Tag Archives: 1918

Bedfordshire Regiment, Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, injury, Lancashire, photography, Private, Somerset, story, war

Private William Lock

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Private William Lock

William Charles Shallis Lock was born in the spring of 1894, the eldest child to Harriet Lock. Born out of wedlock, Harriet went on to marry William’s father, Charles Shallis, in 1897. The couple would go on to have two more children – Walter and Lilian – before Harriet’s untimely death in 1900.

The 1901 census recorded William living with his maternal grandparents, Daniel and Ellen Lock, in the family’s home village of Bishops Lydeard, Somerset. Daniel was a farm labourer and, by the time of the 1911 census, William was making his own way in the world, boarding at Rainbow Wood Farm in Claverton, to the east of Bath. The document seems to indicate that William had ditched his first name, and was now using Charles as his preference.

War came to Europe in the summer of 1914, and Charles stepped up to play his part. Sadly, full service records are no longer available for him, but it is clear that he had enlisted in the opening months of the conflict, and that he joined the Bedfordshire Regiment.

Assigned to the 7th (Service) Battalion, Private Lock found himself in France by the end of August 1915. Charles would have found himself in the thick of the fighting, and was entrenched at both the Somme in 1916 and Passchendaele the following year.

It seems likely that Private Lock’s luck ran out at either the Battle of St Quentin in March 1918, or at the Battle of the Avre, just a few weeks later. That he was wounded is certain, as he was medically evacuated back to Britain, and admitted to Liverpool Infirmary. Charles’ injuries were to prove too severe, however, and he died while admitted on 5th April 1918. He was just 24 years of age.

The body of William Charles Shallis Lock was taken back to Somerset for burial. He was laid to rest towards the front of the graveyard of St Mary’s Church, in his home village, Bishops Lydeard.

Commonwealth War Graves, Driver, Great War, Hampshire, history, illness, photography, Royal Army Service Corps, Royal Field Artillery, Somerset, story, war

Driver Henry Gibbs

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Driver Henry Gibbs

Henry Gibbs was born in Wiveliscombe, Somerset at the start of 1871. The youngest of five children, he was the second son to John and Emma Gibbs. John was a farm labourer, but when he finished his schooling, Henry went in a different direction.

By the time of the 1891 census, Henry was boarding with his sister Lucy and her husband and young son. The extended family were living in Taunton, Somerset, where Henry was employed as a boot and shoemaker. This appears not to have satisfied him, however, and he soon found other work, enlisting in the Royal Field Artillery. While his army records are lost to time, he seems to have spent twelve years in service.

By the early 1900s Henry living back in Somerset, settling in Bishops Lydeard, to the west of Taunton. On 2nd May 1906, he married a young woman called Florence Gange. Fifteen years his junior – she was 20 years old to her husband’s 35, even though the marriage certificate gave his age as 30 – she a labourer’s daughter from the village, who was working at the Lethbridge Arms public house at the time of their marriage. The couple set up home in a small cottage, and went on to have four children: Ernest, Florence, Mabel and Arthur.

Henry’s work seems to have been transient. On his marriage certificate, he was noted as being a groom, but the next census return, taken in 1911, gave his employment as a labourer for a corn miller.

When war came to European shores, despite his growing family, Henry felt the pull to serve once more. He enlisted in the Royal Army Service Corps in the summer of 1915, with the rank of Driver. As with his previous time in the army, details are scarce, but Henry seems to have been based in Aldershot, Hampshire, or at least this is where he was based towards the end of the conflict.

Driver Gibbs had become unwell by this point, and he was suffering from oesophageal cancer. He was admitted to the military hospital in Farnham Hill, but was to succumb to the condition. He passed away on 1st September 1918, at the age of 47 years of age.

Henry Gibbs was brought back to Somerset for burial. He was laid to rest in the quiet graveyard of St Mary’s Church in his adopted home village, Bishops Lydeard.

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, Gunner, history, injury, Middlesex, photography, Royal Garrison Artillery, Somerset, story, war

Gunner Basil Corney

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Gunner Basil Corney

Basil John Corney was born in Berrynarbor, Devon, in the summer of 1895. The fourth of five children, his parents were William and Elizabeth. William’s work as a farm bailiff, took the family across the area: by 1901, they had moved to Shapwick in Somerset, and the next census record, in 1911, found the family living in Stogumber, where William had taken up management of the White Horse Hotel. Basil, meanwhile, was employed as a butcher’s assistant in the village.

When war came to Europe, Basil stepped up to serve his King and Country. He enlisted on 10th December 1915 and, from this point, preferred to go by his middle name, rather than his first. He asked to be assigned to the Royal Army Service Corps, but by the time he was mobilised in April 1916, he was attached to the Royal Garrison Artillery. Gunner Corney’s service records show that he was 20 years and 8 months old, stood 5ft 10ins (1.77m) tall and weighed 155lbs (70.3kg).

Basil was assigned to the 143rd Siege Battery and, by August 1916, he was sent to France. His time in Europe was to be brief, however, as, on 1st October, he was shot and wounded by shell fire in his right knee while fighting at the Somme. Invalided to Britain for treatment, he eventually seemed to recover, and was transferred to the regiment’s No.2 Depot.

In April 1918, Gunner Corney was admitted to hospital in Edmonton, Middlesex, as his injury was causing some issues again. An examination identified that his kneecap had all but disintegrated, and this led to his eventual dismissal from armed service on medical grounds. He left the Royal Garrison Artillery on 14th November 1918 and was awarded the Silver Badge, noting the reason for him not being in the army.

Basil returned to Somerset, but his time back with his family was to be brief. He passed away at home on 12th December 1918: he was 23 years of age.

The body of Basil John Corney was laid to rest in the peaceful graveyard of St Mary’s Church in Stogumber, across the road from, and within sight of, where his family still lived and worked at the White Horse Hotel.

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, illness, Lancashire, photography, Private, Royal Garrison Artillery, Sergeant, Somerset, story, war

Serjeant Harold Shopland

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Serjeant Harold Shopland

Harold George Shopland was born in the spring of 1893, the youngest of nine children to George and Mary Shopland. George was a joiner and platelayer for Great Western Railways: he died when Harold was just seven years old, which left Mary to raise the family alone. She did this with the support of the community and Harold’s older siblings.

By the time of the 1911 census, Harold, who was now 17 years of age, was the only one of her children to still be living at home: he was a stone mason’s carter, while Mary was getting by as the housekeeper for the local Wesleyan chapel.

When war broke out, Harold stepped up to play his part. Possibly keen to follow in his oldest brother’s footsteps – Private Walter Shopland had died at Bloemfontein in 1901 – he enlisted on 23rd November 1914. Harold joined the Royal Garrison Artillery as a Private, his service records confirming that he was 5ft 10ins (1.77m) tall, and weighed 165lbs (74.8kg).

Harold spent more than two years on home soil, before being sent to France in July 1917, with a promotion to Serjeant. He remained overseas, but fell ill with tuberculosis that winter, and was medically repatriated the following January. He was admitted to the Queen Mary’s Military Hospital in Whalley, Lancashire, and remained there for the next couple of months.

Harold’s condition meant that he was no longer fit for military duty, and was dismissed from service on 8th March 1918. He remained in hospital, however and his condition worsened. He passed away on 28th March 1918, at the age of 24 years old.

Mary brought Harold George Shopland’s body back to Somerset for burial. He was laid to rest in the peaceful setting of St Andrew’s Churchyard in Old Cleeve, not far from his father’s grave.

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, Lincolnshire, Machine Gun Corps, photography, Private, Second Lieutenant, Somerset, Somerset Light Infantry, story, unknown, war

Second Lieutenant William Tyler

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Second Lieutenant William Tyler

William Eric Tyler was born in the spring of 1888 in Carhampton, Somerset, the older of two children to farmers William and Nina Tyler. The details of William Jr’s early life are a bit sketchy: he was sent to a private school in Minehead, where he boarded for a while.

William Sr died in 1908, and Nina re-married, to farmer George Risden a couple of years later. Of William Jr there is no trace in the 1911 census, and the next record for him relates to his military service. He enlisted in the Somerset Light Infantry when war broke out, but transferred to the Machine Gun Corps in May 1918, receiving a commission to Second Lieutenant when he did so.

Again, details of Second Lieutenant Tyler’s time in the army are scarce. The only other document relating to him is that of his passing. He died, on 28th October 1918 at Belton Park Military Hospital near Grantham, Lincolnshire. He was 30 years of age.

Belton Park was primarily a facility to treat wounded soldiers returning from the Front Line, but it was also treated Machine Gun Corps personnel connected to the neighbouring camp. It is not possible, therefore, to identify the cause of his death.

William Eric Tyler’s body was taken back to Somerset for burial. He was laid to rest in the family plot in the graveyard of St John the Baptist Church in his home village, Carhampton. Buried alongside his father, he was reunited with his mother, when Nina died in 1946.

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, illness, Isle of Wight, Labour Corps, photography, Private, Royal Berkshire Regiment, Somerset, story, war

Private Herbert Trunks

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Private Herbert Trunks

Herbert Henry Trunks was born in Williton, near Watchet, Somerset, in the spring of 1888. One of fourteen children, his parents were George and Rosa. George was a labourer in a timber yard, but when Herbert left school, he found work as a labourer in a paper mill.

On 10th June 1911, Herbert married Lily Sully at St Decuman’s Church in Watchet. Four years Herbert’s senior, she was a labourer’s daughter: the couple went on to have three children: Lilian, Henry and Dorothy.

Herbert was called up to serve his country on 5th June 1916. Assigned to the Royal Berkshire Regiment, his service records confirm that he was 5ft 9ins (1.75m) tall, and weighed 135lbs (61.2kg). He soon found himself in France, leaving for the continent on 20th September 1916.

Attached to the 13th Labour Battalion, Private Trunks spent the next 15 months overseas, returning to Britain in February 1918 for medical treatment. He was suffering from albuminuria, a side effect of kidney disease, and was hospitalised for a couple of months.

When he had recovered, Private Trunks was transferred to the 397th Home Service Company. He was based on the Isle of Wight, but his health had been impacted, and he came down with pneumonia. He was admitted to Parkhurst Military Hospital on the island on 28th October 1918, but died there just a week later, on 4th November. He was 30 years of age.

Herbert Henry Trunks was taken back to Somerset for burial. He was laid to rest in the peaceful graveyard of St Decuman’s Church, where he had been married just seven years before.

Commonwealth War Graves, Dorset, Great War, history, illness, Lance Corporal, photography, Royal Field Artillery, Somerset, story, Tank Corps, war

Lance Corporal Henry Grandfield

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Lance Corporal Henry Grandfield

Henry Grandfield was born in the spring of 1887, the third of six children to William and Martha Grandfield. William was a bootmaker from the Somerset village of Over Stowey, and it was here that he and Martha raised their family.

Henry found work as a labourer on a local estate when he finished his schooling. When war came to Europe, however, he stepped up to play his part.

Service records for Henry are pretty scarce. He appears to have enlisted in the Royal Field Artillery, but then transferred across to the Tank Corps. Separate research appears to suggest that Lance Corporal Grandfield served in the Eastern Mediterranean, but fell ill.

Suffering from rheumatism he returned to Britain for medical support. Based at Bovington Camp in Dorset, Henry was later admitted to a hospital near Wareham, having contracted pneumonia. This latter condition was to prove too much for his body to bear: he passed away on 1st October 1918, at the age of 31 years old.

The body of Henry Grandfield was taken back to Somerset for burial. He was laid to rest in Over Stowey Cemetery, not far from where his family still lived.

Commonwealth War Graves, Egypt, Great War, Greece, history, illness, photography, Rifle Brigade, Rifleman, Somerset, Somerset Light Infantry, story, war

Rifleman Walter Knight

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Rifleman Walter Knight

Walter George Knight was born on 27th December 1887 and was the older of two children to George and Mary. George was a gardener from London, Mary had been born in Devon, but it was in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset that they settled down to raise their family.

On 11th October 1910, Walter married Rosa Burford at St Saviour’s Church. While listed as a spinster, Rosa had two children by this point – Phyllis and Lionel. A later document records Walter as their stepfather, but their full parentage is unclear.

The marriage certificate notes Walter’s trade as a musician, but the following year’s census shows a more reputable trade, as he had taken to working as an insurance agent. He and Rosa had set up home in Cranleigh Road, Bridgwater, by this point, in a small terraced house they shared with the two children and Rosa’s widowed father, William.

By the summer of 1914, war was brewing over European shores, and Walter was quick to step up and support his country. He enlisted in the army on 14th October, joining the Somerset Light Infantry. He spent a year with the regiment, before transferring to the 22nd Wessex & Welsh Battalion of the Rifle Brigade.

By January 1916, Rifleman Knight found himself sailing for the Eastern Mediterranean, spending the next year in Egypt and Salonika. It was while he was overseas, in the spring of 1917, that he became ill and, having contracted tuberculosis, he returned to the UK.

Walter’s condition meant he was no longer fit for the army: he was formally discharged from the Rifle Brigade on 16th April 1917, having served for two-and-a-half years. He was admitted to the Cheddon Road Sanatorium in Taunton, the aim being to help manage his condition.

Rosa and the children had moved from Bridgwater by this point, settling in a small house in Ravensworth Terrace, Burnham-on-Sea. It is likely that Walter came here to visit the family during good spells in his health. The lung condition was to get the better of him eventually, however, and he passed away on 2nd March 1918, at the age of 30 years old.

Walter George Knight was laid to rest in the peaceful Burnham Cemetery, a short walk from where his grieving family lived.

Rifleman Walter Knight
(from findagrave.com)
Commonwealth War Graves, Deck Hand, Great War, Hampshire, history, illness, photography, Royal Naval Reserve, Somerset, story, war

Deck Hand James Gore

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Deck Hand James Gore

James Gore was born on 13th May 1876 in Steart, a community on the Somerset coast near Bridgwater. An only child, his parents were Robert Brewer and Elizabeth Gore, but parental duties were shared with Robert’s family, and Elizabeth went on to marry Thomas Dibble when James was just 4 years old.

Robert was a fisherman, as was his father, and this was a life into which James would also follow. By 1891 he was working with his paternal grandfather, John Brewer, and within ten years he was running his own boat.

On 12th December 1901, James married Emily Chilcott at the parish church in Stogursey, Somerset. She was the daughter of Richard, Chilcott, a labourer employed on the expanding road network for the area. The couple initially set up home in Steart, but had moved to Burnham-on-Sea by the time of the 1911 census. They would go on to have four children – Harold, Reginald, Margaret and Olive – between 1905 and 1916.

When war broke out, James was 38 years old. He wasn’t called up immediately, but by the closing months of the conflict, the needs of the Royal Navy were strong enough for him to be conscripted. He joined up on 21st August 1918 and, having built a career as a fisherman, he was assigned to the Royal Naval Reserve. His service records confirm that he was 5ft 6ins (1.67m) tall, with a fresh complexion and blue eyes.

Deck Hand Gore was sent to HMS Victory, the Dockyard in Portsmouth, Hampshire, for his initial training. Here, billeted in cramped barracks, perfect breeding grounds for germs and disease, he quickly became ill. Having contracted pneumonia, James was admitted to the Haslar Hospital in Gosport. The condition was to take his life: he passed away on 10th September 1916, less than three weeks after enlisting. He was 40 years of age.

James Gore’s body was taken back to Somerset for burial. He was laid to rest in the peaceful cemetery in Burnham-on-Sea, not far from where Emily and the children were still living.

Commonwealth War Graves, Cumbria, Great War, history, Ireland, photography, Pioneer, Royal Engineers, Somerset, unknown, war

Pioneer Joseph Maguire

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Pioneer Joseph Maguire

The early life of Joseph Maguire is challenging to decipher. Born in Dublin in 1878, his name is sadly too common to pin down any specific family relationships. Later records suggest that he had a sister, Jane, but again, this does not help narrow down documentation.

It would appear that he had moved to England for work by the time war broke out: he enlisted in the Royal Engineers in Carlisle by November 1917. As a Pioneer, he was attached to the Inland Water Transport Battalion, although it is not possible to ascertain whether he served on the Home or Western Fronts.

Pioneer Maguire died at the Second Southern General Auxiliary Hospital in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset. The cause of his passing is not freely documented, but it seems likely to have been the result of an illness. He was 40 years of age.

Joseph Maguire was laid to rest in the sweeping ground of Minehead Cemetery. Commonwealth War Grave Commission records note that he is interred in the Roman Catholic section of the grounds, and that, when it was erected, his CWGC headstone was paid for by the Honourable Secretary of the British Legion.

Pioneer Joseph Maguire
(from findagrave.com)