career serviceman

Commemorating the Fallen of WW1

The grave of Claud Heygate at Gordon Dump Cemetery. Photographed for ‘Marching in Memory’ for Combat Stress, July 2015

Today we remember …

First Battle of the Somme

2nd July 1916. Claud Heygate, C Social, 1900. Capt, 10th Bn, Yorkshire Light Infantry. Killed in action at Fricourt, Battle of the Somme.

Claude Heygate went to Sandhurst in 1904 and received his commission in the 1st Yorkshire L.I. in August, 1906.

‘At the outbreak of the war he was at the depot of the regiment, and went out with a draft from Hull in August, 1914. He was present at the battles of Marne, the Aisne, and the first battle of Ypres, when he was wounded at Lorgues. He returned to the front last month.’

Aged 30

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Lawrence Westmore, D Social, 1908. 2nd Lt, 1st Bn, Hampshire Regt. Killed in action at Beaumont Hamel, Battle of the Somme.

Lawrence Westmore was one of the best scholars of his year at school. He was a Junior Scholar who won The Richards Gold Medal, The James & Heathcote Scholarships, the Historical Essay Prize, the Worsley Prize and the Morgan Verse Prize. He left school in 1913 to take up a place at Wadham College, Oxford, for which he won an Exhibition. He achieved 1st Class in Classical Mods in 1915.

Aged 21

Claud Heygate, Captain, 10th bn Yorkshire LI. kia 2 July 1916

Lawrence Westmore, 2nd Lt, 1st bn, Hampshire Regt. kia 2 July 1916

The grave of Lawrence Westmore at Colincamps Cemetery. Photographed for ‘Marching in Memory’ for Combat Stress, July 2015

Commemorating the Fallen of WW1

Today we remember …

First Day of the First Battle of the Somme

1st July 1916. Maurice Kennard, MC, C Social, 1896. Lt-Col commanding 18th Bn, West Yorkshire Regt. Killed in action, Battle of the Somme. He was a career soldier who joined the 6th Dragoon Guards from the Militia in 1902. After holding the adjutancy of the regiment for a period from April 1910, he became Captain in 1913. While serving with the 6th Dragoon Guards in the early days of the war, he was wounded, and was mentioned in dispatches as early as October 19, 1914. Subsequently in November, 1915 he was appointed temporary major and second in command of the 13th York and Lancaster Regiment, and was afterwards transferred to the command which he was holding at the time of his death.

The history of the Regiment records: Less than a hundred yards in front of Dunmow trench they came under a heavy cross fire from machine guns firing from their right, probably from the Quadrilateral Redoubt and south of the Serre Road. Almost everyone dropped flat on their stomachs to escape this murderous scythe, except their commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel M.N. Kennard. Standing calm and erect amid the crack and whine of bullets and carrying only a walking stick he called out ‘come on boys, up you get’, turned and began to walk at an easy gait towards the enemy. The Battalion rose to their feet and followed him. As they came out of the dead ground in which their assembly trenches were dug they were additionally engaged by a rapid fire from the front. Casualties were heavy, particularly amongst the officers and including Lieutenant-Colonel Kennard, who was killed by a shell which burst close by him. Everard Wyrell. The West Yorkshire Regiment in the War 1914-1918

At school he was the Captain of the Soccer Team, and represented the school at Fives and Boxing. He won ‘Sword v Sword’ (Officers) at the Naval and Military Tournament, 1913-14

Aged 32

Maurice Kennard, Lt-Col cmdg 18th Bn West Yorkshire Regt. kia 1 July 1916

Commemorating the Fallen of WW1

The grave of Mervyn Richardson at Point 110 Cemetery. Photographed for ‘Marching in Memory’ for Combat Stress, July 2015

Today we remember …

19th March 1916. Mervyn Richardson, D Social, 1908. Capt, 1st Bn, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Died of wounds received in an unknown engagement.‘Tracker’ Richardson was one of the young officers mentioned in Siegfried Sassoon’s diary, which became his fictional Memoirs of a fox-hunting man. At Radley he was Captain of the Boats, and rowed twice at Henley in the Ladies’ Plate, rowing No. 6 in the winning heat v. University College, Oxford, in 1912. He was a member of the Leander Club. After leaving school, he attended Sandhurst, then went straight out to the Western Front in 1915. He was Mentioned in Despatches. A letter from the Regimental Chaplain to his parents describes the scene of his funeral:CHAPLAIN’S LETTER, March 22 (Wed.).

DEAR SIR,-You might care I think to know the details of your son’s burial and last resting place from the Chaplain of the Regiment?… Your son was the most gallant and best loved of a gallant band of young officers… I have been with the battalion a year, and through more than one action, yet I do not remember so solemn a funeral or such real quiet grief. It took place on Tuesday night at 9.45. The little burial ground lies in a slight hollow only 100 yards behind the front lines. The nearest village is Reanite, near Albert, but from there it is a walk of two miles over rolling chalk downs to the line. The little plot is reverently tended, and a cross already in position on the grave. At the end of the war you will find no difficulty in finding it and tending it as you like.

As we left the dug-outs for the cemetery, two canisters burst quite near with a deafening roar. There in the darkness I took the service. All the officers were present and many men. The moon came out in the middle, and shone on the grey steel helmets of the group, and made the colours of the Union Jack that lay on the body gleam. The service ended, to the roar of another German canister, more suitable perhaps to the occasion than any organ.

Eric Milner-White

Aged 22

Mervyn Richardson, Captain, 1st Bn, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Died of wounds 19 March 1916

Commemorating the Fallen of WW1

The grave of William Wigan at Lijssenthoek. Photographed for ‘Marching in Memory’ for Combat Stress, July 2015

Today we remember …

23rd February 1916. William Wigan, E Social 1909. Lt, Royal West Kent Regt. Died of shrapnel wounds near Ypres. He went to Sandhurst in September 1914.

‘ …. He was in a dug-out two and a half miles behind the firing line, with his Captain and two other subs., when a shell dropped in Battalion Commander’s Headquarters some six yards behind them. The Captain who was nearest the door went out to see what had happened and the other three must have started to follow him when another shell dropped right in the doorway wounding all three. The Captain writes: ‘I went to the dug-out to see what I could do, but your son, who looked very pale. though quite calm, waved me away, saying: “Get away, you are the only one left in the Company.” I then sent for stretcher-bearers and doctor: your son then asked for a cigarette which I gave him and lit it for him. The stretcher-bearers, four in number, then went to him, but he said, ‘Look to the others who are worse first, I shall be all right, I have got one leg broken, and am hit through the other.’ …. As I walked with him he said, ‘ Don’t look so worried about me, I shall be all right; shall see you at home.’ I then had to leave him to take my men to the trenches.

As I said good-bye to him he blew me a kiss and wished me good luck… I cannot tell you how much we valued and loved him, what a good hard-working officer he was… He was beloved of all the men of the Company, who realised his efforts for them. and what a good hard-working officer he was. . . always cheery, courageous, and energetic. . . He was taken suddenly worse on the morning of the 23rd, became unconscious about 2 pm and died about 4 pm.’

Aged 20