Fred BERRY, Private with
the Royal Scots died in the Ypres
Salient, Flanders on the 19th June
1917, aged 23 and is buried in Perth
(China Wall) Cemetery, Zillebeke
south of Ypres. He lived at Top
o’th Lane with his widowed mother
and sister, and worked at Withnell
Fold Paper Mill.
Joseph FOWLER, Private
with the 8th Bn. Loyal North Lancs.
Regt. Killed in action on the 29th
January 1917, aged 26. He is buried
in Maple Leaf Cemetery, south of
Ypres; his parents lived at Scale
Hill Farm, Brindle.
Thomas GORTON, Private
died of wounds on the 18th October
1918 whilst attached to the 2nd
Bn. Guards Machine Gun Regiment.
He died less than a month before
the Armistice and is buried in grave
at Premont British Cemetery, south
east of Cambrai in northern France.
His parents lived at Duxon Hill
Farm, Brindle.
James H. HARTLEY
James H. HARTLEY, 2nd
Lieutenant. Was an observer in 45
Squadron of the newly formed Royal
Flying Corps when he was killed
in action over Flanders on the 22nd
July 1917. He was one of three brothers
who served in the War and lived
at Crabtree House in the village.
He is buried at Ballieul Cemetery,
near Ypres and was aged just 20;
he previously served as an officer
in the Munster Regiment.
James Foldys
HITCHON
James Foldys HITCHON,
Lieutenant. Was attached to the
11th (Service) Bn. of the East Lancashire
Regiment – the ‘Accrington Pals’.
On the morning of the 1st July 1916
he led his platoon from ‘Y’ Company
(‘Chorley Pals’) “over the top”
at the Battle of the Somme; he was
killed almost immediately and is
buried virtually where he fell in
No Man’s Land, near to the village
of Serre in Northern France. Aged
21 when he died, he lived at Hoghton
Bank, Private Road, Brindle (not
Hoghton as stated) at the time of
enlisting in 1914, although he was
originally from Burnley. [Series
of photographs in archives]
Samuel & Septimus
HUNT
Samuel HUNT, Private with
the 20th Bn. King’s (Liverpool Regiment)
- the ‘Liverpool Pals’. Although
he survived the first day of the
Battle of the Somme, he died on
the 30th July 1916 when the Regiment
was virtually wiped out attacking
the village of Guillement on the
Somme battlefield. He was aged 25
and originally from Barrow-in-Furness;
his brother, Septimus, also lost
his life in the War.
Septimus HUNT, Bugler
(Private) with the Cameronians,
a Scottish Infantry Regiment. He
died on the 13th October 1917 at
the opening stages of the Battle
of Paschendaele, attacking the Belgian
village of Poelcapple where he is
now buried in the CWGC Cemetery.
He was aged 23 and originally from
Barrow-in-Furness; his brother,
Samuel, also lost his life in the
War.
Both the Hunt brothers worked
at Withnell Fold Paper Mill.
James IRELAND, Corporal
with the Veterinary Corps. He died
on the 29th November 1918 just after
the war had ended and is buried
in Brindle St. James’ Church graveyard
close to his parent’s grave. He
was 31 years of age, married and
lived in Accrington, although prior
to marrying he lived at Clayton-le
Woods with his parents and worshipped
at St. James’.
Albert E. PARKER, Private
with the 3rd Bn. King’s Shropshire
Light Infantry and died on the 29th
November 1919, after the war had
ended, aged 33. He is buried in
Brindle St. James’ Church graveyard,
in the grave of his mother Ann Calvert
(nee Parker) and lived with his
Aunt at Top o’th Lane at the time.
James W. PEARSON
James W. PEARSON, Lance
Corporal with the 1st Bn., the Loyal
North Lancashire Regiment. He was
killed at the start of the War on
the 14th September 1914 at the Battle
of Aisne. He was 33 years of age,
married and lived at Tyson Cottage,
Top o’th Lane, Brindle; his father
farmed locally. Two of his brothers
also died in World War One and his
son, Guardsman Frank Pearson, was
killed in World War Two.
Richard PEARSON, Private
emigrated from Brindle to New Zealand
with his brother before the war
and enlisted in the 2nd Bn., 3rd,
N.Z. Rifle Brigade. He was killed
in action in northern France on
the 10th September 1918, aged 35;
he is buried near Cambrai.
Thomas PEARSON, Private
emigrated from Brindle to New Zealand
with his brother before the war
and enlisted in the 7th Bn., Wellington
Regiment. Was killed in action in
Flanders on the 10th July 1916,
aged 24; he is buried near Armentieres.
(The Service Records of both
Richard and Thomas Pearson are in
our archives, courtesy of the New
Zealand Ministry of Defence).
John SHARPLES, Gunner
with the Royal Field Artillery died
on the 21st February 1917, aged
30. He is buried with his parents
David and Eliza Sharples in the
family grave in Brindle St. James’
Church graveyard; the Sharples family
farmed locally.
Levi SHARPLES
Levi SHARPLES, Private
with the 20th Bn., Manchester Regiment
- the ‘Manchester Pals’ died on
the 15th October 1917 in a hospital
in Rouen, France from wounds, probably
received at the 3rd Ypres (sometimes
known as the Battle of Paschendaele)
a few days earlier. He was aged
37, married; originally from Bolton
Hall Farm, Hoghton.
Thomas WILSON
Thomas WILSON, Guardsman
with the 1st Bn., Coldstream Guards
who was killed at the Battle of
Cambrai on the 27th November 1917;
he was aged 23 and has no known
grave. His parents lived at Hill
House Farm, Brindle. (A series
of the two Wilson brothers who served
in World War 1 are in the Archives).
William WORTHINGTON, Private
with the 3rd Bn., King’s Own Yorkshire
Light Infantry. He died on the 16th
June 1915 in Hornsea Hospital, East
Yorkshire after being gassed on
the Ypres Salient in the Spring
of 1915. He is buried next to the
family grave in Brindle St. James’
Church graveyard. His was married
and his parents lived in the centre
of the village; both were active
in St. James’ Church (his father
being the Sexton).
More detailed information and
some photographs of the men are
held in Brindle Historical Society
archives.
Research using the ‘Soldiers
who died in the Great War 1914-1918’
CD Rom revealed further names using
the phrase “men who died who
resided in Brindle at the time of
enlisting” came up with
four names not on any other lists...
George BARTON, Private
Jeremiah DECAUX, Sergeant
F200120 1st/4th Bn. East Lancashire
Regiment. Died of his wounds sustained
during the 3rd Battle of Ypres on
13th October, 1917, aged 19; buried
behind the lines at Zuydecoote,
near Dunkirk. He was one of three
brothers who lived at Sycamore Villas
on Oram Road, Brindle and served
in WW1.
Richard HUNTER
Richard HUNTER, Private
Gordon PEARSON, Private
and using the phrase “men
who died and claimed they were born
in Brindle on their enlistment form”;
showed five more names not on any
other lists...
Henry FAZACKERLEY, Private
James PRESCOTT, Private
John RILEY, Lance Corporal
MM
Albert TOWLER, Private
James WAREING, Private
On the 1918 Register of Electors
for Brindle ‘Township’ it can
be proven that two men on that list
(roll), shown as “being absent
on military service”, lost their
lives during the war; they are...
George HUNTER, Private
John WILLIAMS, Private
and possibly, one other...
Thomas ROBERTS, Private
Details of these men are in the
Brindle Historical Society archives.
Also, there are a number of CWGC
(Commonwealth War Graves Commission)
headstones in the graveyard of the
Parish Church of St. James’ and
similarly in the graveyard at St.
Joseph’s R.C. Church at Chapel Fold,
Brindle.
They are, at St. James.....
Joseph SHARPLES
Joseph SHARPLES, Private
and at St. Joseph’s...
M. KENNEDY, Staff Sgt.
J. RILEY, Private
Commemorated on family graves
and headstones in St. James’ Church
graveyard are the names of...
James H. MARGROVE, Private
John William PARK, Private
Robert ROGERSON, Private
Edmund WOODS
Edmund WOODS, Lieutenant
With the exception of Lt. Ellis
(from Staffordshire), Sgt. Clithero
and Sgt. Dew (both with local connections),
the names are from World War One
and details are held in Brindle
Historical Society archives. Lt.
Woods (pictured left) was
killed in action at Gallipoli in
1915 serving with the East Lancashire
Regiment.
Francis A. JACQUES
Inside St. James’ Church there
is a plaque to the memory of...
Francis A. JACQUES, Lt.
Colonel
who “gallantly led a charge
at Gallipoli in 1915”. He was
the son of Rev. Canon Kinton Jacques,
Rector of Brindle from 1889 to 1909.
The Colonel served in the Indian
Army and died at the head of his
troops; he has no known grave.
The following men are commemorated
on the War Memorial at St Joseph's
RC Church:
Joseph BURSCOUGH
Joseph BURSCOUGH, Gunner
(pictured left) L/13699 Royal
Field Artillery (attached to Trench
Mortar Battery). Died of his wounds
at a field dressing station near
Mametz on the Somme in northern
France. He died on 26th July 1917
during the Battle of the Somme,
which had started at the beginning
of the month. He enlisted in April,
1915 and served most of his time
around Vimy Ridge, Arras and on
the Somme in France; he is buried
in Flatiron Copse Cemetery, near
Mametz on the Somme battlefield.
He was aged 19 and worked on Hoghton
Station and in the Goods Office;
he lived with his parents in Hoghton
Lane.
Joseph HORROCKS, Private
2019688 2nd / 4th Bn. Loyal North
Lancashire Regiment was killed in
action on 27th August, 1918 near
Arras in northern France. He was
aged 24 and is buried in a military
cemetery in the small French village
of Ecoust-St.Mein. He lived in Gregson
Lane.
Arthur HOUGHTON, Guardsman
12928 2nd Bn. Scots Guards. Enlisted
on 6th February, 1915 and died in
King George’s Hospital, London hospital
on 2nd November, 1915 from illness
“contracted by drinking dirty water
in a stream in France”; he was aged
22. Asked to buried at St. Joseph’s
where he and his family worshipped,
they lived at Coupe Green. Laid
to rest in full military ceremony
held in the church on 17th November
conducted by the Very Rev. T Basil
Feeny OSB and attended by the Sacred
Heart Confraternity; he is buried
in the churchyard in the family
grave.
James HOUGHTON, Guardsman
14249 Coldstream Guards. Born in
Longridge, he enlisted with his
elder brother on 6th February, 1915.
Died of wounds at a dressing station
on the Ypres Salient in Belgium
on 10th October, 1917, aged 21;
wounded in the 3rd Battle of Ypres
during early October, 1917. Buried
in Dozingham Cemetery, south of
Ypres.
Walter LOWE, Private 21278
7th Bn. East Lancashire Regiment.
Born in Birmingham in 1897, his
brother also served in WW1. He was
killed in action on the Somme battlefield
on 8th November, 1916 during the
closing stages of the Battle of
the Somme. He is buried in a front
line cemetery in the middle of a
field close to Grandcourt, near
Thiepval.
Arthur LYON, Private 58116
2nd / 4th Bn. York & Lancaster Regiment
was killed in action during the
final advance on the 27th September,
1918 – less than 6 weeks before
the end of WW1. He is buried in
Grand Ravine Cemetery, Havrincourt
close to Cambrai in northern France,
after taking part in an attack on
German lines on the Hindenburgh
Line. He was just 18 years of age
and lived at Bank Terrace in Hoghton.
Ambrose MARGINSON
Ambrose MARGINSON, Private
3368 1st / 4th Bn. Loyal North Lancashire
Regiment was killed in action in
northern France on 15th May, 1915
and has no known grave; he is commemorated
on a memorial at Le Touret. Hoghton
born, he was aged just 20 years
of age when he died; he lived at
Hoghton Hall in the village.
Robert WALMSLEY, Gunner
700782 Royal Field Artillery, killed
in action during the 3rd Battle
of Ypres. Born in Gregson Lane in
1883, he was aged 33 when he died
on 21st October 1917; he is buried
in Nine Elms Cemetery, near the
Belgian town of Poperinghe.
Thomas WIDDOWSON
Thomas WIDDOWSON, Sapper
120813 Royal Engineers, killed in
action on 28th October, 1917 aged
31. Buried in Trois Abres military
cemetery near Bailleul on the Belgium-French
border; lived on Hoghton Lane.
John WYNNE
John WITHRINGTON, (correct
spelling WITHERINGTON) Bombadier
57859 Royal Garrison Artillery.
Killed in action on 31st July, 1917
on the Ypres Salient, aged 26. Buried
in Belgian Battery military cemetery
near to the Belgian town of Ypres.
Lived at 272 Hoghton Lane.
John WYNNE, Sergeant 5/3685,
5th Bn. Connaught Regiment. Born
in Ballyglunin, County Galway in
1888. Enlisted in Dublin 1914, although
educated at Preston College and
worked at County Hall in Preston;
lived at Crow Trees, next to Brindle
Lodge, Brindle. Died of wounds on
20th August, 1915, aged 27, after
action in the Gallipoli campaign;
he is buried in the 7th Field Ambulance
Cemetery on the Gallipoli Peninsula.
