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Able Seaman, Boy, Commonwealth War Graves, Devon, East Surrey Regiment, Great War, history, illness, Labour Corps, Ordinary Seaman, photography, Private, Royal Navy, Somerset, story, Surrey, war

Private William Stringer

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Private William Stringer

William Stringer was born in Warlingham, Surrey, on 4th December 1885, and was one of nine children to Stephen and Jane Stringer. Stephen was a carter, but is seems that William wanted an escape.

On 18th April 1901, he enlisted in the Royal Navy and, because of his age, he was granted the rank of Boy 2nd Class. He was initially sent to HMS Impregnable, the school ship, and remained there for just over a year, during which his hard work paid off and he was promoted to Boy 1st Class.

His basic training complete, and after a short stint at HMS Vivid, the Royal Naval Dockyard at Devonport, he was assigned to HMS Collingwood. Over the next couple of years, William served on a couple more vessels and, in 1903, when he came of age, he was formally inducted into the navy, and given the rank of Ordinary Seaman.

William’s service records show that he was 5ft 4ins (1.63m) tall, had auburn hair, brown eyes and a fresh complexion. For distinguishing marks, he was noted as having two dots on his left forearm and scars on his legs.

Now that he was tied to a twelve year contract, Ordinary Seaman Stringer’s seems to have viewed his life in a different light. His ‘very good’ conduct quickly changed to ‘fair’ and, at the end of 1904, he spent two separate stints in the cells, presumably because of his attitude or behaviour.

This shock to the system seems to have been what William needed, however, as in 1905, he took to the new role, and his ratings improved once more. Over the next couple of years, he served on HMS Montagu and HMS Diamond, returning to Devonport in between voyages. In January 1907 he was promoted again, this time to Able Seaman, but, as with the previous promotion, things began to go downhill again.

In March, he spent two weeks in Diamond’s brig, a punishment that was repeated in September. The following month Able Seaman Stringer’s service records not his character as ‘indifferent’ and, the following month he was discharged from the Royal Navy, having refused to work for 42 days.

It was while he was serving on board HMS Diamond that William met Lena Cropp, who was presumably working in one of the ports on the South Coast. She was the daughter of labourer Jesse Cropp and his wife, Philadelphia. When Jesse died in 1897, Philadelphia married bricklayer James Smith, who had boarded with the family for a number of years.

William and Lena had a son, Joseph, on Christmas Day 1907. Now removed from the Navy, William moved his young family back to Surrey, where he found work as a cowman, and Lena took in laundry to bring in an extra income. The couple went on to marry in 1911, and went on to have two further children – Elsie, who was born in 1912, but who died when just a toddler; and Gladys, who was born in the summer of 1918.

When war closed in on Europe, something of a sense of duty must have pulled on William. He enlisted in the summer of 1915, joining the East Surrey Regiment. He seems to have quickly transferred across to the Labour Corps, and arrived in France on 15th July.

It is unclear for how long Private Stringer served in France, but at some point he returned to Britain. In October 1918, he was admitted to the War Hospital in Bath, suffering from stomach problems. His health was to prove his undoing, and he passed away from a biliary calculi peritonitis on 8th October 1918, at the age of 34 years of age.

Finances may have been tight for Lena, as William was buried in the city where he died, rather than being brought back to Surrey, where she was living. Because of this, it is unlikely that he ever met his daughter, who had been born just two months before.

William Stringer was laid to rest in the Roman Catholic Cemetery in Bath.

William’s Pension Ledger notes Lena as his widow, but only mentions one child – Joseph – as a dependent. The document also records him as an illegitimate stepchild, as he had been born a couple of years before the couple married.

The record notes that it, while Joseph’s legitimacy meant he was not eligible for a share of his William’s pension, it had been decided that the basic rate should be provided while he remained in Lena’s care.

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, Lancashire, photography, Private, Royal Army Service Corps, Somerset, story, unknown, war

Private Francis Barnes

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Private Francis Barnes

The life of Francis – Frank – Barnes is destined to remain a mystery and, indeed, the majority of the information comes from his headstone and one document, the British Army Register of Soldiers’ Effects.

Frank’s headstone confirms that he was a Private in the Royal Army Service Corps, and that he died on 13th December 1917, though the cause of his passing is unknown. He is buried in Bath Roman Catholic Cemetery, so this also sheds light on his religion.

The British Army Register of Soldiers’ Effects suggests that he was also known as Frank McBarnes, although no further information comes to light with this alternative surname. The document confirms that he died in Bath War Hospital, and that his dependents were not eligible for a war gratuity, which suggests that he enlisted after June 1917.

Five dependents are highlighted on the record – Frank’s siblings Sabrina, Elizabeth, Margaret, Patrick and Thomas. This would suggest that both of their parents were dead by the time Frank himself passed away. Sadly, a combined search of the siblings doesn’t shed any light on their background, despite married names being given for Sabrina and Margaret, and an alternative surname – McManus – being provided for Thomas.

Some lives are not meant to be uncovered, and that of Frank Barnes, at rest in a peaceful Somerset cemetery, took everything to his grave.

Commonwealth War Graves, Driver, Great War, history, photography, Royal Engineers, Scotland, Somerset, story, unknown, war, West Midlands

Driver Matthew MacRae

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Driver Matthew MacRae

Much of Matthew Alexander MacRae’s life is destined to remain a mystery. He was born in Scotland in 1892, and was the second of three children to Thomas and Christiana MacRae. The family had moved to Birmingham – where Thomas had found work as a garment dyer – by the time of the 1901 census.

When war came to Europe, Matthew enlisted in the Royal Engineers. Nothing of his service records survives, but it is clear that he had joined as a Driver by the summer of 1918.

The next evidence for Driver MacRae is that of his passing, on 18th February 1919, at the age of 27 years. No cause of death is evident, although there is nothing in contemporary newspapers to suggest anything other than natural causes.

Two documents add a little more mystery to Matthew’s legacy. The Army Register of Soldiers’ Effects notes his father, Thomas, as the beneficiary of his estate. The Dependents’ Pension, however, suggests that an Emily MacRae, was to be provided with support. This was not Matthew’s sister, and Emily’s address – Cross Street in Bath, not far from where Driver MacRae was buried – would suggest that she was his widow, although there are no marriage records to corroborate this.

Matthew Alexander MacRae was laid to rest in the Roman Catholic Cemetery in Bath, Somerset.

Commonwealth War Graves, Gloucestershire, Great War, history, illness, Ireland, Lancashire, photography, Private, Royal Army Medical Corps, Somerset, story, war

Private John Maguire

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Private John Maguire

John Maguire was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1874. There is scant information about his life, and his name is too common to be able to narrow down details of his family.

The only documentation that links to his life is that of his army service. He was working as a labourer when he enlisted in the Royal Army Medical Corps on 27th April 1918. His service records confirm he was 5ft 7ins (1.7m) tall, with blue eyes, grey hair and a sallow complexion. Interestingly, he reported that he did not have any next-of-kin.

Private Maguire seemed to serve on home soil, and was primarily based in Lancashire. It was while here in the January of 1919 that he fell ill with nephritis – kidney disease – and was admitted to the hospital on Adelaide Street, Blackpool.

His condition was such that it led to John’s discharge from military service on medical grounds. On 23rd February he was moved to the 2nd Southern General Hospital in Bristol, and two days later he left army life. John was transferred to the War Hospital in Bath a couple of weeks later, and it was here that he passed away on 16th April 1919. He was 45 years of age.

An addition to John’s initial service records noted that a next-of-kin had been confirmed, and so Mary Prestige, who was living in Bedminster, to the south of Bristol, was informer of her friend’s death.

Respecting the Irishman’s religion, John Maguire was laid to rest in the Roman Catholic Cemetery in Bath, the city in which he died.

John’s friend, Mary Prestige, is also destined to remain a mystery. There are no records of her at the address John’s service records provide – Pipe Cottage, North Street, Bedminster.

There are two census records for Somerset for a Mary Prestige: 1901 records a Durham-born 18 year old Mary working as one of a number of laundry maids at the Marlborough Hill House of Refuge in Bristol.

The 1911 census records the same Mary Prestige visiting a William and Amelia Hockerday in Yatton, Somerset. It is impossible to confirm, however, whether this is the woman John notified the army as his next of kin.

Belgian Army, Belgium, Commonwealth War Graves, Corporal, Great War, history, illness, Korporaal, photography, Somerset, story, war

Korporaal Paul Vandermersch

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Korporaal Paul Vandermersch

The funeral took place on Friday last, at Bath, of Paul Vandermersch, second son of Paul Vandermersch, Divisional Chief, Provincial Administration, Western Flanders. Deceased passed away the previous Tuesday at 86, Shakespeare-avenue, Bath, at the early age of 22. He had served in the Belgian Army, but suffering from phthisis, he was invalided out.

Catholic Times and Catholic Opinion: Friday 14th January 1916

Paul Pierre Arnold Joseph Vandermersch was born on 11th April 1893 in Bruges, Belgium. Details of his early life are scarce, but it is clear that he was the son of Paul and Louise Vandermersch.

During the First World War, Paul served as a Korporaal (Corporal) in the Belgian Army, and was assigned to the 2 Linie 1/1 (second line). Full service records are not available, but having contracted tuberculosis, and with the influx of Belgian refugees to Britain during the conflict, it is likely that, having been medically discharged from the army, he was sent to Somerset to recuperate.

Korporaal Paul Pierre Arnold Joseph Vandermersch died on 4th January 1916, and was laid to rest in the Roman Catholic Cemetery in Bath.

Commonwealth War Graves, Dorset, Great War, Hampshire, history, illness, London, photography, Second Lieutenant, story, Surrey, war, Wiltshire

Second Lieutenant Charles Hales

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Second Lieutenant Charles Hales

Charles Edward Hoare Hales was born in Bournemouth, Dorset, in the summer of 1886. The fourth of five children, his parents were Arthur Hales – a Major General in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers – and his wife, Maria.

Arthur’s career stood the family in good stead: the 1891 census records the Hales living in a house in Crystal Palace Park, South London, with five servants supporting their – and their two visitors’ – every need. Arthur also believed in education for this two sons: Charles was dispatched to Hartwood House School in Hartley Wintney, Hampshire.

Arthur died in 1904 and at this point the Hales family disappears – there is no record for Maria or her five children in any of the 1911 census returns.

When war came to Europe, Charles and his older brother Arthur, stepped up to play their part. Both joined the Wiltshire Regiment, both being attached to the 1st Battalion. Sadly, neither of the brothers’ service records remain, so it is difficult to piece together their military careers.

Arthur achieved the rank of Captain, gained a Military Cross for his dedication and service. He was caught up in the Battle of Albert – one of the phases of the fighting at The Somme – in 1916. He was initially reported killed in action, then, to the elation of Maria, this was changed to missing. Tragically, he was subsequently confirmed as dead, having passed away on 6th July 1916, aged 34 years of age. He is commemorated on the Thiepval memorial in Northern France.

A further tragedy was to strike the Hales family the following year, when Charles, who had risen to the rank of Second Lieutenant, also passed away.

The internment took place in Bathwick Cemetery on Monday, of Mr Chas. Edward Hoare Hales, 2nd-Lieutenant Wiltshire Regiment, who died on Thursday, after a long illness contracted on active service. He was the last surviving son of the late Major-General A Hales, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, Commandant of the Straits Settlements, and of Mrs Hales… The young officer, whose body was brought from Buxton, was buried in the same grave where rest the remains of his father, who died in April 1904.

Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette: Saturday 1st December 1917

Details of Charles’ illness, from which he passed on 22nd November 1917, are unclear. He was 31 years old when he died. He left his estate – which amounted to £6524 18s 1d (the equivalent of £579,000 in today’s money) to his youngest sister, Sophia.

Maria Hales passed away in 1924, at the age of 74. She was buried in the family ploy, reunited with husband and younger son once more.

Second Lieutenant Charles Hales
(from findagrave.com)
Captain Arthur Hales
(from findagrave.com)
Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, illness, North Somerset Yeomanry, photography, Sergeant, Somerset, South Africa, story, war, Welch Regiment

Serjeant George Collins

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Serjeant George Collins

Details of the lives of those who fell during the Great War can be limited by the documentation that is available more than a century later. Based on what remains, the life of George Collins would have been technical and sparse.

From the formal documents that remain, it is possible to determine that he was born in Bath, Somerset, in 1870 or 1871, and his father was farmer Oliver Collins.

George married Florence Lydyard on 25th January 1896 at the parish church in Bathampton. George was listed as a cellarman, while Florence was noted as being the daughter of George Lydyard, an agent.

The 1901 census found the couple living at the Liberal Club in Bath, which they were both managing. The couple had had a son, George Jr, who was born in 1898, and were employing a servant to help with the daily chores.

The 1911 census shows that George had left the club behind, and was employed as a gymnastic instructor. He and Florence now had four children: Mona, who was 14 (and who didn’t appear on the previous census); George; and twins Marjorie and Dorothy, who were born on 5th July 1904.

The limited military documentation confirms that George enlisted in the North Somerset Yeomanry by October 1917. He was assigned to the 2nd/1st Battalion, which was a mounted division that became a cyclist unit. The troop was based on home soil throughout the war and, depending on when he joined, George could have served anywhere from Northumberland to East Anglia or Southern Ireland.

These details, while uncovering something of George’s life, remain as clinical as the engraving on his headstone. With Serjeant Collins, it is a newspaper article on his passing that adds humanity to his life:

Many friends in Bath will regret to hear that Sergeant George Collins died on Saturday at the Bath War Hospital, where he had been an inmate for seven weeks, suffering acutely from gastritis. Deceased, who was a Bathonian by birth, when a youth joined the Welsh Regiment, and served for seven years in the 1st Battalion… He returned to Bath 21 years ago, and became a drill and physical instructor to several schools… whilst he also instructed evening classes at Guinea Lane and St Mary’s Church House. Being a Reservist he was called upon for the South African War, and Sergeant Collins rejoined his old regiment in 1899. He was wounded and invalided home… When he recovered from his wounds, Sergeant Collins resumed his work as an instructor at schools, and continued to act in that capacity until 1915. Though 44 years of age and not liable for military service, he very patriotically rejoined; he entered the North Somerset Yeomanry and became a drill instructor. He had not been abroad in this war, but had served in several places with the 2/1st NSY. The fatal illness became very pronounced in January when on leave, and he was not able to rejoin his unit. Sergeant Collins was a fine boxer, and became middle-weight champion of the Army when serving with the 1st Welsh. His experience as a trainer was often in request locally, and he had acted in that capacity to the most successful Avon Rowing Club crews. Deceased leaves a widow, one son, and three daughters. His only boy, Sapper George Collins, Wessex [Royal Engineers], has been serving at Salonika since 1915.

Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette: Saturday 13 April 1918

Beyond the staid, formal documents is a life well lived. Serjeant George Collins was 47 or 48 years old when he passed on 5th April 1918; the army record noted the cause of his death as a cerebral haemorrhage. His body was laid to rest in the graveyard of St Mary the Virgin Church, Bathwick, overlooking the city he loved.

accident, Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, killed in action, Oxfordshire, photography, Royal Air Force, Shropshire, Somerset, story, war

Flight Cadet John Fox

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Flight Cadet John Fox

John Francis Fox was born early in 1898 in the village of Alkerton, Oxfordshire. One of eight children, he was the only son to miller-turned-butcher George Fox, and his wife, Ann. The family remained in Oxfordshire until at least the outbreak of war, when George and Ann appeared to have moved to Somerset.

When John left school, he took up an apprenticeship at Stothert & Pitt’s engineering works in Bath and in May 1918, with the First World War entering its last few bloody months, he was finally old enough to enlist. He joined the Royal Air Force as a Flight Cadet and was based at the 13th Training Depot Station near Market Drayton, Shropshire.

On 21st December 1918, Flight Cadet Fox was undertaking his first solo flight, on board an Avro 504K. His aircraft collided with another, which was piloted by a Captain Edgar Beamer. Both were killed in the accident: John was just 20 years of age.

An inquest into the crash, which also involved a third man, Captain Harrison, who was a passenger in Beamer’s plane, returned verdicts of accidental death.

John Francis Fox’s body was brought back to Somerset for burial. He was laid to rest in the graveyard of St Mary the Virgin’s Church, Bath.

Admiral, Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, illness, London, photography, Royal Navy, Somerset, story, war

Admiral of the Fleet Sir George Callaghan

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Admiral of the Fleet Sir George Callaghan

George Astley Callaghan was born in London on 21st December 1852, the third of six children to Frederic and Georgiana Callaghan. Frederic was born in Ireland and was the son of MP and landowner Daniel Callaghan. He built a career for himself as a magistrate and set up home in Bath, Somerset with Cheltenham-born Georgiana.

The family had means and the 1861 census records them living at a five-storey Georgian house in Catharine Place, Bath, with five live-in servants: a butler, cook, housemaid, nursemaid and nurse.

George enlisted in the Royal Navy in January 1866, and was assigned to the training ship HMS Britannia. From here, his career was to prove meteoric. He was promoted to the rank of Midshipman in October 1867 and by 1870 he was serving in the East Indies. On 15th April 1872 he gained the rank of Sub-Lieutenant, and was promoted to full Lieutenant exactly three years later.

In 1877, Lieutenant Callaghan received a commendation for saving the lives of sailor whose boat had capsized in the Irrawaddy River. George was assigned to HMS Excellent, a gunnery school, in 1880, and formally joined the staff there in 1882. Back on the open seas by 1885, he was promoted to Commander on 31st December 1887 and given control of the battleship HMS Bellerophon. By 1894, George had been promoted again, to the rank of Captain, and took on the additional duties of naval advisor to the War Office.

As the new century dawned, George was mentioned in dispatches for his support during the Boxer Rebellion. Further commands followed, including HMS Edgar and HMS Caesar, both in 1901. He was made Captain of Portsmouth Dockyard and then naval aide-de-camp to the King in 1904. By the following year, he was given the rank of Rear Admiral, became Second-in-Command of the Channel Fleet in 1906, Second-in-Command of the Mediterranean Fleet in 1908. In December that year he was awarded Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order for the aid he provided to survivors of the Messina earthquake.

In April 1910, George was knighted and promoted to Vice Admiral, and within eighteen months he was made Commander-in-Chief of the Home Fleet, gaining the rank of Admiral in November 1911.

During this time of military promotion, George had also had his own family. On 2nd February 1876, he had married Edith Grosvenor in St Andrew’s Church, Walcot, Bath. The couple went on to have four children: Dorothy, Cyril, Noël and Stella.

A naval officer’s wife was destined to be a lonely life, and the census records seem to reflect this. In 1881, Edith and Dorothy were visiting a curate and his family in Wiltshire. Ten years later, Edith and her four children were living at the family home in Bathwick, with one visitor and three servants. The 1901 census found Edith, Cyril (who was now a midshipman himself) and Noël living in Devonport with a cook and two other servants. By 1911, Edith had moved again. She was 54 by this point, and based at a house in Havant, Hampshire, with a cook and two maids. All of this time, of course, George was away at sea, performing his duties.

George, by this point, had spent years preparing for the war he knew was coming. However, in July 1914, the First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill, commanded Sir John Jellicoe to relieve George of his position as Commander-in-Chief of the Home Fleet. Whether Churchill believed that Sir Callaghan was now too old to successfully carry out the duties the advancing conflict would impose upon him is unclear. It must have disappointed the 62-year-old George, however.

His work continued, however: he was appointed First an Principal Naval Aide-de-Camp to the King in September 1914, and became Commander-in-Chief of The Nore in three months later. He was promoted again, to Admiral of the Fleet, in April 1917, but subsequently retired less than a year later.

George’s life over the next couple of years goes a little quiet. Indeed it is only in November 1920 that further information is available.

The death occurred in London yesterday afternoon of Admiral of the Fleet Sir George Callaghan KCB. He had been ill for some months, and the immediate cause of death was an affection of the heart.

The Scotsman: Wednesday 24th November 1920

Sir George’s passing at his London home was reported in most of the press, highlighting his military achievements and decorations. His funeral was held at Westminster Abbey, and he was then laid to rest in the graveyard of St Mary’s Church in Bathwick, not far from his and Edith’s main home.

Sir George Callaghan
Able Seaman, Boy, Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, illness, Leading Seaman, Ordinary Seaman, Petty Officer, photography, Royal Navy, Somerset, story, war

Petty Officer 1st Class Samuel Bailey

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Petty Officer 1st Class Samuel Bailey

Samuel Inkerman Bailey was born in the summer of 1861 in Bath, Somerset. The youngest of five children, his parents were James and Mary Bailey. James was an ostler, or groom, but he died in August 1862, when his son was barely a year old.

Mary was left a widow, with a young family to raise and, as so many women in her position did in Victorian Britain, she remarried. She wed tailor Robert Lankesheer, a widower with four children of his own. The couple went on to have three further children – three half-siblings to Samuel.

While the 1871 census suggests that Robert welcomed Mary’s youngest into the family home, it seems that things were not so comfortable for Samuel. On 22nd May 1878, he enlisted in the Royal Navy, destined for a life at sea. He was only 16 years old at this point – although, interestingly, his service records give his date of birth as 27th March 1862. They also note that he was 5ft 2.5ins (1.59m) tall, with light brown hair, blue-grey eyes and a fair and fresh complexion.

As he was too young to formally enlist, Samuel was given the rank of Boy 2nd Class and sent to HMS Impregnable for training. Just over a year later, he was promoted to Boy 1st Class and, on 10th January 1880 he was given his first posting, on board the sloop HMS Dryad.

It was while Samuel was on board the Dryad that he came of age, and was officially inducted into the Royal Navy. He signed up for ten years service, and was given the rank of Ordinary Seaman 2nd Class. Samuel was certainly a dedicated young man: within three months he was again promoted, this time to Ordinary Seaman. He remained on Dryad until February 1884, by which time he had been promoted again, to Able Seaman.

Samuel ended up serving until 31st March 1900. During his time with the Royal Navy, he continued to distinguish himself, his character being noted as Very Good on each of his service reviews. He served on thirteen vessels, and was promoted through the ranks, to Leading Seaman (in August 1885), Petty Office 2nd Class (in January 1894) and Petty Officer 1st Class (in September 1897).

When he was stood down to the naval reserve, Samuel returned to Somerset. He found a job as a superintendent at the public baths in Bathwick and, on 15th April 1901, he married former housemaid and agricultural labourer’s daughter, Alice Clarke. As Samuel’s house came with his job, the couple set up home there, and went on to have five children: Samuel Jr, Emma, James, Alice and Joseph.

When war broke out, Samuel has been stood down from reserve status for more than two years. This did not stop him from stepping up to play his part again, however, and as Petty Officer 1st Class, he took up a training role at HMS Victory, the Royal Naval Dockyard in Portsmouth. He served for just over fourteen months, before he became ill, passing away from intestinal disease – which an inquest identified as ptomaine poisoning – at the city’s Royal Naval Hospital. He was 54 years of age.

Reporting on his death, the local newspaper recognised his fifteen years’ service at the public baths, as well as picking up on the fact that his unusual middle name was given to him in recognition of the death of his great uncle in the battle of that name during the Crimean War.

The same report outlined his dedicated naval career, although not always being correct with all of the details. It did note, however “two years or more on the Royal Yacht ‘Victoria & Albert,’ when used by Queen Victoria, a testament to the reliance placed in his trustworthiness.” [Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette: Saturday 16th October 1915] The then Able Seaman Bailey’s service records do note that he served aboard the Victoria & Albert, from 18th March to 11th May 1885, although whether the Queen sailed on her during this time is not known.

Samuel Inkerman Bailey was brought back to Somerset for burial. He was laid to rest in the Smallcombe Vale Cemetery in Bathwick, the community he had served for so long.

Petty Officer 1st Class Samuel Bailey
(from ancestry.co.uk)