Service Life:

Campaigns:

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

31 July - 10 November 1917. By the summer of 1917 the British Army was able for the first time to fight on its chosen ground on its terms. Having secured the southern ridges of Ypres at Messines in June, the main attack started on 31st July 1917 accompanied by what seemed like incessant heavy rain, which coupled with the artillery barrages conspired to turn much of the battlefield into a bog. Initial failure prompted changes in the high command and a strategy evolved to take the ring of ridges running across the Ypres salient in a series of 'bite and hold' operations, finally culminating in the capture of the most easterly ridge on which sat the infamous village of Passchendaele. The Official History carries the footnote ?The clerk power to investigate the exact losses was not available? but estimates of British casualties range from the official figure of 244,000 to almost 400,000. Within five months the Germans pushed the British back to the starting line, which was where they had been since May 1915.

Masonic :

Joined Constitution Lodge from the Irish Constitution on 17th September 1914.

He is recorded on an interesting WWI Masonic triangular brass plaque amongst others who had died and survived, which was sold on eBay, Sept.2020. The plaque had some wear and tear, a little bit bent and removed from whatever it once adorned. Plaque Measures 35x30cm.

"This piece of masonic furniture, was presented with grateful hearts, by the members of Constitution Lodge No. 3392, to commemorate the service rendered by their brethren during the Great War 1914-1918. Not to perpetuate the names, which must endure, but to shew that the brethren, have learned to honour those who best deserve their gratitude.

+ Bro. Jno. E. Rowbotham, MC. M.A. B.Com. F.R.E.S.
+ Bro. A. Williamson M.M.
Bro. H. Banks
Bro. A. E Bennett
Bro. A. Briggs
Bro. J.H. Dixon
Bro. A.J. Levy
Bro. J.W.Mannnig
Bro. J.A. Muirhead
Bro. C.H. Riley
Bro. G. Purvis-Sanders
Bro. C.A. Sindall
Bro. H.C. Smith
Bro. E. Swain
Bro. P. Thomason
Bro. P. Wilkinson
Bro. C. Wilmott
Bro. J. Wrigley

+ Killed in Action"

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
• Researcher : Richard Podmore