Category Archives: Loos

Walter John Levy

Army, Commemorated name/s, Loos, Other Regiments, Somme

Walter John Levy
Private 29006 14th Battalion formally 22342 K.O.S.B.
Highland Light Infantry

 Divison 18 

Levey WJ photo

Walter John Levy is commemorated on the grave of Martha and Philip Levy who died in 1937 and 1938 respectively.  They are were the parents of Walter Levy.   The Berkshire family history Society classification for the grave is given a 18H3.  Cemetery Register number 12394.

A picture of a Private Levy (there is an error in the spelling of the name) gives the address as 12, Francis Street, Reading.  The 1911 census indicates that Philip Levy was a carter at the Corn Merchants (possibly Sutton Seeds) and the Walter a tin worker at the tin factory (Huntley, Borne and Stevens),other family members worked at the biscuit factory (Huntley and Palmers). Walter was 19 at the time of the census.

Walter Levy is recorded on the grave as being killed in action on 21st October 1916, aged 25.  He is buried in the Philosophe British Cemetery, Marzingarbe, Pas de Calais.   Location I.D.37.  The cemetery is situated between Bethune and Lens.  Graves from the Loos battlefield were brought to the cemetery after the Armistice.

Originally the 14th Battalion was a Bantam battalion but it ceased to have this designation in early 1917. The battalion landed in France in July 1916 as part of the 40th Division. The division was formed between September and December 1915. Serving mainly on the loos battlefront the division was also involved in the battle of Ancre in 1916 on the Somme. There were a number of fierce attacks between including between 1 October and 11 November 1916 including one on 21 October the day Walter Levy lost his life, aged 24 years.

Further research is required to find out about the action in which Private Levy was killed.

Roland Basil Howell & Norman Asquith Howell

Army, Commemorated name/s, Loos, Other Regiments, Reading School War Memorial, Reading University College, Somme

Roland Basil Howell
2nd Lieut. 6th Battalion King’s Shropshire Light Infantry.

Norman Asquith Howell
2nd Lieut. 4th Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment

Division 78

The Howell brothers were the sons of William Roland Howell and Louisa Margaret Howell, of “Heronden”, Cintra Avenue, Reading.  W. Roland Howell was a well known architect at the time.   The boys are commemorated on their parents grave, number 15603.

Howell RB photo Howell NA photo

Roland Basil Howell  was educated at St. Lawrence College, Ramsgate and volunteered for service in August 1914.  He was reported wounded and missing on 2nd October 1915, during the Battle of Loos.  He was aged 20.  His body was never found and his name is recorded on the Loos memorial, panel 103 to 105. Roland is commemorated on the University College memorial.

Norman Asquith Howell  was killed in action on the 23rd December 1916, aged 19.  He is buried in the A.I.F. Burial Ground, Flers, Somme.   The cemetery was started in November 1916 by Australians who were posted in nearby caves until February 1917.  The cemetery was greatly enlarged after the Armistice with graves from the battlefields.  It is likely, given the location, III. M. I. that Norman Howell was buried here sometime well after his death.

The Battle of the Somme was officially considered over in November  however, heavy fighting did continue for some time in the region of Flers.  A bitterly cold winter was also starting to set in and that Christmas was destined to be an uncomfortable one in the trenches with no hope of any truce or informal “live and let live” that had been the case at Christmas time at the beginning of the war.

Both Howell brothers are commemorated on the Reading School War Memorial.

J J Cox and David J Cox

Army, Loos, Other Regiments, Registered War Grave, Royal Berkshire Regiment

J.J. Cox
Private 35577
4th Battalion Yorkshire Regt

 J. J. Cox was the  brother of David Cox, of 273, Oxford Road, Reading.  He is buried in a registered war grave, number 16584, and commemorated on the kerbstones that surround it.  This grave has sunk somewhat and J. J. Cox is also remembered on a special memorial in the War Plot.   The author has been unable to find any information about his war service or from what he died.  He was aged 20.

David J Cox
Private 17272
8th Royal Berkshire Regiment.

Cox D photo dbImage[1]

David Cox is commemorated on his brothers grave.  He was killed in action on the 25th September 1915, the first day of the battle of Loos.  His body was never identified and he is commemorated on the Loos Memorial to the Missing, Panel 93 -95.  He was aged 26.

The author believes that the brothers were the sons of James  and Mary Emily Cox who at the time of the 1911 census were living at 219 Southampton Street, Reading. The full name of David being David John, he was the eldest child and J.J. being James Joshua, he was the youngest. There was another brother, Robert and two sisters, Gurtie and Violet. The census form had several odd spellings. The CWGC records for both David and James had no family details.