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 William Diston
Name/Rank: Private William Diston
Regiment/Battalion: 10th battalion Gloucestershire regiment
Service No: 13349
Date died: 25/09/1915
Buried/Commemorated: Loos Memorial to the Missing
Commemorated: William Diston is commemorated on the Alderton war memorial and on the war memorials at St John the Baptist Church in Beckford and All Saints Church, Cheltenham (listed as Walter).
William Diston was born in Walsall in 1895. His Father William and mother Annie-Maria had a further twelve children, though by the 1911 census only five were still alive. At some point between 1901 and 1911 the family moved to the Alderton area and the 1911 census shows William living at Wrens Nest Villas alongside his father, mother, his brother-in-law Arthur Manders, his sister Ada Jane Manders and his niece Edith Elizabeth Manders. William’s father was a haulier and James Tilling, Arthur Manders and William Diston are listed as farm labourers.
Analysis of Gloucestershire regiment army service numbers suggests that William enlisted in the 10th battalion the Gloucestershire regiment at Cheltenham in September 1914. After a period of training the battalion arrived in France on 9th August 1915, forming part of the 1st brigade, 1st Division.
On 25th September 1915 the 10th battalion Gloucestershire Regiment took part in the opening day of the battle of Loos. The battalion went over the top just after 6am at Lone Tree just north of the town of Loos. This was the 10th Gloucestershire's first major action since arriving in France in August, this truly was their baptism of fire. The battalion lost 8 officers and 159 men that day including William Diston, who has no known grave and is commemorated on the Loos Memorial to the missing.
At the time of William’s death his parents were living at of Brook Farm, Mount Pleasant, Teddington, Tewkesbury. William Diston’s picture and memorial notice appeared in the Cheltenham Chronicle and Graphic on 13th November 1915 alongside which his father said, "although out there for a short time he did his little bit". The Gloucestershire Echo also printed the following notice on 5th November 1915 KILLED ON THE FATEFUL 25th. Latest notifications of casualties in the fight at Loos Sept 25 include the following: Private William Diston (killed), of the 10th Gloucesters, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. W. Diston, of Brook Farm, Teddington near Tewkesbury.
Following William’s death, the Army record of soldiers’ effects lists two amounts of £4 2s 8d & £3 10s that were paid to his father William in December 1915 and September 1919 respectively. The first payment would likely have been the remains of William’s army pay and the second a war gratuity paid out to soldiers and their dependants. No pension records for William Diston have been found.
William’s service in 1915 entitled him to the 1914-1915 Star as well as the Victory and British War medals.
William Diston is commemorated on the Alderton war memorial and on the war memorials at St John the Baptist Church in Beckford and All Saints Church, Cheltenham (listed as Walter). William Diston is also recorded in the book "Leaving All that was Dear by Joe Devereux and Graham Sacker the seminal work on Cheltenham’s WW1war dead.
William’s brother-in-law Arthur Manders enlisted in the 7th East Surrey regiment (No.4261) and went to France in May 1916. He was later transferred to the 16th Manchester regiment (No.41877) and then the 1st Border regiment (No.29845) and unfortunately died of wounds in October 1918. Arthur’s wife Ada-Jane, William’s sister, pre-deceased Arthur and their daughter Edith was subsequently cared for by William’s mother. There is a letter written in April 1920 by William Diston senior, asking for any medals and effects belonging to Arthur Manders to be forwarded to his daughter Edith, at their address in Teddington.
Regiment/Battalion: 10th battalion Gloucestershire regiment
Service No: 13349
Date died: 25/09/1915
Buried/Commemorated: Loos Memorial to the Missing
Commemorated: William Diston is commemorated on the Alderton war memorial and on the war memorials at St John the Baptist Church in Beckford and All Saints Church, Cheltenham (listed as Walter).
William Diston was born in Walsall in 1895. His Father William and mother Annie-Maria had a further twelve children, though by the 1911 census only five were still alive. At some point between 1901 and 1911 the family moved to the Alderton area and the 1911 census shows William living at Wrens Nest Villas alongside his father, mother, his brother-in-law Arthur Manders, his sister Ada Jane Manders and his niece Edith Elizabeth Manders. William’s father was a haulier and James Tilling, Arthur Manders and William Diston are listed as farm labourers.
Analysis of Gloucestershire regiment army service numbers suggests that William enlisted in the 10th battalion the Gloucestershire regiment at Cheltenham in September 1914. After a period of training the battalion arrived in France on 9th August 1915, forming part of the 1st brigade, 1st Division.
On 25th September 1915 the 10th battalion Gloucestershire Regiment took part in the opening day of the battle of Loos. The battalion went over the top just after 6am at Lone Tree just north of the town of Loos. This was the 10th Gloucestershire's first major action since arriving in France in August, this truly was their baptism of fire. The battalion lost 8 officers and 159 men that day including William Diston, who has no known grave and is commemorated on the Loos Memorial to the missing.
At the time of William’s death his parents were living at of Brook Farm, Mount Pleasant, Teddington, Tewkesbury. William Diston’s picture and memorial notice appeared in the Cheltenham Chronicle and Graphic on 13th November 1915 alongside which his father said, "although out there for a short time he did his little bit". The Gloucestershire Echo also printed the following notice on 5th November 1915 KILLED ON THE FATEFUL 25th. Latest notifications of casualties in the fight at Loos Sept 25 include the following: Private William Diston (killed), of the 10th Gloucesters, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. W. Diston, of Brook Farm, Teddington near Tewkesbury.
Following William’s death, the Army record of soldiers’ effects lists two amounts of £4 2s 8d & £3 10s that were paid to his father William in December 1915 and September 1919 respectively. The first payment would likely have been the remains of William’s army pay and the second a war gratuity paid out to soldiers and their dependants. No pension records for William Diston have been found.
William’s service in 1915 entitled him to the 1914-1915 Star as well as the Victory and British War medals.
William Diston is commemorated on the Alderton war memorial and on the war memorials at St John the Baptist Church in Beckford and All Saints Church, Cheltenham (listed as Walter). William Diston is also recorded in the book "Leaving All that was Dear by Joe Devereux and Graham Sacker the seminal work on Cheltenham’s WW1war dead.
William’s brother-in-law Arthur Manders enlisted in the 7th East Surrey regiment (No.4261) and went to France in May 1916. He was later transferred to the 16th Manchester regiment (No.41877) and then the 1st Border regiment (No.29845) and unfortunately died of wounds in October 1918. Arthur’s wife Ada-Jane, William’s sister, pre-deceased Arthur and their daughter Edith was subsequently cared for by William’s mother. There is a letter written in April 1920 by William Diston senior, asking for any medals and effects belonging to Arthur Manders to be forwarded to his daughter Edith, at their address in Teddington.
