The oldest other ranks member of the 9^th Battalion Manchester Regiment to serve in Gallipoli was 57 years old Quartermaster Sergeant (Q.M.S.) George Boocock, a 32-year veteran and Old Volunteer. At the other end of the spectrum, a number of very young men enlisted and found themselves deployed overseas to Egypt in September 1914 and then to Gallipoli in May 1915. Two of them were Alfred and James Boocock, the only surviving sons of Q.M.S. Boocock, who were treated as the battalion’s “mascots” and proudly and regularly promoted in local newspapers as possibly the youngest territorials in the North of England. In fact, at least seven members of the battalion were younger than James Boocock and both Richard Stott and Fred Finucane were younger than Alfred, making Richard the youngest member of the battalion by five months.

At least 28 members of the 9^th Battalion Manchester Regiment were, (or would have been), under the age of 17 when they landed in Gallipoli on May 9, 1915 and incredibly three of them were just 14 years old when they landed in Egypt on September 27, 1914.

Youngest 9th Manchesters and their Ages when they landed in Gallipoli

In 1914, it was considered perfectly legitimate to attest such boy soldiers and many were sent overseas at the outbreak of hostilities. The prevailing standard was that although boys could attest at 17 any such boys under the age of 19 should not serve in combat but were nevertheless eligible to serve in ancillary roles in a combat zone. The Reverend J. K. Best held Enlisted Boys Classes at Heliopolis Camp in early 1915 with at least 31 attendees from just those battalions of the East Lancs Division who were then present. However, there were only 3 named attendees from the 9^th Manchesters; the Boocock boys and their friend and workmate James Hoke.

In order to officially address the issue of underage boys serving overseas, War Office letter 9/Gen. No./5388D. (A.G. 2B) of 6th September, 1915 was issued followed by Army Council Instruction 1186 of 1916 which collectively laid out the appropriate rules and regulations to be followed. This was followed on October 6, 1916 by Army Council Instruction 1905 of 1916 which replaced and cancelled the previous two instructions.

The Army Council Instructions of 1916 stipulated that boys under the age of 17 currently serving with an overseas expeditionary force must be sent home and instead would serve with a reserve unit in the UK until such time as they attained 19 years of age. Boys between the ages of 17 and 18 ½ were asked if they were willing to be sent home and if so, were treated as above, but if not, were allowed to remain and serve behind the firing line, (at the discretion of the General Officer Commander in Chief). Boys between the ages of 18 1/2 and 19 were not asked but simply posted to a unit behind the firing line while remaining overseas.

These rules and regulations were all well and good to prevent young men who were still in the UK from being prematurely sent overseas but for those who had already deployed overseas it’s not clear that the military authorities did anything but turn a blind eye to it. This attitude prompted questions to be asked in Parliament by parents of underage boys and, in the case of Pte. 1966 Norman Jackson, letters written to the Prime Minister. By the end of the war, every young man eligible for military service was attested shortly after their 18^th birthday and then underwent basic training in the UK before being deployed overseas, potentially into combat, shortly after their 19^th birthday.

Below we examine how these particular young men were able to attest at such a tender age and how did the Army discharge their duty of care towards them?

How Did They Attest?

In 1914, the stated minimum age in recruitment campaigns for the 9^th Battalion Manchester Regiment was 17 years. On February 14, 1914 the 9^th Manchesters held a very successful recruiting night at Ashton Town Hall which resulted in over 150 men attesting. In fact, it was so successful that men were attesting both in the days shortly before the event, based solely on the advertisement, and shortly after the event as the recruiters were overwhelmed with willing men and boys.

Just over half of our 28 young men attested on, or within a few days of, the February Recruiting Drive. The next surge of recruits occurred upon the outbreak of war and an additional three youngsters, (including the Boocock brothers), attested on or around August 4, 1914. Leonard Broadhurst and James Speddings enlisted after the battalion had left for Egypt and deployed to Gallipoli in the October and July drafts of men from the 2/9th Battalion.

Actual Age versus Stated Attestation Age 

Contemporaneous newspaper reports indicate that Richard Stott’s family tacitly supported their son’s attestation, his mother noting that “he had always wanted to be a soldier.” And although his immediate family did not provide any military role models, by 1915 he is reported to have had no fewer than six uncles serving in the military, both overseas and in England. Richard was one of four great friends who joined the 9^th Manchesters within days of each other.

We also know from contemporaneous newspaper reports that Fred Finucane attested with his father’s permission, coming as he did from a family with a very strong military background.

Alfred and James Boocock both attested with the full and complete support of their father QMS George Boocock. But why was George Boocock willing to risk the lives of his children when war broke out in August 1914? He was a long serving and totally committed member of the battalion having served in the Volunteers and Territorials most of his adult life and had already brought the boys along to several of the battalion’s summer camps. Additionally, he was a very senior NCO with a strong relationship with the battalion’s Quartermaster Major W.H. Connery, himself a former boy soldier and so no doubt sympathetically disposed. So, he likely felt quite confident that he could keep them out of harm’s way. Nevertheless, history does not record exactly what Mrs. Boocock felt about her husband taking her only two surviving sons off to war in September 1914.

It’s interesting to note that another young man, James Hoke, (not on our shortlist of the very youngest boys above), joined the battalion on Tuesday February 10, 1914 when he was 16 years old. However, he gave his correct age and like the Boococks was assigned the rank of “Boy”. His attestation papers show that he was employed as a joiner for Hadfield Brothers, of Ashton, the same firm of builders that Q.M.S. George Boocock worked for as a joiner foreman. Both the Boocock boys also worked for Hadfield Bros as apprentices and the three boys would have likely been good friends and no doubt wanted to serve together.

Leonard Broadhurst attested on January 11, 1915 a few days after a good friend of his, Jim Fernley had joined. Jim was also underage and was destined not to return from Gallipoli. Leonard was still only 14 years old when he was medically examined and signed his enlistment papers but professed to be 19 years old. We know from letters that his mother sent to him that she certainly did not approve but his father was perhaps more willing to accept his son’s patriotism since he enlisted 3 months later and deployed to France shortly after Leonard landed in Gallipoli.

Ernest Pepper attested on Saturday February 14, 1914 and provided an age that was 2 years in advance of his actual age. We don’t know if his family approved and supported his actions but we do know that his older brother Philip Pepper attested 3 months later and was also somewhat parsimonious with the truth regarding his real age, since he too was not yet 17 years old at the time.

William Barfield was one of four boys, (William Taylor, Edward Green and Richard Stott being the other three), who were great friends and all joined the 9^th Manchesters within days of each other. Taylor and Green were neighbours in Hurst, Ashton under Lyne living within yards of each other. Taylor, Green and Barfield all worked as piecers at the Cedar Mill in Hurst and Barfield and Stott lived within 100 yards of each other.

Drummer 1635 William Henry Taylor was the first to join on Tuesday February 10, 1914 in the week of the Smoking Concert. He gave his correct age of 16 years and 8 months since he was close to the required age. Pte 1641 Edward Lewis Green was the next to join, attesting the day after, also giving his correct age of 19 years. Richard Stott, although ridiculously underage, quickly followed his two friends by enlisting four days later on the evening of Saturday February 14^th but of course gave a false stated age of 17 years old. Not to be left behind, William Barfield enlisted the following Monday along with all those at the Smoking concert who wanted to enlist but ran out of time.

Sidney Ogden also attested on the evening of Saturday February 14, 1914 and since he was only 15 at the time it’s reasonable to assume that he too lied about his age. Unfortunately, his service record is not available to confirm but it seems to be a reasonable assumption. Whether or not his parents approved we don’t know but one week later Sidney’s older brother Harry Ogden also attested and at 17 years and nine months old was destined to land in Gallipoli shortly before his 19^th birthday. The oldest Ogden brother, William Ogden, attested during the week on November 16^th, joining the 2/9^th Battalion who were at the time undergoing pre-deployment training in Southport.

It appears that Norman Jackson attested without his father’s permission and over-stated his age by 2 years in order to be accepted. Although there was tolerance of his enlistment before the outbreak of war, thereafter his father spent the next two years lobbying the military and civil authorities to get his son out of the firing line and only succeeded with the issuing of Army Council Instruction 1186, of 1916 which he invoked to good effect.

Charles Arthur Middleton and Arthur Banton also both attested on the evening of Saturday February 14, 1914 and since they were both only 15 at the time they lied about their ages and stated that they were exactly 17 years old.

Alfred Sumner also attested on the evening of Saturday February 14, 1914 and like Middleton and Banton was just 15 years old. However, Alfred showed a little originality and overstated his age by exactly 2 years stating that he was 17 years and six months old. Alfred Sumner and Charles Middleton must have been processed at the same time as they received consecutive service numbers.

Robert Daniel MacCormack attested on February 4, 1914, 10 days before the smoking concert. He gave his correct age and his attestation papers show that he was initially given the appropriate rank of “Boy” rather than private. Robert’s older brother Pte. 1285 Albert McCormack was already a member of the battalion having joined almost 2 years earlier in March 1912.

Thomas William Preston Portington attested two days after the outbreak of war embellishing his age by a few months but nevertheless stating that he was still six months under the requisite age of 17. At this time, the battalion was desperately looking to add numbers but was initially selective of the men they added, many of whom had prior military service. Thomas was by all accounts a big lad for his age and worked as a collier at the New Moss Colliery. At least 22 men from the Colliery were already members of the battalion by the time Thomas attested and that perhaps aided his application.

William Henry Hall was among the men who attested on February 14, 1914 and erroneously gave his age as exactly 17 years even though he was still a few months shy of his 16^th birthday.

Edward Hennessey also attested on February 14, 1914 and decided to add exactly two years to his actual age when asked. He too was a collier at New Moss Colliery and was one of at least 12 from the colliery who attested that night, including two of our underage boys; Charles Middleton and Ernest Pepper.

What Happened to Them?

It’s fair to say that these young men did not fare particularly well as a group with a quarter of them losing their lives while serving their country; five in the Gallipoli campaign and one more in France in 1918. Eight more were wounded in Gallipoli, (William Barfield and William Andrews were both wounded twice), and another two were medically evacuated to England after becoming sick on the peninsula. One of the wounded boys survived but received life changing injuries and one of the sick evacuees suffered from post-war combat stress. A rather depressing but predictable outcome for a group of boys who had absolutely no business being anywhere near a combat zone.

Military Outcomes of the Youngest Members of the Battalion

Pte. 1652 Richard Stott

Richard Stott died of wounds on June 13, 1915 at sea and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial. He was the oldest son of John and Betsy Stott (née Wright) and lived on Wrigley Street, just off Turner Lane which provided many Territorials to the 9th Manchesters. He attested on the evening of Saturday February 14, 1914 and was reported to be only 5ft 2” tall with a 33 ½ inch chest. At just 13 years of age, it seems incredible to believe that anyone actually believed that he was old enough to serve.

From the Saturday June 26, 1915 Ashton Reporter:

SIX UNCLES SERVING

Ashton Territorial Gives His Life for His Country

“He always said he would be a soldier,” declared Mrs. Stott of Wrigley-street, Ashton, in lamenting the death of her son, Private Richard Stott, of the 9th Batt. Manchester Regiment (Territorials), in respect of whom an official intimation had been received that he had died as the result of wounds received in action at the Dardanelles. Although in his teens he had a strong desire to join the Territorials, and his father, Mr. John Stott, an Ashton Corporation employee, decided not to place any obstacles in the way. He joined the Ashton Batt. Territorials, and volunteered for foreign service. By doing so he has kept up the traditions of the family, for he has no fewer than six uncles serving with the King’s colours, three of them with the Territorials at the Dardanelles, and the others in Kitchener’s Army in France and England. He formerly attended Holy Trinity School.

The family suffered a further loss on July 24, 1918 when Richard’s father died of Dysentery in Basra, Iraq. He was deployed there as a private with the 2nd Garrison Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers and died when he was 45 years old.

Pte. 1845 Frederick Thorley Finucane

Frederick Thorley Finucane died of dysentery in Cairo on November 27, 1914 just two months after landing in Egypt. He died in the Citadel Hospital, Cairo having been admitted just the day before. He was given a full military funeral and is buried at the Cairo War Memorial Cemetery.  In a rather stunning coincidence, his older brother John (“Jack”) Finucane died on the same day one year later of complications from an operation for dysentery and enteric fever at Netley Military Hospital.

From the Saturday December 5, 1914 Ashton Reporter:

PRIVATE FINUCANE

News has been received in Ashton of the death through, dysentery, in Egypt, of Private Fred Finucane, one of the Ashton Territorials. He was probably the youngest in the battalion, being only 15 years of age, but standing 5ft 8in. Born of a military family, be enlisted with his father’s written authority in March, and after going into camp at Bury sailed with his battalion to Egypt. His heart and soul were in his work, and in all his letters home he was always cheerful and happy. Only last week he mentioned having visited the Pyramids and other sights, and also that he had been on night manoeuvres. Several parcels are now on their way to him from home, he having been very popular among his various friends, as much for his pluck as a youngster as his quiet, unassuming ways. It came as a terrible shock to all who knew him when his parents, who live at The Brow, Bardsley, received a telegram on Monday announcing his death. The blow has been a heavy one, both to them and his brother, also a Territorial, to whom he was devotedly attached. They are now anxiously awaiting further news, and in the meantime try to console themselves with the thought that he never flinched from duty, and when the call came be stepped forward and offered to take his share in battling for his King and country.

He has answered the ” last roll call.” During the week many friends have called to offer their sympathy to the deeply grieved parents, and they were much touched by such expressions of feeling in their great trouble.

It was always a source of pride to him to know his grandfather, who is living in Manchester, was in the Army 15 months before Lord Roberts, and his father has an autograph letter from “Bob” thanking him for birthday congratulations on his 80th birthday, they having first met in India in 1851.

The Bardsley Defence Corps will attend the morning service at Bardsley Church on Sunday, and the village band is also expected to be present, in honour of the late Private Finucane.

Notes:

1. The Bardsley Defence Corps was co-founded and organized by Fred’s father Mr. Theodore Finucane.
2. At the request of the family, the interment of John Finucane at Gorton Cemetery was not of a military character.

Boy 2069 Alfred and Boy 2070 James Boocock

Both of the Boocock boys survived the war and were demobilised in 1919. During their time in Gallipoli, they were employed with their father, the Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant, and were responsible for bringing supplies up from the ships up to the regimental base. They were not issued with rifles and stayed in the reserve but were still subject to the incessant shelling. Alfred contracted dysentery in July 1915 and was medically evacuated to the UK, via Malta. On July 13, 1915 R.Q.M.S. Boocock was wounded in the foot by a stray bullet and medically evacuated to England. At this point, James Boocock would likely have been taken under the wing of Major Connery the battalion Quartermaster, a long-time colleague of R.Q.M.S. Boocock.

Alfred Boocock turned 19 years old in October 1918 and so he should have spent the remainder of the war on home service. After the war he remained single living with two of his sisters, Emma and Nellie, in Ashton under Lyne as a plumber. He died in 1975 having outlived all of his siblings. He was 75 years old.

James Boocock survived Gallipoli and deployed with the battalion to Egypt in 1916. He turned 19 in August 1917 and at some point, after March 1917, he was transferred to the 2^nd Battalion Manchester Regiment and remained with them for the duration of the war. He died in Ashton in 1933 and was buried at St. Michaels and All Angels Church where his father joined him a year later.

Pte. 3368 Leonard Broadhurst

Len Broadhurst deployed to Gallipoli on October 22, 1915 as part of a draft of reinforcements sent out from England. Despite driving his mother frantic with worry he survived unscathed until he was forced to return to the UK on March 25, 1916 upon the military authorities discovering his true age. He was medically examined and then discharged for being underage providing false information in his attestation papers. Undeterred, he later joined the Royal Marines as soon as he was legitimately old enough to do so.

His mother’s letters provide a glimpse of the anguish young Leonard put her through:

December 10, 1915

My Dear Leonard,

How is it you have not sent any letters, it’s now over 4 weeks since I had one. And that was wrote on the 26th October. I hope you are well. I have sent 3 parcels and 2 letters and had no reply. I hope there is nothing wrong with you. They have all had letters round about, 2 and 3 some of them. Mrs Fernley [h]as had a telegram saying that Jim [h]as been dangerously wounded. Write back at once and let me know how you are. I am looking out for the post every day. Your father is in France. I am very sorry about Jim [Fernley] but you ought not to have gone out. You are both too young and you are younger than him.

Auntie & our Eddie send their best love. Accept the same from me. And god bless you and spare you is my fervent wish and bring you safely home soon.
Your Mother

Dear Len,

I have had a postcard from J. Smethurst asking how you was. I told him I had had no letters for a long time and I told him about Fernley. You see his father has stopped him from going out and he was willing to stop. You see he has more sense than you. It would be alright if you was old enough but you are so young. You see there are big men [who] won’t go until they are made and you throw yourself away at 15 years of age. But I hope you will get your discharge until you are 19. That will be soon enough. Write back as soon as you can and let me know how you are as I am very anxious to know. So I think this will be all this time.
With best love from
Mother
xxx God Bless You xxx

Pte. 1682 Ernest Pepper

Ernest Pepper was seriously wounded on August 2, 1915 with a gunshot, (probably shrapnel), wound to the spine. He was medically evacuated from Gallipoli and just over a month later, on September 7, boarded a hospital ship for England. 14 months later, he was discharged being no longer fit for military service due to his wounds. The 1939 National Roll indicates that 24 years after being wounded in Gallipoli he was unmarried and living with his father, permanently incapacitated. Ernest’s older brother Philip fared slightly better; he was medically evacuated from Egypt in early May 1915 having likely never deployed to Gallipoli.

Pte. 1801 William Barfield

William Barfield was one of four close friends who joined the 9^th Battalion Manchester Regiment three of whom made our list of underage boys. Two of them lost their lives in Gallipoli and both of the other two were wounded.

William wrote to his mother telling her of his wound and the letter was published in the Saturday July 10, 1915 Ashton Reporter newspaper:

“DON’T WORRY, MOTHER.”

Cheerful Letter From Wounded Ashton Territorial,

Private William Barfield, of the Ashton Territorials, writes from a hospital in Alexandria to his mother, Mrs. Barfield 132, Turner-lane, Ashton, telling her that he has been wounded. But he is very cheerful, says he will soon be all right again, and tells her she has not to worry. He writes:-

“I am very sorry to tell you that I have been wounded in the left leg and the right foot, but I am expecting to be all right again in a few weeks so don’t you worry, for I am all right. It is a fortnight to-day since it was done, and they are going on fine. We are getting plenty of food, as much as we can eat. I am in a Greek Hospital, and the nurses are very kind to us.”

A little more clarity on William’s wounds was provided by his good friend Drummer W. H. Taylor in the same edition of the Ashton Reporter:

A HURST DRUMMER

Received a Bullet Wound in the Left Forearm,

“Billy Barfield has been wounded in the bayonet charge. He fell with a bullet through his left leg, and whilst crawling away he got another through his left foot. Teddy Green bandaged the wounds with his field dressing. Teddy Green was all right when I got winged, and I think he will be all right, although they stayed in the trench over-night.”

The fates of the four friends was laid out in a letter published in the Saturday December 18, 1915 Ashton Reporter newspaper:

FOUR CHUMS HIT

Mrs. Green, of 2, Spring Bank Cottages, Broadoak-road, Hurst, on Saturday received an official intimation that her son, Private Edward Green, 1/9th Manchester Regiment, had died from wounds on November 13th, at the Dardanelles. Private Green, who was 21 years of age, was formerly employed as a little piecer at the Cedar Mill.

A chum of his, Drummer W. H. Taylor, also of the 1/9th Manchester Regiment, writing to his mother. Mrs. Taylor, also of Spring Bank Cottages, pays a fine tribute to his dead comrade as follows:

“It is with the deepest regret that I inform you that my old chum Edward Green passed away on Saturday afternoon, November 13th, at 4-30. He got hit in the side of the head and lost consciousness almost instantaneously, and it will perhaps ease your mind to know he did not suffer much pain He was well liked by everyone in his company, and although one of the smallest, he was one of the pluckiest lads in the regiment, as any one of them will tell you.”

“There were, as you know, four of us who came out, all chums, and every one of us have been hit. Dick Stott was hit three times in the head, and died from his wounds. Billy Barfield was hit through the leg and foot on June 7th. and I was hit in the same charge, and now Teddy has been killed, and I am the only one who is back out of the four. It was a very curious thing that Teddy’s cousin Willie, who only came out three weeks ago, was the first one to find him. It must have been a great shock to him. Jim (Pte James Elliot, a brother-in-law of Drummer Taylor, of the 1/9th Manchester Regiment) is all right, and as for myself, I am in the pink at present.”

Unfortunately, this was not the end of William Barfield’s Gallipoli troubles as the February 12, 1916 edition of the Ashton Reporter conveyed:

TWICE WOUNDED.
Ashton Territorial Hit on Eve of the Evacuation.

For the second time Private Wm. Barfield, 1/9th Manchester Regiment, of 132, Turner-lane, Ashton, has been wounded during the fighting at the Dardanelles. In a letter from him he says:

“I am sorry to tell you I have been wounded again by shrapnel in the right thigh. This happened on the 28th of last month (December). It is going on fine so you need not worry about me, for I am all right. I hope it will not be long before I see you all.” He is now in Hospital at Malta.

In June last he was wounded in the left leg and right foot during an engagement on the Gallipoli Peninsula.

His father, Private Barfield, is also in the Army, having enlisted in the Middlesex Regiment. He is stationed at a military camp in Sussex and engaged in trench digging.

And coincidentally, his good friend Drummer W. H. Taylor was also wounded for a second time as reported in the Ashton Reporter the following week:

Ashton Territorial in Hospital With Fractured Skull,

Drummer W H. Taylor, C. Company, 1/9th Manchesters, writes from Western General Hospital, Leaf Square, Pendleton, Manchester, to the Editor of the Reporter:-

“I am suffering from a fractured skull and paralysis of the left foot, and this is the second time wounded, as I was wounded in the arm on June 7th, 1915, in the same engagements as Private W. Barfield.”

Pte. 1711 Sidney Ogden

Sidney Ogden was born and raised in Ashton under Lyne and was working as a scavenger at the Guide Bridge Spinning Company, Ashton before the war along with his older brother Harry. He attested on the evening of Saturday February 14, 1914 his brother Harry attesting a few days later.

Sidney was assigned to Number 2 platoon, A Company and his platoon commander was 2/Lt. Charles Earsham Cooke, himself only 18 years old when he landed in Gallipoli. Sidney’s death is rather graphically described in 2/Lt. Cooke’s personal diary:

June 19. Saturday. We stood-to from 3am till about 8am our machine-gun, and in fact all of us, had been told that when the last attack came off we were to fire like hell at the trench in front to stop reinforcements. This the machine gun did. This drew shell fire at our trench. The trench is really in a most difficult position to describe, suffice it to say that it was on a hill, sheer down and the trench was hardly dug into the ground at all but was chiefly made of sand-bags thereby rendering a most magnificent target to the Turk’s shell fire. One shell actually landed on the parapet (front) as well as many on the back and blew the lot, making a huge gap. Previously, young Ogden, (16 years old), was badly shot through the head, brains out, I bandaged him up but the RAMC said no hope, however he still lives. Well the shell that blew the parapet in wounded 2 and knocked the remaining 3 down.

The Saturday July 3, 1915 Ashton Reporter newspaper reported the death of Sidney’s older brother:

IF THEY COULD ONLY SEE

All the Lads in Ashton Would Join.

TERRITORIAL’S DEATH.

Wounded an Hour After Getting Letter From Home.

News has been officially received by Mr. Arnold Ogden, of Hill-street, Ashton, that his son, Private Harry Ogden, 1/9 Battalion Manchester Regiment (Territorials) has died from wounds received on June 6th in action at the Dardanelles. Prior to the mobilisation in August last he worked as piecer at the Guide Bridge Spinning Co. He was formerly a member of St. Peter’s Boys’ Brigade. A letter dated June 12th, from the Egyptian Hospital, Port Said, which was received from him by his parents, states :-

“About an hour after I had read your letter I got wounded in the neck, and I was removed to hospital. I am being well looked after, and I could not expect better treatment. The wound is not a very bad one. Will you tell Jack (his minder at the Guide Bridge Spinning Co.) that I received his letter and tabs, and that I hope to be working for him again before very long.”

Referring to the recruiting efforts in Ashton he states :-

“If they were out here, and saw what we have seen, all the lads in Ashton would join.”

A brother, Private Sidney Ogden, is also serving with the Territorials at the Dardanelles, and another brother, Private William Ogden, is serving with the 2/9^th Battalion Manchester Regiment (Territorials) at Haywards Heath.

And the Saturday July 10, 1915 Ashton Reporter newspaper reported the sad news of Sidney’s death:

TWO BROTHERS KILLED

Both Belonged to the Ashton Territorials

News was received on Wednesday by Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Ogden, of 84, Hill Street, Ashton, that their son, Private Sidney Ogden, 1/9th Battalion, Manchester Regiment, Territorials, had died from wounds received on June 20th.

The sadness of the news was heightened by the fact that Mr. and Mrs. Ogden had only just recovered from the shock which they experienced on receiving the official intimation that their son, Private Harry Ogden, in the same battalion, had died from wounds on June 6th.

Both youths, for Sidney was only 16 years of age, and Harry, a year or two older, worked as piecers at the Guide Bridge Spinning Company.

Another brother, Private William Ogden, is serving in the 2/9th Battalion at Hayward’s Heath.

Pte. 1966 Norman Jackson

Norman Jackson’s surviving service record provides a detailed account of the lengths his father, Eli Jackson, took to ensure that he was kept out of the firing line. Shortly after his son was mobilised, Eli contacted the battalion while they were still in England and informed them that Norman Jackson was underage. He was informed that they were only going to be assigned Garrison (i.e., non-combat) duty and that any age discrepancy would be uncovered during that period. Norman deployed to Egypt and then to Gallipoli. However, in Gallipoli he was employed as a telephone operator and was not given a combat role. After going through the Gallipoli campaign unscathed he deployed to Egypt with the battalion in January 1916. Back in Ashton, despite contacting the military authorities in September and October 1915 Eli had made no progress in his quest to protect his son. In an apparent act of desperation, in July 1916, after the issuing of Army Council Instruction 1186 of 1916, he wrote to the Prime Minster, David Lloyd George, asking for his help. Remarkably, this seemed to do the trick and in August 1916 Norman Jackson was removed to the 42^nd Division Base Depot prior to being transferred to the UK to serve with a reserve unit until his 19^th birthday. He left Egypt on September 3, 1916 onboard the H.T. Royal George, 12 days before his 18^th birthday.

He was commissioned as 2^nd Lieutenant in the East Lancashire Regiment on September 11, 1918 and promoted to Lieutenant on March 11, 19120. He resigned his commission on September 23, 1921 retaining the rank of Lieutenant. After the war he traveled extensively to South Africa, Mauritius, Australia and New Zealand eventually settling in Gracemere, Queensland where he married. In May 1940 he joined the Australian Army Medical Corps, ironically incorrectly reporting his age to appear 2 years younger than he actually was. He served as a Sergeant in World War 2 from 1940-42 when he was discharged on compassionate grounds at his own request. He died in 1976 in Brisbane, Queensland; he was 77 years old.

Pte. 1674 Charles Arthur Middleton

Before the outbreak of war, Charles Middleton was a miner at New Moss Colliery. He was born in Golborne, just south of Wigan, and by 1911 was living with his family in Dukinfield and attending school. He attested on the evening of Saturday February 14, 1914 with around a dozen of his work colleagues and, perhaps coincidentally, was assigned consecutive service numbers with Alfred Sumner.

He does not appear in any newspaper reports and there is no surviving service record other than the very sparse record of his attestation but there are some other things we know. He was one of a number of enlisted men who attended bible class with the Reverend J. K. Best at Heliopolis camp in early 1915 before the battalion deployed to Gallipoli. While he was at Gallipoli he was wounded and listed on the Times Casualty List of July 20, 1915. This means that he was likely wounded in June 1915. There is no record of him being medically evacuated to the UK and we know from his medal roll that he served the remainder of his time in the war with the Manchester Regiment. He was disembodied on January 10, 1919 and applied for a war related disability pension which he received.

Pte. 1741 Arthur Banton

Arthur Banton was born and raised in Ashton under Lyne and before the outbreak of war was working as a packer at the Park Road Spinning Company, Dukinfield. He attested on the evening of Saturday February 14, 1914 and was one of two employees of that particular Cotton Mill to attest that night. He deployed to Egypt and then Gallipoli with the 9^th Manchesters and apparently came through the first four months unscathed but on September 5, 1915 he reported sick and was medically evacuated to the UK just over a week later. In England he was discharged from hospital on October 26^th but was left with a medical diagnosis of “Disordered Action of the Heart” (D.A.H.). Today this is recognized as a long-term post combat medical disorder and although shell shock was the quintessential war syndrome of 1914–1918, soldier’s heart or D.A.H. was, in fact, equally common.¹

After his post hospital stay furlough, he joined the 8^th (Reserve) Battalion, Manchester Regiment and there spent some weeks performing military police duties. He applied for a transfer to the military police but was apparently rejected, perhaps because of his age. On July 25, 1916 Arthur was transferred to Class “W (T)” per Army Council Instruction 1186 of June 13, 1916, Paragraph 1(b) since he was still under 18 years of age. After spending the minimum period of 3 months in this manner he rejoined the 8^th (Reserve) Battalion on October 23^rd having now celebrated his 18^th birthday. Still under the requisite age of 19 years to return to combat he was transferred to an agricultural company of the KOSB and 3 months later to the Labour Corps.

In November 1917, having now passed his 19^th birthday, he was deployed overseas to the Divisional Supply Depot at Boulogne. In May 1918 he was posted to the 87^th Company of the Labour Corps in the field. On August 27, 1918 he suffered the indignity of a Field General Court Martial for being absent without leave for a week. Found guilty, he was sentenced to 28 days of Field Punishment Number 1, remitted to 7 days. A few weeks later he was sentenced to be deprived of 14 days pay for being absent without leave for almost a day, remitted to 1 day’s pay.

He was repatriated to the UK in early 1919 and discharged on March 27^th of that year due to sickness and awarded the silver war badge. After the war he married Mary Alice Nelson in late 1919 and together they emigrated to Canada in 1922.

1. Jones E. Historical approaches to post-combat disorders. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2006 Apr 29;361(1468):533-42. doi: 10.1098/rstb.2006.1814. PMID: 16687259; PMCID: PMC1569621.

Pte. 1675 Alfred Sumner

Alfred Sumner was born and raised in Ashton under Lyne and was working as an engineer at Nellison &  Hayton Company in Ashton when he attested on the evening of Saturday February 14, 1914. He remained with the Manchester Regiment throughout the war and was demobilised on March 3, 1919.

The only account we have of Alfred’s time in Gallipoli is from the Saturday July 24, 1915 Ashton Reporter newspaper:

SIX WEEKS WITHOUT A REST

Ashton Territorial Who Bandaged Wounded Comrade.

Mrs. Sumner, of 53, Burlington-street, Ashton, has received a letter from her son, Private Alfred Sumner, of the Ashton Territorials, in which he says:-

“I am still able to tell you I am in the land of the living. At the present time I am feeling done up after six weeks without a rest, and seldom out of the firing line. On June 18th we stormed an enemy’s trench, and Ryder got shot through the eye [particulars of Private Ryder’s death appeared in the “Reporter” last week], and I believe he died in about two minutes. He was with a party of 25, including myself and Littleford, and it was just as we reached the enemy’s trench that he got shot.”

“Littleford and I, with some of the party, managed to get back to our own trench, and then it was like hell let loose. We were only 20 yards from the enemy, and every man had to fight for all he was worth. Somehow I got hit in the forehead. I can’t tell what it was, because it blinded me for the minute, and then I went out of the firing line, and they have put me on a hospital ship. It is not much of a wound that I have, but my right eye is still sore. Our division has done good work out here, but they have paid for it.”

According to a letter from a comrade, Private Sumner tied his field bandage round poor Ryder’s head after he was hit, and it was just after this incident that he himself was wounded.

Pte. 1609 Robert Daniel MacCormack

Robert Daniel MacCormack was the younger brother of Albert MacCormack who joined the 9^th Manchesters on March 28, 1912. Born and raised in Ashton under Lyne Robert was employed as a piecer at Thomas Mason and Son’s Oxford Mill in Ashton. He attested on February 4, 1914 giving his correct age and was at least initially given the rank of Boy. There is no surviving service record (other than the sparse account of his attestation) and no contemporaneous newspaper reports to draw from. He was not shown on any casualty lists and so the assumption is that he made it safely through the Gallipoli campaign unscathed. His medal roll indicates that he was allocated a six-digit service number assigned to the 9^th Manchesters in early 1917 and continued to serve with them throughout the remainder of the war. There are no surviving pension records to indicate any disability claims.

Pte 2063 Thomas William Preston Portington

Thomas William Preston Portington deployed to Egypt and then Gallipoli. On the evening of September 2, he was one of 14 other ranks assigned to a digging party under the command of 2^nd Lieut. Arthur Claude Vyvyan-Robinson of the 10^th South Lancs Regiment and attached to the 9^th Manchesters. Their orders were to extend a sap joining the current Firing Line with the Northern Barricade. Unfortunately, as they made their way in the dark, they lost their bearings, going too far East, and were discovered by the Turks and probably caught in the cross-fire between the Turks and the Royal Naval Division, who were not aware of their presence. 2/Lt. Vyvyan-Robinson and three men were wounded and 17-year-old Pte. Portington was reported missing. Thomas’ body was never found and he was not officially declared Killed in Action until January 1916.

From the Saturday 29 January 1916 Ashton Reporter:

17th BIRTHDAY IN TRENCHES,

Ashton Territorial Who Was Killed in Gallipoli.

An official intimation has now been received by Mr. and Mrs. Portington, of 46, Dale-street, Ashton, that their son, Private Tom Portington of the Ashton Territorials, has been killed in action. He had previously been reported “missing” on September 3rd, 1915. Naturally, Mr. and Mrs. Portington had clung to the shred of hope that their son had not been killed, but had been taken prisoner, and were buoyed up in their belief by letters from his comrades, who also believed he had been captured.

From various accounts it seems that Private Portington went out with some of the others to dig themselves in nearer the Turkish lines, but the Turks became suspicious, and threw a searchlight on them. When they saw what was happening they opened fire, and our men beat a hasty retreat.

Private Portington, who was the oldest of seven children, worked at the New Moss Pit. He was a fine lad for his age, and easily passed as over 18, but he was only 16 years old when he joined. He celebrated his 17th birthday in the trenches.

Many of his comrades have written expressing their sympathy with Mr. and Mrs. Portington and testifying to the pluck and popularity of Private Portington He was liked by both officers and men.

Pte. 1745 William Henry Hall

Like Arthur Banton, William Henry Hall was employed at the Park Road Spinning Company but when he attested on February 14, 1914 he was employed at the River Cotton Mill, Dukinfield. He appears to have survived Gallipoli mostly unscathed except for a mysterious accident with a pick axe.

From the Saturday July 31, 1915 Ashton Reporter newspaper:

ASHTON TERRITORIAL WOUNDED WITH A “PICK”

Private WILLIAM HENRY HALL, of 48, Hill Street, Ashton, has been wounded in a peculiar manner while fighting with the Ashton Territorials in the Dardanelles. Writing from the hospital at Alexandria to his father, who is employed at the New Moss Colliery, he states that he was wounded by a “pick”. He does not explain how the affair happened. But his injuries are not regarded as serious. He joined the Ashton Territorials during the recruiting boom at the beginning of last year, and at the time was employed as a piecer at Park Road Mill.

William remained with the 9^th Manchesters in Egypt during 1916 and then deployed with them to France in March 1917. At some point he transferred to the Welch Regiment (Royal Welch Fusiliers) from where he was disembodied on May 1, 1919.

Immediately after the war he married Nellie Jones in Ashton in 1919 but then rejoined the 1^st Battalion, Welch Regiment and was deployed to India. He remained with them until he was discharged on February 15, 1924 and was now entitled to the India General Service Medal with Waziristan 1921-24 clasp.

Pte. 1656 Edward Hennessey

Born and raised in Ashton under Lyne, Edward Hennessey worked at the New Moss Colliery and was one of three of our underage boys to attest on the evening of Saturday February 14, 1914 and list the Colliery as their employer. He was wounded in Gallipoli at the Battle of Krithia Vineyard and was treated in Hospital at Mudros. He returned to the peninsula in September and apparently saw out the remainder of his time there without incident.

From the Saturday September 18, 1915 Ashton Reporter newspaper:

MISSED HIS CHUM.

The First Parting Since Leaving Home.

TERRITORIAL OF 17 WOUNDED

Says It is the Only Chance of Getting Some Rest,

Private Edward Hennessey 1/9th Manchester Regiment, whose home is at 32, Wellington-street, Ashton, was wounded on August 7th during the big attack in which the Ashton men distinguished themselves. He is the only son of his mother, who is a widow. Mrs. Hennessey has received the following letter, dated August 18th, from her son:-

“Dear Mother, I am at present in hospital with a bullet in my leg, but it is not worrying me a bit. It is just a rest for me. I don’t want you to think that it is much, because it is not. They don’t know where to send us yet, because every place is full up with the wounded. The only place where there seems to be room for us is at home in England. I may get a chance of seeing it with a bit of luck.”

“I was attached to the R.E. with the miners We were practically in the firing line, going under and making listening galleries and mines. Then I was an officer’s orderly, and used to take the notes for him. I got hit during the night. I thought it was a horse that had kicked me. They have not got the bullet out yet. It’s the only chance you have of having a rest. It is the first time I have seen a doctor since I left England. It is also the first time that Teddy (Private Edward Kershaw, of the Ashton Territorials, also of Wellington-street, his companion) and I have been parted since we left home. I feel lonely without him. Tell them all at home I shall be all right in a week or two.”

Private Hennessey who was only 17 years old last May, had been in the Territorials about a year before the outbreak of hostilities. He was with the first batch to go out, and formerly worked at New Moss Colliery.

The Saturday September 25, 1915 Ashton Reporter newspaper wrapped-up the story:

BACK TO THE TRENCHES,

Ashton Territorial Glad to See the Boys Again.

On Monday Mrs. Hennesey, of 82, Wellington-street, Ashton, a widow, received the following letter from her only son, Private Edward Hennesey, of the 1/9th Manchester Regiment, who, as reported in last week’s “Reporter,” was wounded during the fighting at Gallipoli:-

“I shall soon be all right and going back to the battalion. I dare say by the time you get this letter I shall be back and I shall be glad to see my battalion again. I had a nice rest and a good bed for the last five weeks, and it has done me a world of good.”

“I had the bullet taken out about two weeks ago, and I am going to keep it. It did not go right through my leg. It stopped in the bone, and the doctor had a job to take it out. I have been stationed at Mudros. It is an island about 30 miles from the Peninsula, and there are a lot of grapes here. I can get about very well now, so I shall soon be fit for duty. I shall be glad to see Teddy (Private Edward Kershaw, of the Ashton Territorials, and of Wellington street, his chum).”

Edward Hennessey remained with the 9^th Manchesters during their subsequent deployed to Egypt in 1916 and then to France in 1917. Early in 1918 he transferred to the Machine Gun Corps and remained with them until he was demobilised on January 16, 1919.

After he left the Army, he almost immediately married Mabel Eileen McGarry and they later had two sons. Edward Hennessey died in October 1960 and is buried in Hurst Cemetery, Ashton under Lyne.

Summary of the 9th Manchesters Boy Soldiers

More than 250 boys were, (or would have been), under the age of 19 when they landed in Gallipoli. The names of the 127 who would have landed before their 18th birthday are provided below ranked by their Gallipoli landing age. Note that since some of them arrived as drafts after the original landing on May 9, 1915 it is not necessarily ordered by their date of birth.

1647 Harry Cooke, was part of a group of 15 men who were, according to the Ashton Reporter, invalided home from Egypt in mid to late May 1915. A later article concerning CQMS Williamson describes him as the first man back from Gallipoli. Consequently, the presumption is that although these 15 men deployed to Egypt in 1914 none of them, including Pepper, actually served in Gallipoli.

25 lost their lives in Egypt or Gallipoli and another 8 lost their lives later in the war. At least one more received life changing wounds and became permanently incapacitated. 11 boys died during the Campaign under the age of 18 and another 6 died before their 19th birthday. The youngest boy from the battalion to die in the Gallipoli Campaign was Richard Stott at 15 years and just under 3 months but the youngest of them to die on overseas service was Fred Finucane who was just over 1 month past his 15th birthday when he died of dysentery in Egypt.

That said, two of them, James Greenhalgh and Albert Davies, went on to win the Distinguished Conduct Medal in Gallipoli, and one more, Archibald Thomas Latham, won the DCM in France. Three more won the Military Medal and an additional man was Mentioned in Despatches.

Three more, Norman Jackson, Albert Eastwood and Charles Devine Joyce, survived Gallipoli and were later commissioned as officers. Charles Joyce was also one of the men awarded the Military Medal, receiving his in 1917 before he was commissioned.

At least 24 had relatives in the battalion. In some cases, the influence of a parent or older brother already serving in the battalion may have been a factor in their decision to join but in many cases it was the boy that joined first and the older family member who joined later. And we should acknowledge the case of Richard and Thomas Boon, twins who joined the battalion within a month of each other. Thomas joining in January 1914, adding two years to his real age, and Richard on the night of the smoking concert more modestly stating that he was exactly 17 years old.

Some outcomes of the list members are provided below:

Pte 1835 William Handley

William Handley deployed to Egypt and then Gallipoli as a private in A Company. His father, Cpl. Robert Handley, had himself joined the battalion in September 1915 while the battalion were in Camp at Bury and accompanied his son overseas. On June 7, 1915 C Company were involved in a bayonet charge against the Turkish trenches resulting in many casualties; Cpl. Robert Handley was killed in action that day. William remained in Gallipoli and in early August was involved in the Battle of Krithia Vineyard where Lt. William Thomas Forshaw won the Victoria Cross.

Shortly after, he was medically evacuated to England suffering from shellshock. He rejoined the battalion while they were in Egypt in December 1916 and deployed to France with them in March 1917. Pte. William Handley was killed in action, struck by a bullet on the night of May 6/7 during an advance. He was 19 years old having turned 19 one month before the battalion left Egypt.

From the Saturday May 26, 1917 Ashton Reporter:

FATHER AND SON.

Fought Side by Side and Both Killed.

“STILL TOGETHER.”

Major Howorth’s Touching Letter to Widowed Mother

Mrs. Handley, of 126, Cotton-street, Ashton, whose husband, Corporal Robert Handley, was killed during the glorious charge of the Ashton Territorials in Gallipoli on June 7th, 1915, which was led by Captain F. Hamer and Lieutenant A. E. Stringer, has received news of the death in France of her son, Private William Handley, who was also in the 1/9th Battalion, and went out to Egypt with his father, when he was but 15 years of age. Shortly after his father’s death, Pte. Handley was invalided home through shock, but not before he had fought nobly and well with Lieutenant W. T. Forshaw, when the latter won the V.C. in the vineyard. It was a fight against “the desperate” foe and fierce odds, and every man who came out counted himself lucky. Private Handley went back to Egypt for the second time last Christmas, and accompanied the battalion to France.

Major T.  Egbert Howorth, O.C. A Company, writes:-

It is with deep sorrow I have to tell you of heavy loss you have to bear. I know that already you have been called upon to give your husband, and now I have to tell you that your son also has been called upon to make the supreme sacrifice. May strength be given you to bear this double sorrow. “The boy came out with me in September, 1914, and then rejoined us in Egypt. I knew him pretty well, and in the old days in Egypt it was nice to see father and son together (as they are now, although we cannot see them). Your son was with his company in an advance on the night of May 6-7th. During that advance he was struck by a bullet and instantly killed. I saw him afterwards. There was no disfigurement on his. face. His body was laid to rest alongside that of one of his friends, Lance-Corporal S. Green, (of Ryecroft House), in a British soldiers’ cemetery near here,”

Private William Handley was 19 years of age. He worked as a piecer at the Old Mill, Tame Valley, and received his education at the Parish Church Schools.

Cpl. 1669 Joseph Wilde

Joseph Wilde deployed to Egypt and then Gallipoli. In Gallipoli he twice assisted in bringing back wounded men under fire but received no official recognition for his acts of bravery. He survived Gallipoli intact, only picking up a slight wound to his face. He deployed to Egypt with the battalion in 1916 and then to France in March 1917.

On the evening on May 30, 1917 2/Lt. Philip Sydney Marsden and 3 other ranks were fired on during a reconnaissance, Lt. Marsden and Pte. 1876 (350454) Tom Fielding were both badly wounded. Cpl. Wilde volunteered to go out and carried Pte. Fielding on his back, 300 yards to safety. However, both 2/Lt. Marsden and Pte. Fielding died of their wounds within hours of their rescue. Four days later, Cpl. Joseph Wilde was killed in action on June 3, 1917 and was subsequently buried next to Pte. Fielding and 2/Lt. Marsden at the Neuville-Bourjonval British Cemetery. He was 19 years old; a few weeks shy of his 20^th birthday.

From the Saturday July 7, 1917 Ashton Reporter:

“BRAVE WATERLOO YOUTH.”

Glowing Tribute to Fallen Soldier.

EXCELLENT WORK

The story which attaches to the death of Corpl. Joseph Wilde, 1/9th Manchester Regiment, son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Wilde, of No. 10, Langham- street, Waterloo, constitutes an illuminating episode of bravery and devotion to duty, even unto death. This young soldier, who would have been 20 years of age on the 17th of this month, was killed on the 2nd of June, according to the official news received at the latter end of last week, and yet, though so young, he was spoken about by his officers as one bravest and best of non-commissioned officers

In Gallipoli and France he brought in wounded men under fire. In France a few days before he himself was killed he brought in a wounded soldier, Private Fielding, from 300 yards in advance of his own position. This private died, and Corporal Wilde was buried beside him. Corporal Wilde’s own brother helped to dig his grave, and he was buried next to a lance-corporal who went to fetch him in Such is the story of his death, told more fully and with a high appreciation of his worth, in letters which his parents have received from Capt. F. W. Kershaw and Second-Lieutenant Alfred Gray Captain Kershaw wrote:-

“I cannot too highly praise your son. He was a fine lad, and a splendid example of Lancashire pluck and grit. He was much thought of and respected in the company of his battalion. He did excellent work whilst in the Gallipoli Peninsula, and also whilst in France. Only a few days ago Lieutenant Marsden and Private Fielding were hit out in front of our lines, and your son volunteered to go out and assist in bringing them in. He carried Private Fielding back to our trenches, a distance of 300 yards, on his back. On two occasions in Gallipoli he also assisted in bringing in wounded under fire. He was a keen, capable, and very courageous non-commissioned officer, and is greatly missed by officers and men of his company, on whose behalf I beg to extend you our deepest sympathy in your terrible loss.

“Your son was brought in from the advanced trenches by some of his comrades, under difficult and dangerous circumstances. He was buried with fitting ceremony in a British soldiers’ cemetery, near to Lieutenant Marsden, Private Fielding, and Private Ashcroft, who were killed about the same time. A special wooden cross bas been erected on his grave.”

Corporal Wilde was the eldest of a family of nine children, and had been serving with the Ashton Territorials from the time they left England, being just over 16 years of age when he went to Egypt with them at first. At Gallipoli he was slightly wounded in the face, and when the peninsula was evacuated he went back to Egypt, and from there was sent to France last October. He was previously employed as a piecer at the Rock Mill, Waterloo, and was associated with the Waterloo Wesleyan Sunday School and Church, where a service in memory of him is to be held to-morrow (Sunday) night. He was also a playing member of the Wesleyan Football Club, and was very much esteemed by his comrades.

Sgt. 1634 James Hoke

James Hoke does not have a surviving service record and does not appear to have been mentioned in any local newspaper articles of the time. At some point after March 1917, he was transferred to the 2^nd Battalion Manchester Regiment but ended the war as a Sergeant at the Manchester Regiment Depot. He was discharged, being no longer physically for military service, on January 18, 1919 and awarded the Silver War Badge. In 1939 he was still working as a Joiner and Woodcutter, and serving as a local Air Raid Warden, in Ashton. He died in 1978, in North Wales, at 81 years of age.

Pte. 1481 Clifford Holden

Clifford Holden survived Gallipoli and deployed with the battalion to Egypt in 1916. In March 1917 he deployed to France with the battalion. At some point after April 1917, he was transferred to the Tank Corps and in August 1918 was wounded, receiving a gunshot wound to the neck. After a short stay in hospital, he was assigned to the Royal Artillery and Tank Corps Command Depot at Catterick from where he was demobilised on January 25, 1919. His claim for a disability pension was denied. After the war he married and had two children, living on Park Road, Dukinfield. He died in November 1966; he was 69 years old.

Acknowledgements
The letters from Leonard Broadhurst’s mother are copyright of the Manchester Regiment Archive and are held at the Tameside Local Studies and Archive Centre. They are reproduced here with their kind permission.