Remembrance – Ernest Codling

by | Jun 8, 2020 | Remembrance

Today we remember Bourne man Ernest Codling who was killed in action on this day, 8th June 1917, serving with the 6th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment during the second day of the Battle of Messines Ridge.

Ernest Codling was born on the 28th August 1896 at 51 King Street Lincoln to John Codling, a railway porter from Lincoln and his wife Mary Elizabeth Cobb. John and Mary were married in Lincoln in 1892.

John and Mary had 8 children in total, unfortunately they had lost 3 of them before 1911.

  • Albert Codling, 1893, Lincoln
  • Gertrude Mary Codling, 1894, Lincoln
  • Ernest Codling, 1896, Lincoln
  • John William Codling, 1906, Lincoln
  • Doris May Codling, 1910, Lincoln

The three children they lost were between census returns and so their names are not currently known.

In 1901 John, Mary and their three children were living at 37 Queen Street Lincoln. The next year Ernest started St Peter at Gowts infants school on the 11th June 1902 where he remained until 22nd August 1905. The National Schools admission register indicates that when leaving St Peter at Gowts Ernest went on to attend the newly re-organised St Andrews school in St Andrews Street Lincoln.

By 1911 Ernest had moved from home and was living with his uncle, William Marshall Codling, at Watering Dyke Farm, Grange-de-Lings near Nettleham, Lincoln. Here he worked as a farm servant and the census lists his job as “odd duties”.

Ernest later moved back to live with his parents at 1 Naan Cottages, Grey Street, Lincoln and started working as a warehouseman.

During the war years the family moved to Bourne and settled there. Whilst in Bourne the family received the sad new that Ernest’s oldest brother, Albert, who had joined the Lincolnshire Regiment before the war, had been killed in May 1915 in the area around Ypres.

Ernest enlisted into the army at Lincoln on the 8th December 1914.

Ernest’s full service records, like that of 60% of the men from WW1 cannot be found. It is likely that they are part of the records destroyed in a London warehouse fire during the Blitz. The following story of Ernest’s war has been pieced together with as much accuracy as possible for other surviving records.

The medal rolls also show that Ernest has three separate regimental numbers tied into different Battalions of the Lincolnshire regiment. It is likely that on enlistment he was assigned to the 4th Battalion (3442) to start training. The associated medal card shows that he was not eligible for the 1914/15 Star and certainly no 1914/15 star medal roll has been found which would support this fact. You would assume that he did not serve abroad before the end of 1915 however other documents may dispute this fact. Until recent documents were found with regards to a wounded list it was always thought that Ernest did not serve abroad until 1916.

The 4th Battalion had been mobilised for war and landed at Harvre on the 1st March 1915 as part of the 138th Brigade of the 46th Division. There is no documentary evidence to say that Ernest was amongst this first mobilisation and if he had started training immediately on enlistment it could be possible but without the proof we will not describe the exact movements of the 4th Battalion at this point.

Albert Codling, Ernest’s brother was also serving with the 4th Battalion and certainly was part of the first mobilisation in March 1915. Albert had been killed on the 13th May in fighting around Lindenhoek and it is possible that Ernest was already in the Battalion fighting at the same time.

During 1915 the Battalion would also be involved in the first liquid fire attack at Hooge.

We next find that on the Army’s Casualty List issued by the war office on the 28th October 1915, Private Ernest Codling 3442, 4th Battalion, serving in France and Flanders was listed as “Wounded”. In our experience these lists could be as much as 4 weeks and in extreme cases 6 weeks behind real life and therefore the exact date of being wounded and the nature of this remains unknown for now.

During September the Battalion had been at Bellewarde just outside Ypres but during the first week of October they were moved to Busnettes, North-West of Bethune where they underwent training. On the 8th the officers were taken to Vermelles where they inspected the trenches and got a first look at the Hohenzollern Redoubt. The rest of the men would see a model of the Redout 2 days later as part of their training.

On the 13th October the Hohenzollern Redoubt was taken, the 4th Lincs in support of the 5th Lincs and 4th Leics but at great cost to the Battalion with 10 officers and 385 other ranks falling as casualties.

It is not known if it was this action where Ernest was wounded or if it was during the time in late September near Ypres.

After a man had recovered from his injuries, if bad enough he would be sent back for convalescence rather than his old Battalion until a time when he was classed as medically fit re-join a Battalion. In many cases the attrition rate and the rate of replacements was so great that it was most likely that they would be placed into a Battalion that was in most need of experienced men. This may be the trigger for Ernest being posted to the 5th Battalion Lincolnshire regiment (20047) or his later posting to the 6th Battalion (40635), in both cases we have no documentary proof of the dates.

There are similar 200xx regimental numbering ranges being used by men joining the Supernumery Companies of the 5th Lincs around September 1915 (reserve companies on home service), and so we suspect that Ernest Joined a company of the 5th Lincs when he was fit enough and this may have been at one of the base camps or back in England. It is possible that he was then posted to the 6th Battalion when he regained A1 fitness. This is a possibility based on other records for men around a similar time but without any documentary proof plus we have no further wounded lists that support a second injury or posting to the 6th battalion.

We do know that when he was killed, Ernest Codling was with the 6th Battalion and so we can only look at his movements during his last month. Unfortunately, the diaries for the 6th Battalion from this period are largely unreadable and so a ful transcription may take a long while and a lot of patience.

The following extract is from “The History of the 6th Service Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment” by Colonel F.G. Spring, and is the best source of information for this period (May 1917). For clarity the 6th Battalion were Part of the 33rd Infantry Brigade of the 11th Division, 2nd Army.  

“The maintenance of pressure on the Arras front, which kept the enemy constantly on the alert, enabled final preparations to be made for the opening of the Flanders offensive, which was to begin with the Battle of Messines.

The actual front selected for this operation extended between nine and ten miles from a point opposite St. Yves to Mount Sorrel. The objective of the attack was a group of hills known as the Messines-Wytschaete Ridge, which lies about midway between Armentières and Ypres. Messines itself is situated on the southern spur of the ridge which commands a wide view of the valley of the Lys and enfiladed the British lines to the south. North-west of Messines, Wytschaete, situated at the point of the salient and on the highest part of the ridge, commanded a view of almost the entire town of Ypres and all the old British positions in the Ypres Salient.

A special feature in the operations due to take place on the 7th of June was one original in warfare – the explosion of nineteen deep mines at the moment of assault. No such mining feat had ever before been attempted. In the construction of these mines, eight thousand yards of gallery had been driven and over one million pounds of explosives used.

Nine divisions were to take part in the actual assault, and three were in support, among which was the 11th Division who latter lay opposite Wytschaete, and in rear of the 16th Division at the centre of the attack.

Having left Albert (Somme) on the night of 17th/18th of May, the 6th Lincolns detrained at Caëstre and marched to Le Thieushouck where they were billeted. The first three days at Le Thieushouck were spent in interior economy and company training, although the training was greatly restricted by the highly cultivated state of the surrounding ground. On May 22nd the Division was informed that it was to take part in the coming operations, and two days later the Battalion marched to a training area situated on the frontier between France and Belgium, about six miles in rear of the Wytschaete sector. The following two weeks there were spent in training for the attack.

The 11th Division received orders to pass through the 16th Division when the latter had captured its objective. The role of the 33rd Brigade was to pass through and capture a trench system three miles east of Wytschaete.

At midday on the 6th of June orders were received to attack the following morning. Preparations were quickly made and at 11.30 p.m. the Lincolnshire marched to Butterfly Farm, two miles from the front line, to await final orders.

As dawn was breaking on the 7th, there was a sudden rumbling of the earth, huge flames shot up, clouds of smoke, dust and debris, a rocking of the ground – as the nineteen mines “went up.” Before one was able to regain one’s normal faculties, there was another deafening crash as the barrage roared out from a thousand guns. The 6th Lincolns had taken up a position among the “Heavies” and were almost stunned by the ear-splitting din of the monsters as they roared and poured a hail of big shells upon the wretched Germans.

The 6th Lincolns waited in suspense for the first results of the attack. The barrage still continued but at about 9 a.m., word was received that the 16th Division had taken their first two objectives and were pushing on to the third.

At about 11 a.m., orders were received to advance to the Vierstraat Switch, a trench running parallel to, and about a thousand yards behind, the British line.

At about midday the battalion reached its destination and the men had dinner, while Lieut.-Colonel Gater went to Brigade Headquarters for further orders.

Just after 2 p.m., he returned with the information that at 3 p.m., another barrage would fall under cover of which the battalion was to attack the third objective.

The forming-up place was to be two miles away on the further slope of the Wytschaete Ridge but the intervening ground was badly cut up by shell-holes, broken trenches and communication trenches full of troops and wounded men. The battalion, being scattered over a thousand yards of trench, had to be got together, and so as not to be late, Battalion Headquarters and ‘D’ Company started off and arrived at the forming-up line just as the barrage opened. The other companies had not yet come up, so Lieut.-Colonel Gater decided to push on with ‘D’ Company for fear of losing the barrage. ‘D’ Company shook out into artillery formation and advanced. Australian troops were on the right and portions of the 6th Border Regiment on the left, with the 7th South Staffords and 9th Sherwood Foresters in support and reserve respectively.

The enemy’s artillery opened fire as soon as our barrage fell but his barrage was weak and ill-directed, and many of his guns were effectively smothered by our fire. ‘D’ Company extended into line in two waves after passing through the first line of posts held by the 16th Division. Very little opposition was encountered: the enemy either ran or surrendered until the objective was nearly reached. Here the Germans attempted a counter-attack but with the assistance of tanks it was broken up, and by 5 p.m. the objective had been gained. Casualties during the attack had been extraordinarily light, ‘D’ Company losing only two or three men. The heaviest losses were in Battalion Headquarters: Lieutenant F.C. Thorn and Regimental-Sergeant-Major Smith and twenty Other Ranks being wounded.

The senior Company Commander, Captain Howis, brought up the remaining three companies with very few casualties. The appearance of these companies, comparatively fresh and intact, was of enormous value in consolidating the position. As dusk was falling the German guns began to shell the position heavily. Captain Sutherland was wounded in the face, and a platoon of ‘C’ Company, holding a strong point, was entirely wiped out (with the exception of and Lieutenant Read, who was badly wounded).

Early next morning on the 8th, another counter-attack developed which at one time looked serious until A Company, with Lewis gun and rifle-fire, succeeded in breaking it up. Second Lieutenant Rowlands was wounded and ‘A’ Company had altogether about a dozen casualties. One N.C.O. – Sergeant Biggadike – was conspicuous for his bravery; he died very gallantly, successfully maintaining his post which the enemy attempted to rush.

Lieut.-Colonel G.H. Gater was wounded in the face when leading ‘D’ Company to the attack but with great self-sacrifice remained at duty until his battalion went out of the line.

There was another counter-attack on the evening of the 9th, accompanied by heavy shell-fire, during which, to everyone’s regret, the Battalion Medical Officer, Captain Frere, was killed, and many other casualties were suffered.

On the night of the 10th/11th of June, the 6th Lincolns were relieved by the 34th Brigade and moved back to camp near Kemmel. The total casualties of the Battalion during the Battle of Messines 1917 were six officers and one hundred and sixty Other Ranks.

The Battalion remained in camp until the 18th of June, engaged in salvage work, and then began to march back in easy stages to Ganspette”.

Ernest Codling was killed in action on the 8th June whilst taking part in the planned offensive described above.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
In memory of Private E Codling, 40635, 6th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment who died on 8 June 1917
Remembered with honour, Messines Ridge British Cemetery.

Ernest is buried in Messines Ridge cemetery no more than 4 miles from Lindenhoek Chalet where his brother Albert is buried, having been killed on the 13th May 1915 in operations with the 4th Battalion.

Ernest’s photograph courtesy of Jonathan Smith

Remembrance – John Anthony Nowers

by | Jun 8, 2020 | Remembrance

Today we remember John Anthony Nowers, of the 26th Battalion Royal Fusiliers, who died this day June 7th 1917 and commemorated on the Billingborough War Memorial. #OTD

John Nowers was born on 6th May 1889 in Market Harborough, Leicestershire to Ernest Henry Trevor Nowers, an assistant bank manager born in Teyham, Kent and his wife Minnie Elizabeth Terry, born in Lydd, Kent, who were married in 1888 in Romney Marsh.

The couple first moved to Market Harborough, Leicestershire and then by 1891 into Northampton before settling in Empringham Road Stamford by 1901 expanding their family to 4 children.

John Anthony Nowers, 1889, Market Harborough
William Arthur Nowers, 1890, Northampton
Dorothy Mary Nowers, 1893, Northampton
Geoffrey Pickering Nowers, 1904, Northampton

John was educated at Stamford Grammar School.
By 1911 the family had moved again and now were living in Tinwell House, Tinwell, near Stamford. John Anthony Nowers is now working as a bank clerk for Messrs Barclays Bank and his father is working as an assistant bank manager.

Ernest Knowers is also reported as the Reverend Ernest henry Trevor Nowers on some documents, although we have not personally researched this.

John enlisted in Lincoln on 6th September 1915 and joined the 26th battalion Royal Fusiliers (London Regiment).
After training John was finally posted with his battalion to France on 6th May 1916 to serve with the Expeditionary Force.

The following shows John’s movements through a potted history of the his time with the battalion and excerpts from the Battalion diary. These show his first month abroad leading up to the Battalion’s first action; The battle at Fleurs in which John witnessed the first use of tanks in a battle and he received a recommendation; and movements in the month leading up to his death.

4th may 1916 – Aldershot
3am – Battalion entrained (Three separate parties) from Farnborough for Southampton. Embarked on SS Mona-Queen and arrived at Harvre 5/5/16. Transports came over on S.S. Bellerophon.

5th May 1916 – Harvre
7.30am – Battalion marched to No1 Rest Camp, Harvre and rested.

6th May 1916 – Harvre
7.30am – Battalion entrained in two parties at the Gare des Marchandises, Harvre at Point 1 & 3

7th May 1917 – Steenbecque
9am – Detrained at Steenbecque and marched to Staple and were billeted in the vicinity.

8th may 1917 – Staple
Battalion rested at Staple

9th may 1917 – Staple
Battalion marches from Staple to new billets in the vicinity of Outtersteene

10th may 1917 – Outtersteene
7am – 1st Party of Officers and men proceeded to trenches for instruction and were attached to 5th Camerons

23rd May 1916 – Outtersteene
7am – Party of Officers and 1 section of NCOs and men per platoon of A & B Companies proceeded to trenches for instruction and were attached to the 5th Cameron Highlanders.

25th May 1916 – Outtersteene
7am – Party of Officers and 1 section of NCOs and men per platoon of C & D Companies proceeded to trenches for instruction and were attached to 5th Cameron Highlanders.

30th May 1916 – Outtersteene
5.30pm – Battalion marched from Outtersteene to new billets at The Piggerieswhere they arrived on the morning of the 31st instant, after spending the night at La Creche.

1st June 1916 – The Piggeries
In Brigade reserve at the Piggeries Ploegsteert. The day was quiet and there is nothing to record. We suffered our first casualties on active service having 2 men killed and 10 wounded on working parties.

2nd June to 4th June 1916 – The Piggeries
Remained in reserve at the Piggeries. Things were generally quiet and there is nothing to report. One of the wounded men reported above died in hospital at Bailleul.

5th June 1916 – In The Line
6am – The Battalion for the first time occupied the trenches relieving the 18th King’s Royal Rifle Corps in the line and taking over Tp 124 125 126 127. The day was very quiet. There was a little artillery on enemy’s part and enemy snipers were troublesome. There was a good deal of movement in rear and men were putting up wires along Messines Gappard Road.

June – September 1916
This was the first action seen by the new Battalion and they remained in the Ploegsteert area until the 23rd of August 1916 when they entrained at Bailleul for Pont Remys on the Somme, a journey that took 10 hours. Once there they were marched to their billets at Vauchelles de Quesnoy near Abbeville. They remained here in training until the 7th September when they entrained for Mericourt. The next few days saw the Battalion move to Becordel, close to the trenches at Fricourt.

14th September 1916 – Near Fricourt (Battle of Fleurs)
5.15pm – At this hour the Battalion left the camp at Becordel and marched up to the line. The journey was very tiring owing to continual stoppages on the road on account of heavy traffic. At about 9pm we arrived at the brigade dump, east of Montauban where after having received stores, ammunition etc we proceeded via Flare Lane up to our part of the assembly in front of Delville Wood, the Companies taking up their positions for the attack which was timed to commence at 6.20am. The Battalion arrived and took up their positions about 10 minutes only before the attack commenced. They had been on the march from 5.15pm the previous evening and went into attack on the morning of the 15th without a rest or sleep.

15th September 1916
6.20am – The order of battle of our own Brigade (The 124th Infantry Brigade) was as follows, Front line 21st Kings Royal Rifle Corps and 10th Queens West Surrey Regiment. The 26th battalion Royal Fusiliers were in support of the 21st KRRC and the 32nd Royal Fusiliers in support of the 10th Queens. Map Reference, French Map. France. Sheet 57c S.W. Edition 3A.
6.20am – The 21st K.R.R.C were in position for attack on Switch Trench supported by 26th R.F. (Two Companies in Edge Trench and two Companies in Green Trench). Attack commenced at 6.20am.
6.30am – The Battalion were within 80 yards of the 1st objective (Switch Trench) and found that 1st waves were advancing through our own barrage in a half right direction, the left flank being about 300 yards East of Fleurs village. The position of our left flank should have been on Fleurs Road. A halt was ordered and the mistake was as far as possible rectified.
6.50am – The left sector of 1st Objective was taken with very little opposition. Our barrage advanced and infantry followed and took up position in front of 2nd objective – Fleurs Trench. At this point men from various Battalions struggled back through our barrage on the right – 2nd Lieut Gauthern (26th R.F) did excellent work in bringing men out of the barrage at great personal risk.
7.45am – Our barrage lifted from 2nd objective and the infantry moved forward and took the trench. Casualties were suffered here from hostile rifle and machine gun fire. A number of prisoners were taken. Our D Company took something like 150 prisoners. The 2nd objective Fleurs Trench had been severely damaged by our artillery fire.
The infantry remained in this trench until the 122nd Infantry Brigade on our left commenced to clear the village of Fleurs. In the attack on the first objectives the infantry was assisted by Tanks of the Heavy Machine Gun Company but by the time the 2nd Objective was taken there was only 1 tank in our sector which had not been put out of action. This tank was sent forward along the right of the Fleurs village to assist the 122nd Brigade and to cover their right flank. A small party under 2nd Lieut Wood followed the tank to keep in touch with the troops clearing the village. The battalion was reorganised as our barrage moved forward and advanced in two waves.
10.15am – The tank moved forward in front of our waves to the 3rd objective – Hogs Head and Flea Trench. Our first wave was advancing, but when about 200 yards from the Hogshead Lt Col Oakley, of the 10th Queens ordered a withdrawal to Fleurs Trench, the reason being that the troops that had taken the village of Fleurs had lost all their officers and had retired. We proceeded to consolidate Fleurs trench.
3pm – An advance was ordered and under heavy machine gun and rifle fire they occupied the line of the 3rd objective. Shortly afterwards the line again moved forward on the signal of Lieut Colonel, the Earl of Faversham, commanding the 21st K.R.R.C. We advanced toward Gird Trench under heavy and increasing fire, but at a point about 150 yards away from our objective, when our left flank was held up by a part of the enemy who had advanced in front of their trench and lay concealed in a corn field.
5pm – An order was passed down to retire. We could not find out where this order originated and movement backwards was as far as possible prevented but men on our right flank commenced to double back and the right flank was quickly broken. The enemy immediately opened heavy artillery fire along the whole front and we were forced to withdraw to an old trench, situated about N32.a.1.5 which we found occupied by 20 or 30 men and 2 Vickers guns. We could not find anybody on either flank with whom to get into touch and therefore the men were ordered to “Stand to” until dusk. At dusk we retired to a new line which was being consolidated between the 2nd and 3rd objectives. We remained here and proceeded with consolidation.
11pm – The Brigade was relieved by the 123rd Brigade and proceeded into the support line, with the exception of a section under captain Etchells, which was in front of the line and was unable to reach the remainder of the Battalion.

16th September 1916
The Battalion remained in the support line and were subject to heavy artillery fire throughout the whole day. We were not called upon during the day by the Brigade in front. Captain Etchells and his Company were relieved on Saturday evening and in view of the heavy fighting they had done they were ordered to remain at the Brigade Dump during Saturday night and on Sunday Morning they were ordered to proceed back to the transport lines. The rest of the Battalion remained in support during Sunday and although subject to heavy artillery fire suffered no casualties.

18th September 1916
During the early hours of the morning we were relieved by the North Lancashire Regiment and the Battalion proceeded back to the transport lines and after a march and rest returned to camp at E9.
Our casualties during the action were as follows:- Officers, Lieutentants M.J. Shaw, A.S. Wright (Killed): Lieutenants G.M. Starelock, G.K.S.???wood (Died of wounds): Lieutenants Sir W.A. Blount, Bart and Y.K. Patterson, R.LW Francis and C.T. Wells (Wounded). Other ranks 33 (Killed), 58 (Missing) and 140 Wounded.
Prisoners taken by the Battalion – 2 Officers, 158 Other ranks.

As part of the above described Battle of Fleurs, John Nowers in the afternoon and evening of the 15th, remained alone with two badly wounded officers and afterwards insisted in carrying them back, for which he received a Gallantry card and was recommended for the D.C.M.

The Battalion stayed in the Somme area and on the 16th October they were moved behind the lines to Airaines receiving reinforcements and continuing training. Two days later they were moved to Belgium to camps on the south west of Ypres.

The Battalion spent the rest of the year in and out of trenches around the Ypres and Kemmel areas.

On the 4th January 1917 John Nowers of A Company 26th (Bankers) Battalion Royal Fusiliers was admitted into the 139th Field Ambulance with an abscess on his left wrist. Two days later on the 6th January we was transferred to the 41st Divisional Rest Station.

The cycle of front line and training continued into 1917 and by April the Battalion can be found in trenches around St Eloi, south of Ypres before moving back to the training area in May.

1st June 1917 – Arnecke
After spending the night in billets at Arnecke the Battalion entrained at Arnecke station at 9:05am and detrained at Poperinghe station about 11:25am and proceeded to the camp at Micmac North taking over from 20th battalion Durham Light Infantry.

2nd – 5th June 1917 – Micmac Camp North
There is nothing of importance to record during this period. The Battalion furnished a large number of working parties for the front line system of trenches preparing for the offensive operations. Casualties 1 other rank killed.

5th June 1917 – Micmac Camp (east)
6am – At this hour in accordance with March Table, Battalion Headquarters B and D Companies moved from Micmac Camp East up into the trenches. B Company occupied front line trenches O.2.5 O.2.6 and O.2.7 with two platoons and had two platoons in the support line within the same limits. D Company occupied the reserve line, crater Lane to Bus House Road (Exclusive) and Vormezelle sector from junction with Middlesex Lane to Vormezelle St Eloi Road.
Battalion headquarters were in dug outs in Convent Lane. The remaining two Companies moved from Micmac Camp East to Micmac Camp South.
The day passed uneventfully in the line. There was heavy artillery fire on both sides, but there is nothing of importance to record. Patrols were sent out by B company at night. They found the enemy were thoroughly cut and no obstacle. Owing to a bright moon one of the patrols which got almost up to the enemy parapet was bombed and the officer was slightly wounded.
11pm – At this hour A & C companies left Micmac Camp East and proceeded to occupy GHQ 2nd line which they did at 1:30am on the 6th June in accordance with March table.

6th June 1917 – in the line
The whole battalion was disposed in the line in accordance with march table. The artillery duel continued throughout the day otherwise there is nothing of importance to record.
Orders for moving into assembly positions were issued and no indication as to zero hour was received.

7th June 1917 – in the line
The day of the attack on the 2nd Army front from Observatory Wood to St Yves.
According to orders issued the Battalion was supposed to be in its assembly positions 2 hours before zero, 1:10am, but owing to considerable traffic in the communications trenches and on account of the traffic it was not until
2:35am that the Battalion was finally ready and the Companies all out in their groups of waves between our own trench and the support line. Although a bit tired the men were in splendid spirits. They had been trained up to the minute. Every officer and man knew exactly what was the objective was and were ready to gain it. After 6 long weary winter months of waiting in the St Eloi Sector, overlooked by the enemy, every movement and turn observed, all ranks were assembled with one thought – To get the Bosche out of it –
All had complete confidence in our supporting artillery.
2:50am – At this hour the enemy having spotted the Battalions assembling in No Man’s Land began to send up the “stand to” signal (A rocket, bursting into golden red stars) and his artillery opened a barrage. Luckily however his artillery barrage was weak and it did not disorganise or worry the assembled men.
3:10am – Promptly to the second our artillery opened and our line of waves was went forward. About 5 seconds after zero the St Eloi mine went up with a huge blaze and a rocking of the ground. This seemed to startle the men for they seemed to turn left handed. Fortunately, this check was only momentary and the men soon settled down and were over the top and following the 32nd Royal Fusiliers who were in front in good order. The enemy defence barrage came down on No Man’s Land about 4 minutes after zero but it only caught our rear wave and caused little damage. The attack went off exactly as per schedule. The 32nd Royal Fusiliers took the enemy front trenches and at zero plus 35 minutes this Battalion were ready to advance on their objective Dammstrasse. This consisted of a sunken road which was strongly fortified and which was supposed to be a bit of a stumbling block. The ground had been thoroughly prepared by our artillery who maintained a heavy pounding barrage on the objective. The cooperation between the infantry and the artillery was excellent. The advance behind the creeping barrage was orderly and the men kept their distance and direction admirably.
4.11am – Prompt to time the barrage lifted off the Dammstrasse and our men rushed in and captured it with very little resistance and before large numbers of the enemy who had been sheltering in strong concrete dug outs were able to come out and fight. A large number of prisoners estimated between 300 and 400 were taken by the Battalion. Those of the enemy who did not choose to evacuate their strongholds were bombed out of it. The enemy, with the exception of one machine gun crew who was soon knocked out, showed no inclination to fight. He was beaten and demoralised by the intensity of our artillery fire and the suddenness of the attack.
According to orders a line was immediately dug about 50 to 100 yards in front of the Dammstrasse (Blue Line) as close up to our protection barrage as possible and the work of consolidation was carried on with all possible speed. Enemy artillery fire was ineffective.
According to plan the 3 remaining Battalions of the Brigade came up behind us and formed up ready to advance on to the Black Line which they did. All objectives to this Brigade were taken to the scheduled time and were held.
3pm – Exactly 12 hours after zero at 3.10pm the 24th Durhams who had come up across the ground in a magnificent way and went through and carried on the advance and by about 5pm news was received that all objectives had been taken. Meanwhile large numbers of prisoners kept streaming back.
Casualties:
Officers, Wounded 5
Other Ranks, Killed 25, Wounded 161, missing 7.

8th June 1917 – In the Line
2am – At about this hour orders were received for the relief of the Battalion by the 23rd Middlesex Regiment and
the 20th Durham Light Infantry. This was carried out and completed by 3:30am and the Battalion was withdrawn to G.H.Q 2nd Line near Ridge Wood.
During the day the Divisional Commander inspected the men and heartily congratulated them on their splendid achievement.
7:30pm – The Battalion moved from GHQ 2nd Line to bivouacs in Elzenhalle where they spent the night. There is nothing important to record.

During the attack of the 7th June as part of the Battle for Messines Ridge, Acting Corporal John Anthony Nowers was wounded in the feet and whilst awaiting his turn for help was killed by a shell burst.

Grantham Journal Saturday 30 June 1916
BILLINGBOROUGH
KILLED IN ACTION – Mrs Nowers of the Old Hall, received an official notification of Sunday that her son, Corporal J. A. Nowers (Royal Fusiliers) was killed in action on June 7th. The deepest sympathy is extended to the family.

UK De Ruvigny”s Roll of Honour 1914 – 1919
NOWERS, JOHN ANTHONY, Corpl, No. 19415, 26th (Service) Battn. The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regt). eldest s. of the late Ernest Henry Trevor Nowers of Stamford, co. Lincoln, by his wife Minnie Elizabeth, daughter. of Matthew Terry of Lydd, co. Kent; b Market Harborough , co. Leicester, 6 May 1889; educ. Stamford Grammar School; was employed by Messrs. Barclay & co., Bankers; enlisted 6 Sept 1915; served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from 6 May 1916; took park in the Battle of Fleurs 15 Sept., on which afternoon and evening he remained alone with two badly wounded officers and for which he received a Gallantry card and was recommended for the D.C.M.; took park in the operations of Messines, where he was killed in action 7 June 1917; was wounded in the feet and awaiting his turn for help when he was killed by a shell. Buried initially at St Eloi in an unmarked grave, John was later reburied in Voormezeele after the Armistice.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
In memory of Corporal John Anthony Nowers, 19425, 26th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers who died on 7 June 1917 Age 28
Son of the late Mr E. H. R. Nowers and of Mrs M. E. Nowers of The Gables, Stamford Remembered with honour, Voormezeele Enclosure No 3

John is also remembered on the memorials of Billingborough, Stamford St Mary’s, Tinwell and Stamford Grammar School.

https://www.southlincolnshirewarmemorials.org.uk/…/john-an…/

Remembrance – Ernest Wyles

by | May 27, 2020 | Remembrance

Today we remember Bourne man Ernest Wyles who was killed in action on the 27th May 1918 serving with the 25th Machine Gun Corps.

Ernest was born in 1890 in Market Deeping to Edward Wyles a gamekeeper born in Market Deeping in 1848 and his wife Emily Bellairs born in Market Deeping in 1849.

The couple were married in Market Deeping on the 8th January 1866 and stayed in Market deeping all their lives having 15 children there. They declared that one child had died before 1911 when they filled out the census.

  • Arthur Wyles, 1866, Market Deeping
  • Edward Wyles, 1867, Market Deeping
  • John William Wyles, 1868, Market Deeping
  • Walter Wyles, 1870, Market Deeping
  • Annie Wyles, 1872, Market Deeping
  • Frederick Wyles, 1875, Market Deeping
  • Emily Wyles, 1878, Market Deeping
  • Albert Wyles, 1880, Market Deeping
  • Levinia Wyles, 1882, Market Deeping
  • George Wyles, 1884, Market Deeping
  • Walter Wyles, 1885, Market Deeping
  • Harvey Wyles, 1887, Market Deeping
  • Percy Charles Wyles, 1888, Market Deeping
  • Ernest Wyles, 1890, Market Deeping

In 1891 Ernest is living with his parents in Towngate, Market Deeping, Edward employed as a Gamekeeper.  Ten years later in 1901 nothing much had changed, they were still in Towngate, and Edward was employed as a gamekeeper although by now only Percy, an agricultural labourer and Ernest, a scholar, were still living at home.

By 1911 They had moved to Uffington with both Percy and Ernest still living at home. Now though Edward is working as a County Council Roadman, Percy is working as a Brewer’s Drayman and Ernest, now 21, worked as a carter in a brickyards.

Ernest was married in 1915 to Ivy Ophelia Parker, a dressmaker, who was living in Eastgate Bourne. She was born in Bourne on the 6th October 1894, the Daughter of George Henry Parker and Mary Jane Philips.

In 1919 Ivy was living at 10 Clarence Terrace, Austerby, Bourne according to Army Pension Records, other records show that she also lived at The Mason’s Arms on South Street in Bourne after this.

Around July 1916 Ernest enlisted in the army. Conscription had come in in January 1916 for all single men of age 18 to 40 to serve their country. This had changed in  May 1916 to include Married men thus making Ernest eligible for conscription.

Ernest’s service records, like 60% of all WW1 soldiers were subject to a fire in the storage warehouse in London during the Blitz. That leaves us trying to piece together his story of the war from various remaining records and therefore exact dates are largely not known.

Ernest on enlistment and training had been posted to the 7th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment with a regimental number of 25075. After training he would have joined his Battalion in France. They had been out in Gallipoli in 1915 followed by Egypt defending the Suez Canal before being posted to France in July 1916.

We would expect Ernest to join his regiment around November of 1916. As we do not know the exact date we cannot really tell when and where he fought.

The Battalion had been involved in the Battle of Thiepval Ridge at the end of September and then had been moved into the Ancre sector of the Somme by January 1917.

1917 had the Battalion in the Somme initially and then moved out to Belgium in readiness for the battle of Messines Ridge.

On the war office daily list of the 27th August 1917 Private Ernest Wyles 25075 of the South Staffordshire Regiment was listed as wounded. These lists could be 4 to 6 weeks behind the actual dates and therefor there is no actual date or location that he was wounded in the records. At the end of July and the beginning of August the Battalion were in trenches around Hulluch, to the North of Loos.

After leaving the trenches around Merthyr Sap and Bacon Sap on 6th August the Battalion went into Divisional Reserve for one week of training. During August the Battalion lost few men as casualties and the Diary even lists any Privates that were wounded and so we have to assume that as Ernest was not mentioned he was wounded during their last tour in the trenches around Essex Trench at the end of July.

Ernest Wyles was posted to the Machine Gun Corps, the date cannot be seen from any records but in many cases once a wounded soldier had convalesced and then was posted medically fit for action they would be posted to a battalion that was in need of replacements.

We are not sure of the details of his wound, convalescent period, if he re-joined the South Staffs or when he was posted to the Machine Gun Corp, then we have to look at the Diaries for the Machine Gun Corps in Ernest’s last days in May 1918 and their action around the 27th Just south of The Aisne.

9th May 1918 – Herzeele
Battalion entrained at Heidebeke for move to IX Corps (6th French spring? Area), HQ and A+B Companies left at 7.45pm, C+D Companies at 10.45pm. At 10.40pm just prior to the departure o the train, enemy aeroplane dropped 6 small bombs on the metals close to the train. No damage was done. 

10th May 1918
On Train

11th May 1918 – Fismes
Arrived Fismes in the morning. Marched to Cohan to billets. 

12th May 1918 – Cohan
Cleaning up. Services held in the morning. Weather fine and hot. 

13th May 1918 to 22nd May 1918
Training – Training programme was attached to the diary (Appendix no 4). Hot and sunny weather.
52 other ranks reported for duty on 20th May.

23rd May 1918 – Hourges
Lt Col W.T.Raikes to Paris for 4 days leave. Battalion marched to billets at Hourges. 

24th to 26th May
Training – Training program was attached to the diary (Appendix no 5).

27th  to 31st May 1918
Operations, see attached story. 

“Story of operations from May 27th 1918 to June 1st 1918, 25th battalion Machine Gun Corps.

On the night of the 26th of May 1918 the battalion was ordered to proceed to the forward area from billets in Hourges. Companies as under were allotted to brigades and proceeded from camp independently to the following areas:-

A company under Major S.L.Courtauld M.C. to 7 Brigade Guyencourt (Right)
B Company under Major D Campbell to 74th Brigade, Muscourt (Left)
C Company under Capt T.C.B. Udall to 75th Brigade, Ventelay (Centre)
D Company under Major G McCree to reserve in Romain 

The companies arrived after the preliminary bombardment had commenced and the 3 first arrived reconnoitred positions in their respective areas, the 2nd positions (Line of the Maizy Cormicy Road).

The enemy was engaged at about 8.30am by Bouffinereux-Roucy-Concevreux + Maizy. 4 Guns of B company under 2nd Lieutenant W.L. Johnstone did great execution at the bridges at this later place, but were forced to give way and fall back on Muscourt about noon.

Two sections of the Reserve Company were ordered to reinforce 75 and 74 Brigades respectively, and later the remaining two sections were sent to the 74 Brigade where situation on the left flank appeared to be serious.

In the late afternoon of 27th a strong enemy attack was completely wiped out at point blank range on the Muscourt – Romain road by the concentrated fire of 7 machine guns. On the night however the enemy working well through the woods E & W of Guyencourt cut off or destroyed by close range sniping a number of A + C Companies guns. Good work appears to have been done in the attacks, but owing to the infantry retirement, the guns were left entirely isolated and unsupported and the enemy were thus enabled to attack from all sides. Capt T.C.B. Udall who had made his HQ in Roucy, was surrounded and possibly a prisoner.

About midnight 27th the enemy were reported in Courlandon and Ventelay and it was considered unpracticable to hold the salient north of Romain. A retirement was therefore ordered to the high ground N of Montigny. In all 11 Guns were still working under orders of the Battalion H.Q, though it is kown that several others had attached themselves to infantry units in the neighbourhood of Bouvancourt.

By the end of the report on the 31st May the line had been pushed back daily and the Battalion reported the following casualties.

Killed, 5 officers and 10 other ranks
Wounded, 10 officers  and 120 other ranks
Missing, 5 officers and 108 other ranks. 

Private Ernest Wyles was reported to have died and was most likely one of the missing men killed in the action of the 27th May 1918 described in the Battalion diary.

On the 19th December Ivy Wyles was awarded Ernest’s pension and war gratuity and one year later his War Gratuity payment. Ernest’s medal card suggests that as of the 6th March 1923 his British War Medal and Victory Medal were still “Undisposed of” which meant never sent or claimed up to this date.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
In memory of Private Ernest Wyles, 136409, 25th Bn., Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) who died on 27 May 1918 Age 23. Husband of Ivy Opthelia Wyles, of 15, Mason Arms, South St., Bourne, Lincs. Remembered with honour, Soissons Memorial

Ernest is also remembered on the Roll of Honour in Bourn Abbey Church and listed on the Bourne War Memorial.

https://www.southlincolnshirewarmemorials.org.uk/our-villages/bourne/ernest-wyles/

 We will remember them

Remembrance – Bertie Kettle

by | May 26, 2020 | Remembrance

This week we remember Bourne man Private Bertie Kettle who died in Leicester Royal Infirmary on 26th May 1919 of Septic Pneumonia. He was a recently ex serviceman who had been serving with the 11th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment.

Bertie Kettle was born between January and March 1894 in Bourne to John Kettle a Fellmonger’s Labourer born in Morton Lincolnshire in 1855 and his wife Elizabeth Holmes, born in 1863 also in Morton.

John was first marred to Rachel Pocock in 1974 and they had lived in Eastgate Bourne but unfortunately Rachel died in 1883 leaving the widow John with four children to bring up.
John and Elizabeth were married in 1884 and this was registered in the Sleaford District. They lived in Bourne where all of their 9 children were born.

• John Robert Kettle, 1875, Bourne (Half brother)
• Emma Kettle, 1877, Gosberton (Half sister)
• Rose Alice Kettle, 1879, Bourne (Half sister)
• Jessie Kettle, 1881, Bourne (Half sister)
• Sarah Elizabeth Kettle, 1885, Bourne
• Mabel Kettle, 1887, Bourne
• John Kettle, 1888, Bourne
• Gertrude Kettle, 1890, Bourne
• Bertie Kettle, 1894, Bourne
• Florence Evelyn Kettle, 1896, Bourne
• Lily Kettle, 1897, Bourne
• Harry Sidney Kettle, 1900, Bourne
• Emily Kettle, 1902, Bourne

In 1901 Bertie was living with his parents in Victoria Place in Bourne. John was working as a fellmonger’s labourer (most likely working in the Tannery for T.W. Mays). Elizabeth and six of their children were in the four room house.
Moving on 10 years and the family are to be found on the 1911 census now in a five room house just around the corner in Eastgate. John is still working as a fellmonger and also now eldest son John and also Bertie are doing the same work., sister Gertie was working at a Pea factory. In 1911 the Eastgate area of Bourne was a hive of activity.

Bertie’s war records have not been found and you would have to assume, like 60% of the WW1 service records, were destroyed in a London warehouse fire in the Blitz.
Unfortunately this leaves us with trying to tell his story through other available records. The fact that he died in 1919 immediately means that records like Soldier’s Died in the Great War do not list Bertie.

On enlistment he was posted to the 11th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment and given the regimental number of 22575. The exact date of enlistment is unknown and as his medal rolls show that he never served with any other battalion, we can say that he would not have most likely joined around the end of October or the beginning of November 1915. This conclusion is made by comparing the enlistment dates of men of the Leicestershire Regiment that had a similar regimental number.

The 11th Battalion were a service battalion of the Leicestershire Regiment. The Battalion was Formed at Leicester in October 1915 by the Mayor and a local committee.
In March 1916 they landed in France and less than one month later, 1st April, came under orders of 6th Division as a Pioneer Battalion. A pioneer battalion could be involved in building or repairing bridges, roads and other similar projects but were a fighting infantry unit and although not normally in the first wave when the Army went over the top would sometimes be called upon to be in the following waves.

As Bertie was awarded the Victory Medal, this meant that he must have served in a theatre of war and so this would suggest that he was mobilised for war and served in France with the Battalion, again the exact dates are unknown. If Bertie had joined around November 1915, it would be most likely that he was one of the men that embarked for France with the 11th Battalion in March 1916. By March he would have a few months basic training before embarking.

The Battalion saw action in the war on the Somme at Fleurs-Courcelette at what was the first use of Tanks in action by the British Army.
In 1917 the 11th Leicesters were in action at Hill 70 in Lens during April and then in November at the Battle of Cambrai and Bourlon Wood.
1918 had them starting on the Somme during March at St Quentin and then in the Lys sector around Bailleul and Kemmel holding off the German Spring offensive. For the 100 days offensive they served in September in St Quentin followed by Cambrai and finally the Battle of the Selle on the 20th October.
They ended the war in divisional reserve at Bohain-en-Vermandois on the 11th November.

After the armistice the Battalion were involved in the march to the Rhine and the occupation of the Rhineland. They had Christmas dinner 1918 on the Rhine and shortly afterwards in 1919 they received orders that in March 1919 the 6th Division will cease to exist. Divisional units such as the Pioneers were posted into the new Midland Division.
Records of other 11th Battalion men would indicate that some of the men and quite possibly Bertie were demobilised in April 1918 at Catterick.

How much of this Battalion’s story is shared with Bertie is unknown. There are no wounded records, mentions in the Times’ Casualty Lists or Silver War Badge records to suggest that his war ended any earlier than March 1919.

Bertie was living with his sister, Rose Neale, at 9 Scott Street, Leicester and was unemployed in May 1919 when he was taken ill and admitted to Leicester Royal Infirmary. He was diagnosed with Quinsy (abscess near the tonsils) which 5 days later developed into Septicaemia and then after another 2 days he died of Septic Pneumonia, aged 25 years.

Bertie’s death certificate states that he was unemployed and an ex soldier with the 11th Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment.

Bertie Kettle is buried in Welford Road Cemetery in Leicester and is commemorated on the War Memorial in Bourne, Lincolnshire and also on he memorial in St Michael’s Church, Scott Street, Leicester.

Remembrance – Albert Codling

by | May 13, 2020 | Remembrance

Today we remember Bourne and Lincoln man, Lance-Corporal Albert Codling, who was killed in action on 13th May 1915 serving with the 1/4th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment.

Albert Codling was born on 15th December 1892 at 51 King Street Lincoln to John Codling, a railway porter from Lincoln and his wife Mary Elizabeth Cobb.

John and Mary were married in Lincoln in 1892 having 8 children born there:-
-Albert Codling, 1893, Lincoln
-Gertrude Mary Codling, 1894, Lincoln
-Ernest Codling, 1896, Lincoln
-Frank Codling, 1899, Lincoln (Died 1901)
-Elsie Codling, 1901, Lincoln (Died 1904)
-Edith Codling, 1904, Lincoln (Died 1905)
-John William Codling, 1906, Lincoln
-Doris May Codling, 1910, Lincoln

In 1901 John, Mary and their three children were living at 37 Queen Street Lincoln. 10 years later the family had moved and were now living at 1 Naam Cottages, Grey Street, Lincoln, as found on the 1911 census. John is still working as a railway porter and now the 18 year old Albert is working in a cake mill making cattle cake.

Albert had a change of career and started to work for the Midland Railway as a drayman.

In May 1912 Albert enlisted in Lincoln with the Lincolnshire Regiment, given the regimental number 1608 and posted to the 4th Battalion, a territorial battalion.

Unfortunately Albert’s full service records are not to be found, most likely destroyed during the warehouse fire in London in the Blitz that destroyed 60% of all WW1 service records. The following story tracks Albert’s life in the army from other available sources. We have also added some background information about the 4th Battalion that covers the period between his enlistment and the Battalion embarking for France.

The following information is taken from the History of The Lincolnshire Regiment by C R Simpson.

“At the outbreak of war the Lincolnshire Regiment was made up of 5 Battalions. The 1st and 2nd were the regular battalions, the 3rd Battalion was a militia battalion and the 4th and 5th Battalions were the territorial battalions.
The 4th Battalion was based at the Drill Hall in Lincoln whilst the 5th was based in the north of the county.
On the 25th of July, 1914, the 4th battalion (Lieut.-Colonel J.W. Jessop) and 5th Battalion (Lieut.-Colonel T.E. Sandall) were assembled at Bridlington for their usual annual
“Territorial Battalion” training, but on the 2nd of August, received orders to return to their Headquarters on the 3rd. By the afternoon of the 4th both battalions had returned to their respective Headquarters and been dismissed with orders to hold themselves in readiness to assemble at their Drill Halls on receipt of the hourly expected orders to mobilise. These came during the evening. The 5th, the first day of mobilisation, was one of great excitement and activity. At that early period only five Territorial battalions had signed the General Service obligation “ to serve overseas if required in time of national danger,” but on the declaration of war it was not long before the majority of Territorial units throughout the country volunteered for service overseas whenever they were required.

The first duties which fell to the lot of the Lincolnshire Territorials were to guard Grimsby Docks and Harbour, to protect the electric power station, wireless station at Weelsby and the construction of defences at the mouth of the Humber.

On the 10th of August, both battalions reported mobilisation complete and the following day they entrained for Belper, the War Station of the Lincolnshire and Leicestershire Brigade. For the next few days training consisted chiefly of route marching with full equipment. On the 15th, however, a move was made to Luton, which for several months was the home of the North Midland Division, the Lincolnshire being billeted in the town.

On the 15th of September, 1914, the Government called on the Territorials to volunteer for foreign service, and practically all battalions throughout the country answered the call, though for various reasons not all ranks could undertake overseas obligations: Units of which not less than sixty per cent. volunteered were designated “General Service”, and were ordered to recruit up to establishment and twenty-five per cent beyond it. As soon as units had obtained a sufficiently high percentage of volunteers for service overseas, a second unit of similar strength was formed : the latter were termed “ Second Line ” units; Later, “ Third Line ” units were formed. The original Territorial battalions then became known as the First Line units. Thus the original 4th and 5th Lincolnshire territorial Battalions became the 1/4th and 1/5th Battalions.”

The 1/4th and 1/5th Lincolnshire were eventually posted to the 138th (Lincoln and Leicester) Brigade, 46th (North Midlands) Division, and went to France with that formation in February 1915.

Part of the Battalion arrived in Havre on the 1st March, the other half embarking embarked on the Duchess of Argyll on the 2nd March. By the 3rd March the 2nd half of Battalion had arrived and billeted at Shed No6 at Pondicherry.
The Battalion formed again and after entraining at Harve in the evening arrived at Arneke at 2.30pm on the 4th March and marched 4 miles into Zuytpeene, about 10 miles from the Belgian border. They stayed here until the 9th March when they moved to Strazeele and then on to Sailly-sur-la-Lys.

On the 12th and 13th the Battalion were ordered to Stand To both days for a 2 hour notice of movement due to operational orders but nothing prevailed and they stayed in Sailly until the 16th. Upon leaving Sailly they were moved to Le Kirlem where they were trained in the attack and defence of trenches until the 26th both as brigade and also divisional training.
Finally after 26 days abroad the Battalion were moved to billets at the Brewery in Ploegsteert on the 27th march.

They were now attached to the Somerset Light Infantry for instruction in trench duties and 280 men of all ranks were employed during the day working for the Royal Engineers and another 80 men of ll ranks at night. One company in turn was placed in the trenches for 24 hours. This routine went on until the last day of the month with similar number of men assigned to digging by day (220), other duties by night (80) and with anywhere between one platoon and one company spending a day in the trenches.

It was Back to Le Kirlam for their four days away from the trenches and then on to Bailleul where officers joined the 5th Leicesters in the trenches. It would be another three days, 9th April, before the full Battalion was once again required for front line duty. Now based in Dranoutre they Battalion experienced their first full tour in the trenches and after 3 quiet days were subject to enemy shelling on the 13th April. The enemy shelled Frenchmens and Pond Farms and the Battalion reported their first casualties, Lieut Staniland and 3 privates killed and 6 wounded at Pond Farm. Later that night they were relieved by the 5th Leicesters and went back to billets 3/4 mile north of Dranoutre.

Their next tour started on the 18th when after a delay of one day, when they were ordered to stand to because of operations against hill 60, it was back to the same trenches with companies taking over Cookers, Cobb and packhorse Farms. This tour ended on the night of the 22nd but this time instead of returning to billets they were stood to at Lindenhoek waiting until he next day as 14 officers and 400 men of the Royal Irish Rifles were in their Billets. This last tour was deemed by the Battalion Adjutant as fairly quiet with only the loss of Lt W.B. Hirst despite being shelled by H.E. on their last day in the trench. They moved onto their billets the next day (24th April) and immediately C Company were on fatigue laying cable between Regentst and Picadillly. After only one day in the Billets the Battalion was back in the trenches until the month end. The Battalion Diary once again notes it as a quiet time with one visit in their trenches by the Officer Commanding North Midlands Division (46th Div).

For May and Albert’s last days we refer to the Battalion Diaries to tell the story.

May 1st 1915
Battalion in Huts at Locre. Interior Economy.

May 2nd 1915
In huts at Locre. A+D Companies on digging fatigue all night

May 3rd 1915
In huts at Locre. Interior Economy

May 4th 1915
Battalion relieved 5th Leicesters in evening. Relief completed 11:30pm

May 5th 1915
In the trenches. Bn HQ Cob Farm. Quiet Day

May 6th 1915
In the trenches. Quiet Day. Weather Hot

May 7th 1915
In the trenches. All night whole of front was wired completed 2:45am

May 8th 1915
In the trenches. Quiet day. Fire at R.E. Farm
Relieved by 5th Leicesters at midnight.

May 9th 1915
In huts at Locre. Lt Hall and Lt Fox reported from 2/4th Lincs Regt
Church Parade at 6pm

May 10th 1915
Left Locre at 7.45pm and relieved 5th Bn Sherwood Foresters at Lindenhoek at midnight. Bn HQ Lindenhoek Chalet.
Trenches occupied as follows F4 F6 – C Coy, F5-A Coy, G1,2+6 D Coy, S.P3-A Coy. In reserve-D Coy.

May 11th 1915
In the trenches. Quiet day.

May 12th 1915
In the trenches. Quiet day.

May 13th 1915
In the trenches. Enemy shelled our front line during afternoon + early evening. At 7pm they fired trench mortars (7) against G1+2 salient. They then directed machine gun fire at the breach made in the trench + shelled remainder of line. Under cover of this they sent across a party estimated at 20 men with bombs + explosive cylinders, 4 of which were afterwards found at the bottom of mine. The Battalion stood to all night + 5th Leicesters reinforced us with 1 Coy. 1 German (9th Bavarian Regiment) was left dead in G1. Nothing further took place.

The Battalion stayed in the trenches until the 16th when they were relieved by the 5th Leicesters.
On the 17th the Battalion diary notes that whilst they were in huts at Locre they observed a Zeppelin heading S.E at 5am and commented that it was most likely the one that dropped bombs on Ramsgate.

Lance Corporal Albert Codling was killed in action on the 13th May 1915 as part of the action described in the Battalion Diary. He was buried in Lindenhoek Chalet Military Cemetery.

During the war years the family moved to Bourne and settled there. Whilst living at 3 Woodview Bourne the family received the sad new that Albert had been killed in May 1915 in the area around Ypres.

The Soldier’s Died in the Great War shows that Albert Codling died on the 16th October 1915 but that this date was amended in pen over the typing in the original ledger.

The Imperial War Graves report into Lindenhoek Chalet Military Cemetery shows that a cross was originally placed on the grave Plot 1 Row C Grave 14 (ledger ref:1037/2A) and they noted the name as Private A Cooling on the typed ledger and this was engraved on the original headstone. The original typed date of death was 13th May 1915, although this was later crossed out with 16th October written in, once again to be changed back to 13th May 1915 later.
A note on this ledger changes Albert’s entry to Lance Corporal A Codling. A footnote to the page reads “Amendment received from Records and transmitted to DDW with request to have the headstone amended. See A/11/60. -2.3.58”

Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
In memory of Lance Corporal A Codling, 1608, 1st/4th Bn., Lincolnshire Regiment who died on 13 May 1915. Son of Mr. J. Codling, of 3, Wood View, Bourne, Lincs. Remembered with honour, Lindenhoek Chalet Military Cemetery.
Albert is also remembered on the Bourne War Memorial, the Lincoln War Memorial and also the Lincoln Railway war memorial.

Albert’s brother Ernest also enlisted on the 8th December 1914. Initially he served with the 4th and then 5th and 6th Lincolnshire Battalions. Ernest was posted abroad in 1916 and was killed in action serving with the 6th Battalion on 8th June 1917 on the Messines Ridge. He is buried at the Messines Ridge British Cemetery no more than 4 miles from his brother.

When the Lincoln war memorial questionnaire was sent out to ascertain the names of the fallen, this was filled in for both Albert and Ernest and returned by Gertrude Codling (their sister) of Turks Head Cottage, Cecil Street, Lincoln. The original returns are held at the Lincolnshire Archives.

Albert’s photograph © Jonathan Smith