Ernest Stanley Bailey was born in the autumn of 1900 in the quiet Somerset village of Barton St David. The oldest of three children, his parents were stonemason William Bailey and his wife, Fanny.
Ernest was only 14 years old when war broke out, but his time to serve his King and Country came in the summer of 1918. He enlisted in the Devonshire Regiment and was assigned to the 53rd (Young Soldier) Battalion.
Private Bailey was sent to the Rollestone Camp, near Shrewton in Wiltshire for training. With the war in its closing months, army barracks were still places rife with disease, and Ernest was not to be immune from this. He contracted influenza, which then became pneumonia, and was admitted to the camp hospital. Sadly, the conditions were to prove too much for his young body to bear, and he passed away on 6th November 1918. He was just 18 years of age.
Ernest Stanley Bailey was brought back to Somerset for burial. He was laid to rest in the peaceful graveyard of St David’s Church in his home village, Barton St David.
Herbert George Millard was born on 8th February 1897 in Wells, Somerset, and was the second of six children to John and Alice Millard. John was a cowman, and, as Herbert grew, the family moved with his father’s work.
By the time of the 1911 census, the family had set up home at the Castle of Comfort Public House in East Harptree, to the south of Bristol. John, by now, was recorded as being a farmer and inn keeper, while his three oldest sons, Herbert included, were all employed as farm hands.
When the war broke out, Herbert was keen to play his part. He enlisted on 8th February 1915, his eighteenth birthday, and was assigned to the Royal Field Artillery. Initially posted for training in Glasgow, within a couple of months, Gunner Millard had been transferred to the Somerset Light Infantry.
The now Private Millard was sent to France in July 1915, and ended up serving three separate periods on the Front Line: July 1915 to October 1916, May 1917 to August 1917 and March 1918 to June 1918.
At some point during his service, he received gunshot wounds to his chest and ‘upper extremities’. It is unclear when this happened, but it may have been what led to Private Millard’s ultimate discharge from service in August 1918.
At this point Herbert’s trail goes cold. He appears to have returned to Somerset, and was living with his family, who had now moved to Baltonsborough, to the south of Glastonbury. The next record for him is that of his passing: he died on 13th March 1921, aged just 24 years old.
Herbert George Millard was laid to rest in the quiet St Dunstan’s Churchyard in Baltonsborough.
Louis Blake Stevens was born in the spring of 1870 in Pilton, now a suburb of Barnstaple, Devon. One of nine children, his parents were Devon-born sawyer John Stevens and his wife Mary, who was from Swansea.
When he left school, Louis found work in the leather industry, working as a parer and grinder. In the autumn of 1890, he married an Edith Turner, the couple went on to have two children – Edith and Albert – although they seem to have parted company soon after.
On 4th April 1896, Louis married again, this time to a Mary Webber. The couple set up home in Stoke-under-Hamdon (now Stoke-sub-Hamdon), Somerset, and went on to have seven children of their own. By the time of the 1911 census, the family had moved to South Petherton, Somerset, where Louis and Albert were working as a glovers.
Storm clouds were brewing over Europe and, despite his age, Louis was keen to step up and play his part and, on 7th August 1915, he enlisted in the Army Veterinary Corps. His service records confirm he was 42 years old, 5ft 4ins (1.63m) tall, with a dark complexion, dark brown hair and brown eyes.
After some initial training at the Army Veterinary Corps depot, Private Stevens was sent to France. Arriving there on 25th October 1915, he spent the next nine months overseas. During this time, he had issues with his teeth, breaking several on the hard biscuits the army were provided with.
Private Stevens was sent to a camp hospital in Boulogne, where his teeth were extracted, and he was then sent back to Britain to recover. The operation identified epithelioma (a malignant tumour) on his tongue and face, caused by the state of his teeth. He was initially sent to a hospital in Epsom, before being transferred to the Horton City of London War Hospital in Woolwich.
Treatment was ongoing, and, in the end, Private Stevens was finally discharged from the army on medical grounds on 2nd July 1917. The report noted permanent total incapacity, and that treatment was required.
At this point, Louis’ trail goes cold. He returned home to Somerset, and, died there on 23rd January 1918, aged 47 years old. Louis Blake Stevens was laid to rest in South Petherton Cemetery, within walking distance of his widow and family’s home.
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.
Arthur William Gentle was born in 1867 in Whitelackington, Somerset. The son of Maria Gillard, his father is not noted, although he was accepted as one of the family when Maria married Richard Gentle in 1873. The couple went on to have eleven children of their own, giving Arthur a large family of siblings.
Richard was an agricultural labourer, and this was a trade into which Arthur followed. On 23rd October 1897, Arthur married Mary Marsh, a labourer’s daughter from South Petherton. The couple tied the knot in her local church, the illiterate Arthur marking his intent with a cross.
The couple set up home just off Silver Street in South Petherton, and went on to have ten children of their own. The 1911 census recorded Arthur still employed as an agricultural labourer, his oldest son following suit, and Mary – who was also known as Polly – raising the family.
War came to Europe, and, despite his age, Arthur felt a need to play a part. While full service records are no longer available, what remains confirms that he had enlisted by the summer of 1916, and had joined the 300th Protection Company of the Royal Defence Corps.
Sadly, Private Gentle’s military career was to end in the same way as so many of his army colleagues. He contracted pneumonia during the winter of 1916, and passed away at home on 21st February 1917. He was 49 years of age.
Arthur William Gentle was laid to rest in the cemetery of his adopted home town, South Petherton.
Arthur’s brother Frank Gentle also fought in the Great War. Assigned to the 1st Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry, he was caught up in the fighting in the Somme, and was killed on 14th July 1916. He was just 26 years of age.
Private Frank Gentle is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial in Northern France.
George William Allen was born in the spring of 1887, in the hamlet of Over Stratton, near South Petherton, Somerset. One of eight children, his parents were farm labourer William Allen and his wife, Martha. When he left school, George also found agricultural work and, by the time of the 1911 census, was the only one of his siblings still living with his parents.
On 12th October 1912, George married Ellen Mary Osborne, a labourer’s daughter from Norton-sub-Hamdon, and it was in her parish church – St Mary’s – that the young couple tied the knot. The couple went on to have a daughter – Dorothy – who was born the following year.
War came to Europe in 1914, and George stepped up to play his part. conscripted towards the end of 1916, he joined the 4th (Reserve) Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry. Full details of his service are no longer available, but Private Allen appears to have contracted bronchial pneumonia not long after he was called up.
Sadly, the lung condition was to prove unassailable, and Private Allen passed away on 24th February 1917. He was just 30 years of age.
George William Allen was brought back home for burial. He was laid to rest in South Petherton Cemetery, not far from the hamlet of Yeabridge, where his widow and daughter were now living.
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.
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.
Frederick John Francis was born on 15th February 1893, to Henry and Mary Francis. One of nine children, the family lived in the Somerset village of Curry Rivel.
Henry was a labourer, but Frederick had his sights set on a new life and, at some point in his teens, he emigrated to Canada to work as a farmer. Details of his life in North America are scarce, but it is clear that he was in Manitoba when war broke out back in Europe.
Frederick stepped up to serve his King and Country, enlisting at Camp Sewell on 5th April 1915. His service records confirm that he was 5ft 5ins (1.65m) tall, and weighed 145lbs (65.8kg). He was assigned to the 53rd Battalion of the Canadian Infantry. His service papers also note that he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant on 30th April 1915, although whether the date is correct, or whether Frederick had previous military experience is unclear.
Sergeant Francis boarded the SS Empress of Britain to make the journey back to Europe, little knowing that he was not going to see his home again. On 9th April 1916, just one day from docking in Hampshire, he passed away from quinsy, or throat abscess. He was just 23 years of age.
The body of Frederick John Francis was brought back to Somerset for burial. He was laid to rest in the graveyard of St Andrew’s Church in the village of his birth, Curry Rivel.
Frederick’s younger brother, Charles, had also made a life in Canada. He enlisted at Camp Sewell just two months after his brother, joining the same battalion.
Charles, who had the rank of Private, arrived in Europe before Frederick and, and was sent to the front line in February 1916. In June, he was involved in the fighting at Mount Sorrel, on the Ypres Salient, and it was here, on 6th June 1916, that he lost his life. He was just 21 years of age.
Charles Arthur Francis is commemorated on the Menin Gate in Ypres. His parents had to mourn the loss of two sons within two months.
Arthur Cock was born in around 1885 in Wadebridge, Cornwall. One of eleven children, he was the son of mortar mason William Cock, and his wife, Louisa.
When he left school Arthur helper his father out in the business, but when war came to Europe’s shores, he stepped up to play his part. Sadly, his service records are lost to time, and it is a challenge to piece together his time during the conflict from a confusion of other documents.
It is clear that Arthur enlisted in the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry, as this is what is engraved on his headstone. However, his Medal Roll suggests that he also served in the Gloucestershire Regiment and the Labour Corps. He seems not to have fought overseas, and was awarded the Victory and British Medals for doing his duty.
Private Cock’s entry in the Army Register of Soldier’s Effects confirms that he must have enlisted before February 1919, and that he passed away at Whitchurch Hospital.
An entry in the local newspaper, reporting on his death, reads as follows:
In loving memory of Pte. Arthur Cock, son of William, and the late Louisa Cock, of Wadebridge, who died August 5th, at Whitchurch War Hospital, Cardiff.
Cornish Guardian: Friday 8th August 1919
Interestingly, the facility Arthur had been admitted to was a psychiatric hospital, but with no other confirmation as to his passing, it is only possible to assume the cause of his death. He was 34 years old when he passed away.
Arthur Cock’s body was brought back to Cornwall for burial. He was laid to rest in the peaceful, wooded graveyard of St Breoke’s Church, next to the family grave in which Louisa had been buried three years previously.
The family grave, by this time, was tragically quite full. William was able to mourn his son, wife and six of Arthur’s siblings – Mary, William, John, Fred, Charles and Ernest – who had all passed in childhood and were laid to rest there.
Arthur’s younger brother – another William – also fought in the First World War. His service records reveal a lot about his life.
Private Cock enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 7th September 1914. At the time he was working as a railway porter in Morphettville, now a suburb of Adelaide, Australia. His records confirm that he was 5ft 8.5ins (1.74m) tall, and weighed 158lbs (72kg). He had brown hair, brown eyes an a fresh complexion.
William left Australia for the battlefield on 20th October 1914, and soon found himself in the Eastern Mediterranean. Sadly, this was to be the end of the line for him: he was killed on the battlefields of Gallipoli on 23rd March 1915, aged just 28 year of age.
William Cock was laid to rest in the Shrapnel Valley Cemetery in Gallipoli. He is commemorated on the headstone of the family grave back in St Breock.
Death and Service 