Commemorated: | |||
| 1. Memorial: | Serre Road Cemetery No.2 | I. A. 17. | |
| 2. Book: | The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918 | Pg.135 | |
| 3. Memorial: | The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour | 27B GQS | |
Awards & Titles: | |||
Family :
Southwell was the son of Mrs. Southwell, Fairfield, Bridgnorth and was born in 1887.Education & Career :
He went to Malvern College, being in House No 4 between 1901 and 1904.
Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: 7th Battalion King's Shropshire Light Infantry |
7th (Service) Battalion Formed at Shrewsbury in September 1914 as part of K3 and attached to 76th Brigade, 25th Division. Moved to Codford. Went to billets in Bournemouth in May 1915, moved to Romsey in May then next month to Aldershot. 28 September 1915 : landed at Boulogne. 15 October 1915 : Brigade moved to 3rd Division. 19 October 1915 : transferred to 8th Brigade in same Division |
| Action : The Battles of the Somme 1916 |
The Battle of the Somme 1st July - 18th November 1916 is inevitably characterised by the appalling casualties (60,000) on the first day, July 1st 1916. Having failed to break through the German lines in force, and also failed to maximise opportunities where success was achieved, the battle became a series of attritional assaults on well defended defence in depth. The battle continued officially until 18th November 1916 costing almost 500,000 British casualties. German casualties were about the same, and French about 200,000. The Somme could not be counted a success in terms of ground gained or the cost, but it had a strategic impact as it marked the start of the decline of the German Army. Never again would it be as effective whilst the British Army, learning from its experience eventually grew stronger to become a war winning army. The German High Command recognised that it could never again fight another Somme, a view that advanced the decision to invoke unrestricted submarine warfare in an attempt to starve Britain of food and material, and in doing so accelerated the United States declaration of war thus guaranteeing the eventual outcome. 287 Brethren were killed on the Somme in 1916.
"'Early in the war he enlisted in the Shropshire L.I., and after being promoted Lance-Corporal was given a commission. He went to France with his Battalion, and took part in the fighting in the summer of 1916. On November 13th of that year he was wounded during an attack carried out in thick mist, and later was reported missing. It is now officially notified that he died from wounds on or about that date. A soldier in his Battalion spoke to the writer of this notice in the highest terms of his work as an officer, and especially of his constant anxiety for the well-being of his men. During the three happy, if uneventful, years he passed at Malvern be showed a keen interest in the life of the school—an interest which continued unabated in later years.'
(Malvernian, Dec 1917).
Detail :
Southwell was killed during the failed attack on Serre on 13th November 1916. Serre had been an objective on 1st July 1916 and as can be seen on the ground today and the trench maps and ariel photographs of 1916 it was a fortress. The Official History records that the 7/Shropshire Light Infantry were in support. Starting in good order the leading battalions were soon struggling through mud which in places was waist deep; and where the German wire was reached few gaps could be found. By this time the rear battalions (inc 7/Shrop L I) had begun to mix with the troops in front and the barrage being lost, groups of men forced their way into the German trenches in the face of an alert enemy. Elements of 8th Brigade (inc 7/Shrop LI) were isolated in Walter trench as the attack lost cohesion and momentum. Serre remained in German hands and was to stay so until the Germans retreated towards the Hindenburg Line defences in February 1917 - a full 8 months after the Battle of the Somme started and the one and last place where the front line never moved.
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | Castle No. 1621 E.C. | Shropshire |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
- | - | - |
Senior Warden
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