THE FIRST WORLD WAR SERVICE RECORDS OF GOOLE AND DISTRICT MEN AND WOMEN

Last weekend the Find My Past web site had a 'free access' policy allowing people to access a large number of records for no charge.

Given that this site has many records not available on Ancestry, Chris took the opportunity to take a look for any records regarding Goole men which the Group didn't already have, mainly concentrating on the 452 men named upon the Cenotaph. Detailed below is a summary of all of the records found to date.

As a result of research that started 9-and a half years ago, the Group now have 100 service records relating to some of those men named; this breaks down as 81 Army (including those men who served with Australian, New Zealand and Canadian Forces) and the Royal Flying Corps/Royal Air Force; and 18 who served with the Royal Navy, Royal Marine and Royal Naval Division - in addition to this number is the record of William Henry Dean, who had served briefly with the Royal Engineers but being deemed 'unlikely to make an efficient soldier' he was discharged, going back to sea, and eventually to HM Drifter 'Spotless Prince' upon which he lost his life on 26th October 1916. Two of the records relate the 'other ranks' service of two men who were later Commissioned (for some reason these pages were not included within their 'new' record when they completed Officer Training).

All of the above records, except seven of them, are also accompanied by the relevant Medal Roll pages detailing the medals awarded to each man for his service. The seven who are not named within the medal rolls didn't serve abroad during their time of service - three had already been discharged, with two of them, Charles Richard Marshall and George Dennison dying on dates that have yet to be ascertained.

Even without a service record, details are contained within the medal rolls of men who arrived in France, Egypt (some being bound for Gallipoli), or the Balkans throughout the latter part of 1914 and all of 1915. Further details are recorded for those men who had served with other units prior to the one with which they were serving when they lost their lives.

With regards to those who served with the Army (and RFC/RAF) records that give the amount of pension paid to next-of-kin are found within the 'Register of Soldier's Effects'. The weekly amount paid was based on rank, marriage and any children. All of these records also bear another amount paid in 1919 - a 'War Gratuity' payment, this being a 'one-off' payment again based on the criteria above. Most of the men for whom service records and medal rolls have been found also have these pages accompanying them - though three would appear to have either been lost or misidentified.

An opportunity to further research men named on the Cenotaph but about which no information regarding any service during the First World War had so far been located was also taken; this has led to one very intriguing story.

Within the Goole Times' 1916 Almanac is the following entry, 'Stephen Jos. Kelly, Swinefleet, seaman in the Royal Navy'. Within the 1917 'Roll of Honour' booklet is this, 'S.J. Kelly, Swinefleet, Seaman, RN.; died from pneumonia'; and within a list of fallen men from Goole, nearly all of whom being named on the Cenotaph, that was printed in the Goole Times on 28th November 1919 is this entry, 'Stephen Joseph Kelly (HMS Pembroke)'.

Among the records for Goole who men who served with the Royal Navy is a record for one Stephen Kelly, which shows that he was born in Goole on 15th January 1894. On 10th March 1914 he enlists in the Royal Navy, stating that he wants to serve for 12 years, assigned to HMS Pembroke as a Stoker Class II. On 17th April 1914 it is recorded under 'If discharged, whither and for what cause' as 'DD' - 'Discharged Death'. Stephen had been admitted to Chatham Hospital with Broncho Pneumonia. Is this record related to the 'Kelly SJ' named on the towns' Cenotaph? Stephen's name is also included on a Chancel Screen within Swinefleet Chapel that lists Swinefleet men who had fallen during the Great War - though his name is not recorded on Swinefleet Memorial.

Unfortunately at the time of writing there are 16 men who are named upon the plaques on the Cenotaph which bear the names of the fallen from Goole about whom no information has been found. All of these men are named with the Goole Times edition of 28th November 1919 under the headings Royal Navy and RND; Army; and Mercantile Marine, but even with this information details as to their individual service and deaths remain elusive.

Similar endeavours to look for records regarding those men who had some association to Goole who also lost their lives but who aren't named on the Cenotaph is continuing. Why weren't they named on the Cenotaph? This was, and still is, solely down to the preference of the family concerned. This particular list currently contains 309 men, some of whom spent their whole lives within the town prior to serving (Fred and Arthur Moody, both Mercantile Mariners; Fred enlisting in the Australian Imperial Force, killed at Gallipoli; Arthur aboard s.s. Duckbridge, lost off north Scottish coast), while for others their only connection to Goole is that they formerly worked within the town (as did Clifford Riley, ex Master, Goole Secondary School, killed 1st July 1916) or that they enlisted within the town.

What of those men who survived their time within the Forces, either being placed on the 'Reserve' and liable for a return to service should the Armistice fail, or who were discharged owing to wounds. To date 399 records, from the barest detail (name listed within the London Gazette announcing the award of the Military Medal, for example) through to full service histories have been found. As with the service records detailed above, it is hoped within time to have each of these records interpreted so that other people can read the details of the men, and women, from Goole who served with distinction and courage during the 'Great War'.

It isn't just Goole though that the Goole First World War Research Group is looking at in terms of those men who enlisted. A great deal of work has been done by one of its members, Alan Dodsworth, in researching the men of the Marshland villages (Swinefleet, Reedness, Whitgift, Adlingfleet and Eastoft). Having a smaller number of men and records to deal with, Alan's work also includes more family background information (from the Census records), as well as the Wills filled in by the men, detailing to whom their belongings, and in some cases, to whom the pensions payable on behalf of their service should be paid to - more often than not named within the 'Register of Soldier's Effects'.

One final question - what remains to be found? The easy answer would be 'don't know'. There is no general index on what records survive, it is only when a search is conducted that records regarding the men of Goole and District come to light. Chris compares it to a jigsaw - "Imagine a jigsaw to which you have no picture to work with, you don't know how big it is and you don't know how many pieces there are when it's finished."

Inland Waterways Transport, Royal Engineers 1916 Football Team Photograph

Very recently a picture of a Royal Engineers football team, pictured in France during 1916, was published within the pages of the Goole Times. The accompanying information mentioned that a man named Matthew Glaves, of Goole, was within the picture and that he, along with his four brothers served in the Army during the First World War.

Matthew’s brothers were Ernest, George, Wilfred and Ambrose – Matthew being the ‘middle’ one.

The following information has been extracted by Chris Laidler, from three Services Records that have survived the years since the ‘Great War’.

 

Matthew enlisted on 8^th Dec 1915, being assigned to the Inland Waterways Transport, Royal Engineers, as No. 156928. Upon his attestation form he gives his home address as 16 Widop Street and that he was employed as a coal trimmer on the docks. Aged 26 years and 11 months he gives his next-of-kin as his wife, Mary Ann (nee Barlow) whom he married in April 1911, as well as naming his children – Annie Mary (b. June 1913) and Ambrose Leslie (b. Dec 1915 – days after he enlisted).

 

After his initial training he was ‘mobilised’ on 3^rd April 1916 and posted to I.W.T., R.E. Ten days later he is appointed to the rank of Sapper. From 11^th Aug Matthew was raised to the ‘Superior’ rate of ‘Engineer Pay’ meaning an extra 1s 8d per day; and from 11^th Feb 1917 as ‘Very Superior’ and granted 2s. (This money would be in addition to his normal rate of pay of 1s 2d per day.)

 

Matthew left England for France on 10^th May 1916, and arriving the next day he was immediately posted to his unit. On 6^th June he was admitted to hospital – cause not recorded, rejoining his unit two weeks later.

 

At some point Matthew was granted leave to the UK, but he was to lose 14 days’ pay after overstaying his leave pass by 24 hours, reporting at 4pm on 18^th October.

 

Matthew was admitted to 5^th Stationary Hospital, St. Omer on 10^th Nov 1917 suffering from severe appendicitis; permission for Mary Ann to visit him being refused. The date on which he left hospital is not entirely readable but during the latter half of Jan 1918. He was again admitted to hospital on two other separate occasions – 16^th Dec for 8 days; and 2^nd Aug 1919 for about ten days, neither the hospitals or the reasons for both admittances’ being recorded.

 

Sometime during 1918 he is allocated a new regimental number – 509309, and it is with this number he is discharged on 21st Sept 1919 at the RE Depot, Chatham. At a medical examination taken six days earlier he claims to be ‘not suffering from any disability due to my military service’.

 

Matthew Glaves seated middle row, second left.
(Picture courtesy of Dave Roe)


Matthew gives his address on discharge as 31 Elsie Street; he is still there in July 1922 when his British War and Victory Medals are sent to him.
 

Ernest enlisted on the same day as Matthew, giving his home address as that of his father Tom – 3 Widop Street, whom he also names as his next-of-kin. Aged 33 years and 11 months he states his trade as ‘Seaman’.

 

Like his younger brother he too is assigned to I.W.T., R.E., as No. 149676. Mobilised on 27^th Jan 1916 he is promoted to the rank of Sapper four days later. He left England on 9^th March, joining his unit upon his arrival in France.

 

On 27^th April he is appointed (and paid) as a Lance-Corporal; in mid-October 1917 he is appointed as Acting/2^nd Cpl. In early 1918 he is assigned a new regimental number – 501905. In Oct 1918 Ernest is subsequently promoted to the rank of Corporal.

 

From 27^th Aug 1918 Ernest is granted 14 days leave to the UK. About three months after his return to France he is admitted to hospital in mid-October; where he stays for nearly three weeks. After being discharged he is sent to 12^th Command Depot, thence to ‘J’ Infantry Base Depot, from where he       re-joins his unit on 17^th Dec.

 

At some point during early 1919 Ernest is granted a further 14 day period of leave to the UK, being back in France before 23^rd April when he is again admitted to hospital – no cause given; he is returned to the UK aboard the Ambulance Ship ‘Brighton’, arriving on 4^th June.; being admitted at some point to Kitchener’s Military Hospital, Brighton.

 

Having served for 3 years 193 days Ernest is discharged from the Army on 7^th Aug 1919. Upon discharge he is assessed as having 30% disability due to bronchitis, being ‘attributable to Service’ and a weekly pension of 9s was to be paid from 8^th Aug, which was to be reviewed after 26 weeks.

 

Ernest states his intended residence as his former home in Widop Street; but by the time his medals are awarded in July 1922 he is living at 16 Marlboro’ Avenue.

 

On 11^th Dec 1915, Wilfred enlisted, just like his brothers at Goole, and like them he is posted to Inland Waterways Transport, Royal Engineers, as No. 149715. He too gives his home address as 3 Widop Street, his age as 25 years 2 months and that he was employed as a (locomotive) cleaner. No date is given as to his eventual transfer to the Railway Company, R.E.

 

Wilfred was ‘mobilised’ on 31^st Jan 1916, being appointed to the rank of Sapper that same day. On 20^th March he is posted to the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, embarking at Falmouth three days later; disembarking at Corfu on 14^th April – departing on 1^st May for Greece. Wilfred’ stay in Greece is brief being returned home from Salonika on 30^th May.

 

Subsequently based at Sandwich Camp Wilfred is ‘admonished’ for overstaying his pass, having being recalled by telegram for leave to expire midnight Sunday 2 July, and being absent for 18 hours. Penalty imposed by 2 Lt RG Wright, OC B Coy being loss of pay for 2 days.

 

On 23^rd Aug Wilfred is informed in Part II Orders that he is rated for ‘Engineer Pay’ of 2s per day, being payable from 28^th. On 5^th March 1917 Wilfred is admitted to hospital having had a football kicked in to his face and displacing his septum, being released to his unit seven days later.

 

Wilfred again leaves the UK on 29^th June 1917, bound for France, arriving the following day. In early 1918 Wilfred is assigned a new regimental number – 501925.

 

After having a period of leave (to the UK) in March 1919, Wilfred seems to have spent some time away from his unit, rejoining 282 Railway Company R.E. on 26^th May. On 3^rd Sept he returns to the UK, being discharged on 4^th October 1919, whereupon Wilfred gives his address 3 Widop Street.

 

Wilfred signs for his British War and Victory Medals on 6^th July 1922, though no address is given.

 

Despite the good fortune that all five of the Glaves brothers' survived the War, due to the fact that a lot of records were lost during WW2, it has been unable at the time of writing to determine the units that George and Ambrose served with, but looking at the details of those that have survived it would appear that these two men’s records have been lost.