Stackpole and Bosherston War Memorials
The Great War, 1914-1918
Henry Bannell, Corporal, 7006. Henry was born in Dogdean, Salisbury, but resided at Pembroke prior to the outbreak of War. He enlisted at Salisbury into the 2nd Battalion, the Wiltshire Regiment, which formed part of the 21st Brigade, 7th Division based at Lyndhurst. The Division landed at Zeebrugge on the 7th October, 1914, but the Port was already falling to the Germans, and so they were sent to Ypres, where they fought in the First Battle of Ypres. They stayed in the Northern part of the Western Front throughout 1915, fighting at the Battles of Neuve Chappelle, Aubers Ridge, Festubert, Givenchy and the Battle of Loos, before the Brigade was transferred to the 30th Division on the 19th December, 1915. The first major engagement for the 30th Division was at the opening of the Battle of the Somme, and Henry was Killed in Action on the 8th July 1916 during the Battle of Albert. He is buried at Bernafay Wood British Cemetery, Montauban, in Grave G. 45.
Eric Octavius Campbell, D.S.O. & Bar, Lieutenant-Colonel.
Eric was born on the 3rd December, 1885, the son of Frederick Archibald Vaughan Campbell, 3rd Earl Cawdor and Countess Cawdor. During the Great War, Eric was Gazetted into the 8th Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders, part of the 44th Brigade, 15th (Scottish) Division, as Captain on the 4th February, 1916, and Gazetted as Major with them on the 2nd June, 1916. The Division had landed in France by the 13th July, 1915, and saw their first action at the Battle of Loos, and were attacked by gas at Hulluch on the 27th April 1916. They fought at Pozieres and Flers during the Somme Offensive, capturing Martinpuich, and in the Battle of Le Transloy where they attacked the Butte de Warlencourt. They were sent to Arras where they fought during the Battles of the Scarpe, and then went on to Ypres, fighting at the Battle of Passchendaele, at the Battle of Pilckem and at Langemarck alongside the 38th (Welsh) Division. Their next major engagement was during the German Offensive, near Bapaume, but by then Eric was already home, dying on the 4th June, 1918. He is buried at Stackpole Elidor Churchyard, in the Cawdor plot. He was aged 33. He had been Mentioned in Despatches three times, and had been awarded the Distinguished Service Order twice- in 1915 and 1918.
George Evans, Petty Officer, 206834. George was born in Bosherston on the 22nd February, 1883. He was the husband of Alice Rose Evans, of 93, Gwyther St., Pembroke Dock, and served aboard the Royal Naval Destroyer Leader H.M.S. "Tipperary". The Tipperary led the 4th Destroyer Flotilla of the Grand Fleet, commanded by Sir John Jellicoe, and fought at the Battle of Jutland. On the afternoon of the 31th May, 1915 the German High Seas Fleet were sighted off the coast of Jutland, and were intercepted by the British Grand Fleet led by Jellicoe, who had steamed from their base at Scapa Flow with this aim. The battle began that afternoon and raged on overnight. The Tipperary sighted a line of battleships closing toward her at 12.03 a.m. on the night of the 31st May/ 1st June, and flashed a recognition signal at them. Unfortunately they were the German Battleships ‘Westfalen’, ‘Nasau’ and ‘Rhineland’, accompanied by the German light cruisers ‘Stuttgart’ and ‘Hamburg’. The ‘Westfalen’ opened fire, raking the Tipperary with over 100 rounds of high explosive shells, and within minutes the Tipperary became a blazing wreck. The fuel and ammunition on board her soon caught alight, finally sinking at around 2.00 a.m. on the morning of the 1st June, 1915. Of the 197 crew members aboard her, 185 were dead, one of these being George Evans. He was aged 33, and is remembered on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Column 11.
James William Evans, Private, 143031. James was born in Bosherston, the son of Thomas and Alice Evans, of Kent House, Bosherston. He originally enlisted at Pembroke into the Welsh Regiment with the Army Number 15547, but was transferred into the R.D. Company, Machine Gun Corps. James Died of Sickness at home on the 22nd October 1918, aged 36, and is buried at Bosherston (St. Michael) Churchyard, North-West of Church.
Thomas Henry Evans, Private, 34038.
Thomas was born in Bosherston to Thomas and Alice Evans, of Kent House. He enlisted at Pembroke into the 1st/5th Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment, part of the 166th Brigade, 55th Division. The Division had fought at the Somme, and at Passchendaele and Cambrai but were sent to the ‘quiet sector’ of the Front around Givenchy and Festubert on the 15th February 1918. Between the 9th and the 29th April the relative peace of this sector was smashed when the German Spring offensive swept upon them. The Division bravely held out, gaining a well deserved reputation for their fighting qualities, prompting the siting of the Divisional Memorial at Givenchy after the war. They stayed in the same area until late August 1918 when the great advance began, and in the defensive period leading up to this, Thomas was fatally wounded. Thomas Died of Wounds on the 20th July 1918, aged 22, and is buried at Pernes British Cemetery, Grave V. F. 13.
William John Evans, Private, 28106. William was born in Stackpole to Mrs. Jemima Evans, of Pen y Wen. He enlisted at Bridgend into the 18th Battalion, the Welsh Regiment, part of the 119th Brigade, 40th Division. The 18th Welsh was a Bantam Battalion, formed by men who would have been too short for regular army service before the needs of war necessitated a reduction in standards for their intake. The Division moved to France between the 1st and 9th of June 1916, moving to Loos, but were sent to the Somme in late 1916, taking part in the Battle of the Ancre. They followed the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line in March 1917, and also played a big part in the Battle of Cambrai in the Winter of 1917, attacking Bourlon Wood. On the 21st March, 1918 the Division were caught up in the German Offensive, and fought at the Battle of St. Quentin and the First Battle of Bapaume, before moving north to Flanders, where they fought in the Battle of Estaires, and the Battle of Hazebrouck. It was on the second day of the latter battle, on the 13th April 1918, that William was Killed in Action aged 33. William is remembered on the Ploegsteert Memorial, Panel 7.
Arthur James, Private, 30642. Arthur was born in at St. Petrox, Pembrokeshire. He resided at Stackpole Quay, the son of George and Eliza James. Arthur enlisted at Pembroke into the 1st Battalion, the Welsh Regiment. At the outbreak of the Great War the 1st Welsh were at Chakrata, India, forming part of the Meerut Division. They returned to England, landed at Plymouth on the 22nd December, 1914, and were then attached to the 84th Brigade, 28th Division. The Division were landed at Havre during January 1915, and fought at First Ypres. Following terrible casualties to the Battalion at Ypres, they were formed into a Composite Brigade for several months, but were returned to normal status on the 19th May, 1915. The Division then moved south to Loos, taking part in the Battle of Loos, which began on the 25th September, 1915. On the 2nd October 1915 Arthur was Killed in Action. Arthur was 23 years old, and is remembered on the Loos Memorial, Panel 77 & 78.
Frederick Long, Private, 27379.
Frederick was born at Stackpole, the son of George and Hester Long, of Garden Lodge. He enlisted at Pembroke into the 1st Battalion, the Welsh Regiment. Frederick was Killed in Action the same day as Arthur James above, on the 2nd October, 1915. Frederick was 23 years old, and is also remembered on the Loos Memorial, Panel 77 & 78.
Frank Rogers, M.M. Lance Corporal 26388.
Frank was born in Bosherston, and enlisted at Ammanford into the 17th Battalion, the Welsh Regiment. The 17th Welsh were another Bantam Battalion, forming part of the 119th Brigade, 40th Division. Frank was fighting with the Battalion during the Battle of Cambrai when he was Killed in Action on the 25th November 1917, aged 29. Frank had been awarded the Military Medal for Bravery in the Field, and is remembered on the Cambrai Memorial, Louverval, Panel 7.
Thomas George Stephens, Private, 53659.
Thomas was born in Bosherston, and enlisted at Llanelli into the 2nd Battalion, the Welsh Regiment, part of the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division. The Division had been in France since the opening Battles of Mons and Le Cateau, and had fought at the Marne, the Aisne and at First Ypres, and then at the Battle of Aubers, the Battle of Loos and during the Battle of the Somme in 1916. After a long Winter in Flanders, they took part in the Battle of Passchendaele, and it was during the latter stages of this that Thomas was Killed in Action on the 9th November 1917. He is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, Panel 93 to 94.
