Military History

Theatre of War	Medals	Commonwealth War Grave or Memorial
Gallipoli	1914-15 Star, British War & Victory Medals	Cairo War Memorial Cemetery
Arrived in Theatre	Medal Citation (if app)	SWFHS Area Memorials
13 Jul 1915	~	Stoneleigh
Action, Battle or Other Reason Killed	Date and Place Enlisted	Other War Memorials
Battle of Chunuk Bair	August 1914 at Nuneaton	City of Coventry Roll of the Fallen
		Church Lads Brigade Roll of Honour (Stoneleigh)
Place of Death	Previous Regiments or Units
Nasrieh School Hospital, Cairo	~

Circumstances Leading to Death (Normally from War Diary)           

Samuel is listed as dying of his wounds on 25 Aug 1915 at the Nasrieh School Hospital in Cairo where he was taken after being wounded by a sniper and then suffering a fracture to the base of his skull as he fell.

The 9th Royal Warwickshire, under Major W. A. Gordon, landed at Anzac Cove in the early morning of August 4. During the first two days (August 6-7) of the attack they were in divisional reserve, but advanced up Aghyl Dere. On August 8 they crossed Bauchop's Hill to the ridge beyond, part going to relieve the 9th Worcester at the head of Aghyl Dere. The New Zealanders had captured Rhododendron Ridge on the previous day, and on August 8 followed up their success by winning Chunuk Bair at the southern end of the main ridge.
The crisis of the attack came on August 9 with the assault of Koja Chemen. Three battalions - the 9th Royal Warwickshire, the 6th South Lancashire, and the 6th Gurkhas - reached the crest, whence they could look down on the waters of the Dardanelles and seemed to have victory in their grasp.

But the troops on the right, through no fault of their own, were late, and when the Turks rallied to a counter-attack our men were forced back to the lower slopes from whence they started. One company of the Royal Warwickshire held on, till they were surrounded, and, as it is supposed, all perished. Next day the Turks attacked in the early morning with disastrous results. The trenches were enfiladed by machine-gun fire, and since no supports were available it was impossible to hold the remainder of the crest on Chunuk Bair. When at night the Royal Warwickshire was withdrawn to reserve no officers and only 248 men were left. Major Gordon had been wounded on August 8, and Major A. G. Sharpe, who succeeded him, was killed two days after. During the four days 5 officers were killed, 9 wounded and 1 missing; of other ranks 57 were killed, 227 wounded and 117 missing. For their service on these days Majors Gordon
and C. C. R. Nevill received the D.S.O.

The 9th Royal Warwickshire was withdrawn to reserve, on August 10, 1915 and it was temporarily commanded by Sergt.-Major Collicott. [Sergeant-Major Butler was in charge at the dump]. On August 12 Major W. B. Gover of the Cheshires took over the command. A number of the missing men rejoined, some drafts arrived from Lemnos and England with fresh officers, and the strength of the battalion gradually increased. The rest of August was uneventful except for occasional service in the front trenches.