The Men Who Fell in WW1

South Warwickshire Family History Society War Memorial Transcription Project

The Fallen Men of South Warwickshire - World War One

Private 43883 Wallace Ethorne GRIFFIN - 5th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment

Died of Wounds on Monday, June 24, 1918 aged 19

Military History


Theatre of War	Medals	Commonwealth War Grave or Memorial
France and Flanders	British War & Victory Medals

Arrived in Theatre	Medal Citation (if app)	SWFHS Area Memorials
After February 1917	~	Ratley & Upton \| Moreton Morrell

Action, Battle or Other Reason Killed	Date and Place Enlisted Date	Other War Memorials
German Spring Offensive	Feb 1917 at Leamington Spa

Place of Death	Previous Regiments or Units
Casualty Clearing Station at Varennes	Pte 51814 Devon Regt

Circumstances Leading to Death (Normally from War Diary)

War diary shows for some days prior to his death Wallace and the 5th Battalion were constructing trench shelters in the lines Bouzincourt. The casualty lists show that men were wounded on the 19th, 21st and 24 June. Wallace died of wounds on the 24th June.

Personal & Family History

Birth Date/Place	Bapitsm Date/Place
Jan Qtr 1899 at Thurmaston	5 Mar 1899 at Thurmaston

Parents Names	Parents Abode
Thomas George and Lily Griffin	Moreton Morrell

Wife & Marriage Date/Place	Children & Year of Birth
~	~

Schools	Colleges
	~

Address History	Employment History
1901 - Battle View, Ratley	1911 - School
1911 - Ratley Grange
1915 - Moreton Morrell
1918 - New Houses, Warwick Rd., Kineton

Back to Index

South Warwickshire Family History Society War Memorial Transcription Project

The Fallen Men of South Warwickshire - World War One

Sergeant 6409 Charles LAWSON MM - 10th Battalion Sherwood Foresters

Killed in Action on Wednesday, September 18th 1918 aged 38

Military History


Theatre of War	WW1 Medals	Commonwealth War Grave of Memorial
France and Flanders	Military Medal, 1914 Star & Clasp,	Vis-en-Artois Memorial
	British War & Victory Medals
Arrived in Theatre	Other Medals	SWFHS Area Memorials
8 Sep 1914	Queens South Africa;	Walsgrave on Sowe

Action, Battle or Other Reason Killed	Date and Place Enlisted Date	Other War Memorials
Battle of Epéhy	13 Nov 1899 at Nuneaton	14 Aug 1914 - Promoted to Lance Corporal
		20 Mar 1915 - Confirmed in rank as Corporal
Place of Death	Previous Regiments or Units	12 Mar 1916 - Promoted to Sergeant
Epehy	~

Circumstances Leading to Death (Normally from War Diary)

On the evening of 17th September the battalion left their positions at Lechelle and moved east to take up positions at Fins Ridge in preparation for the attack the following day of Epehy. The attack eventually succeeded (read the full story on the Battle of Epehy link above) and 11,750 prisoners were taken and 100 guns captured. Charles was killed at some stage of the attack.

He was awarded his Military Medal for his actions during the battle but we are unable to find the Citation.

Personal & Family History

Birth Date/Place	Bapitsm Date/Place
Jul Qtr 1880 at Walsgrave on Sowe

Parents Names	Abode
Charles and Selina Lawson	Lenton's Lane, Hawkesbury

Wife & Marriage Date/Place	Children & Year of Birth
Edith Lawson nee Blyth - Jan Qtr 1913 at Foleshill	Leslie Charles Lawson born 12 Nov 1913

Schools	Colleges
	~

Address History	Employment History
1881 - Hawkesbury Lane, Walsgrave on Sowe	1891 - Scholar
1891 - Lentons Lane, Walsgrave on Sowe	1898 - Miner
1901 - South Africa	1899 - 1918 Career Soldier
1911 - Crownhill Fort, Plympton, Devon
1916 - Lentons Lane, Hawkesbury

Back to Index

South Warwickshire Family History Society War Memorial Transcription Project

The Fallen Men of South Warwickshire - World War One

L/Corporal 1134 Collins Jeffreys JONES - 14th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment

Killed in Action on Saturday July 22nd 1916 aged 23

Military History


Theatre of War	Medals	Commonwealth War Grave or Memorial
France and Flanders	1914-15 Star, British War & Victory Medals	Delville Wood Cemetery

Arrived in Theatre	Medal Citation (if app)	SWFHS Area Memorials
21 Nov 1915 in France	~	Hampton-in-Arden \| Bickenhill, St. Peters

Action, Battle or Other Reason Killed	Date and Place Enlisted	Other War Memorials
Battle of the Somme (Attack on High Wood)	1 Jan 1915 Sutton Coldfield

Place of Death	Previous Regiments or Units
nr Bazentin le Petit	~

Circumstances Leading to Death (Normally from War Diary)

Collins is listed as being killed in action on 22 Jul 1916 and the war diary indicates that it would been overnight on 22/23rd. The War Diary entries for the 22nd & 23rd are transcribed, in full, below:

High Wood - 22.7.16.

10am: orders received that the battalion, as part of the 13^th infantry brigade would attack the enemy's trenches at 10:00 PM. Enemies trenches forming objective oh as shown under entry above. 14^th R War Rgt on the right to attack from the point where enemies line crosses road at point S.10.b8.9 two Road junction S£.11.c.5.8. 1/R West Kents prolonging the line to the left to right and enemies line above point S.4.d.6.4. 15/R War in Bde Reserve. 2/KSOB being detailed to attack another portion of enemies line to left rear of our objectives.

10pm: At 9.50pm the attacking Coys A on the right, B on the left, advanced from their trenches in two waves undercover of the artillery bombardment. At 9.55pm both waves were sing to extend from sections in file formation into line preparatory to lying down until the artillery lifted at 10:00pm. As the extension was in progress the enemy opened an overwhelming machine gun and infantry fire. Our troops were cut to bits and although supports were thrown in they received the same treatment and it soon became a question of organising our original frontline to meet a possible counterattack. This was successfully done.

From all reports received from survivors and judging from the intensity of the enemy's fire - opened before the bombardment had lifted it would appear that our artillery had not ranged accurately on the enemy's trenches. A full report of the attack is contained in appendix No 2.

The 1st West Kent Regt fair no better and later on the same remark applies to the 2/KOSB. The casualties sustained by the battalion in this action always follows:

Officers: Killed 3, Wounded 5, Missing believed killed 4, Missing believe wounded 2 and Wounded 2.
Other ranks: Killed 36; Missing 195, Wounded 238. Total 485. END

High Wood - 23.7.16: Work on consolidation of original position. Patrol work to recover dead & wounded. 12 midnight – Battn relieved by Bedford Regt. Proceeds to bivouac at Pommiers Redoubt in front of Mametz. END

Personal & Family History

Birth Date/Place	Baptism Date/Place
27 Aug 1893 at Churchill, Worcs	1 Oct 1893 at Churchill with Blakedown

Parents Names	Abode
Thomas and Alice Olive Jones	Southsea, Hampton in Arden

Schools	Colleges
	~

Address History	Employment History
1893 - Churchill House, Churchill, Worcs	1909 - Farmer
1901 - Kitwell Farm, Northfield, Worcs	1911 - Farmer
1909 - Oxbow, Canada
1911 - Oxbow, Canada
1912 - Southsea, Hampton in Arden
1916 - Southsea, Hampton in Arden

Brother of Charles Victor Jones and Thomas Pargeter Jones both of whom also fell

Back to Index

South Warwickshire Family History Society War Memorial Transcription Project

The Fallen Men of South Warwickshire - World War One

Private 14981 Ernest James SAYER - 6th Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers

Killed in Action on Sunday 26th September 1915 aged 24

Military History


Theatre of War	Medals	Commonwealth War Grave or Memorial
France and Flanders	1914-15 Star, British War & Victory Medals	Loos Memorial

Arrived in Theatre	Medal Citation (if app)	SWFHS Area Memorials
11 May 1915 in Boulogne, France	~	Leamington St. Marks (New Milverton)
		Leamington Spa War Memorial
Action, Battle or Other Reason Killed	Date and Place Enlisted
Battle of Loos	After 27 Sep 1914 at Ayr	Other War Memorials
		Troon, Ayrshire
Place of Death	Previous Regiments or Units
just south of Auchy-les-Mines	~

Circumstances of Death

Ernest is listed as being killed in action on 26 Sep 1915 during the Battle of Loos. It appears that he was originally reported as being wounded & missing in action.

The 6th Battalion war diary entry for the 25th & 26th is more or less unreadable however there is a report attach to the diary which describes the events and it is transcribed below along with a newspaper report about Ernest from the Leamington Spa Courier.

Report on Operations

SUBJECT: Account of Operations 25^th 26^th Sept
6^th Royal Scots Fusiliers
Reference B.N. 59/d/2/10/15

To:-
Headquarters
27^th Inf. Bde

The battalion after being held in support all day on Saturday 25^th Sept 1915 advanced at 5pm from amma front trench at point L in line of half companies with the 10^th A & S Hlrs [Argyle & Sutherland Highlanders] immediately to our front. We advanced until arriving at Foss trench about 6pm which we occupied.

At 7pm two companies were forward to support the 11th and 12^th Royal Scots in Pekin Trench on their left. Between 9 and 10 German bombers forced us to withdraw from Pekin Trench to Fosse Trench. Shortly afterwards the battalion withdrew from this trench and 3 companies returned to our old support line the remaining company taking up position in Hohenzollern Redoubt.

Early on the morning of the 26^th the Middlesex relieved this company who rejoined the remainder of the Battalion. The battalion then reformed in the Quarry and remained there until the afternoon of the 26th when two coys were sent forward to Hohenzollern and at 5.30pm the remaining 2 Coys and machine gunners were also sent to Hohenzollern where the Battalion took up position and held until midnight when it was ordered forward to Fosse Trench reaching this position about 7.30am [27^th] with the A & S Hlrs on our left but no touch could be obtained with our own troops on the right.

We remained in these trenches until the afternoon of the 27^th inst.

In the Field 2/10/15. (sd) J.H. Dutton, Major, Comdg 6^th Royal Scots Fusrs.

This is all that I can gather of these operations. Lt. Col Northey was in command on the 26th

Newspaper Report

Personal & Family History

Birth Date/Place	Baptism Date/Place
c1891 in Leamington Spa	5 Oct 1891 at St. Mark's New Milverton

Parents Names	Abode
Thomas Benjamin and Alice Sayer	3, Albert Street, New Milverton

Wife and	Marriage Details
Jane Vass Lambie Sayer nee Lambie	23 Oct 1911 in Troon, Ayshire

Schools	Colleges
	~

Address History	Employment History
1891 - 221 Rugby Road, New Milverton	1912 - Traffic Assistant
1901 - 31 Quarry Street, New Milverton
1911 - Kirkoswald, Ayrshire
1915 - 1 Bank Street, Troon

Back to Index

South Warwickshire Family History Society War Memorial Transcription Project

The Fallen Men of South Warwickshire - World War One

Private F/3027 Walter JOHNSON - 23rd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment

Killed in Action on Thursday, June 7th 1917 aged 28

Military History


Theatre of War	Medals	Commonwealth War Grave or Memorial
France and Flanders	British War & Victory Medals	Voormezeele Enclosure No 3

Arrived in Theatre	Medal Citation (if app)	SWFHS Area Memorials
3 May 1916 in France	~	Warwick (Eleanor Cross) War Memorial
		Warwick All Saints
Action, Battle or Other Reason Killed	Date and Place Enlisted
Battle of Messines	21 Nov 1915 at Birmingham

Place of Death	Previous Regiments or Units	Other War Memorials
Dammstrasse	~

Circumstances of Death

Walter is listed as being killed in action on 7 Jun 1917. The 23rd Battalion war diary entry for that day is transcribed below.

Assembly Ground - 7th June 1917: Zero hour set at 3.30am. Trench strength 16 Officers and 550 Other Ranks.

2.30am: Battalion in six waves in position on assembly ground

2.45am: Battalion move forward to within 70 yards of the enemy's line

3.05am: Observed a golden ? rocket fired from Ruined Farm, threatened to give away our assembly position but no action followed.

3.07am: The mine in No 3 Crater goes up at the same time an artillery drop barrage on enemy's front line

3.10am: Battalion moved forward and the barrage jumps to support trench. The battalion found great difficultly in keeping touch with the battalions on our flanks owing to the smoke and dust caused by our own artillery. Casualties 4 officers killed, 6 wounded. 26 Other Ranks killed, 215 wounded and 5 missing.

4.05am: Dammstrasse stormed and captured, 80 prisoners taken. Advanced posts pushed out about 80 yards in front of Dammstrasse and the Battalion consolidates a line about 50 yards south of the Dammstrasse. Most of our casualties occur near the support line.

6.30am: 122nd Brigade leapfrog us and capture Black Line, followed by tanks.

4.30am to 6pm: Work of consolidating continues, slight shelling

2.45pm: 24th Division leapfrog the Battalion and advance to the green line.

10pm: Rations and water arrive. END

Personal & Family History

Birth Date/Place	Baptism Date/Place
Jul Qtr 1889 in Birmingham

Parents Names	Abode
Herbert and Susannah Jane Johnson	Saltley, Birmingham

Wife	Marriage Details
Florence Johnson nee Woodfield	10 Apr 1916 at Warwick All Saints

Schools	Colleges
	~

Address History	Employment History
1889 - Birmingham	1901 - School?
1891 - 30 Cato Street North, Aston, Birmingham	1911 - Invoice Clerk at Motor Manufacturer
1901 - 35 Freeman Road, Aston, Birmingham	1915 - Clerk
1911 - 47 Ash Road, Saltley, Birmingham
1915 - 49 Nansen Road, Saltley
1916 - 7 Charles Street, Emscote, Warwick

Walters brother, Leonard Johnson, also fell on 9 Oct 1917
Warwick War Memorial Project Biography

Back to Index

South Warwickshire Family History Society War Memorial Transcription Project

The Fallen Men of South Warwickshire - World War One

Circumstances Leading to Death (Normally from War Diary)

South Warwickshire Family History Society War Memorial Transcription Project

The Fallen Men of South Warwickshire - World War One

Circumstances Leading to Death (Normally from War Diary)

South Warwickshire Family History Society War Memorial Transcription Project

The Fallen Men of South Warwickshire - World War One

Circumstances Leading to Death (Normally from War Diary)

South Warwickshire Family History Society War Memorial Transcription Project

The Fallen Men of South Warwickshire - World War One

Circumstances of Death

Report on Operations

Newspaper Report

South Warwickshire Family History Society War Memorial Transcription Project

The Fallen Men of South Warwickshire - World War One

Circumstances of Death

Subcategories

Battalions, Brigades & Other Units