Leicester Tiger Killed in Action, 9th June 1916

10369 Private Sidney Wade

 6th Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment

 Killed in Action, 9th June 1916 Age: 21

Photograph: Kev Mitchell

Sidney Wade was born in March 1895 and was the son of Mr Joseph Wade, a brickyard labourer and Mrs Sarah Wade. In 1901 the family lived at 14 Rectory Place, Loughborough and in 1911 they had moved to 111 Burder Street. He had a brother, Charles, and five sisters: Elizabeth, May, Dorothy, Elsie and Gertrude.

Sidney enlisted with the Leicestershire Regiment, known as the Tigers, at Loughborough, Leicestershire on the 25th August 1914 for three years’ service. He was nineteen years and five months old and his trade was the same as that of his father - a brickyard labourer. He was 5ft 5ins tall, had a chest measurement of 33 inches, grey eyes and brown hair. He gave his religion as Church of England.

The War Diary for the 6th Battalion of the Leicestershire Regiment for the 9th June 1916 reads:

Saulty:  The enemy sent over heavy minnenwerfer and other trench-mortar bombs. A large bomb fell on a shelter killing four men: 10250 Sgt. B. Newbold, 10159 Sgt. P. Austin, 10369 Pte. S. Wade. 10904 Pte. F. Benskin, all C Company. The following were wounded: 11911 Pte. A. Dawson, B Company, 18442 Pte. T. Jones, A Company.

Sergeant Moffat Ecob of the 6th Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment wrote to Sidney’s parents, who were now living at 17 Wellington Street, Loughborough. Sergeant Ecob told them that he had been out to fetch a working party back in. When he returned he found that the dug-out where he had left his four friends from Loughborough had been hit by a shell, blowing it to pieces and that all four men had been killed, instantaneously.

Sidney Wade is buried at Bienvillers Military Cemetery, 8 kilometres south-west of Arras, France. His effects were returned to his mother, Mrs Sarah Wade, of 17 Wellington Street, Loughborough.

He is commemorated on the Carillon Tower Memorial, Loughborough and All Saints with Holy Trinity Church Roll of Honour, Loughborough.

Sources:

Regimental Diaries, 6th Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment

National Archives

Doyle, Michael, Their Name Liveth for Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland (Billingborough, Michael Doyle, 2009)

© Dr Karen Ette

Battle of Jutland - Leading Signalman George Copson

Leading Signalman 225838 George Henry Copson

Killed in action: 1st June 1916    Age: 28

George Henry Copson was born on the 10th February 1888 in Loughborough, Leicestershire. His father was George Copson of Husbands Bosworth and a contractors labourer (born 1861) and his mother was Ellen Copson (nee Bateman, born 1867)) also of Husbands Bosworth. His parents were married in Market Harborough district. His sister, Agnes was born the year before George in Market Harborough, before the family moved to Loughborough. George’s younger siblings were Edward, born 1889 and Mary, born 1890. In April 1891 the family home was at 17 Wellington Street, Loughborough, Leicestershire. In March 1901 the family had moved to 48 Moor Lane, Loughborough, his father now a night-soil foreman. They later moved to Oxford Street and George’s father was employed by the Loughborough Corporation.

On 16th April 1903, aged fifteen, George enlisted into the Royal Navy to serve a twelve-year engagement and his reckonable service was due to commence on the 10th February 1906. He was given the service number 225838 in Chatham, Kent.

His medical examination recorded that he was 5 feet 3.5 inches tall, his hair was brown and eyes hazel. His complexion was ‘fresh’. He had two ‘N’s tattooed on his left forearm, two faces – one a sailor, the other a woman, on his left wrist and crossed flags on his right wrist. His trade was given as ‘houseboy’. He was re-examined when he reached the age of eighteen and his height was recorded as 5 feet and 5 inches.

His record of service began on the 16th April 1903 when he joined HMS Caledonia as A boy, 2nd Class. He was promoted to Boy, 1st Class (Signaller) on the 17th November 1903.

HMS Caledonia: 18th November 1903 – 31st May 1904.

HMS Pembroke: 1st June 1904 – 5th October 1904.

HMS Berwick:    6th October 1904 – 9th February 1906 – promoted to Signalman.

HMS Berwick: 10th February 1906 – 12th March 1906.

HMS Pembroke I: 13th March 1906 – 9th July 1906 – promoted to Ordinary Signalman.

HMS Pembroke I: 10th July 1906 – 7th August 1906.

HMS Pembroke II: 8th August 1906 – 31st May 1907.

HMS Octacon: 1st June 1907 – 30th September 1907 – promoted to Leading Signalman.

HMS Octacon: 1st October 1907 – 14th September 1908.

HMS Pembroke I: 15th September 1908 – 30th March 1909.

HMS Dido: 31st March 1909 – 14th August 1910 – completed term of engagement.

George then worked as a miner in Whitwick and when he was 24 he married Florence Theresa Gilson, 21, at All Saints Church, Peckham on the 8th September 1912. 

George re-enlisted for the duration of hostilities and joined HMS Victory 1 as a Leading Signalman.

HMS Victory I: 16th March 1915 - 22nd July 1915 - Leading Signalman.

HMS Hecla: 23rd July 1915 – 2nd September 1915.

HMS Hecla (Shark): 3rd September 1915 – 18th March 1916.

HMS Sparrowhawk: 19th March 1916 – 31st May 1916 – killed in action at the Battle of Jutland.

Battle of Jutland

At around 23.40 some of the ships of the 4th destroyer flotilla formed up under Commander Walter Allen of HMS Broke, who was the half-flotilla leader, with the aim on continuing the attack against German ships nearby. HMS Broke was caught in searchlights coming from the German battleship SMS Westfalen. She attempted to fire torpedoes, but the range was only around 150 yards and the German ship opened fire first. The effect was devastating so that within a couple of minutes fifty crew were killed and another thirty injured. The attack disabled the guns and prevented any activity on deck. The helmsman was killed at the wheel, and as he died his body turned the wheel, which caused HMS Broke to turn to port and ram HMS Sparrowhawk. Sub Lieutenant Percy Wood saw HMS Broke coming towards them at twenty-eight knots and heading directly for HMS Sparrowhawk’s bridge. He shouted warnings to the crew to get clear and was then knocked over by the impact. When he regained consciousness he was lying on the deck of HMS Broke. Two other men from HMS Sparrowhawk were also thrown onto HMS Broke. Sub Lieutenant Wood reported to Commander Allen who told him to return to his own ship and make preparations to take the crew of HMS Broke on board. When he returned to HMS Sparrowhawk, Sub Lieutenant Wood was told by his captain, Lieutenant Commander Sydney Hopkins, that he had just sent exactly the same message to HMS Broke. Approximately twenty men from HMS Sparrowhawk evacuated to HMS Broke, whilst fifteen of HMS Broke’s crew crossed to HMS Sparrowhawk.

A third destroyer, HMS Contest then crashed into HMS Sparrowhawk, striking six feet from her stern. HMS Contest was relatively unharmed and able to continue after the collision. HMS Broke and HMS Sparrowhawk remained wedged together for about half-an-hour before they could be separated and HMS Broke got underway taking thirty of HMS Sparrowhawk’s crew with her. HMS Sparrowhawk, although still having engine power, could only steam ahead in circles near the burning destroyer HMS Tipperary as her rudder was jammed to one side. At around 02.00 a German torpedo boat approached and came within one hundred yards of HMS Sparrowhawk, but then turned away. Only one gun was still working and as the gun crews had all been killed or injured, the captain and his officers manned it, but held fire in the hope that the Germans would not initiate an attack. Shortly afterwards HMS Tipperary sank, putting out the fire that was attracting attention to the area.

At around 03.30 the crew on board HMS Sparrowhawk were alarmed when they sighted a German cruiser, the SMS Elbing, which had been torpedoed and then abandoned. Shortly afterwards the ship listed and then sank, bow first. At 06.10 a raft approached carrying twenty-three men from HMS Tipperary, three were already dead and five more died after being taken on board. An hour later, three British destroyers arrived and HMS Marksman attempted to get two hawsers attached to HMS Sparrowhawk to tow her to safely. The high seas meant the ropes parted and there were reports of German submarines nearby. It was decided to abandon HMS Sparrowhawk and HMS Marksman fired eighteen shells into her to ensure that she sank.

Leading Signalman 225838 George Henry Copson left Florence a widow with two children, living at 19 Parkstone Road, Rye Lane, Peckham. 

Leading Signalman 225838 George Henry Copson is commemorated on:

The Chatham Naval Memorial, Kent, where he first enlisted

Loughborough Carillon Tower Memorial

St John the Baptist Churchyard Memorial, Whitwick

All Saints Parish Church Memorial, Loughborough

St Peter’s Church Memorial, Loughborough

Council Office Memorial, Coalville, Leics

Sources:

Doyle, Michael, Their Name Liveth for Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland (Billingborough, Michael Doyle, 2009)

The National Archives

Captain John Theopholus Chapman

On the 29th May 2015 Captain John Theopholus Chapman was remembered in a short service at Loughborough Carillon.

The Mayor, Councillor Paul Day, who was accompanied by Mayoress, 

Mrs Pauline Day,  laid flowers in memory of Captain Chapman, as did Captain Chapman's great-great nephew, James Evans.

Captain John Theopholus Chapman

1/5th Btn. Leicestershire Regiment.

Died of Wounds 30th May 1915, Aged 26.

John Chapman, born in Loughborough in1889, was the son of John Ernest Theophilus Chapman, a boot maker and dealer and Elizabeth Anne Chapman (nee Cumberland). He had 4 sisters: Gladys (b. 1890) Helen (b.1889) Dorothy (b. 1882) and Edith (b. 1879) and a brother, Hubert (b. 1886), all born in Loughborough. In April 1891 the family lived at 34 Park Lane, Loughborough. In 1897 Harold was born and in 1911 the family lived at Westfields, Ashby Road, Loughborough and John was an electrical engineering student.

When the 5^th Leicester Territorials were mobilised in August 1914 only one of the officers of the Loughborough Company was living in the town. They all, however, responded to the call - Lieutenant John Chapman leaving his appointment in London to join the ranks. Before many weeks he was promoted Captain, and his company, and the men who under his command were billeted in Luton, found him a considerate and a careful officer.

The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published an article on Friday, 4th June 1915 entitled: District War Items -  Loughborough Officer’s Death from Wounds.

It read:

‘Much regret is felt in Loughborough at the death of Captain John Chapman, of the 1st 5th Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment, who died of wounds on Sunday in hospital in London.*  The gallant Captain was out with a sniping party when a shot smashed his binoculars and inflicted such serious wounds that little hope was entertained of his recovery. He was the second son of Mr Ernest Chapman of Ashby Road, Loughborough, and was formerly in the works of the British Engineering Company. He was a very able and popular young officer, and deep sympathy is felt for his relatives.’

* Captain Chapman died in Wandsworth, Surrey.

Capt. Chapman was reconnoitring the enemy's position by the aid of field glasses, when he was shot between the eyes. The injury was severe and from the first it was feared that fatal results would follow. He was conveyed to England and every care taken, but the injury was fatal and he passed away on Sunday, 30th May 1915.

His coffin was conveyed from London to Loughborough and six men of the 3rd 5th Leicesters, being at the station, carried the coffin, draped with the Union Jack, shoulder high from the train to the hearse, which slowly made its way from the railway station to the Parish Church, attended by many people. At the church the body rested during the night and the following morning, being guarded by relays of four soldiers from the 3rd/5th Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment, relieved every two hours. The funeral was timed for three o'clock at the church and never in the history of the town probably had there been such a funeral in Loughborough.

 

     Burial place:  Leicester Road Cemetery, Loughborough

   

     Also commemorated on:    Brush Electrical Engineering Company Limited

                                                Loughborough War Memorial (Carillon)

                                                Parish Church, Loughborough

                                                Loughborough Grammar School

     John’s brother Hubert also died in WW1, in 1917.

Karen Ette

Sources: 

Doyle, Michael, Their Name Liveth for Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland (Billingborough, Michael Doyle, 2009)

Kev Mitchell, ‘Surnames C-D’ in Loughborough Roll of Honour <http://www.loughborough-rollofhonour.com/page37.htm>

Loughborough Grammar School Roll of Honour 1914 - 1918

  Loughborough Grammar School

Roll of Honour 
1914-1918
1939 -1945

The Loughborough Grammar School Roll of Honour remembers those who attended the school and paid the ultimate sacrifice during the Great War and the Second World War.

Many are also commemorated on the Carillon in Loughborough's Queen's Park and other village and church memorials.

The Carillon  houses a wonderful museum which is open to the public from April until October - well worth a visit, especially to see the Leicestershire Yeomanry floor and hear the story of Loughborough's own War Horse - Songster.

  Remembrance Sunday in Queen's Park - 11 November 2012

To mark the centenary of World War 1, I am writing a book about Loughborough, the main component being those who are named on the Grammar School's Roll of Honour, plus the effects of the war on the School and Loughborough town.

Much research has been done on those named, and if anyone has further information, which they would be willing to share, I would be very pleased to hear from you. I am especially interested in any photographs and family history as well as their military history.

If you are able to offer any stories or photographs, please do drop me an email, (address link below) - I would love to hear from you.  

 

© Karen Ette