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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Eton College


freddy1918

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Hi Freddy, :)

I would be grateful if you could look to see if you have anything on Capt William Michael Victor Banbury 16th Battalion Rifle Brigade. Killed in Action 17-8-17.

Cheers

Tim.

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Dick, Will have a look but it's harder for me to dig out survivors at the moment...

Tim,

Banbury left in 1901. Eldest son of E. Banbury. At Eton May 1898 - July 1901, was in Miss Evans' house. 2nd Lt Norfolk Art. (Militia) 1903-06; Joined the Rifle brigade in 1906.Lieut 1910-12. Was unmarried, killed at Hollebeke.

Freddy

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Hi Freddy, :)

Very many thanks for that.

Cheers

Tim.

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Tim,

I'm trying to collect a photograph of each Etonian who died. I don't think I have him yet but if you want one I could let you know when I come across something if you don't have one.

freddy

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Hambo: Here is what is in the "Summer Fields Register 1864-1960" concerning WGG Leveson-Gower:

William George Gresham Leveson-Gower

Born 1883

Educated at Summer Fields (1894); Eton (1895) ; and Christ Church, Oxford (1901)

In 1911 he was called to the Bar.

Clerk in the House of Lords.

In 1914 commissioned in the Coldstream Guards.

KIA in 1918.

Regards. Dick Flory

Dick

Thanks for spotting the request and kindly adding some more. Having never heard of Summerfields before I have now come across another former pupil and at the risk of pushing my luck, do you have the entry for

Major Henry Astell Lang of the 4th Worcesters

Thanks again Hambo

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Tim,

I'm trying to collect a photograph of each Etonian who died. I don't think I have him yet but if you want one I could let you know when I come across something if you don't have one.

freddy

Hi Freddy, :)

That is a very generous offer and I would be very pleased to take you up on it. If I come across his or any other Old Etonian photos, I will be happy to return the offer.

Cheers

Tim.

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Hambo,

From the SF register...

Henry Astell Lag was born in 1874, arrived at Summer Fields 1885. Earned an exhibition to Radley but went on to Marlborough College istead 1888-1892. ChCh Cambridge 1893; Worcester Regt, served in the Boer War (wounded).

Freddy

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Thanks Freddy

Any chance of the Leveson-Gower piccy when you get the chance??

Thanks

Hambo :)

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  • 1 month later...

Freddy,

Do you have anything on Victor Roundell George Biddulph, 8th Battalion Rifle Brigade. I know he rowed in the Eton eight boat but anything else would be fantastic.

Thanks

Andy

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Anything on Captain Paul Hobhouse, Somerset Light Infantry who was killed on 21st March 1918? As mentioned on another thread he was the great-uncle of one of my pupils . We have already tracked down his 'Times' obituary, thanks to the Forum. Thanks.

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Anything on Captain Paul Hobhouse, Somerset Light Infantry who was killed on 21st March 1918? As mentioned on another thread he was the great-uncle of one of my pupils . We have already tracked down his 'Times' obituary, thanks to the Forum. Thanks.

Paul was a Colleger so I've got a stack on him. He was at Summer Fields too so I've got more on him pre-Eton. I'm not sure I've got an army photo yet, but numerous school pictures going back to 1909. It would probably be easier for me to put a email together for you?

Freddy.

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Freddy,

Do you have anything on Victor Roundell George Biddulph, 8th Battalion Rifle Brigade. I know he rowed in the Eton eight boat but anything else would be fantastic.

Thanks

Andy

Andy,

I've only got a Michael (left 1915) or an Arthur Biddulph (1900) in the Eton war list. I can go through the school registers individually for you if you like to see if he comes up, are you sure he was an Etonian?

Freddy

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Freddy-Re Paul Hobhouse. Fantastic-my pupil (also called Hobhouse), will be very interested. We plan to visit the site of Paul's death near St Quentin on our 2008 School Battlefields Tour

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Hi Freddy,

My apologies, Victor went to Westminster, looking at too many records and a late night. The gentleman I am interested in is Arthur Ronald Backus, also of the 8th Rifle Brigade. Anything that you have on this gentleman wouuld be a great help.

Many thanks.

Andy

post-1871-1181128582.jpg

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Hi Freddy,

My apologies, Victor went to Westminster, looking at too many records and a late night. The gentleman I am interested in is Arthur Ronald Backus, also of the 8th Rifle Brigade. Anything that you have on this gentleman wouuld be a great help.

Many thanks.

Andy

Hi Andy,

Yes I know Backus. He was at Eton Sep 1907 till Jul 1913. He was one of the swells in Hugh MacNaghten's house with George Llewelyn Davies (J.M. Barrie - Finding Neverland etc. etc.) although he stayed a year longer. He did well academically, took home a prize in his first term for a holiday task. (Probably a write up on a book they had to read).

With regards to his army career you probably have most of it but the Eton roll does say he was wounded twice, and that he was killed accidentally. No army picture yet (I've got 60% of the Etonians and everyone's requests seem to come from the other 40!) I do have MacNaghten's house photo from 1912 but it's not name keyed I only know Davies. I'll let you know if I manage to ID him, again, I'll have to run some checks next time I'm up at the school...

I've got his father as being "of" Lima, Peru; so I dont know if that indicates civil service of whether he was in fact South American. I've got an English address of 47 Harrington Gardens, Kensington for him.

As far as his rowing career is concerned. He started out by rowing Stroke? for the junior house four at MacNaghten's. They won the house fours proper in 1912 where he is listed as being behind the bow person (Can you tell I'm a cricket person and not a rower?) and if you want information overload, at the school trials in 1913 he weighed in at 10st 11 and rowed Dark Blue, but by Henley he had slimmed down to 10st 7! The beat St. John's Oxford and lost to Trinity, Cambridge. Hishouse constantly won the House Acquatic Cup too, which was a dumbed down faster version of cricket that the rowers (Wet-bobs) played. He was a fair runner (2nd in school steeplechase 1913).

Hope something in there is of use to you.

Freddy

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Freddy

I have been researching a local prep school memorial Hazelwood Limpsfield) which you have been a great help on. They have loaned me the copy of their school magazine from 1892 to 1927 and it has some added detail on quite a number of Etonians, killed and survived which I have nearly completed. If you would like the details send me an email with your email address and I'll copy them across for you

Regards Hambo

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Freddy,

Many thanks for the little extra. I have all his Army career details if you need anything.

He was killed accidentally on a bicycle on the Neuve Eglise - Steenwercke Road at 2.30 a.m. on the night 22/9 - 23/9/17 and a court of Inquiry was held on the 1/10/17 into the circumstances of his death.

Andy

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Andy: I have a photo of A R Backus in a group photo of the Eton VIII from 1913. If you would like a scan, PM me with your email address. Dick Flory

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Dick,

Many thanks, PM on its way to you.

Andy

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Hambo,

Be really grateful to take you up on that offer... will PM you

Andy,

I haven't even started on Backus' army career yet; I need a page or so; rather like the write ups in the Rugby memorial etc so would be grateful for the info.

Dick,

Could I be cheeky enough to ask to see that 1913 VIII photo? I've got the 1912 one if it's of any interest to you.

Freddy

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Freddy: PM me your email address and I will send you a jpeg of the photo. The photos I have are in a huge book called "Fifty Years of Sport, Eton, Harrow and Winchester". It has a large number of Eton photos including yearly photos of the Rowing Eight from 1863 to 1921; Eton Wall Game (XI) 1876-77, 1912; Eton Field Game (XI) 1872, 1884, 1896, 1911; Eton House Football, 1865, 1881, 1911; Eton College Hunt, 1899, 1914, 1921; and Cricket XI, one per year 1863-1921.

Regards, Dick Flory

Hambo,

Be really grateful to take you up on that offer... will PM you

Andy,

I haven't even started on Backus' army career yet; I need a page or so; rather like the write ups in the Rugby memorial etc so would be grateful for the info.

Dick,

Could I be cheeky enough to ask to see that 1913 VIII photo? I've got the 1912 one if it's of any interest to you.

Freddy

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Dick,

Thank you very much indeed for the pictures of Backus, much appreciated indeed.

Andy

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Freddy,

Here's the time line on Backus, needs sprucing up a bit.

BACKUS, Arthur Ronald (Ronnie)

Born 1894, Miraflores, Lima, Peru (Naturalised South American)

Son of Jacob Backus of Lima, Peru.

Educated Eton (left 1913) & Trinity College, Cambridge.

T/2nd Lieutenant 8/10/14, 2nd Lieutenant (Regular) 4/12/15, Lieutenant Rifle Brigade 23/7/16.

T/Captain 24/11/15, attached 8th Battalion, Rifle Brigade.

Adjutant 4/7/17

Wounded 5/7/15 Railway Wood, Buried by Trench Mortar. Rejoined 8th RB 27/9/15 from 14th R.B.

Military Cross, London Gazette 25/12/15 for rescuing a patrol on 23/11/15.

Wounded 13/9/16 (in face, not serious), in charge of "A" Company until wounded, rejoined battalion 1/7/17.

Died of injuries received in a bike accident 23/9/17.

Military Cross 23/12/15.

For conspicuous gallantry near Ypres on 23rd November 1915. A wounded officer was lying out in front of the German lines. After three attempts at rescue had failed and an officer and four men had been wounded, Lieutenant Backus formed one of a fourth party to make the attempt. Although there was bright moonlight and a German covering party was heard quite close, they crawled out to the wounded officer and succeeded, with great difficulty, in dragging him back under heavy rifle fire and machine gun fire, thus undoubtedly saving his life.

Hope this helps a little, if you need some more let me know as I have his officers papers on my hard drive.

Andy

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Tim,

Sent you the Regimental details on Banbury, if you need the War Diary let me know.

Andy

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Thanks for the info Andy, that should be about all I need unless you have anything specific about the circumstances of the accident?

I can have a look for you and see if he got a write up in the school magazine, they usually have some input from somebody who was friendly with the deceased with regards to personality etc. if it's of any interest to you. I've got partial indexes to 1914-1916 at the moment only, so it will have to wait a week or so until I go back to Eton.

Let me know if you want me to look it up,

Freddy

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