October 1914 Archives - Page 33 of 34

Army

Gasson, Onslow

11th December 201521st July 2018
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Onslow Gasson

Rank: Private

Regiment: Royal Irish Rifles

Parents: Mr & Mrs H Gasson

Brothers: H J Gasson, George Gasson & Thomas V Gasson

Cousins: Thomas Gasson, Sergeant Ferrell, William Gasson & Sergeant Collins

Brother-in-Law: Fred Crouch

Address: 160 Old Church Road, Hollington

Other Info: Fought at Mons and wounded in the Battle of the Aisne, Now in a London hospital. Wounded at Hooge, now discharged.

Published: October 1914 & December 1917

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Army

Buckland, Ernest W

11th December 20153rd February 2019
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Ernest W Buckland

Rank: Lance Corporal

Regiment: Royal Irish Dragoon Guards

Father: Mr H Buckland

Brother: Edward J Buckland

Father’s Address: 23 Alexandra Road, St Leonards

Other Info: Reported wounded and missing. Prisoner of war in Boeberitz, Germany.

Published: October 1914 & November 1915

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Army

Whistler, Ralfe Allen Fuller

10th December 20154th March 2023
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Ralfe Allen Fuller Whistler

Rank: Second Lieutenant

Regiment: 2nd Battalion, Highland Light Infantry

Parents: Fuller Whistler & Mrs Gwenllian Annie Whistler (nee Robinson)

Address: Caldbec House, Battle

Other Info: In October 1914 he was wounded when serving with his father’s regiment in France. According to CWGC, Ralfe died aged 21 on 28th April 1917. He is remembered at Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extension, grave reference: VI.D.7

An article published in the Hastings & St Leonards Observer dated 5th December 1914 reports: “Mr. Fuller Whistler has received an interesting letter from his son, Second Lieutenant Ralph (sic) Whistler, who is on active service with his regiment, the Highland Light Infantry.

He describes his recent narrow escape from death while on duty. He was knocked over by a bullett, which penetrated his great coat, his tunic and his order book, which was in his left breast pocket. Subsequently the Lieutenant found the bullet lying in his pocket, and has sent it home to his mother as a souvenir.

It will be remembered that the gallant Lieutenant was wounded early in October, and he only returned to the Front about three weeks ago.’

More information about Ralfe can be read on the King’s School Canterbury Roll of Honour.

Published: October 1914 & December 1914

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Army

Whistler, Fuller

10th December 201511th February 2018
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Fuller Whistler

Rank: Captain / Major

Regiment: 10th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry

Son: Ralfe Allen Fuller Whistler

Address: Battle

Other Info: At Aldershot. According to the CWGC record for his son, Fuller was a Major by the end of the war and lived at Caldbec House.

Published: October 1914

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Navy

Hodson, Daniel

10th December 201522nd April 2018
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Daniel Hodson

Ship: HMS Hogue

Parents: Mr & Mrs Hodson

Address: 22 All Saints Street, Hastings

Other Info: According to CWGC, Daniel was aboard HMS Hogue when it was sunk, along with sister ships HMS Aboukir and HMS Cressy, by German submarine U-9 on 22nd September 1914. He was one of 1,459 seamen lost on that day.

Daniel is remembered on the Chatham Naval Memorial, panel 2.

Published: October 1914

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Army

Harman, E

10th December 201517th July 2018
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E Harman

Rank: Private

Regiment: 5th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment

Address: 41 Winchelsea Road, Ore

Sent by: Miss V Mann

Other Info: Died at Bethune of wounds received on March 28th. According to CWGC, Private Harman died aged 19 on 31st March 1915. He is remembered at Chocques Military Cemetery, grave reference I.A.59.

Published: October 1914 & April 1915

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Army

Taylor, Edgar Manfield

10th December 20151st May 2020
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Edgar Manfield Taylor

Rank: Private

Regiment: 5th Somerset Light Infantry

Parents: Mr & Mrs R Taylor

Brother: Mr Taylor

Address: 32 Vale Road, St Leonards

Other Info: Worked for Parrs Bank in Hastings. About to leave for India.

The text of the article reads: “We received the above portraits on Friday, and with them the following letter:- “Guernsey”, Vale Road, St Leonards. Dear Sir, I enclose two photographs if you care to publish them in this week’s Pictorial, one of myself and one of my brother, who is in a football jersey, is a Private in the 2nd Dorset Regiment, and has been taken prisoner with General Townshend’s Force in Kut-el-Amara. He went through all the campaign, and was wounded at Christmas fighting near Baghdad. No news has been heard from him since December, although we believe he is quite safe. He was in Parr’s Bank, Hastings in 1912, and then left for their Bournemouth Branch, and was in the local YMCA football team. The other photograph is of myself, and tomorrow I am leaving to join my Regiment, the London Scottish, so hope to fill his place now he is handicapped for the duration of the war. I am only 18, am also at Parr’s Bank, Hastings.”

The text in ‘Prisoner of War’ from September 1916 reads “Private Taylor was in the Somerset Light Infantry and was wounded in Kut on 30^th December 1915, and taken prisoner with the rest of the British Army. He is now at Yozgad. He has been able to write to his parents. On 12^th July he said: “In perfect health, don’t worry. Allowed four lines. So are you. Do send two packets of pipe ‘bacca’ weekly, also woollen socks, a shirt, pants, liver and kidney pills. Newspapers forbidden.” On 20^th July he wrote again: “longing to be home”. In a further communication he says: “Yozgad in mountains. Warm in summer. Very cold in winter – snow. In perfect health. Always thinking of you all. “ In a further postcard Private Taylor got the better of the Turkish Censor by addressing his communication to “Mrs Taylor, Dowewin, 32 Vale Road, etc. He concludes by asking “How is Uncle Frits getting on? Heard he had an accident at the seaside”. The photograph was taken when Private Taylor was in India previous to going to Kut.”

Published: October 1914, May 1916 & September 1916

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Army

Noakes, Thomas E

10th December 201527th May 2017
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Thomas E Noakes

Rank: Farrier Corporal

Regiment: 20th Hussars

Parents: Mr & Mrs W J Noakes

Brothers: Horatio Nelson Noakes & C W Noakes

Brother-in-Law: J Smith

Address: 48 Paynton Road, Silverhill

Other Info: While slinging horses one of the animals fell upon him, damaging his right arm, which he was unable to use when he arrived at Mons. He had to spend some time in hospital, subsequently being sent to the London Hospital. He returned to his wife at Silverhill for 10 days and is now at Colchester expecting to be sent to the Front. He is seen wearing the South African medal.

Additional name information from the Lives of the First World War website.

Published: October 1914 & June 1916

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Army

Larkin, James

8th December 201528th June 2016
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James Larkin

Rank: Driver

Regiment: Royal Field Artillery

Parents: Mr & Mrs Larkin

Address: 37 Percy Road, Ore

Other Info: Wounded in October, now again at the Front

Published: October 1914 & March 1915

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Army

Kerswell, Ernest L

8th December 20156th November 2022
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Ernest L Kerswell

Rank: Private

Regiment: 2nd Seaforth Highlanders

Father: Mr H J Kerswell

Other Info: Mr H J Kerswell was Headmaster of Sandown School, Ore.

An article published in the Hastings & St Leonards Observer on 17th October 1914 reads: “Private E. L. Kerswell, of the 2nd Seaforth Highlanders, A, Lower Ward, Alexandra Hospital, Cosham, Gosport, and son of Mrs Kerswell, Devonshire Road, Hastings, writes: – “I have read one or two experiences of local men serving in France in the ‘Observer’ so I thought I would like to relate one of mine.

This occurred on the 14th and 15th of last month. We had a good long march, and arrived at the place where we were to take up position at about 2:30 a.m. We were then told to entrench ourselves. As it happened, I and five other men and an N.C.O. were sent out on covering patrol. Our duty is to keep a look out in case of surprise while the entrenching is going on. On completing the trenches we were called in, and naturally, see that each man had only made sufficient cover for himself, we commenced to entrench ourselves, but were told to leave off at once, and get in where we could between other men. We had only just time to do this before over came a shower of German shells.

I was in the most awkward of position I have ever been in. On my right a drummer had dug a deep hole, and was well down into it, On my left the ground was rather higher and I kept rolling down on to the drummer. I had no cover, so began to scratch up some earth with my hands and so just managed to make a small heap, enough to cover me from view, but not nearly enough to stop a bullet.

Well, the shelling went on the whole day right up until about about 8 p.m., and we were very thankful for the darkness that came, and we were relieved, and put in reserves for the next day. We lost our Colonel, and in our platoon, six dead and several wounded.

The whole regiment lost heavily that day. The following day, being in reserve we had it fairly easy, although shells were whistling overhead all day. In the afternoon I got a very nasty hit in the right arm, and was conveyed to Le Mans Hospital, where they took out my arm a piece weighing 3 ozs. Recovering sufficiently, I was sent home and I hope to see dear old Hastings once more”.

Additional name information from the Lives of the First World War website.

Published: September 1914, October 1914 & October 1915

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