Hello. Welcome to the June edition. Keith has written an article on two people buried in different cemeteries in Ypres. We have the tale of a British “missing” for 95 years in a French cemetery, and an update from the La Boiselle study group which isn’t encouraging, I regret to say. As ever, please send items of interest to me or Fiona.
Trevor
The Programme for 2014, so far
7th June Bryn Hammond El Alamein – a First World War Battle?
5th July Trevor Adams So, why was there a Great War: fact and fiction, and hopefully debunking at least a few of the myths.
2nd August TBC
6th September Nigel Crompton To be advised
“Liberators of the East”
This contemporaneous postcard shows Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, Kaiser Franz Joseph of Austro-Hungary, and General von Moltke with a slain Russian bear, surrounded by the German fortresses of the East. Note the German and Austrian flags of the era.
Last month’s speaker – Tony Davies
Tony Davies came to talk to us about research he had done primarily into village war memorials and trying to research the people who were mentioned. One issue he highlighted was the inaccuracy of many inscriptions, where the wrong Christian name was used or the surname misspelled. Tabley village and estate are near Knutsford in Cheshire.
Ypres Cemeteries
Keith Walker
Whilst I was researching one of the soldiers on the Pentre Broughton memorial gates at Ypres Reservoir Cemetery, I came across the headstone of Brigadier General Francis Alymer Maxwell V.C. It made me wonder how many Generals are buried on the Western Front. Brigadier General Maxwell was awarded his V.C. It was in the Boer War, when he helped to save the artillery guns at Korn Spruit on the 31st March 1900.
His citation in the London Gazette on 8th March 1901 reads:
“Lieutenant Maxwell was one of three officers not belonging to ‘Q’ Battery, Royal Horse Artillery specially mentioned by Lord Roberts as having shown the greatest gallantry, and disregard of danger, in carrying out the self-imposed duty of saving the guns of that Battery during the affair at Korn Spruit on the 31st March, 1900. This officer went out on five different occasions and assisted to bring in two guns and three limbers, one of which he, Captain Humphreys, and some gunners dragged in by hand. He also went out with Captain Humphreys and Lieutenant Stirling to try and get the last gun in, he remained there till the attempt was abandoned. During a previous campaign, (The Chitral Expedition of 1895) Lieutenant Maxwell displayed gallantry in the removal of the body of Lieutenant-Colonel F. D. Battye Corps of Guides, under fire, for which, though recommended, he received no reward”
Francis Maxwell was invested with his Victoria Cross by the Duke of York (the future King George V) at Pietermaritzburg, South Africa on the 14th August 1901.
Brigadier General Francis A. Maxwell was killed in action, as he was shot by a German sniper on 21st September 1917, while he was commanding the 27th Brigade, of the 9th Scottish Division. He was 46 years old and his remains are a Plot 1, Row A, Grave 37.
Out of interest, Francis Maxwell was awarded:
- Victoria Cross, Companion Order of the Star of India (CSI), Distinguished Service Order (DSO) & Bar.
- India General Service Medal (1854-95) 1 clasp ‘Waziristan’ 1894-95.
- India Medal 1895-1902. 4 Clasps. “Relief of Chitral 1895” “ Punjab Frontier 1897-98” “Samana 1897” “ Tirah 1897-98”
- Queens South Africa (1899-1902) 6 clasps. “Cape Colony” “ Paardeburg” “Driefontien” “Johannesburg” “Diamond Hill” “Wittbergan”
- Kings South Africa (1901-02) 2 clasps “South Africa 1901” “ South Africa 1902”
- British War Medal 1914-1920 Victory Medal 1914-1919 + MID Oakleaf
- King Edward V11 Coronation Medal
- 1902 Delhi Durbar Medal 1911
The medals are on show in the Lord Ashcroft Collection in the Imperial War Museum in London.
The general consensus of the number of Generals who died in World War 1 is 78.
The breakdown is as follows:
- 34 killed by shellfire
- 22 by small arms fire
- 3 drowned
- 1 flying accident
- 1 poisoned
- 1 cholera
- 1 accidental injuries
- 15 no direct cause known
So much for the myth that the Generals were miles behind the lines.
Another grave that caught my attention in the Ypres Town Cemetery was to: Monsieur Pierre Vandenbraambussche, Commissaire of Police, born 26th November 1875, died 6th April 1936 age 61.
Pierre Vandenbraambussche was the founder and first chairman of the Last Post Committee from 1928-1936.
After the inauguration of the Menin Gate on 24th July 1927, Pierre Vandenbraambussche formed a committee of the people of Ypres. Some of the first members were Aime Gruwez (Chairman of the local Ypriana Brass band), Hector Vermeulin (a local brewer and Chairman of the Ypres Chamber of Commerce), Henri Sobry (the Burgomaster of Ypres) and Maurice Vergracht (Commander of the local fire brigade). Together they came up with the idea of a daily ceremony. As soon as the necessary funds were made and the idea approved by the people of Ypres the first ceremony was held on the 2nd July 1928.
The buglers were taught by a local Englishman Richard (Dick) Collick how to play The Last Post “in the English style”. The Last Post has been sounded every night except from the 20th May 1940 till the 6th September 1944 when it was blown at Brookwood Cemetery, Guildford, England. On the night of the first ceremony there was 70 spectators, on my visit on the 20th May 2014 there was estimated 400 to 500 people spectating.
References and Acknowledgements:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Menin Gate and the Last Post: Dominek Dendooven (Published 2001)
Finally, under the right tombstone … 95 years later .
Philip Frederick Cormack was a British pilot, “killed in action” with his Sopwith Camel aeroplane on October 27, 1918 , shortly before the Armistice . His body was reported missing and his name was applied to the Flying Services Memorial in Arras. His older brother Reginald was killed on July 1, 1916 and was also missing. His name is listed on the memorial at Thiepval (Somme).
In 2009, a local Belgian researcher had reported to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission that there was a PF Cormack buried in the French military cemetery at Machelen-Zulte (Belgium). An investigation was started, and since this name appears nowhere in the French lists – except on the list of the cemetery itself – brought the conclusion that this was indeed the British pilot.
On Thursday, December 5th 2013, the French cross was replaced by a British headstone, and PF Cormack is therefore no longer missing. At the entrance to the cemetery is now the well-known CWGC green plate, because of this “Commonwealth War Grave”. By coincidence I photographed this summer the French grave of PF Cormack and I returned last weekend for a photo with the new headstone! By Frontaal Excursies Wereldoorlog 1www.gilbossuyt.wix.com/frontaal
An update on the present situation regarding work at the Glory Hole, La Boisselle
Posted Monday April 7th, 2014by Admin, La Boiselle Study Group
Having received numerous enquiries via our website regarding the potential for archaeological work at the Glory Hole, La Boisselle, in 2014, we wish to clarify the present situation.
Our original contract expired in late January 2014. Towards the end of the November/December 2013 working period the landowner (who is also President of the Association des Amis de l’Ilot de La Boisselle) informed us that a new contract had been prepared.
Despite a number of written requests, to date no further information regarding this document or the wishes of the Association has been received. Until written notice of the Association’s wishes have been received we will be unable to inform the DRAC Picardie (Direction régionale des affaires culturelles), the British Army, the Royal Engineers, the Ministry of Defence (MoD), the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), Office National des Anciens Combattants et Victimes de Guerre (ONAC), or the general public, supporters and sponsors, of the potential for future work. When we are finally provided with a decision we will publish details on our website. We sincerely apologise to those many individuals and groups who have enquired about possible site visits.
Many people have noticed that the site has been backfilled. Over the past three years, we have invested heavily in the protection of the rich variety of archaeological resources at the Glory Hole. Last summer the covers suffered serious vandalism which necessitated expensive repairs. In December, with winter weather threatening, backfilling was seen as the only protective recourse: the action was approved (and indeed suggested) by the DRAC. It may appear drastic, but it is standard professional practice for protecting archaeology against the effects of inclement weather, especially frost after rain, and solving the problem of damage by uninvited visitors. It has also resolved certain health and safety concerns relating to trenches and tunnels. The workings were all lined with geotextile before backfilling took place.
Archaeological artefacts from the excavations at the Glory Hole are located as follows:
- The personal effects of the French soldiers (November-December 2013 dig) are in the possession of the ONAC.
- The personal effects of the British soldiers (November-December 2013 dig) are in the possession of the CWGC.
- The remainder of November-December 2013 finds are currently stored at the DRAC offices in Amiens, and will be delivered to the landowner when they are no longer required by the LBSG for research purposes. All other finds from previous dig periods are with the landowner or at the landowner’s preferred repository, the Somme 1916 Museum in Albert.
Allegations have been made by the landowner that she was prevented from entering the site in November/December. These allegations were made both verbally and in a Courrier Picard newspaper article dated 26 January 2014. It is a matter of great concern to us that such accusations were aired in this way, and it is with regret that we are forced to respond publically. The LBSG categorically deny them.
Given the highly sensitive nature of the work, all the LBSG requested was for 30 minutes warning before visits took place. Any access restrictions that were applied were the decision of the CWGC; they were delivered to the landowner personally by CWGC personnel who were working with us on site, not by LBSG members. Access restrictions applied only to the specially-designed shelter constructed over the working area. A specially arranged 2-hour visit of the Association des Amis de l’Ilot de La Boisselle (including the landowner) took place on 27 November 2013.
A detailed project design had been drawn up for the November work; this had first to be agreed with the CWGC and the MoD, discussed with the ONAC, and permissions authorised by the DRAC. The project design was supplied to the proprietor and to all members of the Association des Amis de l’Ilot de La Boisselle. We are presently unable to release this document because of the sensitive nature of the work it describes. It will, we hope, eventually appear on this website.
The accusations made by the landowner in the Courrier Picard article were refuted by CIRAS (Centre Interdisciplinaire des Recherches archéologiques de la Somme) who published a response on their website:http://www.associationciras.fr/2014/01/26/fin-des-fouilles-au-glory-hole-sur-fond-de-brouille/. It noted, ‘this article is the conclusion of a campaign of disinformation conducted by the site owner’, and, ‘the excavations conducted by the team led by Peter Barton were carried out with scientific rigour and professionalism; this was recognized by all, including the DRAC.’
Last year the LBSG supplied the landowner with projected plans for potential archaeological, genealogical and archival work up to 2016 – which, given the highly complex archaeological circumstances presented by the site, was the limit of our predictive skills. The plans complemented the detailed original Project Design drawn up in March 2011, a document that was agreed to and translated (into French) by the landowner.
Questions have been asked about funding sources. Archaeological ‘hardware’ of all kinds is very kindly sponsored by a large number of companies and the Royal Engineers. The only grant funding received by the LBSG has come from the CIRAS, who very kindly offered funds in both 2012 and 2013. All other monies are raised by LBSG fundraising efforts in the UK, some of which are illustrated on this website. The funds donated on site are occasionally sufficient to pay for meals for the team. All those who work with the project on and off the site – including LBSG committee members – are unpaid volunteers. The three-week excavations in November/December 2013 cost the LBSG £20,000.
La Boisselle Study Group, 7 April 2014
Football Remembers
The FA are commemorating WW1 in various ways.
In March, a group of 30 from the FA made a 3 day tour of the battlefields, visiting many sites associated with the Footballers’ Battalion. The Middlesex 17th and 23rd Regiments were largely made up of people who had been involved with football as players, coaches, referees,
The strangest football team photo you will ever see?
I don’t know the story behind this photo but which is stranger – the fact they are wearing gasmasks or that they appear to have eleven goalies? Could this be a tactic worth re-using in the World Cup?
Trevor Adams trevormcmadams@gmail.com