Ballance L A Captain 2nd Kings Royal Rifle Corps

CAPTAIN LESLIE ARTHUR BALLANCE, King’s Royal Rifle Corps, was born in 1889, and educated at Eton and Trinity College, Cambridge.

He became a member of the Stock Exchange in 1911 and a partner in his father’s firm, Marnham and Co., in 1914.

On the outbreak of war he was given a commission in the 15th County of London Regiment, but transferred to the King’s Royal Rifle Corps early in 1915.

He went to France in May, fought in the second battle of Ypres, and was invalided home in August.

Rejoining his regiment in September 1916 as a Company Commander, he was killed on 27 September. He had volunteered for a dangerous duty and lost his life in its execution.

His Colonel wrote: “I at once fell under the same quiet charm which he exercised over all with whom he came in contact. He was fearless to a fault and a very gallant officer.”

A brother officer wrote: “A better and finer character I never knew in all my life, and we always wanted to serve together out here. He simply was too wonderful in the show, never had a fear, and was so calm and splendid. The men just loved him and did anything for him . . . I can only say he was the finest man I ever knew.”

Source : The Stock Exchange War Memorial 1914-1918

BALLANCE, LESLIE ARTHUR, Capt. 2nd Battn. (60th Foot) The King’s Royal Rifle Corps, s. of Arthur William Ballance, of Park Lodge, Blackheath Park, London, S.E., and the Manor House, Herringswell, co. Suffolk, by his wife, Jane Peek, dau. of G. M. Frean; b. London, 9 Jan. 1889; educ. Eton, and Trinity College, Cambridge. In Aug. 1914, he obtained a commission in the 15th County of London Regt., but was transferred to the King’s Royal Rifle Corps, March, 1915; served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders; was present at the Second Battle of Ypres, and was invalided home 12 Sept. 1915; rejoined his regiment on recovery, and was killed in action during the Battle of the Somme 27 Oct. 1916. Buried at Flers. His Colonel wrote: “It is with the deepest regret I write to tell you all about your son’s death. At about 4 p.m. on 27 Sept., when a bombing attack on the Germans in the line was in progress, a report was received by me that the Germans were giving ground. It was essential that the battalion on our right should have the information at once, so as to co-operate, and for greater chance of success I wanted to send an officer, but none was available. You son Leslie, hearing this, volunteered, and ran across towards the battalion on our right. . . . After he had gone about 60 yards out of the 100 yards, I heard a bullet fired from a distance. Your son ran on, but almost at once a bullet struck him. . . He fell on his face and never moved again. He was fearless to a fault, and a very gallant officer, . . . He is most  sorely missed by all.” Unm.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 3

Spinks F H V Rfn 10489 1st Kings Royal Rifle Corps

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

Snelgrove S H Lt 14th Attd 7th Kings Royal Rifle Corps

SIDNEY HENRY SNELGROVE was the younger son of John Sidney Snelgrove (O.R., 1876-80), and of Gertrude Emily his wife, of Kingswood, Tunbridge Wells.

He entered the School in 1905, left in 1910, and went up to Trinity College, Cambridge. He was training as a Chartered Accountant at the time of the outbreak of War, when he applied for, and obtained a Com- mission in the 14th K.R.R.C. He was sent as a Reserve Officer to France on July 17th, 1915, and was attached to the 7th K.R.R.C.

At Hooge, on the 29th and 30th of this month, the trenches were attacked by liquid fire and taken by the enemy. Attempts to recapture them were made all through the 30th and 31st. Lieutenant Snelgrove was sent with his Platoon to the support of another Company, under heavy shell fire, when he fell, on July 31st, 1915. Age 23

In this action, of which no official account was given at the time, the 8th Rifle Brigade lost 21 Officers, and the 7th Rifle Corps 13. There were 63 Officer casualties in all. Second Lieutenant Woodroffe, of the 8th Rifle Brigade, won his V.C. and both the D.S.O. and Military Cross were awarded, the latter to an officer of the 7th K.R.R.C.

The Colonel of the 14th Battalion wrote:-

“He was quite one of my smartest Officers, and I was quite sure he would give a good account of himself at the Front. He was an Officer I could always rely on to see through any work I wanted particularly well done.”

And the Quartermaster-Sergeant wrote:-

“He was beloved by every man in the Regiment. How much he was liked by the Non-Commissioned Officers you may imagine when some of us offered to resign our rank to go anywhere with him as his servant.”

Source : Memorials Of Rugbeians Who Fell In The Great War Vol 2

Snelgrove S H Lt 14th Attd 7th Kings Royal Rifle Corps

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

Chaworth-Musters P G Lt 1st Kings Royal Rifle Corps

LIEUTENANT P. G. CHAWORTH-MUSTERS

Ist BATTALION THE KING’S ROYAL RIFLE CORPS

PATRICIUS GEORGE CHAWORTH-MUSTERS was the eldest son of John Patricius Chaworth-Musters, of Annesley Park, and Wiverton Hall, Nottinghamshire.

He entered the School in 1902, passed on to the R.M.C., Sandhurst, in 1906, and was gazetted to the 1st Battalion 60th Rifles, serving with them, first at Cairo, and subsequently at home. On August 12th, 1914, he went with them to the front, and was wounded on September 1st, during the Retreat from Mons, by shrapnel, near Villers Cotterets, but recovered and rejoined his Battalion later in the autumn. He was again wounded, in January, 1915, this time mortally. He died in No. 1 Clearing Hospital on January 12th, and was buried the next day in the cemetery at Béthune, where a cross marks his grave. Age 27.

The Officer Commanding wrote:-

“I cannot tell you how brave and splendid he had been all through. He had done wonders in making a good Company out of new and nearly raw material: he was popular with us all and beloved by his men.”

He was greatly beloved and admired by his fellow Officers and men for his splendid courage, and in the hospital where he died everyone said that it was the bravest passing they had ever seen.

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