Anderson, Charles Edward. Died 20th Jul 1916

The correct Charles Edward ANDERSON, who died in 1916, was only identified in July 2018, after the biography of another soldier of the same names who was killed on 31 August 1918 had been prepared.  That other soldier had no obvious connection with Rugby, although this was also the case for many men who came to Rugby to work between 1911 and 1914.  The correct ‘Rugby connected’ Charles Edward Anderson is now listed, albeit some two years after the centenary of his death.

 

Charles Edward ANDERSON was born in Shanghai, China, on 31 December 1890.  He was the second son of William Henry Anderson, b.c.1846, a merchant in Shanghai, and Anne Rose, née Wood, Anderson, b.c.1859 in Manchester.  They had married on 12 March 1885 at St Wilfred’s church, Northenden, Lancashire.  He was then 39 and the son of an ‘author’; she was 24 and the daughter of an ‘Engineer’.  After their marriage, William and Anne returned to China, where their four children were born: William Rose Wood Anderson, b.c.1886; Barbara Angustine Mary Anderson, b.c. 1888; Charles Edward Anderson, b. 31 December 1890; and Gordon Richard Fabian Anderson, b.c.1892.

It would appear that when the children approached secondary school age, their mother returned to England with them to continue their education.  For the 1901 census, they were in Bedford.

Charles attended Bedford Grammar School, now Bedford School, from 1903-1908.  At about the date that Charles left Bedford School in 1908, it seems that the family moved from Bedford to Rugby.  His father may have returned at some slightly earlier date as in May 1909 he had been in Bedford when he attended the Rugby Territorials Dinner, ‘… Capt. W. H. Anderson of Bedford (late Shanghai Volunteer Corps.), …’.[1]

By May 1909, there are records of the rest of the family being in Rugby, and it seems that when Mrs Anderson opened a sale of work for the New Bilton Parish Room, she was introduced as ‘… niece to the late Mr R H Wood, and the patroness of the living, …’.[2]  It seems that the ‘Advowson’ for New Bilton, together with the Rokeby Estate, was passed in R H Wood’s Will[3] to his Trustees for the use and income of Anne Rose Anderson, in addition to a sum of £10,000 that she had received.  The family moved to Rugby so that she could better perform that role and benefit and live on the Estate.  Her uncle, Mr R H Wood,[4] – and thus Charles Anderson’s great-uncle – had been a considerable benefactor to the town of Rugby and had founded and largely financed the Hospital of St Cross.

After school in Bedford, Charles went on to the Royal Military College, Sandhurst and passed out into the Gordon Highlanders in October 1910.

The family was not listed in the Rugby Advertiser, Rugby Post Office Directory, until 1911, ‘Anderson Mr, The Lodge, North Street.’  The previous year the house had been noted as occupied by Capt. H. H. Dundas.

In fact in early 1911, Charles’ father, William Henry Anderson, had died in Rugby, leaving Charles’ mother a widow.   For the 1911 census, she was living at The Lodge, which was now listed as being in Park Road, Rugby, and it seems that all her children were there, supporting her on census night.

In 1911, the eldest son William was a ‘medical student’.  The medical registers show that he had matriculated in September 1903 in London and was registered on 11 October 1910 and studied at St Bartholomew’s Hospital from 3 October 1910.  He was still living at ‘The Lodge’ in 1912,[5] and joined the Lawrence Sheriffe Lodge of the Masons on 20 February 1912.  During the war he was commissioned, first in the Royal Field Artillery, then transferred as a temporary Captain in the 5^th Bn. Royal Warwickshires, and then became a major in the Indian Army Reserve of Officers.  He went to France on 1 April 1915.  He died aged 48 in London in 1928 when resident with his mother at Flore House, Weedon, Northants.

In 1911, the youngest son, Richard Gordon Fabian Anderson, was still at school but would later join the army and also receive a commission in the Royal Welch Fusiliers (RWF).[6]  He went to France on 11 or 13 August 1914 with the 2^nd Bn. RWF.  He was wounded 26 October 1914 at La Cordonnerie by a fragment of shrapnel in the head, and this seemed to have had a lasting effect, although he continued to serve in the army.  After the war he studied law at the Inner Temple.  He died in 1975.

The next year, 1912, ‘Mr. Anderson’ was still listed in the Directory, although the address was now given as ‘The Lodge, Park Road’.  In the 1913 edition, he was still listed, but the family had now moved to Rokeby House, Barby Road, Rugby.  It was not until 1917 that the Rugby Almanac had realised that Mr Anderson was dead and listed ‘Anderson, Mrs., Rokeby House, Barby Road, Rugby’.

In 1911, Charles, then aged 20, had been at home on census night and was enumerated as a ‘2^nd Lieutenant H M Army’.  In the Army List of 1912, Charles was recorded as having had his first promotion [in June 1912] to Lieutenant in the Gordon Highlanders, and for the Army List of 1915, he had been promoted again [in April 1915] as a Captain in the Gordon Highlanders.  His Army File is available at The National Archives[7] but has not been consulted at present as sufficient information is available for this brief summary.

When at home ‘Captain Anderson was a keen follower to hounds, and when on leave hunted with the Atherstone and North Warwickshire Hounds’.[8]

The 2^nd Battalion of the Gordon Highlanders had been in Cairo in August 1914 and Charles Anderson was probably with them.  They returned to England, landing Southampton on 1 October 1914, and then moved to Lyndhurst and came under command of 20^th Brigade in 7^th Division.  Being already in the army, and with his Battalion, Charles was one of the first to go to France, and a few days later on 7 October 1914, they landed at Zeebrugge.

The Regimental War Diary is available at the National Archives, filed under the 20^th Brigade.[9]

‘He was wounded at the first battle of Ypres, in October 1914, and again slightly on 14^th July last [1916], but remained on duty, and was killed by a shell on the early morning of 21^st.’[10]

In later June the Battalion was in trenches in the Bois de Tailis area, preparing for an offensive.  It was very wet and on 30 June they prepared to attack Mametz village, but the attack on 1 July was held up by enemy wire and machine guns.  With reinforcements from 2^nd Warwicks, Mametz was taken together with 600 prisoners.  On 6 July the battalion went to Ribemont to reorganise.  On 12 July they marched to Pommiers Redoubt.  On 14 July they moved to Mametz Wood, but the attack by others was successful and they were not required, however an enemy counterattack meant they then had to attack and clear the north-east part of the wood.  There was heavy shellfire and it was possibly then that Charles was ‘wounded slightly’.

On 20 July the Battalion was at Bazentin-le-Grand and at 3.35am they advanced with parts of High Wood as their objectives.  The front line came under heavy rifle and shell fire, and ‘only one officer and five ORs from one platoon returned’.  It seems likely that it was on this evening that Charles Anderson was killed in action.  They were not able to advance and called for reinforcements, and that evening the Battalion was relieved by the 1^st West Kents.  They then marched to Dernancourt, where they rested, before marching to Mericourt and entrained for Ailly-sur-Somme.

In the week 14 – 21 July 1916, the Diary noted that two officers were killed and nine wounded.  The two officers are not named in the diary, although ‘asterisks’ suggest they may have been named elsewhere, but at 1am on 21 July, a Captain R D Oxley arrived and took over command.

He would have been replacing in part the two officers who had been killed.  Only two officers from the 2^nd Bn. are identified as having been killed in that period.  Captain Charles Edward Anderson was killed on 20 July 1916, aged 20 years, and Lieutenant Colonel Bertrand Gorges Reginald Gordon, D.S.O., Mentioned in Despatches, aged 35, was also killed on 20 July 1916.

Charles was buried at Dernancourt Communal Cemetery, in the Somme, in Grave ref: K.5.  Alongside him, in Grave ref: K4, was buried Lt Col B G R Gordon D.S.O. – also of the 2^nd Bn. Gordons who was also killed on 20 July 2016.  One of the photographs on the CWGC site[11] shows the group of five graves which include graves K4 and K5 at the right of the group with Charles’s grave on the furthest right.

‘Dernancourt is a village 3 kilometres south of Albert. … The Communal Cemetery is a little west of the village.  Field ambulances used the Communal Cemetery for Commonwealth burials from September 1915 to August 1916, … The XV Corps Main Dressing Station was formed at Dernancourt in July 1916, when the adjoining Extension was opened.’[12]

Charles’s gravestone has the added family inscription ‘PRO PATRIA’.

His Medal Card showed that he was awarded the British War Medal, the Victory Medal and the 1914 Star with the Mons clasp, recognising his participation in the earliest part of the war.

Charles Edward ANDERSON is also commemorated on the Rugby Memorial Gates in Hillmorton Road, Rugby, and remembered in Bedford, in the Bedford School Chapel, Burnaby Road, Bedford.
‘Charles Edward Anderson 1903-1908 / Captain 2nd Gordon Highlanders / Killed in Action in France 20th July 1916 / Aged 25’.

Probate was to his mother, Ann Rose Anderson, widow, in London on 29 September 1916, which recorded his address as Rokeby House, Rugby.  His ‘effects’ were valued at £8429-8-5d.

His mother seems to have been active in ‘good works’ from her arrival in Rugby and well into the war, she was often assisted or accompanied by her daughter, Barbara, and their joint presence helped to identify these activities.  Although the family is not included in the Directory until 1911, it seems that they had been in Rugby from at least early 1909, and probably soon after Richard Henry Wood’s death in early 1908.

In May 1909, a Grand Bazaar, in aid of the new Parish Room for New Bilton, was opened by the Patroness of the Living, Mrs. Anderson.[13]

In October 1910, ‘Mrs Anderson of the Lodge, the patroness of the living’, gave away the prizes at the St Oswald Church School prize giving and her daughter presented prizes to the infants.[14]  Then in December 1910, the presents to the hospital included [from] … Miss Anderson, The Lodge, Scrapbooks.[15]

In January 1915, Mrs and Miss Anderson were among those at the Christmas Eve celebrations with the Belgian refugees who were staying at Newton House,[16] and they were also present for the tea and entertainments by the New Bilton Branch of the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Families’ Association.[17]

In 1916, Mrs Anderson was vice president of the Co-operative Guild which gave an annual treat to the children of the members including those of homes under the management of the Guardians.[18]

In January 1916, ‘Mrs and Miss Anderson, (Rokeby House),’ assisted the Rugby Comforts fund at the Drill Hall, with the gathering for the wives and children of the local territorials.[19]

On 10 July 1917, Mrs Anderson opened the New Bilton Food Economy Canteen.[20]

Rokeby House had been the family home from about 1913 until 1924, although the Directory could have reacted slowly to changes, as seen earlier!  Latterly Charles’s mother moved from Rugby and then before 1928 was at Flore House, Weedon, Northants and either for some short time before, or possibly after that date, she was at Pattishall House, Nr. Towcester, both of which addresses were given for her after the war.

She later moved to Efford Park, near Lymington, Hampshire, where she died on 21 December 1940.  Administration was to her youngest son, Richard, by then a retired major, and her daughter Barbara, who had remained a spinster.  Her effects were valued at £33024-6s-6d.

 

RUGBY REMEMBERS HIM

– – – – – –

 

This article on Charles Edward ANDERSON was researched and written for the Rugby Family History Group [RFHG] project, by John P H Frearson and is © John P H Frearson and the RFHG, July 2018.

[1]      Rugby Advertiser, 30 October 1909.

[2]      Rugby Advertiser, 22 May 1909.

[3]      See: http://www.rugby-local-history.org/images/rhwooda.pdf.

[4]      Richard Henry Wood was born on 6 February 1820 and died on 8 February 1908.  An illustrated obituary was published in the Rugby Advertiser, 2 May 1908; a piece on his earlier life and riding skills, published in Baily’s Magazine, June 1907, was as quoted in the Rugby Advertiser, Saturday, 8 June 1907.  See also http://www.rugby-local-history.org/index.php/biographies/87-biographies/101-wood-richard-henry, or transcription of RA 2 May 1908 obituary at http://www.rugby-local-history.org/index.php/biographies/87-biographies/107-obituary-of-richard-henry-wood.

[5]      Kelly, Directory of Warwickshire, 1912.

[6]      Fuller details are available at https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/158899-help-rwf-portraits/ and in TNA file ref: WO 339 11095.

[7]      Captain Charles Edward ANDERSON, The Gordon Highlanders, The National Archives, ref: WO 339/7706.

[8]      Rugby Advertiser, Saturday, 5 August 1916.

[9]      WO 95 – 7 DIVISION, WO 95/1656 – 20 Infantry Brigade, 2 Battalion Gordon Highlanders, TNA ref: WO 95/1656/2, 1914 Oct. – 1917 Nov..

[10]     Rugby Advertiser, Saturday, 5 August 1916.

[11]     https://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/2000003/dernancourt-communal-cemetery/.

[12]     Edited from https://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/2000003/dernancourt-communal-cemetery/.

[13]     Rugby Advertiser, 18 May 1909.

[14]     Rugby Advertiser, 15 October 1910.

[15]     Rugby Advertiser, 31 December 1910.

[16]     Rugby Advertiser, 2 January 1915.

[17]     Rugby Advertiser, 9 January 1915.

[18]     Rugby Advertiser, 8 January 1916.

[19]     Rugby Advertiser, 15 January 1916.

[20]     Rugby Advertiser, 14 July 1917.

Gauld, Douglas. Died 3rd Jul 1916

Omitted from publication on 3rd Jul 2016

Douglas Gauld was born in 1890 in Aigburth in Lancashire and baptised on 6^th July at St Anne’s Church there. His parents were John and Margaret (nee Valentine) who married in the same church on 22^nd June 1887. John was a gardener at Bromborough Hall, across the Mersey on the Wirrel. In 1891 the family were living in Chester Road, Bromborough. Douglas was then the youngest of three children. Lizzie was three and Gordon 2. Father, John had been born in Scotland.

By 1901 the family had moved to Lutterworth Road, North Kilworth. John was still a domestic gardener and there were four more children, Wallace, John Valentine, Lottie and Joseph. Ten years later they were still living in North Kilworth and Douglas, aged 20 was working as a grocer’s assistant, his brother Wallace was a grocer’s clerk.

By the start of the war, Douglas was employed by the Rugby Co-operative Society in their Cambridge Street stores. His home was in Lutterworth. His father John had died in 1913, at the age of 53.

He must have enlisted early in the war, with the 10^th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment, (No. 15525) as his Medal Index card shows he arrived in France on the 19^th July 1915. At some point he was promoted from private to Lance Corporal.

The 10th (Service) Battalion, Worcestershire was formed in Sept 1914 at Worcester as part of the Second New Army (K2), then moved to Salisbury Plain and joined the 57th Brigade of the 19th Division. In March 1915 they moved to Tidworth and on 19^th July 1915 mobilised for war and landed at Boulogne.

The Division was engaged in various action on the Western Front including;
In 1915, The Action of Pietre, (a diversionary action during the Battle of Loos).
During 1916, The Battle of Albert, The attacks on High Wood, The Battle of Pozieres Ridge, The Battle of the Ancre Heights, The Battle of the Ancre.

The capture of La Boisselle was a British local operation during the Battle of Albert, during the first two weeks of the Battle of the Somme.

According to the War Diaries, the 10^th Bn., Worcesteshire Regiment, on 1^st July:
…moved into the Assembly Trenches to the North of ALBERT where the day was spent. As the attack had started at 7.30 am Rumours and alarms were frequent.
At 9.15 pm the Battalion was ordered to proceed to our original front line to support an attack. In the communication trenches confusion reigned – Wounded were being brought out – we were trying to get in – carrying parties were trying to go both ways – it was raining & the trench was knee-deep in mud. By about 1 am A, B & C Coy found themselves in the Front Line opposite LA BOISELLE – D Coy was ordered to remain in reserve at USNA REDOUBT. The attack which was due to begin at midnight had to be put off. Leaving the WARWICKSHIRE REGT. To hold the line A, B, & C. Coy made their way back to the USNA – TARA line. Everyone being thoroughly exhausted! The remainder of the day was spent in sleep which was greatly interrupted by the bombardment of LA BOISELLE.

There were various conferences that afternoon and after midnight:
3^rd July 1916… the Battalion moved in lines of platoons in fours across country & lay down behind our old Front Line facing LA BOISELLE. The Battalion was seen & a heavy shrapnel fire was opened causing considerable Casualties.
2 am The advance was made in three lines one platoon of each Company being in front. The Battalion want forward with great dash & after a hard fight captured three lines of trenches. Small parties penetrated right through to the village of LA BOISELLE but running short of bombs were forced to retire. Intense fighting with various success continued till about 12 midday when a line was consolidated behind the Church. Coming to our support two companies of the WARWICKSHIRE REGT held the front line while we consolidated a line about 30 yards behind. Casualties were heavy – An appendix is attached.
4 pm Reserve Officers from Transport arrived and took over the Battalion.
Things quietened down considerably & the line was firmly consolidated.
During the night 3 weak bombing attacks by the enemy were easily stopped by Machine Gun fire.

The appendix, dated July 3^rd 1916, lists five officers killed, four missing presumed dead, one died of wounds and five wounded. For Other Ranks 44 were killed, 197 wounded and 106 missing.

Douglas Gauld must have been among the 106 missing as he is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial, Pier and Face 5 A and 6 C.

The Thiepval memorial commemorates more than 72,000 men of British and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave, the majority of whom died during the Somme offensive of 1916.

On the high ground overlooking the Somme River in France, where some of the heaviest fighting of the First World War took place, stands the Thiepval Memorial. Towering over 45 metres in height, it dominates the landscape for miles around. It is the largest Commonwealth memorial to the missing in the world

His death was reported in the Rugby Advertiser of 15^th July 1916:
News was received on Thursday that Douglas Gould (Worcester Regiment), formerly employed at the Cambridge Street Stores of the Rugby Co-operative Society, has died of wounds received in the advance on July 3rd. His home is at Lutterworth.

Douglas Gould, as he was known to the army, received the Victory and British medals as well as the 15 star.

It was this mistake in spelling his name that delayed our identification until after the centenary of his death.

 

RUGBY REMEMBERS HIM

Brown, Frederick Louis. Died 1st Jul 1916

We have now discovered that Frederick Louis Brown is not the F L Brown listed on the war memorial. See Frank Lincoln Brown, who died 3rd May 1917

———————————————-

Frederick Louis Brown was somewhat of an enigma.  Recorded on the Rugby Memorial Gate, and remembered on the Thiepval Memorial, he joined the 1/6th Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, was promoted to Sergeant, won the Military Medal, and was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.

However, there is no record of him being in Rugby, and with no age at death, it is impossible to be absolutely certain of which of many Frederick Browns he might possibly be.

There was however a Frederick Louis Brown on the Birmingham ‘Roll of Honour’ and also a Frederick L M Brown born in Birmingham in late 1891, and living in Birmingham and aged 9 in 1901.  His family lived at 37 Portland Road, Edgbaston and his father was an agent in the cycle trade.  In 1911 he was aged 19, single and a ‘General Engineer Learning’.  With that background and trade, it is possible that he may have worked later at one of the Rugby engineering works, although he is not on any works memorial.

Assuming the CWGC record is correct Frederick Louis Brown joined the 1st/6th Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, attained the rank of Sergeant, and was probably re-numbered as No:240069.  He also won the Military Medal, presumably in 1916 as the medal was not established until 25 March 1916.

After much searching two Medal Cards were found for Frederick Browns: the first had an early number 1379.  With that low number it is likely that Frederick enlisted very early during the war.  Soldiers’ records found with the numbers between 2199 and 3420 enlisted in November and December 1914 – his lower number suggests that he enlisted very soon after war was declared.

His early enlistment probably gave time for his promotion, and the 1915 Star Medal Roll confirms that Frederick was a Sergeant ‘on disembarkation’ on 22 March 1915.

The 1st/6th Battalion was formed in August 1914 in Thorp Street, Birmingham, and was part of the Warwickshire Brigade, South Midland Division.  It landed at Le Havre on 22 March 1915 and on 13 May 1915, became part of the 143rd Brigade, 48th (South Midland) Division.  The Division was involved in the Serre Sector of the Somme from 1st-12th July 1916.

Frederick Brown went into the French theatre of war on 22 March 1915, so he was with the main brigade landing at Le Havre.  On 1 July 1916, the …

‘… 1/6th Battalion and the 143rd Brigade, 48th (South Midland) Division was attached to the 11th Brigade (4th Division) followed the 1/8th Royal Warwickshires into attack on the Quadrilateral (1/7) – to the left machine gun fire swept advance and, according to the Battalion historian, reduced it to a strength of 2 weak platoons.  Passed through objective and consolidated ground beyond.  Withdrew to Mailly-Maillet during night and from there to Couin.’

The 1/8th Battalion which they followed are recorded as follows – they had 563 casualties …

‘… 1/8th Battalion …  moved forward from Mailly-Maillet (1/7).  Attached to 4th Division for attack at Redan Ridge.  Right of assault took The Quadrilateral, passed through and gained support trench beyond.  On left, German front line entered under heavy fire from Serre.  No further progress made.  Withdrew to Mailly-Maillet.’

Frederick was ‘Killed in Action’ sometime during 1 July 1916, on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.  His body was not found or identified and he is remembered on Pier and Face 9A, 9B and 1 B. of the Thiepval Memorial.

He was awarded the Military Medal for ‘bravery in battle on land’, and his first Medal Card recorded that he was awarded the 1915 Star.  His second Medal Card which has the later 240069 Number, shows that he was also awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

As mentioned he was also listed on the ‘Birmingham Roll of Honour, 1914-1918’, although his rank of Sergeant does not appear to be acknowledged.  He is remembered on the Rugby Memorial Gates – but sadly little is known of the Rugby connection of this brave soldier.

 

RUGBY REMEMBERS HIM

 

Osborne, Mark Henry. Died 8th Apr 1916

Omitted from publication on 18th Apr 2016.

Mark Henry Osborne was born on 18^th Jun 1889 at Harlestone, Northamptonshire and baptised there on 1^st September the same year. He was the fourth child of Mark, a farm labourer and his wife Hannah (nee Goldby). They were married in Harlestone on 12^th August 1883 and in 1891, when Mark Henry was a year old, the family were living with Hannah’s parents John and Eliza.

By 1901 they were no longer living with the Goldbys, but there were eight children in the household, including 10 month old Ada, the daughter of Mark Henry’s older sister Eliza, who was not listed with the family. Mark Henry was eleven years old and no occupation was given, his father and older brother John were both farm labourers.

By 1911 Henry, as he was now known, perhaps to distinguish him from his father, was 21 and an estate labourer. His parents had produced eleven children, ten of whom had survived. Only five were still living with the family, plus Ada and another granddaughter, Laura.

By the time the war started Henry Mark was employed by the London & North Western Railway in the Carriage Works in Rugby. He enlisted in Northampton on 1st September 1914, in the 1^st Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment, private no. 13045, and after training arrived in France on 27^th January 1915.

He would have experienced several battles during 1915 with the Northamptonshire Regiment taking heavy casualties in the attacks at Aubers Ridge and Loos. It was a cold winter and not a lot was happening in March/April 1916. The regiment was near Loos and took part in patrols and repair of trenches, when returned to billets, concerts were mentioned in the war diary. There was regular shelling by the enemy.

It is not known when and how Mark Henry Osborne was wounded, but he died on 8^th April 1916 at Bethune. For much of the First World War, Bethune was comparatively free from bombardment and remained an important railway and hospital centre, as well as a corps and divisional headquarters. The 33rd Casualty Clearing Station was in the town until December 1917.

He was buried in the Bethune Town Cemetery. No inscription was added to the stone by his family, whose address is given as 82 New Cottages, Harlestone.

Mark Henry was awarded the Victory and British Medals and the 15 star.

As well as the Rugby Memorial Gates, he is remembered on the Harlestone War Memorial – as Harry Osborne, next to Criss Manning who died in 1914 and also a railway man in Rugby. They are both listed in the L&NM Railway Roll of Honour. M H Osborne was a carriage cleaner.

 

RUGBY REMEMBERS HIM

Peberdy, Warner Hutchins. Died 14th Jan 1917

Warner Hutchins Peberdy was born on 29 April 1884 in Rugby.

The 1901 census shows Warner H Peberdy (aged 16) son of William W (born 1858 aged 43) and Annie Peberdy (also born 1858 aged 43) living in 22 Hill Street Rugby with siblings Ethel W (b 1882 aged 19) and Ruby A (b 1898 aged 3).

In 1908 Warner is shown as a Student on UK, Electrical Engineer Lists, 1871-1930 and an Associate Member of IEE (Associate Member of the Institution of Electrical Engineers)

On the 12^th March 1909 Warner travelled from Liverpool to New York on the SS Baltic.   He was shown as an Engineer from Rugby and his next of kin and home address were shown as WW Peberdy at Lansdowne House (which was in Hill Street) Rugby.

In November 1909 he married Catherine Annie Moss as detailed in The New York Marriage Indexes 1866 – 1937 :

Name                          Warner H Peberdy
Gender                       Male
Marriage Date            1 November 1909
Marriage Place          Manhattan, New York, USA
Spouse                      Catherine A Mosst
Certificate Number    24766

Warner’s wife Catherine Annie Moss was born in the first quarter of 1884 in Rugby and she travelled on the SS Baltic from Liverpool on 23 October 1909 arriving in New York on 1 November 1909. They must have rushed to the registry office to get married on the same day!

Warner and Catherine had a son, Victor Warner, born on 25 August 1911.

Although Warner was in Canada at the time war broke out, he was sent back to England* and joined the Royal Flying Corps. He was 31 years old at the time. His Great Britain, Royal Aero Club Aviators’ Certificate is shown above, along with his photograph. “In July 1915… ten graduates from the Curtiss Aviation School went abroad from Toronto to England* for additional training before going into active service with the R.N.A.S and the R.F.C”[1]

In October 1916 Warner is listed in the UK, Navy Lists, 1888-1970 as Flt Sub Lieutenant in the Royal Flying Corps based at Eastchurch Kent.

A list of Active Officers of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines List: August, 1917  shows Flight Lieutenant Warner Hutchins Peberdy “Missing”:

The British Air Service “Flight” dated 25 January 1917 below also shows Flight Sub-Lt W H Peberdy RN missing:

A Commonwealth War Graves notice of Flight Lieutenant Warner Hutchins Peberdy RNAS reports that he was accidentally drowned on 14 January 1917 aged 32.

Missing
Sub-Lieutenant WARNER H. PEBERDY, R.N., son of Mr. W. W. Peberdy, of Rugby, is reported by the Admiralty as having failed to return from a scouting flight from Thaso Island on the 14th inst. He was educated at Rugby Lower School, and gave up a responsible position in America to join the Forces. Sub-Lieutenant Peberdy was 34 years of age[2]

The England & Wales, National Probate Calendar states that Warner died 14 January 1917 in the Eastern Mediterranean and that he left £427 4s 9d to William Warner Peberdy carver and gilder and Charles Frederick Harris solicitor.

However, an entry in the Birmingham Daily Mail on Saturday 25 August 1917 states: Lieutenant Warner Peberdy, R.F.C. only son of Mr and Mrs W W Peberdy of Rugby, who failed to return from a scouting flight on January 14, is now presumed by the Army Council to have died on that date. He was last seen flying over the Belgian coast. Lieutenant Peberdy was an old Rugby Town School boy. He was in America at the time war broke out, and came to England in order to join the Royal Flying Corps. He was 31 years of age.

Warner Hutchins Peberdy was flying the Nieuport 11 aircraft when it failed to return from its mission:

Nieuport 11. A Flight, 2 Wing, Royal Naval Air Service. Imbros, Turkey, 1916
Pilot : Flight Commander K.S. Savory
Twenty-one Nieuport 11′s were delivered to the RNAS and these were operated by No 1 Wing at St-Pol in France and No 2 Wing in the Aegean during the ill-fated Dardanelles Campaign. Their British serial numbers were 3974 – 3994. The aircraft shown in this profile was delivered to the RNAS Depot at Dunkerque in late 1915 in complete French colours including the national markings, thus the overall finish was a clear dope or pale yellow. It was soon transferred to No 2 Wing and for a time it was flown by Flight Commander K S Savory and was known by the nickname of Bluebird. It was modified by having the refinement of metal fairings fitted behind the engine cowling.

Both wings were painted blue on the upper surfaces as well as the nose and undercarriage. The aileron on the top right wing has been replaced and this is not blue but still clear-doped. Of special note is that the upper wing roundels remain the original French ones – ie with red outer circles and blue centres. The interplane struts and tailskid remain in their natural wood and metal colours.

This aeroplane failed to return from a mission on January 14 1917 whilst being flown by Flight Lieutenant W H Peberdy.[3]

Apart from the Rugby Memorial Gates, Flight Lieutenant Warner Hutchins Peberdy RNAS is also commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial which remembers 8,514 sailors of the First World War.

An interesting article entitled “Wreckage of a First World War Plane Found on Thassos” shows Warner Peberdy commemorated on a memorial in Skala Prinos where he was based at a British Airfield.

“In June 2012, a new war memorial (photo below) was unveiled in Skala Prinos, Thassos island, near to the site of the First World War airfield. The memorial is dedicated to all those pilots based at Prinos, both British and Greek, who were killed or reported missing during the war, including Flight Lieutenant Warner Peberdy.”

“Recruitment for the RNAS and the Royal Flying Corps (later to become the Royal Air Force) was advertised in newspapers across Canada. Those eligible to qualify had to be between nineteen and twenty-three years of age with a maximum age limit of thirty. In additional to that criterion, eligible candidates had to be British subjects of “pure European descent”. Those who satisfied the criteria also had an interview and medical examination before applicants were finally accepted.”[4]

 

RUGBY REMEMBERS HIM

[1] source Ellis 1954 http://www.heritagemississauga.com

[2] http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1917/1917%20-%200116.html

[3] http://wp.scn.ru/en/ww1/f/112/9/0

[4] Source: http://www.atoz-guides.com/wreckage-of-a-first-world-war-plane-found-on-thassos/

Donald, Charles. Died 31st Dec 1916

Charles Donald was born in Brighton, Sussex, England to Joseph Donald born 1841 and Frances Beeby born 1839. Frances had been married previously to John Whelan.

John and Frances married in India and had 4 children. Joseph was a regular soldier and the family moved around. Charles’ elder brother was born in Lucknow, India in 1876 followed by Bertha in Aldershot in 1879. The family then moved to Brighton, and then on to Wrexham, Wales where in 1881, Joseph was a Serjeant-Major of the Denbighshire Yeomanry. In 1891 the family had moved to Denbigh, Wales and Joseph is now Troop Superintendent. He died in 1892.

By 1901 Charles had moved to Rugby and in the Census taken that year was living as a Boarder at 30, Arnold Street, Rugby with William and Sarah Daynes. William was one of the earliest photographers of Rugby.

Charles married Alice Wilson on the 2^nd of November, 1902 at St. Mary, Far Cotton, Northampton. Alice was the youngest child of Edward and Mary Ann Wilson, both born in Brixworth, Northamptonshire. In 1891 they were living at Kingsthorpe, Northampton, Edward was a Labourer.

They went on to have 3 children, all born in Rugby, Alice, born 1904, who sadly died in 1905, she was followed in 1907 by Charles and in 1909, by Frances Ruth.

In the 1911 census Charles and family are living at 16, Wood Street, Rugby. He is a Compositor working for Overs a letterpress printing company, and had worked for the firm started by G E Over for 16 years.

He became a member of the Rugby branch of the Typographical Society. He also joined the Oddfellows and served as Grand Officer of the Loyal Addison Branch in Rugby.

He joined the Army on 1^st of August 1916 as Bombardier in the 262^nd Siege Battery of the Royal Garrison Artillery. Siege Batteries were a relatively new method of land warfare. They were based on the Coastal Batteries and each platoon deployed 4 6” Howitzers, which could each fire a 100lb weight shell over a maximum distance of 6,000 yards.

Each platoon comprised 5 Officers and 177 Other Ranks. The guns were pulled by horses, 6 draught, and 80 heavy draught with 6 riding horses. The guns were set on wagons: 3 off 2-horse and 10 off 4-horse. 3 Platoons formed one Siege Battery.

Headquarters (HQ) was staffed as follows: 7 Officers, 137 Other Ranks 21 Riding Horses 5 Draught and 72 Heavy Draught Horses.

Charles died at Aldershot on the last day of 1916. He is buried at Clifton Road Cemetery, Rugby.

 

RUGBY REMEMBERS HIM

Read, Charles George. Died 15th Dec 1916

Charles George Read “joined up” in 1914 aged 19, giving his birth as 1895. His service number was 11383 in the Kings Royal Rifle Corps.

Charles George Read

The 2nd battalion King’s Royal Rifles took part in most of the Battle of the Somme. The last action was the Battle of Morval which ended on 28th September 1916. Charles George must have died in later shelling, as he has no marked grave.

Charles George Read died on 15th December 1916 and is remembered on the Thiepval Monument.

Charles George Read was born Q2 1894 in Great Bowden, Market Harborough Leicestershire. His parents were Charles John and Minnie Read nee Howarth.

His parents marriage was registered 1893 Q4 Billesdon Leicestershire.

His father Charles John Read and his mother Minnie nee Howarth had 7 children between 1893 and 1911, their first child was Charles George born 1894 Great Bowden Market Harborough, James William born 1895 Great Bowden Market Harborough, Colin Edmund born 1897 Great Bowden Market Harborough, Gladys Maud born 1898 Great Bowden Market Harborough, Herbert born 1901 Great Bowden Market Harborough, Ivy Marion born 1904 Rugby, and Reginald Stanley born 1907 Rugby.

In 1901 UK census Charles J Read age 30 is living 5 Station Road Great Bowden Leicestershire and was a railway engine stoker with his wife Minnie age 31 and 4 children:- Charles G age 6, James W age 5, Colin E aged 3 and Gladys M aged 2.

By 1911 Charles and his family had moved to live at 46 Rokeby Street Rugby, father Charles was still a railway locomotive stoker living with his wife Minnie age 41 and 7 children, Charles George was age 16 and a railway engine cleaner his brother James William aged 15 was a winder in electrical works, his other brother Colin Edmund aged 13 was at school and also a newsboy the 3 additional children all born after 1901 are Herbert born 1901 Great Bowden, Ivy Marion born 1904 Rugby and Reginald Stanley born 1907 Rugby.

Taking a step backwards to 1891 UK census we find his father Charles J Read age 20 single and a lodger who is a Railway Engine Cleaner born North Crawley Buckinghamshire lodging at Station Road Great Bowden the home of Elizabeth Sharpe aged 30 a widow and her family + 3 lodgers a railway carman, a railway shunter and railway engine cleaner.

Going back even further to 1881 UK census we find Charles age 10 living in a shepherds lodge in Castle Ashby Northamptonshire with parents James age 35 and who is a shepherd and his mother Ann Read age 32 and 4 siblings, William age 8, Emma age 6, Herbert aged 4 and George aged 1 + visitor Mary A Smith aged 22 born North Crawley Buckinghamshire. In 1871 UK census Charles John Read aged 3 months living High Street North Crawley Buckinghamshire with parents James age 25 a bricklayers labourer and Ann Read age 22 a lace maker.

And in 1891 UK census Minnie Howarth aged 21 single and a servant born Brighton Sussex living Northampton Road Little Bowden Leicestershire working for William Symington age 81 a widow and coffee merchant and his family.

Going back even further to 1881 UK census we find his mother Minnie Howarth aged 11 living with parents James and Eliza Howarth and sister Maud Eliza Howarth aged10 living Alma Road Reigate Foreign Surrey together with 2 lodgers William Adey age 23 under gardener domestic born Reading Berkshire and Jesse Hawkins aged 24 groom domestic born Nutfield Surrey and a gardener servant Walter Cainfield age 27 born Brighton.

In 1871 UK census Minnie Howarth age 17 months is living North Bruton Mews St. George parish of Hanover Square London with parents James and Eliza Howarth plus her sister Maud E Howarth aged 5 months, her father James is a coachman, we find James Read born abt 1867 Cranfield Bedfordshire his parents are Joel and Ann Read.

The 1939 register tells us that his father Charles J Read was age 69 giving his date of birth as 19^th July 1870 and a retired railway engine driver and his wife Minnie aged 70 giving her date of birth as 23^rd December 1869 and unpaid household duties and living 46 Rokeby Street Rugby.

His father died in 1946 in Rugby, his mother Minnie in 1954 in Rugby.

Charles George Read’s parents published an announcement in the Rugby Advertiser in 1921. on the anniversary of his death.

In loving memory of Charles George Read, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Read of 46 Rokeby Street, 2nd K.R.R., who was killed in action in France, Dec. 15th 1916, aged 22 years. “Until the day dawn, and the shadows flee away.” – From his loving Father, Mother, Brothers and Sisters.

 

RUGBY REMEMBERS HIM

Bubb, Edwin. Died 12th Dec 1916

Private Edwin Bubb
Service No: – 22092
Gloucestershire Regiment
2^nd Battalion
Cemetery/Memorial Name Struma/Military Cemetery Greece
Grave/Memorial Reference IX.

Private Edwin Bubb was born in 1892 and baptised 2^nd February 1892 at St. Michaels and All Saints Church Bugbrooke, Northamptonshire.   His parents were John and Susannah Bubb. On the 1901 census, Edwin and his brothers John, Charles, Albert, Henry, George and sisters Mary and Lucy are living in the High Street, Bugbrooke (Camp Hill Cottages), with their parents. Edwin’s father is a Railway Signalman, John is a cattleman on a farm, Charles is a carter on a farm and the rest of the children, including Edwin are at school.

By the 1911 census Edwin is in Rugby at 39 South Street, living with his eldest brother, Richard, who is his senior by 22 years, Richard’s wife, Emma, and niece Mary Mabel. According to the census Richard is a Greengrocer and Edwin’s occupation is also given as a Greengrocer. His father John and mother Susannah are at 65 Upper Street Hillmorton, John at this time is a Railway Labourer. Some of the family were born at Bugbrooke, others were born at Gayton, Northamptonshire. Edwin’s brother Richard was born in Hillmorton, Rugby Warwickshire and was aged 9 months.

Edwin volunteered in August 1914 and was in the 10^th Hussars (Prince of Wales Own) and then proceeded to France in the following July. His brother Henry had enlisted at the same time and they had consecutive service numbers and served in Salonika together. Both were transferred to 2^nd Gloucester Regiment in October 1915 and saw heavy fighting at Ypres. Edwin was drafted to Salonika, Greece where he was in action on the Doiran and Vardar fronts. On 9^th December 1916, he was severely wounded and unhappily succumbed to his injuries three days later on the 12^th December. He was buried in Struma Military Cemetery. He is listed as Edward on the CWGC website.

He was entitled to the 1914-15 Star and the General Service and Victory Medals. In the Register of Soldiers Effects for Edwin the sum of £11 17s 8d was sent to a Miss Nellie M. Hugh authorised 19^th April 1917.

 

RUGBY REMEMBERS HIM

 

Henry also took part in the fierce fighting on the Struma, the Doiran and Vardar fronts. He was demobilised on his return to England in July 1919. A second brother, Charles, on May 14^th 1909 had travelled to Australia on the Ormuz, and had volunteered to serve whilst in Australia in October 1914. He embarked as part of the Australian Imperial Force being in the 8^th Infantry Brigade and was drafted to France in July the following year. He like his two brothers took part in the fighting at Ypres and at Loos, Albert, the Somme and Cambrai and in the Retreat and Advance of 1918. He was wounded in 1915 and again in 1917 was sent to England for treatment on each occasion. Charles was demobilised in December 1919. On the Australian Imperial Nominal Roll it shows him as a Corporal in the 35^th Battalion. Charles had been born in 1885 at Gayton, Northamptonshire; he later died in Australia in 1954.

There is a War Memorial in Bugbrooke Church for all Bugbrooke men that survived and for those who died in the Great War and each name is linked to a presentation sheet which is kept in the Church at the Memorial window. Also on the Bugbrooke Church web page is a list of all Bugbrooke men who served in WW1 and gives a brief account of their war service.

 

 

 

Ingram, Ernest Benjamin. Died 9th Dec 1916

Gunner Ernest Benjamin Ingram
Service No: – 42
Royal Field Artillery
Cemetery/Memorial Name
Pozieres British Cemetery Ovillers-La Boiselle
Grave/Memorial Reference II. G. 4.

Ernest Benjamin Ingram was born in the third quarter of 1894 to Walter and Emily Ingram, and was baptised at St. Andrews Church Rugby September 1894, the family were at this time living at Ringrose Court, Rugby and Ernest father’s occupation is given as a labourer.

By the 1901 census they are at living at 40 Sun Street, Rugby and Walter, the father was not at home (perhaps he was working elsewhere). Ernest (Ben) was with his older brothers Tom, Bertie and Richard and sisters Margaret Ellen and Kimberly Bella. Tom was working as an errand boy and Ernest attended New Bilton Council School.By the 1911 census the family were living at 22 Bridget Street, Bilton, Rugby and have another boy Arthur Edward and their father, Walter, with them. He was a Stone Mason. Thomas is a Fishmonger, Bertie is a General Labourer and Richard is a Baths Attendant with the Rugby U. D. Council and Ernest is a Butchers Assistant, the other children are all at school.

Ernest’s father died in 1914, after Ernest had joined the army.  Ernest had signed a Territorial Force Attestation Paper in 1909 and was enlisted into the 11^th South Mid (H) Battery Regiment and his age was 17 years 10 months. On his attestation paper his height was 5’ 5 ½’, his girth on expansion was 35’’, his health and his development were given as good. Ernest gave his employment as labourer. In December 1916 Ernest was with ‘D’ Battery 307^th Brigade in France prior to the company moving to Greece when he was killed in action. Ernest’s mother, Emily, was informed of Ernest’s death. The following was in the Rugby Advertiser of 30th December 1916 under Local Casualties.

HOWITZER BATTERY MAN KILLED

Mrs Ingram of 68 Victoria Street, New Bilton, had received official information from the War Office that her son, Driver E (Ben) Ingram, of Rugby Howitzer Battery, was killed by a shell on December 8^th. He was an old New Bilton Council School boy and a former member of the Boys’ Brigade, in which he was a stretcher bearer. He had been a member of the Howitzer Battery for six years, and prior to the outbreak of war was an assistant in Mr J J McKinnell’s shop.   He was 22 years of age, and was held in high esteem by all who knew him. In a letter to his parents, Capt. Lister says:

“I can assure you that his death came as a great blow to the Battery. He was a great favourite, and always willing to do any work that was to be done.   Personally, I feel the blow very much.   He had been my servant ever since the Battery left England, and I know full well what a very good fellow he was.”  

Mrs Ingram has three other sons serving, or have served. Corpl B Ingram, Coldstream Guards, who has gone all through the present War, is well known in local football circles; Corpl T. Ingram, R.W.R, has served since the commencement of the War; and Corpl R Ingram of the same regiment, has been discharged through injuries received on active service.

His only memorial after Rugby’s Memorial Gate is at Pozieres British Cemetery, Ovillers-Boiselle France.

 

RUGBY REMEMBERS HIM

Glenn, John. Died 8th Dec 1916

John Glenn was born on 30th April 1878 at 40 Church Street, Rugby to William and Ann (nee Dobson).

His schooling is unknown, but it is believed that he worked as a gardener at one of the large houses in Bilton, Rugby.

He married Sarah Ellen Mawby at St Matthews Church, Rugby on 20th August 1908. The marriage certificate states John’s age as being two years older than he was. They lived at 35 Rowland Street Rugby.

On the 29th November 1913 their first child, Joseph William was born.

John joined up with the 10th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment as a Private (No. 20054) and was sent to France.

John Glenn, back row middle.
In France 1914-18 War

In December 1916 he contracted acute bronchitis and was treated at the 29th Casualty Clearing Station, BEF France. Coincidentally he was attended there by Dr C Hoskyn, also of Rugby. John died there on 8th December 1916.

He is buried at the Gezaincourt Communal Cemetery Extension, south-west of the town of Doullens in France.

Grave of John Glenn

John’s wife, Sarah Ellen, was known to Dr Hoskyn, haying been before she married, a maid to Mrs Elliott at the Royal Oak in Dunchurch Road, Rugby. The good doctor wrote to Mrs Elliott asking her to break to Sarah Ellen the news of her husband’s death, since John had told him that his wife was expecting their second child. The child was born in March 1917 and named John after his father.

On his return to Rugby, Dr Hoskyn founded what was then called ‘The Hoskyn Cripple Fund’ which continues to this day under the name of The Hoskyn Centre, Hamilton House, Bilton Road, Rugby.

 

RUGBY REMEMBERS HIM