Private 8269 William HOLDEN (A.R.)
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Date of Death:
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1 September 1915 (Killed in Action)
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Panel No:
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Panel 3c
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Unit:
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'A' Company
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Age:
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28
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Personal History:
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According to his enlistment papers William was born in January 1887 at Blackburn, Lancashire, the son of Thomas (Music Professor) and Annie M. Holden. He had one older sister, Ada, and two younger sisters, Maggie and Rhoda, and two older brothers, Francis and Thomas, who also served in the Great War, 3rd Battalion, the Gloucestershire Regiment. After the War, by 1920, his parents appear to have been deceased. His brother Thomas was living at 120 Wensley Street, Blackburn
At the time of his enlistment he was employed as a Butcher. He was 5' 3¼" tall (1.61 m.), weighed 112 lbs. (8 stone 0lbs) had a 'fresh' complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. After his discharge in 1914 he went to live at 3 Cheltenham Square, Blackburn.
William did not marry nor have any children.
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Military History:
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William enlisted into the 2nd Battalion at Blackburn, Lancashire on 12th September 1906 aged 19 yrs 8 mths. He had at the time served for 3 years with the 5th Battalion (No. 9412), The Manchester Regiment. His terms of service with the Cheshires were 7 + 5 (i.e. 7 years active service + 5 years reserve).
He was posted to Chester where he remained until 6th January 1908, then being posted to Secundabad, India, where he remained until 5th March 1914. He was transferred to the Army Reserve after 7yrs. 174 days on 10th March 1914. At that time his CO, Capt. P G Villiers-Stuart, stated he was: "Steady and sober, quiet and reliable, very willing and hard-working. Possesses 3rd Class Certificate of Education; was a 3rd Class shot. Formerly a Pork Butcher."
His Medal Index Card shows that as a Reservist he was recalled to join the 1st Battalion at the outbreak of War and entered France on 16th August 1914. He fought on the right of the line at Audregnies under Captain Dugmore and also survived the actions at La Bassée and Nonne Bosschen (First Ypres).
However, on 24th December 1914 he was tried by Field General Court Martial for: "Whilst on active service leaving his post without orders from a superior officer." He was sentenced to 24 days Field Punishment No. 1, to expire 24th January 1915. He also forfeited those days in calculation of future pension entitlement. The War Diary states that the Battalion were "in billets at BAILLEUL. Went for a route march" on the 31st which may be why the offence was not treated more seriously.
At the end of his punishment period he was treated at 12 General Hospital (Rouen) for two venereal diseases and again on 21st February 1915 for ringworm.
He was reported "Missing on or since 1st September 1915 (no other information obtainable)" and this date of death was "..accepted for official purposes on or since 1.9.15". It is likely, therefore, that William was killed during the action to take Guillemont. Fighting for the village of Guillemont had been going on for some time and a fresh attach was mounted between 3rd and 6th September. The attack started at 9.0 a.m. on 3rd September 1916 and immediately faltered as there had been insufficient artillery support and the Cheshires were ordered forward to reinforce 13th Brigade. From their reserve position to the front line, they had to cross sloping ground in full view of the enemy and under heavy shell fire. On arrival at the front line, it was found that the trench was crowded with men from the attacking Battalions who had been forced to pull back. Gradually 13th Brigade was able to be withdrawn and the Cheshires took over the line, still under attack from artillery fire. Guillemont had been captured by the main force, but Falfemont Farm remained in enemy hands.
At noon on the 4th, orders were issued for another attack on the Farm. This was scheduled for 3.00 p.m. The attack would be undertaken by the Norfolks on the right, the Bedfords on the left and William's "A" and "C" Companies of the Cheshires in the centre. The final attack upon the farm went in at 12 noon on the 4th, and after much grim fighting, the 1st Battalion, with their comrades of Norfolk and Bedford were successful.
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Private 8823 Frank THOMPSON
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Date of Death:
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27 July 1916 (Killed in Action)
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Panel No:
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Panel 3c
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Unit:
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'B' Company
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Age:
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26
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Awards:
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Mentioned in Despatches
(London Gazette: 23 June 1915)
D.C.M.
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Personal History:
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Frank was born in Morton, Lincolnshire in July 1889, the son of William James (Road Labourer) and Sarah Elizabeth Thompson of Gainsborough, Lincolnshire. He had two older brothers, Joe and Edward, three elder sisters, Annie, Maud and Birdie, and two younger sisters, Louisa and Kate. In 1901 (Census RG 13/3113) the family were living in Beaufort Street, Gainsborough, Lincs, moving to 23 Tennyson Street by 1911 (Census RG 14/20145)
At the time of his enlistment he was employed as a 'Blacksmith's Labourer.' He was 5' 7" tall (1.70 m.), weighed 129 lbs. (9 stone 3 lbs) had a 'dark' complexion, brown eyes and medium brown hair. His stated religion was Church of England.
After the War his medals, etc., were sent to "Mrs L Thompson, 42 Fortingale Street, Belfast. This would be his wife Laura (née Sleator) whom he married on 15th December 1913 at St James' Church, Belfast. They had one son, Frank Joseph, born 25th August 1914 and who, therefore, Frank never saw. With effect from 26th February 1917 Laura received a pension of 15/- (75p) per week for herself and her child.
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Military History:
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Frank enlisted into the 1st Battalion at Gainsborough, Lincolnshire on 7th January 1908, aged18 years 5 months, on a 7 + 5 term of service (i.e. 7 years active service plus 5 years reserve). He was posted to the 1st Battalion at Bordon on 9th March 1908 before moving to Belfast on 24th September 1909. It took until 26th October 1912 for Frank to make Lance Corporal, but reverted back to Private in March the following year for disciplinary reasons (see below).
Just before his promotion he was transferred to the 2nd Battalion and on 19th October 1912 he was posted to the S. S. Rewa, a British India Steam Navigation Company Ltd. ship travelling from Calcutta to London. The reason for this is unclear, unless it was to train as a radio operator, which he was doing when awarded his DCM in 1915. On the 12th October he was vaccinated for typhoid, which might have been linked to this posting. He clearly did not stay with the ship long as he was back with the 1st batt in Londonderry by March 1913.
On 1st March 1909 he was charged with "drunkenness" and twice, in August 1911 and February 1912 he had "been in bed at 6.00 a.m." and received 2 and 3 day CB punishments! However, there then followed a number of misdemeanours, recorded in his service papers. At Ballykimber Camp on Frank received 96 hours detention for drunkenness and assaulting a civilian. At Londonderry, 16th February 1913 he overstayed a special pass for nearly 4 days and was reprimanded and the following month was disrespectful on parade and lost his L/Cpl. stripe. Later that month he was again late for parade and received 3 days CB. From 12th - 19th July 1913, by now at Enniskillen, he went absent and received 8 days detention. A further 7 days followed for disobeying an order and using bad language to an NCO, 28th June 1914.
Despite these infringements, on 29th September 1913 Captain Dugmore assessed Frank as "Regimental Signaller: Very Intelligent and Hard working. Has been a Lance Corporal and been employed as Garrison Policeman and Officer's Servant."
His Medal Index Card shows that as a regular soldier he moved with the Battalion at the outbreak of War and entered France with the rest of the Battalion on 16th August 1914. He fought on the left of the line at Audregnies under Captain Dugmore and also survived the actions at La Bassée and Nonne Bosschen (First Ypres).
On 4th March 1915 he received a bullet wound to the right thigh (Army List 07161) and was sent to convalesce at No 5 Infantry Base Hospital, Rouen, on 23rd March, returning to the Battalion on the 29th. For his actions that day he was awarded the D.C.M in the field on 12th June 1915 and Gazetted, London Gazette 23rd June 1915, p. 6136 for action which Crookenden (p. 330) describes as: : "Near Ypres, on 4th March 1915, he was wounded in the trenches, but refused to be taken away as he knew his Battalion was short of radio operators. He remained there 24 hours on duty till his company was relieved, and then was taken to hospital."
Strangely, perhaps, on 2nd February 1916 he received 7 days Field Punishment No. 1, though no further details are given. Frank was back in action during the Battle of the Somme and particularly the Battle of Delville Wood, where he was killed in action on 27th July 1916. His body was not recovered or was buried and subsequently lost during the Battle. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing. In all he had served 8 years 203 days with the Regiment.
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Footnote:
Crookenden, p. 77 says: "In this period, the 5th Division was attacking the German line between Delville Wood and High Wood in order to capture Longueval.
Attacks were made on the 20th and 23rd July. On the 27th the main attack was made by the Norfolk and Bedfordshire Regiments. This attack was carried out in the form of a series of methodical advances from point to point, under cover of artillery barrages. It was preceded by a two-hour bombardment.
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While the main attack was going on, the 1st Battalion carried out a separate operation on a German strong point about the existence of which some doubt reigned. We were really attacking a map reference. The attack was made in three parties, under 2nd/Lieuts. Prout, Duckworth and Barthelemy. There was some misunderstanding about the timing of the covering barrages, in spite of which Prout's and Duckworth's parties made gallant attempts to reach their objectives. They were met by cross fire from machine guns at High Wood and Longueval which our artillery had not reached. Nearly all the men were killed, and both officers. None were ever seen again. A party sent in support was forced to retire. Colonel M. F. Clarke was wounded. Although the Battalion objective was not reached, an advanced post, protecting the left flank, was established.
Heavy fighting continued all day, and, by evening, all communications were broken by the intensity of the hostile fire."
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