Commemorated: | |||
| 1. Memorial: | Le Touret Memorial | Panels 23 and 24. | |
| 2. Book: | The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918 | Pg.130 | |
Awards & Titles: | |||
Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: 2/Welsh Regiment |
| Action : The Battle of Aubers |
Fought on 9th and 10th May 1915 and intended to support the French attacks near Arras, this battle was notable for the remarkable bravery of infantry having to cope with inadequate planning, poor artillery support and not least a very competent enemy that had learnt the lessons of Neuve Chapelle just two months before. It also highlighted the problems of quantity and quality in artillery shell supply - a symptom of the general unpreparedness of Britain to fight a major European war, and not really rectified until well into 1917. Possibly one of the least known but most heartbreaking battles of the war, fought in an attempted pincer attack around the village of Neuve Chapelle with the intention of securing the 'high' ground that dominated the approaches to Lille.
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | Fidelity No. 2061 E.C. | Bengal |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
2nd May 1914 | 2nd May 1914 | 2nd May 1914 |
Became a member of the English Constitution on 2nd May 1914 when he joined Lodge Fidelity No. 2061 at Ranikhet. He is listed as a Colour Sergeant and resident at Ranikhet. Along with a great deal of his comrades-in-arms, he resigned on the 30th September, 1914, most likely as a result of mobilisation. It is unfortunate that a name such as his throws up too many results in searching the records of the Irish Constitution.
It is uncertain where the link to the Welsh Regiment is made, but it is quite likely that he might have been with the resident battalion at Ranikhet in July 1914. According to the Long, Long Trail, that is listed as 2nd Battalion of the Leicestershire Regiment. That regiment mobilised landing in Marseilles on the 12th October, fitting in with his resignation from "Fidelity". If this is the man then 2nd Lieutenant William Murphy of the Leicestershire regiment is a better fit.
Source :
The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- The (UK) National Archives
- Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
- ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry
Additional Source:
- Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
- Researcher : Bruce Littley