• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

My Grandad - Ernest William HOWSE

  • Thread starter Thread starter eManUfanGran
  • Start date Start date
E

eManUfanGran

Guest
New to this, so here goes!
My grandad died before I was born and apparently never talked about the war so I was wondering if anyone may have any info or photos which might help me to understand please.
I know that he was in the 14th Battalion i.e Birmingham Pals and that he was transferred from the Worcestershire Regiment presumably after the 1st July (Somme) 1916?
I found that confusing knowing that he lived in Bristo,l but a friend managed to work this out from his cap badge.
I can't find any info about his time in the Worcs,
I'd be very grateful for any info,

TIA!
 
Hi
Ernest William Howse B1892
If you have access to Ancestry there are service papers for who I believe is him. 13th Battalion Worcester regiment, attested 8.4.1914 transferred to Royal Warwickshire regiment 7.8.1916. Reg no 24731
residence 2 Millbrook Cottages, Sydney Road, Bedminster, Bristol.

Suzanne
 
That was quick!
Thanks Suzanne, that definitely is his address.
I don't have access to Ancestry at the moment.
Would that mean that he was a regular or TA if he was attested before WW1 started? And I'm assuming that he was transferred because of losses in the Pals?
 
Hi there

One of the military experts on here will best advise you regarding his army status. There is a wealth of information in his service records and for this you are very fortunate as a lot did not survive. So although you never knew him at least part of his life is documented for you. There is his marriage details and children born to him. If I remember from looking though the records quickly he was wounded at least once and there was mention of shell shock.

Anyway I am sure someone on here will help with the military details and possible download some records for you as I am unable to do it for some reason.

Best of luck
Suzanne
 
Thanks anyway Suzanne.
I do know that he had 17 children - most of whom survived!
 
I have had a look at his service papers and to be honest a lot of it is quite hard to read and there is also info regarding being AWOL at the end of the war and being sent back to France under escort in early 1919.

He attested for service on 10 December 1915, whilst living in Bristol. It seems he enlisted under what was known at the time as the 'Derby Scheme'. Which meant that you put your name down to join the army, but was not called up untill needed.

He was called up on 8 April 1916 and put into the 13th Worcester Bn. This was a reserve battalion on home service used to top up the battalions on active service.

He was posted to the 14th Bn The Royal Warwickshire Regt on 7 August 1916, which was the same day he embarked for France.

He joined the 14th Warwicks for duty on 10 August 1916.

The battalion with the rest of the 5th Infantry Division was out of the line in a back area of France having taken severe casualties during the latter half of July during the battle of the Somme. The 14th Warwicks suffered 485 casualties (205 of whom were killed) on the evening of 22 July 1916 on a German trench line known as 'Wood Lane' near High Wood.

The 5th Division including the 14th Warwicks went back to the Somme Front at the end of August, 1916. and moved up to the front line opposite a German strongpoint known as 'Falfemont Farm' just south of the village of Guillemont. On the 3 September, 1916, the 14th were in an attack on German trenches in the vicinity of Wedge Wood and Pt E W Howse was posted as 'Missing', but, as his service papers tell us, next day, 4 September, he was found at the 14th Corps Collecting Station suffering from Shell Shock and a sprained ankle. After treatment he rejoined the 14th Warwicks on 16 September, 1916. The battalion was in action again on 25 September at the Battle of Morval, which is another village on the Somme.

His papers also indicate he was wounded another twice in 1917 both times with Gun Shot Wounds to leg/Knee, but it is very hard to read the papers. Gun Shot wounds was another term for being hit by shrapnell.

In 1918 he suffered a bout of PUO which was quite common in the trenches it was also known as 'Trench Fever'

The 14th Royal Warwicks or the 1st Birmingham Bn. was raised in September, 1914, from the non-manual workers of the City. But on that fateful night of 22 July, 1916, when it was decimated, it was brought back to strength using men from all parts of the UK.

Regards

Terry
 
Thank you so much for the info Terry.

Poor devil, no wonder he died relatively young. I know he had respiratory problems from gas.

Going AWOL is strange, would he have been punished for this?

Once again, many thanks!
 
His wife wasn't so lucky with all those mouths to feed!

I'm surprised they bothered if it was the end of hostlities.
 
He was lucky it was close to the end TIA... if it had been earlier he could quite possibly have been 'Shot At Dawn'... It's not just a saying it really happened to many who really only needed some rest and counseling after the horrific sights and actions they'd seen and taken part in.
My Granddad who was a Seaman Engineer 1st Class had his pension stopped completely for going AWOL for the birth of my Mother in 1917 . He had been in the Royal Navy since 1911 and had been married since 1912 with one other daughter born before the war started. He even apployed to have it reinstated in 1920 when he was very ill and another child was on the way and was refused, he died before my Aunt was born and the family were put in 'The Workhouse' until my Gran could prove she was able to take care of herself and the three girls on her own means.
 
I've been thinking about my grandmother - I didn't get to meet her either, they died within months of each other - a lot recently. I hadn't really considered the effect of the war on loved ones so much.
Presumably she received a telegram stating that he was "Missing" and then the financial and emotional problems that she must have endured.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top