Jack Wallis Gauntlett was born in Burbage, Wiltshire, in the spring of 1898. The oldest of four children, his parents were George and Florence Gauntlett. On Jack’s baptism record, George gives his trade as a yeoman, while later census records confirm he was a farmer.
Jack was baptised in St Mary’s Church in Stapleford, near Salisbury, some distance south of Burbage, and, given that his parents had no connection to that area, it seems that his father’s work took the family around the county. The 1901 census record found them Gauntletts back in Burbage, but by the time of the 1911 return, they had moved to Middleton Farm in Norton Bavant.
When war broke out, Jack stepped up to serve his country. He enlisted in the Royal Flying Corps in January 1917 and, as an Air Mechanic 2nd Class, was sent to Farnborough, Hampshire, for training.
Much sympathy is felt with Mr and Mrs FG Gauntlett, of Middleton Farm, in the loss they have sustained by the death of their eldest son, JW Gauntlett… He came home three weeks ago on leave before proceeding to France, and was then sickening for measles and had bronchitis. He was taken to Sutton Veny military hospital and died there on Friday from an attack of pneumonia.
[Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser: Saturday 19th May 1917]
Jack Wallis Gauntlett was just 19 years of age when he died on 11th May 1917. He was buried in the family plot in All Saints’ Churchyard, Norton Bavant.
Frederick Webber, of Westexe-south, Tiverton, stoker in the Royal Navy, has died at the age of 40. He had been in the Navy 15 years, and was on board HMS Dartmouth when she was torpedoed, and on HMS Sylvia when she sank a submarine. While home on leave in November he was taken ill. He partially recovered, but had a relapse and died on December 28th.
[Tiverton Gazette (Mid-Devon Gazette): Tuesday 1st January 1918]
The early life of Frederick Webber is a challenge to piece together, as his is not an uncommon name for the area and period.
His widow is recorded as Elizabeth Webber, and marriage record from August 1907 suggests his father’s name was also Frederick. Stoker Webber’s entry on the military pension ledger confirms two children – Frederick and Frank.
When he enlisted on 10th February 1903, he gave his date of birth as 26th December 1880 and his place of birth as Exeter, Devon.
This combination of details doesn’t give any definite results from the 1891 or 1901 census, so it’s not possible to confirm the early stages of his life.
Based on Frederick’s naval records, he was working as an engine driver when he joined up. He was 5ft 4ins (1.63m) tall, with dark brown hair, hazel eyes and a fresh complexion. He was also noted as having a tattoo on his right forearm
Stoker 2nd Class Webber was sent to HMS Vivid – the Royal Naval Dockyard in Devonport. Enlisting for an initial period of 12 years, he would spend that time serving on a total of ten ships, returning to his Devon base in between voyages.
Frederick’s career seems to be one of doing just enough to satisfy his superiors. His annual reports noted his character and ability as being good or satisfactory, and he spent three periods of time in the brig – for three days in 1904, 14 days in 1906 and five days in 1910.
Frederick’s was promoted to Stoker 1st Class in July 1906 and, unusually, he remained at that rank for the rest of his career. It may be that promotion didn’t come his way, or simply didn’t appeal to him, and he was happy doing what he was doing.
Stoker Webber came down with bronchitis while he was on leave in November 1917. Based on his service records, he had just turned 47 years of age when he passed.
Frederick Webber was laid to rest in Tiverton Cemetery, not far from his grieving family’s home.
In Mere Cemetery, Wiltshire, is a headstone dedicated to JE Chalk, who served as Private J McKinnon in the Canadian Army Veterinary Corps. He died on 25th June 1920, and gives his age as 53 years old.
Private McKinnon’s service records suggest, however, that he was born on 14th October 1874 in Inverness, Scotland, and give his army name as John. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission give his other name as James Edward Chalk. James seems to have been keen to disguise his background, and it is only with some digging that the real story comes out.
James was the youngest of five children to Edward and Mary Chalk. Edward was a carpenter from Mere, and this is where the family were born and raised.
When he finished his schooling, James found work as a booking clerk. Edward died in the 1880s, and the 1891 census found James living at home with his mother, who had taken on laundry work to help with their finances.
By 1901, Mary and James were living on Water Street, to the south of the town centre. There’s was now an extended household, and included James’ sister Olive. James is noted as being married, and while no marriage records exist, it would seem that his wife, Mary, and their daughter, Ivy, were also living there.
The next census, taken in 1911, suggests James’ life had taken a different turn. Employed as a railway foreman, he was now living with his older sister, Olive, in her home. He is noted as being married with a child, but neither Mary nor Ivy appear in the same census.
At some point in the next five years, James took the decision to move overseas, and create himself a new identity.
John McKinnon was living in Montreal when the call came to join up. He enlisted on 29th April 1916, by which point he was 41 years of age. Assigned to the Canadian Army Veterinary Corps, his service records confirm that he was 5ft 9ins (1.75m) tall, with greying brown hair, grey eyes and a sallow complexion. He was noted as having scars on both legs, and another on the second toe of his right foot.
Private McKinnon’s unit were quick to be dispatched to Britain, and he arrived in Shornecliffe, Kent, on 29th June. He spent the next five months at the army base, and had two spells of a month each in hospital during that time: the first for asthma, the second for bronchitis.
In November 1916, John moved along the coast to Shoreham, West Sussex. His health was badly impacted, though, the medical report stating that ‘his chest is of the emphysematous type but at present free from bronchitis. He will not do well in England.’ John was formally discharged from the army on 15th November 1916.
At this point, John’s already sparse trail goes cold once more. It is possible that he moved to Wiltshire to be nearer to family, although nothing can be confirmed.
James Edward Chalk, who serves as Private John McKinnon, died on 26th June 1920: His service records suggest that he was 45, but he was, in fact, 53 years of age. He was laid to rest in Mere Cemetery, on the outskirts of the town he had called home for so long.
Reginald William Brown was born in South Molton, Devon, the summer of 1873. The second of four children – all boys – his parents were William and Mary Brown. William died when Reginald was just a child, and the 1881 census found Mary supporting her children by working as a mangler.
Details of Reginald’s early life are sparse. In the autumn of 1898 he married Elizabeth Mayne and the couple set up home at 13 Cook’s Cross. The couple went on to have six children, and Reginald supported his family with work as a gardener.
Alongside his gardening work, Reginald volunteered for army service. Again, full details are unclear, but he was attached to the Devonshire Regiment from 1908. Initially for a year’s contract, he seemed to renew this on-and-off for the next six years.
When war broke out, Reginald was formally called into service. HIs time in the army resulted in him being given the rank of Sergeant, and by October 1914, his unit – the 4th Battalion – was sent to India.
Reginald spent the next couple of years overseas, before being posted back to Britain in the spring of 1916. That November he spent six weeks admitted to the Manor County of London War Hospital in Epsom, Surrey, suffering from bronchitis. This was the result of malaria, and he would continue to suffer from lung complaints for the next few years.
In September 1917, Elizabeth passed away, and Reginald was left, at a distance at least, to raise his children. By now, his health was being severely impacted, and in April 1919, he was medically discharged from army service.
Reginald returned home, but he would quickly succumb to illness. He passed away at 43 South Street, South Molton, on 22nd April 1919. He was 45 years of age.
Reginald William Brown was laid to rest in South Molton Cemetery. His was a family plot, and he was reunited with his beloved Elizabeth.
Charles Tombs was born on 26th November 1875 in Sefton, New Zealand. The seventh of eight children, his parents were Job and Elizabeth Tombs.
There is little information available about Charles’ early life. He found work as a chainman, working as a labourer in a sawmill.
On 11th December 1899, Charles married Eliza Pound, the daughter of immigrants from Somerset. The couple settled in Wairau, and went on to have six children: John, Charles, Arthur, William, Ronald and Alice.
(The Tombs and Pounds seemed to have been closely connected: Charles’ younger brother John, went on to marry Eliza’s younger sister, Elizabeth.)
Sadly, Eliza died in 1910, leaving Charles to raise four children (John and Alice having died when just babes-in-arms), alone. A later document gives Charles’ next-of-kin as Mrs R Register, who was, in fact, his younger sister, Mary (who had married Robert Register in 1907).
War was coming, and Charles would be called upon to serve his long-distant King and Empire. On 26th July 1916, he stepped up, and enlisted in the New Zealand Canterbury Regiment. His service records show that, at 40 years of age, he was 5ft 5ins (1.65m) tall, and weighed 119lbs (54kg). He had brown hair, blue eyes and a dark complexion.
Private Tombs’ unit departed from New Zealand on 15th November 1916, making the journey to Britain on the RMS Tahiti. The journey took nearly three months, and Charles arrived in Devonport, Devon, on 29th January 1917.
The ANZAC camp near Codford, Wiltshire, was to be Private Tombs ultimate destination, and he arrived there a couple of days after landing in Britain. After a lengthy journey, his health had been impacted, as had many of the men he had travelled with.
Suffering from bronchitis, Charles was admitted to the No. 3 New Zealand General Hospital on the outskirts of the camp. The condition was to prove his undoing, and he passed away on 17th February 1917. He was 41 years of age.
Charles Tombs was laid to rest in the ANZAC extension to St Mary’s Churchyard in Codford, Wiltshire.
Thomas George Bickley was born in Fremantle, Australia, in 1881, and was the second of six children to Absolom and Mary Bickley. May had been married and widowed twice before wedding Thomas’ father, and so he had eight half-siblings as well.
Thomas’ early life is a challenge to piece together, but his service records from the First World War fill in some of the detail. He confirms that he had served in the 1st Imperial Light Horse for eleven months, and that he fought in South Africa – presumably as part of the Boer War of 1899-1902.
At the time of enlisting on 13th September 1916, he was working as a carpenter, and had completed a five-year apprenticeship. He married Rose Buck in 1907, but they did not have any children.
Private Bickley was assigned to the 16th Battalion of the Australian Infantry, and his medical report confirms the man he had become. He was 5ft 10ins (1.77m) tall and weighed 170lbs (77.1kg). At 34 years of age, he had light brown hair, blue eyes and a fresh complexion.
Thomas’ unit left Fremantle on the Argyllshire. The troop ship arrived in Devonport, Devon, two months later, and his battalion was sent to their base near Codford in Wiltshire. The journey impacted a lot of soldiers, and Thomas was not to be immune from this.
On 12th February Private Bickley was sent to the camp hospital as he was suffering from bronchitis. The severity of his condition meant he was immediately transferred to an army hospital in nearby Sutton Veny, but it was to prove too late. Thomas died from the lung condition on 23rd February 1917: he was 35 years of age.
Thomas George Bickley was laid to rest in the ANZAC extension to St Mary’s Churchyard, Codford, not far from the based that had so briefly been his home.
Gabriel McIlroy was born in the Australian town of Charters Towers in 1878. The oldest of four children, his parents were Patrick McIlroy – of whom there is little information – and his Danish-born wife, Ann.
There is little information available about Gabriel’s early life. He never married and, by time he enlisted in January 1916, he was employed as a labourer, and gave his mother as his next of kin.
Gabriel joined the Australian Imperial Force, and his service records give an insight into the man he had become. He was noted as being 5ft 3.5ins (1.61m) tall, and weighed 126lbs (57.2kg). Private McIlroy had a fair complexion, with brown hair and bluish eyes. He had a scar on his right arm, and was recorded as being Roman Catholic.
Gabriel’s unit – the 15th Battalion of the Australian Infantry – set sail from Brisbane on 21st October 1916. They sailed to Britain on the Boonah, a ship that had been built in Germany for trade with Australia. On the outbreak of way, she was docked in Sydney, and was seized by the Commonwealth authorities. Hastily converted to a troop ship, she was soon used to transport soldiers to Europe.
Private McIlroy arrives in Plymouth, Devon, on 10th January 1917. His battalion marched to Codford, in Wiltshire, where they were based before transferring to the Western Front. Sadly, he would not accompany his colleagues.
On 17th February, Gabriel was admitted to a military hospital in Sutton Veny, just a few miles from the camp. He was suffering from bronchitis, and the condition would prove fatal. Private McIlroy passed away on 19th February 1917: he was 39 years of age.
The body of Gabriel McIlroy was taken back to Codford for burial. He was laid to rest in the graveyard extension to the village’s St Mary’s Church.
The ship that had brought Gabriel to Britain would add its own footnote to the First World War. In October 1918, not long before the end of the conflict, she was one of the last vessels to leave Australia carrying troops. During the voyage, more than 300 of those on board had contracted influenza, in what became known as the Boonah Crisis.
John Adams Boura was born in the spring of 1868 in Kensington, Middlesex. The middle of three children, his parents were Julien and Esther Boura. Julien was the son of a French immigrant, who had built up two businesses as a dyer and cleaner (the first business having failed).
John followed in his father’s line of employment, and, by the time of the 1891 census, he was living with business partner Isabel Knight, at 3 St Mark’s Place in Wimbledon, Surrey. Work and pleasure were obviously mixing, though, and, on 3rd October that year, the couple married in the nearby Queen’s Road Chapel.
The newlyweds would go on to have a son, also called John, in March 1895. By the start of the new century, the family has moved out of the capital, relocating to Aldershot, Hampshire, where they set up a new business at 111 Victoria Road, in the town centre.
Within the next decade, however, the Bouras had moved back to the London suburbs, setting up home and business in Merton, Surrey. A new alliance was forged at 106 Kingston Road, with the three sharing their home with Henry and Adelaide Shelley. All four adults were involved in the business, while the now 16-year-old John Jr was employed as a dentistry improver.
Julien – who was also known by his middle name, Aimé – and Esther had moved to Maidenhead in Berkshire by this point, and in September 1910, it seems that their son visited them. An argument seems to have erupted, and John was arrested. Taken before the Maidenhead Petty Sessions, he was tried for unlawfully and maliciously damaging the glass of certain windows, exceeding he amount of £5 to wit £8 6s., the property of Aimé Boura. John was find a total of £10 for the damage.
When war broke out, John stepped up to serve his country. While his service documents are long since lost, other records suggest that he had enlisted by the summer of 1916, and likely volunteered, give he was in mid-40s by this point. Private Boura was assigned to the Royal Army Service Corps, and was to be based at the Supply Depot in Bath, Somerset.
It is probable that John’s dying and cleaning background meant that he was involved in uniforms in some way, although nothing concrete remains to document his time in the army. During the early part of 1917, he fell ill, coming down with bronchitis. He was admitted to Bath War Hospital, but the condition was to get the better of him. Private Boura passed away on 9th February 1917, at the age of 48.
The body of John Adams Boura was laid to rest in Bath’s majestic Locksbrook Cemetery, not far from the hospital in which he had passed.
Joseph Symes was born in the spring of 1871, and was the oldest of four children to William and Sarah. William was a farm labourer from Stoke Abbot in Dorset, and it was here that the family were born and raised. They set up home with Sarah’s parents, and were recorded as living with them in the 1871 census, and with Sarah’s widowed mother in the 1881 record.
William had died by the time the 1891 census return was taken, and Sarah took up work as a mill hand. The document found her living in the village of Netherbury, a few miles to the south east of Stoke Abbott, with her three younger children, William, Alice and Mary Ann. Joseph was noticeable by his absence, but later documents confirm that he had enlisted in the Dorsetshire Regiment by this point, and was likely serving overseas.
Joseph had returned to England by the turn of the century, setting up home back in Netherbury. On 24th September 1910, he married Sarah Jane Dunsbury in Beaminster parish church. The daughter of a blacksmith, she was 13 years Joseph’s senior – 52 years old to his 39. The couple lived in Netherbury, where he was working as a mason’s labourer.
When war broke out, Joseph stepped up to play his part once more. He re-enlisted in the Dorsetshire Regiment on 1st September 1914, and was attached to the 6th Battalion. His service records confirm that he was 5ft 5.5ins (1.66m) tall and weighed 182lbs (82.6kg).
Private Symes remained on home soil during his time in the army. He switched to the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion in March 1915, which was based in and around Weymouth. In the autumn of 1915, he was admitted to the Sidney Hall Military Hospital in the town, suffering from bronchial pneumonia. The lung condition was to prove his undoing, and he passed away on 22nd November 1915, while still admitted. He was 44 years of age.
Joseph Symes was taken back to Netherbury for burial. He was laid to rest in the graveyard of St Mary’s Church in the village.
Sidney Edgar Crabb was born in the autumn of 1898 in the Dorset village of Chedington. One of ten children, his parents were shepherd-turned-farm labourer John Crabb and his wife, Mary.
Little information is available about young Sidney’s life. He was still at school when the 1911 census was taken, and was too young to enlist when war was declared in the summer of 1914. He enlisted in the Dorsetshire Regiment no earlier than October 1916, and was sent to Warminster for training.
The only other record for Private Crabb confirms his passing. He died from bronchial pneumonia while in hospital near his army camp in Warminster, Wiltshire, on 3rd April 1917. He was just 18 years of age.
Sidney Edgar Crabb’s body was taken back to Dorset for burial. He was laid to rest in the graveyard of St Mary’s Church, in his home village of Halstock. While only five of his siblings survived childhood, Sidney was the only one to pass away as a result of the conflict.
Death and Service 