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Able Seaman, accident, Boy, Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, Pembrokeshire, photography, Royal Navy, Somerset, story, war

Able Seaman Percy Strong

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Able Seaman Percy Strong

Percy William Strong was born in April 1897, the youngest of five children to Albert Strong and his wife Elizabeth. The family lived in Shepton Mallet, Somerset, where Albert worked as a mason’s labourer.

Percy was keen to make his own way in the world. By the 1911 census, and having left school, he was working as a farm boy on Kingsdown Farm in Shepton, alongside a couple of other paid, and boarding, employees.

He seemed to have been after adventure in his life too; in January 1913, he enlisted in the Royal Navy, getting his training on a number of vessels, even before the start of the Great War. In his six years of service, he was promoted from Boy to Able Seaman, and served on nine ships.

Able Seaman Strong’s final assignment was at HMS Idaho, the naval base in Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, which he joined in May 1918. It was while he was stationed at HMS Idaho that tragedy would strike.

A boat belonging to a Government Patrol-boat capsized in Milford Haven, when three members of the crew lost their lives. They were Sub-Lieutenant Lever (20), Birkenhead; Leading Seaman Thomas Palmer (30) Shepton Mallet; and AB Percy Strong (21), Shepton Mallet.

The boat, containing six men, had come ashore in a rough sea. It left Milford Haven Naval stage on return to the ship at eleven am. A sharp squall caught the men when well out on their return journey, and this the craft failed to weather, and was capsized. The six occupants were cast into the sea, and despite the efforts of men in boats from other vessels, the three named were drowned, and the others had a narrow escape.

Western Mail: Friday 11th October 1918

Able Seaman Strong has lost his life on 9th October 1918. He was just 21 years old.

Percy William Strong’s body was returned to Shepton Mallet, the town of his birth, and lies at rest in the cemetery there.

Commonwealth War Graves, Driver, Great War, history, illness, photography, Royal Engineers, Somerset, story, war

Driver Sidney Hoskins

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Driver Sidney Hoskins

Sidney Victor Hoskins was born in February 1892, one of eleven children to Sidney and Elizabeth Hoskins from Shepton Mallet in Somerset. Sidney Sr worked as a quarryman and labourer in local factories.

Sidney was keen to make a life for himself, enlisting in the army in 1909. He served two years as a driver for the Royal Engineers, before being put on the reserve list. By the time of the 1911 census, he was listed as a packer on the railway. In November of that year, Sidney married Ada Lambert, also of Shepton Mallet.

While working on the line in April 1913, Sidney had an accident, suffering a fractured skull. He wasn’t able to carry out any hard labour form that point.

War broke out and Sidney was remobilised; just a month after Ada gave birth to their one and only child, a daughter they named Ada.

New baby notwithstanding, Driver Hoskins was shipped to France as part of the British Expeditionary Force. After two months he was sent down the line after suffering a fit, and was subsequently treated for pleurisy in Nantes. In November 1914, he returned to England and was ultimately discharged on medical grounds in February 1915.

During his time in France, he had also developed tuberculosis, and eventually spent three months in a sanitorium in Taunton, Somerset, to recover.

The condition continued to haunt Sidney, however, and he succumbed to the illness on 5th November 1917. He was 25 years of age.

Sidney Victor Hoskins lies at rest in the cemetery of his home town of Shepton Mallet.

Sidney’s younger brother, William Napier Hoskins, was also involved in the Great War. He had enlisted in the Somerset Light Infantry, and was based in India. Injured in fighting in the Persian Gulf, he was invalided back to India to recover. He was well enough to return to the fray, and was shipped to Mesopotamia, where he was injured again. He died of his wounds in Kut-al Amarah, Iraq, in 1915, aged just 20 years old.

The boys’ older brother Charles had also died in 1895, aged just six years old. While Sidney Sr and Elizabeth had had a family of eight girls, they were to outlive all three of their sons.

accident, Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, Kent, photography, Royal Air Force, Second Lieutenant, Somerset, story, war

Second Lieutenant Frederick Pullen

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Second Lieutenant Frederick Pullen

Frederick John Edward Pullen was born in May 1899, the only son to Albert and Bessie Pullen from Shepton Mallet in Somerset. Albert worked at the local prison, acting as clerk, warden and school master to the inmates.

Little else survives to expand on Fred’s military life; his gravestone confirms that he had enlisted in the Royal Flying Corps and, although no date can be attributed to this, it is likely to have been almost as soon as he turned 17.

A report of the young man’s funeral does give a little insight into the young man.

…before entering the service of his country, Lieutenant Pullen was in the Civil Service, and a letter from his late surveyor at Oxford, speaks in high terms of his character and abilities.

He graduated to the rank of Service Pilot in February last, and was gazetted in March. By the Naval authorities he was considered a very good pilot, and was graded as Class A (exemplary).

Shepton Mallet Journal: Friday 5th April 1918

Alongside the Edwardian trait of listing the chief mourners and floral tributes, the newspaper also gives an in-depth report of the cause of Second Lieutenant Pullen’s demise.

The brave young office, who was at a war school [Manston Airfield, Kent], was engaged in ‘stunting’ or trick flying, absolutely necessary in warfare, when from some unknown cause, he fell into a field, and was instantly killed.

A farmer who was ploughing near the spot said he was not conscious of the presence of an aeroplane in the vicinity till this one seemed to drop from the clouds. It nose-dived, but righted on coming near the earth, and seemed to swoop up again, but before going far turned turtle and fell, upside down.

The poor lad was found crushed beneath his gun, and had met instantaneous death. Letters received from witnesses of the accident stated that people living in the neighbourhood hurried to the spot with remedies of all sorts, and were much saddened to find that nothing that they could do was of any avail.

Shepton Mallet Journal: Friday 5th April 1918

Second Lieutenant Pullen met his death in a flying accident on 26th March 1918. He was just 18 years old.

Frederick John Edward Pullen lies at rest in the cemetery of his home town of Shepton Mallet.

Second Lieutenant Fred Pullen (courtesy of findagrave.com)
Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, illness, Labour Corps, photography, Private, Somerset, story, war

Private Henry Mees

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Private Henry Mees

Henry Edward Mees was born in Shepton Mallet, in June 1888. Henry was one of six children, and lived in Somerset with his father – Frederick and his mother Emma. Frederick was a gardener who worked as a groundsman for the local cemetery.

After leaving school, Henry found work as a clerk for a local auctioneer. Of his two brothers, the elder has found a trade in carpentry, while his younger sibling helped his father.

Henry’s service records are scant; he enlisted in the Labour Corps, although there is no confirmation of when this happened. Private Mees joined the 615th Home Service Employment Company and was based in England.

The HSE Companies categorised the employment of the men serving with them, whether they were cooks, caretakers, clerks, policemen, butchers or telephone operators, and used the men to the best of their skills. It is likely, therefore, that Private Mees continued in his clerk role, albeit in a different line of work from auctioneering.

Sadly, few further details of Henry’s life remain documented. He is listed as having been admitted to the War Hospital in Bath, and he died from influenza on 10th November 1918. He was 30 years old.

Henry Edward Mees lies at rest in the cemetery of his home town, Shepton Mallet, sadly tended by his father as part of his day-to-day job.

Commonwealth War Graves, Devonshire Regiment, Great War, history, photography, Private, Somerset, story, unknown, war

Private Albert Coward

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Private Albert Coward

Albert Reginald Robert Coward was born on 26th August 1900, the middle of three children – all boys – for James and Florence Coward. James was a labourer and drayman for the railways, and the family lived in Shepton Mallet, Somerset.

Little remains of Albert’s military service records. His older brother Arthur was a Corporal in the Somerset Light Infantry. He died in France in April 1918, which may have been a contributing factor to his sibling’s decision to do his duty.

Albert enlisted in the 53rd Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment and, given his age, I would presume that this was as soon as he was able to – sometime in 1918.

Whether Private Albert Coward saw any military action is not known. He is listed as having passed away at a military hospital on 29th September 1918, although, as I have been unable to find a cause of death, it is likely to have been an illness, rather than an injury. Albert was aged just 18 years old.

Albert Reginald Robert Coward lies at rest in the cemetery of his home town.

Albert Reginald Robert Coward
(courtesy of findagrave.com)

Corporal Arthur William James Coward is commemorated on the Arras memorial in France. He was 23 years old when he died.

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

Private Charles Embleton

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Private Charles Embleton

Charles Embleton was born in Alexandria, Egypt, in 1891. One of five children, his father John was a captain in the army, and his wife, Sarah was based wherever he was.

Military service was obviously in Charles’ blood. He joined up in 1908, and was assigned to the Army Ordnance Corps. After three years’ service, he was moved back to the Reserves.

Charles had met Mary Cooper, a baker’s daughter, from Farnham. They married in September 1911, and, two months later, Mary gave birth to their daughter, Florence. Her baptism records show that, by this time, Charles was working as a registry clerk for his former Corps.

When war broke out, Private Embleton was remobilised and by 14th August 1914, he was in France. His service abroad was brief, however. Within a fortnight he had been shipped back to England and there he stayed until he was medically discharged in March 1915.

While no cause for his dismissal is evident from his service records, his war pension document confirms that, when he passed away, it was from tuberculosis, contracted while on active service. It is reasonable to assume, therefore, what his lung condition was the cause for his initial discharge.

It seems that Charles and his family had relocated to the south west of England when his service was completed. It was here that he died – on 20th July 1916 – at the age of just 25 years old.

Charles Embleton lies at peace in Shepton Mallet Cemetery in Somerset.

Commonwealth War Graves, Cornwall, Corporal, Great War, history, illness, photography, Royal Engineers, Sapper, Sergeant, Somerset, story, war

Serjeant Arthur Heard

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Serjeant Arthur Heard

Arthur Reginald Heard was born in 1887, the youngest son to Herbert and Emily. Herbert was a local surveyor and land agent, and the family lived in the middle of Shepton Mallet in Somerset, two doors up from the town’s Baptist Church and within sight of the Magistrate’s Court.

In 1908, aged 21, Arthur made the journey across the Atlantic to Argentina, settling in Buenos Aires and working for the Pacific Railway Company. When war broke out, however, he immediately returned to England, when he enlisted in the army, and was assigned to the Royal Engineers.

Sapper Heard was shipped out to France and was quickly promoted, first to Corporal, then to Serjeant. In November 1917, Arthur was caught up in a shell impact on the front, and was buried. He was quickly dug out, and not severely hurt.

On 25th March 1918, Serjeant Heard was due to return home on leave, but was taken ill. Back in England, he was hospitalised in Birmingham, where meningitis was confirmed. He seemed to recover – even going out for tea with his sister-in-law when she visited him – and was transferred to recuperate in Saltash, Cornwall.

Within days of arriving, he collapsed with a fit, and passed away within half an hour. Subsequent examination confirmed that Arthur had died from a brain tumour. He was just 30 years old.

Arthur Reginald Heard lies at rest in the cemetery of his home town, Shepton Mallet.

Commonwealth War Graves, Great War, history, injury, photography, Royal Engineers, Sapper, Somerset, story, war

Sapper Leonard Francis

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Sapper Leonard Francis

Leonard George Francis (who was known by is middle name) was born in October 1895. He was one of fourteen children to Jonas and Eleanor (or Ellenora) Francis, and his father worked on the railways as a plate layer or ganger.

George followed his father into manual labour, and, by the time of the 1911 census, aged 15, he was already listed as a mason.

He seems to have enlisted fairly early on in the war, and by January 1915 had joined his troop – the 2nd Wessex Field Company of the Royal Engineers – on the front line.

Sadly, Sapper Francis’ time in the army was to be brief. He was caught up in the fighting at Ypres, and he was injured at Hill 60 on 27th April. He was moved to a local hospital for treatment.

It seems that messages crossed in the communication with George’s family. They received a letter confirming that he was recovering in hospital after receiving a wound to the body, but not to worry. A day or so later his postcard confirming his arrival in France was received, but by this time he had been shipped back to England for treatment.

His parents received a telegram to confirm this, and his father and brother set out to visit him. By the time they had reached the hospital, however, he had sadly passed from a tetanus infection. In his pocket was a piece of shell; a sad souvenir of his frontline action.

Leonard George Francis died at Netley Hospital 3rd May 1915. He was just 19 years old.

He lies at rest in the cemetery of his home town, Shepton Mallet in Somerset.

Commonwealth War Graves, Corporal, Great War, history, illness, photography, Royal Air Force, Somerset, story, war

Corporal Ossian Richards

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Corporal Ossian Richards

Ossian Emanuel Richards was born in Westonzoyland, Somerset, in December 1897. He was the youngest of two children and his parents – Emmanuel and Jane – were farmers in the area.

Ossian enlisted later in the war, joining the RAF in June 1918. While little detail of his service is available, he had been a fitter before joining up, so it may well have been on the mechanical side of things that he was involved.

After nine months’ service, Ossian has been promoted to Corporal, and, with the war over, he was transferred to the RAF Reserves in March 1919.

Sadly, as with many young men of his generation, Corporal Richards succumbed to the flu pandemic that followed the war. He died on 15th September 1919, aged just 21 years old.

Ossian Emanuel Richards lies at rest in the cemetery of his home village of Westonzoyland.

Commonwealth War Graves, Essex, Great War, history, illness, Ordinary Seaman, photography, Royal Navy, Somerset, story, war

Ordinary Seaman Harry Kick

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Ordinary Seaman Harry Kick

Harry Kick was born in August 1900, the oldest of six children to George and Georgina Kick from the small village of Middlezoy in Somerset. George was an agricultural labourer, while his wife helped with the dairy side of Jones Farm, where he worked.

Details of Harry’s military service are scarce, but, based on his age, it is likely to have been the second half of the war when he enlisted. He joined the Royal Navy and was assigned to HMS Osea, a naval base in Essex.

Sadly, there is little evidence of Harry’s time in the navy. His pension records confirm that he passed away on 17th September 1918, having been suffering from pneumonia. He was just 18 years old when he died.

Harry Kick lies at peace in the churchyard of Holy Cross Church in his home village of Middlezoy, Somerset.