Ninety Years On. Remembering the First World War (8)

Extract from ‘Notes For A Parish History’ (ERO T/P 188/3) written by Revd. E. H. L Reeve of Stondon Massey (Essex).

25th September 1918

No raids have been made during the full moon the enemy apparently having too much to think of elsewhere. Our aeroplanes are very active, and the droning of a number of them round the house through the night hours have lulled us to sleep with a feeling of security.

I have had a letter from Pte A Watts whose parents live in the village. He is in the Royal Herbert Hospital in Woolwich having been wounded in the right hand and thigh on the Arras front in France.

Blackmore: Remembering ... Ernest Martin

Ernest C Martin (known as ‘Nib’) of the 2nd Battalion Essex Regiment was killed in action in the Battle of the Somme on 25th September 1916. He was buried near Crones Wood.

Blackmore: Remembering ... William Rudling

William Edward Rudling of the 2nd Suffolk Regiment No. 27046 “Y” Co. was killed in action in the Battle of the Somme. August 1916.

The ‘Commonwealth War Graves Commission’ includes the following citation:
http://www.cwgc.org/search/certificate.aspx?casualty=810486

Blackmore: Remembering ... Herbert Game

Private Herbert Charles Game served in the East Surrey Regiment No. 1040 “D” Co. He was killed in action at the Battle of the Somme, France on 16th August 1916 aged 25.

The ‘Commonwealth War Graves Commission’ includes the following citation:
http://www.cwgc.org/search/certificate.aspx?casualty=750694

Stondon Massey: Remembering ... William Chantry

William Chantry died in the final months of the War from sickness contracted. He had served in France where “much depended on the initiative and courage of individuals”. (An account of his return home on leave was recorded by Revd. Reeve on 8th August 1918).

Unusually, I can find no record of him on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website.

Sad Shires and Bugles

The Essex Record Office is holding a one-day conference on 1 November 2008 entitled ‘Sad Shires and Bugles’, which will cover the impact of the Great War on Essex. Speakers will include Dr Paul Rusiecki, author of the soon to be published book, ‘The Impact of Catastrophe: the People of Essex and the First World War (1914-1920); Ken Crowe (Southend Museum); Stuart Halifax (University of Oxford) and Grahame Harris (Essex Record Office). Tickets which cost £12 for the day (10.00am to 4.30pm) are available from the ERO.

Moreton: Aircraft Hangar

In the pretty village of Moreton, near Ongar, there is a tatty shed probably due for demolition soon. It is an old aircraft hangar from North Weald Airfield.

North Weald Airfield Museum

North Weald Airfield Museum is based at Ad Astra House, the former station office of RAF North Weald. The Flight Station was opened in 1916, two years before the designation of the Royal Air Force, and closed in 1964.

The Museum has five rooms. Room 1 covers the period 1916 to 1939; Room 2, the Battle of Britain; Room 3, the civilians at war; Room 4 is dedicated to the allies who were based at North Weald and Room 5, events post World War II including the Cold War.

The Flight Station opened in August 1916 and was manned by a wing of the 39 Squadron, part of the operation at Suttons Farm and Hainault. The Commanding Officer was Major T C R Higgins. Their objective was to prevent Zeppelin attacks on London by means of two hour patrols with small 80hp biplanes called BE2c’s. With no radio signal and rudimentary cockpit instruments this was dangerous work. (Remember that manned flight began only in 1903). It was in this craft that W Leefe Robinson, F Sowtrey and W J Tempest shot down three Zeppelins in flames (see entry, ‘Zeppelins Over Essex’, 29.8.08). Room 1 tells us that Tempest crash landed his plane at North Weald after shooting down the Zeppelin over Potters Bar.

Having lost air supremacy, the Germans responded the following summer with a more formidable force: the Gotha bi-planes attacked London in June and July 1917 (see entry, ‘First Blitz’, 12.9.08). The Gothas were able to fly at a much greater altitude which meant that the ‘planes North Weald had could not engage with the enemy. In September 1917 the airfield was equipped with Bristol Fighters but saw no action until the attack by Gothas on the night of 19 May 1918. Lieutenant Arkell flying a Bristol Fighter, and a Sopwith Camel flown by the 78 Squadron, engaged with a Gotha which was brought down at East Ham. That Whitsunday was the last air raid of the war over London. The Squadron moved to France that summer and was disbanded on 16 November 1918 following the Armistice.

The North Weald Airfield Memorial, is a Debt of Honour to the 250 people who died while stationed on the airfield. Visitors to the Museum are given a folded A3 card containing their names. Eight personnel died during the First World War.

The Museum is run by volunteers and is open at weekends during the summer. Follow this link for more information.
http://www.removablemedia.com/northweald/

Bibliography:
F W G Hitchcock. The History of the RAF at North Weald.

Blackmore: Remembering ... Alfred Ellis

Private Alfred Ellis of Hook End served in the 1st Essex Regiment. He was killed in action at Gallipoli in June 1916. His name is remembered on the church window but not the War Memorial.

Blackmore: Remembering ... Gerald Wellesley Piggott

2nd Lieutenant Gerald Wellesley Pigott lived at Blackmore House, Hook End. He served in the 127th Battery, Royal Field Artillery and was killed in action in the second battle for Ypres. 14th May 1915, Aged 18. His father, Wellesley G Pigott, related in a letter to Revd. Reeve that the War Office could not allow his body to be brought home and laid to rest in Doddinghurst churchyard. A memorial service was held instead on 21st May 1915 with Rev. Adams (Doddinghurst rector) and Reeve taking part.

His name heads the list on the War Memorials at both Blackmore and Doddinghurst. He is also commemorated on Blackmore’s War Memorial window.

The ‘Commonwealth War Graves Commission’ includes the following citation:
http://www.cwgc.org/search/certificate.aspx?casualty=197817

Blackmore: Remembering ... Walter Brazier

Walter Brazier, Stoker. 1st Class, served on the Royal Navy. H.M.S. "Laertes." He was killed at the Bight of Heligoland, 28th August 1914 and was buried at Shotley Cemetery.

The ‘Commonwealth War Graves Commission’ includes the following citation:
http://www.cwgc.org/search/certificate.aspx?casualty=397778

Blackmore: War Memorial Window

Situated in what is now the Vestry of the Priory Church of St Laurence, Blackmore, is a memorial window to those who died in the First World War. From 1907 to 1988 this was the window to the Lady Chapel. It depicts St Michael and St George and bears the inscription: “To the Greater Glory of God and in memory of those connected with this parish who fell in the great war 1914 – 19. 2nd Lt. Gerald W Piggott, 2nd Lt. Ian Miller, Alfred Ellis, Herbert C Game, William E Rudling, Ernest C Martin, Arthur J Nash, Edwin Alexander, Harry Riglin, James Roast, Alfred Godding, Alfred Wheal, Ernest A Maynard, George W White, Herbert Miller, Edward Barker, Walter Herbert Wash RN, W H Scudder, Walter Brazier”.

The following is recorded in the Vestry Minute Book [ERO D/P 266/11]:

A meeting of Parishioners was held in the Church Hall in Tuesday February 25th 1919 with respect to the erection of a painted window in Blackmore Church in memory of those connected with the parish who had fallen during the War … [was] adopted unanimously.

The window lists all casualties except for Charles Wash (the brother of Walter Herbert Wash who was included) and brothers, David and Ted (Edward) Sutton. The deaths of Frank Monk (who died in 1921) and Jacob Wiltshire (who died in 1923) post-date the installation of the memorial.

Alfred Ellis’ name appears on the window but not on the War Memorial.

Stondon Massey: War Memorial

Stone or wooden pillars, crosses etc are common features in parishes across the country. They were erected because, in the vast majority of cases, those who died in World War One were buried near to where they fell and their bodies not brought back to ‘blighty’. This was their lasting memorial.

The War Memorial for Stondon Massey is on the north wall of the church. In the following passage, written by the then Rector, Revd. Edward Reeve, we learn of the possibly arbitrary nature in which the names of those who died in the Great War are commemorated.

“We did not move away very quickly at Stondon, but the matter was brought forward at the Parish Meeting in the spring of 1921, and a special meeting of Parishioners was in consequence summoned on Saturday evening April 16th. It was decided to erect an oaken Tablet … in keeping with the old oak screen and Jacobean pulpit and reading desk.

“The Suffragan Bishop of Barking (Dr. Inskip) most kindly agreed to come and dedicate the memorial when it should be ready for the unveiling, and the ceremony was finally arranged for Tuesday Dec 13th.

“The cost of the Memorial … was provided by voluntary subscriptions, practically every house in the village contributing something.

“The six names are all that we could fairly include, though Ernest Maynard, a Blackmore lad who worked in the Rectory garden here up to the time of enlisting, was well known, and almost eligible; and Fred Garnham, who fell in the Mons retreat, had been brought up in the village, but had married and joined from Radley Green, Writtle. R J Ellis was living at Norton [Mandeville] when he died, but was included as being a true Stondon lad, and with his old parents still in the parish” [ERO T/P 188/3 f860-863].

The inscription reads:

TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF/
William Chantry Sapper RE
Robert James Ellis RAF
Herbert Walter Gann Sapper RE
Herbert Hasler Pte Middlesex Regt
Leonard Hasler Pte East Surrey Regt
William Hasler Pte Ryl Innskg Fusrs
MEN OF STONDON MASSEY WHO FELL FIGHTING FOR KING/ AND COUNTRY OR WHO DIED FROM SICKNESS CONTRACTED/ THROUGH SERVING IN THE GREAT WAR A.D. 1914-1918/ THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE/ ERECTED BY PARISHIONERS AND FRIENDS.

Researching First World War Ancestors

Sound advice has been shared on the web this week by members of the ‘Great War Forum’ to a query from Ian P which ran … “I am trying to research the men from my village (Farnham in Essex) that are named on the war memorial, because I think this should be done before everyone forgets who they were”.

Jay Dubaya referred the enquirer to ‘Soldiers who died in the Great War’:
In 1921 His Majesty's Stationery Office published, on behalf of and by authority of the War Office, two lists of those who died during the First World War. More than 703,000 names are included in this database. A search takes just seconds
http://www.military-genealogy.com/productHome?product=ww1

Ian Turner added that the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (http://www.cwgc.org/) is a further site.

“Another course is to look through the local newspaper archive (usually the local library) for the 1914-early 20's period. They often carried weekly casualty lists, including write-ups on some servicemen and even photographs (perhaps the 'Jewel in the Crown' for such research).

“Posting an advert in the local shops and post office, asking for any information on the names can be productive - I even wrote a letter to anyone with the same surname as those on the memorial and living in my village, asking if they were relatives and knew any history of the men named. It drew some very useful replies.

“Whilst looking at the newspaper archives keep an eye out for the planning, construction and unveiling of the memorial itself. That often produced newspaper articles containing useful info, and it can be an add-on to the history of the men in your book. If you know who is responsible for the memorial (more often the church or local/parish council) it might be worth asking if they have any files on the memorial which can contain interesting background info.

“You might hit 'brick walls' with some names - you might need to draw on family research facilities such as the 1901 census, Free Births, Marriages & Deaths, etc. They can often hold pointers for your searches.”

Jon 6640 then added: “This is a fabulous site: http://www.hut-six.co.uk/cgi-bin/search14-21.php. Put 'farnham in the 'including' box then search”.

For any further information, follow this thread. Well done chaps!! Hope you don’t mind me pinching your expertise and passing it on.
http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=105667

Book Review: First Blitz

Someone once said that “the first casualty of war is truth”. Neil Hanson is criticised by some reviewers of his new book ‘First Blitz’ for the claim that the Germans intended to raze London to the ground in 1918. The truth that the enemy never bombed Tower Bridge and the British side suppressed the reporting of the events of war in the newspapers illustrates the case well. But the German development of the ‘Elektron’ high incendiary bomb in the summer of 1918 never tested the resolve of Londoners because bad weather, the need for ‘planes elsewhere, the fear of British reprisals and the losses of the enemy on the Western Front caused attacks to be countermanded at short notice.

The First Blitz covered the period 25 May 1917 to 19 May 1918. Neil Hanson explains the raids in graphic detail told in the words of the German bombers in the Gotha aeroplanes and survivors on the ground who witnessed the bombs dropped and carnage caused. The first raid, in daylight over Folkestone, on the Friday before the Whitsun bank holiday, tells how shoppers marvelled at the sight of circling aeroplanes above only to become victim moments later. The planned attack on London had been aborted due to cloud.

Daylight air raids on London followed on 13 June and 7 July 1917 (witnessed by Revd Reeve: see entry ‘Chronicler of the Great War’, 15.8.08). Hanson describes how the Gothas were operating at the very limit of their capability in order to reach London, drop their cargo and return safely to base before the reserve supply of fuel ran out. Quite a number did not make it, either on the onward or return journey. Perfect weather conditions were required. The ‘planes took the shortest route over land to London over Foulness in Essex before turning over Epping Forest towards London. Blackmore and Stondon Massey lie underneath this course. Moonlight raids followed over an almost consecutive period from 24 September to 1 October caused the frightened public to demand for counter-attack. Had the ‘Blitz of the Harvest Moon’ been sustained, unrest and the fall of Government could have been possible.

Hanson puts the loss of life from the air raids into perspective: the attacks killed 836 and injured 1965. By comparison the losses on the Western Front exceeded that figure in a day. The fact that war was waged on civilians though crossed the boundary of acceptability.

British defences were ineffective against air raid attack. Indeed, looking at the Great War as a whole, it seems clear that Germany was equipped for war in the air whereas Britain regarded flying as a gentleman’s leisurely pursuit. Searchlights and gunfire from the ground were a futile and expensive attempt to bring down these aircraft from high altitude; indeed people were killed on the ground as a result of ‘friendly fire’ from flying shrapnel (See entry, ‘Blitz of the Harvest Moon’, 3.10.08). Until the development of the Sopwith Camel by the Allies, the Gothas (and later ‘Giants’) were no match.

In the enemy’s final raid of Whitsunday, 19 May 1918, aeroplanes capable of attack were scrambled from Sutton’s Farm (Hornchurch), Hainault, North Weald, Stow Maries and other airfields around the City’s perimeter.

At 436 pages, and containing almost 90 pages of notes and references, ‘First Blitz’ is a detailed but not heavy read of these times. It is a book for grown ups not the young or faint hearted.

Links to other reviews
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/books/article-1033369/1914-bombs-London.html
http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=99426
http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/books/Review-First-Blitz.4160733.jp
http://airminded.org/2008/07/25/acquisitions-65/

From The Telegraph: “The first sorties were mounted over eight successive nights in 1917. The following summer, as the war on the Western Front reached its climax, the bombers were back - this time armed with a fearsome new weapon - the Elektron bomb, an incendiary deliberately designed to create a city-consuming firestorm to rival Pepys's conflagration in 1666.
“Fortunately for London, the bombs were too unreliable, the bombers too few in number, and the London air defences - belatedly set up after the Zeppelin raids of 1916 - too effective, for the 'Fire Plan', as the Germans called their raid, to have the desired effect.”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2008/06/22/bohan122.xml

‘First Blitz’ by Neil Hanson (Doubleday, 2008) is available in hardback. £17.99 (but can be found cheaper elsewhere – e.g. Amazon)

Ninety Years On. Remembering the First World War (7)

Extract from ‘Notes For A Parish History’ written by Revd. E. H. L Reeve of Stondon Massey (Essex).

11th September 1918

The Harvest has been everywhere especially bountiful and the weather unusually favourable for gathering it in.

It is said that the supply of corn is sufficient. Ploughing is begun again already, and the importance of the grain crop seems to have established itself at last in the national mind.

Coal Rationing is being rapidly arranged as foreshadowed. The scheme will work out for the benefit of the poor who will be entitled to an amount fully equal to their usual pre-War consumption.

The larger houses will undoubtedly find their supply much curtailed, the year’s allowance for the Rectory being only 11 tons, three tons of coke being allowed to be substituted for two tons of coal.

Next entry: 25th September 1918

Ninety Years On. Remembering the First World War (6)

Extract from ‘Notes For A Parish History’ written by Revd. E. H. L Reeve of Stondon Massey (Essex).

10th September 1918

I visited the Convalescent House for Officers at Blake Hall today for the special purpose of calling on a Lieut Eyre commended to me by a mutual friend at Hampstead. I found the patient a bright young man of 23 or 24 years slowly recovering from a spinal wound received at Passchendaele in July 1917 which has partially paralysed his lower limbs and necessitated crutches. He had great hopes of the war being brought to a conclusion in 1919, but believed that in any case the weight of America would tell by 1920.

Ninety Years On. Remembering the First World War (5)

Extract from ‘Notes For A Parish History’ (ERO T/P 188/3) written by Revd. E. H. L Reeve of Stondon Massey (Essex).

9th September 1918

It seems wonderful indeed to think that such a great change can have come over the world since July 18th when General Fock’s counter-attack commenced.

Every day is brought news of an extended retreat on the part of the enemy.

Highwood: Remembering ... Fred Garnham

Frederick Garnham was killed on 8th September 1914 in the retreat from Mons. His name appears on the War Memorial at Highwood.

Revd Reeve wrote on 30th October 1914: “We hear of the death of Private Fred Garnham, killed in action in France, early in September. Now living at Radley Green near Writtle, his father for some years held the Soap house Farm in Stondon. (His widow afterwards received on his behalf the 1914 Star and Riband issued in commemoration of the Gallantry shown by our “contemptible little Army”)”.

Bobbingworth: War Memorial

The War Memorial Tablet for Bobbingworth (also known as Bovinger) can be found inside St Germain’s Church. I spotted it when visiting the parish’s Bank Holiday Monday “At Home” fete.

It reads:

REMEMBER THE MEN OF
BOVINGER WHO DIED FOR
KING AND COUNTRY IN THE
GREAT WAR 1914 – 1918

C Bowles DVR RFA
W Broomfield Pte AVC
J T Burling Pte R Suss Rgt
C Dawkins Pte Northants Rgt
G Hudson Pte Middlesex Rgt
A Knight L Cpl R Berks Rgt
W Knight Pte Essex Rgt
O J Lazell GNR RGA
F Millar Pte Worc Rgt
W Page GNR RGA
F Shipway Pte Worc Rgt
M I Wright Pte Essex Rgt

Their name liveth for evermore