Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (The 2/4th Battalion)
Research and Resources around the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry during WWI
Archive for the tag “Fromelles”
Hitler’s First War by Thomas Weber
A very well researched book, Hitler’s First War, provides readers insight into a large amount of original source material.
The 2/4th Ox and Bucks came across Hitler’s List Regiment (RIR 16) during the Battle of Fromelles, 19th July 1916, which is detailed on pages 146 – 148.
Sugar Loaf Salient
The remains of Sugar Loaf Salient and its concrete shelters. The photograph was taken two years after the battle of Fromelles, fought on 19 July 1916, which was the first major engagement in France in which the 5th Australian Division participated. After several hours of bitter and desperate fighting under disastrous conditions, the Australians were ordered to withdraw. Australian casualties totaled over five thousand. Note the debris visible across the landscape.
From: http://cas.awm.gov.au/item/E03964
Check out the great article: http://www.awm.gov.au/wartime/36/article.asp
Private George E. L. Tolley (1895–1916)
George E. L. TOLLEY (1895–1916)
“George E. L. Tolley was born in Barton in 1895, the son of Edward Tolley (born in Headington and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 23 October 1859) and Mary Jane White (born at the White Horse on the London Road and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 28 August 1861). His parents were married (probably in haste) at St Andrew’s Church, at the respective ages of 20 and 19, on 9 May 1880 and had the following children:
* Edward Albert (also known as Albert Edward) Tolley (privately baptised on 13 August 1880, died aged 2½, buried at St Andrew’s churchyard on 6 January 1883)
* Percival Charles Tolley (born in Old Headington 12 March 1883 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 29 April 1883)
* Sarah Maria Tolley (born in Old Headington on 4 May 1887 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 11 September 1887)
* Edith Tolley (born in Barton on 19 December 1890 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 11 May 1890)
* Thomas Tolley (born in Old Headington on 9 October 1892 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 27 November 1892)
* George E. L. Tolley (born in Barton on 23 August 1895 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 24 November 1895)
* Alice Tolley (born in Old Headington in c.1897)
* Edward Tolley (born in Old Headington on 14 January 1904 and baptised at St Andrew’s Church on 6 March 1904).
In the 1881 census the family can be seen living in Old Headington (probably in Old High Street, and Edward’s father is a brewer’s drayman (which may explain how he got to meet his wife, who was the daughter of Daniel White, landlord of the White Horse on the London Road) and his mother a dressmaker. They still had the same jobs in 1891, but were living in Church Lane.
By 1901 they had moved again, to one of the cottages between the Priory and the Black Boy in Old High Street: George’s father was now a mason’s labourer, and his mother still a dressmaker. George was a 5-year-old “scholar”: he would almost certainly have attended Old Headington Infant School, which had recently moved into an old building behind the present St Andrew’s School.
George’s father Edward died in Old Headington at the age of 46, and was buried at Headington Cemetery on 24 February 1906. The 1911 census shows George’s mother as a widow of 49, earning her living by dressmaking in Western (now Holyoake Road). George (15) was now a printer’s labourer, as was his brother Thomas (18).
Poppy In the First World War George Tolley served as a Private in the 2nd/4th Battalion of the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (Service No: 3022). He was aged only 20 when he was killed in action in France on 19 July 1916, and is buried in the Laventie Military Cemetery, La Gorgue ( II. D. 6). He is listed on the roll of honour of St Andrew’s Church in Old Headington.
After the War
Tolley’s mother died at 1 Holyoake Road and was buried in Headington Cemetery on 7 February 1927. Miss Tolley (presumably one of George’s sisters) was still living in that house in 1962.”
Name: TOLLEY
Initials: G E L
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry
Unit Text: 2nd/4th Bn.
Date of Death: 19/07/1916
Service No: 3022
Additional information: Son of Mrs. M. J. Tolley, of I, Western Rd., Headington, Oxon.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: II. D. 6.
Cemetery: LAVENTIE MILITARY CEMETERY, LA GORGUE
Name: George Tolley
Residence: Oxford
Death Date: 19 Jul 1916
Enlistment Location: Headington Quarry, Oxon
Rank: Private
Regiment: Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
Battalion: 2/4th Battalion.
Number: 3022
Type of Casualty: Killed in action
Private William Arthur Taylor
Name: William Arthur Taylor
Residence: Oxford
Death Date: 19 Jul 1916
Enlistment Location: Buckingham
Rank: Private
Regiment: Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
Battalion: 2/4th Battalion.
Number: 4167
Type of Casualty: Killed in action
Name: TAYLOR, WILLIAM ARTHUR
Initials: W A
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry
Unit Text: 2nd/4th Bn.
Age: 30
Date of Death: 9/07/1916
Service No: 4167
Additional information: Son of Frederick and Harriet Taylor, of Buckingham.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: III. C. 17.
Cemetery: LAVENTIE MILITARY CEMETERY, LA GORGUE
Private George Edward (Edwin) Lovell Simpson
Name: SIMPSON, GEORGE EDWIN LOVELL
Initials: G E L
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry
Unit Text: 2nd/4th Bn.
Age: 20
Date of Death: 19/07/1916
Service No: 4317
Additional information: Son of William Joseph and Elizabeth Simpson, of 30, Marlborough Rd., Grandpont, Oxford.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: II. D. 3.
Cemetery: LAVENTIE MILITARY CEMETERY, LA GORGUE
Name: George Edward L. Simpson
Residence: Oxford
Death Date: 19 Jul 1916
Enlistment Location: Osney, Oxon
Rank: Private
Regiment: Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
Battalion: 2/4th Battalion.
Number: 4317
Type of Casualty: Killed in action
Private (Rifleman) Ernest Edward Reynolds
Name: REYNOLDS, ERNEST EDWARD
Initials: E E
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Rifleman
Regiment/Service: Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry
Unit Text: 2nd/4th Bn.
Age: 16
Date of Death: 19/07/1916
Service No: 6762
Additional information: Son of William and Clementina Matilda Reynolds, of 72, Craddock St., Riverside, Cardiff.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: II. G. 2.
Cemetery: LAVENTIE MILITARY CEMETERY, LA GORGUE
Name: Ernest Edward Reynolds
Birth Place: Roath, Glam.
Residence: Cardiff
Death Date: 19 Jul 1916
Enlistment Location: Roath, Glam.
Rank: Private
Regiment: Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
Battalion: 2/4th Battalion.
Number: 6762
Type of Casualty: Killed in action
Theater of War: Aldershot
Comments: Formerly 2122, Welsh Regt.
Corporal Reginald Harding
Name: HARDING
Initials: R
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Corporal
Regiment/Service: Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry
Unit Text: 2nd/4th Bn.
Age: 18
Date of Death: 19/07/1916
Service No: 2191
Additional information: Son of Mrs. Louisa Harding, of 28, Rock Hill, Chipping Norton, Oxon.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: II. D. 7.
Cemetery: LAVENTIE MILITARY CEMETERY, LA GORGUE
Name: Reginald Harding
Birth Place: Chipping Norton, Oxon
Residence: Chipping Norton
Death Date: 19 Jul 1916
Rank: Corporal
Regiment: Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
Battalion: 2/4th Battalion.
Number: 2191
Type of Casualty: Killed in action
Theater of War: Aldershot
Private Charles Bryden
Name: Charles Bryden
Residence: Oxford
Death Date: 19 Jul 1916
Rank: Private
Regiment: Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
Battalion: 2/4th Battalion.
Number: 5148
Type of Casualty: Killed in action
Theater of War: Aldershot
Name: BRYDEN, CHARLES
Initials: C
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry
Unit Text: 2nd/4th Bn.
Age: 27
Date of Death: 19/07/1916
Service No: 5148
Additional information: Son of David Bryden, of 84, Howard St., Oxford.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 83 to 85.
Memorial: LOOS MEMORIAL
