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South Warwickshire Family History Society War Memorial Transcription Project

Men of RWRRWRlest we forget2tower poppiesThe Battle of the Somme film image1 3gallipoli

 The Fallen Men of South Warwickshire - World War One


Telegraphist J/59081 Frank Percy JOHNSON - HMS Spear, Royal Navy


Died of Saturday September 4th 1920 aged 20

grave for fp johnson

Military History
   
Theatre of WarMedalsCommonwealth War Grave or Memorial
Mediterranean Sea British War & Victory Medals Haidar Pasha Cemetery
     
Arrived in TheatreMedal Citation (if app)SWFHS Area Memorials
1919 ~ Alcester War Memorial Cross  |  British Legion
     
Action, Battle or Other Reason KilledDate and Place EnlistedOther War Memorials
Died of acute appendicitis  25 Oct 1918 at Devonport  
     
Place of DeathPrevious Regiments or Units 
At sea HMS Caledon  |  HMS Tomahawk  
     

Circumstances Leading to Death (Normally from War Diary)           

Frank enlisted on his 18th birthday - 18 days before the end of the war. He died of Acute Appendicitis, we believe onboard his ship HMS Spear. He was later buried in Haidar Pasha, Turkey.
 Personal & Family History

 

Birth Date/PlaceBaptism Date/Place
25 Oct 1900 at Alcester 5 May 1901 at Headless Cross                                                              
   
Parents NamesAbode
Frank and Clara Johnson  
   
SchoolsColleges
  ~
   
Address HistoryEmployment History
1901 - 175 Evesham Road, Upper Ipsley 1911 - School
1911 - 89 Barford Road, Rotton Park, Birmingham 1918 - Metal ?
1920 - 14 Montague Road, Edgbaston  

 

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South Warwickshire Family History Society War Memorial Transcription Project

Men of RWRRWRlest we forget2tower poppiesThe Battle of the Somme film image1 3gallipoli

 The Fallen Men of South Warwickshire - World War One


Private 7204 Frederick (Fred) COLDICOTT - 10th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment

1s
Killed in Action on Saturday November 18th 1916 aged 24

grave for f coldicott

Military History
   
Theatre of WarMedalsCommonwealth War Grave or Memorial
France and Flanders British War & Victory Medals Adanac Military Cemetery
     
Arrived in TheatreMedal Citation (if app)SWFHS Area Memorials
18 Jul 1915 in France ~ Ettington
     
Action, Battle or Other Reason KilledDate and Place EnlistedOther War Memorials
Battle of the Ancre (Somme) 1915 in Birmingham  
     
Place of DeathPrevious Regiments or Units 
Grandcourt ~  
     

Circumstances of Death

Fred is listed as being killed in action on 18 Nov 1916 (originally reported missing) during the Battle of the Ancre. The war diary for that day is transcribed below.
 
Front Line Trenches 18-11-16 Sat: Zero day, Zero hour 6.10am. Outposts were withdrawn after Battn moved into its assembly formation between 5-15am and 5.30am. Assembly formation was artillery formation of 4 waves - each wave consisting of 4 platoons, one of each Coy. Each Coy was distributed in depth and each Platoon divided into 1/2 Platoon groups at about 50 yards interval. Each group took cover in shell holes. Two waves were in front and 2 behind trenches occupied during the night.
 
6.10am Barrage opened and groups moved forwarded. By time leading wave had advanced 50yards in Battery Valley it became invisable to Battalion HQ owing to the darkness which was intensified by falling snow. Shortly after 6.30am C.O met O.C A Coy (Major Fitzgerald) coming back along Lucky Way with a few men and the latter informed him that everybody had lost direction and that he had been unable to get through the wire (R.14.d.8.6). Owing to the confusion and to heavy casualties he had considered it necessary to order the troops near him to withdraw Westward.
 
About 6.45am there was a good deal of shelling and M.G fire along Lucky Way & 2nd Lieut Gott (? regt) was killed. About 7.am CO reported to Brigade that the attack on our front had been unsuccessful & that it was not clear what was happening on the flanks. About 7.20am one or two wounded men of C&D Coys reported that these Coys had borne to the left at the bend in Battery Valley and gone on with the 8 Gloucesters. C&D and about 22 men of A&B Coys appear to have pushed through with the Gloucesters endeavored to consolidate beyond O.G.2 in neighbourhood of R.8.d.8.1 but were ultimately compelled to withdraw and hold on to O.G.1. A bombing post under Sergt Kimberley being established where the road joins the trench about R.14.d.4.8. This NCO did excellent work and held on to this post stubbonly till the 8/Gloucesters were ordered to withdraw on the night of 19/20th. He captured enemy ration parties coming out of the village on two successive nights. Just as it was getting dark an attempt was made by 9th Cheshire R to assault Desire Trench to the W of Stump Road. The Res Battn bombers and about 30 men were sent under the Bombing Officer to work in cooperation along Lucky Way. In the evening the Battn was relieved by the 9th R.W.F (left of Lucky Way) & 6th Wilts (right of Lucky Way) Coys proceeded to Wellington Huts. END

 Personal & Family History

 

Birth Date/PlaceBaptism Date/Place
Oct Qtr 1892 at Ettington  
   
Parents NamesAbode
John and Eliza (nee Petty) Coldicott. Eliza died in 1899. Banbury Road, Ettington
   
Stepmother 
Fanny Coldicott nee Ashfield Banbury Road, Ettington
   
SchoolsColleges
  ~
   
Address HistoryEmployment History
1892 - Ettington 1911 - Stableman for Birmingham Corporation
1901 - Eatington  
1911 - 95 Gilbert Road, Smethwick  
   
  • Brother of John Henry Coldicott who also fell
     

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South Warwickshire Family History Society War Memorial Transcription Project

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The Fallen Men of South Warwickshire - World War One


Gunner 86927 Archibald CANHAM - 332nd Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery

1s
Died of Wounds on Sunday 27th May 1917 aged 34

Military History
   
Theatre of WarMedalsCommonwealth War Grave or Memorial
France and Flanders British War & Victory Medals Pont-de-Nieppe Communal Cemetery
     
Arrived in TheatreMedal Citation (if app)SWFHS Area Memorials
18 May 1917 in Havre, France ~ Hillmorton
    Rugby Memorial Gates
Action, Battle or Other Reason KilledDate and Place Enlisted Parnell & Sons Roll of Honour
Build up to Battle of Messines (1917) 10 Dec 1915 at Hillmorton (to Reserve)  
     
Place of DeathDate and Place MobilisedPrevious Regiments or Units
near Hill 63, Ploegsteert 30 May 1916 at Plymouth ~
     

Circumstances of Death

Archibald is listed as dying from wounds in the field on 27 May 1917, just 9 days after arrived in France. We are still trying to find the Battery war diary and ascertain the facts leading up to his death.

Archibald's service record tells us that he became a 1st Class Signaller on 24 Jan 1917.

We have ascertained from Dick Flory, a user on the Great War Forum that his copy of 332 Siege Battery, R.G.A.: An Account of Its Adventures in the Great War, 1917-18 states that "the first shoot was carried out on May 22nd... after the Battery had been in action about three days [25 May?], while [2nd Lieut.] Key was up at the O. P. on Hill 63, a shell landed just outside of it, killing Gnr. Jones, one of the B.C.As, and wounding Gnr. Morgan, a Signaler, and Bdr. Teare, another of the B.C.A.s.  These were the first casualties."  

There is no mention of the wounding of Archibald, though it is mentioned in the books' "Roll of Honor" that he died of wounds on 27 May 1917.

 Personal & Family History

 

Birth Date/PlaceBaptism Date/Place
Jan Qtr 1883 in Rugby 27 Apr 1883 at Rugby St. Andrew
   
Parents NamesAbode
John (deceased) and Alice Canham Hillmorton
   
Wife and Marriage DetailsChildren
Laura Emily Canham nee Knight Muriel Mary born 30 Dec 1914
24 Mar 1913 at Daglingworth, Glouc  
   
SchoolsColleges
  ~
   
Address HistoryEmployment History
1883 - 5 James Street, Rugby 1891 - Scholar
1891 - London Road, Stretton on Dunsmore 1901 - House Painter
1901 - 4 South Avenue, Buxton, Derbys (boarder) 1911 - House Painter
1911 - Upper Street, Hillmorton
 1915 - Painter & Paper Hanger - Parnell & Sons
1915 - 19 Benn Street, Rugby  

 

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South Warwickshire Family History Society War Memorial Transcription Project

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The Fallen Men of South Warwickshire - World War One


Private 2012 Albert Ernest PARE - 2nd Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment


Died of wounds on Sunday, January 31st 1915 aged 22

Military History
   
Theatre of WarMedalsCommonwealth War Grave or Memorial
France and Flanders 1914 Star & Clasp, British War & Victory Medals Boulogne Eastern Cemetery 
     
Arrived in TheatreMedal Citation (if app)SWFHS Area Memorials
4 Oct 1914 in Zeebrugge ~ Warwick (Eleanor Cross) War Memorial
     
Action, Battle or Other Reason KilledDate and Place Mobilised  
Winter Operations 1914-15 5 Aug 1914 at Warwick  
     
Place of DeathPrevious Regiments or UnitsOther War Memorials
13th General Hospital, Boulogne      
     

Original Enlistment

Albert's service number of 2012 was issued between 27 Jan 1912 when #1987 was issued and 7 Jan 1913 when #2253 was issued.

Circumstances of Death

Henry (aka Harry) is listed as dying of wounds on 31 Jan 1915. Newspaper reports show that he was admitted to the 13th General Hospital at Boulogne on the evening of the 15th January with a bullet wound to the head, having been evacutated from a Field Ambulance. The 2nd Battalion war diary entries for the period 13th to 15th January 1915 are transcribed below and it appears that he was wounded on the 14th January near Delpierre.

Trenches - Delpierre - 13th Jan: Cold rainy day. Relieved S Staffs R in trenches at 7pm, kept 1 Platoon from each company in Reserve at Bn HQ. Trenches in an appalling state. We were able to hold them in sections each section being cut off from communication with its neighbour. 4 Officers Essex Yeomanry attached for 24 hours.

Trenches - Delpierre - 14th Jan: Fine but dull day. HQ shelled in morning. Men working at defenses in the lines. No rain during the day so trenches very much improved. Shelling again in the afternoon. Casualties 1 killed and 5 wounded.

15th Jan: Fine but dull. Shelling in morning. Stopped all work and made men keep under-cover. Casualties 2 killed and 2 wounded. END

 Personal & Family History

 

Birth Date/PlaceBaptism Date/Place
Oct Qtr 1892 in Warwick 15 May 1895 at Stratford on Avon, Holy Trinity
   
Parents NamesAbode
George & Henrietta Pare Weston Training School, Weston under Wetherley
   
SchoolsColleges
Warwick Borough C E School ~
   
Address HistoryEmployment History
1892 - Warwick 1901 - Scholar
1901 - 5 Joyce Pool, Warwick 1911 - Unemployed  Gardener
1911 - 9 Barrack Street, Warwick   
1915 - 9 Barrack Street, Warwick   
   

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South Warwickshire Family History Society War Memorial Transcription Project

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The Fallen Men of South Warwickshire - World War One


Private 3387 Thomas COOKE - 5th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment


Died on Friday, December 4, 1914 aged

Military History
   
Theatre of WarMedalsCommonwealth War Grave or Memorial
Home Did not serve abroad in WW1 Birmingham (Lodge Hill) Cemetery
     
Arrived in TheatreMedal Citation (if app)SWFHS Area Memorials
Did not serve abroad in WW1 N/A Leek Wootton
     
Action, Battle or Other Reason KilledDate and Place Enlisted Other War Memorials 
Died of pnuemonia  Birmingham  
     
Place of DeathPrevious Regiments or Units 
1st Southern General Hospital, Birmingham ~  
     

Circumstances of Death

Although the War Graves Commission record Thomas as being in 5th Battalion Royal Warwickshire, both of his register of effects records state that he was in the 1st Support Company of the 2nd/6th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire.

Thomas died of pnuemonia on 4 Dec 1914 at the 1st Southern General Hospital, Birmingham.

We are still researching the personal life of Thomas and have yet to find any links to Leek Wootton.

 Personal & Family History

 

Birth Date/PlaceBaptism Date/Place
   
   
Parents NamesAbode
 
   
SchoolsColleges
  ~
   
Address HistoryEmployment History
   
   
   
  •  Thomas's last name is shown with the spelling Cooke but all the records found for him so far show the spelling as Cook without an e.

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  1. Lieutenant John Edward Ratcliff
  2. Private 235028 William Millin DOODEY
  3. Sergeant 10623 Harry WHITE
  4. 2nd Lieutenant John Victor CHURCH

Subcategories

Battalions, Brigades & Other Units