Corporal W R D F Reynolds, 3rd Royal Fusiliers

Corporal Reynolds was a patient at Beechland House in 1917 but nothing is known about this man other than his entry in Nurse Oliver’s album which has been heavily over-written in blue biro.  It reads:

20/4/17

Cpl W R D F Reynolds

3rd Royal Fusiliers

Wounded at Ypres on 23rd May 1915

Corporal Reynolds shares this page with entries from Private Angus McKenzie of the 1/5th Seaforth Highlanders, 801298 Gunner John William Thurgood of the Royal Field Artillery, 21/1522 Private Charles Edward Harrald of the 24th Northumberland Fusiliers and 21370 Lance-Corporal John William Williams of the 24th and 27th Northumberland Fusiliers.

The National Archives holds a medal card for a Walter R Reynolds but as this man’s entitlement is only for the British War and Victory Medals, this cannot be the same person. Nurse Oliver’s patient would also have been entitled to a 1914 or 1914/15 Star (depending on when he arrived overseas).

I think it is unlikely that Reynolds would have been first at Hickwells and then transferred to Beechland House as a result of his May 1915 wound and still be there in April 1917.  It seems more probable that he was there as the result of either sickness or an operation which may or may not have been related to his 1915 wound.

The war diary for the 3rd RF in May 1915 reveals that the battalion is in trenches in front of Belewaarde Lake.  The entry for 23rd May 1915 reads: “Fairly quiet day.  Casualties 12 wounded.”  The following day, which was Whit Monday, the Germans attacked at 2:30am.  The war diarist reported “continuous rifle and machine-gun fire” and the gas which was released at the same time is described as “particularly thick and strong.”  Casualties for the 24th May are noted as four officers killed, three wounded and missing, one missing and eight wounded.  Other Rank casualties are recorded as 536 killed, wounded and missing.

Writing of the day’s events on 30th May, Major E Baker commanding the 3rd Battalion wrote, “Out of a total of 800 rank and file, some 70 men were collected in a gassed condition in rear of the line and 150 men remained ultimately with me.  The remainder were killed, wounded or missing.”

10298 Pte Ernest Kelsey, Royal Fusiliers; later SE/31883 AVC

Private Ernest Kelsey was a patient at Beechland House Newick in 1917.  His entry in Nurse Oliver’s album reads:

The happiest hours of my life,

Were spent in the arms of another man’s wife,

My Mother.

Pte E J Kelsey

22 Royal Fusiliers

(Coventry)

9.8.17

He shares this page in her album with Sergeant H Hunter and 11066 Band Boy John William Pate, Dragoon Guards.

He is probably the same Private Kelsey who is mentioned in The East Sussex News of Friday June 29th 1917.  The paper reports:

INTERESTING STOOLBALL MATCH

The contestants were Major Grantham’s team of officers of The Royal Flying Corps from Brook House (Chailey) Convalescent Hospital and Miss Cotesworth’s team of NCOs and men from Beechlands (Newick) Convalescent Hospital, and the former gained an easy victory by 50 runs. 

The same match had also been reported on five days earlier in The Sussex Express which said that the event had taken place:

… at Balneath Manor, the residence of Major W W Grantham, between officers of the Royal Flying Corps from Brook House, the new convalescent Hospital, and a team from Beechlands Convalescent Hospital.  Those from Brook House were easy winners.  Needless to say, Mrs Grantham entertained the company present to tea.

Ernest John Kelsey was born in the market town of Bedworth in Warwickshire in about 1882.  He was a hatter by trade and appears on the 1911 census, aged 29, and still living in the family home with his brother and two sisters, all in their twenties.

No service record survives for Ernest but his medal index card gives the number 10298 for The Royal Fusiliers and SE/31883 for the Army Veterinary Corps.  The Royal Fusiliers regimental number dates to December 1914 whilst the AVC number is much later and dates to about the 8th or 9th October 1917, a couple of months after Ernest signed Nurse Oliver's album.  As he was only entitled to the British War and Victory Medal he was presumably wounded - or fell sick - overseas with the Royal Fusiliers, returned to England, transferred to the AVC, and then went back to France. 

Ernest Kelsey survived the war and died in late 1944 or 1945, his death registered at Nuneaton in the first quarter of 1945.

69438 Private Edward Wells, 9th Royal Fusiliers

Edward Wells gets no mention at all in Chailey’s Parish Magazine.  According to Soldiers Died in The Great War, however, he was born in Croydon, resident in Chailey and enlisted at Brighton.  He was killed in action on 5th April 1918 whilst serving with the 9th (City of London) Royal Fusiliers.  His rank was that of private and his number, 69438.  He had previously served with the 99th Training Battalion where he had been given the number TR/10/41302. 

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission notes that he is commemorated on panels 19 to 21 of the Pozieres memorial in France.  It also notes that he was the brother of Mrs Daisy Lockwood of 18 Thesiger Road, Penge, London. 

From this latter information it is possible to identify him on the 1901 census.  At the time it was taken he was living in Croydon, Surrey, with his family.  The household comprised: Charles E Wells (head, aged 42, working as a house painter), Emily Wells (wife, aged 40), Violet Wells (aged 17), Daisy Wells (aged 15), Edward (aged 13), Bertie Wells (aged 11), Frederick Wells (aged seven), Dolly Wells (aged 5) and David Wells (aged four).  Charles was born in Brighton, his wife in Eastbourne but all of the children had been born in Croydon.

62615 Pte Frederick Stevenson, Labour Corps

Frederick Stevenson, a resident of Chailey, enlisted at Chichester (date unknown) and became 34229 Private Frederick Stevenson, Royal Fusiliers.  Chailey Parish Magazine first notes him as serving with the 36th Battalion in England in July 1916.  By January 1917, he was attached to the 10th Labour Battalion, Royal Engineers, and by December that year was serving with the 105th Labour Battalion of The Labour Corps. 

Frederick Stevenson died of sickness on April 12th 1918.  Chailey Parish Magazine reported that his death had taken place one day earlier and in France but he actually died in England and is buried in the now redundant church yard of St Mary’s Church, North Chailey.  His Labour Corps number was 62615, although his headstone (above) gives his Royal Fusiliers details.

63717 WO Cl II James Louis Cottingham, Labour Corps

Chailey Parish Magazine notes in December 1916: Cottingham, Co Sergt Major J, 37th RF, and this information is then repeated monthly up until the final published roll call in July 1919. 

J Cottingham is probably James Louis Cottingham who was one of four Chailey brothers who served during the First World War.  He was the eldest child of William and Esther Cottingham of South Common Chailey and was born at Chailey in late 1884 or early 1885, his birth recorded at Lewes in the March quarter of that year. 

The 1901 census returns show him living at Chailey with his family.  The household comprised William Cottingham, head of the household, aged 53 and working as a tile maker, his 46 year old wife Esther Cottingham and their five children: James, aged 16, a brickyard labourer, William Cottingham, aged 13, a brickyard labourer, his twin brother George Cottingham, aged 13, working as a carter boy on farm, Frederick [Samuel] Cottingham, aged nine, and finally Alfred Cottingham aged six.  The 1891 census also shows a daughter, Edith Cottingham aged five in 1891 but I could find no record of her on the census taken ten years later. 

The 37th Royal Fusiliers was a labour battalion formed at Falmer, Sussex on June 6th 1916.  It went to France the following month as part of the Fourth Army.  In April 1917 it became the 107th and 108th Labour Companies of The Labour Corps.  The National Archives gives two designations for this man: 38338 Warrant Officer Class 2 James L Cottingham, Royal Fusiliers and (when the 37th Royal Fusiliers was re-designated), 63717 Warrant Officer Class 2 James L Cottingham, Labour Corps.

Private John Frederick Page, 36th Royal Fusiliers

Chailey Parish Magazine first notes John Page in March 1916 when he appears in a special list of attested men.  Next to his name the words “medically unfit” are written. 

Nevertheless he appears to have been accepted into the army and in October 1916, Chailey Parish Magazine reports Page, Pt J, 36th RF, France.  John Page appears to have served throughout the war, his name and regimental details with the 36th RF appearing every month up to and including July 1919.

 

Chris Baker's The Long, Long Trail website has this to say about the 36th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers:

 

33rd, 34th, 35th, 36th and 37th (Labour) Battalions Formed at Seaford (33rd) and Falmer (34th to 37th) in May and June 1916. 35th landed in France on 8 June and moved to Rouen, where it was engaged in unloading from ships docked there. In April 1917 these battalions became the 99th to 108th Labour Companies, Labour Corps.

From the information provided in Chailey’s parish magazine I have been unable to match John Page with certainty to any named individuals in census returns or to provide a link between him and Chailey.  The closest possibility is a 19 year old John Frederick Page who appears on the 1901 census return for Chailey where he is noted as a bricklayer.  This may or may not be the same man.  The National Archives though, does note a 33783 Private John F Page, Royal Fusiliers, later 63428 Private John F Page, Labour Corps and I am assuming that this is the Chailey John Page, certainly the Labour Corps connection yies in nicely with the 36th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers.

John may be related to George Page and Thomas Pagewho also appear in Chailey’s roll call of local serving men.

Medal index card courtesy of Ancestry.

L/10314 Pte Charles Banks, 1st Bn, Royal Fusiliers

The entry in Nurse Oliver’s album reads:

1st June 1915
C. Banks
1st Royal Fusiliers

C Banks is probably L/10314 Private Charles Banks of the 1st Royal Fusiliers; a regular soldier who enlisted in the army on 14th February 1900 and who arrived in France on 7th September 1914. His medal index card shows that he was entitled to the 1914 Star (with clasp and roses), The British War and Victory Medals and the Silver War Badge. He was discharged from the army on 25th April 1915 due to sickness and so was probably an early casualty in the opening months of the war. C Banks’s entry date in Nurse Oliver’s album certainly marks him as a convalescent and this ties in well with Charles Banks’ discharge date.

When war broke out, the 1st Royal Fusiliers was in Kinsale Ireland and later formed part of the 17th Brigade in the 6th Division.

Richard Snelling - Royal Fusiliers regular

I've updated Richard Snelling's page on the Chailey 1914-1918 website. Richard was born in Reigate but was living in Chailey when Britain declared war on Germany in 1914. He enlisted as a regular soldier with the Royal Fusiliers and served throughout the First World War, latterly moving with the regiment to India and Iraq.

Richard's service record does not appear to have survived, but his medal index card carries a good deal of information and there would doubtless be additional information to be gleaned from the medal rolls.

Alven Brown - six enlistments

Alven Henry Jesse Brown was born in Chailey about October 1869. He did not originally feature on this website for the simple fact that his name was not recorded in the Reverend Jellicoe’s monthly roll call of serving men. Thankfully though, Alven’s extensive service record (comprising over 40 separate pages) exists in the WO 364 pension series at the National Archives and I therefore summarise his military service below.

He attested with the East Kent Regiment (The Buffs) at Canterbury, Kent on 25th January 1887, enlisting for a period of seven years with the Colours and five on the Reserve. He gave his place of birth as Chailey, his age as eighteen years and three months and his trade as labourer. In answer to the question, “Have you resided out of your father’s house for three years continuously in the same place…” he answered, “Yes, Cheltenham” and also indicated that he was currently serving with the 4th East Kent Regiment, a militia outfit.

Alven was short – five feet four and a quarter inches – weighed 122lbs, had a fresh complexion, grey eyes and light brown hair. Two moles on his right forearm and let shoulder blade are noted as distinctive marks. His next of kin is noted as his father, Joseph Brown; brother, James Brown and sister Mary Brown, all living in Chailey. Alven was posted to the 2nd Battalion of the East Kent Regiment and given the service number 2207. Two years later he was granted his first Good Conduct Badge. He carried out all of his soldiering in the UK and was discharged on 24th January 1899.

During this time he also married Florence Annie Head at Bromley on 10th October 1891. He enlisted for a second time, in the Royal Southern Reserve Regiment (number 1966) on 27th March 1900, this time giving his trade as gardener. His term of service was one year at home and he was consequently discharged on 26th March 1900. On 26th August 1901 he enlisted for a third time, this time with the Royal Garrison Regiment (number 3362) for a period of two years (which he extended for four years in June 1903). He remained in the UK for two weeks and was then posted to Malta where he served from 20th September 1901 until 20th April 1904. He then sailed for South Africa, serving there between 21st April 1904 and 2nd October 1905. On his Royal Garrison Regiment papers, his next of kin is recorded as his wife, Florence Brown of 49 Albert Road, Penge, London SE, his sons Edward, Walter and George and his daughters Annie and Edith, all living at home with their mother. He was discharged from The Royal Garrison Regiment on 16th October 1905 and immediately re-enlisted as a regular with The Buffs the following day. He enlisted for a period of three years with the Colours and nine on the Reserve and was given his fourth army service number: 8179. His wife’s home address is noted on these papers as 7 Pembroke Road, Widmore, Bromley, Kent.

Alven was discharged on 18th July 1909 aged 40 years and nine months and elected to receive a War Office pension of eight pence per day for life.

When the First World War was declared, Alven Brown enlisted for a fifth time, joining The Buffs’ Special Reserve (number S/667) on 30th September 1914. He was now 44 years old and enlisted for a period of one year “unless War lasts longer than one year, in which case you will be retained until War is over.” Alven remained with The Buffs until 30th June 1917 when he transferred to The Labour Corps, finally being discharged on 28th March 1919. Children noted on his First World War service papers are Herbert Arthur Brown (born 3rd April 1907), John Brown (born 10th December 1908) and Horace Brown (born 7th October 1911). His wife’s address is now noted as 1 Buffs Cottage, Rumfields, Ramsgate, Kent.

Not content that he had done with soldiering, Alven Brown enlisted for a sixth and final time with The 47th Battalion of The Royal Fusiliers on 23rd June 1919. His new number was G/132630 and his period of service was to last until 30th April 1920. In actual fact he was demobbed twelve days after this but with so much service under his belt, it hardly mattered and one gets the feeling, reading through his papers that he would have been quite happy to continue in the army indefinitely. Alven Brown died in Ramsgate of heart disease on 11th December 1944 aged 75. His son George registered his death.

Spts/5368 Pte John Ellis, 11th Royal Fusiliers

I am delighted to have been sent a photograph of 5368 Private John Ellis of the 11th Royal Fusiliers who was killed in action on 10th August 1917 in one of the many actions that would later be classified as "3rd Ypres".

John Ellis was born at Fletching, Sussex and this is his story.

Soldiers Died in the Great War gives his place of birth as "Chelwood Gate" and his birth was registered at Lewes in the September quarter of 1884.  He appears on the 1901 census of England and Wales as an 18 year old farm labourer living with his family at Fletching.  The household in 1901 comprised: Henry Ellis (head, aged 55, born at Nutley and working as a farm labourer), Mary A Ellis (wife, aged 44, born at Lindfield) and their children: Searles Ellis (a 22 year old soldier born at Maresfield), John Ellis and William Ellis aged 15 (born in Chailey and also working as a farm labourer).

The family appears to have lived at Chailey for some time and are noted on the 1891 census living at South Street in the village.  By the time the First World War was declared however, I think the family had moved away from Chailey.  John is not mentioned in the parish magazine (although his brother William is). 

 

In 1907, John married Florence Eveling Welch. Their union was registered in the Uckfield District in the third quarter of 1907. Their son Jack was born in 1908, followed by daughter Florrie was in 1911, and baby Eveling (date unknown).

 

John's number belongs to the series issued by the Sportsmen's Battalions (the 23rd and 24th Battalions, Royal Fusiliers, and the 30th (Reserve) Battalion which was a reserve battalion for the 23rd and 24th). It dates to June 1916 and so presumably he initially joined one of these battalions - probably the 30th - and was subsequently posted to the 11th Battalion.

John Ellis was killed in action on 10th August 1917 when the 18th Division attacked towards Glencorse Wood and Inverness Copse during what would later be designated the Third Battle of Ypres or the Battle of Passchendaele.  The following passages are taken from the History of the 18th Division:

“One almost smiles now to recall the programme set the 18th Division on that 10th August.  Gains that needed weeks were expected to be gathered in a few hours.

“If we turn to Glencorse Wood and the 54^th Brigade we see that the [7th] Bedfords were asked to take defences in front of the wood, and then to fight their way through it and up to the edge of Nonne Boschen Wood beyond.  That meant crossing a morass littered with derelict, semi-submerged tanks – in one of which a German sniper had been caught the previous day – and dealing with a row of pill-boxes, ten of them, standing up at the south west corner of the wood. The Bedfords, with the Fusiliers on their right, formed up near the Hooge-Menin Road.  The two battalions stretched across a front of about 750 yards.

“At 4.35am the assaulting companies went over the top unobserved by the enemy.  Never have the Bedfords shown finer dash… at 5.13am a message was received at 54th Brigade Headquarters that the Bedfords were on their final objective.”

 

The 11th Royal Fusiliers however, were “in difficulties”.

“Portions of the two attacking companies reached the objective, but a gap of 300 yards divided the battalion from the Bedfords further north.  The right reached Fitzclarence Farm but could not get in touch with the 55th Brigade.  By 6am all the Fusiliers’ officers had fallen.

“Preceded by parties bombing up Jargon Trench and other trenches between the two woods, the Germans launched a counter attack from Inverness Copse.  Their machine-guns forced the Fusiliers back, and, under orders from the 54th Brigade, the battalion took a line on the ridge in front of Clapham Junction.  The idea was that they should join up with the 55th Brigade then consolidating Green Jacket Ride.  Reinforced by a company of the 12th Middlesex Regiment, the Fusiliers held this line until relieved.”

Five DCMs were awarded to 11th Royal Fusiliers’ NCOs that day for their skill in “shepherding officerless companies and rallying waverers to new and amazing resistance to the weight of the outnumbering Germans.”

Between 31st July and 10th August, the 18th Division lost 244 men killed, 1,106 wounded and 176 missing.  Soldiers Died in The Great War (SDGW) records that 103 Other Ranks from the 11th Royal Fusiliers died this day, to say nothing of those who would die of wounds later.  Officers Died in The Great War records that ten officers from the battalion also fell that day. John's entry on the British war and Victory Medal roll notes "D P 10-8-17" or "Death Presumed" so he was obviously posted as missing initially.

John Ellis is commemorated on the Menin Gate in Ypres.  SDGW states that he enlisted at Uckfield and was living at Piltdown, while The Commonwealth War Graves Commission gives the additional information that he was the son of the late Henry Ellis and the husband of Florence Eveling Ellis, of 2, Stone Croft Cottages, Piltdown, Uckfield, Sussex.

 

 

The photos on this page are courtesy of John Ellis's granddaughter Sonia and show John in uniform; also his wife Florence Eveling Ellis and their three children, from left, Florrie, Eveling and Jack.

 

As well as being commemorated in Belgium, John's name also appears on the war memorial at Fletching.

G/2658 Pte George Cheeseman, Royal Fusiliers

George Cheeseman appears on the 1901 census of England and Wales as a six year old living with his family at South Street, Chailey. The household comprised Julian Cheeseman (head, a 36 year old Chailey-born farmer), his wife Mary Jane Cheeseman (also aged 36, born in Glyndebourne) and their four children: Julian Cheeseman (aged 11), Flora Cheeseman (aged nine), George, and Laura Cheeseman (aged one). All four children had been born in Chailey.

There were also at least two other children. The 1891 census notes five year old Catherine Annie Cheesman [sic] and her three year old sister, Mabel Ellen Cheesman [sic]. Mabel Ellen appears on the 1901 census working as a general domestic servant at the home of William Parks in Chailey Village but I have been unable to trace her older sister. George’s brother Julian is recorded on the 1901 census as being blind but there is no mention of this disability on the 1891 census.

Soldiers Died in The Great War tells us that George Cheeseman enlisted with the Royal Fusiliers in Hounslow, Middlesex and gave his place of residence as Brighton. He was given the number G/2658 and posted to the 2nd Battalion.

Chailey Parish Magazine first mentions him in October 1915, noting that he is serving in the Dardanelles but in actual fact he had already been dead for at least three months by the time this information appeared. He was killed in action on 28th June 1915 aged 21. His body was never identified and he is commemorated on panel 8 of the Helles Memorial. Chailey Parish Magazine records him as missing in its January – April 1916 issues but includes him in its roll of honour published in May 1916. The magazine states that Cheeseman died of wounds and gives his date of death (incorrectly) as 14th June 1915. In November 1916 the parish magazine adds that George Cheeseman was Mentioned in Despatches whilst in Egypt.

The Commonwealth War Graves’ Commission adds the additional information that he was the son of Mary J Harding (formerly Cheeseman), of 1 Aberdeen Road, Brighton, and the late Julian Cheeseman.

Medal index card courtesy of Ancestry.