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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment
Pte. Daniel Somers
British Army 2nd Btn. Irish Guards
(d.28th October 1915)
Private Somers is buried in the Tomacork, Cemetery, Tomacork, Co. Wicklow, Ireland.
Sgt. James Somers VC.
British Army 1st Btn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
from:Cloughjordan, Ireland
(d.7th May 1918)
James Somers served with 1st Bn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers during WW1 and the Army Service Corps. He was severely wounded in the Retreat from Mons 1914. Won his VC with the Inniskilling Fusiliers in Gallipoli. He died on 07th May 1918, Age: 24. He is buried West of the Church in the Modreeny Church of Ireland Churchyard, County Tipperary in the Republic of Ireland. He was the son of R. W. Somers, of Cloughjordan.
An extract from the supplement to The London Gazette, dated 31st Aug., 1915, records the following:- For most conspicuous bravery on the night of 1st-2nd July, 1915, in the Southern Zone of the Gallipoli Peninsula, when, owing to hostile bombing, some of our troops had retired from a sap, Serjeant Somers remained alone on the spot until a party brought up bombs. He then climbed over into the Turkish trench, and bombed the Turks with great effect. Later on he advanced into the open under very heavy fire and held back the enemy by throwing bombs into their flank until a barricade had been established. During this period he frequently ran to and from our trenches to obtain fresh supplies of bombs. By his great gallantry and coolness Serjeant Somers was largely instrumental in effecting the recapture of a portion of our trench which had been lost.
Somers remained at Gallipoli until the close of the campaign, later seeing further service in France, taking part in the 1 July 1916 attack on the Somme at Beaumont Hamel. On the 1 April 1917 he joined the Army Service Corps. After being gassed quite badly, he was to die at his home in Cloughjordan, County Tipperary on 7 May 1918. He is buried in the churchyard at Modreemy, County Tipperary.
Sgt. James Somers VC.
British Army Army Service Corps
from:Cloughjordan
(d.7th May 1918)
James Somers was the son of R. W. Somers, of Cloughjordan in Ireland. He had previously served with the 1st Bn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers before transferring to the ASC. He died on the 7th May 1918, aged 24, and is buried on the West side of the Church in the Modreeny Church of Ireland Churchyard between Cloughjordan and Borrisokane in Ireland. An extract from the supplement to The London Gazette, dated 31st Aug., 1915, records the following:- "For most conspicuous bravery on the night of 1st-2nd July, 1915, in the Southern Zone of the Gallipoli Peninsula, when, owing to hostile bombing, some of our troops had retired from a sap, Serjeant Somers remained alone on the spot until a party brought up bombs. He then climbed over into the Turkish trench, and bombed the Turks with great effect. Later on he advanced into the open under very heavy fire and held back the enemy by throwing bombs into their flank until a barricade had been established. During this period he frequently ran to and from our trenches to obtain fresh supplies of bombs. By his great gallantry and coolness Serjeant Somers was largely instrumental in effecting the recapture of a portion of our trench which had been lost."
Sgt. James Somers VC.
British Army 1st Btn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
from:Cloughjordan, Co. Tipperary
(d.7th May 1918)
James Somers was the son of R.W. Somers of Cloughjordan.
An extract from the supplement to The London Gazette, dated 31st Aug., 1915, records the following:- "For most conspicuous bravery on the night of 1st-2nd July, 1915, in the Southern Zone of the Gallipoli Peninsula, when, owing to hostile bombing, some of our troops had retired from a sap, Serjeant Somers remained alone on the spot until a party brought up bombs. He then climbed over into the Turkish trench, and bombed the Turks with great effect. Later on he advanced into the open under very heavy fire and held back the enemy by throwing bombs into their flank until a barricade had been established. During this period he frequently ran to and from our trenches to obtain fresh supplies of bombs. By his great gallantry and coolness Serjeant Somers was largely instrumental in effecting the recapture of a portion of our trench which had been lost."
He was 24 when he died in Ireland from the effects of gas and is buried West of the Modreeny Church of Ireland Churchyard, Modreeny, Co. Tipperary, Ireland.
Sgt. William Henry Somers
British Army 4th Battalion Royal Irish Regiment
from:Twickenham
William Somers had enlisted in the 2nd Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment in 1905 and was discharged as a corporal in 1913. He re-enlisted in 1916 as a bandsman.
2nd Lt. Richard Willingdon Somers-Smith
British Army 7th (Service) Btn. King Royal Rifle Corps
from:Bur Lea, Walton on Thames
(d.30th Jun 1915)
2nd Lt. Somers-Smith was the eldest son of Robert Vernon Somers-Smith and M Gertrude Radcliffe. He was born 27th Oct 1882. He was educated at Eton and Merton College Oxford where he was a distinguished athlete representing both at rowing and running. On completion of his education he left the UK for Ceylon to work within the tea plantation industry.
At the outbreak of WW1 he returned to the UK and was offered a commission as a 2nd Lt. in the 7th Btn KRRC. On 30th Jun 1915 whilst occupying front-line trenches opposite Bellewaarde Farm, East of Ypres enemy artillery fire hit the trenches his men were occupying burying several of them. 2nd Lt. Somers-Smith ran forward to assist in digging his men free and was killed in the attempt.
He is buried beside a fellow 7th Btn Officer, 2nd Lt. H Grew in the Bedford House Cemetery.
Pte Arthur Somerset
British Army 7th Btn. Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
from:Sheffield
(d.16th Aug 1917)
I believe my great grandfather Arthur Somerset was killed at the Battle of Langemark on 16th Aug 1917. His widow Florence was left with 5 children to bring up. He was thought to be in his thirties when he died.
I was unaware of his story until I found his war medal in 2008. As a child I was vaguely aware that someone in the family had died in the Great War but had obviously not paid much attention to this. All my life I have felt a great affinity to Armistice Day and now feel this could be because of Arthur.
Sap. James Cross Somerville
British Army 33rd Light Railway Operating Coy. Royal Engineers
from:Douglas, Lanarkshire
(d.25th April 1918)
Pte. John Somerville MiD.
British Army 1st Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
from:Belfast
My Grandfather John Somerville fought at Gallipoli from April 1915 to 1916 then shipped to fight in the European war until 1918. He stayed in the Army until 1921/22. He was a bagpiper in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers pipe band until his demob.
He joined up again to fight in the Second World War being wounded and was only saved because a small boat with Scottish soldiers in it saw the bagpipes my grandfather had tied to his back, they pulled him on board saving his life, the wound finished his time in the army.
Lt. Richard Newman Somerville
British Army 94th Field Company Royal Engineers
Pte. Richard Somme
British Army Kings Own Scottish Borderers
from:Hawick
(d.1st July 1916)
I know my great granddad, Richard Somme, is in the Book of Remembrance in the War Memorial Edinburgh Castle. He died on the 1st July 1916 and is buried in Theipval Cemetery so I believe
Pte. John Charles Sommerville
Royal Flying Corps
My grandfather, John Sommerville, was born 2nd February 1898, in the Strand Union Workhouse, London, used by the poor as a lying in hospital. He was a sickly child, in and out of children's hospitals, orphanages and convalescent homes, he was abandoned at a young age. He had a withered arm, possibly because of ill-treatment, and was very short-sighted.
Because of these physical disadvantages, he was given a desk job in the RFC, which saved him from the horror of the trenches. He served in France and learnt some French songs, which he often sang to us as children.
After the war, he worked as a steward in The Junior Constitutional Club, Piccadilly, and later for the electrical company, Phillips in Croydon, where he kept their ledgers, writing and in them with his beautiful, Copperplate handwriting. He married and had three daughters.
Spr. George William Somner
British Army 237th (Reading) Field Company Royal Engineers
from:12 Shacklegate Road, Teddington, Middlesex
In the second quarter of 1915 George Somner married Jessie Cousens in Staines, Middlesex. He was the father of George W Somner born 1920 at Kingston Surrey. His mother's maiden name was Cousens. On 4 May 1884 he was baptised in St. Marys, Reading, Berkshire. Father George William and mother Kate
Service History:
- 21 Jan 1916 Enlisted & Posted for Duty at Reading, Mason
- 6 May 1916 Disembarked France 237th Field Coy. Royal Engineers. 41st Division
- 16 Aug 1916 Rated Skilled Mason in field
- 22 Feb 1917 To hospital
- 27 Feb 1917 Re-joins unit
- 25 Oct 1917 Four days leave to UK
- 04 Jan 1918 Wounded in action but remained at duty
- 21 Jan 1918 Leave to UK for 14 days
- 08 Feb 1918 War Office Daily List No. 5487, wounded, NOK Staines
- 28 Apr 1918 Gassed at Ypres to hospital, diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis in France following gassing
- 03 May 1918 Embarks for England to 26th General Hospital
- 04 May 1918 At 2/1st Southern General Hospital Birmingham for 36 days.
- 26 Jun 1918 War Office Daily List No.5602, Wounded, NOK Teddington
- 07 Oct 1918 To Q Coy. At Chatham
- 21 Oct 1918 Posted to 67th Division RE
- 27 Mar 1919 Demobilized At Chrystal Palace from 493 Field Coy. RE. 50% disability
- 1919 9 or 90 days convalescence hospital Plymouth
- 19 Jan 1920 Aged 36 yrs. T.B. present still
- 01 Apr 1921 Resident 12 Shacklegate Road, also a Jessie Somner present
- 01 Sep 1921 Resident 12 Shacklegate Road, also a Jessie Somner present
- 1921 Believed to have died aged 37 at Brentford Middlesex
Cpl. Thomas James Songhurst
British Army 8th Btn. Suffolk Regiment
from:23 High Street, Dunbar
(d.11th May 1917)
Thomas Songhurst is buried in the Bucquoy Road Cemetery, France.
L/Cpl. Frank Herbert Sonntag
British Army 8th Battalion East Kent Regiment
from:Cardiff
(d.18th Aug 1916)
Herbert Sonntag was born in Cardiff in 1891. He was the second son of Franz Josef Sonntag and Elizabeth Ann Clements. Frank and his family lived in Woodville Road, Cathays, Cardiff. Frank's father was from a Prussian family, and both men were mercantile marine engineers. This may explain why Frank enlisted in the naval district of Deptford, where he joined the 8th Battalion, East Kent Regiment in January 1915.
Frank lost his life during his Battalion's attack on Delville Wood on the 18th August 1916. On that day The Buffs specifically had orders to attack and capture two German positions, called ZZ Trench and Machine Gun House. They were the only unit to capture and hold their objectives. Sadly Frank's body was lost. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the missing. His medals were received by his mother in 1921.
Pte. Hughie James Sontag
British Army 1st Btn., D.Coy. Royal West Kent Regiment
from:Edmonton, London
(d.20th July 1916)
Pte. Hughie James Sontag
British Army 1st Battalion, D Coy Queens Own (Royal West Kent Regiment)
from:Edmonton, London
(d.20th July 1916)
Great uncle Hughie Sontag was my grandad's brother. While my grandad Edward Sontag was in the Royal Navy, HMS New Zealand, Hughie was fighting at the Somme and killed in action on the 20th July 1916 aged 24. His name is on the Thiepval Memorial near Albert.
Pte. Hughie James Sontag
British Army 1st Btn. D Coy. Royal West Kent Regiment
from:53 Angel Road, Edmonton, London
(d.20th July 1916)
Hughie Sontag was my great uncle and I uncovered the events leading to his death through my family history research at the regimental museum. I am indebted to their archivists and Jonathan Saunders in particular for providing me with some of the details.
Hughie enlisted on 10th of September 1914, five days after the publication of Lord kitchener’s famous poster and opted for service in the Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment. On 26th of May 1915, after completion of his training, Hughie was posted to ‘D’ Coy, 1st Battalion in ‘France and Flanders’.
After various engagements the Battalion later arrived on the Somme on 17th of July 1916 to take part in the great offensive that had commenced on 1st of July. On 19th of July the Battalion was ordered up to support positions. Before entering the trenches, eleven officers and a proportion of NCO's and men were detached, in accordance with Army orders, and sent to remain with the transport. (Experience in the past had shown the necessity for making sure of a nucleus of survivors, should the unit suffer very heavy losses). Hereafter this was always done before going into action, and those left behind were called the "dumped personnel". They then moved up to High Wood, which was jointly held by the British and Germans.
The Battalion marched soon after noon that day to Mametz, crossing the old German front line, thus seeing the country that most of the officers and men had looked longingly towards in 1915. ‘A’ and ‘B’ Companies dug themselves in between Bazentin and Longueval in support to the KOSB, while C and D Companies occupied an old German trench north of Montauban. There was considerable artillery activity during the day and night, but the Battalion only suffered two casualties.
On the night of 19th-20th, troops in the front line attacked, with the result that the Germans were slightly pressed back, and High Wood (Bois des Foureaux) was partly occupied. The Battalion moved into the front line after dark on the 20th. ‘A’ and ‘B’ Companies occupied the track running from the south corner of High Wood in a South Easterly direction, ‘D’ Company was in support, and ‘C’ in reserve. The Germans put a heavy barrage behind the front line after dark, and ‘D’ company was "badly caught" when moving up.
In all, the 1st Battalion suffered 14 fatalities killed in action on 20th July 1916 (this does not include wounded or wounded who later died of wounds). Hughie was 24 years old, his body was never found and his death was recorded as missing in action’. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
Pte. Henry Soper
British Army 3rd Btn. Rifle Brigade
from:Gainsborough, Lincs
Mjr. Gerald Sopwith MC.
British Army Durham Light Infantry
from:Percy Gardens, Tynemouth
Gerald Sopwith was my grandfather and am afraid I know nothing.
A/Cpl. WIlliam John Sorrell
British Army 2nd Btn. South Staffordshire
from:Wandsworth
(d.17th February 1917)
William was killed in action at Baillescourt Farm, near Miraumont on 17th February 1917. He was my great uncle.
2nd Lt. H. Sorrill
British Army 12th Btn. Norfolk Regiment
Cpl. Hercules Sossick
British Army Royal Army Medical Corps
from:15, Lintane Grove,Fulham, London
Hercules Sossick was my Grandfather and before WW1 he was a Fine Art Plaster Moulder working in the family business, 'Sossick & Sons Fine Art Moulders', Chelsea. He joined the 1st Middlesex Royal Engineers (Volunteers) in College Street, Chelsea, S.W. on 19/11/1906.
The story that I remember being told was that he was on parade one day when the men were asked if anyone had experience of plaster work. He stepped forward and ended up in the RAMC at Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool. He spent the war years there making moulds of stumps and limbs for the manufacture of artificial limbs, which were in such great demand due to the tremendous number of amputees returning from the front. He was transferred to the reserve on 10/11/1919 and returned to his business.
In 1927 he went to work for J.F.Rowley (1919) Ltd. which later became J.E.Hanger & Co. at Queen Mary's Hospital, Roehampton. He worked there for over 30 years and retired as the foreman of the artificial limb repair shop. It was said that if anyone had a squeak or rattle in their artificial limb, my grandfather was the man they went to see. I have a number of photographs taken in the workshops at Alder Hey and have passed copies to the RAMC Museum at Mytchet.
Pte. William Barnett Souster
British Army 2nd/1st Btn. Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry
(d.22nd Aug 1917)
Barnett Souster was my grandmother's youngest brother, who served in the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry and died at Passchendaele. He is remembered on the wall at Tyne Cot Memorial. My grandmother, Laura May, lost her first husband in October of 1917, also as a result of the war, and he is buried at Fenny Stratford. William Barnett is remembered on the tombstone.
Sgt. William Taylor Soutar DCM.
British Army 13th Btn. Royal Scots
from:Hamilton, Scotland
William Soutar moved to Baltimore, Maryland in the United States in 1921.
Pte Alexander Souter
Australian Infantry 1st Australian Tunnelling Coy
from:Lithgow NSW
Pte Andrew Souter
British Army 6th Btn. Seaforth Highlanders
from:Lossiemouth
(d.March 1918)
I never knew my Uncle Alex Souter. He was my grandma's eldest son (my mum's brother). I have a sporran that has been handed down to me. It was given to my grandma by a local soldier returning from the Second Battle of Arras in the belief it was her sons. I have since found out it is not a Seaforth motif on the sporran and maybe the Cameron Highlander's motif as they amalgamated at some time. I also had the dead man's penny for my uncle and my maternal grandfather, who was killed in the war, also my paternal grandfather of whom I cannot find any trace of his death.
Pte. James Souter
British Army 1st Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers
from:Thornaby, Yorkshire
(d.28th Feb 1915)
I know very little of my Grandfather James Souter and his involvement in WW1. It wasn't until I was in my early 40's that I knew his name was on the Menin Gate or the date he was killed - 28th February 1915. I have since visited and found it very moving. I would love to know more about what happened to him and what kind of action he was involved in. He served with the 1st Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers, 9th Brigade, 3rd Division.
Pte William Souter
British Army 8th Btn. Scottish Rifles
from:Glasgow
(d.28th Jun 1915)
I would like to know more about how my Grandfather died at Gallipoli, he was Pte William Souter of the 8th Scottish Rifles.
Pte. Frederick John South
British Army Mechanical Transport Army Service Corps
from:5 Ellesmere Terrace, Withington, Manchester
(d.19th May 1919)
Page 55 of 86
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