Category Archives: Reading University College

Charles Victor Schofield

Alfred Sutton School War Memorial, Army, Other Regiments, Reading University College, Ypres

Charles Victor Schofield
Private 26744
3rd Battalion Grenadier Guards

Schofield CV

Charles Victor Schofield was the son of Richard and Emma Schofiled. The 1901 census has the family living at 7, Donnington Road, Reading. The family then consisted of both parents and their four children. Richard 22 was an architects assistant, Elizabeth 19 a School Board teacher, Edgar 16 a shoe repairers assistant and Charles, the youngest, who was then 9 years old. In 1911 the family were living at 135, London Road and only Charles and Edgar were living at home. Charles was a gasfitter and his brother a photographic printer.  The photograph indicates a differect address for Charles by the time he enlisted –  69, Donnington Gardens.   By the time CWGC registers were compiled after the Armistice his father, Richard William Schofield, had moved to 359, Elgar Rd.

 No service record is available for Private Schofield.The CWGC register indicates that he died of wounds on 20th December 1917 and is buried at St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, location P.V.D. 3B.  It is not known how or when he was injured however, the British advance on Cambrai had started on the 20th November 1917.  The Grenadier Guards had been involved in severe fighting during Third Ypres and their Division was involved in fighting at Bourlon Wood and the counter offensive at Cambrai. Rouenwas the home to severalmilitary hospitals and Privat Schofield would have experinced the full range o  Army Medical Corps. services from battle front to base hospital before he died.

It has taken much research to establish the full name of Private Schofield who for a long time was only known to me by his initials.

Samuel Robert Collier

Abbey Baptist Church, Army, Commemorated name/s, Marlborough House School, Reading University College, Royal Berkshire Regiment, Somme

Samuel Robert Collier (Bob)
Second Lieutenant
6th Royal Berkshire Regiment

 Division 14

 Collier SR photo  CIMG2160 CIMG2161

Samuel Robert Collier known as Bob and commemorated as such on his parents headstone was 23 years old when he was first reported in the Chronicle of 4 August 1916, missing believed killed.  He was the only son of Mr and Mrs S. George Collier, of 198, Tilehurst Road, Reading. 

He was educated at Marlborough House, Reading, and Bath College.  On leaving college he entered Messrs. S. and E. Collier’s Brick and Pottery Works, of which his father was a director.  While at Bath college he was in the Cadet Corps for three years and on leaving became Scout Master of the King’s Road Boy Scouts for four years. 

At the outbreak of war he entered the Berkshire Yeomanry, but later received a commission in the 9th Berkshire Regiment, quartered at Wool.  For four months he acted as transport officer for the regiment, and gave it up to take his examinations at Salisbury Plain, and on June 16 1916 he left for France to join a service battalion of the Berkshires, acting as transport officer till July 15, when he took the post of platoon commander, when the usual transport officer returned from hospital.  He  went into action on July 17 in Delville Wood on the Somme and  was not seen after that date.

 His Captain N. B. Hudson wrote to his parents. “At about 3.30pm I saw your boy lead off his platoon against the enemy in the wood, some of his platoon came back, but I can get no information from them, save that one man told me ( I am afraid this all seems very cruel; but I think you would like me to say all I can) that he had seen an officer’s body lying in the wood, wearing riding breeches and stocking putties, and these I know were the clothes your boy was wearing.  There is only one piece of hope that I think it is right to offer you, and that is no one saw him killed, but in a wood one sees very little.  We have come back 30 miles from the scene of the action now.  From dawn on the 17 until 3.30 p.m. your boy was with me, and showed great coolness under very trying conditions.  At 3.30 p.m. he led his platoon through the wood on the right of the company, while I took the left.  I did not see him anymore.  All I can hope is that you have heard something I have not.  This I can say, that although your boy had only been in my company for two days, I saw in him during the action a fearless and courageous man, whom I felt I could trust.”

 Delville Wood was referred to by the troops as Devils Wood.  Bob Collier’s body was never found and his name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing Pier and Face 11D

Leslie Thomson

Army, Commemorated name/s, Other Regiments, Reading University College, St. Laurence's Church, Ypres

Leslie Thomson
Rifleman 1877
16th Batt. London Regt. Queen’s Westminster Rifles 

Thomson L photo Thomson L cem mem Thomson L grave

Leslie Thomson was the second son of Mr Walter and Mrs Thomson, hairdresser, of High Street, Reading and 18 Lorne St. Reading.  He was educated at Kendrick School and Christ’s Hospital (where he was in the Officers’ Training Corps), at the outbreak of the war he was employed in the Army and Navy stores.  He at once enlisted, and went with his battalion to Hemel Hemsted.  In November the battalion went to France, where they were involved in trench work.  On one occasion Leslie had a narrow escape when brining in a wounded comrade.

The Standard  Jan 16th 1915 published an extract of a letter from Walter to his father with the headline,

 “80 yards from the enemy”

Leslie Thomson was in the firing line with his regiment when they exchanged greetings with the enemy on Christmas day 1914.

“They were a rather weedy lot, although they included some fine American Germans.  Not a shot was fired all day.  In the morning we had a Communion Service under the most picturesque circumstances.

We have moved into new trenches now and are only about eighty yards from the enemy.  We are too near each other to be able to employ artillery, but of course we watch each other very closely”.

He was in action on the 18th March 1915 in the trenches near Houplines when a rifle grenade, fired by the Germans burst just behind him.  He died in hospital the following day from his wounds. He was 22 years old.

His mother also received the usual letter informing her of his death:-

Dear Madam,

I regret that it is my painful duty to have to inform you of your son’s death.  He died this morning of wounds received in action yesterday.  It is very sad, as he was such a nice boy, and well liked by all, and it is a great loss to his company, as he was so keen; also to the battalion.  It may be a little consolation to you to know where his body was placed at rest.  His funeral took place today.  The Commanding Officer and some of his comrades were present.  The Rev. H. M. Webb-Peplow performed the ceremony.  The effects found on his person will be forwarded as early as possible. 

Believe me to remain in you great loss,
Yours in deepest sympathy,
A. N. Davis, S.A.

Leslie Thomson is buried in Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery, Armentieres.  Grave location IX.C.17.  His funeral was described by Major Tyrwhitt in a letter to his parents.

“Your son was buried by the chaplain to the brigade in the hospital cemetery, and I was fortunate to be able to attended the service with a number of his comrades.  His grave will be marked by a simple wooden cross, bearing his name and that of his regiment, and a careful record of its position will be kept at our headquarters.  Your son was always a bright, and cheerful man, and such a good soldier that I shall personally much miss him, as will many of his comrades to whom he had endeared himself.”

Forty two of his comrades signed a letter to his mother, each expressing heartfelt sympathy with her in her loss, and stating:

”We shall miss him very much, as he was a good soldier, one who could be relied upon to do his duty in the face of any odds, and he was always very willing to do all he could for the comfort of his fellow men.”

He is commemorated on the family grave with the words:

“He gave his heart to God, his life for his King and Country”.