1916, JULY 1st – FRONT LINE TRENCHES IN LAVENTIE SECTOR UNDER HEAVY SHELLING

Laventie, Showing The Fauquissart Sector 1916
From the The Story of the 2/5th Gloucestershire Regiment 1914-1918, by A. F. Barnes, M.C.

 

Killed in Action, July 1st 1916

200546 Private Henry (Harry) George Hayward

3537 Private Alexander John Rennie

Died of Wounds, July 1st 1916

4199 Private Frank William Hartwell

5346 Private Percival Gordon Lines

5459 Private George Morris

War Diary of the 2/4th Royal Berkshire Regiment

1916-07-01
Regiment. 2/4th Royal Berkshire
Location France, Laventie
Entry Working Parties. Heavy shelling heard on Right front. One Coy stood to arms 11-11.45pm.

Sergeant Robert Henry Pipe

Robert Henry Pipe was the last of four brothers to die within a year of each other. Please see the page on Lance Corporal Edwin George Pipe

Robert Henry Pipe

Rank: Serjeant
Service No: 200939
Date of Death: 29/03/1918
Age: 26
Regiment/Service: Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, 2nd/4th Bn.
Grave Reference II. B. 11.
Cemetery ETRETAT CHURCHYARD EXTENSION

From the Woodbridge, Suffolk Roll of Honour

Sergeant 200939, 2nd/4th Battalion, Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry. Died 29/03/1918. Age 26. Son of William Dalby Pipe and Emma Pipe of 9 Queen’s Road, Beccles, Suffolk. Buried at Etretat Churchyard Extension (near Le Havre).

From the Woodbridge Reporter dated 30th Jan 1919, there are details of Woodbridgians who fell in the Great War. Against Robert H Pipe it says:

Robert H Pipe, assistant teacher at the Council School, died of wounds received in action on 29th March 1918. He was 26 years of age and joined the forces in September 1914.

National Probate Calendar, 24 July 1918:

PIPE Robert Henry of 28 Seckford Street Woodbridge Suffolk died 29 March 1918 in France from wounds. Administration (with Will) London 24 July to William Dalby Pipe printer’s estimating clerk. Effects 416 1s 1d.

Corporal Frank Hedley Lawrence Upfold

Name: UPFOLD
Initials: F H L
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Corporal
Regiment/Service: Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry
Unit Text: 2nd/4th Bn.
Date of Death: 14/07/1916
Service No: 1973
Additional information: Son of Mr. J. W. Upfold, of 20, Grove Hill Rd., Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: V. B. 15.
Cemetery: MERVILLE COMMUNAL CEMETERY

Name: Frank Hedley Lawrence Upfold
Birth Place: Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Residence: Oxford
Death Date: 14 Jul 1916
Enlistment Location: Turnbridge Wells, Kent
Rank: Corporal
Regiment: Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
Battalion: 2/4th Battalion.
Number: 1973
Type of Casualty: Died of wounds

Private Henry Thomas

Name: THOMAS, HENRY
Initials: H
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry
Unit Text: 2nd/4th Bn.
Age: 21
Date of Death: 25/07/1916
Service No: 3553
Additional information: Son of William and Louisa Thomas, of 93, Charles St., Iffley Rd., Oxford.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: XI. B. 21.
Cemetery: MERVILLE COMMUNAL CEMETERY

Name: Henry Thomas
Residence: Oxford
Death Date: 25 Jul 1916
Rank: Private
Regiment: Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
Battalion: 2/4th Battalion.
Number: 2553
Type of Casualty: Died of wounds

Private Walter Thomas Taplin

Name: TAPLIN, WALTER THOMAS
Initials: W T
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry
Unit Text: “B” Coy. 2nd/4th Bn.
Age: 22
Date of Death: 04/07/1916
Service No: 5648
Additional information: Son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Taplin, of Oakley, Brill, Bucks.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: II. C. 26.
Cemetery: LONGUENESSE (ST. OMER) SOUVENIR CEMETERY

Name: Walter Taplin
Birth Place: Oakley, Bucks
Residence: Oxford
Death Date: 4 Jul 1916
Enlistment Location: Oakley, Bucks
Rank: Private
Regiment: Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
Battalion: 2/4th Battalion.
Number: 5648
Type of Casualty: Died of wounds

Sergeant Thomas James Surman (1883 – 1916)

The following individual is of personal interest to me as his wife, Ellen Elizabeth Surman lived opposite my grandfather at least into the 1960s. I believe Thomas and Ellen had a daughter called Stella.

Name: SURMAN, THOMAS JAMES
Initials: T J
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Serjeant
Regiment/Service: Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry
Unit Text: 4th Bn.
Date of Death: 14/08/1916
Service No: 3240
Additional information: Son of John Lindars Surman and Eliza Surman; husband of Ellen Elizabeth Surman, of 94, Percy St., Oxford.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: I1. 54.
Cemetery: OXFORD (BOTLEY) CEMETERY

Name: Thomas James Surman
Residence: Oxford
Death Date: 14 Aug 1916
Rank: Sergeant
Regiment: Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
Battalion: 2/4th Battalion.
Number: 3240
Type of Casualty: Died of wounds

More information on Ellen Elizabeth Surman (Faulkner)

My mother said that she had the most wonderful white hair.

Name: Ellen E Surman
Death Registration Month/Year: 1968
Age at death (estimated): 86
Registration district: Oxford
Inferred County: Oxfordshire
Volume: 6b
Page: 1083

Ellen Elizabeth Faulkner married Thomas James Surman in 1904.

Some information on Stella

Name: Stella K Surman
Year of Registration: 1912
Quarter of Registration: Apr-May-Jun
Mother’s Maiden Name: Faulkner
District: Headington
County: Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire
Volume: 3a

Marriage:
Name: Stella K Surman
Spouse Surname: Taylor
Date of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep 1937
Registration district: Oxford
Registration county (inferred):Oxfordshire
Volume Number: 3a
Page Number: 566

Private John Wright Smith

Name: SMITH
Initials: J W
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry
Unit Text: 2nd/4th Bn.
Date of Death: 23/07/1916
Service No: 3619
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: I. E. 2.
Cemetery: AIRE COMMUNAL CEMETERY

Name: John Wright Smith
Residence: Oxford
Death Date: 23 Jul 1916
Enlistment Location: Grandpont, Oxon
Rank: Private
Regiment: Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
Battalion: 2/4th Battalion.
Number: 3619
Type of Casualty: Died of wounds

Bugler Thomas Sims (Simms)

Name: SIMS
Initials: T
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Bugler
Regiment/Service: Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry
Unit Text: 2nd/4th Bn.
Date of Death: 20/07/1916
Service No: 3359
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: II. A. 18.
Cemetery: LA GORGUE COMMUNAL CEMETERY

Name: Thomas Simms
Residence: Oxford
Death Date: 20 Jul 1916
Enlistment Location: Hinksey, Oxon
Rank: Bugler
Regiment: Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
Battalion: 2/4th Battalion.
Number: 3359
Type of Casualty: Died of wounds

Private George Morris

Name: MORRIS, GEORGE
Initials: G
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry
Unit Text: 2nd/4th Bn.
Age: 29
Date of Death: 01/07/1916
Service No: 5459
Additional information: Son of John Thomas Morris, of The Green, Bletchington, Oxford.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: VI. P. 73.
Cemetery: MERVILLE COMMUNAL CEMETERY

Name: George Morris
Birth Place: Bletchington, Oxon
Residence: Oxford
Death Date: 1 Jul 1916
Enlistment Location: Bletchington, Oxon
Rank: Private
Regiment: Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
Battalion: 2/4th Battalion.
Number: 5459
Type of Casualty: Died of wounds

Private Charles Montague Lord

Name: LORD, CHARLES MONTAGUE
Initials: C M
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry
Unit Text: 2nd/4th Bn.
Age: 22
Date of Death: 07/07/1916
Service No: 5448
Additional information: Son of Charles James and Lizzie Lord, of 9A, St. Aubyns, Hove, Brighton. Native of Oxford.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: V. B. 2.
Cemetery: MERVILLE COMMUNAL CEMETERY

Name: Charles Montague Lord
Birth Place: Oxford
Residence: Oxford
Death Date: 7 Jul 1916
Enlistment Location: Hone, Sussex
Rank: Private
Regiment: Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
Battalion: 2/4th Battalion.
Number: 5448
Type of Casualty: Died of wounds