calvin Posted 24 May , 2008 Share Posted 24 May , 2008 hello, can anyone help me with this one, the only info. i have is william wheatcroft, corporal 5th lincs, 50 ainsle street grimsby, he was related to harry wheatcroft the rose grower, any help at all would be greatly appriciated, thankyou, regards, john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 24 May , 2008 Share Posted 24 May , 2008 This man's numbering fits with the 5th Lincolns range of TF numbers (starting at 240001). The number would suggest that he was probably serving for a few years prior to the war as well. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8linc7ra Posted 24 May , 2008 Share Posted 24 May , 2008 He looks like an original member of the battalion if you contact Steve Bramley on this forum he will be able to give you better information he knows more about the 5th Lincolns than anyone John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calvin Posted 24 May , 2008 Author Share Posted 24 May , 2008 thankyou both for that info. i much appriciate it. regards john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Inspector Posted 24 May , 2008 Share Posted 24 May , 2008 hello, can anyone help me with this one, the only info. i have is william wheatcroft, corporal 5th lincs, 50 ainsle street grimsby, he was related to harry wheatcroft the rose grower, any help at all would be greatly appriciated, thankyou, regards, john Hi John, If you don't already know (usually somebody answers immediately!!!) William Wheatcroft Pension Records available on Ancestry (4th entry down William Wheatcroft, no other details given other than 15 pages) Definitely him Enlisted 13.2.13 was an electrician in civvy street from Ainsley St. Numbers 1518, (2)40144. Disch. 22.2.19 g/shot wound thigh. Lots of info to see. Regards, Barry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Bramley Posted 25 May , 2008 Share Posted 25 May , 2008 Hello John and all, William Wheatcroft was, prior to the outbreak of the Great war, and (according to his pension records held on Ancestry.com,) employed as an electrician in the electrical department of G.C.R. Grimsby. (I take this to be the Great Central Railway.). He also became a private soldier (part-time) with the 5th Battalion (Territorial Force) Lincolnshire regiment on 13.02.1913 being issued the service number 1518, he was 20. Wheatcroft lived at 50 Ainslie Street in central Grimsby, less than a mile from the Territorial Force drill hall, which stood until 1960 in Doughty Road. Streets close by such as Farebrother Street and Legsby Avenue also supplied members of the TF. Another member, 21-year-old Private Lionel Ross Whitelam (1102) lived at 61 Ainslie Street. They would attend the drill hall weekly, joining either A or B Company. Six other companies (C-H) would comprise the remainder of the Battalion and were based at drill halls in the towns and villages of North Lincolnshire. Annual two-week camp was always an incentive to join the TF and when war was declared the 5th Battalion were at camp in Bridlington. They were hurriedly mobilised and returned to Grimsby. Two days later on the 5th August, William Wheastcroft was embodied. The Battalion soon moved to Essex and Bedfordshire to join with the rest of the North Midland Division (later the 46th). Here several months of training took place and men were asked to volunteer for overseas service. Those that did became 1/5th Battalion; those who did not formed the basis of the second line Battalion, the 2/5th. Between 27th February and 1st of March 1915 the Division sailed from Southampton to Havre to become the first complete TF Division on the Western front. After two weeks trench instruction at Ploegsteert, the Division moved to the Kemmel sector in Belgium where the 1/5th Lincolns as part of the 138th Brigade manned trenches in front of the Messines Ridge, during this time the company structure was reformed from eight to four, the old A and B companies became A. By July 1915, they had moved to the Hill 60 sector near Ypres. This period lasted until late September. Both spells saw the Battalion suffer approximately 300 casualties. Wheatcroft, apart from two short bouts of sickness came through unscathed. On October 13th the 1/5th Lincolns were in France, between the villages of Hulloch and Vermelles to take part in an attack against a German strongpoint called the Hohenzollern Redoubt. This was part of the final phase of the battle of Loos. The 46th Division suffered 3,763 casualties of which the 1/5th Lincolns were to endure 483, 188 of whom lost their lives, including Lionel Whitelam. Again William Wheatcroft emerged physically intact. A brief sojourn in Egypt was ‘enjoyed’ by part of the division before it was recalled; now back up to strength, to France in January 1916. That winter was spent on Vimy Ridge, where Wheatcroft, now a Lance Corporal would have helped to train the newer members of the battalion while enduring often wet and freezing conditions. At the end of April the Division moved near to Gommecourt to prepare for the Somme battles. Much of the preparation involved digging support and communication trenches around Fonquevillers. When the Somme battle eventually began at 7.30 a.m. on the 1st July the 1/5th Battalion was in reserve in a position 1000 yards east of Souastre. An hour later as the attack floundered the Lincolns were ordered to move up to Fonquevillers and take up position in Midland trench (which they had helped to dig in June!). The Battalion waited there until the afternoon for orders. During their wait the trench was shelled by the enemy causing 11 casualties. Harry Gill of Guildford Street in Grimsby was killed outright. It is almost certain that one of the other casualties was William Wheatcroft, who (again according to his pension records) received shrapnel wounds to both thighs. Wheatcroft was evacuated overnight firstly to the 1/3rd North Midland Field Ambulance and then number 20 Casualty Clearing Station. His comrades would be involved trying to rescue the trapped and wounded of the days attack from No-Man’s-Land. By the 7th July Wheatcroft had reached the Canadian Hospital at Le Treport where he remained for 11 days. Wheatcroft returned to England and received further treatment at the David Lewis Hospital in Liverpool. Just after Christmas in 1916 he spent 50 days in hospital at the command depot in Ripon. Wheatcroft was renumbered in March 1917. He later spent sometime as full corporal with the reserve battalion at RIMAC camp at Saltfleetby but did not return to the front. He was disembodied on discharge in February 1919 aged 26. His pension report states that he still suffered some pain in his thighs when walking. Regards, Steve. What was William's relationship to Harry? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calvin Posted 25 May , 2008 Author Share Posted 25 May , 2008 hello steve, william was my great uncle and i believe was a cousin to harry but i will have to check that out and let you know, that is a very interesting report steve and thankyou for it. as you said william was at saltfleetby in 1919, later that year he married my great auntie nellie who was from saltfleetby, her name was sarah ellen dring. she had a rose named after her. i have sent e-mail. thanks again, regards, john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Bramley Posted 25 May , 2008 Share Posted 25 May , 2008 Perhaps they met in the Prussian Queen? Lovely ending to the story, Cheers, Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calvin Posted 26 May , 2008 Author Share Posted 26 May , 2008 hello steve, is the prussion queen still a shop as well as a pub, regards, john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8linc7ra Posted 27 May , 2008 Share Posted 27 May , 2008 hello steve, is the prussion queen still a shop as well as a pub, regards, john Hi John The Prussian Queen was still a pub and shop last year when i was working up that way John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Bramley Posted 27 May , 2008 Share Posted 27 May , 2008 Thanks John, The PQ was, incidently, home to Archibald Ingamells in 1919. He was awarded an MM at the Hohenzollern Redoubt with the 1/5th. S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GAClayton Posted 28 July , 2008 Share Posted 28 July , 2008 Would be interested in hearing from John Baxter again.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now