South Warwickshire Family History Society War Memorial Transcription Project

WW1_Logo.jpeg

The Fallen Men of South Warwickshire - World War One


Private 10168 Oliver Robert FORESHEW - 2nd Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment


Killed in Action on Sunday 3rd September 1916 aged 39

O R Foreshew


Military History

     
Theatre of War Medals Commonwealth War Grave or Memorial
France & Flanders 1914-15 Star, British War & Victory Medals Thiepval Memorial
     
Arrived in Theatre Medal Citation (if app) SWFHS Area Memorials
27 May 1915 in France ~ Hockley Heath WM
    Hockley Heath Church
Action, Battle or Other Reason Killed Date and Place Enlisted Umberslade Baptist Church 
Battle of Guillemont (Somme) February 1915 in Warwick  
     
Place of Death Previous Regiments or Units Other War Memorials  
nr Guillemont ~ ~
     

Circumstances of Death

Oliver is listed as being killed in action on 3 Sep 1916. The 2nd Battalion war diary for the 2nd & 3rd September is transcribed below.

In the Field - 2nd: The Battalion paraded at 10am and Marched to Pommiers Redoubt. At 8pm A&B Coys moved up to Montauban Alley and C&D coys moved to Folly Trench
 
In the Field - 3rd: At 7am on the 3rd A&B Coy moved up from Montauban Alley and took up their assembly positions with C&D Coys in Folly Trench. Bn HQ was moved forward from here and took up their position 150yds W of Waterlot Farm where they remained for the rest of the operations. While in assembly positions we suffered casualties from enemy's shell fire Killed 1 OR, Wounded 8 OR.
 
At the zero hour which was 12 noon the companies passed ? advancing very steadily in artillery formation towards their objective. The order of the Coys was A on the right, then B & C, D coy which was on the left hand to form a defensive flank facing N along Ale Alley. At 1.40pm a runner in from OC D Coy saying that he was held up by Machine Guns in Hop & Ale Alleys and was diggin in in front of them.
 
At 1.43pm a runner arrive from Lt D.W. Arnott who was now commanding B Coy, Catp Wasey having been wounded, stating that he had reached the objective and was digging in. The objectives of A, B & C  Coys was the Blue Line which they had to consolidate it was on running through the W end of Ginchy. All companies reached their objectives & dug in. A&B Coys in touch but we got no news from C. Coy. The 20th Manchester Regt were reported to be through the village.
 
At 4.21pm we got a verbal message that the troops were leaving the village when this was found to be true and the heavy and the heavy casualties we had suffered were known it was decided to relieve the Brigade.
 
At 11pm HQ was moved to Folly Trench and later back to Pommiers Redoubt and few men came in but the majority of them were still holding their original objective in Ginchy.
 
One detached group of C&D Coys under Capt H.P. Williams Freeman and 2/Lt R.E Willis hung on for 36 hours? after the Bde was relieved. Another detached group of A Coys under Lt J. S. Harrowin and 2/Lt H. Sulman hung on in the S end of Ginchy for 3 days after the Brigade had been relieved being unable to get any communication. This was of great value to the position of the troops in Guillemont.
 
The casualites during the period were rather heavy (320):
Officers (all named): 2 Killed, 1 died of wounds, 6 wounded and 2 missing believed wounded.
Other Ranks: 26 killed, 7 died of wounds, 197 wounded and 90 missing.  END
 
Of the 26 killed the following men are also listed on South Warwickshire War Memorials:
  • Private 1155 Frederick William LINNETT - Stretton on Dunsmore
  • Private 1546 Robert Edward Henry MURDEN, MM - Brinklow
  • Private 10684 Ernest SUMNER - Long Itchington
  • Private 1095 Herbert Charles LEE
  • L/Corporal William Samuel BUSH
  • Private 10090 Harold James RADFORD

 Personal & Family History

 

Birth Date/Place Baptism Date/Place
Jan Qtr 1877 in Lechlade, Gloucestershire  
   
Parents Names Abode
William Edward and Mary Ann Foreshew Both deceased in 1888 & 1887 respectively
   
Wife Children
Sarah Jane Foreshew nee Webb Winifred b 23.10.03  |  Annie b 23.11.05  |  Oliver b 23.11.05
7 Jun 1903 at Nuthurst St. Thomas                       William 23.04.08  |  Chrisabel b 4.5.12
   
Schools Colleges
  ~
   
Address History Employment History
1877 - Lechlade, Glouc 1881 - Scholar (aged 4)
1881 - near Cross Tree, Filkin 1891 - Agricultural Labourer
1891 - Cheltenham Road, Stratton (uncle) 1901 - Sawyer
1901 - Sadlers Wells, Tanworth (boarder) 1911 - Wood Sawyer
1903 - Hockley Heath  
1911 - Back Lane, Hockley Heath  
1914 - School Lane, Hockley Heath  
   
  •  Some of Olivers records use the last name Foreshaw