Mons Star - 8355 T Rowbotham 2nd Bn & 11995 D Hackett 1st Bn

[staffs&worcesters]

Hello,

I wondered if anyone would be able to help me with any information on the following two soldiers who served in the regular Worcestershire Battalions during the First World War.

11995 Private David Hackett 1st Worcestershire Regiment, died of wounds on 19 June 1915 (a distant relation) and buried in Boulogne.
He was from Shenstone, nr Lichfield Staffordshire. I am particularly keen to find out if any regimental records might show when he was wounded?
I think he served in Egypt prior to the war.

8355 Private Thomas Rowbotham, 2nd Worcestershire Regiment (from Heaton Mersey, Gtr Manchester). From Ancestry I have found his service papers which show that he landed in France in August 1914 and was wounded with the 2nd Worcesters at Richebourg on 17 May 1915; Mine Shock on 2 July 1916 (during a trench raid I believe); Bayonet Wound at Bazentin le Petit; and with the 2/7th Worcesters was wounded GSW 29 August 1917 and GSW Leg 30 Jan 1918.

In particular, I wondered if anyone knew whether a photograph existed of this remarkable veteran? His papers show he served in India from about 1904 and was admitted to hospital approximately 5 times with football related injuries - hence I wondered if there were any photos of the 2nd Bn football team pre-war?

Also whether there was a roll listing the survivors of Gheluvelt and whether Thomas Rowbotham was present?

Any help would be most appreciated.

[corona]

Some additional information for you onthe early military career of 8355 Rowbotham.
He served as 8636 Pte. T Rowbotham in the 4th Batt. Royal Lancs. Regt.(Militia)
His record of service can be found on Find my Past. It notes he joined the Worcesters 23/4/1904
corona.

[corona]

Pte. David Hackett 11995 1st. Batt. Worcestershire Regiment is recorded on the 1911 census.
ALBANY BARRACKS,CARISBROOKE, ISLE OF WIGHT.
corona

[Legg]

11995 Pte David Hackett was my grand uncle - brother to my grandfather. I have found a newspaper cutting which writes that he was "wounded in the thigh, too high to enable the limb to be successfully amputated". I have two photos of him. He was one of five brothers who served in WW1. One of his younger brothers was mortally wounded with the Sherwood Foresters almost exactly two years later at Loos.

An interesting fact is that David's grandfather was also the same age of 23 years when he was shot in action exactly 100 years to the day as David's death. Grandfather James Robinson was serving with the Coldstream Guards at Hougoumont Farm during the Battle of Waterloo James Robinson lost an eye but survived and lived to be 85.