British school registers and rolls of honor

[rflory]

Listed in List of Old Wellingburians Serving in H.M. Forces as Captain F E Knight, 7th Northants.

Not in the War List of the University of Cambridge 1914-1919 nor in the University of London O.T.C.: Roll of War Service 1914-1919.

Regards. Dick Flory

[Archer]

Dear Dick

Just a line to thank you most sincerely for looking up Father Gerald Henegan (St. Bede's) for me. As always I am most grateful to you for your kindness and generosity!

All the best from the Soccer World Cup host country!

William

[ASA1]

Thanks Dick. One more if I may...

PEIRS, Hugh Chevallier John - Lt Col 8th Btn The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regt), CMG, DSO+2 bars, MID six times. Died 10 June 1943

Attended Charterhouse and was in the Football XI, 1905.

Then New College, Oxford. Honours, Law Final, 1909, BA.

Many thanks,

ASA1

[lankypete]

Hello Dick,

Could you do me a couple of searches if possible?

The first would be on 2nd lt Julius Eduardo (Edward) Sierra, MC.

I understand that he was with the 174th Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery, was a 2nd Lieutentant in 1915, was wounded in France in 1916 and awarded the Military Cross, and then transferred to the RFC/RAF.

The second search would be on brothers 2nd lt Samuel S A Wade and CSM James W F Wade DCM both Lincolnshire Regiment and attended Hospital Boy's (Grammar) School, Great Yarmouth.

Hope you can help

Peter

[rflory]

ASA1 wrote:

PEIRS, Hugh Chevallier John - Lt Col 8th Btn The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regt), CMG, DSO+2 bars, MID six times. Died 10 June 1943

Lt. Col. Hugh John Chevallier Pears (Peirs)

Born on 1 Feb 86, the son of Hugh Vaughan Pears of Carshalton

Educated at Charterhouse School form 1900 t0 1905 and at New College, Oxford (BA, 1909)

Oxford University Football XI, 1909

Gazetted 2nd Lieut, 3rd Batt., The Queen's, 1908

Changed surname from Pears to Peirs in 1909

Admitted as a solicitor in November 1912

Before the war he was a Partner in Ellis, Piers and Co. (Solicitors) of 17 Albemarle Street, London West

Rejoined The Queens as a captain in Sept. 1914

Major, 1915

Temp Lt Col, 8th Batt, The Queens, 1918

Served in France and Belgium from 1915 to 1918

CMG (1919), DSO (3 Jun 16) with Two Bars (26 Sep 17; 16 Sep 18), five MiDs (two 1916, 1917, 1918, and 1919), three times wounded (August 1916, April 1918, October 1918)

In 1922 he married Eirene Helen Francis, elder daughter of John Barrington Chevallier of Aspall Hall, Suffolk

Sources: Charterhouse Register 1872-1931; Oxford University Roll of Service, 1920; Record of Service of Solicitors and Articled Clerks with His Majesty's Forces 1914-1919.

Regards, Dick Flory

[rflory]

lankypete wrote:

The first would be on 2nd lt Julius Eduardo (Edward) Sierra, MC.

Temp. 2nd Lieut. Julius Edward Sierra, MC, RFA/RAF

Temp. 2nd Lieut, RFA, 9 October 1915

Gazetted Military Cross, London Gazette, 25 August 1916: For conspicuous gallantry when cutting wire with trench mortars, two of which were in the open under heavy fire, one being eventually knocked out. He was twice wounded during the enemy's bombardment, but stuck to his command.

Mentioned in Despatches, London Gazette, 25 August 1916

Transferred to the RAF as a 2nd Lieut (Hon Lt), Technical Branch on 4 May 1918

Transferred to RAF Unemployed List on 3 April 1919

Sources: A Short History of the 39th (Deptford) Divisional Artillery 1915-1918; various Army Lists.

I have nothing on Hospital Boy's (Grammar) School, Great Yarmouth.

Regards, Dick Flory

[ASA1]

Hi Dick,

Once again thanks for your time.

Regards,

ASA1

[lankypete]

Hello Dick,

Many thanks for your prompt response.

Peter

[Stanley_C_Jenkins]

Thanks Dick and Stanley

Here, then, is the text that appears on the memorial at Witney Grammar School, followed by some notes on those who are listed.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

TO THE HONOURED MEMORY OF

THE OLD BOYS OF THIS SCHOOL

WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR

1914-1918

WILLIAM HEATHCOTE BLACKABY

HERBERT FRANK BOGGIS

FRANCIS BUCKINGHAM

HERBERT FLOREY

ERNEST JOSEPH FOWLER

ARCHIBALD GRANT

JAMES EDWARD LEWIS HINTON

SIDNEY MILES

WILLIAM HUGH MILLER

REGINALD MOORE

ROBERT CRAIG MURRAY NISBET

TOM POWELL

MATTHEW STRONG

ERNEST WILLIAM TARRANT

Dulce et decorum est

pro patria mori

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The first name on the list is believed to be an error for Richard Heathcote BLACKABY (b.1891), who was known by his middle name and is shown just as H. Blackaby in the school register. A Private in The Buffs, he died 18 Sept 1916 and is buried at Grove Town Cemetery, Meaulte.

Herbert Frank BOGGIS (known as Frank; b.1892), Lce-Cpl, 1/9th London Regiment (Queen Victoria's Rifles) died at Gommecourt, 1 July 1916. No known grave. His name appears on the Thiepval memorial.

Francis Edward BUCKINGHAM (b.1897), Lce-Cpl, 2nd/4th Oxon & Bucks Light Infantry, killed by a shell, 9 August 1917. No known grave; commemorated on the Thiepval memorial.

(George) Herbert FLOREY (bapt. 1893, Standlake), Pte, Grenadier Guards and Machine Gun Guards. Died of wounds, 6 September 1917. Buried at Dozinghem Military Cemetery.

Ernest Joseph FOWLER (bapt. 1897, Holy Trinity, Witney), Pte, 1st/4th Oxon & Bucks Light Inf; on the night of 8–9 August 1917, he was 'instantaneously killed by a German high explosive shell' and buried 'in a hastily arranged British cemetery on the battlefield', somewhere in France. His c/o hoped that 'in due time when we recover more ground from the enemy this cemetery will be attended to and proper crosses put up'. However, his grave is unknown, and his name is listed on the Menin Gate memorial.

Archibald GRANT (bapt 1889, Holy Trinity, Witney). An account of his military career notes that he was educated at the Wesleyan and Bluecoat schools in Witney; perhaps was one of the handful of boys transferred from the latter, upon its closure c.1901, to the Grammar School. Captain Archibald Grant, Essex Regiment, died 30 Nov 1917 at the Battle of Cambrai. No known grave; commemorated on the Cambrai memorial at Louverval.

James Edward Lewis HINTON (known as Lewis; b.1891), MM, Company Serjeant-Major, 5th Bn, Oxon & Bucks Light Inf., shot dead on 3 May 1917 aged 25, at Vis-en-Artois, while administering first aid to a comrade. Buried at L'Homme Mort British Cemetery, Ecoust-St Mein – probably one of those whose remains were reinterred there after the Armistice.

Sidney Edward Alfred MILES (born c.1896, Asthall), Pte, 1st/4th Bn Oxon & Bucks Light Inf, killed in action on 18 or 19 November 1916, aged 20. His name appears on the Thiepval memorial.

William Hugh MILLER (known as Hugh; bapt. 1891 Witney St Mary), Pte, 2nd/1st Bucks Bn, Oxon & Bucks Light Inf, died of pneumonia 14 July 1917, in hospital in Frevent, France; buried at St Hilaire Cemetery, Frevent.

Frederick G.R. MOORE (known as Reg; born c.1895, Dublin), served in the Royal Engineers and Gloucestershire Regiment. Invalided home; died at Ducklington, October 1917 'after a long and painful illness'. Buried at Witney public cemetery (not in a war grave?). Not listed in the CWGC database.

Robert Craig Murray NISBET (known as Murray; born in Midlothian c.1898), Pte, 7th (Queen's Own) Hussars, died 28 October 1918. His grave is not known. His name appears on the Basra memorial.

Thomas William POWELL (b.1895, Kingswood, Bristol), went on to Burford Grammar School and Llandovery College after leaving Witney Grammar School in 1909. Awarded Military Cross for gallantry at the Battle of Loos (then with 9th Bn, Welsh Regiment). In command of a Section of Tanks in July 1916. Gas poisoning at the battle of St Juliens, August 1917, irreparably damaged his lungs: he succumbed to pneumonia on 24 November 1918 and is buried at Brize Norton. CWGC lists him as a Captain in the Tank Regiment.

Matthew STRONG (b.1887), Pte, B Company, 1st/4th Bn Oxon & Bucks Lt Inf; on 27 April 1915 'a sniper shot him clean through the head. He had just washed and shaved and was putting his coat on, but, being rather tall, his head came up above the parapet.' He died about an hour later without regaining consciousness. His c/o, Capt. Dashwood (who himself was killed a few days later), wrote 'His brother was there at the end, and saw him decently buried in a piece of ground which will be honoured.' The hope that his place of burial would be remembered came to nothing, for Pte Strong's grave was lost. He is commemorated on the Ploegsteert memorial.

Ernest William TARRANT (b.1890), Lce-Cpl, B Company, 1st/4th Oxon & Bucks Light Inf., died of wounds 1 August 1916 and is buried at St Sever Cemetery, Rouen. His brothers Oswald and Norman both also died that summer.

- - - - - - - - -

Two other old boys of the school, not listed on the memorial, are now known to have died in the First World War:

Archie William HUTT (b.1885), Sergt-Maj., 5th Bn Oxon & Bucks Light Inf (formerly with Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars), died 21 March 1918; on that day the Battalion, then in trenches at Bois d'Urvilliers, was 'overwhelmed' and suffered heavy losses (the same day, the 2/4th Bn 'practically ceased to exist as a distinct unit', recorded the Regimental Chronicle, with 'upwards of 120 men' killed and over 400 taken prisoner, Archie Hutt is buried or commemorated at Montescourt-Lizerolles Communal Cemetery (one of several there who have the same CWGC grave/memorial reference, no.141).

Walter Frederick OAKEY (b.1885, Alvescot), Sergt, Berks Yeomanry, died 18 Sept 1915 (according to the Alvescot Village website, which includes a photograph of Walker, he died of wounds and was buried at sea). Commemorated on the Helles Memorial.

Sources include the school's archives, the Witney Gazette, The Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry Chronicle (ed. A.F. Mockler-Ferryman), parish records and, of course, the CWGC database. I have more genealogical info on some of these old boys and photos of a few of them, should anyone be interested.

Jane

This post was added back in May, and things may have moved on since then, but two minor points may still be worth mentioning. First, according to the Soldiers of Oxfordshire database, 201373 Francis Buckingham was killed on 28 April 1917 - presumably by a shell, as his body was never found. And second, I am wondering if Frederick Moore (known as "Reg"), who died in Ducklington in 1917, is the same as 2nd Lt Reginald Moore, whose name has recently been added to Ducklngton war memorial? If not, have they added the wrong man?

[janecavell]

Stanley, you're right to point out the discrepancy in dates of death of Francis Buckingham. I've managed to mix up two different Frank E Buckinghams, one from Witney, who was in the RFA (d. 9 August 1917) and the other from North Leigh, Oxon, who was in the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry and was killed 28 April 1917. It is the latter who was at Witney Grammar School.

Frederick George Reginald Moore (whose first names appear in different orders in different documents) was known as Reginald or Reg.; he was discharged from the army with an infected elbow which turned out to be due to TB. It later spread to his lungs and killed him. There are details in his pension records on Ancestry, which make it clear that the disease was not attributable to his army service. I don't have details to hand of his rank. He may well be the one on the Ducklington war memorial.

[Stanley_C_Jenkins]

If, as I strongly suspect, there was only one Reginald Moore in Ducklington, it would appear that his name has been inscribed on the war memorial on the assumption that he was a war casualty. If his final illness was not attributable to his army service, the decision to add him to the memorial would seem to be somewhat questionable.

[janecavell]

The addition to the Ducklington memorial (see penultimate Ducklington photograph on the Oxfordshire War Memorials site) includes a 2 Lt R. Moore, RFC. (Note that it does not give his first name in full, so he may not have been a Reginald.)

The Reginald Moore who was at Witney Grammar School (and who died in Ducklington) was a Private in the Royal Engineers according to his obituary in the Witney Gazette, 27 October 1917.

Perhaps there was another R. Moore with a Ducklington connection? Or perhaps whoever added this panel (which looks relatively recent) may have misidentified R. Moore. I shall go and see if I can find an R. Moore in the Royal Flying Corps in CWGC.

[janecavell]

Perhaps this is the person referred to on the Ducklington memorial? (from CWGC)

Name: MOORE

Initials: R J

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Second Lieutenant

Regiment/Service: Royal Flying Corps

Unit Text: 62nd Training Sqdn.

Date of Death: 07/11/1917

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: W. D. 3.

Cemetery: DOVER (ST. JAMES'S) CEMETERY

We're still none the wiser as to his full name, and there's no sign of a Ducklington connection at this stage. If the additions to the memorial were made very recently, there may well be people in Ducklington who know the answer.

[Stanley_C_Jenkins]

I am beginning to think that the "wrong" Reginald Moore has been added to the Ducklington war memorial. Alternatively, they may have confused the Reg Moore who died in Ducklington (in a VAD hospital?) with 2nd Lt Moore, who may or may not have had some connection with the village.

[janecavell]

I am beginning to think that the "wrong" Reginald Moore has been added to the Ducklington war memorial. Alternatively, they may have confused the Reg Moore who died in Ducklington (in a VAD hospital?) with 2nd Lt Moore, who may or may not have had some connection with the village.

'Soldiers Died in the Great War' fills in a bit more about 2nd Lt R.J. Moore, RFC: his first names were Reginald John. It doesn't give his birthplace. It does look as if he might be the one referred to on the Ducklington memorial, but as yet I have not been able to find out where he came from. I would guess that they had a Reg Moore on a roll of honour, and assumed that he must be the one in CWGC. However, thanks to the local newspaper we know that there was another Reg Moore who served in the First World War and died in Ducklington. Researchers who relied only on the CWGC wouldn't have found him, as he isn't there. The fact that he was known by one of his middle names would also make him much harder to trace.

I will have to raise the issue tactfully with the Ducklington History Society. I don't know how long ago the addition was made: that panel looks newer and shinier than the one for Korea, so I would guess is relatively recent.

If 2nd Lt Reginald John Moore is the "wrong" Reg Moore, there's also the issue of whether the "right" Reg Moore should be on the memorial either, since he was no longer serving and his TB was said to be not attributable to his war service.

[Andy Wade]

Hello Dick,

Do you have the 1914 - 1918 Roll of Honour for Keighley Boys Grammar School?

I have it here and wondered if you would like a copy.

[Liz in Eastbourne]

I have over 400 British school, college and university registers and rolls of honor and will be happy to do lookups as long as you can give me the school your man attended - I do not have the time nor inclination to accept requests to look for a particular name when the school is not known unless they are Great War Royal Artillery officers (I have a database indexing all of those officers who are listed in the school registers). Please give me the man's name, school attended and general time frame when making your request and indicate what type of information you are looking for.

Regards. Dick Flory

Dick

I completely understand that you cannot search without reasonable information as you state above - but if you should happen to see an Abadie at the top of any list you look at (they usually came first, with that surname!) I'd be very grateful to know about it.

I am researching the military family Abadie, four sons of Major-General Henry Richard Abadie, two of whom died in WW1, two died before, in South and West Africa. There's an amazing memorial to them in Canterbury Cathedral showing all their medals pictorially. Though I have public schools for three of them, they all attended for one to two years with a mysterious three to four year gap before going to Sandhurst, and I have not yet found a school for the second son, George, though he was described as a fine product of our public school system in his obituary. I have already ruled out Charterhouse and Winchester (his brothers' schools), Eton, Harrow and Wellington for him.

As the family lived in London at the time and seemed to favour the old public schools in the south of England I've written to Westminster but no reply as yet. Haileybury/United Service College also seemed possible but again no reply yet.

The details are: Harry Bertram Abadie b. 1872 d.1901 Winchester 1885-7 GAP Sandhurst 1891-2 comm. 11th Hussars

George Howard Fanshawe Abadie b. 1873 d. 1904 SCHOOL c 1886-92? Sandhurst 1892-3 comm. 16th Lancers

Eustace Henry Egremont Abadie b. 1877 d. 1914 Charterhouse 1890-91 GAP Sandhurst 1895-6 comm. 9th Lancers

Richard Nevill Abadie b.1881 d. 1917 Charterhouse 1895-6 GAP Sandhurst 1899-1900 comm. KRRC

Well, that's a fairly unreasonable request - but with all your experience in this area I thought it was worth a try!

Best wishes

Liz

[rflory]

Liz: I have gone through my 600+ school, college and university registers and can not find G H F Abadie in any of them. Interestingly he had the highest marks for all candidates for Cavalry Cadetships entering Sandhurst in 1892. Do you have the information from the Charterhouse and Winchester Registers? I cannot answer your question about the three to four year periods between leaving school and entering Sandhurst but would suggest that they might possibly be undergoing private tutoring to pass the examinations for entrance into Sandhurst. There were many private tutors who performed this service and many candidates for cadetships who took advantage of this service. Regards, Dick Flory

[stuart714]

Dick

Wondered if you had anything for the following -

Sec Lt Hugh Price Rose Seaforths, of Oriel College, Oxford.

Thanks

Stuart

[rflory]

The only thing I have is from the Oxford University Roll of Service which shows that he left Oriel College on 10 Aug 16 and served with the 2nd Seaforth Highlanders in France, being KIA near Fampoux on 11 April 17.

Regards, Dick Flory

[stuart714]

Dick

Thanks - it helps.

Stuart

[Myrtle]

Liz: I have gone through my 600+ school, college and university registers and can not find G H F Abadie in any of them. Interestingly he had the highest marks for all candidates for Cavalry Cadetships entering Sandhurst in 1892. Do you have the information from the Charterhouse and Winchester Registers? I cannot answer your question about the three to four year periods between leaving school and entering Sandhurst but would suggest that they might possibly be undergoing private tutoring to pass the examinations for entrance into Sandhurst. There were many private tutors who performed this service and many candidates for cadetships who took advantage of this service. Regards, Dick Flory

Abadie

It appears that George Abadie was Captain Colonial Administrator in Nigeria between 1897 and 1904 according to this link.

[angelab]

Hi Dick,

Would you have anything on my grandfather and his brothers at Brewood School, Staffordshire?

William B Bagshaw

Horace S Bagshaw

Kenneth Bagshaw

(I did find the first two boys as boarders there on census night in 1901.)

MANY thanks in advance

Angela

[rflory]

Angela: Unfortunately I have nothing on Brewood School. Regards, Dick Flory

[angelab]

Thanks so much for looking, Dick. I really appreciate it.

Angela