"Three Sons Killed in Action"

[Rob B]

My wifes Great Aunt had three Brothers who did the honourable thing and followed their Father Colonel Shine into the Army and all were killed by 1917:

2/Lt John Denis Shine R.I.R KIA Aug 27th 1914, at Mons

2/Lt Hugh Patrick Shine R.I.F KIA May 1915 at Ypres

Capt James Owen Shine R.D.F wounded Somme and then KIA Aug 1917.

Rest in peace.

Rob

[carolm]

Hi Dave,

Thanks for bringing that fascinating and most poignant story to our attention. I shed a tear thinking of the Ridley boys and all those others mentioned, and their parents.

I was also very interested in the part about attempts being made on behalf of the parents to "rescue" Tom. It was obviously unsuccessful in this case, but I wonder if anyone knows if there were any cases were such action was successful? Were there any "Saving Private Ryan" cases? When conscription was introduced would such cases -a last remaining son, or multiple fatalities in the family - be grounds for exemption from overseas service?

I attempted to send this earlier but was a victim of the hacker!

Carolyn

[chaz]

Saving Private Ryan didnt help our lot..

Pte A Gleed 12178 Glos Regt died 18-11-1916.

Sgt J E Gleed 12173 Glos Regt died 1-6-1918.

Pte F Gleed 19089 Wilts Regt died 28-11-1918.

Pte P Gleed missing somewhen around 12-8-1915 not recorded.

Pte W Gleed 18982 Wilts Regt discharged 28-5-1916 head wound unfit for service .

on 5th June 1915 GGF & GGM received telegram from the King thanking them for sending 5 sons to serve their country, by the end of the war only one had returned with a disability keeping him from work and earning a wage to support the family.

[PBI]

I believe that the Souls Family Lost FIVE Brothers KIA in The Great War.Could someone confirm this for me..?

[Peter Bennett]

I believe that the Souls Family Lost FIVE Brothers KIA in The Great War.Could someone confirm this for me..?

Try this link;

http://www.geocities.com/claremayo/souls_brothers.htm

[PBI]

Many thanks Peter....What a Terrible Price paid by this Poor Family.R.I.P.

[Peter Bennett]

This is from Tom Morgan's website, "The Lady Lost Five Sons"

http://www.hellfire-corner.demon.co.uk/ceris.htm

[dougal]

Hi Dave

Good piece on the thre brothers have seen that in the paper a few times myself, very sad and shows the sacrifice brittish people are prepaired to make. My youngest son serves with the Royal Engineers and leaves for Iraq in a months time.

As I was reading I noticed the second of the three, Ridley Charles Pte No 27595 serving with the 10th Yorkshire Regiment, remembered at Thiepval Memorial Pier and Face 3a and 3d.

Just compairing with my Great Uncle Donald.

Hunter Donald Pte 27376 serving with 10th West Yorkshire Regiment, remembered at Thiepval Memorial Pier and Face 3a and 3d.

Quite close, dont you think?

I agree about researching the 10th, not easy still looking for a photograph,even looked in the Bradford Telegraph again.

Best wishes

Phil

[dougal]

Hi Dave

Good piece on the thre brothers have seen that in the paper a few times myself, very sad and shows the sacrifice brittish people are prepaired to make. My youngest son serves with the Royal Engineers and leaves for Iraq in a months time.

As I was reading I noticed the second of the three, Ridley Charles Pte No 27595 serving with the 10th Yorkshire Regiment, remembered at Thiepval Memorial Pier and Face 3a and 3d.

Just compairing with my Great Uncle Donald.

Hunter Donald Pte 27376 serving with 10th West Yorkshire Regiment, remembered at Thiepval Memorial Pier and Face 3a and 3d.

Quite close, dont you think?

I agree about researching the 10th, not easy still looking for a photograph,even looked in the Bradford Telegraph again.

Best wishes

Phil

[dougal]

Hi Dave

just remembered the other similarity, Ridley Charles Pte KIA 17/09/1916.

Hunter Donald Pte KIA 21/09/1916.

Phil

[dougal]

Strictly speaking, this is not 'Three Sons Killed in the Great War', but one of three brothers who was reported killed and later turned up as POW, and I spent a good couple of hours last night, with the help of Armoured Farmer and Steve [Thanks], trying to trace Sgt Harry Cockroft whose obituary appears in the Bradford Weekly Telegraph of July 1917. The story is interesting on a number of counts, and it appears that Sgt. Cockroft, who was awarded the D.C.M. for gallantry at Serre on the 1st of July, was one of a number of men [65] that was accused of defecting to the German side at the Battle of Rossignol Wood in February 1917. A Court of Enquiry, which was initiated by Major-General Wanless O'Gowan, was subsequently set up with regard to the missing men, and why their officer had not opened fire upon them at the time, though Cockroft was later exonerated, and no charges were brought after the war. He died in 1955, at the age of sixty-seven, and many of the details can be found in David Raw's history of the 'Bradford Pals'. Nonetheless, two brothers did die, and his capture was reported as such, and I think it is worth reprinting in the context of the time.

Cockroft, Sergt. Harry [16/1185], 5 Paternoster Lane, Great Horton, and second son of Mr. And Mrs. John Cockroft, 23 Old Road, Great Horton, who was previously reported missing, is now stated to have been killed. He is the third son who has made the supreme sacrifice, and some time ago he was awarded the D.C.M. Sergt. Cockroft leaves a widow and one child. He was formerly a pavior employed by Bradford Corporation. [bradford Weekly Telegraph, 20 July 1917]

Cockroft, Tom Pte. No. 10702 D. 7-3-1915 Age: 20 Cemetery-Memorial: Poperinghe Old Military Cemetery. II. O. 19. [son of Mr. and Mrs. John Cockroft, 47 Roseberry Avenue, Lancaster Road, Morecambe, Lancs] Served with the 2nd, Battalion, Duke of Wellington's [West Riding Regiment]

Cockroft, William Pte. No. 16/1170 [K.I.A.] 1-7-1916 Age: 33. Cemetery-Memorial: Thiepval Memorial. Pier and Face 2A 2C and 2D [son of John and Janet Cockroft, 47 Roseberry Avenue, Lancaster Road, Morecambe, Lancs] Served with 16th Bttn, West Yorkshire Regiment ['Bradford Pals']

Kind Regards,

Dave

PS: This is the man that I was initially looking for, but the age and marital status didn't quite tally.

Cockroft, Harry. Pte. No. 18/726 [K.I.A.] 1-7-1916 Age: 20 Born: Bradford Enlisted: Bradford. Cemetery-Memorial: Fricourt New Military Cemetery D. 2. [son of the late Robert Cockroft and of Louisa Cockroft, 63 Tivoli Place, Little Horton, Bradford]

Thanks for the Help,

Dave

Hi Dave

Cockcroft Harry was obviously in the 2nd Bradford Pals by his prefix of 18/ , dont have much info on them, but I do have copies of full War Diaries on 16th West Yorkshire Regiment, including transcripts of all witness statements from trial of Sgt Cockroft. I would be happy to look for any names if you require them.

Phil

[gingerjase]

my two great uncles were kia

henry pike princonsorts own rifle brigade 01.03.15 at ypres and his brother

george guy pike MM at arras with the 11th MGC company with 4th div 09.04.17....luckely for me their other brother survived the war in the RE

jase

3 brothers from the tiny village of Endon also died in the war. They were

87696 Sapper Levi Farrington Harding

11th Battalion

Kings Liverpool Regiment

Died 21st March 1918

2nd Lieutenant Homer Harding

Indian Army Reserve of Officers

Died 3rd October1918

15062 Private James Henry Harding

7th Battalion

North Staffordshire Regiment

Died 12th August 1915

Two other brothers survived however one of them died in the sinking of the

submarine M1.

If anyone could pm me information on Homer Harding I would be very greatful indeed.

Kevin

[gingerjase]

hi dave

well my knowledge is rather limited at the moment as i can only go on the whereabouts of 11th brigade 4th div on the day of 09 04 17 that is presuming he won it on that day. that was of course the first day of arras1. four other men in his machine gun company were also killed on that day...at the same time???? by the same shell??? i can only guess. they are all remembered on the arras memorial which i again visited last monday as is my great uncle. i have the kew reference for the diaries for that period so its just getting round to sorting the research further. i have all his medals but not death plaque or scroll.

have you any gen for me on this???

cheers for now

jase

Hello Jase, do you have any more info on the MM which your Gt Uncle won?

Kind Regards,

Dave

[StAubyns]

I remember the 3 Chilton brothers in my signature. I lived in a terraced house next door to where they were raised and played in a back yard that they must have played in. Their sister Olive, a spinster, was like a second mother to me as I grew up, and I often think of the torment she must have gone through as a young woman.

The first to die was Arthur, on the 7th July 1916, his was quite literally the first war grave I saw. On a Ledger tour, purely due to unforseen circumstaces (a blocked road) forced a change to the start of the 1st walk of the tour. The coach pulled up outside Dartmoor Cemetery and looking over the wall as I got out of the coach saw his grave. Do you beleive in coincidence?

The other 2 brothers, George and Harold, entered Delville Wood on the 14th July 1916, just 7 days after the death of Arthur. Harold never left the wood and George was severely wounded. Ho commited suicide near to home on the 5th April 1918.

This was my introduction to WW1 and Delvile Wood is the first place I visit when I go back

regards

Geoff

[Chris Noble]

And i knew i had them in the 'Black Hole Dave!

Here's Robert, commemorated on the Arras Memorial, K.I.A., Gavrelle.

[Chris Noble]

And, John Wilkinson Moorby, incorrectly named on SDGW as 11 Battalion.

Unfortunately, James Lambert's inscription was commemorated at a great height on the memorial at Thiepval and i only had my 'Happy Snapper' at the time.

Three Leeds lads, gone, but not forgotten.

Regards, Chris.

[Chris Noble]

Many thanks Dave for that, most interesting.

I will see if i can hunt down some photos of the Moorby Brothers tomorrow.

All the best, Chris.

[KAYJAY]

There were Three Brothers from the Small Village of Carloway on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland who were killed in W.W.1.

The eldest was Lieutenant John Mackay who D.O.W. (Age 40) 03/10/18 while serving with the P.P.C.L.I. Canadian Infantry.

The next oldest was Private 3/6896 1st Battalion Cameron Highlanders Murdo Mackay who was K.I.A. (Age 34) 08/01/15. At La Bassee.

The youngest was Private 3/6697 2nd Battalion Seaforth Highlanders Donald Mackay who was K.I.A. (Age 22) 25/04/15. At St Julien.

There was a fourth Brother Angus also serving as a Private in the Seaforths who was invalided home in 1915 with Frost Bitten Feet.

The Courage and Sacrifice of all of these brothers and their Families are an Inspiration to us all.

[dhubthaigh]

see this thread for three-fold casualties

 

Dhubthaigh

[kevin]

Hello Dave

Found only one Joseph Constantine on the NA MIC site a Cpl Joseph Constantine 305741 of the West Yorkshire Regiment and only a total of five Joseph Constantines on the MIC list.

Sorry am not able to input link to MICs as forum does not seem to be want to let me at the moment.

Regards Kevin

[Guest mruk]

Many Thanks, Kevin

I've being having a few problems with NA-MIC myself. I'll PM you shortly.

Best Wishes

Dave

[Jarvis]

The small market town of Barnard Castle had several brothers killed in WW1.

The most tragic mother was Margaret Smith, of Bridgegate, Barnard Castle, who had five of her six sons killed. Alfred, Robert. Fred, George and J T Smith. I am still in mid research on the family Smith so haven't all the details at hand yet.

What a nightmare for poor Margaret and family. I must find the time to research surving son. Hopefully his was a happier war, although not yet sure if he was involved.

I'm sure there must be another Forum member with greater detail on this.

[kevin]

Dave

Recieved the emails big thanks but as the dates on orbit of Pte Joseph Constantine do not match the number on the NA-MICs Joseph Constantine and he does not have a pre six figure number, cannot see this man as the one you are looking for.

Regards Kevin

PS Going to see the Geordie Lad

Regards and Thanks Kevin

[Chris Noble]

Hi Dave.

Both Wadkin brothers commemorated on memorial tablet/plaque, Spofforth Church, along with another local lad, William Pawson, 11889.

Try and get down there tom and take some pictures.

Regards, Chris.

[Peter Bennett]

Hi Dave.

Both Wadkin brothers commemorated on memorial tablet/plaque, Spofforth Church, along with another local lad, William Pawson, 11889.

Try and get down there tom and take some pictures.

Regards, Chris.

Might this save you time ?