Category Archives: unknown

Commonwealth War Graves, Farrier, Great War, history, illness, photography, Private, Somerset, story, unknown, war, West Somerset Yeomanry

Farrier Ernest Rowsell

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Farrier Ernest Rowsell

Ernest Rowsell was born in the spring of 1894, in the Somerset town of South Petherton. One of nine children, his parents were John and Bessie Rowsell. Builder and wheelwright John had been married before Bessie, and Ernest had five half-siblings as well.

When Ernest left school, he found work with a blacksmith – presumably, a connection made through his father. In his spare time, he joined the West Somerset Yeomanry, building on his skills and training.

War came to Europe in 1914, and it was a natural progression for Ernest to play his part, He formally joined the regiment he had previously trained with, enlisting on 24th September 1914. Given the rank of Farrier, Ernest was sent to a camp in Minehead for training.

His service records show that he was 5ft 3ins (1.6m) tall, had good vision and was of good physical development. Something came up during the medical examination, however, which was held on 1st February 1915. Farrier Rowsell was deemed medically unfit for army service and discharged.

Ernest returned home, but, whatever the condition was, it was to swiftly get the better of him. He passed away at home on 13th February 1915, at the age of just 21 years old.

Ernest Rowsell was laid to rest in South Petherton Cemetery, a short walk from where his parents lived.

Commonwealth War Graves, Devon, Great War, history, Kent, Middlesex Regiment, photography, Private, Somerset, story, unknown, war

Private Frederick Dymond

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Private Frederick Dymond

Frederick John Dymond was born in early 1888 in the Devon village of Dalwood. One of ten children, his parents were farmers Harry and Ellen Dymond. By the time of the 1911 census, the family had moved to Somerset and were running the Crock Street Farm near Ilminster.

When war came to Europe, Frederick was called upon to play his part. Full details of his military service are no longer available, but by the summer of 1916, he had joined the Middlesex Regiment.

Private Dymond was assigned to the 2nd/7th Battalion, which was a territorial force at that point in the conflict, based in Barham, Kent, midway between Dover and Canterbury.

In the autumn of 1916, Private Dymond was taken to the Military Hospital in Canterbury, although the reason for his admission is not clear. Whatever the cause, it was too much for his body to bear: he passed away while in hospital, on 13th December 1916. He was just 28 years of age.

Frederick John Dymond was brought back to Somerset for burial. He was laid to rest in the graveyard of St George’s Church in Hinton St George – presumably because his family had moved to the area.

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, photography, Private, Somerset, story, unknown, war, Worcestershire Regiment, Yorkshire

Private Herbert Cleal

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Private Herbert Cleal

Herbert Henry Cleal was born on 6th November 1899, in the Somerset village of Hambridge. The tenth of twelve children, his parents were Daniel and Emily Cleal.

Daniel was a cowman on a farm, and it is likely that Herbert would have started in agricultural labouring, had war not intervened.

Full details of Herbert’s military service are not available, although it is clear that he had enlisted in the Worcestershire Regiment by the summer of 1918. By this point in the war, Private Cleal’s battalion – the 2nd/8th Battalion – was already in France, although, according to his records, it does not appear as if he saw any service overseas himself.

The only other record for Herbert is his entry in the Army Register of Soldiers’ Effects. This confirms that he passed away at Bradford War Hospital on 1st January 1919. The cause of his passing is not noted, but he had just turned 19 years of age.

Herbert Henry Cleal was brought back to Somerset for burial. He was laid to rest in the graveyard of St James-the-Less Church in his home village of Hambridge.

Commonwealth War Graves, Denbighshire, Great War, history, photography, Private, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, story, unknown, Wales, war, Wiltshire

Private George Williams

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Private George Williams

George Williams was born in 1887 in Ruthin, Denbighshire. One of thirteen children – of whom sadly only seven survived – his parents were John and Martha Williams. John was a carpenter and joiner and, when the children had grown a little, he and Martha took on the Registered Tramp Lodging House in Church Street, Llangollen.

The 1911 census recorded George living with his parents and working as a carter. His younger brother John was employed as a labourer, while the rest of his siblings were at school. The boarding house was full as Martha’s brother was staying there, along with four lodgers.

George married Catherine Edwards on 27th May 1911. She was an engineer’s daughter, also from Llangollen, and the couple tied the knot in St Collen’s Church, which was on the same street as the Williams’ boarding house. The newlyweds moved to Ruabon, six miles (10km) to the east of Llangollen, and had a daughter, Martha, who was born in 1912.

When war was declared, George was quick to enlist. He joined the 8th (Service) Battalion of the Royal Welch Fusiliers, and was sent to Salisbury Plain for his training. While here, however, Private Williams passed away. The cause of his passing is not readily available, but it seems likely that he succumbed to illness, possibly brought on by the sudden influx of men from across the country suddenly billeted together in the confines of an army camp. He died on 7th December 1914, aged just 27 years of age.

George Williams’ body was brought back to Wales for burial. He was laid to rest in the graveyard of St John’s Church in Llangollen.

Tragically, just six days after George’s death, Catherine gave birth to their second child. George Jr would never know his father.

Commonwealth War Graves, Dorset, Dorsetshire Regiment, Great War, history, photography, Private, Somerset, story, unknown, war

Private William Tewkesbury

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Private William Tewkesbury

William Gilbert Tewkesbury was born in Ilchester, Somerset, in the autumn of 1881. The middle of three children (although his older brother died in 1887), his parents were William and Jane Tewkesbury. William Sr was a farm labourer, and this is something that William Jr and his younger brother, Hedley, also went into.

When war arrived on Europe’s shores, William Jr stepped up to play his part. Full details of his military service are, sadly, lost to time, but he enlisted in the Dorsetshire Regiment, and was assigned to the 2nd Battalion. His mother, Jane, passed away in 1915, and it is unclear whether this loss proved to be the catalyst for her son’s enlistment.

Private Tewkesbury’s battalion served in the Middle East for the duration of the conflict.

During the past week we have had three of our local men who have seen active service home for a few days’ leave… Private William Tewkesbury… who has been on active service in Mesopotamia…

Western Chronicle: Friday 8th June 1917

William survived the war, and was awarded the Victory and British Medals for his service. He returned home, and, presumably, took up his previous employment once he was demobbed in February 1919.

The next available record for William is that of his passing, and even this is sketchy. He passed away on 21st March 1920 in Sherborne, Dorset, though the cause is unknown. He was 39 years of age.

William Gilbert Tewkesbury’s body was brought back to Ilchester for burial. He was laid to rest in the village’s parish cemetery. While not recorded, it is likely that this is where Jane had been buried five years earlier, and where William Sr would be laid to rest just months later, when he too passed away.

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, history, Lance Corporal, photography, Royal Engineers, Sapper, Somerset, Somerset Light Infantry, story, unknown, war

Lance Corporal James Toop

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Lance Corporal James Toop

James Toop was born in the Somerset village of Galhampton on 13th January 1879. He was the fifth of eleven children to William and Elizabeth Toop. William was a farm labourer, and James followed his father’s line of work when he left school.

James disappears from documents for a while, only surfacing again in October 1914, when he enlisted for army service. At this point, he was working as a bricklayer, and notes that he had previously served in the Somerset Light Infantry. He is recorded as being 5ft 8ins (1.73m) tall, weighing 136lbs (61.7kg). He had brown hair, grey eyes, and gave his religion as Congregationalist. James also lied about his age, saying that he was 29 years and 9 months when, in fact, he would have been closer to 36 years old when he joined up.

Sapper Toop was assigned to the Royal Engineers, and spent nine months on home soil, during which time he was promoted to Lance Corporal. On 18th July 1915 he went to France, but returned just five days later.

Admitted to the Royal Victoria War Hospital in Netley, Hampshire, James was recorded as suffering the stress of campaign. He was moved to Napsbury War Hospital, near St Albans in Hertfordshire, after a couple of weeks. This institution – formerly the Middlesex County Asylum – was where servicemen suffering from shell shock were sent for rehabilitation, and Lance Corporal Toop joined the near 2,000 other residents.

James’ diagnosis was recorded as being neurasthenia with depression and, in October 1916, he was medically discharged from the army. The medical report noted that he had “had nervous breakdown, complained of vomiting of his food. Had defective memory. Had religious mania 5 years before enlistment.” While his condition was not the result of his war service, the medical board recorded that his mental debility has been aggravated by the strain.

James falls off the radar again at this point. When he recovered, he returned to bricklaying for work. In 1916 his mother died, followed a year later by his father. Both were laid to rest in the family grave in St Mary Magdalene’s Church, Sparkford, Somerset.

James Toop died on 5th July 1918 at the age of 39 years old. He was also buried in the family plot, reunited with his parents far too soon.

Bedfordshire Regiment, Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, photography, Sergeant, Somerset, story, unknown, war

Serjeant Frederick Wilton

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Serjeant Frederick Wilton

Frederick Uriah Wilton was born in Yarlington, Somerset, in the spring of 1892. One of thirteen children, his parents were farm labourer Thomas Wilton and his wife Mary.

Frederick and his brothers followed their father into agricultural labouring, and, according to the 1911 census, the family were living and working at Shatwell Farm, on the outskirts of Yarlington itself.

When war broke out, Frederick was keen to play his part. Details of his military service are difficult to piece together, but what is clear is that he enlisted in the Bedfordshire Regiment.

During his time in the army, Frederick rose to the rank of Serjeant. He survived the war and, in 1919, he was placed on furlough while waiting to be demobbed. Sadly, it is likely that he fell ill during this time, and he passed away on 1st December 1919, at the age of 27.

Frederick Uriah Wilton was laid to rest in the graveyard of St Mary’s Church in Yarlington.

Serjeant Wilton’s headstone notes that he served in the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment. The two regiments were amalgamated in 1919, and Frederick was recorded as having served in the newly formed regiment.

Commonwealth War Graves, Gloucestershire, Great War, history, Kent, photography, Private, story, unknown, war

Private Frederick Neale

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Private Frederick Neale

In a quiet corner of St Peter & St Paul’s Churchyard in Aylesford, Kent, is a headstone dedicated to 35013 Private F Neale of the Gloucestershire Regiment. The memorial confirms that he died on 24th November 1918, but little more information remains on his life.

The Army Record of Soldiers’ Effects confirms his first name as Frederick, but that he was not eligible for the War Gratuity payment, which suggests that he had less than six months’ service when he passed.

The document also confirms that he was assigned to the 3rd Battalion of the Gloucesters, and that he had passed away at the Preston Hall Military Hospital in Aylesford. There is no next of kin of beneficiary for his personal effects, and so the trail goes cold.

With no age or date of birth it is impossible to trace any further details for Frederick. No other military records survive, nor is there any note of his passing or funeral in contemporary newspapers. Frederick Neale’s life is destined to remain lost to time.

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, Kent, Labour Corps, photography, Private, Royal Defence Corps, story, unknown, war

Private Michael Barton

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Private Michael Barton

Michael Barton was born in the spring of 1863 in the Kent village of Hadlow. The youngest of three children, his parents were farm labourer William Barton and his wife Annie. Michael became a farm labourer when he left school and, when William died in 1890, he remained at home to support his mother.

Annie passed away in 1905, and this proved a turning point for Michael. By the time of the next census in 1911, he was recorded in the Tonbridge Union Workhouse, one of its 600 inmates.

Michael’s trail is harder to pick up at this point. Despite his age, it seems that he sought a way out of his situation when war broke out and had certainly enlisted in the army by the last year of the conflict. Initially joining the Royal Defence Corps, Private Barton was soon transferred to the Labour Corps, and was assigned to 572nd Agricultural Coy.

The next document relating to Michael is that of his passing. He died on 17th December 1918 at the Preston Hall Military Hospital in Aylesford, Kent, although the cause of his death is not readily available. He was 55 years of age.

Michael Barton was laid to rest in the graveyard of St Peter & St Paul’s Church in Aylesford, not far from the hospital in which he had passed.

The Army Register of Soldiers’ Effects records that Michael’s belongings passed to a Miss Kate Burley when he died. Not one of his immediate relatives, it is likely that she was a friend or other relation.

Bombardier, Commonwealth War Graves, Driver, Great War, history, Kent, photography, Royal Field Artillery, story, unknown, war

Acting Bombardier Charles Barden

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Acting Bombardier Charles Barden

In the First World War section of St Peter and St Paul’s Churchyard, Aylesford, is the grave of Charles Henry Barden. Born in the summer of 1888 he was the sixth of seven children to Isaac and Harriett Barden. Isaac was a stoker at the local cement works, and this was an industry Charles’ brothers went into.

As for Charles, however, his life is more of a mystery, and it is possible to build a picture of him only from the snippets that are left behind. Even his full name is lost to time – his headstone is dedicated to CHV Barden, but what the V stands for is now unclear.

Absent from the 1911 census, what is known is that Charles’ father died in 1914 and that in August that year, Charles enlisted in the Royal Field Artillery. Driver Barden was sent to France within weeks of the declaration of war and, during the conflict he rose to the rank of Acting Bombardier.

In the spring of 1917, Charles married Angelina Pudney, who had been born in Rochford, Essex. The couple had twin daughters – Sarah and Emily – the following year, although tragically Sarah passed away before her first birthday.

It is unclear when or if Charles was demobbed when the Armistice was declared. He passed away at home on 29th March 1920, at the age of just 31 years old.

Charles Henry V Barden was laid to rest in the graveyard of St Peter and St Paul’s in his home village.

Angelina found happiness again after her husband’s death. She married again, to Alfred Hughes, in the spring of 1923.

Charles’ older brother George also fought in the First World War. He enlisted in the 1st Battalion of the Royal West Kent Regiment, and was killed in the fighting at Ypres. He was 36 years old when he died, and is commemorated on the Menin Gate.