WEST MIDLANDS POLICE GREAT WAR MEMORIAL SITE
ROBERT GILPIN
Robert
was the son of Robert (1845-1914) and Ellen Gilpin (nee Ross, 1859-1935), of
Black Island House, Annaghmore, Co. Armagh, born in 1894. His siblings
were James (1889-1954) Jane (Jinnie) born 1886, Henry (1898-1899) and Annie,
born 1900. Robert married Ellen Carrol (1889-1920), of Clonmain,
Loughgall, Armagh and together they moved to Birmingham where Robert joined
Birmingham City Police on July 17th 1914, as a 20 year old linen finisher. He
served on the C Division, with warrant number 8506.
While he was granted permission to leave the police to join the army in May
1915, he didn't actually resign until 21st May 1918 to enlist with Royal
Warwickshire Regiment at Birmingham, serving as a Warrant Officer Class 2.
He later transferred to the Northampton Regiment as Company Sergeant-Major with
6th Battalion.
In August 1918, during the German retreat, Robert was in action during advances
being made against the Germans in the vicinity of Combles, 10 miles south of
Bapaume. The War Diary for 30th August recalls, "4.30am 11th Royal
Fusiliers and 2nd Bedfordshire Regiment attacked through the battalion. A and D
Companies then came into line on left of B and C Companies. 2nd Bedfordshire
Regiment on the left were held up by hostile machine guns. The battalion dug in
on these positions. Movement on the top was impossible owing to machine guns and
snipers". Robert was killed and is buried in Combles Communal Cemetery
Extension.
HERBERT HORACE GOODLEY
Herbert
Goodley was born in Thorpe Norfolk in 1887/8 he was the youngest son of William
and Sarah Goodley and had five older sisters and two older brothers: Sarah,
Margaret, John, Ellen, William, Lydia and Gertrude. In 1891 the family lived at
104 New Road, Thorpe and his father was an engine driver. Herbert served in the
Grenadier Guards after school and, in 1909, he married Florence, nee Woulds, in
Peterborough. Florence came from Notttinghamshire. By 1911 Herbert had
left the army and the family, including two young daughters, Lydia and Margaret,
were living at 17 Oundle Rd Peterborough with Herbert's mother, as his father
had died, with Herbert and Florence running a hairdressers and tobacconist.
Herbert joined Birmingham City Police aged 25 years, on 13th October 1913,
serving on the ‘C’ Division, with warrant number 8379, until he was recalled to
military service on 4th August 1914.
His battalion went to France aboard the S.S.'Cawdor Castle' on Wednesday 12th
August 1914 advancing to Spiennes where they clashed with the enemy for the
first time on Sunday 23th August 1914. However Herbert, perhaps due to his young
family, did not arrive in France until 23rd November.
On 22nd December 1914, Herbert's battalion advanced into Bethune and the
following day took over the front line trenches at Rue de Cailloux, north east
of Bethune, part of the German lines being only 25 yards away. On 23rd December,
the Germans mounted an attack on the line, this being repulsed at a cost of 20
men killed, sadly including Herbert. The following day the battalion was
relieved in the trenches to Le Touret by the 3rd Battalion, Coldstream Guards.
Herbert's body was not recovered and he is commemorated on the Le Touret
Memorial.
THOMAS GOULD
Thomas
was born in 1890 in Pershore, Worcestershire, the son of Miles and Jane Gould.
Miles was a farm labourer and in 1901, when Thomas was 11, he had older
brothers, Charles (16) and William (15), an older sister, Fanny (13) and a
younger brother James (8). Thomas joined the Army, serving in the
Guards, before leaving in 1912 to join the Birmingham City Police. He
served on the ‘D’ Division, with Warrant number 8161, until the outbreak of war,
when he was recalled to the colours.
Thomas rejoined the Grenadier Guards on 4th August 1914, but did not go to
France until July 1915, suggesting he remained in England to train new recruits
initially.
Thomas served in France from July 1915 until the German Spring Offensive of
March 1918. During the night of 22/23 March, the 2nd Guards Brigade to
which Thomas's battalion was attached moved forward and relieved the 1st
Battalion, Coldstream Guards on the left of the line to the east of Boyelles.
Although not directly assaulted, the lines were bombarded by German artillery
and machine gun fire, fatally wounding Thomas, the only casualty during this
period. He was taken to 8 Casualty Clearing Station at Duisans, 6 miles
from Arras, where he succumbed to his wounds on 23 March. He was buried in
Duisans British Cemetary, Etrun.
JAMES WILLIAM GREEN
James
William Green was born in Langley, Oldbury, Worcestershire in 1883, the son of
Charles Green and Mary Ann (nee Skett). He had 4 sisters, Lucy, Lizzy, Ada
and Mary Ann. The family resided at 25 Titford Road, Oldbury (1891
census), and 27 Old Park Road, Oldbury (1901 census) and in 1901 James was
working as a wagon works labourer. He subsequently served in the
Coldstream Guards, before returning to civilian life as an iron turner. He
joined Birmingham City Police on 16th December 1907 aged 24, serving on the ‘B’
Division with warrant number 7963 and the 1911 census shows him as a boarder at
24 Victoria Road, Stirchley.
James was recalled to the 2nd Battalion of the Coldstream Guards on 4th August
1914 and served through to the 1916 Battle of the Somme. On 12th September
1916 James's battalion moved from Meaulte, via Bernafay Wood, into the Givenchy
sector. At 6.20 am on Friday 15th September 1916 the battalion made an attack
towards Lesboeufs but received heavy casualties from withering German machine
gun fire in the sunken Gincy-Flers Road. Notwithstanding the casualties the
battalion surged forward and entered the German front line at about 7.15 am.
Further advances were then made and the positions successfully held against
German counter attacks at 6.30 pm and 7.15 pm. The following day the Germans
continually bombarded the battalion's positions, a relief not taking place until
nightfall when the survivors were relieved to Citadel Camp. Casualties over the
two days amounted to 440 men killed, wounded or missing, including James.
He has no known grave and is commemorated in the Thiepval Memorial.
CHARLES GREGG
Charles
Henry Gregg was born on 17th January 1879 in Balham, Kent. On applying to join
Birmingham City Police in February 1900 Charles was residing at Bridge Lane,
Wellington, Hereford and was working as a porter at Leonard Evans Stores, a
grocer in Bodenham, Leominster.
Charles married Sabina on 27th October 1903 and they had a son, Arthur John
Gregg.
On 9th February 1915 Charles resigned from the police to join the Military
Mounted Police, going to France on 2nd October 1915. Charles remained in
the MMP for the duration of the war, being discharged and returning to
Birmingham City Police in May 1919.
Charles had begun drinking, possibly as a result of his experiences during his 3
years in France, and the following years are interspersed with disciplinary
action for drinking or being drunk on duty until he resigns from the police in
1925, aged 46. His continued problems with drink resulted in his wife
leaving him in 1927 and his son disowning him. An attempted suicide in
1934 and subsequent hospital admissions reflected a disturbed individual
however, by 1940, Charles had turned his life around, given up drinking and was
working for Birmingham Garages. He died in 1952, aged 73, as is buried in
Witton Cemetery.