Personal

Each edition of the Ashton Reporter had a small “Personal” column. Several of these columns contained very short (one or two sentences) of information regarding certain prominent people of the district including Officers of the 9th Battalion. Those entries, as they relate to the 9th Battalion Manchester Regiment, are provided here.

Personal

Saturday, October 3, 1914:

Sergeant F. Jones who is now with the Ashton Territorials in Egypt, has been gazetted a second lieutenant dated September 30th.

Lieutenant D B Stevenson has returned to Ashton from St. Anne’s, where he had been recouperating after an attack of pneumonia which prevented him from going out to Egypt with the 9th Battalion Manchester Regiment (Territorials). He has again volunteered for foreign service.

Captain R. Lees is at present at Blackpool recouperating and progressing favourably. When encamped at Bury with the Ashton Battalion Captain Lees was compelled to return to Ashton to undergo an operation at the Infirmary. He has again volunteered for foreign service.

Saturday, October 17, 1914:

Captain Ralph Lees is sufficiently restored to health to be able to take up duties in command of the depot of the 9th Battalion Manchester Regiment, Territorials, at the Ashton Armoury.

Saturday, July 31, 1915:

Lieutenant Arthur Connery in a letter to his brother QMS J. T. Connery from Malta, says that he is getting favourably. His mouth has regained the normal aspect, and the pieces of broken teeth have been extracted by the military dentist. He is to come home by the next transport.

Lieutenant F. A. Makin, of the 1/9th Ashton Territorials, has so far recovered from a serious attack of enteric for him to write letters to his friends at home. In the one dated July 18th he states that the doctor has pronounced him convalescent. It is now the eighth week since his admission into the Deaconess Hospital, Alexandria, Egypt.

Saturday, August 7, 1915:

Quartermaster Sergeant Boocock 1/9th Battalion Manchester Regiment, Territorials of Katherine Street, Ashton has returned wounded from the Dardanelles and is at present under treatment at the Tabernacle Hospital, Southport. His son, Private Alfred Boocock of the same Battalion writes saying he has arrived at Malta on the way home.

Major F. Garside commanding the 3/9th Res. Battalion Manchester Regiment, Ashton Territorials, who are now in training at Southport was the adjudicator in a trench digging competition at the Botanic gardens on Saturday between wounded soldiers from the Homeopathic [Cottage] Hospital and Meols Hall [Convalescent Hospital]. The occasion was [illegible] garden party and the Mayor distributed the prizes.

Saturday, August 21, 1915:

Lieut. Col. D. H. Wade 1/9th Manchester Regt. (Ashton Territorials) who was wounded during the fighting on the Gallipoli Peninsula is still in the Whitworth Street Military Hospital, Manchester, and is making good progress.

Saturday, August 28, 1915:

Lieut. F. A. Makin. The Nest, Taunton Road, Ashton who has been laid up for eleven weeks with enteric at the Deaconess Hospital, Alexandria wired to his wife as follows: –

“Arrived 3rd London General Hospital, Wandsworth. Probably few days here.”

The telegram was received yesterday, Friday morning. Lieut. Makin is in the 1/9th Battalion Manchester Regiment (Ashton Territorials) and was taken ill while fighting at the Dardanelles.

Saturday, September 4, 1915:

Lieutenant R. G. Wood of the Ashton Territorials, whose leg was injured in an attempt to save a sergeant in the Oldham Territorials, is now in a military hospital in Torquay.

The late Lieutenat-Colonel Thomas Hethorn Cunliffe, of the Warren, Wood Road, Whalley Range Manchester, who was in command of the 2/9th Battalion Manchester Regiment, Ashton Territorials, and died suddenly in Summer, left unsettled property of the gross value of £3,234 with net penalties £1,463.

Saturday, September 18, 1915:

Captain Irvine Dearnaley and Lieutenant B. F. Robinson who joined the 2/9th Battalion Manchester Regiment, Ashton Territorials, at the end of last year, and have been with the Battalion at Pease Pottage Sussex, have this week been on a visit to Ashton. Both were looking remarkably well and fit. It is understood that Lieutenant Robinson is shortly going to the front.

Lieutenant R. G. Wood, son of Alderman and Mrs. R. Wood, of Stalybridge who was wounded in the Dardanelles while fighting with the 1/9th Battalion Manchester Regiment is still in the Stoodly Knowle Park hospital for wounded Officers at Torquay, where he is progressing favourably. On Friday of last week their Majesties the King and Queen visited the hospital and conversed with all the Officers, including Lieutenant Wood, and expressed the hope that they would have a speedy recovery.

Saturday, September 25, 1915:

Captain I. Dearnaley, who came home on a short furlough from his battalion, 2/9th Manchetser Territorals, returned to Tunbridge Wells on Tuesday.

Lieutenant Arthur Connery, who has come home wounded from the Dardanelles, has rejoined the 3/9th Battalion Manchester Regiment at Southport.

Lieut. W. M. Barratt, 1/9th Manchesters, who left England for the Dardanelles at the end of June has been invalided home suffering from gastritis. He is in hospital in London and progressing well.

Private W. Wilson, son of Mr. T. Wilson, the head park keeper at Stamford Park, who has been fighting with the Aston Territorials in the Dardanelles, is now in hospital at Chelsea. In the same hospital are several Ashton soldiers including Corpl. W. Martin, son of Mr. Martin, Sutherland Street.

Lieutenant Harold H. Knight, of the 1/9th Battalion Manchester Regiment, son of Mr. and Mrs. John W. Knight of Arncliffe, Henrietta Street, Ashton, has been invalided home from the Dardanelles with a severe attack of dysentery and is now in a London hospital. His condition was somewhat serious, but his parents, who have visited him, report that it is now favourable.

Mr. Joseph Walsh, licensee of the George and Dragon Hotel, Market Square, Ashton, has received notice from the War Office that his only son, Private Harold Walsh, 1/9th Manchester Regiment Ashton Territorials, has been slightly wounded in the Dardanelles. A week ago, Mr. Walsh received a postcard from his son intimating that he had been into the London and County Hospital, Epsom. Mr. Walsh journeyed to Epsom on receipt of the card, and found his son improving favourably, and in good spirits.

Saturday, October 2, 1915:

Lieut. And Quartermaster J. M. Connery, who has been invalided from the Dardanelles embarked for home on a hospital ship on Sept 16th.

Major Lees of the 5th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers, Rochdale, is now acting as commanding officer of the 1/9th Battalion Manchester Regiment (Ashton Territorials) at the Dardanelles.

Lieut. W. M. Barratt, 1/9th Battalion Manchester Regiment, who has been invalided home from the Dardanelles suffering from gastritis, arrived at his home in Richmond Street, Ashton on Sunday after having been in a nursing home in London.

Lieut. Harold H. Knight, 1/9th Battalion Manchester Regiment, who arrived at a London hospital recently, having been invalided home with an attack of dysentery from the Dardanelles, is making satisfactory progress toward recovery.

Information has come to hand during the week to Mr. Wm. Hamer that the body of his son, Captain Frank Hamer, has been found. He was killed during the severe fighting in Gallipoli, and received a Christian burial with military honours and a cross has been placed over his grave. This will be a source of satisfaction and comfort to the family and friends.

Saturday, October 9, 1915:

Captain G. W. Handforth of the 1/9th Battalion Manchester Regiment has cabled to his family in Ashton that he is in care at Malta in hospital but his condition is not serious.

Sergeant T. Cropper of the Ashton Territorials, the former licensee of the King William Hotel, Stamford Street, Ashton is at Southampton suffering from dysentery.

Lieut. Colonel D. H. Wade commanded the Ashton Territorials who were present at the military funeral of Private S. Armitage at Hurst? Cemetery on Thursday.

Captain T. Platt of the Ashton Territorials has arrived at his home in Newmarket Road, Waterloo, Ashton on sick leave. He is feeling much better for the rest, after his recent experiences at the Dardanelles.

Captain G. H. Okell was warmly welcomed by his many friends when he arrived at the Ashton Town Hall on Saturday with the Territorials who took part in the great recruiting demonstration. He expressed himself as much satisfied by the rest he has had.

Saturday, October 16, 1915:

Colour-Sergeant R. Jackson of the Ashton Territorials, is on his way home from the Dardanelles and is expected to arrive during the week ahead.

Major E. Garside, officer commanding the 3/9th Battalion, Manchester Regiment, now at Southport, was in Ashton last week on leave.

Captain J. A. Dearden, the adjutant of the 1/9th Battalion Manchester Regiment, is going out to the Dardanelles to rejoin the Ashton Territorials. Captain Dearden was invalided home from Egypt.

Captain R. Lees, O.C. Administrative Centre Ashton Territorials, has been granted 14 days sick leave and is going to the seaside to recuperate. During the recent recruiting rally Captain Lees worked strenuously and has overtaxed his energies.

Major M. H. Connery, of the Ashton Territorials in a letter just received, says he is quite fit and still hopeful that the 9th Manchesters may return before Christmas. Things were very quiet at the moment of writing.

Lieut. W. T. Forshaw, V.C., of the Ashton Territorials, who arrived on Tuesday at his home, Hillside, Fairfield Lane, Barrow-in-Furness, may pay a private visit to friends in Ashton prior to the conferring upon him of the Freedom of the Borough, which has been arranged for October 30.

On the arrival of Lieut. Forshaw at his home, Colonel Wainwright at once got in communication with him and definitely fixed up the date of the 30th October for the occasion of the conferment of the Freedom of the Borough.

Saturday, November 20, 1915:

Second Lieutenant Gilbert Greenwood, son of Councilor and Mrs. H. T. Greenwood of Haywood, Mossley Road, Ashton, has returned home from the Dardanelles owing to enteric fever. Second Lieutenant Greenwood joined the 2/9th Battalion Manchester Regiment last year and went out with a draft of the 2/9th Battalion.

Saturday, November 27, 1915:

Lieutenant Colonel D. H. Wade, is at present at Southport on light duty attached to the 3/9th Manchester Regiment.

Lieut. H. H. Knight, of the 1/9th Battalion Manchester Regiment, has returned to Ashton from Wales, where he has been recuperating after the severe attack of fever which led to his being invalided home from the Dardanelles.

Lieutenant William Thomas Forshaw, V.C., Ashton Territorials on Wednesday visited Lancaster where until recently before war broke out he had an appointment under the education authority. On Wednesday night he joined Mr. Aldous’ prize choir in a concert for the Mayoress’s Comforts Fund. Lieutenant Forshaw was cheered for each of his songs and was given an address from the Town Council.

Saturday, December 4, 1915:

Lieutenant T. G. Hyde, of the 1/9th Manchester Regiment, who has been invalided home, has been attached temporarily to the Administrative Centre at the Armoury, Ashton.

Lieutenant Colonel D. H. Wade, of the 1/9th Manchester Regiment, has been nominated as a military member of the East Lancashire Territorial Association … due to the retirement of Lt.-Col. C. R. Wainwright, D.L., T.D., J.P., Mayor of Ashton.

Saturday, December 11, 1915:

Captain G. W. Handforth, of the 1/9th Regiment has been granted another month’s leave.

Captain G. H. Okell is now at Southport with the 3/9th Manchester Regiment, who are on the point of removing to huts at Codford, Salisbury Plain.

Lieutenant A. Connery, of the 3/9th Battalion Manchester Regiment, visited Ashton on Wednesday, prior to proceeding from Southport to Aldershot with the Battalion.

Councilor H. T. Greenwood, on the motion of Alderman E. B. Heap, seconded by Councilor J. W. Pollit, was appointed at the meeting of the Ashton Town Council as an overseer of the poor, to fill the current vacancy caused by the death of Captain Frank Hamer.

Saturday, January 1, 1916:

Captain G. W. Handforth, of the Aston Territorials, who was invalided home some time ago, has now reported for duty, and has been passed for general service.

Saturday, January 8, 1916:

Lieutenant H. C. Shaw, (Ashton Territorials, son of the Deputy Mayor of Ashton, (Alderman H. Shaw), is in hospital at Oxford. He had been in hospital at Malta for some time.

Lieutenant R. G. Wood, of the Ashton Territorials, has returned to hospital at Manchester to undergo further treatment to his leg, which was injured at the Dardanelles.

Captain T. A. Platt, Lieutenant J. Broadbent, and Lieutenant S. Naylor, all of whom have been in the fighting in the Dardanelles with the Ashton Territorials, and have been home on sick leave, have rejoined the Ashton Territorials, 3/9th Battalion, who are training at Codford, Salisbury Plain.

Saturday, February 5, 1916:

Lieutenant Harold Knight, of the 1/9th Manchester Regiment, who was invalided home from the Dardanelles through enteric fever, has returned to the 3/9th Manchester Regiment at Codford.

Lieutenant R. G. Wood, of the 1/9th Manchester Regiment, son of Alderman R. Wood, of Ridge Hill Lanes, Stalybridge, proceeded to Buckingham Palace on Thursday, and received his Military Cross from the hands of the King.

Captain G. W. Handforth, of the 1/9th Manchester Regiment, who was invalided home from the Dardanelles several months ago, and has been with the 3/9th Manchester Regiment at Codford, has been over at Ashton during the week, prior to going out with a draft of men.

Saturday, February 19, 1916:

Col. D. H. Wade, has arrived in Egypt. On January 27th he visited some of the Ashton men at the Mustapha Base, Alexandria, and had a short conversation with them before proceeding to join the rest of the battalion, who were then at Tel-el-Kebir.

Saturday, February 26, 1916:

Captain F. Woodhouse, of Marple, nephew of the Mayor of Ashton (Colonel C. R. Wainwright, D. L.) is back in England on a month’s leave. With the 1/9th Manchester Regiment he went through the campaign in Gallipoli, and is one of the very few officers who did not figure in the casualty lists.

The announcement appears in the “London Gazette” that Quartermaster-Sergeant J. T. Connery has been promoted to a second lieutenancy in the Manchester Regiment. This news has given great satisfaction to the many friends of Second-Lieutenant Connery in Ashton. In June last Second-Lieutenant J. T. Connery was mentioned in dispatches by Sir John French for gallant and distinguished services on the field, and recommended for a commission and decoration. Second-Lieutenant J. T. Connery is a son of Major H. H Connery, and quartermaster of the Ashton Territorials. All four sons of Major Connery have now commissions in the forces, and are doing good work. Second-Lieutenant Connery took part in the retreat from Mons with the 2nd Battalion Manchester Regiment.

Saturday, March 4, 1916:

Lieut. F. A. Makin, has been called to Codford (Salisbury Plain), and is specified for permanent home service, light duty (office work).

Captain G. Makin (Codford) has been promoted Brigade Musketry Officer, supervising officer for four battalions, 4/5th Lancashire Fusiliers.

Major Edward Garside, commanding the 3/9th Manchester Regiment, now at Codford, has been gazetted Lieut.-Colonel, with seniority set out in the cadres of the permanent establishment.

Saturday, March 18, 1916:

Colonel R. B. Nowell, is temporarily in command of the 3/9th Manchester Regiment (Ashton Territorials) at Codford, in the absence of Lieut. Colonel Garside, who is at present engaged on other duties.

Saturday, March 25, 1916:

Lieut. T. G. Hyde, has been transferred from the Administrative Centre at the Armoury, Ashton, where he has been assisting Captain Ralph Lees, to the 3/9th Battalion at Codford. Lieut. Hyde was with the Ashton Territorials in Gallipoli, and was invalided home on account of illness.

A large framed photograph of the late Lieut. A. E. Stringer, of the 1/9th Manchester Regiment, who was killed in action on the Gallipoli Peninsula on June 7th last, has been presented to the Ashton Secondary School by Captain and Mrs. Ralph Lees. Before going on active service Lieut. Stringer was one of the masters at the school.