Twyford L T C Col North Staffordshire Regiment

Source : Tonbridge School & The Great War Of 1914-1918

Kelly G H Captain North Staffs Regiment

Captain George Hume-Kelly, North Staffordshire Regiment, was born on the 13th November, 1879, and was gazetted Second Lieutenant from the Militia in May, 1899. He became Lieutenant in June, 1900, and obtained his Captaincy in February, 1906. He was adjutant in the Special Reserve from August, He 1908, to February, 1912. In the South African War Captain Hume-Kelly was employed with the Mounted Infantry being present at Paardeberg and Dreitfontein. received the Queen’s Medal with four clasps and the King’s Medal with two clasps. He was the youngest son of Major and Mrs. Hume-Kelly, Glencara, Mullingar.

Source : Our Heroes Mons To The Somme August 1914-July 1916

Hargreaves A Cpl French MM Trench Mortar Battery

Source : The War Illustrated Vol 9

Source : The Sphere 29th Dec 1917

CARPENTER, GILBERT TOM, Private, No. 208147, 7th (Service) Battn. The Prince of Wales’s (North Staffordshire Regt.), 4th s. of Edwin Carpenter, of Durley Hall Farm, Durley, by his wife, Rose, dau. of John Wilkins, of co. Hereford; b. Durley, co. Hants, 15 April, 1899; educ. National School there; enlisted in the North Staffordshire Regt. in Nov. 1915; served with the Indian Expeditionary Force in Mesopotamia from Nov. 1915, and died in Kasvin Military Hospital 2 Nov. 1918, of influenza and malaria, contracted while on active service. Buried at Kasvin: unm.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 5

BODDICE, ROBERT, Private, No. 41452, 1st Battn. (54th Foot) The Prince of Wales’s (North Staffordshire Regt.), only s. of Joseph Boddice, of 95 Lower Midway, near Burton-on-Trent, Sanitary Ware Manufacturer, by his wife, Annie Elizabeth, dau. of Richard Staley; b. Swadlincote, co. Derby, 1 Jan. 1899; educ. Newhall County Council School (Scholar), and Burton Grammar School (where he won a two years’ course of University training, of which, however, he was unable to avail himself, on account of the war); was a Bursar Teacher at Swadlincote County Council School; enlisted in the Staffordshire Regt. 14 March, 1917; served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from 3 March, 1918 was captured at Nesle 25 March, and died a prisoner of war, at the Reserve Hospital, Essen, Germany, 26 July following, of pneumonia. Buried in Cemetery of Honour, Essen. His former schoolmaster wrote: “He was one of the most promising scholars I have ever had under me.” Unm.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 5

Vavasour L O Lt 2nd North Staffs Regiment

VAVASOUR, LIONEL ORMISTON, Lieut., 2nd Battn. North Staffordshire Regt., 2nd S. of Albert Carter Vavasour, M.A., J.P., of Weston Manor, Otley, co. York, by his wife, Eliza, dau. of C. H. Dawson, J.P., Weston Hall; b. Killwick Hall, Beverley, 29 Aug. 1889; educ. Rugby; gazetted 2nd Lieut. to the North Staffordshire Regt. 28 May, 1910, from the Special Reserve, and promoted Lieut. 28 Dec. 1913; went to India with his regt. in 1912, and died at Gharial, 24 July, 1915, while on active service; unm. Lieut. Vavasour was a keen sportsman, a clever cricketer, and while at school won several silver cups, especially for the eight miles’ race. In the regt. he found cricket and football “going to pieces,” but soon established a revival of keen interest, and regularly made his century with his team. He was the crack shot of his regt., and sent many trophies home to witness to his prowess with the rifle, including the heads of three urial and three chinkara from Kashmir, which was said there. to be the biggest bag an officer had ever secured.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

Bamford O J Captain 6th North Staffs Regiment

Capt. OSWALD J. BAMFORD, 1/6th The North Staffordshire Regt

Oswald Bamford came to Stonyhurst in 1894, at the age of 17, with his brother Julian, later a military Chaplain. His brother Henry had preceded him to Stonyhurst two years previously, and since their day the family has been well represented at the College by other relatives of the same name.

At school, Oswald is remembered as a serious-minded, sensible boy of determined character and genial disposition. He was just the sort of boy who would develop later into a shrewd manager of men – industrious, thoughtful and businesslike. He was the second son of Mr. S. B. Bamford, senior partner in the well known Uttoxeter firm of manufacturers of agricultural engineering implements, whose machines have a world-wide celebrity. Oswald had a natural bent for mechanical engineering, and on leaving College he entered with enthusiastic interest into the work of the firm and soon established his position as a valuable and influential partner in the business. With his elder brother Henry he had joined the Uttoxeter Territorial Company some years before the war, commanding the Company as Lieutenant on his brother’s retirement. In October, 1914, he was promoted Captain. He had been in France since August, 1915, in command of “B” Company, 1st/6th Bn. The North Staffordshire Regt., and had seen much service with them in the trenches during the two months which preceded the fight in which he fell at the head of his men.

He left a widow and two children. With his men, many of whom were his own employees in his ironworks, he was universally popular, and his senior officers had a high opinion of his military capacity. In a letter to his father, Mr. S. B. Bamford, his C.O., Col. R. F. Ratcliff, thus describes his death in front of the Hohenzollern Redoubt:- Oswald was a brave and plucky officer who did his duty really well. We had orders to advance against the German trenches, and were met by a fearful rifle and machine gun fire, which laid low so many of our men. The following extract from the Uttoxeter Advertiser describes in brief the circumstances of his gallant death on October 13th, 1915- “Letters from the front give glowing accounts of the heroic conduct of the late Capt. Oswald Bamford, commanding the Uttoxeter Company of the Burton Battalion, who so gallantly led his men in the face of a withering fire during the recent charge of the 6th North. On the order being given for the men to charge, Captain Bamford, leaping on to the parapet of the trenches, cried, “Come on, lads,” and dashed forward at the head of his men. He had not gone far, however, before he fell, and Corpl. J. Fradley, a Uttoxeter soldier, who saw service in the South African War, went to his assistance, but was himself shot down.” His popularity in his native county was well attested by the numerous Press notices in the local papers, which spoke of him in terms of high praise. The following, from the Burton Chronicle for October 28th, 1915, may be taken as an example :- “The sad news of the death of Capt. O. J. Bamford, who was killed in the recent British attack, will be received by his many friends. with deep sorrow and regret. He was educated at Stonyhurst, and like so many of his College friends, has fallen in the titanic struggle. He was the second son of Mr. S. B. Bamford, J.P., senior member of Messrs. Bamfords, agricultural engineers, Uttoxeter, in which firm he took an active part in the management of the works, particularly in the engineering branch. He became attached to the Territorials in 1909, and was gazetted Captain about twelve months ago. He went out to France in August last, when he took over the command of ‘B’ Company of the 1st/6th Bn. The North Staffordshire Regt., and was immensely popular. The many letters the family have received from the Colonel down to the men in the ranks are all in the same vein-he was a brave and plucky officer, and died a true soldier. He was highly esteemed by a wide circle of friends throughout the county. He was a prominent member of the Catholic congregation at Uttoxeter, and in the new church recently built in that town by his father, he leaves a lasting memorial in the form of a beautiful mosaic altar, the cost of which he and his brother, Mr. H. B. Bamford, contributed.”

A letter to his wife from a military Chaplain, dated October 17th, 1915, shows that Captain Bamford was well prepared to face death :-

In a little country church we assembled “to make our souls” and prepare in our Master’s company to face the danger. Capt. Bamford came forward and served my Mass that morning and went to his duties with many others. It was in the early phase of the attack that he fell shot, and died immediately. They afterwards recovered his body, and buried him with many of his companions. We had a little chat in the sacristy after Mass was over, and knowing the danger he was going into, he said: “If I am called this time, Padre, you have prepared me well; I trust all in God now.”

Source : Stonyhurst War Record

Smith W G F Lt 1st North Staffs Regiment

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1