Barton Upon Humber

The main war memorial (pictured right) is located at the entrance to the cemetery on Barrow Road.

It's inscribed with the names of 169 men who died in the First World War and 48 from the Second World War.

It was unveiled by Lieutenant Colonel Harold Graham Wilson on 3 April 1921.

The Lincolnshire Star carried reports of the ceremony on 9 April 1921.

In addition to the main war memorial, there are three other memorials (that I know of) in Barton:

1) Stone wall memorial in St Peter’s Church
2) Roll of Honour in St Mary’s Church
3) Stone wall memorial in Trinity Methodist church.

The order of the men listed below is taken from the St Peter’s Church memorial.

The names are recorded by date of death.

The first death was Private William Barker on 1 September 1916 and the last was Royal Field Artillery driver, James Clipson, who died of his wounds after the armistice on 16 November 1918.

The youngest casualties were four 18-year-olds:

Private John Jubb
Second Lieut Wilfred North-Cox
Private Charles Cox
Private Joseph Ellerby Clarke.

The oldest was Company Sgt Major, Herbert Pickard, who was aged 51 at the time of his death.

The Battle of Loos on 13 October 1915 saw the highest number of deaths on any one day among those commemorated in Barton.

‘No known resting place’

Arras Memorial - 14
Chatham Naval Memorial - 8
Loos Memorial - 17
Menin Gate, Ypres - 4
Thiepval Memorial - 12
Tyne Cot - 1

The wall plaque in St Peter’s reads:

To keep in lasting remembrance
the 164 Barton men
who in the Great War
died that England might live

Their names are here recorded
and two new bells
are placed in the ancient church steeple

May Christ our lord ever more
have them in his most merciful keeping

AMEN

William Barker 1 Sept 1914

Walter Leaman 14 - -

George Dixon 22 - -

Thomas H Bate 22 - -

Frederick W Spearey - - -

Edward Robinson 1 Nov -

Harry Hunt 13 Dec -

Harold Credland 16 - -

Harry Parks 11 March 1915

Robert Barker 13 May -

Samuel R Hope 23 - -

Alfred Green 2 July -

Christopher Moor 6 Aug -

George F Goldthorpe 25 Sept -

Frederick Smith 1 Oct -

Harry Alcock 13 - -

William H Barley - - -

Harry Burgess - - -

Harry Clayton - - -

George Clipson - - -

Herbert Cook - - -

John W Coopland 13 Oct 1915

Fred Curtis - - -

Walker Dinsdale - - -

Edward Franklin - - -

George Gilroy - - -

John Jubb - - -

Fred Nicholson - - -

Thomas Proctor - - -

Harry Seddon - - -

George W Thompson - - -

George Tonks - - -

Wilfred HM North Cox 2 March 1916

Alfred Whitaker 12 March -

Harold Gilfoy 5 April -

George Dewey 29 - -

Theodore Wiles 31 May -

Frank Cox 17 June -

Lawrence Burgess 1 July -

Harry Franklin - - -

George P Harold - - -

Herbert Barker 13 April 1918

William A Howson 1 July 1916

Gilbert Taylor - - -

James Newton 14 - -

Herbert Smith 20 - -

Herbert Gilfoy 26 - -

Herbert Coulam 6 Aug -

Walter W Smith 18 - -

William H Mills 12 Sept -

Charles L Goldthorpe 28 - -

Charles Cox 23 Oct -

Percy Chappell 27 - -

Thomas E Newton 7 Nov -

Thomas J Robinson 9 - -

Joseph Boyd 13 - -

William E Hare - - -

Walter Parker - - -

Freeman Wright - - -

Charles H Farmery 10 Jan 1917

Herbert Holland - - -

Edwin Robinson 12 - -

Harry R Todd 14 - -

George H Curtis 23 Jan 1917

William Long 2 March -

William E Clipson 21 -

Walter Brown 22 -

Percy Dent 23 -

Fred Balderston 9 April -

Ernest Hardy - - -

Herbert A Wilson - - -

William Allison 12 - -

George Field 20 - -

Arthur Sellars 27 - -

John E Cox 28 - -

John R Alltoft 29 - -

Sidney King - - -

Walter Newbown - - -

George W Windle - - -

William R Ling 3 May -

Ernest Sparks 13 - -

Henry Howell 16 - -

John W Ward 20 - -

Fred Gadie 5 June -

Robert H Pickard 26 June 1917

Herbert Pickard - - -

Horace Dickinson 3 July -

Ernest Hill 10 - -

Charles Atkinson 22 - -

Percy Clayton 1 Aug -

Robert W Lawtey 10 - -

Lawrence Lyon 14 - -

Harry Doughty 15 - -

William H Clapson 16 - -

Horace West - - -

Arthur Glover 21 - -

Arthur Milson 8 Sept -

John M Grant 20 - -

Harold Coulam - - -

Harry Wood 21 - -

Fred Hoodless 22 - -

Harold P Peck 26 - -

Herbert L Matthews 27 - -

Charles W Stow 28 - -

George RMS Taylor 30 - -

John P Hunt 4 Oct 1917

Thomas Osgerby 5 - -

Harold Hill 9 - -

Oswald Foster 10 - -

Edmund Richardson - - -

Charles W Plaskitt 12 - -

James W Sobey - - -

Harold N Lyon 16 - -

Gerard Hewitt 27 - -

George Proctor - - -

George E Goodson 8 Nov -

Richard W Wood 27 - -

Charles Peck 7 Dec -

John E Barley 4 Jan 1918

Tom Kirk - - -

Joseph Osgerby 19 Feb -

Joseph Osgerby 18 March -

Walter Pickard 19 - -

Robert Norris 21 - -

Arthur Everitt 25 - -

Herbert Coulam 26 - -

John W Kirk 27 March 1918

John A Adlard 29 - -

William C Wood 12 April -

Joseph E Clarke 13 - -

Albert L Hildyard 15 - -

John R Thomson 16 - -

Thomas Clewlow 23 - -

Clarles Franklin 24 - -

Herbert J Justice 10 May -

Edwin Welton 11 - -

George F Goldthorpe 14 - -

John W Green 23 - -

John WM Thompson 24 - -

Walter E Blythe 27 - -

George W Chafer - - -

Alfred T Woodcock 4 June -

Ernest Havercroft 10 - -

Frank Danson 28 - -

Frederick Doughty 20 July -

Ernest Grimbleby - - -

Tom Welton - - -

Joseph W Arkey 25 Aug 1918

Arthur West 17 Sept -

Wilfred G Goldthorpe 20 - -

Arthur Taylor 27 - -

Charles Cox 28 - -

Charles E Hall 29 - -

Reginald Hunt - - -

Frederick G Stow 6 Oct -

Oliver Grassby 11 - -

Albert E Gearey 17 - -

William E Mumby - - -

Arthur Oldridge 21 - -

Donovan Dewey 22 - -

Clifford W Anderson 24 - -

Charles Elm 27 - -

Harold Milson 6 Nov -

James W Clipson 16 - -

WILLIAM BARKER

Private 7570, Coldstream Guards

Born in Barton upon Humber

Died: 1 September 1914, aged 27 years

Resident of Barton upon Humber

Enlisted in Hull

Buried: Guards Grave, Villers-Cotterets Forest, France

To the north and north-east of Villers-Cotterets is the great forest through which the I Corps marched on 1 September 1914 The 2nd Grenadiers and the 3rd Coldstreams fought their way to Villers-Cotterets. The Guards’ Grave was made originally by the people of Villers-Cotterets. The grave contains 98 Commonwealth burials of the First World War – 20 are unidentified.

Background

William is the first casualty recorded on the St Peter’s wall plaque. William’s father, Robert, a chemical works labourer who was born in North Thoresby, was married to Barton-born Jane. All the couple’s children (according to the 1901 census) were born in Barton – Herbert, 20, Alice, 18, William, 13, Robert, 12, and Rose, nine. While Herbert was working, William was not.

WALTER LEEMA

Private 7158, 1st Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment

Born in Blyton, Lincolnshire

Died: 14 September 1914, aged 37 years

Husband of Ellen Leeman, Brigg Road, Barton upon Humber

Resident of Barton upon Humber

Enlisted in Gainsborough

Commemorated: La Ferte-sous-Jouarre Memorial, France

Medals: British, Victory and Star

St Peter’s wall plaque spells the name Leaman

The La Ferte-sous-Jouarre Memorial commemorates almost 4,000 men of the British Expeditionary Force who died in August, September and the early part of October 1914 and who have no known grave.

Background

Walter Leeman was born in 1880 in the Lincolnshire village of Blyton to Alfred, an agricultural labourer and Martha – who was seven years older than Alfred. Walter was the couple’s oldest child – although Martha may have had a daughter before marrying Alfred. Alfred had a younger brother, Joseph and a younger sister Lilly. By 1901, 21-year-old Walter was working as a cattleman on William Willow’s Woolthwaite Farm in Tickhill, Yorkshire. In 1912, he married Ellen Ellerby in Barton. HisHe arrived in France on 21 August 1914 and was killed just over three weeks later.

GEORGE DIXON

Sergeant 3725, C Company, 3rd Battalion, Coldstream Guards

Born in Winteringham

Died: 20 September 1914, aged 32 years

Son of William and Emma Dixon, 44 Dam Road, Barton upon Humber

Resident of Barton upon Humber

Enlisted in Hull

Buried: Soupir Churchyard, northern France

While the Commonwealth War Graves records George as dying on 20 September 1914, the St Peter’s wall plaque says 22 September 1914

There are only 30 identified First World War graves in this cemetery. The village of Soupir was taken by the Guards on 14 September 1914. For some days after, heavy fighting took place at La Cour de Soupir farm, north west of the village. Injured soldiers were treated at the chateau and at the farm. The village fell to the Germans from 2 to 6 November 1914 and it was very close to the front line for the rest of the war.

Background

In 1891, the Dixon family were living in Finkle Lane. Like her son, George, mum, Emma, was also born in Winteringham. George’s father, William, was an agricultural labourer. George appears to be the oldest child. He had a younger sister called Edith and two younger brothers – William Frederick and Harry.

THOMAS HENRY BATE

Petty Officer 1st Class 134972, HMS Hogue

Died: 22 September 1914

Commemorated: Chatham Naval Memorial, Kent

After the war, it was decided to commemorate members of the Royal Navy who had no known grave after they were lost at sea. Chatham, Plymouth and Portsmouth were each to have an identical memorial of an obelisk, which would serve as a landmark for shipping. The Chatham Naval Memorial carries the names of 18,613 casualties – 8,514 from the First World War.

Background

Thomas was born in about 1870 in Wigston in Leicestershire. He appears on the 1901 census as a 31-year-old member of a Royal Navy crew based in Sherness, Kent. By 1901, he was already a Petty Officer, First Class. He was single. Therefore, he was around 44 years old when he died.

FREDERICK WILLIAM SPEAREY

Able Seaman 194745, HMS Cressy

Born about 1874

Died: 22 September 1914

Commemorated: Chatham Naval Memorial

HMS Hogue was a Cressy class armoured cruiser built in 1902 in Barrow-in-Furness. Out on patrol with HMS Aboukir and HMS Cressy about 20 miles off the Dutch coast on 22 September 1914, HMS Aboukir was hit by a torpedo fired from U9 at 6.30am. HMS Hogue and HMS Cressy stopped in order to pick up survivors. As HMS Hogue approached the stricken Aboukir, she was hit by two torpedoes and sank in 10 minutes with the loss of 327 men. U9 later torpedoed Cressy – 560 were lost out of 760. Survivors from the three ships were picked up by nearby merchant ships, including the Flora and Titan from the Netherlands, as well as trawlers from Lowestoft. From the three sinkings, 837 men survived and 1,459 lost their lives. There was criticism of deploying the these aging ships, which because of their slow speed and lack of manoeuvrability hadn’t been zig-zagging at the time of the attack. U9’s commander, Otto Weddinger, also sank the Hawke. U9 survived the war; Weddinger didn’t – he was transferred to U29 which was sunk by HMS Dreadnaught.

Report on the Sinking of the Cressy, Aboukir and Hogue by Commander Bertram W L Nicholson

Sir:

I have the honour to submit the following report in connection with the sinking of H.M.S. Cressy, in company with H.M.S. Aboukir and Hogue, on the morning of the 22nd of September, while on patrol duty.

The Aboukir was struck at about 6.25 a.m. on the starboard beam. The Hogue and Cressy closed and took up a position, the Hogue ahead of the Aboukir, and the Cressy about 400 yards on her port beam.

As soon as it was seen that the Aboukir was in danger of sinking all the boats were sent away from the Cressy, and a picket boat was hoisted out without steam up. When cutters full of the Aboukir's men were returning to the Cressy the Hogue was struck, apparently under the aft 9.2 magazine, as a very heavy explosion took place immediately. Almost directly after the Hogue was hit we observed a periscope on our port bow about 300 yards off.

Fire was immediately opened and the engines were put full speed ahead with the intention of running her down. Our gunner, Mr. Dougherty, positively asserts that he hit the periscope and that the submarine sank. An officer who was standing alongside the gunner thinks that the shell struck only floating timber, of which there was much about, but it was evidently the impression of the men on deck, who cheered and clapped heartily, that the submarine had been hit. This submarine did not fire a torpedo at the Cressy.

Capt. Johnson then manoeuvred the ship so as to render assistance to the crews of the Hogue and Aboukir. About five minutes later another periscope was seen on our starboard quarter and fire was opened. The track of the torpedo she fired at a range of 500 to 600 yards was plainly visible and it struck us on the starboard side just before the after-bridge.

The ship listed about 10 degrees to the starboard and remained steady. The time was 7.15 a.m. All the watertight doors, deadlights and scuttles had been securely closed before the torpedo struck the ship. All the mess stools and table shores, and all available timber below and on deck, had been previously got up and thrown over side for the saving of life.

A second torpedo fired by the same submarine missed and passed about 10 feet astern. About a quarter of an hour after the first torpedo had hit, a third torpedo fired from a submarine just before the starboard beam hit us under the No. 5 boiler room. The time was 7.30 a.m. The ship then began to heel rapidly, and finally turned keel up, remaining so for about twenty minutes before she finally sank, at 7.55 a.m.

A large number of men were saved by casting adrift on Pattern 3 target. The steam pinnace floated off her clutches, but filled and sank.

The second torpedo which struck the Cressy passed over the sinking hull of the Aboukir, narrowly missing it. It is possible that the same submarine fired all three torpedoes at the Cressy.

The conduct of the crew was excellent throughout. I have already remarked on the bravery displayed by Capt. Phillips, master of the trawler L.T. Coriander, and his crew, who picked up 156 officers and men.

The report of the Admiralty of Commander Reginald A, Norton, late of H.M.S. Hogue, follows:

Commander Norton's Report

I have the honour to report as follows concerning the sinking of the Hogue, Aboukir, and Cressy: Between 6.15 and 6.30 a.m., H.M.S. Aboukir was struck by a torpedo. The Hogue closed on the Aboukir and I received orders to hoist out the launch, turn out and prepare all boats, and unlash all timber on the upper deck.

Two lifeboats were sent to the Aboukir, but before the launch could get away the Hogue was struck on the starboard side amidships by two torpedoes at intervals of ten to twenty seconds. The ship at once began to heel to starboard.

After ordering the men to provide themselves with wood, hammocks, etc., and to get into the boats on the booms and take off their clothes, I went, by Capt. Nicholson's direction, to ascertain the damage done in the engine room. The artificer engineer informed me that the water was over the engine room gratings.

While endeavouring to return to the bridge the water burst open the starboard entry port doors and the ship heeled rapidly. I told the men in the port battery to jump overboard, as the launch was close alongside, and soon afterward the ship lurched heavily to starboard.

I clung to a ringbolt for some time, but eventually was dropped on to the deck, and a huge wave washed me away. I climbed up the ship's side and again was washed off. Eventually, after swimming about from various over-laden pieces of wreckage, I was picked up by a cutter from the Hogue, Coxswain L. S. Marks, which pulled about for some hours, picking up men and discharging them to our picket boat and steam pinnace and to the Dutch steamers Flora and Titan, and rescued, in this way, Commander Sells of the Aboukir, Engineer Commander Stokes (with legs broken), Fleet Paymaster Eldred, and about 120 others.

Finally, about 11 a.m., when we could find no more men in the water, we were picked up by the Lucifer, which proceeded to the Titan and took off from her all our men except about twenty who were too ill to be moved.

A Lowestoft trawler and the two Dutch ships Flora and Titan were extraordinarily kind, clothing and feeding our men. My boat's crew, consisting mainly of Royal Navy Reserve men, pulled and behaved remarkably well. I particularly wish to mention Petty Officer Halton, who, by encouraging the men in the water near me, undoubtedly saved many lives.

Lieut. Commander Phillips-Wolley, after hoisting out the launch, asked me if we should try to hoist out another boat, and endeavoured to do so. The last I saw of him was on the after-bridge, doing well.

Lieut. Commander Tillard was picked up by a launch. He got up a cutter's crew and saved many lives, as did Midshipman Cazalet in the Cressy's gig. Lieut. Chichester turned out the whaler very quickly.

A Dutch sailing trawler sailed close by, but went off without rendering any assistance, although we signalled to her from the Hogue to close after we were struck.

The Aboukir appeared to me to take about thirty-five minutes to sink, floating bottom up for about five minutes. The Hogue turned turtle very quickly - in about five minutes - and floated bottom up for several minutes.

A dense black smoke was seen in the starboard battery, whether from coal or torpedo cordite I could not say. The upper deck was not blown up, and only one other small explosion occurred and we heeled over.

The Cressy I watched heel over from the cutter. She heeled over to starboard very slowly, dense black smoke issuing from her when she attained an angle of about 90 degrees, and she took a long time from this angle till she floated bottom up with the starboard screw slightly out of water, I consider it was thirty-five to forty-five minutes from the time she was struck till she was bottom up.

All the men on the Hogue behaved extraordinarily well, obeying orders even when in the water swimming for their lives, and I witnessed many cases of great self-sacrifice and gallantry.