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15th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment
The 15th (1st Birkenhead) Battalion, Cheshire Regiment was raised at Birkenhead as a Bantam Battalion on the 18th of November 1914 by Alfred Bigland MP. Bantam Battalions were those which admitted troops who were under the normal regulation minimum height of 5 feet 3 inches
After initial training close to home, they moved to Hoylake. In June 1915 :they joined 105th Brigade, 35th Division at Masham, North Yorkshire. The Battalion was adopted by the War Office on the 15th of August 1915 and they moved to Salisbury Plain for final training. They were ordered to Egypt in late 1915, but the order was soon cancelled and they proceeded to France in the last week of January 1916, landing at Le Havre and the division concentrated east of St Omer. They were in action during the Battles of the Somme at Bazentin Ridge, Arrow Head Copse, Maltz Horn Farm and Falfemont Farm. The division received new drafts of men to replace losses suffered on the Somme, but the CO. soon discovered that these new recruits were not of the same physical standard as the original Bantams, being men of small stature from the towns, rather than the miners and farm workers who had joined up in 1915. A medical inspection was carried out and 1439 men were transferred to the Labour Corps. Their places being taken by men transferred from the disbanded yeomanry regiments, who underwent a quick training course in infantry methods at a Divisional depot set up specifically for that purpose. In 1917 they were in action during The pursuit to the Hindenburg Line, at Houthulst Forest and The Second Battle of Passchendaele.In 1918 they fought in the First Battle of Bapaume, and the Final Advance in Flanders including The Battle of Courtrai and The action of Tieghem. They crossed the River Scheldt near Berchem on the 9th of November and by the Armistice they had entered Grammont. They moved back to Eperlecques and many of the miners were demobilised in December. In January 1919, units of the Division were sent to Calais to quell rioting in the transit camps. The last of the Division were demobilised in April 1919.
1st Jun 1916 Under Instruction 
3rd May 1916 Orders Received
23rd Mar 1918 On the Move
25th Mar 1918 Hard Fighting
26th Mar 1918 Fighting Withdrawal
27th Mar 1918 In Defence
28th Mar 1918 In Defence
29th Mar 1918 In Defence
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These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.
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Those known to have served with15th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment during the Great War 1914-1918. - Andrew Ronald. Pte. (d.13th June 1917)
- Atherton William. Pte. (d.12th October 1918)
- Benson George Henry. Pte. (d.28th March 1918)
- Bingley Thomas. Pte. (d.30th September 1918)
- Bramwell P.. Pte. (d.30th September 1918)
- Brooke Joseph. Sgt.
- Butler Harold. Pte. (d.24th Mar 1918)
- Coates John. Pte. (d.24th Mar 1918)
- Crowe Wildfred. Pte. (d.27th July 1916)
- Evans John Victor. Pte. (d.24th March 1918)
- Flynn John. Pte. (d.13th Nov 1920)
- Foley Bernard. Sgt. (d.14th Oct 1918)
- Fox DCM Ernest. Pte.
- Holleran Robert. L/Cpl.
- Holleran Robert. Pte.
- Holleran Robert. L/Cpl.
- Holme Felix Sayer. Pte. (d.20th Aug 1917)
- Johnston Harrison. Col.
- Kyne Albert William. Sgt. (d.19th July 1916)
- Lee Andrew. Pte. (d.11th November 1917)
- Lightfoot Richard. Sgt.Maj.
- Lloyd David. Pte. (d.20th August 1917)
- Mallen John James. Pte. (d.27th Mar 1918)
- Millar William James. Pte. (d.20th Aug 1916)
- Morrison William Elias.
- Schultz George Edward. Capt (d.19th Aug 1917)
- Simm William. Pte (d.21st Oct 1916)
- Skeen Alfred Simpson. Pte. (d.4th October 1918)
- Thomas Evan David. Pte. (d.24th Mar 1918)
- Worthington Stanley. Pte. (d.28th Feb 1918)
All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
please Add a Name to this List
Records of 15th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment from other sources.
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Pte. Ernest Fox DCM 15th Battalion Cheshire Regiment  Ernest Fox DCM joined the Cheshire 17th Reserve Battalion on 20th September 1915 in Bebington, Wirral. He was sent overseas on 23rd June 1916 as part of BEF with 13th Cheshire Battalion (Lord Leverhulmes Wirral Battalion).
The 13th Cheshire's took part in the first battle of the Somme. The 13th suffered great losses at Ovillers- LaBoisselle on 7th July 1916. Ernest was transferred to 11th Cheshire Battalion on 13th July 1916 for a short time and then to the 15th Battalion (The Cheshire Bantams) on 16th August 1916 where he trained as a Lewis gunner. Ernest remained with the 15th Cheshire's and was awarded his DCM for his bravery and gallantry on 25th March 1918 at Clery Ridge (Maricourt area of the Somme) during the German spring offensive of 1918.
Ernest was wounded on 16th April 1918 in the town of Hedauville and eventually evacuated home to recover in hospital. He made a full recovery and returned to France in the late October of 1918. I was privileged to have Ernest as a Grandfather with many happy memories of this man who was a modest hero. Ernest sadly passed away in 1974.
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Sgt. Joseph Brooke 15th Btn Cheshire Regiment Joseph Brooke, my grandfather, joined the Army in 1911 or 12, aged 18.
He was based at Londonderry, Northern Ireland at the outbreak of WW1 with the 1st Battalion of the Cheshire Regiment. For some reason, he did not cross to France until the end of August 1914. He joined his unit at the front on 16th Sept 1914, during The Battle of the Aisne, at Le Mesnil, near Soissons.
He served with the Cheshire Regiment throughout the war. In early 1918, he was transferred to the 15th Battalion of the Cheshires and made up to Sergeant. I was told by my father that he was at the First and Fourth Battles of Ypres. From the regimental diaries etc. it is possible that he fought on the Somme in 1916 and 1918 as well as the 2nd and 3rd Battles of Ypres.
I am proud to have in my possession his swagger stick and a 1908 pattern British cavalry sword that he brought back as a souvenir.
Joseph died in 1957.
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Pte. Wildfred Crowe 15th Battalion Cheshire Regiment (d.27th July 1916) Private Wilfred Crowe serving with the 15th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment died on 27th of July 1916 aged 19.
He was the son of Thomas and Harriet Crowe, Andreas, Ramsey, Isle of Man. He is remembered with honour at the Thiepval Memorial.
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Pte. John Coates 15th Btn. Cheshire Regiment (d.24th Mar 1918) John 260267 was believed to be 21 years of age when he died in action. He was the second son of George and Mary Coates of 24 Well Lane, Rock Ferry, Wirral.
On 6th of July 1916, John was awarded a wound stripe, but I don't know in which battle this injury was incurred.
He is remembered at the Pozieres Memorial and on the war memorial in Port Sunlight, whence his family originated.
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Col. Harrison Johnston 15th Battalion Cheshire Regiment Johnston Harrison served with the 15th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment. His diary was published as Extracts from an officer's diary, 1914-1918, being the story of the 15th and 16th Service Battalions, the Cheshire Regiment (originally Bantams) by Geo Falkner & Sons in 1919.
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L/Cpl. Robert Holleran 15th Btn. Cheshire Regiment Family memories tell us that my Grandfather, Robert Holleran, was wounded and taken POW in 1918 in what I believe was in the Maricourt area.
He survived the war and died in 1954.
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Pte. David Lloyd 15th Btn. Cheshire Regiment (d.20th August 1917) David Lloyd was one of 12 children. Because of the lack of work in Cardiganshire at the time nearly all the children left for London to work in the dairy trade including David.
My grandmother was the eldest and helped bring up her siblings. When David prepared to leave for war my grandmother walked from her home Esgair garn down to the village to see him off. She was heavily pregnant at the time and the strain and worry brought on the birth of her daughter (my mother)a month early.
David earned the Victory Medal and the British Empire Medal
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Sgt. Albert William Kyne 15th Btn Cheshire Regiment (d.19th July 1916) Albert Kyne served with the 15th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment. I have no story as my relatives have died and through bad wills my family history is now in the hands of people who do not care. I, therefore, do not have any of the 3 medals he would have been awarded according to my research. If anyone has any memories or knew him or friends of his in the 15th Cheshires I would be interested to hear them. I only know when he died and that he was commemorated on Thiepval Memorial.
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Pte. William Atherton 15th Battalion Cheshire Regiment (d.12th October 1918) William Atherton served with the 15th Battalion Cheshire Regiment, he was awarded the British war medal and Victory medal.
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Pte. Alfred Simpson Skeen 15th Btn. Cheshire Regiment (d.4th October 1918) Alfred Skeen was my great grandfather. He had moved to the USA in 1903 but returned to England and was the only one of 5 brother's who didn't return from WW1.
Two brothers travelled from the USA to Canada to join the Canadian Forces and two registered with the American Forces. He left 7 children including my grandfather David who was the third child aged just 11 years old. My father has Alfred as his second name but didn't know why, now he knows.
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Sgt. Bernard Foley 15th Battalion Cheshire Regiment (d.14th Oct 1918) Barney Foley was part of the 15th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment, one of the Bantam Battalions. He was pony driver underground in the Ryhope Pit before joining the War. He lived with his mother, father and sister Mary in Ryhope, Sunderland. As he was unmarried he left his keeper ring with his mother when he left for the war. Unfortunately, he was never to return and collect his ring. His mother passed it to his sister Mary, who then passed it to her daughter Margaret (Peggy), my Nana. She is 92 and still has it today.
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Pte. John Victor Evans 15th Btn. Cheshire Regiment (d.24th March 1918) Son of John and Maria Evans, 60 Love Lane, Denbigh.
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Pte. Ronald Andrew 15th Btn. Cheshire Regiment (d.13th June 1917) Ronald Andrew was the son of Edwin And Margaret Alice Andrew of 41 Burnley Road, Waterfoot, Lancashire. He was an old boy of Bacup & Rawtenstall Grammar School and had attested aged 18 years and 10 months (attestation dated 7th Jun 1916 and approved for service 29th of September 1916.) Prior to service Ronald was a bank clerk.
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Pte. Robert Holleran 15th Btn. Cheshire Regiment My Grandfather, Robert Holleran served with the 15th.Cheshire Reg., and was wounded and captured on 24th of March 1918. This is from the German POW file.
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L/Cpl. Robert Holleran 15th Btn. Cheshire Regiment My Grandfather Robert Holleran served in the 15th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment in World War 0ne.
He was taken prisoner on 24th March 1918 at Mericourt and was imprisoned at Zerbst POW camp in Saxony Germany.
He survived the war and died in 1954.
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Sgt.Maj. Richard Lightfoot 15th (Birkenhead Bantams) Btn. Cheshire Regiment Richard Lightfoot was my Grandad. He served with the 15th Cheshires, the Birkenhead Bantams. He was captured at the Somme and spent the war in a prisoner of war camp in Germany from where he escaped and got recaptured three times. I Have a news item from the Birkenhead News with his photo saying he was missing in action.
Later on in the second world war he was based in Chester and then lived at the drill hall Birkenhead.
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Pte. Harold Butler 15th Btn. Cheshire Regiment (d.24th Mar 1918) Pte. Harold Butler served with the Cheshire Regiment 15th Battalion. He died on 24th March 1918.
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Pte. John James Mallen 15th Battalion Cheshire Regiment (d.27th Mar 1918) John James Mallen served with the 15th Battalion Cheshire Regiment.
He was aged 28 when he died on 27th March 1918.
Born in Jarrow in 1889 he was the son of Bernard and Ann Mallen (nee Hanlon) of 10 Short Row Jarrow. On the 1911 census, he is listed as John James Mallen age 21 Chipper and Painter in Shipyard living with his parents Bernard and Ann Mallen and family at 10 Short Row, Jarrow.
John is remembered on the Pozieres Memorial and is commemorated on the Triptych in St. Paul's Church Jarrow.
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Pte. John Flynn 15th Btn. Cheshire Regiment (d.13th Nov 1920) My great grandfather, John Flynn served with the 15th Cheshire regiment under the 1st/2nd regiment, Birkenhead. He was lucky enough to return from the great war, but was discharged from the army under kings regulations as being unfit for duty in 1919. Whilst he returned to Stockport briefly, he was found wandering dazed and confused in Whiston, Prescot in 1919. He was admitted to Lancaster county asylum and died there on 13/11/1920. He is listed on the st Helens roll of honour.
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William Elias Morrison 15th (1st Birkenhead) Battalion Cheshire Regiment  From letters from my Grandad, Billy Morrison:
At outbreak of war, I was working with my dad and had made pals with a lad named Johnson. Early in January 1915, one Monday, we took half day off and went to join the Navy. We both passed tests and doctor, but when they got to know our ages, we had to get our Dads to sign a form. My dad put it on the fire, but my pal's dad signed his, which was his death warrant, as he went down with the destroyer Hampshire, with Lord Kitchener. Not to be done on the Friday, I went to the Army office and joined (Bob's Own) Lord Robert's Bantams Cheshire Regiment, which I was with from January 1915 until 1919 when I was invalided out of the war with gas.
1915 was spent training more or less until one night the commanding officer came and told me to sound or blow the alarm to Arms at twelve o'clock at night and at the time we were in the Indian Barracks, Salisbury Plain. We handed in our Indian kit and were on the Monas Queen for France.
Well, we landed at Le Havre, stayed the night in tents at Havre Fleurs then entertained in cattle trucks for four hours. I travelled with the Commanding Officer's party as I was C.O.'s Bugler and no one was allowed to leave train until I sounded it on the bugle. Now this is the start of my service in France. Next will be going up into the line.
I carried the silver bugle until it was stolen when I was gassed I sounded the charge on it in the front line in France.
We did our training on Salisbury Plain, then one night at midnight I had orders to sound the alarm to arms. At 9 o'clock the next morning, we were on our way to France. That was December 1915. We were held up at Southhampton for German subs in channel. When the word came, we left England on a four and 1/2 hour voyage down channel to Le Havre. It was dark when we got there so disembarked when it was light. We had to march up a steep hill to spend the night in transit camp at Havre Fleurs. There we handed our pith helmets in and our tropical clothing as we were going to the Far East, which was cancelled, and we were given other clothing for trenches and that is the beginning of our tour of France and Belgium.
During the first war the British soldier's boy was it a day of which he was compelled to allot sixpence a day to his wife or parents towards the small allowance from the government. For this we went through fire mail and gunfire for the preservation of the homeland to help France and Belgium against the Kaisers German Army.
To carry on from Givenchy and Festubert we went along the La Bassee front. We started at Lavantee which was very quiet, hardly any gun fire, then we went to Richberg in the same front here we were lucky we had the Bavarians against us. The German Regiment did not want to fight. They put up posters, "we don't want war, nor do you. If you don't fire, we won't fire," so we had a good two weeks.
Next we went in the line at Amentieres for what was left of it. There was a few aviatians in the place behind the line. These would do their best to help us and when we went back, they treated us well, giving us hot coffee with rum in it as it was full winter and this was the place that the song "Mademoiselle from Amentieres, Parlez Vous" came from.
Next we moved up to Nueve Chapelle, here it was more lively. We had a mock attack three minutes heavy artillery, three minutes light, three minutes trench mortar and rifle grenades then three minutes fire. Well this ended with the Germans getting the wind up they thought we were attacking and came out of the trenches to meet us. When we let go with all we had, that was the end of that. Jerry fell back so we took their trenches over. After this action, we came out of time for a rest and fell back to a town called Baileil. This place had not been hit by Jerry so we had it easy for a month.
Then we went up to Belgium and went into the front lines at Arras. The line here was like a horse shoe, we were in the toe of it we could see the French guns firing on the left and on the right side of the horseshoe, the Canadians and Aussies were in the line there was only one way out of the horseshoe for us. After fourteen days here we were to be released, but it was on the fortieth night that the Royal Scots took over from us as the division that should have taken over was still in England and was known as the lost division, John Bulls Division. We spent three weeks with the Gurkhas and Bengal Lancers at a place called Hazelbrouck.
From there we all moved to the Somme, ready for the attack on the first of July 1916, we were in Blightswood, the others were in Happy Valley waiting for the word to go forward. We were the third line of infantry to attack we had the Gurkhas and support of the Lancers when we attacked we went through what was termed Death Valley. You could not see the Gurkhas, they went along in front of trenches. You did not know they were there only from the rustles now and again.
We advanced through Devil's Wood then to through Trones Wood and when we got in front of Trones Wood, there were Canadian, Scottish and German standing with their bayonets facing each other petrified by gas.
Well, this was nearing my first term of the Somme. We were facing the Germans fortifications at Guillemont when Sergeant Major Barker asked me to go help the stretcher bearers to dress the wounded in no-man's land while the stretcher bearers brought them in I had been put there for hours. When I was told to go in, I went back and the S.M. said sit here, I have been there all the time so is ok, he was making a drink of tea. The date was 12th July, 1916. That cup of tea I never got because as I sat there I was wounded with gunshot from a shell. They took me down the hill and I was lying on side of road on stretcher for several hours waiting my turn for ambulance. Now you know why I always remember the twelve of July, Orangeman's day. I was taken to field hospital, got treatment and was placed on train for boat, but we were diverted going to action in Channel. I went to hospital Rouen where I was operated on and they took the shrapnel out of my knee within a few weeks I was sent to train at Etaples on a stick. In the first days on the Somme we were listing a thousand men a day wounded and killed. It was a thing that has never happened before the guns were wheel to wheel. There was a lot of men with shell shock. Well, after a few weeks, I was sent back to battalion, still on a stick. When the doctor saw me he said "Who sent you back like that?" He just put another label on me and sent me back until I was fit for line.
After a while, I went back to the front. The battalion was in Posherdale with the Canadians. This is where we attacked the ridge supported by tanks and this is where the tanks got their motto (through the mud, through the blood to the green hills beyond). After this we went into Vimy Ridge where we had it rough. This brought up to Xmas 1916 where we were in the trenches at Mossiny. It was a bad winter, plenty of snow. We were issued each sheepskin coats to keep us warm and gloves on tape to go round your neck. It was hard that we got an old phonograph with records. Being Xmas the officer told Jim Whitely, me, and Tom Delaney to go with him in no man's land with the gramaphone for a bit of sport. We went at midnight and the last record Jerry did not like he opened fire on us and the officer was badly wounded. Jim Whitely went in for stretcher. Tom and I stayed with him. I dressed him and put tournique on his leg then when Jim came back, we put him on stretcher and took him in. The stretcher bearers took over and for that episode, Jim got the military medal. Tom and I got nothing.
We came out of there and went to school camp by Poperinge for our Xmas dinner and rest before going into the Ypres sector. We are now going to 1917.
At this time, those at home were working all out on munitions and comforts for us lads at the front. Your nan was working at the British American Tobacco camp making cigs which we had an allowance of twenty a week free.
Back to school camp, this was in Belgium and as I have already said, it was very cold, plenty of snow. We were billeted to some old tin huts with a stove in the middle with nothing to burn so we went out and cut a few trees down but we were fired on by a Froggy with a shot gun. Lucky none of us were hit. We got the wood and put it under the boards of the hut. Next day an officer came round with the French farmer looking for his trees, but went back empty handed.
From here we moved to Elverdinghe behind Nieuport Bains, which is opposite Ostend. It was while here that Jerry dropped a bomb on Brigade headquarters which was a chattico (?) the rules were if enemy planes overhead the guard would blow one blast on whistle and I had to blow lights out on bugle. It did seem funny as the brigade headquarters was blazing and I had to sound fire alarm.
By the way, the bugle I carried was a silver one presented to me in England. I sounded the charge on it at Neuve Chapelle, but it was stolen in 1918 when I was gassed. After we left for Dirty Bucket Corner on our way to up to take the trench over from the Belgians when we got there was no one in the line, but Jerry and Belgians were each side of river washing and talking to each other. We got orders to open fire on them. They soon came back.
It was pretty quiet here and after a month we came out then started the retreat in 1917. We went to Theipval, then in July 1917 I was told to pack up for base. I was taken by lorry to advance post from there entrained for Calais. This was it, I was on my way home on ten days leave after two years in the trenches. We stayed overnight at rest camp. Next morning, we were on the boat for England and what a welcome we got at Dover. There was tea, chocs, in fact anything we wanted as it was a leave boat from France. I sent word to my good friend, your nan, that I would be home at a certain time and I surprised my mum when I walked in as I had not let her know when I would get home. I was having my tea with a curler in my quiff when your nan came and after my dad came home, we went down to see her mum and dad, your great nan and grandad, and what a fuss they made of me. Anybody could tell I was on leave for each years service in France and the gold wound stripe under the service stripe on my right arm. Every where I went, people were wishing me well. Of course, I had a lot of visiting to do. My dad said they wanted to see me at the works, so I had to set a day for going there anyway. They made a fuss of me and my mates dad said they were all proud of me and wished me lots of luck when I went back to the trenches.
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