BULLOCK, THOMAS WILLIAM, Lieut. Col., 1st Battn. (39th Foot) The Dorsetshire Regt., eldest s. of Samuel Bullock, I.S.O., of Holly Nook, Walton-on-Thames, late Superintendent for Wrecks, etc., Board of Trade, by his wife, Fanny Sarah, dau. of the late Edmund Hartley, of Banbury; b. London, 5 July, 1874; educ. privately; at Wilson Grammar School, and King’s College; gazetted 2nd Lieut. 1st West India Regt. 6 Oct. 1900; promoted Lieut. 19 June, 1901: appointed Adjutant 13 June, 1904; promoted Capt. 25 May. 1910, Major 11 Dec. 1915, and Lieut. Col. 28 July, 1917: served with his regiment in Bermuda, Barbadoes and Jamaica, and superintended its transfer to the West Coast of Africa, where he did useful work in the fight with malaria; was attached as Adjutant to the 23rd London Regt. (T.F.) 23 Aug. 1908, transferring to the 1st Dorsetshire Regt. in 1910: he was subsequently appointed Recruiting Officer for Dorset, and Adjutant of the Special Reserve, 2 April, 1912. On the outbreak of war, in Aug. 1914, he was attached to the Wyke Regis Training Camp: served (on the General Staff) with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from 5 Feb 1016; was lnvalided home the following June; on recovery was appointed Brigade-Major to the 223rd Provincial Brigade: returned to France 15 June, 1917. and was appointed Lient. Col. in command of the 12th Manchester Regt. 28 July following; was transferred to the 5th Leicestershire Regt. 7 Jan. 1918, and to the 1st Dorsetshire Regt. as Lieut. Col. in command on the 21st of the same month, and was killed in action by the bursting of a shell at Donchy-les-Ayette, between Arras and Albert. 11 April following. Buried in Bienvillers Churchyard.

The Brigadier-General of the brigade to which the 1st Dorsetshire Regt, belonged was killed in action at this time, but the Brigadier-General of the ist Manchester Regt. wrote expressing his appreciation of the sterling good work Col. Bullock did while in command of that battalion, and his deep regret that he had not received a reward for all he had done. The Adjutant (of the 1st Dorsetshire Regt.) wrote: “The men are all very cut up about the loss of the colonel. Their letters are full of it, and in several cases I have read: He was the best Commanding Officer we have ever had. He was always so considerate, and looked after the welfare of the men,” and the Doctor also wrote: “He was the finest colonel I have had. without a doubt, and always his first care was for his officers and men, and he used to be most careful to see that they were as comfortable as possible, and was continually asking me whether anything more could be done for their comfort and health. It was a big loss to us.” During his connection with the training camp at Wyke Regis Col. Bullock, in collaboration with another officer, published a booklet entitled: “An Aid to All Instructors.” eight editions of which have since been issued. Prior to the war he also prepared a scheme of mobilization which won distinct approval, and has been extensively used. He m. (1st) at Barbadoes, 12 May. 1003, Constance Lade (who died Nov. 1914), dau. of the late G. H. Snape. M.R.C.S., and had two sons: Reginald Thomas Sinclair, b. 24 Dec. 1904, and Brian Otley. b. 2 Nov. 1910 and (2ndly) at Taunton, 26 Sept. 1916, Millicent Mary, dau. of Samuel White. of Highlands. Taunton; s.p.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 5

BROWN, HENRY CECIL, Corpl., No. 43186, 6th (Service) Battn. The Dorsetshire Regt., only s. of John Henry Brown, of Thornleigh, Church Drive, Daybrook. Hosiery Manufacturer, by his wife, Annie Elizabeth, dau. of John Clarke, of Rookwood Road, Nottingham: b. Syston, co. Leicester, 19 June, 1890; educ. Elin Bank School. Nottingham was a Farmer; joined the Army Veterinary Corps 17 April, 1916; served at Woolwich, and subsequently at Bulford and Lulworth: transferring to the 6th Dorsetshire Regt., he served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from Aug. 1918, and died at No. 18 Chicago General Hospital, Camiers, 5 Nov. following, of influenza, contracted while on active service. Buried at Etaples. He m. at St. Paul’s. Daybrook, 4 Feb. 1918. Olive Blanche Crosbey, dau. of Frederick Johnson. and had a son. Leslie Cecil. b. 11 May, 1918.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 5

Boileau E B W Lt 1st Dorset Regiment

BOILEAU, EDWARD BULMER WHICHER, Lieut., 1st Battn. (39th Foot) The Dorset Regt., 2nd s. of Capt. Thomas Smalley Boileau, late 2nd Dorset Regt. and I.S.C., of 97, South Croxted Road, West Dulwich, S.E., by his wife, Selina Mary, dau, of James Whicher, Deputy Inspector-General of Hospitals and Fleets; b. Folkestone, co. Kent, 1 Sept. 1898; educ. Imperial Service College, Windsor, and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst; gazetted 2nd Lieut. 1st Dorset Regt. 19 July, 1916; promoted Lieut. 19 Jan. 1918; served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from 24 Nov. 1917; was appointed Lewis Gun Instructor during 1918, and Assistant Adjutant in Sept. 1918, and during the Battle of Damery 11 Aug. 1918, he acted as Liaison Officer to the Brigadier-General. On 8 Aug. 1918, he was chosen to take one sergeant-major and 16 men to represent the battalion at an inspection by the King: and was killed in action at Sequchart, near St. Quentin, 3 Oct. 1918. Buried at Ste. Hélène British Military Cemetery, Pontruet. His Commanding Officer wrote: “He was always willing and thoroughly reliable, and always carried out his duties bravely; was cheerful, respected and loved both by officers and men.” and the Major: “His death has been a blow to all who knew him in the battalion. He was loved and esteemed not only by the officers, but especially by the men of the Headquarters Company, which he commanded. He was killed while going forward in the recent attack, in which the battalion did so well, and at a moment when he was doing his duty.” Unm.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 5

Roe A R M Captain 1st Dorset Regiment

CAPTAIN A. R. M. ROE

IST BATTALION THE DORSETSHIRE REGIMENT

ARTHUR ROBERT MONTGOMERY ROE was the youngest son of Sir Charles Arthur Roe, of the Indian Civil Service, and Elizabeth Gaskell, daughter of Francis Gaskell, of Chelsea.

He entered the School in September, 1896, and passed 9th into the R.M.C., Sandhurst, in November, 1899. He received his Commission in the 1st Battalion Dorsetshire Regiment in August, 1900, was promoted Lieutenant in 1902, and Captain in 1909. He was Adjutant of his Battalion 1908-11, and was at the Staff College 1912-13. In 1914 he was stationed at Belfast, and was well known in the City by reason of his great interest in the athletic life of the Battalion.

In August, 1914, he went to France with the British Expeditionary Force, and was at first attached to the 15th Brigade Staff, but owing to the loss of Officers he returned to Regimental duty.

On September 9th, during the advance to the Aisne, after the Battle of the Marne, he was in command of his Company, in the front of an attack on the German entrenched position, on the main road from Meaux to Chateau Thierry. Early in the afternoon he was wounded in the arm, but he continued fighting, and, a few hours later, he was hit in the head. In spite of the severity of his wound he managed to raise himself as he was carried from the field and to shout words of encouragement to his men. On the following day it appeared that the attack, in which Captain Roe played such a gallant and conspicuous part, had been of great value to the general plan, as it had prevented a German counter-attack on the 4th Division, and when the Brigade advanced the ground was found strewn with dead and wounded Germans, and three big German guns which had been left behind during their flight. He died of his wounds at the Base Hospital, Le Mans, France, on September 16th, 1914. Age 32. He was subsequently mentioned in Despatches.

Captain Roe married in 1911 Joan, daughter of Sir William Wiseman, and left one daughter.

Source : Memorials Of Rugbeians Who Fell In The Great War Vol 1

Pitt J M Lt 1st Dorset Regiment

LIEUTENANT & ADJUTANT J. M. PITT 1ST BATTALION THE DORSETSHIRE REGIMENT

JAMES MAXWELL PITT was the youngest son of Colonel William Pitt, Royal Engineers, of Fairseat House, near Wrotham, Kent, and of Mary James his wife.

He entered the School in 1902, and left in 1906, entering the R.M.C., Sandhurst, in 1907. He was gazetted to his Battalion in 1908, and became Scout Officer and Assistant Adjutant.

He crossed to the seat of War about August 13th, and was present at Mons, in all the actions of the retreat, and at the Battles of the Marne and the Aisne. He was used, constantly, in scouting and reconnoitring. He was gazetted Adjutant on October Ist.

He was killed in action near Béthune and La Bassée, when his Battalion lost 400 men, killed and wounded. As Adjutant he was with his Colonel encouraging the men who were in difficulties in the trenches. The Germans came up on three sides, and the Dorsets were left unsupported. In the last trench only the Colonel and Lieutenant Pitt and six men were left. The two officers fired on the advancing Germans with rifles taken from dead men. They all agreed not to surrender, and finally the Colonel was wounded and Lieutenant Pitt was killed, on October 13th, 1914. Age 26.

His Colonel said:-

He was the finest officer in the Battalion: in the terrible last hour he was magnificent. In his service he did more than well. He did as well as any man could do.”

A brother Officer wrote:-

“You can at least feel that he achieved absolutely every success possible in so short a life.”

Source : Memorials Of Rugbeians Who Fell In The Great War Vol 1

Pitt J M Lt 1st Dorset Regiment

Source : The Sphere 31st Oct 1914

Source : The Illustrated London News 31st Oct 1914

Turner J R Lt 1st Dorset Regiment

TURNER, JOHN REGINALD, Lieut., 3rd (Reserve), attd. 1st, Battn., Dorsetshire Regt., s. of John Mayer Burrow Turner, of Hartshill, Bournemouth, Solicitor; b. Stoke-on-Trent, co. Stafford, 20 Nov. 1892; educ. Bournemouth School, and on leaving there was articled to his father and had passed the Intermediate Law Examination when war broke out. He was given a commission as 2nd Lieut. in the 3rd Dorset Special Reserve Battn. 12 Dec. 1911, and became Lieut. 1 May 1913, and on the declaration of war volunteered for foreign service. He was attd. to the 1st Dorsets (15th Brigade, 5th Division) and went to France with the Expeditionary Force in Aug. 1914; took part in the Retreat from Mons, the Battles of the Marne and the Aisne, and was killed in action near Festubert,on the Pont Fixe Road, 13 Oct. 1914, on which day the 1st Dorsets sustained 400 casualties, 130 of them being killed. Buried in an orchard west of the Post Office of Pont Fixe; unm.

Lieut.-Col. Bols, C.B., D.S.O., commanding 1st Dorsets, wrote: “Practically the whole of B Coy. was destroyed on that awful 13th. We were all so very fond of him; he was always cheery and such an excellent soldier, qualities which he displayed to the full on the days following the 9th Sept. when he was left as senior officer in his company.”  Capt. A. L. Ransome, 1st Dorsets, wrote: “Your son was one of our most promising young officers. His two previous Coy. Commanders were loud in his praises. He showed a power of command and common sense far above the average of his age and service.” Lieut. Turner held the office of Hon. Sec. to the Bournemouth and District Law Students’ Society, and had each year since its inception won the prize awarded to the best speaker amongst its members.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1