Coleshill Past WWI Centenary Edition August 14

FREE EDITION

HAWTHORNE’S

World War One Centenary Commemorative Edition

HARDWARE STORE ‘MORE THAN JUST A HARDWARE SHOP’

117 High Street, Coleshill B46 3BP Phone: 01675 46219 Fax: 01675 462195

COLESHILL ROOFING TILE, SLATE & FLAT ROOFING CALL NOW FOR YOUR FREE NO OBLIGATION QUOTATION!

01675 462344 WWW.COLESHILLROOFING.CO.UK coleshill.roofing@yahoo.co.uk

Remember When

“Antiques, Collectables and Wool”

80 High Street, Coleshill West Midlands B463AH 01675 466418 www.rememberwhenshop.co.uk

Dennis R Walker Insurances

LAKE HOUSE 7 PARKFIELD ROAD COLESHILL B46 3LD TELEPHONE : 01675 462 682 sales@walkerinsurances.co.uk

www.walkerinsurances.co.uk

ISSUE 1 - AUGUST 2014 - PRODUCED IN COLESHILL BY ‘THE COLESHILL POST’.

WAR IS DECLARED: The Coleshill Chronicle Responds

BY RONAN DAVIS On 8th August 1914, the 8-page Coleshill Chronicle broadsheet began in a way that differed significantly from the norm. Following an opening page of local advertisements, the broadsheet would usually begin with numerous short stories from across the conurbation. However, for this issue, those stories were pushed back. Instead, page 2 was dedicated entirely to one event.

The Atherstone Summer show.

It was not until page 4, after every entrant in the flower, dairy and horse competitions of the show had been listed, that the Chronicle made reference to the outbreak of war.

The statement that “we should soon be engaged in one of the most terrible conflicts in history” suggests that locals held genuine concerns relating to the imminent consequences of these hostilities. However, more focus was initially placed upon the war’s short-term impact.

Rising prices of products such as bacon and tea were reported, along with the acquisition of a number of

local horses by government officials.

Along with this arguably short-sighted outlook on the local impact, there is also a decidedly optimistic tone regarding coverage of the war itself in August 1914. The announcement of war on August 8th is combined with a confident report of 8000 losses within the 7th German Army, along with many others fleeing to Holland. One week later, the broadsheet tells of another dismal German defeat at Namur, Belgium, in contrast to strong advances from Britain’s Russian allies.

However, within a month, the newspaper had begun to turn its attention to the direct impact of military recruitment within the local area. For example, the 5th September issue listed all those Coleshill residents who enlisted for “Lord Kitchener’s New Army”, as well as describing how, at Church Hill, the Coleshill Town Band “played patriotic airs and then marched with the (military) cars in procession down the hill as far as Cole End” to see off these volunteers. A profound sense of pride towards those young men had evidently developed during the first weeks of the war, and this be-

came more official with the first in what would become a weekly Roll of Honour on 12th September.

Nevertheless, the inevitable consequences of this increasingly largescale military involvement would soon be demonstrated in the newspaper. The 5th September issue began a weekly section reporting ‘Day

By Day’ news from across the continent, while lists of wounded and killed local men followed. The first of such lists reported three deaths and five severe injuries on 31st October. By November 14th this would become a weekly staple of the paper, quickly incorporating names of soldiers from across Warwickshire.

The Coleshill Chronicle appeared to be somewhat taken by surprise following the outbreak of conflict across the continent. However, it is noteworthy that the weekly publications were able to adapt to reflect the public’s new feelings and needs within a relatively short amount of time. By the end of 1914, the Chronicle had established itself as a vital source of information for the town’s residents, reporting on war news both at home and abroad.

WHAT THE NATIONALS SAID: DAILY MIRROR, NEWS HEADLINES, 4 AUGUST 1914 CALL US NOW ON

01564 776226

20 Station Road, Knowle, West Midlands www.knowleauctionrooms.co.uk

01675 430162 07974 207034

Wall House, 112 High Street, Coleshill B46 3BL

oneoff

interiors

www.oneoffinteriors.com

Great Britain Declares War on Germany

Declaration last night after ‘unsatisfactory reply’ to British ultimatum that Belgium must be kept neutral

Editor Richard Harwood Writers Sarah Jane Veevers Mike Walpole Ronan Davis Colin Green Telephone: 01675 467189 Visit/Post: Town Hall, High Street, Coleshill B46 3BG Email: past@thecoleshillpost.co.uk Produced and published in Coleshill, North Warwickshire by The Coleshill Post.

Frequency: Monthly

Government to take control of all railways Admiral Jellicoe to be in supreme command of the Home Fleets

Huge Crowds Cheer Their Majesties at Palace

£100,000,000 voted in Commons in five minutes German invasion of Belgium with airships

GREAT BRITAIN DECLARES WAR ON GERMANY

Great Britain is in a state of war with Germany. It was officially stated at the Foreign Office last night that Great Britain declared war against Germany at 7.00pm.

The British Ambassador in Berlin has been handed his passport.

War was Germany’s reply to our request that she should respect the neutrality of Belgium, whose territories we were bound in honour and by treaty obligations to maintain inviolate.

Speaking in a crowded and hushed House the Premier yesterday afternoon made the following statement: “We have made a request to the German Government that we shall have a satisfactory assurance as to the Belgian neutrality before midnight tonight.”

The German reply to our request, officially stated last night, was unsatisfactory.

THE KING AND HIS NAVY

Contact Us

The King’s Message to his Navy

The King has addressed the following message to Admiral Sir John Jellicoe: “At this grave moment in our national history I send to you and, through you, to the officers and men of the fleets, of which you have assumed command, the assurance of my confidence that under your direction they will revive and renew the old glories of the Royal Navy, and prove once again the sure shield of Britain and of her Empire in the hour of trial.”

The above message has been communicated to the senior naval officers on all stations outside of home waters.

It was reported yesterday evening that Germany had taken the first hostile step by destroying a British mine-layer.

At the present time Germany is in a state of war with: Great Britain, Russia, France and Belgium.

It would seem as if Germany, in her ambition to control the destiny of the whole of Europe, were ready to embark on any grandiose scheme of adventure, however precarious her chances.

So far as Great Britain is concerned, her attitude has always been plain, straightforward and perfectly intelligible. She was prepared to stand aside from the conflict that has now involved practically the whole of Europe.

But she insisted and had to insist on two things: these were that Belgium’s neutrality should be respected; and that the German fleet should not bombard defenceless French towns.

Germany tried to bribe us with peace to desert our friends and duty. But Great Britain has preferred the path of honour.

CHIEF OF THE FLEETS Sir John R Jellicoe has assumed the supreme command of the Home Fleets, with the acting rank of Admiral. Rear Admiral Charles E Madden has been appointed to be his chief of staff. Field Marshal Sir John French, the famous cavalry leader, has been appointed Inspector General to the Forces.

Mr Lloyd George subsequently announced in the House that the Government was engaged in preparing a scheme for the distribution of food, and hoped that it would be completed in the course of one or two days.

The House unanimously passed in five minutes all outstanding votes, amounting to over £100,000,000.

An Order in Council has been issued declaring it expedient that Government should have control over the railroads of Great Britain.

ROARS OF CHEERS FOR THE KING

The King and Queen, accompanied by the Prince of Wales and Princess Mary, were hailed with wild, enthusiastic cheers when they appeared at about eight o’clock last night on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, before which a record crowd had assembled.

Seeing the orderliness of the crowd, the police did not attempt to force the people back and went away.

A little later the police passed the word around that silence was necessary as the King was holding a meeting in the Palace, and except for a few spasmodic outbursts there was silence for a time.

Afterwards the cheering was renewed with increased vigour and soon after 11.00pm the King and Queen and Prince of Wales made a further appearance on the balcony and the crown once more sang the National Anthem, following this with hearty clapping and cheering.

After the departure of the royal party some minutes later many of the crowd dispersed. Several enthusiasts, however, stayed outside keeping up the demonstration by shouting and waving flags.

WHY THERE IS WAR

The following statement was issued from the Foreign Office last night: Owing to the summary rejection by the German Government of the request made by his Majesty’s Government for assurances that the neutrality of Belgium would be respected, his Majesty’s Ambassador in Berlin has received his passport, and his Majesty’s Government has declared to the German Government that a state of war exists between Great Britain and Germany as from 11.00pm on August 4.

GASCOIGNES OF COLESHILL LTD Established 1900

INDEPENDENT FUNERAL DIRECTORS 24 HOUR SERVICE PRIVATE CHAPELS OF REST gascoignesofcoleshill@hotmail.co.uk 100 High Street, Coleshill B46 3BL

01675 462294

TAKEN FROM THE COLESHILL CHRONICLE, SEPTEMBER 1914

SHOCKING MOTOR FATALITY AT COLESHILL. INQUEST ON THE BODY.

A terrible accident occurred at Coleshill on Saturday morning last, resulting in the death of Thomas Joseph Govan (52), residing in Parkfield Road, Coleshill.

There is little evidence to be obtained except as stated at the inquest held on Wednesday. The accident occurred at the bottom of the hill, close to St. Paul’s Homes. Dr. Jones was called immediately, but on seeing the terrible nature of the injuries he gave instructions for the unfortunate man to be removed to the General Hospital, Birmingham, and a motor-car was requisitioned for that purpose. Nothing could be done for the injured man, and he died the same evening. Much sympathy has been expressed with the widow and family, who reside in Parkfield Road. The funeral took place at Coleshill Cemetery on Thursday morning.

The inquest was held at the Victoria Courts, Birmingham, by the City Coroner (Mr. Isaac Bradley). According to the evidence, the deceased left his home about 5.30 on Saturday morning to go to his work at the Corporation farm at Minworth. A witness named Frank Carl Genders said he saw the deceased cycling down the High Street, Coleshill, on the right side of the road, and with his head bent downwards. A motor-car, driven and owned by Mr. Perceval Maggs, of Manchester, was proceeding up the hill, and when within a short distance of the cyclist the vehicle was swerved to its right, but not before the deceased crashed into the car and fell on his back.

Albert George Sampson, another witness, said Govan, was riding on the left side of the road.

The owner of the car said the deceased was free-wheeling down the hill on the right-hand side of the road. Witness steered his car to the middle of the road and sounded his horn. The deceased attempted to cross to his proper side, with the result that a collision occurred. Dr. Sampson, of the General Hospital, Birmingham, said the man died on the day he was admitted from a fractured base of the skull and a compound fracture of the thigh.

The jury returned a verdict of “Accidental death”.

2.

Coleshill Past - August 2014 - Issue 1

Welcome to the Coleshill Past

A VERY warm welcome to the first ever edition of Coleshill Past. The brand new historical newspaper from The Coleshill Post team.

With such a colourful and rich history, this beautiful town has many stories to tell and the aim of Coleshill Past is to gather those stories and memories together so we can share them with the world.

More importantly it’s a great way to preserve our history at a time when so much of it is beginning to disappear, making way for the future Coleshill.

This first edition is dedicated to the commemoration of the outbreak of World War I. As we reach 100 years since the outbreak of the Great War it becomes more apparent that fewer people remain who have real experience of that time.

Hopefully this edition will be kept for years to come so that future generations of Coleshillians will never forget what happened here.

The characters, the buildings, the events and our customs will all be chronicled in future editions of this publication, a publication that will capture Coleshill’s history in both words and pictures, keeping memories alive for many years to come.

It is a monthly publication and each edition will contain articles from a broad section of our modern history. But we can’t do it without you. We need your letters, memories, photographs, anecdotes, facts.

Whatever you have that relates to by-gone Coleshill is of great interest to us and our readers of course.

A lot of work goes in to producing a publication like this. It is thanks to the generous support of local businesses that we have been able to get things off the ground. We plan to produce the first three edi-

tions free of charge to you, however, in order to cover production and distribution costs, Coleshill Past will need to become a subscription only publication. We would love to be able to offer it free of charge but costs just will not allow it. I hope that you like what we have created for you and that feel compelled to help secure many future editions by filling out our subscription for which are dotted around several pages.

Here are just some of the things that we will be offering: • Excerpts from historic editions of local newspapers such as The Coleshill Chronicle.

• Features on prominent figures, what they did for Coleshill and how they influenced the town • Histories of landmark buildings.

• Lesser known facts of past events and those involved.

• Readers’ letters and memories along with photographs.

• Historic sporting fixtures and results.

• Spotlights on generations of Coleshillian families, some still with us today.

• Exclusive offers for local events The Coleshill Past has only been made possible by the hard work and commitment of a few dedicated individuals. I would like to say a huge thank you to Dr Sarah Jane Veevers, Mike Walpole, Ronan Davis, Colin Green, The Coleshill Civic Society and Coleshill Remembers amongst others. Also the services of Coleshill Library have been essential to our research and without use of their archives this would not have been possible. A big thank you to you all.

Richard Harwood, Editor

SUBSCRIBE

TODAY TO THE

In order to produce the Coleshill Past on a monthly basis we need to charge a small fee for each edition to cover production and distribution costs.

If you like what you see and would like to receive a copy through your door each montth then please fill out the form below and return it to us at: Coleshill Past, Town Hall, high Street, Coleshill B46 3BG. If you require further information please call 01675 467189 or if you prefer, pop in to our news desk at Coleshill Town Hall.

Title:................................................................................................................

Name:.................................................................................................................

Address: ........................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................... .........................................................................................................................

Post Code: ........................................................................................................

Telephone: ........................................................................................................

Subscription costs £2.50 per edition including postage, paid annually, a one off payment of £30 should be made to ‘The Coleshill Post’ as a twelve edition subscription charge.

Pay over the phone with your debit or credit card by calling 01675 467189 or enclose a cheque for £30 (Thirty Pounds) made payable to ‘The Coleshill Post’.

We want you!

We want to hear from anybody who has a story to tell, whatever the subject. Memories and images of old Coleshill deserve to be in print and shared with the whole town. It is important to document these local histories before it is too late. We are already losing some of our historic buildings to development, and as people move away they take their family stories with them.

Have you got old photographs?

A picture tells a thousand words, so please let us have your photos of old Coleshill, any original copies will be respectfully handled and returned.

Your family members

Do you have a famous ancestor or notable relative?

Or did your ancestors struggle and overcome hardship? There have been and still are many fascinating people in Coleshill, let’s be proud of them and give them their deserved recognition with a feature article.

From Roman times to living memory, we are interested in your stories of Coleshill past.

What was Coleshill like before The Great War? DR SARAH JANE VEEVERS

To understand how World War 1 changed the people and town of Coleshill, we should first understand what the area was like before the war. Kelly’s Directory of Warwickshire (1912) describes the Coleshill area as follows: “This district is considered to be healthy and picturesque, and the surrounding country, being richly wooded and watered by the rivers Blythe and Cole, presents many very charming views.”

In 1912 Coleshill was a small town and parish, with a population of approximately 2,800. The main roads of High Street and adjoining Church Hill were lit by gas lamps. The town was served by railway stations at Forge Mills, Water Orton and a junction station at Nether Whitacre. Travellers could catch a horsedrawn omnibus from the ‘Three Horse Shoes’ to meet the trains at Forge Mills. There was also a daily carrier service from the High Street to Birmingham, via Water Orton and Castle Bromwich.

Weekly markets held in Coleshill served the town and its surrounding villages with their provisions. Trade here was almost entirely agricultural, with no industry apart from two flour mills. There were branches of two banks in the town, and a weekly newspaper, the ‘Coleshill Chronicle’ was published every Saturday. A post office on the High Street employed a sub-postmaster and associated postmen. Coleshill had a Police Station and a Fire Engine Office and was also a petty session town, with magistrates holding sessions every two weeks.

There were four schools in the town. The Grammar School on Church Hill provided for fifty boys, some of whom were boarders. The Public Elementary School (also called the Parochial School) on Parkfield Road provided education for 240 boys, alongside a Public Elementary School for girls on the High Street, which had space for 100 girls. The St Paul’s Catholic Elementary School was a mixed school for around 230 children, attached to the St Paul’s Catholic Home for Boys. The St Edward’s Catholic Home for Waifs and Strays also provided accommodation for 150 boys.

The Marston Green Cottage Homes, linked to the Birmingham Workhouse, were also included as part of the Coleshill Estate at this time.

A number of clubs and societies existed in the town, including the Choral and Operatic Society, the Coleshill Town Band, as well as Hockey and Cricket clubs and two town football teams. Musical and sporting fixtures were regularly recorded in the Coleshill Chronicle. Sporting seasons meant that the same men often played cricket during the summer and then football during the winter.

Coleshill had a close-knit community. With limited transport options, daily life was focused locally, from employment to entertainment. Life was also intrinsically linked with the changing seasons in such a dominantly agricultural parish. The outbreak of war in August 1914 would test the strength of the community here.

BY DR SARAH JANE VEEVERS

The people of Coleshill were extremely proud of their men who had gone to serve King and country during World War One. Lists of those who had signed up to the colours appeared regularly in the Coleshill Chronicle from August 1914 through to early 1915. They were collated from local reports and contributions from the families of those who had enlisted. The spelling of names and the regiments the men served with were not always accurate, and often men moved to different regiments on arriving in a theatre of war. The following Roll of Honour appeared in the Coleshill Chronicle on 5th December 1914.

COLESHILL’S ROLL OF HONOUR

The following are the names of Coleshill residents who are with the colours:Brigadier-General Pinney Major Pinney Lieutenant Willmot, Royal Worcester Regiment Lieutenant Needham, Lincoln Regiment Sergeant-Major Moorwood, 20th Hussars Geoffrey Wall, Warwickshire Yeomanry J. C. Hastings, Royal Worcester Regiment Charles Randle, Royal Worcester Regiment Harry Moss, Royal Worcester Regiment Benjamin Burrows, Royal Worcester Regiment Harry Hastings, Royal Worcester Regiment Walter Williams, Royal Worcester Regiment Ernest Webb, Royal Worcester Regiment W. S. Johnson, Royal Worcester Regiment William Ford, Royal Worcester Regiment George Hastings, West Yorkshire Regiment Tom Townshend, West Yorkshire Regiment Henry Nicholls, West Yorkshire Regiment Thomas Higgins, West Yorkshire Regiment John Stilgoe, West Yorkshire Regiment Henry Moss, West Yorkshire Regiment Edward Malins, West Yorkshire Regiment Sergeant J. H. Phipps, Coldstream Guards W. E. Phipps, Coldstream Guards J. F. Nevill, Coldstream Guards Albert G. Green, West Yorkshire Regiment Joseph Keatley, West Yorkshire Regiment Alfred Hiskins, West Yorkshire Regiment Herbert Showell, West Yorkshire Regiment J. W. Grice, West Yorkshire Regiment William Hastings, King’s Royal Rifles James Wilson, King’s Royal Rifles Thomas Yates, King’s Royal Rifles Frederick Marriot, King’s Royal Rifles Wallace White, King’s Royal Rifles H. Basketfield, King’s Royal Rifles Arthur Willis, Royal Warwickshire Regiment J. Palmer, Royal Warwickshire Regiment Harold Lewis, Royal Warwickshire Regiment Thomas Senior, Royal Warwickshire Regiment Leonard Green, Royal Warwickshire Regiment Thomas Green, Royal Warwickshire Regiment W. Barton, Royal Warwickshire Regiment Reginald Dainty, Royal Warwickshire Regiment E. H. Basketfield, Royal Warwickshire Regiment Harold Drakeford, Birmingham City Battalion Thomas Drakeford, Birmingham City Battalion P. Marshall, Birmingham City Battalion Wm. Preston, Birmingham City Battalion C. Jervis, Birmingham City Battalion Bryan Power, Birmingham City Battalion Cyril Power, Birmingham City Battalion C. Mellor, Birmingham City Battalion C. W. Kimberlee, Royal Field Artillery H. F. Court, Royal Field Artillery Henry Taylor, Royal Field Artillery V. A. Senior, Royal Field Artillery Wm. Mansfield, Royal Engineers George Lawrence, Royal Engineers Joseph Howard, Royal Engineers William Hazlewood, Army Veterinary Corps Joseph Arnold, R.A.M.C. Arthur Smith, R.A.M.C. J. Drakeford, R.A.M.C. B. R. Marshall, R.A.M.C. B. Wright, Army Service Corps James Leeson, Army Service Corps J. Wheeldon, 2nd South Staffs Alec Platt, Hampshire Regiment Harry Walker, Horse Transport Department J. Ashby, Royal Marine Light Infantry H. Taylor, Royal Field Artillery W. Preston, 1st City Battalion Offered for service, but not accepted – Bert Basketfield, Fred Townshend, Nigel Nevill, R. Sharrard, L. Pratt, W.W. Green, J.W. Hastings, W. Davies, A. Tranter, and J. Statham.

We shall be glad to make additions or alterations to this list if necessary. We are anxious that this should be a correct record of those who are doing their duty to King and country. We should be pleased to publish lists from parishes in the district if the same are sent to the publisher.”

It is interesting to note the names of those who were not accepted at that time. Several of these men did later enlist and served abroad.

There is currently no single record in Coleshill of all of the local men who served during WW1. The Rolls of Honour from the Coleshill Chronicle and the list in the Old Market Hall of Old Boys of the Parochial School who served are the only records of men who served and returned.

Coleshill Past - August 2014 - Issue 1

Valour in the face of the enemy

3.

Coleshill Grammar School educated two Victoria Cross winners, the holder of a DSO who was a key player in the development of practical meteorology, and had a headmaster who won a Military Cross while serving as a chaplain. All survived the war. Mike Walpole tells their stories.

Gold numbers were recipe for pea souper

Private Cecil Kinross

FROM AN OIL PAINTING BY JOHN BEATTY: CANADIAN WAR MUSEUM—AN19710261-0098

and is considered by many to be Two seldom noticed honours offensive and defensive gas boards in the market hall One of the most important parts a benchmark on the subject of contain the name of one of of the work of this section was the ``Fronts and occlusions’’ . meteorology’s finest brains. determination of the wind and As Deputy Director of the Mete-

Destroying machine gun post won important gains Private Cecil Kinross won his VC under intense artillery and severe machine gun fire while attacking Passchendaele Ridge.

After a careful appraisal of the situation he divested himself of all his equipment save his rifle and bandolier and charged the machine gun post alone over open ground in broad daylight, killing the crew of six and destroying the gun.

His superb example and courage instilled the greatest confidence in

his company and enabled an advance of 300 yards to be made and a hugely important position to be established. Throughout the day he showed marvellous coolness and courage, fighting with the utmost aggression against heavy odds until seriously wounded.

The Birmingham Weekly Post of 23 February 1918 described the public reception he was given at Lea Marston, where he also went to school and where his father farmed before emigrating to Canada.

Ernest Gold, born in 1881, was the son of a farmer, and from a large Warwickshire family. His contribution to weather forecasting was world-class, even close to his death at 94 in 1976.

His name is one of about 230 on a board headed Coleshill Church School above the Book of Remembrance It records those who served, and the 41 from the school who died.

He went on to Coleshill Grammar School, Mason’s College, Birmingham then St. John’s College, Cambridge, becoming the 3rd Wrangler in 1903, and took the Natural Sciences Tripos the following year.

Gold entered the Meteorological Office in June 1906, and appointed Superintendent of Instruments, an appointment which heralded his preoccupation with practical affairs.

He was able to apply a fresh scientific mind to basic problems.

Gold’s main interests and his formal responsibilities were in the mainstream of synoptic meteorology and weather forecasting.

In June 1915, at the request of the Director-General of Military Aeronautics, the Meteorological Section, RE, was set up by the Meteorological Office to act as Meteorological Advisers to the General Staff, to supply all meteorological information required by the Royal Flying Corps, and to furnish regular reports required for the correction of range in artillery operations and meteorological reports and forecasts for

VC for gun action on Q-ship Charles “Gus” Bonner won his VC on board HMS Dunraven fighting a German submarine in the bay of Biscay.

Lt Bonner was awarded it in recognition of his conspicuous gallantry and consummate coolness and skill in action with the submarine.

After being blown out of his control station by an exploding depth charge he crawled back into the four-inch gun hatch with the gun’s crew. They remained at their post with a fire raging in the poop below and the deck getting red hot, knowing all the time that they would be blown up as the secondary supply and magazine were directly below.

When the explosion took place the gun was shifted and the crew blown into the air. None of them were killed and only four wounded.

Lt Bonner was born at Shutting-

IMAGE COPYRIGHT: THE BONNER FAMILY

ton on 29 December 1884, moving to Aldridge in 1885. He was educated at Sutton Coldfield and Coleshill Grammar Schools before complet-

ing his education at HMS Conway.

He enlisted in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve as an Able Seaman before being commissioned in 1914 as a sub lieutentant RNR. Promoted to lieutenant in 1916 he joined what became known as Q ships, converted and disguised merchants posing as easy targets for U-boats. They were, in fact, heavily armed and carried highly trained crews which lured enemy ships closer before opening fire at close range.

The action in which he and a petty officer won the VC happened on 8 August 1917 when HMS Dunraven was attacked and badly damaged by an enemy submarine. They were unable to disable their foe.

Bonner later commanded his own Q-ship, HMS Eilian. He died in 1951and his ashes are buried at Aldridge.

temperature at different levels up to the tops of the trajectories of shells fired from howitzers, which introduced into practice the terms `equivalent constant wind’ and `equivalent temperature”.

Gold was promoted to major in September 1915 and lieutenant colonel in 1918 when he was Officer Commanding of the Meteorological Service.

He was mentioned in despatches in December 1915, awarded the DSO in January 1916 and the OBE in January 1919. Gold’s services to meteorology were recognised by the award of the CB in 1942.

Gold’s work for International Meteorological Organization was a major responsibility during the years between the two world wars.

Warfare on land had become more mobile and more closely connected with warfare in the air.

Gold emphasised the importance for Headquarters staff to become meteorologically minded so that they made their plans to fit the weather.

He urged staff to take advantage of weather opportunities so that when their meteorological advisers presented operational occasions of appropriate conditions they should seize them.

Other honours were the Symons Memorial Gold Medal of the Royal Meteorological Society in 1926, and its President from 1934 to 1936.

His Presidential Address was printed in the Quarterly Journal

orological Office from November 1942 until May 1945, Gold was instrumental in the setting up of a system between the Office and the US Air Force Weather Service allowing the exchange of information to support extensive air operations in the North Atlantic and in Africa.

That won him the Medal of Freedom with Silver Palm of the USA. He also played an important role in the planning of D-Day His awards highlighted a record which in 1958, more than ten years after his retirement, was still fresh enough to prompt the further award of the IMO Prize and the Gold Medal by the World Meteorological Organization.

He would speak at meetings of the Royal Society in his nineties.

In the Symons Lecture of 1947, the year of his retirement, on the subject of ``Weather forecasts’’, the audience was one of the largest in the Royal Meteorological Society’s records.

The Warwickshire farmer’s son was an intellectual with a relish for the apt phrase, and a regular performer both on the golf course and at the bridge table.

He liked inventing code words, like baratic, pilar, adent and okta.

Sometimes he used real words which confused even Air Ministry Intelligence.

His secretary was asked if ``peas 1800, lentils 0200’’ meant anything to her. It was a fog warning, she said.

Military Cross for headmaster The Rev John Fenn Green was headmaster at Coleshill Grammar School from 1901-1909 during a career in the church which saw him rector of Nether Whitacre from1913-1928. His award was made in a New Year’s Honours List, for which citations are rare, but he had served as a chaplain to the forces from 1911-22.

4.

Coleshill Past - August 2014 - Issue 1

Curdworth remembers Castle Bromwich fliers

IMAGE SOURCE: MOSI

AVRO 504 Biplane similar to that mentioned below.

• The grave at Curdworth Parish Church of Lt Sydney Woodrow, No 1 Squadron Australian Flying Corps

BY MIKE WALPOLE

Curdworth parish church has several graves of WW1 pilots killed while flying from Castle Bromwich airfield .

Taken from the Coleshill Chronicle 20 Feb 1915, This illustration depicts a young boy feeling disappointment at his fathers failure to join the war effort. The caption reads: “In years to come you may be asked this question. Join the Army at once and help secure the glorious Empire of which your little son will be a citizen.”

SUBSCRIBE

TODAY TO THE

An Avro 504 (B925), of 28 Training Squadron, was being looped when the seat broke and jammed the controls. It crashed in the Castle Bromwich area. Second Lt C. W. Jacot was killed and Second Lt E. Villiers was injured.

A Sopwith 1½ Strutter (A8262), of 71 Squadron, sideslipped and crashed on take off from Castle Bromwich. Australian airman A. J. Merritt, who was the passenger, was badly burned in an attempt to save the pilot’s life and received the squadron’s first decoration, the Meritorious Service Medal, which was gazetted on 2 November 1917.

Second Lt Leslie Morley Fletcher, Australian Flying Corps, was killed.

Another Avro 504 A9803, of 71 Squadron, crashed in a wood at Water Orton near Castle Bromwich. Second Lt David K Billings, had fallen out of the cockpit to his death when the straps broke during aerobatics.

This group portrait of officers of No 1 Squadron Australian Flying Corps waiting to embark on troopship A67 Orsova shows front row, fourth from left Lt Sydney Woodrow.

Records show that he was lost to view above a bank of clouds. Shortly afterwards the aircraft reappeared, spinning from 8,000 feet. He was killed instantaneously when it hit the ground.

• Front row, fourth from left Lt Sydney Woodrow.

• The gravestone of Lieutenant C.W. Jacot at Curdworth Parish Church

War and Peace: Exhibition A photographic exhibition will be held at The Methodist Church in Water Orton on the weekend of 27th and 28th of September 2014

In order to produce the Coleshill Past on a monthly basis we need to charge a small fee for each edition to cover production and distribution costs.

If you like what you see and would like to receive a copy through your door each montth then please fill out the form below and return it to us at: Coleshill Past, Town Hall, high Street, Coleshill B46 3BG. If you require further information please call 01675 467189 or if you prefer, pop in to our news desk at Coleshill Town Hall.

Title:................................................................................................................

Name:.................................................................................................................

Address: ........................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................... .........................................................................................................................

Post Code: ........................................................................................................

Telephone: ........................................................................................................

Subscription costs £2.50 per edition including postage, paid annually, a one off payment of £30 should be made to ‘The Coleshill Post’ as a twelve edition subscription charge.

Pay over the phone with your debit or credit card by calling 01675 467189 or enclose a cheque for £30 (Thirty Pounds) made payable to ‘The Coleshill Post’.

BY COLIN GREEN

OVER 50 photos depicting the conflict in Palestine/Egypt during the First World War will be on display at The Methodist Church, Water Orton on 27th and 28th September 2014.

Nearly all taken by my late father, Sgt. Arthur Wakelam Green, First Infantry North Midland Mounted Brigade.

Field Ambulance RAMC. Many of his comrades are featured and I hope there are still some of their relations around to help me identify the faces. I can still remember my dad’s words “War never solves anything son.” And 100 years later how right he was!

PEACE Using photos that I intended to show in April, the total will now reach over 200. Water Orton, Castle Bromwich and a fair sprinkling of our corner of Warwickshire will be on display. Many ‘new’ photos have been collect-

ed since my last exhibition in 2013 and thankfully they all fit under the title ‘Peace’.

The exhibition, thanks to the Methodist Church, opens from 10am till 4pm on both days.

Admission still remains at £1 and light refreshments will be available.

Parking can be found at the Railway car park and thanks to Gary at the Digby Hotel in Coleshill Road.

My thanks must also go to all those people who left me donations at my last exhibition and the continuing support from the Water Orton Carnival Committee.

Coleshill Past - August 2014 - Issue 1

The mystery of Lance Corporal JH Nightingale finally solved after 98 years DR SARAH JANE VEEVERS

Four memorials to fallen World War One soldiers of Coleshill have so far been identified around the town: the Parish Church War Memorial, the Memorial Plaque in St Teresa’s, the list of old boys of the Church School in the Old Market Hall, and the Memorial to the old boys of Coleshill Grammar School in The Coleshill School.

The Coleshill Roll of Honour currently includes 132 names.

Detailed research into the families and military service history of each man is being carried out, and so far 67 of these men have been added to the online database (http://www.st-it. co.uk/ColeshillRemember sWW1.php).

The research began with the names on the Parish Church Memorial, and 54 of the men now have detailed entries on the database. However, one name was proving difficult to trace: Lance Corporal J H Nightingale of the Welch Regiment.

In 1911 the Nightingale family were living at Angel Yard, High Street, Coleshill. John Charles Nightingale, a farm labourer, and Harriett Nightingale had seven children. The eldest was John Henry Pallett, a coal miner, born in Over Whitacre in 1892. A note on the census next to his surname says ‘mother’s son’. On the 1901 census he is recorded as John Henry Nightingale, living with his family in Kingsbury, where his father worked as a waggoner (a wagon driver) on a farm.

John Henry Pallett was christened on 19th June 1892 at Over Whitacre, and his mother is listed as Harriett Pallett, single woman. A number of his siblings were christened at Nether Whitacre, their parents shown as John Nightingale, labourer, and Harriett Pallett.

There doesn’t appear to be a marriage record for John and Harriett.

There may have been a good reason why John Henry sometimes used his mother’s name, as he had a somewhat misspent youth. John Henry got himself into trouble in 1909 when he stole two bicycles!

The report of his trial appears in the Tamworth Herald on 4th December 1909, and indicates that he worked at Kingsbury Colliery at the time. It also

proves that John Henry Nightingale and John Henry Pallett were the same person.

There is no sign of Lance Corporal John Henry Nightingale/ Pallett, Welch Regiment, anywhere in the military records. The National Archives and the Imperial War Museum have searched their records too. The Welsh Regimental archives have no record of him either. They suggested he may have signed up using a false name, and so began the search for a needle in a haystack!

The Coleshill Chronicle newspaper archives provided a vital clue. A thorough search of the years 1914-1918 revealed nothing at all. However, during 1919-1920, the people of Coleshill were outlining plans to build a War Memorial.

On the 15th May 1920, a list of the names of Coleshill men who fell in the Great War was published, and included there was Lance Corporal J H Nightingale, 16th Battalion, Welsh Regiment.

The military records showed 580 Lance Corporals in the 16th Battalion of the Welsh Regiment who died in World War One. The 392nd record was the elusive one: Lance Corporal John West, Son of Mrs Harriett Nightingale, of Angel Yard, High Street, Coleshill (his father died in 1913). John Henry did sign up with a false name!

John Henry Nightingale enlisted in the 16th Battalion of the Welsh Regiment at Cardiff (service number 23991), giving his home address as Hengoed, Glamorgan. He first served in France on the 4th December 1915. Lance Corporal Nightingale was killed in action on 31st August 1916, aged 24, and is remembered on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.

He was awarded the 1915 Star, Victory and British medals.

How John Henry Nightingale ended up in South Wales is another story, but may well have something to do with his occupation as a coal miner.

Dr Sarah Jane Veevers is a Genealogist and Local History Researcher who has been working on the Coleshill Online Roll of Honour for the World War 1 commemoration.

She is also an active member of Coleshill Town Band. She can be contacted via her website www.veeversresearch.co.uk or her facebook page www.facebook.com/veeversresearch

Taken from the Coleshill Chronicle 29th May 1915 THE VETERAN’S PLEA Idle and discontented?

Then join the forces, lad!

Fight for King and country; You will wish someday you had.

For the sins of the ruthless Huns?

Fire a shot for honour’s sake; Take part in the Empire’s war; Fill your place in the trenches Midst the sound of the cannon’s roar.

My time was in the Boer war, I lost an arm in the fight; But you are strong and healthy, Go! strike for God and the Right.

Many men leave wives at home, And often some kiddies too, But you are a single fellow!

Show the world what you can do!

If I had the gift of youth That I had before my fall, I’d go to the front to-morrow To answer the bugle’s call.

Go; and I say, God speed you, You’ll never regret the day You went when your country called you To shatter the foe at bay.

Just think of little Belgium And the crowd of homeless ones, Don’t you long to take revenge

NORA HASTINGS The writer of the above verses, we are informed, is but fifteen years of age.

5.

Coleshill vicar's son in WW1 Rum do

BY MIKE WALPOLE

The Rev John Pinney (right) married the boss's daughter and served him as a curate before becoming vicar of Coleshill from 1873-1906.

According to Kelly’s directory of Dorset of 1903 the Rev John Pinney of Broadwinsor and vicar of Coleshill, Birmingham, was lord of the manor of the Parish of Broadwinsor and a principle landowner.

Rev John's memory lives on in the church with his personal Bible bought at a local car boot sale a few years ago and presented to the church, and the large wooden screen given by his children and parishioners which separates the tower from the nave.

The Rev John had six children, one of them Major General Sir Reginald John Pinney, KCB. WW1 poet Siegfried Sassoon’s first hand experience of the unnecessary slaughter led him to write The General in which he condemns Sir Reginald and all generals.

It was while Sir Reginald was commanding a division that he was immortalised as the "cheery old card" of Siegfried Sassoon's poem.

"The General".

"Good-morning; good-morning!" the General said.

When we met him last week on our way to the line.

Now the soldiers he smiled at are most of 'em dead, And we're cursing his staff for incompetent swine.

"He's a cheery old card," grunted Harry to Jack.

As they slogged up to Arras with rifle and pack.

But he did for them both by his plan of attack.

Sir Reginald didn’t do himself any favours. A deeply religious man, he removed the soldiers’ rum ration, replacing it with tea.

He commanded the 33rd Division, which was in reserve until April 1918, when German forces attacked as part of the Spring Offensive. During the Battle of the Lys, the Portuguese Expeditionary Corps was effectively wiped out, leaving a two-mile wide gap in the British lines. The 33rd was ordered into position, and Pinney personally commanded the divisional machine-gun battalion, which—with the assistance of various stragglers from retreating units—helped turn back a heavy German attack at the Battle of Hazebrouck on 12 and 13 April.

For his service in April, Pinney, along with the commanders of the 12th, 55th and 61st Divisions, was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath.

The 33rd was used to train the American 30th Infantry Division through the summer, but went over to the offensive in September, seeing action at the Battle of the St Quentin Canal, the Battle of Cambrai, and the Battle of the Selle. At the Selle, Pinney organised a dawn attack with improvised bridges, allowing the 33rd to force a bridgehead and successfully clear the opposing bank in a short time.The division finished the war in the Sambre valley, and began demobilisation. In February 1919, with the division mostly demobilised, Pinney, a Boer War veteran, retired from the Army, aged 56, after 35 years service.

He died on 18 February 1943, survived by his wife and five of his children.

All three of his sons served in the Second World War. His eldest son, Bernard, was killed in action in November 1941. On 21 November 1941 at Sidi Rezegh, Libya, Second Lieutenant George Ward-Gunn destroyed two German tanks while fighting from a burning two-pounder portee. He was posthu-

Major General Sir Reginald John Pinney, KCB. SOURCE: PUBLIC DOMAIN

mously awarded the Victoria Cross for his valour in this action.

The battle has been cited by modern historians as an epic example of leadership and courage under fire.

Ward-Gunn was, however, led by Major Bernard Pinney MC, who fought with Ward-Gunn's troop until it had only one remaining gun in action.

Pinney ordered Ward-Gunn to remove the dead crew on a serviceable gun and get it back into action. In a short space of time the gun caught fire so Pinney, exposed to enemy fire, got up to put out the fire, then when WardGunn was killed, Pinney pushed his body out of the way to continue the action single handedly until it was eventually put out of action by direct

enemy fire. Despite the inadequacy of the 2-pounder portee guns that only had effect at short range, the battle halted a divisional advance. Pinney was killed by a stray shell the following day and wasn't acknowledged for his part in the battle until witnesses from the supporting rifle company told their story.

The Sir Reginald Pinney Trust set up in June 1943 to help children of Dorset ex-servicemen still exists. http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/exhibitions/Sassoon/Arras.html contains this image (ABOVE) of Sir Reginald, and a caption which says he was the model for ‘The General’, whose tactics, he wrote, ‘very nearly lost me my life’.

6.

Coleshill Past - August 2014 - Issue 1

Original documents remained hidden for eighty years

BY MIKE WALPOLE

Inside a rusting metal box, unseen for 80 years until discovered in the vicar’s vestry in the parish church, was an envelope. It contained the fund raising details of the town’s war memorial in the churchyard.

Very little information was publicly available about the memorial, but when the envelope addressed to E W Townsend Esq, Coleshill, near Birmingham, and marked "war memorial" was emptied, the original sketches, the faculty (church legal document) authorising its erection, and details of who subscribed to it were revealed.

A neatly hand-written subscription list records 329 donations totalling £477 1s 6d. 59 donations were of £2 or more, 32 between £1 and a guinea, 30 of between 10s and half a guin-

ea, 59 between 3s and 10s, 57 of 2s 6d, 35 of 2s, 4 of 1s 6d, 35 of 1s, 15 of 6d and 2 of 3d.

The chairman for the Finance Committee, George Dyott Willmot, and Mrs G D Willmot headed the list, each donating £50.

He was clearly the right man for the job. His sons - Lieutenant John Dyott Willmot and 2nd Lieutenant Robert Dyott Willmot - died two years apart aged 19 in France.

On June 4 1919, a public meeting at the Institute decided "that a monument (the form to be decided later) should be erected to the memory of the Men of the Parish of Coleshill who gave their lives for their Country during the European War".

The site near the churchyard gates offered the most suitable site. The letter called for vol-

untary subscriptions to meet the estimated £500 cost of the cross. It was “an occasion when all should, in gratitude to our brave soldiers and sailors, make some sacrifice to perpetuate their memory".

Headed Coleshill War Memorials, it reports "a widely manifested wish of the Parish that a Public Hall should also be erected, and the War Memorial Committee are making enquiries as to the possibility of this."

A tear off slip and another form listing casualties of the war were to be collected.

The memorial is shorter than it was following a gale on March 17 1947, which blew down the original ornate cross.

The Willmot memorial in the old cemetery, and an engraved cross and candlesticks on the altar, still bear witness to their sacrifice.

Two DCM SUBSCRIBE winners named on TO THE Coleshill Church Memorial

TODAY

In order to produce the Coleshill Past on a monthly basis we need to charge a small fee for each edition to cover production and distribution costs.

If you like what you see and would like to receive a copy through your door each montth then please fill out the form below and return it to us at: Coleshill Past, Town Hall, high Street, Coleshill B46 3BG. If you require further information please call 01675 467189 or if you prefer, pop in to our news desk at Coleshill Town Hall.

BY MIKE WALPOLE

pair were auctioned three years out four prisoners. He showed

There are four war memori- ago. The price for his valour? the greatest initiative and fearals in the town, one of them £920. lessness throughout.’ only for WW1 casualties.

2nd Lieut Edward Shine’s He was was killed in action The memorial

Title: ................................................................................................................

stood for 25

years in a garage following the demolition of Sacred Heart and

Name:.................................................................................................................

St John church in Coventry

Address: ...........................................................................................................

Road. A window and this me-

......................................................................................................................... .........................................................................................................................

Post Code: ........................................................................................................

Telephone: ........................................................................................................

Subscription costs £2.50 per edition including postage, paid annually, a one off payment of £30 should be made to ‘The Coleshill Post’ as a twelve edition subscription charge.

Pay over the phone with your debit or credit card by calling 01675 467189 or enclose a cheque for £30 (Thirty Pounds) made payable to ‘The Coleshill Post’.

War D.C.M. and 1914/15 star turning for help finally brought

morial were removed for later installation in Sacred Heart and St Teresa.

at Hulluch Sector in December DCM was awarded while he was 1917

a Sergent with the South Staf-

The London Gazette 22 Oc- fordshire Regiment for gallant tober 1917 said the award was conduct on 10th September for conspicuous gallantry and 1914, at Villiers-Cotterets, in devotion to duty during a raid assisting a wounded man across on the enemy’s trenches. He open ground for a distance of

One of the last tasks for the was in charge of a party which 800 yards, under a heavy fire.

Like others before her, his desthen parish priest, Father Mar- came upon a large dug-out from was to have it restored which the enemy commenced titute mother had handed her and rehung near the altar at the to emerge. The first man was children over to the St Pauls cus,

church. It’s invidious to select shot, and the remainder retired Childrens Home. He left the ortwo, but among the 50 or so into the dug-out and fired rifles phanage aged around 16 and names are two DCM winners.

through the entrances. He went joined the South Staffordshire

Sergeant John Kelly’s Great in alone to reconnoitre, and re- Regiment

Coleshill Past - August 2014 - Issue 1

Coleshill Welcomes Belgian Refugees

7.

Picture courtesy of Peter Lee

Maxstoke's silent witnesses to casualties on the home front

BY RONAN DAVIS

On 25th November 1914, Coleshill welcomed 10 Belgian soldiers who had left their country and been deemed physically unable to continue military service. The acceptance of these men into the community was the result of almost one month’s preparation, and was made possible thanks to a variety of contributions from across the community.

A sense of allegiance between the British and Belgians was widespread at this time. As far back as 29th August 1914, The Coleshill Chronicle demonstrated this through such articles as ‘”Lest we Forget”: Britain’s Debt to Belgium’. The article spoke emotively of Belgian “sons… perishing by the hundred on the battlefield”, whilst claiming that “Ramillies, Quatre-bras, Waterloo- on such fields was the compact with British and Belgian Blood.”

This allegiance led to immediate support for Belgians within the home front following the outbreak of war.

Refugees were being accommodated nationwide, whilst city committees organized housing and support. How-

ever, the numbers of these refugees quickly exceeded levels that these committees could accommodate, and

by October there were 1800 Belgian refugees in Birmingham alone. Consequently, plans were made to disperse them elsewhere.

At the end of October, a major meeting was held in Coleshill to make preparations for the arrival of a number of these refugees. The proceedings, led by Dr J.B. Wall, were responsible for acquiring essential provisions, all based on the generosity of the Coleshill community which was itself having to adapt to wartime.

Fortunately, Dr Wall noted that he had never seen such a public meeting so well attended by so many different groups from the town.

The meeting was successful in immediately securing both housing and initial financial support. One resident significantly eased concerns by volunteering the vacant property of Bank House, Church Hill, which would provide a residence sufficient for refugees into double figures. Meanwhile, others committed to weekly monetary subscriptions at this event. The names of nine donors were printed in the subsequent Coleshill Chronicle

on 7th November 1914, with amounts ranging from 6d/week to £2 2s 6d/ week.

A formal committee was also arranged to organize more detailed preparations, which were sufficient to ensure that 10 wounded Belgian soldiers could be accepted on Wednesday 25th November. The communal excitement and warmth towards their arrival were demonstrated by the St Paul’s Scouts’ Guard of Honour that met them. There was even a bugle call as each military vehicle arrived on Church Hill.

The Coleshill community made great efforts to accommodate 10 refugees at a time of uncertainty and fear in late 1914. And this profound support did not fade once the grand arrival had ended. The fact that a charitable ‘Pound Day’ was organized in December 1914 is testament to Coleshill’s continued commitment to aiding these men, whose reputation as heroic allies endured. Donations of 1lb of any useful resources were accepted for the refugees in time for Christmas. All items were welcomealthough it was requested that tea not be donated, as the gentlemen were said to be far more partial to coffee.

CURRENT NEWS AND EVENTS: WWW.COLESHILLREMEMBERS.CO.UK

Lights Out 'The lamps are going out all over Europe, we shall not see them lit again in our life-time.'

Sir Edward Grey

Coleshill Remembers, in conjunction with the Royal British Legion, invites you to participate in a national moment of reflection.

Lights Out is an invitation to everyone to turn off their lights from 10-11pm, leaving on a single light or candle to mark the moment Britain entered the First World War a hundred years ago. Centenary candles are available from Marks and Spencer's with proceeds going to support serving members of the Armed Forces, veterans and their families.

We will be holding a vigil on Monday 4 August at 10pm at St Peter's and St Paul's Coleshill. Please bring your own torch. All welcome.

WWI Exhibition WWI exhibition at Coleshill Town Hall on Sunday 24 August, 2-4pm.

Come to the Town Hall to view WWI weaponry, learn how to start researching your WWI history and view images from the era. www.coleshillremembers.co.uk

Appeal Do you have a WWI photo of Coleshill you’d like to share?

Are you related to a Coleshill soldier and have mementos of their service?

If so, Coleshill Remembers would love to see them. Contact us on info@coleshillremembers.co.uk or alternatively pop into the town hall and leave your details.

Coleshill Visitor Centre

The Discover Coleshill Visitor Centre are hosting a small WWI display and book launch on 4 August 7-9.45pm at the Old Market Hall.

Come down for a cup of tea and a biscuit, meet local author Patrick Foster-Smith and buy copies of his book In My Father’s Footsteps, before going to the vigil at St Peter’s and St Paul’s. Patrick’s research was supported by volunteers at Coleshill Community Hub and staff at Coleshill library. Both the Visitor Centre and the Hub are recruiting volunteers.

Speak to Helen or Megan on the night for further information or to sign up.

Local author Patrick Foster-Smith

BY MIKE WALPOLE

Two graves and a memorial in Maxstoke churchyard show that there were casualties in this country not the result of enemy action.

On 19 August 1918 a Handley Page 0/400 bomber like the one pictured, serial number D4593, of 14 Aircraft Acceptance Park was on a test flight from Castle Bromwich when it lost fabric from a wing and crashed at Maxstoke.

It was quoted as the worst accident in the first year of the Royal Air Force and all seven on board were killed. Two of the victims, one of them the Canadian pilot Lt Robert MacBeth, of Toronto, are buried in the churchyard An eight-page letter from him was sold for $99 on eBay in 2012.He explained that he was beginning to fly Handley Page bombers and that he expected to be ferrying them to France and Italy.

He explained that he had been given the assignment because he was an experienced pilot but was still listed as medically unfit for general frontline service following complications resulting from a crash into the North Sea. He added that he didn't expect to be bombing Germany for a while, if ever: Also buried, close by, is 2nd Air Mechanic H Simmonds, who flew as a passenger to make up a war load.

Three years earlier, Captain Eric Back RN and his wife were entertaining guests on HMS Natal while their ship was anchored in the Cromarty Firth.

On the afternoon of 30 December 1915, not long after several lady guests, including

his wife, QARNNS sisters, a male civilian and some children, had arrived on board to see a film show, a terrific explosion occurred, followed by several lesser internal explosions, and a severe fire.

The Natal slowly heeled over to port and lay on her beamends while some members of her company escaped into the water, and then she completely capsized. The Natal still lies in Cromarty Firth a hazard to navigation marked on by a buoy. Over 400 died. Some, like Captain Back and his wife, were never discovered and have no known grave.

From a naval history perspective the explosions that destroyed HMS Natal were a terrible omen. Although German sabotage, or a seabed mine, were at first suspected, the subsequent investigation showed that she had been destroyed by internal explosions in the aft magazines.

Cordite, the propellant that once hurled British bullets and shells, is notoriously unstable – and in the case of the Natal it was thought that, owing to a deterioration in its condition, or some unknown spark, that December afternoon it spontaneously ignited and utterly destroyed the ship.

Captain Back’s father was vicar of Maxstoke at the time, dying two years later. As well as the Maxstoke memorial, Captain Back is also remembered on the Chatham Naval Memorial.

Remembered on the other side of the memorial are Alfred Antrobus, Albert Ashby, Joseph Brookes, William Goode and John Lyner.

The documents from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission record brief details of the graves and deaths.

8.

Coleshill Past - August 2014 - Issue 1

Local Sports’ Results August 1914 Taken from The Coleshill Chronicle: Issues 08/08/1914, 15/08/1914, 22/08/1914.

Cricket results

Bowls

Coleshill vs. Meriden (Saturday 1st August 1914)

Old Coach (based in Coleshill) vs Mr Hawkins’ Edgbaston team (played in Coleshill on Saturday 15th August 1914)

Monday 3rd August, Coleshill beat Mr Mortimore’s XI, thanks in large part to the Rev. S.H. Wingfield Digby achieving bowling figures of 7-38.

Tuesday 4th August, Coleshill beat Birmingham Corporation Trams, Trams scored 106 all out and Coleshill scored 180 all out.

Wednesday 5th August Coleshill beat Aston Wednesday, Aston scored 100 all out and Coleshill scored 120-7.

Meriden: J.J. Edgington not out 52 G. Ravenhall c King b Green 5 W. Hughes not out 23 Extras 5 Total 85 Coleshill: E.P. King c Barton b Ravenhall 12 Rev. F.W. Digby c Bartlett b Ravenhall 6 W.W. Green run out 11 B. Metcalfe c Matthews b Ravenhall 2 L. Atkinson b Hughes 4 J Arnold b Ravenhall 0 J. Digby b Ravenhall 0 G.R. Jenkins c Higton b Ravenhall 13 J.E. Metcalfe b Hughes 12 J. Nichols not out 15 H.A. Drakeford b Hughes 0 Extras 3 Total 78

Water Orton vs. Handsworth Wood (Sunday 2nd August 1914)

On Thursday 13th August, Coleshill were due to play the Birmingham City Police ‘B’ division.

However, the police force cancelled all of their matches on account of “the national crisis”.

Handsworth Wood: A.D. Whitcumbe lbw b Parker 17 A. Tucker b Parker 4 J. Willetts b Gregg 1 D. Bendall b Gregg 2 L. Talmage b Parker 0 F.S. Oxford b Parker 0 A. Berkeley b Gregg 21 J.H. Stanners b Parker 4 L.J. Restall b Parker 2 J.S Oxford b Parker 0 H.G. Wood not out 0 Extras 0 Total 51

Mr Hawkins’ Edgbaston Team H. Garner 13 J. Parkes 12 J. Jones 7 F. Newitt 18 R. Bowden 21 T. Butler 19 H. Hall 6 T. Hawkins 17 S. Josephs 21 J. Butler 21 C. Phillips 17 H. Harvey 21 W. Alcock 15 F. Wilson 5 A. Hoosen 6 B. Allen 21 T. Stone 21 E. Stoddard 12 Total: 273

Old Coach W. Marshall 21 G. Blunt 21 W. Walker 21 T. Farrin 21 W. Hazel 10 J. Smith 21 H. Williams 21 W. Farrin 21 J. Walker 11 W. Knight 19 A. Blunt 21 W. Wood 7 J. Leeson 21 H. Willis 21 J. Willis 21 T. Deeman 20 F Dale 15 C. Davies 21 Total: 334

Tennis results The Coleshill Tennis Club Annual Tournament, Thursday 6th- Saturday 8th August

Winners: Ladies Doubles: Ms F. Kiss and Ms O. Thornley, beating Mrs F.B Moncrieff and Ms. C.K. Daulman 6-4, 9-7 in the final.

Gentlemen’s Singles: J.L. Ritchie and R.S. Turner held one set each and shared the title.

Gentlemen’s Doubles: J.H. Griffin and W.W Rock, beating O.V. Arnold and J.D. Willmott 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 in the final.

Mixed Doubles: J.L. Ritchie and Mrs Tipping, beating H.P Wood and Mrs W.M Aston 7-5, 7-5 in the final.

Water Orton: E.E Day b Bendall 20 H.A Hughes c Berkeley b Bendall 1 P.G Kelsey run out 117 G. Parker b Stanners 73 Rev. W.J.B. Crouch not out 24 Rev. R.A. Morley c Tucker b Bendall 10 G.J. Keeling not out 21 Extras 27 Total (for 5 wickets) 293.

AN ADVERTORIAL TAKEN FROM THE COLESHILL CHRONICLE SEPTEMBER 1914

COLESHILL PROOF

And not only Coleshill proof, but proof which has stood the test of time. More convincing testimony would be impossible to find.

On May 15th 1906, Mrs. E. Miller, of Parkfield Road, near the Schools, Coleshill, said: “I had an attack of lumbago a little while back, and I suffered with it for some time. The pains were sharp and stabbing, and used to strike me in the small of my back whenever I moved.

I used Doan’s backache kidney pills for this complaint, and they afforded quick relief. I am convinced they are a good medicine, because they have done me a lot of good. I can recommend them to anybody suffering from lumbago.

(Signed) E. Miller”.

On May 27th, 1914 -

eight years later – Mrs. Miller said: “I stand by all I said for Doan’s pills in 1906. I have always found them a most effective remedy for lumbago”.

Doan’s backache kidney pills are NOT for constipation, liver troubles, and stomach disorder. They are solely for disorders of the kidneys and bladder – such as dropsy, gravel, sediment in the water, urinary troubles, backache, lumbago, rheumatism, and uric acid poisoning.

They relieve the kidneys and bladder like laxatives relieve the bowels.

Price 2s. 9d a box, 6 boxes 13s. 9d; of all dealers, or from Foster- McClellan.

Co. 8, Wells Street, Oxford Street, London, W. Don’t ask for backache and kidney pills – ask distinctively for Doan’s backache kidney pills, the same as Mrs. Miller had.