Honouring the great and the good after the war
Military historian Malcolm Goode looks at events taking place in 1919 following the end of the First World War
IN the first week of the New Year, the readers of Burton newspapers learned of the official confirmation that their very own highly decorated townsman, Lance Corporal William H. Coltman of the 1/6th North Staffordshire Regiment, had been awarded the Victoria Cross.
The Coltman family here in Burton were the first to learn of this most prestigious award when Billy wrote a letter home to his wife and his mother enclosing a copy of the official Battalion orders by Lieutenant Colonel C. C. Dowding, D.S.O., M.C. Commanding Officer of the 1/6th Bn. Prince of Wales’s (North Staffordshire) Regiment.
The citation written by V. E. Green, Captain and Adjutant of the 1/6th North Staffordshire Regiment, read: “His Majesty the King has awarded the Victoria Cross to No, 241028 Lance Corporal W. H. Coltman, D.C.M. and Bar, Military Medal and Bar.
“The whole Division is proud of him- he has brought by his bravery, not only honour to himself and his family, but also to the Battalions, Brigades and Division. The Commanding Officer adds his congratulations to those of the Army, Corps, Divisions and Brigade Commanders.”
Reflecting on William Coltman’s legacy, historian Malcolm Goode said: “Having read many accounts of Billy Coltman’s service history and particularly the circumstances as to how he was given his awards, I am of the firm opinion that, if ever there was a man who had God’s thumbprint on his forehead, it was him.
“How he survived carrying out those selfless acts of bravery, under considerable rifle, machine gun and artillery fire, only God truly knows the answer.”
A good example of his escapade took place near the front in 1917. Billy Coltman was in a house when a German shell entered the place and blew to fragments a man to whom he was talking too and his own helmet was blown off his head, miraculously he escaped without a scratch.
As he went down the stairs another shell burst and demolished the staircase beneath him, however he got off scot free once again, everyone else in the house being killed or seriously wounded, including three officers.
Billy had five brothers, four of them like him served in the army during the Great War, they were; Joseph (Sherwood Foresters) Charles (York and Lancaster Regiment) George (Royal Engineers) and Herbert (Durham Light Infantry), his youngest brother Samuel stayed at home.
With regard to two of his brothers there is an interesting circumstance that came to light. Charles had been away from home for over 20 years and the family had lost touch with him.
Sometime earlier in the war, he and George learned that they were in the same regiment, simply through their letters becoming mixed up.
By the time they had made the discovery they were unable to meet and see each other as George had been transferred to the Royal Engineers.
In due course Lance Corporal Coltman would return home in order to meet the King at Buckingham Palace, in order to be invested with is award.
Burton’s most prominent heroin, Mrs Lily Thomas, also made the news this month.
She was to be honoured for her magnificent effort in raising funds to buy food and clothes for Burton men who were held as Prisoners of War.
Lily single-handedly started the campaign to care for those Prisoners of War or “Godsons” as she called them, in February 1915.
When the Armistice was signed in November 1918, it was announced that all prisoners held in custody must released immediately.
At that point she took the sensible decision to wind down what was known as the Burton Prisoners of War Relief Fund organisation, after all people here in Burton expected to see those men back home within weeks, there was now no need to send parcels to Germany.
It was announced by the Mayor Councillor Mr Roland Hill in our local newspapers, that Lily Thomas was to be honoured at a special evening to be held at the St Paul’s Institute on the evening of January 30, 1919.
All of the ex-prisoners who had so far made it home were invited to book their place at the event. Those ex-prisoners and their families and many, many more people besides contributed funds in order to buy gifts for Lily (their Godmother) and also for her volunteers.
On that Thursday 250 ex-prisoners began to assemble at St Paul’s, some of those who attended in the early afternoon were pictured by the local photographer Ernest Abraham with
their “Godmother”.
Once everyone had assembled, tea was served at 5pm and considering that food rationing was still in force, the tea was very sumptuous.
The meal consisted of roast beef, ham, pressed beef, salads, cakes, tarts, Christmas puddings and tea, naturally everyone thoroughly enjoyed the spread.
A concert began at 7pm where friends of the ex-prisoners and helpers were invited to attend.
Apparently, the institute was packed to bursting point and overflowing. At the interval, the presentation of gifts began, starting with the voluntary committee members.
The gifts went to the following: Mrs. T.G. Gardiner, marble clock set; Mrs. E.L. White, marble clock; Miss. May Brooks, marble and granite clock; Mrs. W. Haine, marble clock; Mrs. H. Holmes, marble clock; Mrs. D.K. Marson, ebony and bronze clock; Miss. I.C. Salisbury, oak and brass clock; Mrs. G.T. Davis, onyx clock; Mrs. W. Lloyd, pair of bronzes; Mrs. E.J. Peters, marble clock; Mrs. A. Oxford, silver fish servers in a case; Mrs. W. Cooper, silver teapot; Miss Constance Peters, bronze; Mr. John Orme, French ornamental clock set; Mr. E. Higginson, marble clock; Mr. H.J. Salisbury, silver spirit flask; Mrs. S.H. Evershed, silver mounted calendar.
The part of the evening they had all be waiting for had now arrived, the presentation of gifts to Lily Thomas.
Repatriated Lieutenant J.A. Robotham is quoted in Lily’s book “Memories Grave and Gay” saying the “tit-bit of the evening” was a presentation of a silver tea-service, bearing the following inscription: “To our “Godmother” Mrs L. Thomas, as a token of appreciation and esteem from Burton’s repatriated prisoners of war – January 30 1919.”
Lieutenant Robotham then said that when a “Tommy” was taken a prisoner of war he did not exactly expect a picnic, and certainly he did not get one – Laughter – The first two months of captivity were rather “rotten” and at the close of that time they reached the end of their tether, because they found that the most important part of their anatomy was their stomach – Laughter.
This was where Mrs Thomas and her helpers stepped in, and he assured those present that but for their interest, the position of the men would have been really serious.
The presentation of the gift to Lily was made by Corporal Murkin who had been one if not the first “Godson” of Lily’s, having been in captivity since October 1914.
In his address he spoke very highly of the regularity with which the parcels arrived, and of the excellence of the contents.
As can be seen in the photographs, Lily Thomas received many other gifts from her “Godsons” and supporters.
After the presentations had finished, all those assembled thoroughly enjoyed the evening’s entertainment that went on into the early hours of the next day.
At the end of it all Lily went home and it would seem, quickly faded into obscurity.
Considering what she had achieved over a period of four years of the war you would have thought that she would be honoured for her services to those Burton men.
Many people were to receive honours from the King for doing a lot less than she did, but no one put her name forward.
Even our local civic leaders did not it would appear, think to honour her in a permanent way by perhaps naming something or somewhere in the town after her.
Lily Thomas continued to live in Stapenhill until she passed away on March 10, 1941, aged 66 years.
She was interred in the Stapenhill Cemetery on Stapenhill road. In the ensuing years since her burial, her grave has unfortunately fallen into a state of disrepair.
Lily’s only child Marguerite, married a Mr Thomas Spencer who both passed away a number of years ago, without having any children. Lily was born on the Island of Guernsey and there are now no other living relatives of Lily left in Burton, so there is no-one to repair her final resting place.
Process is being made to securing funding that will pay for the refurbishment of Lily’s grave, which will include a commission with a local stonemason to carry out the repairs so that future generations of Burtonian’s might learn of her magnificent deeds.