WW1 Sheffield men

[dean1]

Yes please to any info mrsaew.

 

regards

Dean.

[DUFFEMS]

Is there any way of identifying the KOYLI unit someone served in from a picture of them in their uniform? I have a photo of my grandfather born 1900 in his KOYLI uniform but, because he must have only served a relatively short time due to his age I can't find any records of his army background. I know from anecdotes that he served at the end of the war on the Rhine with the military police. He was born and lived in Heeley.

[mrsaew]

Hi Dean

Here is the information I have on my grandfather Ernest Calton...

 

He was returned to the UK for service as a munitions worker. This may have been connected with his previous employment at a time when munitions workers were in short supply. He enlisted on 5th January 1915 in the 2nd/4th York and Lancaster Regiment and went to France on 17th August 1915 where he was posted to the 1st/4th Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment who were serving with the 148th Infantry Brigade in the 49th Division. The Division's only major engagement in his time with the 1st/4th Battalion was the defence against the first Phosgene attack near Wieltje on December 19th 1915. The Division had moved to the Somme region in the summer of 1916 and Ernest was returned to the UK on 10th June 1916 for munitions service. He remained in the UK until the end of the war. His military service ended in 1919. He qualified for the 1914-15 Star, The British War Medal and the Victory Medal. In 1917 he had an accident at the munitions factory and had part of his first finger on his left hand amputated.

 

I got some of the info myself from ancestry.co.uk but it was well supplemented by Alan Grevesons: WW1 forum (the site won't allow me to post the link.)

 

His length of service (home/France/home) was 4 years 6 months. He seems to have had two service numbers: 3266 ...201319...

[david weston]

In reply to 'mrsew', your great uncle Arthur shared an allotment with Ernest on which they did occasionally speak to me about WW1. Ernest told the story of crawling under fire to 'steal' a sack of flour from a German field kitchen, due to some shortage in the Allied lines. After dragging it back they opened it to find it was cement ! Ernest was a man of great kindness and, along with his beloved wife Ida, adopted a foundling towards the end of WW TWO. He has visited the battlefields to honour his 'true' father's life.

[mrsaew]

I remember the allotment well as I used to go up with grandad when visiting him and

Grandma (Ida). It would have been in the late 50s / early 60s. I don't recall meeting Arthur. My Uncle Michael was the child you refer to. We were very close when I was younger but sadly he has gone abroad and for some reason he has not kept in touch. Thank you for the story about the cement/flour. The family are following my research attempts

 

and will be delighted to hear it. My brother and his daughter are planning a visit to Totes next year and will now no doubt include Wieltje. His other great grandsons are also really interested and one if them has the medals you tolde about. I will look for his photo in uniform. Thank you very much.

[mrsaew]

Sorry for Totes read Ypres! Predictive text not checked!

[mrsaew]

Further apologies .....it is late and I mistakenly thought I was replying to Dean. Sorry David W. I wondered how Dean knew my grandad so well! Now I wonder how you knew him? My Grandma's sister Aunty Cisy was called Weston

but I only recall her sons Arthur and Stephen. Is there a link?

[david weston]

To mrsaew. Your grandfather had another brother, William (Bill) Calton, who also fought in the Great War. You have a second cousin with whom I correspond, Mr David Calton, the son of Roy Calton who sadly died last year. I will ask if Roy related to him any stories from his own father's WW1 service. Your great aunt 'Cissie' Weston had two sons, Arthur and Leonard, not Arthur and Stephen; Stephen was Arthur and Doreen's son along with Andrew, again,your second cousins. 'Cissie' worked in a Templeboro' munitions factory during WW1. Your grandfather, Ernest, always kept and cherished a pair of nail scissors he'd had with him on the battlefields; where are they now ? Ernest always walked rather than taking public transport, drank much water to stay healthy and rarely took a holiday. His favourite books were 'Polyanna' and 'Silas Marner'. Michael's seperation from the family was not of his making; his veneration of Ernest, Ida and that earlier generation of the family remains total.

[mrsaew]

Goodness how much you know about the Calton family! I do have pics of grandad on holiday....and other members of the family including Michael....what a pity there was a rift.

[reg1]

hi dean

i have quite a bit about my great uncle who died april 23rd 1915, james carrington. if you are interested i could send you the file which is quite large if you pm give me your email address. i still have his medals and my mother has his death medal