"Three Sons Killed in Action"

[Phil Wood]

I'm giving a talk on the Newbury war memorial tomorrow and have recently prepared a slide to highlight the brothers who died (at least 26 sets) - among them are four sets of three brothers. So when I came acrfoss this thread while browsing the GWF I thought I'd add them here:

William Sydney Smith - story

Richard Smith - story

Benjamin Waller Smith - story - struck by lightning - some family's luck really ran out!

George Herbert Smith - story

James Henry Smith - story

Ernest Albert Smith - story

William Oscar Wickens - story

Bertram Edgar Wickens - story

Gerald Lionel Wickens - story

Geoffrey Paxton Ravenor - story

Herbert Ravenor - story

Richard Bland Ravenor - story

CWGC links for all but one, Richard Ravenor. According to the family (newspaper report, mothers headstone) he died in the Soloman Islands serving with the Australian Navy. However, the Australian Navy didn't lose a man anywhere on the date of death given (20 July 1916), not can I find any mention of him in Australian military records. Perhaps he was in a merchant ship?

It's more difficult to highlight the losses of someone like Sarah Grigg, nee Corderoy, who lost her husband, brother and two brothers-in-law. Four different surnames.

[deacs]

Three sons killed from Brigham, Cumbria.

All died in 1918.

WALTON, A W

Rank:Lance Serjeant

Service No:15846

Date of Death:14/11/1918

Age:28

Regiment/Service:Border Regiment

8th Bn.

Grave ReferenceNorth. 5.

CemeteryBRIGHAM (ST. BRIDGET) CHURCHYARD

Additional Information:

Son of T. W. Walton; husband of L. E. Walton, of 4, Horsman St., Cockermouth. Born at Brigham, Cockermouth.

WALTON, JOSEPH STANLEY

Rank:Private

Service No:27644

Date of Death:13/04/1918

Age:21

Regiment/Service:Grenadier Guards

2nd Bn.

Panel ReferenceBay 1.

MemorialARRAS MEMORIAL

Additional Information:

Son of Thomas and Mary Walton, of Crest House, Brigham, Cockermouth, Cumberland.

WALTON, THOMAS CYRIL

Rank:Private

Service No:52962

Date of Death:21/03/1918

Age:19

Regiment/Service:Manchester Regiment

2nd/5th Bn.

Grave ReferenceIII. A. 13.

CemeteryJEANCOURT COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION

Additional Information:

Son of Thomas and Mary Walton, of Crest House, Brigham, Cockermouth.

Edited 17 July , 2014 by deacs

[BereniceUK]

6252 Private Percy Robinson, 1st/4th The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. Died of wounds on 11th September 1916, aged 25. CWGC database gives his date of death as 12th September 1916 and his age as 24. Buried at Heilly Station Cemetery.

13118 Private Harry Dunderdale Robinson, 3rd Coldstream Guards. Killed in action on 13th December 1916, aged 22. Remembered on the Thiepval Memorial.

65045 Private Gilbert Robinson, 13th Royal Fusiliers. Missing on 24th April 1917, aged 19. Remembered on the Arras Memorial.

Sons of Thomas and Ellen Robinson, of 6, Clement View, Nelson, Lancashire.

[Knotty]

Four sons killed from Reading Berkshire.

Just browsing this topic and I could not see any mention of the Sutton family (the owners of Sutton Seeds) from Reading. ( Correct me if I have missed any reference).
It appears that the father Leonard brought up alone, his 5 sons and a daughter(all under 10) after being widowed in 1900 at an early age.

As Leonard was Mayor of Reading throughout the War, all 5 sons took it upon themselves that it was their duty to serve their King and Country - in an in 18 month period 4 were never to return, :-

ERIC GUY SUTTON, M C

Rank:Lieutenant

Date of Death:08/04/1916

Age:21

Regiment/Service: Royal Sussex Regiment 7th Bn.

Grave Reference: II. D. 20.

Cemetery: VERMELLES BRITISH CEMETERY

WILLIAM VICTOR ROSS SUTTON

Rank:Second Lieutenant

Date of Death:13/11/1917

Age:20

Regiment/Service: Berkshire Yeomanry 1st/1st

Grave Reference: Q. 27.

Cemetery: RAMLEH WAR CEMETERY

ALEXANDER GORDON SUTTON

Rank:Second Lieutenant

Date of Death:02/01/1918

Age:19

Regiment/Service: Rifle Brigade 2nd Bn.

Grave Reference: V. H. 9.

Cemetery:OXFORD ROAD CEMETERY

EUSTACE MARTIN SUTTON
Rank:Lieutenant
Date of Death:24/03/1918
Age:22
Regiment/Service:Royal Engineers 35th Div. Signal Coy.
Panel Reference: Panel 10 to 13.
Memorial: POZIERS MEMORIAL


The remaining son Captain LEONARD NOEL SUTTON was torpedoed and wounded on his way to France in May 1918, having served in Egypt,Palestine and Flanders with the Berkshire Yeomanry, he was not required to return from leave in the July of that year. It is more than likely the Sutton family were spared the potential loss of their last heir because their business was so vital in feeding the nation. Also the effect on the morale of the people of Reading with the death of the Sutton boys must have been profound and the newspapers reported an outpouring of sympathy each time the flag above the company’s headquarters was lowered to half mast. Leonard Sutton recovered and went on to became the High Sheriff of Berkshire in 1933, and continued in the family business.

[JOHN BALL]

Three brothers from Bolton.

Thomas Blackledge. 1888 1st Lancs Fus. KIA 25/4/15 Gallipoli. Age: 22 Helles Memorial.

Miles Blackledge. 22904 1/4 Loyal Regt. KIA 31/7/17 France. Age: 22 Menin Gate Memorial.

Robert Blackledge. 698000 Royal Fus. KIA 22/3/18 France. Age:19 Pozieres Memorial.

Two other brothers, John RFA, and Daniel Royal Navy, also served and survived.

On a sad note, Robert enlisted on the 5/5/15 into the South Lancs Regt,on attesting Robert stated his age as19 Yrs 180 days,adding three years to his correct age. He was given a discharge on

the 5/10/15, reason stated as "a misstatement of age on enlisting".

John

[Knotty]

There are 4 brothers commemerated on the Bridge Street Memorial in Hungerford Berkshire.

Albert Edward Vockins - Private 8458 2nd Battalion (Princess Charlotte of Wales's) Royal Berkshire Regiment - KIA 6/1/15 France Age 24 - Fauquissart Military Cemetery
Edgar William Vockins - Private PO/335/S Portsmouth Battalion, Royal Naval Division, Royal Marine Light Infantry - KIA 6/5/15 Gallipoli Age 21 - Helles Memorial
Fredrick Charles Vockins - Private 71 Royal Canadian Dragoons serving in France suffered appedicitis,died during operation 3/8/15 Age 35 - Netley Military Cemetery, Hampshire.
Sidney Vockins MM - Corporal 4481 8th Battalion London Regiment (Post Office Rifles) - KIA 23/3/18 France Age 20 Sailly-Saillisel British Cemetery

Two other brothers survived Alfred Vockins who was with the Wiltshire Regiment and Aurthur Vockins a air mechanic with the RFC/RAF, a seventh son was rejected at least 4 times from military service.

John

[rolt968]

There are three brothers on the war memorial at Menmuir (Angus):

Pte Alexander Taylor, S/4755 25 September 1915

Pte George [Mackie Bain] Taylor 3580 1/5 Black Watch 9 November 1916

Pte Benjamin Taylor S/41354 1/6 Black Watch 10 April 1918

Their father was also Benjamin Taylor. The three sons' dates and units are listed on the family gravestone in Menmuir churchyard.

The Menmuir war memorial also has

two other brothers

two brothers in law

three second cousins, two of whom were first cousins on the other side of their family (another cousin is on the war memorial of a neighbouring parish)

There are only seventeen WW1 men's names on the Menmuir war memorial. Ten of the 17 are related to at least one other person listed. (There may be more, I haven't finished my research yet.

R.

[brianmorris547]

Three more brothers from Bolton, on the same day believe it or not. I spotted this today in the In Memoriam column of the Bolton Journal dated 08/08/1924. " Albert, Mat and Jack Fisher. Killed at Suvla Bay 09/08/1915 - Father, Mother and Brothers 280 Deane Church Lane". There was a report in the Journal dated 03/09/1915 and the brothers were pictured. Details to follow on Thursday. Edit - Posted details on "Two Brothers Who Died on the Same Date" in Soldiers.

[daggers]

There are three brothers named on our church's memorial, Sidney, Thomas Matthew and Harry Foster. Sidney died of wounds with 9th Bn, Black Watch, Thomas with 2nd Bn Irish Guards and Harry (the youngest on our roll at 16) was torpedoed in ss Hollington while serving as an assistant steward.

The church also has an illuminated Book of Remembrance in which some of those named had less of a direct link with the parish. One such is an uncle of the trio, confusingly having the same names as one of them, Thomas Matthew Foster. He too went down with the Hollington, in which he was chief steward. At 58 he was the oldest we have listed. [CWGC have him as T.W.Foster.]

Research into the relationships between this quartet led to the discovery of a third Thomas Matthew Foster, a first cousin of the three brothers, who was k.i.a. with 10th Bn, King's Liverpool (Liverpool Scottish) and a brother of this third TMF, David William Foster who was k.i.a. with the Labour Corps after signing on with K.L.R.

The church is St Anne's, Aigburth in Liverpool.

D

[brianmorris547]

The Blackburn Weekly Telegraph 08/02/1919 pictured Sgt Albert Chadwick MM of the East Lancs Regt. Home address 16 Radford St, Darwen. Posted wounded and missing on 21/03/1918, now presumed dead. One of five soldier brothers, two had already been killed in action.

SMAR BW & V 200968 Sgt Albert Chadwick 4 ELR 3126 and 2/4 ELR 200968.

SDGW 200968 2/4 ELR Sgt 21/03/1918.

Brian

[Hollytree]

Not sure if you have this information: Three brothers named WARREN from the Isle of Wight, remembered http://www.isle-of-wight-memorials.org.uk/people_w/warren_bros.htm

Anne

[Medaler]

OK, I know this is in the "soldiers" section, but lest the Senior Service be forgot......

Three brothers killed on the same day - all aboard HMS Queen Mary at Jutland.

Charles Malcolm - Stoker - RNR - S.2655

John Robert Malcolm - Stoker - RNR - S.1430

Joseph Malcolm - Stoker - RNR - T.2681

All of them were the sons of George and Mary Malcolm of 14 Union Street, Stockton-on-Tees, Co. Durham.

[daggers]

Three sons:

Capt. Maurice Lupton, 28, 19/06/1916, West Yorks Regt.(PoW's Own)

Lieut. Lionel M. Lupton, 24, 16/07/1916, RFA

Major Francis Lupton, 31, 19/02/1917, West Yorks Regt.

D

[Ellis1918]

FOUR SONS - Arthur Morley 2/5th Y&L 240891 27 Nov 1917 aged 27 , Ernest Morley 2nd Y&L 26397 12 Oct 1916 aged 20 , George Morley 1/5th Y&L 240494 26 Apr 1918 aged 31 and Herbert Morley 1st KOYLI 20072 4 Oct 1918 aged 25.

[spof]

Three Seabrook brothers (AIF) all killed within 48 hours at Polygon Wood

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=43622&hl=seabrook

[brianmorris547]

Edward Flood 242002 2/5 Kings Own Royal Lancaster Regt KIA 26/10/1917

James Flood 241999 2/5 Kings Own Royal Lancaster Regt also KIA 26/10/1917 (posted on Two Brothers who Died on the Same Date in Soldiers)

Thomas Flood 6 Kings Liverpool Regiment KIA 09/04/1918

All brothers of 58 Bonsall Terrace, Mill Hill, Blackburn, Lancs.

[tullybrone]

3 brothers from Maryborough, Queens County, Ireland - now Portlaoise, County Laois, Eire

1. Pte 27/1497 Thomas Keogh, 4th Tyneside Irish, KIA 4th September 1916. He previously served South Irish Horse and transferred to TI to serve with his brother Richard in B Company 4th TI.

2. Pte 27/1048 Richard Keogh, 4th TI wounded in same incident as Thomas was killed (shell hit dugout - per letter from his wife). Posted 2nd TI on recovery from his wounds and KIA 9th April 1917 Roclincourt, Arras. Richard is the image in my current avatar. He married my great aunt Rose Ann Devlin who herself lost 2younger brothers on the Somme July 1916..

3. John Keogh shown as Pte 5343 2/6 West Yorks in 1916 . He was KIA Oct 9th 1917 whilst serving as Pte 242073 with1/8th West Yorks at Paschendale.

Steve Young

[brianmorris547]

Three more from Bolton.

The Bolton Journal and Guardian 30/06/1916 in a feature called Mothers of England pictured Mrs Darlington of 10 Gordon Ave and her five soldier sons Harry, John, Frank, William and George. Harry and John had been killed on Active Service in 1915. (William was later killed on Active Service in 1917).

BJG 08/10/1915 pictured John of 1 Loyal North Lancs who had Died of Wounds at 23 GH Etaples on 30/09/1915.

BJG 29/10/1915 pictured Harry of 7 LNL who had been killed by a German shell on 21/10/1915.

BJG 02/11/1917 pictured William of The Cheshire Regt who was killed by a shell 18/10/1917. (SDGW shows 13 Bn Cheshire Regt)

(Frank was pictured in the BJG 08/06/1917 having been awarded the MM for gallant conduct on 24-25/05/1917, the article mentioned that George was serving with a Lancashire Regiment in Mesopotamia).

[brianmorris547]

I browsed through the Farnworth Weekly Journal on Tuesday for January to June 1918 and found five reports of soldiers killed, each of whom had already lost two brothers:

FWJ 26/04/1918 Pte Joseph Syddall of 141 Darley St, serving with the Hussars killed on 30/03/1918. Report mentions Sgt Robert Syddall 16/05/1915 and Pte W L Syddall 02/07/1916.

SDGW shows Joseph Sydall (one d) 15 Kings Hussars 30/03/1918, Robert Syddall 1 ELR 16/05/1915 and William Syddall 2 Royal Dublin 05/07/1916.

FWJ 10/05/1918 L/Cpl George Heywood of Breightmet, Bolton serving with Kings Own Royal Lancaster Regt. Report mentions Pte John Heywood LNL March 1917 in Mesopotamia and Walter Heywood LNL 27/10/1916 Passchendaele.

SDGW shows George 8 KORL killed on 13/04/1918, John LNL 09/03/1917 Mesopotamia and Walter 2/5 LNL 26/10/1917.

FWJ 17/05/1918 Pte Joseph Siviter of 3 Bailey Row, Little Lever serving with the Lancs Fusiliers, died of wounds 01/05/1918. Report mentions two brothers (un named) one Warwickshire Regt and the other LFs in Salonika.

SDGW shows Joseph 11 LF 01/05/1918, William Henry 12 LF 02/08/1917 in Salonika and two possibles serving with the Warwicks.

FWJ 24/05/1918 Pte Nathaniel Booth of 181 Bridgewater St, 28/03/1918 serving with the LFs. Report mentions Jos Booth, LNL and Jas Booth RFA.

SDGW shows Nathaniel 1/5 LF 28/03/1918, Joseph 6 LNL 10/08/1915 Gallipoli and James RGA 21/05/1917.

FWJ 07/06/1918 Pte Bruno Whittle of 34 Queen St, Farnworth, died of wounds in a Canadian Hospital 24/05/1918. Report mentions Lewis Whittle and Jos Whittle, both 16/07/1916.

SDGW shows Bruno 5 KLR 24/05/1918, Lewis 1 LNL 16/07/1916 and Joseph 8 ELR 15/07/1916.

I will be doing July to December tomorrow.

[charlie962]

Anglican Clergy losing 3 or more sons. I have compared an extract of a computer scanned book with the CWG record and attach an Excel file of the results.

There are the following families:

Beechey (5 sons)

James (4 sons)

Flory, Loring, Bott, Loxley, Fleury, Selwyn, Ussher, Paget, Wilmot, Belcher, Shaw all losing 3 sons.

There are an awful lot who lost two or one son. This must have tested their faith. A number of the fallen were chaplains themselves.

oops I dont know how to attach a file. I can't see the paperclip symbol? Edit update I've tried copy/paste but it looks difficult to read !

And I've tried under 'more reply options' and it says I cannot send this type of file? If anyone wants the detail I can e-mail it. It highlights how one gets only a part of the picture from any one source!

[tharkin56]

Vera Beech lost four of her sons she was Coventry's highest loss of the war.

[kenmorrison]

Named on a plaque in Ibrox Parish Church in Glasgow

http://warmemscot.s4.bizhat.com/warmemscot-ftopic7720.html&highlight=ibrox

TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN PROUD AND LOVING MEMORY OF
THE VERY REV. JOHN BROWN D.D.
THE BELOVED AND HONOURED MINISTER OF THIS CHURCH 1887 TO 1918
MODERATOR OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND 1915,
WHO DIED 20TH FEBRUARY 1919

AND HIS FOUR BRAVE AND GALLANT SONS

CAPTAIN JOHN RANKINE BROWN H.L.I.
DIED 23RD APRIL 1917 BEFORE GAZA, OF WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION THERE ON THE 21ST

CAPTAIN WILLIAM SANDILANDS BROWN
NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE REGIMENT ATTACHED K.O.S.B.
KILLED IN ACTION IN FLANDERS 14TH OCTOBER 1918

2ND LIEUT. GEORGE JAMES RANKINE BROWN
ROYAL HIGHLANDERS (BLACK WATCH), DIED 21ST MAY 1917 AT AMARA,
OF WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION AT SAMARA, MESOPOTAMIA, ON THE 21ST APRIL.

2ND LIEUT. HAROLD HALSTEAD BROWN
GORDON HIGHLANDERS, KILLED IN ACTION AT THE DELVILLE WOOD, FRANCE, 18TH JULY 1916.

“Faithful unto Death”

ERECTED BY THE CONGREGATION AND FRIENDS.

Biographies of the brothers are available on the Glasgow University Roll of Honour at http://www.universitystory.gla.ac.uk/ww1-search/

Ken

[brianmorris547]

The Farnworth Weekly Journal of 31/08/1917 reported a sad coincidence from Peterborough. Capt J C Foster of Medehamstead was killed in action in August serving with the Lincolnshire Regt. He was the third son to fall. The eldest fell in August 1915 and the second son fell in August 1916. They were not named but the eldest and second sons died on the same day in August, their mother's birthday.

[tullybrone]

Hi,

3 brothers born Cleator Moor, Cumberland who served. Although 2 died of illness it does not diminish their sacrifice. They were my maternal grandmothers cousin's.

1. Pte 6223 John Leary, 1st Cameron Highlanders died of wounds France 4th November 1914. He was a pre war regular (enlisted 1902), a coalminer and resident of Kirkconnel, Dumfriesshire, Scotland in August 1914. He was a recalled reservist who went to France 21st September 1914.

2. Pte 3606 William Leary 16 (XVI) Corps Cyclist Battalion, Army Cyclist Corps died of malaria in Salonika 6th November 1918. A coalminer at Fauldhead Colliery and resident of Kirkconnel in 1914 he had enlisted 6th Kings Own Scottish Borderer's and went to France with that Battalion in 9th Scottish Division May 1915.

3. Pte 5211 James Leary was a time expired pre war Border Regiment regular. He was a coalminer in Whitehaven, Cumberland when he re enlisted in Border Regiment in Aug 1914. He went to Gallipoli with 6th Border in 1915 and served with 6th and 1st Border in France 1916/17 where he contracted TB. He was discharged in July 1917 and died in late 1918. His service papers are on Ancestry.

:poppy:

Steve Y

[bierast]

One of the saddest stories in our book is that of the Krebs family from Mittweida in Saxony, who lost all three sons. Two were killed in action in Flanders in October 1917, and the death of the third (missing since 1916) was confirmed at about the same time. The family was effectively destroyed as a result.

Grenadier Fritz Krebs, Kgl. Sächs. 2. Grenadier-Regiment "Kaiser Wilhelm, König von Preußen" Nr. 101, 23. Inf. Div.: missing at Chaulnes on the French part of the Somme front 4th September 1916, later confirmed dead.

Oberjäger Karl Krebs, Jäger-Bataillon von Neumann (1. Schlesisches ) Nr. 5, 195. Inf. Div. (yes, a Saxon serving in the Prussian Army): KIA at Bellevue near Passchendaele 9th October 1917.

Soldat Kurt Krebs, Kgl. Sächs. 14. Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 179, 24. Inf. Div.: KIA near Gheluvelt 27th October 1917.

Treue um Treue - Providentiae Memor