Alderton's WW1 War Dead
Below are the biographical and military details of the sixteen men listed on the Alderton War memorial. I have also included two men whose names do not appear on the Alderton village memorial. Only one of the two Grimmett brothers appears on the memorial, so details of both are included below, and Jesse James, who was born in Alderton but lived in Stanton, where he is commemorated.
Private John (Jack) Hall
Name/Rank: Private John (Jack) Hall
Regiment/Battalion: 2/5th battalion Gloucestershire regiment
Service No: 4517
Date died: 21st June 1916
Buried/Commemorated: Royal Irish Rifles cemetery in Laventie, in northern France
Commemorated: Alderton War memorial, the Winchcombe War memorial and the 1/5th & 2/5th Gloucestershire regiment memorial in Gloucester Park
John Hall was born on 15th July 1893 in Winchcombe. His parents Thomas and Elizabeth Hall also had five daughters Elsie, Lydia, Kate, Una and Matilda. By 1901 the whole family were living at Silk Mill Lane, Winchcombe and Thomas Hall’s occupation was gardener. In 1911 John, now aged 17, was still living at home with his parents and three youngest sisters and his occupation was a clerk in a jam factory. Their address on the 1911 census is listed as Tanyard, Winchcombe. There was a Tannery in Silk Mill Lane during this period, but whether this was the same address as in 1901 is unknown.
According to the Llanelli Great Western Railway (GWR) memorial site John Hall moved to Llanelli in September 1914 and worked as a fire cleaner at the GWR locomotive and carriage department, and later became a stores man. According to this site he enlisted in August 1915 and was posted to D company 2/5th Gloucestershire regiment. At some point in early 1916 John married Matilda Banks from Alderton, probably just before he left for France with his regiment.
The 2/5th Gloucestershire regiment was a territorial battalion formed initially in Gloucester in September 1914 and part of 184th brigade, 61st Division. Following a period of training in England the battalion landed in France in May 1916. At the end of the month, they went into the trenches near Laventie in northern France. On 15th June they entered the trenches in the Fauquissart sector and on the evening of the 20th they carried out a raid on the German lines, with the purpose of identifying the enemy regiments. During this raid John Hall was killed alongside nine of his battalion pals, five of whom are buried alongside him in the Royal Irish Rifles cemetery in Laventie.
Whilst serving in the 2/5th Gloucestershire battalion John became friends with the poet Ivor Gurney who wrote a poem commemorating John and his friend Ernest Skillern - ‘To Certain Comrades’ (ES and JH) who were killed in action on 20th and 21st June respectively.
John’s death is listed in the casualty list in the Gloucester Echo of Friday 14th July 1916. Gloucestershire regiment- Killed - Pte J Hall, Alderton
Matilda received a pension of 10s a week from the 8th January 1917. Sometime after the war Matilda married again to Garnet Holmes becoming Matilda Holmes and having a daughter Joyce, born in 1925. Matilda was still living in Alderton in 1939.
Following John’s death, the Army record of soldiers’ effects lists two amounts of £2 8s 5d & £3 that were paid to his wife Matilda in 1916 and 1919 respectively. The first payment would likely have been the remains of John’s army pay and the second a war gratuity paid out to soldiers and their dependants.
John Hall was entitled to the two standard WW1 service medals, the Victory medal and the British War medal.
John Hall is commemorated on the Alderton War memorial, the Winchcombe War memorial and the 1/5th & 2/5th Gloucestershire regiment memorial in Gloucester Park, and is buried in the Royal Irish Rifles cemetery in Laventie, in northern France.
Regiment/Battalion: 2/5th battalion Gloucestershire regiment
Service No: 4517
Date died: 21st June 1916
Buried/Commemorated: Royal Irish Rifles cemetery in Laventie, in northern France
Commemorated: Alderton War memorial, the Winchcombe War memorial and the 1/5th & 2/5th Gloucestershire regiment memorial in Gloucester Park
John Hall was born on 15th July 1893 in Winchcombe. His parents Thomas and Elizabeth Hall also had five daughters Elsie, Lydia, Kate, Una and Matilda. By 1901 the whole family were living at Silk Mill Lane, Winchcombe and Thomas Hall’s occupation was gardener. In 1911 John, now aged 17, was still living at home with his parents and three youngest sisters and his occupation was a clerk in a jam factory. Their address on the 1911 census is listed as Tanyard, Winchcombe. There was a Tannery in Silk Mill Lane during this period, but whether this was the same address as in 1901 is unknown.
According to the Llanelli Great Western Railway (GWR) memorial site John Hall moved to Llanelli in September 1914 and worked as a fire cleaner at the GWR locomotive and carriage department, and later became a stores man. According to this site he enlisted in August 1915 and was posted to D company 2/5th Gloucestershire regiment. At some point in early 1916 John married Matilda Banks from Alderton, probably just before he left for France with his regiment.
The 2/5th Gloucestershire regiment was a territorial battalion formed initially in Gloucester in September 1914 and part of 184th brigade, 61st Division. Following a period of training in England the battalion landed in France in May 1916. At the end of the month, they went into the trenches near Laventie in northern France. On 15th June they entered the trenches in the Fauquissart sector and on the evening of the 20th they carried out a raid on the German lines, with the purpose of identifying the enemy regiments. During this raid John Hall was killed alongside nine of his battalion pals, five of whom are buried alongside him in the Royal Irish Rifles cemetery in Laventie.
Whilst serving in the 2/5th Gloucestershire battalion John became friends with the poet Ivor Gurney who wrote a poem commemorating John and his friend Ernest Skillern - ‘To Certain Comrades’ (ES and JH) who were killed in action on 20th and 21st June respectively.
John’s death is listed in the casualty list in the Gloucester Echo of Friday 14th July 1916. Gloucestershire regiment- Killed - Pte J Hall, Alderton
Matilda received a pension of 10s a week from the 8th January 1917. Sometime after the war Matilda married again to Garnet Holmes becoming Matilda Holmes and having a daughter Joyce, born in 1925. Matilda was still living in Alderton in 1939.
Following John’s death, the Army record of soldiers’ effects lists two amounts of £2 8s 5d & £3 that were paid to his wife Matilda in 1916 and 1919 respectively. The first payment would likely have been the remains of John’s army pay and the second a war gratuity paid out to soldiers and their dependants.
John Hall was entitled to the two standard WW1 service medals, the Victory medal and the British War medal.
John Hall is commemorated on the Alderton War memorial, the Winchcombe War memorial and the 1/5th & 2/5th Gloucestershire regiment memorial in Gloucester Park, and is buried in the Royal Irish Rifles cemetery in Laventie, in northern France.
