Category Archives: Reading University College

Harry George Brewer

Army, Commemorated name/s, Other Regiments, Reading University College

Harry George Brewer
Lance Sergeant C/6276
18th Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps

 Division 24

CIMG2169CIMG2168

 

Harry George Brewer was the son of Frank and Emma Brewer, of 653, Oxford Road, Reading. A grave to the family of Barton and Andrews also bears the initials “E.B. and F.B. and Cpl. H.G.B. son killed in action September 16th 1916, aged 27”  is commemorated on a small scroll.  Burial records revealed the name Brewer.  The 1911 census records indicate the Harry Brewer was a journeyman carpenter. His father was a plumber and other sons also had trades.

 CWGC information revealed that Harry George Brewer was killed on the 15th September 1916. He is listed on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing.  Pier and Face 13A and 13B.

 The 15th September was the beginning of the 3rd phase of the Somme offensive.   On this day an advance along six miles of front to a depth of 2000 -3000 yards took place.   The attack was special because it was the first time that the heavy armoured cars or tanks were used.  Although several tanks ditched along the way those that fought near Flers were very successful and assisted in the taking of the village.  During the next four days, all along the front, the fighting was bloody and many men lost their lives. Exactly where the  18th Battalion KRRC were positioned is not yet known. It is not clear upon which day Harry Brewer died but he had no known grave.  The allied attack was hindered on the 19th September by bad weather but,  resumed the day after and continued well into November.  During this time many thousands lost their lives.

Norman Bradby Bloomfield

Canadian, Commemorated name/s, Reading University College, Ypres

Norman Bradby Bloomfield
Private 440296
5th Battalion Saskatchewan Regt.
Canadian Expeditionary Force.

Division 29

Bloomfield NB photo CIMG2103

 Norman Bradby Bloomfield  was the youngest son of Charles Joseph Fulcher Bloomfield and Lucy Mary Bloomfield of “The Brambles,” Tilehurst.  He was killed in action on June 6th 1916, and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing, Panels 18-26-28.  

The Standard of 24th June 1916 reports that Norman Bradby Bloomfield “had been in Canada for some years and enlisted after the outbreak of war, coming to Europe with the Canadians a year ago. (1915)  He had been in the France* a few months and was in action in which the overseas contingent lost heavily, a shell causing instant death.”  

The Battle for Mount Sorrel took place in June 1916 beginning on the 2nd June 1916, with two German attacks.  The second attack penetrated British lines for 300 yards along a 3000 yard front, towards Zillebeke.  The Canadians were badly damaged in the area around Mount Sorrel and Hill 62.   The advance was checked at Maple Copse.  There was a failed Canadian counter attack which was followed up by a massive artillery bombardment of German positions.  Then on the afternoon of the 6th June the German’s exploded four mines at Hooge and gained some ground.  Fierce fighting continued and it was not until the 13th June that the Canadians retook the positions lost on the 2nd June.  The Canadians suffered just under 8,500 casualties; of those 1,000 men were killed and another 1,900 were missing.  Norman Bradby Bloomfield’s unit was engaged in this action although the exact details have not been researched.  There is a Canadian Memorial at Hill 62, Sanctuary Wood, Zillebeke, Belgium.

  * For France read Belgium. 

Leslie Ernest John Beard

Alfred Sutton School War Memorial, Loos, Park Congregational Church War Memorial, Reading University College, Royal Berkshire Regiment

Leslie Ernest John Beard
Lance Sergeant  200528
2nd/4th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment.

Beard LEJ photo Beard LEJ name

The 2nd/4th battalion was formed in early September 1914 with men coming from all over Berkshire. Their first base was at Hitcham, in Buckinghamshire, on their commanding officers farm.  The War Office could not spare any equipment and kit was supplied initially by the general public. In November they moved to Maidenhead from where some two hundred men were sent to the 1st/4ths in exchange for a draft of men who were not passed fit for general service or who had not volunteered for service abroad.  Training at the time involved a good deal of route marching and drill.

In December the battalion numbered one thousand and their first task was the guarding of German prisoners-of-war at Holyport.  By February 1915 they were in Northampton, as part of the 2nd South Midlands Division, moving in April to Chelmsford where they dug trenches for the defence of London and patrolled the Essex roads looking for spies who might use  lights to signal enemy aeroplanes.  It was not until 25th May 1916 that the battalion finally left Southampton for France, ending up eventually at Merville near ArmentiÀres south of Ypres. After a short period of instruction in trench warfare attached to other battalions the 2nd/4ths took over trenches near Laventie.

The battalion took casualties from their first days in the trenches and these gradually increased as the men were involved in carrying out patrols to investigate enemy wire and trenches.  During the last week of June when the bombardment of the Somme was underway there was activity all along the British front line in order to keep the Germans guessing about where exactly the offensive would come. The 2nd/4ths were involved  in such work loosing several junior officers and men before retiring to billets on 27th June.  They went back into the front line on 6th July  moving to Croix Barbee on 13th July.  It was on this day that an elaborate raid on enemy trenches was carried out involving five officers and one hundred men.  The objective was the capture prisoners, identification enemy units and the  killing of Germans.

Officers and men were divided into ten groups some men were carrying a Bangalore torpedo which would be used to blow a gap in the wire.  The company set out at midnight and formed up, five yards between each line, in front of the British wire, in No-Mans Land.  When all was ready the first wave moved forward, but reaching the German wire found only a partial gap.  It was decided  to use the Bangalore torpedo but by this time the Germans had observed the movements and were shelling No-Mans Land.  The torpedo carriers were wounded in the shelling and the fuse lost.

Four or five machine guns opened up as the first wave cut through the wire by other means and “gallantly penetrated the enemy’s first line under severe opposition”. (Commanding Officers report)  The rest of the raiding party lost touch with the first wave and in a short time the signal was given for recall.  Three officers were wounded and two killed: six men were killed and eleven recorded as missing, fifteen men were wounded.

Leslie Beard was one of the missing and his name is recorded on Panel 93 the Loos Memorial to the Missing sited around the Dud Corner Cemetery. Leslie was the son of Joseph John and May Beard of 95, Wokingham Road, Reading.  His name  appears on both the Alfred Sutton School and the Park Church memorials.  He was 19 years old.