Cecil Luff 1893-1916

Cecil Luff

1893-1916

Cecil Luff was born at the beginning of 1893 in Kirdford in Sussex. His parents, Edward Luff and Elizabeth Childs, married in the Petworth registration district in the summer of 1877 and their first child, Lilian, was born at the beginning of 1878 in Fernhurst. The family were still in Fernhurst for the arrival of Horace in 1879 but soon afterwards moved to Kirdford where May was born in 1882, then Archibald in 1887, Annie in 1889 and Cecil in 1893. Two years later they were at Fittleworth for the birth of Nellie and by 1899 in Lyminster where Ernest was born.

In 1901 the family were at Priory Farm in Tortington near Arundel in Sussex. Edward and his son Archibald were both cowmen as was their lodger. Lilian was a cook, the younger children Cecil and Nellie were scholars and Ernest was just 2. The last of the couple’s nine children, Olive was born in Slinfold in 1902.

In 1911 the family were living at Baldhorns Farm Cottage south of the village of Rusper. The farm was a beef farm and very remote although just a few miles west of Crawley. Both Cecil and his father Edward were cowmen on the farm and were living there were his mother Elizabeth, twelve year old brother Ernest and younger sister Olive aged 9.

In June 1915, Cecil joined the 4^th battalion Royal Sussex Regiment which had been formed from a pre-war territorial battalion. A few weeks later, the battalion sailed from Devonport on HMT Ulysses and arrived on 29^th July in Alexandra as part of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. From Alexandria, the troops moved on via Port Said to Gallipoli, arriving there on August 4^th.

They fought at Gallipoli throughout the autumn and were part of the evacuation of the peninsula in December 1915, returning to Egypt. By this time the battalion had lost most of its members and over the next few months new recruits were drafted in. They spent all of January training and it was noted that all ranks showed improvement in smartness and drill and that the health of all ranks was satisfactory. Also that all clothing and blankets had been through the steam disinfector and fresh clothing handed out to clear the lice. Most of February was spent training again but they had moved to a camp with better roads so most of the training was marching. March and April saw more training this time in bayonet fighting, grenade throwing and machine gun operation as well as night time practice.

During May the training was concluded and the battalion moved to Katoomba where they manned the trenches and observation posts. They were engaged in maintaining defences for the next few weeks as more recruits joined the battalion. However, there appears to have been an outbreak of diphtheria in the ranks at this time, probably brought from home by one of the new recruits. Deaths are recorded on 24^th, 25^th and 28^th June from diphtheria. The 28^th of June case was Cecil Luff.

He died in No 17 General Hospital in Alexandria which was located in a school called Victoria College. There were several military hospitals in Alexandria which took in wounded men from theatres of war in the region. They would be brought in by hospital train or ship. A new cemetery to serve these hospitals was opened in April 1916 and it is there that Cecil Luff is buried. It is very sad that Cecil went through all the training in a comparatively quiet theatre of war and survived the infamous Gallipoli campaign only to be killed by a simple but deadly infection.

Back home, Cecil’s parents moved to Worthing where they both died in the 1930s. They had plenty of grandchildren from their surviving seven children. Cecil’s brother Ernest died in October 1918 in France.

ALEXANDRIA (HADRA) WAR MEMORIAL CEMETERY

www.battlefields1418.50megs.com

www.roll-of-honour.com/

www.wartimememoriesproject.com/

www.armyservicenumbers.blogspot.co.uk

www.cwgc.org

www.westsussex.gov.uk

Charles Robert Francis 31 August 1892-1 June 1916

Charles Robert Francis

31 August 1892-1 June 1916

Charles Francis was born on 31st August 1892 at Shalford in Surrey and was baptised at St Mary’s Church on November 6^th. His parents Frank Francis and Eliza Perry were married at St Nicholas Cranleigh on 27 June 1889. Two days later, their first child Frederick John was born in Cranleigh. Eighteen months later saw the family living at Ewhurst where they welcomed Alfred. Two years after that Charles was born at Shalford and two years after that Harriet at Abinger. They were still at Abinger for the arrival of Bessie in 1897 and back at Ewhurst for the final addition to the family, William in 1905. On all the records Frank was listed as a general labourer so presumably many changes of employment accounted for many changes of location.

Charles joined the navy on 31 August 1910 at Portsmouth, signing on for 12 years. He was eighteen years old, stood 5ft 5ins and had dark brown hair and grey eyes. His first ship, with the rank of boy 2^nd class, was the Ganges 1, which was a shore training establishment at Shotley in Suffolk. He progressed through the ranks becoming an able seaman in October 1911. On 3 December 1915 he joined HMS Tipperary, a destroyer.

A few months later the ship was at the heart of the Battle of Jutland along with her sister ships, H.M.S. Spitfire. H.M.S. Sparrowhawk, H.M.S. Broke and H.M.S. Ardent. Just before midnight on May 31^st 1916, the four ships were engaged in heavy and close hand fighting with German warships. Tipperary was badly damaged and on fire, but managed to inflict a great deal of damage before in the early hours of June 1^st, she went down. HMS Sparrowhawk and Ardent also sank while Broke and Spitfire made it home. Almost all of the crew of HMS Tipperary were lost including Charles Francis. His body was never recovered and he is commemorated on the Portsmouth War Memorial.

By the time Charles died, his sister Harriet was married and her second child, born in 1919, was named Robert. Charles’s mother Eliza died in 1918 in Ewhurst at the age of 48 and his father Frank stayed on and also died there in 1940. Charles was a first cousin twice removed. His grandfather Robert Perry was my great great grandfather.

Acknowledgments

www.cwgc.org

www.northeastmedals.co.uk

www.naval-history.net

Alfred John Humphrey 25 January 1893-31 May 1916

Alfred John Humphrey was born in Fernhurst in Sussex on 25^th January 1893, the illegitimate child of Maria Winifred Humphrey. Alfred lived with his grandparents William and Mary Ann  at Hillgrove near Lurgashall in Sussex and the 1901 census lists him there with his widowed grandfather, mother Maria and two cousins, William Humphrey and Rose White. Later that year his mother married Jessie Dalmon in Lurgashall and they had two children, Winifred in 1902 and Alice in 1905. In 1911 the family were living at Northchapel where both Alfred and his step father Jesse were farm labourers.

However, the sea was calling and Alfred joined the navy at Portsmouth on 28 May 1912, signing on for 12 years. He was described as 5ft 6ins in height with brown hair, hazel eyes and a dark complexion. His rank on joining was stoker 2^nd class and his first ship was Victory II which was actually a shore based training depot at Portsmouth. Later he served on a variety of ships including H.M.S Thetis a minelayer.

In the spring of 1913 he was promoted to stoker 1^st class and served throughout the first years of World War 1 on various ships including HMS Amethyst which took part in the Gallipoli landings.

On 27 April 1916, Alfred joined the crew of HMS Queen Mary, a modern battlecruiser. Six weeks later, she sailed for Denmark as part of the British fleet sent to halt the German attacks on the eastern coast of Britain and to fight the now famous Battle of Jutland.

The battle began with a German advance in the Skagerrak, south east of Norway. British intelligence had deciphered German coded messages and Admiral Jellicoe ordered the British fleet to sea. On the afternoon of May 31^st, fifty two British ships faced forty German and the fighting was fierce.

HMS Queen Mary fought hard and inflicted damage on three German ships but she was targeted by shells, one of which hit the forward magazine which exploded. The ship then quickly sank, taking with her 1266 crew, including Alfred Humphrey and his fellow stokers. He was just twenty three years old and one of thousands of men killed that day. In all the British navy lost fourteen ships and 6084 men, while the Germans lost eleven ships and 2551 men. His body was never recovered and he is commemorated on the Portsmouth War Memorial.

Back home in Sussex, Alfred’s family stayed in Northchapel and his sisters both married there; Winifred in 1933 and Alice in 1929. His mother Maria died in 1933 in Guildford. Alfred was a second cousin three times removed. His grandfather Robert Luff was my four times great grandfather.

With thanks to

The Great War Forum

www.northeastmedals.co.uk

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Albert Henry Trower

Albert Henry Trower

1898-1916

Albert Henry Trower was born in the autumn of 1898 and baptised on Christmas Day at St Barnabas Church in Sutton. Albert was the eldest of three sons born to Henry Trower and Sarah Addis. Henry and Sarah were married at the end of 1897 in the Epsom area. Their second son, Henry Foster was born in 1901 and also baptised at St Barnabas Sutton as was their third son, Ernest Edward, born in 1905.

On all these records and the 1901 and 1911 census the family were living at 14 Queen’s Road, Sutton and Albert’s father Henry was listed as a painter and decorator. In 1914 the family moved to 10 Victoria Road, Sutton which is where they were living when Albert died.

Albert joined the 7^th Battalion of the West Surrey Regiment. It is not known exactly when he volunteered but he was certainly under age. Men were not allowed to join up until they were 18 and were not permitted to fight overseas until they were 19. However this rule was commonly flouted and as long as the man looked old enough, the age he gave was accepted.

The 7^th (Service) Battalion was formed at Guildford in September 1914 and was made up of volunteers who came forward as a result of General Kitchener’s appeal in August 1914 for 100,000 men to volunteer. They joined the 55th Brigade of the 18th Division and by May 1915 were training on Salisbury Plain. In July 1915 the battalion was mobilised for war and went to France.

After arrival in Boulogne they were taken immediately to the Western Front where they manned the front line, in rotation with other regiments, for the next nine months.

By April 1916 the battalion were at the village of Suzanne on the River Somme. Nothing was happening at the end of April apart from the routine exchange of fire. The Battle of Verdun was raging further to the south-west but this part of the line was quiet. At this time the officer who habitually wrote the war diary was on leave and his replacement did not go into great detail. The war diary records work ongoing to maintain trenches and mentions the accidental drowning of a soldier in the river while working on a water pipe. It is unclear how Albert died but his death is recorded on April 29^th and he is buried at the cemetery at Carisy-Gailly along with another man from the West Surreys killed on the same day. He was aged 17 years and 7 months.

Albert’s parents lived in Sutton until their deaths and both of his brothers married but had no children. He does not appear on any war memorial in the area.

In Memory of

Private A H Trower

1919, 7th Bn., The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) who died on 29 April 1916 Age 17

Son of Henry Albert and Sarah Kate Trower, of 10, Victoria Rd., Sutton, Surrey.

Remembered with Honour

Cerisy-Gailly Military Cemetery

Acknowledgments

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

www.longlongtrail.co.uk

www.forces-war-records.co.uk

www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Edmund David Cook

 1893-1916

Edmund David Cook is my first cousin twice removed. His father Joseph was the younger brother of my great grandfather John.

Edmund was born on 10 April 1893 at Pontllanfraith in Monmouthshire. His parents were Joseph and Lydia Cook. Joseph and Lydia had married at the end of 1891 in Pontllanfraith. Edmund was the eldest of their eleven children, of whom eight have been identified so far. The next baby to survive was Frederick born in 1899.

When the 1901 census was taken, the family were living at Railway Terrace, Tredegar Junction, Pontllanfraith. Joseph was a coal miner as were his father and brothers. A week or two after the census night, the family welcomed Elvert Leslie (always known as Leslie) then a baby girl Brenda Augusta just over a year later. She was followed by Cyril Kenneth in 1905, Rachel Muriel in 1906, Jack Byron in 1907 and finally Desmond Ellion at the end of 1911.

In 1911, the family were living at 6 Station Road Pontllanfraith, which may well have been the same house as ten years previously, as the road was renamed. Also living with Joseph and Lydia in 1911 were Lydia’s sister Rachel and brother David. In 1912, Joseph and Rachel had a son Joseph Augustus.

Edmund’s memorial gives his battalion as the 2nd which means he was a regular soldier in the South Wales Borderers before World War 1. I have no record of the date he joined but if he was already serving in 1914, he would have been on the other side of the world when war was declared. In August 1914, the 2nd battalion were stationed at Tientsin in northern China and at the end of September were sent to Shandong to fight with the Japanese against German positions at Tsingtao. On December 4th they left China to return to England. In January they went to Rugby and joined the 87th Brigade of the 29th Division leaving for Gallipoli via Egypt in April. Assuming Edmund was with them, he would have been part of the battles in Gallipoli and evacuated with everyone else in January 1916. They went to Egypt and from there orders were received in February to embark for France where the division arrived in Marseilles on March 15^th.

On April 3^rd, they went into the trenches in the front line. The trench which they were allocated, known as The Mary Redan, had been badly damaged by previous bombardment. The following days were recorded in detail in the war diary;

“The 4^th and 5^th April were without incident but on 6^th April at about 9.0 pm, a very heavy bombardment was opened by the enemy. This bombardment was concentrated on the right half of ‘C’ Company commanded by Capt F.S. Blake, on communication trenches leading up to it and on the portion of trench further north from which the front of ‘C’ Company’s trench could be enfilladed. The bombardment lasted until 10.30 pm when it ceased as suddenly as it had begun. It is not an exaggeration to say that the bursting of shells was so frequent that the communication trench from Bn H.Q towards the front line was lit up continuously. The trench held by the right half of ‘C’ Company was demolished…” He goes on to say that the force of bombs on either side of the trench closed it completely and men were crushed between the walls. In that hour and a half, 5 officers and 78 other ranks were killed. One of these was Edmund Cook. He, with his fellow soldiers, had only been in the front line for three days and they are buried together at Mesnil Ridge Cemetery. In the row containing Edmund’s grave are six others from the same regiment with nine more in the row behind, all killed on the same day. In all twenty seven men from the South Wales Borderers are buried here.

Back home, Edmund’s family grew with the birth of another son to his father Joseph and aunt Rachel in 1919. He was named Edmund David. Lydia died in 1938 and Joseph married Rachel in 1942. This meant that he had children by his wife and his sister-in-law and his eldest and youngest children were both called Edmund David.

Private EDMUND DAVID COOK 
24970, 2nd Bn., South Wales Borderers
who died age 23 on 06 April 1916
Son of Joseph and Lydia Cook, of 24, Newbridge Rd, Pontllanfraith, Newport, Mon.
Remembered with honour
MESNIL RIDGE CEMETERY, MESNIL-MARTINSART

 

Acknowledgements

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

www.longlongtrail.co.uk for the day to day commentary.

The Regimental Museum of The Royal Welsh at Brecon. www.royalwelsh.org.uk

My brother, Bob Price (pictured above) for photos of Edmund's Grave taken on his visit to France and Belgium in 2014.