Hereward Pattision Sadler

Army, Commemorated name/s, Reading School War Memorial, Royal Berkshire Regiment, Somme

Hereward Pattison Sadler
Second Lieutenant
6th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment

Divison 64
Extension

Sadler HP photo

Hereward Pattison Sadler,  was the only son of William and Jane Sadler, of ‘Oakdene’ 4, Hillside Gardens, Wallington, Surrey, late ‘Plassey’, Holmes Road, Reading. 

The 1911 census indicates that the family had also lived at 42, Hamilton Road. William Sadler was then the head teacher of an elementary school, sister Ethel is recorded as a teacher for the County council her father for the Borough council.  Hereward was still at school.  An elder sister not living at home in 1911 is recorded as a teacher in 1901 census.

Hereward  died of wounds on 19th July 1916, aged 20. This is the day that the battalion was making an attack on on the village of Longueval and Delville Wood, part of the Somme offensive. Many men in the battalion were killed in the bloody battle by artillery and machine gun fire. It is possible that Hereward Sadler was injured and removed to a place of safety rather than being killed immediately during the action. The wood became known as ‘Devil’s wood’ by the men who fought there.  Another Reading man, Samuel Robert Collier who is also remembered in the Old Reading Cemetery was in the same battalion and lost his life in the fighting.


Hereward Sadler  is buried in the Carnoy Military Cemetery.  Location K. 32

Ronald Stuart Salmon

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

Ronald Stuart Salmon
Rifleman 3061
1st/21st (First Surrey Rifles) London Regt.

 

Salmon RS photo  CIMG2140CIMG2139

Ronald Stuart Salmon was the son of Mr Edward Henry and Mrs Annie Salmon, of Castle Hill, Reading. He is commemorated on the family grave, number 8459, on a small scroll stone.  The 1911 census indicates that the family were living at 14, Bulmershe Road, Reading. The family comprised Ronald’s mother who  was a widow and head of the family, Hilda his older sister and younger brother Cyril. Ronald’s occupation is given as a publishing clerk. His mother is recorded as having given birth the twelve children, seven of whom were still living.  In 1901 the family were living at 109, Castle Street from where Edward Salmon ran his butchers business. At that time the family comprised six children, Cyril was then four months old, his mother was 44 years old and she had a mothers help and a servant to assist her in running the home.

 Ronald Salmon was killed at Givenchy whilst helping wounded comrades on 25th May 1915. 

A Letter from his Commanding Officer to Ronald’s mother is reported in the Reading Standard of June 12th 1915. “My company was taking part in an attack on a German position –– Your son was, when I last saw him, devotedly attending to some of his wounded comrades, several of whom he brought to safety, and he met a noble death whilst actually engaged in the work of rescue.  He is much missed by B Company, all ranks of which unite in offering you our sympathy in your loss”.

The report continues “The letter speaks for itself and shows that the qualities of manliness, courage and self-sacrifice inborn in the British soldier were possessed in large measure by Rifleman Salmon”. 

Roland Salmon was an old scholar of Reading School, and after finishing his education was in the office of Mr Blake Allnatt, chartered accountant of Reading.  Salmon had worked for three years in the Barclays Bank in Wycombe.  He enlisted on September 3rd 1914 in the Surrey Rifles and was drafted to the front on March 15th 1915.  Ronald Salmon had a, not untypically, short time in active service.  His Division 47th (2nd London) fought their first battle, the Battle of Aubers,  9 May 1915, which included an attack on Fromelles and the Rue du Bois.  Ronald was  killed on the closing day of the next battle, the Battle of Festubert which had opened on May 15th.  He has no known grave and is commemorated on the La Touret Memorial to the Missing, panel 45. He was aged 21.

William Morris Sawyer

Alfred Sutton School War Memorial, Army, Other Regiments, Registered War Grave

William Morris Sawyer
Driver 68568
“J” Battery Royal Horse Artillery

WMSawyer WMSawyer grave

William Sawyer died  on the 26th November 1918, aged 23 years, at Catterick Military hospital. There are no other details about the cause of death.

William had seen 3yrs 10 months active service in France and Belgium.  He was interred in the Reading Cemetery on December 6th 1918, his grave is marked with a CWGC headstone and lies near  to the entrance of the cemetery in Division 2.

William Sawyer was described in the poem accompanying the notification of his death

His cheerful smile and friendly grasp are pleasant to recall,
He had a kindly word for each and died beloved by all.

 From his ever loving wife and family also Algy Tatsic his chum.

William Sawyer is also commemorated on the war memorial at Alfred Sutton School.  He was a pupil at the Senior School prior to enlisting.