Category Archives: illness

Commonwealth War Graves, Devon, Great War, Hampshire, history, illness, Kent, photography, Private, Royal Marines, Somerset, story, war

Private Lot Hayward

Leave a comment
Private Lot Hayward

Lot Hayward was born in November 1897 in the Somerset village of West Coker. The seventh of eight children, his parents were Walter and Elizabeth Hayward. Walter was a twine maker at a local factory, but when Lot left school – and after Elizabeth died in 1908 – he found work as a farm labourer.

Lot was seeking bigger and better things in life, however, and on 18th August 1913, he enlisted in the Royal Marine Light Infantry. His service records confirm that he was 5ft 6ins (1.67m) tall, had light brown hair, brown eyes and a pale complexion. It also confirms that he lied about his age – giving his year of birth as 1895 in order to be accepted for service.

Private Hayward joined up at the recruitment depot in Deal, Kent, and, after training there, he was sent to Plymouth in Devon, arriving there in June 1914. Over the next couple of years, he moved between Devon and HMS Victory, the Royal Navy Dockyard in Portsmouth, Hampshire.

When war was declared, Lot also served overseas, fighting at Antwerp, Alexandria and in Turkey. While there in the summer of 1916, he fell ill, contracting pulmonary tuberculosis. He returned to Plymouth, and was admitted to the Royal Naval Hospital in the city.

His lung condition meant that Private Hayward could no longer perform his duties as a soldier. He was medically discharged from the navy on 10th June 1916.

Lot returned home, but his condition grew steadily worse. He eventually succumbed to it, passing away on 18th November 1917, at the tender age of just 20.

Lot Hayward was laid to rest in the graveyard of St Martin’s Church in his home village of West Coker. Reunited with his mother, Lot’s father, Walter, was also laid to rest in the family plot when he passed away in 1920.

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, illness, Lancashire, photography, Sergeant, Somerset, Somerset Light Infantry, story, war, Wiltshire Regiment

Sergeant Herbert Rendall

Leave a comment
Sergeant Herbert Rendall

Herbert Edward Rendall was born in West Coker, Somerset, in the autumn of 1889. He was one of eight children to William and Mary Rendall. William was a foreman at a local twine factory, although by the time of the 1911 census, he had also taken on ownership of a local grocer’s shop. Herbert and his younger brother, Clifford, managed the shop for their father.

In the spring of 1913, Herbert married Thirza Shire. She was the daughter of an agricultural labourer from Yeovil and, by the time of their marriage, she had taken on work as a servant for the vicar of St Leonard’s Church in Misterton, near Crewkerne.

When war was declared, Herbert joined the Somerset Light Infantry. Sadly, little detail of his military service remains. It is clear that he was hard working and well thought of, as he progressed through the ranks to Sergeant, and transferred to the 1st Battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment.

Herbert served on the Western Front, and, as the war entered its final months, he would certainly have been involved in the Battles of the Lys, on the Hindenburg Line and in the closing Battles of the Somme.

By the autumn of 1918, Sergeant Rendall was back on home soil, either for home support, or for medical reasons. He was based in Bury, Manchester, and had fallen ill. While the full details are unclear, whatever condition he had contracted got the better of him, and he passed away on 4th November 1918. He was 29 years of age.

Herbert Edward Rendall was brought back to Somerset for burial. He was laid to rest in the quiet graveyard of St Martin’s Church in West Coker.

Records vary over the date of Herbert’s passing. While his headstone confirms 4th November, military records – and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website – suggest the following day. Similarly, some documents suggest he was 30 when he died, while his birth and death records confirm he was in his thirtieth year.

Thirza went on to have a full life. She married again in 1923, to a Henry Tregale, and the couple went on to have a daughter. She lived to a ripe age, passing away in the autumn of 1981, at the age of 93.

Commonwealth War Graves, Dorset, Great War, history, illness, Machine Gun Corps, photography, Private, Somerset, story, war

Private Edgar Bowditch

Leave a comment
Private Edgar Bowditch

Edgar George Bowditch was born in the spring of 1887, in the Dorset village of Melbury Osmond. One of seven children, his parents were William and Sarah Bowditch. William was an agricultural labourer turned gamekeeper, and Edgar helped his father out when he left school.

William passed away in 1911, and Edgar fell off the radar until March 1914, when he married local mason’s daughter Rosetta Morris. The couple settled down in her home village of West Coker, Somerset.

When war was declared, Edgar stepped up to serve his King and Country, and enlisted in the Machine Gun Corps as a Private. He was assigned to the 37th Battalion, and certainly saw action overseas. He “came through without a scratch and in good health until demobilised in France.” [Western Chronicle: Friday 21st February 1919]

Private Bowditch was unwell when he arrived back in West Coker on 4th February 1919. While his condition is unclear, it worsened, and he passed away at home ten days later. He was 32 years of age.

Edgar George Bowditch was laid to rest in the graveyard of St Martin’s Church in his adopted home of West Coker.

Rosetta married again in 1921, to a John Axe. The couple remained in the same part of Somerset, John dying in 1947. Rosetta lived on, passing away in Yeovil in 1963, at the age of 77 years old.

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, illness, photography, Private, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, Somerset, story, Tyne & Wear, war

Private William Saunders

Leave a comment
Private William Saunders

William Edgar Saunders was born in the summer of 1900 in Limington, Somerset. He was one of nine children to labourer and drainage contractor William Saunders and his wife, Rhoda.

There is little further information documented about William Jr’s life. During the First World War, he enlisted in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, and was assigned to the 5th Battalion which served in France and Italy. All that can be confirmed, however is that he joined after March 1918 – presumably once he came of age – and was sent to the North of England for training.

Tragically, Private Saunders’ tale is a common one for young men of his age. Billeted at close quarters with other men from across the country, disease was rife, and he was not immune. William was admitted to the 1st Northern General Hospital in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, suffering from a combination of influenza and pneumonia.

This combination of conditions was to prove too much for young Private Saunders’ body to bear. He passed away on 25th October 1918, aged just 18 years old.

William Edgar Saunders’ body was brought back to Somerset for burial. He was laid to rest in the graveyard of St Mary’s Church in his home village of Limington.

Commonwealth War Graves, Devon, Great War, history, illness, London, Ordinary Seaman, photography, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, Somerset, story, Surrey, war

Ordinary Seaman Walter Pearce

Leave a comment
Ordinary Seaman Walter Pearce

Walter John Pearce was born on 15th June 1900 in Clapton, East London. One of ten children, his parents were James and Lily Pearce. Both were from Somerset, but cowman James went where the work was and they soon moved back to the South West, where he and Lily were from.

When he finished school, Walter found work as an errand boy for a grocer, but war was coming to Europe and, while he was too young when the conflict began, it was clear that he wanted to play his part as soon as he was able.

Walter enlisted in June 1918, joining the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. His service records show that he was 5ft 8ins (1.73m) tall, and had brown hair, hazel eyes and a fresh complexion. Ordinary Seaman Pearce was sent to HMS Crystal Palace in South London for training, arriving there on 17th June 1918.

Tragically, Walter’s service was to be short. Being billeted in close proximity to other men and boys from across the country, meant that disease was readily transmitted, and Walter contracted pneumonia. Admitted to the nearby Norwood Cottage Hospital, the lung condition was to prove fatal: Ordinary Seaman Pearce died on 19th July 1918. He was just 18 years of age, and had been in active service for just 33 days.

Walter John Pearce was brought back to Somerset – where his parents were now living – for burial. He was laid to rest in the peaceful graveyard of St Mary’s Church in Mudford.

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, Gunner, Hampshire, history, illness, photography, Private, Royal Marines, Somerset, story, war

Gunner Frederick Milverton

Leave a comment
Gunner Frederick Milverton

Frederick Walter John Milverton was born on 26th June 1888 in the Somerset village of Rimpton. One of seven children, his parents were farm workers George and Mary Milverton.

When he left school, it was natural for Frederick to follow in his father’s footsteps. The 1901 census recorded him as working as a farm lad in Leigh, Dorset, while in 1911 he was back at the family home, where he was formally employed as a rabbit trapper.

George passed away in 1913 and, with war fast approaching, Frederick remained at home, to help support his mother. But he eventually received his enlistment notice and, on 28th February 1916, he joined the Royal Marine Artillery.

Private Milverton’s service records show that he was 5ft 8ins (1.73m) tall, with dark brown hair, blue eyes and a fresh complexion. After five months’ initial training, Frederick was awarded the rank of Gunner 2nd Class, and assigned to the cruiser HMS Euryalus.

For the next couple of years Gunner Milverton remained on board Euryalus, serving in the Mediterranean, the Middle East, India and Hong Kong. He transferred to HMS Lavatera in March 1918, and saw out the remainder of the war on board.

In January 1919 Gunner Milverton returned to home soil, and was assigned to the Royal Marine Artillery Headquarters in Eastney, Hampshire. It was here, however, that he fell ill, and was admitted to the Royal Naval Haslar Hospital with bronchial pneumonia. Tragically the condition was to get the better of him: Frederick passed away on 6th February 1919, at the age of 30 years old.

Frederick Walter John Milverton’s body was brought back to Somerset for burial. He was laid to rest in the quiet graveyard of St Mary’s Church in his home village of Rimpton.

Commonwealth War Graves, Corporal, Great War, history, illness, Kent, North Somerset Yeomanry, photography, Private, Somerset, story, war, Wiltshire

Corporal de Courcy Raymond

Leave a comment
Corporal de Courcy Raymond

de Courcy William Raymond was born in the summer of 1883 in the Somerset village of West Camel. He was one of six children to carpenter George Raymond and his wife, Anne. de Courcy – whose name may have had family connections – followed his father into carpentry and, by the time of the 1911 census, the family had moved to nearby South Barrow, where George had been born.

When war came to Europe, de Courcy was keen to play his part. Sadly, full details of his military service no longer survive, but what can be determined is that he had enlisted by March 1915, joining the North Somerset Yeomanry.

Private Raymond was assigned to the 2nd/1st Battalion, which was a second-line troop, and remained on home soil, moving from Somerset to Wiltshire to Kent by the autumn of 1915. He was evidently good at his job as he was soon promoted to the rank of Corporal for his efforts.

It was while he was based in Kent that de Courcy fell ill. He contracted pneumonia, and was admitted to a military hospital in Canterbury. Sadly, the condition was to prove too much, and he passed away from the condition on 9th October 1915. He was 32 years of age.

The body of de Courcy William Raymond was brought back to Somerset for burial. He was laid to rest in the family plot in the graveyard of St Peter’s Church in South Barrow.

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, Hampshire, history, illness, photography, Private, Somerset, Somerset Light Infantry, story, war

Private Sidney Biddiscombe

Leave a comment
Private Sidney Biddiscombe

Sidney William Biddiscombe was born in South Cadbury, Somerset, in the spring of 1895. The eighth of sixteen children, his parents were Thomas and Constance Biddiscombe. Thomas was an agricultural labourer, and this is work that Sidney went into when he finished school.

When war came to Europe, Sidney was quick to enlist. Whether this was out of a sense of duty, a keenness to get involved, a need to follow his older brothers, or as an escape from farm labouring is unclear, though. He joined the Somerset Light Infantry in August 1914, and was assigned to the 7th (Service) Battalion.

There is little information available about Private Biddiscombe’s time in the army. He received his training in Hampshire, and was based at Aldershot. The sudden influx of young men from across the country into small, cramped billets meant that illness ran rife, and Sidney, it seems, was not immune. He contracted measles, and was admitted to the camp’s Isolation Hospital.

Sadly, the infection was to get the better of Private Biddiscombe, and he passed away at the hospital on 5th March 1915. He was just 20 years of age.

Sidney William Biddiscombe was brought back to Somerset for burial. He was laid to rest in the graveyard of St Thomas a Becket’s Church in his home village of South Cadbury.

Sidney’s epitaph notes he is “never forgotten by mother, brothers and sisters”. His father, Thomas, died in 1918, at the age of 62, and so was not commemorated on his son’s headstone, which was erected at a later date.

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, illness, Kent, King's (Liverpool Regiment), photography, Rifleman, story, war

Rifleman William Locke

Leave a comment
Rifleman William Locke

William Thomas Locke was born at the start of 1900 in the Kent village of Eccles. His parents were Thomas and Annie Locke, although it seems that he was orphaned early on. The 1901 census recorded him as living with his grandparents John and Mary Locke. Their daughter Annie is also recorded as living at the property, although there is nothing to confirm whether she was William’s mother or an aunt.

By the time of the 1911 census John Locke had died. Mary was living in the same house, with two of her sons – Frederick and Alfred – and her grandchildren, William and his cousin Gladys. Both of William’s uncles were labourers in the local cement works, and it seems likely that this would be work that he would have followed them into once he had completed school.

William’s trail goes cold at this point, although he would have been too young to join up at the outbreak of the First World War. Records confirm that he had enlisted by March 1918, and it seems likely that he would have done so as soon as he came of age.

Rifleman Locke joined the 5th Battalion of the King’s (Liverpool Regiment), but this is the only detail of his military service that can be confirmed. The next record for him confirms that he passed away on 5th October 1918, having been admitted to hospital in Oswestry, Shropshire, suffering from intestinal problems. He was just 18 years old when he passed.

William Thomas Locke’s body was brought back to Kent for burial. He was laid to rest in the graveyard of St Peter & St Paul’s Church in Aylesford, the parish church for his home village of Eccles.

The specific location of William’s grave is not known, although it is likely that he was laid to rest near his grandfather. Instead, he is commemorated on a joint headstone in the First World War section of the graveyard. William’s grandmother passed away the following year, and records confirm that his next of kin was noted as his aunt, Mary Ann Longley.

Commonwealth War Graves, East Kent Regiment, Great War, history, illness, Kent, photography, Private, Royal West Kent Regiment, story, war

Private Charles Grigsby

Leave a comment
Private Charles Grigsby

Charles Grigsby was born in Boughton Monchelsea, a village to the south of Maidstone, Kent, in the summer of 1878. His parents were farm labourer William Grigsby and his wife, Elizabeth, and he was one of four children. Charles’ mother passed away when he was just three years old, and William married again – to another Elizabeth. They had six children – half-siblings to Charles.

Charles falls off the radar for a few years – his First World War service records suggest that he had enlisted with the East Kent Regiment, and so may have been serving abroad at the time of the 1891 and 1901 censuses.

In 1904 he was back in Kent, however, where he married Henrietta Harpum. The daughter of a soldier, Henrietta had been born in Shoeburyness, Essex, but the family had moved to Frindsbury, Kent, not long afterwards.

The 1911 census found the Grigsbys living in the village of Eccles, near Aylesford. Charles was working as a blacksmith’s striker at the local cement works, and they had their Henrietta’s nephew, George, living with them at the time the record was taken.

When war was declared, Charles stepped up again to play his part. He enlisted on 24th August 1914, and was assigned to the Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). Private Grigsby’s service records confirm that he was 5ft 6.5ins (1.69m) tall, and weighed 129lbs (58.5kg). He had brown hair, blue eyes and tattoos on both arms.

Tragically, Henrietta died not long after her husband joined up, although the exact date and cause of her passing is lost to time. Assigned to the 6th (Service) Battalion, Charles was, by this time, based in Hythe, on the Kent coast.

Private Grigsby’s time back in the army was to be a short one, however. He was admitted to Shorncliffe Military Hospital in January 1915, suffering from bronchial pneumonia, and is was this lung condition that was to take his life just weeks later. He passed away on 22nd February 1915, at the age of 35 years old.

Charles Grigsby was brought back to Aylesford by his siblings. He was laid to rest in the graveyard of St Peter & St Paul’s Churchyard. It is likely that he was buried alongside Henrietta, although the exact location of his grave is not longer known. Instead, he is commemorated on a joint headstone in the First World War section of the graveyard.