Worstead St Mary - Great War Roll of Honour

*****WORSTEAD************************

 

With acknowledgment to the Roll of Honour Website: www.roll-of-honour.com/Norfolk/Worstead.html

(Referred to as RoH below)

 

Albert George BRAKENBURY………………………………...(RoH)

(George Albert on CWGC & CD). Private 240279. 1st/5th Battalion Norfolk Regiment. Killed in action in Palestine on 19th April 1917. Born Worstead. Enlisted East Dereham. Buried: Gaza War Cemetery, Israel. Ref. XXX. G. 8.

CWGC: www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=649536

No match on Norlink

 

The 7 year old Albert, born Dilham, is recorded on the 1901 census at Spa Common, North Walsham. This is the household of his parents, Frank, (aged 32 and a Waterman\Wherryman from North Walsham) and Charlotte, (aged 33 and from Worstead).

 

19th April 1917 During the 2nd Battle of Gaza,

 

Facing the Tank Redoubt was the 161st Brigade of the 54th Division. To their right were the two Australian battalions (1st and 3rd) of the Imperial Camel Corps Brigade who had dismounted about 4,000 yards from their objective. As the infantry went in to attack at 7.30am they were joined by a single tank called "The Nutty" which attracted a lot of shell fire. The tank followed a wayward path towards the redoubt on the summit of a knoll where it was fired on point blank by four field guns until it was stopped and set alight in the middle of the position.

 

The infantry and the 1st Camel Battalion, having suffered heavy casualties on their approach, now made a bayonet charge against the trenches. About 30 "Camels" and 20 of the British infantry (soldiers of the 5th (territorial Battalion of the Norfolk Regiment) reached the redoubt, then occupied by around 600 Turks who immediately broke and fled towards their second line of defences to the rear.

 

The British and Australians held on unsupported for about two hours by which time most had been wounded. With no reinforcements at hand and a Turkish counter-attack imminent, the survivors endeavoured to escape back to their own lines.

 

To the right (west) of Tank Redoubt, the 3rd Camel Battalion, advancing in the gap between two redoubts, actually made the furthest advance of the battle, crossing the Gaza-Beersheba Road and occupying a pair of low hills (dubbed "Jack" and "Jill"). As the advances on their flanks faltered, the "Camels" were forced to retreat to avoid being isolated.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Battle_of_Gaza

 

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

 

 

After Gallipoli the battalion was to take part in the campaigns in the Middle East against the Turks and by 28 Feb 1917 allied cavalry had entered Khan Yunis, a town midway between the Egyptian border and Deir el Belah. This caused the Turks to withdraw to Beersheba and Gaza and enabled the allies to push up a railway as far as Deir el Belah which could feed the allies with much needed supplies for the next push. Field hospitals were also set up here to tend wounded and sick soldiers and an airbase established.

 

On 19th April the Norfolks took part in a disastrous attempt to take Gaza. In this action casualties for the (1st/4th) battalion were 478 (55 killed, 323 wounded and 100 missing).

 

The battalion’s sister unit, 1/5th Norfolks, also took part in the assault and they fared even worse, suffering 643 casualties.

www.oldbuckenham-pri.norfolk.procms.co.uk/pages/viewpage....

 

Following the failure of the first two attacks by mounted forces to flank the city, it became obvious to the Turks and their German advisers that the next attack would be likely to be an infantry one, centred on taking Gaza itself.

 

Although inferior in numbers, the German aircraft available were technically superior to the Allied craft, and were able to carry our reconnaissance almost at will, and carry out harassing raids on the Allied build up.

 

To protect the city, the Turkish forces were set to digging, and more guns were brought up. Except to the north, the city was soon surrounded by a series of redoubts, intended to ensure that the Beersheba road remained open.

 

And so the race was on - to build up military superiority, (in terms of numbers the Allies utnumbered the Turks 2:1, but weren’t aware of it), would give the Turks time to make their defences almost impregnable. And in the eyes of the Allied Commanders in the field, Murray, Dobell and Robertson, the earlier assaults had come within a whisker of success. So in their eyes there was no time to extend the water pipeline, or build up supplies.

 

(Page 43)The plan also grew in size, as the Turkish construction out-paced the Allies ability to bring troops to the front. The initial plans, a two division attack, a mounted break-through along the shore-line, had to be abandoned. The generals settled on a three division attack, with the 54th (East Anglian) being allotted the eastern sector, furthest from the coast, most beset with supply troubles, and

tasked with taking the first part of the Beersheba Road line.

 

Further to their east was the Camel Corps and the rest of the cavalry, serving as a flank guard, but ready to sweep through any opening .

 

The first stage of the attack came on the 17th April. The three infantry divisions moved forward at dawn, and by 7.30 am were at their chosen positions, where they entrenched. The Turks did little to interfere, though one of the British tanks exposed itself unnecessarily and was put out of action by accurate Turkish artillery fire. Clearly one of the tasks which had been successfully accomplished by the Turkish side in the three weeks since the first battle had been accurate artillery registry of all the visible places in the area where necessarily an attack would come.

 

(Page 45)The second stage of the attack, after a days work on trenches and dug-outs, went as might be expected, considering it was made by soldiers walking over open ground towards well entrenched and protected men armed with rifles and machine guns. An artillery bombardment of an hour or so, including the gas shells, and including fire from the ships at sea off Gaza, seems to have woken up the Turks rather than intimidated them - there was still insufficient British artillery to provide a really serious bombardment. The Turks did not actually notice the gas shells: higher air temperature seems to have encouraged rapid evaporation.

 

The 54th Division set-off behind this bombardment to attack the entrenchments of the Turkish 53rd Division along the Beersheba Road.

(Page 49) From Brigade HQ, Lieutenant Buxton was sent forward to find out what was happening.

 

(Page 50) (He subsequently reported on the attack on the redoubt) “held it for some time until the ammunition was spent. No support came and so those that did not get away, sixty in all, were captured in the Turkish counter-attack. My second tank, under Captain Carr, had done well in getting into the redoubt. The first tank had had a direct hit and was burning. It was obvious that our attack here had failed and most of our men had been killed. So I waited a bit longer, and when things were a shade quieter, I got out of my shell hole and ran back over the rise. There I came upon about 40 men of our brigade of all regiments, Major Marsh who was O C 8th Hants was there and Lieutenant Wharton of the 4th Norfolks. These men where just stragglers and all collected there. We decided it was no good going on then, so we started to dig ourselves in. This was all quite early in the morning - about 9. Marsh had a telephone line so I phoned back to Brigade HQ and gave them all the news.

(Page 51). There were a lot of dead men and wounded all round us. Some of the latter we got behind our lines, in case the Turks tried a counter -attack, We were about forty men and one Lewis Gun, and no-one on our left or right for several hundred yards. The place we were holding was the top of a rounded hillock. The Turks kept us under pretty good machine gun fire all day. Marsh and I lay in a rifle pit and ate dates and biscuits for a bit. We allowed no firing, as we wished to keep our ammunition in case of a counter attack.

 

About 4 in the afternoon the 5th Suffolks were sent up to support us and consolidate the position we held. This was really a great relief. About seven the Brigadier came out after dusk and saw the place. He ordered us to retire during the night right back to our starting point, for it would not have been possible to hold this advanced position as long as there was no-one on our flanks at all”

 

The strongpoint from now on was called Tank Redoubt.

 

This was an attack on a single strongpoint and a strectch of trenches little over a mile long, by four battalions. It had made no progress after being expelled from the strongpoint, and had only reached so far because of the bravery of the tank crew, (three men). The last reserve of the 163rd Brigade, the 5th Suffolks, which was at last sent forward, as Buxton noted with relief, late in the afternoon. With no more troops available, the brigadier had no option but to pull all the survivors back.

Extracts from “The Battle for Palestine 1917” by John D. Grainger

books.google.co.uk/books?id=3SVvryoR2A0C&pg=PA50&...

 

Ernest Alfred BRAKENBURY………………………………..........(RoH)

Private 28976. 8th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment. Died of wounds in France & Flanders on 13th January 1917. Aged 35. Born North Walsham. Lived Worstead. Enlisted Norwich. Son of Alfred and Annie Brakenbury, of Briggate, Worstead, Norwich. Buried: Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. Ref. VIII. C. 178.

CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=48820

No match on Norlink

 

The 20 year old Ernest, born Briggate, Worstead, is recorded as a boarder at Briggate House, Briggate, Worstead, He is employed as a Cowman on Farm. On the 1891 census the 9 year old Ernest is recorded at “Bridgegate” Worstead, His birthplace this time is shown as North Walsham. This is the household of his parents, Alfred, (aged 34 and a Miller from Worstead), and Annie, (aged 32 and from Crostwright). Their other children are:-

Violet………………….aged 11.…………born North Walsham

Arthur…………………aged 7.…………..born North Walsham

Willie…………………aged 6.…………..born North Walsham

Edwin…………………aged 3.…………..born North Walsham

 

www.twgpp.org/information.php?id=2544761

 

Looking at the 8th Battalion diary, they hadn’t suffered any casualties since the 19th December - however Boulogne was one of the main hospital area’s where front-line casualties would have been fed back to, so possibly connected.

 

18 Dec 1916 front line trenches near Givenchy-les-la-Bassee Relieved 1/The Buffs in left subsector GIVENCHY. Enemy trench mortars active from 12.30 pm to 1.30 pm. Damage done to our trenches and saps considerable but no casualties. Night quiet. Enemy heard busy pumping and transport heard at 12.25 am and again at 2.30 a.m.

19 Dec 1916 In trenches as above. Enemy non-aggressive except for short trench mortar bombardment & rifle grenades. Casualties 1 OR killed, 2 OR wounded.

www.bedfordregiment.org.uk/

 

Herbert CARY……………………………….............................(RoH)

Private 41030. 2nd Battalion Essex Regiment. Formerly 20908 Norfolk Regiment. Died at home on 3rd January 1917. Aged 34. Born Reymerstone, Norfolk. Lived Lyngate, Norfolk. Son of Louis and Rebecca Cary; husband of Florence Louisa Cary, of "Lyngate, Worstead. Buried: Worstead (St. Mary) Churchyard. North of West end of church.

CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2803440

No match on Norlink

 

The Genes Reunited transcript of the 1911 Census for England and Wales has a Herbert Cary, born circa 1882 Reymerstone Norfolk and now recorded in the Smallburgh, Norfolk district.. However, this individual does not appear to be on the 1901 census.

 

Herbert was baptized in the church of St Peter, Reymerston on the 7th May 1882 – no birth date is given. His father is listed as Louis, whose occupation is given as farmer, and his mother is Rebecca.

The same parents had a son, Louis baptized on the 7th September 1884, as well as Charles, (baptized 1st February 1887), Bernard, (baptized 19th October 1890)and Percy, (baptized 14th April 1895)

 

The 2nd Essex had been in France since August 1914, although by this stage there would have been very few, if any, of the pre-war professional soldiers still in its ranks.

 

www.flickr.com/photos/43688219@N00/5405512339/

 

Herbert John COOPER………………………………...................(RoH)

Private 17050. "A Company, 8th Battalion Norfolk Regiment . Died of wounds in France & Flanders on 28th July 1916. Aged 23. Born Briggate. Enlisted Norwich. Son of Sarah and the late John Cooper, of Briggate, Worstead, Norfolk. Buried: La Neuville British Cemetery, Corbie, Somme, France. Ref. I. E. 17.

CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=66672

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Herbert is just listed as John Cooper on the 1901 census. He is aged 7, born Worstead, and living at Briggate, Worstead. This is the household of his parents, , although its his mother Sarah, (aged 38 and from Worstead) who is listed as the head of the household. Her other children are:-

Anna……………aged 10.……………born Worstead

Cyril…………..aged 3 months……….born Worstead

George………….aged 12.…………..born Worstead…Ordinary Agricultural Labourer

Gladys………….aged 3.……………born Worstead

Robert………….aged 15.…………..born Worstead….Ordinary Agricultural Labourer

 

There is a Herbert John, born circa 1894 Worstead on the Genes Reunited transcription of the 1911 census, who is still recorded in the Smallburgh District which covers the village.

 

Sarah and the older children don’t appear to be on the 1891 census at all.

 

The 8th Battalion had been involved both on the first day of the Somme, (1st July), but also in an action at Delville Wood, 19th to 23rd July. In both actions the unit suffered a large number of casualties - the Battalion War diary records that the action at Delville Wood on the 19th / 20th alone cost the Battalion:-

3 Officers killed and 8 wounded

76 O.R’s killed, 2 Died of Wounds, 174 wounded, 36 missing.

 

Armine DAVISON M.M………………………………..................(RoH)

Corporal 12345. 11th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment). Killed in action in France & Flanders on 15th June 1918. Born and lived Worstead. Enlisted Nottingham. Awarded the Military Medal. (MM not mentioned on CD). Buried: Granezza British Cemetery, Italy. Ref. Plot 1. Row B. Grave 4.

CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=638768

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The 7 year old Armine, born Worstead, is recorded on the 1901 census at Church Plain, Worstead. This is the household of his parents, Austin, (aged 32 and a General Storekeeper from Westwick), and Florence, (aged 27 from Worstead), The household is made up by May Watts, who is probably Florence’s sister. Her relationship to Austin as the head of the household is described as Sister in Law. May is 17, from Worstead and single, and works as a School Teacher.

 

One of the most memorable literary traditions of the Great War involves the post-war pilgrimage of V.A.D. Nurse and author Vera Brittain to the grave of her brother Edward on the Asiago Plateau, described in Testament of Youth.

 

He had been killed in the very battle the Francis Mackay so clearly describes in the excellent new addition to the Battleground Europe series, Asiago.

 

This excerpt includes selections on both the assault which led to Edward's death and information on his subsequent internment. This took place around what is know alternatively as the Battle of Asiago or Operation Radeztky, part of an even larger action known as the Battle of the Piave. We pick up Francis Mackay's description the evening of the battle.

 

The night of 14/15 June 1918 on the Asiago plateau was damp, with a thick mist forming in hollows and valleys. At 3 am precisely Allied observers in mountain-top OPs saw hundreds of signal flares burst into life above the enemy trenches. This was immediately followed by twinkling pin-points of light on the slopes behind as masses of light and medium guns, many dragged forward from the northern valleys during the night, opened fire. Behind the northern ridges sudden flashes revealed the presence of heavier artillery pieces: Operation Radetzky had begun.

 

The [preliminary] Austrian barrage fell mainly on the Allied front line, but signals centres, ammunition dumps and road junctions received attention. The Granezza and Carriola bases were hit, and some shells even whistled over the escarpment to upset staff in the foothill supply dumps. The bombardment lasted for over four hours, and was followed by a massive infantry attack, launched from assembly areas just forward of the Austrian wire. The initial objectives, in the French and British sectors, were Granezza and Carriola, and the edge of the escarpment

 

The 23rd Division (Major-General Sir James Babington), cover[ed] a front of about 5,500 metres, had 68 and 70 Brigades in the front line and 69 Brigade in reserve. The situation facing the division was complicated. It was holding the line in preparation for the Allied offensive. . . Yet at the same time the division had to prepare for a heavy enemy bombardment, if not an attack. In view of this, and in accordance with current defense doctrine, the front line was only lightly manned. Unfortunately all battalions were seriously under-strength, so the front line was very lightly manned indeed. Apart from the ravages of 'flu', many officers, NCOs and men were absent on leave or attending courses. . .

 

During the battle the division [would be] attacked by elements of three k.u.k. divisions…The front line was manned by five British battalions. It was briefly breached in two places, but the k.u.k. attackers were quickly evicted and suffered horrendous losses. . . The right front battalion [Edward Brittain's unit], holding the San Sisto Ridge, was 11/Sherwood Foresters, 'The Men from the Greenwood', (Lieutenant-Colonel CE Hudson, DSO MC), with a frontage of about 1,000 metres.

 

. . . The Battalion [had] occupied the San Sisto feature on 11 June, after a period in reserve. It was under-strength: only 19 out of 34 officers were in the line, while the two forward companies, A and D, each had less than a hundred all ranks to man around 900 metres of trench, and provide a platoon for night picquet and outpost duty. D Company was commanded by Captain EA Frith and A Company by Captain EH Brittain MC. . .

 

[The infantry assault began at 6:45 am on June 15th and several breeches were made in the British line.] A Company had suffered severe casualties from artillery fire and was trying to hold nearly eight hundred metres of the line with (probably) only fifty rifles; an impossible task even when they were reinforced by the picquet platoon. Brittain, by now apparently the only unwounded officer in the company, appeared on the scene, returning from consulting with the French. Rapidly organizing a counter-attack group, which included some French soldiers, he led an attack which forced the enemy back. Some jumped out of the trench and ran back towards others coming through the wire. These enemy troops went to ground and opened fire on the Foresters, as did machine-gunners and riflemen on both sides of the wire. Brittain re-organized the defense of the trench, forming a flank with what troops were available. He apparently paused to observe the enemy, and was killed, possibly sniped by an Austrian officer. . . On the Allied right the Italian line [had been] breached, and the enemy penetrated about two kilometres towards the escarpment. They were held, but it took five days of bitter fighting to restore the line. In the centre the French beat off a mass attack with only minor casualties. The British were also attacked and the front line breached in several places, but after some hard fighting it was restored. Radetzky failed, and, after some bitter fighting, so did Albrecht. Conrad and Boroevic lost their last battles and the k.u.k. lost its will to win.

 

[Among the British dead was] Captain Edward Harold Brittain [who] was the adored elder brother of Vera Brittain. When war broke out the Brittain family had been living in Buxton and Edward sought a commission in the county regiment. He joined the 1 1/Sherwood Foresters in France, was wounded on the first day of the Somme, and awarded the MC. In 1914 Vera had been an undergraduate at Oxford but became a VAD Nurse after her fiancé, Roland Leighton, was mortally wounded with the 1/7 Worcesters at Hébuterne in December 1915. After the war she wrote Testament of Youth, married and was the mother of former Labour Cabinet Minister Baroness Shirley Williams.

www.worldwar1.com/itafront/vbp.htm

 

Frederick DELF………………………………............................(RoH)

Serjeant 23/88. 1st Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers. Died of wounds in France & Flanders on 9th June 1918. Aged 23. Born North Walden, Northamptonshire. Enlisted Newcastle. Son of Daniel and Sophia Delf, of Worstead, Norwich. Buried: Pernes British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. Ref. II. F. 48.

CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=118763

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Neither Frederick, Daniel or Sophia appear to be on either the 1901 or 1911 censuses.

 

Pernes-en-Artois is a small town on the main road from Lillers to St. Pol. The British Cemetery is nearly one kilometre west of the town on the road to Sains-les-Pernes.

 

The cemetery was not begun until April 1918 when the 1st and 4th Canadian Casualty Clearing Stations came to Pernes, driven back by the German advance. In May, the 6th and 22nd Clearing Stations arrived and in August, they were joined by the 13th. Almost all the burials were made by these units, but a few of the graves were brought into the cemetery after the Armistice (Graves 2 to 13 in Plot VI, Row C, were brought from the small British Cemeteries of Anvin and Wavrans).

www.cwgc.org/search/cemetery_details.aspx?cemetery=11600&...

 

George Thurston GRIMES………………………………..................(RoH)

Private 28877. 7th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment. Died of wounds in France & Flanders on 25th October 1917. Aged 32. Born and lived Worstead. Enlisted Norwich. Son of William and Anna Grimes, of Fern Cottage, Worstead, Norwich. Buried: Dozinghem Military Cemetery, Poperinge, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Ref. X. D. 9.

CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=620816

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The 16 year old George, born Worstead and already employed as a Cabinet Makers Apprentice, is recorded on the 1901 census living at Horning Row, Worstead, along with his brother Victor, (see below). This is the household of his parents, William, (aged 50 and a Teamster on Farm from Worstead), and Anna, (aged 47 and from Ingham). Their other son, Victor, aged 13 and born Worstead, is employed as a Domestic Gardener.

 

www.twgpp.org/information.php?id=1978974

 

From the battalion War Diary.

 

24-10-17 9 a.m. The Battalion embussed for Canal Bank, from whence it marched to Cane Trench. Dinners were served at Cane Trench and rations, water etc. served out to the men for a 48 hours tour in the trenches. In the evening the Battalion relieved the Royal Fusiliers in the line. The relief was completed in the early morning.

In the line 25-10-17 The Battalion held the line successfully. There was a great deal of shelling and incidentally our own guns fired very short.

www.bedfordregiment.org.uk/7thbn/7thbtn1917diary.html

(From the same source it should be noted the Battalion suffered a Gas attack on the 19th. However, it would be unlikely that Private Grimes would still have been so relatively close to the frontline 6 days later).

 

Victor Thurston GRIMES……………………………….................(RoH)

Private 18/754. 2nd Battalion Durham Light Infantry. Killed in action in France & Flanders on 28th June 1917. Aged 30. Born and lived Worstead. Enlisted West Hartlepool. Son of William and Anna Grimes, of Fern Cottage, Worstead, Norwich. Commemorated: Loos Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. Panel 106 and 107.

CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=1764318

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See brother George above for family details.

 

27th/28th June 1917:Very gallant raid by 2nd D.L.I. (2 officers and 84 other ranks under Capt. Fawcett) and 11th Essex (3 officers and 67 other ranks under Capt. Silver) in connection with operations of 46th Division -- though anticipated the raiders got into the enemy's trenches and remained there one hour, repelling all counter-attacks -- one prisoner taken.

www.gutenberg.org/files/20115/20115-h/20115-h.htm

 

Frederick Cecil LEACH……………………………….....................(RoH)

Private 5482. 16th (The Queen's) Lancers. Killed in action in France & Flanders on 12th September 1914. Born Smallburgh, Norfolk. Lived and enlisted North Walsham. Buried: Buzancy Military Cemetery Aisne, France. Ref. III. A. 2.

 

(NB - the only individual on the CWGC database matching the details above is an F Leach) www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=274890

No match on Norlink

 

The Great War Roll of Honour confirms this is a Frederick C Leach.

 

The 14 year old Frederick, born Smallburgh, is recorded at the Kings Head Inn, Worstead, on the 1901 Census. This is the household of his father, Henry, (aged 49 and a Farmer & Innkeeper from Hardley), and what is probably his step-mother, Sarah, (aged 28 and born Ashill). The other Leach children are:-

Basil Charles……………aged 1.………born Worstead

Ethel Joyce………………aged u/1.…….born Worstead

Henry Cyril……………..aged 2.………born Worstead

 

On the 1891 census, father Henry, then aged 40, is listed as the Licensced Victualler at the Kings Head Inn, Worstead. His wife is Emma,, (aged 48 and from Hapton). As well as “Fred” aged 4, there is a Sidney, (aged 3, born Smallburgh) and a Lucy, (aged 1 and born Worstead).

 

While I can’t find the baptism records for Frederick, Lucy was baptised at St Mary in 1890. Her parents are listed as Henry and Emma.. From the1901 census, Basil Charles (1899), Ethel Joyce (1900) and Henry Cyril (1898) were all baptised at St Mary.

 

Private Leach may be amongst this column of the 16th Lancers, photographed in France September 1914.

www.qrlassociation.co.uk/m_history_16.htm

 

The 11th had seen the British and French reach the banks of the River Aisne, who then set about preparing for an assault across the river and the over-loonking heights on the 13th.

www.1914-1918.net/french_third_despatch.html

 

John Henry ROPER………………………………..........................(RoH)

Private 17056. 8th Battalion Norfolk Regiment. Killed in action in France & Flanders on 1st July 1916. Aged 22. Born Briggate, Norfolk. Enlisted Norwich. Son of E. S. and Mary J. Roper, of Briggate, Worstead, Norfolk. Commemorated: Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Pier and Face 1 C and 1 D.

CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=809972

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The 7 year old John H. born Worstead, is recorded on the 1901 census at Briggate, Worstead. This is the household of his parents, Edwin S, (aged 33 and a Flour Miller from Worstead), and Mary J, (aged 29 and from Southrepps). Their other children are:-

Dorothy M………………..aged 4.…………..born Worstead

Edwin T…………………..aged 8.………….born Worstead

 

The 6th Battalion, Royal Berks went over the top alongside the 8th Norfolks on the first day of the Somme. The story of what happened to the two units can be read here,

www.6throyalberks.co.uk/1stJuly/default.html

 

From the Battalion War Diary.

 

1st July - Assembly Trenches.

 

The Battalion took part on an assault of the German trenches north of CARNOY and S.W of MONTAUBAN.

The 7th Battalion of the Quuens Royal West Surrey Regiment of the 55th Brigade was on our Right, and the 6th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment, of our own brigade, were on our left.

 

In the early hours of the morning, the battalion was in position in the four assembly trenches, i.e in their battle position ready for attack.

 

The early hours of the morning were passed in comparative quietitude.

 

5.30am. Teas were brought up from CARNOY and served out in the Assembly trenches.

 

7.20am Our artillery commenced the intense bombardment and the enemys retaliation on our Fourth line assembly trench became more apparent.

7.27am. A mine and two Russian Saps were exploded on our front.

7.27 am. The first wave of our “C” and “ D” Companies deployed from our firing line and laid out in the open about 30 yards in front.This movement was accomplished without loss.

7.30 am. The assault commenced. The remainder of our two assaulting companies left our trenches and moved forward in four successive waves.

MINE TRENCH was reached and crossed by these two Companies with practically no opposition and without loss on our side. All Germans remaining alive in this trench after our artillery barrage had passed were thoroughly cowed and at once surrended. “C” Company on our right took about 30 prisoners from the West Edge of the mine craters.

MINE SUPPORT was taken about 7.40 am. The wire entanglements in front having been completely demolished by our artillery.

Up to the point, the Battalion suffered very few causlaties.

BUND SUPPORT was reached and taken at 8 a.m, where a halt was made.

 

The two assaulting companies on leaving BUND SUPPORT came under heavy enfilade machine gun fire from the direction of BRESLAU SUPPORT and BACK TRENCH and suffered heavily. Captain B.P Ayre being killed and Captain J H Hall being seriously wounded. By this time the following officers had been wounded. Capt & Adjt H.P Berney-Ficklin, 2nd Lieuts. J G Hampson, C.T Blackborn, L.Padfield, S.A Wharton, G R Ironmonger and E. Maclean, (at duty). There now remained no officer with the left leading company and two subalterns in the right leading company, which were now reduced to 90 and 100 men respectively.

 

The Left Leading Company under C.S.M A F Raven reached our first objective - POMMIERS TRENCH - and took it at about 10.30 am. A portion of the Right Leading Company also got into POMMIERS TRENCH near the East Side of THE LOOP at the same time, but the remainder of this company was held up by machine gun fire and a strong point at the junction of BOCHE TRENCH and BACK TRENCH with MINE ALLEY.

 

After this company had been reinforced by a platoon from the support company under 2nd Lieut G E Miall-Smith and the Battalions Bombers under Sergeant H E West had also been sent up to this point, this strongpoint fell and the garrison of about 150 Germans and 2 Officers of a Bavarian Regiment surrendered, and right leading company was then able to push forward into the East portion of POMMIERS TRENCH which up to then had not been taken. At this point in the attack, “A” company which had been in reserve and had advanced from the assembly trenches in artillery formation at 7.45am, and had been consolidating MINE TENCH, now advanced to BUND SUPPORT and commenced the consolidation of this trench. At the same “B”, the support company, advanced with three platoons, (1 already having been sent to reinforce “C”), to POMMIERS TRENCH

 

3pm. “B“ Company had now taken THE LOOP and both assaulting companies advanced to the MONTAUBAN ALLEY line, - the final objective of the Battalion.

Owing to machine gun firing from the line and from N.W of MONTAUBAN, “D“ company on the left suffered heavy casualties, and “C“ company, led by 2nd Lieut J H Attenborough made repeated attempts to get into MONTAUBAN ALLEY but did not succeed until a bombing party under 2nd Lieut. L.A Gundry-White gained an entrance by way of LOOP TRENCH on the left. Unfortunately, just before this had been affected, 2nd Lieutenant J H Attenborough with CSM J Coe had both been killed in the attempt to get into this trench.

 

5.45pm. The MONTAUBAN ALLEY line was taken and the battalion was in touch with the 7th Queens on our right and the 6th Royal Berks on our left.

 

6pm. The whole of “B” Company having been used to support “C” and “D” companies who were now reduced to, respectively, 70 and 80 other ranks and 1 Officer, the work of consolidating MONTAUBAN ALLEY was commenced at once and patrols were sent forward to reconnoitre along CATERPILLAR TRENCH and EAST TRENCH.

The Reserve Company who in the meanwhile had advanced and consolidated POMMIERS TRENCH and THE LOOP, were now brought up and sent forward to take up the advanced post known as the GREEN LINE.

 

The Green Line was taken up and strong points commenced at about 8pm and patrols were sent forward in the direction of CATERPILLAR WOOD.

 

8pm. From now onwards the enemy commenced a heavy and continuous bombardment with 5.9 and a few 77mm shells on the west end of MONTAUBAN ALLEY held by the Battalion, generally in the vicinity of the junction of LOOP TRENCH with MONTAUBAN ALLEY, a few shells falling in THE LOOP itself but practically none in the rear.

 

Our casualties for the days fighting were:-

 

Officers.Killed……………..2

Died of Wounds….1

Wounded…………8 including 2 at duty. These being 2nd Lieut S N Cozens-Hardy, (who was wounded just outside Battalion Headquarters which were at the S.W. end of THE LOOP where they had moved up to as soon as the MONTAUBAN ALLEY line had been reached) and 2nd Lieut. E. Maclean.

Other Ranks.

 

Killed………………………….102

Wounded………………………219

Missing………………………..13

 

Total Casualties. Officers…11 Other Ranks………….334

 

Charles George RUMP………………………………........................(RoH)

Lance Corporal 40618. 1st Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment. Formerly 20067 Suffolk Regiment. Killed in action in France & Flanders on 14th June 1918. aged 20. Enlisted Norwich. Son of Mr. C. Rump, of Meeting Hill, Worstead, Norwich. Buried: Cambrin Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. Ref. O. 34.

CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=33902

No match on Norlink

 

The 2 year old Charles G, born Worstead, is recorded on the 1901 census at White Horse Common, North Walsham. This is the household of his parents, Charles E. (aged 28 and a Team on Farm from Worstead) and Jane E, (aged 23 and from Worstead). The Rumps also have a daughter, Lily J. aged 1.

 

The baptism of Charles George took place at St Mary on the 20th July 1898, his birth date being given as 9th May 1898. His parents are listed as Charles Edward and Jane Elizabeth. The family’s place of abode is shown as Worstead.

 

Cambrin is a village about 24 kilometres north of Arras and 8 kilometres east of Bethune on the road to La Bassee. The Cemetery is on the north side of the road and is approached by a path from the main road.

 

At one time, the village of Cambrin housed brigade headquarters but until the end of the First World War, it was only about 800 metres from the front line trenches. The village contains two cemeteries used for Commonwealth burials; the churchyard extension, taken over from French troops in May 1915, and the Military Cemetery "behind the Mayor's House." Cambrin Military Cemetery, often called Cambrin Chateau Cemetery, was begun in February 1915 and used as a front line cemetery until December 1918.

www.cwgc.org/search/cemetery_details.aspx?cemetery=3400&a...

 

In the Battalion War diary, the 14th and 15th June are bracketed together with the note “Quiet - 6 casualties”

1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=123596

 

Henry SCOTT……………………………….......................................(RoH)

Sapper 84958. 207th Field Company, Royal Engineers. Died of wounds in France & Flanders on 5th August 1916. Born North Walsham. Lived Worstead. Enlisted Norwich. Commemorated: Bottom Wood Cemetery, Dantzig Alley British Cemetery, Mametz, Somme, Memorial 10.

CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=548310

No match on Norlink

 

There initially appears to be no obvious match on the 1901 census. Looking at the high-level search on the 1911 census, there is a Henry born circa 1876 North Walsham, who at the time of the census was recorded in the Aylsham District.

 

207th (Norfolk) Field Company joined the 34th Division in February 1915. Made up of many Pals Units from the North East, the Division was decimated by the first day of the Somme.

 

Thomas SELF………………………………...................................(RoH)

Corporal 1424. 1st/5th Battalion Norfolk Regiment. Died on 12th August 1915 (CD gives 28th August) in Gallipoli. Aged 29. Born Worstead. Enlisted Westwick, Norfolk. Son of Tom and Harriett Self, of East Ruston, Norfolk; husband of Harriet Self, of 7, Bacton Rd., North Walsham, Norfolk. Commemorated: Helles Memorial, Turkey. Panel 42 to 44.

CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=685201

No match on Norlink

 

There is no obvious match on either the 1901 or 1911 census given the details above. The 1911 census has a Thomas Edward, born Tunstead circa 1899 and now recorded in the Smallburgh District.Going back to look at the same individual on the 1901 census, the then 2 year old Thomas E. (born Tunstead) is recorded at 2 Tunstead Road, Sco Ruston. This is the household of his parents, Thomas, (aged 43 and a Cattleman on Farm from Acle) and Harriet (aged 35 and from Ashmanhaugh). Their other children are:-

Dorothy V………..aged 4.…………….born Tunstead

Elsie M…………..aged 6.…………….born Tunstead

Emma……………aged 7.…………….born Tunstead

Lilian…………….aged less than one month….born Tunstead

The Self’s also have a16 year old Harriet Bloomfield living with them, whose status and occupation are given as nurse - presumably to help with the new-born child.

 

The baptism of Thomas Edward took place at St Mary, Tunstead on the 22nd October 1899. His date of birth was given as 2nd March 1899. His parents are Thomas and harriet Mary Ann, and the family abode is given as Tunstead. His fathers occupation is given as Labourer.

 

The Norfolks left Liverpool aboard the SS Aquitainia on 29 July and arrived at Suvla Bay in Gallipoli on 10 August 1915. Just two days later the 1/5th battalion were ordered to clear Turkish positions on the Anafarta Plain prior to the Allied advance. Their sister battalion, the 1/4th waited in reserve and were not involved in the events that followed. The outcome was typical of the poor planning which characterized the whole campaign. The attack was to be made in broad daylight without adequate maps against the well-prepared Turks, who were firmly dug in along a ridge of hills overlooking the bay. The enemy were armed with machine guns and supported by dozens of snipers, many of them teenage girls, camouflaged and hidden in trees. The Norfolk battalion was made up of 16 officers and 250 men and was led by a veteran of the campaign in the Sudan, Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Horace Proctor-Beauchamp. As they left their positions, the 1/5th battalion were joined by hundreds of other British soldiers from battalions of the Suffolk and Hampshire regiments.

The attack quickly turned into a massacre. For some reason during the advance the Norfolks turned slightly to the right, opening up a gap between them and the other British troops from whom they had become separated. As the exhausted Norfolks fixed bayonets and prepared to charge the Turkish positions on the Kavak Tepe ridge they were picked off by snipers and mown down by machine gun fire. Lt-Col Beauchamp was last seen leading his doomed men into a burning forest from which they never emerged. As night fell the few survivors, wounded and exhausted, began to filter back to the British positions at Suvla Bay. The 1st/4th Battalion War Diary held at the National Archives records the following under the date 12 August 1915:

"163rd Brigade made a frontal attack on strong Turkish position. 5th Norfolks on right met a strong opposition and suffered heavily. Lost 22 officers and about 350 men. Held our lines during the night in spite of heavy enemy fire."

 

The actual fate of the battalion was discovered in 1919 at the end of the war when the Commonwealth War Graves Commission began searching the battlefields at Gallipoli for the remains of soldiers. There an investigator discovered a cap badge belonging to a soldier of the Norfolk regiment hidden in sand 800 yards behind the Turkish lines at Suvla Bay. This led the commanding officer to write home triumphantly: "We have found the 5th Norfolks." When this news reached the War Office they sent a chaplain who had served during the campaign back to Gallipoli to investigate. The Rev Charles Pierrepoint Edwards examined the area where the cap badge had been uncovered and found a mass grave containing 180 bodies, from which the remains of 122 were identified as members of the "Vanished Battalion." The remains included those of their commanding officer, Lt-Col Beuchamp, who was identified by the distinctive shoulder flashes on his uniform. Of the 266 officers and men reported as missing, 144 remained unaccounted for, but a number of these had been captured and some had subsequently died in the notorious Turkish prison camps. A few had survived captivity to describe what had really happened, but their stories did not emerge until half a century later.

 

In his book The Vanished Battalion (1991) McCrery revealed new evidence that explained why the full facts discovered by the clergyman who visited the mass grave were not revealed in 1919. He found there was evidence of an official cover-up but this was not to hide evidence of an extraterrestrial kidnapping. In this case it was to conceal evidence of both a military blunder and a war crime. For it emerged that of the bodies discovered that many had been shot through the head as the Turkish soldiers did not like to take prisoners of war. His evidence was backed up by the story of a British survivor of the massacre, who testified before his death in 1969 that he had seen Turkish soldiers bayoneting wounded and helpless prisoners and shooting others in the wood where the battalion disappeared. The survivor escaped only because of the intervention of a German officer who saved his life and he spent the remainder of the war in a prison camp.

 

It appears that the Rev Charles Pierrepoint Edwards concealed this disturbing evidence in his report to the War Office so as to spare the feelings of the families and the King, who continued to believe their loved ones died gallantly in battle with the enemy.

www.drdavidclarke.co.uk/vanbat.htm

 

George SIDELL………………………………................................(RoH)

Private 50991. 1st Battalion Middlesex Regiment. Formerly 1328 Royal West Kent Regiment. Killed in action in France & Flanders on 23rd April 1917. Born Antingham, Norfolk. Lived Worstead. Enlisted Norwich. Buried: Wancourt British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. Ref. VII. E. 10.

CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=33014

No match on Norlink

 

The 23 year old George, (born Worstead and working as a Domestic Gardener), is recorded as a Lodger at Garden Cottage, Gasthorpe (near Diss) on the 1901 Census. Going back 10 years to the 1891 census, the 13 year old George is recorded at Brockley, Worstead, and is working as an Agricultural Labourer. This is the household of his parents, William, (aged 33 and a Painter from Westwick), and Rachel, (aged 41 from Sutton, Cambridgeshire). Their other children are:-

Sidney……………..aged 11.……………born Worstead

Frederick…………..aged 9.…………….born Worstead

Charles……………….aged 7.………………….born Worstead

Arthur…………………aged 5.…………………born Worstead

Walter………………aged 3.……………………born Worstead

Sabina………………aged 1.……………………born Worstead

 

On the 12th the 98th Brigade moved into the Cojeul Valley in close support, relieving the 19th Brigade in the Hindenburg Line on 16th, the 1st Middlesex and 4th Suffolks moving up into the front line, though, owing to faulty guides, it was the 17th before the Middlesex were able to relieve two companies of the 20th Royal Fusiliers in some isolated trenches ("mere ditches," the Diary calls them). But the Battalion was relieved on 20th and 21st, and on 22nd was in the sunken road between Henin-sur-Cojeul and Neuville Vitasse preparing for the operations on 23rd.

The men were issued with bombs, rifle grenades, Very lights, ground flares and sandbags, and at 4.30 p.m. the Battalion again marched off to the front line, relieving the Cameronians. These trenches were some 1,500 yards south east of Heninel, not quite half-way between that village and Fontaine-lez-Croisi1les. "A" Company was on the right and "C" on the left, "B" and "D" (right and left respectively) occupying trenches in rear of the front line. At 11.30 p.m. the two latter Companies moved into their assembly trenches just behind the front line.

By 1.30 a.m. all companies had taken up their allotted positions, "A" and "C" the first wave, "B" and "D" the second wave. Zero hour was 4.45 a.m.

Under cover of the barrage, described in the diaries as "excellent," the 98th Brigade attacked the enemy at 4.45 a.m. (23rd), 4th Suffolks on the right, and A. and S. Highlanders in the centre, and 1st Middlesex on the left. There were two separate final objectives, different means being necessary to reach each. The Suffolks had to bomb down the Hindenburg Line to the Sensée, whilst the Highlanders and the Middlesex made a frontal attack across the open; the centre of their first objective was a small oblong copse.

The attack of the Suffolks proceeded well down both trenches of the Hindenburg Line, but the Highlanders, in the centre, and "A" and "B" Companies of the Middlesex, were hung up in front of the small copse. The two left Companies of the latter Battalion ("C" and "D"), however, reached their first objective without much opposition, where 30 prisoners were taken and sent back. They then pressed on to their final objective, which they reached successfully and dug themselves in. Here they were joined by "A" Company of the Highlanders, who had fought their way past the copse. But now, unfortunately, a serious position presented itself to these three Companies, for it appeared that they were not only in the air, but the enemy was still between them and their original "jumping-off " line. Captain Beesham, therefore, made his way back along the Hindenburg Line in order to report the situation to Brigade Headquarters. But whilst he was away the enemy counter-attacked and succeeded in cutting off a portion of the Hindenburg Line, thus completely cutting off all communication with "C" and "D" Companies in their forward exposed position. To make matters worse, troops on the left of these two Companies fell back, taking with them a small party of Middlesex "moppers-up" which had taken possession of that portion of the first objective captured by "C" and "D".

The position as it affected the 1st Middlesex now stood as follows: The enemy was again in full possession of his original front line; "A" and "B" Companies of the Battalion were held up in front of the copse, i.e., the line of the first objective, and were digging themselves in; the left flank of the Battalion was absolutely in the air; the enemy had regained a portion of the Hindenburg Line; "C" and "D" Companies had broken through and had reached their final objective, but were entirely cut off, the enemy being in front and behind them.

At 12 noon all units of the 98th Brigade, with the exception of "A" Company of the 2nd A. and S. Highlanders and "C" and "D" Companies of the 1st Middlesex, were back in their original lines. Indeed, it is with these very gallant fellows who, though surrounded and subjected to violent efforts to dislodge them and capture them, resisted every attempt and bloodily repulsed the enemy again and again, that the story is chiefly concerned. The old Die-Hard spirit once more shone clearly, and the indomitable pluck of the Middlesex and their Highland comrades added yet another splendid incident to their already glorious Regimental history.

Another attack by the 98th Brigade was ordered for 6.24 p.m., to be preceded by, and under cover of, a heavy barrage. Only a very slight advance was made, and by this time orderlies, signallers and officers servants had all been pressed into the thin line.

At 8 p.m. news was received at Battalion Headquarters, 1st Middlesex, that the enemy had formed a barricade in the Hindenburg Line and was advancing towards Brigade Headquarters, but he was first held up and then driven back to his original position by the Suffoiks.

Under cover of darkness, men who had been lying out all day in shell holes crawled back, and the front line of the Brigade now consisted of about 300 men from 1st Middlesex, 2nd R.W. Fusiliers and 1st Cameronians.

But no word was received of the gallant fellows who were surrounded. The barrage for the attack at 6.24 p.m. had passed over them, but apart from knocking their trenches about considerably had fortunately inflicted very few casualties.

The night 23rd/24th passed quietly, though the enemy was obviously nervous, for he continually fired Very lights.

As dawn broke on the 24th, certain movements on the part of the enemy gave rise to the suspicion that he had vacated his position. Patrols were sent out and returned with the information that the Germans had fallen back. The 1st Middlesex, therefore, advanced at once and took possession of the hostile front-line trenches, pushing out other patrols to discover the extent of the enemy's retirement. A message now came in from the two forward Companies ("C" and "D"): they were still holding on to their position, they had even taken a few prisoners, but both officers had been wounded.

During the morning the 1st Middlesex were relieved by the 20th Royal Fusihers, but owing to the enemy's activity it was deemed unwise to withdraw "C" and "D" Companies until nightfall. But as soon as possible after darkness had fallen the intrepid Die-Hards and Highlanders were relieved, after a 40-hours' fight, completely surrounded, and reached the sunken roads at 11 p.m. It is interesting to note that of the 16 Lewis guns which the two Companies had with them, all were brought back, only one having been damaged.

freespace.virgin.net/howard.anderson/2ndbattleofscarpe.htm

 

Walter William WRIGHT………………………………..................(RoH)

Gunner 54767. 68th Heavy Battery, attached to Government Dairy Farm (Amara), Royal Garrison Artillery. Died in Mesopotamia on 22nd October 1918. Aged 24. Born and lived North Walsham. Enlisted Norwich. Son of Arthur and Bessie Wright, of Crossing Gates, Heath Farm, North Walsham, Norwich. Buried: Amara War Cemetery, Iraq. Ref. XIV. C. 22.

CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=630864

No match on Norlink

 

The 5 year old Walter W, (born North Walsham), is recorded on the 1901 census at Norwich Road, North Walsham. This is the household of his parents, Arthur, (aged 33 and a Railway Shunter from Croxton), and Bessie, (aged 26 and from Thetford). Their other children are:-

Maud. E…………aged 7.………….born North Walsham

Rachel E………..aged 3.………….born North Walsham

 

Herbert Ernest YOUELLS………………………………................(RoH)

Lance Corporal 41420. 1st Battalion Royal Irish Rifles. Formerly 6547 Norfolk Regiment. Killed in action in France & Flanders on 4th October 1918. Aged 26. Born Worstead. Enlisted Norwich. Son of Thomas and Emma Youells, of Worstead, Norfolk. Buried: Haringhe (Bandaghem) Military Cemetery, Poperinge, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Ref. III. A. 15.

CWGC www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=94261

No match on Norlink

 

The 8 year old Herbert, born Worstead, is recorded on the 1901 census next door to Worstead House, Worstead. This is the household of his parents Thomas, (aged 75? And a Cattleman on Farm from Worstead), and Emma, (aged 35 and from Smallburgh). Their other children are:-

Charlie………….aged 5.…………..born Worstead

Emma…………..aged 10.…………born Worstead

John……………aged 16.…………born Worstead…..Agricultural Labourer

Thomas…………aged 13.…………born Worstead…Agricultural Labourer

 

The Genes Re-united transcriber has the whole family down as Youell, but the “s” can be seen on the scanned original document.

 

I can only trace the baptism of Thomas (George) on line, (the son aged 13 above). His baptism took place at St Mary on the 1st August 1887. His date of birth is shown as the 26th June 1887. His parents are Thomas and Emma, the family reside at Worstead. Father’s occupation is shown as Labourer.

www.twgpp.org/information.php?id=2120264

 

The Royal Irish Rifles were part of the general advance then taking place, leading to the breaching of the Hindenburg line over the following few days - an event that signified to the German Government and Military High Command that defeat was inevitable.

 

Simon Knott's take on the church itself

www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/worstead/worstead.htm

 

Done