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Private Sam Littleford, DCM

Samuel Littleford was born on June 19, 1888 in Ashton under Lyne to William and Bridget Littleford (née Philburn). William Littleford was a former Royal Marine who, as a young man, served aboard HMS Falcon during the Anglo-Egyptian War of 1882 and was awarded the Khedive’s Bronze Star campaign medal. Upon his return and discharge he married Bridget Philburn in Ashton under Lyne in early 1884. They went on to have nine children, six of whom survived into adulthood.

Samuel Littleford was the oldest of four sons, (brothers William, John and James), his two sisters, (Mary Ellen and Alice Ann), being the oldest and youngest children respectively. Samuel’s brother William joined the 3rd Volunteer Battalion, the Manchester Regiment in 1907 when he turned 17. In April 1908 the Haldane reforms resulted in the 3rd Volunteer Battalion being dissolved and the men became the founding members of the 9^th Battalion Manchester Regiment, Territorial Force. Sam Littleford joined his brother in the 9^th Battalion on or just before November 1, 1910 and by 1911 Samuel was living with his parents and five brothers and sisters in Ashton and was employed as a general labourer at the Ashton Gas Company, the same as his father.

At the outbreak of war, the 9^th Battalion, Manchester Regiment was mobilised and on August 20, 1914 they marched into Chesham Fold Camp, Bury. Throughout August around 100 new recruits were added, many of whom had previously served with the battalion in the pre-war years. On September 1, 1914 another 100+ men were added, many of whom were friends and family of the existing members of the battalion. On Wednesday September 9 the battalion entrained to Southampton and at midnight the following day sailed for Egypt. In Egypt the men were drilled, trained and worked hard to build fitness and endurance.

The battalion landed at Gallipoli under shell fire on Sunday May 9, 1915 and at that time Sam Littleford was a 26-year-old Private. Three days later, his daughter Edith was born in Ashton, the product of an over amorous goodbye to his fiancé Mary Lizzie Barber.

Since there is no surviving service record, or mention of him in either official Gallipoli records or local newspaper articles regarding his time on the peninsula, there are no specific details to relate of the actions and events he was directly involved in there.

When he attested in 1910, he would have agreed to serve for four years and also to extend that period, for not more than 12 months, in case of imminent national danger or great emergency. Consequently, he became “time-expired” in Egypt, served another 12 months in Egypt and Gallipoli and by November 1915 he was eligible to be discharged after time served. In fact, he did not return to Ashton until late May 1916 but when he did so he was immediately discharged from the Territorial Force.

On June 3, 1916 the London Gazette announced the King’s Birthday Honours: “His Majesty the KING has been graciously pleased to approve of the undermentioned rewards for Distinguished Service in the Field, dated 3rd June, 1916”. And along with the Military Cross awarded to Major M.H. Connery, three Distinguished Service Medals for the 1/9^th Battalion Manchester Regiment were announced:

1792 L./C. A. Davis, 9th Bn., Manch. R. (T.F.)
1623 Sjt. J. Greenhalgh, 9th Bn., Manch. R. (T.F.)
1083 Pte. S. Littleford, 9th Bn., Manch. R. (T.F.)

The Ashton Reporter interviewed Sam but he was frustratingly non-committal on what he had done to deserve the award, in part because he had not yet received any official word or explanation himself. Instead, he told the Reporter that he preferred to “wait and see” rather than speculate since “a good many things happened whilst he was on the Gallipoli Peninsula”.

Seventeen days later the D.C.M. citation was published in the Gazette:

1083 Pte. S. Littleford, 9th Bn., Manch. R., T.F.

For conspicuous gallantry in flinging a lighted bomb over the parapet, and thus probably saving many casualties. He was himself wounded in the arm by the explosion.

The annotated listing does not convey much more but the long forgotten administrative code at the bottom shows that his award was separate from those of the other two 9^th Manchester recipients who received their D.C.M.s for the small action on December 19, 1915.

The citation is somewhat ambiguous in that it does not specify whether the bomb was thrown into the trench by the Turks or was dropped by an Allied bomb-thrower, and since he does not appear on any official casualty list the date of the event cannot be ascertained. But one thing is for certain, picking up a lighted bomb and attempting to throw it out of the trench before it wounded or killed anyone, rather than simply diving for cover, was an incredibly brave and selfless act.

Less than a month later, on July 12, 1916, Sam was Mentioned in Despatches when the London Gazette published the list of names of men mentioned for distinguished and gallant services rendered during the period of General Sir Charles Monro’s Command of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force.

Back in Ashton, Sam and his younger brother William had both been discharged from the 9^th Battalion Manchester Regiment for time expired and were back in civilian life. Their younger brother John Littleford had joined the 1/5^th Royal Welch Fusiliers as a Drummer and was undergoing basic training in the UK. As long time Territorials and coming, as they did, from a military family, Sam and William were unwilling to sit out the war without serving further and so sometime in late 1916 they both re-joined the 9^th Battalion Manchester Regiment and Sam finally married his fiancé Mary Lizzie Barber who was now expecting their second child.

In early 1917, Sam and William were part of a small block of 9^th Battalion Manchester Regiment men who were transferred to the 1/5^th Battalion Manchester Regiment, who had deployed to France, from Egypt, in March 1917.

John Littleford, with the 1/5^th Royal Welch Fusiliers, was onboard the Troop Transport Transylvania when she was torpedoed on her way to Egypt on May 4, 1917 but he was rescued and went on to serve in Italy and France. In June 1917, William was wounded in action and after he recovered joined the 21^st Battalion Manchester Regiment, fighting in Italy for 10 months between November 1917 and September 1918, when they returned to France. Sam Littleford was himself wounded in action in France on March 21, 1918. Sam and William both transferred to the 12^th Battalion Manchester Regiment and on October 6, 1918 William was gassed and killed in France. The Ashton Reporter of December 7, 1918 noted that Sam’s brother John was on sick leave at the Mechanics Institute, Ashton while his youngest brother Jim was serving in the RAF, having joined in November 1917.

Sam’s father William Littleford died in February 1919. Sam was demobilised in early 1919 and, true to form, his third child, May Littleford, was born in late 1919. On February 18, 1921 Sam’s fourth and final child, John Littleford, was born. But Sam’s brother John Littleford, who had been invalided out of the Army suffering from Tuberculosis, and living with his mother and younger sister at the family home in Ashton, died from the disease later that year on October 22, 1921.

Sam’s older sister, Mary Ellen, died in October 1925 and his youngest, and last surviving, brother James Littleford died on June 9, 1934 in an industrial accident at work. Tragedy struck again in October 1938 when his youngest daughter, May Littleford, died of liver failure at just 18 years of age. By the following year Sam was living with his wife and three children in Ashton and was an unemployed labourer. He died the following year, on February 22, 1940 and is buried in the family grave at Dukinfield Cemetery, Tameside. Samuel Littleford, D.C.M. was just 51 years old.

Distinguished Conduct Medal

September 30, 1862:

Extracted from Warrants and Circulars, etc.
Circular No. 785

7377 – 453
Victoria R.

WHEREAS, with a view to reward Distinguished and Meritorious Services, and of promoting Good Conduct in our Army, we have been pleased to declare that a certain fixed sum may be granted in annuities to Sergeants in our Service, and that the Sergeants selected for the same shall be entitled to receive and wear a Silver Medal, bearing on one side the Royal Effigy and on the other the words “For Meritorious Service”, the names and rank of the Sergeant being inscribed thereon:

It is our Royal will and pleasure, that a Silver Medal, bearing on it the words “For Distinguished Conduct in the Field”, shall, in certain cases where especially recommended, be issued to Sergeants with Annuity in lieu of the before-mentioned Medal for “Meritorious Service” with Annuity, subject however to the conditions and limitations now in force as to the grant of Annuities.

And further, that a Medal be granted, without Annuity or Gratuity, to Sergeants, Corporals and Privates of our Army, when specially recommended by the General Commanding in Chief, and approved by our Secretary of State for War, for individual acts of Distinguished Conduct in the Field in any part of the world.

Given at our Court at St. James’, this Thirtieth day of September, 1862, in the 26^th year of our Reign.

By Her Majesty’s Command

C. C. LEWIS

November 6, 1920:

68/GN/3448
GEORGE R.I.

George the Fifth by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas, King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India, to all to whom these presents shall come. Greeting:

Whereas Her late Majesty Queen Victoria, by a Warrant under her Royal Sign Manual dated 30^th September 1862, did institute and create a silver medal bearing the words “For Distinguished Conduct in the Field” t be granted to serjeants, corporals, and privates of the Regular Army, for individual acts of distinguished conduct in the Field in any part of the world:

And Whereas the rules and ordinances for the governance of the same have been amended from time to time:

And Whereas We deem it expedient that the said Royal Warrant, as well as amendments thereto, which have been heretofore promulgated, or are now to be promulgated, shall be incorporated in a Royal warrant under Our Sign Manual:

Now Therefore We do hereby declare that the rules and ordinances heretofore in force shall be abrogated, cancelled, and annulled; and We are pleased to make, ordain, and establish the following rules and ordinances in substitution for the same, which shall from henceforth be inviolably observed and kept: –

Firstly: – It is ordained that the medal, which shall be silver, shall be designated “The Distinguished Conduct Medal” and shall bear on the obverse the Royal Effigy; and on the reverse the words “For Distinguished Conduct in the Field”

Secondly: – It is ordained that the Distinguished Conduct Medal may be awarded on the recommendation of a Commander-in-Chief in the Field to Warrant Officers, Class 1 and 2, non commissioned officers, and men, serving in any of our Military Forces for distinguished conduct in action in the Field.

Thirdly: – It is ordained that should anyone who has been awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal subsequently be recommended for such approved acts of distinguished conduct in the field as would have rendered him eligible for the Medal, had he not already received it, may be awarded a Bar to be attached to the riband by which the Medal is suspended; and that for additional such act or acts of distinguished conduct an additional Bar may be awarded.

Fourthly: – It is ordained that the Distinguished Conduct Medal shall not confer and individual precedence, but shall entitle the recipient to the addition after his name of the letters “D.C.M.”

Fifthly: – It is ordained that the names of those upon whom We may be pleased to confer the Distinguished Conduct Medal shall be published in the London Gazette, and that a register thereof shall be kept in the office of our Principal Secretary of State of War.

Sixthly: – It is ordained that the Distinguished Conduct Medal shall [be worn] before war medals in such order as We may from time to time assign to it, and that it shall be worn on the left breast pendant from the riband, of one inch and one quarter in with, which shall be in colour crimson, having in the centre a dark blue stripe of width equal to the crimson stripes on each side of it.

Seventhly: – It is ordained: –

(1) that a Warrant Officer Class 1 or 2 non-commissioned officer, or man, belonging to any of Our military forces who has been awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal shall be paid a gratuity of £20 on promotion to a Commission, on transfer to Our Army Reserve, or on discharge without pension;

(2) that if he is discharged with a pension he shall be eligible for an additional pension of 6d per day for Europeans, and 3d a day for non-Europeans;

(3) that, if he is awarded a Bar or Bars to his Distinguished Conduct Medal, and he comes under sub-paragraph (1) above, each Bar shall for gratuity purposes regarded as an original award of the medal. If, however, he comes under sub-paragraph (2) above, no gratuity or further addition to pension shall be issuable in respect of a Bar or Bars, and;

(4) that soldiers of an Allied or Associated Army, of ranks equivalent to those of Our Military Forces specified in the second clause of this Our Royal Warrant, who have been associated in operations with Our Military Forces shall be eligible for the award of the Distinguished Conduct Medal but no pension shall accompany such award.

Eighthly: – It is ordained: –

(1) that a recipient of the Distinguished Conduct Medal who suffers death by sentence of Court-Martial; or if an officer, is cashiered, dismissed or removed from Our Naval, Military, or Air Force for misconduct; or if a soldier, sailor, or airman is discharged from Our Naval, Military, or Air Forces with ignominy, or for misconduct, or on account of a conviction with the Civil Power, or for having been sentenced to penal servitude, shall forfeit the Distinguished Conduct Medal (unless otherwise recommended by Our Army Council);

(2) that if a recipient of the Distinguished Conduct Medal is convicted by the Civil Power, or is dealt with under the Probation of Offenders Act, 1907, he shall be liable to a like forfeiture at the discretion of the Army Council;

(3) that the forfeiture of the Distinguished Conduct Medal shall involve: –

(a) the erasure of the recipient’s name from the register of persons upon whom the Distinguished Conduct Medal has been conferred; and

(b) the cessation of any pension or gratuity to which the possession of the medal might entitle the recipient, but no such forfeitures shall extend to any sum of money which has already been paid;

(4) that a forfeited Distinguished Conduct Medal and any forfeited annuity, pension or gratuity attached to it, may be restored to its former holder under regulations approved by Our Army Council:

Provided that We, Our Heirs and Successors, shall at all times have power to restore a forfeited Distinguished Conduct Medal and with it such pension or gratuity as may have been forfeited;

(5) that a notice of forfeiture and of restoration under this Clause shall in every case be published in the London Gazette.

Lastly: – We reserve to Ourself, Our Heirs and Successors full power of annulling, altering, abrogating, augmenting, interpreting or dispensing with these Regulations, or any part thereof, by a notification under Our Royal Sign Manual.

Given at Our Court at St. James’ this 6^th day of November 1920, in the eleventh year of Our Reign.

By His Majesty’s Command

W.S. Churchill

Lance-Corporal Stanley Pearson, DCM

Stanley Pearson was born on June 18, 1882 in Ashton under Lyne to George and Helen Rachel Pearson (née Ormond). He was the middle of three children with an older sister Ellen and younger sister May. George Pearson was working as a Colliery Manager when Stanley was born but by 1891, he had started a business as a Coal Merchant. He was also commissioned in the militia and by 1894 was an honorary Major in the 4th Volunteer Battalion, the Cheshire Regiment, based at Stockport.

By 1901 Stanley was 18 years old and working as a clerk in his father’s coal business and George Pearson was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel and made commanding Officer of the 4th Volunteer Battalion, the Cheshire Regiment. Around this time Stanley joined his father’s battalion and went on to serve 12 years before leaving. George Pearson resigned his commission in 1904 retaining the rank of Colonel and became active in the volunteer movement in Stalybridge.

By 1911 Stanley Pearson was employed as a salesman in his father’s business and was living with his parents, younger sister, (who was just about to be married), and a domestic servant. The business had evolved from retail, (Coal Merchant), to wholesale and George Pearson gave his profession as a “Coal Factor” and started to travel more. On January 4, 1912 Stanley Pearson married Mary Ann Mills and they made their home on Stanley Street, Newton Heath, west of Ashton under Lyne. A little over a year later, on May 6, 1913, their son George Stanley Pearson was born, four days after the death of his grandfather George Pearson. And the day before George Stanley Pearson’s 1^st birthday his grandmother died.

Shortly after the outbreak of war, Stanley joined the 9th Battalion Manchester Regiment, Territorial Force as a Private (2148) on Tuesday September 1, 1914 at Ashton. At least one hundred men attested this day, and at that time the intent was for the battalion to take the most experienced and able-bodied men, deferring the others until later in the month, as they knew they were shortly to leave for overseas. Thomas and the others quickly joined the battalion at Chesham Fold Camp in Bury and a week later they entrained for Southampton and boarded HMS Aragon, leaving at midnight September 10, bound for Egypt.

On August 8, at the start of the Battle of Krithia Vineyard, the battalion went into the trenches and Stanley Pearson was a freshly promoted Lance-Corporal. “A” and “B” Companies with the (125th) Fusilier Brigade, and “C” and “D” Companies with the (127th) Manchester Brigade. 2/Lt. Oliver Jepson Sutton took two platoons of “A” company up to the firing line and was almost immediately wounded. Reinforcements were called for and so Lt. Forshaw and 2/Lt. Cooke took the other two platoons of “A” Company to the firing line. What happened to him there can be understood from Lance-Corporal Thomas Pickford’s account, given to the Ashton Reporter on March 18, 1916:

“We captured the trench after the Turks had been bombed out, and for 26 hours we held it, and were continuously engaged in repulsing fierce attacks. It was a difficult position to hold, because three Turkish saps converged into it. As senior N.C.O. in the trench, I told Stanley Pearson and four of the boys to hold one of the saps, and to keep up a continuous fire, and so keep the Turks back at that point. We had to watch the two other saps. The Turks came right at us. It was a scrap! Bombs were bursting all around us. Some of the boys in their excitement caught the Turkish bombs before they exploded, and hurled them back again. They did not always manage to catch them in time, and three of them had their hands blown off. What made the position worse was that as soon as we had entered the trench a bomb laid out six of us. I was one of them. I bandaged up my leg, and bandaged up the others, and sent them back to hospital. I carried on, that is why I was recommended for the D.C.M. Lieutenant Forshaw did not know that I had not gone to hospital. He was amazed when he came near. ‘Why, I thought you had gone to hospital’ he said. ‘No sir,’ I answered, ‘we were short of men.’

Anyway, I was telling you about the fight. The Turks were at us all the time. Pearson did splendidly, and kept his men there. He fought cooly, and kept picking off the Turks. He was a smart and good lad. We hadn’t much time to waste, I can tell you, for the Turks were determined to get the trench back. Lieutenant Forshaw was in command of the whole of the firing line in the trench, which was in a very dangerous part of the Vineyard. We had to hold the place at all costs. There were 300 men on our right, and had we lost the position the Turks could have taken them prisoners. By holding on we saved a very good position. We refused to be driven out. At one moment the Turks drove us out of one traverse, but we barricaded it up with sand-bags, and they never budged us any further, for we stuck it until we were relieved. Lieutenant Forshaw, I gave you my word on it, did very well. His example repeatedly put new courage into us. It was the first time he had been in such close fighting. He threw the bombs as well as us. At one time he came to me and said, ‘How are you getting on Corporal? Do you think you can manage?’ I said ‘I think so,’ he replied, ‘You are a plucky corporal, you are doing well.’ He well earned his V.C., and I was proud of the chance later to tell the general, (or give evidence, as they call it), about him, which led to his recommendation for the V.C. One thing he did was very fine. Just after we had got the parapet up three Turks got over, and made a rush for Sam Bayley, but Lieut. Forshaw coolly shot all three with his revolver.”

The Army’s wheels can sometimes move slowly and the despatch from General Sir Ian Hamilton of December 11, 1915 covering the fighting in Gallipoli in August was not published until January 6, 1916. Subsequent to that, on January 28, 1916 the London Gazette published the list of names to be mentioned in despatches and they included all of the main players from the 1/9^th Battalion Manchester Regiment in the Battle of Krithia Vineyard:

Second Lieutenant (temporary Captain) O. J. Sutton.
Lieutenant W. T. Forshaw, V.C.
Second Lieutenant C. E. Cooke.
No. 180 Serjeant S. Bayley.
No. 2103 Corporal T. Pickford.
No. 2148 Lance-Corporal S. Pearson.

A few days later on February 2, the London Gazette published the names of the men who had been awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal and on March 11 the Gazette published the citations of those awards:

2148 Lance Corporal S. PEARSON, 1/9th Manchester Regiment. T.F.

For conspicuous gallantry on August 7th and 8th 1915, at Gallipoli, when acting as a look-out man and sniper. He displayed great bravery and skill, and although enfiladed from both flanks he remained at his post, and by his example gave great encouragement to all with him.

He was wounded in late November or early December and medically evacuated off the peninsula. By late October 1916 he was sufficiently recovered and back in Ashton where he was made a presentation at Ashton Town Hall in recognition of his being awarded the D.C.M. earlier in the year.

After rejoining the 3/9^th (Reserve) Battalion he rejoined the 1/9^th Manchesters who by March 14, 1917 were at Pont Remy, South of Abbeville, in northern France. In April the battalion moved around 100km East to Epehy where they went into the line. In early May they moved 10km South West to Marquaix where on the evening of May 6th and into the early morning of May 7th “B” Company, under Major Howorth, was responsible for carrying out the following special order:

Two small posts are to be established on either side of the road running from locality b. to QUENNEMONT FARM, one on either side of the road, and joined up. This should be undertaken as a very minor operation, with only sufficient men to dig a rifle pit on each side and then connect up. The object should be to advance these posts a short distance every night without attracting the enemy’s attention; and connect them up from behind with a communication trench.

Lt. Charles Earsham Cooke commanded the party and they were met with heavy resistance from German machine guns resulting in many casualties, prompting several acts of heroism bringing wounded men in under fire. Lt. Cooke was wounded and evacuated to Hospital in Rouen where he later died from his wounds. Stanley Pearson, D.C.M. was killed in action. He was 34 years old, dying less than 2 weeks before his 35^th birthday.

He is buried in the Templeux-Le-Guerard British Cemetery, plot II. E. 32. and commemorated on the Ashton under Lyne War Memorial.

Corporal Samuel Bayley, DCM

Samuel Bayley was born in Stalybridge on June 10, 1885 to James and Sarah Bayley (née Gee). He was the youngest of three children, his two older sisters, Esther and Mary Ann being four and six years older than him respectively. Sam grew up in Stalybridge, on the border of Stalybridge and Dukinfield, and prior to the war he had lived in the same house since birth. By 1901 Sam had left school and was working as a piecer in a cotton mill while his father James Bayley was employed as a Carter.

His mother died in 1908 and around this time he joined the 9^th Battalion Manchester Regiment. By 1911 he was living with his widowed, and now out of work, father and his sister Esther (‘Esty’) and was still working as a piecer. Outside of work he was a member of the Ebenezer Particular Church, on Cross Leach Street, Stalybridge and a goalkeeper for the Sunday School football club.

At the outbreak of war, the battalion was mobilised and on August 20, 1914 they marched into Chesham Fold Camp, Bury. Throughout August around 100 new recruits were added, many of whom had previously served with the battalion in the pre-war years. On September 1, 1914 another 100+ men were added, many of whom were friends and family of the existing members of the battalion. On Wednesday September 9 the battalion entrained to Southampton and at midnight the following day sailed for Egypt. In Egypt the men were drilled, trained and worked hard to build fitness and endurance. Additionally, the old eight Company model (A-H) was replaced with a four Company model (A-D), 4 platoons in each Company and 4 sections in each platoon.

The battalion landed at Gallipoli under shell fire on Sunday May 9, 1915 and at that time Samuel Bayley was a 29-year-old Corporal with “A” Company, No 1 Platoon.

On August 8, 1915 the battalion took part in the Battle of Krithia Vineyard. Lieut. W.T. Forshaw won the Victoria Cross and three N.C.O.s won the Distinguished Conduct Medal. In Forshaw’s own words …

“On the morning of August 8th progress had been made along a sap parallel to a gully, and the whole of a trench which ran at right angles from each side of the saphead that had been captured and occupied. I and about twenty men were instructed to hold a barricade at the head of the sap. Facing us were three converging saps held by the Turks, who were making desperate efforts to retake this barricaded corner, and so cut off all the other men in the trench. The Turks attacked at frequent intervals along the three saps from Saturday afternoon until Monday morning, and they advanced into the open with the objective of storming the parapet. They were met by a combination of bombing and rifle fire, but the bomb was chief weapon used both by the Turks and ourselves”

“We just went at it without a pause while the Turks were attacking, and in the slack intervals I put more fuses into bombs. I cannot imagine how I escaped with only a bruise from a piece of shrapnel. It was miraculous. The Ashton men supported me magnificently. They adapted themselves very quickly to this method of fighting, and they stuck to the work doggedly, notwithstanding our loses. The attacks were very fierce at times, but only once did the Turks succeed in getting right up to the parapet. Three attempted to climb over, but I shot them with my revolver. On the Saturday evening a young officer came to the parapet and held up his hands, he seemed to be perfectly dazed, and we took him prisoner. All this time both our bomb throwing and shooting had been very effective, and many Turkish dead were in front of the parapet and in the saps. The attack was not continuous, of course, but we had to be on the watch all the time, and so it was impossible to get any sleep.”

At the end of 24 hours the Ashton men were relieved by a detachment drawn from other battalions, but Lieutenant Forshaw volunteered to continue to lead the resistance. His offer was accepted, and Corporal Bayley remained with him. More attacks were repulsed during the Sunday afternoon and night, and at the end of the struggle, Lieutenant Forshaw rejoined his battalion in condition of almost complete exhaustion. He was afterwards told that the number of bombs thrown by his men and two other detachments in the trench during the weekend was no fewer than 800.

“We decided that we would hold on to the position whatever it cost us for we knew what it meant to us. If we had lost it the whole of the trench would have fallen into the hands of the enemy. I had half of the men with me, and the other half I placed along the trench with a subaltern [2/Lt. C.E. Cooke]. The Turks were at it for all they were worth, and they had sap heads right up to my position; but I had a fine supply of bombs, which, by the way, had been made out of jam tins by our Engineers. Obliging little fellows, those Engineers! Fortunately, we had no fewer than 800 of those bombs, but we got rid of the lot during the greatest weekend I have ever spent.”

“Three times during the one night the Turks made tremendous efforts to get over the parapet, and once they succeeded, but not one of them got back again. We were too busy during the night to look after their dead bodies, but we found them lying at the bottom of the trench next morning. They were armed with rifles and bayonets, and huge men they were. Three of these big, dark-skinned warriors appeared. Immediately one made a move for a Corporal [Sam Bayley] who was digging a hole from which to fire during the night. I saw the Turk make for him with his long bayonet, and I straightaway put a bullet through him from my useful Colt revolver. My weapon was a very fine friend to me during those thrilling minutes. A second Turk came for me with his bayonet fixed, evidently with the object of covering his pal, who was making for the box of our bombs, but I managed to put them both out of action. They never came over the barricade again; but realising as they did what position meant, they kept up the fusillade during the whole of the night.”

Writing on August 10th Corporal Bayley described the Congratulatory Card he received from Sir John Francis Davies, commanding 8th Corps, (which he subsequently mailed to his sister Esty):

“We have had it rough again for two nights, but I am proud to tell you I am quite safe, although I have had many narrow escapes. I have the pleasure to tell you that I have had a bit of honour attached to my name. Myself, and a few men and the Captain held a trench which was almost impossible to hold, but we stuck it like glue, in spite of the Turks attacking us with bombs. I can tell you I accounted for a few Turks. Our Captain has been recommended for the V.C. and I hope he gets it because he was very determined to hold the trench till the last man was finished. But we did not lose many. Our Captain has not got over it yet, but it is only his nerves that are shattered a bit, and he will soon be with us again. I have been congratulated by Sir John Francis Davies, commanding the 8th Corps. You will find it enclosed.

“To No 180 Corpl. BAYLEY, 1/9th Manchester Regiment … I congratulate you heartily on being awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for your gallant conduct in the field – Lieut. General Sir Francis Davies, commanding 8th Corps.”

A few months later, on November 16, 1915 the London Gazette published the following D.C.M. citation:

180 Corporal S. Bayley, 1/9th Battalion, Manchester Regiment, T.F.

“For conspicuous bravery on the 7th and 9th August, 1915, at Cape Helles (Dardanelles). Corporal Bayley remained with Lieutenant Forshaw, V.C., holding a barricade for forty-one hours continuously. On the evening of the 8th August his party was relieved by another unit, but he volunteered to remain on. He displayed the greatest gallantry and endurance under the most trying circumstances in repelling many severe attacks, and when the barricade was at last broken through, he was the foremost in the successful counter-attack led by Lieutenant Forshaw, which regained it, and finally retained it. On being ultimately relieved he was utterly exhausted by his arduous and gallant work of bomb-throwing.”

And belatedly, on January 28, 1916, the London Gazette published the list of the names of the officers and men whose services General Sir Ian Hamilton wished to mention in connection with the operations described in my despatch of 11th December, 1915

Manchester Regiment (Territorial Force)
No. 180 Serjeant S. Bayley.

Additionally, for his actions at the Vineyard, he was awarded a field promotion to sergeant.

Since there is no surviving service record, there is no precise timeline of Sergeant Bayley’s subsequent movements but there are some things that can be reliably inferred. His medal roll does not list the six-digit service number that was assigned to each of the men in February 1917. However, his pension ledger index card does list this number (350018) and this strongly implies that by February 1917, when the six digit numbers were assigned, he was serving at home, probably with the 3/9^th (Reserve) Battalion, Manchester Regiment.

On January 8, 1916 his sister Esty received a letter from him informing her that he was 10-days on a hospital ship after being wounded in both legs from bomb throwing around the middle of December. It is likely that these wounds led to him being repatriated and unable to subsequently serve overseas. He then would have served out the remainder of his time on home service in England, possibly in recruiting and other support functions.

To understand the end of his service it’s useful to review the surviving pension record of Sergeant Titus Knight Broadley Cropper. Sgt. Cropper was repatriated from Gallipoli suffering from dysentery and after recovering was deployed to the Regimental Command Depot at Heaton Park. He remained there for the duration of the war until he was transferred to the 8^th (Reserve) Battalion, Manchester Regiment at Hunmanby, near Filey. On October 2, 1918 he was transferred to the 2/1^st Shropshire Yeomanry, at the Curragh, County Kildare and given the service number 160758. Sergeant Bayley was transferred with him and was given the service number 160757. Sgt. Cropper was medically assessed at the Rath Camp, at the Curragh, on January 15, 1919 and was demobilised on February 22, 1919. It’s reasonable to assume that Sgt. Bayley followed a similar course and timeline.

Sgt. Bayley’s pension ledger index card shows that he applied for a disability pension but was rejected. As a D.C.M. recipient he was entitled to a flat payment of £20 or, if eligible for a disability pension, a weekly payment of 3sh 6d. Clearly, over time, the weekly pension was a financially better option and presumably this is at least partly why he applied for it.

After he was demobilised he married Alice Malinda Bowker, in Ashton, on September 4, 1920 and by this time he was working as a labourer at Broadbent & Sons Iron Foundry but prior to the marriage was still living with his sister Esty in Stalybridge, his father now deceased.

Samuel and his wife made their home in Stalybridge, next door but one to his old family home and his sister. But on August 22, 1924 Samuel Bayley, D.C.M. died suddenly at the age of 39 of chronic nephritis and secondarily from uraemia.

Lance-Corporal Thomas Pickford, DCM

Thomas Pickford was born in Audenshaw on July 25, 1882 to Mathew and Martha Ann Pickford (née Greenwood); impressively he arrived the day after their marriage. He was the oldest of six children and his father was employed as a Brewer’s Drayman. The family settled in Ashton, where Thomas was educated at Trafalgar School, and by 1901 Thomas was 18-years-old and had joined his father as a Carter.

Around this time, he joined the 3rd Volunteer Battalion, the Manchester Regiment which in 1908 became the 9^th Battalion Manchester Regiment, Territorial Force. He served with them for some time but did not re-enlist when his time was up. In 1908 he married Ada Ann Clough and by 1911 they were living at 130 Wellington Street, Ashton with Ada’s son and daughter from a previous relationship and their own two infant daughters. Thomas was still working as a Carter but by now was employed by Noel Duncan Braithwaite, a local Coal Merchant and sergeant in the 9^th Battalion Manchester Regiment.

His brother William Pickford joined the regular Army as a Private with the 5th (Princess Charlotte of Wales’s) Dragoon Guards and was stationed at Aldershot by 1912. War was declared on August 4, 1914 and by now Thomas’s first son, Joseph Pickford, had been born less than six months earlier. On August 11, 1914 his youngest brother, John Pickford, attested with the 11^th Battalion Manchester Regiment. Four days later, his brother William deployed to France with the 5^th Dragoon Guards.

With his two brothers and his employer already mobilised, and himself a former militia man, the pressure on Thomas to attest must have been overwhelming and he re-joined the 9th Battalion Manchester Regiment, Territorial Force as a Private (2103) on Tuesday September 1, 1914 at Ashton. At least one hundred men attested this day, Thomas being one of the very first to do so. At that time, the intent was for the battalion to take the most experienced and able-bodied men, deferring the others until later in the month, as they knew they were shortly to leave for overseas. Thomas and the others quickly joined the battalion at Chesham Fold Camp in Bury and a week later they entrained for Southampton and boarded HMS Aragon, leaving at midnight September 10, bound for Egypt.

In Egypt the men were drilled, trained and worked hard to build their fitness and endurance. Additionally, the old eight Company model (A-H) was replaced with a four Company model (A-D), 4 platoons in each Company and 4 sections in each platoon. The battalion landed at Gallipoli under shell fire on Sunday May 9, 1915 and at that time Thomas Pickford was a 32-year-old Private with “A” Company. His section N.C.O. was 19-year-old Lance-Corporal Gerald Massey and his Platoon commander was 19-year-old 2^nd Lieutenant Charles Earsham Cooke. On the morning of June 20, Gerald Massey was shot in the head and killed by a Turkish sniper when he peered above the parapet. Thomas was promoted to Lance-Corporal to fill the now vacant position and took the trouble to write to Gerald’s parents and the letter was published in the Ashton Reporter of August 21, 1915:

“I was your late son’s friend; he was my section commander and I have now got his place, but I would rather he had been spared. He had a very nice grave behind the firing line. I helped to bury him. Our minister prayed very nice over him. I placed a cross on his grave. I remain, yours, Tom Pickford.”

On August 8, at the start of the Battle of Krithia Vineyard, the battalion went into the trenches. “A” and “B” Companies with the (125th) Fusilier Brigade, and “C” and “D” Companies with the (127th) Manchester Brigade. 2/Lt. Oliver Jepson Sutton took two platoons of “A” company up to the firing line and was almost immediately wounded. Reinforcements were called for and so Lt. Forshaw and 2/Lt. Cooke took the other two platoons of “A” Company to the firing line. The recently promoted Lance-Corporal Thomas Pickford was with 2/Lt. Cooke. What happened to him there is best understood from his own account, given to the Ashton Reporter on March 18, 1916:

2103 Lance-Corporal T. Pickford, 1/9th Battalion, Manchester Regiment, T.F.

For conspicuous gallantry on the 8th August, 1915, at Gallipoli, when he rallied his party, which had been driven back by bombs in the Barricade of the Vineyard, and by his bravery and example was largely instrumental in saving a precarious position.

L/Cpl. Pickford had been wounded in the leg during the battle and after it was over, he was medically evacuated to hospital. By late January 1916 he was back in Ashton recovering, and had time to visit Trafalgar School Ashton, of which Captain Ralph Lees of the 2/9^th Manchesters was headmaster and where he was formerly a pupil.

Sometime between August 1916 and February 1917 he was sufficiently recovered to be transferred to the King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private (310177) along with several other men of the 9^th Manchesters (310176—310178 being former 9^th Battalion Manchester Regiment N.C.O.s). Pickford was attached to the 1/5^th Battalion of the 165th (Liverpool) Brigade and 55th (West Lancashire) Division, in XIX Corps. By July 1917 they were at Pilckem Ridge, Belgium and Thomas had become a father for the fourth time when his youngest daughter, Martha Ann Pickford, was born on May 19, 1917.

On July 31, 1917 the battle of Pilckem Ridge commenced which marked the start of the 3^rd Battle of Ypres. Although the Allied attack started well, by the early afternoon the Germans counter-attacked just as the rain started to fall reducing visibility. The 39th Division on the XIX Corps’ left flank was pushed back to St Julien, exposing the left flank of the 55th (West Lancashire) Division, just as it was attacked frontally by six waves of German infantry. Attempts to hold the ground, now turned to mud, failed and the reserve brigades of the 55th (West Lancashire) and 15th (Scottish) Divisions were rolled up from North to South but were either overrun or forced to retreat. The British eventually stopped the German advance with artillery and machine-gun fire in the early evening hours.

The 1/5^th Battalion King’s Liverpool Regiment had attacked at 3:50am and by the end of the day had suffered other ranks casualties of 105 wounded, 26 killed and 45 missing. Thomas Pickford was reported wounded and missing on July 31, 1917. His body was never found and so his widow was not officially notified of his death until September 18 and Form 104-76, “Death notification of a married man sent from the Territorial Force Record Office to the War Office”, was only received four months later, on January 28, 1918. Army paperwork satisfied, a weekly pension of 33sh 9d was paid commencing April 16, 1918; this to cover Thomas’ widow and six dependents. It’s not clear whether this included the 6d per day pension she was also entitled to for Thomas’ D.C.M.

Thomas Pickford was now declared officially dead, killed in action on July 31, 1918 just five days after his 35^th birthday. He is commemorated on the Menin Gate and on the Ashton Under Lyne Civic Memorial.

Sergeant James Greenhalgh, DCM

James Greenhalgh was born on February 11, 1897 in the port city of Ancud on Chiloé Island, Chile. His father, Daniel Greenhalgh, was employed by the Pacific Steam Navigation Company and later became the chief of claims at the port of Valparaiso. Upon his father’s death, James and his older brother William came back to England and were adopted by their uncle John Ralph Greenhalgh, the head teacher of a school in Audenshaw and a member of the Lancashire Education Committee.

By 1911, James and William were living in Audenshaw and were both employed as Fitters at W.J. Bates & Co. Engineering Works in Denton, James as a 14-year-old apprentice. In February 1914, the 9^th Battalion Manchester Regiment was under strength and so a big recruiting drive at Ashton Town Hall was organized for Saturday February 14. It was widely advertised and James decided to beat the rush and attested on February 9^th when he was just 2 days short of his 17^th birthday. At 5ft 9” tall he was bigger than many of the recruits who would be attesting at the weekend and after 3 years of living with his uncle and aunt, both school teachers, he was better educated.

At some point after he attested, and before the outbreak of war, he changed from manual to clerical work being employed in the accounting department of Beyer Peacock’s engine works at Gorton. Outside of work he was a Sunday school teacher at the Wesleyan Sunday School, Hooley Hill, and a member of the Y.M.C.A. Denton Road, Audenshaw.

The battalion landed at Gallipoli under shell fire on Sunday May 9, 1915 and at that time James Greenhalgh was an 18-year-old Lance-Corporal with “B” Company. In June he was severely wounded in the neck and shoulder by a Turkish bullet while deepening a sap and was medically evacuated to hospital in Malta. After he recovered, he returned to Gallipoli and was subsequently promoted to Corporal. In November he was promoted to sergeant and later that month was again wounded, this time not so severely, when he was struck in the face by shrapnel. He was treated in the field and did not leave the battalion.

By late December, the Allies made the decision to evacuate the Peninsula and operations switched to disguising the intent to leave through a number of small distracting operations. The battalion war diary for December 19, 1915 is unusually expansive:

Morning quiet. In the afternoon a small action took place at 14:15, a large mine was exploded about 30 yards from the N.E. corner of FUSILIER BLUFF and immediately after 5 smaller mines. It was expected that this mine would form a large crater and a party was told off to occupy this. The party consisted of 16 bombers, a working party under 2nd Lieut. GRAY and 26 men of ‘B’ Coy. All went exactly as ordered and the men went over the parapet in a splendid manner, but unfortunately the mine failed to form a crater and when the men got out there was no cover at all and the Turkish trench being intact the enemy fired deliberately from loop holes at the party. 2nd Lieut. GRAY stayed out until it became evident that nothing could be done when he gave the order to retire. The enemy shelled the MULE TRENCH and our Support Line very heavily whilst the action was in progress but did little damage. Our casualties amounted to 3 killed, 1 missing, 11 wounded. The night passed quickly.

In James’ own words (as published in the Ashton Reporter on July 15):

“It was on the 19^th December, 1915, I was ordered to take a party of men over the top, and we got to within ten yards of the Turkish trench. At the same time there was a mine blown up. It should have made a big hole in the front of the Turkish trench. The intention was for us to have got in this hole, but when we got to the place no hole had been made, and we had to lie in the open, and the Turks potting at us from ten yards away. It was a good job the Turks were nervous, or else there would have been none of us left to tell the tale.

The object was for us to get in the crater and build it up with sandbags, and then our bombers could have bombed the Turks out of their trench, but it didn’t come off as we expected. Anyway, we all got back to our trench except one poor lad who was killed.

Lance-Corporal Davies, D.C.M. was with the same party of men.”

In fact, when 2^nd Lieut. Alfred Gray gave the order to retire, Sgt. Greenhalgh and L/Cpl. Davis stayed exposed, just 10-12 yards away from the Turkish trench, and covered the other men’s withdrawal while under heavy fire, only returning to safety themselves after their party had been able to return to the Allied trenches.

On June 2, 1916 the London Gazette announced the award of the Distinguished Conduct Medal to Sgt. Greenhalgh and the London Gazette of June 21 carried the following citation:

1623 Sjt. J. Greenhalgh, 9th Bn. Manch. R., T.F.

For conspicuous gallantry when covering a retirement under very heavy fire at a few yards range.

The annotated D.C.M. listing does not provide much additional information but the long-forgotten administrative code of “B1-131” directly links this award with that of Lance-Corporal Davis.

2/Lt. Alfred Gray, who was commanding the small group of Manchesters, was eventually awarded the Military Cross, in May 1919, for “gallant and distinguished services in the Field” but there is little doubt that this action, on this day, was a significant contributing factor to his award.

James Greenhalgh served with the 9^th Battalion for the duration of the war, serving in Egypt and France, and was demobilised on February 27, 1919. On April 9, 1925 he married Emily Louisa Mantle in Ashton and by 1939 they had moved to Liverpool and ran a small grocery shop, on Finvoy Road. Eventually, they retired to a small bungalow close to the sea at Abergel, North Wales. James Greenhalgh, D.C.M. died on April 17, 1976, a month before the death of his wife. He was 79 years old.

RSM John Alexander Christie, DCM

John Alexander Christie was born on June 15, 1869 in Belfast to John and Mary Anne Christie (née Archer). When he was 18 ½ years old, he joined the 2^nd East Lancashire Regiment at Belfast on January 5, 1888. Within 3 years he had been promoted to Corporal.

He deployed with them to Gibraltar on January 29, 1893 where they remained for 2 years and 3 months returning to England on April 30, 1895 as a Sergeant. He passed a Regimental Transport Course the following year but in January 1897 he went absent without leave from Aldershot for a week and upon his return was arrested, stripped of his rank and, at his own request, transferred to the Army Reserve on February 15, 1897. While he was a civilian, he married Emma Tyler, in December 1898, and would eventually have seven children, the first two dying as infants in late 1901. Earlier that year he had been allowed to rejoin for another 12 years which would extend his service to 21 years.

At the outbreak of the Boer War, he was called up for service on December 18, 1899 and deployed to South Africa with the 1^st Battalion East Lancs Regiment in January 1900. There he served for a year before being invalided back to England but would later be awarded the Queen’s South Africa Medal with Paardeberg, Dreifontein and Cape Colony clasps.

Back in England he spent two years at the Regimental Depot and by July 1902 had been promoted back to Sergeant. In March 1903 he was posted back to the 1^st battalion then in Ireland, where he passed his Mounted Infantry Certificate, but after 7 months transferred to the 2^nd battalion in Poona, India where he and his family remained for the next 3 years. In India he passed his School of Musketry course at Satara in June 1906.

Returning to England in October 1906 he was posted back to the 1^st Battalion East Lancs Regiment in Ireland again and in 1908 was preemptively granted permission to continue in the service beyond 21 years. As such, he was posted to the 5^th Battalion at Burnley in December 1910 as Sergeant-Instructor. Here he received a Certificate of Proficiency Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield Lock, in May 1912. In 1914 he received his Long Service and Good Conduct Medals but his military service was far from over.

Shortly after the outbreak of War, he sailed to Egypt with the East Lancs Division, in early September 1914, just over 2 months after his youngest son, Albert Frederick Christie, was born in Burnley. In Egypt, the men drilled, trained and improved their physical fitness and on May 5, 1915 they embarked at Port Said for Gallipoli, arriving there on May 9th. Sgt. Christie was 45 years old and he was about to spend the next 8 months living under canvas in extremely difficult conditions which would severely challenge men less than half his age.

On March 18, 1915 the 9^th Battalion, Manchester Regiment war diary notes that Colour-Sergeant James Holt of the pre-war permanent staff was invalided home from Egypt. In August 1914 the Cheshire Reporter lists three permanent staff members: Sergeant-Major Fowler, Colour-Sergeant Holt and Sergeant Craig. These men were regular Army N.C.O.s, permanently attached to the 9th Battalion, whose remit was to properly train the men and instill in them the same professionalism found with the regular forces. Only two traveled to Egypt with the battalion; Fowler and Holt. To lose such an experienced man just a few weeks before deployment to Gallipoli was a huge blow and it is likely that Sergeant-Instructor Christie was attached to the 1/9^th Manchesters in March or April to fill this gap. Although we do not know exactly when Christie joined the 9^th, we are certain that by May 23^rd Sergeant-Instructor Christie was attached to them and assigned to “C” Company as he is referenced by name in Lance-Corporal Albert Platt’s interview with the Ashton Reporter. Christie would remain attached to the 1/9^th for the duration of the war and provided exemplary and invaluable service.

On June 7, “C” Company was involved in a bloody bayonet charge that resulted in almost 50% casualties, Sgt. Christie was one of them but was only slightly wounded and did not leave the battalion. Remarkably, on the following day he was with Lieut. A.W.F. Connery, and No 11 Platoon, took over a small redoubt from troops of the Chatham Battalion, Royal Naval Division and spent the next 48 hours under heavy fire from Turkish shells and machine guns rebuilding the parapet a number of times as the bombardment repeatedly knocked it down. From the Ashton Reporter:

“On the afternoon of the 8^th the company took over the guard in the gully, and Lieut. Connery, with his platoon and Sergt.-Inst. Christie, took over a redoubt from the Marines, which was subjected to a continuous heavy fire from Turkish gun and machine guns. Whilst Lieut. Connery was on this duty the Turks several times knocked the parapet down, and under a hot fire he himself, ably assisted by Sergt.-Inst. Christie and some of the men, rebuilt it as often as it was knocked down, and in addition greatly improved the defences. After 48 hours of this strenuous work the platoon was relieved.”

On June 22 another veteran, Regimental Sergeant Major Joseph Fowler, senior member of the battalion’s pre-war permanent staff, was wounded when he was shot through the scalp, and forced to leave the peninsula and go to hospital. Sergeant Christie was given an immediate field promotion to acting Regimental Sergeant Major, confirmed one month later and ante-dated to June 22.

By August, sickness was becoming widespread and on August 3 Christie was medically evacuated to hospital in Alexandria, with pneumonia, on the hospital ship Assaye. He rejoined the battalion at Gallipoli on October 28 and remained with them until they evacuated the peninsula two months later on December 28, 1915. On Saturday November 6, the Ashton Reporter published a first-hand narrative of events at Gallipoli by an un-named N.C.O. of “C” Company. In his report he specifically called out the good work of Sgt.-Major Christie, along with Sgt.-Major Fowler and Lance-Corporal Albert Platt as well as two young 2^ndLieuts.

“It is almost certain that had Lieuts. Wade and Connery and the two new N.C.O.s mentioned [Christie and Platt] been recommended for various good works carried out by them some distinction would have been awarded.”

The battalion sailed to Egypt in January 1916 where they were engaged in the defence of the Suez Canal from potential attack by the Turks from the Sinai. In March he was admitted to hospital at Suez suffering from Pyrexia, rejoining the battalion two weeks later. In June he was granted one month’s leave in England embarking at Alexandria on June 4, 1916 and rejoining the battalion at Kantara on July 27, (leave being exclusive of travel time).

On February 13, 1917 the London Gazette made the following announcement (Christie’s B.103 making the clarification: for distinguished service in the [Gallipoli] Campaign):

Decorations and medals conferred by HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF SERBIA. (September and October, 1916.) Cross of Karageorge, 1st Class (with Swords):

2218 Acting Regimental-Serjeant-Major John Alexander Christie, Manchester Regiment.

On March 2, 1917 the battalion embarked HMT Arcadian at Alexandria for France, arriving at Marseilles on the 11^th. On May 2 he was promoted to Temporary Sergeant-Major (Warrant Officer Class I) for the duration of the War. He attended a 4^th Army School of Instruction for 5 weeks at Flixecourt followed by 10 days leave in England, rejoining the battalion in the field on August 15, 1917. While he was in training the London Gazette carried the following announcement on July 24, 1917:

His Majesty the KING has been graciously pleased to approve of the award of the Distinguished Conduct Medal to the undermentioned Warrant Officers, Noncommissioned Officers and Men for acts of gallantry and devotion to duty in the Field: —

2218 S.M. J. A. Christie, E. Lan. R. attd. 1/9th Bn. Manch. R.

For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He has performed consistent good work throughout, and has at all times set a magnificent example of courage and initiative.

As can be seen from the annotated D.C.M. listing above, it was awarded specifically for his actions in Krithia Gully, (actually starting on the afternoon of June 8), rallying his men and repeatedly rebuilding the parapet over a 48-hour period while under heavy fire but also, as the inscription states, for his repeated good work throughout the Gallipoli campaign.

Shortly after he returned to France from leave, he was wounded on September 9, 1917 and again 8 days later on the 17^th, remaining with the battalion both times. He was not so lucky on March 26, 1918 when he was wounded by shellfire in the left thigh and treated at 26^th Field Ambulance. From there he was medically evacuated to No 9 General Hospital, Rouen and then transferred to England on the hospital transport ship Panama, on March 31. In England he was treated at Red Cross Hospital Highfield Hall, Southampton, being discharged on May 7, 1918, 36 days later. After 3 weeks leave, he reported to the 4^th (Reserve) Battalion, East Lancs Regiment at Scarborough on June 1 where he remained until he was discharged upon completion of his service on May 6, 1919. He had served for a quite remarkable 31 years 122 days, the majority of the war years in front line infantry positions with the 9^th Battalion Manchester Regiment.

In his civilian life he remained in Burnley, and became the landlord of the Derby Arms Hotel, Standish Street, Burnley. He remained active after the war with the South African War Veteran’s Association, the 42nd Division Old Comrades’ Association and the British Legion and had been in charge of every Burnley Armistice day parade of ex-servicemen since the War. But on September 8, 1934 he died after a month’s illness and was interred at Burnley Cemetery. Regimental Sergeant Major John Alexander Christie, D.C.M. was 65 years old. His wife, daughter and four sons survived him.

Lance-Corporal George James Silvester, DCM

George James Silvester was born on September 7, 1894 in Ashton under Lyne. He was the oldest son of Alfred Edward and Sarah Silvester (née Mellor) who had married the previous year and made their family home at 227 King Street, Hurst, Ashton. Alfred was an educated man who was employed as a Clerk in a Cotton Mill Warehouse in Ashton and would eventually become an undermanager at the Mill.

George was educated at Hurst British School and, according to the headmaster J.W. Spencer, took the efficiency and progress prize each year he attended. By 1911 he was living with his parents, his brother Kenneth and younger sister Phyllis and working as a weaver at a cotton mill. His sister Isabel Fanny Silvester having died just under a year after she was born in 1896.

On November 25, 1912, a few weeks after his 18^th birthday, he joined the 9^th Battalion Manchester Regiment, Territorial Force as a Private (1358). At 5ft 8” tall he was bigger and better educated than many of the other enlisted men and so although younger than the old hands, was at some point promoted to Lance-Corporal. His career also progressed outside of the military becoming an Overlooker at Messrs. Whittaker’s Mills, Queen Street, Hurst.

At the outbreak of war, the battalion was mobilised and on August 20 they marched into Chesham Fold Camp, Bury. Throughout August around 100 new recruits were added, many of whom had previously served with the battalion in the pre-war years. On September 1, 1914 another 100+ men were added, many of whom were friends and family of the existing members of the battalion. On Wednesday September 9 the battalion entrained to Southampton and at midnight the following day sailed for Egypt. In Egypt the men were drilled, trained and worked hard to build fitness and endurance. Additionally, the old eight Company model (A-H) was replaced with a four Company model (A-D), 4 platoons in each Company and 4 sections in each platoon.

The battalion landed at Gallipoli under shell fire on Sunday May 9, 1915 and at that time George Silvester was a 20-year-old Lance-Corporal with “C” Company. Two days later he became the first recorded casualty of C company when he was hit in the leg by a stray bullet while the battalion was while the battalion was in brigade reserve in a line of trenches known as Backhouse Post trenches. He was treated at the field ambulance and remained with his unit.

On May 21 the battalion moved into the Redoubt Line trenches and the following day Lt-Col. D.H. Wade, the battalion’s commanding officer, was shot and wounded in the thigh while stepping over some sleeping men. Major Nowell assumed temporary command of the battalion. By the following evening, May 22, A and B Companies were in the firing line with C and D Companies in the reserve line. In preparation for the Third Battle of Krithia, the Allied forces started to undertake a series of coordinated and stealthy night operations to advance and straighten the firing line so that they could reach within striking distance of the Turkish positions. This night, a coordinated action was planned involving the 1/9th Manchesters in the centre, the 1/5th East Lancs on the battalion’s right and the 1/10th Manchesters on their left. The basic idea was to create a series of disconnected “firing pits” which could later be joined together to create a new “fire trench”. It was hard and dangerous work and many, if not all, of the men that went out that night were volunteers.

In the 9th Manchesters’ section, at least 32 men, (4 per platoon from C and D Companies), formed a digging party and a further 16 men were detailed to form a covering party. The covering party advanced first and took up position about 50 yards in front of the intended new line of trenches. They doubled out carrying rifle, bayonet, rations and half-filled sand bags for a semblance of cover. After a pause to allow enemy fire to die down, the digging parties went forward, carrying full entrenchment kit and supplies, spade, rifle, bayonet, rations and also with half-filled sandbags. The Turks became aware of the activity as soon as the covering parties left the Redoubt Line and opened fire but after a short time the firing stopped, the covering parties having been ordered not to return fire. However, as soon as the digging parties made their advance the Turks open a heavy fire which continued throughout the night causing a number of casualties.

Lance-Corporal Silvester, in the digging party and still carrying his wound from a few days earlier, saw that (1413) Pte. Thomas Penny had been wounded and crawled out to him under heavy fire and brought him 120 yards back to safety. He may have then repeated the act for two other men but regardless, when he had finished bringing in wounded men, he crawled back out and resumed digging.

Four months later, the Ashton Reporter carried a large article about several men of the 1/9^th Battalion who had been recommended for decorations for their actions at Gallipoli, one of who was Lance-Corporal Silvester:

On the evening of May 25th Lance Corporal Silvester, Lance Corporal Wilde and a working party of about 30 soldiers were engaged in straightening up the line of trenches, when the enemy opened up with heavy fire. The working party lost five men killed and wounded. Silvester, although wounded, continued to carry out his duties and showed the highest courage in aiding the wounded under fire. By daybreak, they had achieved their objective, and were safely dug in.

Sergeant-Drummer Stopford, also of C Company and a neighbour of Silvester’s from Hurst, wrote a letter home to his wife where he said:

“I am very pleased to tell you that Sergt. Grantham and Corpl. Silvester have been awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for bravery in the trenches. … Corpl. Silvester got his for going out three times and carrying in wounded comrades under a heavy fire.”

In a letter home to his family near the end of July, Lance-Corporal Silvester said:

“It is quite true that I have been recommended for some decoration, but I can’t say whether I shall get it or not. Major Nowell (commanding officer) sent for me last week, and told me he was doing all he could to get it for me, and that General Prendergast [42^nd Division CO] had promised to do what he could. I hope I shall get it as I know how you will feel.”

And around a week later in a letter dated August 8 he added:

“No doubt you will know by now that I am Corporal Silvester D.C.M. … The name of the man I carried was Private Penny. I am sorry to say he died of his injuries about a month later. I have not received the medal yet, I have it to come, but I am entitled to wear the ribbon now. I dare say it will be in the Reporter about the affair, but I don’t want to brag about it.”

Lance Corporal Silvester was awarded the DCM and was promoted to Sergeant. The following citation was published in the London Gazette on September 15, 1915, a week after his 21^st birthday:

For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty on the Gallipoli Peninsula. Although wounded on the 20th May he continued to perform his duties, and showed the highest courage on 25th May in aiding the wounded under fire.

It’s worth noting that the dates given in the official citation do not exactly match the dates provided contemporaneously from war diaries, personal diaries and letters home from the front. The balance of evidence shows that the dates in the official citation are wrong.

But before he was awarded the DCM, Cpl. Silvester was wounded for a second time. His name was present on the July 26, 1915 London Times Casualty List along with a number of other killed and wounded men of the 9^th Manchesters. Unlike when he was wounded on May 11, this means that he left the peninsula for hospital treatment. In fact, in his letter home written “near the end of July”, excerpts of which were published in the Ashton Reporter, he references that he had been wounded twice and that “Jim Taylor’s son was in the same ward as myself”. It’s likely that Cpl. Silvester received a sufficiently serious but not life-threatening wound early in June, (perhaps in the bayonet charge of June 7), was medically evacuated to Egypt and returned to Gallipoli a few weeks later. If so, he was in good company. One other man also named on the same casualty list was 1192 Corporal Harry Trunkfield who was shot through the thigh on June 9^th and medically evacuated to a hospital at Alexandria. By August 7 he was back in the thick of things at Gallipoli in the battle of Krithia Vineyard and subsequently received a congratulatory card from Major General Douglas for his actions that day.

On December 24, 1915 Sgt. Silvester was medically evacuated from Gallipoli after suffering his third wound of the campaign; a gunshot wound to the back. Unfortunately, this wound was far more serious than the previous two and it effectively marked the end of his military combat service. He spent several months recovering in hospital before becoming fit enough to embark for England on April 4, 1916.

Back in Ashton he was, quite rightly, treated as a hero and minor celebrity and on June 3 was presented with a gold watch by the overlookers and weavers of Messrs. Whittaker’s Mill, Hurst where he had been employed as an overlooker before the war. The watch was engraved “Presented to Sergt. G. Silvester, D.C.M., by the weavers and overlookers at Whittaker’s Mill, in commemoration of his gallantry.”

He underwent a long recovery but at some point after July 1917 he was pronounced permanently unfit for General Service but fit for home service. He transferred to Fort George, Guernsey as (2302) Sergeant-Instructor to the 2nd (Reserve) Battalion Royal Guernsey Light Infantry which was formed to receive and train recruits as replacements for casualties in the 1st Battalion which was then serving in France.

He must have impressed his superior officers because in May 1918 he was recommended for a commission in the regular forces and submitted his papers in early June. He was accepted and ordered to report to No 15 Officer Cadet Training battalion at Gidea Hall, Romford on July 5, 1918. He graduated in February 1919, his confidential report noting that he was “Conscientious and Hardworking. Rather unpolished but trustworthy and quiet in manner and should make a sound and reliable officer.”

He was duly commissioned as a temporary 2^nd Lieutenant, effective March 3, 1919, to the 2^nd Royal Guernsey Light Infantry Reserve of Officers. But since the war was now over, he returned to Ashton and resumed his civilian life. In May, the National Federation of Discharged and Demobilised Sailors & Soldiers wrote to the War Office on his behalf requesting a pension payment of 6d per day in respect of his DCM. This was refused on the grounds that he had not been discharged on disability pension and so was required to accept only the £20 lump sum gratuity.

In October 1920 the 9^th Battalion Manchester Regiment was re-formed and many former Officers, NCOs and men of the 1/9^th Battalion re-joined. George Silvester was appointed Company Sergeant-Major but he was not a well man and on August 13, 1921 he died of Bright’s Disease at Ashton District Infirmary. He had been at Caernarfon Camp with the 9th Battalion and was taken ill there. Returning to Ashton on August 13th he was attended by a local Doctor and immediately moved to the Ashton Infirmary where he died shortly after admission. He was buried at Hurst Cemetery the following Wednesday, with his mother who had died in February that same year, and with his infant sister Isabel who had died in 1897. There was a large attendance at the funeral, the bearers being six sergeants of the 9th Battalion. The firing party was under the command of another battalion sergeant and the Last Post was sounded as he was laid to rest. George James Silvester, DCM was just 26 years old.

A year after his death, the London Gazette incongruously announced that he had relinquished his commission in the Reserve of Officers on completion of service on September 1, 1922 retaining the rank of Second Lieutenant. His gravestone at Hurst Cemetery records him for posterity as DCM winner and Company Sergeant Major in the 9^th Manchester Regiment.

Lance-Corporal Albert Platt, MM

Albert Platt was born on September 17, 1887 in Lees, Oldham. He was the oldest of three boys, his younger sister dying when she was just two years old. By the age of 13 he had left school and was employed as a Cotton Mill Hand and living with his parents, George and Nancy Platt, (née Halkyard), on Warrington Street, Stalybridge.

On December 26, 1910 he married Jane Ann Baily at Castle Hall Parish Church, (now Holy Trinity), Stalybridge and they made their home at 13 Medlock Rd, Woodhouses, (now Failsworth). Albert was employed as a Stripper & Grinder at a Cotton Spinning Company.

Shortly after the outbreak of war, Albert joined the 9^th Battalion Manchester Regiment, Territorial Force as a Private (2146) on Tuesday September 1, 1914 at Ashton. At least one hundred men attested this day and at that time the intent was for the battalion to take the most able-bodied and experienced men, deferring the others until later in the month, as they knew they were shortly to leave overseas. Albert and the others quickly joined the battalion at Chesham Fold Camp in Bury and a week later they entrained for Southampton and boarded HMS Aragon, leaving at midnight September 10, bound for Egypt.

In Egypt, the men went through rigorous training and Albert was appointed Lance-Corporal on February 9, 1915. He landed in Gallipoli on May 9, 1915 with the rest of the 1/9^th Manchesters as a junior NCO of C Company.

In December 1915. Albert was interviewed by the Ashton Reporter primarily because they had recently published an extensive report from an anonymous NCO from “C” Company of the 9^th Battalion who had referenced Albert by name as having been “continually doing good work” in Gallipoli, a euphemism for multiple acts of conspicuous gallantry in the field. In Albert’s own account of his exploits on the peninsula he referenced the events of three different significant days which are outlined below:

May 23, 1915

“Two of our Companies, A and B, were put into the firing line, and C and D Companies were in the reserve Companies. Four men from each platoon in C and D Company were required to go and dig themselves in 120 yards in advance of A Company’s lines. This took them into the open between our lines and the Turks. Three men of my section volunteered, namely, Private Robinson, Pollard (of Woodhouses), and Stockdale, and a man named Rimmington from another platoon, made up the fourth. I said to Sergeant Joe Wood, ‘Well, I suppose I can go up and see the men off?’ and he gave me permission. I took a cloth bandolier with ammunition and my rifle. The lads had to go with full entrenchment kit and supplies, spade, rifle, bayonet, rations, etc. They had not been gone long before I heard someone was wounded. It turned out to be a lad named Penny. Lance Corporal Silvester, who has won the D.C.M. and another man brought Penny in. I then said to Silvester, “I’ll see if any of my lads have got wounded. They may be requiring help,” and leaving my rifle and ammunition I went out some distance, and then discovered that I was lost. I was in a very uncomfortable position. It was quite dark, and plenty of bullets were flying about. I decided to turn round, and see if I could find my way back. I did so, but instead of going back I afterwards found that I had gone to the right, and I stumbled on a dead Turk. I then got level with a hole and saw a head come up from it. I thought the hole must contain a Turkish sniper, and I got hold of the fellow saying, “Who are you?” He did not speak at first, and I was just going to take drastic measures with him when the fellow says, “What’s to want?” He turned out to be one of the East Lancs, an old soldier who had seen service in South Africa, named Jimmy McGuire. He and others were digging themselves in. I said, “I will stick with you.” I stuck with him all night and the next day, helping him to dig himself in. The following night I rushed back and enquired from Sergeant-Major Christie where Sergeant Harrop was. Sergeant-Major Christie told me that the whole Company were going to dig themselves in and make a new firing line. He asked, “Are you Lance Corporal Platt?” and I replied, “Yes,” and he said, “You are just the man we want. You are going to be shot for being absent without leave.” I then heard a laugh. I had not had a drink or bite since the previous night.”

1358 Corporal George James Silvester was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for bringing in 1413 Private Thomas Penny while under fire. Cpl. Silvester had been wounded earlier that month but had remained with the battalion. Although Pte. Penny was safely brought back to the Allied lines, he was severely wounded and later died in Hospital at Malta, on June 6, and is buried at Pieta Military Cemetery.

Three of the four men who volunteered to go out into no man’s land and dig themselves in that night were 2011 Pte. Joseph Pollard, 1373 Pte. Noel Williamson Stockdale and 1383 Pte. Charles Irvine Rimmington. There were three Robinson’s at that time at Gallipoli: 1382 Pte. Ernest Robinson, 1681 Pte. Harry Robinson and 1887. Pte. Mark Robinson. Ernest Robinson was Killed in Action on June 7 in the bayonet charge referenced below and so we know that he was in C Company and so there is a stronger possibility that the “Robinson” referred to above was him.

Joseph Pollard was a 25-year-old neighbour of Albert Platt’s who’s family lived within 5 minutes walk. Pollard attested with the 9th Battalion on August 5, 1914 and had previously served 4 years with them. In 1911 Albert and Joe were both working in Cotton Mills and so there’s a strong possibility that they were friends and work colleagues too and perhaps this was part of the reason Albert enlisted on September 1st.

June 7, 1915

“Another night about 60 or 70 of us were told to dig a communication trench, and whilst we were engaged a fellow told me that Dick Stott was wounded in the head. I was fagged out with digging, but I crawled down to Stott, and took him a short distance. Then I passed word to Pollard, of Woodhouses, to come and give me a lift with Stott. We got hold of him and rushed into the trench. Stott had been wounded while we were in the open digging ourselves in. When we got to the trench Sergeant Harrop gave us a lift with him, and we placed him in a blanket and carried him to the dressing station. In the afternoon of the same day, C Company made a bayonet charge on the Turks. We were a little over 100 strong when we went out, but about 45 got either killed or wounded. When we got into the Turkish trench Tom Finnerty said to me “Joe Bertenshaw is over there, Albert, are you going for him?” I replied, “Sure!” and I climbed back over the parapet. Tommy Finnerty came with me and we found Joe lying on the ground. I said, “Is that you Joe?” and he replied, “Yes … is it Albert?” I replied in the affirmative, and Joe says, “Get me in, will you?” I said “That’s what we’ve come for.” We dragged him to the parapet and I shouted to some of the men to catch him. Then we rolled him over. Then we went back for another wounded lad called Wilson, of Ashton, and got him in, and we also fetched in Albert Wrigley. Just as we were getting him to the parapet the Turks opened rapid fire, and we had to lie down until their fire ceased, and they resumed independent fire again. Then Finnerty and I dragged Wrigley to the parapet and rolled him over, and the men caught him. In and between these I was fetching ammunition, etc., and passing it into the trench. I was in the open while doing this and exposed to the fire of the Turks. Just as we got to the parapet after taking Wrigley, Finnerty was shot in the leg.”

1652 Pte. Richard Stott died of wounds just under a week later, on June 13, on a hospital ship whilst at sea. Richard had just turned 15 years old and had been one of the first to attest at a big recruiting drive at Ashton Town Hall on the evening of February 14, 1914. He lied about his age and stated that he was 17 years old, the minimum age, but he was only 5ft 2” tall and it’s hard to imagine that they really believed him.

Despite being retrieved from no man’s land, 2141 Pte. Joseph Richard Bertenshaw did not survive the day and was reported as killed in action June 7. He had joined the battalion with his brother Percy the same day as Albert Platt, September 1, 1914. A third brother, Herbert, had been with the battalion since November 1913 and no doubt they joined to make sure they all served together.

2068 Pte. Albert Wrigley also retrieved that day did not survive and was listed as killed in action on June7. Pte. Wilson was more fortunate than the others and survived.

1776 Pte. Thomas Finnerty was shot in the knee on June 7 and medically evacuated to Malta. He was one of the 100 or so men who joined the battalion on February 14, 1914, along with Richard Stott. While in hospital at Malta he wrote home to his parents but remarkably did not make any mention of the role he played in bringing three wounded men in with Albert Platt, choosing instead to report on his neighbours’ wounds, (all three men living on Wellington Street in Ashton):

“I am sorry to say that I had the misfortune to get hit by a bullet in the knee, but I am doing very well indeed, so you must not trouble or worry about me. I shall be in good hands and well looked after. I want you to let Mrs. Barratt and Mrs. Turner know that Herbert and John have also been wounded, and tell them not to worry, as they are doing as well as can be expected. Herbert Barratt was hit in the right arm near the shoulder, and John Turner has been hit two or three times in his right hand, wrist and arm near the shoulder. We all got wounded on the same night, it was June 7th. I am posting this at Malta”.

June 7 was a truly memorable day for Lance-Corporal Platt and no doubt one that he remembered for the rest of his life. Having just taken part in a bayonet charge that resulted in almost 50% casualties, and having voluntarily risked his life to check on the welfare of his men in May, he repeated that courageous act to bring in four seriously wounded soldiers. The fact that three of them did not survive is irrelevant to the conspicuous gallantry he showed that day which closely emulated that of Corporal Silvester in May. But June 7, 1915 was by far the bloodiest day in the battalion’s time at Gallipoli so far, with two officers of C Company killed in action and dozens of men killed or wounded, and we can only speculate that the chaos that day meant that he did not receive any official recognition for his actions.

June 18, 1915

“Another day, B Company made another bayonet charge, and while this was going on I was digging a trench for the bombing party.”

Although Albert devoted just one sentence to the events of June 18 it was in fact the bloodiest day of the battalion’s time on the Peninsula eclipsing that of June 7 less than two weeks before.

June 24, 1915

On June 23^rd the battalion came out of the line and moved to “Shell Bivouac”, a rest area that had become notorious for being in sight of the Turkish artillery and which was constantly, randomly shelled.

“Altogether we had been in the trenches 21 days, and then came down for a rest. I was wounded while at the rest camp. I was just going to have a bath in the sea when a piece of shell struck me on the leg, just above the ankle. The leg was hanging, and I was taken down to hospital at Malta.”

He was medically evacuated to hospital in Malta where his right leg was amputated at the “seat of election”, just below the right knee. The “seat of election” was that point in the limb where, with practically the whole length at his disposal for an amputation, the surgeon elected to cut the bone and his preference for this particular spot was largely driven by the unsatisfactory nature of existing artificial limbs. Consequently, it was an advantage if the portion of the limb below the knee was left as short as possible and that the end of the stump was most protected and least in the way. The alternative approach for an ankle injury was a Syme amputation which is an amputation done through the ankle joint. The foot is removed but the heel pad is saved so the patient can put weight on the leg without a prosthesis. Presumably the shell fragment had damaged the tibia and fibula far enough above the ankle joint to make this procedure impractical.

In mid-1915, there were no antibiotics and sepsis (also known as blood poisoning) was a significant post-surgical risk, especially with battlefield wounds. Treatment was rather basic; antiseptics were used to clean the wounds and deep surgical incisions were used to drain the pus from infected parts of the body. Corporal Albert Platt, by his own account, underwent at least five operations for blood poisoning in his shoulders while he was in hospital at Malta. He was lucky to survive.

Almost 3 months after being wounded he embarked a Hospital Ship at Valetta bound for England on September 18, 1915, probably arriving 8-10 days later. By early December, he was being treated in the Ashton District Infirmary Wounded Soldiers’ ward but was sufficiently recovered to be able to make periodic day trips from the hospital to see friends and family. His wife at this time gave an address on Warrington Street, Stalybridge presumably to be closer to her family and in-laws.

On March 3, 1916 the battalion in Egypt received congratulatory cards from the Major-General commanding the 42^nd Division, for good work done in Gallipoli, for a handful of men including 2146 Corporal Albert Platt. Clearly a belated attempt to provide official recognition of Albert’s actions on June 7 submitted by the battalion at the end of the campaign in an effort to address the oversight.

Albert had been promoted to Corporal on June 27, 1915 for his actions in the field and this, of course, provided slightly higher pay. On September 1, 1916 he was awarded Proficiency Pay, Class II, which would have resulted in an additional 3d per day over and above his regular pay. During the period that he was convalescing and being actively treated he remained on the Army payroll but in January 1917 he was medically assessed and pronounced permanently unfit for military service, registered for the silver war badge, and on February 3, 1917 was discharged under Paragraph 392 (XVI) of King’s Regulations. His Army disability pension began the following day.

Three full years later, on January 30, 1920, the following announcement appeared in the London Gazette:

His Majesty the KING has been graciously pleased to approve of the award of the Military Medal to the undermentioned Warrant Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and Men for bravery in the Field, whose services have been brought to notice in accordance with the terms of Army Order 193 of 1919. To be dated 5th May, 1919, unless otherwise stated: —
MANCHESTER REGIMENT
2146 Cpl. Platt, A., 9th Bn. (Stalybridge).

This was a quite remarkable announcement since it meant that Cpl. Platt was awarded the Military Medal (MM) for his actions at Gallipoli. We know this since he did not serve under fire in any other military theatre of operation and the MM was awarded for “acts of gallantry and devotion to duty under fire”. But the Military Medal was not established until March 26, 1916, two months after the evacuation of the Gallipoli peninsula, and so he is a member of a very select group of men to have received this decoration for the Gallipoli campaign. From a purely practical perspective, the award of the MM meant an additional 6d per day for Albert’s disability pension.

Back in the civilian world, Albert and his wife moved to Heyrod Hall Farm, Heyrod, Stalybridge where he became a self-employed poultry farmer, thus side-stepping the need to try to find regular employment as a disabled ex-serviceman. Proving that he wasn’t completely disabled, on December 1, 1922 his son Albert Jnr. was born there. By 1939 the family had moved to Haltham, near Horncastle, Lincolnshire and in 1952 they sold their house in Haltham and moved to Saddleworth to be closer to their son.

Corporal Albert Platt, M.M. died on July 13, 1955 from a cerebral thrombosis, caused by underlying atherosclerosis, at his home in Saddleworth. He was 67 years old.

Lt.-Col. Henry William Laws, CMG, DSO

Henry William Laws was born on June 15, 1876 in Peckham, London, the oldest son of Richard William Laws, an art metal worker (a skilled worker in architectural metal). He had two older sisters, Alice Louise Laws, named after her mother Louise Laws (née White), and Blanche Edith Laws.

By 1891, Henry was a 15 year old student living with his parents, his father now employing workers in his metal fabrication business. Also present were his two younger brothers, Ernest Francis Laws and Richard Arthur Laws, his two younger sisters Isabel Annie Laws and Maud Evelyn Laws, and a domestic servant. His eldest sister, Alice Louise Laws passed away when she was 10 years old.

Tin Mining in Northern Nigeria

The Protectorate of Northern Nigeria was added to the dependencies of the British Empire in 1900. Early in 1902 Sir William Wallace, a future Governor of Northern Nigeria, travelled to Bauchai and after subduing the Emir was able to trade for a small amount of tin sands that was locally produced close to the Naraguta river. He sent this to the Directors of the Niger Company who took out a prospecting license and sent Henry Laws out as their General Mining Manager and Engineer to investigate. In 1902-03 Laws led three prospecting expeditions to Bauchai province discovering large amounts of alluvial tin in the Gura Mountains (Naraguta and Shere Hills in the Badiko district). Based on his discoveries, the Niger Company applied for a number of mining leases in 1905 and despite the difficulties of extraction and commercialization in such a remote and undeveloped area they were able to produce 1 ton per day of tin. That same year, Laws erected a Mining Beacon, the first one in Nigeria, on the Jos Plateau which remains there today. Henry Laws spent a decade working in Northern Nigeria, his son Philip Saxelby Laws being born in 1907 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. His work in Northern Nigeria made him prosperous and by 1911 his family were living at the Manor House, Newington with two domestic servants. By 1914 he had left the employ of the Niger Company and on July 1st formed his own company of Laws, Rumbold & Co., Mining & Consulting Engineers and Mine Managers, with partners William R. Rumbold and Howard Johnson.

Henry became an associate member (AIMM) of the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy (subsequently absorbed by the Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining), in 1903 providing his address as “c/o The Niger Co. Ltd., Tilde, Northern Nigeria, via Keffi”. He became a full member (MIMM) in 1910 switching his contact address to his home in Newington. Henry remained a member of the Institution throughout his life.

Motor Owner Driver

Shortly after the outbreak of war, in September 1914, the Royal Naval Division Administrative Staff arranged with the Royal Automobile Club to obtain the services of 50 gentlemen, who were to bring their own cars and place them at the disposal of the Admiralty. These ‘Motor Owner Drivers’ were granted temporary commissions with pay of ₤1 a day with free petrol and tyres. These cars and their drivers proved very useful for transport of ammunition and wounded at Antwerp. Henry Laws was one such gentleman, providing the Admiralty with the use of himself and his 32 H.P. Cadillac and was granted a temporary commission as a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve (RNVR) and gazetted in the September 14, 1914 edition , (notwithstanding the fact that they got his middle initial wrong).

Medical Unit, Royal Marines

In November 1914, the Royal Marines formed a Medical Unit at Blandford. It consisted of 3 Field Ambulances and Temp Lieutenant H. W. Laws, R.N.V.R. was granted a temporary commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Marines and appointed as the Unit’s Transport Officer, which carried the honorary rank of Captain. The Medical Unit, attached to the Royal Naval Division (RND), left England on February 28, 1915 sailing from Avenmouth en-route to Gallipoli with stops in Egypt and Lemnos. On board the HMS Minnetonka, Captain Laws, the Transport Officer of the Medical Unit was given permission to land the animals and vehicles of Field Ambulance No 2 at Cape Helles, on May 9th 1915. A month later they were involved in the 3rd Battle of Krithia and the men of the Transport Section, under Captain Laws, attached to the Advanced Dressing Station, (ADS), of the 2nd Field Ambulance, RND, were given a special mention for their work assisting the Stretcher Bearers of the ADS during the battle.

Gallipoli Mining Engineer

On June 7, 1915 the 8^th Army Corps issued orders to their Divisions to organize mining parties, preferably made up of men who were miners in civilian life, and to begin both offensive and defensive mining activities. The war diary of the 42^nd Division General Staff for June 14, 1915 notes that “Captain Laws (RND)” visited their trenches and reported that the Turks were engaged in mining operations, (at trench H.11), and the 8^th Army Corps HQ consequently ordered the 42^nd Division to start a counter mine and listening gallery opposite them. From this date forward Laws was attached to the 8^th Army Corps HQ as the Assistant Staff Officer for Mining and relinquished his duties with the Royal Naval Division.

8^th Army Corps Mining Company

Over the following weeks, the extent and importance of mining activity across the Allied front grew and so in order to provide continuity of effort across the frequent rotation of troops, a Corps Mining Company was formed on August 18, 1915, (under Corps Order No 21). Henry Laws was appointed as the Commanding Officer and although it was not clear at the time, (his impromptu move from the R.N.D. to Army Corps H.Q. two months earlier throwing the Admiralty’s administrative branch into some confusion), his temporary commission with the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve (RNVR) was terminated on August 17^th and he was awarded a commission in the Royal Engineers with the temporary rank of Major, effective August 18^th.

The 8^th Army Corps Mining Company was made up of 4 platoons, each with one officer and two mining squads of 2 NCOs and 24 men each; the Corps’ Divisions each supplying one Platoon. Divisional commanders were also required to provide above ground fatigue parties as required, to remove dirt, etc., in order to maximize the efficient use of the Mining Company’s skilled personnel.

On October 13, the 8^th Army Corps requested permission from G.H.Q. for an increase of 4 more subaltern officers (from England), one per section, to bring the Mining Company in line with Tunnelling Companies in operation in France. A week later, the 8^th Army Corps recommended to G.H.Q. that officers of the Mining Company should be awarded temporary commissions in the Royal Engineers. By November, the extent of mining activity had grown further still; the 42^nd Division reporting that 50 additional miners, (and a proportionate number of soil removers), had been requested by the Officer Commanding (O.C.) Mining Company for their section of the line alone. Additionally, the requested subalterns from England had not materialized and became critical and so on November 28 the 8^th Army Corps directed all Divisions to furnish one officer and “such personnel as are required” to be attached to the Mining Company. Thousands of men were now directly and indirectly engaged in mining operations and, thanks in part to the skill and leadership of Major Laws, the tide had turned in favour of the Allied miners.

Earlier that month, on November 7^th, the London Gazette published an award of the Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO), in recognition of services in the Gallipoli operations to Lieutenant Henry William Laws, RNVR. In January 1916, the Admiralty and the Army Council retrospectively agreed that the DSO should have been treated as a Military award and that his name should be deleted from the Navy List of Naval Awards.

No 254 Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers

Meanwhile, in England, the 254 Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers was formed and sailed for Gallipoli arriving at Cape Helles on December 7, 1915. But their Commanding Officer did not have as much mining experience as Major Laws and so they were absorbed into the 8^th Army Corps Mining Company as reinforcements, under his command. The situation remained this way until immediately before the evacuation of the peninsula when Major Laws returned to 8^th Army Corps HQ and relinquished command of 254 Tunnelling Company.

The Gallipoli campaign over, he was granted two months leave in Cairo during which time he was mentioned in the despatches of General Sir Ian Hamilton. After his leave, he rejoined No 254 Tunnelling Company in Givenchy, France where they had moved to take over from No 176 Tunnelling Company, which they did on March 13, 1916. He resumed command but was frustrated with the position believing that as an experienced and widely respected consulting mining engineer he would be better employed as Controller of Mines for an Army Corps. On April 12, 1916 he met with the Inspector of Mines for the British Expeditionary Force in France and pleaded his case. Within a month he was called back to England to report to the War Office. He arrived back on May 22^nd but no suitable post could be found and so he was compelled to relinquish his commission on June 6, 1916 and was placed on the General List. Undeterred, he wrote to the War Office on August 22^nd stating that if the only position available was the command of a Tunnelling Company, then he would willingly take it and serve the country in any way he could.

Somewhat incongruously for a man the Army did not quite seem to know what do with, he was mentioned in despatches for a second time on July 12, 1916 in the despatch of General Sir Charles Monro.

No 250 Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers

After returning to his family at the Manor House in Newington and resuming his consulting work at Messrs. Laws, Rumbold & Co., Salisbury House, London he was contacted by the War Office in mid-December and offered the command of No 250 Tunnelling Company. He jumped at the chance, passed his medical, was re-appointed as temporary Major in the Royal Engineers and embarked for France, leaving Southampton on December 30,1916.

He joined No 250 Tunnelling Company on January 3, 1917 at La Clytte, Belgium, (now Klijte in Belgium), and took over command the following day. Core Company strength consisted of 23 Officers, 156 Tunnellers, 121 Tunnellers Mates and a plethora of temporarily attached troops filling a variety of supporting roles.

Battle of Messines, 1917

On June 7, 1917 the Allied mines at Messines were fired at the start of the Battle of Messines. Their joint explosion ranks among the largest non-nuclear explosions ever recorded and the sound of the blast was considered the loudest man-made noise in history. Contemporaneous reports indicated that the blast was heard in London and Dublin and at the Lille University geology department, the shock wave was mistaken for an earthquake.

The following mines of No 250 Tunnelling Company were fired on June 7, 1917: Petit Bois 1 and 2, Peckham 1, Spanbroekmolen and Maedelstede Farm.

After the battle, Major Laws proceeded on 10 days leave to Biarritz on July 24 returning on August 4. A couple of months later he was granted a month’s leave in the UK, leaving the Tunnelling Company on October 4 and returning on November 7, 1917. He was again awarded a short leave in France in early 1918 (January 18-25) but the strain of the previous year’s work caught up with him shortly after his return and he was admitted to No 8 BRCS (British Red Cross Society) Hospital, Boulogne on February 3 and upon discharge was granted two weeks medical leave in the UK.

Controller of Mines, 3^rd Army Corps

He rejoined the 250 Tunnelling Company on March 14, 1918 and two days later was ordered to report to 3^rd Army Corps HQ. On April 4, 1918 he was appointed Controller of Mines, 3^rd Army Corps and made acting Lieutenant-Colonel. It had taken him two years, but he finally got the position he asked for after Gallipoli. Within 3 weeks he appointed his former colleague, Captain Harlow Alfred Taylor O’Callaghan Irwin, from No 250 Tunnelling Company, as his Assistant Controller of Mines.

In October 1918 he was forced to take a medical leave of absence in the UK for the surgical removal of an Ethmoidal Cyst in his left nostril that had been causing him severe headaches. The surgical procedure was successful and he returned to duty on October 31, 1918.

He was demobilised on January 22, 1919, relinquishing his commission at the completion of service, and was granted the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. A few months later he was made a Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George, (CMG), for services rendered in connection with military operations in France and Flanders, in the King’s birthday honours list of June 3, 1919.

It was the end of a short but remarkable military career. With no prior military experience, he had been commissioned three times, into two separate branches of the military, played an important role in two major campaigns, rose to the rank of Lt.-Col., was mentioned in despatches twice, and awarded the DSO and CMG. All without firing a shot or receiving any formal military training of any kind. And it should not be forgotten that his 10+ years of mining experience in Nigeria, prospecting and then exploiting alluvial tin deposits, bore little resemblance to the engineering skills requiring for military mining.

Emigration to Canada

Lt.-Col. Henry William Laws, CMG, DSO, MIMM was now 43 years old and he resumed his professional consulting work at Messrs. Laws, Rumbold & Co. In June 1923 he was granted the Freedom of the City of London.

In 1928 he moved with his family to British Columbia, Canada to join his younger brother, Ernest Francis Laws, who had emigrated there after the war, working in real-estate. He settled at Saanich, Vancouver Island and in 1929 they formed the Queenswood Land Company, Ltd. to take advantage of the property development boom of the time. Unfortunately, the syndicate ran into financial difficulties and many of the parcels of land they purchased reverted to the city for unpaid taxes.

Lt.-Col. Henry William Laws, CMG, DSO, MIMM died at Saanich on December 19, 1954, his wife pre-deceasing him. He was 77 years old.

References:

Nigeria and its Tin Fields, Albert F. Calvert 1910.
A List of Sites, Buildings and Other Antiquities Declared to be Monuments under the Antiquities Act from February 1956 to December 1964, K. C. Murray.
Journal of the Historical Society of Nigeria, Vol. 4, No. 1 (December 1967)
Britain’s Sea Soldiers: A Record of the Royal Marines During the War 1914-1919, Sir Herbert Edward Blumberg, 1927.
War Diary. 8th Corps: General Staff (1915) (WO 95/4263-4359)
War Diary. 250 Tunnelling Company Royal Engineers (WO 95/551)
War Diary. 176 Tunnelling Company Royal Engineers (WO 95/244)
Naval Service Record. Laws, Henry William (ADM 337/119/730)
Army Service Record. Major Henry William Laws Royal Engineers (WO 339/54024)

Acknowledgements:

Sincere thanks to the Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining for their help uncovering the details of Lt.-Col. Laws’ I.M.M. membership.