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Frank Barlow

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F. Barlow
Service no. 6507
Private, London Regiment (London Scottish), 2nd/14th Battalion
Died in an accident on 17 February 1917, aged 21
Son of Moses and Frances Barlow, of 20, St Stephen’s Terrace, Albert Square, Clapham Road, London.
Remembered at Salonika (Lembet Road) Military Cemetery, Greece, and at Stockwell War Memorial, London SW9

British Army WWI Service Records 1914-1920

Frank Barlow was buried 10 yards from the road at Katerini, near Thessaloniki, Greece. On 17 February 1917 he fell down a precipice and fractured his skull. He was killed instantaneously, according to a witness at the Council of Enquiry in the Field held by Lieutenant Colonel R. J. L. Ogilby on the same day.

The platoon had been told to make their way down a sharp slope east of the camp and up a hill on the other side. “I came to the edge of a cliff with a drop of about 90 feet to a stream below,” said R. C. Hone. “I told the men to get round the best way they could.” They split in two and he tried to cross the stream but fell in and lost his stick. “I called to the others to catch the stick as it went by,” he continued. But then he noticed the body of Private Barlow. “The last time I saw Pte. Barlow was about a quarter of the way down […] when I noticed he was carrying a signalling flag. Serjeant Souter “saw something in the water, which I first thought was an animal. On looking down I found it was a London Scottish man.” They hauled the body out.

No one had seen him fall. “Pte. Barlow was in front of me,” said Private Keech. “I had to drop out for a few minutes and did not see him any more. I had noticed that he was using his signalling flag as a walking stick.”

Barlow was examined by a Captain J. D. Stubbs, of the Royal Army Medical Corps and pronounced dead.

The conclusion was clear: “The court, having considered the evidence [are of the] opinion that the death of 6507 Pte. Frank Barlow was caused by an accident in performance of his duties and that no blame can be attached to any person concerned.”

There is no record that Barlow’s family saw the witness statements or received any further explanation of the death of their son’s death. Three months after the accident, his effects (matchbox, spectacles, pipe, wristwatch, scissors, knife, key, pouch, air pillow, books, compass, cup, dictionary, diaries, wallet and sundries) were sent to his mother at 20 St. Stephen’s Terrace, South Lambeth. She duly completed the paperwork but wrote on 23 Mary 1917: “I have not received my son’s pay book or will. I have had a copy of the latter sent from the War Office, but I should like his own handwriting.”

Barlow served in France for two months before he was sent to Salonika in November 1916. He had enlisted in the London Scottish on 24 January 1916 at Buckingham Gate, London, where he was described as having “good” physical development. He was 5 feet 8 inches, with a 35-inch chest (which he could expand 4 inches). His papers do not include his civilian ocupation, but the 1911 census shows that he was at that time a 14-year-old part-time student and office boy. He lived with his family at 20 St Stephen’s Terrace, SW8, where they occupied five rooms. His father, Moses Barlow, 52, was a mechanical engineer (working in boiler making), from Reading, Berkshire. His mother, Frances Barlow, 43, was born in Chelsea. There was a brother, George, who also later served in the Army.

Information from the 1911 census

In 1911 Frank Barlow was a 14-year-old part-time student and office boy, living in 5 rooms with his family at 20 St Stephen’s Terrace, SW8. His father, Moses Barlow, 52, was a mechanical engineer (working in boiler making), from Reading, Berkshire. His mother, Frances Barlow, 43, was born in Chelsea. Others on the census return were
George Barlow, 13
Miriam Barlow, 8
Both were born in Lambeth
A nephew, Richard Barnes, 18, a motor engineer from Sunbury, Middlesex, lived with the family.

John Barber

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J. Barber
Service no 551983
Driver, Royal Engineers, 47th Signal Coy.
Killed in action on 24 March 1918, age 24
Son of John and Lydia Barber, of Stockwell, London.
Remembered at Beaulencourt British Cemetery, Ligny-Thilloy, France, and at Stockwell War Memorial, London SW9

Information from the 1911 census

The Barber family lived at 92 Landor Road, SW9. John Barber (senior), 52, was born in Brighton and worked as a butcher. Lydia Barber, 46, was born in Dymchurch, Kent. Six of their 10 children survived, including John, who is on the census as Jack:
Lydia Barber, 21, an artist working in dressmaking
Jessie Barber, 20, “at home in business” – no further details
Ethel Barber, 19, “at home in business”
Jack Barber, 17, “at home in business”
Hilda Barber, 12
Earnest Barber, 10

Arthur Edward Ball

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A. E. Ball
Service no. 10231
Serjeant, Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry, 1st Battalion
Killed in action on 23 July 1916, aged 23
Son of Charles and Sarah Ball, of 58 Tasman Road, Stockwell, London.
Remembered at Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France and at Stockwell War Memorial, London SW9

Information from the 1911 census

In 1911 Arthur Edward Ball, then 17, was working as a compositor’s apprentice and living at 58 Tasman Road, Stockwell with his father, Charles Ball, 47, a stone mason born in Isleworth, and his father’s second wife, Sarah Ball, 42, born in Chelsworth, Suffolk. Other members of the household were
William Ball, 21, a compositor, born in Kennington
Fredrick Ball, 16, a bag carrier for a gas company, born in Kennington
Frank Ball, 3, born in Stockwell

Leslie Frank Bailey

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L. F. Bailey
Midshipman, Royal Naval Reserve, H.M.S. “Bayano”
Died on 11 March 1915, aged 19
Son of Frederick Harvey Bailey and Maria Bailey, of 11 Belle Vue Gardens, Clapham Road, London. Served on H.T. “Huanchaco” on which he continued to serve when it was taken over as an Admiralty Transport in the first months of the war. Native of Brixton, London.
Remembered at Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Hampshire, at Putney Vale cemetery, and at Stockwell War Memorial, London SW9

Midshipman Leslie Frank Bailey (HU 113154) CWGC family information: Son of Frederick Harvey Bailey and Maria Bailey, of 11, Belle Vue Gardens, Clapham Rd., London. Served on H.T. ‘Huanchaco’ on which he continued to serve when it was taken over as an Admiralty Transport in the first months of the war. Native of Brixton, London. Copyright: © IWM. Original Source: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205289913

Information from the 1911 census

In 1911 Leslie Frank Bailey was 15 and at school. He lived in 5 rooms at 363 Coldharbour Lane, Brixton with his mother, Maria Bailey, 59, born in Croydon and sister, Edith Mary Bailey, 34, a fruiterer’s assistant born in Dalston, London. Frank was one of 5 children. He was born in Lambeth.

Information from the 1901 census

In 1901 Leslie Bailey was 5 and living at 50 Solon Road, Brixton, with his mother, then 49, a florist; sister, Nettie F. Bailey, 26, a florist; sister Edith F. M. Bailey, 24, a commercial clerk. Both sisters were born in Dalston. Visiting on the night of the census were Ellen R. Laurence, 41, married and born in Croydon, and Harold R. Laurence, 6, born in Long Acre, Covent Garden and presumably Ellen’s son.

Frederick Harvey Bailey, cited by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, was mentioned in neither the 1911 nor the 1901 census returns for this household.

William George Bacon

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W. G. Bacon
Service no 242252
Private, South Staffordshire Regiment, 2nd/6th Battalion
Died on 21 March 1918, aged 33
Husband of Alice Rachel Bacon, of 37 Kimberley Road, Stockwell, London.
Remembered at Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France and at Stockwell War Memorial, London SW9

In 1911 Bacon was a tobacconist living with his brother and his wife at 86 St John’s Hill, Clapham Junction. He married Alice Rachel Potts and left a daughter Vera Alice.