1st Battalion, Cheshire Regiment, Killed in Action December 1914

In the latter part of the month a number of casualties are recorded from the 1st/6th Battalion - not really part of the story of the 1st Battalion. However they have been included to show the very young age of some of these soldiers who were in Stockport in August 1914, part of the Cheshire Brigade, Welsh Division.

On 10 November 1914 they left the Division and landed in France and on the 17 December 1914 were attached to 15th Brigade, 5th Division, alongside the 1st Battalion. On the 11th it commenced duty in the Wulverghem sector.

Samuel HILDITCH
Rank:	Private 10006
Age:	25
Date of Death:	10 December 1914 (Died of wounds)
Additional Information:	Born: at Sandbach, Cheshire. Enlisted: at Crewe, Cheshire. Son of Edwin and Annie Hilditch, of Crewe, Cheshire.
Buried/Commemorated:	BOULOGNE EASTERN CEMETERY
Grave Number:	III. B. 61.

Walter WILLIAMSON
Rank:	Private 1524 (1st/6th Battalion)
Age:	19
Date of Death:	12 December 1914 (Killed in Action)
Additional Information:	Born: at St Thomas', Hyde, Cheshire. Enlisted: at Hyde, Cheshire. Son of Frank and Sarah Ann Williamson, of 8, Cross Cliffe, Apethorn, Gee Cross, Hyde, Cheshire.
Buried/Commemorated:	YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Grave Number:	Panel 19 - 22

Joseph CLARKE
Rank:	Private 1708 ("A" Coy, 1st/6th Battalion)
Age:	25
Date of Death:	16 December 1914 (Died of wounds)
Additional Information:	Born: at Heaton Mersey, Stockport, Cheshire. Enlisted: at Stockport, Cheshire. Son of Hannah Clarke, of 104, School St., Higher Brinksway, Stockport, and the late Joseph Clarke.
Buried/Commemorated:	BAILLEUL COMMUNAL CEMETERY (NORD)
Grave Number:	E. 4.

Joseph PRICE
Rank:	Private 1367 (1st/6th Battalion)
Age:	17?
Date of Death:	20 December 1914 (Killed in Action)
Additional Information:	Born: at St Oswald's, Oswestry, Salop. Enlisted: at Stockport, Cheshire. Possibly: Son of Edward & Elizabeth Price of Oswestry.
Buried/Commemorated:	WULVERGEM CHURCHYARD
Grave Number:	Sp. Mem. 1

Frederick RILEY (A.R.)
Rank:	Private 7008 ("D" Company)
Age:	n/k
Date of Death:	20 December 1914 (Died as a prisoner of war)
Additional Information:	Born: at All Saint's, Marple, Cheshire. Enlisted: at Stockport, Cheshire.
Buried/Commemorated:	NIEDERZWEHREN CEMETERY
Grave Number:	III. J. 4.

Benjamin TURNER
Rank:	Private 1626 ("A" Coy., 1st/6th Battalion)
Age:	18
Date of Death:	20 December 1914 (Killed in Action)
Additional Information:	Born: at St Mary's, Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancs. Enlisted: at Stalybridge, Cheshire. Son of John and Eliza Turner, of 93, High St., Stalybridge, Cheshire.
Buried/Commemorated:	YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Grave Number:	Panel 19 - 22

Edward James GREEN
Rank:	Private 9506
Age:	18?
Date of Death:	24 December 1914 (Died of wounds)
Additional Information:	Born: at St Peter's, Birkenhead, Cheshire. Enlisted: at Birkenhead, Cheshire. Possibly: Former inmate of Birkenhead Workhouse (1901 aged 5)
Buried/Commemorated:	LE TOUQUET-PARIS PLAGE COMMUNAL CEMETERY
Grave Number:	I. A. 14.

James SMITH
Rank:	Corporal 8336
Age:	23
Date of Death:	24 December 1914 (Died of wounds)
Additional Information:	Born: at Liverpool. Enlisted: at Liverpool.
Buried/Commemorated:	BAILLEUL COMMUNAL CEMETERY (NORD)
Grave Number:	G. 6.

Wilfred PLATT
Rank:	Private 1562 (1st/6th Battalion)
Age:	18
Date of Death:	24 December 1914 (Died of wounds)
Additional Information:	Born: at St Paul's, Stalybridge, Cheshire. Enlisted: at Stalybridge, Cheshire. Probably: Son of the late William & Mary Frances Platt (née Bamford) of Stalybridge.
Buried/Commemorated:	BAILLEUL COMMUNAL CEMETERY (NORD)
Grave Number:	G. 5.

John CARRUTHERS
Rank:	Private 1436 (1st/6th Battalion)
Age:	18
Date of Death:	24 December 1914 (Killed in Action)
Additional Information:	Born: at Christ Church, Stockport, Cheshire. Enlisted: at Stockport, Cheshire. Son of John and Margaret Carruthers.
Buried/Commemorated:	YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Grave Number:	Panel 19 - 22

Henry ROBERTS
Rank:	Private 2150 (1st/6th Battalion)
Age:	23
Date of Death:	24 December 1914 (Killed in Action)
Additional Information:	Born: at Hadfield, Derbyshire. Enlisted: at Glossop, Derbyshire. Son of Mrs. Eliza Roberts, of 4, Brosscroft, Hadfield, Manchester.
Buried/Commemorated:	YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Grave Number:	Panel 19 - 22

Cornelius BAMFORD
Rank:	Private 8251
Age:	22
Date of Death:	24 December 1914 (Killed in Action)
Additional Information:	Born: at Elton, Bury, Lancs. Enlisted: at Chester, Cheshire. Son of William and Isabella Bamford, of Back Arthur St., Bury; husband of Marie Waldron (formerly Bamford), of 2, Parson's Court, Elton, Bury.
Buried/Commemorated:	YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Grave Number:	Panel 19 - 22

Such was the intensity of the fighting around Ypres that most of the men killed in action during the First Battle were never given a formal burial and have, therefore, no known grave. Instead they are commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial. (right)

Every evening since 1928, at precisely eight o'clock, the Last Post - the traditional salute to the fallen soldier - has been played under the Menin Gate Memorial in Ieper, Belgium.

The First Phase of the War had come to an end around 22 November, so, not surprisingly the men of the 1st Battalion spent most of December in billets in and around Bailleul and Dranoutre. However, under pressure from the French, limitted attacks were renewed around Yser and Ypres.

Half of the Battalion at a time, by Company, were in and out of trenches at Wulvergham between the 18th and 28th December, but casualties were light. Generally, trench conditions were truly appalling; there were too few men and insufficient supplies of equipment and ammunition.

On the 24th December 5 new Officers and 444 NCOs and men joined the Battalion from England, so that now new additions numerically outnumbered the remnants of the original Battalion that had set out from Belfast in August.