Black J E Captain MC Royal Army Medical Corps

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Black J E Captain MC Royal Army Medical Corps

BLACK, JAMES ELLIOT, M.C., Capt., Royal Army Medical Corps, attd. 8th (Service) Battn. The Bedfordshire Regt., a. of the late Major Adam Elliot Black died 31 May, 1893), Officer Commanding Clyde Brigade of Royal Engineer Submarine Mines, by his wife, Mary Bruce Murray (Finglen Cottage, Campste Glen, co. Stirling), dau, of John Bruce Murray; b. 5. Bruce Street, Glasgow, W., 10 March, 1887; educ. Cargilfield; Fettes College; Glasgow University, and University College, London; was studying for a D.P.H., Cambridge University, when war broke out in Aug. 1914, after which he volunteered for foreign service, being gazetted Lieut. Royal Army Medical Corps (Special Reserve) on the 22nd of the following month, and promoted Capt. April, 1915; served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from 7 Nov. 1914, attached to No. 8 Casualty Clearing Station, near Bailleni, until 16 Feb. 1916, when he joined the 8th Bedfordshire Regt., and was killed in action near Loos 19 April, 1917. Buried in Philosophe British Cemetery, Mazingarbe.

Col. Lord Ampthill, Officer Commanding 8th Bedfordshire Regt., wrote: He established his Ald Post as near the fighting line as possible, and there he worked with unremitting zeal and devotion and without a thought of danger till the end. I can honestly tell you that no medical officer could have been more beloved in the battalion than he was. We all feel that we shall never see his like again. There is nobody in the battallon whose loss we could feel more keenly.” He was mentioned in Despatches [London Gazette, 1 Jan. 1916] by F.M. Sir John (now Lord) French, for gallant and distinguished service in the field, and was awarded the Military Cross London Gazette, Nov. 1916]: “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in action. He rendered valuable service when attending the wounded under heavy machine-gun and shell fire. Later he went out into No Man’s Land to succour the wounded.” Unm.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 5

Black H C Pte 2nd Otago New Zealand Expeditionary Force

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BLACK, HUGH CLARK, Private, No. 62913, 2nd Otago Battn. New Zealand Expeditionary Force, s. of Hugh Black, of Gortfad, Garvagh, co. Derry, by his wife, Mary Jane, dau. of John Wilson, of Ballymacilciw, co. Derry; b. Ballintemple, Garvagh aforesaid, 21 April, 1881; educ. Glenullin, co. Derry; went to New Zealand in Jan. 1913, and settled at Spreydon, Christchurch, as a Farmer and Pork Curer; enlisted 1 Sept. 1917; served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from April, 1918, and was killed in action at Avesnes, Bapaume, 24 Aug, following. Buried at Avesnes, near Bapaume; unm.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 5

Bishop H G Pte 1st East Kent Regiment

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BISHOP, HERBERT GEORGE, Private, No. 12895, 1st Battn. (3rd Foot) The Buffs (East Kent Regt.), s. of William James George Bishop, of 6, The Street, Old Shoreham, co. Sussex, Foreman Fruit Grower, by his wife, Ellen, dau. of the late James Duke; b. Old Shoreham aforesaid, 9 Oct. 1896; educ. Church School there joined the 6th (Territorial) Cyclist Battn. The Royal Sussex Regt. 9 Feb. 1916, and was subsequently transferred to the Buffs; served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from the following Sept., and was killed in action 16 Oct. 1917. Buried in the Corkscrew British Cemetery, Lievin; unm.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 5

Biscoe A F Lt Army Service Corps

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Biscoe A F Lt Army Service Corps

BISCOE, ARCHIBALD FAIRHEAD, Lieut., Motor Transport, Royal Army Service Corps, attd. 62nd Siege Battery, Royal Artillery, eldest s. of Henry Biscoe, of 48, Belvedere Road, Upper Norwood, by his wife, Kate, dau. of John (and Catherine) Mearns; b. Chatham, co. Kent, 15 Feb. 1881; educ. City of London School, and College of St. Armand, Ghent; was gazetted 2nd Lieut. Army Service Corps in May, 1916 : promoted Lieut. May 1917; served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from May, 1916; was attached to the 62nd Siege Battery, Royal Artillery, in June, 1917, and subsequently to the 406th Coy. Workshops, and died at No. 26 Casualty Clearing Station 22 Feb. 1919, of broncho-pneumonia, contracted while on active service. Buried in Cologne Cemetery. His Commanding Officer wrote: He was the most capable officer I have ever had.” He m. at Harrow, 20 Dec. 1916, Vyrnwy (Dee Bank, Corwen), dau. of the Rev. Owen Hughes, and had a son: Henry Edward Vaughan, b. 4 Sept. 1917.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 5

Birtles W V F Sapper Royal Engineers

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BIRTLES, WALTER VALENTINE FREEMAN, Sapper, No. 489929, Signal Service, Royal Engineers, elder s. of the late Walter William Birtles, by his wife, Alice (303, Beverley Road, Hull), dau. of Alfred Copley, of London; b. Balham, London, S.W., 23 March, 1884; educ. Hymer’s College, Hull; was a Clerk in the Anglo-American Oil Company, Ltd.; volunteered for active service, and enlisted in the R.F.A. 25 May, 1916; served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from 21 Oct. following; transferred to the Royal Engineers in Aug. 1917, and died at Valenciennes 24 Nov. 1918, of influenza, contracted while on active service. Buried in the Communal Cemetery there. He m. at Holy Trinity Church, Darlington, 3 April, 1915, Nettie, dau. of Robert Saggs, of Bridlington.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 5

Birss J S Pte M2/076036 Army Service Corps

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BIRSS, JOHN STEPHEN, Private, Mechanical Transport, Army Service Corps, s. of John Birss, of 22, Maurice Road, Wallsend-on-Tyne, by his wife, Frances Jane, dau. of Robert Aberdeen; b. Walker, Newcastle-on-Tyne, co. Northumberland, 1 April, 1880; educ. Walker County Council School there; was a Motor Mechanic; enlisted in the 2nd Northumberland Fusiliers in 1899; served with his regiment in the South African War, 1901-2 (Medal with three clasps); served two years with the Colours, and joined the Reserve; was time expired; volunteered for active service, and enlisted in the Army Service Corps 15 Feb. 1915; served with the Expeditionary Force in France for two and a half years; then proceeded to Italy, and died at Montecchio 14 Oct. 1918, of pneumonia, contracted while on active service. Buried in the Communal Cemetery there. He m. at North Shields, 3 Sept. 1902, Mary Agnes (139, George Street, Blaydon-on-Tyne), dau. of John Campbell, and had four children: John Stephen, b. 10 Jan. 1906; Robert R., b. 3 June, 1907; Norman, b. 4 Nov. 1911, and Dorothy, b. 1 July, 1913.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 5

Birnie G Lt Royal Field Artillery

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BIRNIE, GERALD, Lieut., 46th Battery, Royal Field Artillery, yst. s. of Henry Birnie, of Brackendene, Weybridge, by his wife, Edith Maude (-); b. Lucknow, India, 3 Dec. 1898; educ. Cheltenham College, and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich; gazetted 2nd Lieut. R.F.A. 23 Feb. 1917; promoted Lieut. the following Oct.; served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from 21 Dec., and died at Rouen 4 Nov. 1918, of wounds received in action near Cambrai 29 Oct. previously. Buried at Rouen; unm.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 5

Bird H P Gnr 171701 Royal Field Artillery

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Bird H P Gnr 171701 Royal Field Artillery

BIRD, HORATIO PARKYNS, Gunner, No. 171701, 84th Army Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, yst. s. of John Gomm Bird, of Wavertree, Liverpool, by his wife, Sarah Frances, dau. of John Whitley, of Frodsham, co. Chester; b. Liverpool, 3 Aug. 1897; educ. at the Liverpool Institute, where he was a member of the O.T.C.; was an Apprentice with the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board (Principal Examiner’s Department); enlisted 23 Sept. 1916; trained at Bettisfield, co. Salop, and afterwards served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from 26 Feb., 1917; took part in the engagements at Arras, Messines, Ypres and nd St. Julien, where he was killed in action 1 Oct. following. Buried in Admiral Road Cemetery, Ypres. His Commanding Officer wrote: “He was one of the best in the battery, and his absence is regretted by all in the battery, and a comrade: “Your son was a brave and fearless soldier.” Unm.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 5

Vertue A F Cpl 797 1st Honourable Artillery Company

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Vertue A F Cpl 1st Honourable Artillery Company

CORPORAL A. F. VERTUE

IST BATTALION HONOURABLE ARTILLERY COMPANY

ALAN FRANCIS VERTUE was the younger son of Alfred and Mina Grace Vertue, of Richmond, Surrey.

He entered the School in 1908. On leaving in 1913 he joined a firm of Stockbrokers and became a member of the H.A.C. He was sent to the Front with the 1st Battalion in September, 1914, and quickly gained his two stripes. He was wounded in the head at St. Eloi, on April 21st, never recovered consciousness, and died twenty-four hours later in hospital at La Clytte, and was buried there in a little cemetery set apart for British soldiers. Age 21.

The Officer Commanding wrote:-

“It will perhaps be some consolation to you to know that from the moment he first came under fire until the end, he never showed any sign of fear. He was always cheerful in the trenches and ready to do anything he might be asked. He was loved and respected by all who knew him, and his example to the men of his section was magnificent.”

The Platoon Commander wrote:-

“As an illustration of the devotion of his comrades practically everyone in the platoon volunteered to help to carry him down to the dressing station in daylight, in spite of the danger of the undertaking.”

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

Venables G R 2nd Lt King’s Shropshire Light Infantry

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Venables G R 2nd Lt Kings Shropshire Light Infantry

SECOND LIEUTENANT G. R. VENABLES

3RD BATTALION THE KING’S (SHROPSHIRE LIGHT INFANTRY)

GILBERT ROWLAND VENABLES was the eldest son of Rowland George Venables (O.R., 1859-65), Barrister-at-Law, J.P. of the County of Salop, of Oakhurst, Oswestry.

He entered the School in 1895, and passed on to University College, Oxford, in 1899, where he obtained a Second Class in the School of Modern History. He was called to the Bar (Inner Temple) in 1905, and practised for some years on the Oxford Circuit. He was a member of the Oswestry Rural District Council, and J.P. for the County of Denbigh.

On the outbreak of War he volunteered for active service, and was appointed on probation to the 3rd Battalion of the Shropshire Light Infantry in September, 1914. He was shot in the trenches in North France on March 7th, 1915. Age 34-

The Commanding Officer wrote:-

“He was just leaving the trenches at the time. He had made himself very popular here, always cheery and in good spirits, and had proved himself a really good Officer during his short time with us. One could trust him anywhere, in spite of his very short training.”

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