Stockwell War Memorial

Friends of Stockwell War Memorial & Gardens

age 21

George Herbert Canham

by

G. H. Canham
Service no. 3861
Rifleman, London Regiment (Queen’s Westminster Rifles), “D” Coy. 1st/16th Battalion
Born in Chelsfield, Kent; enlisted in Westminster; lived in Stockwell
Killed in action on 10 September 1916, aged 21
CWGC: “Eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. W. Canham, of 35, Mordaunt St., Stockwell, London.”
Remembered at Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France

National Roll of the Great War 1914-1918

CANHAM, G. H., Rifleman, 16th London Regiment (Queen’s Westminster Rifles).
He volunteered in March 1915 and was drafted to the Western Front the following year. He took part in several important engagements and was killed in action on the Somme on September 10th 1916. He was entitled to the General Service and Victory Medals.
35, Mordaunt Street, Stockwell, S.W.9.

George’s brother William James Canham, who survived the war, also appear in the National Roll, as does A. H. Canham of the same address.

British Army WWI Service Records 1914-1920

George Herbert Canham enlisted at 58 Buckingham Gate on 1 March 1915. He was 20 years and 5 months old, stood 5 feet 9 inches and had a 36½ chest (which he could expand by 3½ inches). His physical development was judged to be “good”.

Canham’s file does not include much more than the basic details of his movements. He was Home from the day of his enlistment to the Territorial Force until 21 April 1916, when he embarked for Rouen. He was deployed in the field from 4 May 1916, and survived there until 10 September, when he was killed in action at the Battle of the Somme.

Information from the 1911 census

In 1911 the Canham family inhabited 5 rooms at 4 Tivoli Road, West Norwood. William Canham, 41, was a brewer’s drayman, born in Wenhaston, Suffolk. Clara Amy Canham 43, was born in Farnborough, Kent. They had had 6 children, 5 surviving at the time of the census
George Herbert Canham, 16, a shop porter, born in Chelsfield, Kent
William James Canham (cited in the National Roll), 14, an office lad, born in Farnborough, an office lad
Arthur Kitchener Canham, 10, born in Chelsea
Florence Maud Canham 7, born in Chelsea
Maurice Gordon Canham 3, born in Brixton

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.