WW1 Anniversary 21-0ct-19 background

LICHFIELD METHODIST CHURCH REMEMBRANCE OF MEN CONNECTED WITH THIS CHURCH WHO DIED IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918 Short Biographies of Eric Stanley Arnold James Henry Gilliver John Adams Frederick Sutton Robert Barnett Frank Evans James Henry Thorpe Alfred Grant Horace Wright Charles Wright

GUNNER / FITTER ERIC STANLEY ARNOLD 61352, 17th Bty, 41st Brigade Royal Field Artillery Eric Stanley Arnold was killed in action on 22nd October 1914 aged 19 and it is not known where his body lies. His death is commemorated on panels 5 and 9 of the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres, Belgium. His death is also commemorated on a plaque in Lichfield Methodist Church. Eric Arnold was born in Lichfield in 1895 and by the time of the 1911 census he had enlisted as a Boy soldier and was living in the P.O. College at Woolwich Barracks. At the time of his death he was a gunner/fitter, service number 61352, in the 41st Brigade Royal Field Artillery. During the first world war a whole new form of artillery, the trench mortar, was developed to meet the unusual conditions of war on the Western Front. The lighter weapons were manned by the infantry, the Royal Field Artillery provided the manpower for the heavier mortars. Eric was the eldest son amongst at least five children of his parents; Jonas born in 1854 and Sarah Jane born in 1865, died in 1921. His siblings included Gertrude, Ena, Cyril and Enid/Amy. He came from a military family and was born at Whittington where his father Jonas was the Barracks Warden. Latterly some members of the family lived at Standleigh, Levetts Fields, Lichfield.

PRIVATE 1206 JOHN BOYCE ADAMS 14TH Battalion A’ Company Platoon 111 Royal Warwickshire Regiment John Boyce Adams enlisted at Sutton Coldfield with the 14th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment . He died on 23rd July 1916 in France aged 20. He is buried in the Caterpillar Valley Cemetery, Longueval, Somme, France. Caterpillar Valley was the name given by the army to the long valley which runs West to East, past \"Caterpillar Wood\", to the high ground at Guillemont. Caterpillar Valley was captured during a successful night assault by the 3rd, 7th and 9th Divisions on Bazentin Ridge on 14 July 1916. After the Armistice, this small cemetery was hugely increased when the graves of more than 5,500 officers and men, including John Adams, were brought in from other small cemeteries, and the battlefields of the Somme. The great majority of these soldiers died in the autumn of 1916 and almost all the rest in August or September 1918. The death of John Adams is commemorated on a plaque in Lichfield Methodist Church and possibly (as J R Adams) on the Men of Lichfield Memorial in the City’s Garden of Remembrance, officially opened on 22nd October 1920 and on a plaque inside St Michael’s Church, Greenhill. When John Adams enlisted he left behind his parents John Ralph born in Uttoxeter 1859 and Kate, nee Holland, born in Walsall 1859. He appears to be the only child, born in July 1895, of his father and second wife Kate who were married on 22nd January 1894. His father John had previously been married on 15th August 1883 to Kate’s sister Elizabeth who was born in Walsall in 1854. According to the 1891 census Kate was already living with the family at 8 Tamworth Street and was an assistant draper. Elizabeth was buried on March 9th 1892 aged 36 in St Michaels Churchyard, Greenhill. In the 1901 census John’s siblings are listed as; Sarah, Lillia, Edith and Ada (the children of Elizabeth) and “George” - Kate’s child. (John Boyce is missing from the list but may have been erroneously listed as George Boyce). By the 1911 census John Boyce is listed with the rest of the family, although George is missing from the list. In 1901 and 1911 the family were living at Cherry Orchard, Lichfield. At that time his father was the manager of Sander’s drapery business in Tamworth Street. John was an employee of Bridgeman’s in Dam Street when he enlisted and by then the family were living at 23 Sturgeons Hill, Lichfield. His paternal grandfather Ralph was a maltster and his maternal grandparents were Maria, nee Eagles and Henry - a grocer.

LANCE CORPORAL EDWIN ROBERT BARNETT 9853, 1st Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment (Prince of Wales’s Own) The WW1 remembrance plaque displayed in Lichfield Methodist Church makes reference to Robert Barnett. This is believed to be Edwin Robert Barnett, born in Lichfield in 1892. There is also a monumental inscription inside St Chad’s Church, Lichfield which mentions the name E R Barnett, an Anglican. This name is also included on the Men of Lichfield Memorial in the Garden of Remembrance, Lichfield. He was baptised as Edwin Robert on 29th August 1892 in St Michaels Parish, Lichfield and his mother Sarah Ann Barnett is recorded in the baptism register as living in George Lane, as does the rest of the Barnett family – there is no mention of Edwin’s father. Edwin Robert Barnett enlisted with the 1st Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment (the Prince of Wales’s Own) and by the time he died he was a Lance Corporal (service number 9853) in the 1st Battalion, 72nd Brigade / 24th Division. It would appear from the records that, although he was christened Edwin and appeared in the 1901 and 1911 census as such, the army’s paperwork refers to him as Edward throughout his service. However, he was commonly known as Bob. The remembrance card that his mother had printed following his death on 31st August 1916 refers to him as Edwin Robert Barnett. He embarked for France in September 1914 and was wounded shortly afterwards. However he returned to duty and was killed in action on Thursday 31st August 1916 aged 24 and was buried in Delville Wood Cemetery, Longueval, France. His death occurred during the Battle of the Somme and according to the Regimental History the 24th Division was fighting during 30th August on the North-Eastern edge of Delville Wood and on 31st August, the day he died, there was a German attack leading to the loss of a part of Edge Trench. In the 1901 census aged 8 years he is shown living with his grandparents - Abraham aged 60 born in Walsall and Mary aged 55 born in Colton and their son John aged 23. Abraham is a shoeing smith (blacksmith) and the family live at 32 George Lane, Lichfield. His mother Sarah, born 24th October 1869, is not living with them at this time. In the 1911 census Edwin Robert Barnett (19) is living with Mary (67) his grandmother, by now a widow. They are still living at 32 George Lane. He is a labourer working for a brewery company. Horace and Samuel Charles Wright who are also commemorated on the LMC plaque may be his cousins. In 1891 their mother Mary Jane Wright, nee Barnett, and father Henry lived next door to her parents Abraham and Mary in George Lane.

PRIVATE (BANDSMAN) (7793) FRANCIS WILLIAM EVANS Royal Welsh Fusiliers Francis William Evans survived war service abroad during WW1 and returned home only to be accidently killed whilst at work. His death was marked by an insertion in the Lichfield Mercury which reported that he was working in his military uniform in a siding at Hednesford railway station. This presumably explains why his death was registered in Cannock District although he lived in Shingler’s Row, Lichfield. He died aged 29 on 17th July 1919. The funeral took place at St Chad’s Church after a service at the Wesleyan Methodist Church and was of a semi-military character with a firing party and a bugler. He is buried in St Chads churchyard, Lichfield in a grave marked by a CWGC headstone. His name is included on a plaque in Lichfield Methodist Church commemorating those who died as a consequence of WW1. Francis Evans had been in army service for a number of years before he returned home. His service records in the British Army are quite comprehensive and they give an indication of someone who had a chequered career and perhaps shed some light on his character and the events that formed this. He enlisted, aged 14 on 2nd June 1903 as a Boy, service number 7793 with the 3rd Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. He became a bandsman in 1906 and progressed to the rank of Private when he reached 18 in 1907. He originally signed up for a specific number of years : 7 and 5 = 12 years in total, and then in 1916 was retained in the service (presumably because the war was then in progress). During some of this time he was based in Cork & Dublin (1907 onwards), Portland Devon (Dec 1913 onwards) and when WW1 broke out he was posted to both Malta and then France in 1914. In December of that year he fell into German hands and was held in a number of PoW camps – Gustrow, Altdamm and Schneidemuhl, Germany. In 1915 the War Office exchanged a number of British PoWs for German ones and he was reserved to England and admitted to a London hospital (possibly for a check-up). In his case it may be that his transfer was effected because he had served as a stretcher bearer. At this time (Oct 1915) he gave his home address in England as 136, Sandford Street, Lichfield. On his return to England he was interviewed by an examiner for his opinion on the standards that he found in each of the PoW camps. The examiner summed up the interview; “An intelligent and reliable witness. He had few complaints. He was well supplied by his friends at home with parcels which contained comforts and he had money when he was captured. He seemed to be a fortunate individual according to his own account and did not have as many hardships as some of the others.” In May 1915 the Battalion moved to Litherland, Liverpool and then in November 1917 moved to Limerick, Ireland. During February and March 1919 Francis caught influenza and double pneumonia whilst in Limerick. In May he was transferred, via Portobello Edinburgh, to the Reserves in England with an allowance, due to the debility brought on by his illness. His army papers record that he had a number of illnesses from 1903 to 1910 which required a stay in hospital, although never for very long, to treat variously rheumatism, a sore throat, gonorrhea, a sprain and lice. During his army service his conduct seems to have been marked by a number of recorded events. There were 2 cases of drunkenness in 1910 and in 1913 he was charged with both walking about in a slovenly manner whilst in Portland one evening and for not complying with an order (for the latter he was confined to barracks for 8 days). In January 1916 he was required to forfeit 6 day’s pay. However, those who interviewed him after the time he spent as a PoW in German hands, seemed to deem him an intelligent and reliable witness. On a personal note. Shortly after his birth he was baptised on 9th July 1890 as an Anglican at St Mary’s Church, Lichfield. In later records, linked to the army, he suggested that he was a Catholic.

His baptismal record shows that his father was William Evans, a blacksmith, and his mother was Elizabeth (nee Wall) and they lived in Sandford Street, Lichfield. By the 1891 census the family is living at 57, Gresley Row, Lichfield and shows father William b 1853 at Wheaton Aston and mother Elizabeth b 1863 at Tryangle Terrace, Chase Town. By the 1901 census, however, William is no longer included on the household’s census since he had died; possibly in 1894. Francis and his mother are now living at 5 Burtons Yard, Wade Street, Lichfield. Elizabeth remarried in 1895 to a postman, George Stockley, and Francis and his brother John Evans are listed as his stepsons. So when Francis Evans enlisted he left behind his mother Elizabeth, his natural brother John, a step brother Edwin and his stepfather George Stockley (who was now a general labourer at the Waterworks). When Francis returned home he married Lucy Bott (b 28.3.1894) on May 10th 1919 at the Wesleyan Chapel by the Revd W. Homer. Their son Francis William (Frank) was born on 27th January 1920. After his death Lucy remarried in early 1924, this time to Frank Padmore, and they continued to live at 5, Shingler's Row, Stowe Street, Lichfield. So his home life; the death of his father and his mother’s remarriage may have led him to join up at a young age. Although there may have been some blemishes on his conduct record he seems to have been a resilient chap (he survived service at the front and as a PoW), but was unfortunate in that he was accidently killed whilst at work on the railways.

PRIVATE JAMES HENRY GILLIVER 40003, 1st/6th Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment (Prince of Wales’s Own) James Henry Gilliver enlisted in October 1915 at Burton on Trent as a private, service number 40003, with the 1st/6th Battalion, North Staffordshire Regiment (Prince of Wales’s). James was killed in action aged 22 on 3rd October 1918 and his death is recorded on the memorial at Vis-En-Artois, Pas de Calais, France – near Arras. His death is commemorated on a plaque in Lichfield Methodist Church. The name J H Gilliver is also included on the Men of Lichfield Memorial in the City’s Garden of Remembrance, officially opened on 22nd October 1920 and on a plaque in St Michael, Greenhill Church. The name J Gilliver is also included on a plaque in St Chad’s Church, Lichfield – but this may refer to a different person. He was formerly a labourer – possibly with the Lichfield Brewery since his name is included on its WW1 memorial. The North Staffordshire Regimental history and Wikipedia suggest that during 1918 the 1st/6th Battalion was engaged in the Battle of the St Quentin canal, the Battle of the Beaurevoir Line, the Battle of Cambrai, the Battle of the Selle and the Battle of Sambre. They crossed the St Quentin canal to break through the strongest sector of the Hindenburg Line during the Battle of St Quintin canal in September 1918. By October 11th 1918 the Battalion ended its part in the war in France at Sains du Nord, S.E. of Avesnes. When James Gilliver enlisted he left behind his parents: Charles born in 1858 and Eliza, nee Hollinshead, born in 1869. He appears to be the middle child and only son, born in 1896, of his parents, the other children being his sisters Lily and Sarah Elizabeth. In 1911, when James was 14, the family were living at 184, St John Street, Lichfield. His father was a hawker / pedlar of haberdashery. The name Gilliver is said to be a derivation of \"Gilly Flower.\"

PRIVATE FREDERICK HYDE SUTTON 61358, North Staffordshire Regiment; G/63045 7th London Regiment Frederick Hyde Sutton enlisted in Lichfield; originally in the North Staffordshire Regiment with the service number 61358. Later he transferred to the Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge’s Own) and was posted to the 7th London Regiment and was given a different service number: G/63045. He was killed in action on 9th September 1918 aged 20 and it is not known where his body lies. His death is commemorated on panel 8 - 9 of the Vis-en-Artois Memorial, France. This Memorial bears the names of over 9,000 men who fell in the period from 8 August 1918 to the date of the Armistice in the Advance to Victory in Picardy and Artois, between the Somme and Loos, and who have no known grave. His death is also commemorated in Cannock Cemetery by a headstone which was put up to honour him and his paternal cousin Alfred Woollaston who died on 25th October 1918 aged 19 days. He is also remembered on the Cannock War Memorial, erroneously as J H Sutton. It is possibly his death which is commemorated on a plaque in Lichfield Methodist Church. Frederick Sutton was born in Cannock in 1898 the son of Nathan William Sutton , born in Cannock in 1870 and Mary Jane Sutton, nee Shore, born in Bilston in 1868. In 1901 they all lived in New Hall Street, Cannock where his father was employed as an iron moulder. In 1911 they were living at 18 New Hall Street, Cannock and his siblings were listed as Susan, Thomas and Nathan William. By then his father was now an edge tool handler fitting the handles on tools.

SERGEANT JAMES HENRY THORPE 7646, “A” COY 1st BATTALION SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE REGIMENT James Henry Thorpe enlisted with the South Staffordshire Regiment and by the time he died he was a Sergeant (service number 7646) in the 1st Battalion ‘A’ Company. The 1st Battalion landed at Zeebrugge as part of the 22nd Brigade in 7th Division on 6th October 1914 for service on the Western Front and then moved to Italy in November 1917. He was killed in action in Belgium on 26th October 1914 aged 26. His death is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium – panels 35 and 37. His name is also included on the Men of Lichfield Memorial in the City’s Garden of Remembrance and on a plaque in Lichfield Methodist Church. There is also a monumental inscription at St Michaels Church, Greenhill for the name James Henry Thorpe who died in 1914 and the Parish Burial records him as an anglican. A further memorial in St Marys Church, Market Place, Lichfield also includes his name. When James Thorpe went off to war he left behind his parents and 5 siblings who, according to the 1901 census, were living at 39 & 41 Wade Street, Lichfield. He was born in 1888, the fifth of six living children (all born in Lichfield) and appears to be the child of parents with a background in military service. By the time of the 1891 census his father, John Henry, was an army pensioner who was born as a British subject in Gibralter on 21st January 1857 – a military fortress at that time. His mother Catherine(nee Godwin) was born on 16th April 1850 as a British subject in Raulpindi, India (now Pakistan). In 1851 Raulpindi became the largest garrision town for the British Indian Army – perhaps Catherine’s parents were linked to the garrison before she returned to the UK. James Thorpe’s parents seem to be well-to-do and aspired to improve their lot in life. According to the 1891 census the family were living at 48 Wade Street, by 1901 they had moved to 39 and 41 Wade Street, Lichfield and by 1914 were living at 55 Walsall Road, Lichfield (by this time his mother Catherine had died). In 1891 his father was employed as an Assurance Agent. The 1901 census tells us that he was now the District Manager for the Royal Liver Society and James’ five siblings – Alexander W, Lillian, Prisshanner O, Alfred Edwin and Sarah Elizabeth were variously employed as agents for the Society (the boys) and operators for the national telephone system (the girls). Part of the address at which they lived in Wade Street housed the telephone office and they had a live-in general servant. James was educated at Frog Lane School and then took up employment as an office clerk at Walmsley’s Builders before enlisting.

PRIVATE HORACE WRIGHT 59157, 5th BATTALION SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE REGIMENT Horace Wright enlisted with the 5th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment as a Private, service number 59157. He died aged 18 on 23rd November 1918 at Northern General Hospital, Lincoln following a bout of pneumonia. He is buried in the churchyard of St Michael, Greenhill, Lichfield and his grave is marked by a CWGC headstone. It is possibly his death which is commemorated on a plaque in Lichfield Methodist Church. His name is also included on the Men of Lichfield Memorial in the City’s Garden of Remembrance, officially opened on 22nd October 1920 and on a plaque inside St Michael ‘s Church, Greenhill. He is included in their records as an anglican. There is also a memorial to war dead in the churchyard of St Michaels Church, Greenhill which includes the name of Horace Wright. The South Staffordshire Regimental history and Wikipedia suggests that during 1918 the 1/5th battalion was engaged in the Battle of the St Quentin canal, the Battle of the Beaurevoir Line, the Battle of Cambrai, the Battle of the Selle, the Battle of Sambre. They crossed the St Quentin canal to break through the strongest sector of the Hindenburg Line during the Battle of St Quintin canal in September 1918. By October 11th 1918 the Battalion had ended its part in the war in France at Sains du Nord, S.E. of Avesnes. The 2/5th Battalion had been disbanded in France by 30th January 1918. When Horace Wright enlisted he left behind his parents Henry b.1865 and Mary Jane, nee Barnett, b.1867. ** Born in 1900 he appears to be the seventh or eighth child of his parents. In the 1911 census his living siblings are listed as; Mary Jane, (Elizabeth may have died post 1891 census), Henry, Frank, William Ernest, Samuel Charles, Dorothy Beatrice, Gwendoline Doris and Lily. Two of his older brothers, including Samuel Charles, had already been killed in action. In 1911 the family were living at 43, Rotten Row, Lichfield. His father was a domestic gardener. It isn’t known in what employment Horace was engaged. ** Co-incidentally Mary Jane Wright nee Barnett appears to be the aunt of Edwin Barnett another of the men commemorated on the LMC plaque. The World War One Memorial Plaque, here dedicated to Horace Wright, was made from Bronze and hence it was popularly known as the “Dead Man's Penny” among front-line troops

PRIVATE SAMUEL CHARLES WRIGHT 240309, 6th BATTALION, NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE REGIMENT (PRINCE OF WALES’S OWN) The WW1 remembrance plaque displayed in Lichfield Methodist Church makes reference to Charles Wright. This is assumed to be Samuel Charles Wright, the brother of Horace Wright who is also possibly commemorated on the plaque. He enlisted with the 1/6th Battalion , North Staffordshire Regiment (Prince of Wales’s) and was killed in action aged 21 on 1st July 1916. He was reburied in Gommecourt Wood New Cemetery, Foncquevillers, Pas de Calais, France with some 284 casualties in total. He served as a private, service number 240309 (formerly 2174). His name is also included, as Samuel Charles, on the Men of Lichfield Memorial in the City’s Garden of Remembrance, the Guildhall Memorial Board and on a plaque inside St Michaels Church, Greenhill where records show him to be an anglican. The North Staffordshire Regimental History suggests that the 1/6th Battalion was moved from France to Egypt in January 1916. In February 1916 the Battalion returned to France and the Division engaged in various actions on the Western Front including the diversionary attack at Gommecourt, on the northern flank of the Battle of the Somme. When Samuel Wright enlisted he left behind his parents Henry b.1865 and Mary Jane b.1867 nee Barnett**. Born in 1896 he appears to be the fifth child of his parents and his siblings; Mary Jane, Henry, Frank, William Ernest, Dorothy Beatrice, Horace, Gwendoline Doris and Lily were also living at home at this time. Two of his other brothers also joined up and one of his older brothers was killed in action as was his younger brother Horace. In 1911 the family were living at 43, Rotten Row, Lichfield. His father was a domestic gardener and Samuel was a tinsmith. **Co-incidentally Mary Jane Wright (nee Barnett) appears to be the aunt of Edwin Barnett another of the men commemorated on the LMC plaque. The World War One Memorial Plaque, here dedicated to Samuel Charles Wright, was made from Bronze and hence it was popularly known as the “Dead Man's Penny” among front-line troops