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.

Slade brothers, friends Atrill, Alldridge, Beechwood – Slade

Canadian, Commemorated name/s, Other Regiments

The Slade family grave, number 11233; Berkshire Family History Society classification 44L26, commemorates the names of five ‘Dear friends, Killed in Action’.  There were five Slade brothers serving in the army according to a cutting taken from the paper.  In many newspaper reports the family address is given as Brunswick Street, Reading.  It is known that the father also resided at 10, York Place, Reading.

  SLADE FAMILY

 

Alexander Alldridge DCM
CSM 9558 2nd South Lancashire Regiment

ATRILL P ATTRELLCSM CEM

 Alexander Alldridge, was the son of George Joseph and Edith Alldridge, of 9, Wood Street, Earlestown, Lancashire.  He was killed on 13th July 1916 aged 23 and is buried at Bapaume Post Military Cemetery, Albert.  Location I.E.14.

 P. F. Attrill
Serjeant 8329
2nd   Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment

 Percy Attrill   lived at 42, Brunswick Street and 101,   Brunswick Street, Reading.  He was aged   32 when he died on the 3rd July 1916.   He is buried at Lonsdale Cemetery,   Authuile, Somme.  Location VI. V.3

Percy,   who had married into the Slade family, had already served eleven years in the   army when war broke out.  The first   reports about him in ‘The Standard’, appeared in February 1915.  Percy had been wounded in the right arm   during the Battle of Aisne, September 20th 1914.  He was sent for treatment at No.5 Base  hospital and spent one week in hospital in Cambridge.  His injuries resulted in tetanus and for a  time he had lock-jaw, there was also a worry that he would loose the use of   three fingers on his right hand.  However, he obviously recovered because he was posted as missing on  July 3rd 1916.  His wife,   Edith, was seeking information about his whereabouts through out September   1916.  Later the reports also included   A.E. Slade .

 

Albert Edward Slade
Lance Corporal G/25352
16th Battalion Royal Fusiliers

SLADE FAMILY 2 BROS KIA

 Albert   E. Slade  lived at 101,  Brunswick Street, Reading.  He died on   the 23rd July 1916.  He is   buried at Delville Wood Cemetery, Longueval, Somme.  Location XXII. H.5.

At the time of the 1911 census the family were recodedasliving at 60, Weldale Street.  Albert was recorded as widower and a printers labourer,specifically a stone cleaner. His brother Ernest was recorded as an engine cleaner for the railways and brother Reginald worked in the tin factory making biscuit tins.  Albert Slade was remembered by his   father, brothers and sisters in ‘In Memoriam’, Reading Standard, 20th   July 1918.

Two years have passed and still to memory dear,
We think of him   and shed a silent tear
Friends may   think the wound is healed
But sorrow   beneath a smile if oft concealed.

S. Slade Lance Corporal
G/25352 16th Battalion   Royal Fusiliers

 S.Slade  lived at Old Didcot.  He died on the 19th April   1918.  He is buried in the St. Sever   Cemetery Extension, Rouen.  Location P.   XI. L. 10B.

Lance  Corporal Slade died as a result of gas poisoning at No.3 Stationary Hospital   France.  He was the youngest of the   Slade brothers.

 

J.F. Beechwood Private 207069 Royal Canadian Regiment

 J.F.Beechwood died on the 9th April 1917.  He is buried in La Chaudiere Military Cemetery, Vimy, Pas de Calais.  Location VII.E.19

 

Charles Francis Simonds

Army, Arras, Commemorated name/s, Marlborough House School, Other Regiments

Charles Francis Simonds
Major 13th Battalion Kings Royal Rifle Corps

 Division 45

Simonds CF photo

Charles Francis Simonds was the eldest son of James and Cecilia Simonds, of Redlands House, Reading. James Simonds was already dead when news came that Charles had been killed in action.  The Simonds family were a well-known banking family in Reading. Although the bank, Messers. J & C Simonds & Co. had already incorporated with Barclay’s & Co. Ltd.  However, the original brass nameplates could still be seen on the door of the Barclay’s bank which is sited opposite the ‘Jacksons’ corner until Barclays vacated the building.

 Charles Simonds was educated at Wellington College and Trinity College, Oxford.  He served in the South African war as a member of the Berkshire Mounted Infantry and received the Queen’s Medal with four clasps.   Charles rejoined the Army in September 1914 leaving his work as a businessman and partner in the Simonds bank.  He was gazetted as captain to the Service Battalion of the King’s Royal Rifle Corps. and received his majority February 1st 1915, he went to the front in July 1915.

 He married Evelyn Hickman, granddaughter of the late Sir Alfred Hickman, in 1907.   They had two sons and had their family home at The Crofts, Spencer’s Wood.  By the time of CWGC registration Evelyn remarried and taking the name of Fuller and moving to Strattonend, Cirencester.   

 Charles Simonds was well known in Reading as a sports man, he rode to hounds with the South Berkshire Hunt and was a member of their committee.  Charles had rowed at Oxford and in his twenties was a member of the Reading Rowing club, serving a period as Captain when the club was particularly successful.

Charles   Simonds had been home on leave only three weeks before his death.  On his return to the front Simonds was  charged with the planning of a trench raid. This was carried out successfully due to his outstanding organisation.  However, during the accompanying  bombardment shells fell on the command dugout, which should have been safe from danger, and Charles Simonds and other key officers were killed   instantly.  A mining party was sent in immediately to dig the place out and eventually after much heavy digging found the bodies which were removed to the unit church hut.

Charles   Simonds was killed on 29th June 1916 aged 38.  He was buried in Berles-au-Bois Churchyard  Extension, Pas de Calais. The unit had been in the village some two months at   the time of Simonds death.  The grave   location is G.5.  He is commemorated on the Simonds family grave number 2297, in the Reading Cemetery. Berkshire   Family History Society classification 45B1.