The book of heroes

Earlier this year, Anne published the results of her brilliant detective work in a book, Witton Warriors. All died on the Western Front, on or around the Somme killing fields. All have deeply moving personal stories.

Sadler G. Capt.
Dragoon Guards
First name: Gerard
Died: November 1, 1914
Age: 33

THE First World War was undiscriminating in its slaughter.

Capt Sadler was the fifth son of the wealthy Sir Samuel Sadler, and his wife Lady Mercy, who was a manufacturing chemist and colliery owner. But he was the first Witton warrior to die.

He’d spent a decade in the Army, fighting in the Boer War, before retiring in 1911 and spending most of the next three years comfortably cruising round the world with his new wife, Phoebe.

They settled in Witton-le-Wear in 1914, probably because Sir Samuel owned the nearby Etherley Colliery and Gerard was to manage his inheritance.

War intervened. Gerard, and his brother Hereward, volunteered immediately and were sent with the 3rd Dragoon Guards to the Somme. Two months later, both brothers were involved in heavy fighting near Passchendaele.

Gerard was discovered lying, with his men, wounded, in a bomb crater in no man’s land. When the stretcher-bearers arrived, he insisted they should carry off his men first.

They returned for the captain, only to find he’d disappeared: captured by the Germans.

Herewald took charge of the remains of Gerard’s squadron, not knowing the fate of his brother.

Gerard died while in enemy hands.

His body was never recovered.

McGuire H. Lieut.
Royal Engineers
Probably: Henry Maguire
Died: July 15, 1916
Age: 32

DESPITE the name on the plaque, there is no record of a Lt H McGuire of the Royal Engineers dying during the First World War.

However, Anne discovered a 2nd Lt Henry Maguire, of the Engineers, who died of his wounds near Mametz, on the Somme.

He, though, was born in Belfast. Anne found him on the 1911 census living with his Roman Catholic parents in Duncairn, County Antrim.

The census return is handwritten.

The place of birth of his mother, Mary, could be “Co Dublin”. Or, just as easily, it could be “Co Durham”.

If Mary were a daughter of Durham, perhaps a relative in Witton-leWear and wanted the sacrifice of this son of Durham commemorated in the old homeland.

Randall BA. Corp.
Northumberland Fusiliers
First names: Bertram Arthur
Died: December 1, 1917
Age: 30

"BERTIE” was born in Cardiff in 1887 but by the time of the 1911 census was stationed with the Northumberland Fusiliers in the Newcastle barracks.

On Christmas Day 1915, in Witton-le-Wear church, he married Edith Pegg, a sewing maid from Lincolnshire. How they met, no one knows; why Witton-le-Wear, no one knows.

No honeymoon, Bertie returned to the Somme. He survived until late 1917, dying of wounds received near Cambrai.

The sad news was communicated to his widow at 11, West End, Witton-le-Wear.

What became of her, no one knows.

Allinson W. Pte.
Durham Light Infantry
First name: William
Died: September 25, 1916
Age: 34 

IN MEMORIAM: the plaque

BORN in Masham, William settled with his wife, Caroline, in High Bondgate, Bishop Auckland, where he was variously employed as a mechanic and a watch and clock repairer.

He survived a year on the Western Front with the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (the plaque ascribes the wrong regiment to him) before he was reported missing, presumed killed in action. His body was never recovered.

Caroline received official notification at her new home in Wear Terrace, Witton-le-Wear, more than a month later. Her five fatherless children were aged between four and 15.

Hall FW. Pte.
King’s Royal Rifles
First names: Frederick William
Died: March 23, 1918
Age: 22

RIFLEMAN Hall was a Bishop Auckland lad, but a family split caused him to grow up with his grandmother, Eleanor Burns, of Victoria House, Witton-le-Wear.

He worked as a North Eastern Railway clerk before joining the Rifle Corps in 1915. He lasted two years and 11 days fighting on the Continent, and was killed on the Somme in the Germans’ final offensive. His body was never recovered.

Hogg E. Pte.
East Yorks Regiment
First name: Edward
Died: July 7, 1915
Age: 42

THE oldest of the Witton warriors, Edward was born in Richmond and moved to Weardale to quarry limestone.

When war broke out, he and his wife, Jane, lived in Cemetery Bank, Witton-le-Wear, and as a DLI reservist, he was called up immediately.

On March 21, 1915, he was serving at Boulogne when Jane in Witton gave birth to his daughter, Mary.

On April 16, he was hospitalised, suffering from myalgia – a muscle pain. Could this have been an attempt to win some paternity leave to see his newborn?

On April 24, he was back in the trenches at Poperinge, near Ypres, where the DLI was embroiled in heavy fighting. On July 11, he was wounded and sent back to Boulogne hospital.

On July 17, Infantry Headquarters at York received a telegram from Boulogne saying he was “Dangerously ill. GSW head. Inform relatives.”

Next day, HQ received a second telegram. The “GSW head” – gunshot wound head – had proved fatal. “Inform relatives.”

On July 24, Jane received notification that she was to be paid a war widow’s pension of 23 shillings a week. It included payment for her children until they reached the age of 16.

For baby Mary, who never saw her father, that was 16 years away.

Langstaff H. Pte.
Durham Light Infantry
First name: Harry
Died: November 3, 1918
Age: 22

HARRY’S ancestors had lived in Witton-le-Wear for 500 years. He attended the village primary school and Wolsingham Grammar, and started work at 17 in the family sawmill. He enlisted in the DLI reserve on December 8, 1915, and was called for active service on May 23, 1918.

He received gunshot wounds to his right leg on October 29, 1918, but the following day a sister in Rouen General Hospital wrote to his mother, Mary, in Laburnum House, that his leg had been successfully amputated.

A week later, the sister wrote again, saying that on November 3, he had collapsed of heart failure and died.

“No one ever heard him complain,” she noted.

His possessions were returned to his mother in 1919: “Bible, gospel, cigarette case, court mirror, watch strap and protector, snuff box, razor, prayer book, 3 badges, pencil, 3 buttons, belt, handkerchief, letters, card, purse, 2 telegrams, French book, regimental card, wallet.”

Like most Wolsingham Grammar fatalities, he has an oak tree in the school grounds in his memory.

Scott G. Pte.
South Lancs Regiment
First name: George Scott
Died: September 25, 1918
Age: 21

GEORGE was born in Teesdale into a leadmining family, but when he enlisted in 1914, his family were living in Institute House, Witton-leWear.

He was gassed once and wounded twice on the Western Front before being killed near Messines.

When the village Welcome Home Fund offered his mother, Mary, a small gift in his memory, she chose a clock, which is still in the family’s possession.

Smith A. Pte.
Army Service Corps

THERE were 36 A Smiths who died in the Army Service Corps. Four were from County Durham, but none had obvious links to the village. There are several inaccuracies on the plaque, so he could be one of 1,548 A Smiths who died while serving in the Army in the First World War. Anne has searched the haystack for the needle with a Witton-leWear link, but has yet to find her man. So A is for Anonymous, a soldier of the Great War.

Stobbs T. Pte.
Coldstream Guards
First name: Thomas
Died: February 11, 1919
Age: 29 
Born in Wolsingham

THOMAS’ father died when he was 21. The outbreak of the war found him labouring at Langstaffe’s timber yard in Witton-le-Wear, supporting his mother and four younger siblings who lived in Wear Terrace.

They must have been near the Allinson family (see above); his boss must have been Harry (also see above). Thomas’ military service is hazy, but he clearly survived the war. At the end of 1918, he marched with the 3rd Battalion from northern France through Belgium to Cologne in Germany. In late January, they marched back again, on their way home to be demobbed.

How there must have been joy in Wear Terrace at the news.

However, as he marched back through Belgium, Thomas was taken ill – possibly by the influenza pandemic, which killed more people than the fighting.

He is buried in a war grave in a civilian cemetery in Edingen.

ANNE YUILL’S book tells the stories of the 50 villagers who fought in the war, including another four who died and are commemorated on headstones in the churchyard but who are not recorded on the shiney brass war memorial.

Witton Warriors has been distributed free to every house in the village, courtesy of a grant from County Councillor Anita Savory’s neighbourhood budget.

To outsiders, its retail price is £9.50, but it can currently be purchased for £5 from the village’s Dun Cow pub and the church. Or email kanda98@sky.com for further details (postage is £1.60).