GUNNER WILLIAM ROWBOTTOM
149th Brigade Royal Field Artillery
Service Number: 16548
Died: 7th June 1917
Cemetery: Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium
William was married to Elizabeth and they had a daughter Alice. They lived at 193 Billinge Road Pemberton. Before his enlistment he worked as a collier in Pemberton Collieries. William enlisted shortly after the outbreak of the war into the Royal Field Artillery as a driver. Following his initial training William joined the newly formed 149th (County Palatine) Brigade. At around this point he transfered from a driver to being a gunner. The Brigade were one of the Artillery Brigades attatched to the 30th Division, which mainly comprised of the Liverpool and Manchester Pals Battalions. The standard weapons the Field Artillery Brigades used were the 18lb field guns.
Following extensive training the Brigade left the Royal Field Artillery at Larkhill on the 27th November 1915 bound for Southampton. The following day they landed in France at Le Havre. The 149th Brigade did not have to wait long to go into action. On the 17th December 1915 they marched to Sailly au Bois. From then on the Brigade were constantly in and out of the line, including providing the Artillery cover on the first day of the Battle of the Somme in the Montauban area.
Then towards the end of May 1917, the Brigade entered the dreaded Ypres salient for the first time. The Brigade took up positions on the Ypres moat where they were responsible for providing the Artillery cover for the 89th Infantry Brigade in positions around the Hooge area. During the first few days of June it was reported that they were subjected to heavy shelling, high explosive and gas. Around this time the Battle of Messines Ridge was about to take place, although they were north of the designated battlefield. On the 7th June 1917 the battle of Messines Ridge began with the detonation of 19 huge mines that had been dug under the German lines.
The 149th Brigade co operated with the barrage and the shelling by targetting the communications around Clonmel Copse. The enemy, who were in confusion, retaliated with their own artillery barrage of the British positions in Ypres. During one of these bombardments William was fatally wounded, it is thought by gas poisoning. He was evacuated to the casualty clearing centre at Ljissenthoek, just south of Poperinghe. William died later that day. He was 27 years of age. William was laid to rest in Ljissenthoek Military Cemetery.
PRIVATE RICHARD RYLANCE
21st Battalion Manchester Regiment
Service Number: 35411
Died: 11th December 1916
Commemorated on : Arras Memorial, France
Richard was a single man who lived with his mother Jane Rylance at 45 Brindley Street Pemberton. His father Thomas had passed away when Richard was a child. Before he enlisted he was employed as a wood carver at Messrs Houghton and Rylance of Wigan. The family grew up at 22 City road Orrell before moving to Pemberton. Richard would have enlisted in approximately November 1915. Following a period of training he would have arrived in France sometime in the latter months of 1916. After arriving in France Richard would have spent a few weeks final training before joining the 21st Battalion Manchester Regiment. They were part of 91st Brigade, 30th Division.
Whether Richard took part in the first day of the Battle of the Somme is unclear at this stage, but he certainly would have been involved in later battles. In early December the Battalion were in reserve at Mailly-Maillet until the 8th December 1916, when they took over the front line from the 1st South Staffordshires. On the 11th December 1916 they were relieved by the 22nd Battalion Manchester Regiment. These changeovers were often the most dangerous time, the enemy would often direct their Artillery to make the changeover as dangerous as possible.
It is most likely that during one of these enemy bombardments that Richard lost his life. He was 31 years of age. Richard's body was never recovered, he is commemorated on the Arras Memorial in France.
LANCE CORPORAL WILLIAM BASIL STORDY
3rd Battalion Coldstream Guards
Service Number: 16911
Died: 15th September 1916
Commemorated: Thiepval Memorial, France
William was a single man, the only son of Benjamin and Elizabeth Stordy. The family were originally from Cumbria. His father worked as a farm servant in a rural district near Carlisle. Following his father's death, his mother Elizabeth and his sister Ruth moved to Wigan. They lived at 3 Taylors Yard, Little Lane, Pemberton. William was employed as a collier at Garswood Hall collieries. In September 1915 he enlisted into the Coldstream Guards. All of the Guards Regiments were classed as the elite of the British Army.
In May 1916 William arrived in France joining the 3rd Battalion Coldstream Guards, part of the 1st Guards Division. He was quickly promoted to Lance Corporal. Shortly after William's arrival in France on the 1st July 1916, the Battle of the Somme started. The 3rd Battalion Coldstream Guards had to wait till September till their first major involvement. They were to take part in the Battle of Flers- Courcelette, most notable for the introduction of tanks. All the tanks the Army possesed were to be used, a total of 49. However due to their unreliability, only 22 made it to their starting positions.
The Guards Division were in the southern part of the battlefield near the village of Ginchy. At 6.20am, they emerged from their trenches under the cover of a creeping barrage. As they advanced they came under heavy German machine gun fire. As they took their first objective, it is reported that desperate hand to hand fighting took place with the German defenders, the 7th Bavarian Division. At 11.30am the Guardsmen reached their second objective, reinforcements were sent up in the evening to assist in consolidating the hard won positions.
At some point in this battle William was killed, he was 20 years of age. William's body was never recovered and he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial in France.
GUNNER STEPHEN GEORGE STRETTON
93rd Brigade Royal Field Artillery
Service Number: 74147
Died: 24th October 1918
Cemetery: St Aubert British Cemetery, France
Stephen was a married man, living at 17 Alfred Street Goose Green, with his wife Elizabeth Ann Stretton along with his 5 children. Before he enlisted Stephen worked as a collier at Blundells colliery. He enlisted into the Royal Field Artillery on the 3rd January 1915. Following a period of training, Stephen arrived in France on the 25th September. He joined the 93rd Brigade Royal Field Artillery, part of 20th Division.
He would have arrived just in time to take part in the closing battles of the Somme campaign. He also would have taken part in most of the major campaigns of the first world war, including Paschendaele. Stephen, as a gunner, would have been responsible for firing the medium calibre guns. The Allied Artillery positions were frequently targetted by the enemy's artillery, it was a particuarly hazardous job being a gunner.
In October 1918, the enemy were on the back foot. The allied advance was in full flow. The battle of the Selle was one of the last battles of the war the 20th Division were involved in. On the 24th October 1918, during a fierce Artillery duel Stephen was killed by a shell. In a letter to his widow Elizabeth, his officer wrote " We are all very sorry to lose him, as he was always cheerful even under the heaviest shell fire and one of the best gunners" He was 33 years of age. Stephen was laid to rest in St Aubert British Cemetery.
PRIVATE HERBERT STANLEY TABERNER
7th Battalion Border Regiment
Service Number: 17784
Died: 15th February 1916
Commemorated: Ypres Menin Gate, Belgium
Herbert was a single man, living with his parents James and Mary Taberner, along with his brother William and sisters Elizabeth and Lily. The family lived at 504 Ormskirk Road Pemberton. Prior to his enlistment Herbert worked as an assistant clerk to the Orrell Urban District Council. A former pupil of Lamberhead Green Council school, he then went on to gain a scholarship at Ashton Grammar School. Herbert was one of the first men to volunteer for service at a meeting held at the Pavillion in Orrell in November 1914. He enlisted into the Border Regiment.
The 7th Battalion Border Regiment were a new Battalion formed by volunteers. They were part of the 51st Brigade, 17th (Northern) Division. They trained at Andover, then to Bovington, and finally their training was completed at Winchester. On the 15th July 1915 the Division landed at Bolougne in France. The Division completed all their trench familiarisation training in the Southern area of the Ypres salient. Herbert never left this area of the Western Front all the time he spent there.
In the early part of 1916, this part of the Ypres salient was a particulary horrendous place to be in. The Division were activley involved in what was a number of engagements around an area known as the Bluff, which was south east of Ypres near the Comines canal. In one instance in January the Germans detonated a mine killing over a hundred Infantrymen, and also a large number of British tunnellers who were themselves were counter mining under the German lines.
On the 14th February 1916, the enemy launched an assault on the British positions in this area. It is not known what stage of this offensive Herbert was killed, but reports say that he was killed by a shell landing in his dug out. He was 21 years of age. Herberts body was most likely lost in the ensuing battles. He is Commemorated on the Ypres Menin Gate Memorial in Belgium.
PRIVATE WILLIAM HENRY TABERNER
58th Battalion Canadian Infantry
Service Number: 681308
Died: 28th June 1917
Cemetery: La Chaudiere Military Cemetery, Vimy, France
William was a single man, who along with his parents Peter and Sarah, and his brother Herbert and sisters Gertrude and Mary Ann emigrated to Canada in October 1915. His father Peter worked at Pemberton Collieries as a below ground fireman. William himself worked at May Mill in Pemberton. On their arrival in Canada the family settled in Toronto. he was once again working as a machinist. He was not in Canada long, when on the 28th February 1916 he enlisted into the Canadian Army.
Following a period of training William left Canada for England. He joined up with the 58th Canadian Infantry Battalion sometime towards the latter months of 1916. In June 1917 the Battalion found themselves in the Arras sector near Vimy ridge. On the 25th October the battalion moved into the front line, to prepare for an attack on the German positions. The next day the Battalion advanced to their first objective. The operation was succesfull. After dark, patrols were sent out from their new positions to ascertain what defences the enemy had. Only one patrol managed to reach the German trenches.
The following day, on the 27th June 1917, the Battalion spent the day trying to consolidate their position. It was reported that there was considerable enemy shelling, resulting in a large number of casualties. On the 28th June at 2.30am under a barrage a further attack was launched. This attack had mixed results. It is not known at what stage of the battle William was killed, but it is reported by a close friend of William's that he was killed instantly by concussion caused by an enemy shell landing close by. He was 20 years of age. William was laid to rest in La Chaudiere Military Cemetery Vimy.
PRIVATE VINCENT WEBSTER
18th Battalion Kings Liverpool Regiment
Service Number: 300518
Died: 7th October 1917
Commemorated on: Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium
Vincent was a single man, who lived with his mother Susan at 572 Ormskirk Road Pemberton, also his younger brothers Leo and Augustine and younger sisters Gertrude, Monica, Josephine and Dora. In 1901 the family are listed as living at 11 Mitchell Street Pemberton. At age 12 Vincent was working as a drapers errand boy. His father John was a pick sharpener at Pemberton Collieries. Following his father's death he took over his position at Pemberton collieries. Previous to the outbreak of war Vince as he was known as by his family and friends, served in the Lancashire Hussars Yeomanry. They were a Cavalry territorial unit. Upon the outbreak of war Vince was immediately recalled.
The Lancashire Hussars were the Cavalry unit attatched to the 55th West Lancashire Division. On 24th September 1917 in the Wytschaete area east of Ypres in Belgium, a draft of sixteen Officers and two hundred and ninety men were transfered from the Lancashire Hussars to the 18th Battalion Kings Liverpool Regiment. This was done because the High Command finally conceeded that there was little chance of a breakthrough that could be exploited by the Cavalry, and as a result it was wasteful of manpower to keep trained soldiers behind the lines doing nothing. When they joined the Battalion they became known as the 18th (Lancashire Hussars) Battalion Kings Liverpool Regiment. It is most likely this amalgamation was not popular. The Hussars were most irked by having to change their cap badge from the red rose to the eagle and child of the Kings.
On the 7th October the Battalion moved back into the front line near Wytschaete. Vince's superior Officer wrote to his mother " On Saturday night we had only been in the trenches a couple of hours when a mortar landed in the trench close to where your son was standing and the concussion from it killed him instantaneously. At all times he was very light and cheerful and one of the best boys it is possible to have with one". He was 29 years of age. Vince would have been buried, but the grave subsequently would have been lost. He is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
PRIVATE JOSEPH WHITE
4th Battalion Kings Liverpool Regiment
Service Number: 109445
Died: 23rd October 1918
Cemetery: Montay-Neuvilly Road Cemetery, Montay, France
Joseph was a single man who lived with his parents Henry and Margaret White at 131 Enfield Street. He had two older sisters Ann and Elizabeth. His father Henry worked at Pemberton Collieries as an Above Ground Stoker. Joseph also worked at Pemberton Collieries. It appears that Joseph joined up towards the end of the war, most likely around May 1918.
Joseph, it appears, landed in France in early October 1918 and was posted to the 4th Battalion Kings Liverpool Regiment on the 6th October 1918. The 4th Battalion were part of 98th Battalion, 33rd Division. During these latter months of 1918, the advance was well under way, although the enemy were still putting up stiff resistance.
On the 22nd October 1918, the Battalion left Troisvilles ready for an attack the following day. The Battalion attacked an area called 'the forest'. The attack was deemed as a success, however 2 Officers and 18 other ranks were listed as either Killed in Action, or Died of Wounds. One of these men was Joseph. He was killed after being in France for only a matter of approximately 3 weeks. He was 18 years of age. Joseph was laid to rest in Montay- Neuvilly Road Cemetery, Montay, France.
PRIVATE WILLIAM WINSTANLEY
1/5th Battalion Manchester Regiment
Service Number: 1562
Died: 6th June 1915
Cemetery: Redoubt Cemetery, Helles, Gallipoli, Turkey
William was a single man, who lived with his parents and family at 4 Highfield. He worked at Pemberton Collieries as a haulage hand. William was a member of the Wigan territorial force, the 1/5th Manchester Regiment. These men as mentioned elsewhere on this website had just returned from their annual camp in Stalybridge when they were mobilised ready for war. To a man they unanimously agreed that they would serve overseas. The 1/5th were part of the 127th Brigade, 42nd Division. They left these shores in October 1914 initially for Egypt. Then in April 1915 they left Egypt bound for Gallipoli, landing on the peninsula on the 6th May 1915.
After they had been at Gallipoli for a few weeks they moved up to the front line. By the end of May losses from all causes had reached roughly 70 men. It was decided by the Army heirarchy that an attack was needed to try to break through once more. This attack was to be known as the Third Battle of Krithia. It was to take place on the 4th June 1915. At 10am the Artillery started up, bombarding the Turkish lines, then at 1130 it stopped. That was the signal for the men to start cheering and waving their rifles and bayonets in the air. Then after a short pause it opened up again. At noon the Artillery stopped for a second time and the order was given to charge. William who was in A company were in the first wave in support of C and D companies.
William was a signaller within the Battalion. During the attack he was attached to Capt Woods. In a letter to Williams parents he wrote " Please allow me to express my deep sympathy to you and your family on the death of your son. I took a special interest in him, as after Capt Brown's death, he was attached to me for signalling purposes, and he made himself very useful too by his excellent cooking and his cheery disposition, and it was a pleasure to have him near you. He was killed in an unlucky manner. He had been taken by me, back out of the firing line to deliver a message. This he had done and then for some unknown reason, he started to go to a trench a bit further back. To do this he had to go down a small and narrow communication trench which was being deepened at the time, but as there was very little room to pass, your son got out and started to crawl along the top of the trench. He was immediatley shot in two places and died instantly. His chum Turner took his body and buried him. He is greatly missed by me and all the company, and the best we can think is that he gave his life for King and Country".
In the marvellous local history book by Fred Holcroft ' Just like hell'. William's sister relates how the devastating news was recieved at home. Every Sunday morning, then aged about twelve, she went to the newsagents to fetch the 'Sunday Chronicle'. One Sunday in June 1915, she took a letter off the postman as she was leaving and left it with her parents. On returning from her errand she found them sat by the fire in tears. Her elder sister beckoned her from the doorway beyond " Our Willys been killed".
William was 20 years of age. He was laid to rest in Redoubt Cemetery, Helles, Gallipoli.
