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Winterton Remembers

15/2/2016

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In tribute to those who left the town to serve King and Country - and never returned, Out ‘n About is commemorating the centenary of their sacrifice by including their names in the magazine covering the relevant period.

Harold Burton

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14489, Private, 7th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment. Killed in action 15th February 1916 aged 22. Commemorated on the Menin Gate, Ypres, Belgium.

Septimus Hare

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5485, Private, 8th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment. Killed in action 6th January 1916 aged 36. Buried in Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery, Armentieres, France.

On 17th June 2014, Septimus' name was approved by Winterton Town Council to be added to the Winterton War Memorial. Click here to read his story.


William Holmes

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13466, Private, 2nd Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment. Killed in action 25th September 1915 aged 19. Commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial, Belgium.

On 17th June 2014, William's name was approved by Winterton Town Council to be added to the Winterton War Memorial. Click here to read his story. 

Arthur Moss

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13616, Private, 6th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment. Missing since 8th August 1915 and officially listed as killed in action on the following day. Commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Turkey.


George Horsley

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1571, Private, 1/5th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment. Killed in action 15th July 1915, aged 17. Buried in Railway Dugouts Burial Ground (Transport Farm), West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.


Walter Percival Sawyer

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66299, Gunner, 124th Bty, 28th Bde, Royal Field Artillery. Killed in action 25th May 1915. Buried in White House Cemetery, St. Jean-Les-Ypres, Belgium.

Jack Parrott

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3217, Private, 5th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment. Killed in action 20th May 1915 aged 33. Commemorated on Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.

On 17th June 2014, Jack's name was approved by Winterton Town Council to be added to the Winterton War Memorial. Click here to read his story. 

James Emerson Proctor

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3106, Private, 5th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment. Killed in action 20th May 1915 aged 22. Buried in Packhorse Farm Shrine Cemetery, Belgium.

On 17th June 2014, James' name was approved by Winterton Town Council to be added to the Winterton War Memorial. Click here to read his story. 


Charles William Stubbins

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1304, Private, 5th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment. Killed in action 20th May 1915 aged 25. Commemorated on Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.

On 17th June 2014, Charles' name was approved by Winterton Town Council to be added to the Winterton War Memorial. Click here to read his story. 


John William Martin

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9792, Private, 1st Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment. Born 1894 in Roxby. Killed in action 4th March 1915, aged 19. Commemorated on Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.

On 17th June 2014, John's name was approved by Winterton Town Council to be added to the Winterton War Memorial. Click here to read his story. 

David Lonsdale

284049, (RFR/CH/B/1005) Petty Officer Stoker, HMS Hawke. Born 12th October 1875, Winterton.
Died 15th October 1914. Commemorated on Chatham Naval Memorial, Kent.
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HMS Hawke was sunk off the east coast of Scotland by German submarine U-9, and more than 400 of her crew perished. 
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Winterton remembers forgotten WW2 submariners

22/11/2015

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Below are the stories of the final three WW2 service personnel with links to Winterton, whose names have been approved by Winterton Town Council, for addition to the Winterton War Memorial.

​Out of all the stories published over the past year in the Out 'n About magazine, the following must be the most poignant. It’s impossible to imagine the devastating loss this family endured in a space of two and a half years. So far, the names of 22 service personnel from both world wars have been approved to be added, and along with the existing names on the war memorial, “WITH PROUD THANKSGIVING, WE REMEMBER THEM”.

P/KX 76142 Petty Officer Stoker, William Edwin Arnold, HM Submarine Olympus, Royal Navy

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Born 4th January 1908, Earlsgate, Winterton. William was an older brother of Frederick John ARNOLD and brother-in-law of John CLABBY. His father Walter was at the time serving as a sergeant in the 2nd Lincolnshire Regiment and by 1911 the family had moved to Clarence Barracks, Spithead Forts, Portsmouth.

HMS Olympus was an Odin-class submarine, a class originally designed for the Royal Australian Navy to cope with long distance patrolling in Pacific waters. Olympus was built to the same design for the Royal Navy. From 1931-1939, Olympus was part of the 4th Flotilla on the China Station, and from 1939-1940 she was with the 8th Flotilla, Colombo, Ceylon. In 1940 she was redeployed to the Mediterranean and was damaged on 7th July 1940 when bombed by Italian aircraft while in dock in Malta. Repairs and refit were completed on 29th November 1940. On 9th November 1941 Olympus attacked the Italian merchant ship Mauro Croce (1,049 GRT) with torpedoes and gunfire in the Gulf of Genoa. The target escaped without damage.

​On 8th May 1942, Olympus struck a mine and sank off Malta in approximate position 35°55’N, 14°35’E. She had just left Malta on passage to Gibraltar with personnel including many of the crews of the submarines Pandora, P36 and P39 which had been sunk in air raids. There were only nine survivors out of 98 aboard. They had to swim seven miles (11 km) back to Malta. 89 crew and passengers were lost with the ship. The casualties included William who died aged 34. William is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, and is also listed on the Glanford Brigg district WW2 Roll of Honour, under Winterton parish.

P/KX 84332 Stoker 1st Class, Frederick John Arnold, HM Submarine Thames, Royal Navy

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Born 4th May 1916 in Southsea. Son of Walter Edwin and Emily Ann ARNOLD (née ROBINSON). His father was at the time a labourer in HM Dockyard. Brother of William Edwin ARNOLD and brother-in-law of John CLABBY.

HMS Thames (N71) was an ocean-going type of submarine of the River Class. She was built by Vickers Armstrong, Barrow and launched on 26 February 1932. She was completed on 14 September 1932, and after commissioning was assigned to the Mediterranean, stationed at Malta. She had a short career in the Second World War. In August 1939 she was recalled to home waters, and was assigned to 2nd Submarine Flotilla with the Home Fleet. From there she undertook interception patrols, searching for German U-boats, surface raiders and blockade runners. After refitting during the winter she was active in the North Sea in spring 1940 during the Norwegian campaign. In July 1940 Thames torpedoed and sank the German torpedo boat Luchs. Luchs was part of the escort for the damaged German battleship Gneisenau that was on passage from Trondheim, Norway to Kiel, Germany.

HMS Thames was reported overdue on 3 August 1940, and had probably struck a mine off Norway in late July or early August 1940. As HMS Thames was operating from Dundee with the 9th Submarine Flotilla when she was lost, her crew are all commemorated on Dundee International Submarine Memorial.

​Frederick is believed to have died on 3rd August 1940, aged 24 and is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial. He is also listed on the Glanford Brigg district WW2 Roll of Honour, under Winterton parish. His parents continued to live in North Street, Winterton and are buried in Winterton Cemetery.

P/KX 75337 Petty Officer Stoker, John Clabby, HM Submarine Utmost, Royal Navy

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Born about 1905 in Runcorn, Cheshire. John married Sarah Matilda ARNOLD in 1930 in the Portsmouth Registration district. Sarah was the sister of Frederick and William ARNOLD.

HM Submarine Utmost left Malta for a patrol in the Mediterranean in November 1942. On the 23rd she sank an enemy ship, but on 25th November 1942, during her return journey to Malta, she was located, attacked and sunk south west off Sicily (off Maréttimo) by depth charges from the Italian torpedo boat Groppo. There were no survivors.

John died on 25th November 1942, aged 37 and is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial. A local 1944 newspaper article reported Sarah and her 13 year old son of 45a North Street, Winterton, going to Buckingham Palace to receive her late husband’s Distinguished Service Medal. He was also Mentioned in Despatches.

John is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, and is also listed on the Glanford Brigg district WW2 Roll of Honour, under Winterton parish. Sarah continued to live in North Street up to 1950. She died in the Scunthorpe Registration district in 1967.

Frederick and William Arnold had a brother, Walter, a leading stoker who with three other submariners survived the sinking of HMS Thetis on 1st June 1939, while undertaking a trial dive during its maiden voyage. 99 lives were lost.
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Remembering the 'forgotten' WW2 service personnel

31/8/2015

 
In addition to the 16 WW1 soldiers, Winterton Town Council approved the addition to the war memorial of five WW2 casualties who have connections with the town. Below are the stories of two of the men...

4799746 Serjeant Leslie William Hazel - 8th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry

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Leslie was born on 12th April 1911, in the Ecclesall Bierlow registration district, and was the son of James William and Sarah Ann HAZEL. Sadly his mother died in the same year.

His father remarried, and the 1937 Winterton electoral register shows his father and stepmother living at 49 Earlsgate.

On 3rd December 1938, at St Paul’s Church, Ashby, Leslie married Jessie Ellis FOX. According to a newspaper report of the time, Leslie had up to that point served with the Lincolnshire Regiment for seven and a half years, with the last three years in Hong Kong and India. Later reports state that he was a Company Quarter Master Sergeant and had formerly been employed at Lysaghts for a number of years, before being called up as a Reservist.

Jessie died in 1942 and by then, Leslie was in the 2nd Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment.

At some point, Leslie joined 8th Battalion Durham Light Infantry and on 9th September 1944, aged 33, he was killed in action in a small village during fighting to establish a bridgehead across the Albert Canal. Leslie is buried in Geel (Stelen) churchyard, Belgium. A letter from the Padre stated that his grave was covered with flowers by the villagers.

Leslie’s father and stepmother continued to live at 49 Earlsgate after the war, up to at least 1951 and are buried in Winterton Cemetery.

Photo: Scunthorpe and Frodingham Star

1577142 Flight Sergeant Air Gunner Frank Norman Holmes - 582 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

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Frank was born about 1921 and was the son of Arthur Richard and Edith E HOLMES.

Frank died on 4th May 1944, aged 23. The Lancaster Mk III Bomber (ND910 code 60-F) took off from a station (airfield) in or near Little Staughton, Bedfordshire at 22:57hrs. The task was to bomb the aerodrome at Montdidier, France, but the Lancaster crashed at Beaulieu-les-Fontaines (Oise), north west of Noyon. Frank is buried in St Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, Seine-Maritime, France.

The 1951 Winterton electoral register shows his parents living at 9 Queen Street.

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Photos by kind permission of Robert Lingard, Curator, Elsham Wold Air Museum

Final two WW1 'forgotten' soldier's stories told

31/8/2015

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Below are the stories of the final two WW1 soldiers with links to Winterton, whose names have been approved by Winterton Town Council, for addition to the Winterton War Memorial. 

27989 Sergeant George Alexander Hall - 71st Heavy Bty, Royal Garrison Artillery

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Born about 1889 in Coalville (Whitwick), Leicestershire, the son of George Alexander and Mary A HALL. In 1891 George was living with his parents in Workington, Cumberland (now Cumbria). His father remarried in 1898 to Maria Elizabeth BAINTON in the Rotherham Registration district and by 1901 George was living with his father and stepmother in Tinsley, Yorkshire. His stepmother and half-sister were born in Scunthorpe.

George’s service record hasn’t survived but according to a 1917 newspaper report, he enlisted into the army in 1908 in Doncaster, when he had just turned 17. He joined the Royal Garrison Artillery and the 1911 census shows George as a gunner, serving with the 71st Heavy Battery in India. His occupation was listed as an electrician and he spent six years there. In 1914 he came home on short leave, and entered France on 15th February 1915.

George was killed in action by splinters from an enemy shell during a heavy bombardment of his battery position on 16th August 1917, aged 28 and is buried in Canada Farm Cemetery, Belgium. His Medal Index Card shows that he was posthumously awarded the 1915 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Months before Winterton War Memorial was unveiled in December 1920, George’s father and stepmother moved to 23 Park Street, Winterton. 

Photo: courtesy of Hull Daily Mail

78018 Private Arthur John Kendall - 7th Battalion, Canadian Infantry

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Born 17th February 1876, Frodingham, Lincolnshire, the son of George & Catherine KENDALL. Both the 1881 and 1891 census returns show the family were living in Frodingham, but had moved to Brumby Hall in Old Brumby by the time of the 1901 census.

The 1908 electoral register shows his brother George Albert KENDALL living in High Street, Winterton, and by 1911 Arthur was living with George in Queen Street, Winterton. George and his family continued to live in Winterton until 1914.

At some point, Arthur travelled to Canada and passenger records show him returning via New York, USA and arriving in Liverpool on 31st July 1915 on board the SS Orduna. His destination address was noted as ‘194 High Street, Scunthorpe, Doncaster’.

Canadian service records show Arthur enlisting into the 30th Reserve Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force on 11th February 1916 in Hythe, Kent, UK.

The Circumstances of Death Registers of the First World War gives Arthur’s entry as “DIED” (Pneumonia) At No.4 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station on 11th October 1918, aged 42. Arthur is buried in Duisans British Cemetery, Etrun, France.


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More stories on the 'forgotten' WW1 Winterton soldiers

23/5/2015

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Below are three more stories of WW1 Winterton soldiers whose names have been approved by Winterton Town Council, for addition to the war memorial. Sadly, more will appear in forthcoming issues of the Out 'n About magazine. 

203014 Private Stephen Alfred Bigley - 7th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment

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Born about 1886 in Woodstone, Huntingdonshire. The 1891, 1901 and 1911 census shows Stephen living at 87 Palmerstone Road, Woodstone. He married Beatrice Eva ROSE in 1913 in the Peterborough Registration district and son Russell William was born there the following year.

Stephen’s service record hasn’t survived but he enlisted in Peterborough and was killed in action on 9th August 1917 at Monchy-le-Preux, Pas-de-Calais, France, aged 32. He is commemorated the Arras Memorial. Stephen was posthumously awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Beatrice and Russell moved to 28 High Street, Winterton months before the war memorial was unveiled in December 1920. Russell died in 1931 and was buried aged 16 in Winterton Cemetery. His father’s name is commemorated on his headstone, and Beatrice continued to live in Winterton for many years eventually moving to 39 West Street (now demolished).

9928 Private Frank Brown - 6th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment

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Frank was born on 18th February 1893, Churchside, Winterton, and was the son of Frederick & Selina BROWN. In 1901 Frank and his parents were living in West End, Winteringham, and by 1911 he had moved to Risby near Walkington, Beverley.

Frank’s service record hasn’t survived but he enlisted in Crosby and at the time was living in West Halton. He entered the Balkans on 18th July 1915 and died of disease on 31st May 1917 aged 24. Frank is buried in Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, Nord, France. He was posthumously awarded the 1915 Star, British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

306776 Private William Rusling - Reinforcement Depot, Tank Corps

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Born in 1889, Ascot, Berkshire, William was the son of William and Kate RUSLING. In 1891 the family lived in High Street, Scunthorpe and by 1901, the family had moved to King Street, Winterton. In 1911 William was residing at 40 Berkeley Street, Crosby.

William’s service record hasn’t survived but he enlisted in Scunthorpe and was formerly in the Royal Engineers (No. 105702). He died of wounds on 1st April 1918, aged 28 and is buried in Doullens Communal Cemetery Extension No.1, Somme, France. William was posthumously awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. The Hull Daily Mail (10th April 1918) states that William was for several seasons a popular and enthusiastic member of Scunthorpe United Football Club.

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Remembering the 'forgotten' WW1 soldiers

23/2/2015

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Below are three more stories of WW1 Winterton soldiers whose names have been approved by Winterton Town Council, for addition to the war memorial. Sadly, more will appear in forthcoming issues of the Out 'n About magazine. 

27828 Private Walter Dixon - 1st Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment

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Walter was born on 4th October 1875, in Winterton, and was the son of Robert & Ann Elizabeth DIXON. The 1881 census shows the family had moved to Hull.

Walter’s service record hasn’t survived, but he enlisted in Hull and was killed in action on 9th April 1917 at Adinfer Wood, aged 41. At the time he was described as being the brother of Mrs Florence Williamson, of Howsham, Lincolnshire. He is buried in Cojeul British Cemetery, St Martin-sur-Cojeul, France. The war diary reads: “9th April – Details remained in Adinfer Wood. Btn: attacked in afternoon. High wind and occasional snow. Btn: carried 1st objective, but not 2nd and proceeded to consolidate.”

The battalion took part in the Arras Battle. “The Battalion had the distinction of being the right of the whole line. It was temporarily held up by the wire of the Hindenburg line, which, on our brigade front, had been very slightly damaged. But Lieut. Pisa and his gallant trench mortar men blew a gap, and the Battalion got through and seized the front German line, Pisa was killed in this fine bit of work. The Division on our left failed, and consequently the Brigade front was an island in the Hindenburg line; but it took the Germans twenty-four hours to turn us out, after constant bombing, which ended with a tornado of “pineapple” shells from mortars, specially brought up for a big counter-attack.”

Walter Dixon was posthumously awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

UPDATE - After publishing Walter Dixon's story in the last issue, our Editor was contacted by his family who have kindly supplied the only known photo of Walter. His service record has since come to light.

267839 Rifleman Arthur John Rhodes - 1st/7th Battalion, Prince of Wales’s Own (West Yorkshire Regiment)

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Arthur was born on 27th May 1888, King Street, Winterton, Lincolnshire, and was the son of Thomas & Martha RHODES. The 1891 census shows that he was living with his parents in King Street, Winterton and by 1901 had moved to Sculcoates, Hull. In 1911 Arthur was living with his mother at 166 Newland Avenue, Hull.

Arthur’s service record hasn’t survived but he enlisted in Hull. The Red Cross Enquiry List of Dec 1st 1918, records “267839 A J Rhodes of A Coy, 7th West Yorks posted missing between April 14th and April 16th 1918”. The battalion at that point was in the vicinity of Wytschaete (now called Wijtschate), Belgium, and this was captured by the Germans on 16th April 1918. Arthur died of wounds on 18th April 1918, aged 29, as a prisoner of war at Wervicq-Sud, France and is buried in Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix, France. He was posthumously awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

12986 Gunner Henry Clegg - “C” Bty, 307th Bde, Royal Field Artillery

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Henry was born on 1st February 1883, Park Street, Winterton, Lincolnshire, and was the son of Charles and Hannah CLEGG. In 1891 the family had moved to Doncaster, and by 1901 Henry was living with his mother in Wheatley, Doncaster. The 1911 census shows Henry residing at 87 Wheatley Lane, Doncaster.

Henry’s service record hasn’t survived but he enlisted in Wakefield and entered Egypt on 1st July 1915. He was killed in action on 6th May 1918, aged 35. At the time he was described as being the son of Mrs Hannah Town, of 87, Wheatley Lane, Doncaster, Yorks. Henry is buried in Lillers Communal Cemetery Extension, France.

The war diary reads: “6th May 1918 - In the field MAP REF 36 A SE 1,20,000. Our fire was considerable, besides usual harassing fire, three concentration shorts were carried out during the day on selected areas. Hostile artillery active V6 about C/301 position being subjected to 3 different areas. Shorts during this day causing 5 casualties to C/307. B/317 did not fire owing to another gun going out of action.”

Henry was posthumously awarded the 1915 Star, British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

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WW2 brothers names to be added to war memorial

23/1/2015

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At the full council meeting held on Tuesday 20th January, councillors approved two WW2 brothers names for addition to Winterton war memorial:

P/KX 84332 Stoker 1st Class, Frederick John Arnold, HM Submarine Thames, Royal Navy
P/KX 76142 Petty Officer Stoker, William Edwin Arnold, HM Submarine Olympus, Royal Navy

Their stories will be featured in future issues of the Out 'n About magazine.
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More names approved for Winterton war memorial

16/12/2014

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At the full council meeting held on Tuesday 16th December, councillors approved the following two names for addition to Winterton war memorial:

WW1
78018 Private Arthur John Kendall, 7th Battalion Canadian Infantry

WW2
4799746 Serjeant Leslie William Hazel, 8th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry

The stories of the above casualties will be featured in future issues of the Out 'n About magazine.
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Remembering the 'forgotten' soldiers

16/11/2014

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In June this year, Winterton Town Council unanimously approved the addition of more WW1 names to the war memorial. In order to do justice to the men, their stories are being told in full over several issues of the Out 'n About magazine.

9792 Private John William Martin - 1st Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment

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John was born in Roxby in 1894 and was the son of Charles & Mary A MARTIN. In 1901 John and his parents were living with his aunt and uncle in Roxby, but by 1911 he had moved with his parents to 60 Digby Street, Crosby, Scunthorpe.

John’s service record has survived but it’s badly damaged and is difficult to read in parts. He enlisted in Lincoln on 8th August 1914 and John is listed on the 1914-15 Winterton Roll of Honour (qualified by upbringing) as being in the 3rd Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment at the time. He entered France on 26th January 1915, but was killed in action on 4th March 1915 and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Belgium.

The Battalion was in the vicinity of Rosenthaal Chateau and on 2nd March, the battalion HQ was near La Chapelle farm.

The war diary reads: “4th March 1915: Enemy’s artillery very active. B Coy trench shelled causing some losses. Machine gun in support shelled causing casualties to whole of the team. Bn headquarters shelled. 27 shells either striking or falling and exploding about Headquarters causing many casualties in C Coy. The shelling lasted about 1 hour 30 minutes. Medical Officer decided to remove wounded which task was carried out without further losses. Bn relieved by 1st Dorset Regt and proceeded to YPRES and billeted in Infantry Barracks. Casualties: 4 killed, 1 died of wounds, 34 wounded.”

His Medal Index Card shows that he was posthumously awarded the 1915 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

294708 Gunner Arthur Hill - 146th Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery

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Arthur was born about 1892 in either Winterton or Winteringham, the son of Frederick & Anne Tomason HILL. In 1901 Arthur was living with his parents in Plato Terrace, Sculcoates, Hull and by 1911 the family had moved to 7 Lincoln Street, Hull. He worked for the Hull Tramway service and had a younger sister who was born in Winterton.

Arthur’s service record hasn’t survived but he enlisted in Hull and was killed in action on 31st July 1917, aged 27. He was the husband of Lilian Hill, of 38, Estcourt St., Newbridge Rd., Hull. An extract of a letter sent by the Chaplain to Arthur’s wife was included in the Hull Daily Mail (1st September 1917) in which it stated that Arthur’s parents were late of Winterton: “Your husband left the fairly safe spot where he was to carry some tea up to the men on the guns, who were hard at work helping to win the great battle about which you will have heard. Unfortunately, a shell dropped right into the gun pit and killed them all instantly”.

Arthur is buried in Dickebusch New Military Cemetery Extension, Belgium. His Medal Index Card shows that he was posthumously awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Photo: courtesy of Hull Daily Mail

13466 Private William Holmes - 2nd Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment

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William was born on 1st September 1897, Churchside, Winterton, and was the son of Mary HOLMES. By the time of his baptism in Brigg in January 1898, William and his mother were living in Brigg Union Workhouse.

The 1901 census shows William and his mother living in Gainsborough Union Workhouse, and by 1911 he was living with Mr and Mrs Featherby in Kirton in Lindsey.

William’s service record hasn’t survived but he enlisted in Gainsborough. He entered France on 1st April 1915, but was killed in action on 25th September 1915 at Bois Grenier, France, aged 19, and is commemorated on Ploegsteert Memorial, Belgium. The action at Bois Grenier was supplementary to the Battle of Loos. The war diary reads: “25th – Bridoux – At 1am the battalion was formed up as follows...

W Company – in 70 yards trench behind right of salient.

X Company – in assembly trenches behind the fire parapet on the right of the road.

Z Company – in assembly trenches behind the fire parapet on the left of the road.

Y Company – Two platoons holding the fire parapet of the salient and two platoons in trench 350 yards behind that salient.

The battalion formed the left of the Brigade, the 2nd Royal Berkshire Regiment being in the centre and the Rifle Brigade on the right. At 4.25am all guns started an intense bombardment on the enemy’s front line of trenches which continued until 4.30am. At that hour the infantry assaulted. At 4.29am a shallow mine running from our salient across to the German trenches was exploded with the idea of eventually being made into a communication trench after the enemy’s lines had been taken.

On the infantry assaulting, the artillery lifted off the front line to lines in rear. The assault was carried out as follows: At 4.30am Z Company moved forward and rushed the Bridoux Fort opposite immediately obtaining a footing in it and bombing parties were sent forward to take the 2nd line trenches which was done. Owing however to the evening’s counter attack, carried out chiefly by bombing parties down the numerous communication trenches leading to the fort, the pressure on Z Company became severe.

A platoon of W Company was sent there to assist and with part of two companies of the 1st Royal Irish Rifles coming up, the pressure for a short time was relieved. A further counter attack again made the situation in the fort very critical and running out of bombs our men were forced out but were able to hold on to the outside of the parapet until the pressure from both flanks and front became so severe that we were no longer able to retain our position there.

The fort was totally evacuated about 2pm. As soon as Z Company at 4.40am had occupied the fort the bombing parties of X Company moved forward and getting into the German trench just on the right of the Bridoux Fort bombed along the trench towards the 2nd Royal Berkshire Regiment, also bombing into the German 2nd line. At 8am we were able to join X Company and W Company followed up with the Berkshire Regiment and the parties sent into the 2nd line, with the assistance of W Company, being successful steps were at once taken to consolidate the 1st line.

At 12.30pm the right of the Battalion was forced to the left owing to a strong bomb attack on the Berkshire Regiment and at the same time, the left of the Battalion in the fort being pressed to its right, the German trenches became very congested with our men. Some more bombs having been obtained, we were then able to retake a length of trench to our right, but were forced back again but managed to hold our position until 5pm, when the enemy having brought up fresh troops, delivered a very strong and determined counter attack and forced us to evacuate all our gains.

Before the trenches we had gained had finally to be evacuated at least six hostile counter attacks were frustrated by the close co-operation of our artillery, due entirely to the excellent communication and arrangements that existed between the guns and the liason officer of the Canadian artillery who was attached to Battalion Headquarters during the day.

The platoons of Y Company who remained in our own parapet suffered severely during the day from the heavy hostile shelling.

At 9pm the Battalion was relieved by the 2nd Northamptonshire Regiment and went into billets in the vicinity of Fleurbaix – Killed 60, wounded 229, missing 36.”

His Medal Index Card shows that he was posthumously awarded the 1915 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal, but they were returned in 1922 for disposal.

Photo: courtesy of Hull Daily Mail

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Four more names approved for addition to war memorial

26/10/2014

 
After further extensive research undertaken by the editor of Out 'n About in Winterton, Winterton Town Council at the full council meeting held on Tuesday 21st October 2014, unanimously approved the addition of a further four names to Winterton War Memorial. The four names are:

WW1
  • 27989 Sergeant George Alexander Hall, Royal Garrison Artillery
  • 203014 Private Stephen Alfred Bigley, 7th Battalion Suffolk Regiment

WW2
  • P/KX 75337 Petty Officer Stoker John Clabby, HM Submarine Utmost, Royal Navy
  • 1577142 Flight Sergeant Air Gunner Frank Norman Holmes, 582 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

The stories of the above casualties will be featured in future issues of Out 'n About, and their names along with the previously approved 13 WW1 soldiers, were included in the roll call at the Laying of Wreaths ceremony on Remembrance Sunday.





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