Family :

Service Life:

Campaigns:

• The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.

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.

Detail :

Coventry Evening Telegraph 02 October 1916 - "LIEUT.-COL. F.C.B. WEST KILLED. News has reached Rugby of the death in action, during the latter part of last week of Lieut.-Col. Francis Charles Bartholomew West, "Bawnmore," Bilton, Commanding Officer of a Field Artilery Brigade. He was killed by a shell. The only son of the late Rev. C.F. West, of Charlbury, near Oxford, Lieut-Colonel West was educated at Cheltenham and St. John's College, Oxford, and was a member of his college eight in 1904 and 1905. He was called to the Bar in 1906, but never practised. Possessing fine soldierly qualities he was highly popular with his men. He was promoted to the command of his Brigade immediately after the outbreak of hostilities, and went to the front in March of last year. Lieut.-Col. West leaves a widow and four little girls. He was 33 years of age, and was formerly Major of the Coventry Howitzer Battery."

Birmingham Mail 03 October 1916 "Lieutenant-Colonel Francis Charles Bartholomew West, Royal Field Artillery, of Bawnmore, Bilton near Rugby, commanding officer of one of the Midland artillery brigades, killed in action [...] On the formation of the Territorial Force he received a commission in the Royal Field Artillery, was promoted immediately after the outbreak of hostilities to the command of his brigade, and went to the front in March of last year. Lieutenant-Colonel West, who was 33 years of age, married in June, 1909, Agatha Mary, elder daughter of William Dewar, of Rugby, and leaves a widow and four daughters."

Masonic :

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