Category Archives: Western Front

Albert E Shore & Arthur William Shore

Abbey Baptist Church, Army, Commemorated name/s, Navy, Other Regiments, Ypres

Albert Shore
Private 7396
1st Battalion Gloucestershire Regt.

Division 80
Extension

Shore AE photo Shore AW photo

Albert Shore was the eldest son of Edward and Alice Shore, of 124, Liverpool Road, Reading.  He is commemorated, with his brother, on a shield on his parents’ grave.  Grave number 17093; The Berkshire Family History Society grave classification is 80B10.    Albert and Arthur died within three weeks of each other in November 1914.

 Albert Shore was recorded in the 1911 census as a general labourer but it is known that he had been a regular soldier, as a Reservist of three years he would have been called up immediately upon the outbreak of war.  He probably experienced the early battles of the war at Mons, the retreat from Mons, the Marne, the Aisne and the First Battle for Ypres. During the first week of November, the battalion, fought around Inverness Copse, Sanctuary Wood and Railway Wood.  On the 6th November they advanced the front line towards Zwartellen.  On the 7th November they came under heavy fire from the east of the village.  Albert Shore was killed in action on 7th November 1914.

 The war historian of the regiment recorded that many men were forced to lie out in the open all day, unable to get back to their line.  43 men were killed, 47 wounded and 8 missing.  At roll call only 3 officers and 213 men were present.  The previous month there had been 25 officers and 970 men.  The body of Albert Shore was never found and his name was accordingly recorded on the Ypres Memorial to the Missing the Menin Gate he is commemorated on Panel 22 and 34.

 Albert was initially been recorded as missing and it was not until December that two men reported to an Infantry Record Officer, Corporal Ryder, that Shore had been shot and they believed him dead.  The report was confirmed and reported on April 17th 1915.   We are told in the Standard report that he had been a Reservist for three years and before the war had worked as a warehouseman at Messers Kingham’s, Kings Road.  He left a widow and a child of three.  It isbelieved that his wife’s name was Poly Birdand that they married in 1911.

Arthur William Shore
Able Seaman 239119  
HMS “Bulwark”

Arthur Shore was the brother of Albert. He was lost at sea on the 26 November 1914. His name is commemorated upon the Portmouth Naval Memorial. He was 25 years old. On this day the Bulwark sank off Sheerness after an explosion that killed almost all the 700 ratings and the officers on board. Several sites on the internet give details of the disaster and the coroners report of ‘Accidental Death’.

Stanley Sharman

Alfred Sutton School War Memorial, Army, Commemorated name/s, Other Regiments, Y.M.C.A., Ypres

Stanley Sharman
Private 283780
1st/4th London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers)

 

Sharman SC photo Sharman SC grave

Stanley Sharman was the youngest son of Frederick and L. E. H. Sharman, of 68, Liverpool Road.  His father was serving in the Royal Army Medical Corps., and his brother Lance-Corporal Sharman was about to receive a commission at the time of Stanley’s death. Prior to the war Stanley had been an apprentice at the Berkshire Printing Company.

 The details of the death of Stanley Sharman were published in the Chronicle of 31st August 1917.  Private Sharman had been a stretcher bearer and died of shell wounds received on August 16th whilst administering water to a wounded comrade.

 Stanley Sharman had seen 15 months active service and 10 months had been spent in France. His Captain, writing to his mother, said of him,

 “He was such a gallant fellow, always prepared to help his wounded comrades, regardless of the danger”.

 He died of wounds on 17th August 1917, aged 20 years.
 Stanley Sharman is buried at Mendingham Military Cemetery, Belgium.  Location III. F. 8.  

His name also appears on the Reading YMCA memorial.

Albert Edward Searing, Amos Thomas Searing & Samuel Searing

Army, Commemorated name/s, Graves, Royal Berkshire Regiment, Somme, Ypres

Division 56

CIMG2135

In 1911 Sarah Searing was living at 101 Watlington Street, Reading. She lived with her daughter, also called Sarah(31) and her three sons Albert (27), Amos(30) and Samuel(26).
All three were labourers, Albert worked as a bricklayer’s labourer, Amos worked at the tin factory and Samuel at the biscuit factory. In 1901 the family lived at 88 Watlington Street,The County Tap, and Sarah the mother is described as the innkeeper and her daughter as barmaid.

All three men are commemorated on their mothers grave but only their initials are given. It has taken some energy to establish thier identities.  Sister Sarah’s details are only given on the CWGC register for Albert and then no first name is supplied: Miss S. E. Searing, of 31, Cortis Avenue, Broadwater, Worthing.  Tragically all three brother have no known graves and there commemoration in the cemetery rendered them almost invisible.

Albert Edward Searing
Private 201975
1st/4th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment

 Albert Searing  He died on 13th August 1917. The CWGC register states his age as 33. but it is believed, using census information, that he was 35.  He is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing, Panel 45.  Strangely the war diary for the 1st/4th indicates that they were at Dambre camp and the battalion spent the day practicing for the forth coming attack which was due to begin on the 15 August. The record for the
13 August states two killed and seven wounded. There are no other details but the circumstances seem strange.

 Amos Thomas Searing
Private 33662
2nd  Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment

 Amos Searing  died on 2nd April 1918. Born about 1881 he was thought to be  about 37 on his death.  He is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial to the Missing, Panel 56 & 57.

 Samuel Searing
Private202225
2nd/4th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment

Samuel Searing  He died on 22nd August 1917 it is thought that he was about  32.  He is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing, Panel 105, 106 and 162.