OK, I know I’m supposed to be working on my book on Portsmouth’s WW2 dead, but I thought I would ring the changes for a day by doing a bit of work on my parallel WW1 database. And just in processing a few names in the S’s, I found three brothers from Landport who were all killed during the Great War.
Rifleman Albert Thomas Squires was serving with the 1/8th Battalion of the Hampshire Regiment in Palestine when he was killed on 19 April 1917. He has no known grave and is remembered on the Jerusalem Memorial.
Private Charles Squires was serving with the 4th Battalion of the Worcestershire Regiment in the Ypres Salient when he was killed on 9 October 1917. He has no known grave and is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
Lance Corporal Harry Reeeves Squires was serving with the 2nd Battalion of the Hampshire Regiment when he was killed on 24 August 1917. He is buried in Dozinghem Cemetery, near Poperinghe in Belgium. Dozinghem was used as a burial ground by Casualty Clearing stations set up to treat wounded from the 1917 offensive in Ypres, better known as Passchendaele. This would suggest that he died of wounds. Harry Squires was awarded a posthumous Military Medal, announced in the London Gazette on 16 October 1917.
Thus John and Ellen Squires, of Landport, lost three sons within the space of six months.
Related Articles
- Ypres, Belgium: Pete Waterman remembers ‘that infernal battle’ (telegraph.co.uk)
Did the British military ever pass a “Sullivans” rule as the US military did? (I assume you know of the Sullivan brothers on the USS Juneau.) Yes, I realise there were only 2 brothers, and the US rule wouldn’t cover them, just curious if the British ever worried about having multiple brothers in one unit.
Not that I know of John, not formally at any rate. During the WW2 two Portsmouth brothers were lost on HMS Hood.
I think the problem with British military manpower has that we simply never had enough men, in WW1 and WW2, and this precluded any compassion when it came to families as posting. At the unveiling of the tomb of the unknown soldier in 1920 I understand that there were a number of women there who had lost FIVE sons during WW1.
Interestingly enough, USNS The Sullivans called in at Portsmouth a few years ago.
Yeah, I know manpower was a big problem, especially in the Navy requiring more talents. The US could afford to spread brothers out, although it was never rigidly enforced (and rarely worried about until you got past triplets).
By the way – if you ever get over here, the WW2 destroyer USS The Sullivans is docked as a museum ship in Buffalo, New York. And it’s a quick trip over the border back into civilisation (Canada). Or you can rough it in the wild (the US).
Slightly off topic, I (a Pomponian) followed your advice about my uncle (from Hartley Wintney, Hampshire) and eventually found he died at Armentieres, in 1914, (not 1916, as my late mother had claimed) and I can now get more information, so thanks for the advice.
Edna
No problem Edna, I’m glad to be able to help! Do give me a shout if theres ever anything else I might be able to assist with.