the West Ham Pals of 13th Essex

Welcome to the West Ham Battalion Website

2033-09-25T13:33:00.000Z

Although the blog hasn't been updated for a while, I have still been very busy behind the scenes!

I'm now working with Barney Alston, expert on the 13th Essex and our Hammers Battalion book is progressing really very well! New information and photo's coming to light will obviously be published, rather than put up here on the blog - and some of the stuff unearthed is wonderful! I have found more direct relatives of a handful of Officers and Men, each with memento's and artifacts ranging from photo albums, equipment and, most importantly of all, stories of their time in France & Flanders.

It has been a truly fascinating journey of discovery, hopefully with much more to come, and I needn't tell you how excited we are by all that has come to light so far. So, I would ask for your patience - as it's really worth waiting for!

For those of you new to the blog, use the 'older posts' menu on the right of the page to see all the previous posts. Please feel free to leave comments to any posts - the only problem is I cant quite work out how to reply! I am contactable directly on the email address in the 'about me' section. If your relative served in the Hammers Battalion, we'd really love to hear from you!

Now on Facebook: send a friend request to 'West Ham Pals'!

Please ask permission before using ANY images seen here!

Remembering Private Robert Hayes of 6 Platoon, C (Essex) Company, 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment who was killed in Afghanistan on Sunday 3 January 2010.

Remembering Lance Corporal Adam Paul Drane, Section Second-in-Command within C (Essex) Company, 1st Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment, killed in Afghanistan on Monday 7 December 2009.

Lt Col PR Papillon, DSO. First Commanding Officer - updated

2010-11-17T12:59:00.001Z

Pelham Rawstorn Papillon, born 22 June 1864 at Devonport Street in London's Hyde Park, was raised at Lexden Manor in Colchester, educated at Winchester School and studied at University College Oxford (BA Law). He played cricket for County and the MCC, although I believe this is the Madras Cricket Club and not Middlesex. He was the Sussex magistrate with the longest service, first appointed to the bench in 1888 aged 24, serving until his death March 18th 1940.

In his youth he was a bit of an amateur archeologist, donating this lovely piece of ivory shaped like a Gladiator which he dug up at Lexden in Colchester. It's currently on display at the British Museum:

Lexden Manor and its Parish Church was one of the large, influential Papillon family 'seats' dotted around various parts of the country. Others were the main family seat Crowhurst Park and his private home Catsfield Place just outside Battle in Sussex. Other properties included Acrise Place in Kent and Papillon Hall in Leicestershire.

His family were very established in 'society' and extremely well connected, even from the earliest dates.

here's his sister Bertha, sketched by John Singer Sargent in 1912:

The Papillons were originally Huguenots.

Thomas Papillon was Captain of the Guard to Henri IV of France but he sent his family to England in 1588 to avoid persecution as Protestants. His second son David (d. 1659) became an expert on fortification and built Papillon Hall in Lubenham (Leicestershire), an unusual octagonal house constructed according to his own theories of stategic defense.

Rumour says he bricked his first wife, a Spaniard, into one wall in the roof of of Papillon Hall. She died a prolonged death and apparently haunted the place until it was sold in the mid 18thC and finally demolished in the 1950's, becoming a cropfield which the current farmer insists is haunted still.

He married as his second wife Anne Marie Calandrini, whose family had fled Italy as Protestants. Thomas (b. 1702) the eldest son of this marriage purchased Acrise Park (Kent). He was a prominent merchant and campaigner for civil and religious freedoms as M.P. for Dover and then for Colchester. His son Philip (b. 1736) was also M.P. for Dover and Colchester. He married Emily Caroline Garnier, daughter of the Very Rev. Thomas Garnier, Dean of Lincoln.

Pelham was one of seven children (he and his three brothers all played cricket for Sussex) and determined after studying Law to have his career in the Army. He served in the Boer War, became Captain some time before 1902 (as he is shown listed on board the 'Wakool', June 1902, on the way to St Helena. I presume this was for guard duty. The other mention is of him on board the 'Dominion', Aug 21 1902, presumably on his way home to England) and he was mentioned in Kitcheners Final Dispatch of June 23rd 1902.

He began WW1 with 9th (S) Bn, Royal Sussex Regiment

Although married, Pelham still had his old batchelor pad at 35 Eaton Place, SW1 and his phone number was 4271. His old apartment is now the Hungarian Embassy and flats in the street go for £5,000 per week in rent!

His country home was at Catsfield, one of the many properties belonging to the vast Crowhurst Estate.

He then was offered Command of a brand new Battalion, one of Kitcheners 'New Army'. He was 51 years old. I cannot concieve of a 'posher' more straight-back 'Toff' put in charge of what must have been the most 'cockney-est' bunch of ill disciplined, rowdy 'football crowd' Cockneys! And I bet he relished it!

I really do think that after the intial 'testing' that he would undoubtedly have been given by the Men, that they would come to respect him - for his 'fairness' (as a cricket man); for his combat experience in South Africa; for his impeccable qualifications as a man of Justice (he was an Appeals Magistrate), and of his respect for the traditions of the Past and of the value of recording data for the Future - he compiled a 'stock take' of all the interesting old documents hidden away in the stately homes of England on behalf of the Government before WW1. It began with his own collection of family letters, eventually becoming the Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts in 1904.

The Volunteers would have got to know Papillon, from that first parade at St Lukes Church, West Ham on February 7th 1915, or over on Wanstead Flats for the initial training sessions - where I imagine he probably showed great 'public school' & Army enthusiasm, gave encouraging speeches and did equally as much hard graft as he expected others to : in other words he 'mucked in'.

The response was enormous: word went around and the 13th Essex were overwhelmed with fresh volunteers - so many, in fact, they even considered raising a second "Hammers" Battalion. The Thames Ironworks Band played the music at the drumhead at Wanstead on May 16th, and by May 19th 1915, 1,300 smartly turned out soldiers, including my GtGrandfather, marched from Stratford to Brentford and began their journey to France & Flanders.

I expect he was very anxious after seeing the HS Anglia blow up in Folkestone Harbour, as two of his sisters, Kate and Cicely, were serving as Nurses with the French Red Cross.

On the European battlefield, the combat action slowly built from relatively calm Trench training area's through to the full horrors of WW1 Warfare, the death count kept building, finally culminating in a crescendo when he was severely wounded by artillery 'crumping' his HQ Command Post more than once while at Delville Wood.

On the 28th August, he 'proceeded to England on special leave'. It may have had something to do with his wife being pregnant, although I very much doubt it because as a Hospital Matron she would'nt think to bother her husband fighting at the Front.

It's more likely that the War was carving a very deep wound inside Pelham.

Whatever caused the Special Leave, he returned to the Battalion on September 5th, while they were at billets in Courcelles. On 16th September he was awarded his DSO, principally for the action at Delville Wood but also for an earlier attack he actually described in a stern letter up to Brigade HQ as a "useless waste of my best officers and NCOs".

The West Ham Battalion were due back in the Line, on the way to relieve the 16th Sherwood Foresters at Sailly-au-Bois on October 1st, 1916. Pelham Papillon never made it to the Front Line, suddenly 'taken sick' and then quickly invalided home within 24hours.

After several Medical Boards, opinion held that he was clearly suffering 'Shell Shock' - most likely 'burnt-out' by the harsh, fierce, savagery which surrounded any Commanding Officer on the Western Front. He was stone deaf in traffic, but could hear a watch at two inches away. He had 'exaggerated knee jerks' as well as suffering 'great restlessness' overall.

Papillon was Mentioned in General Haig's Despatches for Tuesday 2nd January 1917 and then joined Eastern Command, Home Service on 17th February 1917.

By March, 1917, it was all over, in the Gazette and Official:

Immediately after the Great War, he did two things.

He reformed Crowhurst Cricket Club in 1919.

And, as he was most definately made an Honourary Hammer by the 'Originals' of the 13th Essex, he renamed one of the properties on his Crowhurst estate Green Street Farm.

Not bad for a man with Colchester streets named for his family - Papillon Road intersects Rawstorn Road and Crowhurst Road in Colchester, Essex. Close by, at Lexden Church, you'll find plenty of stained glass memorial windows to the Papillon family, images of which were kindly sent me by the Church Warden Vivien Mendham.

He was visited at home by Queen Mary in 1935. He was the British Legion Crowhurst Branch President and Battle Branch vice President. At his funeral on March 19th (he died the day before) 1940 at Crowhurst Parish Church, Pelham was carried on a farm waggon with workers from the estate dressed in old Sussex smocks acting as bearers.

Sadly, I can only find one image of him, from a photocopy of his obituary kindly sent to me by the current captain of Crowhurst CC, Kevin Cornwall. I'm sure there is a wonderful portrait or two out there somewhere of Pelham, perhaps even one in uniform. Maybe one day we'll find it.

Pelham Rawstorn Papillon, DSO, JP, ensured that the name of pretty much every wounded and killed man of the West Ham Battalion was recorded in the War Diary, during his Command. It's only because of him that I know the circumstances of my GtGrandfathers death and am able to assist others to discover about their ancestors part in The Great War.

He shook the hand of every soldier he sent 'Over the Top'.

A very honourable man.

Two years later, on Mar 5th 1942, Crowhurst Park was sold - furniture, paintings and library collection, everything put up for auction by his son John and soon scattered to the four corners.

The beautiful stone mansion, a park of 240 acres plus 4 farms, in total 930 acres, the whole lot.

Sometimes, pieces from that old sale still come up.

The land, house and contents were finally sold under the hammer during December 1944, and his son moved to the Cotswolds.

Crowhurst is now a posh caravan site.

The Papillon family line passed to Pelham's nephew, David, of Lexden. He served in North Africa during WW2 and it was there he was awarded the MBE.

Pelham's son-in-law, lies buried almost alongside him, as if keeping sentry on a treasure.

Flight Lieutenant Hankey was killed while transporting secret agents in France by Lysander aircraft and was the son of Pelham's great friend Alers Hankey. They had served very closely alongside each other in 3rd Sussex during the Boer War.

The story now has an update! Following on from an anonymous tip off regarding a portrait of Pelham, I can now confirm that it does exist, it's location is known and that it's owner has been contacted and replied positively!

What's more, it's a portrait of Lt-Col PR Papillon in uniform!

Pte 17373 Thomas Male

2010-11-17T12:05:00.005Z

Thomas Male was born, March 26th 1880, in Clerkenwell. By the time war broke out he was married to Frances, living in Bracklyn Street Hoxton and had an 8 year old daughter. He enlisted in the West Ham Battalion on the 18th January and travelled to the war zone in France on the 17th November.

He served in all the Hammers engagements of 1916, finally being severely wounded most likely at Delville Wood at the end of July. He was eventually invalided out of the Army and was awarded the Silver War Badge for his wounds recieved, Number B160385.

Many thanks to Tara for the photo and this information about her GtGrandfather

The Original Officers Mess in Stratford

2010-02-25T09:57:00.012Z

With the very helpful interest shown by Kathy Taylor at Newham Heritage I've been able to establish that this building was originally the Alexandra Temperance Hotel in Stratford High Street.

image courtesy of Newham Heritage

Designed by SB Russell and TE Cooper in 1901, it had 42 bedrooms, 1st and 2nd Class dining rooms for 200 people, with the added bonus of 'Palms & Music'.

Most importantly, it had a billiard hall and became, in 1914, the location of the Officer's Mess for the West Ham battalion.

Lieut Holthusen, the Signals Officer, was named 'Alexandra Snooker Champion' prior to the Hammers leaving for France, having faced stiff competition from Lt's Bernard Page and Lt William Busby.

All three men were from Forest Gate. Bernard Page and WW Busby were killed leading attacks in 1916. Leonard Holthusen suffered extreme shell shock that finished his War after being buried alive in the HQ Dugout during the 1916 fighting in Delville Wood.

The details of the location of the Officer's Mess at the Alexandra came from the personal 1915 diary of WW Busby.

Originally numbered 377, it is now numbered 383-385 High Street and is currently the 'Discover' Children's Centre.

A few doors along is where the original mystery began, now seeming to have little or no connection.

This is Essex House in Stratford High Street, between the Magistrates Court and The Rex and two doors up from the Alexandra Hotel.

I'm still investigating, but there is a clear connection with the Essex Regiment contained in this beautiful building. Do you notice the three Eagles on the roof?

Those are the 'Salamanca Eagle'.

The 2nd Battalion 44th (East Essex) Regiment won great glory for itself at the Battle of Salamanca in 1812 when it captured the Eagle, the equivalent of a British Regiment's Colours, of the French 62nd Regiment. The Eagle was carried on parade by the Essex Regiment, a tradition inherited by the 3rd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment and now the 1st Battalion.

I'll be getting down there soon to see if there is a dedication stone of some sort which might help tell more of the story of this building and to take some photo's. There's only one photo on the net, on Flickr, and I'm grateful to DiamondGeezer for taking it and hope he doesn't mind me using it.

What adds to the mystery is that at the end of the row, originally Parr's Bank, is now called Burrows House.

J.W. Burrows wrote the Official Regimental History for each of the Essex battalions, including the 13th Essex hammers, after the Great War...

The Hammers Battalion Memorial

2010-02-09T16:36:00.010Z

The unveiling by Sir Trevor Brooking and myself of the Memorial Plaque dedicated to the service and sacrifices made by the Men of the 13th (Service) Battalion (West Ham) Essex Regiment ('The Hammers') took place on Remembrance Sunday, 8th November 2009 at 10.55am at the Boleyn Ground

Sadly, the original 13th Essex King's Colours weren't paraded, but the unveiling still featured at it's core the Last Post played by the very last line of the old Essex Regiment: Men of C (Essex) Company, 1st Battalion, Royal Anglian Regiment who also acted as Honour Guard.

The Essex Regiment Association (represented by Colonel Brewer), the Royal British Legion, 2nd Newham ('Busby' Troop) Scouts laid wreaths, as well as many descendants of the Hammers Battalion who had found the website.

A fantastic day was had by all in attendance and Our Lad's are no longer Forgotten.

Alan the Badgeman has informed me that the sale of the 13th Battalion 'Poppy' badges raised over £2,000 for the Royal British Legion and that sales at the Essex Regiment Museum have been equally successful. Many thanks to all of you who bought one!

Pte 21021 John Henry Hassell

2010-02-05T10:24:00.010Z

John Hassell was born in Plaistow and lived there with his wife Annie at 43 willow Grove, just behind Plaistow Underground Station. The family home was later destroyed by the Luftwaffe during the Blitz of Ww2 and is now a small community park.

He enlisted in the West Ham battalion at Stratford and was a member of D Company but he must have entered France & Flanders at a point after January 1st 1916 as he wasn't entitled to the 1915 Star.

John was first wounded in the fighting at Vimy Ridge on the day three huge mines were blown under the German lines and the 17th Middlesex ('Footballers') engaged in fierce fighting to hold the craters. The 1st battalion of the Kings Regiment then raided the German trenches and D Coy of the Hammers gave them officially recognised 'valuable assistance'.

A few weeks later and the West Ham Battalion was in action in Delville Wood.

D Coy was giving support to the 2nd battalion of the South Staffs Regiment when they were attacked by Germans. They repulsed this attack and it was perhaps here that 39 year old John Henry Hassell was again wounded, this time fatally.

We'll never know for sure when or how, as the War Diary is unusually limited with information, most likely due to the fact that during this 48 hour period the HQ trench and dugouts were demolished by the intense and heavy German artillery.

destroyed German trenches, Delville Wood, Sptember 1916

Lieut-Col Papillon, Lt Holthusen the Signals Officer and the Adjutant 2/Lt Lyne were all buried alive and had to be dug out. None of them quite recovered from this experience.

John Henry Hassell's body was never found.

Overall, the Hammers battalion lost 39 men killed, 17 were missing, 138 were badly wounded and 20 men were sent mad by the artillery: shell shock.

Green Street Trench

2010-02-03T10:38:00.006Z

Here's a detail from a rough sketch map of the area around Waterlot Farm and Guillemont, the area where the Hammers Battalion suffered their worst few weeks in 1916.

I think the map was drawn by Captain James Murray Round MC, born in Witham, Essex.

Ten years after the Great war ended, Lieut-Col Papillon DSO, the first Commanding Officer, renamed one of the farms on his Sussex estate 'Green Street Farm'...

Pte 17617 Daniel F Dowling

2009-12-20T22:16:00.003Z

Daniel Dowling was born in Hackney and grew up at 9 Hamburg Street, the son of a leather cutter. Also living in the house was his uncle and his family. At the outbreak of War Daniel enlisted in the 13th Essex Hammers at Stratford.

He was killed during the initial stages of the failed attack on the 'Quadrilateral' on the 13th November 1916 and now lies buried at Serre Road Cemetary. He was just 18 years old.

image courtesy of Bob Lamy - Daniel was related to Bob's great grandads second wife, Elizabeth Dowling.

2nd Lt Sherman's SWB

2009-12-20T13:00:00.006Z

One of the first people to contact me about the men of 13th Essex Hammers was Angus down in New Zealand. His wife's great Uncle was Ernest Sherman, born in Whitechapel, who was originally a Corporal in the 2nd battalion Essex regiment, and was commissioned as a 2nd Lt in August 1916 and became the Lewis Gun Officer for the Hammers Battalion.

He was severely wounded by accurate shellfire during the Battle of Arras in April 1917 and was awarded the Military Cross at the age of 20.

After being wounded and shipped back to England he received his Silver War Badge. It was presumed that his SWB was later lost along with all his other medals when his house was hit during the Blitz on London during Ww2.

However, my good friend Barney had it in his collection and has offered to return it to the family!

I shall be posting it down to New Zealand after the Christmas postal chaos and Angus can pass it on to his children, along with his two 'West Ham Pals' badges I have for them.

More on Ernest Sherman later!

17188 A/Sjt T. Tozer, MM

2009-12-04T17:03:00.004Z

A day or so after the memorial was unveiled, I was contacted by Peter Tozer, the 90 year old son of A/Sjt Tozer, MM.

17188 Tom Tozer (wrongly given JJ Ash's number 17348 in the War Diary) was born in Canning Town around 1896 and grew up at 53 Nelson Street. His father was a docker, born in Devon.

Family lore says he was awarded the Military Medal for carrying back an Officer while under fire. Sadly, there are no citations for Military Medal awards, but who knows, perhaps one day we can somehow get that confirmed. What is interesting is that he is seated beside the only Officer in the photograph.

Although he survived the Great War, his health was destroyed by it and he finally succumbed to the effects of Spanish Flu in his mid thirties.

Peter was totally unaware of the memorial at the Boleyn Ground, and had simply got his neighbour, on a whim, to search Google for the '13th Essex'. They found their way here and ordered a copy of Men of Essex, Vol 9

What an incredible surprise to find a photo of his father!

What an even bigger surprise for me that he was seated next to JJ Ash - who was featured here only shortly before and whose grandson, David Ash, I met at the unveiling!

Tom Tozer also travelled over with my Gt Grandfather and 123 others as part of the Advance Party, on the 16th November 1915, a day before the rest of the Battalion entered France & Flanders for The Great War.

The Hammers Battalion Are On The March

2009-11-06T09:56:00.008Z

Marching along the Grove in Stratford, April 1915...

A very warm welcome to the new 'followers' of the 13th Essex!

It's my intention that the website will have a good upgrade, after the memorial is unveiled on Sunday. My apologies for not spending as much time here recently, as I should be...

By way of compensation, here's my other site with the official War Diaries. I'm in the middle of transcribing them, but for now you can read an eyewitness daily account of the Hammers in France & Flanders for 1916.

Start at the bottom and work your way up. I've not worked out how to reverse that yet!

(Images: courtesy of the Newham Archive)

17348 L/Sgt J J Ash, DCM

2009-10-21T16:33:00.003Z

From a photo in the 'Men of Essex, Vol 9' book, the family of JJ Ash were able to identify him!

More about JJ later!

Now Available

2009-10-03T11:31:00.008Z

Alan the Badge Man has organised these fantastic enamel badges for the 13th Essex Memorial!

He's had a fantastic job done from my original sketch design!

Unlike some of the other badge sellers around the stadium, ALL the profits from the sale of these limited edition badges will be split between the Royal British Legion (East Ham Branch) in Castle Street and the Essex Regiment Museum to help in the funding of their redevelopment.

They'll also be available outside the ground during the buildup to the midweekVilla game and at the Memorial unveiling at the home game with Everton. Also from the Essex Regiment Museum Shop and on ebay.

Alternatively, you can order them here, just send me an email and I'll forward you Alan's details

Very reasonably priced at £6 (including p&p) for the pair!

Spread The Word!!

17272 Pte Hugh Bannon

2009-09-05T20:40:00.010Z

Hugh Bannon was born in 1878/9 in Stepney and was raised at 21 Albert Square.

In 1901, aged 22, he enlisted in the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, and was given the number 9324.

He stood five foot ten, with brown hair and eyes and was covered in tattoo's: Brittania on his chest and various birds and ladies on both his arms.

Hugh served in South Africa in 1902, giving his London address as 28 Upton Avenue, Forest Gate, before moving to 40 Lucas Avenue, Upton Park.

On leaving the Guards he wanted to become a Metropolitan Policeman and was described by the Army as being 'smart, sober and trustworthy'. At some point he ended up working in the West India Docks on the Isle of Dogs as a dock labourer.

His one story in later life of the War was of being one of only two survivors of his Platoon or Company. The attack was quite possibly at 'Oppy Wood', where the Hammers lost 240 men. The Germans got in behind and on the flanks of both the 13th Essex and the 17th Middlesex (Footballers). It was a disaster.

Hugh served his whole time with 13th Essex. On the 28th March, 1918, after he had been posted to the 2nd battalion Essex Regiment, he was shot through the jaw, losing a number of teeth and gaining a scar on the right cheek. The day before he had been hit in the arm.

From the War Diary of 2nd Battalion, on the Front Line outside Arras:

28th March.

3am - 7am Heavy hostile bombardment on flank, support & reserve lines. Trench mortars cut wire on our front. Bombardment increased and is very severe. Still in communication with other Coys & B HQ

7:05am - 7:35am. Enemy seen massing on front lines. Communicatons cease, all wires cut. All Coys send up SOS rockets. Very severe fighting in support & reserve lines.

7:40am. Enemy breakthrough flanks and advance down Chili Trench. Bn HQ withdraw to the junction of Chili, Harry & Hussar trenches and with about 35 ORs form a strong point to block enemy. B HQ moved to 2nd lancs Hqdrs and remainder of men come under the command of 2nd Lancs Fusiliers.

By April 1st 1918, Hugh was out of France and in hosptal at Finsbury Square in the City.

At the end of Ww1 he returned to his wife and five children at 40 Lucas Avenue, Upton Park.

He was a lifelong Hammers supporter, while his large family are still regular visitors, cheering on The Hammers, to this day.

Images used are Courtesy of the Bannon Family, especial thanks to John Cumming for making contact

Many Many Thanks, Pals!

2009-08-23T11:11:00.007Z

One of the nicer aspects of doing this website is the kind help and assistance you get from other parts of the Internet.

People who mention this blog on their websites are helping me find as many relatives of The Hammers as wish to be found, and I cant thank you all enough for the help and assistance you give and the interest you show, spreading the word of the Hammers battalion!

From one of the better West Ham football forums, KUMB.COM, I was contacted by the Grandson of an original 13th Essex man, one of those listed on the Stratford Express of Henry Dyers 'Originals'.

In my next post I'll be able to reveal two all new photo's whcih have come to light, but for now I really would like to say a VERY BIG THANK YOU for everyone's continued support!

Now available on Facebook: search for West Ham Pals and send a friend request!

And a very warm welcome to our latest Pal, 'SD Brit'!

18354 L/Cpl W Boulton

2009-08-23T11:02:00.004Z

Simon contacted me about his GtGrandfather, Lance Corporal 18354 William Boulton, who lived with his wife Annie at 31, Breer St in Fulham, but enlisted at Canning Town. Simon only had the one photo, until William was spotted in one of the others which are coming to light

We dont know too much about William, other than that he was 40 when he was killed on the infamous 28 April 1917, during the Battle of Arras, in the fighting for the town of Oppy and Oppy Wood. The 13th Essex attacked alongside 17th Middx (Footballers) but found that the Germans had 'got in behind them' with terrible consequences. This engagement caused the largest loss of life to the Hammers Battalion overnight.

18589 Pte Asser

2009-08-23T10:46:00.002Z

A bit of a mystery, is George Asser. All we know is that he was 40 years old and lived with his wife Matilda in Bromley (by Bow).

His GtGrandson Rob contacted me looking for any details, and it has stumped us all, which is a shame!

George is remembered on the memorial at Arras, as he died on 18th March 1916. However, the West Ham Battalion weren't in action at this time. They were marching to the town of Bruay on 18th March.

George's name wasn't recorded in the War Diary, which is very unusual for the Battalion in 1916. Also unusual is the fact that there are three whole days missing from the War Diary, the 14th, 15th and 16th: a period during which the Battalion were in the trenches at Calonne. Very strange. Rob ordered the Death Certificate but this only tells us 'missing presumed dead'.

Two days after George's death, leave for the Hammers battalion commenced, their first since hitting French soil.

17574 Pte Ayers

2009-08-23T10:26:00.002Z

Stephen Ayers contacted me regarding his Grandfather Hubert Ayers who lived at 84 South Esk Road, Forest Gate. With his wife Alice Emily, Hubert ran a small coffee house in the local area.

He was Killed In Action at Delville Wood on July 30th, 1916. I cannot tell the full circumstances, as due to the nature of the attacks and counter-attacks over those few days the War Diary is a bit sketchy to say the least. This included intense and accurate artillery barrages which smashed the trenches and even at one point hit the HQ dugout and buried Lt-Col Papillon and the other officers alive.

A large group of skilled German snipers went hunting in the morning and were 'driven off' by 40 of the West Ham men, while several German infantry assaults were repulsed hand to hand in the evening.

It's always great to make contact with relatives of the Men, and Stephen is one of the many who will be attending the Memorial unveiling at the Boleyn Ground, 11am on November 7th to lay a wreath in memory of his GtGrandfather.

West Ham Lane in France

2009-08-02T08:42:00.006Z

Here's an enlargement from a June 1916 trench map of the Lens sector.

The 13th Essex were first located in this area from about the end of February 1916.

My GtGrandad was killed in this sector at the end of April 1916.

West Ham Lane now lies beneath the motorways surrounding the town of Grenay

Many thanks to Sgt Tony Kitchen for working out the Trench map overlay!

Captain William Walter Busby, MC

2009-07-13T22:39:00.014Z

I'm very pleased to announce that 2nd Newham Scouts & Leaders of 'Busby' Troop, will be attending the unveiling of the Memorial Plaque to the 13th Essex to parade and lay a poppy wreath. In 1908 William Walter Busby was a founding member of 2nd Newham Scouts and they not only changed the colour of their neckerchief to khaki in his memory but also renamed themselves Busby Troop in his honour.

Busby was raised a few streets up from the Boleyn, in Sherrard Road and was one of the first to sign up to The Hammers Battalion. He tragically had to write home after his cousin (or his nephew - further research is needed!) was overcome by the fumes from a coke brazier blocking the doorway and died alongside 8 other men trying to keep warm in their cellar billet at Calonne in March 1916.

Busby won his Military Cross for gallantry on the Hammer's first Trench Raid, July 1st, 1916

"Walter Busby tragically did not live to receive his medal. He was killed in action, as a Captain, on the 13th November 1916 as the Somme Battles drew to a close. His grieving parents Charles and Minnie received the award by post at their home in Sherrard Road, Forest Gate, in September 1917."

'WW Busby Portrait' courtesy of 2nd Newham Scouts; '2/Lt Busby On Parade' courtesy of the Essex Regiment Museum

18250 Pte Crispin

2009-07-13T17:24:00.001Z

Thomas Crispin was born in April 30th 1890 in Lewisham and was the eldest son in his family.

He lived with his mother, Charlotte and siblings at 142 Walton Road in Manor Park. After attending Walton Road School he became a labourer.

He enlisted on February 20th, 1915, went over on the Princess Victoria and saw the Anglia blown apart. He may well have been informed of the death in November 1916 at Gallipoli of his brother, William Crispin, a 22 year old Private in 1st/4th Battalion of the Essex Regiment.

Thomas was killed on the 1st of June, 1916.

In a letter sent to his parents, Captain C Harford wrote this:
"I was his old Company Commander from the early days in Stratford until the end of January last, and always found him a good soldier and to be relied upon."

Lt William Walter Busby wrote this to his mother:

"I am writing on behalf of the officers and men of D Company to say how deeply we sympathize with you over the death of your son. We have just had a very trying time in the trenches and it was during this time that he actually met his death. At the time he was not actually in the Front Line, but doing his work in a shelter made in the hillside. A piece of shell penetrated this shelter and so severly wounded him that he died shortly afterwards.

Although anything I can say will do little to heal the wound caused by your bereavement, it may be some small comfort to you to know that he has always proved himself a very able and efficient soldier, carrying out orders with cheerfulness which was an example to his comrades, so that your loss will be ours too."

2009-06-20T10:26:00.002Z

+ + + +

A hearty welcome to our latest Pals, Simon and Andy!

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If you have details about your relative who served in the 13th, please mail me. I have a copy of the official War Diaries and will gladly look up their name and dates & times of any incidents they were involved in.

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A Date For Your Diary

2009-06-20T10:22:00.003Z

The Memorial will be unveiled at the home game with Everton FC, November 7th 2009.

Perhaps, with a bit of luck, SkySports will change the fixture and make it their live SuperSunday match!

Memorial SITREP

2009-06-09T19:57:00.003Z

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Good News!

After consideration, West Ham United have decided the Memorial will recieve greater prominence by being placed at the main reception entrance to the Boleyn Ground, rather than in Castle Street. Bricks are being removed so that it can be cemented in permanently!

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Furthermore, it is with very sincere appreciation that I can announce that the Memorial will be crafted by H L Hawes & Son, a local family funeral directors, which has been in the area for over 160 years. The care, consideration and service shown to me is second to none and I cant rate them highly enough.

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It is also hoped that we can get the 13th Essex 'Colours' brought along from The Essex Regiment Chapel in Warley Church.

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Memorial Update

2009-04-14T20:00:00.002Z

West Ham United have agreed, indeed described it as an honour, to host a Memorial Plaque in memory to the men of the 13th Essex.

It will be located in Castle Street, on the outside wall of the Bobby Moore Stand and unveiled on the closest home match to Remembrance Sunday, this coming November.

I'll keep you all informed as to the progress of the project, but for now I'd just like to yell the old 13th Hammers battle cry of "UP THE IRONS!"

2009-04-14T19:59:00.000Z

A Hearty welcome to our latest Pal, Sapper860!

18081 Pte William Bone

2009-04-13T17:56:00.003Z

William James Bone was born in Mile End in 1876/7. It was in Poplar that he married Sarah Ann Lawson from Bromley (now Bromley-By-Bow). He became a bookbinder by trade and in 1901 had a son, also named William. By this time the family were living in Bromley at 31, Knapp Road.

Knapp Road and the surrounding streets were later totally flattened in WW2, but there is a small terrace of houses which survive to indicate the pleasant road it once was. By 1911, the family was living at 43 Eldred Road in Barking, beside the Tube lines.

When War came, William signed on the line and became Pte 18081 Bone and went over with the Originals in 1915. He was reported wounded in the Essex Chronicle of 15th September 1916. This list seems to include the 13th Essex casualties from 8th August 1916 during the night assault on Waterlot Farm (the sugar beet refinery area) at Guillemont when the Battalion suffered 90 casualties, mainly from C and D Companies.

William was badly shell shocked during this engagement, and never again spoke of the conflict for the rest of his life. His Gt-Grandson Andy and his father are sure Williams face appears in an episode about Delville Wood in the recent documentary series "Last Voices Of WW1 - Horror In The Mud".

31566 Pte Bertie Alan POWELL

2009-04-13T17:54:00.001Z

Pte 31566 Bertie Alan Powell was born in Chelmsford. He Lived in Heybridge with his wife Nellie at 28 Well Terrace, Heybridge. Before the war (from 1906) he was the Hon. Sec. of Heybridge Football Club.

Bertie died 28/4/1917, aged 36, during the ill fated attack on Oppy.

He is remembered in perpetuity on the Arras Memorial (Bay 7)

Thanks to Stephen Nunn, Great war researcher from Maldon

Happy Hammers!

2009-03-25T12:23:00.004Z

quoting from a letter recieved this morning -

"It will be an honour to accommodate a memorial tablet at the stadium"

IRONS!

SITREP

2009-03-23T15:02:00.004Z

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Memorial Update: Haven't, as yet, heard back from the powers that be at the Boleyn. I'm not too surprised though, as they've had the Icelandic banking crisis looming over their heads plus the Sheffield United shenanigans, and I reckon my letter was quite at the bottom of the pile! However, those are all seemingly now sorted, so we can only hope for a positive response.

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There is another book in the pipeline, publication imminent and I hope to post details of where you can order it (limited edition) later today.

Spread the word.

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Upcoming -

indepth Military biog of 2nd Lt Sherman MC, direct from his relatives - and perhaps with some good news for them!

Details of Pte Powell from Haybridge, kindly sent in by our friend Stephen in Maldon, a West Ham Pals reader and Maldon Great War researcher

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We welcome all your comments, additions, corrections etc.

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Lt Col Carter, DSO + Bar, MC + Bar. Second Commanding Officer

2009-02-08T09:45:00.006Z

When Lt Col Papillon was defeated by shell shock on October 1st 1916, his position was taken by Harry Carter of the South Staffordshire Regiment. Carter had already been in temporary command of the 17th Middlesex and he led The Hammers for six months. He was seen as an exceptionally brave man and set about getting the 13th Essex back up 'fighting fitness' from the moment he arrived up to his departure in April 1917.

Harry Carter was the son of William John Carter, a gas tube maker, from Wolverhampton and his wife, Annie Dingley. His mother was illiterate.

Harry enlisted as a private soldier in the 2nd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment in 1899, seemingly after failing to get on with his stepmother, and saw active service in South Africa. By August 1914 he had reached the dizzy heights of battalion signals sergeant. But the severe casualties that the BEF suffered in the epic fighting of 1914 opened unprecedented opportunities for a man like Carter.

On 4 January 1915 he was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the field. In 1913 seven officers in the British Army were commissioned from the ranks. In the first month of the war alone five hundred warrant officers and NCOs were commissioned. During the Great War as a whole the figure was 6,713, 41 per cent of the total number of permanent commissions. The contribution made to the British war effort by officers promoted from the ranks has been little recognised. The war remains trapped in the familiar public school officer idiom.

After spells in temporary command of the 13th Essex and 17th Middlesex, Carter was made CO of the 7th South Staffords, 33rd Brigade, 11th (Northern) Division on 7 July 1917, commanding it for the rest of the war. He was 38. 11th Division has no published divisional history and is not well known. It served first on Gallipoli before being transferred to the Western Front in 1916. On 12 May 1917 Major-General H.R. Davies assumed command. Under his leadership 11th Division became one of the best in the BEF. The division performed particularly well at Third Ypres and spearheaded the First Army’s advance in the autumn of 1918. Davies came to have a high regard for Carter.

Carter’s dramatic rise and outstanding war record also attracted notice in his home town. He was given a civic reception on 21 March 1918, presented with a silver sword, had his portrait painted and a street named after him. (The street’s previous name was Bismarck Street!) He may, perhaps, have treasured more the watch given him ‘as a token of admiration from his friends in Blakenhall, Wolverhampton, upon his gaining high military distinction during the present world war’.

His DSO was awarded for gallantry at Guillemont on 6th Aug 1916. Here are his citations in London Gazette -

LG 23rd Dec 1915

Second Lieutenant William Henry Carter, 2nd Battalion, The South Staffordshire Regiment

“For consistent good work throughout the campaign, notably on 24th November, 1915.
The enemy exploded a mine under Gibson’s crater, south of the Le Bassée road, killing and wounding most of the garrison. Lieutenant Carter at once went up and commenced reorganising the defence of the crater. He was slightly wounded, but remained at his post, and it was mainly due to his courage and example that two hostile bomb attacks on the crater were repulsed. He also organised a bomb attack on the enemy, thus keeping them quiet for four hours, while the position was being consolidated.”

LG 9th September 1916

Awarded a Bar to his Military Cross
Lt William Henry Carter, S Staff R

“ For conspicuous and consistent gallantry.
Hardly a week passes without his name being brought to notice for some act of devotion and gallantry. Lately he carried out most gallant rescue work under fire after a night raid. He arrived in France in August, 1914, as signalling serjeant of the battalion, and has been with it in every action. Nothing affects his courage and nerve.
(The Military Cross was awarded in Gazette dated 23rd December, 1915)

LG 20th Oct 1916

Carter, William Henry Lieut (Temporary Major) M.C. South Staffordshire Regiment
“For conspicuous gallantry during operations. He commanded the battalion after his CO was wounded and displayed great skill and personal courage. He went about everywhere encouraging his men and making personal reconnaissances during three days of heavy fighting. He set a fine example to his command.

LG 10th Dec 1919

Carter, William Henry, DSO, MC, Capt and Brevet Major (Temporary Lieut Col), Royal Warwickshire Regiment attached to 7th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment
“For skilful leading of his battalion during the operations 8th and 9th Nov. 1918, in the advance from Autreppe to Geognies Chaussee. On 8th November 1918, he by his drive and initiative kept his battalion going forward through heavy enemy opposition and by a personal reconnaissance reported his exact dispositions at the end of the day. He has at all times set a very fine example to those under him. (DSO gazetted 20th October 1916)

Carter ended the war as a Temporary Lieutenant-Colonel, even reaching Temporary Brigadier-General in the Army of Occupation. His substantive rank, awarded on 11 December 1916, was Captain Royal Warwickshire Regiment. And it was in this rank that he returned to peacetime soldiering. He did not find the post-war army congenial, however, and in 1922 he left with a gratuity of £1,500. He invested this in a poultry farm near Kidderminster, but it was not a success. He later set up a taxi business, but this also failed. By the time a reporter from the Birmingham Post caught up with him in January 1934, he was living at Rose and Crown Cottages, Penn, near Wolverhampton, with his wife and five children. He had worked for five years at A.J.S. motor-cycles as a mechanic before moving to James Gibbons Ltd. as a steel erector.

Carter regarded his situation with equanimity. ‘Oh, I’m as happy as a king, and so long as I can get work it doesn’t matter, though I should welcome the opportunity to better my position,’ he told the Post’s reporter. ‘Some of the old chaps who used to know me in the army - chaps the same as myself, you know - come and see me, because even when I was an officer I hadn’t any bounce.’ It is typical of Carter’s life that as soon as war came again Gibbons put him in charge of their ARP precautions.

His Second World War service was interrupted by an old wound from the Great War that eventually necessitated the amputation of his foot. He recuperated from the operation as the guest of the Earl of Dartmouth, with whom he got on well. ‘My father was always the same, whether with commoners or kings,’ his daughter Betty recalled. In her sitting room, there is a photograph of him sitting astride his charger as CO of the 7th South Staffords. He looks every inch the Colonel and the officer and gentleman he was.

Carter died on 19 December 1951, aged 72, after a long illness and is buried in St Batholomew’s Churchyard, Penn.

[This account originally formed part of ‘Two British Officers of the Great War’, in The Response. An Occasional Magazine of the Northumberland and Durham Branches of the Western Front Association, 11 (2000), pp. 1-8.] and was taken from here

Family Connections?

2009-01-22T13:25:00.003Z

I've just noticed that among 'The Originals' of the West Ham battalion, at that first Parade and the dinner given by the Borough, there is a Lt A J Dyer.

I wonder, just wonder, if the Mayor of West Ham, Councillor Henry Dyer, the man who raised the Battalion, was his father or other close relative?

If you are a relative of a soldier who served in the 13th Essex, please feel free to send details: I'll gladly look up any detail which may help you discover what happened on the day of his death or during the time of his service.

15774 L/Cpl Warwick and 32349 Pte Henderson

2009-01-22T13:22:00.008Z

15774 L/Cpl Peter Warwick

Peter Warwick was the son of Eliza and the late Henry Warwick, living at home with his mother and family at Lower Woodfields. Prior to the War he was employed by Messrs Mascall Bros., Butchers. He joined up in November 1914, enlisting at Saffron Walden and after serving in Egypt, went to France in early 1916, soon being wounded in the leg. He had been home on leave only two months before his death.

On sunday 30th September, the 13th Essex were in the Givenchy Sector. From midnight, the German's had been bombarding the positions with gas shells, until 3am when the all clear was finally sounded.

At daybreak, as the morning mist cleared, a hidden German sniper sighted a valuable prize: A dreaded Lewis Gunner. Lance Corporal Warwick was shot in the head. He was 24 years old.

His Lieutenant wrote to his mother:

'The morning before the battalion last came out of the trenches your son was hit by an enemy sniper and died before I could reach him, although at the time I was in the trench but a short distance away. It has been a great loss to the company, as your son was held in great esteem
by all and was a steady and capable section leader.

It is very difficult to offer you any consolation in such a great loss but I hope it will relieve your grief to know that his death was almost instantaneous and he was buried in the presence of the whole platoon. I hope you will accept my sincere sympathy.'

A letter was also recieved from his Sgt Maj conveying the sincere sympathy of the NCO's and the men of the Company

Peter Warwick's body was taken from the trenches by the rest of the West Ham Pals, and as the Chaplian told his mother, he was buried in a British cemetary in the presence of the whole Platoon.

32349 Alfred Henderson

Alfred William Henderson was born in Poplar in 1885, but at some point he relocated to Stanstead, living at Lower Street. He was the son of Frederick Henderson and son in law of Mrs Ridgewell of Hospital Lane in Saffron Walden.

He was formally in the service of Lord Peel and afterwards employed at Messrs Rochfords nurseries at Birchanger, then for the next two years he was the Prudential agent for Stanstead.

Alfred joined up in October 1916 and went to France on January 1st 1917. He had only been there three weeks when he was granted leave to return home for a few days (until January 26th) because his wife Fanny had been taken ill and removed to an institution (where she was still a patient at the time of her husband's death).

They had two children, one aged five, the other only a month old.

Alfred is one of the many killed at Oppy on 28th of April, 1917, when over 240 men of the Battalion were killed, caught up in uncut wire during the attack.

Details of both men and the image of L/Cpl Warwick taken from the painstaking research of the Stanstead War Memorial, undertaken by Glyn Warwick and published in his recent book "They Sleep In Heroes Graves" ISBN 978-0-9558964-0-8

18655 Pte Mellish

2009-01-22T00:52:00.005Z

James John Mellish was born in Bow in 1886, the son of James and Esther Mellish. He worked as a fancy cord manufacturer and married Susannah E L Brown in West Ham in 1912. Mellish joined the Essex Regiment in 1914 and was posted to the 13th (West Ham) Battalion, going overseas with the original contingent of the 13th Battalion on 17th November 1915 on the Princess Victoria and, after witnessing the HS Anglia hit a mine in harbour, landed at Boulogne alongside my gtGrandfather and the other West Ham Pals at 6pm.

Guillemont 1916
James was wounded on 8th August 1916 during the night assault on Waterlot Farm (the sugar beet refinery area) at Guillemont when the battalion suffered 90 casualties, mainly from C and D Companies (see previous posts)

Moeuvres 1917
Lance Corporal Mellish was again wounded at the Battalion’s famous action at Moeuvres on 30th November 1917 when they held up the German counter attack in the Cambrai area. In total the battalion suffered over 370 casualties with D Company being surrounded and captured after an epic resistance

9th Battalion
When the 13th Battalion was disbanded in February 1918, Mellish was transferred to the 9th Essex. In April 1918 Acting Corporal Mellish was taken prisoner during the fighting around Albert, finally being discharged to Class Z reserve on 13th February 1919.

The Second World War
James is believed to be entitled to the Defence Medal, for service with the Home Guard.

biography courtesy of 'Owen' - many thanks to you, sir

The Last Stand Of D Company

2009-01-21T20:37:00.019Z

Here is a map of the Cambrai area in November 1917

(click to enlarge, click back to return)

The 13th Essex were again alongside the 17th Middlesex and facing the German front line ('The Hindenburg Line'), towards the town of Mouevres - in this image below, the Germans are on the left.

You can see the canal, Canal Du Nord, running through the google map image. In November 1917, that was still being built. It was something like 30 feet deep and was lined with tiles on the walls and floor...

Here is an aerial recce photo taken a few days before the battle where you can see the empty canal and the lines of zigzagging British trenches

On the 30th November, at 6am (represented by the Yellow Line on the image below), Company D was dug in around the building site that was 'Lock Number 5'. They were very close to the town and on the other side of the canal in equally muddy building works was Company B.

Suddenly, out of seemingly nowhere, grey waves of Germans came flooding towards the British Lines, in a very well planned counter attack. By 6pm, the British had been severely pushed back, here represented by the purple line. And it left D Company cut off...

I thought it might be interesting to hear how what happened next was told to young boys shortly after the battle, in 'The Childrens Story Of The War'.

I cant imagine similar being published in these PC days
The Chapter is entitled "A Glorious Stand" and is on page 355.

"A correspondent, describing the fighting astride of the Nord Canal, says :

' There were desperate duels with bombs on the dry floor of the canal, while groups of Germans and British sniped from their shelters on the banks above. The enemy tried to overwhelm the tired garrison in the night, hoping to find our men exhausted and sleeping, or overcome with
gas ; but their reception was always the same. A staff officer said to me, a few days later, that these men, like their comrades on the right, appeared to have solved the problem of doing without sleep. Fresh ammunition came up steadily, and the fire never slackened. Prisoners expressed amazement when they found that positions which they had vainly sought to take were held by so few men ; and a German regimental commander reported that the British had received heavy reinforcements which was not the case.

' This fighting in the bed of the Nord Canal and on its banks was the strangest feature of the Battle of Cambrai. It was a battle within a battle, and when our troops came back to their present line a few days later the floor of this disused waterway was covered with German dead and wounded."

At this time a desperate struggle was taking place for the possession of that part of the Hindenburg Line which runs from Moeuvres westward to Tadpole Copse. You will remember that it was held by the right brigade of the 56th Division. The enemy made attack after attack, and actually managed to reach the headquarters of the 8th Battalion Middlesex Regiment.
Assisted by the headquarters staff, the battalion made a desperate rally. By means of bombs it held off the enemy until reinforcements arrived, and the position was recovered. Every battalion in this part of the line vied with its neighbour in the valour of its resistance.

Later in the evening the enemy made another attack in force to the south-east of Mceuvres, and again managed to enter our trenches. During this attack a company of the 13th (West Ham) Battalion Essex Regiment, 2nd Division, was holding a position along the west side of the Canal du Nord. The enemy waves flowed on each side of the Essex men and cut them off. For some hours these gallant fellows held out, and about 4 p.m., seeing that relief was improbable, the two surviving officers, Lieutenant J. D. Robinson and Second- Lieutenant E. L. Corps summoned Company Sergeant- Major A. H. Edwards and Platoon Sergeants C. Phillips, F. C. Parsons, W. Fairbrass, R. Lodge, and L. S. Legg to a council of war.

I need not tell you what their decision was : they determined to fight to the last, and not to think of surrender. Two runners were sent back to the battalion headquarters to inform the commanding officer of the fact, and then the men betook themselves to their rifles and bombs, and continued the struggle with unfaltering courage.

All through the night strenuous efforts were made to send assistance to these devoted men, but in vain. They fought to the death, and maintained to the last a bulwark of valour and undying resolution against the tide of attacking Germans. With their lives they barred the way, and sacrificed themselves to relieve the pressure on the main line of our defence. They fought Britain's Thermopylae, and their glorious heroism must never be forgotten.

A correspondent thus sums up the result of the fighting on the north side of the salient :

" The net result of this carefully-planned German ' surprise,' which sacrificed a number of perfectly good divisions in the battle area west of Cambrai, was to give our 2nd Division a better position at the end of the battle than they held when they took over the line from the Ulsters a few days before the attack, except on the left, where the canal lock was lost.

After this slight retirement the division never lost a yard of ground. Although worn out by constant fighting and digging, the men not only threw back the picked German storm troops, but pushed a fresh chain of posts into the enemy's country."

* The men who had come triumphantly through this mighty contest felt, and rightly felt, that they had won a great victory, in which the enemy had come against them in his full strength, and had been defeated with losses at which even the victors stood aghast."

In a later chapter I shall tell you how we were surprised on the southern face of the salient, and were forced to yield up about half of the ground which we had won. Though the Battle of Cambrai, which opened so brilliantly, ended in a costly reverse, nothing can ever dim the glory of the superb stand made by our troops on the northern face of the salient."

This is a snippet from the War Diary. From what I can make out, HQ was codenamed 'Chingford':

And here (click to enlarge, back to return) is the story as told in the official 13th Battalion History, by Burrows

As dramatically depicted by the artist Richard Caton-Woodville.

You can sometimes find this print available online, it originally came from the London Illustrated News. I think the last original one I saw on ebay went for about 75quid!

This post will be updated with small details like the nature of the weather, strength and direction of the German attack etc, all of which can be found in the book mentioned in a previous post, "When The Whistle Blows" - seeing as my copy has been borrowed everytime I get it returned from friends and I cant refer to the indepth facts it gives!

I also wonder whether the 13 German prisoners, tied up in Lock 5, may have saved the lives of any survivors of The Last Stand of D Company. I hear whispers that there will be a deeply researched book on its way, very soon, by someone who writes a lot better than me and has unearthed so much information I think we'll be staggered.

359 CSM White

2009-01-21T19:59:00.006Z

'Owen', good friend of 13th Essex blog, has sent some details of this fantastic gentleman and his lengthy service to the Essex Regiment.

James White was born in Stock near Chelmsford in 1863, the son of Joseph and Elizabeth. He enlisted in the Essex Regiment on 13th February 1882, age 19 years 3 months and was a brickmaker by trade. He became a Drummer on the 3rd of May 1883.

On 13th December 1886, James White married Hannah Cornish at the Parish Church in Warley. The couple had three children James (1891) William (1893) and Lilian (1901). White was appointed Unpaid Lance Corporal Drummer 22 January 1887. He later resigned as Lance Corporal Drummer at his own request on the 28th of March the same year.

1st Battalion
White transferred to the 1st Battalion on 1.4.87 as Lance Corporal. Appointed Paid Lance Corporal 15.2.88, promoted to Corporal 24.5.88 appointed Unpaid Lance Sergeant 7.11.89, Paid Lance Sergeant 1.3.90 and promoted Sergeant on 22.6.90

3rd Battalion
Sergeant White transferred to the permanent staff of the 3rd Battalion on 1.3.90. He was promoted Colour Sergeant on 2.2.92.

South Africa 1902
Colour Sergeant White sailed on the SS Orotava with the main body of the 3rd Battalion, on the 7th October 1902. He remained in South Africa with the Battalion until returning to England on 12th February 1903.

3rd Battalion 1902-1904
Colour Sergeant White served with the 3rd Militia Battalion until his discharge 20th October1904 after 22 years and 237 days’ service.

The Great War 1914-1919
Rejoined the Regiment in 1914 and was appointed as Company Sergeant Major of B Company, 13th Battalion. Landed with the main body of the 13th Battalion 17th November 1915.

Labour Corps
CSM White transferred to the Labour Corps as 345851 in April 1917 being finally discharged on medical grounds on 14th August1918 at the age of 55.

I dont, as of yet, know what actions CSM White was involved in, but April 1917 was the fighting at Oppy Wood, alongside the 17th Middlesex, during the Battle Of Arras. Specifically, 4.40 am, 28th April, when the 13th Essex were seriously smashed up, with over 245 men killed and every officer wounded or killed.

You can only wonder at the full nature of James White's career in the Essex Regiment and of his loyal service to our country.

2008-12-04T17:56:00.002Z

I only just realised this spooky coincidence!

400393 Pte Breeze, 'A' Coy, 4th Platoon

2008-11-27T18:22:00.007Z

Alfred Richard Breeze was born at Buckland, Dover and lived there until 1912.

He lived in Tonbridge with his wife and daughter at 15 Albert Road. He was a Draper at the Co-Operative, a job his brother Bertie, who also served took over on returning from France.

The letter is dated April 6th 1918, and reads:
"Dear Madam, I deeply regret to say that we have a report which seems to show that your husband must have lost his life on November 30th. It comes from Pte E Webb, 28610, A Co, 4th Platoon, 13th Essex Regt, now in hospital in France and is as follows:

"Breeze was close to me and I saw him get killed just outside Lock 6 of the Cambrai Canal.

We were holding the Sunken Road, which runs parallel to the Canal, and the Germans were advancing towards our Company and it was just before they surrounded D Coy. He was killed by a 5.9 and two or three more were wounded with him. I was very pally with him and he used to talk to me about his shop, a drapery business, I think. He was medium height, with a dark moustache, married, and drawing towards 40 years old"

I ought to say that we never altogether rely on one man's account, and therefore our enquiries about your husband are still going on. We cannot help fearing however that this report will prove to be correct, and I should like to express our very sincere sympathy.

Yours faithfully, pz, for the Earl of Lucas"

'A' Company Trench raiders, Alfred is second left, back row

info from the Dover War memorial

33158 Pte Skinner

2008-11-27T18:08:00.001Z

33158 Private Charles James Skinner
was born in London in 1877 and lived
at 21 Chalgrove Road in Tottenham with
his wife Eliza Theresa and his two girls
Lillian Florence and Louisa Charlotte.

He enlisted on August 1st, 1916 and served
in France & Flanders from December to April,
when he was posted missing after the fighting
at Arras.

A comrade wrote: "He was a good old chum,
a great favourite among us all"

http://www.cwgc.org/search/certificate.aspx?casualty=1653201

Upcoming

2008-11-24T17:35:00.008Z

Biog of Lt Holthusen, Medic.

I'm off to Kew soon to see the records of papillon and Holthusen

Biog & Pic for Pte 35146 Wendon

There's also a group photo of Lt's Carter, Charrington & Brown out there!

"UP THE IRONS!"

17335 E A Clark

2008-11-24T16:26:00.004Z

Pte Clark made a contribution to an album by patients at Leckhampton Court Red Cross Hospital 1914 - 1918, which has found it's way onto the internet.

Private Clark decided to write a poem:

"A time will come when Victory's crested wave

Sweeps swiftly forward in a cleansing tide.

When staid and sober citizens behave

like children, off their heads, with joy and pride.

Then while the bells peal madly through the land -

Look back a bit, I never once forget

That so called "negligable" British band

To whom the Empire owes its deepest debt.

With best wishes to the owner of this book

Pte E A Clark, 17335

13th Essex, West Ham Battalion"

"UP THE IRONS!"

2008-11-12T12:00:00.001Z

Hallo all

With this blog I shall try and bring together details of the men their lives and their actions, from the time they answered the rallying call at Stratford, Christmas 1914 right through to their eventual disbandment in February 1918.

With your help, we can get as much background to these men, and tell their stories once again.

If you are a relative of a man who served with the 13th Essex, "The Hammers", please mail his details and any other information or images you may have.

The Memorial

2008-11-11T23:59:00.002Z

We're taking the first tentative steps regarding re-instituting
a memorial dedicated to the 13th Bn Essex. It is believed the
original was destroyed in the Blitz, but the hunt for detailed
information continues.

Letters are on their way to various significant parties and
hopefully there should be some good news for all soon.

Regimental Museum

2008-11-11T23:59:00.001Z

Dont forget you can always visit the Regimental Museum at Oaklands Park in Moulsham St, Chelmsford..

Ian Hook is Keeper of the Essex Regiment Museum and is extremely generous and helpful in all things 'Essex'.

They are having a bit of a 'makeover' at the moment, with much stuff in boxes, so maybe best to phone (01245 605700) first if you're planning a trip.

http://www.chelmsford.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=13575
Mondays to Saturdays, 10.00am to 5.00pm
Sundays, 1.00pm to 4.00pm (winter) or 2.00pm to 5.00pm (British summer time)

Admission is free.

Memorial Update

2008-11-11T23:58:00.003Z

Well, it would seem that perhaps (probably?) the 13th Essex West ham Pals didn't ever get a Memorial for their Service and Sacrifice after all. So the idea of the Blitz destroying the 'original' may be a red herring.

As they were disbanded in February 1918, before the end of WW1, and all survivors sent to other battalions, they didn't even manage to get a Veterans 'Old Boys' Club together (although I have been told that the Mayor of Newham gave a Dinner for them in 1919).

I think this makes it even more crucial that we endeavour to get one up now!

We have also been given the moral support of the Essex Regiment Museum, for which we are very grateful.

"UP THE IRONS!"

'C' Company Vs 'B' Company, in West Ham Park, 1915

2008-11-11T23:57:00.006Z

"This match ended in a victory for 'C' Company by 3-2.

Playing with a strong wind, 'C' Coy tried hard to score, but all their efforts were futile, largely through the fact that the ball was practically uncontrollable by the violent wind.

Half time arrived with no score.

The second half opened with a smart attack on 'B' Company's goal, which was largely repulsed but eventually a nice opening was afforded 2nd Lt Page, who shot feebly, but sufficiently hard to register the first goal for 'C' Company.

This seemed to serve as a stimulant to 'B' Company and from the kick off 'C' Company's Back miskicked and Humphries fastened one on the leather and scored an equalising goal.

Within five minutes of this success, a melee in front of goal provided an opportunity for Webb who gave 'B' Company the lead.

Following this reverse, 'C' Company kept up a prolonged attack and the goalkeeper allowed a shot from Winter to pass through his hands. This success followed by another as Gillman with a splendid drive registered the winning goal for 'C' Company.

'C' Company: Pte Turner, Pte Buffett, Pte Wickers, Pte Gillman (or 'Gillmann'), Pte Dutton, 2nd Lt Holthusen, Pte Hemmings, Pte Plesants, 2nd Lt Page, Pte Winter, Pte Giess."

Sadly Brian Belton doesn't list his source.

If that teamsheet follows convention, then Pte Turner was the keeper. One possible is
17358 Private E H Turner

Lance Corporal J W Dutton, 18052, died on 15 May 1916 and is buried near Joseph Cooper.

I think it was Lt Holthusen who organised these sports games, but I'm not sure which one,
as two Holthusen brothers served in the 13th - one as OC Sigs and the other OC Medic.

Pte 17958 Joe Cooper & 2/Lt Ollett

2008-11-11T23:51:00.002Z

This gentleman is really the whole inspiration behind this blog and my interest in the 13th Essex and The Great War.

He was born in Rook Street, Limehouse in 1877 and grew up in the very centre of "Hell's Kitchen' at Mary Street. His mother, Kate Cooper was originally Catherine Footman, born 1856/1857 in Limehouse, daughter of Lawrence (age 60) and Johanna Footman (age 44) of St Mary's Street, Poplar. Kate married Thomas William Cooper, a fishmongers salesman of Limehouse, at Stepney in 1877 and soon after Joeseph was born.

When Joseph married Emily Stormey, aged 21, at Limehouse, his job was as 'Carman To A Wharfinger'. At some point after the outbreak of the Great War, Joseph Cooper signed on the line at Stratford and became Private 17958. He was nearly 40 years old.

Going over to France a day before the rest of the Battalion on the 16th November 1915 with the Advance Party was probably the first time Joseph had been abroad. It may even have been the first time he'd been out of London. And here he was with a rifle on his back. After travelling through France, the West Ham Battalion were in the trenches at Bully Grenay, just by the ' double crassier' at Loos-En-Gohelle, facing the Germans of Lens and Lievin:

He is buried in the tranquil British Cemetary at Loos, with a lovely view of the countryside and his headstone is leaning somewhat jauntily to the left.

Before he died he had a few children, one of whom was my Grandmother. She was six years old when he never came back, but she still remembered his Hammers battle cry of "Up The Irons!"

Also killed alongside Joseph was Alfred Oscar Ollett, a 21 year old 2nd Lt from Braintree in Essex, shot by a sniper.

He was the first of the West Ham Battalion Officers to be killed in action.

There is a small memorial to him at St Mary The Virgin Church in Bocking, Essex should you wish to visit, placed by his parents Oscar Joseph and Laura Louisa Ollett.

It reads "In loving memory of Alfred Oscar Ollett of this Parish, aged 21 years. 2nd Lt, Essex Regiment. Who on April 27th 1916 Fell in Action at Calonne and was laid to rest at Bully Grenai, France"

http://www.cwgc.org/search/certificate.aspx?casualty=29861

17957 Donatz & 17959 Caffrey

2008-11-11T23:50:00.000Z

Conradine Donatz was born in Core, Switzerland
and emigrated to the UK. When he volunteered
for the 13th Essex he was living in Walthamstow.

His service number was one down from my Great Grandad,
I dont know if that means Conradine was in the queue in front.

He was KIA during the Battle for Delville Wood, 31 July 1916
http://www.cwgc.org/search/certificate.aspx?casualty=754498

On the other side of my GtGrandfathers service number, we have Thomas Caffery, 17959.

He was reported wounded in the Essex Chronicle of 15.9.16. This probably means he was wounded (one of 60 men wounded) in the disastrous action on 9th August 1916 at Trones Wood and Mine Alley.

8th August 1916 - 8.30pm "Orders were recieved to move up to the trenches at Trones Wood and make the attack which had failed earlier in the day. The Battalion got into position at 3.30am on the night of 8th/9th, leaving no time for reconnaisance or thorough explanations to officers and NCO's and men of the attack which was to take place at 4.10am"

Thomas survived the War, and when the 13th were disbanded in February 1918 he was transferred to the Liverpool Regiment, becoming 325031. He was then demobbed and, I hope, lived a very peaceful and long life.

Home Front

2008-11-11T23:49:00.003Z

"An angel on a pedestal
of white Sicilian marble
with columns of Labrador granite."

Spare a thought for Emily Elizabeth Cooper, wife of Joseph. In May 1916 Emily gets informed of her husband's death at the Front.

My Nan (her daughter) could still feel the indescribable pain well into the 1980's. It was Joseph who had brought home the first piano she'd ever sat at. She was so proud that she was totally self taught on that old piano and I'll always remember her as a phenomenal pianist . During WW1 and WW2 and well into the 1960's she entertained the streets and pubs around Poplar, Limehouse and Isle of Dogs on 'the ivories'.

I have a sneaking suspicion that Joseph was perhaps a piano player too, for it to register so strongly with her. Her dad's photo was the only picture she cared for in her house. Indeed, in times of dire poverty when furniture or pictures was burnt for heat, that photo was never touched.

After she died, I didn't see that photo again for about 25 years, until this February 2008. I now know more about his death than I suspect she ever did. Here she is with Joseph when she was about two years old. This is the only other photo I have of Joseph

Back to December, 1915 and Emily's brother Alfred has joined up and is by now dying of TB brought on by his military service 'under canvas'. He will be dead by the coming Christmas.

As far as I can tell at the moment, he was originally 13th Essex Regiment but then he was quickly transferred to Home Service Labour Corps attached to Essex Rgt due to his profound deafness.

Her father, John Stormey was a 'Platelayer' in 1899, defined as "a workman who lays and maintains railwaytrack". I dont know yet but more than likely Alfred James worked alongside
his father - as he is described as his civilian job is as 'Plate Improver' on his Military Medical Discharge.

But now, in Poplar, June 13th 1917 arrives, hot and hazy...

As some of the children at Upper North Street school were making paper chains, high above them the German Air Force began their first daylight raid on London, 'scintillating like so many huge silver dragonflies'...

"In memory of 18 children who were killed by a bomb dropped from a German Aeroplane upon the L.C.C. School, Upper North Street, on 13th June, 1917."

Louise Annie Acampora (age 5), Alfred Ernest Batt (5), Leonard Charles Barford (5), John Percy Brennan (5), William Thomas Henry Challen (4), Alice Maud Cross (5), William Hollis (5), George Albert Hyde (5), Grace Jones (5), Rose Martin (11), George Morris (6), Edwin Cecil William Powell (12), Robert Stimson (5), Elizabeth Taylor (5), Rose Tuffin (5), Frank Winfield (5) .

The funerals were held on June 20th.

I cannot confirm yet whether any of Emily and Joseph's children, including my Nan aged 9, attended Upper North Street School, but it would fit today's 'catchment' area better than most.

It was certainly in the very close vicinity to where they were all living at the time. I had also always presumed that my Nan's fear and loathing of aeroplanes and sheer terror at thunderstorms was due to living on the Isle of Dogs during the whole of the WW2 Blitz, from Heinkel 111's in 1940 all the way through to V2's in 1944, but perhaps it may actually have seeded itself much earlier...

The thing's you learn, eh

"The Mayor of Poplar and Will Crooks, the local MP, headed the raising of a 'convalescents' fund, to send bereaved mothers and traumatised children away for a fortnight's recuperation. At the beginning of July the first parties - 14 mothers, some with babies, and 70 children from Upper North Street School - set out for 'the beautiful up-river resort of Maidenhead. Women and children appeared delighted at the prospect of a couple of weeks amidst the sylvan charms of Berkshire, away from the din and nerve-trying memories of Poplar. A small party, including the Mayoress, also went to Maidenhead 'to see the mothers and children safely installed in their holiday cottages, and that every comfort conducive to health was provided'."

What Happened: http://www.ppu.org.uk/memorial/children/index.html#death
104 people were killed. 423 were injured, 154 of them seriously.
http://www.ppu.org.uk/peacematters/pm2002/pm2002_93.html
How People Responded: http://www.ppu.org.uk/memorial/children/mem_children2.html
The Memorial: http://www.ukniwm.org.uk/server/show/conMe...mUkniwmSearch/1

41485 Charles Badrick

2008-11-11T23:47:00.003Z

Charles Badrick was the 33 year old husband of Elizabeth Badrick, of Wilstone, Tring, Herts.

His son was a West Ham supporter, but never knew that his father fought in Company D, 13th Essex Regiment. He was killed April 28th, 1917 at Oppy Wood. Judging from a map I'll try and post later, D Company's Aid Post was located in the sugar factory.

From the War Diary -
"27th April - Battalion moved to Roclincourt, leaving Maroeuil at 11am and practising the attack en-route, arriving at Roclincourt at 2pm, where dinner was served after which men rested until dusk. Battalion then moved up to the assembly trenches beyond Bailleul (Oppy Sector) and formed up ready for attack. All ranks appeared confident of success and cheerful.

Each man carried chocolate and two cheese sandwiches and were given a rum issue before moving off.

Disposition of the 6th Brigade: 13th Essex on right, 17th Middlesex on left.

Disposition of the Battalion, right to left: "B", "C", "D" and "A".

Each Company will have a frontage of 120 yards.

The artillery barrage is the guiding factor as to the pace of infantry advancing. It must be impressed on all ranks taking part in the attack that it is absolutely essential to advance close up to the barrage and that they must assault any portion of the enemy trench or portion opposite them immediately the barrage lifts.

A contact aeroplane (from No 5 Squadron, RFC) will fly over our line at 7am. Flares will be lit and mirrors flashed. This will be done when the contact aeroplane sounds his klaxon horn or fires a Very Light.

("A 'Contact Patrol' was essentially an aeroplane, or flight of aeroplanes, flying low over the battlefield to determine the relative positions of the British and German front lines during an attack. In theory, the aeroplane would fly along the front, sometimes sounding a klaxon to alert the soldiers to its presence. When the aeroplane was overhead, or thereabouts, the attacking British/Empire troops would fire a flare to indicate their position. Not surprisingly, many infantrymen opted not to fire flares that would also disclose their position to enemy artillery, so the airmen would have to rely on noticing if the muddy uniforms below were khaki or field grey.

In April 1917 No 5 Sqn was changing its BE 2c and 2d aircraft for the slightly more modern BE 2e, 2f and 2g, which it would use until replaced by the RE 8 in June 1917. The squadron was based at Savy from 7 April to 2 June 1917. A photograph of a BE 2d from No 5 Sqn - an aeroplane captured in September 1916 - is below. The black bands on the fuselage are the squadron's identification marking. They would be painted in white on an aircraft finished in the dark brown used later in the War.")

(aircraft & Squadron information and image courtesy of 'Dolphin' on GreatWarForum)

Dress: Fighting Order. One days ration and iron rations to be carried and water bottles filled. The following will also be carried: 2 Bombs per man (No 5 Mills), Bombers will carry 10 bombs. 2 sandbags per man. Every man to carry one flare and 120 rounds SAA.

Every man to have a round in the chamber when advancing."

From the Battalion History:

28th April - "The heavy fighting continued and at 9am the troops were ordered to fall back, hold and consolidate the German Front Line. All the officers of this Battalion had become casualties and the majority of the non-commissioned officers and what was left of the Battalion was quite disorganised and exhausted. Small parties held out but eventually retired, moving from shell hole to shell hole at dusk."

The officer commanding "D" Coy, 2nd Lt (Temporary Captain) E C Lowings was severly wounded. Three OR (Other Ranks) were killed outright. 4 officers and 79 OR's were wounded, 8 officers and 240 OR's were missing.

24 year old T/Captain John James Gordon Clarke (OC "C" Coy) and T/Captain C W Ritson (OC "B" Coy) were killed.

Son of J. and E. Clarke, of "Lyndhurst" of St. James' Rd., Gravesend, John James was husband of Muriel Mary Clarke, of Briscoe Lodge, Lennox Rd., Gravesend.

28 year old Claude Wilson Ritson had come over from Canada. He was the son of Wilson Ritson, J.P., and Hannah Ritson, of Lacombe, Alberta, Canada.

http://www.cwgc.org/search/certificate.aspx?casualty=739265
http://www.cwgc.org/search/certificate.aspx?casualty=760552
http://www.cwgc.org/search/certificate.aspx?casualty=1620878

17994, Cpl George Brown, MM

2008-11-11T23:46:00.000Z

George Leopold Brown, son of James and Amelia Brown, lived with his parents at 19 Newcomen Road, Leytonstone and enlisted in the 13th Essex Regiment, becoming Private 17994 and sailing onboard SS Princess Victoria with the rest of the Battalion to France on 17th Nov 1915.

He won the Miltary Medal in a raid at Souchez, 1st July 1916 and later was wounded in an attack at Waterlot Farm 8th August 1916.

On recovery he was posted to the 9th Essex but was unfourtunately killed in an attack at Monchy le Prux during the fighting around Arras 17th July 1917.

He did all this as a 19 year old

http://www.cwgc.org/search/certificate.aspx?casualty=742455

details courtesy of his relative, 'Max Poilu' (m.poilu@tiscali.co.uk)

41309 Jessie Barrett

2008-11-11T23:45:00.002Z

This is Private 41309, Jessie Robert BARRETT
http://www.cwgc.org/search/certificate.aspx?casualty=243277

The only action that occurred around the time of his death was on the 4th December when the War Diary states:
"Heavy shelling by enemy at intervals. Our artillery retaliates effectively. 4 Other Ranks killed. 10 OR Wounded and 1 OR wounded or missing"

New Contact Details

2008-11-11T23:44:00.000Z

email us at westhampals@hotmail.co.uk

send any details or images you may have about
a relative and we will post them up for all to see

the West Ham Pals of 13th Essex

Welcome to the West Ham Battalion Website

Lt Col PR Papillon, DSO. First Commanding Officer - *updated*

Pte 17373 Thomas Male

The Original Officers Mess in Stratford

The Hammers Battalion Memorial

Pte 21021 John Henry Hassell

Green Street Trench

Pte 17617 Daniel F Dowling

2nd Lt Sherman's SWB

17188 A/Sjt T. Tozer, MM

The Hammers Battalion Are On The March

17348 L/Sgt J J Ash, DCM

Now Available

17272 Pte Hugh Bannon

Many Many Thanks, Pals!

18354 L/Cpl W Boulton

18589 Pte Asser

17574 Pte Ayers

West Ham Lane in France

Captain William Walter Busby, MC

18250 Pte Crispin

A Date For Your Diary

Memorial SITREP

Memorial Update

18081 Pte William Bone

31566 Pte Bertie Alan POWELL

Happy Hammers!

SITREP

Lt Col Carter, DSO + Bar, MC + Bar. Second Commanding Officer

Family Connections?

15774 L/Cpl Warwick and 32349 Pte Henderson

18655 Pte Mellish

The Last Stand Of D Company

359 CSM White

400393 Pte Breeze, 'A' Coy, 4th Platoon

33158 Pte Skinner

Upcoming

17335 E A Clark

"UP THE IRONS!"

The Memorial

Regimental Museum

Memorial Update

'C' Company Vs 'B' Company, in West Ham Park, 1915

Pte 17958 Joe Cooper & 2/Lt Ollett

17957 Donatz & 17959 Caffrey

Home Front

41485 Charles Badrick

17994, Cpl George Brown, MM

41309 Jessie Barrett

New Contact Details

Lt Col PR Papillon, DSO. First Commanding Officer - updated