Category Archives: Battlefield Areas

Ronald Charles Hirst Gazzana

Army, Canadian, Registered War Grave, Ypres

Ronald Charles Hirst Gazzana
Private 1124 “C” Company
8th Battalion Canadian infantry. (Manitoba Regiment)

 Division 35

 Gazzana grave Gazzana tree

Ronald Charles Hirst Gazzana has a  CWGC war pattern headstone upon which is carved the emblem of Canada the maple leaf.  Behind the headstone is a graceful Maple tree, a simple but fitting memorial probably planted shortly after his funeral.  The grave number is 16111. His parents names are carved into the stone, he was the son of Charles Joseph and Ada Briffet Gazzana.  Their home was “Ronaldhirst  Farm”. Fairford, Manitoba.

 Private Gazzana died as a result of gas poisoning received on 24th April 1915.  This was during the week that the Germans first used poisoned gas.  The Canadians were at a place called St. Julien in Belgium.

 A report of his military funeral was published in the Reading Standard, 29th May 1915.

Gazzana funeral

“A military funeral is always impressive, but that at St. Giles Church, Reading on Wednesday afternoon particularly so.  Pte. Gazzana, aged 20 of the Canadian Contingent, had come to the aid of the motherland in the time of her stress and trial and had died a hero’s death fighting for the cause of freedom. 

“He was a victim of the foul weapon of gas, with which he was struck down near Ypres at the end of April.  He was conveyed to Reading War Hospital and thence to the Royal Berkshire Hospital.  At first he appeared to be making rapid strides towards recovery, but he had a relapse and on Monday passed to his rest.

 Sixteen wounded Canadians from the Reading War Hospital, and all were sufficiently well to attend,  were present to pay their last tribute of  respect to Pte. Gazzana.  Two of them were in his contingent.  They were conveyed to the Church in Red Cross cars.  Men of the 35th Division Signal Company, Royal Engineers, from Wantage Hall, under Lieut. E. Churchill, provided the escort, bearers and a firing party, and the drum and fife band of the “King Alfred” Training Brigade played the Royal Salute on entering the cemetery gates.

The service was conducted by the vicar, the Rev. F.J.C. Gillmor, and the Rev. H.A. Smith-Masters, and as the coffin, enveloped in a Union Jack and covered with beautiful flowers, was borne away on a cable carriage large crowds gathered in the streets and showed signs of sympathy.  After three volleys had been fired at the graveside, the “Last Post” was sounded and Pte. Gazzana was “left alone in his glory”.

 Among those present were the Mayor Mr Leonard Sutton, Major (Dr) G. Stewart Abram, Sir Percy Sanderson, KCMG (President of Caversham and Reading Veterans Association Mr Cyril Tubbs (transport officer), Mr. J.R. Cook, Lieut. Beaumont etc.

 Pte. Gazzana’s home was at Great Missenden, Bucks, his father holds a commission in the Royal Engineers.”  

Ernest David Filewood

Commemorated name/s, Western Front

Ernest David Filewood
Sapper 167527
81st Field Company  Royal Engineers

Division 2

Filewood ED group

Known to me only by his initials E.D.F. for many years it has been possible to discover not only rank and regiment from the CWGC website but also details of his service history from Ancestry UK including his full name.  His initials appear on a small flower holder in the Reading Cemetery and there is an inscription stating that E.D.F died a prisoner of war.  The Berkshire Family History Society classification is 2E3.

CIMG2144

In July 2016 this web site was contacted by Sapper Filewood’s great great nephew, Dean Fostekew,  who has been able to supply further information. Sapper Filewood is standing in the back row of the photograph, second on the right and hat-less.  Ernest David was the youngest of five children of David and Henrietta (nee Rose) Filewood. His siblings were Eliza, Phoebe, Fred and George. Phoebe was Dean’s great grandmother.

Sapper E.D. Filewood died on the 23rd October 1918.  Aged 30 years.  He is buried in the Tournai Communal Cemetery Extension, Tournai, Hainaut, Belgium. The grave location is II.J.33.  The area of Tournai was in German hands for most of the war years 23 August 1914 until 8 November 1918 and is a concentration cemetery for small numbers of burials made in the surrounding area as well as a later casualty clearing station and hospital. There are many prisoner of war graves including a large contingent of Russian graves.

 By trade E.D.F. was a monumental mason.   He attested in December 1915 and was posted to the Royal Engineers in May 1916. E.D.F. was posted missing on 10 April 1918 but sent a post card home on 20 April 1918 indicating that he was a prisoner of war. His war record indicates that his death was due to cardiac weakness during his capture. 

E.D.F. was married to L. V. (Lizzie Violet nee Saunders) on 18 January 1913 and they lived at 44, Edgehill Street, Reading.  He left a daughter called Phyllis born on 23 June 1915. His wife remarried becoming Lizzie Violet Elphee and it is that name which appears on the CWGC register.

 

 

Harold Haynes Fenner and Percy Geddes Fenner

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

Division 67
Extension

Harold Haynes Fenner
K/3236 Stoker 1st Class HM S/M Royal Navy

350px-HMS_E20[1]

Harold Haynes Fenner, was the husband of Alice Fenner of 21, Donnington Gardens.  He is commemorated on the Reading University College memorial. According to the 1911 census Harold Haynes Fenner was a member of the Royal Navy prior to the war. He died on 5th November 1915   Harold was aboard the submarine E20 and lost his life as a direct result of enemy action when the submarine was torpedoed by the German UB-14. *  Harold was one of 21 who lost their lives. the UB-14 saved nine men including the captain of the vessel. Because Harolds body was not recovered he is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Panel 8. Harold and Alice had one child according to the 1911 census.

*An account of the action is posted on Wikipedia

Percy Geddes Fenner
Private 74233
1st/28th London Regiment Artists Rifles

Fenner PG name

 Percy Geddes Fenner, was the brother of Harold Fenner and son of Mr Thomas Crombie Fenner and Mrs Fanny Fenner of 11, Liverpool Road, Reading.    After a period of home service he was posted to France in February 1917.  He is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial Panel 153.  Percy was initially reported missing and then killed in action on the 30th October 1917.  The second Battle of Passchendaele had begun on the 26th October 1917.  On the 30th October the British attacked, in bad weather, on a front from Poelcapelle to Passchendaele; they managed to enter Passchendaele but were later driven out.  During these battles it could take up to six men to carry a one wounded soldier on a stretcher.  The German counter attacks and bombardments had churned the land into waist deep mud.  Many of the wounded were never found having drowned in the mud.  The Canadians eventually captured Passchendaele on the 6th November and thus ended the Third Battle of Ypres.

 Percy Fenner had been in the army ten months.  Before the war her was employed at Messer’s Petty and Sons, printers.  He had worked there for fifteen years having started as a boy in the office and rising to chief estimating clerk.  In the Standard of March 9th 1918, Mr Petty writes, ‘he was a most respected employee and in him we have lost a most valued and trustworthy servant’.  He was educated at St. Stephen’s School.  Mr Hopcraft the Headmaster wrote,’ He was one of the most steadfast and dearest friends’.  Percy had been a member of the St. Stephen’s church choir for many years.  According to the paper Mr and Mrs Fenner had now lost their third son to the war.  Their surviving son Edgar was serving in France. The 1911 census indicated that Edgar was a Clerk Seedsman. Edgar survived the war, he died in 1973 aged 83.

 The Fenner Brothers are commemorated on their parent’s grave.  Berkshire Family History Society classification 67C7