Category Archives: injury

Coldstream Guards, Commonwealth War Graves, Cornwall, Great War, history, illness, injury, Labour Corps, photography, Private, Somerset, story, war

Private Roland Roberts

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Private Roland Roberts

Roland Roberts was born in September 1896, one of three children – all boys – to Albert and Minnie Roberts.

Minnie, who was originally from Yeovil, had married Walter Shury, a Londoner, in 1874, and the couple had six children together. Walter then went on to have four children with Alice Norwood, and the couple married in 1898. Minnie, meanwhile, had met Albert Roberts, who was from Dundalk in Ireland, and, while no marriage seems to be confirmed, the couple had three boys, including Roland. (It is pure speculation, but as Minnie’s maiden was also Roberts, this might have provided a good enough cover for any divorce or re-marriage.)

Albert had been a Band Sergeant in the 4th Hussars, and continued that passion by becoming a music teacher Travel was also definitely in his blood: the couple’s first child, Willie, was born in South London, Roland was born in Somerset, and his younger sibling, Glencoe, was born in Penzance, Cornwall. Albert’s musical success led him to become bandmaster for the Penzance Town Band. Sadly, it was not all positive for him; in 1901, Minnie passed away, and in the same year, Willie also died, at the tender age of six.

It was the military that drew Roland in, and, in 1910, aged just 14 years old, he enlisted in the Coldstream Guards. According to the following year’s census, he was stationed at the Ramillies Barracks in Aldershot, and held the rank of Boy.

Differing from the naval rank of the same name, lads of 14 or over could serve in any regiment as musicians, drummers, tailors, shoemakers, artificers or clerks, and all were ranked as boys. It seems likely, therefore, that his father’s enthusiasm for music served him well.

When war broke out, he was of fighting age, and, as part of the “Old Contemptibles”, he was involved in the Battle of Mons, the first major confrontation for the British Expeditionary Force.

During the war, Private Roberts took part in some of the most severe fighting on the Western Front, was wounded three times, as well as being gassed. He was also recommended for the DCM for gallantry in action.

He transferred to the Labour Corps, and spent time doing land work in Somerset. It was here that Roland met and married Gladys Pyne, whose family was from Bridgwater, and the couple tied the knot in March 1918.

Sadly, it was during this war service that Private Roberts contracted influenza and pneumonia and he passed away as his in-laws’ home on 10th November 1918, the day before the Armistice was signed. He was just 22 years old.

The local newspaper reported on Roland’s continued gallantry in its article on his funeral:

[Roland] held the medal of the Royal Humane Society for saving a woman’s life.

He was also the hero of an incident that occurred in Bridgwater a few weeks ago, when he succeeded in checking the career of an infuriated bull through pluckily catching the animal by its horns.

His disposition was always most cheerful, and although suffering from his [war] wounds a good deal, he never complained.

The Cornishman: Wednesday 27th November 1918

Roland Roberts lies at rest in the Wembdon Road Cemetery in his adopted home town of Bridgwater, Somerset.

Australia, Australian Machine Gun Corps, Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, injury, photography, Private, Somerset, story, war

Private Henry Morgan

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Private Henry Morgan

Henry Morgan was born in 1892 in Bridgwater, Somerset. He was the oldest of two children, both boys, to Charles Morgan and his wife Ellen. Charles managed the local collar works, making collars for shirts.

While Henry’s younger brother, Herbert, followed his dad’s business, according to the 1911 census, Henry was learning the farming trade. This was to stand him in good stead, and in 1912, he emigrated to Australia, to become a farmer.

Henry settled in Gunnedah, New South Wales, but was called up when war broke out. He enlisted in May 1916 and joined the Australian Machine Gun Corps. His troop left Australia on the ship Borda in November 1916, arriving in Plymouth two months later, and he finally reached France in March 1917.

Initially part of the 9th Machine Gun Battalion, Private Morgan transferred to the 3rd Machine Gun Corps in April 1918. Involved in the Allied defence of the German Spring Offensive, he was caught up in a gas attack and injured.

Wounded on 17th April 1918, Henry was evacuated back to England and admitted to the Voluntary Aid Detachment Hospital in Cheltenham. Sadly, Private Morgan was not to recover, and he died from his injuries on 8th May 1918. He was just 25 years old.

Henry Morgan lies at rest in the Wembdon Road Cemetery in his former home town of Bridgwater, Somerset.

accident, Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, injury, Lieutenant, photography, Private, Royal Army Service Corps, Somerset, story, war

Lieutenant Rudolph Symons

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Lieutenant Rudolph Symons

Rudolph Clifford Symons was born in the autumn of 1887, one of ten children to Clifford and Clara Symons. Clifford ran a brick and tile manufacturer’s and later became a town councillor in the family’s home of Bridgwater in Somerset.

By the time of the 1911 census, Rudolph had become the works manager for his father, but war soon beckoned.

Sadly, Rudolph’s full military record has been lost to time, but he enlisted in the Royal Army Service Corps early on in the conflict and was promoted to Lieutenant at the end of September 1914. He was involved in recruiting new soldiers, and it was following one of these meetings that he was involved in an accident.

The local media picked up the story:

On Friday night, while riding through St Jon Street on his motorcycle, to which a side-car was attached, he collided with a horse and light waggon… Lieutenant Symons appears to have been struck by one of the shafts in the region of the heart, and was rendered unconscious. He was at once conveyed to his home, where he was medically attended and was subsequently removed to the nursing home on Friarn Street. On the following day a specialist was called in, and an operation performed, but the injuries were of so severe a character that death ensured on Monday.

Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser: Wednesday 22nd September 1915

The coroner reported that Rudolph had died from an internal haemorrhage and the inquest recorded a verdict of accidental death, and exonerated the waggon driver – a dealer caller Wyatt – from all blame.

Lieutenant Symons was a popular man, a vocalist in the Bridgwater Amateur Operatic Society, and was also heavily involved in the local annual Guy Fawkes celebrations.

He died on 13th September 1915, aged 27 years old, and lies at rest in the Wembdon Road Cemetery in his home town.

Commonwealth War Graves, Devon, Essex, Great War, history, injury, Petty Officer, photography, Royal Navy, Somerset, Stoker, story, war

Petty Officer Stoker James Adams

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Petty Office Stoker James Adams

James Adams was born in June 1883, son of Robert and Eliza Adams from Bridgwater in Somerset. Robert was an agricultural labourer; James was one of seven children.

James was keen to get out and see the world. In November 1905 – aged just 12 years old – he enlisted in the Royal Navy as a stoker. After training in Devonport, Plymouth, Stoker Adams served on a number of different vessels, including HMS Victorious, Ramillies, Amphitrite, Monmouth, Andromeda and Halcyon.

By the time war broke out, James has been promoted to Leading Stoker, and was assigned to HMS Cornwall. This was an armoured cruiser that was involved in the Battle of the Falklands in December 1914.

Promoted to Stoker Petty Officer in October 1915, James continued to serve on HMS Cornwall until he was transferred to the brand new ship, HMS Valkyrie. The vessel was involved in offensive sweeps and convoy escorts based out of Harwich.

On 22nd December 1917, the Valkyrie was part of the escort for a convoy travelling to the Netherlands, when she struck a mine. In total, nineteen men were killed, twelve instantly; this included Stoker Petty Officer Adams. He was 34 years old.

James Adams lies at rest in the Wembdon Road Cemetery in his home town of Bridgwater.

accident, Commonwealth War Graves, Devon, Devonshire Regiment, Great War, history, injury, photography, Private, Somerset, story, war

Private Bernard Dyke

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Private Bernard Dyke

Bernard Dyke was born in 1897, the oldest of three children to Albert and Edith Dyke from Bridgwater, Somerset. Albert worked for a brewery, and the young family lived in a house on the main road west out of the town.

Bernard received a scholarship to attend Dr Morgan’s School, a grammar school in the town, and he was a pupil there from autumn 1910 to spring 1913. He left at the age of 16, and became a merchant’s clerk.

War was on the horizon, however, and Bernard joined up. Full details of his military service are not available, but he enlisted in the Devonshire Regiment. Private Dyke spent some time at the Tregantle Fort, near Plymouth, and it was here that he was caught up in an accident.

It has transpired than a rather remarkable shooting fatality occurred at Tregantle rifle ranges, near Plymouth, on Friday, when Private Bernard Dyke, aged about 24, of the Devon Regiment, received a gunshot would in the left side, and almost immediately expired.

The soldier was acting as an observer for a Lewis gun section when he received the fatal injury, the section being at the time out of action awaiting the appearance of a moving target. On the deceased’s left hand side was a musketry party of nine carrying out an exercise, and when he received his injury only one or two rounds had been discharged by this party.

When the first shot or so had been fired deceased suddenly shouted “Oh! Oh!” and dropped. An officer and NCOs ran to assist him, but found that life was extinct. A military doctor was soon on the spot, and found the bullet had entered the deceased’s left side below the ribs and made its exit at the top of his right arm.

As the musketry party was 80 degrees to the right of the firing party it is strange that a shot could have been fired so wide, but the explanation may be found to be in a ricochet or a soldier’s erratic action.

Western Morning News: Monday 21st January 1918.

Private Bernard Dyke died on 18th January 1918, aged just 20 years old. He lies at rest in the Wembdon Road Cemetery in his home town of Bridgwater, minutes’ walk from his family home.

Bernard Dyke (from ancestry.co.uk)
Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, injury, photography, Private, Royal Army Service Corps, Somerset, story, war, Wiltshire Regiment

Private Clarence Fry

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Private Clarence Fry

Clarence Vivian Clements Fry was born in November 1898 to William and Rosa Fry. William was a ‘provisions merchant clerk’, who went on to become a ‘cheese and provision dealer’, or grocer. Sadly, Rosa passed away in 1904, at the tender age of 31, leaving Clarence without a mother at just six years old.

William remarried in 1908, and he and new wife Amy had a daughter, also called Amy, a year later. By the 1911 census, the family of four were living in a three storey Victorian Terraced house to the south of Bridgwater town centre.

Sadly, little of Clarence’s military career remains documented. Initially joining the Royal Army Service Corps, Private Fry soon transferred over to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Wiltshire Regiment.

The 1st Battalion found in some of the key battles on the Western Front, including Mons, Ypres, Messines and Vimy Ridge. As his enlistment date isn’t known, it’s impossible to say whether Private Fry was involved in these conflicts or not.

What is likely is that Private Fry was involved in the Battle of the Selle, which took place near the towns of Cambrai and Valenciennes in northern France in October 1918. Clarence was certainly injured at this point, and was evacuated to England for treatment.

Admitted to the Cambridge Military Hospital in Aldershot, it seems that his injuries were too severe and he succumbed to them on 5th November 1918, just a week before the Armistice was signed. Private Fry was just 19 years old.

Clarence Vivian Clements Fry lies at rest in the Wembdon Road Cemetery in his home town of Bridgwater in Somerset.

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, injury, Lancashire, photography, Private, Somerset, Somerset Light Infantry, story, war

Private Walter Roman

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Private Walter Roman

Walter James ‘Rattler’ Roman was born in July 1880, one of six children to George and Betsy Roman. George was a labourer in a brickyard, and the family lived in Bridgwater in Somerset.

Walter’s passion was rugby football, and he made the Bridgwater & Albion first team at the age of 15. Two years later had reached county level, and was playing for Somerset.

Walter enlisted in the army in around 1897, joining the Somerset Light Infantry. He spent several years abroad, serving as a Private in India and South Africa and fighting at Cawnpore and in the Second Boer War.

When Walter’s service ended, he returned to England, and continued his rugby career. He was a regular for the Bridgwater and Somerset teams, gaining the nickname ‘Rattler’, before being signed up by Rochdale Hornets in 1910.

Walter married Henriette Washer in Bridgwater in April 1911, and the couple had two children, Edna – born in 1912 – and Leonard – who was born a year later.

Continuing with rugby union, Walter was called to county level, where he joined Lancashire for a number of games. Walter also played for England, receiving a cap in the international match against Wales in February 1914, and he toured Australia and New Zealand the same year.

War broke out, and Private Roman was re-enlisted, one of twenty-five Hornets players to enlist. He served on the Western Front with the 1st Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry and was caught up in the engagements at Ypres and Armentieres. Fighting at in the Battle of the Somme, he went over the top at Beaumont-Hamel at the start or fighting, on 1st July 1916 – his 36th birthday.

In that initial charge, he was shot several times, in both arms, a leg and the torso. Initially treated at a local field hospital, he was evacuated to England and admitted to the Voluntary Aid Hospital in Cheltenham. His condition initially improved, and he wrote letters to Henrietta, who was living back in Rochdale.

Sadly, Walter’s contracted sepsis and his health deteriorated; Henrietta was called to the hospital in Cheltenham on 27th July 1916. It is likely that she didn’t make it in time, as Walter passed away at 1pm the following day. He was just 36 years old.

Walter James Roman lies at rest in the Wembdon Road Cemetery in his home town of Bridgwater, Somerset, one of may sporting heroes to perish in the First World War.

Walter Roman (courtesy of findagrave.com)

Walter was one of 25 Rochdale Hornets players to enlist when war broke out. Of those men, five did not return: Private Walter Roman; Sergeant John Twigg; Private Archie Field; Private Tom West and Private CJ Burton.

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, illness, injury, Lance Corporal, photography, Somerset, Somerset Light Infantry, story, war

Lance Corporal Stanley Southwood

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Lance Corporal Stanley Southwood

Stanley James Southwood was born in 1896, the oldest of six children to John and Florence Southwood from Bridgwater, Somerset. John was a labourer and ship’s mate, while Stanley, who was the only boy in the family, started work loading barrows in a brickyard.

Military life was pulling Stanley, however. According to another researcher, he enlisted in the Special Reserves of the Somerset Light Infantry in October 1912. Six months later he joined the regular army, and was there when the war began.

While I have not been able to corroborate this information, it appears that Southwood was reported missing on 11th September 1915, after being wounded in the chest. He was taken prisoner of war, and, while being held, he developed tuberculosis in both lungs.

After his release (no documents confirm when this was) he was discharged from the army as medically fit to continue. He was in a military hospital at the time – the beginning of November 1918 – suffering from tuberculosis, which had been exacerbated by the chest wound he had received three years earlier. At the time he was discharged, he had the rank of Lance Corporal.

Sadly, it seems that Stanley never fully recovered from his wartime experience. He died on 8th September 1919 from consumption (tuberculosis), aged just 23 years old.

Stanley James Southwood lies at rest in the Wembdon Road Cemetery in his home town of Bridgwater in Somerset.

Cheshire, Coldstream Guards, Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, Guardsman, history, injury, photography, Somerset, story, war

Guardsman Joseph Steadman

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Guardsman Joseph Steadman

Joseph Richard Steadman was born in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, in 1892. One of seven children to William and Mary Ann Steadman, his father worked as a slab maker for the local council.

Sadly, Joseph’s mother died in 1899, at the age of just 40. William had moved the family to Birmingham by this point, and, on leaving school, Joseph found work at a jeweller’s as a scratch brusher.

Moving to London, Joseph met Ethel May Tambling, who was originally from Somerset, and the couple married at the beginning of 1914. Ethel already had a child – Frederick – and the young couple also had a son, Alfred, who was born in July 1914.

War was on the horizon, and Joseph was quick to enlist. He joined the Coldstream Guards, embarking for France a month after Alfred was born. An elite force, the Coldstream Guards were involved in some of the heaviest fighting of the war, including the Battles of Mons, Ypres, Loos, Somme, Passchendale and Cambrai. It is likely that Guardsman Steadman was caught up in many of these engagements.

His luck was to run out, however, and Joseph was injured towards the end of October 1917. Shipped back to England for treatment, he was admitted to the King George Hospital in London. Sadly, Guardsman Steadman did not recover from his wounds; he died on 1st November 1917, aged just 25 years old.

Joseph Richard Steadman lies at rest in the Wembdon Road Cemetery in Bridgwater, Somerset.

Joseph and Ethel Steadman (from Ancestry.com)

As a sad aside to this story, two of Joseph’s brothers also died in the war. William Steadman was 29 when he was killed at Ypres in April 1915, while Charles Steadman was just 19 when he died at Armentieres.

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

Private Ernest Lewis

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Private Ernest Lewis

Ernest George Lewis was born in Bridgwater, Somerset, in the spring of 1895, one of fourteen children to labourer Frederick and his wife Harriett Rose. Two of his older brothers went to work for the local brickworks, but Ernest hauled coal to earn a living once he left school.

When war broke out, he was eager to do his part; he enlisted in the Somerset Light Infantry early on, serving as a Private in the 1st Battalion. His troop was to see some of the fiercest fighting in the conflict, including the Battles of Le Cateau, the Marne, the Aisne, Messines within the first six months.

Private Lewis’ troop was also involved in the Second Battle of Ypres in the spring of 1915, but it was later that year that his fate became sealed. At some point he was caught up in a German gas attack; he was evacuated home, but there is no confirmation whether he was hospitalised as a result (although it seems likely).

The gas was to damage his lungs to the extent that he would not recover. There are conflicting reports as to the cause of Private Lewis’ passing, with one source identifying the gas in France, while another put it down to pneumonia and typhoid. (It seems probable that the attack ultimately resulted in Ernest catching pneumonia, although this is not clear.)

Either way, Private Lewis passed away at home on 27th October 1915. He was just 20 years old.

Ernest had eleven brothers, four of whom would have been old enough to be enlisted to fight. Ernest was the only one of the family to perish.

Ernest George Lewis lies at peace in the Wembdon Road Cemetery in his home town of Bridgwater.