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Those 48 hours of torment

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James William Thornton was born in Bethnal Green London in 1895 and worked initially as an indoor messenger boy for the General Post Office. His Attestation papers for the Territorial Force survived and show that on 11 February 1914 he was deemed fit to join up. Above: James in army uniform 1914 The Post Office Rifles were initially formed in 1…

Life and Death on the North Sea during the First World War

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Perhaps the subtitle of this piece should be 'Just One Week', for that was the length of time one of my paternal uncles had served aboard HMS Queen Mary before she sailed out into the North Sea to meet the German Fleet. Although most of my other family members served in the Army during the Great War, the twist of fate that caused James Ringland to …

Howitzers, wounds and a pension

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“The war of 1914-18 was an artillery war: artillery was the battle winner, artillery was what caused the greatest loss of life, the most dreadful wounds, and the deepest fear.” John Terraine, White Heat – The New Warfare 1914-18 This is the story of 374104 Sgt. John Danton Mayhew, M.M., 163 Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery In 201…

Courage and devotion to duty: 62357 Sgt. Ernest Bashford, 199 Siege Battery

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Family history research revealed at least five relatives who served in the Royal Garrison Artillery in the Great War, and an episode recorded in Ernest Bashford’s military papers deserved further investigation. Great Uncle Ernest was the son of Edward and Sophia Bashford, one of a family of ten, born at Bayham Abbey, Kent in 1880. His normal occu…

A Liverpool Lad at Ypres Pte Joseph Gough KIA 31 July 1917

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“The Valley of the Shadow, 31 July 1917. Down in the valley the Steenbeek flows, A brook you may cross with an easy stride, In death’s own valley between the rows of stunted willows om either side. You may cross in the sunshine without a care, with a brow that is fanned by the summer’s breath, Though you cross with a laugh, yet pause with a pr…

Great War Crested China militaria of the Great War

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Webinars which have been produced by The Western Front Association and watched live or via the Facebook page have been a rich source of information, giving us access to wide ranging subjects during these difficult times, and thanks must go to those involved in their production. At the same time they have also allowed a sneaky peek into the homes o…

The Quest for Grandad’s photo: Pte James Cooper, 1st. Bn. Essex Regiment

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'The grassy slopes that crown the cliffs are carpeted with flowers. The azure sky is cloudless and the air is fragrant with the scent of wild thyme. In front, a smiling valley studded with cypress and olive and patches of young corn, the ground rises gently to the village of Krithia standing amidst clumps of mulberry and oak. On the left, a mile…