WWI Survivors' Stories

WWI Survivors' Stories

SAMUEL ABRAHAM lived in Bridge Terrace with his wife in 1921. He worked for Arthur Cole as a bricklayer's labourer. Samuel does not appear on the St Ives Roll of Honour. He enlisted in 1915 and landed in France in October 1916. After a month in the front trenches, the authorities arrested Samuel for neglectful handling of his firearm. He'd shot himself in the foot. The penalty for self-injury was death by firing squad. The British Army convicted almost 4,000 men of this offence. They gaoled all. There must have been extenuating circumstances in Samuel's case. Initially sentenced to 6 months, this was reduced to 4 months, and then 60 days. The Army discharged Samuel in March 1919, no longer physically fit for war.

MONTAGUE ADAMS had letters published in the Hunts Post describing his hair-raising experiences in Egypt and France.

SYDNEY ANDREWS never got the recognition for bravery he so deserved. He served in the Army from 1902 to 1905, retiring to the Army Reserve. As war threatened, Sydney was called up in May 1914. Wounded in July 1915, Sydney returned to battle. He was severely wounded the following month, in August 1915. In March 1918 he received a shotgun wound to his left foot, taking six months to recover. Discharged from the Army in March 1919, no longer physically fit for war service, Sydney's occupation in the 1921 census was 'disabled soldier'.

GEORGE ANGIER experienced many 'narrow escapes' during the defence of Paris in 1914. When a bullet shot straight through the top middle of his cap during the Battle of Ainse in September 1914, George must have known he was living on borrowed time. His luck ran out when another bullet went through his arm and rucksack. George fought on. Carrying a wounded man to safety, a shell exploded and blew half his left hand away.

ROSETTA ARMES, publican of the New Crown (now a private house on Armes Corner at the end of London Road) sent four sons off to war. A German shell killed the youngest, Herbert Armes, in 1918. The military discharged Reginald in 1917, no longer medically fit for active service. Thomas and Walter returned unscathed.

STEPHEN ATKINSON had a tough few months at the Front. Badly gassed after only three days, Stephen wrote to his mother from hospital in Rouen 'in quite a cheerful strain'. On his return to action, within weeks Stephen suffered nervous debility from shell shock for several months.

JAMES  & LIZZIE BUTLER lost two sons in WWI, Charles and Herbert. A third son, Frank, was severely wounded, sustaining an arm injury in 1915. In 1921, Frank worked in one of the eleven Lord Roberts Memorial Workshops, set up to give employment to severely injured servicemen.

EMMA COOPER, widow, gave birth to fourteen children, three of whom died in infancy. Her husband, Walter, a coachman, died in 1901. Emma kept the family going by taking in washing and sewing. By the time of WWI, Emma was landlady of the Manchester Arms. She sent four sons to war. Harry was killed in action when a German artillery shell hit his gun emplacement, killing him outright. Harry's name appears on St Ives War Memorial. Herbert was a prisoner of war in Germany. Wounded in 1917, Reginald then suffered severe trench foot in 1918. Arthur was the only one of the four to return unscathed.

BENJAMIN CORBETT wrote home about his experiences in the trenches in France. In April 1915 they got 'news of something serious has happened'. A piece of shrapnel had hit Benjamin in the wrist. By 1916 he was in Gallipoli, writing about his experiences there.

CHARLES COULSON wrote advice from the front in May 1915. Wounded in the back in August 1917 by a bursting shell, by mid-September he was in a Canterbury hospital 'going on as well as can be expected'. At the same time, his wife and 5 children were being evicted from their home in St Ives.

GEORGE DAY was St Ives Town Clerk, as was his father and grandfather. George sent his three sons off to war. Ivor and Jeffrey are named on St Ives War Memorial. A German sniper killed Ivor, shooting him through the eye. Jeffrey ditched his burning plane in the English Channel after single-handedly taking on six German fighters and was lost at sea. Eldest son George returned, severely wounded by shrapnel to his back and arm.

ARTHUR DUNKLING saw his three sons go off to war. An old soldier, the call must have been strong. Arthur re-enlisted in September 1915, aged 53yrs. Arthur's eldest son, Frederick, was killed in action October 1916. Arthur and his two younger sons all came back affected by war. Arthur Junior was hospitalised for three months from gas poisoning. George suffered severe trench fever transmitted by body lice, judge 30% disabled. And after sixteen months under canvas, Arthur Senior suffered from rheumatism and was discharged.

THOMAS EDWARDS, a butcher, was reported missing early in 1918 following the massive German Spring Offensive. His parents must have feared the worst. Some months later, to their joy, they received a postcard confirming he was a prisoner of war in Germany. Thomas returned to St Ives in December 1918 after 'harrowing experiences in the hands of the enemy'.

JOHN FEARY, whose brother James died in WWI and appears on St Ives War Memorial, wrote graphically of his experiences in the trenches, where he was injured by a German shell.

ROBERT FREEMAN was so keen to go to war, he tried to enlist in January 1915, aged 15 years. When that attempt failed, he tried again in September 1915, stating his age as 19 years. After two months he was found out and discharged for being under age.

STANLEY FREEMAN was a naval stocker in the Royal Navy Dockyards at Sheerness. His brother Clement died in WWI and appears on St Ives War Memorial. Clement's minelaying ship was moored off Sheerness when it was blown to pieces in one of the worst naval disasters of WWI. Stanley probably knew his brother was on board, and experienced the tragedy as the force of 150 tons of high explosive aboard ship hurled debris and body parts in a radius of 20 miles.

HARRY GATES is one of only three St Ives men awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal during WWI, awarded for 'gallantry in the face of the enemy'. Harry's citation said he displayed 'conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in rushing a machine gun that was firing very heavily on our right, killing the team of three men and bringing in the gun'.

ARTHUR GIDDINS was a well-known professional solo tenor based at Manchester Cathedral. Arthur was awarded the Military Cross for exemplary gallantry against the enemy. All his patrol were killed or wounded attempting to cross a river. Arthur attacked again, and under fire pushed back the German machine-gun posts, allowing his Company to safely cross.

HENRY HAMMOND enlisted as soon as war was declared in August 1914. He fought in France from 1915 to 1918 and wrote home of his experiences in the trenches. Hit by shrapnel, Henry was hospitalised for six weeks in 1916. A bullet took off his finger in July 1918. Henry then suffered gas poisoning in October, and then again November, 1918. But he returned home. His older brother George was not so lucky, blown to pieces by a German shell. George is named on the St Ives War Memorial.

WALTER & SARAH HAND sent three sons to war. Both Arthur and Harold were injured in November 1916. James, killed in action February 1917, is named on the St Ives War memorial. Arthur was wounded a further two times.

ARTHUR HEMINGTON enlisted in March 1916. A conscientious objector, a tribunal exempted Arthur from combatant service. He served in France from 1916 to 1919.

JOHN & SARAH HODGE sent their four sons to war. The family suffered a heavy toll. John and David are named on the St Ives War Memorial. John died of wounds in Gallipoli. David was reported missing in November. The authorities identified his remains more than six months later. Both are named on St Ives War Memorial. Frank and William returned home, though both sustained injuries.

HARRY HOLMES was possibly the last St Ives man to die from WWI injuries. Hit by shell fire in 1916 during the Battle of the Somme, he lay severely injured on the battlefield for some time. Hospitalised for fifteen months, Harry's thigh and pelvis were smashed to pieces. He returned to teaching, walking with a stick, but suffered a relapse and a further twelve months' recuperation on his back. In 1923 Harry caught typhoid fever, developing into pleurisy. Because of his weakened constitution, Harry never recovered. See Harry Holmes.

ARTHUR & EMMA HURL sent five of their six sons off to war. Walter was one of the most prolific letter writers, keeping his family and residents of St Ives up to date with his experiences. A German shell landed directly in his trench, killing Walter and his companions. He is named on the St Ives War Memorial. Awarded the Military Medal for gallantry in action, Albert wrote about the circumstances.

SYDNEY KIRBY was a bit of a lad. In 1913, he was up in the Priory Road court with others, accused of damaging grass, for which he was fined. In 1914, the same gang were again fined for playing cards in a public place on a Sunday. Sydney's father was active in encouraging local men to sign up. Four of his five sons went to war. Sydney's older brother, Harold, was severely injured by a German shell in 1917, and died of resulting pneumonia. The Hunts Post in 1915 reported Sydney was knocked over when a machine gun bullet went through both his legs. Encouraged by his officer to have another go at them, Sydney managed another few yards before he was laid out by the burst of a shrapnel shell, which fractured his right leg, injured his left arm and dislocated his collar bone. For four days he lay where he fell, gassed while awaiting rescue. In his letter home, Sydney told his parents he hoped to be as good a man as ever he was, and asked his parents not to worry about him as he is lively as a cricket and going on all right.

JOHN RUTHVEN LINDSELL drove an ambulance for the Red Cross on the Italian front. In August 1918 he wrote of his experiences. For six days and nights without rest, he rescued 700 wounded soldiers, dodging shells and nearly being taken prisoner. John was decorated for his bravery and endurance by the King of Italy.

CHARLES LONGLAND travelled far and wide during his WWI service, including South Africa, Singapore and Hong Kong. He wrote home to describe a life of experience. His voyage to Hong Kong aboard the SS Tyndareus was interrupted when the ship hit a mine. All 1,300 men were saved, although Charles described it as an alarming time as he and others clung to a raft in rough seas awaiting rescue from ships 10 miles away. Three weeks in a rest camp at Cape Town left him in the pink of condition.

HENRY NORTHROP's letter home in 1917 was one of the most vivid and gruesome descriptions of war.

ERNEST PARFITT emigrated to Australia before WWI, settling in one of the most remote places on earth, just outside Perth. Enlisting in the Australian forces in 1915, Ernest fought in the hell of Gallipoli. Wounded and hospitalised for two months, he received the Military Medal for bravery. Back in France by 1916, Ernest received a severe gunshot wound to his chest. Still in uniform, he married a girl from Cambridge in January 1918. The couple returned to Australia and had a daughter in 1920.

DICK REYNOLDS was fighting in France in 1918 when his wife Priscilla, aged 31 years, died after a serious operation, leaving behind four young children. He wasn't even able to attend her funeral. Wounded in 1917, Dick received a more serious gunshot wound to his thigh in 1918.

CHARLES RODEN was keen to enlist and go to war. So keen, he signed up when aged only 14 years, stating his age as 16 years. Charles was discharged after only a month, 'not likely to become an efficient soldier'. He ultimately achieved his goal. In 1921 Charles was stationed on Wimbledon Common as a rifleman in the Royal Ulster Rifles.

ALLPRESS RUSTON was a colourful character and had a colourful military career. Lieutenant Ruston arrived in St Ives town centre in an armoured car to much attention twice in 1915, in March and May. Stationed in Russia, He was promoted to Lieutenant Commander in 1917. Allpress was then awarded the DSO whilst fighting the Turks near Baku, Russia. He walked with a limp for the rest of his life after being shot in the thigh.

FANNY SIMONS brought up ten children, in 1901 crammed into three rooms in Cumberland Place, St Ives. When her husband died in 1903, Fanny worked as a charwoman, moving her remaining children in with her daughter's family. She sent three sons to war, two of whom received the Military Medal for bravery. William received a slight leg wound. He was then reported killed in May 1918. After believing she had lost William, Herbert died of wounds in August 1918, aged 20 years. He is named on the St Ives War Memorial. There was some joy for Fanny in September 1918, when she received a postcard from William confirming he was a POW in Germany. Severe shell shock meant William never returned to full employment, scraping a living tending his garden and raising chickens. Arthur wrote in 1915 of his experiences in the trenches. Shortly after he wrote a graphic description of how he was wounded in battle. In 1918, Arthur was awarded the Military Medal and the Distinguished Conduct Medal. An account of his bravery was given in the London Gazette October 1918.

SIDNEY SIMONS was lucky to survive WWI. In 1915 he suffered a gunshot wound in the back which left him with a permanent disability. In 1918 Sidney was hospitalised three times, twice form shell concussion and once after being buried by a shell explosion.

JACOB & FRANCES STEVENS sent four sons to war. Arthur and Reginald were killed in October 1917 and June 1918 and are named on the St Ives War Memorial. Ernest was reported missing in April 1918. Shortly after a postcard was received confirming he was a POW in Germany. Charles enlisted in June 1918 and was posted to training reserve.

FREDERICK TOLLIDAY was the oldest St Ivian to enlist. In Oct 1914 he joined the Royal Field Artillary, aged 59 years. He lasted just four months, discharged in February 1915, not likely to be fit for military service on medical grounds through hardening of the arteries.

HUBERT WHEELER served in both WW1 and WW2. He enlisted with the Royal Navy in 1914 and servied with the Grand Fleet and Q Ships. Whilst aboard HMS Hermione, Hubert made an heroic attempt to save a man who fell into the sea, reported by the Hunts Post in 1921. He left the Royal Navy in 1922 to become Superintendent of Lifeboats for the RNLI. Hubert rejoined the Royal Navy in 1939 and was at the D Day landings. Hubert died in 1979 at No 8 The Quay, St Ives.