Edward’s vessel torpedoed by German submarine
Greatest single loss of life in the Irish Sea
THROUGHOUT the centenary of the First World War, we have been remembering the soldiers from the Loughborough area who lost their lives while serving their country. Here, with the help of Marigold Cleeve and a small number of researchers from the Loughborough Carillon Tower and War Memorial Museum, we look back at more of those who made the ultimate sacrifice in October 1918.
Edwin Angrave was born in Nanpantan, Leicestershire, in the spring of 1880.
He was the son of George Angrave, a framework knitter, and his wife Sarah (née Bland) who were married in Loughborough in 1871.
Edwin had three brothers Ernest, Alfred and George Charles and one sister Mary. Another sister Kate died in infancy.
The Angrave family lived in Forest Road, Nanpantan.
On 21st April 1900 Edwin, now aged 20 and a labourer, enlisted in the Volunteer Company of the Leicestershire Regiment for service in the 2nd Boer War.
He was sent to join the 1st Battalion of the Leicestershire Regiment in South Africa on 11th May 1900.
When Edwin arrived in South Africa the Ist Leicesters, after the relief of Ladysmith, had been moved north by Sir Redvers Buller, and were brigaded with the 1st Liverpool, 1st Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, and 1st King’s Royal Rifles.
The battalion took part in the operations that carried the war into the Orange Free State, and the Transvaal, and was present at the storming of Laing’s Nek and the capture of Amersfort, Ermelo and Belfast, and in the operations around Lyndenberg. For a long time prior to the close of the war they occupied blockhouses on the Standerton-Ermelo road.
Edwin returned to England on 25th May 1901 and was awarded the Queen’s South Africa Medal with clasps for Cape Colony and the Transvaal. He was discharged from service on 30th May 1901.
By 1911 Edwin was employed as a gardener and lodging with a widow Susannah Whiles in Main Street, Woodhouse Eaves.
When war broke out in 1914 he reenlisted and joined the 1/5th Battalion of the Leicestershire Regiment as Lance Corporal 2011, later renumbered as 240358.
The date on which Edwin was promoted to Company Sergeant Major is unknown as his First World War service papers have not survived.
The 1/5th Battalion was based at Bishops Stortford in November 1914 but was soon moved to Luton to practise marching and night work.
On 25th February 1915 they were ordered to entrain at Harlow for Southampton. They landed at Le Havre three days later. They went by train to St. Omer, and then marched to Hardifort. The battalion spent the first few months in France in the Armentières sector, training and doing tours in the trenches.
In June they moved to the Salient, near Zillebeke and Ouderdom, where they remained until the beginning of October when they were ordered to move towards Loos.
From July to September 1915 the battalion remained in the area of Zillebeeke and Ouderdom, before moving to Hesdigneul-lès-Béthune in October, La Couture in November and Merville and Thienne in December.
On 12th October 1915 the battalion travelled to the Hohenzollern Redoubt, arriving in Vermelles at 10.00pm. They spent the next eight hours in communication trenches.
On 13th October 1915 during the attack on the Redoubt, part of the final stages of the Battle of Loos, the 1/5th Battalion was in reserve until just after midday, when they ‘went over the top’ and came under intense machine gun fire.
January 1916 was taken up with a potential move of Fergus’ battalion to Egypt which was aborted at Marseilles, the battalion being returned to Candas, and the area of Vimy Ridge.
In mid-February 1916 the 1/5th Battalion took over the line north of the River Ancre opposite Beaumont-Hamel. On 29th February the battalion moved to the area of Doullens where the men worked on improving the trenches despite being subjected to a considerable bombardment from the enemy with mines and craters being blown.
From 9th March 1916 the 1/5th Leicesters were in the area of Vimy Ridge, Pas de Calais, either in the front line, in support, in reserve or at rest.
On 27th April the battalion was sent to the neighbourhood of Neuville St. Vaast to work with the French and English tunnellers and then to billets in Luchaux for bayonet training. This was followed by a period at Souastre digging cable trenches, and constructing bomb stores and gun pits in preparation for a ‘big push’.
On 4th June 1916 the battalion was moved up to trenches near Gommecourt. This was followed by further training at Warlincourt. On 30th June the battalion assembled in a trench near Foncquevillers Church ready for the diversionary attack at Gommecourt on the first day of the Somme Offensive planned for 1st July.
On 1st July 1916 the 46th Division of the Army, of which the 1/5th Leicesters were part, had 2445 casualties at Gommecourt. On 7th July they relieved the 4th Lincolnshires in the trenches opposite Essarts-lès-Bucquoy.
The battalion remained in the area of Monchy-au-Bois until 29th October, either in the trenches or resting at Bienvillers or Pommier. The battalion’s next move was to Millencourt for intensive battle training, returning to Halloy and then Souastre at the beginning of December.
The battalion remained at Souastre until 11th March 1917 and then moved once more up to the line taking over 2,600 yards of frontage from the La Brayelle road to the Hannescamps-Monchy road.
On 17th March they moved into Gommecourt for road mending before moving to Bertrancourt, Raincheval and then Rainvillers not far from Amiens.
On 28th March the battalion marched to Saleux, entrained for Lillers in the north, and marched to Laires. Training took place until 13th April and continued for three further days at Manqueville, after which the battalion moved to the western outskirts of Lens.
From there they marched to Bully-Grenay and went into the front line trenches where they were heavily shelled. On 29th April the battalion went into rest billets in cellars at Cité St. Pierre until 3rd May when they went into support trenches.
On 8th they went into billets at Fosse 10 near Petit Sains for training and on 12th into reserve at Angres. Further trench tours south-west of Lens followed until 26th May when the battalion went into billets at Marqueffles Farm for training in bayonet fighting and bombardment and to practise methods of attack. On 6th June the battalion was back in the line and on 8th June went into the attack, suffering 96 casualties.
Apart from two breaks at Red Mill from 9th-13th and 18th-20th June the battalion was in the trenches until 22nd June.
On 21st June C Coy was accidentally gassed by the Royal Engineers, resulting in 94 casualties of whom 22 died. Back at Marqueffles Farm from 22nd the battalion had Lewis gun and signalling classes as well as attack training over a flagged course.
On 27th June the battalion moved up to the line ready to attack on the following day.
As they climbed out of the trenches on 28th June they met with the inevitable machine gun fire and over the next two days 60 Ordinary Ranks were killed.
Relieved from the trenches at Lievin on 3rd July the battalion moved to Monchy-Breton for reorgani- sation and training until 22nd July when they moved to Vaudricourt before going into the line at Hulluch until 28th July.
After respite at Noeux-lesMines the battalion was at Fouquières until 14th August, practising for an attack. Moving to Noyelles the battalion went into the trenches on 15th August and carried out a raid on the German trenches at Hulluch on the night of the 16th/17th August. After a break at Noyelles for training the battalion returned to the trenches.
The end of August was spent at Philosophe, providing carrying parties.
During September, October and early November 1917 the battalion completed six trench tours at St. Elie, with breaks at Fouquières and Philosophe.
During one tour the battalion was visited by a Mr. Wilkes of the Leicester Mail. ‘attired in a grey suit, steel helmet and box respirator’.
On 14th November the battalion moved to Mazingarbe for a trench tour in the Hill 70 sector. November ended with the battalion billeted at Verquin, Vaudricourt and Drouvin for training and a battle rehearsal.
Three more trench tours took place in December, this time in the Cambrin right sector where there were a number of very heavy bombardments and gas attacks by the enemy.
New Year’s Day 1918 was marked by another heavy bombardment on the battalion’s trenches near Hulluch. During early January when away from the front line the battalion also provided wire carrying parties and working parties.
On 20th January the battalion began a four-day transfer by march to Chocques. Between 24th January and 28th February the battalion was in training at Chocques, Allouagne, Fiefs, and Reclinghem.
Between 28th February and 2nd March the battalion moved via Delettes and Ligny-lès-Aire to Ecquedecques where inspections took place. On 6th March they went into Brigade support on the AnnequinCambrin road, at Annequin Fosse and at Sailly-Labourse.
On 8th they marched to the front line trenches in the Cambrin right sub-sector where, until 15th March, they experienced considerable enemy shelling.
After moving into Brigade reserve at Sailly-Labourse, Factory dugouts, Windy Corner and Central Keep on 16th they were again shelled by the enemy.
On 20th March the battalion went into Divisional reserve at Beuvry. On 24th March they returned to the Cambrin right sub-sector trenches (now renamed the Hohenzollern sector) where all available men were employed at night on wiring.
After a break at SaillyLabourse the battalion marched to Fosse 7 and into Hill 70 Support on 28th March. Two companies moved up to the front line on 1st April and inter-company reliefs took place on 5th April.
The men were in the trenches for nine days, suffering repeated bombardments of all kinds, including mustard gas shelling.
On 10th April the battalion moved back into Hill 70 support, but the back areas were filled with gas and the men were sent to Coupigny Huts, Bracquemont.
Training began on 15th April but two days later 100 men became sick with what the medical specialists considered to be influenza.
Sixty men were evacuated and a special rest station was set up.
Those men who were well were moved to Hersin and another 100 evacuated. On 24th April the battalion moved to Bruay and went into Reserve at Fouquières on 25th, only to be shelled in their billets.
As the battalion was marching to the trenches at Le Hamel on 28th April the enemy opened fire near Essars. Three men were killed and thirty-five wounded or gassed.
The battalion reached the trenches on 29th April and remained there until 7th May. During this time they were heavily shelled and a night wiring party was ambushed by the Germans.
During the rest of May, June, July and August the battalion did trench tours in the Gorre sub-sector and at Essars/Le Hamel. Breaks were taken at Vaudricourt Park Camp and in August there were four days of training at Hesdigneul. The men also enjoyed a concert party by The Whizz-Bangs at Verquin.
By 7th August there were signs that the enemy was withdrawing and at the beginning of September, when the battalion pushed forward to Richebourg, they found a number of notices pinned up which said: “Dear Tommy, You are welcome to all we are leaving. When we stop we shall stop and stop you in a manner you won’t appreciate. Fritz.”
The day after the note was found the battalion front was severely bombarded by the enemy.
From 9th -11th September the battalion was in training at Gosnay sandpits and between Béthune and Verquin. On 12th September they entrained at Chocques for Ribemont-Méricourt. Between 14th and 18th September they continued training, at Sailly-le-Sec in field firing and using a compass at night, at Franvillers in a Brigade tactical scheme, and at Teutry in attack procedure.
After this they marched to
the Brigade support position in a newly captured sector east of Le Verguier and prepared for an attack on Pontruet. On 24th September the battalion took part in this operation, during which Arthur, aged 21, was killed in action.
From 9th -11th September the battalion was in training at Gosnay sandpits and between Béthune and Verquin. On 12th September they entrained at Chocques for Ribemont-Méricourt.
Between 14th and 18th September they continued training, at Sailly-le-Sec in field firing and using a compass at night, at Franvillers in a Brigade tactical scheme, and at Teutry in attack procedure.
After this they marched to the Brigade support position in a newly captured sector east of Le Verguier and prepared for an attack on Pontruet. On 24th September the battalion took part in this operation before returning to the trenches at le Verguier.
A major operation was now being planned in the area of the St. Quentin Canal. This began on 29th September with an attack on the Hindenburg Line.
The battalion advanced to the canal in artillery formation. After crossing the canal they advanced and secured Magny-la-Fosse on 1st October. On 3rd October 1918 A and D Coys, ordered to attack Doon Hill, formed up on the Preselles to Sequehart road.
An enemy shell hit C Coy headquarters and Edwin was wounded in the back.
He died from his wounds on 5th October 1918, aged 38.
He had been awarded the Medaille Militaire by France for his work in March 1918.
Edwin is commemorated on the Woodhouse Eaves memorial, on the memorial in St. Paul’s Churchyard, Woodhouse Eaves and on the Carillon, Loughborough.
John Tom Bradwick
John Tom Bradwick was born in Loughborough in 1895.
He was the son of John Edward Bradwick, a boiler driller and planer, and his wife Eliza (née Bland). John Tom had one brother Harold and one sister Dorothy. Another sister Lilian died in infancy.
In 1901 the Bradwick family lived at 28 Hartington Street, Loughborough, but by 1911 had moved to 45 Burder Street.
At the age of 15 John Tom had become a driller, like his father.
John Tom enlisted at Peterborough, Northamptonshire, in early 1916. The exact date of his enlistment is unknown as his service papers have not survived.
He joined the Bedfordshire Regiment as Private 25867. After preliminary training John Tom was transferred, with a group of other soldiers from the Bedfordshire Regiment, to the 4th (Denbighshire) Battalion of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers and became Private 202287.
This transfer took place around 22nd June 1916. The precise date on which John Tom was sent to France is unknown but the 4th Battalion of the Welsh Fusiliers received substantial batches of reinforcements on 6th and 15th July 1916 and it is likely that John Tom was in one of these batches.
By 1916 the battalion had become part of the 47th (London) Division and had become a Pioneer battalion, probably because of the large number of miners in its ranks.
The battalion spent the remainder of the war digging and repairing trenches, assisting in mining operations, constructing roads and tramway lines, often in the front line and in very hazardous situations.
In mid-July 1916 the battalion was based at the Bois de Bouvigny, Pas de Calais, training and on trench work.
On 17th July the battalion moved to the Berthonval and Carency sections for work on the front line and communications trenches and on mine dugouts. At the end of July there was training at Beugin.
In August there was further training at Frohen le Petit, Yvrenchaux, Domvast and Bresle.
At the end of August two companies moved to Fricourt to make and repair roads. September included road work at Mametz, trench work near High Wood and making artillery tracks near the Mamatz-Bazentin road.
At the beginning of October the battalion was consolidating trenches south of Eaucourt l’Abbaye, cleaning the Flers line which had been damaged by shellfire, and making an artillery track from High Wood to Martinpuich.
Between 13th and 20th October the battalion moved by train via Longpré and Pont Remy to Pioneer Camp, south of Vlamertinghe, on the Ypres Salient.
For the rest of the month the battalion repaired the Decauville railway and the Brisbane Dump light railway, improved drainage systems and worked for the Canadian Royal Engineers on the Verbranden road, and on tunnelling.
From November 1916 to May 1917 the battalion completed similar work in the area, much of it in the Bluff sector. They also constructed machine gun emplacements, revetted trenches, maintained railways and erected camouflage.
During this time a number of hostile shells fell in Pioneer Camp.
Towards the end of May the focus of the battalion’s work moved to the YpresComines Canal and tracks for wheeled traffic were made from Ouderdom and Dickebusch to the canal.
At the beginning of June the battalion constructed trenches in the forward area in preparation for a 2nd Army offensive on 7th June - an attack on the MessinesWytschaete Ridge.
On 15th June the battalion HQ moved to Chippawa Camp on the La Clytte-Reninghelst road. Some training took place towards the end of June.
At the beginning of July some men were working at Vierstraat, some were working on trenches south of the canal, some on tramway routes east of Vormezeele and some on a road from St. Eloi to Pheasant Wood.
Towards the end of July work began on a new road from Spoil Bank to La Chappelle. O 31st July, the opening fday of the Passchendaele Offensive, the battalion was at Ridge Wood, training and resting.
On 15th August, for the first time in ten months, the battalion moved out of the shelled area.
They entrained at Abeele for St. Omer and were taken by bus to the village of Bouvelinghem.
Here there was training, regimental sports, and entertainment by the 47th Divisional ‘Follies’.
On 22nd August the battalion moved back by bus and march to the forward area near Belgian Chateau, south-west of Ypres. Here they worked on the light railways near Ypres and on the trench tramway from Hellfire Corner.
They then began constructing a tunnel under the Ypres-Hooge-Menin road. On 18th September the battalion marched to Eecke, leaving the Ypres area after eleven very hard months, when nearly every day there had been casualties.
On 27th September the battalion moved by march and rail to Aubigny, west of Arras and were billeted at Maroeuil.
From here they worked on a new road from Roclincourt to Bailleul before moving to the forward area to improve accommodation.
During October the battalion constructed a dugout and office south of Bailleul for the Divisional Observer, repaired the Arras-Gavrelle road, constructed an aid post north of Athies, extended the trench tramway system north of Arleux, and did salvage work.
During the first three weeks of November the battalion’s work included constructing trench mortar emplacements near Oppy, repairing the Bailleul-OppyGavrelle road, and improving Mill, Towy and Beatty posts.
On 21st November the battalion began a five-day move to Beaulencourt and on 27th November moved into the Cambrai sector, being quartered in huts, cellars and partly demolished houses in Bertincourt.
The Battle of Cambrai was taking place and on 30th November the battalion moved up to the forward area to garrison the Hindenburg support line west of Flesquières in tactical reserve to the 142nd Brigade.
The battalion carried ammunition and rations up to Bourlon Wood and on the return journey carried casualties down on stretchers. They also dug a new forward line under a heavy gas shell bombardment.
Relieved on 6th December the battalion moved south of Havrincourt to dig new fire trenches and a new support line as well as well as to work on the switch line.
After this they moved to Broken House dump to construct shelters for the whole battalion. On 21st December the battalion moved south-east of Ytres and then by rail to Aveluy and marched to Senlis. Training took place there until the end of the year.
On New Year’s Day 1918 the battalion marched to Albert station, entrained for Etricourt and marched to Equancourt. During January they worked on deepening and improving the front line south-east of Flesquières, built extra accommodation at Bertincourt, repaired the Havrincourt- Flesquières road, drained trenches and erected Nissen huts north of Ruyaulcourt, and dug a new fire trench near Trescault.
During February work was done on the Ribecourt catacombs, the Flesquières and Bibecourt defences were wired and timber was cut in Havrincourt Wood for Divisional fuel.
On 23rd February the battalion marched to Pioneer Camp, Lechelle, to wire new defences in Metz. At the beginning of March, in a blizzard, they dug and wired a new reserve trench in the forward part of the second system of the Battle Zone and also continued work on the Metz defences.
On 21st March, the opening day of the German Spring Offensive, amid a heavy hostile bombardment, the battalion was positioned in trenches in and around Metz and then occupied Dessart Ridge south-east of Metz.
After the enemy broke through the front a withdrawal began during intense enemy machine gun fire. The battalion moved via Vallulart Wood, Rocquigny and Le Transloy to Les Boeufs. On 26th March, in Louvencourt, the men had their first night’s rest in six days and there had been 238 casualties.
During the last few days of March the battalion dug a line of rifle pits at Harponville before moving to Senlis with the Divisional engineers to dig a new support line along the Bouzincourt-Aveluy road to Martinsaart Wood.
Work continued in this area until 6th April when two companies of the battalion were involved in an attack west of Aveluy Wood and incurred another 156 casualties.
The battalion was then withdrawn to Senlis.
On 6th and 8th April Senlis was twice hit by enemy gas, and although the battalion was moved to Puchevillers 138 men affected by the gas had to be sent to hospital.
Between 11th and 13th April the battalion marched via Wargnies and Domqueur to Froyelles and Fontaine-surMaye where the men rested and trained until 28th April.
At the beginning of May the battalion moved to Warloy for trench work until 16th May. They then moved to a camp south-west of Baizieux to do tunnelling work for the Royal Engineers.
This was followed by further trench work at Dernancourt, Bresle and near the Albert-Amiens road where the men came under a hostile gas and high explosive enemy bombardment.
On 18th June the battalion moved to Crouy for rest, training and sports until 10th July. They also had an outing to the seaside at Le Tréport.
On 11th July the battalion returned by bus to Warloy and moved up to the front east of Henencourt Chateau to repair trenches. On 4th August they moved to Bois de Mai, north-east of Allonville, and then into a position south of the Bray-Corbie road.
They began constructing a new trench system called the Battle line on either side of the Morlancourt-Etinehem road but work was often impeded by hostile gas shelling.
After the Battle of Albert began on 21st August the battalion took up a position in the northern part of the main and support lines until 24th August. After a rest at Heilly they worked on road improvements in the area of Maricourt, Hardicourt and Maurepas.
During September the battalion constructed crossing over the Canal du Nord and worked on roads near Moislains before transferring by bus, train and march to Camblain Chatelain and then Essars for harvesting work in the forward area on either side of the Canal de la Lawe.
Preparations now began for the 47th Division to move to Italy.
On 27th September the Division marched to Ternas for training. On 2nd October the battalion was sent to St. Pol, entrained for Merville and marched to the Lestrem-La Gorgue area.
The enemy had withdrawn from the Laventie front and the battalion moved forward to Petillon, near Fleurbaix, to work on the main road and a track from Le Mesnil to la Boutillerie and to repair the Erquinghem-Wavrin railway.
On 6th October John Tom, aged 22, was killed in action.
John Tom was buried in the Rue-De-Bois Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix, Grave II. B. 13.
Edward Barradell
Edward Barradell was born in Loughborough in late 1899 or early 1900 and baptised on 16th February 1909 at All Saints Church, Loughborough.
He was the son of Henry Barradell and his wife Harriet (née Hill) who were married at Emmanuel Church, Loughborough, on 22nd November 1890. Edward’s father was a joiner who made sash window frames and for a long time the Barradell family lived at 53 Leopold Street, Loughborough.
They later moved to 35 Oxford Street. Edward had three brothers Gilbert, Wilfred and Archie and six sisters Frances, Ethel, Grace, May, Rose and Helen.
As soon as he was old enough Edward enlisted and joined the 2/1st East Yorkshire Yeomanry, probably in late 1917.
His older brothers had already joined up; Gilbert was with the Royal Warwickshire Regiment and Wilfred was with the Leicestershire Regiment and then the Lincolnshire Regiment.
The 2/1st East Yorkshire Yeomanry was a second-line unit for training, draft supplying and reserve for the 1/1st East Yorkshire Yeomanry.
As Private 16639 Edward was sent to the barracks at Fermoy, County Cork, Ireland, where in 1918 2/1st East Yorkshire Yeomanry was in training.
Edward’s service papers have not survived and his precise date of enlistment and when he was sent to Ireland are therefore unknown.
On 10th October 1918 Edward, with six other soldiers from the 2/1st East Yorkshire Yeomanry, was on board the RMS Leinster, either on his way overseas or on leave.
The RMS Leinster was a mailboat vessel operated by the City of Dublin Steam Packet Company between Kingstown (now Dun Laoghaire) and Holyhead, Anglesey.
On its way to Holyhead the vessel was struck by two torpedoes from German submarine UB-123.
Captain William Birch ordered the ship to make a U-turn in an attempt to return to Kingstown as the ship began to settle slowly by the bow; the ship sank rapidly, however, after a third torpedo struck the Leinster, causing a huge explosion.
Despite the heavy seas, the crew managed to launch several lifeboats and some passengers clung to life-rafts.
The survivors were rescued by HMS Lively, HMS Mallard and HMS Seal.
The Leinster went down soon afterwards just outside Dublin Bay four nautical miles east of the Kish light.
There were 491 military personnel from Ireland, Britain, Canada, the United States, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia on board the ship when it was sunk. 339 were killed and 152 survived.
Edward, aged 18, was one of those killed.
There were also 180 civilian passengers most of them from Ireland and Britain.
It was the greatest single loss of life in the Irish Sea.
Among the civilian passengers lost in the sinking were socially prominent people such as Lady Phyllis Hamilton, daughter of the Duke of Abercorn, Robert Jocelyn Alexander, son of Irish composer Cecil Frances Alexander, Thomas Foley and his wife Charlotte Foley (née Barrett) who was the brother-in-law of the world-famous Irish tenor John McCormack, Lieut. Col. Charles Harold Blackbourne, veteran of the Boer War, Alfred White Curzon King, 15-year-old nephew to Alfred Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Northcliffe, and Maud Elizabeth Ward, personal secretary to Douglas Proby.
The first member of the Women’s Royal Naval Service to die on active duty, Josephine Carr, was among those killed, as were two prominent trade unionists, James McCarron and Patrick Lynch.
The anchor recovered from the wreck of the RMS Leinster is displayed at Dun Laoghaire as a permanent memorial to all those who lost their lives.
Many of those killed have no known grave. Edward’s body was recovered and he was buried in Grangegorman Military Cemetery, County Dublin, Ireland, Grave RC 601.
Edward is remembered on the memorial in the former St. Peter’s Church building, Loughborough, and on the Carillon.
Edward’s brothers Gilbert and Wilfred survived the war.