Military History

Francis is listed as being killed in action on 29 April 1917, having been initially reported missing, he remained missing for some time as in July 1917 his family wrote to the Red Cross seeking his whereabouts. Francis's remains were eventually at Map Reference 51B.I.7.b.1.5. The 11th Battalion (see above) war diary for

SSE of Gavrelle - 28.4.17 - 4.20am: Battn in position to attack Greenland Hill - Front line D Coy right and B Coy left in Clasp Trench from 1.7.a.3 to I.7.a.7.0 in touch with 8th East Lancs on right and 42 Middlesex on left. Second line A Company right and C coy left in jumping off I.7.a.3.3 and I.7.a.4.0. Battn HQ at H.12.b.9.3.

Zero 4.25am Battn advanced. After going about 100 yds the right front Coy (D Coy) commenced to make a left incline with the object of filling a gap which had occured between us and the 6th Bdge on our left. B Coy conformed to this movement. As both the officers with the leading Coys became casualties immediately after, a few men lost direction and became mixed up with the 11th Bde. The remainder advanced but owing to the fact that all officers and senior NCO's, with the exception of two sergeants, were either killed or wounded the battn became very scattered. Detached parties with Lewis Guns occupied a general line 300-400 yds east of Cuba Trench overlapping 63rd Bde on the left and the remainder of this Bde (112th) on the right. Battn remained in this position until relieved by the 10th Argyle + Sutherland Highlanders just before daybreak on the 29th April.

SSE of Gavrelle - 29.4.17:Marched back to transport west of St. Nicholas. At 2pm Battalion embussed and proceeded to Denier & went into billets

Denier - 30.4.17: Battalion rested

Military History

James is listed as being killed in action on 27 Apr 1917, the war diary, transcribed below, tells us that he was one of 37 men who were killed in the Battalions attack on Greenland Hill.

28.4.1917 - 4.20am: Battn in position to attack Greenland hill:- Front line D. Coy right, B Coy left in Clasp Tr from I.7.a.7.3 – I.7.a.7.0 in touch with the 8^th East Lancs on right and 4th Middlesex on left. Second line A Coy right, C Coy left in jumping I.7.a.3.3-I.7.a.4.0. Bttn HQ at H.12.b.9.3.

Battn advanced, after only about 100 yards the right front Coy (D Coy) commenced to make a left incline with the object of filling a gap which had occurred between us on the 63^rd Bde on our left. B Coy conformed to this movement. As both the officers with the leading Coys became casualties immediately after a few men lost direction and became mixed up with the 111^th Bde. The remainder advanced but owing to the fact that all the officers and senior NCO's, with the exception of two sergeants were either killed or wounded the battalion became very scattered. Detached parties with Lewis guns occupied a general line 3 to 400 yards east of Cuba Tr overlapping 63^rd Bde on the left and the reminder of this Bde (112^th) on the right.

Bttn reminded in this position until the brigade was relieved by 10^th Argyl & Sutherland Hightlanders just before Daybreak on the 29^th.

Military History

Thomas is listed as being killed in action on 31st December 1915. The 179th Tunnelling Coy war diary entry for that day is transcribed below along with a Death Notice from the Stratford Herald.

Near Thiepval - 31.12.1915: Strength:
18 Officers & 266 OR’s RE posted and 54 RE attached to Infantry
1 Officer & 64 OR’s the mines? + 3 OR attached for duty
13 in ASC & [unreadable] + 2 to RAMC
Total 19 Officers and 418 OR

Casualties: 3 OR RE to hospital + 2 OR RE from hospital
54 OR RE arrived from entrenching battalions

2pm: Lt. W. Hudson to hospital (21 CCS)

5.30pm: Enemy ?flat fired under S4 workings
Casualties: 112720 Spr Hornsey T; 102977 Spr Jones T.

11am?: Trench mortar wounded the following whilst entering trenches for relief of men in shift: 86913 Spr Adams G.C; 112607 Spr Yapp W; 139145 L/Cpl Saunders W; 139194 Spr Waring T (latter 2 still at duty).

Stratford Herald Friday 21st January 1916
STRATFORD FAMILY’S BEREAVEMENT SAPPER T. HORNSEY

Mr. and Mrs. John Hornsley of Henley Street have been notified from Chatham that their second son, Sapper T. Hornsey 179th Company Royal Engineers was killed in action in France on December 31st. He was 45 years of age and had seen service in South Africa with the Royal Field Artillery.

In September last he rejoined the colours and went to France after a few weeks training.

Military History

Charles is listed as being killed in action on 7 Nov 1914 during the First Battle of Ypres. The 2nd Battalion war diary records for the period 28 Oct to 9 Nov 1914 were lost or destroyed during a Battle and so we have extracted a passage from the book The Story of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment by C.L. Kingsford. The book is on the Internet Archive and can be read here.

The Story of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment by C.L. Kingsford

After one day’s rest the battalion moved out [from Zonnebeke] on October 26, under the command of Major P. J. Foster, to Zandvoorde, where they were joined by the first reinforcement of 190 men. There next day they held the trenches under heavy fire, being forced in the afternoon to withdraw a of their line. At night they were relieved and bivouacked near Klein Zillebeke, remaining close to that village on the following day.

On October 29, when the battle was at its height, the Royal Warwickshire was ordered to counter-attack; but was held up by machine-gun fire and forced to dig in, two companies having a narrow escape from being surrounded. All next day they held their trenches under a heavy bombardment.

When on the morning of October 31 many of the trenches were blown in and their occupants buried, the battalion on the left under the strain gave way. The Royal Warwickshire had in consequence to swing back their own left to a fresh line, which they were ordered to hold at all costs. A small party under Major Foster, with five other officers, did not receive the necessary orders, and remaining in their advanced position were finally surrounded and taken prisoners. The day’s fighting had been long and fluctuating, and it was only at evening that the 22nd Brigade beat off the enemy and re-established the line. After this the battalion, now numbering little over a hundred men, remained three days in brigade-reserve in the woods.

All this time, for nine consecutive days and nights, officers and men had little more sleep than what they might snatch in the trenches. Day after day in the face of an appalling artillery fire they had held the trenches, which they had dug in haste during the previous night, and had never lost a trench until it had been actually blown in by the enemy’s shells. At one critical time, Lieut. and Quartermaster Hyde collected all the servants and cooks, the Sergeant-Drummer, the SergeantMaster-Shoemaker, the Armourer-Sergeant and the OrderlyRoom Corporal * and hurried them forward to help to restore the fight. General Rawlinson specially commended the battalion for its steadiness and good discipline on October 19, and for its courageous conduct on October 20, 21 and 24.