by Simon_Fielding » Sat May 26, 2012 2:36 pm
Hi corona
Thank you for the offer. I'm in the 'writing up' stage of a book on the St Anne's war memorial 1914-1918 - there are 75 names, and many stories - I've been working on the memorial since 1999, with some short pauses for getting married, having a family and such like! I've slowed down recently as I've recently been diagnosed with a neurological illness that makes writing hard - but I'm getting back on track and am determined to publish by 2014.
I hope to call the book 'A Good Heart and Pluck' after a quote from one of the soldier's letters!
It would be very good if you could cast an eye on what I have on the Boer War veterans who went on to become casualties - as far as I can be sure they are John ALBERTS, William BOW, Harry DARKES and Earnest MOLES .
I grew up in Bewdley and attended Bewdley High - University in Newcastle and now teach A level English at a 6th Form college here in Gloucestershire.
Hope to hear from you soon. The Shuttle does indeed have a picture of Bevan and a few details. Below is his entry as it stands...
Best
Simon
Private James BEVAN
3rd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment (12990)
Killed in action 13th October 1914
James Bevan has the sad honour to be the first man commemorated on the Bewdley Memorial to be killed in the Great War. He was born in Bewdley in 1893, and at the time of his death, his parents, Mr and Mrs James Bevan, were living at The Lakes, Cleobury Road.
In the 1901 census the Bevan family live at 17 Wyre Hill. The head of the household is James Bevan, a “waggoner on farm” aged 33 and born in Kinlet, Shropshire. His wife Caroline Bevan is 30, and was born in Bewdley. James C Bevan is 7 years old and born in Bewdley, Thomas Bevan is 4 and born in Bewdley, and Elizabeth Bevan is 2 and also born in Bewdley. Also present in the house on census night was Jane Bennett, niece to James Bevan senior, aged 8 and born in Bewdley, and Rose A Bennett, aged 5 and born in Netherton, Staffordshire.
Before the war Bevan also worked as a farm labourer; in spring 1911 he was working at a farm owned by William Wilson at Bagginswood, near Cleobury Mortimer, and his parents lived at 42 Bark Hill, Bewdley. After the outbreak of war, James Bevan served with the 3rd Battalion of the Worcestershire Regiment. His presence in the army in 1914 in a regular army Battalion suggests he was already a serving soldier at the beginning of the war in August 1914. The 3rd Worcesters formed part of 7th Brigade, 3rd Division. They mobilised for war at Tidworth, and began serving in France on the 12th August 1914. The 3rd Division was commanded at the time of Private Bevan’s death by Maj-Gen. C. Mackenzie, who was invalided out of the Army on the 15th October 1914. The 7th brigade, including the 3rd Worcesters were subsequently moved to the 25th Division at the end of October 1914.
During this time, the Battalion saw extensive service in the early stages of the war on the Western front. They were at the first clash with the Germans in the Battle of Mons in August, the rear-guard actions at Le Cateau, and the fighting retreat to the Marne. They fought at the Marne and the Aisne where the German advance on Paris was checked, and saw much combat in the so-called ‘Race to the Sea’, where the British and French armies sought to outflank the Germans, and where the front line of the Western front was established. It was at the Battle of La Bassée that James Bevan met his death.
On 12th October the British Expeditionary Force heard the French had lost Vermelles, and the British Army moved south to close the gap left by the French withdrawal, and attempt to advance Eastwards. North of 5 infantry Brigades of 3rd and 5th Divisions remained facing 4 enemy Cavalry Divisions and more infantry; and the rest of II Corps were placed south of the Aire Canal. The Corps began to advance in long continuous lines, beating off some enemy counter-attacks in a successful advance which reached the line Noyelles - Givenchy - Lacouture. The advance continued on 13th October with heavy fighting. There was no further advance that day, and British losses were around 1,000, many of which were the consequence of a heavy German bombardment of Givenchy.
Divisions of 2nd Corps were immediately west of Bethune in the first week of October. The 3rd Worcestershire were at Pernes before dawn on October the 9th 1914. In the evening of the 10th October 1915 the 3rd Worcestershire moved to an outpost relieving the Irish Rifles. Refugees from the east told of the German advance on Lille.
The next morning the 3rd division had an uneventful march down to the Flanders plain. The 7th Brigade moved from Auchel to Zozinghem and crossed the railway at Pont du Reveillon to the line of the Aire canal at Hinges. The 3rd Worcestershire were in reserve at Lannoy. The 5th Division advanced from Bethune to La Bassee. 3rd division including the 3rd Worcestershire moved across the low lying valley of the Lys.
On October the 12th visibility was poor across the Lys valley, with thick mist. By midday 7th brigade reached Lacouture which was held by French cavalry. The French engaged with the enemy at Richebourg St Vaast, but a delay in orders meant the village was held by Germans as 3rd Worcestershire encountered resistance to the west of the village. The Battalion were ordered to make a turning movement against the left flank.
The Battalion moved along the western bank of the little river Loisne, intending to attack Richebourg from the South. The enemy had extended their flank, and the leading company was halted as they approached a group of houses. They tried to advance by ploughed ground but the enemy position was uncertain. The companies dug in and exchanged fire for the rest of the day.
They lay in the open all night. At dawn, patrols pushed forward and found the enemy had fallen back. The 3rd Worcestershire made their way across the river and advanced on Richebourg, entering the village at 8am. When held up by fire, they dug in the eastern part of the village, sniping at intervals. Stacke’s account above describes the casualties of the 13th October as ‘light’ with 5 men wounded, 2 missing, and one 1 killed. That fatal casualty was Private James Bevan, who was twenty-one when he died. He is buried in Brown’s Road Military Cemetery near Festubert, in grave number IV. F. 18.
Kidderminster Shuttle 13th February 1915 p.7
De Ruvigny Roll of Honour p.24
Researching the 75 men of the Great War Memorial of St Anne's Church, Bewdley, Worcestershire .