2nd Battalion Drafts (Gheluvelt Roll in mind)

[corona]

Simon
What is the name of your casualty
corona

[Simon_Fielding]

Ooops: he is Private William James LLOYD, 2nd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment 204092. Died of wounds 10th May 1918.
b. Dowles e. Bewdley r. Bewdley dow F&F. Dendermonde Communal Cemetery Extension, Belgium 9.

Brother of Private Arthur LLOYD,5th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment (42237) who was also killed in action Sunday, 22nd September 1918

Arthur and William James Lloyd were sixth pair of brothers to be killed in the Great War. They were also born in the hamlet of Dowles, where their childhood neighbours also suffered in the war.

Arthur and William were sons of James and Louisa Lloyd. James Lloyd, an agricultural labourer, was born in Burford, near Tenbury in 1849, and he married Louisa Smith / Weaver, (born in Ribbesford in 1853), in 1874. The Lloyds had a total of seven children: Albert or Bertie born in 1876, Edwin born in 1878, William James born in 1880, Arnold born in 1883, Arthur born in 1887, Ellen and Louisa born in 1890, and Ethel born in 1895.
The family may have spent some time in Habberley and Clee Hill before settling in Dowles by the early 1880s, and their neighbours included both the Colledge family (see above) and the Strange family (see below). By 1901 the family were living at 25 Load Street. William James was a general labourer, and Arthur Lloyd a grocer’s assistant. Louisa Lloyd seems to have died around 1910; by 1911, the Lloyds have moved to 53 Bark Hill, The Lakes.

[corona]

Simon
From Armed Forces BMD
LLOYD, William J
Worcestershire Regiment
Private
204092
1918
Volume 1.55
Page 567
GRO War Deaths Army Other Ranks 1914 to 1921

His entry might give you the information you are looking for
but I believe the death certificates are often short on detail.
Regards
corona

[Simon_Fielding]

I'll give it a try - thanks!

Simon

[allanp]

Hi Simon

According to the Casualty lists in the Worcester Herald, 29th June 1918 edition,
204092 Pte W. J. Lloyd – Bewdley, was reported missing along with 229 other men.

Regards Allan

[Simon_Fielding]

Thanks Allan - any suggestion of which action? I suspect it might be the fighting at Neuve Eglise around the 12th -14th April....

[Simon_Fielding]

Just to keep you posted death certificate confirms death as POW but gives camp as Limburg - I think that was the 'parent' camp of Dendermonde where Pte Lloyd died.

Simon

[grandsonchris]

I have a photo of my grandfather Alfred T Howells inscribed 'Gallant Charge' One of the 2nd Wors Boys at Ganvault - I think a misspelling of Gheluelt. His Reg number 8140. Joined 12-8-1914. I know he was gassed when and where I no not.

[peter]

Hi Chris,

I have your grandfather on my database with the following details:

Reported in the Birmingham Daily Post Tuesday January 5th 1915 page 3 to be missing, reported from base under date November 26th 1914.

The date you have as joined (12.8.14) is in fact the date he went to France with the battalion, this is shown on his MIC.

Any further information you could supply regarding your grandfather (date of birth, parents names etc.) to add to the information I have would be much appreciated. Do you know what his middle name was? If possible a photo of him in uniform would also be very welcome.

He was entitled to the 1914 Star, British War and Victory medals.

He is also on the Cathedral Roll in Worcester Cathedral.

Regards

Peter

[grandsonchris]

Hi thanks for the reply. Alfred Thomas Howells was born 1886 in Boraston Nr Tenby Worcestershire, in 1901 age 15 he was working as a sheppard on a farm in Church Stretton, the 1911 census has him working as a 'boots' at the Raven Hotel in Droitwich. His family were farm workers father Francis and mother Elizth, as far as I can tell he had a older brother and sister. He married Alice Ester White in 1923 in Hockley Heath nr Solihull Warwickshire they had 4 surving children my mother being the oldest. Alfred after he was dischared moved to Rhyl and worked as a 'boots' in the Queens Hotel' This is where he met Alice. Alice moved to Rhyl with the Lucas family from Hockley Heath. She worked as a maid for the Lucas family at the Blue Bell Inn Nr Hockley Heath and moved with them when they took on the Queens in Rhyl.

I have tried to get more information regarding Alfred's military record but it seems likley these have been destroyed. If you can give me any advice it would be apprecated. I would like to confirm when he was injured and if and when he was dischared. I have another photo which is marked *1853 SERGTS of RWF+KSLI, W.C.C.D RHYL. I am no expert but the uniforms look WW1 style. He is not on the photo but could he have been posed to another regiment based in Rhyl?

The Birmingham Daily Post listing , why would someone from Worcestershire be listed in a local paper?

Would be happy to send scanned photos. How do I do this?.........Thanks.....Chris

[peter]

Hi Chris,

Thank you for the additional information on your grandfather Pte. 8140 Alfred Thomas Howells.
His service papers were most likely destroyed during the bombing of 1940 when about 60% of soldiers records were destroyed or fire/water damaged. Without these records it may not be possible to find out the exact date he was wounded/gassed or the date of his discharge (if he was disharged or time served). I have only found his MIC which gives little information other than Regiment, rank, number, date of entry and theatre of war (12.8.14 France) and medals (14 Star etc).
Many men from Birmingham enlisted in the Worcestershire Regiment and parts of Birmingham came within the boundry of Worcester at that time, hence the reports in the Birmingham Daily Post (many men from various Regiments were reported wounded or killed in these listings).
The photograph you have dated 1853 for Sergts of Royal Welch Fusiliers and Kings Shropshire Light Infantry, W.C.C.D. Rhyl I can't help with (no idea what the W.C.C.D. could be) and being dated 1853 is well before your grandfathers time.
If you email both photographs to Louis Scully to put on the forum maybe another member could be of more help with the RWF & KSLI photo.
I'm always researching new avenues for information and if any new information regarding your grandfather comes to light I will let you know.

Regards

Peter

[beardie]

hello peter,

found a article from smethwick telephone newspaper about 8551 sgt oldaker, is he on your list? did you know he was a gymnast at 1908 london olympics

steve

[peter]

Hi Steve,

Thank you for the article. Sgt 8551 Oldaker is on my list but I had no idea he was a gymnast at the 1908 Olmpics.

Regards

Peter

[Clive]

Hi Peter,

I'm interested in 9431 Charles Berry, who was with the 2nd Battalion and would have been at Gheluvelt, as far as I can see from his service record. Can you tell me if he's on your database? I'd be fascinated to know anything you could tell me. Berry becamea Lance-Corporal but was still at Private at the time of Gheluvelt, I think.

As it happens I was at Gheluvelt (all too briefly) earlier today!

All best,

Clive

[peter]

Hi Clive,

I do have Pte./L/cpl. 9431 Charles Henry Berry on my database. I don't know that I can give you any new information on him other than what you may already know if you have seen his service record. Let me know what information you have on him and if I can I will add to it.
I have taken the details I have on him from his service record and MIC (Ancestry), Soldiers Died and CWGC site, birth and marriage details (Ancestry) and various newspaper reports (wounded etc) .

Was he a relative of yours?

Regards

Peter