Huntingdonshire

Herbert shares a grave with two of his comrades Pte 3/10624 Thomas Donley from Leeds and Private 10276 William John Jenkins from Middlesbrough both of whom also perished on the Hill 60 on the 5th May during the same battle

The register of soldiers’ effects list his widow Hannah as the legatee of his effects

The claimant of a dependant’s pension is listed as Hannah (widow born 11/1/1877 with an allowance for four children Ruth-Cathleen born 5/1/1903, Sidney born9/4/1904, John born 1/1/1910 and Jennie born 7/3/1915

Born Westminister London enlisted Middlesbrough  (N.E.D.G 29th/30th May 1915 / photo I.C 8th June 1915)

DIVISIONAL CEMETERY

Ray

 

Hello,

 

Sorry to jump in to the thread but I have been researching my Great grandfather, Herbert Peckover and I was struggling to find him on the 1911 census so this information has been invaluable, thanks. He was born in London but the family is from Norfolk. His mother was a domestic servant in London and he was born out of wedlock so his father is unknown. Jennie was my grandmother and was born only a few weeks before he went to war so never knew her dad.

 

I do have his death penny but not his medals, they are with another branch of the family but I have seen them. I will read through the rest of the thread with interest.

 

As a side note, I am only a few miles down the road from the OP in St Neots so it is a small world.

 

Thanks for the information.

 

 

Edited 22 June , 2020 by Dmet

[sadbrewer]

Notice in The Sheffield Daily Telegraph, June 15th, 1915.

Courtesy of the British Newspaper Archive 

 

[malcway]

Hello Dmet - Don't mind you 'jumping in' the thread in the slightest, and am very pleased the information that was freely given to me is also of use to you.  And yes, I'm just a little way up the A1 from you in Alconbury.

 

sadbrewer - Was John Fitzpatrick's death also reported in the same issue of the Sheffield Daily Telegraph as Herberts?

 

Thanks to both for your interest - the accounts the thread has thrown up makes for some grim reading and an appreciation of what a horrible death these men suffered.  I can remember being amazed the first time I visited Hill 60 (Knowing much less about it than I do now) at what a relatively small area was involved for such a gargantuan struggle to take place in, and today when I look at the sketches and maps in the War Diary and other accounts I still hold the same feeling.  What a Hell of a place for all concerned.

Edited 22 June , 2020 by malcway
sp

[Dmet]

Hello Malcway, I have always known my great grandfather died as a result of gas but didn't realise it was one of the first gas attacks of the war. I am still trying to work out why he went at the age of 43. It must have been devastating for his wife when he died within 7 days of arriving in Belgium.

[RaySearching]

Hi Dmet

Here is the cutting from the North Eastern Daily Gazette

dated 29th May 1915

 

 

you may know already

Herbert is commemorated on Middlesbrough war memorial panels

 

regards Ray

[Dmet]

Thank you Ray. I am tracing his movements so that helps a lot. I still can't find him on the 1911 census on ancestry.

[RaySearching]

 

1911 Ancestry link   (Herbert Peckover)

 

Ray

 

 

Edit

Looking at the cutting again post 35 

his widow lived at 51 Avon Street Mbro  not at 31 as previously posted

Edited 22 June , 2020 by RaySearching
update

[Dmet]

3 hours ago, RaySearching said:

 

1911 Ancestry link   (Herbert Peckover)

 

Ray

 

 

Edit

Looking at the cutting again post 35 

his widow lived at 51 Avon Street Mbro  not at 31 as previously posted

Thank you Ray, he is catalogued as Herbert Peckson on the census record so that's why I couldn't find him. You have helped a lot. Now to find him in 1891

Edited 22 June , 2020 by Dmet

[sadbrewer]

6 hours ago, malcway said:

Hello Dmet - Don't mind you 'jumping in' the thread in the slightest, and am very pleased the information that was freely given to me is also of use to you.  And yes, I'm just a little way up the A1 from you in Alconbury.

 

sadbrewer - Was John Fitzpatrick's death also reported in the same issue of the Sheffield Daily Telegraph as Herberts?

 

 

 

John Fitzpatrick's name appeared in the issue of June 4th.

 

Edit.....is this a relation of Herbert?

 

Edited 22 June , 2020 by sadbrewer

[malcway]

14 minutes ago, sadbrewer said:

 

John Fitzpatrick's name appeared in the issue of June 4th.

 

sadbrewer - Thank you.  After letters from the dead men's friends, I find the local paper announcements the most moving as they often contain 'human' details that weren't recorded elsewhere.

[Dmet]

1 hour ago, sadbrewer said:

 

Edit.....is this a relation of Herbert?

 

 

Many thanks, but I don't think so although the family was pretty big but I have no link to Coventry that I have found so far.

Edited 22 June , 2020 by Dmet

[sadbrewer]

2 hours ago, Dmet said:

 

Many thanks, but I don't think so although the family was pretty big but I have no link to Coventry that I have found so far.

 

Hi Dmet.....I'm looking at a tree on Ancestry that gives me the impression that all Herbert's half siblings were in Atherstone....it could be that the tree is wrong, it's certainly complicated....lives of the First World War says his mother's name was Alice Mary Peckover...if the tree is correct he is the illegitimate son of Herbert's half sister.

Link to the tree...let me know what you think.

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/tree/120361574/family/familyview?cfpid=200187328532

 

[Dmet]

Thanks Sadbrewer but his mother was Jane Peckover from Shouldham in Norfolk as his daughter was my grandmother so we are pretty sure of that. He has his mothers name as she was not married when she had him and was working in London as a domestic servant and he is definitely with his grandfather aged 8 in Norfolk.

 

That is a line I am trying to get into, the ones from Aynho as that is where the William Peckover comes from who was on the Bounty and sailed with Captain Cook but like the Peckovers from Wisbech it must be really far back up the tree. 

 

Thanks for looking.

[sadbrewer]

1 hour ago, Dmet said:

Thanks Sadbrewer but his mother was Jane Peckover from Shouldham in Norfolk as his daughter was my grandmother so we are pretty sure of that. He has his mothers name as she was not married when she had him and was working in London as a domestic servant and he is definitely with his grandfather aged 8 in Norfolk.

 

That is a line I am trying to get into, the ones from Aynho as that is where the William Peckover comes from who was on the Bounty and sailed with Captain Cook but like the Peckovers from Wisbech it must be really far back up the tree. 

 

Thanks for looking.

 

   At first I thought what a coincidence, two Herbert Peckover's of that age dying in the same period on the Western Front...having looked at the tree again the owner has just got it wrong....good luck sorting that lot out though!!

[clk]

Hi Dmet,

 

Having attested a short time beforehand, it seems likely that Herbert 'joined' the 3rd Bn circa 24^th/25^thNovember 1914.

 

3/12356 Williams - attested 18.11.1914 (at Rotherham?); joined at Halifax 19.11.1914

3/12362 Robinson  - attested 19.11.1914 (at Hamilton); joined at Halifax 24.11.1914

3/12368

3/2369 Eycott  - attested 24.11.1914 (at Chelmsford); joined at Halifax 25.11.1914

3/12371 Melon  - attested 27.11.1914 (at Bradford); joined at Halifax 28.11.1914

 

Regards

Chris

 

[Dmet]

33 minutes ago, clk said:

Hi Dmet,

 

Having attested a short time beforehand, it seems likely that Herbert 'joined' the 3rd Bn circa 24^th/25^thNovember 1914.

 

3/12356 Williams - attested 18.11.1914 (at Rotherham?); joined at Halifax 19.11.1914

3/12362 Robinson  - attested 19.11.1914 (at Hamilton); joined at Halifax 24.11.1914

3/12368

3/2369 Eycott  - attested 24.11.1914 (at Chelmsford); joined at Halifax 25.11.1914

3/12371 Melon  - attested 27.11.1914 (at Bradford); joined at Halifax 28.11.1914

 

Regards

Chris

 

 

Thank you Chris. I will have a look further in to that.

[David_Blanchard]

Excellent thread- I have become interested in the 23 2 Duke of Wellington’s buried in Divisional Cemetery all died from the effects of gas. 
 

I am trying to work out the medical evacuation chain of these men who were subjected to a gas attack on 5 May 1915 at Hill 60. 
 

Was there an Advanced Dressing Station nearby Divisional Cemetery- CWGC has little about the cemetery. I have looked at various records of the men who died Soldiers Effects Registers and service records but no clues as where they actually died before being buried all in a row at Divisional Cemetery.

 

Any information gladly received.

 

David 

[David_Blanchard]

On 18/05/2020 at 11:01, RaySearching said:

John Fitzpatrick payed the ultimate sacrifice on hill 60

 

As an aside here are a couple of his comrades who perished in the same action

JENKINS WILLIAM JOHN

Private WILLIAM JOHN JENKINS

10276 2nd Bn Duke of Wellingtons Regiment (West Riding Regiment)

William was wounded in action (gassed) on Hill 60 and died of his wounds on the 5th May 1915 aged 20/21

 

following is an extract from a post made some time ago by Old Owl (Robert) on the forum 

(According to the regimental history 5th May 1915
At 8.00 am the Germans, aided by a favourable wind, sent over asphyxiating gas (chlorine)with disastrous effects.—We had not received gas masks yet, only a piece of gauze soaked in a solution—this solution after a few minutes required renewing, a procedure absolutely impossible, of course, in action.  On came this terrible stream of death, and before anything could be done, all those occupying the front line over which it swept were completely overcome, the majority dying at their posts---true heroes.—The battalion suffered over 300 casualties that morning, large numbers dying as a result of this barbarous gas)

 

William was the son of John a gas fitting maker in a tube factory and Elizabeth Jenkins (nee Nabbs) and the stepson of Lydinia Jenkins

His widowed father having married Lydina Short in Middlesbrough in 1909

William can be found on the 1911 census residing with his father stepmother and siblings at 10 Queens Street

North Ormesby employed as a grocers assistant

William shares a grave with two of his comrades Pte 3/10624 Thomas Donley from Leeds and Private 12368 Herbert Peckover from Middlesbrough both of whom also perished on the Hill 60 on the 5th May during the same battle

The register of soldiers’ effects list his father John as the sole legatee of his effects

The claimant of a dependant’s pension is listed as Mr John Jenkins (father) of 10 Queen Street North Ormesby Middlesbrough

Born Wolverhampton enlisted Middlesbrough lived in North Ormesby

DIVISIONAL CEMETERY (Belgium)

 

Photo courtesy of Dorothy Glass

 

PECKOVER HERBERT

Private HERBERT PECKOVER

12368 2nd Bn Duke of Wellingtons West Riding Regiment

Herbert was wounded in action (gas poisoning) on Hill 60 during the Battle of St Julien and died of his wounds aged 43 on 5th May 1915

He was the son of Jane Peckover and the husband of Hannah Peckover (nee Hart) the couple married in Middlesbrough in 1899  

Herbert can be found on the 1901 census residing with his wife at her parent’s address Toll Bar Cottages North Ormesby employed by the corporation as a road labourer. On the 1911 census Herbert can be found residing as a boarder at 7 Temple Street Middlesbrough employed as a steelworker, at the time of Herbert’s death the family were residing at 31 Avon Street Middlesbrough, A later address for his wife Hannah is St Neots in Huntingdonshire

Herbert shares a grave with two of his comrades Pte 3/10624 Thomas Donley from Leeds and Private 10276 William John Jenkins from Middlesbrough both of whom also perished on the Hill 60 on the 5th May during the same battle

The register of soldiers’ effects list his widow Hannah as the legatee of his effects

The claimant of a dependant’s pension is listed as Hannah (widow born 11/1/1877 with an allowance for four children Ruth-Cathleen born 5/1/1903, Sidney born9/4/1904, John born 1/1/1910 and Jennie born 7/3/1915

Born Westminister London enlisted Middlesbrough  (N.E.D.G 29th/30th May 1915 / photo I.C 8th June 1915)

DIVISIONAL CEMETERY

 

 

 

Headstone photo courtesy of British War Graves

 

 

Ray

 

Just wondering why these men would be sharing a grave- if they died from gas poisoning? Surely they would have been, perhaps,  in the same dressing station when they died? Unless their burials were destroyed by subsequent shelling.

 

I can find no burial returns on CWGC for any men buried in Divisional Cemetery.

[RaySearching]

David

I believe a number of soldiers  perished on Hill 60 itself  on the battlefield as a result of the barbarous gas attack 

 

 

The soldiers headstone in question

 

 

 

CWGC grave register

 

I will have another look in my files I may have additional Info

 

 

Ray

 

 

[David_Blanchard]

Ray,

 

I have just found a map from the WD of the 13 FA from May 1915- which has an Advanced Dressing Station just north of Dickebusch on it. I wonder if these men ended up here before they died? 

 

If you look at Soldiers Died- the men from 2 Dukes in Divisional Cem are given as died of wounds.

 

Interesting that you found the Grave Registration on CWGC today- I couldn’t find one.