South Warwickshire Family History Society War Memorial Transcription Project

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The Fallen Men of South Warwickshire - World War One


2nd Lieutenant Alfred Greatrex KEMP - 9th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment


Killed in Action on Tuesday 10th August 1915 aged

Kemp Alfred Greatrex

Military History

     
Theatre of War Medals Commonwealth War Grave or Memorial
Gallipoli 1914-15 Star, British War & Victory Medals Helles Memorial
     
Arrived in Theatre Medal Citation (if app) SWFHS Area Memorials
13 Jul 1915 - Gallipoli ~ Warwick (Eleanor Cross) War Memorial
    Warwick School
Action, Battle or Other Reason Killed Date and Place Enlisted  
Battle of Chunuk Bair  23 Oct 1914 at Kempton Park  
     
Place of Death Date Commissioned Previous Regiments or Units
Koja Chemen  18 Nov 1914 (Gazette) Pvtr 2289 Middlesex Regiment  
     

Circumstances of Death

Alfred is listed as being killed in action on 10 Aug 1915. He was killed during the assault on Koja Chemen and the following description to the events is taken from The Story of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment by C.L. Kingsford.

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.

 Personal & Family History

 

Birth Date/Place Baptism Date/Place
22 Aug 1886 at Warwick 1 Oct 1886 at Warwick, St. Nicholas
   
Parents Names Abode
Thomas and Emily Kemp 10 Jury Street, Warwick
   
Schools Colleges
Warwick School ~
   
Address History Employment History
1886 - Coten End, Warwick 1891 - Scholar
1891 - 40 Coten End, Warwick 1901 - Scholar
1901 - 10 Jury Street, Warwick 1911 - Surveyors Assistant
1911 - 10 Jury Street, Warwick   1914 - Farmer in British Columbia
1915 - The Red House, Warwick  
   
  • At some stage after the 1911 census Alfred emigrated to Canada with one arrival dated 4 Jun 1914. He a short time later
  • Warwick War Memorial Project Biography (contains a number of photographs)
  • Photograph Courtesy of Juliet Homer