Category Archives: Army

Charles Edward Weeks

Alfred Sutton School War Memorial, Army, Arras, Commemorated name/s, Royal Berkshire Regiment, Somme

Charles Edward Weeks
Private 200817
1st Batt. Royal Berkshire Regt.

 Division 32

CEWeeks CIMG2215

Charles Edward Weeks, was the son of Charles William and Agnes Esther Weeks, of 180 Kings Rd. Reading.  The 1911 census indicates that at the age of 17 Charles was working as a grocers assistant. His father had his own business as a book keeper and his younger brother, Cyril aged 9, was  in school.   Charles had attended Wokingham Road School, now known as Alfred Sutton Primary School and it is assumed that this was the school Cyril attended. Agnes had given birth to four children but only Charles and Cyril had survived.

Charles joined the army in Sept. 1914.   The Standard of August 19th 1916 gives an account of the wounding, in both legs, one arm and head, which Charles Weeks received on July 30th 1916. He had been left for dead when a 9.2inch (250lb.) shell fell in front of him but was brought out by the Warwick’s.  After the usual field dressings had been administered and treatment at a casualty clearing station he was transferred to Etaples and later evacuated to England where he spent some time in a war hospital in Norfolk. Writing from hospital  he commented that the food and treatment was A1.  Swelling in his face had gone down and he was now able to see out of both eyes.  His left thigh and right knee were still painful. In total he had twenty three injuries but only considered eleven to be bad.

Charles Weeks survived these injuries and returned to France where he was killed on 25th March 1918*, his body was never found.  A headstone in Division 32, of the Reading Cemetery, describes him as “Missing in France”, he is officially commemorated on the Arras Memorial, Bay 7,  he was 24 years old.

* Four days from the start of the German Spring offensive.

Ernest Arthur Webb

Army, Commemorated name/s, Primitive Methodists' Memorial, Pulsometer Engineering, Royal Berkshire Regiment

Ernest Arthur Webb
Private 10510 “B” Company
5th Batt. Royal Berkshire Regt.

Division 3 

Webb EA CIMG2083

Ernest Arthur Webb is commemorated on the headstone of the family grave.  He was initially reported missing and later as killed in action on the 3rd July 1916 during the Somme campaign.  He had his 21st birthday on the 1st July 1916, the first day of the battle when Britain lost more men in one day than at any time before or since.

Ernest Webb has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval memorial to the missing.  Pier and Face 11D.

Webb EA name

 

Ernest was the eldest son of Arthur and Jane Webb, of 55, Queen’s Road, Reading. (late 221 Southampton St.) The 1911 census indicates that he had four siblings. Two older sisters and two younger brothers. At the time he was an apprentice driller at the engineering company. This company was Pulsometer Engineering and his name is commemorated on their war memorial. Pulsometer Engineering was the company where Trooper Frederick Owen Potts, the Reading V.C., also worked.  Arthur Webb worked in the sugar wafer department and sister Daisy was a teapacker in the tea warehouse.

William Henry Ware

Army, Commemorated name/s, Royal Berkshire Regiment

William Henry Ware
Private 203634
2nd Royal Berkshire Regiment.

 Division 82 Extension

William Henry Ware was the eldest son of William and Alice Ware, of 50, Leopold Road, Orts Road, Reading.   He was the husband of Beatrice Nellie Bull (formerly Ware nee Ward), of 62, Leopold Road, Orts Road, Reading. The couple  married in February 1911. 

The 1901 census shows William to have four younger brothers. The family were then living at 44, Albert Road, Reading. His father was a general labourer. In 1911, William was working at the Upper Ship Hotel, Duke Street and his occupation was described as ‘under boots’. The hotel had two under boots and one head boots. William, then aged 20, was married at the time of the census. Beatrice was still living with her family at 44, Hoisier Street, Reading.

William is commemorated on his parents grave, number 17776. The Berkshire Family History Society classification is 82A7. Therecord notes that Private Ware was serving with the 4th Royal Berkshire Regiment.  The 4th Battalion was a Territorial Battalion and it is probable that he was moved into the 2nd Battalion in a draft to make up battalion numbers. Private Ware was remembered ‘In Memoriam’, 16th August 1919, by his two brothers Harold (full name Frederick Harold Ware), who had served as a Corporal in the Royal Army Service Corps, in France and Wally (full name Walter Redvers Ware) who served in the Royal Navy on H.M.S. Idaho.  His brothers referred to him by the family name of ‘Timmy’.

 William Ware was first reported as missing and later as killed in action on the 16th August 1917, aged 27.  On this day the Allies attacked on a 9 mile front north of the Ypres Menin Road, crossing Steenbeek River and capturing all its objectives.  This was part of what was known as the Third Battle of Ypres. Private Ware has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing. 

Ware WH name