THE FALLEN OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR
LANCE CORPORAL EDWARD AUBREY ALLEN
He was the son of Herbert and Frances Blanche Allen of the Council Houses, Hook Norton, having been born in Neithrop, Banbury, the younger brother of Stanley, below, and had worked as a solicitor's clerk.
He joined the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) as a Private and embarked for France with his battalion on 31st August 1915 as part of the 24th Division. He was made a Lance Corporal and on 25th September 1915 the Battalion moved up to the front line in readiness for an attack on the village of Vendin-Le-Vieil, as part of the Battle of Loos. At 0030 on 26th they came under heavy German shellfire. At 1100 they attacked across open country attracting the attention of the German artillery once more. They reached the German barbed wire some 25 yards from their trenches but no gaps in the entanglements could be found. They then came under intense machine gunfire and took heavy casualties. At 1155 the orders came to withdraw, although the attack failed it did draw off 16 battalions of Germans opposite the French lines, allowing the latter to capture the village of Souchez and take 14,000 prisoners.
Lance Corporal Edward Allen was killed during the attack and buried near where he fell. He was aged 20 and was re-interred in Cabaret Rouge British Cemetery, Souchez in 1922.
RIFLEMAN STANLEY CLAUDE ALLEN
He was the son of Herbert and Frances Blanche Allen of the Council Houses, Hook Norton, having been born in Neithrop, Banbury. He had worked as a clerk for the Co-operative Society and been a part-time soldier in the 4th (Territorial) Battalion. The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. He moved to London where he worked for drapers Hitchcock, Williams and Co in St Paul's Churchyard.
He enlisted into the 1st/5th Battalion, The London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade) on its formation at 130 Bunhill Street in the City of London on 7th August 1914. On 5th November 1914 the Battalion arrived in Le Havre, under command of 11th Brigade in 4th Division. They arrived in time to play a part in the Battle Le Cateau on 26th August. After the retreat from Mons II Corps, bolstered by the newly arrived 4th Division, turned and faced the pursuing German army. Heavily outnumbered they held the enemy at bay and inflicted heavy casualties. They also saw action in the 1916 Battles of the Marne, the Aisne and Messines. In 1915 they were involved in the Second Battle of Ypres from 22nd April. Private Allen was wounded in action, with gunshot wounds to the back. He was invalided back home on 6th May 1915. After recovery he was posted back to his Battalion, now part of the 3rd Division, in France on 15th July 1916. The Battle of the Somme was underway and he was promoted to Lance-Corporal on 31st July with 2nd/17th Battalion, but shortly relinquished the rank and returned to the 1/5th.
He was wounded again on 9th October 1916 with gunshot wounds to the buttocks, arriving home on 14th October 1916. He was admitted to the Kitchener Military Hospital in Brighton, where his family were informed the next day that he was seriously ill with a fractured pelvis. He was discharged from the Army on 3rd March 1917 under King's regulation para 392 XVI, "No longer physically fit for war service and awarded the Silver War badge for honourable discharge.
Stanley Allen died at home on 2nd October 1917. He was aged 23 and is buried in Hook Norton Cemetery.
His younger brother Edward had died in the war in 1915.
PRIVATE GEORGE BEAVINGTON
He was the son of William and Sarah Beavington of Hook Norton and had worked as a farm labourer.
He had originally enlisted in the Cambridgeshire Regiment but transferred to the Gloucesters and arriving in France with the 1/6ths in March 1915 as part of the 145th Brigade, 48th (South Midland) Division. They saw action in several phases of the Battles of the Somme in 1916. They cautiously pursued the retreating Germans to the Hindenburg Line and then took part in the Third Battle of Ypres. On the 19th October 1917 during the Battle of Poelcappelle, a phase of Ypres. The Battalion had relieved the 28th Canadians in forward trenches near Vimy when Private Beavington was killed in action. His older brother William had been killed in action in 1915.
PRIVATE WILLIAM BEAVINGTON
He was the son of William and Sarah Beavington of Hook Norton and had worked as a farm labourer.
He had joined the 2nd Battalion, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry as a professional soldier in March 1908. He arrived in Boulogne with his Battalion on 14th August 1914 as part of the 5th Brigade in 2nd Division in the British Expeditionary Force. They took part in the Battle of Mons and the subsequent retreat, the Battle of Marne that halted the German advance into France between 7th and 10th September then the Battle of the Marne from 1st to 15th October 1914. In 1915 they were involved in winter actions around Ancre, the Battle of Festubert and then from 25th September 1915, the Battle of Loos. On 15th October, the last day of the battle, the Battalion were holding part of Hohelzollen Redoubt when their trenches were shelled, killing Private William Beavington. He was aged 30 and is buried in Quarry Cemetery in Vermelles.
PRIVATE WILLIAM THOMAS BLOXHAM
He was the son of Leonard and Elizabeth Bloxham, of The Grounds Farm, Hook Norton. He had worked as a clerk in Hook Norton brewery until on 19th July 1912 he embarked on the Orient liner "Orontes", bound for a new life in Australia. He became an accountant in the town of Barraba in New South Wales.
On 9th December 1915 he enlisted into the Australian Infantry, joining the 5th Training Battalion. They sailed for England HMAT Nestor on 10th September 1916 and then onto France arriving at Etaples base on 11th September.
He joined "A" Company, the 18th Battalion in the field on 20th September 1916. The Battalion served in the Battle of the Somme in October 1916 and then took up defensive duties. Private Bloxham was taken out of the line with illness on 7th November 1916 and taken to 38th Casualty Clearing Station from there he was sent by Ambulance Train to 18th General Hospital in Cahiers, He was discharged to Convalescence Depot at Etaples on 13th December 1916. He rejoined his Battalion on 10th March 1917. The Battalion were involved in the Third Battle of Ypres, and Private Bloxham was reported missing on 8th October 1917, later confirmed as killed in action after being hit by shell whilst advancing to front line, Broodseinde Ridge, and being buried where he fell. He was aged 32 and was re-interred in Passchendaele New British Cemetery in 1918. Buckinghamshire Light Infantry when he was killed in action on 28th April 1917 during the Battle of Arras. He was aged 25 and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial having no known grave.
LANCE CORPORAL GEORGE BODFISH
He was the son, one of eight children, of George and Mary Bodfish of Sibford Ferris. He worked as a farm labourer and in 1917 he married Sarah Dumbleton and they lived at Albert Cottages in Hook Norton. He was called up for service and joined the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry as a Private. He was posted to join the 2/4th Battalion in France and made a Lance Corporal. The Battalion had suffered heavy casualties during the German Spring Offensive on 21st March 1918 when their lines were overrun. They retreated behind the Somme river and were involved in heavy fighting to defend Amiens. On 10th April the Germans launched an offensive with the aim of pushing the British out of the Ypres Salient, pushing the British, including the 2/4th Ox & Bucks out of the town of Messines. He was wounded in action George Bodfish was wounded and taken prisoner.He died of his wounds on 12th April 1918 in a German field hospital based in Vermand. He was aged 36 and was buried in Harbonnieres German Military Cemetery, His body was re-interred in Hangard Communal Cemetery Extension in 1919.
LANCE CORPORAL FRED BUSBY
He was the son of Benjamin and Mary Busby, of Southrop, Hook Norton. He married Beatrice Kate Venn in 1906 and worked as a butcher in High Street, Hook Norton. He was called up into the The Royal Warwickshire Regiment and posted to the 2nd/6th Battalion in France, to replace losses incurred in the 1917 Ypres Offensive. As part of the 61st (2nd South Midland) Division, the Battalion were holding front line positions on the old Somme battlefields near St Quentin, when on 21st March 1918 the Germans launched their Spring Offensive. This was an attempt to win the war before the Americans arrived in numbers with troops released from the Eastern Front, after the surrender of Russia. The defenders were heavily outnumbered and despite giving a good account of themselves, suffered many casualties. They fought a fighting retreat over the next 10 days until the German advance was halted at the gates of Amiens. Lance Corporal Fred Busny was killed in action on 31st March 1918. He was aged 40 and is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial, having no known grave.
PRIVATE MAURICE FREDERICK BUSBY
was serving as a Private in the 2nd Battalion,The Coldstream Guards when he was He was the son of Mary Elizabeth Busby of 1, Bourneville, Hook Norton, living later in Milcombe with his mother and grandparents. He had worked as a farm labourer before joining the Great Western Railway as a cleaner at Banbury. He left the GWR to enlist in the Coldstream Guards in September 1914, joining the 1st Battalion in France on 9th February 1915. They saw action in the Battle of Aubers Ridge in May 1915 and then the Battle of Loos from 25th September. Private Maurice Busby was killed in action during the Battle of Loos on 28th September 1915. He was aged 21 and is commemorated on the Loos Memorial, having no known grave.
PRIVATE WALTER BUSBY
He was the son of Henry and Emma Busby of Hook Norton and worked as a motor driver. He married Nora May Green in 1912 and lived in Queen Street in Hook Norton, having three children together. He enlisted into the Army Service Corps as a Private and joined the 33rd Mechanised Division in France on 10th May 1915. He died of disease on 10th November 1918, aged 31 and is buried in Mont Huon Military Cemetery in Le Treport.
CORPORAL ALFRED GEORGE COLEMAN
He was the son of Alfred and Elizabeth Coleman, of 3, Horsefair, Hook Norton and had worked as an ironstone digger. He enlisted into the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry after the outbreak of war as a Private. He was posted to the 2nd Battalion, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry in France on 20th May 1915, where they were part of 5th Brigade in 2nd Division. They saw action in the Battle of Loos in September of that year and the Battles of Delville Wood and Ancre from July 1916, phases of the Somme, Alfred Coleman being made up to Corporal. In 1917 they cautiously pursued the Germans as they withdrew from the Somme area to pre-prepared defences on the Hindenburg Line. They then attacked these defences in the Battle of Arras from 9th April 1917. At 0425 0n 28th April the Battalion took part in an attack on Arleux, with the objective of tying up German reserves to assist a French Offensive north of the Aisne.
Corporal Alfred Coleman was killed in action during fierce fighting that day. He was aged 25 and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial having no known grave.
PRIVATE PERCY REGINALD COOPER
He was the son of William and Isabella Edith Cooper, of Sibford Road, Hook Norton, having been born in Swerford and had worked as a labourer before the war. He enlisted into the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry in 1915 as a Private. He was posted to the 2nd Battalion in France in 1916, where they were part of 5th Brigade in 2nd Division. He went into action with the Battalion on 14th July 1916 in the Battle of Delville Wood, as part of the Somme Offensive. The wood was a thick tangle of trees, with dense hazel thickets, intersected by grassy rides, to the east of Longueval. The plan to capture the German second position between Delville Wood and Bazentin le Petit. The attack achieved this objective and was a considerable though costly success. British attacks and German counter-attacks on the wood continued for the next seven weeks. On 30th July 1916 at 0445 they attacked German positions but were beaten back by heavy machine gun fire and took heavy casualties of 217 killed, missing or wounded.
Private Percy Cooper was reported missing during the attack and presumed killed in action on 30th July 1916. He was aged 25 and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, having no known grave.
PRIVATE ALBERT EDWARD EMBRA
He was the son of George and Sarah Embra of Hook Norton. After his father died in 1899, his mother remarried Christopher Dyer and they lived at Down End, Hook Norton, where Albert worked as a labourer.
He had enlisted into the Kings Royal Rifle Brigade as a Private before joining the 97th Company of the Machine Gun Corps. They arrived in France on 12th March 1916 and were attached to the 32nd Division, based in Albert. It was from there that the 97th went into action during the Battle of Albert, the first phase of the Somme Offensive, on 1st July 1916. He was fatally wounded on that day and died in a Casualty Clearing Station. He was aged 20 and his grave was lost and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial,
His older brother Samuel had been killed in action earlier that year.
PRIVATE SAMUEL ERNEST EMBRA
He was the son of George and Sarah Embra of Hook Norton and younger brother of Albert, above. After his father died in 1899, his mother remarried Christopher Dyer and they lived at Down End, Hook Norton, where Samuel worked as an ironstone labourer.
He had enlisted into the 5th (Service) Battalion, The Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry at the outbreak of war. He arrived in France with them on 20th May 1915. The Battalion was in action for the first time on June 16th, east of Ypres, in the attack on Hooge, and on 31st July 1916 where they helped to stop the first German liquid fire attack. It remained in this area until August 11th, when the lost ground was retaken. On 25th September 1916 the Battalion captured Bellewaarde Farm, but with heavy casualties. In January 1916 Private Embra was sent to Mesopotamia to join a provisional battalion of the 1st Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, the original 1st Battalion being besieged in Kut-al-Amara. He was killed in action in an attempt to relieve the siege on 6th April 1916. He was aged 22 and is commemorated on the Basra Memorial, having no known grave.
SERGEANT ALFRED JABEZ GIBBS
He was the son of Samuel and Eliza Gibbs of Hook Norton and he had lodged in Hurst St Nicholas in Berkshire, working as a corn merchant's assistant. He had emigrated to South Africa, living at Eastcourt, Natal but had joined the 1st South African Infantry Regiment. The Regiment was deployed to France and saw action in the Somme Offensive of 1916. They captured the village of Longueval and were then deployed in the adjacent Delville Wood on 15 July 1916. The Regiment then served at Arras during April 1917 and was part of the offensive at Ypres and Passchendaele in September 1917, at Marrieres Wood in March 1918, at Messines in April 1918 , Alfred Gibbs was by then a Sergeant. He was evacuated back to England, suffering from sickness and he died of pneumonia on 25th October 1918. He was aged 35 and is buried in Hook Norton Baptist burial ground.
PRIVATE ALBERT THOMAS GRANT
He was the son of Thomas and Gertrude Grant, having been born in Newbottle with Charlton, Northamptonshire. His father died and his mother remarried Frederick Pinfold and ran the Red Lion in Culworth. He remained in Newbottle, living with his grandfather and working as a shop assistant. At the time of his enlistment he was living at the Gate Hangs High Inn, Hook Norton, which was being run by his mother, and working as a grocer's assistant. He married Elsie Mabel Sykes in May 1916 and moved to Cowpasture Farm in the village.
He had enlisted into the Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars, a Yeomanry unit in 1915 before transferring to the 2/4th Battalion, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry as a Private. He landed in France with them in May 1916. As part of the 184th Brigade in 61st (2nd South Midland) Division they saw action in the Battle of Fromelles and phases of the Third Battle of Ypres in 1917. On 18th/19th March 1918 the Battalion moved up to the front line between Griscourt and Fayet. A German Offensive was expected since the surrender of Russia had released thousands of men for duty on the Western Front. The men were working on improving trenches and wiring and sending out fighting patrols to gain intelligence from captured prisoners. At 0430 on 21st their positions were subjected to a heavy bombardment including gas shells. At 0900, under a heavy smoke barrage, the Germans attacked in overwhelming numbers and penetrated the front lines inflicting heavy casualties. Private Albert Grant was killed in action during the Battle of St Quentin on 21st March 1918. He was aged 21 and is remembered on the Pozieres Memorial having no known grave.
His older brother Arthur was killed in action in September 1918.
GUNNER ARTHUR GRANT
He was the son of Thomas and Gertrude Grant, having been born in Charlton, Northamptonshire, and older brother to Albert, above. His father died and his mother re-married Frederick Pinfold and ran the Red Lion in Culworth. At the time of his enlistment he was living at the Gate Inn, Hook Norton, which was being run by his mother, and working as a grocer's assistant, later moving to Cowpasture Farm in the village.
He enlisted into the Royal Garrison Artillery on 9th February 1916 as a Gunner, and joined the 113th Battery in the field on 26th July 1917. The Siege Batteries were deployed behind the front line, tasked with destroying enemy artillery, supply routes, railways and stores. The batteries were equipped with heavy Howitzer guns firing large calibre 6, 8 or 9.2 inch shells in a high trajectory. The 113th served with the Guards Division and supported them during the Third Battle of Ypres in 1917 and fought defending against the German Spring Offensive of 1918. Arthur Grant was granted leave home between 11th and 18th September 1918, but was killed in action 10 days after his return to the front line, during the Battle of the Canal du Nord on 28th September 1918. He was aged 21 and is buried in Ypres Reservoir Cemetery.
PRIVATE LAWRENCE PERCY GREY DCM
He was the son of Ellis and Jane Grey, having been born in Kensworth, Hertfordshire. His mother was born in Hook Norton and the family had moved back there, his mother dying there in 1897. He had worked as a plough boy on a farm until joining the 1st Battalion, The Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry in September 1907 . He served in India with the Battalion, as part of the 6th Poona Division, under command of 17th Indian Brigade, moved from India to Mesopotamia on 5th November 1914, to protect Persian oil supplies from the Ottoman Empire. The Battalion took part in the march towards Kut-al-Amara with the intention of capturing it from the Ottomans. The battle for Kut began on 26 September and raged for a number of days until the Ottomans went into retreat and Kut was captured on 28th September 1915. The Battalion then took part in the Battle of Ctesiphon in the effort to capture the capital, Baghdad, which ended in the 6th Poona Division being defeated by the Ottoman forces, with the Battalion sustaining 304 casualties. The Division subsequently retreated to Kut, reaching it on 3rd December 1915, with a garrison of 10,000 Britons and Indians. It was besieged by the Ottomans, from the 7th December. The Ottomans launched numerous attempts to take Kut, all of which were repulsed by the defenders, with both sides suffering heavy casualties.
Private Lawrence Grey was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his actions on 16th January 1916. He died of disease on 16th April 1916. He was aged 27 and is buried in Kut War Cemetery in Iraq.
GUNNER DONALD JOHN HALL
He had been born in Ratley as Donald John Wyton, but had been adopted by John and Ruth Hall of Queen Street, Hook Norton. He had worked as a stable boy before enlisting into the The Royal Field Artillery in Rugby as a Gunner. He joined the 107th Brigade, RFA in France in 1916. He was wounded in action in the Ypres sector and taken to a Casualty Clearing Station where he died on 7th June 1917. He was aged 20 and is buried in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery.
GUARDSMAN ERNEST ALFRED HERITAGE
He was the son of William and Sarah Heritage of Southside, Hook Norton. and had been a domestic houseboy before becoming worked a brewer's assistant at Hook Norton Brewery.
He had enlisted into The Grenadier Guards ,at the age of 16, in February 1914.He joined the Ist Battalion in Belgium on 8th November 1914, where they were involved in fierce fighting in the First Battle of Ypres. Guardsman Ernest Heritage was wounded in action shortly after arriving at the front, during the battle after which only 4 officers and 140 men remained of the Battalion. He was evacuated to a Field Hospital near Armienteres but died of his wounds on 2nd December 1914. He was aged 17 and was originally buried in Croix Blanche British Cemetery, but re-interred in 1922 in Y Farm military Cemetery in Bois Grenier.
AIRCRAFTMAN 1st CLASS THOMAS HIATT
He was the son of Thomas and Harriet Hiatt, having been born in Stow-on-the Wold. His father had been born in Hook Norton. He had married Hilda May Hiatt on 4th June 1918 in Erdington and worked as a motor mechanic before enlisting
He enlisted into the Royal Air Force on 15th July 1918 and was posted to France on 26th August, joining the 5th Aircraft Supply Depot before being posted to the 1st Aircraft Supply Depot of the Royal Air Force On 20th February 1919 he was admitted to 4th Stationary Hospital in Longuenesse suffering from influenza. His condition worsened and he contracted pneumonia and died in hospital on 26th February 1919. He was aged 35 and is buried in Longuenesse, St Omer, Souvenir Cemetery.
PRIVATE THOMAS ERNEST HONE
He was the son of William and Alice Hone of Cross Lane, Hook Norton, at the age of 15 he had been lodging in South Bar Banbury, working as a butcher's errand boy. He went on to work as a farm labourer. On 24th September 1913 he arrived in Michigan en-route to a new life in Canada. His father, mother and brother joined him in 1914, settling in Ceylon, Saskatchewan.
He had been a farmer when he enlisted into the 5th Battalion, The Canadian Infantry, the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force on 5th January 1915, being mobilised on 11th March 1916. He was killed in action near Arras on 16th March 1917. He was aged 21 and was originally buried where he fell, in an isolated grave, on the Arras to Lens road. He was re-interred after the Armistice in Roclincourt Military Cemetery.
CORPORAL OLIVER JOHN HORN
He was the son of John and Diana Horn of Down End, Hook Norton and had worked as an ironstone digger.
He enlisted into the 3rd Battalion, The Grenadier Guards in February 1912 and at the outbreak of war they were stationed at Wellington Barracks in London. On 14th July 1915 he married Lizzie Coleman in St Andrews Church in Fulham. Twelve days later the 3rd Battalion was mobilised for war and embarked for Le Havre on 26th July, Oliver Horn now a Corporal. As part of the 2nd Guards Division they were thrust into the Battle of Loos from 26th September 1915. On 15th October they marched through the village of Vermelles to take up position in front of the Hohenzollen Redoubt, a German Stronghold. They began digging a sap trench towards the 2nd Coldstream Guards holding the line on 16th October 1915. They were met with heavy and accurate shelling and were unable to complete the sap and attack. Corporal Oliver Horn was one of 5 casualties of the shelling. He was aged 23 and is buried in Vermelles British Cemetery.
LANCE CORPORAL ROBERT HYDE
He was the son of Richard and Emma Hyde of 35, Rock Hill, Chipping Norton, one of ten children, his brother Albert died while serving in the Royal Navy. He married Susan Smith in 1903 and lived in Southside, Hook Norton with their two young sons, Robert and William and worked as an ironstone digger.
He joined the Coldstream Guards in February 1915 and arrived in France on 3rd October 1915, joining the 3rd Battalion in the field. They saw action in the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, part of the 1916 Somme Offensive. The battle as a large-scale general renewal of the offensive after weeks of attractional fighting for the third German system at Pozieres, High Wood, Delville Wood, Guillemont and Ginchy. It is historically noteworthy for being the first time that tanks were used in battle. Few in number, mechanically unreliable and as yet without proven tactics for their best use, the small numbers of tanks that actually went into action had an important positive effect. High Wood and Delville Wood were finally cleared and a deep advance was made to Flers and towards Combles.
Lance Corporal Robert Hyde was killed in action during the battle on the 15th September 1916. He was aged 34 and is buried in Delville Wood Cemetery, Longueval.
PRIVATE WILLIAM THOMAS JACQUES
He was the son of William and Maria Jacques, of Lodge Farm, Hook Norton, one of 6 children, his father being a farmer. He had also worked as a farm hand on his uncle's farm. On 20th July 1911 his family boarded the "SS Tainui" at London Docks bound for a new life farming in New Zealand. They arrived in Wellington on 5th September, travelling on to Auckland on the "SS Erota", where they settled at Kaiwaka, Auckland.
William enlisted into The Auckland Regiment on 15th December 1915. He embarked as part of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force at Wellington on 2nd April 1916 bound for Suez, arriving there on 3rd May. They then embarked at Alexandria on 20th May bound for France. He was posted to the New Zealand Base Depot at Etaples on 3rd June 1916, being hospitalised for a week with measles. He joined the 1st Battalion in the field on 29th June 1916, serving as a Private in "J" Company. Their first action was in the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, a phase of the 1916 Somme Offensive, from 15th September 1916. This was a large-scale general renewal of the offensive after the weeks of attritional fighting for the third German system at Pozieres, High Wood, Delville Wood, Guillemont and Ginchy, and the first time that tanks were used in battle.
It was reported Private Jacques was wounded in action, hit by a sniper on 17th September 1916, and he was later reported missing. His family were initially informed he had been just wounded, but his death was confirmed later in a letter from an Army Chaplain. A Court of Enquiry held in December 1916 ruled he had been killed in action on 20th September 1916, but he most likely died on 17th. He was aged 20 and is commemorated on the Caterpillar Valley (New Zealand) Memorial having no known grave.
PRIVATE SYDNEY JOHN KING
He was the son of George and Mary King of Hook Norton but at the outbreak of war was living in Romsey, Hampshire where he worked as a gardener. He joined the Devonshire Regiment as a Private and after training was posted to the 8th (Service) Battalion, The Somerset Light Infantry in France,
On 21st March 1918 the Germans launched their Spring Offensive, hoping to win the war before the arrival in numbers of the Americans. Buoyed by troops released from the Eastern Front after the surrender of Russia, they attacked in numbers across the lightly defended old Somme Battlefields, pushing back the Allies over 40 miles. The 8th Somersets as part of the 37th Division joined the fighting in the Battle of the Ancre on 5th April 1918. This was a crucial battle where the Allies halted the German advance, saving the vital railhead at Amiens being overrun.
Private Sydney King was reported missing after the battle and later found to have been wounded in action and taken prisoner by the Germans. He died from his wounds on 9th April 1918 aged 32 and was buried in Oisy-Le-Verger German Military Cemetery. In 1924 he was re-interred, being identified by clothing and papers, at Ontario Cemetery, Sains-les- Marquion, France.
LANCE CORPORAL EDWARD JOHN MACE
He was the son of John and Martha Mace of Hook Norton, after the death of his father the family moved to Bethnal Green in East London. He enlisted into the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry as a Private after the outbreak of war. After training he was posted to the 5th (Service) Battalion, the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry on 10th June 1915. He joined “B” Company as a Lance Corporal. His Battalion were involved in the Actions at Hooge, where they came under attack from German flamethrowers on 30th July 1915 and the Second Attack on Bellewaarde on 25th September that year, capturing the farm but suffering heavy casualties.
His Battalion were manning trenches on the Ypres Salient when Lance Corporal Edward Mace was killed by a shell on 24th January 1916. He was aged 20 and is buried in Talana Farm Cemetery in Belgium.
PRIVATE FREDERICK WILLIAM NASH
He was the son of Thomas Busby and Sophia Nash, having been born in East End, Hook Norton. He enlisted into the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry as a Private and after training was posted to the 1/4th Battalion, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. They had been moved from France to Italy as part of the 48th (South Midland) Division to relieve Italian troops fighting the Austrians. The front was comparatively quiet until the Austrians attacked in force from Grappa to Canove in the Battle of Asiago on 15th-16th June 1918. The Allied line was penetrated to a depth of about 1,000 yards on 15th June but the lost ground was retaken the next day and the line re-established. Between June and September, frequent successful raids were made on the Austrian trenches .
Private Frederick Nash was killed in action in one such raid on 10th September 1918. He was aged 20 and is buried in Granezza British Cemetery in Italy.
PRIVATE GEORGE HENRY PAINTING
He was the son of William and Martha Painting of Hook Norton. He enlisted into The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry in Banbury in 1907 and served in India with the 1st Battalion. The Battalion, as part of the 6th Poona Division, under command of 17th Indian Brigade, moved from India to Mesopotamia on 5th November 1914, to protect Persian oil supplies from the Ottoman Empire. The Battalion took part in the march towards Kut-al-Amara with the intention of capturing it from the Ottomans. The battle for Kut began on 26 September and raged for a number of days until the Ottomans went into retreat and Kut was captured on 28th September 1915. The Battalion then took part in the Battle of Ctesiphon in the effort to capture the capital, Baghdad, which ended in the 6th Poona Division being defeated by the Ottoman forces, with the Battalion sustaining 304 casualties. The Division subsequently retreated to Kut, reaching it on 3rd December 1915, with a garrison of 10,000 Britons and Indians. It was besieged by the Ottomans, from the 7th December. The Ottomans launched numerous attempts to take Kut, all of which were repulsed by the defenders, with both sides suffering heavy casualties. By 26th April 1916 supplies had dwindled significantly and many of the garrison's defenders were suffering from sickness. The garrison negotiated a cease-fire, allowing the sick and wounded to be transferred to the relieving forces and on 29th April the British-Indian force, now down to 8,000, surrendered to the Turks including 400 men of the 1st Battalion, The Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. Many suffered mistreatment in a prisoner of war camp in Ankara and only 71 of all ranks of the 1st Ox and Bucks who had been taken prisoner returned home to Great Britain.
Private George Painting died of disease on 21st March 1917. He was aged 29 and is buried in Baghdad North Gate War Cemetery.
LANCE CORPORAL JAMES HENRY PARGETER
He was the son of Henry and Mary Ann Pargeter of Scotland End, Hook Norton and had worked as a carter for a coal merchant.
He enlisted into the 5th (Service) Battalion, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light infantry in Oxford as a Private after the outbreak of war. He arrived in France on 21st May 1915 under the orders of the 14th (Light) Division. They took part in The Action of Hooge, in which the Division had the misfortune to be the first to be attacked by flamethrowers and The Second Attack on Bellewaarde during 1915, in which they captured the farm, suffering heavy casualties. On 15th January 1916 the Battalion was billetted in the village of St Jean near Ypres when Lance Corporal James Pargeter was one of two men killed by enemy shelling. He was aged 24 and is commemorated on the Ypres Menin Gate Memorial, his grave being lost.
PRIVATE JOSEPH EDWARD PINFOLD
He was born in November 1880, the son of George Pinfold, a farm labourer and Ann Pinfold of 2, Priory Farm, Over Norton. The family moved to Hook Norton and in 1911 he was living there with his widowed mother and working for the brewery.
He joined the 4th (Territorial) Battalion, The Oxfordshire & Buckingham Light Infantry as a Private in Oxford in early 1915. He was posted to France in 1916,joining the 1/4th Battalion, The Oxfordshire & Buckingham Light Infantry. On 1st July the Battalion were involved in the Battle of Albert, the opening phase of the Somme Offensive. They saw action in further action on the Somme including The Battle of Bazentin Ridge, The Battle of Pozieres Ridge and The Battle of the Ancre.
Private Joseph Pinfold was wounded in action at some stage in the Somme Offensive and evacuated back to the UK. He died of wounds in the 2nd London General Hospital in Chelsea on 29th November 1916. He was aged 36 and is buried in Hook Norton Cemetery.
PRIVATE ERNEST FREDERICK ROBINS
He was the grandson of Annie Elizabeth Robins, who after the death of her husband re-married Robert Jakeman in 1892. He lived with them at Dove House, Hook Norton and worked as a clerk in the brewery. His uncle John Robins died in the war in 1916.
He enlisted into The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry in 1916 and was posted to join the 2nd Battalion in France as a Private. At 0130 on 25th August 1918 his Battalion received orders to carry out an attack on the village of Sapignes. At 0350 the attack commenced and by 0900 the village was reported clear of the enemy. Private Ernest Robins was one of 5 men killed during the attack, 59 being wounded. He was aged 22 and is commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial, having no known grave.
PRIVATE JOHN EDWARD ROBINS
He was the son of Henry and Elizabeth Robins of Hook Norton. He moved to Lee in Kent, working as a gardener and in August 1892 married Amy Amelia Down in St Pauls, Deptford. They moved to Loose near Maidstone in Kent and had six children together. When he enlisted into the Army Service Corps the family were living in Wandsworth in London.
He arrived in France with the 3rd Labour Company ASC on 12th May 1915 and served in the supply section, providing food and drink to the troops. He contracted pneumonia and was admitted to the No 8 General Hospital in Rouen. He died there on 20th December 1916. He was aged 49 and is buried in Bois-Guillaume Communal Cemetery.
PRIVATE THOMAS FREDERICK ROSE
He was the son of Thomas and Elizabeth Rose of Down End, Hook Norton. He had enlisted as a Private in the 9th (Reserve) Battalion, The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry in 1915. He was undergoing training with his Battalion at Bovington Camp in Dorset when he died of natural causes in Wool Military Hospital on 11th June 1916. He was aged 19 and was buried in Wool Holy Rood Churchyard.
GEORGE SAVAGE was serving as a Rifleman in the 10th (Service) Battalion, The King's Royal Rifle Corps when he was killed in action during the battle of the Somme, on 28th July 1916. He was aged 21 and is buried in Hebuterne Communal Cemetery.
He was the son of John and Jane Savage of Down End, Hook Norton. He had been working as a farm labourer and lodging with his uncle in Shirley near Birmingham when he enlisted into the KRRC in Coventry.
The 10th Battalion KRRC was formed in September 1914 as one of Kitchener's New Armies. They landed in Boulogne on 21st July 1915, and came under orders of 59th Brigade in 20th (Light) Division. They saw action at the The Battle of Mount Sorrel, a local operation in which the Division recaptured the height with the Canadians. On the night of 17th August 1916, as part of XIV Corps they relieved XIII Corps during the bloody Battle of Delville Wood. On 28th July the Battalion relieved the 15th Welsh Regiment in the front line trenches. It was then that Rifleman Savage was killed, on an otherwise quiet day.
ARTHUR TAYLOR was serving as a Private with "D" Company, 7th Battalion of The Leicestershire Regiment. when he died from his wounds on 22nd June 1918. He was age 26 and is buried in Hook Norton Cemetery.
He was the son of Charles Taylor of Stoney Stanton, Leicester. He was working as a labourer when he enlisted into the Leicestershire Regiment in Leicester on 29th February 1916. On 13th July 1916 he married Elizabeth May Wheeler in Hook Norton Parish Church. On 22nd July he was posted to France leaving his bride living at Station View in Hook Norton. He joined the 7th Battalion in the field. As part of the 21st Division where involved in phases of the Battle of the Somme in 1916 and the Arras Offensive and the Third Battle of Ypres in 1917. In March 1918 they fought against the German Spring Offensive falling back to Amiens in the face of an overwhelming onslaught. He was wounded in action on 10th June 1918 and evacuated home to England on 12th. He was admitted to hospital in Bath where he died of an infection caused by the wounds to his ribs and throat.
FREDERICK TOWNLEY was serving as a Private in the 2nd/7th Battalion, The Royal Warwickshire Regiment when he was killed in action on 19th July 1916 during the Battle Of Fromelles. He was aged 30 and is commemorated on the Loos Memorial, having no known grave.
He was the son of William and Charlotte Townley of Hook Norton and at 14 was lodging at Mill Farm in the village, working as a plough boy. Later he lived with his brother-in-law in the High Street, working as an ironstone digger.
He landed in France with his Battalion on 21 May 1916 under the orders of 182nd Brigade, 61st (2nd South Midland) Division. They were in action in the Battle of Fromelles on 19th July 1916. Officially not a part of the Battle of the Somme and positioned a considerable distance away, the attack at Fromelles was conceived to be a major diversionary action. The untried 5th Australian and 61st (2nd South Midland) Divisions were launched into an ill-planned attack against German defences which had already successfully repelled similar efforts in 1915. The attack achieved nothing of a diversionary nature and cost thousands of casualties. The attack commenced at 1800 until withdrawal at 2000, Private Townley being one of 315 casualties taken by the Battalion that day.
ALEC LESLIE TYRRELL was serving as a Private with the 5th (Service) Battalion, The Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry when he was killed in action on 25th September 1915 during the second attack on Bellewaarde. He was aged 19 and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres having no known grave.
He was the son of Edward and Martha Tyrrell of Barretts Row, Bloxham and had worked as an errand boy. He was living in Hook Norton when he joined the 5th Battalion, one of Kitchener's new armies at the outbreak of war. He arrived with his Battalion in France on 20th May 1915, as part of the 14th (Light) Division. The division was attacked by flame throwers, the first use by the German Army, during the action at Hooge on 30th Juy 1915. On 25th September 1915 they were involved on an attack on German trenches in the vicinity of Bellewaarde and Hooge. This was a diversionary attack for the Battle of Loos intended to tie down German reserves. The day started badly for the 5th Ox and Bucks when their own siege battery put 14 shells into their trenches, killing 21. The right column achieved its objectives capturing trenches in Railway Wood but could not hold on as the left column had been virtually wiped out by machine gun fire. The attack was a costly failure with the Battalion taking 13 out of 15 Officers and 441 men casualties, including Private Tyrrell.
CHARLES TYRRELL was serving as a Lance Corporal, Mounted Branch, Military Police Corps. Army when he died from pneumonia on 12th September 1915. He was aged 50 and is buried in Merville Communal Cemetery.
He was born in Bodicote to parents Tom and Jane Tyrrell and had worked as a labourer before enlisting into the 20th Hussars in February 1884. He served with them in Ireland, Sudan and Egypt being made Lance-Corporal. He transferred to the reserves in 1891 before being discarged in 1896. In 1911 he was living in Grove Street, Banbury with his wife Mary Ellen and their 3 sons, working as a coachman. He enlisted into the Mounted Military Police at the outbreak of war and was sent to France on 14th October 1914. The Military Police carried out a myriad of tasks behind the front line including rounding up deserters and stragglers, escorting POW, checking passes and directing traffic. Lance Corporal Tyrrell was evacuated from the field suffering from pneumonia and died at 7th Casualty Clearing Station in Merville. His wife was living at, 25 The Bourne, Hook Norton at the time of his death.