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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment
Gnr Herbert Speakman
British Army 149 Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery
from:Warrington
Cpl. William Spear
British Army 2nd Battalion East Lancashire Regiment
from:Burnley
Bill Spear was my Grandfather. Born in Burnley in 1890. His Father, Richard Henry Spear was the secretary of the Burnley Miners Union. Richard Henry was born in Cornwall and as a boy travelled with his Father, a miner in Cornwall, to the coal mines of Lancashire. Grandad Bill worked in the coal mines from 14 or 15 years old. In 1910 he joined the East Lancs at Fulwood Barracks, Preston and was sent to South Africa on Garrison duty.
In 1914 he was sent back to Southampton and travelled with the 2nd Battalion to the Western Front. My father states that he did not return until 1920. Grandad became a founding member of the MGC, Machine Gun Corps.
In WW2 he lived in Coventry and the Luftwaffe bombed his house. In the 1960s he, with his wife Ada, moved to Australia to be with us. He had a fall from a carpark roof and after a long time in hospital failed to recover. In 2007 I had a holiday in Europe and stumbled upon Fulwood Barracks. The museum is not open on Fridays. I happened to arrive on a Friday. To my surprise they opened the museum when I said that Grandad joined the East Lancs at Fulwood Barracks in 1910. Just the memory of the day makes the hair on my neck stand. We were there on 27th or 28th of June,the Regimental Day is 1 July, Somme Day. One day I hope to return to attend a Regimental Somme Day. It was a day that changed my life and I shall be eternally grateful.
Pte. William Spear
Australian Expeditionary Force 7th Battalion
from:Victoria, Australia
William Spear served with the 7th Battalion, AIF (24th Reinforcements) in WW1. He was admitted to hospital after being wounded in the neck by gun shot 18th of June 1918. He had been shot by a German in France at Vinereaux.
Sgt. John Speed
British Army 6th Btn. York and Lancaster Regiment
from:Derby
(d.1st Oct 1918)
John Speed was born in Derby, England in 1890 and he was killed in action at Epinoy, France, on 1st October 1918 aged 27 years. He left one orphaned child Nellie Speed. John Speed's wife, also named Nellie, had died before him.
Lt. Alfred Henry Templeman Lorraine Speer
Royal Flying Corps 11 Squadron
from:Malvern
(d.9th July 1916)
Harry Speer was my mother's great uncle, born in 1897. He was the eldest son of Doctor (of Music) Speer, and educated at Malvern College, and went up to Trinity College in Cambridge.
At the outbreak of war, he enlisted from Cambridge into the Public Schools Battalion, and from there was commissioned into the Royal Artillery. He had some western front service, and volunteered for the RFC. After training in England he was posted to 11 Squadron RFC in late 1915 or early 1916. He flew with the Squadron on the Western Front, flying FE2b planes. He was shot down on 9th of July 1916, apparently by six Fokkers, and along with his Observer, is buried in London Cemetery behind the Somme Battlelines.
He has his name on three memorials in the UK, at Malvern College, as an old boy, at Trinity College in Cambridge as a student, and in a church in south London.
L/Sgt. Henry John Speer
British Army 9th Btn. King's Royal Rifle Corps
from:Lee, London
(d.22 Nov 1915)
Sgt. Harry Speight DCM.
British Army 8th Btn. West Yorkshire Regiment
from:Leeds
(d.29th July 1918)
Sergeant Harry Speight served with the 8th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment and died in battle on the Montage de Bligny on 29th July 1918. He had previously been mentioned in despatches and received the D.C.M in 1917. He and his comrades who died at Bligny are commemorated each year in a special service at Leeds Minster. His battalion was awarded the French Croix de Guerre for their action in repelling the enemy.
Sgt. Harry Speight DCM.
British Army 8th (Leeds Rifles) Btn. West Yorkshire Regiment
from:Leeds
(d.28th July 1918)
Uncle Harry was home on leave and went back to France and never came home. From that information I have traced where he is buried and his gallantry award. I would really like to know what happened to his medal and if I can trace the source of any photos.
Cpl. Sam Speight
British Army 9th Btn Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
(d.5th Apr 1918)
Sam Speight served with the 9th Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry and the Cameronians.
Pte. Thomas Speight
British Army 16th Battalion Cheshire Regiment
from:Hunslet, Leeds
(d.19th July 1916)
My grandfather's brother Thomas Speight died in the Battle of the Somme and is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial in France. I have just discovered he must have been short, so joined the Bantams in the Cheshire Regiment. Not enough of him to bury.
Pte. Walter Speight
British Army 8th Battalion, 13 Company, 6 Platoon Kings Own YorkshireLight Infantry
from:Castleford, West Yorkshire
(d.10th June 1917)
Walter Speight enlisted on the 1st of February 1912 and joined the 5th Battalion. K.O.Y.L.I.
Extracts from his Soldiers own diary: 2nd time out 1917 Battle of Messines.
27 April 1917: Left Folkstone, England for Boulogne, France
28 April: Left Boulogne, France for Etaples (15 Miles March)
29 April - 12 May Training in Etaples
13 May: Landed near the Front line at Abeele rest camp
16 May: posted to KOYLI B Company 6 Platoon 3 Section (all decent boys!)
17 May: Training for Attack near Watou
20 May: Sent to rest Billets too ill with Flu Temprature 100.2
24 May: Left rest Billets for railway dugouts behind the front line
25 May: Night Working party St Peter’s Street
26 May: Trenches first left of Hill 60 very hot quarters. Man Named “Smith†who came out with me was killed
27 May: Bombardment
28 May: Bombardment continued 7 Casualties
29-30 May: Straffing pretty freely both sides
31 May: Going to M camp near Poperinge (NEVER TO BE FORGOTTEN)
1 June: 3am Exciting night dodging shells under gas clouds (good days rest)
2 June: spent most of the day writing letters
3 June: Day in Poperinge buying presents for family
4 June: Went to Assembly trench waiting for time to mount
5 June: Assembly trench off St Peter’s Street (nothing Doing to pass time)
There are no More details in the Diary. Walter died of Wounds on the 10th of June.
Pte. Walter Speight
British Army 8th Battalion, 13 Company, 6 Platoon Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
from:Castleford
(d.10th June 1917)
Walter Speight recorded:
On the 10th of June Walter died of wounds.
- 27 April 1917: Left Folkstone, England for Boulogne, France
- 29 April - 12 May Training in Etaples
- 13 May: Landed near the Front line at Abeele rest camp
- 16 May: posted to KOYLI B Company 6 Platoon 3 Section (all decent boys!)
- 17 May: Training for Attack near Watou
- 20 May: Sent to rest Billets too ill with Flu Temprature 100.2
- 24 May: Left rest Billets for railway dugouts behind the front line
- 25 May: Night Working party St Peter's Street
- 26 May: Trenches first left of Hill 60 very hot quarters. Man Named "Smith" who came out with Walter Speight was killed
- 27 May: Bombardment
- 28 May: Bombardment continued 7 Casualties
- 29-30 May: Straffing pretty freely both sides
- 31 May: Going to M camp near Poperinge (NEVER TO BE FORGOTTEN)
- 1 June: 3am Exciting night dodging shells under gas clouds (good days rest)
- 2 June: spent most of the day writing letters
- 3 June: Day in Poperinge buying presents for family
- 4 June: Went to Assembly trench waiting for time to mount
- 5 June: Assembly trench off St Peter's Street, nothing Doing to pass.
Spr. Herbert Speller
British Army 179th Company Royal Engineers
(d.16th November 1916)
Herbert Speller served with the 179th Company, Royal Engineers in WW1. He died 16th of November 1916 aged 27 years and is buried Albert Communal Cemetery Extension in France. Son of Charles and Hetty Speller of New Park Lodge, Newgate Street, Hertford.
Stoker. Alexander Spence
Royal Navy HMS Invincible
from:West Hartlepool
(d.31st May 1916)
Alexander Spence was born on the 26th of December 1894, son on Elizabeth and James Irving Spence. He was killed in action during the Battle of Jutland.
Pte. Alexander Spence
British Army 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
from:Gateshead
Pte. Andrew MacKenzie Spence
British Army 1st Btn. Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
from:Perth, Scotland
2nd Lt. David Stuart Spence
British Army 66th Bde. A Battery, Royal Field Artillery
from:Stromness, Orkney
(d.13th Dec 1915)
David Stuart Spence was born on the 18th November 1892 in Stromness, the third son of William Spence, a baker born in Victoria, Australia, and Susanna Spence (née Smith), born in Stromness where she and William married in 1888. Stuart went to school in the town and then became a student at Edinburgh University. He had just graduated M.A. from the university, when he successfully applied for a commission in the Special Reserve of Officers in March 1915. Stuart had served in Edinburgh University O.T.C. as a gunner and attended 88 drills there, so was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in his preferred branch, the Royal Field Artillery. Stuart joined the 2/1st East Lancs Brigade RFA in the south of England. After a few months training, Stuart was posted to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force and travelled out to Gallipoli.
Stuart landed at Cape Helles on the 20th September and joined the 1/1st East Lancs Brigade RFA. However, two days later he was transferred to join 66th Brigade RFA, one of several, of the always too few, British field artillery brigades that served away from their parent division at Gallipoli. The 66th Brigade remained at Helles, while its division, the New Army 13th, moved to Anzac and then to Suvla (it eventually returned to Helles after Stuart’s death).
The Gallipoli campaign had settled down to trench warfare when Stuart Spence arrived there, but the artillery was kept busy supporting minor British attacks and stopping those of the Turks, also in the continuous counter-battery fire. The French had started to withdraw their Senegalese infantry on 12th December, but Stuart's battery, "A" of the 66th Brigade, was probably firing in support of the French when he was killed in action on the next day.
A letter sent to his father in March 1916 stated that Second Lieutenant D.S. Spence, Royal Field Artillery, was buried at Zimmerman Farm Cemetery (French) and that the Rev. J. Duncan officiated. However, that grave was not identified when the Imperial War Graves Commission consolidated the Gallipoli cemeteries after the Armistice, so David Stuart Spence is commemorated on Panel 21 of the impressive Helles Memorial. Stuart was 23 years old, when he died on 13th December 1915 on Gallipoli.
Pte. Frank Spence
British Army 2nd Btn. Middlesex Regiment
from:North Shields
(d.1st Aug 1917)
Frank Spence is my Great Uncle who died at the Battle of Pilkem Ridge, 1917. I found out about him when his sister, my Grandmother died. She always sat with his Death Medal hanging on the wall beside her. On her death when family gave me this medal I was surprised as to his name, as my Grandmothers maiden name is Baptista. It then came out that when WWI started Frank like so many others joined up, but somewhere along the line he deserted. Guilt made him sign up again under a false name into the 2nd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment. On the War Graves Commission website, it states that his Next of Kin is my Grandmother and her address in Wandsworth London.
Pte. George W. Spence
British Army 11th Btn. Royal Inniskilling Fusilliers
(d.7th June 1917)
George Spence lost his life on the 7th of June 1917, he is buried at Irish House Cemetery near Wijschate.
Pte. James Spence
British Army 8th Bn Royal Irish Rifles
from:Belfast
Sgt. John Spence
British Army 18th Btn. Durham Light Infantry
also served with 19th & 20th DLI
Pte. John Spence
British Army 25th Btn. Manchester Regiment
from:Stretford, Manchester
My Grandfather John Spence enlisted on the 10th of July 1915. He was 22 years and 5 months old and described himself as a pork butcher, living at the address in Oldfield Street. His next of kin was his Father, also John. He was posted to the 25th Battalion, Manchester Regiment on the 30th of August 1915. He went to France as part of a draft of reinforcements on the 13th of January 1916 aboard the vessel Onward from Folkestone, arriving in France the next day.
He went to the 30th Infantry Brigade Depot where he was then posted to the 18th Battalion, Manchester Regiment. He was reported missing on the 30th of July 1916 during the 18th Battalion's ill fated attack on the village of Guillemont. After imprisonment at Dulmen camp, he was repatriated on the 29th of November 1918.
Gnr. Robert Spence
Army Durham. Royal Garrison Artillery
(d.16th Dec 1914)
Gnr. Spence was killed by a German shell at Heugh Battery whilst acting as a stretcher barer along with Gnr Houston, attempting to rescue those men wounded by the first shell of the Bombardment.
Cpl. Sydney Smith Spence MID.
British Army 12th Btn. Yorkshire Regiment
from:Middlesbrough
My dad, Sydney Spence never spoke of the war but after his death little bits came out. He was Mentioned in Despatches on 7th November 1917 no more information came to light. He also reenlisted in WW2 were my mother said he gained a commission and awarded the Military Medal but verified as we don't have his number only the Pioneers. My dad finished the war in the Home Guard due to some incident in a POW camp in Scotland. He's medals were lost/stolen we've only got a certificate of his MID signed by Winston Churchill Secretary of State.
I was so proud of him I joined the Coldstream Guards and that pleased him greatly. Born in 1890's he altered it that many times to get in army he died not knowing his right age. I think my dad served his country to the full. Well done pops RIP.
Pte. W. J. Spence
British Army 11th Btn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
(d.1st Jul 1916)
Pte. William Spence
British Army 20th Btn Durham Light Infantry
Served with 20th and 18th DLI
Pte. Aaron Spencer
British Army 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
Aaron Spencer was demobbed in 1919
AM2. Albert Spencer
Royal Flying Corps 22 Squadron
from:Mitella Street, Burnley
(d.25th Jul 1916)
Albert Spencer was the son of John and Panny Spencer of 2 Mitella St., Burnley. He was born in Crawshawbooth, Manchester. He was a Wireless Operator known to be attached to 59th Siege Battery RGA near Montauban when he was killed in action. He is listed on the Battle of the Somme Roll of Honour to RFC. Photo found on car boot sale.
Pte. Alfred James Spencer
British Army 9th Btn. Leicestershire Regiment
(d.11th Jun 1917)
Rifleman Edwin Spencer
British Army 3rd Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps
from:Leigh, Manchester
(d.10th May 1915)
Edwin Spencer is commemorated on the Menin Gate, Ypres.
Page 58 of 86
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