Category Archives: Other Regiments

Hubert Arthur Edwards

Army, Commemorated name/s, Other Regiments, Primitive Methodists' Memorial, Somme

Hubert Arthur Edwards
Private 26049
“A” Company 1st Batt. Royal Berkshire Regt.

 Division 7

Edwards HA photo

Reported missing and later reported killed in action 14th November 1916.  Age 38.  The Battle of Ancre: the fourth phase of the Battle of the Somme had begun the day before.  Action had taken place around St. Pierre Divion, Beaumont Hamel, Beaucourt and the Butte de Warlencourt on November 13-14.

 Hubert Edwards was married to Lily Eva Edwards and the family home was 96, London Street, Reading.  He was the son of E. and M.  Edwards 100, Spring Rd., Kempston, Bedford.

He is commemorated on family grave on a small stone shield.  The lead lettering has nearly all come away from the memorial.  Hubert has no known grave and his name can be found on the Thiepval memorial Pier and Face 11D

Arthur William Eames

Army, Other Regiments, Registered War Grave

Arthur William Eames
Private 39809
3rd Battalion  Worcestershire Regiment

Division  9 

Eames family

Arthur William Eames was the  son of Annie Eames, of 7, Swainstone Road,  Reading.  He died of wounds on 14th August 1917 aged 21.  Arthur is buried in a registered war grave number 8245 and this is marked with a war pattern headstone. 

CIMG2154

 

 Arthur Eames was one of three brothers who served in the 1st World War.  His grave is shared with his father and mother, and the ashes of his brother George.  Family information and photographs have been given to the author by Mr Norman Eames, the son of George Eames, and nephew of Arthur Eames.  Norman also told the author that his uncle had been gassed and that this had contributed to his death.

Joseph Duce

Army, Arras, Commemorated name/s, Other Regiments

Joseph Duce
Private G/9219 6th Battalion
The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment)

 Division 67
Extension

Joseph Duce was the son of  Clara Duce, of 197, High Street, Watford, Hertfordshire, and the late David Duce.   According to the 1911 census the family had a Fish Restaurant in Watford.  Joseph died on 12th May 1917, aged 37.  He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial to the Missing, Bay 2.

 The Battle of Bullecourt is described in detail in “The Blood Tub” by Jonathan Walker.  The Battle of Arras began on 9th April 1917 along a twelve mile front.  Starting with the success of the taking of Vimy ridge by the Canadians the battle became more and more bloody as the British and Australians tried to break through the Hindenburg line renewing the attack with more vigour on 3rd May.  Losses were heavy and “the only remedy seemed to be to put more and more brigades into the ‘Blood tub’”. (page 163)

Walker describes the attack of  the 12th May 1917 in his chapter “Fight for the Crucifix”. In the forefront was the 2nd Queens.  This battalion had been decimated during 1st Ypres and was now made up mostly of men of “Kitchener’s Army”.  It is therefore likely that Joseph Duce was serving in this Battalion at the time of the attack and his death.   The attack was timed to begin at 3.40am on 12 May.  The men were very tired because even when out of line they were required to bring supplies forward.  They got off to a good start, with the 1st South Staffordshires on their left and the Australians on the right, advancing quickly under the German barrage.

The Queen’s reached their objectives but battle got bogged down on along the line either side of them.  True to form the battle became drawn out over the following days and although the German counter-attacks failed there were many casualties, killed, missing and wounded.  Amongst them was Joseph Duce whose body was never identified.