In Memoriam

In Memoriam
Your Tributes and Photos

Please add to our World War One commemoration.
You can record your thoughts, memories or family photos to pay your tribute
to Box's young soldiers.

To add to the remembrances please contact us via the Contact tab.

Reginald Eric Marsh Remembered by Kevin Gaskin

Reginald Eric Marsh was born in 1895 in Corsham. His father Alfred was a stone merchant and his mother Mary Ann Shewring was born in Ryde on the Isle of Wight. The Marsh family in Box were quarry owners and at one point the firm of Marsh, Son & Gibbs ran the Copenacre Quarry. They were a wealthy family but they were struck by tragedy.

It appears that Reginald and his brothers Joseph and Henry and sister Kathleen lost both their parents when they were very young – Mary died in 1899 and Alfred in 1900. Alfred’s father Richard Marsh who was a director of the Stone Company and his wife Sarah took responsibility for Reginald and his siblings. In 1901 the children were already living with their aunt Amy Sarah Marsh in Bourton House in Box. Further family tragedy followed in 1903 when Reginald’s grandfather Richard had an accident and died at a crucial time for the Quarrying company. By 1911 the young family had moved to Bournemouth where they were living with their aunt and grandmother Sarah Marsh who was keeping a 14 room apartment house. Now aged 16 Reginald was a merchants clerk.

The Corsham War Records Book details that Reginald enlisted for the army in Lincoln in November 1914 aged 19 and joined the Lincoln Regiment as a private. He was certainly in France by March 1915 and was subsequently reported missing and presumed dead on October 13th 1915. He is remembered at the Loos Memorial.

There is further reference to Richard Marsh in the book Some Notable Wiltshire Quarrymen by Roger Tucker.

If there is a photo of Richard Marsh, please contact us and we will be delighted to include it. Kevin is Corsham Community Area Network Coordinator and Project Officer, who is recording the story of Corsham Great War soldiers on the centenary of their deaths.

Mill Lane Tragedies Patricia Bryant Remembers Two Grandparents

Many people have said how moved they were by the poppy plaques on Mill Lane. This is the story of two families, the Danceys and the Phelps, in numbers 7 and 8 Mill Lane, who were the two grandparents of Patricia Bryant.

Grandfather Bert Dancey

Dancey Family
In 1911, William Dancey, stone mason and widower aged 57, lived with his mother, Hannah Wilkins, widow aged 82, in a totally overcrowded house at 7 Mill Lane.

In five rooms in the house fourteen people were crammed including William's twelve children:
Frank, brewery cellarman aged 25; Albert (Bert), coal haulier aged 24; Edith 22;
Elsie domestic servant aged 20; Ernest, general labourer aged 18;
William, newspaper seller, aged 17; James aged 16, bottle washer at Lagau Bar Brewery; George Errand Boy for Masonry Yard aged 15; Edwin at school aged 12;
David aged 11; Ellen 9; and Ivy aged 6.

It was the largest paternal household in the whole parish in 1911. Lttle wonder that Frank, Albert, Ernest, George and James all volunteered for service in the war.

The boys all returned apart from George. He had enlisted at Devizes on 1 October 1915 and he died of injuries on 14th December 1918 after the war had ended. Like the others, his body was not returned to England and he was buried at Etaples, France.

Phelps Family
Living next door at number 8 were Henry and Jane Phelps and their children: Caroline (b 1884); Eliza (b 1889);
Frederick (b 1894); and Reginald (b 1896).

Frederick George Phelps was a farm carter aged 20 in 1914. He was born in Box and could have claimed exemption from service as a related farm trade. Instead he enlisted as a Gunner at Bath on 16 December 1915. He served in Flanders winning the Military Medal for an individual act of bravery. He died on 22nd November 1917 of wounds sustained in action and is buried at Outtersteene Baileul.

Reginald was Frederick's younger brother, born in Box in 1896 aged 18 in 1914 and working in another exempt trade as a milkman in the dairy industry. He enlisted at Corsham and was killed in action on the Somme on 7th July 1916. His body was never recovered and he is remembered on the Thiepval memorial.

The death of the two boys meant that no children were left at home, except for Caroline's child, Ettore Bennett, for whom Henry and Jane were carers. It is believed that she later moved to Wales.

Grandfather Frederick Phelps with wife Violet (nee Sinclair) and son Reginald

Bev MacDonnell Writes about William Henry Watts

I want to honour the memory of my relatives who lived in Box before, during and after The Great War. My great grandfather was Edwin Bow (born 1863) who was a GWR Signalman at Box for many years. He and his wife Bessie lived at 41 Market Place and brought up their seven children there, later moving to Claremont, 5 Valens Terrace.

It was their son Edwin, my great uncle (born 1894), who joined The North Somerset Yeomanry leaving his family home in Market Place to serve in 1914. Their daughter Ivy, my grandmother (born 1892) spent the war years in Box waiting for her Anzac fiancé to return from France.

He was severely gassed at Vaux in February 1918 and invalided to England. Private William Henry Watts, 16th Battallion AIF returned to Ivy at her family home in Box and they married in September 1918. He returned to France and they were repatriated to West Australia in 1919.

Sadly, his health deteriorated so they gave up their farm and Ivy, pregnant with her fourth child returned to her family in England with their three children in 1926. William followed joining her at her parents' home in Valen's Terrace, Box. He died from TB a few months later.

Ivy's father, Edwin, died in Box in 1941. He and Bessie are buried in the cemetery there. The picture is of Ivy and William on their Wedding Day.

Arthur Butt remembered Courtesy Peggy Butt

James Warren Dancey and George Dancey Tribute from Les Dancey

My father was always known as Jim Dancey but his full name was James Warren Dancey.

His Discharge and and Identity Papers show that he was a Bomber Sergeant and served in France with The Welsh Regiment and also The South Wales Borderers.

The ID paper is stamped at Box Post Office during Jan and Feb 1919 where he withdrew his pay whilst on leave.

He fought alongside his brother George (who died of his wounds and is listed on the War Memorial).

They both lived, on enlistment, at 7 Mill Lane, Box.

The illustration (right) is the map that my father carried in his uniform pocket, at the end of his service in France, showing the German and Allied lines.

My father continued to live in Box until his death in 1966 and he was married there in 1919.

Christopher Benjamin Writes about William Herbert Benjamin

My father William Herbert Benjamin, the eldest son of Samuel Herbert Benjamin, was born in 1899 joined up around 1916, firstly in the Wilts Regiment and later in the 6th Dorsets. This is mentioned in the plaque in St Christopher's, Ditteridge. He was wounded towards the end of the war. My grandfather built The Crest, Ditteridge, and brought up six children. After the war four members of the family played for Box Cricket Club but that's another story.

Margaret Wakefield Writes about Edward Lambert

You will be interested to know that the tragedy of the war continued for some time after the hostilities ended. Here is a newspaper cutting of the funeral of Edward Lambert in August 1919.

The funeral of the late Mr Edward Lambert took place at the cemetery on Friday afternoon, the body being brought from Guy's Hospital by train. The coffin bore the inscription, Edward Lambert, died 13th July 1919; aged 22 years. The chief mourners were TH Lambert (father) Messrs Herbert Lambert, Cecil and Francis Lambert (brothers) and Mr AK Lambert (uncle). Representing Great Western Railway Co by whom the deceased was employed were Mr Tucker (station master) and the staff at Box station. Amongst others present at the graveside were Messrs B Vezey, RJ Davies, JW Browning and R Shewring.

As a tribute to the memory of the deceased, who served for two years in HM Forces, the Dead March in Saul was rendered at the conclusion of the evening service at the parish church on Sunday by Mr AF Perren at the organ.

Sally CunliffeTells about her Great Uncle, Will Hall Letter From the Trenches

I have typed Will's letter from the trenches just as it is written - including spelling errors (which nobody would mind about!)
Will was my maternal great uncle and his surname was Hall. My grandmother, Annie (his sister), had 10 children and the last surviving one is my Auntie Barbara who will be 84 in September. As far as I know, he did survive the war.

Aug 31st 1915

Dear Annie & Jack
Just a few lines to let you know I received your welcome letter allright I am going on as well as can be expected and I would be much obliged if you would send me some writing paper next time you write. I am glad to hear that you are having a fine harvest we are having some fine weather here, the farmers do well out of the boys out (here) make you pay through the nose for all you get I can tell you. Of course I can’t send you any war news because it would get scratched out by the censor bloke. I reckon I may get leave when I have been out here six months, and I can do with it. I reckin it will be cold in the winter out here to on these old sweats tell me its murder in winter time out here well I will have to close now as I am busy all day long in this lot wishing you and Jack & the kiddies the best of luck
Your affectionate brother
Will

Verity Jeffery (nee Ponting) Writes about The Ponting Cousins

Ralph Skeate Ponting (Ralph) was an educated young man (seated second from right). His father (also Ralph Skeate Ponting) and his mother Bertha Speck had run the Queens Head for many years and they paid for their eldest son to be trained as an architect. Ralph was 31, unmarried and living with them at Lorne House when he joined up in February 1916.

He volunteered to train as a Motor Transport driver in the Army Service Corps on a pay rate much more than infantrymen of 1s.2d per day. We know he served at Isleworth, Middlesex and at Norwich but possibly most of his work was at Woolwich Dockyard where he worked as a Heavy driver. On his discharge papers there was nothing but praise for Ralph: Sobriety Very Good, Reliable, Intelligent, Certified no record of incurring any offence during his service.

He survived the war and he married Kathleen Mary Rose at Colchester in 1922. They had a son Ralph Herbert born in Bath in 1924. Ralph Skeate died 1958 at Bath.

Henry Edward and William Ponting were cousins of Ralph. They worked with their widowed mother, Sarah, in her business as Drapers and Grocers at The Parade, Box, which she had run for 25 years after the death of her husband, John Edward, who had been the draper at Box as from at least 1861. Sarah (Speck) was Bertha's sister and so they were a very closely connected family. Henry Edward Ponting was the eldest son and had been the man of the house and assisted his mother in the business throughout. We have never found his service details and the only record we have is the citation on the Box Register of those who served. We believe Henry never married as on his death he was buried in the same plot as brother William & Louisa in Box cemetery (plot 407).

William Ponting (front row third from left) had married Louisa Goulstone Tanner in November 1915 at Bathford and they had a daughter, Mildred. He joined up in October 1916 aged 35 as a private in the Labour Corps. We believe he served overseas because he is recorded with different regiments when he was transferred as fierce battles reduced the numbers serving in the battalions. In 1916 he was serving with the Worcester 1st Battalion; in 1917 with Somerset Light Infantry; and later with the Devonshires. After the war William came back to Box. He is shown as living at High Street, Box on his daughter's marriage in 1939 and on his wife's death in 1941. I am not sure what he did after the war but I would think he went back to being a grocer in the family shop.

Margot Gliddon and Sheila Bartlett Write about Harry James Cogswell from Box Hill

HARRY JAMES COGSWELL born in Box on 18 June 1879 was the second of four children born at Brookwell Cottage, Box Hill to William and Leah Cogswell. Harry was rather a shy man but he loved singing and was a long-serving chorister at Box Church, as well as a member of the local Oddfellows Company.

It is not known how he met his future wife, Ellen, but the 1901 census states he was a boarder working as a stone mason in Bushey, Hertfordshire. Ellen Slough was born in Leverstock Green which is nearby. Whether he met her there or found work in the area to be near her is not known. They did however marry in Watford in June 1905 and moved back to Box where their three children were born.

Harry’s younger brother, Percy Mark (known as PM) was also a stone mason and had moved to the United States in 1906 to set up a stone cutting business in Indiana. In 1911 Harry decided to travel across the Atlantic to join PM and test out a possible new life for himself and his family. He sailed on the SS St Louis and arrived in New York on 31 March, staying initially in Philadelphia with his cousins Charles and Helen Page.

Harry had suffered from poor health throughout his childhood and heavy work in the heat and humidity of Indiana certainly did not suit him. He gave up his idea of emigrating and returned to Box after five months to continue working there with his other brother Albert.

On 5th October 1915, aged 36, Harry went to Bristol to enlist in the Army. He became a Private in the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC), Regimental Number 102248. He served as a stretcher bearer and later was promoted to Corporal. Although some of his army records have survived no clues exist as to whether he served abroad. He was clearly unfit for service and his duties had an even more detrimental effect on Harry’s already rather delicate health. He was in hospital several times during the next few years: first in the Beaufort War Hospital in Bristol where the record shows symptoms of malaria. In December 1916 he was admitted again with influenza and by 1917 had had more bouts of laryngitis and tonsillitis. Signs of malaria seem to have plagued him but where did he catch it? It is known that stretcher bearers were used in Mesopotamia and In our family archives there are photographs taken in Mesopotamia, Iraq and Egypt, so if Harry was the photographer that might be where he encountered the mosquitos.

He was a slight man, only 5ft 6ins, weighing just over 9 stones with a chest measurement of 33 inches. His record shows that he was acting as a Sanitary Orderly in July 1918: possibly unfit for regular service. He continued to suffer and was discharged on 2nd February 1919 whilst serving in Ripon. The terrible sights he had seen and the suffering of his fellow servicemen left an indelible scar on Harry and his symptoms of malaria returned. He was never able to talk about his years in the army.

Harry and Ellen’s first born son, William George followed in his father’s footsteps travelling to Indiana in 1922 becoming a citizen of the United States, where he and PM ran a successful Stone Cutting business for many years. Harry died on Boxing Day 1948 aged 69. Margot Gliddon, granddaughter and Sheila Bartlett, grandniece

DANCEY, George Dancey, aged 22 when he died 14 December 1918 Les Dancey Writes

My father lived with his parents, William and Anne Dancey, at 7 Mill Lane, Box from 1911 until around 1919, when he married my mother. The family moved to 7 Market Place around 1936 and he lived there until he died in 1966. The Dancey's weren't a particularly close family but my father was one of 12 or 13 children. His brother George is listed on Box War Memorial as he died of his wounds at the Military Hospital at Etaples in France on 14th December, 1918. It states his age at death was 23 but I believe he was 21. I understand that he lied about his age because he was too young to join up when he did. He served with the 2nd Battalion, The Wiltshire Regiment, which are now amalgamated along with other Wessex Brigade Regiments into the present day Rifles.

Anna Grayson Writes Cecil Lambert's Diaries and Letters Home

Cecil Lambert joined up aged 19 in 1914 and served throughout the war. As a member of the Royal Engineers he was instrumental in preparing and repairing trenches around Ypres.

During this time he kept a diary, writing it often in very difficult circumstances. He also wrote regular letters to family members. He much treasured his visits home.

Later in the war he served in Salonika in Greece and completed his service with a spell in Russia crossing the Black Sea to reach this new country. No known diary survives of his time in Salonika or Russia.

The existing diaries and family letters were donated to the Wiltshire Archive and History Centre in 1993 and are held at the centre in Chippenham.

The donation was made by his niece Anna Grayson, who, on the death and terminal illness of her parents came to live in Box in 1947 with Cecil and Marjorie Lambert, her Uncle and Aunt.

The donation was made in the hope that they could be of interest in the future.
It is therefore with great delight that Anna has waived her right to the copyright of all these papers to enable the older pupils at Box school to gain some insight into one Box man’s experience of serving on the Western Front in World War 1.

Service in Salonika
Cecil never spoke of this part of his life but dedicated the rest of his life to serving his home village of Box.

Cecil served on the Parish and District councils, designing the present council Offices. He designed the development on the Rec of Tennis Courts and the Bowling Green.

He also developed the cemetery as it was extended. Many of the shrubs still growing there were chosen by him. He found time to serve on committees of the Cricket Club, the Legion Club and Rifle Club.

Although his stone yard at Box station closed after the war he worked for Bath and Portland stone firms until he retired. He developed templates for stone masons working on repairs for bomb damaged buildings. He supervised the building of Bargates and Brunel way. He was particularly proud of his part in the restoration of Southwark Cathedral. In his spare time he drew up plans for individuals wishing to change their properties. A few of his stone bus shelters still survive around the parish Maybe his experiences in the War as a young man helped him in later life to live life to the full and particularly to help the village of Box.
Anna Grayson 2014 (photos courtesy Margaret Wakefield)

Letters to Serviceman Reginald Botcherby

Claire Botcherby tells of her Grandmother's
Letters to her husband

In a letter, undated but probably posted 17th July 1916, my grandmother Gertrude Botcherby writes to my grandfather Reginald, newly arrived at his camp in Rhyl, that Tod MacBryan was killed in ‘the push’ last week and Reggie injured – not seriously. Poor Dr MacB is terribly upset as you can imagine. I noticed that Edward MacBryan is listed as one of The Fallen on the Box war memorial – I presume he is Tod.

From other letters, it’s clear that there are no laundry facilities at the Rhyl camp, and my grandfather is regularly posting his laundry home to Box for washing and repair, and my grandmother then posts it back. She suggests that he looks for someone local in Rhyl
to do it, but apparently he can’t find anyone, hence it continues to be posted backwards and forwards!

She also writes that everything still seems like a wretched nightmare, from which I must wake up. If only it were!! She didn’t go to church the first Sunday after he had left for Rhyl as she couldn’t stand the sight of his empty seat [at the organ where Reginald regularly played] in church. His CO in the Welch Regiment was a Colonel Parkinson – also a one-time resident of Box, it seems, as he was listed as the sub-tenant of Ashley Leigh in the 1912 sale prospectus.

Edward Callaway MM 109485 DVR 8 / DAC RFA

Eric Callaway writes about his
paternal grandfather Edward

Edward was my grandfather. He was born on 28th July 1885 at Claverton Down, Bath and he married Rhoda Wise Evan Abraham at Widecombe, Bath.

After their marriage, they lived at Mill Lane in Box. At the outbreak of World War 1 he joined up and was parted from his wife and family of three sons and one daughter when he went to war.

He was awarded the Military Medal for rescuing an officer under fire. He returned safely at the end of the War and never spoke about it, except to say that his time in Ypres and on the Somme were terrible.

[The citation (left) records the village's thanks to Edward to mark his attendance at the Peace Celebrations on 19th July 1919.The award was probably made in front of the whole village at the old Fete Field.

Edward Callaway was one of the few Box soldiers to be awarded a Military Medal in the Great War.]

Women Join the War Effort as Nurses

Jane Browning Writes

There is a plaque upstairs in Corsham Town Hall mentioning, by name, the VADs (Voluntary Aid Detachment nurses) who nursed at the Town Hall when it was a WW1 hospital. There is a separate mention of the Box contingent known as VAD Wilts 56 Box. You can see that the hospital was operative from 26th October 1914.

Ethel Browning, Nellie Gent, Mary and Nellie Perren were all cousins and grandchildren of John Browning, son of Thomas Browning, 1796-1867, miller and farmer at Drewetts Mill. Amy Browning was also a cousin. I'm sure they would have known Dorothy Goulstone and Mabel Vezey and I can imagine the girls all getting together and agreeing to become VADs together.

Also mentioned are: Eva Brown, Dorothy Cook, Violet Daniell, Sarah Davies, Elsie French, Gwendoline Gifford, Lilian Hedges, Minnifred Little, Ada Locock and Ida Milsom but I have no further knowledge of these girls. The Commandant of 56 Box was a Mrs Stephen Langdon and the chaplain was Rev G Tidy.

Under the VAD Wilts 3 (Ambulance) section at the bottom of the plaque, mention is made of the members of Corsham and Box sections of the Men's detachment.

I also attach a copy of a postcard of the hospital at Corsham Town Hall in 1916.

Frederick Sheppard served with RAMC and returned

My grandfather, Fred, was born in Box on March 11th 1895 and lived first in Old Schools in Church Lane and then in Chapel Lane with his parents Tom (b 1866), a packer on the railway, and Kate (b 1871) who had been a dressmaker. He had a sister Dorothy Kate and brothers Arthur (Little Arthur) and Eric. In WW1 he served with the Royal Army Medical Corps and I think he was in France until injury led to him being transferred to Southampton Docks where his duty was transporting wounded men from the ships to trains and caring for them on the onward journey to hospitals.

When he left school Fred became an apprentice wheelwright (top right in the picture). He used his carpentry skills all his life, at one time working for Merrett’s in Box. When I knew him he was building trolleys on which huge blocks of stone were transported at the Bath and Portland stone yard in Corsham

It was in Southampton that he met my Grandma Bessie who had grown up in the town. They were married in Southampton in 1918 and lived initially in Pye Corner in Box, then at Dingley Dell and finally at no.1 Chapel Lane before moving to Corsham.

When I was a child, I enjoyed staying with Fred and Bessie and I remember Fred as a gentle, caring man. I would wait at the gate for him to come home from work and I can still see him clearly in my mind’s eye; a tall slim figure trudging wearily up the hill.

JS recalls grandfather
Fred Sheppard

OATLEY - Oliver Reuban Oatley, aged 30 when he died 4 November 1918

Oliver Oatley was
always called
A Lovely Man

Oliver Reuban Oatley was my great Grandma's nephew. I knew Oliver's sister when I was a child (but we don't ask the right questions then do we) and the only thing I have heard about Oliver, apart from his war record, is that he was a "lovely man".

His sister was lovely too and had been a dressmaker in Box making dresses etc. for the lady who lived in Fogley House (I think it was). Oliver's Grandfather, my Great Great Grandfather worked as a carter at Drewetts Mill and lived in Drewetts Mill Cottage for some time.

What sorrow there must have been when expecting to see Oliver returning home they learned that he had died in the very last week of the war.

FORD - Arthur Walter Ford, aged 40 when he died 27 September 1917

Regarding the Great War information, I have some knowledge of Arthur Walter Ford (no relation) and placed a cross on his Grave in Ypres three years ago.
I attach my photographs of AW Ford’s grave.

Bedford House Cemetery is about a mile south of Ypres. As far as Arthur Ford goes, I was under the impression he also had a brother called Oliver, who was the father of Molly Ford, who you will find mention of whenever talking to any older residents.

Oliver certainly farmed Gridiron Farm and I think I remember seeing him, although that may be imagination. Molly certainly inherited what was left of the Farm and farmed it in my lifetime.

Peter Ford writes about his Visit to Arthur Ford's Grave

MAYNARD - Jesse Maynard, aged 31 when he died 19 October 1917

Phillip McTaggart writes

Jesse Maynard was the brother of my grandmother (Annie Maynard of Middle Hill). My grandmother Annie Maynard married John McTaggart (he died in 1927) and Annie moved back to Box with her two boys Gordon (my father) and Philip. My biggest wish is to get hold of a photograph of Jesse.

Dennis Corbett, Royal Field Artillery Historian writes about Jesse Maynard:
Unusually, I am able to give you some direct information about his death ... because it is documented in three diaries. The most succinct says: Oct 19th. One shell on a dugout at Battery position 4 killed, 10 wounded and gassed.

Another diary, however claims that a fifth of the battery were wiped out - 21 died of which two including Maynard were never found: The story is that a sergeant in the battery was cutting his friend's hair in the upper level of a two level dugout they had just taken over from the Canadians. The German shells started to get closer and the man having his hair cut suggested getting below. The barber said he would be finished shortly and then a shell came through the roof, straight through his 'client' and exploded in the level below.

Heraty's diary states, ironically the two they never found were Gunner Maynard and Gunner Pugh, two of the quietest men in the battery, who would never say boo to a goose.

BROWNE - Dominick M Browne, age unknown when he died 1st July 1916

War Diary Records Him Wounded

The Regimental War Diary records
On 7 April 1915 Dominick recorded 9 casualties: Officers 1 died and 1 wounded; Other ranks 1 died and 6 wounded.
17 April 1915 The following officers were present at the Commander-in-Chiefs Inspection at BAC
St Maur: (list includes) Lieut & Adjt D Browne
19 April 1915 Lieutenant and adjutant Browne admitted to hospital suffering from a fracture of the leg due to a riding accident.
He returned home to recover and then rejoined his colleagues on the Western Front until his death.

GODWIN - Percy Jasper Garland Godwin, aged 30 when he died on 27 September 1918

Numbers of Killed, Missing & Wounded listed

Regimental War Diary 1918
Left at 9am advancing behind N7s. Crossed Canal (map reference n20d42) at 12.32. Came under heavy artillery fire at KEITH WOOD. Reached SAUCHICOURT FARM and established HQ in a trench slightly north of same. Companies re-occupied ground at R31 + R32, W6 + B1.

27 September VILLERS-LE-CAGNICOURT Casualties K (3), M (4), M believed K (1), W (35), Offr W (1)

HALL - Arthur Hall, aged 20 when he died 16 October 1916

The Regimental War Diary Record, 1916
15 October The enemy barraged our front line from 5.0am until 5.10am when he lifted on to support lines and remained there until 5.45am. No attack followed. Battalion was relieved ... and moved back to FLEURS TRENCH west of TURK LANE and FLEUR SUPPORT. This relief was shelled and we sustained about 12 casualties.

Many Casualties Everyone Scared

16 October Battalion rested but was shelled heavily in these reserve trenches and suffered some casualties.
17 October Battalion remained in Reserve Trenches and was shelled intermittently throughout the day. 2 Lieuts AO CLAYTON and AWO HASTED went to Field ambulance. About 60 casualties sustained in these trenches. Ration party shelled by Enemy: some casualties. Battalion moved back to front line... Weather conditions awful. Everyone scared.

NORTHEY - Anson Northey, aged 27 when he died 26th August 1914

Carole French writes

Anson was born at Sydney, Australia in 1887 and is recorded in the 1901 census on board HMP ship, Kingston, at Portsmouth with his mother and siblings. In 1910 he was on the passenger list of the SS Manchuria from Yokohama to San Francisco. His estate at his death was a fortune of £18,445.6s.9d and the possibility of a very promising future.

Official Report from Sir John French
"Although (General Sordet) rendered me valuable assistance later on in the course of the retirement, he was unable ... to afford me any support on the most critical day of all, viz the 26th (August 1914).

The Artillery, although outmatched by at least four to one, made a splendid fight, and inflicted heavy losses on their opponents. At length it became apparent that, if complete annihilation was to be avoided, a retirement must be attempted; and the order was given to attempt it about 3.30pm. Fortunately the enemy had himself suffered too heavily to engage in an energetic pursuit.

The 1914 battlefield with dead men, horses and wrecked artillery (Long, Long Trail)

The retreat was continued far into the night of the 26th and through the 27th and 28th ... (an engagement) which commenced at Mons on Sunday afternoon, 23rd August, and which really constituted a four day battle. At this point therefore I propose to close the present dispatch. I deeply deplore the very serious losses which the British Forces have suffered in this great battle; but they were inevitable in view of the fact that the British Army - only two days after a concentration by rail - was called upon to withstand a vigorous attack of five German Army Corps. It is impossible to speak too highly ... of the magnificent fighting spirit displayed by non-commissioned officers and men." Sir John French's full report dated 8 September 1914 written in the London Gazette is at: www.1914-1918.net/frenchs_first_despatch.htm

Lieut Anson Missing - Regimental Report

Regimental Diary 26 August 1914
8am - Retirement from LONGSART commenced towards SELVIGNY. Enemy did not pursue beyond wood south of LONGSART with infantry but with gun only
1pm - Everyone having apparently evacuated the hill and advance was ordered to recover wounded. On arrival at top of LONGSART hill many wounded and killed were found. Enemy offered heavy fire and a retirement was ordered. This was very steady and carved out (the hill). The Platoon under heavy shell fire, from the direction of SELVIGNY.
Casualties - Capt Vandelaine + 9 men killed; Lt Round (since dead) + 40 men wounded Lt Northey (3rd Btn) + 98 men missing.

Regimental Enquiries 1916
Lieutenant GEA Northey: Essex Regiment - Missing 26/8/14.
To further report. Enquiries through WSA fruitless. In view of the lapse of time since any news was received of this officer, we put forward his case for presumption of death. Next of kin Capt GE Northey, Box, Wilts. No recent correspondence. This case has been referred to the base. 11th January 1916

Regret
No Further News of My Son

Handwritten letter from Captain George Northey
With reference to my son Capt GEA Northey, Essex Regiment, I regret to say that I have received no further news of him. Your obedient servant. George Northey, Capt 24th January 1916

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