Category Archives: Somerset

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, illness, Kent, photography, Sergeant, Somerset, story, war, Wiltshire

Serjeant Edward Davies

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Serjeant Edward Davies

Edward Victor Davies was born in the Weston area of Bath, Somerset, in the summer of 1897. The second of four children, and the only boy, his parents were Walter and Emily Davies.

Walter was a park keeper who died when Edward was just 9 years old. By the time of the 1911 census, Emily was working as a caretaker for a solicitor’s office, while her sone was a boarding student at the Duke of York’s School in Guston, Kent. This army school had more than 500 students, with a staff of 100 to train them. It is unclear whether Edward went voluntarily, or whether he was sent there by his mother’s employers because he was fatherless.

War came to Europe in the summer of 1914, and Edward stepped up to play his part. Unfortunately, his service records have been lost to time, so it is unclear whether he went straight into the army after finishing his education. However, given that he held the rank of Serjeant by the end of the conflict, it seems likely that his military career began before the start of the First World War.

Edward – who was better known as Ted – joined the Wiltshire Regiment, and was assigned to the 2nd Battalion. His unit spent time on the Western Front, but there is no evidence whether or not he served overseas. He survived the war, but subsequently fell ill, as so many servicemen did:

DAVIES – March 28th, Sergeant Edward Victor (Ted) Davies, 2nd Wiltshire Regiment, at the Royal Military Hospital, of pneumonia, following influenza, aged 22 years.

[Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette – Saturday 03 April 1920]

Edward Victor Davies was laid to rest in the sweeping grounds of Bath’s Locksbrook Cemetery, not far from where he had grown up.

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, Gunner, history, illness, photography, Royal Field Artillery, Somerset, story, war

Gunner William Dallimore

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Gunner William Dallimore

The funeral took place on Monday at Locksbrook Cemetery, with military honours, of Gunner Wm. Dallimore, B Battery, RFA, 88th Brigade, who died on Friday at the Kingswood School VA Hospital. Deceased, who was a single man, 32 years of age, living at 2 Spa Gardens, Larkhall, joined the Army only eight or ten months ago, and was brought to hospital less than a month ago, suffering from an incurable complaint…

The family mourners were Mr Frank Dallimore (brother), Private George Dallimore, 4th Somersets (brother), Mrs Frederick Dallimore (sister-in-law)…

[Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette – Saturday 21 August 1915]

There is little concrete information about the early life of William Dallimore. The Army Register of Soldiers’ Effects name his siblings as his beneficiaries, and so it seems that his parents had passed away before war broke out. There are no census records matching his name with the brothers confirmed in the newspaper article, and so it is impossible to get definite information about his birth or parentage.

Only the first page of Gunner Dallimore’s service records remain, but this still provides some details about him. He enlisted on 14th August 1914, a matter of weeks into the conflict, giving up his job as a painter to do so.

While his brigade would go on to serve at the Somme and Ypres, there is no evidence that William saw any action overseas. In fact, the hospital to which he was admitted was in Bath itself, so it may be that he was based near the city.

William Dallimore passed away on 13th August 1915. He was laid to rest in Bath’s sweeping Locksbrook Cemetery.

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, Gunner, history, illness, London, photography, Royal Field Artillery, Somerset, story, war

Gunner Henry Morris

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Gunner Henry Morris

The early life of Henry Morris is difficult to pin down although later records suggest that his parents were William and Elizabeth from Bath, Somerset. A baptism record from December 1882 shows Henry Morris, with a mother called Elizabeth, but no father is noted, so there is no way to confirm any connection.

The first concrete information for Henry is the 1911 census: this records Henry Morris living with his wife, Eliza, their son, Henry Jr, and Eliza’s mother, Emma Derrick. He was working as a poulterer, employed by a fishmonger’s, with Eliza also working as a fish hawker. Henry and Eliza – who had married in 1905 – would go on to have a second child, Emma, who was born in November 1911.

When war broke out, Henry stepped up to serve his King and Country. Full service records are lost to time, but it is clear that he had enlisted by the spring of 1916, joining the Royal Field Artillery as a Gunner. Documents suggest two different units in which he served: the 26th Division Ammunition Column and the 5th (Reserve) Brigade.

By the autumn of 1916, Henry was suffering from nephritis. He was admitted to the military hospital on Endell Street, London, but his condition was to prove fatal. He passed away on 24th November 1916: he was 32 years of age. With a few discrepancies, a newspaper article gave a little more information about his life:

Henry Morris, RFA, 67 Avon Street, died this morning… He was invalided home from Salonika, and arrived in London nine weeks ago, He was married, and leaves a widow and two children… For eleven years Driver Brooks worked for Mr Broadhurst, fishmonger, York Buildings, Bath, and joined the army sixteen months ago.

[Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette: Saturday 25th November 1916]

Henry Morris was taken back to Somerset for burial. He was laid to rest in Bath’s sweeping Locksbrook Cemetery.

Gunner Henry Morris
(from findagrave.com)
Berkshire, Coldstream Guards, Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, photography, Private, Somerset, story, unknown, war

Private Ernest Richards

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Private Ernest Richards

Ernest Richards was born in Bath, Somerset, 1886, and was the youngest of four children to Emma Richards. Emma was widowed when Ernest was an infant, and no baptism records remain to confirm who he was.

The fate of the Richards family is outlined through the consecutive census records. The 1891 document shows Emma and her children living at 4 Camden Row, to the north of the city centre. Emma was employed as a needlewoman, while Ernest’s oldest brother, Herbert, was working as an errand boy. The family shared their home with widowed laundress Emily Clarke, helping with the bills.

By the time of the 1901 census, the family had moved to 1 Claremont Row. A bit further out of the centre of the city, this offered more space for the growing children. Emma was still working as a needlewoman, but three of the children were gainfully employed: Ernest as a printer’s errand boy, Herbert as a grocer’s carter, and their brother William as a book shop porter.

The 1911 census found Emma still living at 1 Claremont Row. She was 53 by this point, and no longer working, but three of her children were still living there, and bringing in an income. William was a milkman, Ernest a porter, and her youngest child, daughter Gladys, was a machinist.

War was closing in on Europe by this point, but from here on in, Ernest’s trail gets a bit sketchy. Later records confirm that he had enlisted by the summer of 1916, and they he had joined the Coldstream Guards. Attached to the 5th (Reserve) Battalion, Private Richards appears to have been based on home soil.

Ernest seems to have been hospitalised in February 1917. Sadly, there is little additional information about his condition. While his regiment was based in Windsor, Berkshire, there is no evidence to confirm whether his barracks where also there, so it isn’t clear to which hospital he was admitted.

Private Richard would succumb to his ailment. He passed away, while in hospital, on 10th February 1917: he was 30 years of age.

Ernest Richards’ body was taken back to Somerset for burial. He was laid to rest in Bath’s majestic Locksbrook Cemetery, not far from his family home.

Commonwealth War Graves, Devon, Great War, Gunner, history, injury, Kent, killed in action, photography, Private, Royal Marines, Somerset, story, war

Gunner Arthur Green

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Gunner Arthur Green

Arthur William Green was born on 27th August 1896, the middle of five children to William and Mary Green. William was a shoemaker, who was employed at the Clark’s factory in Street, Somerset, and this is where the family were born and raised.

Clark’s was the key employer in Street and, by the time of the 1911 census, five of the Green family were working for them. This included the 15 year old Arthur, whose job was a shoe cutter.

When war came to Europe, Arthur had already stepped up to play his part. He enlisted in the Royal Marine Artillery in March 1914. His service records confirm that he was 5ft 8ins (1.72m) tall, with brown hair, blue eyes and a fresh complexion. He was also noted as having a scar on the back of his neck.

Private Green was initially under age for service in the regiment, only coming of age at the end of August 1914. He initially completed his training either in Chatham, Kent, or Plymouth, Devon, becoming a Gunner on 5th February 1915. That spring he was assigned to the battleship HMS Warspite, and would remain on board for the next four years.

In February 1918, Gunner Green was assigned to the 4th Battalion of the Royal Marines. Still serving on Warspite, on 23rd April he was involved in the Raid on Zeebrugge. A combined action by the Royal Navy and Royal Marines, the aim was to block the entrance to the port of Bruges-Zeebrugge by sinking obsolete ships. A total of 1700 men were involved, and, in the ensuing battle, some 200 were killed and 400 wounded.

Gunner Green was one of those who was injured in the battle. When the Warspite returned home, he was admitted to the Royal Naval Hospital in Chatham, Kent, but his injuries were to prove too severe for him to overcome. He passed away on 17th May 1918, at the age of just 21 years old.

Arthur William Green was laid to rest in Woodlands Cemetery, Gillingham, not far from the Chatham base he had briefly known as home.

Commonwealth War Graves, Essex, Gloucestershire Regiment, Great War, history, illness, photography, Private, Somerset, story, war

Private Harold Randall

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Private Harold Randall

Harold Stanley Randall was born in Taunton, Somerset, in the autumn of 1898. One of twins, his parents were Joseph and Elizabeth Randall. Joseph was a carpenter, and when Elizabeth died in 1900, he was left with nine children to raise on his own. This led to Harold being raised Joseph’s brother and sister-in-law, George and Caroline, and he is noted as living with them in Bath, Somerset, in the 1901 and 1911 censuses.

There is little direct evidence of Harold’s life: at the time of the 1911 census he was still at school, so it is not clear what employment he took up once his education came to an end. When war broke out, he played his part, and had enlisted in the Gloucestershire Regiment by the summer of 1918.

Private Randall was attached to the 17th Battalion, a territorial force based in Essex. By the end of the war, Harold was billeted in St Osyth, and it was here that he fell ill. Details of his condition are lost to time, but his health was impacted enough for him to be admitted to the general hospital in Colchester.

Harold Stanley Randall’s illness was to get the better of him. He passed away on 7th December 1918, aged just 20 years old. His body was brought back to Somerset for burial, and he was laid to rest in Bath’s sweeping Locksbrook Cemetery. His next of kin was noted as his aunt Caroline, who had raised him from a toddler.

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, illness, photography, Private, Royal Army Service Corps, Somerset, story, Surrey, war

Private Victor Blatchford

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Private Victor Blatchford

Victor William Haydon Blatchford was born in Bath, Somerset, on the 20th November 1897. The younger of two children, his parents were William and Kate Blatchford.

William was a draper, and the family lived in the bustling city centre, above the shop he and Kate ran. By the time of the 1911 census, the family were registered as living in 12 rooms at 52 & 53 Southgate Street. As well as the Blatchfords, four other people made up the household: draper’s assistants Edith Letts and Nellie Harris, milliner Florence Carke, and general domestic servant Ellen Heskins.

War came to Europe in the summer of 1914, and Victor was called upon to play his part. Full details of his military service have been lost to time, but a later newspaper report suggest he had enlisted early in 1916. William had died in October 1914, but it is unclear whether his son’s decision to enlist was related to his father’s passing.

Private Blatchford joined the Royal Army Service Corps, and was attached to the Mechanical Transport Depot in Norwood, Surrey. While information about his time in the regiment is no longer available, the same newspaper report hints at time spent overseas:

Private Victor WH Blatchford, ASC, MT, only son of Mrs William Blatchford, Okehampton Lodge, Kipling Avenue, died on May 20th, at Manor War Hospital, Epsom, from pneumonia, contracted in East Africa, after two years and three months’ active service. The funeral will be at Locksbrook Cemetery, and it is asked that no flowers be sent.

[Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette: Saturday 25th May 1918]

Victor William Haydon Blatchford died on 20th May 1918: he was just 20 years of age. He was laid to rest in Locksbrook Cemetery, Bath, alongside his father. When Kate passed away in 1941, she was also interred in the family plot.

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, illness, India, Lancashire, photography, Private, Royal Defence Corps, Second Lieutenant, Somerset, story, war

Second Lieutenant Algernon O’Donoghue

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Second Lieutenant Algernon O’Donoghue

Algernon Leopold O’Donoghue was born on 4th June 1869 in Plymouth, Devon. The youngest of five children, his parents were Charles and Frances O’Donoghue. Charles had worked for the East India Company and the family travelled a lot while the children were growing up. He was in India when, in the spring of 1872, he passed away.

By the time of the 1881 census, Frances had moved the family to the Walcot area of Bath, Somerset. She was working as an assistant, and employed a servant of her own to help support the four children.

Over the next few years, Algernon’s trail goes cold. In 1900, he married Janette Hay, the daughter of a Justice of the Peace, who had been born in Ceylon. It seems likely that they met overseas: the 1911 census return records that she had been born in Ceylon, while he was a retired forest manager whose job had taken him to Burma (now Myanmar).

The census document found the couple living in a seven-room villa in Combe Down, on the outskirts of Bath. The had had a son by this point, with Algernon Jr making up the family.

Algernon was working for the Bombay Trading Company, and back out in India, when war broke out. He returned home, and stepped up to serve his King and Empire. While his service records have been lost to time, Private O’Donoghue joined the Royal Defence Corps, and quickly rose through the ranks: by the spring of 1917, he was a Second Lieutenant.

It was while serving in the north west of Britain that he fell ill: “[he got] wet while out in heavy rain, pneumonia following, and then double pneumonia.” [Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette: Saturday 26th May 1917] Second Lieutenant O’Donoghue was admitted to the Whitman Military Hospital in Manchester, but his condition was too severe. He passed away on 22nd May 1917, two weeks before his 48th birthday.

The body of Algernon Leopold O’Donoghue was taken back to Somerset for burial. He was laid in the family plot in Bath’s panoramic Locksbrook Cemetery, reunited with his mother, Frances, who had died a decade before.

Second Lieutenant Algernon O’Donoghue
(from findagrave.com)
Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, injury, North Somerset Yeomanry, photography, Private, Somerset, Somerset Light Infantry, story, war, Yorkshire

Private John Sheppard

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Private John Sheppard

John Henry Sheppard was born in the autumn of 1889, the older of two children to John and Ellen. John Sr was a general labourer from the Weston area of Bath, Somerset, and when he died, Ellen found work as a laundress to bring in some money.

From the census returns of 1891, 1901 and 1911, it seems that John remained living on Church Street, Bath. The earliest record noted him living with his parents and younger brother, Charles. By 1901, his father had died, and Charles was also noticeable in his absence, so it may be that he had also passed away.

The 1911 census adds a little mystery to the Sheppard line. Although signed off by Ellen, she is not listed as being at the house on the day the return was taken. There are three occupants: John, working as a farm labourer; eight year old Nellie, whose relationship is listed as daughter; and Charles Crane, a 73 year old retired gardener.

On 27th September 1913, John married Elsie Holbrow. The daughter of a gardener, she was working as a domestic servant and he was a groom when the couple exchanged vows. They went on to have a son, Albert, who was born in October 1914.

When war came to Europe, John stepped up to play his part. Full details are lost to time, but it is clear that he had enlisted by the autumn of 1916, initially joining the North Somerset Yeomanry, before transferring across to the Somerset Light Infantry. Private Sheppard was attached to the 1st Battalion and soon found himself on the Western Front.

There is little concrete information about his service, but is appears that he was wounded at Arras in the spring of 1917. He was medically evacuated to Britain for treatment, and was admitted to the 3rd Northern General Hospital in Sheffield, Yorkshire.

Private Sheppard’s wounds were to prove too severe however, and he succumbed to them on 31st May 1917. He was 27 years of age.

John Henry Sheppard’s body was taken back to Somerset for burial. He was laid to rest in the family plot in Bath’s sweeping Locksbrook Cemetery. He was reunited with Elsie when she passed away in December 1949: husband and wife together again after more than three decades.

Commonwealth War Graves, Egypt, Great War, history, Hussars, illness, Ireland, photography, Private, Somerset, story

Private Reginald Payne

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Private Reginald Payne

Reginald Payne was born on 27th January 1898 in Milverton, Somerset. He was the third of five children – and the oldest son – to Thomas and Mary Payne. Thomas was a dairyman, and both he and Mary were from Devon: the family moved back to the county after Reginald was born, and, by the time of the 1911 census, they had settled in the village of Halberton.

Reginald, at this point, was still in school, and there is little information about his life. When war broke out, he volunteered to serve his country, but, with no military records remaining, the only point of reference for him is a newspaper report of his funeral.

Quite a gloom was cast over Halberton when it became known that Pte. Reginald Payne, eldest son of Mr & Mrs T Payne, of Brimery Dairy, had passed away at the Military Hospital, Devonport. Deceased, who enlisted in 1916 in the Hussars, and was attached to the 1st City of London Yeomanry, proceeded to Egypt, and whilst there he underwent two operations for appendicitis. He returned to England after recovering, and was sent to Ireland, where he had a return of the old trouble, and was again operated on four times, and then sent to Devonport, where he passed away.

[Western Times: Friday 6th February 1920]

Reginald Payne was a day over 22 years of age when he passed away. He was taken back to Halberton for burial, and was laid to rest in the peaceful St Andrew’s Churchyard.