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8th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment
The 8th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment was a unit of the Territorial Force with HQ at Aston Barracks, Aston Manor, Birmingham. The Drill hall was situated next to Villa Park. They were serving with the Warwickshire Brigade, South Midland Division. The units of the Division had just departed for their annual summer camp when war broke out in August 1914 and they were at once recalled. They mobilised for war service on 5th August 1914 and moved to concentrate in the Chelmsford area by the second week of August 1914 and commenced training. They proceeded to France, from Southampton, landing at le Havre on the 22nd of March 1915. The Division concentrated near Cassel. on the 13th of May 1915 the formation was renamed 143rd Brigade, 48th (South Midland) Division. In 1916 They were in action in the Battle of the Somme, suffering hevy casualties on the 1st of July in assaulting the Quadrilateral (Heidenkopf). They were also in action at The Battle of Bazentin Ridge, capturing Ovillers, The Battle of Pozieres Ridge, The Battle of the Ancre Heights and The Battle of the Ancre. In 1917 the Division occupied Peronne during the The German Retreat to the Hindenburg Line and were in action in the Third Battles of Ypres. On the 21st of November 1917 they entrained for Italy. In 1918 they were involved in The fighting on the Asiago Plateau. The battalion left the Division and returned to France on the 11th of September and joined 75th Brigade, 25th Division and fought in the Final Advance in Picardy.
5th Aug 1914 Warwickshire Territorials Mobilise At 6am on Wednesday, the Territorial Battalions of the Warwickshire Brigade paraded before leaving their home towns. The 5th and 6th Btn shared Thorp St Barracks, which was not big enough for both battalions to parade together. So Col Parkes and Col Martineau tossed a coin. The Mayor won and whilst the 6th Battalion paraded at the barracks, the 5th Btn held their parade in the railway sheds of the Midland Railway.
The 8th paraded as a Battlion in Aston and the 7th at their various drill halls across the county.
In the evening the four battalions boarded trains and departed for Weymouth.
16th Aug 1914 Warwickshire Territorials on the March The Warwickshire Brigade broke camp in Leighton Buzzard and set out on a staged route march to Essex
28th Aug 1914 Volunteers Required The Warwickshire Brigade received the official request for the Territorials to volunteer for service overseas. For many it would be a difficult decision, many of the men were skilled working-class with young families, a direct result of the drive to get companies to support the TF, often their work pay exceeded the army rate of pay. Those men who felt unable to consent, were subsequently posted to the reserve second line unit of their battalions which were being formed at home, the 2/5th, 2/6th, 2/7th and 2/8th Warwicks.
1st Mar 1915 Brigade at Country House The headquarters of the Warwickshire Brigade was stationed at Felix Hall, Kelvedon, Essex. The 6th Btn Royal Warwicks were also stationed at Kelvedon, with the 5th being at Braintree, the 7th at Witham and the 8th Battalion also at Braintree.
19th Mar 1915 Notice to Deploy The Warwickshire Brigade received the order from London on the 19th of March, giving them 3 days' notice of their transfer to the front. The men were issued with webbing and had to quickly learn how to use it. There was, still no sign of Lee Enfield rifles or Vickers machine guns to replace their out of date weaponry, Lee Metford rifles and the Maxims.
22nd Mar 1915 Warwickshire Territorials on the Move The Warwickshire Brigade make their move from Essex, travelling in 9 trains to Southampton docks to board ships. 123 officers and 4065 other ranks made the journey. The 5th Bn, consisted of 30 Officers and 1002 Other Ranks; 6th Bn, 29 and 997; 7th Bn, 30 and 1003 and 8th Bn, 30 and 1005. It was not just the men with their rifles and personal kit which boarded the trains, also travelling were 336 horses, 8 machine guns, 26 general service wagons, 55 general service limbered wagons, 14 other vehicles, 44 bicycles, 612 picks and 1032 shovels.
Half of the 6th Btn Royal Warwicks departed from Kelvedon station at 01.50, to arrive at Southampton at 08.00. The other half were to follow at 03.50 arriving at 10.00.
Half of the 5th Btn Royal Warwick left Braintree at 04.35, arriving at 11.00. The remainder of the 5th were to leave Braintree at 06.35, arriving at 13.00. The Brigade HQ and the signallers were to leave Kelvedon at 05.50, arriving in Southampton at noon.
At Witham station half of the 7th were to depart at 07.35, arriving at 13.30. The remainder of the 7th were to leave Witham at 09.35, arriving at 15.50. At Braintree the first half of the 8th were to depart at 08.35, arriving at 15.00 and the remainder of the 8th were to leave Braintree at 10.35, arriving at 17.00.
At Southampton Docks, the men, horses and equipment transferred from the trains to transport ships for the channel crossing. Brigade HQ sailed on the Empress Queen along with the 6th Bn at 18.00. 5th Bn sailed on the Marguerite, 7th Btn were split between the Copenhagen and the City of Lucknow, sailing at 17.30. 8th Bn were split between the Brighton, City of Lucknow, the Marguerite and the City of Dunkirk which sailed at 19.30.
23rd Mar 1915 Warwickshire Territorials arrive in France The ships carrying The Warwickshire Brigade arrive off Le Havre Between 02.00 and 03.00 in the morning. They wait for daylight before docking and the troops disembark beginning at 7am. Interpreters join the battalions and they march through the town to No.6 Rest Camp at Graville. The transport sections being the last to arrive at 21.00.
24th Mar 1915 Warwickshire Territorials on the Move
25th Mar 1915 Warwickshire Territorials on the Move
27th Mar 1915 Route March
28th Mar 1915 Warwickshire Territorials on the March
29th Mar 1915 Under Instruction 
30th Mar 1915 Digging Trenches
31st Mar 1915 Digging Trenches
1st Apr 1915 On the March
2nd Apr 1915 Under Instruction
3rd Apr 1915 Territorials Under Instruction
6th Apr 1915 Warwcks on the March
7th Apr 1915 In Billets
8th Apr 1915 Specialist Courses
9th Apr 1915 Route March & Bomb Throwing
11th Apr 1915 Route March & Bomb Throwing
12th Apr 1915 Into the Trenches
13th Apr 1915 In the Trenches
14th Apr 1915 Trench Work
15th Apr 1915 Trench Work
16th Apr 1915 Reliefs
17th Apr 1915 Trench Work
18th Apr 1915 Quiet Day
19th Apr 1915 Encounter with the Enemy
20th Apr 1915 Reliefs
21st Apr 1915 Farms Searched
22nd Apr 1915 Noxious Gases
23rd Apr 1915 Noxious Gases
24th Apr 1915 Reliefs
25th Apr 1915 Working Parties and Shelling
26th Apr 1915 Working Parties
27th Apr 1915 Situation Normal
28th Apr 1915 Reliefs Completed
29th Apr 1915 Warwicks provide Instruction
30th Apr 1915 Communications Trenches Completed
30th Apr 1915 Enemy Trench Located
8th May 1915 Situation Normal
24th May 1915 Gunfire at Ypres
28th May 1915 Enemy Attack
8th Jun 1915 Brigade Conference
11th Jun 1915 Reliefs
15th Jun 1915 Reliefs
16th Jun 1915 All Quiet
18th Jun 1915 Sniping and Rifle Grenades
19th Jun 1915 Reliefs
19th Jun 1915 Reliefs
28th Jun 1915 Billets
30th Jun 1915 Fear of Gas
27 Jul 1915 Front Line Inspected
4th Aug 1915 Parade
7th Aug 1915 Reliefs
15th Aug 1915 Reliefs
23rd Aug 1915 Divisional Reserve
23rd Aug 1915 Reliefs Completed
21st Oct 1915 8th Warwicks in the Trenches
17th Jul 1916 Heavy Shelling
27th Jul 1916 On the March
30th June 1917 Marched to Velu Wood via Bapaume and Fremicourt.
17th August 1917 Reports of Crew Commanders.
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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 with8th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment during the Great War 1914-1918. - Apthorpe Harold Wakeley. Cpl. (d.1st July 1916)
- Barham Herbert John. Pte.
- Boraston James Richard. CSM. (d.24th Dec 1915)
- Bragg Horace. Pte. (d.31st Mar 1918)
- Brodie MM. William Charles. Sgt.
- Durber Sydney. Pte. (d.1st July 1916)
- Hughus Walter. Pte.
- Lewis Frank Albert. L/Cpl. (d.9th Aug 1918)
- Maile Thomas Henry. Cpl. (d.17th or 27th Aug 1916)
- Shepherd Samuel. Pte. (d.4th Oct 1917)
- Shotton Bernard Louis. Pte.
- Smith Claud Humphrey. Pte. (d.27th August 1917)
- Tayles Charles Frederick. Pte (d.27th Aug 1916)
- Williams Clive. Pte. (d.20th Nov 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 8th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment from other sources.
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CSM. James Richard Boraston 1st/8th Btn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment (d.24th Dec 1915) Richard Boraston was killed in action on the 24th of Dec 1915, aged 26 and is buried in the Foncquevillers Military Cemetery in France.
He was the son of Mr. A. G. and Mrs. S. A. Boraston, of 24 Richmond Rd., Handsworth, Birmingham.
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Pte. Horace Bragg 8th Btn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment (d.31st Mar 1918) Horace Bragg has no known grave and his remembered on the Poziers Memorial. He was aged 24.
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Pte. Claud Humphrey Smith 1/8th Btn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment (d.27th August 1917) I have just started researching Claude Smith who died on the 27th of August 1917.
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Cpl. Harold Wakeley Apthorpe 1/8th Btn. Warwickshire Regiment (d.1st July 1916) Harold Apthorpe was born in Keysoe, Bedfordshire in 1893, son of Charles and Abigail Apthorpe of 181 Victoria Street, Dunstable. Educated at Bedford Modern school, Barton Manor School and Saltley College, Birmingham, he was Headmaster at Cople School, Bedford. He enlisted August 1914 and served with the 1/8th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment, embarking for France 22nd of March 1915. He was killed in action on 1st of July 1916 age 23 years, during the first day of the Battle of The Somme. He has no known grave and is commemorated at the Thiepval Memorial. A pupil of of Bedford Modern School 1905-09, he is commemorated on the School War Memorial, which was unveiled in 1923 and in the Roll of Honour, published in The Eagle, December 1923. The Old Boys of this School who, as in duty bound, laid down their lives in a great cause. Information courtesy of www.roll-of-honour.com
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Pte. Herbert John Barham 1/8th Btn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment Herbert Barham was my great grandfather and was from Aston. He was living in Lozells in 1913 with his wife and 3 children.
Unfortunately, his service record is lost, what I can work out is that he enlisted in October 1914 to the 1/8th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment and went to France in March 1915. He was still serving with the 8th Btn when the Territorial Force was renumbered in March 1917. He was demobbed in March 1919.
Although I know little about his active service, family anecdotes are that he was greatly affected by the war, possibly shell shock and it is thought this contributed to him tragically taking his own life in 1953.
My wish is that his service and the traumas he suffered are not forgotten.
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Pte. Sydney Durber 8th Btn. Warwickshire Regiment (d.1st July 1916) Sidney Durber was born in Birmingham. He joined the Territorial Army. Sadly, he was posted as missing in action, 1st July 1916. He was the son of Margaret and Frederick Durber of 157 Denen St. Vauxhall, Birmingham.
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L/Cpl. Frank Albert Lewis 1st/8th Btn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment (d.9th Aug 1918) Frank Lewis, son of John and Fanny Lewis, was born at Yaxley, Huntingdonshire in 1891. The family moved to Southwick before moving to Belsize Avenue, Fletton, Peterborough, where Frank Albert Lewis enlisted. He was aged 27 when he was killed from a bullet wound during an enemy bombardment, and is buried in the Barenthal Military Cemetery, Asiago, Italy.
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Cpl. Thomas Henry Maile 1/8th Btn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment (d.17th or 27th Aug 1916) Harry Maile was the eldest son of George Charles and Ada Mary Maile of Brampton,Huntingdonshire. He enlisted in The Hunts Cyclists
around June of 1915. His HCB number was 207. He was posted to B Company of the 1/1st Battalion of the Huntingdonshire Cycle Division. Later he transferred to the 1/8th Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment (T.F)
Harry was killed in action on either the 17th August 1916 (this is the date on his parents gravestone in Brampton.Huntingdon, Cementry) or 27th August 1916. His name is on The Thiepval Memorial of the Missing of The Somme.
Always remembered by his family -Great Uncle Harry we will never forget the sacrifice you made for us.R.I.P.
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Sgt. William Charles Brodie MM. 1/8 Btn Royal Warwickshire Regiment Sgt. William Brodie served with the 1/8th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment
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Pte. Samuel Shepherd 1/8th Btn. Royal Warwickshire (d.4th Oct 1917) Pte. Samuel Shepherd served with the 1/8th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment. He died on 4th October 1917.
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Pte. Bernard Louis "Bo" Shotton 8th Btn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment  My grand-father, Bernard Louis Shotton, was incorporated in the 1/8th Royal Warwickshire Regiment as a signaller. Grand-dad Shotton, or Grumpy-bear, as he was known to the grand-children, was fortunate enough to be wounded he was sent back home after spending some time in a military hospital in France, probably to enable to travel safely back to the old blighty. When it was safe for him to travel, he was send back to Birmingham medical hospital.
His brother, Walter Albert Shotton, was incorporated in the 1/6th South Staffordshire Regiment, also as a signaller. As for Walter Albert Shotton, he was not as fortunate, he died on july 1th 1916, on the Somme.
He body was never recovered or identify, although his name appear on the roll of Honnor at Gommecourt, France. His name also appear on the Thiepval memorial. His remains, if the exist may lay in a communal grave, ready to be discovered.
We have not picture of Walter Albert Shotton.
Bernard & Walter Shotton had a third brother, Geoffrey. He had the chance in falling of his bike, braking his shoulder and discharge of military service.
An other twist of history is that my mother's cousin was a radio operator in the R.A.F. during WWII.
Unfortunatly his plane was shot down during a mission over Bremen.
His body lay in rest in the Sage cemetery.
My mother's father, Grand-dad Bill, in 1916 was an Marconi operator.
As a person born in France, I was liable to the French National service, which I did. I was sent to Germany in a signal corp. How strange !
We, dad & I belong the de R.B.L. Paris Branch and my only wish now is to find Walter Albert's remains...
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Pte. Clive Williams 1/8th Btn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment (d.20th Nov 1918) My family is fortunate not to have endured any casualties during either WWI or WWII. After many years attending the Cenotaph in London, I realised that I wanted to focus my remembrance on one particular service person. In November 2005 I undertook a search of the Commonwealth War Grave Commission website to see if a Clive Williams had died in either War. I found 57334, Private Clive Williams, 1/8 Royal Warwickshire Regiment,
I now do all I can to research his life and keep his memory alive. I plan to visit his grave in France, but I would really like to find relatives, or perhaps even a photograph. To the best of my research, Clive did not marry, and so, like many others of his generation, he died leaving nothing but his name. I am not sure if that is better than leaving behind a wife and family, but at least in one’s children, one can survive and live on. Clive, as far as I know, has no one to remember him.
It seems strange writing from my heart about a man I never knew, who had no connection with me other than sharing a name, and who had already been dead for over fifty years by the time I was born in 1972. I fear disturbing his spirit, when he laid down his life to rest in eternal peace, yet I feel driven to search out more and more information about this stranger. I am no relation to Private Clive Williams but I share his name and wish to keep his memory alive. I wish I could find a photograph.
Clive was born on the 18th of May 1894 at Langley, Worcestershire. His Grandfather was Levi Williams, who married Dinah Lewis, 10 June 1840 at St. Leonard’s Clement, they had a child, Levi Arthur. Levi senior married a second time to Jane Shaw on the 1st of September 1862 at St Thomas’s, Dudley. Clives parents were Levi Arthur Williams, (1854 - 1909), and Emma J Godfrey, who married in the September Quarter 1874 at Rowley Regis. Clive's sister was Henrietta Amplias Swain Williams, (1882 - ?), born in Rowley Regis, Staffordshire. She married Dr Daniel McColl, in the September Quarter 1911, at Tamworth. He also had a brother, Arthur Swain Williams, (1892 - ?), born at Rowley Regis, Staffordshire.
Clive worked as a Colliery Labourer, at Pooley Hall Colliery and at Kingsbury Colliery Co. up until 1916. In 1894 he lived at Vicarage Road, Langley, Worcestershire, In 1901 then Census records him at ‘Myrtle Cottage’, Waterfall Lane, Rowley Regis, Warwickshire (now Staffordshire)
and on the 1911 Census at 4 Watling Street, Wilnecote, Tamworth, Staffordshire. In 1918 his sister Amplias lived at ‘Holy Cottage’, Polesworth, Tamworth, Warwickshire (now Staffordshire)
Clive enlisted in 1916, Tamworth, Warwickshire and died on the 20/11/1918 at No. 12 General Hospital of wounds sustained in the Battle of the Sambre. He is buried in grave S.III.W.5, at St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, France. His death was reportedin the Tamworth Herald on the 7/12/1918 & 14/12/1918 with a memorial message on 20/11/1919: "Make Firm O God The Peace For Which He Died". He is commemorated in the War Memorial, Holy Trinity Church, Wilnecote, Tamworth, Warwickshire (now Staffordshire), on the Tamworth & District War Memorial, Tamworth, Warwickshire (now Staffordshire) and Pooley Hall Memorial, Warwickshire.
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