6841533 Private Frederick Ludlam, King’s Royal Rifle Corps

In December 1917, Chailey Parish Magazine notes Ludlam, Trooper F, attached 2/6th E Surrey Regt.  This information is then repeated up to and including December 1918, after which date there is no further information about this man. 

The 2/6th East Surrey Regiment was formed at Kingston-upon-Thames in September 1914. It became part of the 2nd Surrey Brigade (200th) in the 2nd Home Counties Division (67th) and was disbanded in November 1917. 

Chailey Parish Magazine records Ludlam’s rank as Trooper (indicating a cavalry regiment).  There is only one medal index card that fits this information and that is Trooper Frederick Ludlam whose medal card indicates that he served with the 20th Hussars (number 9843) then the 2/6th Surrey Rifles (number 5385) then the East Surrey Regiment (number 242011) and finally The King’s Royal Rifle Corps (number 51403 and 6841533).  He was a regular soldier who arrived in France with the 20^th Hussars on 16^th August 1914 and kept the rank of private soldier throughout the war, staying on with the KRRC after the war. 

I have been unable to find a Chailey connection for this man or to positively identify him from census returns. 

Rfm Maurice Gilbert Mitchell, King's Royal Rifle Corps

Chailey Parish Magazine notes in its October 1918 edition: Mitchell, Rifleman M, KRR [King’s Royal Rifle Corps]. This entry is then repeated up to and including the final published entry in July 1919.

M Mitchell is Maurice Gilbert Mitchell who appears on the 1901 census as a nine month old baby living with his family at Plummers Den Cottage Number One, Lindfield, Sussex. The household comprised Charles Mitchell (head, aged 42, a farm labourer born in Lindfield), his wife Emily (aged 41, born in Chailey) and their seven children: Charles Mitchell (aged 19, a gardener, born in Newick), Henry Mitchell (aged 18, a carter on a farm, born in Chailey), John Mitchell (aged 13, born in Horsted Keynes), Elsie Mitchell (aged seven), Walter (aged five), Wallace(aged three) and Maurice. The last four children had all been born in Lindfield. There were also two other sons: Alfred Thomas Mitchell (aged 16, a grocer’s porter, born in Lindfield) and Albert Basil Mitchell (aged ten, a schoolboy, born in Lindfield). At the time the 1901 census was taken they were at Plumpton at the home of William and Mercy Plummer. Mercy Plummer was their mother Emily’s half sister.

Maurice was probably born around June 1900 so would only have been 18 in 1918, hence his brief appearance in Chailey’s parish magazine. I have been unable to find a medal index card for him and it is quite possible that he did not serve abroad. Maurice’s brothers Albert, Alfred, Henry, John and Wallace (Sidney) also served their King and Country during the First World War. All survived. Their distant relatives, the Plummer brothers were less fortunate. Albert, Alexander and Owen Plummer all lost their lives.

Arthur Harry Snelling

I've just discovered that Arthur Snelling has a badly water-damaged service record which survives in WO 363. This puzzles me because I'd checked all the Chailey men by going through records in WO 363 and WO 364. Nevertheless, Arthur obviously slipped through the net. How many more are there I wonder? In any event, I now see that he joined the ASC in 1911 and sailed for France almost immediately war was declared, remaining overseas until he was died of wounds in August 1918.

This is what I wrote about him:

Arthur Harry Snelling was born around 1893 in Reigate, Surrey. He appears on the 1901 census as an eight year old boy living with his parents, brothers and sister at South Street, Chailey. In 1901 the family comprised: Arthur E Snelling (head of the family, a butcher, born in Battersea, aged 32), Minnie Snelling, (Arthur’s wife aged 34), William Snelling (son, aged 11), Richard Ernest Snelling (son, aged nine), Arthur (son, aged eight) and May Snelling (daughter, aged 11 months). With the exception of May who was born in Chailey, the three boys had been born in Reigate so it seems reasonable to assume that at some time after Arthur’s birth around 1892 and before May’s birth (probably in May 1900), the family had moved from Reigate to Chailey.

Arthur Snelling is noted in the October 1914 issue of Chailey Parish Magazine as serving his King and Country. In October 1915 he is reported as lance-corporal serving with the ASC in France; subsequently promoted to corporal in November 1915 and sergeant in May 1916. On December 22nd 1916, The East Sussex News reported, “Sgt A Snelling (ASC) and Pte R Snelling of the Royal Fusiliers, both sons of Mr and Mrs A Snelling of Roeheath Common, are home on leave. Sgt Snelling has been in France since the outbreak of war and his brother for two years.”

It then appears that Arthur Snelling transferred out of the ASC to an infantry battalion because in January 1918, under the NCO section of Chailey Parish Magazine’s roll of serving soldiers, the following appears: Snelling, Rif A, 21st KRR. It was not to be a lucky move. In November 1918, Chailey Parish Magazine added another name to its roll: Corpl A Snelling, 21st KRR, died of wounds, Aug 25th 1918 in France. The Commonwealth War Graves’ Commission’s Debt of Honour Register makes no mention of Arthur Snelling’s service with the Army Service Corps and records the battalion with which he died as the 13th KRRC and not the 21st. Arthur’s number is given as 13326. It is possible that Arthur transferred from the 21st KRRC to the 13th although this fact still has to be substantiated.

Arthur's service record shows that he remained with the ASC until 1917, transfering to the 21st Battalion in October that year and subsequently being posted to the 13th Battalion in April 1918. He was posted back to the 21st Battalion at some point and died as a result of wounds received in action.

William Lansdowne: one handkerchief, one penny coin, one notebook...

When William Lansdowne sailed for France with the 13th King's Royal Rifle Corps in July 1915, his wife May was four months pregnant. When he was killed in action in February 1916, the baby daughter he'd never seen (except perhaps in a photograph) was under two months old.

The month after he was killed, May Lansdowne received a pathetic bundle containing her husband's effects. This contained, "...one soft helmet, one mouth organ, eleven postcards, one handkerchief, one penny coin, one notebook, one gospel, one tin box and two photos." Reading his service record even now, over ninety years after he was killed, is extremely poignant.

May Lansdowne had connections with Chailey Girls Heritage, probably working there as a servant, and it appears to be her connection with Chailey Heritage which links William, a Londoner, to Chailey.

William does not receive any mention in Chailey Parish Magazine but Soldiers Died in the Great War notes that his place of residence was Chailey at the time he enlisted, and I am pleased to be able to acknowledge, in a tiny way, his sacrifice via this blog and my Chailey 1914-1918 website.

Read William Lansdowne's service record with a FREE 14 day trial to Ancestry.co.uk - Click here!

R/4188 Rfm William Lansdowne, 13th KRRC

R/4188 Rifleman William Alfred Lansdowne is not mentioned in Chailey’s parish magazine even though he was killed in action on 26th February 1916. Soldiers Died in The Great War notes that he was born in Holborn, Middlesex, enlisted at Cockspur Street (Middlesex) and was living in Chailey, Sussex. He was the son of Victor and Emma Lansdowne and was killed in action whilst serving with the 13th King’s Royal Rifle Corps. On the day on which he was killed the battalion was in trenches at Bailleulval. The diarist wrote:

"Enemy quiet. Nothing to report. The hard frost continues and the snow is still thick on the ground. The health of the battalion is quite good."

The Chailey connection appears to have been through his wife May who, on his service records, is shown as living at The Girls Heritage, Chailey, Sussex. This was in 1919 though and certainly, in May 1916, May Lansdowne was living at 46 Millman Street, Guildford. William's surviving service papers in WO 363 show that at the time of his enlistment he was still working as a waiter.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (apart from spelling his name incorrectly as Landsdowne) adds the additional information that he was serving with D Company and was the husband of May Lansdowne (nee West), of 46, Millman St., Guilford St., Holborn, London. He appears on the 1911 census as a 17-year-old waiter working at the Royal Thames Yacht Club, 81 Piccadilly, London. He is the only William Alfred Lansdowne on the 1911 census and so this must be him. This would mean that he would have been around 22 years old when he was killed.

William's regimental number dates to 11th September 1914. A few months later he married May West at Holborn, their marriage registered in the first quarter of 1915. A daughter, Vera May Lansdowne, was born in the fourth quarter of 1915. It seems unlikely that Vera ever saw her father as he was already overseas by the time she was born.

William is buried at De Cusine Ravine British Cemetery at Basseux, France; grave reference: G6. He is not commemorated on Chailey’s war memorial but may be remembered on a KRRC memorial and/or one located in the City of London.

Nursed at Hickwells, killed in France

R/1480 Rifleman Stan Collins was a patient at Hickwells in 1915. His entry in Nurse Oliver’s album is a drawing of the King’s Royal Rifle Corps cap badge and the following text:

Rfln S Collins
1480, 12th K.R.R.
Wounded at Laventie Sept 25th. 1915

Next to this entry, in a different hand (presumably Nurse Oliver’s), has been written: Killed August 18th 1916. Rifleman Collins shares this page with an entry from 1583 Sergeant William Calvert of the 7th KOSB.

Stan Collins was born in the small Surrey village of Ockham around 1894. The 1901 census shows him living at Ockham Mill Lane with his sister Daisy (aged 13), brothers Harvey (18) and Hubert (20) and his mother and father, William and Elizabeth Collins. At seven years old, Stan was the youngest member of the family. William and Harvey Collins were employed as flour mill workers while Hubert was a shoemaker’s apprentice.

Stan was a Kitchener recruit, enlisting in Woking. He arrived in France as R/1480 Rifleman Stan Collins with the 12th King’s Royal Rifle Corps on 23rd July 1915. The battalion was a K2 unit, formed at Winchester on 21st September 1914 and by the time it reached France, comprised part of the 60th Brigade in the 20th (Light) Division.

As he records in Nurse Oliver’s album, Stan Collins was wounded on 25th September 1915 at Laventie in what was a diversionary attack to draw German attention away from the main Loos battle further south.

On 30th September 1915, the war diary entry for the 12th Battn KRRC (WO95/2120) lists casualties since 16th September as two NCOs and 49 Riflemen wounded plus one Rifleman gassed. The following extract is adapted from part 11 of The Hospital Way.

The 20th Division would take part in the subsidiary attack, supporting the Meerut Division of the Indian Corps on its right at Mauquissait and the 8th Division, attacking the German line at La Boutillerie and Le Bridoux on its left. The attack, designed to distract the enemy’s attention away from the main battle front further south, would take place half an hour to two hours before the main attack near Loos. The 20th Division would play its part in the offensive by making a smoke screen along the whole front, cutting wire and providing covering fire. They were also to be prepared to assault the enemy’s line on the right or left and, depending on the progress made by the divisions on either side, to press forward in the centre.

At 4.30am on the morning of the 25th, crouched in his trench, Rifleman Collins cannot have failed to be aware that the sudden cessation of the four day bombardment of the enemy’s lines over to his left meant that the attack by the BEF was being pressed home. This fell to men of the 8th Division and within half an hour they were in the German trenches. Half an hour later, in support of the Bareilly Brigade of the Meerut Division to their right, it was the turn of the 60th Brigade. Two battalions, (The 12th Rifle Brigade and the 6th King’s Shropshire Light Infantry), attacked the enemy trenches whilst Collins and the 12th KRRC held the front line.

Whilst it was always the intention to increase the extent of the British breakthrough south of the La Bassee canal should the subsidiary attacks around Laventie prove to be successful, lack of artillery power and sufficient manpower reserves meant that they would never be decisive thrusts if the principal activity around Loos were to founder. In the event, both attacks by the 8th and Meerut Divisions ended with the assaulting troops being forced back to their starting divisions by dogged German defending. Rifleman Collins had not even left the front line trench but this did not prevent him from becoming a casualty. “During the day,” states the Divisional history, “the enemy shelled the front trenches heavily, and caused a considerable number of casualties among some of the battalions that were not actively engaged. Of these, the 12th KRRC suffered the most.”

On 5th October 1915 Stan Collins’ name appeared in a list of soldiers reported by the Sussex Daily Times to be recuperating at the 2nd Eastern General Hospital, Brighton and on 1st December, he appeared in an “entertainment” held at Chailey. The Sussex Daily News reported on the event:

Friday December 3rd 1915 - Page 8
WOUNDED SOLDIERS ENTERTAIN THEIR FRIENDS AT CHAILEY
The soldiers at Hickwells Relief Hospital at Chailey were ‘at home’ to their friends on Wednesday afternoon and by way of amusing them gave two excellent entertainments - one at 2:30 and the other at 4:30. The bugle called the performers together and when the screens were withdrawn a nice little group of waxworks was disclosed, Bombardier Ryan shewing off their ‘beauties’ in his usual amusing way. Corporal Nash (as St George) and Private Allen sang the ‘Tin Gee Gee’, Private Wise and Sergeant Calvert making two fascinating ‘Little Dolly Girls’. Rifleman Collins, still on crutches, made a splendid broken doll. Lance-Corporal Smith was a Japanese Lady, and, later on, although only having the use of one arm, cleverly ‘vamped’ some accompaniments. While dresses were being changed, Private Hume and Private MacBride sang and danced, and then to the tune of ‘Here We Are Again’, Hickwells’ Pierrot troupe appeared and gave a spirited entertainment. Driver Bradley and Private Allen made excellent ‘Corner Men’ and Bombardier Ryan was capital as the ‘Master of Ceremonies’. The troupe included, besides those already mentioned, Sergeant Calvert, Sergeant Sheppard, Corporal Nash, Lance-Corporal Smith, Privates Wise and Holleran, Driver Cleary and Corporal Dicks, many of whom sang and recited. Two of the nurses helped at the piano.

This implies of course, that Stan Collins was wounded in the leg or legs but nothing else of his wound is known.

A photo of soldiers who have taken part, or are about to take part in, an entertainment, appears in Nurse Francis Blencowe’s album and I have reproduced it below. There is no logical reason for thinking so but I have often wondered whether the man on the extreme left, next to what is a pair of crutches (cropped in this photo) is Rifleman Stan Collins. He would have been about 21 years old at that time.

Stan Collins obviously recovered sufficiently to re-join his unit and he was killed in action with the 12th KRRC on 18th August 1916

On the date that Stan was killed (18th August 1916), the war diary notes that the battalion was on a route march to billets at Candas. There is no mention of any casualties for this period although Collins was one of eight 12th KRRC fatalities on this date (three dying of wounds and five killed in action).

On 15th September 1916, The West Surrey Times & County Express carried a simple one line obituary. On page 4 under Roll of Honour – Killed, it read:

COLLINS, Rflm. S. (Ripley), KRR

Stan Collins has no known grave and is commemorated on Pier and Face 13A of the Thiepval memorial on the Somme.