Goodman, Walter George. Died 27 Aug 1914

No. 228 1^st Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment

Picture from Rugby Advertiser 31 Oct 1914

Walter George Goodman was born on 23 November 1887 and baptized in Hillmorton Parish Church on 1^st January 1888. His parents were Harry, a labourer, and his wife Janet, sometimes called Janetta (nee Franklin) who had married on 16^th December 1886. The family lived in Lower Street, Hillmorton but by 1901 had moved to 5 East Street, Rugby, where Harry was a railway labourer. Walter was aged 13 and a baker’s apprentice.

By 1911, Harry and Janet were living at 12 Bridge Street, Rugby with children Nellie, Lewis and Fred. Eldest son Walter had already joined the army – he was in India and his age was given as 25.

Rugby Advertiser 31 Oct 1914
“No further news has been received of the three Rugby men, all members of the Royal Warwicks – Pte Walter Geo Goodman, Pte Busson, and Lance-Corpl Hancox, who were reported as missing after the fighting round Ligny on August 26^th. The tree men were firm friends, the two latter being cousins. Pte Goodman was a son of Mr & Mrs Goodman, of 170 Oxford Street, and was 27 years of age. He served in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment for nine years, and was discharged as a first class reservist in October. He served twelve months in Ireland and seven years in India, taking part in the fighting on the North-West Frontier in 1908 and 1910, for which he received the Afghanistan medal and clasp. Prior to his discharge he was stationed at barracks in England. Since leaving the Army Pte Goodman has been employed on the Birmingham Tramway system. His younger brother has joined Kitchener’s Army.”

His brother Fred died in 1916, on his 20^th birthday.

In Memoriam from Rugby Advertiser – 1921

Walter George Goodman was buried in Honnechy British Cemetery: Plot 1, Row C, grave no. 20.
This was reburial. He had originally been buried in Clary German Cemetery, by the French. It was a collective grave of 46 British Soldiers. There had been a cross on the grave and his body was identified by clothing, buttons and disc. The disc and 2 halfpence were forwarded to Base.

RUGBY REMEMBERS HIM

Busson, William Alfred. Died 26 Aug 1914

William Alfred BUSSON
?/01/1887 – 26/08/1914

William Busson – photo by permission of Rugby Library

William A Busson was the eldest of four children of William Edward Busson (farm bailiff) and Elizabeth (nee Batchelor). Birth registered in Q1 1887 in Rugby, Warwickshire and he was baptized 30 January 1887 in the Parish of St Matthew’s, Rugby.

The marriage record of William Alfred’s mother and father 27 September 1886

Brothers and sister of William:
Mary Ann Busson was baptised 27 April 1888 in the parish of St Andrew, Rugby, where William Busson lived at 854 Old Station, occupation, an engine cleaner, John Henry was baptised 22 August 1890, in the same parish, the family abode recorded as 15 Little Elborow Street and father had the same occupation. Ernest Charles was baptised, 14 January 1894, in the parish of St Matthew’s, Rugby, abode recorded as Little Elborow Street and father’s occupation, a labourer.

In the 1901 Census, William Alfred was found at an Industrial School, Gem Street, St Mary, Birmingham, aged 14, occupation as tailor.

His Attestation Papers have not been found, presumably in burnt records. Below is William Alfred Busson’s Medal card.

British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920

Rank: Private, Service No: 609, Date of Death: 26/08/1914, Age: 29 Regiment/Service: Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 1st Bn.

An extract from The Rugby Advertiser, 21 October 2014.

“No further news has been received of the three Rugby men , all members of the Royal Warwicks, Pte Geo Goodman, Pte W Busson and Lance Corporal Hancox, who were reported missing after fighting around Ligny on August 26^th. The three men were firm friends, the latter two being cousins…..Private Busson is the son of Mr. & Mrs Wm Busson of 30 Sun Street, Rugby, and served for some years with the colours as a reservist. During his sojourn in India he saw some fighting and was awarded the Indian Medal. He was a member of the Brittania club Band in which he played the euphonium. He was very clever with the needle and his parents treasure a number of specimens of his industry at his home. When he was called up he was busily engaged upon a design in silk, and our readers will echo the sentiments of his anxious mother, who, as she exhibited to the gaze of our reporter, remarked “I pray to God that he may one day come home to finish it.”

William’s brothers, John Henry and Ernest Charles also signed up

William Alfred Busson
Remembered with Honour
La Ferte-Sous-Jouarre Memorial
In Memory of Private 609, 1st Bn., Royal Warwickshire Regiment who died on 26 August 1914 Age 29
Son of William Edward and Elizabeth Busson, of 30, Sun St., Rugby.
Burial Place: Departement de Seine-et-Marne, Ile-de-France, France
(Commonwealth War Graves Commission)

Panel List

International Wargraves Photography Project

Birth: unknown Death: Aug. 26, 1914
Note: Private, Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Age: 29.

Burial:
La Ferte-sous-Jouarre Memorial
La Ferte-sous-Jouarre, Departement de Seine-et-Marne, Île-de-France, France
Plot: Final resting place unknown. Name listed on the Memorial.

La Ferté-sous-Jouarre Memorial to the Missing

The La Ferté-sous-Jouarre Memorial commemorates 3,740 officers and men of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) who fell at the battles of Mons, Le Cateau, the Marne and the Aisne between the end of August and early October 1914 and have no known graves. The monument is constructed of white Massangis stone and surmounted by a sarcophagus onto which military trophies are laid. At the four corners of the pavement on which the monument stands are stone columns supporting urns which bear the coats of arms of the four constituent nations of the United Kingdom. The memorial was designed by George H. Goldsmith, a decorated veteran of the Western Front, and unveiled by Sir William Pulteney, who had commanded the III Corps of the BEF in 1914, on 4 November 1928.

La Ferte-sous-Jouarre Memorial (cwgc)

Location Information:
La Ferte-sous-Jouarre is a small town 66 kilometres to the east of Paris, located on the main road (N3) running east from Paris.

Historical Information:
The Memorial is situated in a small park on the south-western edge of the town, on the south bank of the River Marne, just off the main road to Paris, The Memorial Register is kept at the Town Hall.

Janine Fearn 19/08/2014.

References: www.ancestry.co.uk , www.cwgc.org and The Rugby Advertiser 31 Oct 1914

RUGBY REMEMBERS HIM

22nd August 1914 – The Roll of Honour

The following are the full lists of men who have gone on military service from the two great engineering works in Rugby :-
WILLANS & ROBINSON, LIMITED.
Members of the staff :-
Painter, L R Gilks, F B Brodribb, L L Rees Mogg, V G A Sparkes, F T Lambert, W A Pattison, E Scrivener, W Heath, A J Hobby, J W Taylor, J W Collier, J Craig, and E K Saunders.
Workmen :-
S Hart, T H Marriott, G H Linen, G L Baker, J W Sargent, A S Hutchins, D A Fothergill, A C Boyes, F E Bathe, V A Aldous, J Waldon, A Hammond, C A Johnson, R W Bennett, W E Hough, W E Clarke, D Manning, J Moreton, C Elliott, W Kendall, D A Manning, F Russell, O Rodgers, F Lines, F W Wetherington, G Watson, F C Worrall, C Spicer, W Alsop, C Cope, F Bosworth, F W Rixom, J Fenton, N Thatcher, F Barrett, J Wood, W Kay, P Shaw, D H Sampson, J Jones, W Jones, W J Harris, J Ellcome, J E Kidd, A Colledge. J Edkins, W H Crouch, W R North, W G Akers, F Richards, J Overton, W Slatcher, H Bradley, S H Cross, A Smallwood, J Grimsley, H Perkins, A Hill, G Hawker, F J Baldwin, H Jarvis, A H Drury, W J Turner, A Rivers, A B Fothergill, W Everard, H T Watts, G Bouham, W H Waine, Dale, C Steel, J Waldron, W Hence, G J Hicks, and A Ashworth.

BRITISH THOMSON-THOMPSON COMPANY.
(SUPLEMENTARY LIST.)
Purton, Loydall, Gardenfeld, Lee, Ahlvik, England, Scotton, Robinson, Lamb, Gee (i), Gee (ii), Clarke, Gardner, Whyment, Roberts, Hall, Turner, Dugan, Vertigans, Cooper, Brown, Seymour. Bacon, Webb, Ward, Hutt, Ainsworth, Spriggs, Threfall, Giddens, Hickton, Glenn, Warren, Purton, Walton, Altree, Robinson, Staines, McCoy, Holland, Judge, Ledsam, Hancox, Pritchard, Odershaw, Scott, Bennett, Walters, Kinden, Trapp, Doe, Garratt, Mitchinson, Staniforth, Dunkley, Hutton, England, Nicholls, Kimber, Adams, Scotton, Turner, Powell, Butler, Davenport, Sayers, Wimberley, Lee, Mart, Avery, White, Cosserat, Hunter, Young, Montgomery (i), Montgomery (ii), Hyde, Barratt, Latimer, Wise, Robbins, Davies, Marren, Gerney, Kind, Quinlan, Griffiths, Whittle, Hadfield, Chant, Sutton, Watkins, Isom, Bradley, Peake, Wilkins, Angell, Palmer, Chandler, Dosher, Evans, and Lamb.

22nd August 1914 – Local War News

TERRITORIALS AT LEIGHTON BUZZARD.
The 7th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment are now at Leighton Buzzard, the whole division having been moved there and scattered over a large area. Swindon was left on Saturday night. They were given a good send-off by the Swindonians, among whom they had made many friendships. Capt E Rotherham, of the Coventry Company, is in command. Orders have been received for the Company to remove to Brentwood (Essex) next week. A member of the Company writes :- “ Our travels since August 2nd are worth mentioning :- Aug. 2, Rugby to Rhyl ; Aug. 3, Rhyl to Rugby ; Aug. 4, Rugby to Coventry ; Aug. 5, Coventry to Warwick ; Aug.. 9, Warwick to Swindon ; Aug. 15, Swindon to Leighton Buzzard, and, to cap the lot, we are moving again about Friday to Brentwood, and expect we shall end up in Berlin.”

WARWICKSHIRE YEOMANRY.
As various rumours have been current recently as to the future movements of the Warwickshire Yeomanry, it may be as well to state the real facts. The whole regiment is stationed within a few miles of Bury St Edmunds, and is likely to be there for at least two months. All rumours as to the regiment being sent to Egypt, Malta, or Belgium immediately are pure fabrications. The authorities have no intention of any such thing. After two or three months of strict training, the men who volunteer for foreign service may be sent abroad. The others will most probably return nearer home. Meanwhile the men are Straining hard to fit themselves for any eventuality.

A GRATEFUL BATTERY.
The N.C.O’s and men of the 5th Warwick Howitzer Battery, now stationed at Swindon, have passed the following resolut ion in appreciation of all that has been done for them by Col H H Mulliner :-
“ It is the wish of all the members of the Battery to tender their very best thanks to you for the good friend you have always been and for your keenness in always doing your best for us. We feel we owe you a deep debt of gratitude. We have volunteered for active service and hope to be accepted. Wherever we are we shall always hold a warm corner in our hearts for our Honorary Colonel.. On behalf of the 5th Battery, (signed) Brigade Sergeant Major HOPEWELL, Quarter Master Sergeant PAINTER.”

Royal Warwickshire Regiment 1914

1^st Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment was in Shorncliffe at the outbreak of the war on 4 Aug 1914 and was in the 10th Brigade which was part of the 4^th Division in which it remained till the end of the war. They landed in France on the 22 Aug and took up positions.

On the outbreak of war the 4^th division was quartered in the Eastern command (Woolwich, Shorncliffe, Dover and Colchester) and mobilised there. The division concentrated at Harrow on the 18 and 19 Aug began entraining at Harrow on 21 Aug crossed to France on 22 Aug entrained for the front on the 23 along the 24 detrained at Bohain, Busigny, le Cateau, and Bertry. On the 25 the 4^th division advance to cover the withdrawal of the 3^rd division (3 Corps) and 19^th Infantry Brigade

2^nd Battalion was in Malta at the outbreak of war on 4 Aug 1914. They landed in England 19^th Sep and joined the 22^nd Brigade 7^th Division at Lyndhurst. They landed at Zeeburgge 6^th October 1914 and took up positions.

The division had no existence before the outbreak of war; it was gradually assembled at Lyndhurst between 31 Aug and 4 Oct 1914. The 12 infantry battalions included the 3 remaining unallotted regular battalions left in England, as well as 9 battalions brought back from various overseas stations, viz Guernsey (1), Gibraltar (2), Malta (2), Cairo (1), Natal (1) and the Transvaal (2). The mounted troops included an existing Yeomanry Regiment as well as a cyclist company, formed on mobilisation. The Field Artillery was made up by one RFA brigade (XIV of 2 batteries) and one the RFA Brigade (XXXV) still left at home, together with one RFA Brigade (XXII) from the Transvaal. The 2 heavy batteries were new units formed at Woolwich after the outbreak of war, and the field companies came from Chatham and Pretoria. The three ASC companies (39, 40 and 42) came from Gibraltar, Malta and Pretoria but the remaining company 86 was a new formation.

The 7^th division embarked at Southampton on the 4 and 5 Oct and began disembarkation at Zeeburgge on 6 Oct. The division moved to Bruges on 7 Oct and reach Ghent on 9 Oct. During the night of 11/12 Oct retirement on Ypres was begun and the place was reached on the 14. The 7^th division served on the Western front in France and Belgium until 17 Nov 1917.

Emblazoned Battle Honours Great War 1914
Le Cateau 26^th Aug
Battle of the Marne 6 to 9 Sep
Ypres 1^st Battle Sep – Oct

Accredited Battle Honours Great War 1914
Retreat from Mons: 25 Aug – 5 Sep
Aisne 13 to 20 Sep
Langemarck 21 to 24 Oct
Armentieres 13 Oct to 2 Nov
Nery 1^st Sep (1/Royal Warwickshire Regiment and 2/Royal Dublin Fusiliers 10^th Brigade)

15 Aug 1914 – Employers Promise to Reinstate their men

The following undertaking by local employers of labour has been generally signed, as the signatures given below will indicate:-
“We, the undersigned employers of labour in and about Rugby, announce to all those employed by us that we will reinstate, as far as possible, on the expiration of mobilisation, all men who shall have left us to serve in the Reserve or Territorial Forces:-
Rugby Urban District Council.
Willians & Robinson, Ltd
B.T.H. Company.
T Babbedge & Son.
Burton & Co.
C Cockerell.
Joseph Ellis & Sons.
W Flint.
Foster & Dicksee, Ltd.
A Frost & Sons.
T hall & Co.
G E Hicks & Son.
F Dadley Hogg.
T Hunter.
W J Heel.
G S Kilborn.
Lavender & Harrison.
J Liddington.
Linnell & Son, Ltd.
J J McKinnell.
Samuel Over.
J Parnell & Son.
“Rugby Advertiser,” Ltd.
Rugby Gas Company.
Rugby Lamp Co., Ltd
Rugby Coal & Coke Co.
Rugby Portland Cement Company.
Rugby Sparking Plug Company.
W E Robotham.
W G Walding.
Wells Bros.
J Young.
Walton & Son.
A Aviss.

(Rugby Advertiser 5 Aug 1914)

15th August 1914 – More men called up

ROLL OF HONOUR.
Additions to the list of Territorials and Reservists published last week:-
Dr Krumbholz, of Rugby, Captain Royal Army Medical Corps, has been transferred from the 7th to th 8th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment in which he is now embodied.
Lieut R H Over, v.s,Warwickshire Yeomanry.
Three members of the Rugby Master Builders’ Association have gone on service, viz, Mr P H Wykeham (a director of Messrs Foster & Dicksee, Ltd), Mr J J Fawcett and Mr W H Taplin.
A J Harris, son of Mr A Harris, of Dunchurch Road, Rugby, and the newly-elected vice-captain of the Rugby Football Club, has been accepted as a member of the MotorCyclists’ Corps attached to the Royal Engineers. When in Rugby School he attained the rank of corporal in the O.T.C, and it was probably this fact that caused the authorities to get in touch with him. On responding to the invitation and presenting himself at headquarters A J Harris found quite a number of Old Rugbeians from Oxford and Cambridge had volunteered for similar duties, so he was at once in the midst of old acquaintances and friends, including L E P Grubb, another member of the “Town” House.

ARMY RESERVISTS.
W H Taplin. A T Manning (B.T.H.).
The following Reservists have been called up from the Locomotive Department of the L & N-W Railway at Rugby:-
ROYAL NAVAL RESERVE.
E Moore.
ARMY RESERVE.
A H Goode.      C J Masters.
J T Hubbard.    P Batchelor.
K Bostock.       A E Hirons.
A W Nicholls.
There are also 43 Territorials, and, in addition, Fireman E J Clarke has volunteered for the Ambulance Section of the Royal Naval Reserves.

CLIFTON
Army Reservists: Messrs J Hutt, W Darlow, (Vicarage Hill), J Pescow, W Boyes, and W J Bridgman (Dunsmore). Imperial Yeomanry; Messrs W Shaw (Clifton Mill) and R Allen.

HILLMORTON
In addition to those serving with the Territorials and the Howitzer Battery, the following Reservists have been called upon to join their respective regiments :- W Hobley, Naval Reserve; L Hirons, 1st Leicester; J Mould, Royal Field Artillery; C Fletcher. Garrison Artillery; J Shaw, 1st Northampton; G T Thorneycroft, 1st Warwick; C Barratt, 6th Inniskilling Dragoons; C Hindes, Coldstream Guards; and Chas England. Since the outbreak of hostilities Walter and David Hopkins, of School Street, have joined the Royal Field Artillery.

SOUTHAM.
Warwickshire Yeomanry.- Sergt W Shirley. Troopers Chambers, Sheasby, Shorthouse, F Plummer, Neal and Smith.
Army Reserve.- F Harrison, J Checkley, R Griffin, Waters, W Baldwin, and J Fell.
The following have presented themselves for enlistment;- H Bench, T Fitchett, Calcutt, Lumley, G Shirley, Balwin, Worrall and Alibon.
By another week the numbers will have been considerably increased.

(Rugby Advertiser 15 Aug 1914)

11 Aug 1914 – Rugby Howitzer Battery departs

Rugby Howitzer Battery loading at G.C.R. station for trip to Swindon.

Pictures from Windows On Warwickshire
(c) Warwickshire County Council, 2006

 

 

Douglas Ralph Hillier died 6th August 1914

Although Douglas Ralph Hillier does not appear on the Rugby Memorial Gates, he is the first casualty to be mentioned in the Rugby Advertiser. He was an Able Seaman on H.M.S. Amphion which hit a mine and sank on 6th August.

He was the son of William John  George and Mary Emma Hillier, of White House, Bascote Heath, Rugby and a native of Crouch End, London.

6th August 1914 – Reaction of Local Employers

The following notice has been posted in the works of Willans & Robinson, Limited :-

WAR WITH GERMANY.
The Directors give notice to all employees now being either called upon, or volunteering, to serve in His Majesty’s Forces, of their intention to reinstate such employees on completion of hostilities in their positions as vacated, or if circumstances prevent that, in other positions in the Company’s service.
(Signed) F R DAVENPORT, Managing Director. Dated, 6th August, 1914.

The British Thomson-Houston Company, Ltd, state that it is their intention, on the completion of hostilities, to reinstate all their employees who are now, or may be, engaged in service in any of His Majesty’s Forces. They will endeavour to give them their positions as vacated ; but if conditions at the time prevent that, then other positions in the Company’s service.

The undertaking suggested by the Urban Council that the places of men away on active service is being largely signed by all other employers in the town.