Military History

Daniel is listed as dying of wounds on 26 Jan 1917 during the operation to recapture Kut al Amara.. The war diary for the period 25th to 27th January and page 451 of C.T. Atkinson's book ROYAL HAMPSHIRE REGIMENT. 1914-1918 by Naval and Military Press are transcribed below along with a newspaper obituary from the Leamington Spa Courier.

Military History

William is listed as being killed in action on 18 May 1915. The 18th Battalion war diary entry for that day is transcribed below. Click here for full diary.

18th May 15 - Essars: Parade in front of HQ at 6:45am. All on time. Marched off at 6:55. Passed through Essars 7am. Arrived at General Headquarters line SE of Le Touret at 8am. Went to Brigade Headquarters and got orders to occupy trenches west of Indian Village just east of Rue L’Epinnette. Marched off at 2pm via route B – 100 yards between companies in fours. Met General Turner and Staff at Rue L’Epinnette. Ordered to make an advance with 14^th Battalion on our left. One Company of 16^th to make flank attack on orchard south of La Quinque Rue.

Marched up to Indian Village just behind old British line and detached No 4 Co under Capt Hastings to make flank attack. No 2 Co under Capt Rae to make front attack in conjunction with two Companies under Colonel Burland. 16^th on right – 14^th on left. No 1 and 3 Companies supporting Capt Rae remained in 1^st line of German trench. 14^th Batt swung too much to the right pushing us in that direction also. We occupied position of our assigned line. 14^th Battn did not. Flank attack was not proceeded with owing to non-arrival of covering units.

Captain Hastings casualties 4 killed and 40 wounded. Major Rae’s casualties 20 wounded.

Asked to attack and clear wood of troops in position but 14^th not in position consequently did not advise attack.

Strenuous night, got in touch with Major Rae by phone and had him adjust line to as to connect up with British troops on both flanks. 14^th got on to our left and connected up with the Guards & we connected with Wilts on our right.

Colonel Burland took 14^th away before day light [19^th] and left gap of 200x between us and Guards. Place machine gun in our flank next this gap. Sent up No 1 and 3 Companies under Major Peck and Captain Mouson at 11.30 to dig in. They did not arrive owing to great darkness until 2am [19^th] but completed the trenches.

No 2 and 4 Companies came out to reserve trenches. No 2 in German 1^st line and No 4 in British 1^st line. Major Peck in charge of line for day, Major Rae and Captain Hastings having come out.

Military History

Reginald is listed as dying on 18 Sep 1914 with different documents stating that he either died of wounds or was killled in action. His remains were never found and he is therefore remembered on the La Ferte-sous-Jouarre Memorial.

The 1st Battalion War diary shows that they were in trenches at La Montagne Farm near Bucy le Long and the brief entries for the period 17th to 19th September are transcribed below.

Bucy le Long Sept 17^th 1914: Village heavily shelled by Siege Artillery – lost 6 horses wounded but only water cart was damaged of transport. Rained hard all day. Rec’d orders to relieve the Hampshires.

Bucy le Long Sept 18^th 1914: Relieved Hampshires 4am with A & B Coys at La Montangne Farm. Suffered a good many casualties from gun fire. Lt C A Knapton & one man killed & 15 wounded.

7pm – Cave: we relieved the Rifle Brigade with Regiment. Dublin Fusiliers in at La Montagne Farm. Wet.

Cave - Bucy le Long Sept 19^th 1914: Shellfire at intervals during the day. Lt Bulloch & 3 men wounded & three men killed from shrapnel. Improved trenches during the night. Quiet night – wet.

Military History

James is listed as dying of wounds at the 53rd Casualty Clearing Station at Daours on 11 Aug 1918. The book "With the 10th Essex in France by Banks, Lt. Col T.M and Chell, Capt R.A" informs us that James was wounded on the 8th August 1918 during the attack at Bois le Gressaire (Gressaire Wood), which was part of the Battle of Amiens often described as "The Last Great Battle", of WW1 at least. He was originally reported as wounded and missing but must have been found and taken to the CCS. The 10th Bn war diary entry for the 8th August is transcribed below.

8^th April 1918 – Assembly Point J.23.b & d: Weather very misty. Battn attacked in conjunction with troops on the right & left. At 4.20am the Battn advanced from assembly position through front line. From this line the Bttn passed through the 12^th Division and keeping to Bray-Corbie Road on the left flank reached the final objective which ran from K.16.d.8.5 to K.23.b.0.8. Dispostions of Coys on the final objective were as follows: A Coy on right, B Coy in the centre, D Coy on the left, while C Coy formed a defensive flank on the left.

The intention was for the 8^th R. Berks Regt to pass through A & B Coys at K.29.a.0.3 to K.23.c.0.5 and capture Gressiare Wood while A & B Coys were to be drawn into reserve. Owing to the very misty weather the 8^th R. Berks and the 68^th Division on the right were unable to get forward to the final objective, while the 7^th R.W. Kents, except on Coy, were also unable to get forward.

When the mist lifted it was found that both flanks of the Bttn were in the air and the gaps were so large that they could not be filled up. This necessitated a withdrawal of the Bttn to a line running North & South along grid line between K.20 & K.21. A large number of prisoners, Machine Guns and Field Guns were captured but a considerable number of the latter had to be given up on withdrawal.

Casualties: Other Ranks: Killed 56, wounded 191, missing 24.  Officers: Killed 2, wounded 8 missing 3.

B.M.O.3 received at 8.15pm ordering Battn to withdraw to Clermont Line. C.O. called [to] 10^th Bde at 2am [9^th] where he was given instructions that Battn would move up at once to Burke Trench. This was completed without incident by 3.50am.