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- Royal Victoria Military Hospital, Netley during the Great War -
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Royal Victoria Military Hospital, Netley
The Royal Victoria Military Hospital, also known as Netley Hospital was situated at Netley, near Southampton. Construction started in 1856 and upon competition it became the world's longest building. The hospital was in extensive use during the Great War and was expanded to 2,500 beds, with hutted wards being built in the grounds behind the main block. Most of the regular staff were sent to man hospitals overseas and most of the nursing duties were taken over by Red Cross Volunteers. Around 50,000 patients were treated at Netley during the war. The main building was demolished in 1966 having been damaged by fire, only the chapel survives and is now a visitor centre presenting information on the hospital. Today the site is open to the public and is known as Royal Victoria Country Park.
28th Oct 1914 Wounded Land
28th Oct 1914 Wounded Land
29th Oct 1914 Patients
30th Oct 1914 Wounded Arrive
14th September 1916If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
We are currently building a database of patients treated in this hospital, if you know of anyone who was treated here, please enter their details via this form
Patient Reports.
(This section is under construction)
Those known to have worked or been treated at
Royal Victoria Military Hospital, Netley
during the Great War 1914-1918.
- Adams Frederick. Pte. (d.10th Nov 1917)
- Allsop Norman John. Pte.
- Applebee Joseph Harold Alfred. Pte.
- Archibald Hixon. Cpl.
- Atkinson John. Sgt.
- Atkinson John. Field Sgt.
- Atkinson Samuel. Pte.
- Bailey Cecile. V.A.D.
- Baynes William Henry. 2nd Lt. (d.12th October 1918)
- Blacker Cecil Francis. Lt. (d.6th September 1914)
- Bradford Percy Charles. Pte.
- Broom George Robert . Pte.
- Bunting James Thomas. Able Seaman.
- Caldwell William. Sgt.
- Carpenter Sidney. Rflmn. (d.1st October 1917)
- Clarke Tom. Pte. (d.19th Mar 1915)
- Coxon Ernest Gough. Pte. (d.10th Nov 1918)
- Davies Alexander Rees. Pte. (d.25th Feb 1917)
- Davies William George. QMS.
- Donegan Thomas. Pte. (d.20th March 1918)
- Ellis Charles. Pte
- Evenden Ernest. Pte. (d.1st Sep 1916)
- Foggerty . Sister
- Hitchings . Pte.
- Hodge Edward Lanyon. Pte. (d.10th August 1916)
- Holmes William Henry. Pte. (d.1st Mar 1915)
- House Robert Henry. L/Cpl.
- Hudson . Sjt Mjr
- Jones John Jonathan. Sjt Maj (d.19th Sep 1916)
- Lanfear Sidney. Sgt. (d.3rd Aug 1916)
- Lawton James. WO2. (d.19th July 1916)
- Martin . Capt.
- Mayrick Thomas. Pte. (d.28th Sep 1916)
- McMahon John. Pte. (d.2nd Sep 1916)
- Meek Percy Albert. Pte.
- O'Neill Patrick. Pte.
- Owen Wilfred. (d.4th Nov 1918)
- Phillips George A.. Dvr. (d.10th Oct 1914)
- Qualtrough Henry James. Pte.
- Read Stanford. Mjr.
- Revely Joseph. L/Cpl. (d.6th Nov 1914)
- Scott J..
- Smyth Paul.
- Taylor Leonard Haydon. Lt.
- Toulmin Augustus Delaval. Bugler. (d.9th July 1915)
- Walker Thomas. Pte. (d.6th Sep 1915)
- White James Alban Charles. L/Cpl.
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 Royal Victoria Military Hospital, Netley from other sources.
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Want to know more about Royal Victoria Military Hospital, Netley?
There are:5 items tagged Royal Victoria Military Hospital, Netley available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.
Pte. Ernest Gough Coxon 32nd Stationary Hospital Royal Army Medical Corps (d.10th Nov 1918)
Ernest Coxon was born in Netherseal, South Derbyshire in 1890 to parents William and Elizabeth Coxon. Before he joined up he was employed as a sanitary pipe worker for Messrs Robinson and Dowler of Overseal.He joined the RAMC at Netley on 4th of September 1915. He was stationed at Netley until 10th of September 1917. Ernest married Beatrice Mary Wagg in December 1915 in Netherseal.
He transferred to the 32nd Stationary Hospital at Wimereaux in France on 11th of September 1917. Ernest died at the hospital on 10th of November 1918. Army records dated 28/11/1918 state: 'With reference to the death of the late No. 101620 Pte. E.G. Coxon RAMC on 10/11/1918 from Influenzal-Pneumonia' that it is notified for your information that the O.C. 32 S.H. has submitted a report dated 25/11/18 which reads as follows: "This man developed Influenzal-Pneumonia while employed in the ward during the recent severe epidemic of that disease. In my opinion his last illness was the result of prolonged exposure to the infection and fatigue while on military service"'.
Jill Hempsall
Pte. George Robert Broom
George Broom initally served with the Army. He was admitted to No 11 Stationery Hospital in Rouen on the 9th of March 1916. He was admitted to the Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley on the 22nd. He transferred to the Royal Air Force on 23rd of March 1918.
Pte. Patrick O'Neill 3rd Btn. Irish Guards
My grandfather Patrick O'Neill, fought in WW1. He joined the Irish Guards at the age of 18. He trained at Warley and apparently one night he caused a disturbance in the Barrack Room after lights out. Again, apparently he threw a bow and a boot at a comrade at 11.30.p.m. He had 5 days Confined to Barracks.When he was posted to France he suffered a Gun Shot Wound to his thigh which had an impact on his patella. He had numerous operations on his leg at Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley, Dublin Castle Red Cross Hospital, Loughlinstown Military Hospital and Leopardstown Military Hospital. He never talked about what happened in France. He passed away when he was 57. He was such a wonderful, caring person and will not be forgotten.
Anne Crowley
Sjt Maj John Jonathan Jones 13th Btn Australian Imperial Force (d.19th Sep 1916)
JJJ was my great uncle
Sergeant-Major John Jonathan Jones, of the Australian Imperial Forces, son of the late Mr and Mrs Evan Jones, Conwil Elfet, and nephew of Miss Sarah Jones, 12 St Catherine Street, Carmarthen, died at Netley Hospital on Tuesday in last week as a result of wounds received in France.
Sergeant-Major Jones emigrated to Australia about 23 years ago, where he held a high position in an office. He served throughout the South African War and the Zulu War, after which he came over to this country for a holiday. He again returned to Australia and came over to the Dardanelles with the 1st Australian contingent and he was wounded at the Dardanelles and was sent to hospitals at Cardiff and Llandovery for treatment.
He then went over to France where he was severely wounded in the leg by shrapnel and died at the Netley Hospital on September 19th.
His mortal remains were conveyed by train on Wednesday in last week to the residence of his aunt at 12 St Catherine Street where they remained overnight. The body was met at the station by soldiers from the barracks. On Thursday morning the body was taken by road for internment to Blaencoed Chapel burial grounds.
Report taken from the Carmarthen Journal, 1916-09-29
Rob Evans
Pte. Percy Charles Bradford 1st Btn. Royal West Kent Regiment
My father Percy Bradford was born on the 18th July 1897. He joined the first Battalion of the Royal West Kent Regiment 31st of March 1914 at Woolwich, Kent. He was an assistant Nurseryman before enlisting. He was only 16 years of age and was amused by having joined under age! He stood 5' 6" and he is described in his Small Book as being of fresh complexion with black hair and Hazel eyes. His religion was C of E.Initially he went to Dublin and from there to Le Havre. Like all old soldiers who had had terrible experiences, he spoke very little about the actions that he took part in but on prompting by me he would sometimes divulge snippets of information. He talked about marching for days through thick mud up to his thighs and being covered in lice. The food was remembered with disgust, he hated corned beef or bully beef as he called it and the cheese and biscuits he said they called bung hole. One can only imagine why!
Dad talked about being left alone in no man's land and crawling back through the barbed wire to be challenged by a sentry of the Kings Own Scottish Borderers. Dad let out a trail of expletives at him and then they let him back. He related that when on Hill 60 in April 1915 he was ordered by Captain Tuff to follow him in charging a machine gun nest. Captain Tuff was killed and out of D Company only 10 men were left alive. My father is in the Imperial War Museum photograph far left at the back.
We have a photograph showing his company after they had been on the front line for nineteen days (he is front row second from the left). After continuously being in action he was badly wounded on the 1st of July 1916 during the Battle of the Somme and returned to the Military hospital in Southampton. He was advised by the medical officers that he should have his damaged hand amputated which he refused. He told me that with only one hand he would never get work and so he used to bathe his arm in salt water which he said saved the arm although he could not use his hand for the remainder of his life. He is still bandaged in the photograph taken of him with the first of his nine children in 1919. On being discharged from hospital he was transferred into a Labour Battalion and sent to Ireland until his discharge from the Army in 1919.
He followed his father into work at the docks in the port of London. He suffered from what we now know was Combat Stress Disorder for the rest of his life and his WW1 pals were the last thing he mentioned to me before he died in 1985.
Henry Bradford
Sgt. Sidney Lanfear 1st Btn. Royal Berkshire Regiment (d.3rd Aug 1916)
Sidney Lanfear died of wounds in Red Cross Hospital Netley. He is buried at St Nicholas Church in East Challow.Anne Grantham
Pte. Percy Albert Meek 1st Btn. Norfolk Regiment
Percy Meek was treated for shell-shock by Dr. Arthur Hurst at Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley and then Seale-Hayne Military Hospital, Newton Abbot, Devon. There is a Pathe News film online. Percy is confined to a wheel chair, mute and paralyzed. Eventually Dr Hurst was able to get through and Percy gave basket making lessons to his fellow patients. Percy eventually went home, continued the basket making business and died in 1968. Sometimes the stories of those who survived is more profound than that of those who died.Theresa Mary Walker
Bugler. Augustus Delaval Toulmin 4th Field Ambulance, Section A Australian Army Medical Corps (d.9th July 1915)
Augustus Toulmin served for two years in the Citizen Military Forces before enlisting in the AIG on 14th September 1914 at Broadmeadows, Victoria. He was placed in the 4th Field Ambulance, Section A and left Melbourne on board Transport A35 Berrima on 22nd December 1914 bound for Egypt.He served in Gallipoli until he was wounded and shipped back to England to the Netley Military Hospital in Hound, Hampshire on 20th of June 1915. He died of his wounds (and tonsilitis and cardiac failure) on 9th of July 1915 and is buried in the Netley Military Cemetery.
His brother, Private John Oliver Toulmin, was killed in action on 3rd of May 1917 at the Battle of Amiens. A third brother, Private Thomas George Toulmin, survived the war and returned to Australia in 1919.
Pte. Thomas Donegan 2nd Btn Royal Welch Fusiliers (d.20th March 1918)
Thomas Donegan enlisted in the 1st Battalion, Connaught Rangers on 5th March 1892. In November 1902 he was tried by court martial and sentenced to 12 months imprisonment for destroying military property. On completion of his sentence he was discharged.He re-enlisted on 18th of August 1914 in the 8th Battalion, Welsh Regiment and was transferred to the 6th Battalion, Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry on 8th of January 1915. He was discharged on 18th of February 1915, being listed as "unlikely to become an efficient soldier", due to chest trouble.
He re-enlisted again on 17th of August 1915 in the 2nd Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers. He served in France from 22nd of December 1915 to 5th of March 1916 when he was invalided to England. He served in Egypt from 20th of October 1916 to 17th of January 1918 when he was again invalided to England after attempting to shoot a fellow soldier. He was initially admitted to Netley Hospital on 1st of February 1918 and then to Dykebar War Hospital. Two weeks later he was admitted to Crookston Hospital where he remained until his death. He committed suicide by hanging on 20th of March 1918. Cause of death was returned as death by strangulation.
Pte. Edward Lanyon Hodge 9th Battalion Devonshire Regiment (d.10th August 1916)
Edward Hodge, known to his family as Ted was born in 1894, and was the second son of William and Beatrice Hodge, of Trevidgoe Farm in Withiel, Cornwall. He was the second youngest of his four siblings, Marjorie, William (known as Guy), Beatrice and Geoff. On the outbreak of the First World War, Ted and his younger brother, Geoff, declared that as soon as the harvest was over they would leave the family farm, and join up. They travelled to Plymouth together to do so, and in 1915 both brothers were serving in France.Ted served with the 9th Battalion, the Devonshire Regiment which was a unit of 20th Brigade. The 9th Bn. embarked at Southampton on the 27th July, and arrived at Le Havre, France on the 28th July 1915. Two months later, on September 25th, Ted was injured by shrapnel at the Battle of Loos. Information passed down through the family suggests that after obtaining this severe wound to his thigh, he was forced to crawl for over a mile before he could find help.
The official account of the 9th Devonshire Regiment for the 25th September states:
"On the right, the 20th Brigade had carried the German front trenches within half an hour of the attack starting. Its leading battalions were the 2nd Gordons (the old 92nd Highlanders) and the 8th Devons, one of the two service battalions which had taken the place of the Guards battalions formerly in the brigade. Despite the loss of most of their officers, these two units pressed on vigorously, capturing eight field guns and more prisoners; they were only checked when they reached the point where the Hulloch-Vermelles road crosses that from Lens to La Bassee. Here, well ahead of the troops on either flank, and reduced to a mere handful, they came to a standstill. In support of them came up the 6th Gordons, a Territaorial battalion from Banff and Donside, and some of the 9th Devons and 2nd Borderers. The bulk of the 9th Devons and Borderers halted at the gun positions where they dug in, linking up the emplacements into a continuous trench, hereafter known as Gun Trench."
Ted was sent back to Blighty, and to the Royal Victoria Hospital at Netley (near Southampton) for treatment. His eldest brother, Guy, went to visit him, and was alarmed to find that Ted's leg was swollen to almost the size of his body. When Guy asked why doctors didn't just take the leg off, Ted bitterly replied that that they wouldn't do that if they thought they had a chance of returning him to the front. Ted returned to the family farm and was discharged from the Army on the 25th July 1916, 10 months after being wounded. He died of his wounds 16 days after his discharge, on the 10th August. He was 22 years old.
On his death certificate, Ted is listed as a former Private of the 9th Devons, and an army pensioner. His father is listed as the informant, William Hodge, Father, Present at the death, Trevidgoe, Withiel.
Ted is buried in the village cemetery near his home, beside his parent's graves. The inscription reads: In Loving Memory of Edward Lanyon, beloved son of William and Beatrice Hodge. Died 10th of August 1916 from the effect of wounds received at Loos, 25th of September 1915, aged 22 years. Perhaps because Ted had died at home, and almost a year after being wounded, he was not recognised as a war casualty by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and did not appear on any Roll of Honour, until 2008. A wreath is now laid on his grave, now officially recognised as a war grave, on Remembrance Day each year.
Ted's younger brother, Geoff, was killed in action in 1918, serving with the 9th Bn. Kings Royal Rifles Corps (see separate listing). Their eldest brother (and parent's only surviving son), Guy, had been unable to join up due to a heart condition he'd had from birth. The family farm had to give up their horses to the war effort, a sacrifice from which Guy never recovered. At the death of his two brothers, Guy was forced to give up his studies to become a veterinary surgeon, and instead had to take on the family farm, which was sold a few years later, in 1922. One of Ted's sisters, Beatrice, served as a nurse with the Red Cross during the war, and his oldest sister, Marge, lost her fiance as well as two brothers in the war she never married, and later became a schoolteacher in the local town, Bodmin. Guy was my Great Grandfather.
Sophie Hodge
Pte. Thomas Walker 5th Btn. King's Own Scottish Borderers (d.6th Sep 1915)
Thomas Walker from Annan was treated at Netley Hospital in 1915, for wounds received in action at the Dardanelles on 12th July but later died from his wounds. He served alongside his brother James who died at Cairo. They both died within days of one another, which would have been difficult for the family. I knew their nephew Jock Walker who fought in the Home Guard in WW2. Jock told me of their gallantry during WW1, and his families loss.Thomas Burgess Handley
Lt. Leonard Haydon Taylor 16th (Canadian Scottish) Btn.
From my grandfather, Leonard Taylor's memoirs:"I commanded the Signal Section for quite a long while, when, unfortunatelty I took sick with nephritis which affected the kidneys. I was moved out of the frontal area, and was sent to hospital. This was where I met the girl I eventually married, Ruth Dawn. (Lieutenant Ruth Dawn, Canadian Military Medical Corps, operating room nurse serving in Le Treport France). When I left this hospital (Le Treport) I was transported by hospital train to LeHavre, and was loaded onto a hospital ship, the Lanfranc. I was dressed in pyjamas and dressing gown. Soon afterwards a hospital orderly woke me up and asked permission to put on a lifebelt, we having left port some time back. I should explain that I was in a lower berth in the cabin, and opposite me, in the other berth, was a British officer, who had had his foot off. To make matters short, the ship was torpedoed out of the sight of land. I woke up and looked out into the passage to see if any help was coming, and when I could see that there was none, I asked the other chap whether he could walk with my help. I got him up on deck where the crew were putting everybody into the lifeboats. By this time the ship was stopped and she was rolling from side to side. One could try and drop into a lifeboat as it hit the ship's side, and there was an attempt apparently to lower it into the water. By some mishap, however, one end of the boat was lowered and the other remained stationary, plunging all of us unfortunate men into the sea, many feet below. The group of men stayed together, although the sinking ship was drifting further and further away from us. It was now getting dark, and I, for one, thought I was a goner. But some distance away there was a British destroyer, which lowered lifeboats. One of the sailors leaned over the bow and picked me out of the water by the scruff of my neck. That was the last I remember until I woke up on the deck of the destroyer.
Eventually another sailor, noticing I was just shivering with the cold, brought me a glass of rum and took me down to the engine roon, where it was warmer. We landed at Southampton and I was taken to Netley Hospital, where I was put to bed, with a pair of dry pyjamas etc. Although nephritis was dangerous to the kidneys and I was supposed to avoid catching cold, I suffered no ill effects from my mishap.
Upon being discharged from the hospital I was sent up to London for a medical board. The doctors were more interested in my experience in being torpedoed, and one asked me how much leave I would like to have, and he gave me a month. I had lost all of my kit in the water of course, and the people at military headquarters gave me a new kit allowance. After completing my leave I went to Tidworth where the reserve company of my regiment was. There I was given command of the Company of Signallers."
Dorothy Taylor
Lt. Cecil Francis Blacker 2nd Btn. Connaught Rangers (d.6th September 1914)
Cecil Blacker was the Son of Major F.H. Blacker. At the start of WW1 he was severely wounded at the Battle of Mons on the 23rd of August 1914 and evacuated to Netley Hospital in England but died from his wounds on the 6th September 1914. The hospital has a military cemetery within the grounds, but Cecil was brought back to Ireland for burial. He was aged 25 when he died and is buried in the South-East part of the Naas (Mauldings, or St. Magdalen's) Protestant Cemetery, Naas, Co. Kildare, Ireland.s flynn
J. Scott Royal Field Artillery
My grandfather, J Scott, was in the Royal Field Artillery and was in the first Battle of Mons. He was retreating with his gun carriage and team but they were sent back to pick up some ammunition. He and another gunner were thrown off the gun carriage when it went over a narrow bridge and the carriage ran over his legs. His comrade was killed when it ran over his back. The battery continued with him on the vehicle but he felt he hadn't been that badly hurt so got down to walk then discovered that he couldn't. His battery continued and they lost him, so he crawled through fields until he met a Scottish fusilier who had been shot in the leg. They crawled further and were picked up by a general service wagon and taken to a field hospital in Mons. This was too dangerous and they were told to get out if they could. They were lucky enough to meet a French farmer also fleeing the battle who gave them a lift. Eventually the Red Cross got them to Amiens and from there he got to Netley Hospital.He was a policeman before the war and rejoined in 1918 and at some point was interviewed by the local paper, probably the Northern Echo.
During the retreat from Mons, the gun on which he was serving was ordered to pick up some ammunition that would otherwise have been left behind. This was plied on the limbs along with a sack of corn for the horses. As the gun crossed a narrow bridge where there was a sharp jolt, the strap fastening the corn sack broke and allowed the sack to slide. This knocked Gunner Scott and Barr who had been sitting beside him off the limber. They were both pitched head foremost between the gun and limber and one of the wheels went ova Scott's left leg. Gunner Barr was lees fortunate as one of the wheels went over his back, and he died in Rouen. Both wen were picked up almost immediately by the battery Sargent Major who was following his battery. After having been carried a few yards. Scott thought his leg was alright and decided to got down to rejoin his battery and take part in whatever fun was going on. He had not gone more than ten yards however, when he found he had made a tremendous mistake. He was not able to walk another yard, but it was now too late to rejoin his battery, or any other British unit, as they had all proceeded on their way in the retirement. He had heard that the German cavalry was only half a mile behind, and there were many tales of the treatment meted out to captured soldiers by the enemy. He did his best to get away. He dragged himself over a turnip field and then over a corn field. At the far side of the latter he fell in with a Scottish Fusilier who had been shot through the knee. They crawled some distance together then rested beside a haystack. While there they were seen by the men in a British general service wagon, by whom they were taken to a temporary hospital in Mons. There Scott was given a cup of something hot, and then lost consciousness. He was awakened about half past one the next morning and the wounded men were told that the place was not safe, and they had better clear out. This information was given to them by a Sergeant in the Army Medical Corps, but he could give them assistance. The two men got on a waggon driven by an aged civilian who was endeavouring to make his escape from the neigbourhood of the battlefield it turned out that they were very fortunate, as the temporary hospital in which they bad been sheltered was blown up by the Germans three quarters of an hour after they left it. After having enjoyed the hospitality of the old man for a time the soldiers were picked up by a Red Cross waggon in which they were taken to Amiens. One of the first people Scott met there was Captain Bostock RAMC for whom he had acted as clerk while with the colors at Aldershot. From Amiens he was taken to Rouen and invalided to England and admitted to Netley Hospital Asked what was the thing that struck him mow about his trip. Scott made the unexpected reply. 'The cheerfulness of our men'. He had never seen such a happy let of fellows. The men in his battery especially were the happiest lot he had ever seen in his life. Even in the midst of battle when shells were bursting all over then, they cracked jokes, and had to be restrained from exposing themselves too much. It was all in the days week when they got warmed up. They were well treated by the French after they landed, and the officers of his battery were very good. His Major, who was a namesake, was married two days before he left England, being, away from the battery only a few hours for the ceremony. Bully beef, biscuits, and cheese were the staples of their diet while in France. His leg is nearly better now. But in his efforts to walk to rejoin his battery he strained himself and will have to undergo an operation. This he hope will not delay his return to the dront more than a month at the outside, and then he is anxious to rejoin his old battery to which he appears to have become very much attached in the short time he had had with it and he does not want tojoin any Other battery, and he will tell those responsible what his view are on the subject. He is not grumbling of course, but be gently remarked that from being mobilized on August 4th he has up to the present received the large sum of 8s Army pay. On the 21st of April 1915 he returned to France. On the 9th of March 1916 he returned to England where on the 14th April he was discharged from the army on termination of his period of engagement. He served 7 years 38 days at home and abroad Although discharged from the army in 1916 he did not rejoin the police until December 1918. Marked on his file that this time does not count towards his pension. He may have been involved in other war work, in munitions for example. In 1916 he married Alice McCormick at Chester le Street They had five children during their marriage Mariam (b 1917). James (b. 1918), Bridget (b. 1919). John (b 1920), & Teresa (b 1926).He returned to the war after having an operation - presumably at Netley in 1915 where he lasted another year but was invalided out in February 1916. He lived until 1960 and had 5 children and 10 grandchildren. I only knew him for a short while but he never talked about the war.
Alice Potter
2nd Lt. William Henry Baynes 1st Btn. Queens Royal West Surrey Rgt. (d.12th October 1918)
William Henry Baynes is my great uncle. He lost his mother when he was only 11 years old and was one of six children. His father Henry went on to look after the children who had not left home, one of whom was my grandad. I found William while reserching my family history. Although my mother knew of him and told me the family did not want him to sign up, he did and was in France by October 1914.William is mentioned twice in the WW1 war diaries of the Queen's Royal (West Surrey) Regiment. He was a bomber trying to take enemy trenches at Lump Lane (Somme). These trenches were in places nearly knee deep in mud and water from the heavy rain of the previous evening and the going was very heavy. This was not a successful attack and William and four men became isolated in a shell hole having run out of bombs or grenades, but luckily they were covered by a small party sent to help and made a withdrawal. He was later wounded at Menin and sent to the Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley, Southampton where he died on the 12th October 1918.
He received the 1914 star and British War Medal and Victory Medal. William is named on the Great War Memorial outside Canterbury Cathedral.
Heather Gittings
Sgt. William Caldwell 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
William Caldwell was evacuated to the Victoria Hospital, Netley on the 11th of July 1916Lynne
L/Cpl. James Alban Charles "Jimmy" White 15th (2nd Portsmouth Pals) Btn. Hampshire Regiment
James White enlisted in the 15th (2nd Portsmouth Pals) Btn, Hampshire Regiment at Winchester on 9th Feb 1915. After training the Bn moved to France on 2nd May 1916 as part of 122nd Brigade in 41st Division and moved to the La Creche area where they started instruction in the trenches in parties of about 100 with other units on the 10th May. The Bn continued to operate in the area between Hazebrouck and Bailleul until Sep 1916 when it moved to the Somme area.On 15th Sep 1916 the Battalion took part in the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, which was the first attack using tanks. A major advance (in WW1 terms) was achieved and the village of Flers was captured by 122nd Brigade with the support of the tanks. However casualties were high, mainly due to the German artillery barrage, but also to three machine guns on the Battalions left. 8 officers and 31 men were killed, 5 officers and 188 men wounded and 60 men were missing.
James White was one of those wounded, and left some notes and a map of the action. It shows he reached the 3rd German line at the edge of the village, where he says the line was consolidated, and he may have gone further on with a party under Lt Smith. His map shows he was wounded in the second German line, but does not indicate if this was on the way forward or later. However the Battalion War Diary records that the German barrage was very heavy and many messengers were killed or wounded trying to get messages to or from Battalion HQ to the men in Flers. It may be that James White was one of these. He suffered severe wounds to his legs from a shell.
He records that he manged to get to a Field Ambulance in a sunken road running from Longueval to Flers and was then evacuated back. He spent a long time in Whitchurch Military Hospital (Cardiff), Netley Hospital and the Royal South Hants Hospital and was discharged as unfit for military service on 22nd Nov 1917.
James Alban Charles White died in 1926, ten years after he was wounded, from septicemia caused by his wounds.
Alan Evans
L/Cpl. Robert Henry House 2nd Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers
Robert House was born in August 1894 in the Curragh Amy Camp, County Kildare in Ireland. His father was Robert Charles House, a sergeant based at the camp in the Army Service Corps.Robert enlisted with the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers on the 2nd of July 1914. He married his sweetheart, Sarah Jane McCord, at the Pro Cathedral in Dublin on the 7th of December 1914. He landed in France as part of the British Expedition Force on the 3rd of January 1915. On the 29th Lance Corporal Robert Henry House while on active service at St.Yves in Belgium was wounded. He received gun shot wounds to his chest, upper left arm and his two feet. The wounds to his feet fractured his first, second and third metatarsals bones. While at General Hospital Boulogne he is diagnosed with rheumatism and bronchitis. He was transferred to H.S. Carrisbrook Castle on the 10th of February and sent back to England arriving at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley. At the Royal Dublin Fusiliers Depot, Robert Henry House is discharged from the British Army deemed No Longer Physically Fit for War Service on the 6th of August 1915.
This brave young 19 year old man's army career was short, only lasting 13 months. He was unlucky to be badly wounded but very lucky to survive them. He went on to have a large family, marrying twice and lived in Dublin, Ireland until 1971. Robert Henry House late of 63 Kildare road, Crumlin, Dublin, Ireland died at St. Jame`s Hospital Dublin. Having survived his serious War Wounds in January 1915, it was Cancer of the Stomach and Lungs which was the cause of his Death. This man was a True Hero to his generation.
John
WO2. James Lawton Loyal North Lancashire Regiment (d.19th July 1916)
My Grandfather James Lawton was born in Marylebone Middlesex in 1880 son of Joseph Lawton and husband of Annie Lawton (Nye) of 2 Weiss Passage,Ossington Street Euston Road London. Between 29th December 1896 and 28th December 1908 he served with the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, service no.5049 Prior to enlisting he had been working as a bottle washer, he was 18 years old. James was posted into the 2nd battalion, then to the 1st on the 8th June 1901. He was promoted to Corporal for an act of gallant conduct in the field ( I have no other information). On 18th September 1902 he was posted back to the 2nd battalion between Dec. 1902 & June 1904 he was acting Lance Serjeant. At the time of his discharge, after 12 years service in 1908 he was rank Corporal For his time in South Africa he was fighting the Boers,on the Orange Free State, Cape Colony 1901 to 1902 clasps.He re-enlisted at Fulham in on the 5th of September 1914 he was 34 he entered as a private but was promoted to Corporal, then on the 11th March to Warrent officer. On the 31st July 1915 he sailed to France with the 10th Battalion N.L.R, he was wounded on the 29th of June 1916 by a gunshot to right leg he was evacuated to the Royal Victoria (Netley) Hospital on the 4th July 1916 but succumbed to his wound on the 19th July 1916. He is remembered in Paddington Cemetery screen Wall 3W.9814 age 39. May we remember.
Mary Lawton
Rflmn. Sidney Carpenter 1st Btn Rifle Brigade (d.1st October 1917)
My Uncle Syd Carpenter became employed in the Y M C A and met many of the trainee soldiers. Sid was only aged 17 but lied about his age and enlisted into the 3rd/8th Battalion Post Office Rifles. His contracted trench foot and was sent to Netley Hospital for treatment. He was sent home for a short leave back to his home at Fovant and my mother Dorothy told me Sid was a changed man , he was terrified of going back to the front. He went back and was assigned to the Rifle Brigade who were fighting at Passcendaele. On a day of no great action Sid died of shell fire, he is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial.Donald Ekless
QMS. William George Davies Army Service Corps
My great grandfather, William George Davies, was born in Shoreditch, East London in 1882. His father was a baker and had a shop at 509 Seven Sisters Road, Tottenham where William worked as a baker alongside his father and brother. He married my great grandmother in 1910 and they were running a bakers in Green Street, Bethnal Green in 1911. On 8th April 1915 he joined the army, leaving his wife in Bethnal Green with their 3 small daughters aged between 4 years and 5 months old. By the time of his death he would also have 2 sons born in 1918 and 1920, the youngest just 5 months old when he died.He joined the Army Service Corps at Aldershot and by June 1915 they were in France. His discharge records say he was of very good character but on 8 November 1916 he was reprimanded for being drunk in town without a pass. In May 1917 he was transferred to the Labour Corps where he was a Quarter Master Sergeant but by August 1918 he was already being treated for shell shock and was formerly discharged as being unfit for service on 11 Sept 1918 ('melancholia due to AS'). He was sent to the Belfast War Hospital which was a specialist mental health unit set up in 1917. Across the top of his discharge papers is written by hand 'Mental case'. He was discharged with a new suit, £1 and his Silver Badge.
At some point after August 1918 he arrived at the Royal Victoria Military Hospital, Netley where his treatment for shell shock continued. He died there on 27 June 1920. My grandmother, Florence Ada Davies, told me a story that he died from blood poisoning after being bitten by a goat - my dad and I used to laugh at this, dismissing it as another of her funny stories. His service records show that his wife gave his cause of death as 'blood poisoning' and also mentioned Army Farms 2067 and 2079 so perhaps there was some truth in it after all....
William George Davies is buried in the Netley Military Cemetery. He was 39 years old when he died and was survived by his wife Annie; daughters Edith, Mary and Florence; sons Billy and Bert. He is remembered by his grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Claire
Pte. John McMahon Royal Munster Fusiliers (d.2nd Sep 1916)
John McMahon enlisted in Clydebank in the Connaught Rangers and later served with the Royal Munster Fusiliers. He died from wounds age 20 on the 2nd September 1916 and is buried in Netley Cemetery. His medal card records the award of the 1915 Star, War and Victory Medals. John was born in Jarrow in 1896, son of James and Frances McMahon nee Burke of 48 John Knox Street, Clydebank, Glasgow.Vin Mullen
L/Cpl. Joseph Revely 2nd Btn. Durham Light Infantry (d.6th Nov 1914)
Joseph Revely enlisted at Jarrow and served in the 2nd Battalion Durham Light Infantry. He died on the 6th November 1914 and is remembered at Monkton Memorial, he is buried in Netley Military Cemetery. Netley Military Cemetery is in Hampshire on the site of the old Military Hospital so he must have died there. His medal card records the award of the 1914 Star, War and Victory medals and noted that he died presumably from wounds or illness.Joseph born in Jarrow 1894 son of Edmund Revely and the late Elizabeth Revely nee Skime). In the 1911 census the family lived at 17 Frederick Street, Jarrow with Edmund (69) widower, a joiner in the shipyard, his sons, Henry(33) single, a general labourer, William E(23)single, crane driver in steel works and Edmund, age 13, at school. There are two younger daughters, Margaret (10) and Linda (7).
Vin Mullen
Field Sgt. John Atkinson 20th Btn. Durham Light Infantry
With the outbreak of the First World War John Atkinson enlisted on the 10th August 1914 in the 3rd Training Battalion Durham Light Infantry (Army Number 22546) and the Northern Echo of 1st March 1916 shows him as a Lance-Corp. serving with the 3rd’s in France. On 14th October 1916 he is recorded as a Sergeant suffering from shell shock and on 26th March 1917 he had been wounded and was in a base hospital in France. He retained the scar of the wound in his right forearm and the remnant of the bullet in his shoulder.He never talked much about his experiences on the Somme in W.W.1 other than to relate the time when he was in the ambulance from the front to field hospital. Alongside him was a Prussian Guard who, seeing the marksman badge on Dad’s sleeve (he was a sniper), Dad relates,â€he would have killed him if he couldâ€. He was wounded at St. Eloi, near Ypres, and our former home at Aycliffe, near Darlington, bears that name to this day.
However, whilst searching the 1943 edition of the Darlington & Stockton Times the following article of 10th September 1943 emerged:
Great War Comrades Meet at Durham.
The swearing in of Mr. Roland Jennings, M.P., of Whitburn, Sunderland, as a county magistrate at Durham Quarter Sessions on Wednesday was followed by an informal reunion with one of his Great War comrades in arms.
On the bench was Mr. John Atkinson, of Great Aycliffe, who during the Great War was a platoon sergeant in the 20th Batt. Durham Light Infantry. Recognising his former officer, Mr. Atkinson left the court and had a happy chat with Mr. Jennings. In particular they recalled an episode at St. Eloi in 1917 when Sergt. Atkinson was wounded while attacking with a Lewis gun a German machine-gun nest at a 40 yards range in no man’s land. Mr. Jennings, then a second-lieutenant, came to the rescue, helped Sergt. Atkinson back to the British lines and dressed his wound.
Mr. Jennings, chartered accountant, was M.P. for Sedgefield from 1931 to 1935 and has been M.P. for the Hallam Division of Sheffield since 1939. Mr. Atkinson is Aycliffe representative on the Darlington Rural Council and, as a J.P., sits on the Spennymoor and Darlington County Benches.
(Postscripts) – the 20th (Service) Battalion Durham Light Infantry (Wearside), the “Faithful Durhamsâ€, after training at Barnard Castle were at Aldershot on 7th January 1916 (Northern Echo). They were the only North-country battalion in the 41st Division with a high proportion of miners and it became well known for its digging abilities. They moved to France in May 1916 based around Armentieres (my father talked about the place as a place they relaxed in).
From John Sheen’s book emerges a detailed record of the Battalion and its movements as follows:
The 20th Battalion DLI was part of the 123rd Brigade along with the 11th Queens, 10th Royal West Kent, and 23rd Middlesex. The Brigade was part of the 41st Division, which in turn was part of the 15th Corps.
- 1/5/1916 Moved to embarkation positions.
- 4/5/1916 Entrained Farnborough and embarked SS Arundal at Southampton
- 5/5/1916 Gare des Marchandises – Godewaerswelde (Belgium).Probably John joined the Battalion here??
- 10/5/1916 Ypres Salient – frontline for instruction in trench warfare.
- 28/5/1916 Le Bizet/Armentieres.
- 29/5/1916 22 officers & 696 men into the front line.
- 23/8/1916 Bailleul to Somme Front (Longpre les Corps Sants) then marched to Yaucourt Bussus.
- 7/9/1916 Train Longpre to Mericourt then camp near Becorel outside Albert.
- 12 – 13/9/1916 Into line with the 11th Queens.
- 14/9/1916 Back to Pommiers Redoubt then back to the Battle at Flers (with tanks). 123rd Brigade in reserve behind 122nd Brigade (no fighting but with casualties from shelling – possible source of John’s shell shock reported in the press on 14/10 1916)
- 17/9/1916 Moved to the Montauban line then Bercondal for attacktraining.
- 27/9/1916 Much reconnaiscence into No Man’s Land.
- 1/101916 Back to Pommiers Redoubt.
- 3/10/1916 Camp at Memetz Wood – resting.
- 7/10/1916 800 yards behind Flers.
- 17/10/1916 Left Somme and entrained at Dernancourt to Oismont (via Amiens). Arrived 18/10/1916.. Battalion strength 1068. From 23/8 to 17/10/1916 casualties 98 dead, 200+ wounded.
- 20/10/1916 Train from Pont Remy to Godeswaersvelde (Dickebusch Sector)
- 22/10/1916 Renningshelst.
- 3/11/1916 Back to trenches – skirmishes.
- 12/11/1916 Ontario Camp (Dickebusch)
- 18/11/1916 SNOW – COLD. Fighting dimishes but still casulaties. Battalion strength 29 officers and 828 men.
- 23/11/1916 Ontario Camp.
- December 1916 In and out of the line.
- Christmas Day Trench mortar activity.
- 29/12/1916 Ontario Camp (Ypres Salient)
- New Year’s Day 1917. Some had baths – practicing – operating Lewis Guns. Strength 19 officers (-10) and 463 (-365) men.
- 3/1/1917 In the line – very wet.
- 8/1/1916 New officers joined the Battalion, including R. Jennings.
- 17/1/1917 Back in the line.
- 21/1/1917 SNOW – back to Ontario Camp.
- 28/1/1917 Back in the line.
- Early February 1917. Clearing trenches – back and forward to Ontario Camp.
- 17/2/1917 Routine fighting – in and out through February into March. Battalion football competition – church in Reninghelst.
- 5/3/1917 Took over from East Surrey’s.. Snow and mist. Things described as quiet – in and out the line.
- 18/3/1917. Skirmishes and shelling – likely time when John was wounded (Northern Echo report on 26/3/1917.
- 24/3/1917 Battalion out of the line and on ‘stand-by’.
John used to talk about the Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley in Hampshire - an existing pre-war military hospital as the place he received on-going treatment for his wounds prior to him moving to Croydon for a time before ultimately finishing up at Woodside Hospital Darlington where he was Orderly Sergeant. He was finally honourably discharged on 13th December 1917.
Postscript by Lewis Atkinson, John’s son: My son and I are currently tracing family records and we came across the following article by my father dated 11th November 1929 in a Darlington newspaper. He served and was wounded twice in the First World War.
“Once again the Empire today does homage to that vast, immortal army who died that we might live. Again it is vividly brought home to us by the sight of Flanders poppies, religious and other national memorial services, of the terrific sacrifices made by the British Empire during that tragic conflict.
Again, we ex-Servicemen think of those with whom we marched along the roads to the familiar strains of ‘Tipperary’, ‘Who’s your lady friend?’ and the like who are no more. We recall the training, the embarkation, our baptism of fire, the walking wounded wending their way back to the dressing stations, followed by screaming murderous shells; the stretcher cases, the lines of men outside the casualty stations, the on-coming troops, guns, transport, ever moving forward; Ypres, Armentieres, Vimy Ridge, Albert, the mud, aerial torpedoes, whizz-bangs, and Heaven knows what else. And I often ask myself, ‘Was it worthwhile?’ I say most emphatically, never again must the British Empire be plunged into such a catastrophe! Never again. They died that we might liveâ€
Lewis Atkinson
Sgt. John Atkinson 20th Btn. Durham Light Infantry
With the outbreak of the First World War John Atkinson enlisted on the 10th August 1914 in the 3rd Training Battalion, Durham Light Infantry (Army Number 22546). The Northern Echo of 1st March 1916 shows him as a Lance-Corp. serving with the 3rd’s in France. On 14th October 1916 he is recorded as a Sergeant, suffering from shell shock and on 26th March 1917 he had been wounded and was in a base hospital in France. He retained the scar of the wound in his right forearm and the remnant of the bullet in his shoulder.He never talked much about his experiences on the Somme, other than to relate the time when he was in the ambulance from the front to field hospital. Alongside him was a Prussian Guard who, seeing the marksman badge on Dad’s sleeve (he was a sniper), Dad related he would have killed him if he could. He was wounded at St. Eloi, near Ypres, and our former home at Aycliffe bears that name to this day.
Whilst searching the 1943 edition of the Darlington & Stockton Times the following article of 10th September 1943 emerged:
Great War Comrades Meet at Durham.
The swearing in of Mr. Roland Jennings, M.P., of Whitburn, Sunderland, as a county magistrate at Durham Quarter Sessions on Wednesday was followed by an informal reunion with one of his Great War comrades in arms.
On the bench was Mr. John Atkinson, of Great Aycliffe, who during the Great War was a platoon sergeant in the 20th Batt. Durham Light Infantry. Recognising his former officer, Mr. Atkinson left the court and had a happy chat with Mr. Jennings. In particular they recalled an episode at St. Eloi in 1917 when Sergt. Atkinson was wounded while attacking with a Lewis gun a German machine-gun nest at a 40 yards range in no man’s land. Mr. Jennings, then a second-lieutenant, came to the rescue, helped Sergt. Atkinson back to the British lines and dressed his wound. Mr. Jennings, chartered accountant, was M.P. for Sedgefield from 1931 to 1935 and has been M.P. for the Hallam Division of Sheffield since 1939. Mr. Atkinson is Aycliffe representative on the Darlington Rural Council and, as a J.P., sits on the Spennymoor and Darlington County Benches.
Postscript- the 20th (Service) Battalion Durham Light Infantry (Wearside), the "Faithful Durhams", after training at Barnard Castle were at Aldershot on 7th January 1916 (Northern Echo). They were the only North-country battalion in the 41st Division with a high proportion of miners and it became well known for its digging abilities. They moved to France in May 1916 based around Armentieres (my father talked about the place as a place they relaxed in).
From John Sheen’s book emerges a detailed record of the Battalion and its movements as follows: The 20th Battalion DLI was part of the 123rd Brigade along with the 11th Queens, 10th Royal West Kent, and 23rd Middlesex. The Brigade was part of the 41st Division, which in turn was part of the 15th Corps.
- 1/5/1916 Moved to embarkation positions.
- 4/5/1916 Entrained Farnborough and embarked SS Arundal at Southampton.
- 5/5/1916 Gare des Marchandises – Godewaerswelde (Belgium). Probably John joined the Battalion here??
- 10/5/1916 Ypres Salient – frontline for instruction in trench warfare.
- 28/5/1916 Le Bizet/Armentieres.
- 29/5/1916 22 officers & 696 men into the front line.
- 23/8/1916 Bailleul to Somme Front (Longpre les Corps Sants) then marched to Yaucourt Bussus.
- 7/9/1916 Train Longpre to Mericourt then camp near Becorel outside Albert.
- 12 – 13/9/1916 Into line with the 11th Queens.
- 14/9/1916 Back to Pommiers Redoubt then back to the battle at Flers (with tanks). 123rd Brigade in reserve behind 122nd Brigade (no fighting but with casualties from shelling – possible source of John's shell shock reported in the press on 14/10 1916)
- 17/9/1916 Moved to the Montauban line then Bercondal for attack training.
- 27/9/1916 Much reconnaiscence into No Man’s Land.
- 1/101916 Back to Pommiers Redoubt.
- 3/10/1916 Camp at Memetz Wood – resting.
- 7.10/1916 800 yards behind Flers.
- 17/10/1916 Left Somme and entrained at Dernancourt to Oismont (via Amiens). Arrived 18/19/1916. Battalion strength 1068. From 23/8 to 17/10/1916 casualties 98 dead, 200+ wounded.
- 20/10/1916 Train from Pont Remy to Godeswaersvelde (Dickebusch Sector)
- 22/10/1916 Renningshelst.
- 3/11/1916 Back to trenches – skirmishes.
- 12/11/1916 Ontario Camp (Dickebusch)
- 18/11/1916 SNOW – COLD. Fighting dimishes but still casulaties. Battalion strength 29 officers and 828 men.
- 23/11/1916 Ontario Camp.
- December 1916 In and out of the line.
- Christmas Day Trench mortar activity.
- 29/12/1916 Ontario Camp (Ypres Salient)
- New Year’s Day 1917. Some had baths – practicing – operating Lewis Guns. Strength 19 officers (-10) and 463 (-365) men.
- 3/1/1917 In the line – very wet.
- 8/1/1916 New officers joined the Battalion, including R. Jennings.
- 17/1/1917 Back in the line.
- 21/1/1917 Snow – back to Ontario Camp.
- 28/1/1917 Back in the line.
- Early February 1917. Clearing trenches – back and forward to Ontario Camp.
- 17/2/1917 Routine fighting – in and out through February into March. Battalion football competition – church in Reninghelst.
- 5/3/1917 Took over from East Surrey’s.. Snow and mist. Things described as quiet – in and out the line.
- 18/3/1917. Skirmishes and shelling – likely time when John was wounded (Northern Echo report on 26/3/1917.
- 24/3/1917 Battalion out of the line and on ‘stand-by’.
John used to talk about the Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley in Hampshire - an existing pre-war military hospital as the place he received on-going treatment for his wounds prior to him moving to Croydon for a time before ultimately finishing up at Woodside Hospital Darlington where he was Orderly Sergeant. He was finally honourably discharged on 13th December 1917.
Lewis Atkinson
Pte. Samuel Atkinson Lancashire Fusiliers
My Grandfather Samuel Atkinson, Lancashire Fusiliers, enlisted 26th of August 1916. He was wounded on the 14th of Sept 1917 and treated in Royal Victoria Hospital Netley with Gun shot wounds to his right side. Also wounded again 19th April 1918 gun shot wound to his left arm.Gary Atkinson
Pte. Henry James Qualtrough Royal Army Ordnance Corps
My Father, Henry Qualtrough, served France, Belgium and Dublin between 1917 and 1919. He was invalaided to Netley with Typhoid and also had his foot run over by a gun carriage.John W. Qualtrough
Pte. Alexander Rees Davies 2nd Battalion The Welch Fusiliers (d.25th Feb 1917)
Alexander Rees Davies was born in Llanychaiarn, Cardiganshire, Wales in 1881. His father was a tailor and he was a plasterer by trade. His first regiment was the Welsh Horse and his service number was 11722. This Regiment then became absorbed in the Welch Regiment, I believe.His death Certificate shows that he died at the Netley Hospital (the Royal Victoria Hospital) on 25 February 1917, of "multiple G.S. wounds of body and limbs and septicaemia and collapse". He was 36 years old and had been married for just over a year.
He is buried in the Llanychaiarn churchyard. His headstone reads:
In loving Memory
Alex
The beloved husband of Kate Davies of Towyn, Merioneth.
"Duty and honour bid us part 'Til the day breaks and shadows flee away."
Sharon Immelman
Pte Charles Ellis Sherwood Foresters
My Dad, who was born on the 20 September 1899 enlisted when he was 16 years old. He didn't talk much about his time in France and I failed miserably to be interested in what happened, which I very much regret. He always made us eat up out meals as children and told us the story of how luck he was when he had a tin of jam, yes, just a tin of jam - his mate had a tin of golden syrup. Imagine that - a growing boy of 16 and that was your meal! He did mention how scared he was when, one night he was on "Sentry go" and there was an awful banging noise very close to him - he HAD to investigate and it was a rat with its head stuck in a bully beef can. He was badly gassed and spent some time at the Royal Victoria Hospital at Netley. After the war he was based an the Cologne Cavalry Barracks where he was friendly with a German family. Being gassed caused enormous abcesses and I remember he could not sit down for three Christmas dinners. He died at the age of 75 and I still miss that very brave man.Molly Taylor
Pte. Ernest Evenden 9th Btn. The Royal Sussex Rgt. (d.1st Sep 1916)
Ernest died of wounds at the Royal Victoria Military Hospital, Netley on the 1st of September 1916, aged 19. He was buried in the Military Cemetery in the hospital grounds.
Pte. William Henry Holmes 2nd Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers (d.1st Mar 1915)
William Holmes died of wounds whilst he was being treated at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley, he was buried at Netley Military Cemetery.Vin Mullen
Pte. Joseph Harold Alfred Applebee 33rd Btn.
Harold Applebee was a 19 year old Labourer when he enlisted, he was described as being 5'8", having very dark complexion, black hair and brown eyes. He embarked from Australia in May 1916 and after training in England, proceeded to France in January 1917 where he transferred from 33rd Btn to the 9th Machine Gun Company. He saw action at the Battle of Messines and was wounded on the 18th of July, had a short spell in hospital and was again wounded, this time by gassing on the 31st. After a longer spell in hospital he rejoined his unit in September and suffered a 3rd Wound in action on the 2 October, he was invalided back to England with a severe wound which had fractured his skull and treated at the King George Hospital. By mid February 1918 he was fit enough to return to France and rejoined his unit on the front line. He had another spell in hospital in England, this time at the Royal Victoria Hospital at Netley in June 1918 suffering from Tonsillitis but again returned to France. He returned to Australia in 1919.
Able Seaman. James Thomas Bunting Drake Battlion
My father, AB James Thomas Bunting joined the Navy in August 1914. He was assigned to Drake Battalion, Royal Naval Division. They did their training at HMS Victory III. Crystal Palace . The training was brief. The whole division was sent to Antwerp to defend the attempt of the Germans entering Belgium. They were very ill equipped for the task. Many had no greatcoats. Some did not even have rifles. Little hope against the seasoned German Army. There were many losses but my father survived.In February 1915 The Royal Naval Division left their new headquarters at Blandford Forum bound for Gallipoli in the Dardinelles Conditions were bad and by the end of March the whole division left for Egypt because of illnesses. By the end of April they were back at full strength but on the initial advance Collingwood Battalion was wiped out. July saw the depleted Division retreat to Larnos Island to recouperate. Everyone suffering from Diarrhoea Malaria and fly borne gastric infections. End of July saw them back again but campaign was declared a failure and all troops were withdrawn. Arriving at Marsailles in December 1915.
January 1916 moving up through France. February, The Battle of Verdun. September, The Somme. Then it became the end of the war for dad. He was wounded at Arras near the village of Gavrille. On the 23rd. of April 1917. Shrapnel wound left arm. Entering just behind the left elbow. Leaving an 8 inch cut up the tricep and exiting along the forearm Fracturing the Ulna and taking the end off the humerus. Hospitalised at Wimereux.
Departed on the 26th. of May on the hospital ship “St. Denis†for Victoria hospital Netley, Southampton. After six months in hospital he went on leave in December 1917.
Overdoing his leave by six months he faced a court martial at Perham Down.
“In that at Blandford camp on the 21st. of January 1918 he absented himself. Until surrendering himself to Goole ( his home town) police on the12th. of June 1918. Losing by neglect his equipment and regimental necessities. Sentenced to undergo detention for one year and to be put on stoppage of pay until he has made good the value of the articles valued at £2/6/9
On the 2nd. of August 1918 The Lords Commision of the Admiralty quashed the charge. Returning the good conduct badge which had been confiscated when charged!! What had brought about the turnaround to the serious charges against him? It may have been his contract which he had signed on enlistment 8th. August 1914. Which had clearly stated that, “I undertake and bind myself till the end of the war Or for three years, whichever comes first.
So legally his service had ended whilst he was hospitalised at Netley. Also consider he had served in three fierce campaigns. He was at that time rated as being 50% disabled.It would have being a travesty to have convicted him.
In November 1918 he was declared unfit for service and discharged after 4 years and 82 days. On his discharge he was still rated 50% disabled. But after visiting different hospitals and appeal boards he was finally awarded a final pension assessment of 30% for life on the 25th. of July 1923 The wound, which never healed caused problems all his life Quite often flaring up and needing hot fermentations and poultices. My sister became an expert. When he became fit for work and had regained some of the grip in his hand he went back to his trade as boot repairer. But finally found work on the docks.
Corby Bunting
Pte. Thomas Mayrick 14th btn. Royal Warwickshire Regt (d.28th Sep 1916)
Pte Thomas Mayrick died of wounds at Netley on the 28th Sept 1916, he was 22 years old. He was buried at St Lawrence's Church, Bidford-on-Avon.
Dvr. George A. Phillips Army Service Corps (d.10th Oct 1914)
George Phillips died at Netley on the 10th October 1914 he was 29 years old.
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