THIEPVAL dead, most PALS have one

[Michelle Young]

My husbands grans uncle, Albert Allen Royal West Kents, KIA 22/7/16. Nans sister who was born in Octber 1916, was given the middle name Alberta in his memory.

Michelle

[Guest Hill 60]

Lee

Have you checked out if you have any connection with Fred Farmer from Mid Wales, yet, as he's on the Thiepval Memorial ?

Hi Myrtle - I've asked around the family, but they haven't heard of a Fred.

My Nan only knows of one member of her family, her father, serving during the war.

Dave - Before I had to sell most of my collection all but one casualty group (Walter Hilton's) were to men with known graves. I only have 3 casualty groups now and Jean has 1. All, but 1, have marked graves.

I have seen the family names of Bradbury, Swain, Farmer & Dean on the Thiepval Memorial, as well as the Menin gate, and they are just as special to me as if they were from my own family.

[Simon_Fielding]

The Bewdley Memorial (below) has nine men on the Thiepval Memorial out of a total of 75 listed:

Private Percy Whittington. CARTER 144th Company Machine Gun Corps 22561 b. Bewdley Worcs. e. Bewdley killed in action Tuesday 18th July 1916 Formerly 1889 Worcestershire Regiment

Percy Carter and George Insull have no known graves, and are both commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Pier and Face 5C and 12C.

Private (John) Daniel GRIFFITHS 3rd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment (27903). Born Codsall, Staffordshire, enlisted Hollywood, Birmingham, resident Birmingham. Killed in action France and Flanders, Wednesday, 23rd August 1916

Aged 22

Son of Mrs Griffiths of Bewdley, Worcs. and the late Daniel Griffiths

Husband of Polly Griffiths of The Chestnuts, Alcester Road, Wythall, Alvechurch, Birmingham.

Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France

Pier and Face 5A and 6C

Lance Corporal George INSULL 144th Company Machine Gun Corps (22557) born Bewdley enlisted Bewdley died on Monday 18th July 1916 formerly 1885 Worcestershire Regiment

Age 19

Son of Rose Insull of 32 Welch Gate, Bewdley and the late John Insull

Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France

Pier and Face 5C and 12C

Private Joseph MILLWARD 4th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment b. Bewdley e. Bewdley 39694 k.i.a F&F 18/10/16

Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France

Pier and Face 5A and 6C

On this day the Battalion assaulted Grease Trench on the Somme with the 12th Division and blocked Hilt Trench to protect the flank

Lance Corporal Charles E. MINTON (Memorial has MILTON) 16th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment 66 3/9/16

Age 33

Son of William Minton, JP, of Load Street, Bewdley, who acts as a witness to the draft transferring the balance of Thomas Coldrick’s pay in to his father in 1918.

Thiepval memorial, Somme, France

Private John ROLLINS 3rd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment (27809) killed in action Thursday 24th August 1916

Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France

Pier and Face 5A and 6C

On this day the battalion, with the 1st Battalion Wiltshire Regiment captured Hindenburg Trench near Thiepval.

Sergeant Joseph Banks SMITH 14th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment b. Bewdley e. Kidderminster r. Bewdley 1764 k.i.a 3/9/16

Age 24

Son of Joseph and Eliza Smith of 5 Lax Lane, Bewdley (CWGC)

Has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. On 3/9/16 the Brigade was engaged in an assault on Falfemont Farm near Guillemont. the 14th Battalion together with the 15th Battalion attacked at noon. Both battalions sustained heavy casualties from rifle and machine gun fire from Falfemont Farm that should have been suppressed, but the attack on it by 2nd Battalion KOSB had failed. However, the 14 Battalion managed to get a foothold in the German trenches south of Wedge Wood.

He was the son of Mr John Smith and the late Mrs E Smith, previously of Great Whitley, who had retired to Lax Lane, Bewdley.

A memorial notice in the Kidderminster Times of 7/9/18 refers to his brother TE Smith of the South Staffordshire Regiment reported MIA on 4/10/17 and now presumed dead. He is not on the Bewdley Memorial, and may have been a POW

Private Walter STRANGE 10th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment 17821 k.i.a 23/7/16

Aged 19

Son of Richard and Hannah Strange of Dowles, Bewdley

Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France

Pier and Face 5A and 6C

On this day the battalion was involved in attacks around Bazentin-le-Petit

Lance Corporal Sidney J WALFORD 1st/7th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment b. Bewdley e. Bewdley 200099 k.i.a F&F 25/4/17

Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France

Pier and Face 5A and 6C

Just in case anyone's passing with a camera....

Interesting statement though. Perhaps rather wide a generalisation. If it was widened to 'served on the Somme', I think it would cover a great deal more individuals. When I was working as a dogsbody in a Lake District hotel in my early 20s, (c.1990) I shared a flat with two other blokes my age, both former TA with an interest in matters military. One had a grandfather wounded on the Somme, one a grandfather captured, and me with a great grandfather kia.

Simon

[michaeldr]

I have seen the family names of Bradbury, Swain, Farmer & Dean on the Thiepval Memorial, as well as the Menin gate, and they are just as special to me as if they were from my own family.

Lee,

I had a somewhat similar experience on Gallipoli where my grandfather fought and was wounded before going on to the WF and surviving the war

He had an ordinary name and an ordinary initial, however it was still a shock for me to see a memorial there to a 'D. Dunn.'

Old soldiers talk about there being a bullet with their name on it don't they? I should say my grandfather was very lucky that day

I spent several minutes next to that grave with all sorts of thoughts running through my head

Regards

Michael D.R.

[Guest Hill 60]

He had an ordinary name and an ordinary initial, however it was still a shock for me to see a memorial there to a 'D. Dunn.'

Michael - For many years my father believed that one of his great uncles, William George Swain, was commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial.

I went along with this belief, because in those days I knew zilch about WWI & it was a well known family story that William didn't have a grave but his brother did.

This was compounded many years ago, when watching a WWI documentry, my father saw the name W. Swain on a panel at the Menin Gate.

A few years back I discovered that William was not MIA, but KIA and buried in Holnon, France. I have never figured out why William's sister (my Nan) told everyone he was missing, I did know she felt guilty about him going to war (longish story) and must have blamed herself for his death.

I wonder if my family were confusing the Menin Gate with where Edward (William's brother) was buried; Menin Road South Military Cemetery?

I'll never know, of course, but it keeps me thinking!

[Dawson]

My Great Grandfather. Joe Murphy is on there.

Killed 1st July 1916, at Thiepval with most of his mates.

15th Lancashire fusiliers(1st Salford pals)

Never forgotten.

Ian.

[Muerrisch]

Thanks everyone for your interest ...... when I get back from Salient I will analyse these responses.

[spike10764]

I have one-my great grandfather on my mothers side.

Private John Farrer 19455 of the 11th Service Battalion Border Regiment(The Lonsdale Pals).

John was killed in action on 1st July 1916 in the Lonsdales ill fated attack on the Leipzig salient near Authuille.

His inscription on the Thiepval Monument is on pier and face 6A and 7C.

Of the 800 men and 28 officers who attacked that day-500 men and 23 officers failed to attend rollcall the next day.Official battalion records show MEN COULD DO NO MORE.

In memory of John and all the other Lonsdales who fell that and on other days in the Great War......

[Myrtle]

Spike

I was interested to read about your great grandfather and then to look at your photograph to find that the name directly above his is that of Pte Fred Farmer 27744 of 11th Border Regiment. Fred is one of the men commemorated on The Rhayader Clock Tower Memorial which I am researching. Fred Farmer was KiA 18th November 1916. He joined up with the Herefordshire Regiment in 1914 and fought with them at Gallipoli. He was later transferred to The Lonsdales and was originally posted as missing according to another local memorial. He came from a small village called Nantmel near to Rhayader..

Thank you for posting the photograph of The Thiepval Monument.

Myrtle