Arthur Robert (Bob) Brinkworth

Army, Commemorated name/s, Other Regiments, Somme, St. Laurence's Church

Arthur Robert Brinkworth
Second Lieutenant
14th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment

 Division 32

Brinkworth AR photo Brinkworth AR grave

Arthur Robert Brinkworth  known as Bob, was the youngest son of Mr Harry Brinkworth. Harry had the job of bringing up his four children. His wife was already dead by 1901. The 1911 census has the family living at 131. Friar Street, Reading.  Bob’s age is given as 22 and his profession as a stockbrokers clerk. Harry Brinkworth ran his own business, first as a potato merchant and in 1911 is listed as fruiterer. He was assisted in the business by his oldest daughter Ellen Annie, aged 24.  Bob is commemorated on the footstone of the family grave which unusually bears a cap and sword as part of the memorial.  

Brinkworth Rcem com

He died of wounds on 7th September 1916 aged 27.  An obituary was published in the Reading Standard 23rd September 1916 from which the following details are taken.

 Lieutenant Brinkworth had been educated at Christ’s Hospital, was a member of Reading Philanthropic Institution, Druids, and the Bohemian Club.  He was a fine swimmer, tennis player and all round athlete.  He had joined the O.T.C. in May 1915, was gazetted on July 1st and left for the front on May 20th.  (No years given)  He was greatly loved by all who knew him.

“Captain Neal wrote:- The battalion attacked and your son was with his platoon.  He was badly wounded in the leg and died soon after he was taken down.  I hope it will be a little comfort to you …when I tell you that after he was wounded he behaved in the most gallant manner possible – in fact I have never seen a braver wounded man.  I had no hope when I saw the nature of his injury but he stuck to it splendidly…”

His Commanding officer wrote he was as “brave as a lion” and “I have had a cross made, and tomorrow I intend to ride over to the grave and have it erected and the ground put in order – the last tribute I can pay to one whose loss I mourn not only as a brother officer, but as a friend.”

 In addition to these tributes his father received a telegram from the King and Queen.  

 Bob Brinkworth is buried in the Peronne Road Cemetery, Maricourt.  Location III.H.I.  The cemetery was begun by fighting units and used by Field Ambulances in the Battles of the Somme, 1916.

 

Sidney Victor Broadbear

Army, Commemorated name/s, Other Regiments

Sidney Victor Broadbear
Private 43482
10th Batt. Lincolnshire Regiment

Division 6

Broadbear SV photo  CIMG2146CIMG2147

Sidney Victor Broadbear was the  son of Mr and Mrs Cornelius Broadbear of 51, Beresford Road, Reading. He is commemorated upon the headstone of the family grave, number 13598.   Sidney Broadbear died on 28th April 1917, aged 21, and is buried in Roeux British Cemetery Plot A. 27.

Roeux village was built over a system of caves which contributed to make its capture in 1917 exceptionally difficult.  The Battle of Arras began on the 9th April 1917.  Its 2nd phase of the began on April 23rd 1917 but, heavy  fighting around the area had taken place from 12th April.  On the 22nd April, the chemical works near the village was captured and the village itself was taken on 14th May after more very severe fighting.  The chemical works was lost in a German counter attack on the 16th May,  the date was significant as it  marked the official end of the Battle of Arras.  The factory was regained in August.  The graves in the cemetery were made by the fighting units involved in the actions from April to August.

Richard Slyfield and brothers

Army, Other Regiments, Registered War Grave, RFC / RAF, Ypres

Richard Slyfield
298502 Air Mechanic II.
2nd F.T.S. (Duxford)

Division 65 Extension

Richard Slyfield  lived at 32 Whitley Street, Reading.  He was the son of Mrs. Althea Slyfield and the late John Slyfield. The 1911 census indicates that Althea is the head of the family and that she has five sons. The oldest is George 22, John aged 18, Robert 15, James 13 and Richard the youngest aged 10. The three older brothers are working at the biscuit factory, as a butcher’s assistant and as a milkman respectively. The younger boys are still in school.

Richard died on the 21st January 1921.  A picture and account of his funeral was published on February 5th 1921 in the Standard. Pg. 8  He is buried in the cemetery and has a CWGC headstone, grave number 13742.  He was aged 19.  The author has found no other details relating to his death.

However, a R. Slyfied (assumed to be brother Robert) , a Signaller of the same address is recorded in “Berkshire and the War”  as being awarded a Military Medal for bravery.   He was at the time with another Signaller, William Ayres, also from Reading who was later commemorated on the War Memorial plaque of the Alfred Sutton School.

The medal was awarded for “mending a telephone line at great risk”, when in action near Contalmaison 11th -14th July 1916.  The London Gazette 1/9/1916 records the citation “for good work and bravery”.  The work of a signaller was  dangerous and vital. Communications when in the front line were often broken and the signaller had the job of effecting repairs under the most trying of circumstances.

Private 27003 James Slyfield 2nd Battalion Wiltshire Regt., the brother of Richard Slyfield, died on the 31st July 1917, the opening day of the Third Battle of Ypres, on a battlefield that had turned to a sea of mud a result of the combined effects of heavy rain and bombardment by shells.  James  Slyfield has no known grave and is commemorated on the Ypres Memorial to the Missing, Menin Gate, Panel 53.  Like Richard he was 19 years old when he died.