1/9th Battalion Manchester Regiment in 1914-15

Before the War

Between 1906 and 1912 a series of sweeping changes were made to the British Army and named after the then Secretary of State for War, Richard Burdon Haldane. These “Haldane Reforms” were the first major reforms since the “Childers Reforms” of the early 1880s and were based on shortcomings uncovered during the Second Boer War.

Along with changes to the Regular Army, the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 completely restructured the reserve forces to ensure a properly trained set of units and recruits for the Regular Forces in times of war and to provide a more efficient force for home defence. The act called for the old Volunteer Force and Yeomanry to be reorganized into a new Territorial Force, administered by County Territorial Associations, and the old Militia was formed into the Special Reserve. The result was that the Territorial Force was established on April 1, 1908 and the men who joined agreed to be liable for service with the regular forces in wartime but the Act stipulated that ‘they could go abroad if they wish’.

Additionally, to help provide a ready supply of militarily trained potential officers, the Halden Reforms also established an Officer Training Corps, (OTC), in public schools and Universities. Many of the men commissioned into the 9th Battalion Manchester Regiment after the outbreak of war came directly from, or had previously belonged to, an OTC.

In Ashton, the 9th Battalion, Manchester Regiment, Territorial Force was duly formed and the 3rd Volunteer Battalion, the Manchester Regiment was dissolved. Each of the NCOs and men of the old Volunteer Battalion were assigned a new service number starting at ‘1’ for the longest serving man and increasing up to the most recent recruit. Additionally, some of the men had their Territorial service dates reset to April 1, 1908 and they signed up for a period of one year. After the 1st year of service, on April 1, 1909, they were eligible to sign for a further period of four years, and thereafter for additional 4 year periods. The London Gazette belatedly announced in November 1908 that:

“Officers from the 3rd Volunteer Battalion, The Manchester Regiment, are appointed to the battalion with rank and precedence as in the Volunteer Force. Dated 1st April, 1908.”

Territorial Pre-War Training Camps

One of the requirements was to attend annual training camps and the following were those attended by the 9th Manchesters:

From To Camp Location
07-Jun-08 14-Jun-08 Ramsey (Isle of Man)
25-May-09 13-Jun-09 Salisbury Plain
14-May-10 28-May-10 Salisbury Plain
20-Aug-11 03-Sep-11 Dolphinholme, Lancs
28-Jul-12 11-Aug-12 East Marton, Yorks
10-Aug-13 24-Aug-13 Aldershot

ENGLAND 1914

On July 1, 1914 the 9th Battalion Manchester Regiment, TF (Ashton Territorials), found themselves still substantially below their required strength, (of 29 Officers and 980 men), having only 24 Officers and 888 men despite a recent surge of over 150 new recruits from a very successful recruiting drive at Ashton Town Hall on February 14.

When War was declared on August 4, 1914, in Ashton-under-Lyne, another wave  of recruits queued to join up and within a week at least 75 men had enlisted who were later to serve overseas; many with prior military service in the battalion.

On the 10th August, 1914 Lord Kitchener announced that the Territorial Force could volunteer to serve overseas and just 2 days later the Ashton Battalion accepted the invitation for Foreign Service, (with 858 men volunteering for overseas service) and became one of the four infantry battalions of the 126th (East Lancashire) Brigade.  The complete list of Officers and Men of the 1/9th Battalion Manchester Regiment as listed by the The Cheshire Reporter August 15th 1914 is here.

On the 20th August, the Ashton Territorials, 9th Battalion, Manchester Regiment, marched into Chesham Fold Camp, Bury (a tented camp at Chesham Road). Bury was the divisional headquarters of the East Lancashire Infantry Brigade, which included, the 9th Battalion Manchester Regiment, the 4th East Lancashires, (from Blackburn, Darwen and Clitheroe), the 5th East Lancashires, (from Burnley, Accrington, Haslingden, Baccup, Padiham and Ramsbottom), and the 10th Manchesters (from Oldham), three sections Signal Company, Headquarters Company of Engineers, Lancashire Brigade Company A.S.C., Transport and Supply, and the 2nd Field Ambulance.

On Wednesday Sept 2, 1914 the Battalion was visited by Brigadier-General D. G. PRENDERGAST commanding the East Lancashire Infantry Brigade. The following Saturday (Sept 5th) the men were asked to volunteer for overseas service by Lieut. Col. D. H. WADE, the Commanding Officer of the 9th Battalion. The Battalion entrained for Southampton, bound for Egypt, on Wednesday September 9th. The following day they boarded HMS Aragon, leaving at midnight bound for Egypt.

Egypt 1914

Map of Cairo Showing Kasr-el-Nil Barracks, Bridge and Surrounding Area
50: Kasr-el-Nil Barracks

They arrived at Alexandria on the 25th September, and were transported to the Citadel and Kasr-el-Nil barracks, Cairo. The previous day they suffered their first casualty when Private John Bridge (1705) died of pneumonia and was buried at sea, (commemorated at the Chatby Memorial, Alexandria).

Aerial View of Cairo with Kasr-el-Nil Barracks bottom LHS
Source: gallica.bnf.fr / Bibliothèque nationale de France
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Back home, recruiting continued at a healthy rate with more than 475 new recruits volunteering in October and November alone.

On Nov 1st martial law was declared throughout Egypt and Sudan and on Nov 5th war was declared against Turkey. The following promotions were Gazetted on November 4, 1914 in connection with the Ashton Territorial Battalion:
Captain R.B. NOWELL to be Major.
Lieut. F.W. KERSHAW to be Captain.
Second Lieuts. R.G. WOOD, W.T. FORSHAW, T.G. HYDEJ.A. PARKER and W.H. LILLIE to be Lieutenants.

9th Battalion Manchester Regiment Camel Corps October 1914
Copyright Imperial War Museum

Later that month the Battalion’s second death occurred when 15 year old Private Frederick Finucane (1845) died of dysentery on the 27th and was buried at the Cairo War Memorial Cemetery.

On December 14, 1914 the Battalion left Kasr-el-Nil for Abbassia main barracks.

Abbassia Barracks
Source: Australian War Memorial
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On the 20th December the Khedive was deposed and Prince Hussein Kamel became the new Sultan of Egypt. British Troops stationed in and around Cairo lined the streets as an honour guard and a show of strength to the local populace. The contingent from the 9th Battalion taking charge of a section of Soliman Pasha Street, close to the Kasr el Nil barracks.

For months the Division had undergone strenuous training and by the end of 1914 the men were drilled, acclimated and thoroughly fit.

EGYPT 1915
From the beginning of 1915 the training became even more strenuous with long marches in the desert, in full marching order. And as part of their duties, from time to time, the East Lancs Divisional troops found themselves guarding the Suez Canal.

On January 30, 1915 the battalion moved from Abbassia and deployed to tents at Heliopolis in preparation for possible deployment to the Suez Canal.

Helioplolis Army Camp, December 1915
Source: Australian War Museum

In the early hours of February 3, 1915 12,000 Turks & Germans attacked the Canal defences South of Ismailia between Serapeum and Toussoum. They were repulsed and 1,600 prisoners taken by the Indians, Anzacs and East Lancs Division but the 1/9th were not directly involved in the hostilities. A contemporary newspaper report is provided here.

Ferry Landing at Ismailia

Ferry Landing at Ismailia. [Source: Australian War Memorial]

Sadly, in February and March the Battalion lost two of its senior Officers. Major WILLIAM HENRY ARCHBUTT suffered a heart attack on February 8, 1915 and Surgeon-Major ALBERT HILTON, the Battalion’s Medical Officer (M.O.), died of disease on March 4, 1915 while the 9th Battalion were under canvas at Heliopolis. Both are buried at the Cairo War Memorial Cemetery. Major Hilton was replaced as the battalion’s M.O. by Major Thomas Frankish, RAMC.

On Palm Sunday, 28th March 1915, General Sir Ian Hamilton, (the newly appointed commander of the Allied Mediterranean Expeditionary Force), reviewed the Division in Cairo.  Verbal orders were received for the 9th Battalion (as part of the East Lancashire Division) to prepare to move to the Dardenelles at short notice.

According to the 126th Brigade War Diary, the 1/9th arrived, by train, at Kantarra from Cairo with 32 Officers and 912 men on April 16, 1915. They spent the rest of the month defending the Suez Canal from Turkish attack.

On the 2nd May, 1915 the 9th Battalion received their firm orders to leave for Gallipoli and were concentrated at Port Said by the evening of the 4th. On 5th May, the men of 9th Battalion (and 1/2 of the 10th Battalion) embarked on the HMT AUSONIA. The transport section which included horses, mules, one cart and two machine-gun carriages, along with the recently promoted Major RICHARD BOTTOMLEY NOWELL, Lt. JOHN BROADBENT* and 26 other ranks of the 1/9th embarked on HMT COMMODORE.

*Lt. JOHN BROADBENT was commissioned in 1895, served in the Boer War, reaching the rank of Major. He resigned his commission with the 1/9th in 1912 but rejoined in 1914 at the outbreak of war. He was 42 years old when he landed in Gallipoli.

Approximately two dozen men were discharged from service, (primarily due to sickness making them not physically fit enough to serve in combat), during the 3 months leading up to the battalion’s embarkation for Gallipoli.

Rank No. 1st Name MI Surname Discharged
Pte 2136 JAMES DOOLEY 15-Mar-15
Pte 2213 ABRAHAM J HADGETT 15-Mar-15
Pte 2214 CHARLES PARKER 15-Mar-15
Pte 2194 HARRY SPEAKMAN 15-Mar-15
Pte 1699 ROBERT THORNTON 15-Mar-15
Pte 1526 FREDERICK WALLWORK 15-Mar-15
Pte 1349 ROBERT BELL 23-Apr-15
Pte 2185 THOMAS BOWDEN 23-Apr-15
Pte 1362 THOMAS SMITH 23-Apr-15
Pte 2164 JAMES ASHTON 03-May-15
Pte 2082 JOHN A BLACK 03-May-15
Pte 2157 SYDNEY BURTON 03-May-15
Pte 1577 WILLIAM CONSTANTINE 03-May-15
Pte 471 WILLIAM FOGG 03-May-15
Pte 2023 WILLIAM HUNTER 03-May-15
Cpl 2163 JOHN IRVING 03-May-15
Pte 2017 ROBERT KING 03-May-15
Pte 1912 JOHN P MILLWOOD 03-May-15
Pte 1707 HARRY OLDFIELD 03-May-15
Pte 2114 BENJAMIN RENSHAW 03-May-15
Pte 2144 LAWRENCE SCHOFIELD 03-May-15
Pte 2233 WILLIAM WHEATLEY 03-May-15
Pte 2215 WILLIAM WHITTLE 03-May-15
Cpl 1992 JOSEPH WILSHAW 03-May-15

And at least three more men were discharged after returning home from Egypt in the following months without ever serving in Gallipoli.

Rank No. 1st Name MI Surname Discharged
Pte 2188 WILLIAM G COLLIER 31-May-15
Col. Sgt 160 THOMAS BURGESS 11-Jun-15
Pte 1932 JAMES WATERS 28-Jun-15

Additionally, a member of the pre-war permanent staff of the Battalion, 2673 Col. Sgt. James Holt, returned from Egypt in March and did not land in Gallipoli. It is very likely that upon Col. Sgt. Holt’s departure, Sgt. John Alexander Christie, of the 5th East Lancashire Regiment, became permanently attached to the 9th Manchesters.

Note: First-hand, contemporaneous accounts of the battalion’s time in Egypt in late 1914 and early 1915 have been transcribed and are available here, here and here.

GALLIPOLI 1915
On the 9th May the 9th Battalion landed under heavy fire at Sedd-el-Bahr, (V Beach), and moved quickly from the beach into bivouac (the Commodore with the Transport section and Brigade HQ arriving on the 10th).

Context from Despatches:

The following short section seeks to put the landing of the 1/9th Manchesters into context from the selected despatches of Sir IAN HAMILTON, General, Commanding Mediterranean Expeditionary Force.

At the close of the ten days and ten nights described in my first despatch our troops had forced their way forward for some 5,000 yards from the landing places at the point of the peninsula. Opposite them lay the Turks, who since their last repulse had fallen back about half a mile upon previously prepared redoubts and entrenchments. Both sides had drawn heavily upon their stock of energy and munitions, but it seemed clear that whichever could first summon up spirit to make another push must secure at least several hundreds of yards of the debatable ground between the two fronts. And several hundred yards, whatever it might mean to the enemy, was a matter of life or death to a force crowded together under gun fire on so narrow a tongue of land.

The net result of the three days’ fighting had been a gain of 600 yards on the right of the British line and 400 yards on the left and centre. The French had captured all the ground in front of the Farm Zjimmerman, as well as a redoubt, for the possession of which there had been obstinate fighting during the whole of the past three days.

From nightfall till dawn on the 9th-10th efforts were made everywhere to push us back. A specially heavy attack was made upon the French.

On the 11th May, the first time for eighteen days and nights, it was found possible to withdraw the 29th Division from the actual firing line and to replace it by the 29th Indian Infantry Brigade and by the 42nd Division, which had completed its disembarkation two days previously.

The Nominal Roll of men of the 1/9th Manchesters landing on that day included at least the following 914 men listed below.

Pte 1799 Harold Abbott
Pte 1848 Joseph Abbott
Pte 1316 William Adams
Pte 1644 Arthur Adshead
Pte 1863 William Adshead
Pte 1571 George Alcock
Pte 660 Thomas Aldridge
Pte 1663 William Allcock
Pte 1303 Harry Allen
Pte 2112 Frank Allonby
Pte 1262 George Allott
Cpl 1592 Edward Allott
Pte 2062 Ernest Allthorpe
Pte 2234 John Anderson
Pte 1472 Harry Andrew
Pte 1811 Harry Andrew
Pte 1314 John William Andrews
Pte 1997 Joseph Edwin Andrews
Pte 1570 William Andrews
Cpl. 724 Joseph Edward Appleby
Pte 2201 Fred Archer
Sgt 1598 Arthur Artingstall
Pte 2167 Joseph Artingstall
L/Cpl. 1150 Fred Armitage
Pte 1834 Joseph Armitage
Pte 1998 Samuel Armitage
L/Cpl. 2051 Thomas Ashcroft
Pte 1990 Arnold Ashley
Pte 1499 Albert Ashton
Pte 1653 George Samuel Ashton
Pte 226 Alfred Ashworth
Pte 1490 Bert Ashworth
Pte 1757 Edward Ashworth
Pte 1993 Fred Aspinall
Pte 1512 William Aspinall
Cpl. 1468 Alfred Atherton
Pte 2065 Edward Atherton
Pte 1521 James Atherton
Pte 1019 Samuel Atherton
Pte 2153 Charles William Bagwell
Pte 2085 Matthew Bailey
Pte 2137 Thomas Bailey
Pte 2243 Harry Baistow
Pte 2003 Frank Ballard
Pte 1741 Arthur Banton
Pte 1581 Samuel Barber
Pte 1632 Wilfred Edward Barber
Pte 1801 William Barfield
Pte 1156 Frank Barker
Pte 1869 George Barker
Pte 1768 Maurice Barker
Pte 555 William Barker
Pte 1516 Ernest Barlow
Pte 2165 Edward Barlow
Pte 2168 Albert Barratt
Pte 1972 George Barratt
Pte 1935 Harry Barratt
Pte 1236 Benson Barrett
L/Cpl. 1769 Herbert Barrett
Sjt 58 Arthur Bashforth
Pte 1569 John Bates
L/Cpl. 2110 Thomas Bates
Pte 1735 William Henry Batkin
Pte 1193 Joseph Batty
Sgt 180 Samuel Bayley
Pte 1411 Lewis Beeley
Pte 1867 James Bell
Pte 1556 Ernest Richard Bell
Pte 1866 Joseph Bell
Pte 1293 Thomas Bell
Pte 2187 William Bell
Pte 1886 Albert Bendel
Pte 1253 Jon Bennett
Pte 1740 Joshua Bennett
Pte 1475 Walter Bennett
Pte 1858 Joseph Bennison
Sgt 1286 William Bennison
Pte 1626 Henry Bent
Pte 768 James Benyon
Sgt 54 Arthur Beresford
Drm. 1165 Edward Berry
Pte 1532 Herbert Bertenshaw
L/Cpl. 2141 Joseph Richard Bertenshaw
Pte 2158 Percy Bertenshaw
Sgt 2177 James Bevan
Pte 2041 George Birchall
C.S.M 540 William Birchall
Pte 1946 Moses Birchenough
Pte 1284 William Blackshaw
Pte 2212 William Blackshaw
A/Cpl 2081 Walter Blake
Pte 1562 John Walshaw Bland
L/Cpl. 1152 John George Blandford
Cpl. 921 Harry Bolter
Pte 1179 Samuel Edward Bonsall
Bglr 2069 Alfred Boocock
Col/Sgt 5 George Boocock
Bglr 2070 James Boocock
Pte 1655 Richard Boon
Pte 1800 William Booth
Pte 745 Arnold Booth
Pte 1810 Edward Borsey
Cpl 1119 Percy Borsey
Pte 2186 Percy Borwick
Pte 2237 James Albert Bostock
Pte 1566 George Boswell
Pte 930 Ernest Bradbury
Pte 1342 Herbert Bradbury
Pte 1584 Fred Bradley
Dmr 1234 James Bradley
Pte 1295 Percy Bradshaw
Pte 1457 John Brady
Sgt 1125 Noel Duncan Braithwaite
L/Cpl 2122 James William Bray
Pte 1621 John Bridge
L/Sgt 1576 William Peter Brierely
Pte 1716 Wilfred Brierley
Pte 2209 William Britton
A/Sgt 1180 Arthur Britton
Pte 1939 Albert Broadbent
Pte 2043 John Broadbent
Pte 2138 James Garside Broadhurst
Pte 1184 Albert Broadhurst
Drm 1160 Harold Broadhurst
Pte 1464 George Bromley
Pte 2224 William Bromley
Pte 1309 Herbert Brooks
Pte 242 Leonard Brooke
Pte 1698 James Brough
Pte 1710 Edward Brown
Cpl 1425 Edward Brown
Pte 1540 Walter Bryan
Pte 2147 John Henry Bryan
Pte 1678 Arthur Buckley
Csm 339 Mathew James Buckley
Pte 1239 Harold Bullock
Pte 1496 John Bullock
Pte 1327 George Henry Burgess
Pte 1544 John Burgess
L/Cpl 1423 Albert Burgess
Pte 1488 Richard Burgess
Pte 1255 James Burke
Pte 1513 Albert Burke
L/Cpl 1155 William Burke
Pte 1625 Arthur Burn
Pte 2007 Thomas Butler
Pte 1340 Thomas Butterworth
Pte 1730 Thomas Harrop Byrom
Pte 1665 Harry Byrom
Pte 1216 Joseph Cacus
Cpl 2054 William Cadman
Pte 1860 George Frederick Cain
Pte 1132 Harry Gordon Carpenter
Pte 1774 John Joseph Carroll
Pte 1605 Stanley Carter
Pte 1873 Thomas Carter
Pte 1832 James Cassidy
Pte 517 Frank Cawley
Cpl 2240 Hirst Chadderton
Col Sgt 344 Joseph Chadderton
Pte 1924 Fred Chapman
Sgt 400 James Chapman
Pte 1746 John Chapman
Pte 1497 James William Chatburn
Pte 2030 William Chatterton
Pte 1515 James William Cheetham
Pte 2154 Robert Cheetham
Pte 1294 Frank Chevalier
Sgt 1194 William Chorlton
Pte 1962 Godfrey Clay
Pte 2100 Harold Clayton
Pte 1175 Albert Clement Clayton
Cpl 2228 Harry Clayton
Pte 1511 Arthur Vincent Clegg
Pte 1529 Geoffrey Clegg
Pte 2248 Herbert Clegg
Pte 1601 Walter Clegg
Pte 1931 David Clinton
Pte 1790 George Harry Clough
Pte 1786 John Coffey
Pte 1817 John Coffey
Pte 1725 Wilfred Peach Colclough
Sgt 2115 Arthur Cole
Pte 2219 Frederick Collins
Pte 1268 Jesse Connelly
Pte 2036 Albert Commerford
Pte 1535 John Henry Connolly
Pte 1307 Robert Constantine
Pte 2230 Henry Constantine
Pte 1647 Harry Cooke
L/Cpl 1217 Harold Cooke
Dmr 1154 Harold Cooke
Pte 1365 Harry Cooke
Pte 2088 William Henry G Cooke
Pte 2016 Joseph Cooper
Pte 1760 James Henry Cooper
Pte 1604 William Henry Corlett
Pte 1394 Benjamin Cowley
Pte 2104 Samuel Cox
Pte 1979 William Coyne
Pte 2006 James Cragg
Pte 1210 John Arthur Crane
Pte 1983 George Crighton
Dmr 551 Harold Critchley
Pte 2066 James Crompton
Sgt 2117 Titus Knight B. Cropper
Cpl 1408 Joseph Cropper
Pte 1442 Albert Crowther
Pte 1696 James Crowther
Pte 1818 James Henry Crutchley
Pte 1694 Ben Cummings
Pte 2191 Jack Cummings
Pte 1203 John Cummins
Cpl 1004 Albert Cunday
Pte 1549 John Edward Cunningham
Cpl 2092 John Cuppello
Pte 1375 Ben Cusick
Pte 1900 William Cussick
Pte 1211 Ben Cuthbert
Pte 1339 James William Daley
Pte 1405 John Daley
Pte 1291 Robert Daley
Pte 1357 William Dalton
Pte 1081 Claude Davies
Pte 822 Thomas Davies
L/Cpl 1792 Albert Davis
Pte 1460 John Albert Dawson
Pte 2022 William Deakin
Pte 1528 William Dean
Pte 1884 Alfred Dixon
Pte 1353 John William Dodd
Pte 1964 John Dodd
Pte 1907 John Donald
Pte 2048 William Donnelly
Pte 1283 Samuel Donoghue
Pte 1195 Thomas Doran
Pte 1770 Ben Gladstone Dransfield
Pte 2052 James Hilton Draycott
Pte 1404 James Dundavan
Pte 1374 Joe Dutton
Pte 1164 Frank Dyson
Sgt 1128 Harry Earle
L/Cpl 1000 James Earnshaw
Pte 2077 John William Eastham
Pte 489 James Eastham
Pte 1593 Albert Eastwood
Pte 1664 John Eastwood
Col Sgt 1244 Walter Steuart Eaton
Pte 782 Harry Edwards
Pte 1399 James Albert Edwards
Pte 1807 Henry Elliott
Dmr 1731 James Henry Elliott
Pte 1903 Harold Ellis
Pte 2021 James Ellis
Pte 2180 Harold Ellor
Pte 643 Squire Ellor
Pte 2189 Frank Emmerson
Pte 1573 Samuel Entwistle
Pte 1906 Thomas Isaac Evans
Pte 2179 Ernest Spencer Evans
Pte 1384 Thomas Lewis Evans
Sgt 1171 George Eyre
Col Sgt 447 Ernest Eyres
Cpl 1205 Samuel Eyre
Pte 2098 Harry Samuel Farrer
Pte 2175 Frank Lionel Favier
Pte 2221 Harry Fernley
Sgt 65 Joseph Ferns
Pte 1945 William Fielder
Pte 1876 Tom Fielding
Pte 1882 Alfred Finan
Sgt 806 Cornelius Finch
Pte 1558 Lawrence Finneran
Pte 1776 Thomas Finnerty
Pte 1546 John Finnigan
Pte 1637 Herbert Fish
Pte 1685 Robert Fish
Sgt 220 Albert Fletcher
Pte 1410 Richard Fletcher
Pte 1346 Frederick Flindle
Sgt 1994 John Florandine
Pte 2151 William Henry Foden
Cpl 2220 Thomas Fogerty
Pte 2037 Albert Victor Ford
Cpl 1120 Thomas Forrest
Pte 2229 Joseph Foster
Pte 2166 Thomas Foster
Pte 11 John Foster
Col Sgt 2716 Joseph Fowler
Pte 1627 George Frater
Pte 390 Harry Freeth
Pte 1066 Tom Garlick
Sgt 2116 William Henry Garner
Pte 1640 James Garragan
Pte 2123 Thomas Edward Garside
Pte 1889 William Garside
Cpl 2127 Sidney Garside
Pte 1660 Harold Gartside
Pte 1579 John Gaskell
Pte 1578 Thomas Gaskell
Pte 2019 William Gaskell
Pte 1933 Robert Gater
Pte 1690 Andrew Gee
Cpl 1491 Fred Genders
Pte 379 Thomas Ghenty
Pte 1369 Albert Gibson
Cpl 2049 Charles William Gibson
Cpl 508 Harry Gibson
L/Cpl 2075 Harry Gibson
Cpl 1963 Raymond Gibson
Pte 1368 Willie Gibson
Pte 1703 Thomas Gilby
Pte 1615 Leonard Gill
Pte 885 Frank Goddard
Pte 1568 Albert Victor Godding
Cpl 1547 Thomas Goley
Pte 1345 Eric Golightly
Pte 621 Frank Goode
Pte 1778 Charles George Goodwin
Cpl 2027 Frederick Gorman
Pte 1044 Thomas Gorman
Pte 1865 Harry Grafton
Wo Ii 969 Harry Grantham
Pte 2159 John Willie Greaves
Csm 266 Albert Green
Cpl 728 Arthur Green
Pte 1641 Edward Green
Sgt 1623 James Greenhalgh
Pte 2132 James Edward Greenwood
Pte 2105 Law Taylor Gregory
Pte 1536 Lewis Logson Grimshaw
Cpl 1202 Robert Grimshaw
Pte 1936 Arthur Samuel Grosvenor
Pte 1683 Frank Hadfield
Pte 2113 Harry Hadfield
Pte 29 Albert Hague
Pte 1390 Albert Hague
Pte 2173 Fred Hague
Pte 2202 Jack Hague
Pte 1833 Joseph Hague
Pte 1322 James Halkyard
Pte 1759 Samuel Halkyard
Pte 1292 George Hall
Pte 2074 James Hall
Pte 1448 John Hall
Cpl 1890 Percy Hall
Pte 2055 Robert Hall
Pte 1343 Tom Hall
Cpl 1982 Tom Hall
Pte 1745 William Henry Hall
Pte 1909 William Simpson Hall
Pte 1654 John Hugh Hamer
Pte 932 Willie Horton Hamer
Pte 1950 Herbert Hampson
Pte 1836 James Hampson
Pte 1246 John Hampson
Pte 1476 George Edward Hamson
Cpl 2121 Robert Handley
Pte 1835 William Handley
Pte 1466 Fred Hanson
Pte 1397 John Hanson
Pte 1896 Thomas Hardman
Pte 1880 Thomas Hardy
Pte 2216 Abraham Hare
Cpl 1580 Norman Hargreaves
L/Cpl 1952 Harold Hargreaves
Sgt 680 Thomas Hargreaves
Pte 1732 William Hargreaves
Pte 326 James William Harlow
Sgt 136 Henry Harrison
Cpl 2217 Herbert Harrison
Pte 2310 Hezekiah Harrison
Sgt 1126 Joseph Cox Harrop
Pte 1879 William Harrott
Pte 1429 Robert Hartley
Pte 528 Harry Haughton
L/Cpl 1391 George Gordon Haughton
Pte 1270 Jonathan Hawke
Pte 1361 Thomas Hawkins
Sgt 22 Walter Hawkins
Pte 1597 Ernest Hawkridge
Pte 1112 William Emmanuel Hawley
Pte 1638 William Henry Hazell
Pte 1506 William Headdock
Pte 1396 William Hebblewaite
Pte 2026 William Henry Heelam
Pte 1859 Eddy Heinemann
Pte 1656 Edward Hennessy
Pte 2042 Harry Hesketh
Pte 2236 Albert Hesketh
Pte 1470 Thomas Hewitt
Pte 1784 Fred Hewitt
Pte 1748 William Higginbottom
Pte 1273 Harold Higginbottom
Pte 1618 Charles Llewellyn Higgins
L/Sgt 2139 Gilbert Higham
Pte 1706 James Hill
Pte 1667 John Hill
Pte 2130 Reuben Hill
Pte 1455 Sydney Hill
Pte 1439 Tom Hill
Pte 2210 Joseph Hilton
Pte 2150 Percy Hilton
Pte 2120 Arthur Cecil Hirst
Pte 2243 Harold Hodgin
Pte 1028 Fred Hodgin
Pte 1401 Edward Hodgkiss
Pte 1864 Walter Hodgkiss
Pte 1400 William Brown Hodgkiss
Pte 1366 Alfred Hodgson
Pte 1941 James Hodgson
Sgt 1634 James Edward Hoke
Pte 998 Harry Holden
Pte 1481 Clifford Holden
Pte 1212 Thomas Holden
Pte 1042 Harry Holland
Pte 1218 James Hollingworth
Pte 1517 Samuel Hood
Pte 1169 Herbert Hopkins
Pte 1182 James Hopwood
Pte 1118 Douglas Gerald Hornby
Pte 2090 James Horrocks
Cpl 1480 James Horsfield
Pte 2059 Andrew Howard
Pte 1364 Frank Howard
Pte 2129 John Howarth
Pte 2232 George Jacob Howell
Pte 1321 George William Hudson
Pte 1733 Thomas Hughes
Pte 2107 Abel Hughes
Pte 2034 Edwin Thomas Hughes
L/Cpl 1484 John William Hughes
Pte 2149 Samuel Hulley
Pte 1311 William Hulme
Pte 1728 Harry Hulme
Pte 2045 James William Hurst
Pte 1671 Eric Hyatt
Pte 2125 John Hyslop
Sgt 469 Harry Illingworth
Pte 1170 Robert Kershaw Illingworth
Pte 1157 William Henry Illingworth
Sgt 104 Harry Ingham
Pte 1235 Samuel Ingham
Pte 1567 Albert Ivell
Pte 1622 Harry Jackson
Pte 1891 Joseph Jackson
Pte 1862 Frank Jackson
Pte 1888 Harry Jackson
Pte 2169 John Jackson
Pte 2171 John Jackson
Cpl 1966 Norman Jackson
A/Sgt 2160 Thomas Jackson
Cpl 1257 Tom Jackson
Pte 1146 John William Jakeman
Pte 1524 John William Jenneys
Pte 1613 Edward Jones
Pte 1996 William Jones
Pte 1684 Edward Jones
Sgt 1841 Edward Jones
Pte 1897 Edward Jones
Pte 2073 Everrett Jones
Pte 1787 Fred Jones
Pte 1424 Harry Jones
Pte 2140 John Henry Jones
Pte 2192 John Jones
Pte 1269 Oliver Jones
Cpl 2071 Charles Dennis Joyce
Cpl 2109 James Joyce
Pte 1829 John William Jubb
Pte 1960 Michael Joseph Kearns
Pte 1427 Samuel Kellett
Pte 1922 Edward Kelly
Pte 1948 John James Kelly
Pte 1885 Emanuel Kemp
Pte 1389 Charles Kenna
Pte 1121 John Kenny
Pte 1325 Joseph Kent
Pte 1561 Robert Kenworthy
Pte 2128 Fred Kenworthy
Pte 2195 Harry Kenyon
Pte 1266 Frederick William Kerfoot
Pte 1984 James Kerr
Pte 2060 Thomas Kershaw
Pte 1187 William Kinder
Pte 1453 Laurence King
Pte 1300 John Kinsella
Pte 2102 David Kirk
Sgt 1495 Thomas Knight
Pte 1386 Herbert Lamb
Pte 1473 George Henry Lamb
Dmr 1258 Robert Landers
Sgt 128 Thomas Langan
Pte 1961 Richard Lapthorne
Sgt 76 James Lawton
Pte 2203 Hubert William E Leach
Pte 2181 Ernest Leakesley
Pte 1334 Charles Lee
Pte 23 Thom Lee
Pte 2015 Thomas Lee
Pte 1751 Charles Lee
Pte 1917 Fred Lee
Col Sgt 341 John Lee
Pte 1434 Percy Bailey Lee
Pte 1591 Edward Lees
Pte 1243 Arnold Lees
Pte 1493 Frank Shepherd Lees
Pte 1430 John Brookshaw Lees
Pte 1686 Joseph Lees
Pte 1583 Norman Leigh
Pte 1407 Walter Leigh
Pte 1853 Henry Lewis
Pte 1843 John Lewis
Pte 2013 Arthur Lilley
Pte 2119 Harry Lilley
Pte 1823 Wallace Lilley
Pte 1607 Eric Lister
Pte 1612 George Litchfield
Pte 1083 Samuel Littleford
Pte 1676 Tom Littleford
Pte 48 William Littleford
Pte 2038 Job Lloyd
Pte 1388 Wilfred Lockwood
Pte 1230 William Loft
Pte 2211 Frank Lomas
Sgt 31 Thomas Lomas
Pte 1713 William Edward Lomas
Pte 2152 Richard Longsden
Pte 1645 Tom Longworth
Pte 2222 William Lord
Cpl 1478 Benjamin Love
Pte 2238 John Love
Pte 1679 George Lowe
Pte 1381 Ernest Lownds
Pte 2145 Thomas Lumley
Pte 1937 Thomas John Luxon
Pte 1285 Albert Maccormack
Pte 1894 Joseph Macdermott
Pte 1220 Frank Madeley
Pte 1443 James Mallinson
Dmr 1332 William Maloney
Pte 2183 Ephraim Margrave
Pte 1501 George Markham
Pte 1263 Albert Marland
Pte 1276 George Marland
Pte 1804 Harry Marsden
Pte 1122 Lewis Marsh
Pte 1123 Wil Marsh
Pte 2126 James Martin
Cpl 1188 William Henry Martin
Pte 1298 Enoch Martyn
Pte 1646 John Mason
L/Cpl 1415 William Mason
Pte 1988 Richard Massey
L/Cpl 1289 Gerald Massey
Pte 1851 William Mather
Pte 2131 William Mathews
Pte 1445 Ernest Cecil Matley
Cpl 1734 Herbert Wilfred Mathews
Cpl 1446 Richard May
Pte 1712 Thomas Mcbride
Pte 2204 James Mccarthy
Pte 2072 Henry Mccluskey
Pte 2005 Francis Mcclusky
Pte 1609 Robert Mccormack
Sjt 83 Thomas Mcdermott
Pte 283 Timothy Mcdermott
Pte 2035 William Henry Mcdonald
Sgt 2142 James Mcdonald
Pte 1542 Fred Mcdonnell
Pte 1977 James Mcgrath
Pte 2235 James Mcguinness
Pte 2245 John Mcnab
Pte 1351 Robert Melia
Col Sgt 313 George Grayson Mellor
Pte 1674 Charles Arthur Middleton
Pte 1324 James Shaw Millar
Pte 2172 Pollard Mitchell
Cpl 1920 William Mitcheson
Pte 1500 Herbert Monks
Pte 3373 Frank Moon
Pte 1458 George Moores
Pte 512 John Morgan
Pte 1878 Samuel William Morley
Pte 1553 Harold Morris
Cpl 1310 Herbert Morris
Pte 1892 James Morrison
Sgt 1520 Frank Morton
Pte 1240 George Moss
Pte 1628 Harold Moss
Sgt 526 Thomas Moss
Pte 2058 William Moss
Pte 1958 James Thomas Mottershead
Pte 1133 Albert Mullen
Pte 1301 William Murphy
Pte 1830 William Murphy
Pte 1915 George Murphy
Pte 1772 Cecil Murray
Pte 1854 Christopher Murray
Sgt 719 John Mutch
Pte 1148 John Mutter
Pte 1531 Walter Mutter
Pte 2009 Frank Mycock
Pte 1702 Arnold Myers
Pte 859 Herbert Nadin
Pte 1371 Albert Edward Neale
Pte 1651 Frank Newton
Cpl 1129 Benjamin Newton
Cqms 154 George Newton
Pte 1691 George Newton
Pte 1189 Harold Newton
Pte 1643 Samuel Newton
Pte 1944 Samuel Newton
Pte 1440 Robert Nichols
Pte 2341 Percy Nicholson
Pte 1837 John Robert Nield
Pte 2954 George Nolan
A/Woii 27 James Nolan
Pte 1068 Peter Nolan
Pte 2170 George Noonan
Pte 1850 William Nuttall
Pte 1596 John Oakden
Pte 1905 Ernest Oates
Pte 2095 John Joseph O’connor
Pte 1670 Joseph O’donnell
Pte 1872 Harry Ogden
Pte 2198 Harry Ogden
Pte 2029 James Robert Ogden
Pte 1911 Samuel Ogden
Pte 1711 Sidney Ogden
Pte 1167 William Ogden
L/Cpl 1377 Frank Oldfield
Pte 2087 William Ollerenshaw
Pte 2227 Thomas Ormesher
Pte 1693 Albert Orton
Pte 1134 Frank Ernest Orton
Sgt 1662 Harry Owen
Pte 1914 Arthur Owen
Pte 2196 James Owen
L/Cpl 497 Alfred Parkins
Pte 2413 Herbert Parkinson
Pte 1139 Harry Partridge
Pte 839 William Herbert Pascoe
Pte 2226 Thomas Pattison
Pte 1288 Clarence William Paul
Pte 1183 John Peake
Pte 2787 Arnold Pearson
Pte 2148 Stanley Pearson
Pte 2478 William Pemberton
Pte 2000 Robert Penny
Pte 1413 Thomas Penny
Pte 1682 Ernest Pepper
Pte 1943 Phillip Pepper
Pte 1722 Alfred Phillips
Pte 288 John Phillips
Cpl 2103 Thomas Pickford
Pte 1130 Rupert Pilling
Pte 1503 Raymond Plant
Cpl 2146 Albert Platt
Cpl 1921 James Player
A/Cpl 1827 Adam Plenderleith
Pte 2011 Joseph Pollard
Pte 1483 James Porter
L/Cpl 1221 Thomas Porter
Pte 2063 Thomas Portington
Pte 1775 William Postle
Pte 1330 Harry Potter
Pte 1586 Herbert Potter
Pte 1658 Jonathan Taylor Potter
Pte 2028 John Potter
Pte 1347 Reginald Potts
Pte 583 Samuel Potts
Pte 1708 Percy Poulston
Pte 548 Samuel Powers
Cpl 2174 Harry Pratt
Pte 2208 George Alma Price
Pte 1736 William Henry Pridham
Pte 1616 William Priestnall
Pte 1140 Arthur Pritchard
Pte 1874 John Richard Purcer
Pte 956 Harold Pye
Pte 1465 James Pye
Pte 2249 William Raby
Pte 1737 Thomas Rackstraw
Pte 1367 Frank Ditchfield Radcliffe
Pte 1438 Tom Radcliffe
Pte 2004 Thomas Henry Ramsbottom
Pte 1313 James William Ramsdale
Pte 1893 Arthur Ranson
Pte 2176 William Ratcliffe
Pte 2225 Gilbert Ratcliffe
Pte 1147 James Ratcliffe
Sgt 1199 Thomas Ratcliffe
Pte 1380 Bernard Rawlings
Pte 1178 Matthew Redfern
Pte 2335 Harold Reeves
Pte 2239 Walter Revell
Cpl 1437 William Revell
Pte 1947 Harold Rhodes
Pte 2206 John Richardson
Pte 463 Henry Richardson
Pte 1789 Norman Richardson
Pte 1158 John Riley
Pte 1766 Arthur Riley
Pte 1383 Charles Irvine Rimmington
Cpl 1487 Ernest Rimington
Pte 2143 Herbert Roberts
Sgt 1989 William Roberts
Pte 1767 William Robertson
Pte 1382 Ernest Robinson
Pte 1681 Harry Robinson
Pte 1887 Mark Robinson
Pte 2178 George Robson
Pte 1715 Walter Roebuck
Sgt 2094 George Roebuck
Pte 2106 James Frederick Rogers
Pte 1479 Thomas Rogers
Pte 1222 John Rourke
L/Cpl 1957 James Rowbottom
Sgt 1190 Joseph Harrison Rowbottom
Cpl 1451 William Rowlands
Sgt 845 Albert Royle
Pte 1871 Joseph Rushton
Pte 1991 Arnold Rushforth
Pte 1595 William Rushworth
Pte 16 James Ryder
Pte 1803 James Ryder
Pte 2061 Hugh Davenport Ryding
A/Cpl 1677 Rupert Rylance
Pte 1619 Percy Sampson
Pte 2033 Harry Saxon
A/Cpl 1959 Wilfred Schofield
Pte 2031 John Scholes
Dmr 759 Samuel Scholes
Sgt 164 Alfred Scott
A/Col Sgt 1916 John Seddon
Pte 1927 Joseph Sellers
Pte 2134 Robert Senthouse
Cpl 113 Frank Shaw
Pte 282 George Shaw
Col Sgt 1326 Harold Shaw
Pte 2032 Joseph Shaw
Drm 1348 William Shaw
Pte 1450 George Shawcross
Cpl 174 John Henry Shawcross
Pte 2231 William Sheekey
Pte 1744 Anthony Sheridan
Pte 1354 William Shuttleworth
Pte 1742 Harry Sidebottom
Cpl 1588 William Sidebottom
Sgt 1358 George James Silvester
Pte 2096 John Slater
Pte 1985 Leonard Smart
Sgt 64 Alfred Smith
Pte 1695 Alfred Smith
Pte 1729 Harry Smith
Pte 2118 William Smith
Pte 1831 James Smith
Pte 1999 Albert Smith
Pte 1070 Charles Smith
Pte 1142 David Smith
Pte 1252 Ernest Smith
Pte 2083 Frank Smith
Pte 1554 Harold Smith
Pte 973 Harry Smith
Pte 1809 Isaiah Smith
Pte 1141 James Smith
Pte 1290 John Smith
Pte 2133 Joseph Smith
Pte 1137 Tom Smith
Cpl 1980 William Smith
Pte 1534 Alfred Edwin Snape
Sgt 287 Charles Spencer
Pte 1755 Edward Spragg
Cpl 1978 Arthur Spurrett
Cpl 124 Samuel Steele
Pte 2193 Sydney Stelfox
Pte 1428 Stanley Hayden Stephens
Pte 1338 George Harry Stewart
Pte 1373 Noel Williamson Stockdale
Pte 1317 James William Stockton
Pte 2089 Percy Stones
Sgt 41 James Stopford
Pte 1057 James Willie Stopford
Pte 1652 Richard Stott
Cqms 237 Henry Stringer
Pte 787 George William Stringer
Pte 1278 Alfred Edward Summersgill
Pte 1675 Alfred Sumner
Sgt 1808 Ernest Sutherland
Pte 1855 John Edward Swain
Pte 2067 Joseph Cunliffe Swindells
Pte 1753 Joseph Swinton
Pte 1514 Harry Sykes
Pte 1820 John Taggart
Cpl 121 John William Tasker
Pte 1127 Harry Taylor
Pte 1904 Joseph Edward Taylor
Pte 972 Samuel Taylor
Pte 1802 Francis Taylor
Pte 1910 Thomas Taylor
Sgt 1271 James Taylor
Pte 1709 James Taylor
Pte 1668 Joseph Taylor
Pte 1545 Norman Taylor
Pte 2050 Peter Taylor
Pte 1308 Thomas Taylor
Pte 781 Harry Taylor
Pte 1200 William Taylor
Drm 1635 William Taylor
Pte 1224 William Tempest
Pte 2012 John Robert Tetlow
Pte 1727 Robert Allen Lewis Thomas
Pte 2207 Ben Thompson
Pte 2190 John Thompson
Pte 2111 Ralph Thompson
Pte 1287 William Thornton
Pte 1718 David Thorpe
Pte 1974 James Henry Thorpe
Pte 3010 Thomas Edward Thorpe
Pte 1930 James Thwaites
Pte 1393 Percy Tilbury
Pte 1951 John Tindall
Pte 1614 George Tinker
Pte 2086 Timothy Tipton
Pte 1606 William Townley
Pte 1504 Albert Townsend
Sgt 156 James Townsend
Pte 1281 John Travis
Pte 2161 James Travis
Pte 1954 James Albert Trueman
Pte 1192 Harry Trunkfield
Pte 1720 Joe Trunkfield
L/Sgt236 George Turner
Pte 1402 Cephas Turner
Sgt 1277 John Charles Turner
Pte 1617 John Turner
Pte 487 Joseph Turner
Pte 2155 Reuben Turner
Pte 1341 Thomas Tweedale
Sgt 427 Thompson Tym
Cpl 2010 John Tyson
Cpl 1306 Reuben Tyson
Cpl 243 Thomas Valentine
Pte 1796 Richard Varey
Pte 2218 George Vause
Pte 2079 John Vause
Pte 2014 Harold Vickers
Pte 515 William Vickers
Pte 1575 William Henry Viney
A/Wo Ii 1754 George Walker
Pte 2182 George Harry Walker
Pte 1557 Isaac Walker
Pte 1426 John Walker
Pte 1857 Robert Walker
Pte 2097 Harold Walsh
Pte 2242 John Walsh
Pte 1794 William Walton
Pte 2108 Charles Warburton
Pte 2078 Fred Ward
Pte 1812 Frank Warhurst
Pte 1642 Charles Warhurst
Cpl 712 Reginald Warner
Pte 2091 Harry Waterhouse
Pte 1673 Ronald Waters
Pte 1758 Percy Watson
Pte 1159 William Watson
Pte 2205 Charles Wells
Pte 1498 John Wharton
Pte 1629 Joseph Whipp
Pte 1825 Hugh Campbell White
Pte 596 Harry Whitehead
Pte 1209 Leonard Whitehead
Pte 2093 Edmund Whittaker
Pte 1608 Harry Whittaker
Pte 1923 Harry Whittaker
Pte 1225 Joseph Harold A Whittaker
Pte 1816 Alexander Whittet
Cpl 736 James Whittle
Pte 109 Samuel Charles Whitton
Pte 1649 Timothy Widdup
Pte 580 Walter Wild
Pte 1782 Alfred Wilde
Pte 1215 Joseph Wilde
Cpl 1669 Joseph Wilde
Pte 1868 Sidney Wilde
Pte 1852 Albert Wilkinson
Pte 1840 Earl Wilkinson
L/Cpl 1968 Arnold Willerton
Pte 1201 James Williams
Pte 2018 William Williams
Pte 1785 Ernest Williamson
Col Sgt 257 John Williamson
Pte 1688 James Wilshaw
Pte 1771 William Wilson
Sgt 1550 Thomas Winded
Pte 1559 Andrew Winterbottom
Pte 1302 Harry Wolstenholme
Cpl 1486 Charles Ernest Wood
Pte 1226 Tom Goddard Wood
Wo II 1010 Sidney Wood
Dmr 2057 Stephen Wood
Pte 1331 William Hegenbottom Wood
Pte 2064 John Henry Woodcock
A/Cpl 1659 Percy Woodruff
Pte 1560 William Woods
Pte 2246 Albert Woodward
Pte 1700 Frederick Graham Worsley
Pte 1895 George Wright
Pte 1305 James Wright
Pte 2068 Albert Wrigley
Pte 1973 Joseph Wrigley
Pte 419 Frederick Oram Wyatt
Pte 2197 Samuel Yarwood
Pte 2156 James William Young

And the Officers landing that day, with the rank and seniority they held on landing, included:

Rank Forename Middle Surname Age
L. Col. DOCTOR HERBERT WADE 50
Maj. MICHAEL HENRY CONNERY 61
Maj. RICHARD BOTTOMLEY NOWELL 35
Capt. JOHN ALFRED DEARDEN 34
Maj. THOMAS EGBERT HOWORTH 37
Capt. HAROLD SUGDEN 37
Capt. FRANK HAMER 35
Capt. THOMAS ALBERT PLATT 35
Capt. FRANK WOODHOUSE 24
Capt. GEORGE HAROLD O’KELL 37
Capt. FREDERICK WILLIAM KERSHAW 29
Capt. ERIC RICHARDSON 25
Lt. FREDERICK ARTHUR MAKIN 40
Lt. GEORGE WILLIAM HANDFORTH 30
Lt. HENRY CHORLTON SHAW 25
Lt. ROBERT GARTSIDE WOOD 25
Lt. WILLIAM THOMAS FORSHAW 25
Lt. THOMAS GRIMSHAW HYDE 19
Lt. JAMES ALFRED PARKER ?
Lt. WILLIAM HAMPSON LILLIE 27
Lt. OLIVER JEPSON SUTTON 33
2/Lt. HUGH GEORGE SHATWELL 26
2/Lt JOHN MAYALL WADE 20
2/Lt. PHILLIP SIDNEY MARSDEN 21
2/Lt. HAROLD EDWARD BUTTERWORTH 27
2/Lt. CHARLES EARSHAM COOKE 19
2/Lt. ALBERT EDWARD STRINGER 37
2/Lt. JOHN BROADBENT 42
2/Lt. FRED JONES 20
2/Lt. ALLAN HARRISON HUDSON 20
2/Lt. JOHN MATLEY ROBSON 23
2/Lt. ARTHUR WILLIAM FIELD CONNERY 28
2/Lt. WALTER JAMES ABLITT 23

Notes:

  1. 2/Lt. J.M. Robson remained in Egypt commanding the base depot and did not land at Gallipoli until June 2, 1915.
  2. Capt. F.W. Kershaw arrived with the Battalion at Gallipoli on May 9, 1915 but was immediately invalided to Malta due to sickness and did not rejoin them until June 20, 1915.
  3. Major T. Frankish RAMC landed with the Battalion as their Medical Officer.

On May 11th, the 42nd Division received orders to take over the front line. The 9th Battalion, as part of the 126th East Lancashire Brigade, were now in reserve positions behind the (127th) Manchester Brigade and the (125th) Lancashire Fusilier Brigade.

The 1/9th went into the line on May 21st and remained there until the 26th. At this time, the “line” was actually three lines; the firing line, the redoubt line and the support line each one further back from the Turkish trenches. Divisional orders for the 126th Brigade were to advance the line by digging new trenches under cover of darkness.

On May 23, Lt. Col. DOCTOR HERBERT WADE, commanding officer of the 1/9th, was shot by a sniper while stepping over some sleeping men. He was evacuated from the peninsula and did not return to the regiment until March 1916, when the Battalion was in Egypt. During his absence the 1/9th went through half-a-dozen temporary C.O.s. Major RICHARD BOTTOMLEY NOWELL temporarily assumed command on the 23rd.

On the evening of May 23/24 the 1/5th East Lancs battalion on the right and the 1/9th Manchesters in the center both advanced 100 yards by digging a series of rifle pits but the 1/10th Manchesters on the left failed in their attempt. During the night’s digging 1358 L/Cpl. GEORGE JAMES SILVESTER saw that 1413 Pte. THOMAS PENNY had been wounded and brought him back to the trenches and then went back out and returned to digging even though he himself had been wounded.  Pte. PENNY died of his wounds in hospital in Malta two weeks later.

The following day, on May 24, 2/Lt. FRED JONES was shot and killed and became the first of the 1/9th Battalion’s Officers to die in Gallipoli. He would not be the last. Also on that day, Lt. Col. ARTHUR FREDERICK EGERTON, DSO (9th Royal Scots) took over command of the Battalion.

The 1/10th having failed to advance their line under cover of darkness were forced to try again during the day. The Divisional war diary reports that they were able to advance the firing line by 50 yards. The following day, on May 25, Lieut. ROBERT GARTSIDE WOOD brought back a wounded man of the 1/10th Manchesters but was seriously wounded in the leg. Evacuated by hospital ship to Malta, he declined to have his leg amputated en route, and surgeons managed to save it after two operations. Lieut. WOOD was awarded the Military Cross in November 1915 for his actions that day.

On May 25th, the designation of the Division was changed and as the 42nd East Lancashire Division it took precedence in numerical order over the other Territorial Divisions.

Meanwhile, on May 24, Lieutenant-General Sir Aylmer Gould Hunter-Weston was promoted to acting Lieutenant-General and placed in command of VIII Corps (29th Division, the Royal Naval Division, 42nd Division and the 49th Indian Infantry Brigade). On May 27 he issued orders to immediately and simultaneously advance the front line trenches across the whole of the British and French fronts to within assault distance (200 yards) of the Turkish trenches. This they mostly accomplished over the following days.

May Fatalities:

Rank No. Forename MI Surname When How
Pte. 1178 MATTHEW REDFERN 23-May DoW
Pte. 1524 JOHN W JENNEYS 23-May DoW
Pte. 1809 ISAIAH SMITH 28-May DoW
Pte. 1690 ANDREW GEE 30-May KIA
Pte. 2175 FRANK L FAVIER 31-May KIA
2/Lt. FRED JONES 24-May KIA

Note: The primary difference between Killed in Action (KIA) and Died of Wounds (DoW) is that men designated as Died of Wounds were deaths recorded in the  medical evacuation chain rather than on the battlefield. Also note that some of the men listed as Killed in Action were actually Missing in Action and their bodies were never recovered or otherwise identified.

May Casualties:

Note: The list of Casualties provided here (and in the tables below for each month) is the list of men appearing in the Times of London daily casualty lists published throughout the following month. Anecdotal evidence from local newspaper reports indicate that many more men were wounded but they are not listed here.

Rank No. Forename Middle Surname
Pte. 555 WILLIAM BARKER
Pte. 1837 JOHN ROBERT NIELD
Pte. 781 W TAYLOR
Pte. 1727 ROBERT ALLEN LEWIS THOMAS

May Honors:

1358 L/Cpl. GEORGE JAMES SILVESTER, DCM
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty on the Gallipoli Peninsula. Although wounded on 20th May 1915, he continued to perform his duties, and showed the highest courage on 25th May in aiding the wounded under fire. [Gazetted Sept 15, 1915]

Additionally, 1904 Pte. J. E. TAYLOR, 1155 Pte. W. BURKE and Lt. R. G. WOOD were all recommended for gallantry for their actions on May 25th. Pte. Burke carrying Lt. RG Wood from the trench to the Field Ambulance and Pte. Taylor rescuing another man while under fire. All three men were subsequently mentioned in despatches, as reported in the London Gazette of November 5, 1915.

June Operations:

Now that the 8th Army Corps front line had been painstakingly moved closer to the Turkish front lines, orders were issued to attack them on June 4th, the attack to be preceded by heavy artillery fire. This action was to become known as the Third Battle of Krithia.  This action and the subsequent operations in June resulted in the deaths of at least 110 Officers and men of the Battalion.

Context from Despatches:

This brings the narrative up to the day of the general attack upon the enemy’s front line of trenches which ran from the west of the Kereves Dere in a northerly direction to the sea. Taking our line of battle from right to left the troops were deployed in the following order: -The Corps Expeditionnaire, the Royal Naval Division, the 42nd (East Lancs) Division and the 29th Division. The length of the front, so far as the British troops were concerned, was rather over 4,000 yards, and the total infantry available amounted to 24,000 men.

On the stroke of noon the artillery increased their range and along the whole line the infantry fixed bayonets and advanced. The assault was immediately successful.

The attack, timed for 3 p.m., was twice postponed at the request of General Gouraud, who finally reported that he would be unable to advance again that day with any prospect of success. By 6.30 p.m., therefore, the 42nd Division had to be extricated with loss from the second line Turkish trenches, and had to content themselves with consolidating on the first line which they had captured within five minutes of commencing the attack.

Although we had been forced to abandon so much of the ground gained in the first rush, the net result of the day’s operations was considerable- namely, an advance of 200 to 400 yards along the whole of our centre, a front of nearly 3 miles.

The Manchester Brigade of the 42nd Division advanced magnificently. In five minutes the first line of Turkish trenches were captured, and by 12.30 p.m. the Brigade had carried with a rush the line forming their second objective, having made an advance of 600 yards in all. The working parties got to work without incident, and the position here could not possibly have been better.

By 1.30 p.m. the whole of the captured trenches in this section had been lost again, and the Brigade was back in its original position, the ”Collingwood” Battalion, which had gone forward in support, having been practically destroyed. The question was now whether this rolling up of the newly captured line from the right would continue until the whole of our gains were wiped out. It looked very like it, for now the enfilade fire of the Turks began to fall upon the Manchester Brigade of the 42nd Division, which was firmly consolidating the furthest distant line of trenches it had so brilliantly won. After 1.30 p.m. it became increasingly difficult for this gallant Brigade to hold its ground. Heavy casualties occurred; the Brigadier and many other officers were wounded or killed; yet it continued to hold out with the greatest tenacity and grit.

The 1/9th went into the line on June 3rd and remained there until they were relieved on June 22nd.

June 7th:

The result of the recent actions were that on the morning of June 7th the 125th Brigade reported that the 1/6 Lancs Fusiliers were not able to be relieved due to a Turkish machine gun flanking their position. The Brigade proposed an attack, supported by artillery, along a line from the S.E. corner of the Vineyard to the Western Nullah. The objective of the 1/9th in the center was to capture trench G.11.

After dark on 7th June 100 men of C company of the 9th Battalion, along with two Companies of the Chatham Battalion of the Royal Marine Light Infantry, Royal Naval Division engaged in a frontal assault of the Turkish front line trenches. Although the 9th battalion succeeded in taking the Turkish trench, the Royal Naval Division failed to achieve their objective. Consequently, the 1/9th had to relinquish the trenches they had just captured at dawn.

Capt. GEORGE HAROLD OKELL and Lieut. ALBERT EDWARD STRINGER led the charge against one trench, and Capt. FRANK HAMER and 2/Lieut. JOHN (JACK) MAYALL WADE against the other trench. Capt. HAMER fell before reaching the trench. Lieut. STRINGER succeeded in reaching the trench but was subsequently killed by the enfilading fire from a machine gun. At least 20 men were killed and many more wounded.

Context from Despatches (Continued):

From the date of this battle to the end of the month of June the incessant attacks and counter-attacks which have so grievously swelled our lists of casualties have been caused by the determination of the Turks to regain ground they had lost, a determination clashing against our firm resolve to continue to increase our holding. Several of these daily encounters would have been the subject of a separate despatch in the campaigns of my youth and middle age, but, with due regard to proportion, they cannot even be so much as mentioned here.

On June 9th 2/Lt. PHILIP SIDNEY MARSDEN was reported wounded and on June 12, 2/Lt. ALLAN HARRISON HUDSON was reported missing (later reported to have been killed). Three days later Major MICHAEL HENRY CONNERY, the Battalion’s Quarter Master was slightly wounded when a Turkish shell hit his dug-out.

June 18:

An attack was planned to retake trench H.11 which had been partially re-taken by the Turks.  However, 30 minutes before the attack the Turks heavily shelled the position causing the 88th Brigade to withdraw from the left.  The allied attack was repulsed by the Turks who were already massed in the trenches for their own attack. They then counter-attacked causing trenches H.10 and H.11 to be entirely lost along with one machine gun and one trench mortar.

The initial attack was undertaken by B Company and included 2/Lt. JOHN MAYALL WADE and 2/Lt. ARTHUR WILLIAM FIELD CONNERY of C Company who had both volunteered to join them. Capt. HAROLD SUGDEN lead the attack and was mortally wounded. 2/Lt. WADE was seen jumping into a Turkish trench with six men and was never seen again.

The Turkish counter-attack was against a trench held by some men of C Company along with men of the 1/10th Manchesters. By the end of the fighting 2 Officers and 30 men had been killed, with dozens more wounded.

On June 22, 2/Lt. EDWARD BALMFOD and 16 men arrived from England, the first reinforcements to do so. An additional four men arriving on the 25th.

The Battalion left the line on June 22nd but the next day the bivouac was heavily shelled requiring the 1/9th to move a further 600 yards back to their old bivouac but not before 9 men had been wounded. This just after they had suffered so heavily in the line.

June Fatalities:

Rank No. 1st Name MI Surname When How
Pte. 1405 JOHN DALEY 1-Jun Fever
Sgt. 469 HARRY ILLINGWORTH 5-Jun KIA
Pte. 1401 EDWARD HODGKISS 5-Jun KIA
Pte. 1606 WILLIAM TOWNLEY 5-Jun KIA
Pte. 1866 JOSEPH BELL 5-Jun KIA
Pte. 2216 ABRAHAM HARE 5-Jun KIA
Pte. 1413 THOMAS PENNY 6-Jun DoW
Sgt. 76 JAMES LAWTON 7-Jun KIA
Sgt. 1125 NOEL D BRAITHWAITE 7-Jun KIA
Pte. 1210 JOHN A CRANE 7-Jun KIA
Pte. 1215 JOSEPH WILDE 7-Jun KIA
Pte. 1321 GEORGE W HUDSON 7-Jun DoW
Pte. 1339 JAMES W DALEY 7-Jun KIA
Pte. 1382 ERNEST ROBINSON 7-Jun KIA
Pte 1384 THOMAS L EVANS 7-Jun KIA
Pte. 1542 FRED McDONNELL 7-Jun KIA
Pte. 1859 EDDY HEINEMANN 7-Jun KIA
Pte. 1860 GEORGE F CAIN 7-Jun KIA
Pte. 1896 THOMAS HARDMAN 7-Jun KIA
Pte. 2009 FRANK MYCOCK 7-Jun KIA
Pte. 2012 JOHN TETLOW 7-Jun KIA
Pte. 2050 PETER TAYLOR 7-Jun KIA
Pte. 2061 HUGH RYDING 7-Jun KIA
Pte. 2068 ALBERT WRIGLEY 7-Jun KIA
Cpl. 2121 ROBERT HANDLEY 7-Jun KIA
Pte. 2126 JAMES MARTIN 7-Jun KIA
L/Cpl. 2141 JOSEPH R BERTENSHAW 7-Jun KIA
Cpl. 1734 HERBERT W MATTHEWS 8-Jun KIA
Pte. 1775 WILLIAM POSTLE 8-Jun DoW
Pte. 2085 MATTHEW BAILEY 8-Jun DoW
L/Cpl. 1000 JAMES EARNSHAW 9-Jun KIA
Pte. 1354 WILLIAM SHUTTLEWORTH 9-Jun KIA
Pte. 1380 BERNARD RAWLINGS 9-Jun KIA
L/Cpl. 1415 WILLIAM MASON 9-Jun KIA
Pte. 1760 JAMES H COOPER 9-Jun DoW
Pte. 1796 RICHARD VAREY 9-Jun Died
Pte. 1390 ALBERT HAGUE 11-Jun DoW
Pte. 1546 JOHN FINNIGAN 11-Jun KIA
Pte. 2238 JOHN LOVE 11-Jun KIA
Pte. 2193 SYDNEY STELFOX 12-Jun KIA
Pte. 1652 RICHARD STOTT 13-Jun DoW
Pte. 1746 JOHN CHAPMAN 13-Jun Fever
Pte. 2003 FRANK BALLARD 13-Jun KIA
Pte. 2151 WILLIAM H FODEN 13-Jun KIA
Pte. 2192 JOHN JONES 13-Jun KIA
Pte. 1044 THOMAS GORMAN 14-Jun KIA
Pte. 1488 RICHARD BURGESS 14-Jun KIA
Pte. 1855 JOHN E SWAIN 14-Jun Died
Pte. 555 WILLIAM BARKER 15-Jun DoW
L/Cpl. 1152 JOHN G BLANDFORD 16-Jun KIA
L/Cpl. 1484 JOHN W HUGHES 16-Jun Fever
Pte. 1660 HAROLD GARTSIDE 16-Jun KIA
Sgt. 1128 HARRY EARLE 17-Jun KIA
Pte. 1278 ALFRED E SUMMERSGILL 17-Jun DoW
Pte. 1851 WILLIAM MATHER 17-Jun KIA
Pte. 1853 HENRY LEWIS 18-Jun KIA
Pte. 1927 JOSEPH SELLERS 18-Jun KIA
Cpl. 508 HARRY GIBSON 19-Jun KIA
Pte. 932 WILLIE H HAMER 19-Jun KIA
Pte. 1070 CHARLES SMITH 19-Jun KIA
Pte 1137 TOM SMITH 19-Jun KIA
Pte. 1154 HAROLD COOKE 19-Jun KIA
Pte. 1169 HERBERT HOPKINS 19-Jun KIA
Sgt. 1171 GEORGE EYRE 19-Jun KIA
Pte. 1263 ALBERT MARLAND 19-Jun KIA
Pte. 1269 OLIVER JONES 19-Jun KIA
L/Cpl. 1289 GERALD MASSEY 19-Jun KIA
L/Cpl. 1377 FRANK OLDFIELD 19-Jun KIA
Pte. 1426 JOHN WALKER 19-Jun KIA
Pte. 1427 SAMUEL KELLETT 19-Jun KIA
Pte. 1428 STANLEY H STEPHENS 19-Jun KIA
Pte. 1466 FRED HANSON 19-Jun KIA
Pte. 1569 JOHN BATES 19-Jun KIA
Pte. 1601 WALTER CLEGG 19-Jun KIA
Pte. 1684 EDWARD JONES 19-Jun KIA
Pte. 1698 JAMES BROUGH 19-Jun KIA
Pte. 1700 FREDERICK G WORSLEY 19-Jun KIA
Pte. 1736 WILLIAM PRIDHAM 19-Jun KIA
Pte. 1740 JOSHUA BENNETT 19-Jun KIA
Pte. 1742 HARRY SIDEBOTTOM 19-Jun KIA
Pte. 1803 JAMES RYDER 19-Jun KIA
Pte. 1807 HENRY ELLIOTT 19-Jun KIA
Pte. 1862 FRANK JACKSON 19-Jun KIA
Pte. 1872 HARRY OGDEN 19-Jun DoW
Pte. 1886 ALBERT BENDEL 19-Jun KIA
Pte. 1917 FRED LEE 19-Jun DoW
L/Cpl. 2075 HARRY GIBSON 19-Jun KIA
Pte. 2170 GEORGE NOONAN 19-Jun Died
Pte. 1708 PERCY POULSTON 20-Jun Died
Pte. 1711 SIDNEY OGDEN 20-Jun DoW
Pte. 2043 JOHN BROADBENT 20-Jun DoW
Pte. 2161 JAMES TRAVIS 20-Jun DoW
Pte. 1195 THOMAS DORAN 21-Jun DoW
Pte. 1786 JOHN COFFEY 21-Jun DoW
Pte. 2133 JOSEPH SMITH 21-Jun KIA
Pte. 2183 EPHRAIM MARGRAVE 24-Jun DoW
Pte. 1375 BEN CUSICK 25-Jun Fever
Pte. 1758 PERCY WATSON 25-Jun Died
Pte. 1768 MAURICE BARKER 25-Jun KIA
Pte. 1785 ERNEST WILLIAMSON 25-Jun KIA
Cpl. 1920 WILLIAM MITCHESON 26-Jun DoW
L/Cpl. 1769 HERBERT BARRATT 28-Jun DoW
Pte. 1298 ENOCH MARTYN 29-Jun DoW
Pte. 2066 JAMES CROMPTON 30-Jun DoW
Rank Forename Middle Surname Died Cause
Capt. FRANK HAMER 07-Jun KiA
Lt. ALBERT EDWARD STRINGER 07-Jun KiA
Lt. ALLAN HARRISON HUDSON 13-Jun KiA
2/Lt JOHN MAYALL WADE 18-Jun KiA
Capt. HAROLD SUGDEN 20-Jun DoW

June Casualties:

Rank No First Middle Surname
Pte. 339 MATHEW JAMES BUCKLEY
Pte. 2006 JAMES CRAGG
Pte. 1192 HARRY TRUNKFIELD
Pte. 2179 ERNEST SPENCER EVANS
Pte. 2132 JAMES EDWARD R GREENWOOD
Pte. 1848 JOSEPH ABBOTT
Pte. 2081 WALTER BLAKE
Pte. 1374 JOE DUTTON
Pte. 1745 WILLIAM HENRY HALL
Pte. 1891 JOSEPH JACKSON
Pte. 1607 ERIC LISTER
Pte. 2152 RICHARD LONGSDEN
Pte. 1675 ALFRED SUMNER
Pte. 1358 GEORGE JAMES SILVESTER
Pte. 1570 WILLIAM ANDREWS
Pte. 1993 FRED ASPINALL
Pte. 1496 JOHN BULLOCK
Pte. 1535 JOHN HENRY CONNOLLY
Pte. 2123 THOMAS EDWARD GARSIDE
Pte. 1706 JAMES HILL
Pte. 1389 CHARLES KENNA
Pte. 1988 RICHARD MASSEY
Pte. 2226 THOMAS PATTISON
Pte. 2032 JOSEPH SHAW
Pte. 1127 HARRY TAYLOR
Pte. 1951 JOHN TINDALL
Sgt. 236 GEORGE TURNER
L/Sgt. 1010 SIDNEY WOOD
Pte. 2243 HAROLD HODGIN
Pte. 1884 ALFRED DIXON
Pte. 1473 GEORGE HENRY LAMB
Pte. 1148 JOHN MUTTER
Pte. 1545 NORMAN TAYLOR
Pte. 1857 ROBERT WALKER
Pte. 1544 JOHN BURGESS
Pte. 1945 WILLIAM FIELDER
Sgt. Mjr. 2716 JOSEPH FOWLER
Pte. 2128 FRED KENWORTHY
Pte. 1674 CHARLES ARTHUR MIDDLETON
Pte. 1068 PETER NOLAN
Pte. 1789 NORMAN RICHARDSON
Pte. 1715 WALTER ROEBUCK
Dmr. 1348 WILLIAM SHAW
Pte. 1200 WILLIAM TAYLOR
Pte. 1998 SAMUEL ARMITAGE
Pte. 1733 THOMAS HUGHES
Pte. 2198 HARRY OGDEN
Pte. 1487 ERNEST RIMINGTON
Pte. 1681 HARRY ROBINSON
Pte. 1592 EDWARD ALLOTT
Pte. 1516 ERNEST BARLOW
Pte. 1236 BENSON BARRATT
Pte. 1293 THOMAS BELL
Pte. 1655 RICHARD BOON
Pte. 1625 ARTHUR BURN
Pte. 1873 THOMAS CARTER
Pte. 1066 TOM GARLICK
Pte. 2019 WILLIAM GASKELL
Pte. 1623 JAMES GREENHALGH
Pte. 2120 ARTHUR CECIL HIRST
Pte. 23 TOM LMA LEE
Pte. 2204 JAMES McCARTHY
Pte. 1643 SAMUEL NEWTON
Pte. 174 JOHN HENRY SHAWCROSS
Pte. 973 HARRY SMITH
Pte. 1137 TOM SMITH
Pte. 1300 JOHN KINSELLA
Pte. 2029 JAMES ROBERT OGDEN
Pte. 1799 HAROLD ABBOTT
Pte. 1521 JAMES ATHERTON
L/Cpl. 1156 FRANK BARKER
Pte. 1604 WILLIAM HENRY CORLETT
Pte. 2036 ALBERT COMMERFORD
Pte. 1748 WILLIAM HIGGINBOTTOM
Pte. 1182 JAMES HOPWOOD
Pte. 1212 THOMAS HOLDEN
Pte. 2183 EPHRAIM MARGRAVE
Pte. 288 JOHN PHILLIPS
Pte. 2208 GEORGE ALMA PRICE
Pte. 2004 THOMAS HENRY RAMSBOTTOM
Pte. 1668 JOSEPH TAYLOR
Pte. 1649 TIMOTHY WIDDUP

July Operations:

July was a month of consolidation for the 42nd Division. The 1/9th were in the trenches from July 2 to July 18, then going to bivouac at divisional reserve.  However, the number of deaths due to sickness and disease started to rise.

On July 2,  four new Officers arrived and were assigned to the 1/9th; Lt. ARTHUR CLAUDE VYVYAN-ROBINSON, (10th South Lancs Regiment), Lt. SAMUEL PORTER, Lt. JOHN KNOWLES and 2/Lt. HARRY YORSTON DIXON all of the 11th Yorks and Lancs Regiment. Lt. PORTER and 2/Lt. DIXON were assigned to C company.

C company lost two Officers in early July.  On July 5th 2/Lt. ARTHUR WILLIAM FIELD CONNERY was badly wounded in the mouth by shrapnel and went to hospital. Shortly after, on July 7th, 2/Lt. JOHN MATLEY ROBSON went to hospital with fever and died of enteric fever on July 17 in Egypt.

On July 10 2/Lieut. OLIVER JEPSON SUTTON and 969 Sgt. HARRY GRANTHAM made a reconnaissance at night, using string to measure their distance from their trench, and discovered that the Turks were digging to the S.E. of trench G12. They repeated their reconnaissance the following night to verify their observations.

On July 14, the recently arrived, 2/Lt. HARRY YORSTON DIXON was killed by shrapnel during an advance by 52nd Division and 2/Lt. EDWARD BALMFORD and 15 men were wounded. Two weeks later, on July 27, Lt. JOHN KNOWLES and 14 men were wounded.

On July 23, reinforcements arrived from England for all Infantry units of the 42nd Division. The 1/9th received 5 Officers and 222 men. The Officers arriving that day were:

Lt. DOUGLAS BUCHANAN STEPHENSON
2/Lt. WILLIAM MARSDEN BARRATT
2/Lt. SYDNEY WILLIAM RUTTENAU
2/Lt. HARDOLD INGHAM
2/Lt. WILLIAM GILBERT GREENWOOD

July Fatalities:

Rank No. 1st Name MI Surname When How
Pte. 2202 JACK HAGUE 03-Jul Fever
Pte. 1457 JOHN BRADY 09-Jul Fever
Pte. 419 FREDERICK O WYATT 12-Jul DoW
Sgt. 1271 JAMES TAYLOR 12-Jul DoW
Pte. 1501 GEORGE MARKHAM 12-Jul KIA
Pte. 1922 EDWARD KELLY 12-Jul KIA
Pte. 1218 JAMES HOLLINGWORTH 14-Jul Fever
Pte. 1688 JAMES WILSHAW 15-Jul KIA
Pte. 2207 BEN THOMPSON 15-Jul Died
L/Cpl. 1957 JAMES ROWBOTTOM 18-Jul Died
Sgt. 31 THOMAS LOMAS 22-Jul KIA
Pte. 1557 ISAAC WALKER 22-Jul KIA
Pte. 1787 FRED JONES 26-Jul DoW
L/Cpl. 1155 WILLIAM BURKE 28-Jul Fever
Lt. JOHN M ROBSON 17-Jul Fever

July Casualties:

Rank No. Forename Middle Surname
Pte. 1972 GEORGE BARRATT
QMS 5 GEORGE BOOCOCK
Pte. 1576 WILLIAM PETER BRIERLEY
Pte. 2138 JAMES GARSIDE BROADHURST
L/Cpl. 1665 HARRY BYROM
Pte. 2036 ALBERT COMMERFORD
Cpl. 1120 THOMAS FORREST
Cpl. 2127 SIDNEY GARSIDE
Pte. 379 THOMAS GHENTY
Pte. 1369 ALBERT GIBSON
Pte. 1368 WILLIE GIBSON
Pte. 1909 WILLIAM SIMPSON HALL
Pte. 2160 THOMAS JACKSON
Pte. 1334 CHARLES LEE
Pte. 2013 ARTHUR LILLEY
Sgt. 1310 HERBERT MORRIS
Pte. 512 JOHN MORGAN
L/Cpl. 1313 JAMES WILLIAM RAMSDALE
Pte. 1271 JAMES TAYLOR
Pte. 2086 TIMOTHY TIPTON
Pte. 1688 JAMES WILSHAW
Pte. 1150 FRED ARMITAGE
Pte. 680 THOMAS HARGREAVES
Pte. 1954 JAMES ALBERT TRUEMAN
Pte. 1597 ERNEST HAWKRIDGE
Pte. 1388 WILFRED LOCKWOOD
Pte. 1755 EDWARD SPRAGG
Pte. 2197 SAMUEL YARDWOOD
Pte. 2018 WILLIAM WILLIAMS

July Honors:

969 Sgt. HARRY GRANTHAM, DCM
For conspicuous gallantry and ability south of Krithia, Gallipoli Peninsula, on 10th and 11th July 1915, when making a reconnaissance of the enemy’s new trenches under very dangerous circumstances. He gained valuable information and located the hostile positions. [Gazetted Sept 15, 1915].

Capt. OLIVER JEPSON SUTTON, MC
The War Diary for the 1/9th Battalion notes that both Sgt. GRANTHAM and Capt. SUTTON were congratulated by the Division Major-General for their reconnaisance work.  Capt. SUTTON was subsequently awarded the Military Cross. [Gazetted Feb 1, 1916].

August Operations:

August saw the Battalion heavily engaged in the Battle of Krithia Vineyard from the 7th – 9th August and the rigours of front line trench warfare throughout the rest of the month.

Context from Despatches:

Once the date was decided a certain amount of ingenuity had to be called into play so as to divert the attention of the enemy from my main strategical conception. This-I repeat for the sake of clearness-was: –
(1) To break out with a rush from Anzac and cut off the bulk of the Turkish Army from land communication with Constantinople.
(2) To gain such a command for my artillery as to cut off the bulk of the Turkish Army, from sea traffic whether with Constantinople or with Asia.
(3) Incidentally, to secure Suvla Bay as a winter base for Anzac and all the troops operating in the northern theatre.
My schemes for hoodwinking the Turks fell under two heads: First, strategical diversions, meant to draw away enemy reserves not yet committed to the peninsula. Secondly, tactical diversions meant to hold up enemy reserves already on the peninsula.

But upon the 6th of August attacks in the south were only to form a subsidiary part of one great concerted attack. Anzac was to deliver the knock-down blow; Helles and Suvla were complementary operations.

As the aim of my action in this southern zone was to advance if I could, but in any case to contain the enemy and prevent him reinforcing to the northwards, I persevered on the 7th with my plans, notwithstanding the counter-attack of the Turks which was actually in progress.

On the right and on the centre the first enemy line was captured, and small parties pushed on to the second line, where they were unable to maintain themselves for long. On the, left but little ground was gained, and by 11a.m. what little had been taken had been relinquished. But in the centre a stiff battle raged all day up and down a vineyard some 200 yards long by 100 yards broad on the west of the Krithia road. A large portion of the vineyard had been captured in the first dash, and the East Lancashire men in this part of the field gallantly stood their ground here against a succession of vigorous counter-attacks.

Two specially furious counter-attacks were delivered by the Turks on the 8th August, one at 4.40 a.m. and another at 8.30 p.m., where again our bayonets were too much for them. Throughout the night they made continuous bomb attacks, but the 6th Lancashire Fusiliers and the 4th East Lancashire Regiment stuck gamely to their task at the eastern corner of the vineyard. There was desperate fighting also at the northern corner, where the personal bravery of Lieutenant W. T. Forshaw, 1/9th Manchester Regiment who stuck to his post after his detachment had been relieved (an act for which he has since been awarded the V.C.), was largely instrumental in the repulse of three very determined onslaughts.

The 1/9th went into the trenches on Aug 7, remaining there until Aug 13, and were divided into two separate groups.

On Aug 7, Lt. SAMUEL PORTER was mortally wounded and Major RICHARD BOTTOMLEY NOWELL and Lt. OLIVER JEPSON SUTTON were both wounded.

On Aug 22 a draft of 4 Officers and 145 men (formerly of the 2/9th Battalion) arrived from England as reinforcements for the 1/9th. The Officers arriving that day were:

2/Lt. PERCY ASPDEN WOODHOUSE
2/Lt. HAROLD HARRISON KNIGHT
2/Lt. PERCY AINSWORTH
Hon Lt. JOSEPH MICHAEL CONNERY*

* Another son of Major M.H. CONNERY the Battalion’s Quarter Master.

August Fatalities:

Rank No. 1st Name MI Surname When How
Lt. SAMUEL PORTER 7-Aug DoW
Pte. 1850 WILLIAM NUTTALL 7-Aug KIA
Pte. 2946 WILLIAM B FORRESTER 7-Aug KIA
Pte. 745 ARNOLD BOOTH 8-Aug KIA
Pte. 1189 HAROLD NEWTON 8-Aug KIA
Pte. 1324 JAMES S MILLAR 8-Aug KIA
Pte. 1568 ALBERT V GODDING 8-Aug KIA
Pte. 2089 PERCY STONES 8-Aug KIA
Pte. 2514 ALFRED MOLYNEUX 8-Aug KIA
Pte. 2742 JAMES SPEDDINGS 8-Aug KIA
Pte. 2971 ALBERT G HARLING 8-Aug KIA
Pte. 1999 ALBERT SMITH 9-Aug KIA
Pte. 2330 HAROLD CHADWICK 9-Aug KIA
Pte. 2616 JOHN BARDSLEY 9-Aug DoW
Pte. 2182 GEORGE H WALKER 11-Aug Died
Pte. 1342 HERBERT BRADBURY 12-Aug KIA
L/Cpl. 1423 ALBERT BURGESS 12-Aug DoW
Pte. 2095 JOHN J O’CONNOR 12-Aug KIA
Pte. 1252 ERNEST SMITH 13-Aug KIA
Pte. 2625 JAMES WALKER 13-Aug KIA
Pte. 2718 BENJAMIN SHATWELL 13-Aug DoW
Pte. 1863 WILLIAM ADSHEAD 15-Aug DoW
Pte. 1535 JOHN H CONNOLLY 16-Aug DoW
Pte. 2941 JAMES H BROWN 26-Aug DoW
Pte. 1314 JOHN W ANDREWS 29-Aug DoW
Pte. 2195 HARRY KENYON 29-Aug KIA
Pte. 1402 CEPHAS TURNER 30-Aug DoW

August Casualties:

Rank No. Forename Middle Surname
Pte. 2109 JAMES JOYCE
Pte. 1305 JAMES WRIGHT
Pte. 1300 JOHN KINSELLA
Pte. 1570 WILLIAM ANDREWS
Pte. 3118 WILLIAM BOOTH
Pte. 3048 SAMUEL CASE
Pte. 1294 FRANK CHEVALIER
Pte. 1353 JOHN WILLIAM DODD
Pte. 1770 BEN G DRANSFIELD
Pte. 2994 ERNEST GEORGE ELLIS
L/Cpl. 1627 GEORGE FRATER
L/Cpl. 3016 GEORGE FULLARD
Cpl. 2049 CHARLES WILLIAM GIBSON
Pte. 2328 WILLIAM S GODDARD
Pte. 1936 ARTHUR SAMUEL GROSVENOR
Pte. 1397 JOHN HANSON
Pte. 2345 ALFRED HARDING
Pte. 1656 EDWARD HENNESSY
Pte. 1470 THOMAS HEWITT
Pte. 1829 JOHN WILLIAM JUBB
Pte. 2102 DAVID KIRK
Pte. 2694 JOSEPH MANCLARK
Pte. 2702 SAMUEL MATLEY
L/Cpl. 1553 HAROLD MORRIS
L/Cpl. 1133 ALBERT MULLEN
Pte. 2341 PERCY NICHOLSON
Pte. 2227 THOMAS ORMESHER
Pte. 2605 ERNEST SHAW
Pte. 1831 JAMES SMITH
Pte. 1727 ROBERT ALLEN LEWIS THOMAS
Pte. 2014 HAROLD VICKERS
Pte. 3066 WILLIAM WALKER
Pte. 2260 THOMAS WELLENS
Pte. 1895 GEORGE WRIGHT
Pte. 2186 PERCY BORWICK
Pte. 2465 HARRY CHAPMAN
Pte. 1511 ALFRED CLEGG
Pte. 1536 LEWIS LOGSON GRIMSHAW
Pte. 1952 HAROLD HARGREAVES
Pte. 2107 ABEL HUGHES
Pte. 1662 HARRY OWEN
Pte. 1682 ERNEST PEPPER
Pte. 2249 WILLIAM RABY
L/Sgt. 1978 ARTHUR SPURRETT
Pte. 2382 ARTHUR STALEY
Pte. 1317 JAMES WILLIAM STOCKTON
Pte. 1820 JOHN TAGGART
Pte. 2985 ROBERT THEWLIS
Pte. 2485 FRANK CUMMINS
Pte. 2831 WILLIAM THOMAS LOMAS
Pte. 1539 MATHEW SHEA
Pte. 2808 WILLIAM WOOD
Pte. 1863 WILLIAM ADSHEAD
Pte. 2434 REGINALD BENNETT
Pte. 1448 JOHN HALL
Pte. 1381 ERNEST LOWNDS
Pte. 2244 ABEL ROBINSON
Pte. 1305 JAMES WRIGHT

August Honors:

Lt. WILLIAM THOMAS FORSHAW, VC
For most conspicuous bravery and determination in the Gallipoli Peninsula from 7th to 9th August, 1915.  When holding the north-west corner of the “Vineyard” he was attacked and heavily bombed by Turks, whoi advanced time after time by three trenches which converged at this point, but he held his own, not only directing his men and encouraging them by by exposing himself with the utmost disregard to danger, but personally throwing bombs continuously for 41 hours. When his detachment was relieved after 24 hours he volunteered to continue the direction of operations.  At three times during the night of 8-9th August he was again heavily attacked, and once the Turks got over the barricade, but, after shooting three with his revolver. he led his men forward and recaptured it. When he rejoined his Battalion he was choked and sickened by bomb fumes, badly bruised by a fragment of shrapnel, and could barely lift his arm from continuous bomb throwing. It was due to his personal example, magnificent courage and endurance that this very important corner was held. [Gazetted Sept 9, 1915]

180 Cpl. SAMUEL BAYLEY, DCM
For conspicuous bravery on the 7th and 9th August 1915, at Cape Helles (Dardenelles), Cpl. BAYLEY remained with Lt. FORSHAW, VC; holding a barricade for forty-one hours continuously. On the evening of 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 Lt. 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. [Gazetted Nov 16, 1915]

2148 L/Cpl. STANLEY PEARSON, DCM
For conspicuous gallantry on the 7th and 8th August 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. [Gazetted March 11, 1916]

2103 L/Cpl. THOMAS PICKFORD, DCM
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. [Gazetted March 11, 1916]

1347 Pte. REGINALD POTTS
On August 12, Pte. POTTS volunteered to join the bombing party of the 1/4th East Lancashire Regiment and subsequently was issued a Congratulatory Card for gallantry. [War Diary Aug 26th]

2/Lt. CHARLES EARSHAM COOKE, MC
The Battalion War Diary notes that the Brigadier-General of the 126th Brigade personally congratulated the commanding officer of the 1/9th Manchesters on the gallant behavior of Lt. FORSHAW, 2/Lt. COOKE and the 2 platoons under them. 2/Lt. COOKE was subsequently awarded the Military Cross. [Gazetted Feb 1, 1916]

General's Letter 14th August 1915

September Operations:

September brought a welcome relief from the intense fighting of previous months but for the first time the number of sick exceeded those of the killed and wounded.  As the number of men reporting sick increased, the 126th Brigade began to record the numbers of sick per Battalion, starting on September 14th. In the second half of September 104 men of the 1/9th went onto the sick list.

On Sept 1, Capt. FRANK WOODHOUSE went to hospital sick.

On the evening of Sept 2, Lt. ARTHUR CLAUDE VYVYAN-ROBINSON and a party of 14 men were detailed to dig a trench joining the current Firing Line with the Northern Barricade. As they made their way in the dark they lost their bearings, going too far East, and were fired on by the Royal Naval Division.  Lt. VYVYAN-ROBINSON was wounded, one man was reported missing and three were wounded. A court of enquiry was held and the details passed to the Division.

The next day, on Sept 3 at around 2pm, the Turks exploded a mine right under a sap known as FOUR HOLE POST in the Firing Line where the 1/9th were located. The explosion destroyed the Sap and 12 yards of the Firing Line, killing 2 men and wounding 3 others. Four additional men were extracted suffering from shock.

On Sept 10 Lt. Col. ROBERT WORGAN FALCON, temporary commanding officer of the 1/9th reported sick. He was replaced the next day by Major RODERICK LIVINGSTONE LEES of the 1/6 Lancs Fusiliers who had distinguished himself in August at the Battle of Krithia Vineyard.

The 1/9th went into the trenches on September 18th and remained there until October 1st.  A few days later on Sept 20 Capt. GEORGE WILLIAM HANDFORTH reported sick. He was quickly followed by Lt. WILLIAM GILBERT GREENWOOD on the 22nd and by Lt. HAROLD EDWARD BUTTERWORTH on the 25th.

On Sept 27 Major RODERICK LIVINGSTONE LEES was awarded the DSO and on Sept 30 he relinquished command of the 1/9th and Major WILLIAM JAMES ANDERSON (of the 33rd Battalion Duke of Wellington’s Regiment) assumed command.

September Fatalities:

Rank No. 1st Name MI Surname When How
Pte. 2063 THOMAS PORTINGTON 3-Sep KIA
Pte. 2304 PERCY GARSIDE 3-Sep KIA
Pte. 1618 CHARLES L HIGGINS 4-Sep DoW
Pte. 2897 HARRY CLEGG 4-Sep KIA
Pte. 2306 PERCY RIDINGS 6-Sep Died
Pte. 2356 FRED SMITH 6-Sep DoW
Pte. 1947 HAROLD RHODES 7-Sep DoW
Pte. 2965 ISAAC THOMPSON 7-Sep KIA
Cpl. 921 HARRY BOLTER 10-Sep DoW
Pte. 2642 WILLIAM BRAMALL 13-Sep Died
Cpl. 2049 CHARLES W GIBSON 15-Sep DoW
Pte. 2710 FREDERICK J BACON 28-Sep Died
2/Lt. PERCY A WOODHOUSE 11-Sep Fever

September Casualties:

Rank No. Forename Middle Surname
Pte. 3055 JOSEPH BARLOW
Pte. 2174 HARRY PRATT
Pte. 1624 ELLIS HARTLEY
Pte. 1374 JOE DUTTON
Pte. 2451 ARTHUR HAYNES
Pte. 2479 TOM KILSHAW
Pte. 3135 WALTER ROGERS
Pte. 2672 ARTHUR SLATER
Pte. 1287 WILLIAM THORNTON

October Operations:

October saw the number of men reporting sick spike to 143 even as the number of killed and wounded dropped to the lowest levels of the campaign.

The 1/9th were relieved from the trenches on October 1st and moved to Divisional Reserve at GEOGHEGAN’S BLUFF. Here they were mostly engaged in fatigues supporting the extensive mining and digging work going on in the trenches. They later moved to Bivouac at GULLY BEACH.

On October 6th a small draft of 25 other ranks arrived. The following day a draft of 5 Officers from other regiments (Essex and South Lancs) arrived and were assigned temporarily to the 1/9th.

Rank Forename Middle Surname
2/Lt. GEORGE ROBERT BERNARD
2/Lt. GEORGE FREDERICK BARKER
2/Lt. ARTHUR JAMES SOUTHCOTT
2/Lt. LAIRD KIRWAN
2/Lt. GEORGE GREENE KELLY

2/Lt. JOHN BROADBENT of the transport section also reported sick this day followed by Capt. DOUGLAS BUCHANAN STEPHENSON on October 10th.

On October 14th the Battalion moved back to the line; half the Battalion with the 1/10th Manchesters and half with the 1/5th East Lancs. The split made for tactical reasons to maximize the use of senior Officers and NCOs across the Brigade. A & C companies attached to the 1/5th East Lancs under Capt. FRANK WOODHOUSE and B & D companies to the 1/10th Manchesters under Capt. FREDERICK WILLIAM KERSHAW. The Battalion remained in the trenches until October 29th.

On October 16, Capt. ERIC RICHARDSON was appointed Staff Captain of the 126th Brigade and left the Battalion.

On October 19th Major WILLIAM JAMES V. ANDERSON was killed by a bomb while visiting the trenches. He was temporarily replaced by Lt. Col. GODFREY WALKER ROBINSON of the 1/10th Manchesters.

On October 23 a draft of 3 Officers and 139 men, of the 2/9th Battalion, arrived from England. The Officers arriving that day were:

2/Lt. THOMAS AINSWORTH
2/Lt. BELTRAN FORD ROBINSON
2/Lt. WILLIAM HENRY DEMEL

On October 26th a further 11 Officers and 11 other ranks arrived from England. The Officers arriving this day were:

2/Lt. WILLIAM NEVILLE BROADBENT BURY
2/Lt. SYDNEY NAYLOR
2/Lt. IRVINE DEARNALEY
2/Lt. BERNARD HAROLD BRISTER
2/Lt. OSCAR STOCKTON NEEDHAM
2/Lt. PERCY PARKER FIELDING
2/Lt. FRANCIS CYRIL HAMPSON
2/Lt. FREDERICK BEARD
2/Lt. ROBERT JACOMB NORRIS DALE
2/Lt. JOHN REGINALD TOMMIS
2/Lt. ALFRED GRAY

October Fatalities:

October brought only three fatalities at Gallipoli, Pte. Armitage dying at home from sickness contracted overseas.

Rank No. 1st Name MI Surname When How
Pte. 1998 SAMUEL ARMITAGE 3-Oct Died
L/Sgt. 2139 GILBERT HIGHAM 7-Oct DoW
Pte. 2630 HARVEY THOMPSON 17-Oct KIA
Pte. 1343 TOM HALL 20-Oct KIA

October Casualties:

The only man listed in the following month’s London Times casualty lists was 1179 Pte. SAMUEL E. BOSNALL.

1/9th Manchesters Casualties October 1915

November Operations:

Disease, sickness and heavy rain that turned to snow blizzards and frost in November of 1915 created new hardships and claimed yet more casualties. The 9th Battalions numbers were dwindling fast despite three significant drafts of reinforcements from England arriving in July, August and October.

In November 117 men reported sick, a slight reduction from the previous month. Nevertheless, 3 Officers (Capt. FREDERICK WILLIAM KERSHAW, Lt. L. G. NASH, RAMC (attached) and 2/Lt. WILLIAM NEVILLE BROADBENT BURY) all reported sick on the same day, November 9th.

The Battalion moved into the line again on November 12th and remained there until November 26th. On the 15th a very heavy rainfall occurred filling some parts of the trenches to a depth of 3 feet.  Despite the terrible conditions the Turks were relatively quiet until the 23rd when heavy shelling and a large number (40-50) stick grenades were fired at the trenches. 2/Lt. IRVINE DEARNLEY was killed this day.

On the 26th November the Battalion was relieved and went into Bivouac in GULLY RAVINE. A period of heavy fatigues followed for the remainder of the month. On November 29, 2/Lt. SYDNEY NAYLOR, recently arrived the previous month, was wounded.

Context from Despatches:

During the month of November, beyond the execution of very clever and successful minor enterprises carried out by Corps Commanders with a view to maintaining an offensive spirit in their commands, there remains little to record-except that an increased activity of the the Turkish artillery against our front became a noticeable factor.

On the 21st November the Peninsula was visited by a storm said to be nearly unprecedented for the time of the year. The storm was accompanied by torrential rain, which lasted for 24 hours. This was followed by hard frost and a heavy blizzard.

November Fatalities:

Rank No. 1st Name MI Surname When How
Pte. 1641 EDWARD GREEN 13-Nov DoW
Pte. 3321 JOHN BALLAGHER 15-Nov KIA
Pte. 2297 SAM MATHER 22-Nov Died
Pte. 3090 JESSE LAWTON 22-Nov DoW
Pte. 3291 AARON JONES 23-Nov KIA
Pte. 2282 JOHN FINUCANE 27-Nov Died
Pte. 2757 WILFRED LILLEY 27-Nov DoW
2/Lt. IRVINE DEARNALEY 23-Nov KiA

November Casualties:

Rank No. Forename Middle Surname
Pte. 2855 ROBERT ANDREW
Pte. 1293 THOMAS BELL
Pte. 3203 A BOOTH
Pte. 2505 TOM KENDRICK LLOYD
Pte. 3427 HARRY MARSLAND
Pte. 3211 ROBERT OGDEN
Pte. 1134 FRANK ERNEST ORTON
L/Cpl. 2148 STANLEY PEARSON
L/Cpl. 3334 THOMAS RIDLEY
Pte. 3398 WILLIAM RUSSELL
Cpl. 2190 JOHN THOMPSON

December Operations:

In December 54 men reported sick.  2/Lt. ARTHUR JAMES SOUTHCOTT reported sick on December 5th, returning to the Battalion (from 17th Stationary Hospital) on the 10th. The next day he reported sick again.  In the meantime, 2/Lt. GEORGE FREDERICK BARKER, (who arrived with 2/Lt. SOUTHCOTT in November), also reported sick on December 8th.

2/Lt. LAIRD KIRWAN and 2/Lt. GEORGE GREENE-KELLY were transferred to the 1/10th Manchesters on the 8th December.

The Battalion went into the Line on December 10th and remained there until December 24th, moving to Divisional Reserve at GEOGHEGAN’S BLUFF. On December 17th Brigade Operational Order 28 was issued outlining a plan to explode a mine in front of the Turkish trenches with the objective of creating a crater. Men of the Brigade would go out the the crater and secure it by building barricades. The purpose of these small offensive operations carried out by the 52nd and 42nd Divisions was to act as a distraction during the evacuation of troops elsewhere on the peninsula.

Unfortunately, the mine that was exploded (600lbs at a depth of 40 ft) failed to produce a crater, the force of the explosion creating a ridge of earth only about 1 ft high. 16 bombers, a working party under 2/Lt. ALFRED GRAY and 26 men of B company dutifully went over the top and occupied the depression. With the Turkish trenches untouched, they were mercilessly shot at from the front and the right.  Finding the position untenable the troops eventually were forced to retire. The casualties reported for the 1/9th on the day were 3 killed, 1 missing and 11 wounded. 2/Lt. GRAY, Sgt. GREENHALGH and Cpl. BARKER were mentioned in the Brigade war diary for showing “great courage and ability remaining out and covering the retirement of the parties although fired at from 12yds range.” Sgt. GREENHALGH and Cpl. DAVIS subsequently received DCMs for their acts of bravery that day.

A letter from Sgt. GREENHALGH was subsequently published in the Ashton Reporter on Saturday July 15, 1916 providing a version of the events in his own words:

“No doubt it came as a surprise at home when they heard that I had got the D.C.M. I can tell you it was a surprise to me also. The first I heard about it was in a letter I had from home, but the day following our commanding officer told me about it. As you are all wanting to know what I did to get it, I will try to tell you.

It was on the 19th 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.”

On the 26th December, orders were received to leave the Peninsula, and on the 27th a Turkish shell made a direct hit on the Battalion bivouac killing a number of men in a cruel last minute reminder of the constant dangers they were leaving behind. Pte. Arthur Slater was buried alive and only survived because he was dug out by his comrades. The next day the 9th Battalion embarked on H.M.T. Redbreast bound for Mudros West.

Context from Despatches:

The following is taken from Sir Charles Monro’s Gallipoli Despatch, who was sent to replace the sacked Sir Ian Hamilton as Commander in Chief of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force.

On the 8th December, consequent on your Lordship’s orders, I directed the General Officer Commanding Dardanelles Army to proceed with the evacuation of Suvla and Anzac at once.

Lieutenant-General Birdwood proceeded on receipt of his orders with the skill and promptitude which is characteristic of all that he undertakes, and after consultation with Rear-Admiral Wemyss, it was decided, provided the weather was propitious, to complete the evacuation on the night of the 19th-20th December.

On the 24th December, General Sir W. Birdwood was directed to make all preliminary preparations for immediate evacuation, in the event of orders to this effect being received.

December Fatalities:

Rank No. 1st Name MI Surname When How
Pte. 3281 JAMES R FERNLEY 4-Dec DoW
Pte. 3340 CLARENCE BOOTH 8-Dec Died
L/Cpl. 1391 GEORGE G HAUGHTON 11-Dec KIA
Pte. 1534 ALFRED E SNAPE 12-Dec KIA
Pte. 1829 JOHN W JUBB 16-Dec KIA
Cpl. 724 JOSEPH E APPLEBY 18-Dec KIA
Cpl. 2092 JOHN CUPPELLO 19-Dec KIA
Pte. 2446 ALEXANDER GREEN 19-Dec KIA
Pte. 2968 JOE DOWNS 19-Dec KIA
Pte. 3241 ALFRED METCALF 19-Dec KIA
Pte. 3218 EDGAR NEWTON 21-Dec KIA
Pte. 3391 HORACE BENNETT 22-Dec DoW
Pte. 1805 JOHN F JENKINSON 27-Dec KIA
Pte. 2310 HEZEKIAH HARRISON 27-Dec KIA
Pte. 2365 GEORGE H WALKER 27-Dec KIA
L/Cpl. 2601 GEORGE HEROD 27-Dec KIA
Pte. 3312 HAROLD GREEN 27-Dec KIA
Pte. 3418 RALPH SCHOFIELD 27-Dec KIA
Pte. 3396 HARRY GREGORY 31-Dec DoW

December Casualties:

Rank No. Forename Middle Surname
Pte. 1801 WILLIAM BARFIELD
Pte. 2949 HERBERT BENNETT
Pte. 3422 JOHN JAMES BOOTH
Pte. 2847 HAROLD COOKSON
Pte. 3113 HERBERT HOLT
Pte. 3311 ERNEST JONES
Pte. 2954 GEORGE NOLAN
Pte. 3190 RALPH PLATT
Pte. 787 GEORGE W STRINGER
Pte. 2985 ROBERT THEWLIS
Pte. 1946 MOSES BIRCHENOUGH
Pte. 3031 SIDNEY GARSIDE
Pte. 3399 FRANK HAMER
Pte. 2293 WALTER HARDY
Pte. 1439 TOM HILL
Sgt. 1358 GEORGE JAMES SILVESTER
Pte. 1331 WILLIAM HEGGENBOTTOM WOOD
Pte. 3341 EDWIN BEECH
Pte. 2339 HERBERT DAWSON
Pte. 1580 NORMAN HARGREAVES
Pte. 2810 THOMAS STEVENSON
Pte. 1677 RUPERT RYLANCE
Pte. 3201 JOHN BROCK
Pte. 2563 EDWARD HINDLEY
Pte. 3169 JAMES HULME
1/9th Manchesters Casualties December 1915

At least 192 men of the 1/9th Battalion died from the fighting, sickness or disease they encountered at Gallipoli in 1915. Many more men were wounded or otherwise hospitalised and approximately 100 men were awarded the Silver War Badge and discharged from service due to sickness or wounds they were unable to fully recover from.

Pte. 3765 Fred Dickinson serves as an example. He was discharged as permanently unfit for any kind of military service and awarded the Silver War Badge on March 23, 1916 suffering from Nephritis. His Service Record shows that his medical issues “originated on December 18, 1915 in Gallipoli. Sent into hospital in Cairo on account of general dropsy and discovered to be suffering from Nephritis. No history of previous illness of a similar nature. States that while on active service in the trenches he had to stand waist deep in water for a considerable time during a severe storm. Heart sounds fine but there is an accentuated sound heard at the apex. Urine contained albumen and blood is still present. Result of active service, exposure to cold and wet. Permanent [Disability].”

Pte. Dickinson only arrived in the Dardenelles on October 22, 1915 and was admitted to the Red Cross Hospital in Giza, just over two months later, on December 26 suffering from oedema to the legs (a swelling  due to the accumulation of excessive fluid in the tissues). He was subsequently invalided to the UK leaving Alexandria on January 17, 1916 sailing on the Hospital Ship GLENGORN CASTLE. He was subsequently treated in the UK for 38 days at the 4th Scottish General Hospital, RAMC (Territorial Force) at Stobhill, Glasgow. He received a small, and decreasing, military pension over the next nine months following his discharge.

December Honors:

The Battalion War Diary on December 18 reports that three Congratulatory Cards from the Major-General Commanding the Division were received for:
No 5 QMS G BOOCOCK
400 Sgt. Mjr. Cook JOHN CHAPMAN
1659 Pte. P. WOODRUFF

And, in a rather belated recognition of their efforts, the Battalion War Diary for March 1916 reported that Cards of Congratulation were received from the Major-General Commanding the 42nd Division, for good work done in Gallipoli for the following men:
341 Sgt. JOHN LEE
2146 Cpl. PLATT A.
728 L/Cpl. GREEN A.
2826 Pte. SMITH A.
2231 Pte. WILLIAM SHEEKEY
2067 Pte. JOSEPH S. SWINDELLS

2231 Pte. WILLIAM SHEEKEY was additionally awarded the Serbian Silver Medal of Valour and was Gazetted Feb 15, 1917.

EGYPT 1916-17

FRANCE 1917-18

Commanding Officers
A list of the Battalion’s Commanding Officers in World War One can be found here.