Marching in Memory for Combat Stress July 2015

Commemorating the Fallen of WW1

The grave of Maurice Knatchbull-Hugessen at Fricourt. Photographed for ‘Marching in Memory’ for Combat Stress, July 2015

Today we remember …

First Battle of the Somme

25th September 1915

Maurice Knatchbull-Hugessen, MC. A Social, 1901. Lt, 2nd Bn, Grenadier Guards. Killed in action at Contelmaison.

Maurice Knatchbull-Hugessen was Head of A Social. After school, he went to Balliol College, Oxford and then out to South Africa where he worked as a mining engineer from 1910-1914. He joined the Royal Fusiliers as a private in 1914, then gained a commission in the Grenadier Guards in 1915. He was mentioned in dispatches and awarded the Military Cross.

Aged 28

Ian Ross-Taylor. C Social, 1908. 2nd Lt, 7th Bn, Bedfordshire Regt. Killed in action at Morval.

Ian Ross-Taylor was born in Bombay, India (now Mumbai). He left school in 1911 and joined the Foreign Staff of the Bank of India, Australia and China. He was wounded early in 1915 and after months of convalescence, he returned to the Front in June. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

Aged 22

Maurice Knatchbull-Hugessen, MC. Lt, 2nd Bn, Grenadier Guards. kia Battle of the Somme

Ian Ross-Taylor. 2nd Lt, 7th Bn, Bedfordshire Regt. kia Battle of the Somme

Commemorating the Fallen of WW1

The grave of Arthur Clarke in Caterpillar Valley Cemetery. Photographed for ‘Marching in Memory’ for Combat Stress, July 2015

Today we remember …

Battle of the Somme

9th September 1916. Arthur Clarke. E Social, 1905. 2nd Lt, 1st Bn, Northamptonshire Regt. Killed in action at High Wood.

Arthur Clarke’s story exemplifies the horror and confusion of the 1st Battle of the Somme. He was reported wounded but missing in October, 1916. By June, 1917 this had been amended to ‘believed to have been killed on 9th September 1916.’ His body was recovered and is buried in Caterpillar Valley Cemetery, Longueval.

After school, he went to Christ Church, Oxford. When the War broke out he was in Switzerland, unable to return to England until early in September, 1914. When he did get back he immediately enlisted in the North Somerset Yeomanry. He went to the Western Front in October, 1914, and took part in the first battle of Ypres. In February, 1915, he was given a commission and after three months’ training in England rejoined his regiment at the front. He was wounded on 25th September, 1915, in the Battle of Loos, and, after six months’ sick leave, rejoined his regiment. He was slightly wounded on June 27th, 1916, but was able to return to duty after a few weeks in hospital.

He was Mentioned in Dispatches twice.

Aged 25

Arthur Clarke, 2nd Lt, 1st Bn, Northamptonshire Regt. kia Battle of the Somme

Commemorating the Fallen of WW1

The grave of Lesley Douglas-Hamilton at Peronne Road Cemetery. Photographed for ‘Marching in Memory’ for Combat Stress, July 2015

Today we remember …

Battle of the Somme

24th July 1916. Lesley Douglas-Hamilton. A Social, 1896. Major, Lancashire Fusiliers. Killed in action.

He was a career soldier whose original commission was in the Cameron Highlanders in September, 1901. He was promoted to Captain in 1905. He served in the last year of the 2nd South African War and elsewhere in the colonies. He was awarded the Queen’s Medal with five clasps.

As a serving soldier, when the War began he was transferred from his original regiment and given a commission as a Major with the Lancashire Fusiliers.

Aged 35

Lesley Douglas-Hamilton, Major, Lancashire Fusiliers. kia Battle of the Somme

Commemorating the Fallen of WW1

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

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

&

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