|
|
|
7th Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment
| Want to know more about 7th Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment? There are:5248 items tagged 7th Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.
|
|
Those known to have served with7th Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment during the Great War 1914-1918. - Astley Hugh. Sgt. (d.24th Dec 1916)
- Balmer John J.. Pte.
- Bell J.. Pte. (d.10th Jun 1917)
- Bell MC. Samuel Edward. Capt. (d.19th Nov 1916)
- Betts Charles Alfred. Sgt.
- Boam S.. Pte. (d.10th Jun 1917)
- Coleman Richard. (d.10th June 1917)
- Dunn Herbert. Pte. (d.7th Jun 1917)
- Evans Peter. Pte. (d.7th Jun 1917)
- Fairclough John. Pte. (d.8th June 1917)
- Feeney Wilfred Joseph. L/Cpl (d.24th of September 1917)
- Fellows James Edwin. Pte. (d.10th Jun 1917)
- Findley M. V.. L/Cpl. (d.10th Jun 1917)
- Ford Frederick. Sergeant
- Foster F.. Pte. (d.10th Jun 1917)
- Galley John. Pte. (d.13th July 1916)
- Hough Herbert. Pte.
- Hufton H.. Pte. (d.10th Jun 1917)
- Hulme Samuel. Pte. (d.6th April 1916)
- Jeffers Samuel. Pte. (d.29th June 1917)
- Keegans John. Pte.
- Ludlam John Thomas. Pte. (d.1st Nov 1916)
- Mayers Wilfred. Pte. (d.24th August 1917)
- Naylor John. Pte. (d.20th Aug 1916)
- Percival George William Garnett. CSM. (d.8th July 1916)
- Rowe Harry. L/Cpl. (d.9th Jul 1916)
- Rucastle I.. Pte. (d.10th Jun 1917)
- Shellam Harry. Pte
- Sowerbutts Nathaniel. Pte. (d.10th Jun 1917)
- Stiddard Sidney George. Pte. (d.2nd Sep 1918)
- Taylor Herbert. L/Cpl. (d.21st July 1916)
- Unsworth Cyril Joseph. 2nd Lt. (d.7th Jul 1916)
- Vernon Joseph. Pte (d.5th Jul 1916)
- Webber MID. Henry. Lt. (d.21st July 1916)
- Wilcox John Thomas. Pte. (d.22nd July 1917)
- Wilding Mons Star George. Private, then Lance Corpo (d.22nd/23rd Nov 1916)
- Williams John Arthur. Pte.
All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
please Add a Name to this List
Records of 7th Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment from other sources.
|
|
The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website.
- 1st of September 2024 marks 25 years since the launch of the Wartime Memories Project. Thanks to everyone who has supported us over this time.
|
Want to find out more about your relative's service? Want to know what life was like during the Great War? Our
Library contains many many diary entries, personal letters and other documents, most transcribed into plain text.
|
Looking for help with Family History Research?
Please see Family History FAQ's
Please note: We are unable to provide individual research.
|
|
Can you help?
The free to access section of The Wartime Memories Project website is run by volunteers and funded by donations from our visitors.
If the information here has been helpful or you have enjoyed reaching the stories please conside making a donation, no matter how small, would be much appreciated, annually we need to raise enough funds to pay for our web hosting or this site will vanish from the web.
If you enjoy this site
please consider making a donation.
Announcements
- 19th Nov 2024
Please note we currently have a massive backlog of submitted material, our volunteers are working through this as quickly as possible and all names, stories and photos will be added to the site. If you have already submitted a story to the site and your UID reference number is higher than
264989 your submission is still in the queue, please do not resubmit.
Wanted: Digital copies of Group photographs, Scrapbooks, Autograph books, photo albums, newspaper clippings, letters, postcards and ephemera relating to the Great War. If you have any unwanted
photographs, documents or items from the First or Second World War, please do not destroy them. The Wartime Memories Project will give them a good home and ensure that they are used for educational purposes. Please get in touch for the postal address, do not sent them to our PO Box as packages are not accepted.
|
World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great battalion regiment artillery
Did you know? We also have a section on World War Two. and a
Timecapsule to preserve stories from other conflicts for future generations.
|
|
|
Lt. Henry Webber MID. 7th Btn. South Lancashire Regiment (d.21st July 1916)  Herny Webber was killed in action on the 21st of July 1916, aged 67 and is buried in the Dartmoor Cemetery in France.
Son of William Webber, M.D., and Eliza Webber (nee Preston), he was the husband of the late Emily Webber (nee Morris). Native of Horley, Surrey. For over 40 years a member of the London Stock Exchange. Henry Webber is the oldest known battle death recorded for the First World War.
The WW1 soldier who went to war in his 60s
By Jasper Copping
With permission of The Daily Telegraph
In his poem, Wilfred Owen lamented the “doomed youth†who lost their lives in the slaughter of the First World War. But it seems that the ultimate sacrifice was made not just by the young. Almost a century on from the outbreak of the conflict, a tale has emerged of how a 67-year-old soldier became Britain’s oldest known combatant victim. Henry Webber was far older than the maximum age to serve in the army, but had eventually succeeded in lobbying the authorities to allow him to join up. He had been motivated by a desire to serve with his three sons, who were all serving.
But in a twist of fate, all three were to survive the conflict, while Webber was to die on the Western Front.
His tale has emerged in response to a series of supplements, published by The Sunday Telegraph in advance of this summer’s centenary of the outbreak. His great grandson, Paul Bellinger, also 67, from Woldingham, Surrey, responded to an appeal for readers’ stories. Mr Bellinger, who was raised by his father in South Africa, only discovered the story himself, at the age of 59, when he found his mother had had two more children, in Britain.
Along with his newly-found step sister Ann, he has unravelled much of the story of their great grandfather, and has since visited his war grave in France. Mr Bellinger, a producer for the American television show 60 Minutes, said: “What a resourceful individual he was. His is a fantastic story and to find out that I had that sort of history in my family was a great revelation.â€
Webber was born in Tonbridge, Kent, in 1849, and was educated at Tonbridge School and Pembroke College Oxford, graduating in 1870. Two years later, he joined the Stock Exchange - of which he was to remain a member for 42 years. He became a member of the firm of Norman Morris and Co and 1874 he married the eldest daughter of Norman Morris, one of the firm’s senior partners. The couple went on to have four sons and five daughters and settled in Horley. Webber became a very active member of local society, as one of the original members of Surrey County Council and the first chairman of the parish council. He was also involved in the administration of a local hospital, became chairman of directors of the Horley Gas Company and served as a county magistrate, church warden and president of the local Boys Scouts Association. A keen sportsman, he was an accomplished shot, a master of the Old Surrey and Burstow Hunt, a talented cricketer - scoring 200 runs aged 59 - a member of the MCC, and the first captain of Gatwick Golf Club. After the outbreak of war, in August 1914, he tried to join his sons in uniform. He was repeatedly turned down, as he was more than 20 years over the age limit.
He first volunteered to serve 'in any capacity’ but when rebuffed he recruited a company of 'rough riders’ - fellow-horsemen like himself - and offered the unit complete to the army. Again, he was turned down. But he persevered was eventually given a commission, on 26 July 1915. Whether this was in recognition of his persistence or because he lied about his age, is unclear.
After a brief training period at Park Royal, north west London, he was sent to France as a battalion transport officer. He served with the 7th South Lancs battalion and was apparently accepted by its younger officers. It was said that many comrades were unaware of his true age, although his commanding officer apparently found that his own father and Webber had rowed together at Oxford in the same year, over half a century earlier.
His role involved helping in the build-up for the Somme offensive, which started on July 1st 1916. He and his unit were not involved in the initial attack, but took part in following actions, including the capture of La Boiselle on July 3rd 1916. Two weeks later, on July 17th he wrote a letter to his old school: “Fifty one years ago I got my colours in the XI and last week 51 years ago was bowling against the old boys and looking on some of them as “sitters†and in the “sere and yellow leafâ€.
“Yet here I am a Lieutenant in HM army having to salute three sons if I meet them out here, a Colonel and two Majors. I am 1st Line Transport Officer to this Battalion and we have been plumb in the centre of the picture during the last ten days and gained no end of “kudos†and also a very severe mauling.
“I am so far extraordinarily fit and well, though, when I tell you that for four consecutive days I was either on my feet or in the saddle for twenty one hours, out of twenty four, you will see that there is a bit of work attached to the job.â€
Four days later, before the letter was received, he was dead. On July 21st the 7th Lancs moved up to relieve a battalion in the front line near Mametz Wood.
That night Henry Webber took supplies as usual with the battalion transport. Leaving his men to unload the horses, he went over to where the commanding officer was talking to a group of officers. However, at that moment, the area - a mile or so east of Albert - came under attack and a shell landed nearby. Webber was among 12 men - and three horses - which had been hit, suffering a head wound. He, along with the others, was taken to a dressing station, but never regained consciousness and died that night, just over a month after his 67th birthday. Following his death, his family received messages of sympathy from the King and Queen and the Army Council, which was unusual for a lieutenant and apparently a reflection of his age and eagerness to serve. His Commanding Officer wrote “He was so gallant and full of energy. We all had the greatest admiration and respect for him.†He was also mentioned in Sir Douglas Haig’s despatches of the 4th of January 1917.
Within two years, his widow too had died, according to the family having been unable to recover from her husband’s death. The three sons all survived. His eldest, NW (Tommy) Webber CMG DSO (& 9 Mentions in Despatches) rose to become a brigadier general and had a distinguished war career ending up as chief of staff to the commander of the Canadian Corps and was later managing director of the Army & Navy Stores group. The other two were Maj H.H. Webber RGA and Major Leonard Morris Webber RFA.
|
Capt. Samuel Edward Bell MC. 7th Btn. South Lancashire Regiment (d.19th Nov 1916) Samuel Bell died of wounds on the 19th of November 1916, aged 19 and is buried in the Etaples Military Cemetery in France.
He was the son of Mrs. and the late Edward Bell, of Holywood, Galloway Rd., Fleetwood, Lancs. Native of Fleetwood
|
Pte. John J. Balmer 7th Btn. South Lancashire Regiment John Balmer served with the 7th South Lancashire Regiment. After 3 months overseas he was returned to the UK and admitted to hospital on 9th of October 1915 suffering from the effects of old fracture right ankle. He was discharged from hospital on 23rd of October 1915 and returned to duty. His
religion is recorded as Church of England.
|
L/Cpl Wilfred Joseph Feeney 7th Btn South Lancashire Regiment (d.24th of September 1917) Wilfred Feeney was my great Uncle via my great Grandmother Ellen who was adopted by his family. He was exactly the same age as her so they grew up together.
In WW1 Wilfred served with the 7th Battalion South Lancashire Regiment. He died in the 3rd Battle of Ypres on 24th of September 1917 and the only information I have about him is on the attached image below, from a book called "Fallen in the Fight" about Farnworth soldiers.
Wilfred is buried Locre Hospice Cemetery II. B. 27. Belgium. Amongst his meager returned possessions was a lock of a woman's hair.
|
Pte Joseph Vernon 7th Btn South Lancashire Regiment (d.5th Jul 1916) Joseph Vernon served with the 7th South Lancashire Regiment. He had won a Humane award at the age of 14 for saving a child from drowning in a canal.
|
Sgt. Hugh Astley 7th Btn. South Lancashire Regiment (d.24th Dec 1916) Hugh Astley died of wounds on the 24th of December 1916.
|
CSM. George William Garnett Percival 7th Battalion South Lancashire Regiment (d.8th July 1916) George Percival joined the 1st Battalion, South Lancashire in the late 1800's and served 3 years in Africa during the Boer War. In 1902 he transferred to the 2nd Battalion and travelled to India with that unit.
Upon his return to England GWG left the regular forces but remained in the reserves. With the start of the First World War in 1914 he re-enlisted and was posted to the 7th Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment . It appears with the rank of Company Sergeant Major although records show that at some point he was given the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 2nd Class (CWO II) but he declined for personal reasons.
He died on 8th of July 1916, aged 36, from wounds received during the taking of La Boisselle at the Somme. This is an assumption given the battle occurred on the 3rd/4th and he was buried a distance from the front lines, in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery.
|
Pte. Samuel Jeffers 7th Battalion South Lancashire Regiment (d.29th June 1917) Samuel Jeffers is recognised in Anfield Cemetery, Liverpool. His brother Matthew also served at Ypres with 4th Battalion, Kings Liverpool Regiment as a Sargeant, he died 1956.
|
Pte. John Naylor 7th Btn. South Lancashire Regiment (d.20th Aug 1916) John Naylor was admitted to the 1st Canadian Clearing Station in Bailleul on the 19th August 1916 suffering from severe wounds to the back and abdomen which were deemed too bad to treat. He died the following morning and is buried in Bailleul Cemetery Extension North.
|
Pte. John Thomas Wilcox 7th Battalion South Lancashire Regiment (d.22nd July 1917) My great grandfather John Wilcox died near Ypres when my grandmother was a few months old. His body was never recovered so his name is inscribed on the Memorial at the Menin Gate. I will be visiting there to remember the great sacrifice our forefathers made for our freedom.
My great grandmother was widowed with three daughters while her male cousin was widowed with children. They married out of necessity to keep the family together. All three daughters became nurses (to keep a roof over their heads) and my great aunt was the midwife at my birth.
My grandmother never knew her father but he will always remain in our hearts in gratitude.
|
Pte. Herbert Dunn 7th Btn. South Lancashire Regiment (d.7th Jun 1917) Herbert Dunn has no known grave and is remembered on the Ypres Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing.
The Leigh Journal reported: "Mrs Dunn, Leigh, received official news on Friday morning of the death of her husband, Private Herbert Dunn, Lancashire Fusiliers, during the Messines advance on June 7th. Private Dunn, who was 36 years of age, leaves a wife and two children. Before joining the Army last August he was employed as a packer at the Mather Lane Mills where he had worked for 24 years. He is on the Roll of Honour at Pennington Church. Private Dunn and Private Hayward of Orchard Lane, Leigh, who was reported killed last week, both went up in the same group on the same day. They were put in the same regiment, went through their training together, and were both killed on the same day’."
|
Pte. Peter Evans 7th Btn. South Lancashire Regiment (d.7th Jun 1917) Peter Evans has no known grave and is remembered on the Ypres Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing.
The Leigh Journal reported: "Father of Seven Killed.
Mrs Evans, Plank Lane, Leigh received news last weekend of the death of the husband, Private Peter Evans, South Lancashire Regiment, during the recent advance in France on June 7th.
A friend in the same company writing to Mrs Evans says, ‘I am very sorry to have to inform you of your husband’s death. He was killed by shell fire on June 7th. He suffered no pain. Before going into action he handed me ten franc notes, telling me to forward them to you in case anything happened to him. I enclose them, please let me know if you receive them alright. His death has cast a gloom over the whole Company for he was a cheery fellow and well liked by everyone.’
Private Evans, who was 36 years of age had been in the Army two years. He leaves a wife and seven children, the youngest three weeks old. Before the war he was employed as a collier at the Plank Lane Collieries."
|
Pte. Sidney George Stiddard 12th Btn. Tank Corps (d.2nd Sep 1918) Sidney Stiddard initially served as a Private in the 14th Btn. Gloucestershire Regiment before being transferred to the 7th Btn., Prince of Wales's Volunteers (South Lancashire Regiment) and then with the 12th Battalion of the Tank Corps. He was killed on Monday 2nd of September 1918 during the latter stages of the Second Battle of the Somme.
|
Pte. John Thomas Ludlam 7th Btn. South Lancashire Regiment (d.1st Nov 1916) John Ludlam is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial in France.
|
Sgt. Charles Alfred Betts 7th Battalion South Lancashire Regiment Charles Alfred Betts was my grandfather. He was a private with the Prince of Wales Volunteers and was promoted Sergeant when the unit was amalgamated with the South Lancs Regiment. He saw action overseas during WW1 coming through the conflict and was discharged in 1920.
He was apparently discharged with a sickness according to his service records, but I cannot find what this sickness was, although looking at other records it seemed to be a common problem with returning personnel.
|
Pte. John Keegans 7th Btn. South Lancashire Regiment Jack Keegans, a labourer gardener enlisted on 12th Aug 1915, his service number being 31101, with the 21st Battalion, King's Liverpool City Regiment John says his age is 19 yrs old and 1 mth though his actual age was 17 yrs old and 1 mth. He was the son of John & Jane Keegans, of 85 Kingswood Avenue, Aintree, Liverpoool his father was a potter printer in Melling. John was born July 1898 in Glasgow. John transfers to 3rd Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment on 4th May 1916.
On 21st May 1916 John was posted to 6th Bn, SLR who were in Mesopotamia though returned 6th Nov 1916 back to 3rd Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment due to contracting malaria. On 29th Apr 1917 John got posted to BEF, France initially to the depot then on 2nd May 1917 11th Bn, (Pioneer) SLR followed by a posting to 7th Bn, SLR on 23rd May 1917.
John was involved in the Battle of Messines as part of 56th Inf Bde, 19th (Western) Div who were facing 2nd (East Prussian) Div. John came through the battle unscathed though I don't know what company he was in. John was involved in the 3rd Battle of Ypres being wounded in action with a wound to his left leg (either a gun shot wound 31st Jul 1917 or a sharpnel wound 1st Aug 1917 as I have two pieces of information that dispute this). John was evacuated back to the UK 5th Aug 1917.
John transfers on 21st Dec 1917 to the Royal Tank Corps for the good and benefit of the army service. He was posted to 12th(L)Bn, RTC on 28th Dec 1917 and was involved in the 100 days offensive, being promoted to L/Cpl on 10th Sep 1918. He was demobbed from service 31st Mar 1920.
|
Pte. Herbert Hough 7th Btn. South Lancashire Regiment Herbert Hough was my grandfather. He enlisted in the 7th South Lancashire Regiment in August 1914 at Ashton under Lyne Ladysmith Barracks. He went to France with the regiment July 1915 and was later discharged as no longer physically fit for war on 16th September 1917. Family stories suggest he was exposed to gas?? Sadly he was killed in an industrial accident in 1926 when my mother was five years of age.
|
Pte. John Arthur Williams 7th Btn. South Lancashire Regiment I have recently found out that my great grandfather, Arthur Williams served with the 7th Bn, South Lancs. I researched and found his medal card and found he was deployed to France on 15/08/1915.
He served from what I can find throughout the war until he was designated a Army reserve (B) in 1919. I am unable to find any further information at this time.
|
Pte. John Fairclough 7th Btn. South Lancashire Regiment (d.8th June 1917) John Fairclough went missing in action on the 8th of June 1917 and is remembered on the Menin Gate Memorial.
|
Private, then Lance Corpo George Wilding Mons Star 7th (Service) South Lancashire (d.22nd/23rd Nov 1916) George Wilding was my brave great uncle, the only one of 5 brothers to be killed in action. He's buried at the Caterpillar Valley Cemetery on The Somme. I wish I knew more about the circumstances of his death but assume it related to the fighting around High Wood.
He had been made a lance corporal on 8 March 1916 and had been injured in the February of the same year, when he accidentally grabbed a bayonet, whilst trying to break a fall from a parapet. He was 22.
|
Recomended Reading.Available at discounted prices.
|
|
|
Site Home
Help & FAQs
