Ernest John Pocock

Army, Graves, Royal Berkshire Regiment

Ernest John Pocock M.M.
Private 132144 (200893)
8th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment

EJPocock photo EJPocock book grey

Ernest John Pocock died of 11th January 1975 aged 75 years.  He is commemorated on the same grave as William Morris Sawyer and is included in this document by virtue of his war service.

Ernest Pocock lived at 55, Sherman Place, Reading.  He was awarded the Military Medal for bravery and devotion to duty whilst serving as a stretcher bearer.  The announcement was made on 20th October 1919.

*7th November 1999

Thomas Pocock

Army, Commemorated name/s, Other Regiments, Passchendaele, St. Batholomew's Church, Ypres

Thomas Pocock
Private 43323
2nd/9th Battalion Manchester Regiment

 Division 39

Pocock Th photo  CIMG2001

Thomas Pocock  lived at 44, Amity Road, Reading.  He was the son of Thomas and Mary Pocock. The 1911 census indicates that he had two older brothers Albert and Harry and one younger brother Ernest Frank who were living in the family home. His mother had given birth to ten children of whom seven were living. Thomas was a labourer at the biscuit factory like his father and older brothers. He was aged 22 when he was killed in action on 9th  October 1917.  This day marks the beginning of the third phase of the Third Battle of Ypres.   

Passchendaele by Martin Matrix Evans describes the scene that Thomas Pocock would have been a part of: “..troops moved up in anticipation of the attack of 9 October.  Lieutenant P. King described the horrors of the march up from Ypres.  ’It was an absolute nightmare.  Often we would have to stop and wait for up to half an hour, because all the time the duck boards were being blown up and men being blown off the track or simply slipping off – because we were all in full marching order with gas masks and rifles, and some were carrying machine guns and extra ammunition’.

At 5.20am on 9 October the 2/9th Manchester Regiment and the 2/4th East Lancashire (both 198 Brigade, 66th Division) advanced against Dab Trench.  Fire from Hamburg Redoubt, the strong point in the centre of the obstacle, cut the men down and an attempt by the 2/5th East Lancashire to take it failed.  King describes it.  ‘We went over this morass, straight into a curtain of rain and mist and shells, for we were caught between two barrages.  Well, of course we lost direction right away….The machine gun fire from the German positions was frightful…. We could hardly move because the mud was so heavy that you were dragging your legs behind you, and with people being hit and falling and splashing down all round you, all you can do is keep moving and look for some form of cover’.”

 It is not therefore surprising that Thomas Pocock has no known grave.  He is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial Panel 120-124 and 162-162A and 163A

Reginald William Poole

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

Reginald William Poole
Lance Corporal 14353
8th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment.

 Division 26
Left side of drive

Poole RW photo

Reginald William Poole was the  son of William and Anna Poole, of “Tetbury”, 95, Church Road, Tilehurst, Reading.  The 1911 census indicates that William Poole was a Carpenter and Joiner. Reginald was a gardener / nursery man, his sisters worked in the tailoring / dressmaking trades. Anna Poole had given birth to eight children five of whom survived.

Reginaldwas first reported missing and then killed in action on the 25th September 1915.  This was the first day of the battle of Loos.  Reginald Poole has no known grave and is commemorated along with 20,000 others who have no known grave on the Loos Memorial.   The 8th Royal Berkshires are named on panels 93 to 95.

In the Reading Cemetery Reginald is remembered on his parent’s grave on a small stone vase. He was 22 when he died.