Acle - Great War Memorial - Aldis to Cushion

Alan Cecil Aldis………………………………........(Roll of Honour)

 

G/87390 Lance Corporal Aldis, 13th Battalion Middlesex Regiment who died on Sunday 13th October 1918, aged 20 years. When he enlisted at Norwich he is recorded as residing at Thorpe St Andrew. His father was the Station Master at Acle. He is buried at the Delsaux Farm Cemetery, Beugny, Pas de Calais and is also commemorated on the gravestone of his 5 year-old brother in the Churchyard at Acle.

 

His CWGC entry also records that he was born at Holme Hale and that he was the son of Mr & Mrs A Aldis.

www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=240001

 

Lance Corporal Aldis can be seen here.

norlink.norfolk.gov.uk/02_Catalogue/02_013_PictureTitleIn...

The accompanying notes are Born 18 August 1898 at Holme Hale, Norfolk; son of Arthur and Hannah Aldis, Station House, Acle; enlisted June 1917; died of wounds at 46 Casualty Clearing Station, France, 13 October 1918.

 

At the time of the 1901 Census, the 2 year old Alan C was living at the Station House, Ditchingham, where his 38 year old father, Arthur, (born Framingham Pigot), was Station Master. Also resident are his 40 year old mother Hannah, (born Marham), and his siblings,

Reginald U…………….aged 9.………….born Fakenham

Hubert H……………….aged 7.…………born Swaffham

Percy G………………..aged 5.………….born Swaffham

Audrey E………………aged 1.…………born Holme Hale

 

The Aldis’s also had a visitor staying on the night of the census, a 19 year old dressmaker by the name of Maudie Heyhoe.

 

Cambrai, 1918: and the Pursuit to the Selle River. 9th - 12th October 1918

In this Battle no less than six battalions of the Regiment took part, or are entitled to the Battle Honour as being in the immediate area of the operations. They are the 1st and 18th Battalions (33rd Division), 4th (37th Division), 1/7th and 1/8th (56th Division) and 13th (24th Division).

freespace.virgin.net/howard.anderson/thebattleofcambrai.htm

Historical Information: The village of St. Aubert was captured in the Pursuit to the Selle (9th-12th October, 1918); and the cemetery was begun by the 24th Division on the 12th.

www.geocities.com/ptrue84020/aubert.html

 

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Elvin Spencer Bulley………………………………........(Roll of Honour)

 

18164 Lance Corporal Bulley, 9th (Service) Battalion Norfolk Regiment who died on Sunday 17th September 1916, aged 32 years. He had lived in Acle for nine or ten years before enlisting and worked as a moulder at Smithdale’s foundry. He was captain of Acle Football Club and a member of the Bowling Club. At the time of his death his brother was fighting beside him in the same trench and was wounded a few hours earlier. He is buried in the Guillemont Road Cemetery on The Somme.

 

His CWGC entry lists him as the son of William and Rosanna Bulley, of Swafield, North Walsham.

www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=534194

 

No match on Norlink

 

No obvious match on the 1901 Census for England & Wales for either an Elvin, William or Rosanna Bulley\Bully

15th September 1916 Battle of the Somme

The last great Allied effort to achieve a breakthrough came on 15 September in the Battle of Flers-Courcelette with the initial advance made by 11 British divisions (nine from Fourth Army, two Canadian divisions on the Reserve Army sector) and a later attack by four French corps.

The battle is chiefly remembered today as the debut of the tank. The British had high hopes that this secret weapon would break the deadlock of the trenches. Early tanks were not weapons of mobile warfare—with a top speed of 2 mph (3.2 km/h), they were easily outpaced by the infantry—but were designed for trench warfare. They were untroubled by barbed wire obstacles and impervious to rifle and machine gun fire, though highly vulnerable to artillery. Additionally, the tanks were notoriously unreliable; of the 49 tanks available on 15 September, only 32 made it to the start line, and of these, only 21 made it into action

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Flers-Courcelette

 

An intense preliminary bombardment began on 12 September and at 6.20am on Friday 15 September the advance began in mist and smoke. XIV Corps attack, on the extreme right, where hopes of breakthrough were pinned, fared badly; 56th Division and 6th Division lost heavily as tanks and artillery support failed to neutralise vital defensive positions

www.cwgc.org/somme/content.asp?menuid=27&id=27&me...

 

151 Soldiers of the 9th Battalion appear to have died on this day, with 6 more the following day. I assume Private Bulley also died from wounds received on the 15th, as it seems unlikely the Norfolks were back in the front line 2 days after such a mauling.

 

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Percy Chilvers………………………………........(Roll of Honour)

 

It is thought that Percy Chilvers served with the Norfolk Regiment but none of the records of men with that name contain any evidence to associate them with Acle. The most probable entry is:

Percy CHILVERS, Sergeant 200284, 1st/4th Battalion, Norfolk Regiment. Killed in action in Palestine 19th April 1917. Aged 26. Born Tottington, enlisted Norwich. Son of Mrs. Alice Chilvers, of "Shrublands," Brandon Rd., Watton, Thetford, Norfolk. No known grave. Commemorated on Jerusalem Memorial, Israel. Panels 12 to 15.

 

The other two are a Percy aged 32 when he died on the 23/09/1918 serving in France in the 4th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment, and Percy Ernest, aged 19 when he died 22/10/1914, serving with the Royal Marines aboard HMS Aboukir.

 

The Percy referred to above is a Percy Read Chilvers.

www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=1644687

He also appears on the Watton War Memorial

 

No match on Norlink

 

The Genes re-united transcription of the 1901 Census has no obvious match for the Percy Read Chilvers who was 26 by April 1917.

 

The most likely match for the 32 year old is more interesting. He would appear to be a 15 years Plumbers Apprentice living at 20 Cambridge Road, Chiswick, having been born at Shepherds Bush, London. This was the home of his parents, George William, aged 41 and a Builders Managers from Docking in Norfolk, and Louisa, aged 41 and also from Norfolk, although the village is indecipherable on the 1901 Census. (The 1891 makes it clear that its Snettisham, although they also have an older child living with them that was born at Snettisham, and who is not present on the 1901 Census). While all their other children were born in London, it could be that the family returned to the county of their parents birth. A high level search of the 1911 Census shows the same individual in the district of Brentford, Middlesex.

 

The most likely match for the 19 year old is a 6 year old born Raveningham, and now living at Brundish Cottage, Raveningham.

 

The 26th year old serving with the 1st/4th Norfolks would have been involved in the disastrous 2nd Battle of Gaza on the 19th April 1917.

 

More than a thousand one hundred of the men of the 54th posted killed wounded or missing were from the two Norfolk regiment battalions, equating to 75% of their strength. Eastern Daily Press "Sunday" section May 5, 2007

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Battle_of_Gaza

 

The 32 year old is listed as serving with the 4th Yorks but that unit had been reduced to a cadre following the German Spring offensives of 1918, and many of the surviving 4th Yorks were now serving in composite Battalions made up of platoons and companys drawn up from similarly depleted units. However, this site states he died a Prisoner of War.

homepage.ntlworld.com/bandl.danby/065Bn1918.html

 

The 19 year was a casualty of the early success that German U-Boats enjoyed against dated British warships in the North Sea.

 

“U9 sinks HMS Aboukir, Hogue and Cressy. The patrol by these elderly ships was much criticised, they were too old and slow with inexperienced crews to put up a decent fight against modern German surface ships. Although the submarine threat at the time was not considered, even by critics of the patrol, the fact that the three ships didn't zigzag was criticised by the board of inquiry, a practice that was widely ignored at the time and even by some ships after the loss of the three cruisers.”

www.worldwar1.co.uk/cressy.htm

 

 

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Sydney George Church………………………………........(Roll of Honour)

 

81839 Private Church, 29th Battalion Middlesex Regiment who died on Friday 5th April 1918 aged 37 years. He enlisted in 1915 when he had been married to Kate for three years. He was employed as a miller’s carter. He was admitted to Crowborough hospital in September 1917 suffering from rheumatism caused by exposure to wet and cold. After a further period in hospital at Brighton he died from a tubercular infection. He is buried at Hove Old Cemetery.

 

The CWGC entry also tells us that he was the Son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Daniel Church and had been transferred to the Labour Corps.

www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=659960

 

No match on Norlink

 

No obvious match on the 1901 Census.

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Ambrose William Church………………………………........(Roll of Honour)

 

41039 Private Church, 8th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers who died on Thursday 16th August 1917. He is shown on the War Memorial as ‘W’ Church and the available records give his first name as Ambrose. He is believed to have been killed at Borry Farm with comrades who also have no known grave but are commemorated on panels 70/72 of the Tyne Cot Memorial in Belgium.

www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=1628737

 

No match on Norlink

 

The 1901 Census has the 3 year old Acle born Ambrose W. living at Damgate, Acle. This is the household of his parents, Joseph D. ,a 48 year old Corn and Flour Dealer from Acle, and and Martha J. aged 42 and from Somerleyton, Suffolk. Their other children are:-

Percy F……………….aged 17.…………born Acle…..Corn and Flour Dealer

Harry J……………….aged 18.………….born Acle………Corn and Flour Dealer

Elsie J………………..aged 1.…………..born Acle

Daisy B………………aged 13.………….born Acle

Cecil R………………aged 7.…………..born Acle

Walter C……………..aged 11.…………born Acle

 

 

August 16th 1917

 

The 16th August 1917 was the opening day of the Battle of Langermarck, with the 7th & 8th battalions of the Inniskillings in the first wave.

The fortification in front of 8th battalion was Borry Farm . This was a strongpoint consisting of three concrete dugouts linked by a breastwork. It was garrisoned by at least 100 men and five machine-guns. Both Beck House and Borry Farm were covered from Hills 35 and 37, and from the Potsdam and Bremen redoubts near Zonnebeke.

A and B companies of the 8th Battalion outflanked Borry Farm and managed to advance about 800 yards, keeping in contact with the 7th Inniskillings on their left. A German counter-attack inflicted heavy casualties on these companies, killing, wounding, or capturing all but 30 men.

C company launched frontal and flank attacks on Borry Farm and were reduced to a remnant that took cover in shell holes 50 yards to the west. Increasing German pressure led to the withdrawal of all survivors of the Battalion to their original positions. The battalion had suffered over 60% casualties. At the end of the day, the 16th Division was back where it had started.

freespace.virgin.net/sh.k/3rdypres.html

 

Operation order

 

freespace.virgin.net/sh.k/ordlang.html

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Ernest Samuel Clarke………………………………........(Roll of Honour)

 

17767 Lance Corporal Clarke, 7th (Service) Battalion Norfolk Regiment who died on Thursday 31st August 1916 aged 21 years. He was one of six Acle brothers on active service during the war. Following action on the Somme of 1st July 1916 he suffered gunshot wounds to his head and side at Bouzincourt on 21st August. He died of his wounds in the 1st Canadian General Hospital at Etaples and is buried at the Etaples Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais.

 

CWGC entry shows son of Robert and Eliza Clarke, of Acle, Norwich.

www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=499931

 

No match on Norlink

 

On the 1901 Census, the 5 year old Ernest S, born Acle, is recorded at The Hill, Acle. This is the household of his parents, Robert, a 49 year old Labourer from Acle, and Eliza, aged 42 and also from Acle. Their other children are:-

Edgar………….aged 3.……born Acle

Edward………..aged 8.……born Acle

John A…………aged 12.….born Acle

Louisa M …….. aged 11.…born Acle

Noah………….aged 14.…..born Acle….General servant in sausage factory

Robert J……….aged 21.…born Acle

 

I’m slightly mystified by the reference to Bouzincourt as this was behind the Allied lines at this time from what I can discover, and was the location of a field ambulance station, the next step on the ladder from the front line medical posts. The village received regular artillery bombardments. I can’t find any reference to the 7th Norfolks being in action on either date, (21st or 31st), although they had taken casualties on the 12th during the capture of Skyline Trench.

 

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Walter John Cole………………………………........(Roll of Honour)

 

18166 Private Cole, 9th (Service) Battalion Norfolk Regiment who died on Friday 31st December 1915 aged 21 years. He was one of a family of seven children born in Acle; his father was a railway platelayer. His Battalion came under heavy German shelling at St Jean in the Ypres Salient on 17th December and it is probable that it was as a result of that action that Walter Cole died. He is buried at the New irish Farm Cemetery north east of Ypres.

 

CWGC entry shows Son of William and Anna M. Cole, of Damgate, Acle, Norfolk.

www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=452139

 

No match on Norlink

 

On the 1901 Census, the 7 year old Acle born Walter is living at Damgate, Acle. This is the household of his parents, William, a 46 year old Railway Plate Layer from Cambridge, and Anna, aged 39 and from Acle. Their other children, all born Acle, are Annie, (aged 2), Emma, (aged 9) and Louisa, (aged 12).

 

For the rest of 1915 there is little to be told. During November the battalion was in and out of the trenches in the neighbourhood of Ypres, going through the usual monotonous routine of such service in the winter. On November 11 2/Lt G. Glanfield was killed by a shell. December passed in the same way. An extra heavy bombardment on the 19th led to the expectation of a German attack which did not materialise. At this time the Norfolk Battalion was in the trenches near St Jean.

 

1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/lofiversion/index.php/t...

 

(Slight discrepancy in the dates of the barrage, between the Roll of Honour contributor and the Great War Forum thread author).

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Eric A F Coleman………………………………........(Roll of Honour)

 

Second Lieutenant Coleman, Machine Gun Corps who died on Tuesday 31st July 1917. The son of Captain and Mrs George Drury Coleman of Acle he was commissioned in April 1915. It is thought that he originally served in the Norfolk Regiment but by July 1917 he was a member of the Heavy Section of the Machine Gun Corps – later to be known as the Tank Corps. He was in command of a tank at Wieltje on the first day of the Battle of Passchendaele when he was killed. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate memorial.

 

CWGC additional information reads Son of the late Capt. Coleman and Mrs. George Drury Coleman; husband of Lilian Coleman, of 5, St. John's Terrace, Wakefield. Native of Acle, Norfolk. His main unit is listed as the Norfolk Regiment but he is attached to the 3rd Battalion Machine Gun Corps. He is only listed as Eric Coleman.

www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=1607255

 

No match on Norlink

 

The most likely match on the 1901 Census is a 12 year old Eric A F, who is a resident pupil at Charles Towers School, Lingfield, (near Reigate). Eric had been born at Coles Hill, Middlesex. Unfortunately there is no obvious match on the 1891 census.

 

Wieltje

 

55 Div

 

165 Bde

 

The division advanced at Zero Hour with 165 Bde front right, 166 Bde front left and 164 Bde in support.

 

Attacking troops in 165 Bde were 1/5th and 1/6th King’s Liverpool Regt. The two battalions reached the Blue Line with little trouble and then attacked Plum Farm from which heavy MG fire was coming. The Farm was captured whilst still under bombardment.

 

1/7th and 1/9th King’s Liverpool Regt then passed through, 1/7 th being held up by fire from Square Farm, the same position that was holding up the HLI of 15th Div at the same time. The Farm fell to the Liverpudlians after several attacks allowing the advance continue to the Black Line. Pommern Redoubt was captured at 9am and a tank captured Bank Farm.

 

166 Bde

 

Despite running into many MG positions, 1/5th King’s Own Regt and 1/5th North Lancashire Regt kept up with the barrage and reached the first objective. 1/10th Liverpool Scottish and 1/5th South Lancashire Regt then passed through, encountering strong opposition from Spree Farm, Capricorn Trench and Pond Farm. 1/5th North Lancs was sent forward to support them. Capricorn Trench fell to the Liverpool Scottish at 9am. Spree Farm and Pond Farm remained in German hands and caused many casualties. One of the wounded was Capt Noel Chavasse, MO of the Liverpool Scottish. He earned his second VC for helping the wounded under fire. His first VC was earned on the Somme in 1916 and he had also been awarded the MC previously. Capt Chavasse would be the only double VC of the Great War. Unfortunately he died of his wounds and is buried in BrandhoekCemetery.

 

164 Bde

 

The brigade joined the battle at 10am. 2/5th Lancashire Fusiliers captured Spree Farm supported by the 1/8th Bn (Liverpool Irish). 1/4th Bn, North Lancs supported by 1/4th Bn, King’s Own advanced to the Green Line, capturing five batteries of 77mm guns on the way. The brigade consolidated in touch with 15th Div. Later on the left flank had to withdraw to get in touch with 39th Division troops.

forum.irishmilitaryonline.com/showthread.php?t=11535

 

 

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Harry Alfred Richard Crickmore…………………………........(Roll of Honour)

 

228816 Private Crickmore, 1/2nd Battalion Monmouthshire Regiment who died on Friday 26th April 1918, aged 19 years. Known to his family as ‘Richard’, he worked as a gardener/handyman when, at the age of seventeen he volunteered for a four-year engagement on 24th August 1914. He served with the 10th and the 3rd Battalion Norfolk Regiment and went to France in December 1915. He suffered a gunshot wound to the head and was returned to hospital in England in September 1916. During his home service he was transferred to the Monmouthshire Regiment with whom he returned to France in December 1917. He suffered further serious head injuries and died at the 3rd Northern General Hospital in Sheffield. He is buried in St Edmunds churchyard at Acle.

 

CWGC notes that he was the Son of Mrs. Lily Elizabeth Crickmore, of The Hill. Acle.

www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2802329

 

No match on Norlink

 

The most likely match on the 1901 Census is a 2 year old Harry who is living at The Cottage, Great Fransham, the village of his birth. This is the household of his parents, Richard, a 35 year old Woodman\Timber Feller(? - could possibly be Seller) from Bungay, and Lily, aged 26 and from Upton. Their other child is Arthur, (aged 6), while a 15 year old lodger, Sydney Pearce, makes up the rest of the household

 

The 1st/2nd Monmouthshires was the Pioneer Battalion of the 29th Division

www.1914-1918.net/monmouth.htm

 

 

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Basil Philip Cushion…………………………........(Roll of Honour)

 

235627 Private Cushion, 7th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment who died on Saturday 20th April 1918 aged 35 years. He was married with one son who was one of the boys who unveiled the village War Memorial. He is buried at The Huts Cemetery south of Ypres.

 

CWGC notes that he was the son of John and Clara Cushion, of Reedham, Norfolk; husband of Annie Cushion, of Bridewell Lane, Acle, Norwich.

www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=156124

No match on Norlink

 

At the time of the 1901 Census, the 17 year old Basil P. ,born Reepham, was living at The High Street, Marsham and employed as a Iron Moulder. This is the household of his uncle and aunt, John W Slapp, a 47 year old builder from North Walsham, and Mary M Slapp, aged 29 and from Lowestoft.

 

The 7th Leicesters were in the 21st Division, which lists amongst its battle honours, First Battle of Kemmel. 17-19 Apr 1918.

warpath.orbat.com/divs/21_div.htm

 

This was part of the bigger battle of Lys, which in turn was prompted by the second part of the German Spring Offensive known as Operation Georgette.

www.webmatters.net/belgium/ww1_lys_4.htm

 

www.roll-of-honour.com/Norfolk/Acle.html

www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/acle/acle.htm

 

 

Done