Trench Lincs 26th January 2025
- trenchlincs
- Jan 26
- 16 min read
Welcome to the last Trench Lincs for January 2025. Where has that month gone?
I write with great joy this week knowing that my son Robert, and his family have booked flights to the UK from Australia and will arrive in August. Everyone is very excited as this will be his first visit for six years and he hasn’t ever met two of his sister’s husbands, and it will be the first time that all seven of my grandchildren will be together. I do not want to wish the year away, but August is eagerly awaited.
I also have exciting news about a trip to the D-Day landing beaches in Normandy in April.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS.
The next meeting of the Lincoln and North Lincs WFA Branch will be held at 7.30pm on Monday February 24th – When Andy Stewart will present “Armistice Day 1918: Where The Guns Didn’t Stop”.
The venue will be the Royal Naval Club, Coulson Road, Lincoln, LN6 7BG. A warm welcome awaits you. New faces always wanted.
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The East Midlands (Nottingham) WFA Branch meets again on Friday 14th February – When Dr. Scott Lindgren will speak about naval warfare in his talk “Ocean Greyhounds – The Battle of Dogger Bank, 1915”.
The talk will be held in St. Peter’s Church Rooms, Church Street, Ruddington, Nottingham, NG11 6HA with a start time of 7.30pm. Everyone welcome.
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The Spalding and South Lincolnshire WFA Branch will next meet on Thursday February 27th – As at Lincoln earlier in the week, Andy Stewart will present “Armistice Day 1918: Where The Guns Didn’t Stop”.
The venue is Spalding Baptist Church, Swan Street, Spalding, PE11 1BT with a start time of 7.30pm.
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The Leadenham Military History Group’s next meeting is this coming Tuesday, 28th January, at Leadenham Village Hall with a start time of 7.30pm.
The evening will see a double header, first up is Ed Sisson talking about “An Introduction to War Gaming in 2025” followed by Sean McCabe’s eagerly anticipated talk about “The My Lai Massacre in Vietnam, 1969.”
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Next on the agenda is news from NORMANDY. Readers may remember that I went to Normandy last June for the 80th commemoration of the Operation Overlord D-Day landings on 6th June 1944, and that I mentioned that I would like to go back when I had a bit more time to explore the area once again, not having been since about 2018.
I can now confirm that I shall be in Normandy from Monday 7th April until Friday 11th April. The following TL readers expressed an interest in potentially joining the party – James Handley, Arthur Wood, Peter Garland, Andrew and Felicity Sayers and Bill Pinfold.
If it is still of interest to anyone not just the above named, please contact me and I will let you have my travel details and hotel name so that you can book alongside and join me (You can of course, choose accommodation of your own choice). I can also put you in touch with others, so as to combine car sharing to keep the costs down.
I am currently working on the itinerary and I will let other car parties have full details so that you can join in or do your own thing on a daily basis – everything will be very relaxed and on the hoof and there is no charge from me to join the trip, and each car will be fully responsible for their own costs and insurance. I am putting this together as a friend, not as a business venture.
I look forward to hearing from you.
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I now wish to tie up a loose end from last week. I wrote a short but personal account about the Toc-H meeting room in Bingham in the 1970s and how we as school kids were quite offensive towards Charlie, the old chap who was the guardian of the room.
This tale ignited the memory bank of Bill Roffey who wrote; ‘The Trench Lincs newsletter really had a personal connection this week. The Toc-H building in Bingham I remember very clearly. I also remember Charlie too. He was often leaning out of a window or in the doorway and I was also less than kind to him on occasions, I think. I wish I could reach out and apologise as well. I would have been walking down to Bingham at lunchtime in the 5th year as the East Bridgford bus was on the bus park. I might be wrong, but I think he also used to come to the annual flower show and run stalls on the Reindeer pub field each summer.’
Thank you for those memories Bill. Ah! The annual East Bridgford flower show. That brings back memories for me too. It was held each year on the field at the back of the Reindeer pub and as kids we used to go round the field time after time finishing the beer dregs in glasses and collecting up all the empty bottles, which we then took back to the pub, where the landlord, Ken Adlington, would give us the threepence (3d) deposit for each bottle. We all went home very happy – the pub had less bottles to collect and we had a few shillings in our pocket. Simple but happy days.
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Melvin Dobbs has been in touch again this week with some very kind words and some interesting photos of the Gloucester Hussars memorial which stands in the grounds of Gloucester Cathedral. Melvin comments; ‘What a great read this last Sundays Trench Lincs was!
I especially enjoyed the article sent in by Chas Parker with the link to the memorial windows, which kept me quiet for quite sometime, there was such a lot of information too.
I also enjoyed the report of memorials from the land of our former penal colony, you have taught your son well. [Indeed I have! – Ed]
Plus the intriguing story of a Brazilian Prince of French Royal lineage, and all the usual notifications of meetings etc....a bumper package indeed.
I now attach some pictures of a memorial I took some time ago in the grounds of Gloucester Cathedral.’
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Melvin kindly mentions my son’s photos from rural Australia and this week I am able to share up to date photos from the CWGC cemetery in Damascus, Syria courtesy of Liam Kelly and his friend.
Liam writes; ‘Apologies that I haven't been to meetings for a while, I've been busy and away a fair bit.
I have attached some photos of the CWGC cemetery in Damascus taken today by a good friend of mine and it's amazing to see how well it has been maintained during recent times - normally they are completely desecrated and trashed. I thought they may be of interest to others within our branch.’
They certainly are of interest Liam, and credit has to be given to the generations of one family who have maintained the Damascus cemetery for the CWGC since 1946. Despite that country’s recent war, the cemetery looks to be well cared for.
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As I mentioned last week, Simon Roots has come to the world of Great War ancestral research only in recent times. However, he has now very kindly shared this biography of his grandfather’s life and service.
Simon writes; ‘My grandfather Claude Henry Roots, was born on Sunday 31st January 1886 in the village of Buttercrambe, North Yorkshire, the eldest son of Henry and Margaret Roots. His father, Henry, was coachman to the Winn-Darley family of the Aldby Park estate, Buttercrambe.
In February 1891, 5-year-old Claude would witness the drowning of his 3-year-old younger brother Harold, and 18-month-old younger sister Violet, in a river lock on the river Derwent in Buttercrambe. The three children, with my great grandmother Margaret, had gone to visit the lock keeper’s wife in a pony and trap. Whilst manoeuvering the pony and trap into the lock cottage garden, with the 2 youngest children still sitting in the trap, the pony began to back up, the trap falling into the lock chamber, pulling the pony and my great grandmother into the lock chamber. Margaret was assisted out of the lock, but her two babies and the pony had drowned.
Claude and his family moved around the country with Henry’s work as coachman, living in Little Chesterford, Essex, home of the Pickersgill-Cunliffe family at Chesterford Park, and at Grantham, where Harry Pickersgill-Cunliffe was a local JP, (and inventor of the umbrella shooting stick.) Blendon Hall, Bexley, Kent, another home of the Pickersgill- Cunliffe family, and finally Maidstone.
In 1906, Claude is working as a steward for the White Star Line. Records show him working on the SS Athenic, (SS Athenic appears again later in Claude’s life) working the route from London to Wellington, New Zealand via Plymouth, Tenerife, Cape Town, Hobart, and Wellington. He works for the White Star Line until 1907, when Claude decides to settle in New Zealand. For some reason, whilst in New Zealand, Claude goes by the name Charles Henry Roots.
Claude has a number of jobs whilst in New Zealand including a barman, gas fitter for the Wellington Gas Company (where he is nearly killed in a gas explosion in May 1908 whilst investigating a gas leak at the Wellington Masonic Lodge on Boulton Street, Wellington!) He is also a taxi driver in Lyttleton, Christchurch.
On 29th August 1914, Claude (On his Attestation he is recorded as Charles Henry Roots) signs up to the New Zealand Army at Christchurch. He discloses on his Attestation that he had previous military experience and was a member of the Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry band. The Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry was a Territorial Unit. The 1st Mounted Rifles (Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry) was raised just before WW1. It can trace its history back to 1864 at Christchurch with the formation of the Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry as a volunteer Corps. It was the oldest of twelve light cavalry units raised in New Zealand during the second half of the 19th century, using the British Yeomanry regiments as its model. Whilst numbering less than 100 men scattered in small detachments across Canterbury Province, the unit earned a reputation for well drilled smartness and providing honour guards and ceremonial escorts as required. It was brought together for a training camp of eight days each year.
Also on his Attestation, Claude states he is a self-employed motor mechanic. Claude was attached to the Army Service Corps, Mounted Rifles, Brigade Headquarters. He is given identity number 5/103. Undergoing basic training at the former Awapuni Racecourse in Palmerston North, on Friday 16th October 1914, Claude finds himself with the Main Body, and back on board the SS Athenic, now requisitioned by the New Zealand Government under the British Liner Requisition Scheme. SS Athenic is renamed HMNZT 11 and part of the First New Zealand Transport Convoy. Claude and his chums of the 1st New Zealand Expeditionary Force, think they are en-route to England to complete further training before deployment against the Germans on the Western Front. A convoy of ten troop ships carrying 360 officers and 8067 other ranks sets off in fine weather. On Wednesday 21st October 1914 HMNZT 11 arrives at Hobart, Tasmania, and Wednesday 28th October 1914 at Albany, Western Australia.
Following the declaration of war against the Ottoman Empire on Wednesday 4th November, the 1st New Zealand Expeditionary Force are diverted to Egypt, stopping off at Colombo, Ceylon on 15th November, Aden on 25th November, the Suez Canal on Tuesday 1st December and finally Port Alexandria, Egypt on Friday 4th December 1914. Claude is transported by train from Port Alexandria to Cairo, and is based at Zeitoun Camp, east of Cairo, arriving in the early hours of Saturday 5th December.
On Monday 12th April 1915, private 5/103 Claude Henry Roots, New Zealand Army Service Corps as part of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, sets sail from Alexandria, bound for the Dardanelles. On Sunday 25th April 1915, Claude and the newly formed ANZAC, land at Anzac Cove, Gallipoli. Claude remains with the ANZAC’s on the Gallipoli Peninsular, being promoted to Corporal on Tuesday 27th July 1915. He is evacuated in December 1915, recorded as being back in Egypt on Monday 27th December.
He remains in Egypt where he is promoted to sergeant on Wednesday 22nd February 1916. On Tuesday 21st March 1916, Sergeant 5/103 Claude Roots is posted to the New Zealand Army Service Corps Motor Ambulance Workshop, based at Moascar, in the Suez Canal region.
On Friday 7th April 1916, Claude embarks in Port Alexandria, for transport with other New Zealand Forces to France and the Western Front.
On Friday 1st September 1916 Claude is appointed as a Motor Driver, attached to the 2nd New Zealand Field Ambulance. The 2nd New Zealand Field Ambulance are attached to the New Zealand 2nd Infantry Brigade, Claude seeing service in Messines and Passchendaele.
On Saturday 25th May 1918, Sergeant 5/103 Claude Roots is Mentioned in Dispatches by Field Marshall Sir Douglas Haig “for gallant services in the field and devotion to duty during the period 25th September 1917 to 24th February 18th 1918.” His citation is published in the ‘LondonGazette.’
Charles remains on the Western Front until Tuesday 28th January 1919 when he is dispatched to England. On Monday 3rd March 1919, Charles boards the HMNZT Willochra, for his return journey back to Wellington, New Zealand, disembarking on Tuesday 15th April 1919. He is officially discharged from the New Zealand Army Service Corps in May 1919 and returns home to England, arriving in London on Thursday 3rd July 1919. Claude’s military service was over. He had served with the NZASC for 4 years 260 days, 4 years and 182 days of that service was abroad. Claude would not return to New Zealand again.
Following the war, Claude initially lived in Maidstone, Kent on his discharge, where his family had settled after Claude had left for New Zealand in 1906. He lived for a short time with his three younger brothers, themselves having served throughout the Great War.
Sergeant 10116 Lewis Arnold Philip Roots (known as Phil by the family) born in 1891 in Little Chesterford, Essex, had served with the 2nd Welch Regiment, having joined the regiment in 1911. Phil had been awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal as well as 1914 Star with clasp, British War Medal and Victory Medal. One of Lewis’ sons, (Claude’s nephew.) Lewis Albert Roots, was killed in Monte Cassino in February 1944 whilst serving with the Royal Corps of Signals. [As featured last week – Ed]
Another younger brother of Claude’s, Sergeant 9264 Ernest Noel Roots born in 1892 in Little Chesterford, had served with the 1st Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment, again, joining up in 1911. Ernie remained with the RWK until 1921. He was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal as well as 1914 Star and clasp, British War Medal, Victory Medal and Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.
Claude’s youngest brother Harold Thomas Roots, born in 1897 in Little Chesterford, had joined the Royal Navy prior to WW1, reaching the rank of Petty Officer. Harold’s only son, (Claude’s nephew) Harold Henry Victor Roots, was a Flying Officer with RAF 3FTS, when he was killed with his student on D Day, 6th June 1944, near RAF Lulsgate Bottom (now Bristol Airport.) during a routine training flight. [Again, as featured last week in TL – Ed]
Claude would take up work in Wrexham, North Wales where he met my grandmother Margaret Jones. They married in the village of Bwlchgwyn, North Wales in 1921. By now, Claude was employed as a chauffeur to wealthy, successful businessman, Alderman, City Councilor and Magistrate, Jacob Rueben Grant. Claude and Margaret lived in a cottage within the grounds of Jacob Grant’s home in Sefton Park, Liverpool, until they bought their own house in 1934. (Claude was held in such esteem by Jacob Grant, that when Jacob died, he left Claude money in his will, that Claude used to pay off the mortgage on his house.) Following the death of Jacob Grant’s wife in 1936, Claude worked as a funeral driver until his retirement in 1951. He died at his home with my grandmother Margaret, and my father Ted at his side, on Tuesday 10th February 1959 aged 73.
I do not know what happened to my grandfather’s medals. In November 2024, I applied to the New Zealand Defence Force for my grandfather’s unissued “Gallipoli Commemorative Medallion.” A Gallipoli Campaign medal was never issued at the end of WW1 due to a lack of money. The issue was re-visited by the Australian and New Zealand Governments in the mid 1960’s, for the 50th anniversary, and it was decided to have the “Gallipoli Commemorative Medallion” struck. Eligible soldiers had to apply for their medallion, or the next of kin if the soldier had died.
The Medallion is cast in bronze and measures 75mm long and 50mm wide. The obverse of the medallion depicts John Simpson Kirkpatrick with one of his donkeys, aiding a wounded soldier. Also cast into the bottom of the medallion is a laurel wreath and the word ANZAC. The reverse shows a map in relief of Australia and New Zealand, superimposed with the Southern Cross. The lower half is bordered with New Zealand ferns.
John Simpson Kirkpatrick, commonly known as simply John Simpson, was born in South Shields, in 1892. He joined the Merchant Navy, but jumped ship in Australia in 1910. He worked his way through Australia. In August 1914, John joined the Australian Imperial Force with the 3rd Field Ambulance as a stretcher bearer. Landing at Anzac Cove on 25th April 1915, John Simpson decided to use a donkey to assist transporting less severely wounded soldiers. John Simpson was killed when he was shot through the heart by a Turkish machine gun bullet as he made his way up to the Monash Valley to retrieve wounded men. He had been on Gallipoli for just three weeks. He is buried at the Beach Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery, Turkey.
When I applied for Claude’s Medallion, I had to provide a copy of his birth certificate (because he was known as Charles Henry Roots when he joined up.) Copy of his death certificate, copy of my father’s birth and death certificates (as Claude’s legal next of kin.) and my birth certificate. The New Zealand Defence Force examine the archived records of the relevant soldiers to certify eligibility, before the medallion is then engraved with the soldier’s identity number and name. Between Christmas and New Year, I received Claude’s Gallipoli Commemorative Medallion in its presentation box, 109 years after Claude and his colleagues were evacuated from Gallipoli.’
Well done Simon. A herculean piece of research and I am sure that everyone will enjoy reading about Claude.
[pics inc Kirkpatrick grave]
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Matt Colley has become a very good friend in the last year or so and I am always very pleased to share his ongoing research with regard to the Old Contemptibles and their post-war veteran’s branches.
The Lincoln OC branch seems to crop up regularly in Matt’s work and he has kindly shared this snippet from the branch records of January 1968.
The Old Contemptible – No. 408, January 1968
LINCOLN - In spite of the many ideas that remembrance should not be continued, we held our two parades at the War Memorial on 11th November. The Mayor, City Sheriff, and for the first time their ladies, came with them, and with their friendly handshakes made us realise we are not forgotten. At the service at St Peter-at-Gowts Church we received a great welcome. Chum Jack Larder came 40 miles from Skegness to be with us, and he was asked to place the wreath on the Book of Remembrance. His 6 ft. 2 ins. looked bigger.
In the nominations for officials for 1968 there does not appear to be any change, so the old brigade will still have to clean their harness.
Sick still the same, so let the New Year give us more courage to carry on. Best to all members.
IMP.’
Reading this branch entry, two things flashed into my mind. Firstly, who was ‘Imp’ who wrote the report each time? Does anyone know? And secondly, just how this entry from 1968 encapsulates in just one opening sentence the anti-war and futility of war sentiment that was prevalent in society in the 1960s. A sentiment that echoed the ongoing anti-Vietnam war movement that was building in the USA at the time.
I am obviously pleased to see that Imp and his Chums carried on regardless remembering their chums at the city war memorial each November 11th. As the number of OC’s dwindled, so the organising committee had to remain in place, no new volunteers came forward, and those chums who were known to be ill (sick) remained the same and yet Imp looked forward to the new year of 1968 with optimism. Optimism, the sentiment that had carried them through the fighting between August and November 1914.
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Having just mentioned November 11th, now is a good time to mention it again. Felicity Sayers came across a remarkable recording taken on the 11th November 1918 as the firing stopped at 11am. Felicity writes; ‘I'm sure you have seen it before but the following popped up on Instagram showing a wave diagram and a recording of the last couple of minutes of the war and I thought I would share it with the TL readers’
Click on this link to see how the crescendo of noise recorded suddenly came to an end.
Thank you Felicity, it is a thought provoking piece of history.
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Since I took the decision to retire in June 2023, I have carried out, for friends and family (no charge!!) several house buyers reports and condition surveys. The latest was last week for my sister and her husband, who are looking at purchasing a property in one of the small tucked away villages south of Newark.
Shelton is just about a village or maybe a large hamlet which contains some very nice properties but has no shop or pub and you would only visit Shelton if you had a reason to do so. After my inspection, I took a stroll down to the hamlet’s parish church, St. Mary and All saints, never expecting it to be open.
First of all, I spotted a simple stone cross which acts as the war memorial. This is possibly quite a rare war memorial, like the memorial at Dalderby, which only contains one name.
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The inscription reads; “Sacred To The Memory Of Bomb Instructor Corporal Benjamin Johnson Sherwood Foresters Who Died On The Field Of Battle 21st March 1918 Aged 21 Years. R.I.P.”
As you may imagine with me, I had to delve deeper into the records to see what else I could find out about Benjamin Johnson. Obviously, the 21st March 1918 is the opening day of the German Spring Offensive but a search of the CWGC records did not throw up any Benjamin Johnson’s serving with the Sherwood Foresters killed on this day!
I then searched for all of the Johnsons killed in the Great War serving with the Foresters. There were 62 to trawl through but only a single B Johnson, who was listed as being 31144 BERTRAM Johnson who was serving with the 2nd/6th Battalion of the Foresters when killed on 21st March 1918 – the date fitted perfectly. Only one other Johnson died on the 21st March 1918, and he was amazingly John Johnson of the same 2nd/6th Battalion.
The 2nd/6th Battalion was serving in 59th Division on this day when they were comprehensively overrun between Noreuil and Croisilles, the same action that my ancestor L/Cpl. Herbert D’Hooghe was severely wounded and became a Prisoner of War.
I can only assume that Benjamin and Bertram are one and the same man, but why the discrepancy in the records? Just to really confuse matters more, I was unable to find a Medal Index Card for any B Johnson with the service number 31144 as per the CWGC database. So who is this man remembered on the churchyard memorial in Shelton? Can anyone else shed any light on this matter?
I then tried the church door fully expecting it to be locked, but no, it was open. There were obviously no WWI memorials in the church but there were several to men who had fought and died for Queen and Empire in the nineteenth century, including one chap who had also fought with the Italian army in their war of independence.
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It just goes to show how a five-minute stop can be so worthwhile!
The Lincolnshire Regiment 26th January.
1915
3191 Private Herbert Edward Batterham, 4th Battalion, aged 26. Buried in Sempringham Churchyard, UK.
1916
4290 Private Fred Hickson, 1st Battalion, aged 18. Buried in Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery, France.
7769 Private Alfred James Wilson, 1st Battalion, aged 25. – Ditto. –
1917
7238 Private John Isaac Parker, 4th Battalion, aged 29. Buried in Nettleham Churchyard, UK.
1918
203382 Corporal John Stone, 1st Battalion, aged 19. Buried in Tincourt New British Cemetery, France.
1919
37592 Private W Cooper, 4th Labour Company. Buried in Longunesse Souvenir Cemetery, France.
1920
202356 Private Ronald Reed, Depot, aged 23. Buried in Sunderland Cemetery, UK.
44965 Private M H Mercer, Depot. Buried in Heathfield Churchyard, UK.
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.
Until next week
All best wishes
Jonathan
© Jonathan D’Hooghe
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