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5th Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
5th (Service) Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry was raised at Oxford in August 1914 as part of Kitchener's First New Army and joined 42nd Brigade, 14th (Light) Division. After training they proceeded to France, landing at Bologne on the 21st of May 1915.
They fought in the The Action of Hooge, being the first division to be attacked by flamethrowers. They were in action in The Second Attack on Bellewaarde. In 1916 they were on the Somme seeing action in The Battle of Delville Wood and The Battle of Flers-Courcelette. In 1917 they fought in The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line, The First and Third Battle of the Scarpe at Arras, The Battle of Langemark and The First and Second Battle of Passchendaele. In 1918 they returned to the Somme and were in action during The Battle of St Quentin and The Battle of the Avre, suffering very heavy casualties with almost 6,000 men of the Division killed or injured The Division was withdrawn from the front line and were engaged building a new defensive line to the rear. On the 27th of April, the battalion was reduced to a cadre and on the 16th of June thet transferred to 16th (Irish) Division and returned to England. On the 20th of June 1918 they were absorbed by the 18th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment.
18th Feb 1915 Training
3rd Jun 1915 Entrenching 
11th Jun 1915 Trench Work
16th of June 1915 Attack Made
21st Jun 1915 Orders to Attack
22nd Jun 1915 In Action
22nd of June 1915 Attacks ordered
5th August 1915 At Rest
15th September 1915 New Orders Received
17th Sep 1915 Caught them on the Hop
23rd September 1915 Order
25th Sep 1915 5th Ox & Bucks in Action
25th Sep 1915 In Action
17th Oct 1915 Enemy Mine Explodes
2nd Mar 1916 Objective Captured
22nd Jun 1915 5th Oc & Bucks on the attack
16th Dec 1916 On the March
11th of April 1917 Reliefs
12th of April 1917 Reliefs
12th of April 1917 Very Cold West Day
24th of April 1917 Orders
10th July 1917 Entraining At Candas
19th August 1917 Operational Order 125
27th September 1917 Relief Table for O.O.133
2nd Sep 1917 Reliefs
13th September 1917 March Table
27th September 1917 Relief Table for O.O.133
If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
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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 with5th Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry during the Great War 1914-1918. - Barber Fredrick William. Pte (d.25th Oct 1916)
- Brooks Edwin Henry. Pte (d.23 March 1918)
- Butler George. Pte. (d.5th Oct 1915)
- Clifton John. Pte. (d.14th Jan 1916)
- Collins Alfred. Pte. (d.25th September 1915)
- Cozier Henry John. Pte. (d.25th Sept 1915)
- Dodd Ernest. Cpl. (d.16th Oct 1915)
- Elliott John Stanley. Pte. (d.3rd May 1917)
- Freeman Henry. L/Cpl. (d.24th Aug 1916)
- Hawling Norman. L/Cpl. (d.4th April 1918)
- Ingram sydney Gilbert. Pte. (d.16th June 1918)
- James Walter. Pte. (d.20th Aug 1916)
- Janes MM. Jack Hawley. Pte. (d.4th Apr 1918)
- Keatley Benjamin Walter. Pte. (d.15th September 1916)
- Kitchen Aubrey Wilfred. (d.3rd May 1917)
- Lang William Arnold. Pte. (d.21st Mar 1918)
- Martin James. Pte. (d.19th August 1917)
- Pargeter James Henry. L/Cpl. (d.15th January 1916)
- Pickton Henry. Pte. (d.3rd May 1917)
- Slade Richard. Pte.
- Slater Frederick W. H.. Pte. (d.16th October 1917)
- Sparrow Frederick. Pte. (d.25th Sep 1915)
- Spencer John. Pte. (d.4th Apr 1918)
- Wallington William Arthur. Pte. (d.25th Jan 1916)
- West William. Pte. (d.9th Apr 1917)
- White George Henry . Pte. (d.3rd May 1917 )
- White Robert James. Pte. (d.23rd March 1918)
- Willey George. Pte (d.27th February 1917)
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 5th Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry from other sources.
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Pte. John Spencer 10th Btn. Gloucestershire Regiment (d.4th Apr 1918) In February 1918, the 10th Glosters was disbanded and re-formed as the 13th Entrenching Battalion, which itself was disbanded shortly thereafter with its personnel being distributed to infantry units in the face of the German Spring Offensive (Operation Michael). Private John Spencer was attached to the 5th Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry.
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Pte. Richard Slade 5th Btn. Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry Richard Slade served with the 5th Btn, Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light InfantryFrom his own words..
I arrived in France on the 20th of December 1916, after sailing from Southampton, stopping at Le Havre, then travelling up the river to Rouen, staying there for a fortnight doing drills on different parts of warfare. On leaving Rouen I joined the 5th Battalion Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry at a place called Dainville, on what was part of the front called G. Sector.
We were in and out of line until the 1st of February 1917, then going back to a place called Grand-Rullecourt for a month for a refresher, joining my Battalion again in March near Arras at a village called Rownville, that part of the front was called H. Sector, we stayed there until we made the first spring advance which was on Easter Monday 9th of April 1917 in the early morning, just after day break (Battle of Arras).
In the meantime we were digging assembly trenches, which were dug in no-mans land, making advances between Tolley and Burains with the tanks going over with us, taking what we named Redoufer not far off Telegraph Hill, it was said my Battalion alone took 800 prisoners from that particular place, we took our position fairly easy after which other Regiments passing through us making their advance good.
Then after about 3 days we got relieved for a short while for a rest. At times we were holding the line which our troops made good on the 10th of April 1917. We then made another attack on the 4th May in the early morning, just before light on the same front in a place called Wancourt. We drove the enemy from his front line, but we only held it for a few hours perhaps up to mid-day when we had to retire back to where we started (what was left of us!). With the help of the rest of our Brigade we held our line where we were.
Before we made the attack my Battalion, then in the evening received news from one of our Officers for every man for himself to get out of the line down under a bank in front of Wancourt, then from the bank when we got what we thought all of our men together, we were took to some trench for the rest of the night and part of the next day. Where our men were coming in 1 or 2 at the time and then from there we went back near Tolley for a few days getting, relived from that front altogether, for a rest and to get reinforcements up.
We were out there for nearly three months going in the line again at Ypres the beginning of August we were in there for 3 or 4 days, we then got relieved from the line going back to a place called the half way house which was a dug-out behind our reserves, we were there for 4 or 5 days and at night we sent out as working parties up to the line. We then went a little further back to a place called Dickiebusch for the night before making our way then to Messines Ridge, going what we might say straight in the line. We were round about that part for nearly a month , we were in and out of the line, when we were out we were working parties either at day or night.
After leaving Messines we again went back to Ypres, taking with us 3 days rations. We took our position on the left of the Menin Road, we were there 5 days coming from the left over to the right of the Menin Road (you will be familiar with this as the Battle of Passchendaele). I was there 2 days, when I got my Blighty! I got hit on the evening of the 22nd of Octobre 1917 about 6 o'clock, when out of the trench, I was in a dug out near by for the night.
Then when it was light the next morning I made tracks to our aid-post where I was dressed and sent on to the next dressing station near Ypres. Then from there I was took to the C.C.S, where I stayed for 2 days, then being sent to the 10th General Hospital Rouen. I stayed there until the 31st October coming across to Blighty that night landing at Southampton early morning on the 1st November, arriving at the 1st Southern General Hospital, Kings' Heath Section in Birmingham at 6pm.
I was discharged from there on the 27th of January 1918 for 10 days leave reporting back to Command Depot Tipperary, Ireland on the 6th of February 1918, got my T.M.B on the 27th of June 1918 BII, discharged from there on the 15th of July 1918 and reported to my reserve unit on the 16th of July 1918. I was then sent to Scotland on the 2nd September on farm work and came back to my Battalion on the 22nd of Novemeber 1918.
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Pte. sydney Gilbert Ingram 5th Battalion Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (d.16th June 1918) Sydney Gilbert, eldest of 13 children, enlisted in 1914. He died aged 21 on the 16th June 1918, 8 days before his youngest sibling, a brother, was born.
The family lived at 16 Mobwell Terrace, Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire.
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Pte Fredrick William Barber 5th Btn. Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (d.25th Oct 1916) Fred Barber was born in 1889 and was the son of Arthur Henry, a stoker at the local rubber factory, and Emily Barber (nee Chapman) of Retford. He had 8 siblings and in the 1911 census the family were living at 36 Trent Street, Retford. Fred was single and a rubber mat maker by trade.
On 10th of February 1916 at St Peter's Church, Leeds, Fred married his wife Alberta Boshell of 2 Pullan Place, Beeston, Leeds. At the time of his marriage he was a serving soldier and was living at 36 Trent Street, Retford.
Fred enlisted at Retford but gave his residence as being in Beeston. He at first served with the Sherwood Foresters Notts and Derbys Regiment with service number 4461 but later transferred to the 5th Battalion Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Regiment.
He died on 25th of October 1916 and is buried in Agny Military Cemetery, France.
Retford Times of the 17th of November 1916 reported, "Pte F W Barber, Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, son of Mr and Mrs Barber, Trent Street, was accidentally killed in France on Oct 25th. His parents first received the sad news from his chum and last week official intimation arrived from the War Office. The gallant soldier who was 27 years of age, enlisted in the Sherwood Foresters (TF) in November last year and later on was transferred to the Oxford and Bucks Regt. He went to France in March of this year and was wounded by shrapnel in the head during the push in July. Prior to enlisting he was employed for 14 years at the Northern Rubber Works. Pte V Wightman, one of Pte Barber's comrades, has written a letter of sympathy to his parents explaining the circumstances of his death. "
Fred was my Great Uncle.
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Pte. William Arthur Wallington 5th Batallion Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry (d.25th Jan 1916) William Wallington was my great Grandfather. He lived in Aston Rowant.
He is buried in Talana Farm Cemetery, Boesingne.
He was married to Polly and had 3 children one of which was my grandmother, and she was six years old when he was killed in action.
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Pte. Alfred Collins 5th Battalion Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (d.25th September 1915) Alfred Collins was born in Little Compton in the county of Oxfordshire in January 1896. He was the son of George Hubert and Lily Collins.
He enlisted into the British Army in Oxford in October 1914. He gave his age as 19 at the time of his enlistment even though he was in fact only 18 at the time. His occupation at the time of enlistment was listed as a plough boy. He was single at the time of enlistment. He entered the British army as Private 15281 into the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. He was posted to the 5th (Service) Battalion, A Company.
He embarked to France with the battalion and landed at Boulogne on 21st of May 1915. The Battalion formed part of the 42nd brigade in the 14th (Light) Division. The Battalion took part in an attack on enemy positions at Bellwaarde Farm near Ypres in Belgium on 25th of September 1915. It sustained heavy losses during the attack. Private 15281 Alfred Collins was reported missing presumed killed in action during that attack on Bellewaarde Farm on 25th of September 1915.
He has no known grave and so is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres in Belgium. He was posthumously awarded the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Allied Victory Medal. The medals would have been forwarded to his next of kin after the war.
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Pte. Benjamin Walter Keatley 5th Btn Oxfordshire and Bucks Light Infantry (d.15th September 1916) Benjamin Keatley was born in 1891, the 9th of 11 children(at least 2 dying when infants). He came from a farming and mining background at Griff, near Nuneaton in Warwickshire. We know 2 other brothers also served in WW1, in different regiments. The youngest was the only one to return home - badly gassed and an invalid for the rest of his life.
I do not know for certain how Benjamin was listed in the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry, other locals joined the Warwickshire Regiment. It may be that his original enlisting battalion was diminished to the point he was absorbed into another one. He is likely to have had valuable experience with horses and tunnelling. We are still doing family history research.
He died at 25 years old on 15th September 1916 in the Battle of the Somme, we think he may have been at the Battle of Flers-Courcelette and seen the early use of tanks. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial and on a Roll of Honour Board which existed at his old workplace, Haunchwood Colliery in Nuneaton, Warwickshire.
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Pte. George Henry White 5th Btn. Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (d.3rd May 1917 ) George White is the 1st Cousin three times removed of my wife Irene Davies. George was a Private with the 5th Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry in 42nd Brigade, 14th Division during the Great War.
George was born in 1888 in Over Norton, Oxfordshire to Job White and Eva Augustus White (nee Brooks). In July 1889 his brother Jessie Thomas White was also born in Over Norton, Oxfordshire, England. The 1901 Census shows he was 13 years old, living with his parents Job age 40 years and Eva Augusta age 42 years together with his brothers Jessie Thomas age 11 years and John Edwards age 18 years; in the Town of East Adderbury.
On the 8th of April 1905 he married Emma Elizabeth Timms at the Parish Church in Deddington, Oxfordshire. He was 18 years old, a bachelor and laborer in Hempton, she was 19 years old and a spinster. Their marriage was officiated by The Reverend Thomas Boniface, vicar of the parish church. The Banns of Marriage were read at the same church on 19 March 1905, 26 March 1905 and 2 April 1905 prior to their marriage.
On 1 Oct 1905 their first daughter Elsie Elizabeth White was born at Hampton, Hempton, Deddington, Oxfordshire, England. On 7 Nov 1910 their second daughter Florence Lettie White was also born at Hempton, Deddington, Oxfordshire, England.
The 1911 Census shows he was 23 years old, married and living with his wife Emma and their daughters in Hempton, North Deddington. He was a Farm Laborer (Worker) in Hempton, North Deddington, Oxfordshire, England.
About 1916 he enlisted with 5th Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, 42nd Brigade, 14th Division at Banbury, Oxfordshire. His army paperwork shows that he was 28 years old, living with his wife Emma Elizabeth and their daughters Elsie Elizabeth and Florence Lettie at Hempton, Deddington, Oxfordshire, England.
On 3rd of May 1917 he was killed in action at the Battle of Scarpe, during the Arras Offensive. He is commemorated on The Arras Memorial.
I do have all of the source documents attached to George Henry White's profile in my Davies Family Tree on Ancestry.ca unfortunately I have yet to locate the Attestation document wherein he enlisted with the 5th Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry at Banbury.
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L/Cpl. Norman Hawling 16th Btn Northumberland Fusiliers (d.4th April 1918) Norman Hawling is my uncle and he was one of three Hawling brothers who fought in the Great War. He was serving attached to the 5th Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry when he lost his life. His brother Thomas Albert known as Bert was commissioned as a 2nd Lt and he died whilst serving with the 9th Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry on the 4th of November 1917. He was a Pharmacist, his father was head Pharmacist at Oldham Royal Infirmary and the family also had a chemists shop in Yorkshire Street which Norman ran.
The third brother, my Uncle Cyril Hawling, was in the Medical Corps. He was gassed and returned home an invalid. He never worked again although he served as a wireless operator for the Post Office during WW2.
My grandfather was so devastated by the loss of two sons that he retired.
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Pte. James Martin 5th Btn. Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry (d.19th August 1917) James Martin was invalided out of the 5th Battalion of the Ox and Bucks Light Infantry Regiment with shrapnel wounds deep in his chest. He was not fit to serve but nevertheless was recalled in the summer of 1917. He said goodbye to his young brother Arthur (my father) on the platform at Long Hanborough station in Oxfordshire and said he would never return. A few weeks later on 19th August 1917 and aged just 23 years he was killed in action at the Battle of Passchendaele. He is remembered at Tyne Cot cemetery near Ypres. My second name is James in his proud memory.
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Pte. Frederick Sparrow 5th Btn. Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (d.25th Sep 1915) Frederick Sparrow died on the first day of the Battle of Loos, a young man cut down in his prime, like so many others of his generation on both sides in the Great War.
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L/Cpl. Henry Freeman 5th Battalion Oxfordshire and Bucks Light Infantry (d.24th Aug 1916) Henry Freeman served with the 5th Battalion Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
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Pte. William West 5th Btn. Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (d.9th Apr 1917) Billy West, was my great uncle who was killed in action at the Battle of Arras aged 20. There is little else known about him other than he was in the 5th Battalion, Oxford and Bucks and is buried in the Tolloy Cemetery.
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Pte. Walter James 5th Battalion Oxfordshire and Bucks Light Infantry (d.20th Aug 1916) Great Great Uncle Walter James died at the age of 46. His name is on Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France and the Bletchley War Memorial. The 5th (Service) Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry was raised at Oxford In 1916 they were on the Somme seeing action in The Battle of Delville Wood and The Battle of Flers-Courcelette.
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Cpl. Ernest Dodd 5th Btn. Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry (d.16th Oct 1915) Ernest Dodd was killed in action in France & Flanders died aged 36. He is remembered on the Ypres Menin Gate Memorial, panels 37 and 39
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