Stockwell War Memorial

Friends of Stockwell War Memorial & Gardens

1 July 1916

James Trace

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J. Trace
Service no. 8867
Rifleman, London Regiment (Queen’s Westminster Rifles), 1st/16th Battalions
Enlisted in Westminster; lived in Brixton
Killed in action on 1 July 1916, aged about 21
Remembered at Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France

Information from the censuses

James Trace was an office boy for a firm of solicitors. He shared four rooms at 70b Hackford Road, Stockwell with his parents and siblings. His father, unemployed cab driver John Trace, 59, was from Torbryan, Devon; his mother, Lucy Trace, 51, was from Leicestershire. Three other children lived at home: Maude Trace, 20, a dressmaker; William Trace, 18, like James a solicitor’s office boy;  and Arthur Trace, 14, an errand boy. There were seven other siblings.

James was baptised at St John the Divine, Kennington, on 4 September 1895, when his parents lived at 116 Cowley Road. At that time his father described himself as an ostler (he looked after horses at an inn).

Harold Measday Snelling

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H.M. Snelling
Rifleman, London Regiment (Queen Victoria’s Rifles), 1st/9th Bn.
Service no. 4746
Killed in action on 1 July 1916, aged XX
Remembered at Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France, at Sandwich War Memorial and on a now lost wooden war crucifix outside St Anne’s Church, South Lambeth Road

Cousin of Frederick William Snelling and William Thomas Snelling

Chris Burge writes:

Harold Measday Snelling was born in Ramsgate, Kent in 1898, the third child of Frederick and Ellen Sophia (née Rogers) Snelling. In the 1901 census, Frederick worked as a baker and confectioner from premises at 15 King Street in the centre of Ramsgate, two doors from the Prince Albert public house. Ellen’s younger sister Rose Rogers assisted with the business as did a journeyman baker and his sister. 

By 1911 the Snelling family had moved to the more genteel surroundings of the market town of Sandwich, where Frederick ran his bakery from 9 The Cattle Market, in the heart of of the town. Frederick and Ellen were now 43 and had been married 20 years. Frederick listed his three children (one had died) in age order on his 1911 census return: Winifred, 19; Frederick John, 16; Harold, 13. He added Annie Lilian Rogers, his wife’s younger sister, as a visitor. Ellen, Winifred and Frederick John all worked in the business. The family were the sole occupants of the five-room property. 

According to the 1911 census returns, Ellen managed to be in two places at once on census day. She also appeared as a visitor on the return of Frederick’s brother, Charles Henry Snelling, whose family were living at 154 Glengall Road, Peckham. Frederick William and William Thomas were two of Charles Henry Snelling’s six children.

Charles Henry Snelling and family moved to 260 South Lambeth Road around 1914 at which time Harold Snelling seemed to be living with his uncle and working in London. Harold was baptised as an adult at St Anne’s, South Lambeth, on 22 December 1914. His cousin Frederick William Snelling, a civil service clerk, had volunteered at the beginning of the war. Harold volunteered around May 1915 in Central London joining the Queen Victoria’s Rifles. He was drafted to the 1st/9th Battalion in France on 30 March 1916, joining the battalion in a group of 38 men. The QVR were out of the line for most of March, April and until they moved to Hebuterne, south of Gommecourt, at the end of May. They suffered numerous casualties in the front line until the final week of June when the QVR were digging service and assembly trenches in preparation for the beginning of the Somme offensive. On 1 July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme, the QVR were part of the ill-fated diversionary attack at the northern extreme of the Somme sector at Gommecourt. The battalion suffered horrendous casualties in one day’s fighting. Among the officers six were killed, five were wounded and five missing; in other ranks 51 were killed, 290 wounded and 188 missing; a total of 16 officers and 529 men. Harold Measday Snelling, an acting corporal at the time, was posted missing on this day . 

An article appeared in the Deal, Walmer & Sandwich Mercury on 26 August 1916, entitled, ‘SANDWICH LAD MISSING’: 

‘The following appears in the “St Anne’s (South Lambeth) Parish Magazine’ for August regarding the youngest son of Mr. Frank Snelling, baker, of the Cattle Market, Sandwich, who was recently announced missing:- “News reaches us that Harold Snelling. A member of our choir and A.S.M of our scouts, has been posted missing since July 1. He was in the Queen Victoria Rifles somewhere in France. We fear there is not much hope of his having been saved. It is just possible that he may be a prisoner of war, but confess it is unlikely. We are very sorry, and yet not a little proud. He was one of those people who do not talk a lot, but put a lot of reality into anything they undertake. Not least did Harold count his faith in Jesus Christ, and so we confidently believe he is all right where-ever he is.’

In the course of time, Harold Measday Snelling was officially presumed to have died on, or since, 1 July 1916. His cousin Frederick William Snelling was killed on the Somme on 18 September 1916 and another cousin, William Thomas Snelling, was killed in 1917 during 3rd Ypres.

Harry Albert Nixon

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H. A. Nixon
Service no. L/12127
Private, Middlesex Regiment, 2nd Battalion
Died 1 July 1916, aged around 27
Remembered at Thiepval Memorial, France

Roll of Honour of the Great War 1914-1918

NIXON, H.A., Private, 2nd Middlesex Regiment.
He enlisted in 1906, and was drafted to the Western Front shortly after the commencement of hostilities. He fought in many important engagements, including those at Ypres, Loos, and Albert and did good work. He was unfortunately killed in action on the Somme on July 1st, 1916, and was entitled to the 1914 Star, and the General Service and Victory Medals.
“His memory is cherished with pride.”
31, Priory Grove, Lansdowne Road, S.W.8.

Army Service records

Nixon’s Army Service records are extensive, as you would expect with such a long service history (8 years and 128 days) and they throw up some interesting aspects of life in the military in the early 20th century:

  • Nixon’s travels across the globe in the service of Empire – to Aden, India, Malta, and when the Great War, with the British Expeditionary Force to France, where he died.
  • his health – inoculations against typhoid, treatment for repeated bouts of syphilis
  • his regular problems with discipline

Sadly, like so many other Service Records, Harry Nixon’s are in a very bad state and difficult to read. However, I have been able to establish that Nixon joined the Middlesex Regiment at Winchester, the city of his birth, on 24 February 1908, aged 19 and 5 months. He abandoned his previous life as a “van guard” (train guard) and became a career soldier.

Nixon’s general health was good. He stood taller than average at 5 feet 6½ inches (169cm) and weighed 134lbs (just over 9½ stone or 61kg). His chest measured  37½ inches (95cm), which he could expand by 3½ inches (9cm). With a fresh complexion, grey eyes and fair hair, the British Army was happy to sign him up. He was pronounced fit to serve.

However, Nixon proved to be something of a difficult character. He remained a private throughout his long army career and possibly his poor conduct record accounted for his lack of advancement.

The following list is what I have been able to interpret from the record. No doubt, if I understood the abbreviations I would be able to pull out more details.

  • In January 1910 he was pulled up for inattention on the range.
  • At Dum Dum (West Bengal) he was absent from parade.
  • Using improper language towards an NCO.
  • At Malta he was punished for “improper conduct – walking arm in arm with other soldiers” and “using obscene language”.
  • On 11 September 1913 in Aden he was punished for “using improper language towards a NCO” and promptly shipped out of the 1st Battalion to the 2nd.
  • On a date I cannot decipher, in Valletta, he was disciplined for “interfering with the military police”

Venereal disease was a common hazard for career soldiers. Nixon became infected with syphilis, according to his Syphilis Case Sheet on around 31 August 1911 at Darjeeling. He sought treatment less than two weeks later on 9 September 1911 and by 1912 the Army doctors at Dum Dum were treating him regularly. His appointments were weekly, although he is often marked as “absent”, presumably because he was on operations.

Nixon was treated with mercury and iodides – neither of them very effective. Better, more modern medications were available (the German Nobel prize-winning physician Paul Erlich developed Salvarsan 606 and Neosalvarsan 614 in 1906).

When the Great War started, Nixon was sent to France with the British Expeditionary Force. On 1 July 1916 he was listed as “missing’, but his next of kin were not notified until 15 August. He was eventually classed as killed in action. His effects were sent to his younger sister, Mrs Alice Maude Weaver, who lived at 42 Margate Road, Lyham Road, SW2, rather to his mother Alice/Rebecca. “I recive [sic] the photos quite safe,” she wrote in reply, “thanking you very much for sending them.”

When sent Harry’s medals in 1919, she wrote in her careful handwriting: “Recive [sic] with thanks. Thank you very much for sending me the 1914 Star, I am very proud of my Poor Brother.”

On Army form W. 5080, in which relatives give the names and addresses of living family of the deceased, Father is listed as “None” (presumably his father, Frederick C. Nixon, a general labourer, was by then deceased) and mother as “Alice Nixon” (there is some confusion over her name: she is listed on the 1901 and 1891 censuses as “Rebecca” and on the 1911 as “Alice”), 59. Two siblings were declared: Daisy Dorithey [sic] and Fredrick. All three were living at 31 Priory Grove, South Lambeth, SW8. In reality, there were or had been at least 11 siblings (of 18 born alive in 29 years of marriage), although some of them may not have survived. The form was signed by G. Robinson Lees, the vicar of St Saviour’s, Brixton Hill.

Information from the 1911 census

In 1911 Harry’s family lived at 31 Priory Grove, SW8, where they occupied 4 rooms. The household consisted of his parents Frederick C. Nixon, 55, a general labourer born in Stepney, and Alice Nixon, 49, born in Dorset. The couple had 12 surviving children (of 18). These 6 are on the census:
Alice Maud Nixon, 18, born in South Lambeth (as were all the children listed on this census) and whose occupation is given as “oatmeal stores manufactures” for a brewery
Kate Nixon, 15
Rose Helen Nixon, 11
Tom Owen Nixon, 9
Daisy Dorothy Nixon, 8
Fredrick Joseph Nixon, 6 

Information from 1901 census

In 1901 Harry was living at 22 Conroy Street with his mother, Rebecca A. Nixon, 39, who worked as a bottler in the vinegar works*, and who was born in Pullin, Dorsetshire. The children registered on the census were
Fannnie Nixon, 13, born in Winchester, Hampshire, working as a greengrocer’s assistant
Charles Nixon, 14
Harry Nixon, 12
Alice Nixon, 8
Kate Nixon, 5
Rose Nixon, 1
There is no mention of Harry’s father Frederick. There were two lodgers: widower Harry Wimble, 45, a casement maker from Ileywhite, Hampshire, and Laura Wimble, 13, born in Paddington (presumably his daughter).
* Possibly the Beaufoy Vinegar Works (later taken over by Sarsons), now Regents Bridge Gardens

Arthur Joseph Mullett

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A. J. Mullett
Service no. 130014
Pioneer, Royal Engineers, 3rd Battalion Special Brigade; formerly 35044, London Regiment
Born in Lambeth; enlisted at Holborn; lived in Lambeth
Died of wounds on 1 July 1916, aged about 21
Remembered at Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, Nord, France

Brother of George Thomas Mullett

Information from the censuses

In 1911 Arthur Joseph Mullett, then a 14-year-old schoolboy, lived at 12 Ely Place, Stockwell with his parents, a brother and a sister. The family had lived at that address since at least 1901. His parents were from Dorset: Henry Mullett, 51, was a horsekeeper for a brewery (a job he was doing at the time of the 1901 census), born in North Matravers; Harriett Mullett, 52, was from Swanage. Emily Mullett, 26, was an ironer for a laundry, born in Lambeth; William Mullett, 23, was a welder for a bus company, also born in Lambeth; Arthur Mullett was born in Battersea. The family occupied 4 rooms. Elizabeth Mullett (in 1901 a laundry machine hand) and George Mullett (in 1901 working as a printer’s boy in the lithography department) had left home.

Information from Terry Reeves

Around March 1916 Arthur would have been transferred from the London Regiment to the Royal Engineers Special Brigade, who were responsible for much of Britain’s offensive chemical warfare effort on the Western Front. Arthur would have been sent initially to Helfaut, some 4 miles south of St Omer, where the Special Brigade had established their expeditionary force Depot. He would have been billeted in one of the surrounding villages as the 3rd Battalion formed up. The unit was a cylinder company responsible for dispensing gas from heavy cylinders which had to be carried into the front line, often with assistance from the infantry, and installed in the front line trenches.

On the night of 30 June/1 July 1916, Arthur’s K Company detachment was tasked to release cylinders containing “White Star” gas, so-called because of the white star emblem on the cylinder.  They were filled with a 50/50 mix of phosgene and chlorine. The former had a low vapour pressure and needed a propellant, which was provided by the chlorine which had a higher vapour pressure. The release of this gas was part of a minor operation in support of 2nd Australian Brigade at Ploegsteert in Belgium. The battalion war diary noted the following:

“106116 Cpl R. G. Williams, 1282286 Pioneer A Lewis and 130014 Pioneer AJ Mullett were working in an emplacement, their Tower Respirators were fixed efficiently. A shell burst in front of our parapet and blew a cloud of gas back so that some entered the bay occupied by these men. They all felt a slight irritation and reported to their section commander, who ordered them to go to at once to the dressing station. The two pioneers remained, but later Cpl Williams said that he felt quite well and returned to his work. He was sent back to the hospital at once. All three were dead by the following morning.”

Cpl Williams and Pioneer Lewis are recorded as dying on 30 June and Pioneer Mullet dying on 1 July at No. 8 Casualty Clearing Station. 

The report continued:

“The Tower Respirator which each man was wearing throughout the attack is proof against White Star gas. 

“It is surmised that respirators must have been temporarily displaced by a shell which is known to have wrecked the emplacement.”

From a technical point of view, phosgene had a delayed-action effect, of anything up 48 hours. Any exertion could bring about tiredness and collapse during that time which fits with the casualties described above. 

All three men are buried in Baileull Communal Cemetery. Cpl Williams and Pioneer Lewis side by side and Arthur Mullett just a few graves away in the same row.

Albert John Laskey

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A. J. Laskey
Service no. 22997
Lance Corporal, Border Regiment, 1st Battalion; formerly 10696, East Surrey Regiment
Born in Lambeth; enlisted at Kingston-on-Thames; lived in Stockwell
Killed in action on 1 July 1916, aged about 22
Remembered at Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France

In 1911 Albert John David Laskey, 17, was working as an errand boy. He later became a greengrocer’s assistant, working for the Lackey family business at 6 Industrial Terrace, Brixton. However, he was let go from there as business was slack, according to Thomas Lackey, who provided a testimonial to the Army on Laskey’s good conduct. Lackey joined the East Surrey Regiment on 3 August 1913 at Kingston-on-Thames as a private.

Laskey lived with his family in four rooms at 33 Edithna Street, Stockwell. His father, William David, 46, was a “night porter (flats),” originally from Hempnall, Norfolk. His stepmother, Sarah Jane Eliza, 38, was from Islington, London. There were three half-siblings and two boarders.

The physical description of Laskey brings to mind a solid, well-built man. He was 5 feet 6½ inches tall, 10 stone, with a 34-inch chest, to which he could add 2 inches. He had a fresh complexion, with brown eyes and brown hair, a scar inside her right knee and a mile to the right of his abdomen.

There was only one misdemeanour on Laskey’s conduct sheet: at Kingston he was absent for three hours on 18 June 1915, for which he was punished with five days’ Confinement to Barracks and the loss of five days’ pay. Nevertheless, in July he was promoted to Lance Corporal.

Laskey went missing on 1 July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme, when 19,240 men died during what became known as the Battle of Albert. His family now had an agonising wait to discover what had happened to him. On 19 September his wife, Florence Lily, wrote from her home at 55 Victor Road, Teddington, “I am asking if you [have heard] anything more of my husband. … He was reported missing on July 1st.” His stepmother wrote too. “Will you please let me know if you have any definite news of my son,” she pleaded on 26 March 1917. But Laskey’s body, like so many, was never found and he is remembered on Thiepval Memorial where those soldiers known only “to God” are listed.

Information from the 1911 census

In 1911 Albert John David Laskey, 17, was working as an errand boy. He lived with his family in 4 rooms at 33 Edithna Street, Stockwell. Albert’s father, William David Laskey, 46, was a “night porter (flats)”. He was from Hempnall, Norfolk. His mother, Sarah Jane Eliza Laskey, 38, was from St Luke’s, London. There were 4 children:
Albert John David Laskey, 17, born in Greenwich
Dorothy Alice Laskey, 7, born in Peckham
Jeannie Olga Laskey, 5, born in Peckham
David William Laskey, 3, born in Stockwell
There were 2 boarders: William John Rivers Willson, 50, a travelling coalman, born in Greenwich, and Ray Thorley Hepworth, 24, an actor from Leeds.

Arthur Alexander Jeffery

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A. A. Jeffery
Service no. 4802
Private, East Surrey Regiment, 8th Battalion
Born in Lambeth; enlisted in St Paul’s churchyard; lived in Clapham
Killed in action on 1 July 1916, aged about 27
CWGC: “Husband of Mrs D. Blacklock (formerly Jeffery), of Toronto, Canada.”
Remembered at Thiepval Memorial, France

The 1911 census shows that Arthur Alexander Jeffery, was boarding at 88 Portland Place North, South Lambeth, the home of the Dunnett family, with his brother Albert V. Jeffery. Arthur, 22, was a commercial clerk; Albert, 23, a dairy utensil maker. 

Arthur was born on 28 October 1888, the son of Thomas Henry Jeffery, a civil servant, and Catherine Elizabeth. He was baptised at St Barnabas, South Lambeth on 7 April 1889. In 1915 he married Dorothy Dunnett, whose family he had lodged with. He enlisted in St Paul’s churchyard. 

After the war, his widow remarried, becoming Mrs. D. Blacklock, and moved to Toronto, Canada.