South Warwickshire Family History Society War Memorial Transcription Project The Fallen Men of South Warwickshire - World War One
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Military History |
Theatre of War | Medals | Commonwealth War Grave or Memorial |
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France and Flanders | British War & Victory Medals | Amara War Cemetery |
Arrived in Theatre | Medal Citation (if app) | SWFHS Area Memorials |
After February 1916 | ~ | Long Itchington |
Action, Battle or Other Reason Killed | Date and Place Enlisted | Other War Memorials |
Prelude to Second Battle of Kut | After 4 Feb 1916 | ~ |
Place of Death | Previous Regiments or Units | |
Military Hospital, Amara | ~ | |
Circumstances Leading to Death (Normally from War Diary)
It is likely that Jesse was wounded during the actions of the 25th/26th January 1917 as the war diary indicates that there were no men wounded between the 28th Jan and when Jesse died on the 3rd Feb 1917. January 25th 1917 near Shatt-el-Hai from The Story Of The Royal Warwickshire Regiment - By C. L. KingsfordBy the 25th Jan 1917 the Turkish defences were no more than 100 yards distant. That morning the Worcesters and North Staffords stormed and carried the enemy front line trench and began to consolidate. When the development of the Turkish counter-attack threatened to drive them back the Royal Warwickshire was brought up to our front line trenches. About noon, under a fresh and very heavy counter-attack the Worcesters and North Staffords were forced from a part of the captured position and were in danger of being overwhelmed. The moment was critical. Colonel Henderson, who had been shot in the arm just before, jumped on to the parapet, and shouting to his men to follow him advanced alone some distance under the most intense fire over 500 yards of open ground. He was shot down, but rose and again led in the most gallant manner till they were within 100 yards of the Turks. Then the battalion raced in with the bayonet and reestablished our position from end to end.
Colonel Henderson was again twice wounded, and as he lay out in the open Captain R. E. Phillips, who had already shown great courage in the attack, went out under very heavy fire and with the help of a comrade succeeded in bringing him back to die in our trenches. Both Colonel Henderson and Captain Phillips were afterwards awarded the Victoria Cross. In the afternoon the Turks, who had thus been driven back again to their second line, made another counterattack supported by artillery, and by sheer weight of numbers gradually forced the Royal Warwickshire to retire. None the less, as General Maude wrote in his despatch of April 10, that gallant charge across the open had restored the situation at a critical moment. This fighting had been on the left wing to the west of the Shatt-el-Hai; the right wing had fared better, and next day the trenches on the left were finally captured by Indian troops. Besides Colonel Henderson, the Royal Warwickshire had 4 officers killed and 7 wounded (1 mortally); of other ranks there were 52 killed, 118 wounded including Jesse, and 11 missing.
Personal & Family History |
Birth Date/Place | Bapitsm Date/Place |
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3 Dec 1895 at Southam | 29 Mar 1896 at Southam |
Parents Names | Parents Abode |
William James and Eliza Selina Hancocks | Green End, Long Itchington |
Schools | Colleges |
~ | |
Address History | Employment History |
1896 - Southam | 1911 - General labourer at Cement Works |
1901 - Warwick Road, Southam | |
1911 - Greaves Works, Stockton | |
1917 - Church Lane, Long Itchington |
Brother of William Frederick Hancocks who also fell.