Author Archive: WW1 Photos

Allanson W G Lt Royal Air Force

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Allanson W G Lt Royal Air Force

Lieut. WILFRID GEORGE ALLANSON Royal Air Force

Wilfrid Allanson was a boy who won the respect of masters and boys alike. His talents were above the average, and he had a career of distinction as a student. He came here into Second Figures in September, 1909. Each year of his course he was a prizeman. In Syntax, in 1912, he gained the first medal; in Rudiments, 1910, and Poetry, 1913, the second medal. In 1912 and 1913 he gained prizes in Classical Honours, and the first B.C.A. prize in the latter year.

He passed the Lower Certificate in 1911, with first classes in Latin and English; the School Certificate in 1912, and the Higher Certificate in 1914. The next year he matriculated at the London University.

In November, 1915, he joined the Inns of Court O.T.C. (His brother Gerald held a commission in the M.G.C.)

His preliminary training in the Inns of Court O.T.C. was at Berkhamstead, where he passed the Lewis-gun course, obtaining 99 per cent. of the possible marks. In March, 1917, he was transferred to the Royal Flying Corps. After qualifying at Oxford, he was gazetted on May 25th, 1917, and shortly afterwards was attached to the School of Aerial Gunnery, Hythe, as Pilot Instructor. There is no doubt that his mental and physical attainments were much above the average, and had he survived, he gave every promise of going far in his profession. He loved flying, and was really a first-rate pilot.

In March, 1918, he went to France, and on September 21st he was shot down, while fighting five hostile machines, at Cassel, in North France.

His C.O. wrote:- He was one of the most popular officers there has ever been in this squadron, and excellent, too, at his work. I cannot tell you how much we shall miss him. The following copy of a letter from a Church of England Chaplain shows the high esteem in which he was held by the squadron:-

No. 7 Squadron, R.A.F., October 3rd, 1918.

I have just returned from leave and learn with the utmost sorrow of the death in action of your son, Lieut. W. G. Allanson. I cannot find words adequately to express my grief, but I want to offer you my very true and heartfelt sympathy, and to tell you how deeply every member of the squadron feels his loss. It is no exaggeration to say that everybody loved him, for he had one of those very attractive dispositions which won him friends wherever he went. He was always the same bright, cheery, sympathetic friend, good all through, and a pillar of strength in the squadron.

Born in 1897, Lieut. Allanson was the son of Mr. G. Allanson and Mrs. Allanson, of “Belmont,” King’s Avenue, Clapham Park, London, S.W.

He was laid to rest in the British Cemetery Proven two miles inside the Belgian at frontier by the side of his observer, Lieut. W. R. Anderson, who was killed at the same time.

Source : Stonyhurst War Record

Steele M J L/Cpl 2478 4th East Yorkshire Regiment

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Steele M J L/Cpl 2478 4th East Yorkshire Regiment

STEELE, MATTHEW JAMES, L/Corpl., No 2476, 1/4th Battn. East Yorkshire Regt. (T.F.), 3rd s. of Thomas Steele, of Hull, Cab Proprietor, by his wife, Maria Elizabeth, dau. of James Outram; b. Hull, 27 April, 1892; educ. Warne Street Council School there; was an Assistant Steward, Hull and Barnsley Railway Head Offices; volunteered on the outbreak of war in Aug. 1914, and joined the 4th East Yorkshires; went to France, 17 April, 1915, and was killed in action east of Ypres, 26 May, 1915. From letters received it appears that one of his comrades had been shot by a sniper, and that Steele, thinking he might still be alive, went to his assistance and was himself shot through the heart. He m. at St. Stephen’s Church, Hull, 1 March, 1913, Kathleen (76, Portland Street, Hull), dau. of John (and Ada) Moorhead, and had a son, Kenneth James, b. 13 June,1914.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

Steel J Mechanical Stoker 276964 HMS Goliath Royal Navy

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STEEL, JOHN, Mechanical Stoker (R.F.R., B. 1557), 276964; b. Dublin, 25 Dec. 18.., served in the European War, and was lost in H.M.S. Goliath at the Dardanelles, 12 May, 1915. He m., 22 Sept. 1900, Fanny (10, Harbour Village, Goodwick, co. Pembroke), dau. of (-), and had two sons: Richard John, b. 28 June, 1901; and Edward James, b. 31 Oct. 1906. He had the medal for saving life.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

Stearns E G 2nd Lt 4th Royal Fusiliers

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Stearns E G 2nd Lt 4th Royal Fusiliers

STEARNS, ERIC GORDON, 2nd Lieut., 4th Battn. Royal Fusiliers, yr. s. of Thomas Robert Stearns, of Lansdowne, Woodridings, Hatch End, co. Middlesex, Insurance Official, by his wife, Alice, dau. of James Grant, of Ipswich and Belize; b. Hornsey, 25 March, 1895; educ. St. John’s College, and Lower School, Harrow was a Clerk in the Sun Insurance Office; joined the Artists’ Rifles (28th London Regt.) in 1912; volunteered for foreign service on the outbreak of war; was given a commission as 2nd Lieut. 6 April, 1915, and posted to the Royal Fusiliers; went to France in Oct. 1914, and died at Abeele of wounds received in action in Belgium, while in charge of a party digging a new trench; unm. His commanding officer, Lieut.-Col. W. F. Sweny, wrote: “I have seen enough of your son to realise what a useful and cool officer he was “; Sergt. F. H. Smith: “Mr. Stearns was almost worshipped by the men under his command; they would have followed him anywhere, for they knew he was a man. He had not an atom of fear in him, and he had always a smile and a cheery word for everybody. I do not think anybody could be more liked and respected than he was and Private W. H. Leighton: “The bullet caught him just above the hip and passed upwards. We did everything we possibly could but all in vain, worse luck. He bore it extremely well, as he always did everything, being a very brave officer and one whom the men had the greatest confidence in and would have followed him anywhere.”

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

 

Steane P H Pte 2631 15th London Regiment

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Steane P H Pte 2631 15th London Regiment

STEANE, PERCY HOWARD, Private No. 2631, 15th Battn. (Prince of Wales’s Own Civil Service Rifles) London Regt. (T.F.), only s. of Frederick Houston Steane, Solicitor’s Managing Clerk; b. Balham, 31 Oct. 1892; educ. Balham Grammar School; was in the service of the Ocean Insurance Company, but on the outbreak of war enlisted Aug. 1914, and was killed at Festubert, 18 May, 1915, while on sentry duty in the trenches. Capt. H. B. Farquhar wrote: “Your son was ever of the most conscientious character, doing his duty thoroughly and cheerfully, was ready to share all hardships and lighten the burdens of others.”

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

Steadman A Pte 2289 4th East Kent Regiment

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Steadman A Pte 2289 4th East Kent Regiment

STEADMAN, ALBERT, Private, No 2289, 1/4th Battn. East Kent Regt.

(The Buffs), eldest s. of Frederick Steadman, of 70, Beaver Road, South Ashford, Kent, employee in S. E. & C. Railway Works, Ashford, by his wife, Hannah Jane, dau. of Robert Hatton, of Dover; b. South Ashford aforesaid, 9 Dec. 1893; educ. S. E. & C. Railway Schools there; was a Clerk in the Ashford Branch of the Commercial Union Assurance Co., Ltd.; enlisted 4 Sept. 1914; went to India with his regt. in Dec. which was stationed at Mhow, Central India, till July 1915, when it was sent to Aden. He died of heatstroke at As Sela Sheikh Othman, 25 Sept. 1915, while taking part in the repulse of the Turkish attack on Aden; unm. He was fond of swimming, and represented his company in the regimental swimming contests at Mhow.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

 

Starr T A Pte 11380 8th Welsh Regiment

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STARR, THOMAS ADIN, Private, No. 11380, 8th Battn. Welsh Regt., only s. of Thomas Starr, of 2, Bolt Street, Newport, Monmouth; b. 4 Sept. 1887; served with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force at the Dardanelles from 14 June to 8 Aug. 1915, on which date he was killed in action there; unm.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

Barber-Starkey W H J Captain Royal Field Artillery

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Barber-Starkey W H J Captain Royal Field Artillery

Barber-Starkey W H J Captain Royal Field Artillery

CAPTAIN W. H. J. BARBER-STARKEY Royal Field Artillery

Small Houses 94-96 Aged 34

Sept. 10th, 1914

ELDEST Son of William Joseph Starkey Barber-Starkey, J.P., B.A., of Aldenham Park, Bridgnorth, Co. Salop, and Margaret Aimée, third daughter of Sir George Kinloch, 1st Baronet, of Kinloch.

Trinity College, Cambridge.

Captain Barber-Starkey was gazetted to the Royal Field Artillery from the Forfarshire Militia in 1900, was promoted Lieutenant in 1903, and Captain in 1912. He went to France with the Expeditionary Force on August 17th, 1914. He died from wounds, received on August 26th, 1914, in the Battle of Le Cateau.

On September 2nd he was officially reported missing,’ and was twice afterwards unofficially reported a prisoner of war at Torgau, unwounded. His parents received information of his death through the Red Cross International Agency of Prisoners of War, Geneva. He died, on September 10th, 1914, in a German Field Hospital at Le Cateau, where he is buried.

Source : Harrow Memorials Of The Great War 1914-1918 Vol 1

 

Barber-Starkey W H J Captain Royal Field Artillery

Source : The Illustrated London News 21st Nov 1914

Barber-Starkey W H J Captain Royal Field Artillery

BARBER-STARKEY, WILLIAM HENRY JOSEPH, Capt., 52nd Battery, Royal Field Artillery, eldest s. of William Joseph Starkey Barber-Starkey, Aldenham Park, Bridgenorth, co. Salop, J.P., B.A., by his wife, Margaret Aimeé, 3rd dau. of Sir George Kinloch, of Kinloch, 1st Bart., J.P., D.L.; b. The Hall, Huttons Ambo, co. York, 4 March, 1880; educ. Harrow, and Trinity College, Cambridge; gazetted 2nd Lieut. in the R.F A. from the Militia, 6 Oct. 1900; promoted Lieut. 24 Oct. 1903, and Capt. 9 May, 1912; served with the Expeditionary Force in France, etc., from 17 Aug.1914, and died a prisoner of war in a German Field Hospital, 10 Sept. following, from wounds. received in action at Le Cateau, 26 Aug. previously; unm. Buried at Le Cateau.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

Starke H Sapper 2385 Royal Engineers

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Starke H Sapper 2385 Royal Engineers

STARKE, HARRY, Sapper, No. 2385, 1/3rd Coy. Kent Fortress R.E. (T.F.), only child of James Starke, of 9, Kenwood Road, Highgate, N., for 48 years Carman on G.N. Railway, by his wife, Martha, dau. of Andrew (and Mary) Smith; b. Holloway, 27 March, 1871; educ. Blundell Street L.C.C. School, Caledonian Road, Holloway, N.; was a Carpenter by trade; served in the 17th North Middlesex Rifle Volunteer Corps from 19 Feb. 1890 to 5 Jan. 1893, and after the outbreak of war enlisted, 31 May, 1915; went to the Dardanelles in the transport Hythe, and was drowned in a collision off Gallipoli, 28 Oct. 1915. He m. at St. Saviour’s Church, Hornsey Rise, 20 Feb. 1892, Emily (8, Montem Street, Upper Holloway, N.), dau. of William Root, Gardener for over 30 years to Mr. R. Gaskell, North Hill, Highgate, N., and had issue: Frederick James, b. 5 June, 1893; Harry William Alfred, b. 20 Oct. 1894; Emily Martha, b. 6 Nov. 1897; Florence Ivy, b. 17 June, 1899; and Catherine Alice, b. 9 Feb. 1901.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

Stannard G L/Cpl 7995 2nd Essex Regiment

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STANNARD, GORDON, L.-Corpl., No. 7995, 2nd Battn. Essex Regt., s. of David Stannard, of Kirton, near Ipswich, by his wife, Cecelia; b. Kirton, near Ipswich, 29 Dec. 1886; educ. Trimley Road School; enlisted at Ipswich, 5 July, 1904; went to France, 6 Jan. 1915, and died in Boulogne Hospital, 21 Feb. 1915, of wounds received in action. He m. at All Saints’ Church, Dovercourt, 9 Sept. 1914, Evelyn May (Red House Farm, Trimley St. Martin, near Ipswich), dau. of John (and Ellen) Churchyard, and had a dau.: Victoria Gladys May, b. 19 Dec. 1914, and d. 29 July, 1915.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1