1st LF at Gallipoli 25th April 1915

[Drummy]

Hi all, I am researching the men of the 1st LF who landed at W Beach on the 25th April 1915, my intention is to complete a book giving an overview of the battalion pre war, 1914 to April 1915 and the events of 25th April though mainly it will be a comprehensive A-Z nominal roll of all officers, warrant officers, N.C.O's and other ranks of the battalion at the time of the landing. I have compiled the nominal roll and have expanded this through the addition of information from sources such as SDGW, CWGC, MIC, Honours & Awards, 'pension' files, Newspaper entries from Manchester area papers which has added a great deal re men killed, wounded, sick etc. However contrary to popular belief many of the men were not 'Lancashire' men but came from all over the UK, though Birmingham and London areas seem to be prominent. This is where I need your help.

I would like to ask if any of you come across newspaper articles for Lancashire Fusiliers in your local papers that may be 1st LF (or 2nd LF 'Mons star' men, which is another project I am working on!) related please can you let me know, likewise if any of you have information on men of the battalion or are relatives and would be kind enough to help I would love to hear from you.

As those of you who know me are aware I am always willing to help others with info, if it's LF related drop me a line.

Many thanks Neil.

[ralphjd]

Neil, Have you the following? 4422 GEORGE BANCROFT kia Y Beach 4-6-1915 Rochdale Observer report 27-10-1915 photo 30-10-1815. 12286 ALBERT ROYDS died of exposure Suvla Bay 30-11-1915 Rochdale Observer photo 20 12 1916 (his great uncle lives not far from me) 2401 WILFRED TAYLOR killed Krithea 26-4-1915 Rochdale Observer report 19-5-1915 photo 22-5-1915 all 1st Batt L/Fs Ralph.

[Drummy]

Hi Ralph,

Many thanks for your reply. George and Albert were drafts to the 1st LF, George disembarking 2nd June and Albert disembarking on the 9th August. I have added the article references to my general LF database.

In respect of Wilfred Taylor, he is a 'Lancashire Lander', would you be able to supply copies of the articles you mentioned??? I would of course cover costs.

If you happen across any other LF 1914 or 1915 articles please let me know the details. I have not checked the Rochdale papers during the course of my research, though it was on my long list!

Many thanks for your time, Neil.

[avfc87]

Hi there i will just add my bit i am a medal collector and i focus mainly on WW1 medals. In my collection i have the medals to 2nd Lieutenant Ellis Clark who was a member of the 1st Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers. He was a first day KIA 25-4-1915. The information i know about him is he was born in 1886 and was 29 years old when he died. He was also promoted from company Serjeant Major to 2nd Lieutenant, the London Gazette has him listed as being promoted on the 5th March 1915. Hope this is of some use.

[Brogo]

Hello, Drummy

I am a new contributor / seeker from Australia. I posted this item (below) on the forum a couple of days ago and among the helpful replies is a suggestion that I bring the information to your attention on this thread.

The Lancs. Fus. man who shares the earth with my family member and another Australian is of interest to me. I do not know when he landed on Gallipoli but that is where he suffered whatever wound which led to his death.

I will be on Malta from 11 to 14 September and with my son and grandson will be visiting the three boys in the grave at Pieta Military Cemetery + all the others there, of course.

I can't offer more because I don't know more of him.

Regards,

Warren Davis

MY POST TO GWF :

Looking for some help concerning Private J. Lee, sern. 3607, Lancashire Fusiliers who died on 3-9-1915 and is buried at Pieta Military Cemetery, Malta.

Pte. Lee is buried in a three man grave with my family member Pte. John Charles Kenna (pron. Kennar), no. 254, 18 Btn AIF who DOW on 3-9-1915. Also with them is Trooper Hugh John Stewart, sern. 214, 2nd Australian Light Horse who died of disease on 3-9-1915.

All were at Gallipoli.

I am leaving Australia on 28 August, 2007 for UK, Malta, France, Belgium and during the trip I will be saying "G'day" to my family members John Kenna on Malta and to his brother James Kenna in France.

I have been able to access the service record of Hugh Stewart but other than the CWGC information I know nothing of J. Lee. I would like to know more about him, if there is information available, before I visit him.

I have learned in the past that many UK servicemens' records were destroyed during the Blitz, but if I don't ask, I don't get. Maybe there is something out there.

Is there any information anyone can assist me with?

Warren Davis

"Brogo"

[John_Hartley]

Neil

Seven 1/LF men on my "More than a Name" website. Feel free to blag owt useful:-

HOPWOOD Thomas

BIRCHALL Frederick

WILLIAMSON James Albert

CLARK Ellis

MOSS William

MCGARRY Thomas

GRIFFITHS John William

Much of the personal info has been culled from the Stockport papers.

John

[Drummy]

John,

Cheers!!

Just cleared up a query on your website, re the Williamson entry. I can confirm he served in the South Africa War with the 2nd Bn LF and was invalided back to the UK 29th November 1900.

Thanks Neil.

[John_Hartley]

Cheer, mate. Every snippet helps.

John

[Drummy]

By the way John, confirmation re the above is from medal roll.

[clive_hughes]

Hi Drummy,

If its any use:

1100 CQMS / Colour Sjt. William Joseph Gudgeon, 1st Lan. Fus., who was from Bedford and whose (posthumously-born and now extremely elderly) daughter may still be alive and is an acquaintance of my daughter's.

He was KIA on 1 July 1916 on the Somme, but his medal card which I managed to obtain a couple of years ago stated he landed with the unit at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915.

SECONDLY in the days when I collected medals (to be precise, 10 September 1975) I bought in an antique shop in Menai Bridge Anglesey the 1914 Star & Bar Trio of:

2182 Pte A.F. LAMB, 2nd Lan. Fus.

They were mounted on a bar for wear, and came with a separate ribbon bar which sported not only the rosette for the 1914 Star but MID oakleaves. There was also an Old Contemptibles Association lapel badge, numbered 8311 on the reverse.

My student income ran to £8 for this little lot, but I regret I didn't buy the accompanying item - a French prayer book with ivory-like cover, and inscribed on the inside to the effect that it had been picked up on the Aisne battlefield in 1914 by Pte Lamb. It was another £8 and at that time it was too much.

I disposed of the group in May 1985 to a London dealer as part-exchange for something else (indeed, my entire collection was disposed of in 1988). The antique shop closed years ago and the owner is deceased.

Cheers,

LST_164

[Drummy]

Re the Lamb I have seen that group on the market over the years, are you aware of any picture of CQMS Gudgeon existing? Thanks Neil

[Drummy]

Re the Lamb I have seen that group on the market over the years, are you aware of any picture of CQMS Gudgeon existing? Thanks Neil

Trooper 7: Re your enquiries about Pte Lee. He disembarked at Gallipoli on the 4th August 1915 as part of a reinforcement draft to the 1st Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers (which had been there since the landing on the 25th April). He must have become ill and therefore was evacuated back to Malta where he died just under a month after arriving 'in theatre'. HMSO publication Soldiers died in the Great War records he 'died', which generally refers to those who died in accidents, of sickness, natural causes etc as opposed those officially classed 'KIA' or 'DOW'.

Pte 3607 John Lee was born in Hackney, Middlesex and enlisted at Bury, Lancashire.

Hope the above is of interest.

Thanks Neil.

[clive_hughes]

Neil,

Interesting that Pte Lamb's medals have been moving around the market, as it were.

Re. CQMS Gudgeon, I will try asking my daughter to make contact with his family and see what comes of that. I have not met them myself.

Cheers,

LST_164

[Guest]

Hi there i will just add my bit i am a medal collector and i focus mainly on WW1 medals. In my collection i have the medals to 2nd Lieutenant Ellis Clark who was a member of the 1st Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers. He was a first day KIA 25-4-1915. The information i know about him is he was born in 1886 and was 29 years old when he died. He was also promoted from company Serjeant Major to 2nd Lieutenant, the London Gazette has him listed as being promoted on the 5th March 1915. Hope this is of some use.

Hello,

Forgive me if I get this wrong as I am new to forums. But I am glad that I have found it.

2nd Lieutenant Ellis Clark of the First Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers was my Great Uncle and he has always been held in great regard within the family. Any additional information would be valued.

Thank you

[Ravrick]

Hi, I have a 1914/15 trio to 2147 Pte Arthur Evans 1st Bn Lancashire Fusiliers who, according to his index card, landed in Gallipoli on the 25th April 1915. One for the list, do you have any additional info on him?

Cheers,

Rick

[Blackblue]

Hi Neil,

Have 1914/15 Star and VM of 6523 PTE John Thomas Cook. I believe he may have been a first day lander.

Rgds

Tim D

[buxton_blade]

Hi drummy

Have some info on major shaw who landed 25 April (local man) if you are interested and I was at w beach last year and have several up to date photos ( again if your interested)

Also have the memorial plaque for harry cosgrove ( 25th lander and killed 4th June at 3rd battle for krithia) - could do with some info on him if you have any ( if he was in the paper - Oldham road, Manchester address)

Regards

Wayne

[brianmorris547]

Neil

SDGW records a number of men of 1 LF killed on 25/04/1915 who resided or enlisted in Bolton, of these the following are reported in the local papers:

Bolton Journal and Guardian 21/05/1915 in an article "Local Soldiers Killed in Dardanelles" pictured three men:

Pte John Fielding of Tonge Green Farm, Tonge Moor, Bolton. A Regular with seven years service, four in India.

Pte Pte Thomas Blackledge of 8 Benson St, Smithills, Bolton. Serving with A Coy.

Pte John Birch of 37 Windley St, Bolton. A Regular with seven years service.

The report stated that John Fielding and John Birch had been killed on 11/05/1915 and that Thomas Blackledge had been recently killed on operations in the Dardanelles.

In a separate article the same edition pictured Pte Tom Baines of 1 LF and again reported that he had been killed on 11/05/1915.

Finally the Farnworth Weekly Journal of 28/05/1915 pictured Corporal Norman Thompson of Horace St, Farnworth. The report stated that he was serving with 1 LF who suffered heavily as a landing party. I will keep my eyes open for any others.

Brian

[Andy F]

I have a  pair , War and Victory medal together with documents  to Pte 1038 Charles Alderton who served in A Company. He was killed on the 25th April, however his  official notification  states 11th May.