G Social

Commemorating the Fallen of WW1
The grave of John Mowbray at Peronne Road Cemetery. Photographed for 'Marching in Memory' for Combat Stress, July 2015

The grave of John Mowbray at Peronne Road Cemetery. Photographed for ‘Marching in Memory’ for Combat Stress, July 2015

Today we remember …

Battle of the Somme

21st July 1915. John Mowbray, DSO. H & D Socials, 1889. Major, 41st Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. Killed in action.

At Radley, he rowed in the First VIII. After leaving school he trained as a civil engineer. He then changed career to become a soldier. He received a commission in the Royal Field Artillery in July, 1900, and joined a battery in India. He was afterwards transferred to the Royal Horse Artillery, with which he remained until entering the Staff College, Quetta, in 1907. On passing out he was appointed to the General Staff at Simla, where he remained until 1913. He went to France as staff captain in August, 1914, and became brigade major on a divisional staff three months later. He resigned in the spring of 1916 in order to take command of a field battery. He was promoted captain in August, 1911, and major in December, 1914. For his services in France he was twice Mentioned in Dispatches and received the DSO.

Aged 41

John Mowbray, Major, 41st Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. kia Battle of the Somme

John Mowbray, Major, 41st Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. kia Battle of the Somme

Commemorating the Fallen of WW1
The grave of Charles Wright at Serre Road Cemetery. Photographed for 'Marching in Memory' in aid of Combat Stress, July 2015

The grave of Charles Wright at Serre Road Cemetery. Photographed for ‘Marching in Memory’ in aid of Combat Stress, July 2015

Today we remember …

Battle of the Somme

14th July 1915. Charles Wright. G Social, 1904. Captain, 7th Bn, Leicestershire Regt. Killed in action at Bazentin-le-Petit.

On leaving school he went to Hertford College, Oxford, where he entered as an exhibitioner in October, 1909. He achieved a third class in the Final Honour School of Modern History in 1913. He rowed in the Hertford Eight for three years, and in his third year was Captain of Boats and President of the College.

After leaving Oxford he went to teach at Earleywood School, Ascot. War was declared on 4th August 1914. Charles had already joined the Inns of Court OTC on 3rd August. He obtained a commission in the Leicestershire Regiment on 24th September, 1914, and was gazetted captain in August of 1915.

Aged 25

Charles Wright, Captain, 7th Bn, Leicestershire Regt. kia Bazentin-le-Petit, Battle of the Somme

Charles Wright, Captain, 7th Bn, Leicestershire Regt. kia Bazentin-le-Petit, Battle of the Somme

Commemorating the Fallen of WW1

Today we remember …

First Battle of the Somme

 

3rd July 1916.  Lancelot Curteis, G Social, 1906.  2nd Lt, 8th Bn, Border Regt.  Killed in action, Battle of the Somme.

 

At school Lancelot Curteis played for the 1st XI Soccer team. He joined the University and Public Schools Corps in September, 1914. He obtained his commission in the Border Regiment in May, 1915, and went to France in December, 1915.

A letter from his Company Commander to his parents:

Your son was a splendid officer, and the men were simply devoted to him. He led them magnificently in our charge on the German trenches as steadily and coolly as on parade. He was shot soon after we had occupied them, fighting hard and cheerily to the last. The Commanding Officer had the greatest confidence in him. I have lost in him a personal friend, and a most efficient officer, who died, as he had lived, a very gallant gentleman.

Aged 23

& 

Duncan Tuck,  G Social, 1907.  Capt, 3rd Bn, Ox & Bucks Light Infantry.  Died of wounds received on 17th June near Arras.

Duncan Tuck won a Scholarship to Radley. He went up to Hertford College, Oxford in 1912.

‘In May 1914, he joined the Special Reserve of the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, and after training at Portsmouth he was in March, 1915, attached to the 2nd Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry, and was wounded in the right shoulder on April 23, when the regiment was supporting the left of the Canadians in the second battle of Ypres. Afterwards he was attached to the 5th Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, joining them on September 26, the day after they had lost many officers and men on the Menin road. He was six months in the dangerous Ypres salient, and then was moved to Arras. On June 17, while inspecting wire entanglements, he was hit in the chest and right arm when binding up the wounds of another officer.’

Aged 23
Lancelot Curteis, 2nd Lt, 8th bn Border Regt. kia 3 July 1916

Lancelot Curteis, 2nd Lt, 8th bn Border Regt. kia 3 July 1916

Duncan Tuck, Captain, 3rd Bn, Ox & Bucks LI. Died of wounds 3 July 1916

Duncan Tuck, Captain, 3rd Bn, Ox & Bucks LI. Died of wounds 3 July 1916

Commemorating the Fallen of WW1

Today we remember …

31st May 1916.  Harold Gore-Browne, G Social, 1899.  Assistant Paymaster, HMS Invincible,  Royal Navy.

Died on HMS Invincible during the Battle of Jutland.Harold Gore-Browne was the grandson of the Bishop of Winchester.   He joined the Navy pay corps immediately upon leaving school in 1904. At the time of the Battle of Jutland, he was serving as Secretary to Rear Admiral Horace Hood on his flagship, HMS Invincible.

The destruction of HMS Invincible

The vanguards of the battlefleets, made up of battlecruisers and smaller ships, collided just before 18.00. The German fleet, possessing better gunnery and range-finding equipment, had the better of the early exchanges. Hood’s squadron was heavily engaged, Invincible facing the combined batteries of SMS Lutzow and SMS Derfflinger. The combination of the two ships proved too tough for Hood’s flagship however, and a shell from Derfflinger penetrated the “Q” turret of Invincible.

This resulted in a catastrophic explosion from the ship’s magazine, which blew the ship into two halves which sank separately. Of Invincible‍ ’​s 1,021 crew, there were just six survivors, pulled from the water by attendant destroyers. Hood and his staff were not amongst them.

None of the bodies were recovered and they remain in the wreckage of HMS Invincible at the bottom of the North Sea. The wreck is now a protected War Grave.

Aged 30

Harold Gore-Brown, Asst Paymaster, HMS Invincible, Royal Navy. Died in the Battle of Jutland, 31 May 1916

Harold Gore-Brown, Asst Paymaster, HMS Invincible, Royal Navy. Died in the Battle of Jutland, 31 May 1916

Commemorating the Fallen of WW1

Today we remember …

12th February 1916.  Gordon Rennie, G Social 1902.  Captain, 6th South African Infantry, South African Forces. Killed in action at Salaita Hill, British East Africa (now Kenya).

Gordon Rennie was born in Durban, Natal, SA. After school he worked as a shipping agent between London and Durban. He married Marion Steele in 1913.

 

‘Rennie took two trenches by assault, but came under such heavy cross maxim fire that he could not move. We stuck it for three hours, when the order came to retire. Rennie was mortally wounded and unconscious, and Burke took over “A” Company. All our wounded and killed, as far as possible, had to be got back. Poor Rennie and others had to be carried over three miles. The gunners on our side were wonderfully good, but the enemy were so numerous we could not check them, and all the time we were under a murderous fire. We expected an attack which mercifully did not come. The officers placed poor Gordon Rennie in his grave, and the Durban Light Infantry fellows lay beside him. Our chaplain was wounded earlier in the day, and Col. Molyneux said the burial service just at dusk. We could fire no volley, but the boom of the guns was his requiem. He is a heavy loss. All through he had done excellently, and no one could have done more than he. There is hardly a dry eye in his Company.’

Aged 28

Captain Gordon Rennie, 6th South African Infrantry. kia 12 February 1916 in British East Africa (Kenya)

Captain Gordon Rennie, 6th South African Infrantry. kia 12 February 1916 in British East Africa (Kenya)

Commemorating the Fallen of WW1

Today we remember …

16th August 1915.  Gilbert Pigé-Leschallas, G Social 1892.  Captain, 7th Bn, Royal Dublin Fusiliers.  Killed in action at Kiretch Tepe, Gallipoli.  Aged 37.  His son, John, came to G Social in 1919

Gibert Pige-Leschallas, Captain, 7th Bn, Royal Dublin Fusiliers. kia 16 August 1915

Gibert Pige-Leschallas, Captain, 7th Bn, Royal Dublin Fusiliers. kia 16 August 1915

Gilbert Pige-Leschallas commemorated on the Helles Memorial. Photo David Bennett, 18 May 2015

Gilbert Pige-Leschallas commemorated on the Helles Memorial. Photo David Bennett, 18 May 2015

The Helles Memorial. Photo David Bennett, 18 May 2015

The Helles Memorial. Photo David Bennett, 18 May 2015

Commemorating the Fallen of WW1

Today we remember …

9th August 1915.  Today we remember two Radleians who fell, one in France, the other at Gallipoli.

 

Basil Constable, E Social 1900.  Captain, 1/4th Bn, Royal Sussex Regt.  A career soldier, he died of wounds received at Gallipoli.  Aged 31.

Basil Constable, Captain, 1/4th Bn, Royal Sussex Regt. Died of wounds 9 August 1915

Basil Constable, Captain, 1/4th Bn, Royal Sussex Regt. Died of wounds 9 August 1915

The grave of Basil Constable at Green Hill Cemetery, Gallipoli Peninsular. Photo David Bennett, 18 May 2015

The grave of Basil Constable at Green Hill Cemetery, Gallipoli Peninsular. Photo David Bennett, 18 May 2015

Green Hill Cemetery. Grave of Basil Constable in foreground. Photo David Bennett, 18 May 2015

Green Hill Cemetery. Grave of Basil Constable in foreground. Photo David Bennett, 18 May 2015

Gilbert Holcroft, 2nd Lt, 2nd Bn, Durham LI. kia 9 August 1915

Gilbert Holcroft, 2nd Lt, 2nd Bn, Durham LI. kia 9 August 1915

 Gilbert Holcroft,  G Social 1909.  2nd Lt, 2nd Bn, Durham Light Infantry.  Killed in action in the Actions of Hooge. ‘He was in his 21st year. He was educated at Radley College and Queens’ College, Cambridge. At the beginning of the war he left Cambridge for Sandhurst. He was a fine oar and rowed in his college boat at Cambridge.’.  Aged 20

Commemorating the Fallen of WW1

Today we remember …

26th July 1915.  Cecil Palmer,  H & G Socials 1888.  Lt-Col commanding, 9th Bn, Royal Warwickshire Regt.  Killed in action at Gallipoli.  The Warwickshires were one of Kitchener’s newly recruited forces. Cecil Palmer, a career soldier, was called up from retirement to command them.  He left a widow and three children.  Aged 42

Cecil Palmer. Lt-Col commanding 9th Bn, Royal Warwickshire Regt. kia 26 July 1915

Cecil Palmer. Lt-Col commanding 9th Bn, Royal Warwickshire Regt. kia 26 July 1915
The Helles Memorial. Photo David Bennett, 18 May 2015

The Helles Memorial. Photo David Bennett, 18 May 2015
Cecil Palmer commemorated on the Helles Memorial. Photo David Bennett, 18 May 2015

Cecil Palmer commemorated on the Helles Memorial. Photo David Bennett, 18 May 2015

Commemorating the Fallen of WW1

Today we remember …

25th May 1915.  Spencer Le Marchant, G Social 1895. 2nd Lt, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regt). Died of wounds received on 25th April in the Second Battle of Ypres.Before the war he was a barrister at the Inner Temple. He joined the Inner Temple Officers’ Training Corps and was commissioned at the start of the war in 1914.

Aged 33

Spencer le Marchant, 2nd Lt, Royal Fusiliers. Died of wounds, 25 April 1915

Spencer le Marchant, 2nd Lt, Royal Fusiliers. Died of wounds, 25 April 1915

Commemorating the Fallen of WW1

Today we remember …

On 4th May 1915, William Schreiber, G Social 1900, died of wounds received in the Second Battle of Ypres. He was a Lieutenant with the Canadian Expeditionary Force, serving in the mechanical transport division of the Canadian Army Service Corps stationed at the 1st Canadian Ammunition Park. He came from a military family: both his father and grandfather held the rank of colonel. He left Radley in 1902 and emigrated to Canada before 1910. He was married twice: first to Marie in 1910, and then to Gabrielle in 1914. We knew nothing more about his life until a researcher sent this note in 2013:
‘It is the case that my grandfather and two others – including William Eric Brymer Schreiber – set up Britain’s first motor car agency selling Ford cars in the early 1900s.’ – information supplied by Robin Thornton, 1st June 2013So he was probably using his skills and interest in cars to serve the war effort.

Lt WE Schreiber, Canadian Expeditionary Force. Died of wounds on 4th May 1915

Lt WE Schreiber, Canadian Expeditionary Force. Died of wounds on 4th May 1915