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Able Seaman, Boy, Commonwealth War Graves, County Antrim, Devon, Devonshire Regiment, Great War, Greece, history, illness, killed in action, Lance Corporal, photography, Royal Navy, Scotland, story, war

Boy 1st Class Ernest Hewett

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Boy 1st Class Ernest Hewett

Ernest Roye Hewett was born on 18th April 1898 and was the third of twelve children to Alfred and Ada. Alfred was a coachman and groom and, while both he and Ada were born in Cornwall, it was in Budleigh Salterton, Devon, that the family were born and raised.

When he finished his schooling, Ernest found work as a butcher’s boy, but when sought bigger and better things. His oldest brother, Ralph, had enlisted in the army by the time of the 1911 census and, by that October, his next oldest brother, Leslie, had enlisted in the Royal Navy. Ernest felt a career in the military was his destiny and, on 12th September 1913, he also joined the navy.

As he was under age at this point, he was given the rank of Boy 2nd Class, and sent to HMS Impregnable, the training establishment in Devonport, for his induction. His service records show that he was 5ft 2.5ins (1.59m) tall, with brown hair, hazel eyes and a fresh complexion.

Ernest spent nine months training, moving from Impregnable to HMS Powerful, and gaining a promotion to Boy 1st Class in the process. In June 1914, he was assigned to the cruiser HMS Edgar, remaining on board for six months, by which point war had broken out.

On 18th December 1914, Lance Corporal Ralph Hewett was killed in action, aged just 20 years old. Attached to the 2nd Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment, he was caught in fighting in Northern France, and is commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial.

Ernest, by this point, had been assigned to another ship, the armed merchant cruiser HMS Viknor. Patrolling the seas off Scotland, towards the end of the month, she was tasked with locating and detaining the Norwegian ship Bergensfjord, on board which was a suspected German spy.

The vessel was located and escorted to Kirkwall in the Orkneys, and the suspect and a number of other prisoners, were taken on board the Viknor to be transported to Liverpool. The ship and crew were never to reach their destination. On 13th January 1915, she sank in heavy seas off the Irish Coast: no distress signal was made and all hands were lost.

BODY WASHED ASHORE – Another body has been washed ashore at Pallntoy Port, about six miles from Ballycastle. The body was that of a man of about 5ft 10in. in height. He was dressed in a blue jacket, and wore a service blue webbed belt, on which was the name E. F. Hewett. In the pocket of the trousers was a boatswain’s whistle.

Freeman’s Journal: 24th February 1915

Already in mourning for Ralph, Alfred and Ada were unable to bring 16-year-old Ernest Roye Hewett back home. Instead, he was laid to rest in Ballintoy parish church, County Antrim.

The heartbreak was to continue for the Hewett family. Leslie’s career had gone from strength to strength and, by the time of his older brother’s death, he had been promoted to Able Seaman. In the summer of 1915, he was assigned to the cruiser HMS Europa, remaining aboard for the next year as it patrolled the Mediterranean. In July 1916 he fell ill, having contracted malaria. This was to prove his undoing: he passed away from the condition on 21st July, at 20 years old.

Able Seaman Leslie Hewett was laid to rest in the Mikra British Cemetery in Greece. His parents had now lost their three oldest sons, and had no way to reach their final resting places.

Canada, Canadian Infantry, Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, illness, killed in action, Leading Stoker, Petty Officer, photography, Royal Navy, Somerset, Stoker, story, United States of America, war

Stoker Petty Officer Charles Lavis

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Stoker Petty Officer Charles Lavis

Charles Walter Lavis was born in Iowa, USA, on 2nd April 1888. The second of eleven children, his parents were James and Martha Lavis. The only census record Charles appears from – the return from 1901 – shows that James was an agricultural labourer from Long Sutton in Somerset. The family’s move to America seemed not to have lasted for long – Charles’ immediate siblings – Mabel, who was two years older, and George who was two years younger – were both born in Long Sutton.

Charles was drawn to a life of adventure and, on 11th April 1906, he enlisted in the Royal Navy. His service records confirm that he was 5ft 5ins (1,65m) tall, with brown hair grey eyes and a fresh complexion. As a Stoker 2nd Class, he was initially sent to the training ship HMS Nelson, before moving to what would become his shore base, HMS Victory, the Royal Naval Dockyard in Portsmouth, Hampshire.

Over the next year, Charles serves on HMS Hecla and HMS King Edward VII, where, on 17th May 1907, he was promoted to Stoker 1st Class. He remained on the King Edward VII for more than four years, before returning to Portsmouth in August 1911.

Back on shore, Stoker 1st Class Lavis was promoted to Leading Stoker, and spent the next nine months training for the role at HMS Fisgard, also in Portsmouth. He spent six months on the battleship HMS Revenge, before moving again to another battleship, HMS Britannia.

Charles spent two years on the Britannia, and it was while assigned to her that he got married. He wed Bessie Patten on 31st May 1914 in Martock, Somerset: the couple would go on to have a daughter, Eileen, who was born the following April.

It was while Charles was serving on HMS Britannia that was broke out. In November 1914, he returned to Victory for further training and, in the spring of 1915, he was promoted to Stoker Petty Officer.

Over the next three years, Charles served on three more vessels, before finally returning to Portsmouth in April 1918. The reason for his return was because of his health, and he was soon admitted to the Royal Naval Hospital in Haslar, Gosport, suffering from tuberculosis of the neck. The condition necessitated an operation, but Stoker Petty Office Lavis was not to survive the procedure. He suffered from heart failure, and died on 2nd May 1918. He had not long turned 30 years of age.

Charles Walter Lavis was taken back to Somerset for burial. He was laid to rest in the quiet graveyard of All Saints’ Church in Martock.

Records suggest that the Lavis family could not settle. Passenger lists from March 1912, show James and Martha travelling with nine children to Portland, Maine, before moving on to Huron in Ontario. James was still recorded as being a farm labourer, so it seems that opportunities for the family were better in North America than in Britain.

When war broke out, citizens of the Commonwealth were called upon to play their part and, despite being under age, Charles’ younger brother Arthur, stepped up to serve. Details of his time in the army are scarce, but he was assigned to the 14th Battalion of the Canadian Infantry. His troop set sail for Britain in October 1914: Arthur was just 14 years old at this point, and had lied when he joined up, giving his date of birth as 20th May 1897.

Private Arthur Lavis was in France by August 1916, taking up position on the Front Line at Coucelette. They met heavy troops, even before a full offensive got underway on 16th September. Ninety-two soldiers from the 14th Battalion were killed during the attack, Arthur included. He was just 16 years old, and his remains were never recovered. He is commemorated on the Vimy Memorial in France.

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, injury, photography, Private, Royal Fusiliers, Somerset, story, war

Private William Yandell

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Private William Yandell

William Daniel Yandell was born in 1884 in Bishops Lydeard, Somerset. The second of four children, his parents were Samuel and Jane Yandell. Samuel was a farm labourer, and this is work that William and his younger brothers, wins Sam and Walter, also went into.

The 1911 census found William living with Walter, who had found employment as a labourer at Cotford Asylum, not far from the village. The brothers also had a boarder, Samuel Chaffey, a carter, who brought in some more money to the household. Samuel Sr and Jane were all that remained in the family home. Samuel Jr had married three years before, and was living in a small cottage with his wife, Rosina, and their two children. The oldest of the Yandell siblings, Alice, had been married for ten years by the time of the census, and was living with her husband and son in Minehead.

Samuel Sr died in the spring of 1914. By the summer, war had been declared, and the three Yandell brother enlisted to serve their king and heir country.

William, by this point, had found work at the Goodlands Coal Yard and volunteered for the local fire brigade. He did not enlist immediately but joined the Royal Fusiliers in the spring of 1916. Attached to the 3rd Battalion, Private Yandell found himself in France that summer.

On 1st October 1916, he was badly wounded in the right arm and shoulder, and was medically evacuated to the 2nd Western General Hospital in Manchester for treatment. This proved to be long-term support, and on 21st January 1917, he underwent an operation on the injury. Private Yandell was not to come round from the surgery: he passed away the following day at the age of 33 years of age.

William Daniel Yandell was brought back to Somerset for burial. He was laid to rest in the peaceful graveyard of St Mary’s Church in his home village of Bishops Lydeard.

The deepest sympathy is felt for [William’s] widowed mother and relatives, as the widow has another son a prisoner of war in Turkey, who was taken with General Townshend’s force at Kut, and no news has been heard since they were taken prisoner. Another son is somewhere in Salonica, from whom no news has been heard for some weeks past.

Taunton Courier and Western Advertiser: Wednesday 31st January 1917

Walter was the son being held in Turkey. He had joined the Somerset Light Infantry as a Private, and was assigned to the 1st/5th Battalion. His troop was caught up in the Siege of Kut in the spring of 1916. He died on 31st May 1916, soon after being taken prisoner, a fact his mother would not be made away of for at least nine months, based on the newspaper report. Private Walter Yandell is commemorated on the Basra Memorial in Iraq.

Sam Jr was the son who was based in Salonika. Full details of his military service are not available, but later records confirm that he survived the war. By the time of the 1939 England and Wales Register, he was living back in Bishops Lydeard with Rosina, and was working as a Mess Orderly at a military camp. Sam died in January 1951, at the age of 63.

Commonwealth War Graves, Devonshire Regiment, Great War, history, injury, Lincolnshire, photography, Private, story, war

Private Herbert Perry

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Private Herbert Perry

Herbert Perry was born in Sampford Brett, Somerset, on 2nd July 1887. One of fifteen children, his parents were Henry and Mary Perry. Henry was a groom and gardener, and the family were raised in a small cottage in the centre of the village.

Herbert and his siblings attended the local Church of England school, but once he finished his education his own trail goes cold. The next records relate to his military service, although they are also a bit scarce.

What is clear is that Herbert enlisted early in the war. He joined the 1st Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment, and was in France as soon as January 1915. Private Perry found himself at Ypres, and it was here, in July, that he was badly injured.

Private Perry was medically evacuated to Britain for treatment, and he was admitted to the 5th Northern General Hospital in Leicester. Sadly, this was to be where he would breathe his last: his wounds were to prove too severe, and he succumbed to them on 1st August 1915. He had not long turned 28 years of age.

Herbert Perry’s body was taken back to Somerset for burial. He was laid to rest in the family plot in the peaceful graveyard of St George’s Church. There he was reunited with his mother, Mary, who had died three years before.

Herbert’s older brother, William, joined the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry when war broke out. Assigned to the 1st Battalion, he rose to the rank of Lance Corporal. William fought at the Somme, and was killed there. He is commemorated at the Thiepval Memorial, and remembered on the family headstone in Sampford Brett.

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, illness, photography, Private, Somerset, Somerset Light Infantry, story, war

Private Wallace Parsons

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Private Wallace Parsons

Wallace Waterman Parsons was born in the autumn of 1893 and was one of thirteen children. His parents were both Somerset-born, David and Mary Parsons, and it was in a small terraced house in Bampton Street, Minehead, that the family were raised.

David was a chimney sweep and by the time of the 1911 census, eight of the then household of nine people were earning a wage. Six of the Parsons children – ranging in age from 15 to 33 – were living with their parents, working variously as a chair caner, a labourer and a French polisher. Wallace, 17 years old by this point, was employed as a stone worker, presumably alongside his older brother, David, who was a mason.

When war came to European shores, at least two of the Parsons brothers enlisted. While full service records no longer exist, it is clear that Wallace joined the Somerset Light Infantry, and was attached to the 8th (Service) Battalion.

Private Parsons arrived in France on 11th October 1915, and may have been involved in the closing days of the Battle of Loos. Over the next year, he would have been caught up in the fighting at the Somme, but by the autumn of 1916, he had fallen ill and returned to Britain.

Whatever condition Wallace had contracted led to his discharge from the army: his final day in service was 19th December 1916. He was awarded a Silver Star for his service: this confirmed his honourable discharge, and he wore it to show that he had served his country and was not, in effect, a coward for walking the streets of his home town, while other sons, brothers and fathers were fighting for their country.

At this point, Wallace’s trail goes cold. It is likely that he returned home, but his health continued to dog him. He passed away from anaemia on 17th July 1920, at the age of 26 years old.

Wallace Waterman Parsons was laid to rest in the sweeping vista of Minehead Cemetery.

Wallace’s older brother Hubert also served in the Somerset Light Infantry. Attached to the 1st/5th Battalion, he fought in the Middle East and rose to the rank of Corporal. Hubert fell ill with enteritis, dying from the condition on 13th April 1916. He was laid to rest 3,500 miles (5632km) from home, in the Kut War Cemetery, Iraq.

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

Gunner Lot Evans

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Gunner Lot Evans

Lot Evans was born in Street, Somerset, on 30th October 1895. The second of two children, his parents were George and Elizabeth Evans. Lot’s mother had four children from a previous marriage and, by the time of the 1901 census, the family had set up home in the coastal village of Brean. George was employed as a farm labourer there, as were Lot’s older half-brothers.

When Lot completed his schooling, he also found work as a farm labourer. The next census return, in 1911, recorded the family of four still living in Brean. George had eased up on the manual work – he was 67 by this point – and was employed as a domestic gardener. Lot’s older brother Ben was a bricklayer’s labourer, so there were three wages – albeit probably meagre ones – coming in to support the household.

When war came to European shores, both Lot and Ben stepped up to play their part. Lot enlisted on 10th November 1915, but was not actually mobilised until January 1918. He joined the Royal Garrison Artillery as a Gunner, and was assigned to the 4th Siege Battery.

On 28th March 1918, Lot married his sweetheart, Hester Puddy. Theirs was to be a brief honeymoon, as he was sent to France just three days later.

Gunner Evans remained overseas until the end of the year, returning home on 5th February 1919 in advance of being demobbed.

He was very ill with influenza. He went to bed and we had the Doctor. It developed into pneumonia and he died last night [13th February 1919].

Letter from Private Ben Evans to the Royal Garrison Artillery

Gunner Evans was just 23 years old when he died. The letter sent by his brother – who was also at home and waiting to be demobbed from the Wiltshire Regiment – explained that Hester was living with their family and his question to the regiment concerned how to claim his brother’s pension.

Lot Evans was laid to rest in the graveyard of St Bridget’s Church in Brean. Now surrounded by caravan parks and holidaymakers, at the time, this would have been a place of sanctuary bordering the Somerset coastline.

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

Private Victor Sperring

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Private Victor Sperring

Victor William Sperring was born in the spring of 1897, in Lympsham, Somerset. One of nine children, his parents were James and Catherine Sperring. James was a farmer, 22 years older than his wife and, when he died in 1904, she was left to bring up the family alone. She remarried, to dairy farmer Frederick Butler, continuing the farming life.

Frederick died in 1914, and with her older children now in their 20s, Catherine’s sons took up the reins to keep the farm going. War was on the horizon now, and tragedy was never going to be far from the Sperring household.

Of the five brothers, at least two – Victor and his older brother, Hubert – stepped up to serve their King and Country. Hubert joined the Gloucestershire Regiment, rising to the rank of Lance Corporal in the 1st/6th Battalion. He was caught up at the Battle of the Somme, and was recorded as missing, presumed killed, on 21st July 1916. He was just 23 years of age, and is one of the tens of thousands of names commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial in Northern France.

Victor also joined the Gloucestershire Regiment, but his story is less clear. Certainly by 1918 he was attached to one of the regiment’s depots, possibly on home soil. He was admitted to the 2nd Southern General Hospital in the autumn of 1918, and this is where he passed away on 16th November. He was just 21 years of age.

Victor William Sperring was brought back to Lympsham for burial. He was laid to rest in the family plot in St Christopher’s Churchyard.

It seems likely that illness is what took Victor’s life. Just a month later, his sister, Annie, also passed away: she was interred next to her brother.

Catherine’s grief must have been indescribable, having lost a husband and three children in a matter of years. She continued on, however, and, by the time of the 1939 England and Wales Register, she was living with her son Roland, supporting him with his farm. She died in October 1941, at the age of 77: she was buried with her family in St Christopher’s.

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

Private Albert Daymond

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Private Albert Daymond

Albert Daymond was born on 7th June 1893, in Porlock, Somerset. The youngest of seven children, his parents were Devon-born Albert and Maria, who was also born in Porlock. Albert Sr was a wall mason, and, by the time of the 1901 census, his work had moved the family to the sleepy village of Luccombe.

When he finished his schooling at the village’s Church of England School on 20th December 1908, Albert found employment in a bakery. This was the employment he would continue in until, in the summer of 1914, war broke out across Europe.

Albert enlisted on 9th October 1914, joining the West Somerset Yeomanry as a Private. Little information about his military service is available, although the Commonwealth War Grave Commission records note that he was known by the surnames of Daymond and Daiman.

Tragically, Private Daymond’s time in the army was not to be a long one. He passed away while in a camp in Minehead, Somerset, on 10th December 1914. The cause of his passing is not known, but he was just 21 years of age.

Albert Daymond was brought back to Luccombe for burial. He was laid to rest in the village’s St Mary’s Churchyard.

Albert’s older brother, Alfred, also served in the First World War. Read his story here.

Commonwealth War Graves, Duke of Cornwall Light Infantry, Great War, history, photography, Private, Somerset, Somerset Light Infantry, story, unknown, war

Private Alfred Daymond

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Private Alfred Daymond

Alfred Daymond was born on 9th July 1891, in Porlock, Somerset. The second youngest of seven children, his parents were wall mason Albert Daymond and his wife, Maria. By the time of the 1901 census, Albert’s work had moved the family to the sleepy village of Luccombe.

When Alfred finished his schooling, he followed his father into wall building. This was the career he was still following when, in 1914, war broke out.

Alfred was quick to play his part for King and Country. He enlisted on 4th November 1914, joining the Somerset Light Infantry. Private Daymond’s service records show that he was 5ft 10ins (1.78m) tall, with good vision and a fair physical development.

Initially serving as part of a territorial force, Alfred remained on home soil until September 1916. At this point he was transferred over to the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry, and became attached to the 7th (Service) Battalion. Details of his time in the army are sketchy, but his troop certainly fought at the Somme in 1916, and at Ypres the following year.

In May 1917, Alfred returned to British shores. His health appears to have been suffering, although it is not clear from what ailment. On 8th February 1918, Private Daymond was discharged from army service as being no longer physically fit.

Alfred’s trail goes cold at this point. It is likely that he returned home to Luccombe, and this is where he passed away, on 11th November 1918, Armistice Day. He was 27 years of age.

Alfred Daymond was laid to rest in the family plot of St Mary’s Church, Luccombe. He was interred alongside his younger brother, Albert.

Alfred’s younger brother, Albert, also enlisted for war service. Read his story here.