Category Archives: Western Front

Edward William Hunt & Sidney Richard Hunt

Army, Canadian, Commemorated name/s, Other Regiments, Somme, Y.M.C.A., Ypres

E.W.Hunt
Rifleman 2216
The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regt.) also Queen’s Westminster Rifles 

Hunt EW photo

Edward William Hunt lived at 74, South Street, Reading. His father was a grocer and he had an elder brother and three sisters. Edward died of wounds on 14th March 1915.  He is buried in Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery, Armentieres.  Location IX. C. 41.   His grave is just a few yards away from that of Leslie Thomson who is also commemorated in the Reading Cemetery.

Rifleman Hunt was an old boy of Reading Collegiate School.  He was employed at Liberty’s, London as an apprentice draper but joined up at the outbreak of war and was sent to the front in November 1914.  The Standard 23rd March 1915, printed a letter from a friend which explained how Edward Hunt met his death.  He was employed in sniping operations on the morning of his death.  He had three more rounds to fire when he was shot.  He was buried the following day.

Sidney  Richard Hunt
Private 227059
54th Battalion Canadian Infantry (Central Ontario Regt.)

 Sidney Richard Hunt was the elder brother of Edward William Hunt. The 1911 census indicates that he was seven years older than Edward.  Sidney was a grocers assistant, presumably in his fathers shop. It is not known when he went to Canada.

He died on 16th October 1918 and is buried in Sauchy-Cauchy Communal Cemetery Extension, Location B. I.  The village of Sauchy-Cauchy was captured by the 56th (London) Division on the 27th September 1918.  The Communal Cemetery Extension was made by the division in September and October, 1918.  After the Armistice graves were brought in from the German Extension and battle fields.  Exact details about the death of Sidney Richard Hunt are not known.

Note: The names of these two men were noted when the Berkshire Family History Society chronicled the monument inscriptions in the Reading Cemetery in the 1990’s.  When the author tried to find the names only the family headstone could be found.  The body of the grave has sunk and kerbs have been removed. The grave number is 12484; BFHS classification is 66A9

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.

Oswald Leopold House

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

Oswald Leopold House
Private 2718 “D” Company
1st/4th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment

 Division 41

House O photo  CIMG2008

Oswald Leopold House , was the son of Frederick Arthur and Emily Maria House, of 42, Edinburgh Road, Reading.  The 1911 census gives Oswald’s occupation as a scholar, he wasthe 14 years old.  Oswald was the youngest child of his parents he had two older sisters,his father was a Law Writer. Ancestry UK also indicated that his 1914 – 15 star has been found in a car boot sale by Andrew Hadden.

Oswald Housewas killed in action on the 14th August 1916, aged 19.  He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing, Somme.  Pier and Face 11D.

The following account summarised from Battalion history outlines and attack which took place on 12th August 1916.  Oswald House was almost certainly involved in this attack and the role of “D” company is given.  It is possible that he was killed in this action but because his body was not found that the date of the 14th was reported to parents.  Or, he could have survived this major action and been killed in the preparations for an attack on Thiepval attack which was planned for the 18th August 1916.

On the night of the 12th August the 5th battalion Royal Berkshire Regt., who were close by,  took the enemy by surprise and seized “Ridge Trench” on the crest of the hill.  Next morning the 5th Battalion were relieved by the 4th Oxfords with the 1st/4th’s in support.  At 9.30p.m. the Oxfords gave notice that the Germans were trying to bomb them out of the trench.  Two platoons from the Berkshire battalion, numbers1 and 2, were sent forward to supply the Oxfords with bombs.  “D” company was put under the command of the Oxfords Colonel with a further supply of bombs.  The Oxfords were due to lead a counter attack but it was the 1st/4th who were eventually given the command to lead.  In a manner typical in the chaos of the war, a barrage planned for before the attack did not take place and later, without detailed orders, the Berkshire men tried to cross the 250 yards of open ground facing the Germans.  The Germans, relatively safe and protected in their trenches, were able to shoot unhindered on the advancing lines of men.  The image is one frequently painted during the Great War.  For the survivors of the attack, shelter was poor but fortunately a British aeroplane responded to signal flares and as a result British artillery opened up on the German trenches and the remaining Berkshire men were able to get to safety.  Losses for this flawed action were very high, 140 casualties from the ranks including 59 killed and missing.  Petre comments in his account that, “Failure is often more heroic than success, and these loyal men fought and died with great honour”.