Private

In the British Army, a private (Pte) equates to both OR-1 and OR-2 on the NATO scale, although there is no difference in rank. Privates wear no insignia. Many regiments and corps use other distinctive and descriptive names instead of private, some of these ranks have been used for centuries, others are less than 100 years old.[2] In the contemporary British Armed Forces, the army rank of private is broadly equivalent to able seaman in the Royal Navy, aircraftman, leading aircraftman and senior aircraftman in the Royal Air Force, and marine (Mne) or bandsman, as appropriate equivalent rank in the Royal Marines. The term as a military rank seems to come from the Sixteenth Century when individuals had the privilege of enlisting or making private contracts to serve as private soldiers in military units.

Private Joseph Summerfield

Private Joseph Summerfield was the only son of George and Rose Summerfield of Sundon, and brother to two younger sisters, Lizzie and Ethel. His father was a Labourer at a Lime Works, and Joseph followed in his fathers footsteps and became a labourer at the Cement Works when he was 14.

Joseph joined the 7th Bedfordshire Regiment on the outbreak of war, and served  2 years in France, without any leave, before he was killed on the 17th June.

 

The War Diary for the 7th Bedfords states:

Private Frederick Goodman

Private Frederick Goodman, was the third son of Herbert and Ann Goodman of Surrey Street Luton. Frederick was born in 1893 in Markyate where his father was an Asphalter (one who works with tar, probably working in laying road surfaces or sealing roofs).

Prior to enlisting in August 1916, Frederick worked as a labourer at the Diamond Foundry, alongside his two elder brothers Walter and Archie. He joined the Royal Sussex Regiment, and served until he was wounded on the 20th June 1917. He was taken to a casualty clearing station at Proven where he died soon after arrival.

Private Sidney Albert Coe

Private Sidney Albert Coe, was the eldest son of Richard and Mary-Ann Coe. He was born in 1886 in Stopsley, and worked as the Clerk for Messer’s Howe and Byfield Coal Merchants on King Street.

The nature of his death is unusual for a military casualty being that he drowned whilst swimming in the sea at 11:30 AM on 28th July 1917, at Hopton on the UK East Coast. Two men from the company tried their best to rescue him, but he was taken by the sea, and his body recovered the next day after a search by Navy inshore boats.

Private Horace Arthur Goodship

Horace Arthur Goodship was the fifth son of George and Ann Goodship of Stopsley, who had three sons serving on the Western Front.

Horace was a Private in the 1/5th Bedfordshire Regiment, and prior to joining up worked as a straw hat polisher for Mr. Frenay Pirotte, on Leagrave Road. He was well known as a footballer for Stopsley and as a general good sportsman with an avid interest in cricket.

He was killed in action on August 16th during the Gallipoli Campaign.

Private Frank Horsler

Frank was the son of George and Ann Horsler of Great Bramingham who had seven sons serving on the Western Front. Three brothers died and two were wounded. Frank was fortunate to survive unscathed and return home after being demobilised in December 1919.

Frank enlisted in April 1917 and served in France and Italy. His full service record is available online from the National Archives.

Private George Horsler

George was the fifth son of George and Ann Horsler of Great Bramingham who had seven sons serving on the Western Front. Three brothers, including George, were killed and two were wounded.

George was killed at Passchendaele in October 1917. He has no known grave and is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial near Ypres in Belgium. He is also named on the Sundon Village memorial in Bedfordshire.

Private Arthur Horsler

Arthur was the fourth son of George and Ann Horsler of Great Bramingham who had seven sons serving on the Western Front. Three brothers, including Arthur, were killed and two were wounded.

Arthur joined the army in February 1917 and served in France and Italy with the 20th Manchesters. He returned to France in July 1918 and was killed on 4th October 1918 whilst acting as a stretcher bearer. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Vis en Artois memorial. His name also appears on the Sundon Village memorial in Bedfordshire.

Private Walter Horsler

Walter is the sixth son of George and Ann Horsler of Great Bramingham who had seven sons serving on the Western Front. Three of the sons were killed and two were wounded. Walter had the good fortune to come through unscathed and to return home after being demobilised in 1919.

Private Edward Horsler

Edward was the second son of George and Ann Horsler of Great Bramingham who had seven sons serving on the Western Front. Three brothers, including Edward, were killed and two were wounded.

Edward was married with five children and when he was drafted to France two of his brothers who were with him at the Ampthill training camp offered unsuccessfully to take his place. He was killed in action on the Somme in September 1916 and is buried in Guillemont Road Cemetery in France. He is named on the Sundon Village War Memorial.

Private Albert Horsler

Albert was the third son of George and Ann Horsler of Great Bramingham, who had seven sons serving  on the Western Front. Three brothers were killed and two, including Albert, were wounded.

The first page of Albert's army record can be found in the National Archives as part of the "Burnt Documents" ( most of the WWI service records were damaged in the Blitz in WWII and fragments have been preserved on microfilm).

Private George Cox

 

Pte George Cox, 5233, 1st Battalion Norfolk Regiment, was killed in action at Ypres on June 22nd, 1915. He was aged 35.

Many Luton people will deplore the loss of a personal friend, said The Luton News. He was employed at the Luton Gas Works and resided at 68 Beech Road. He was called up as a reservist on the outbreak of war and drafted to the front in early September, having been there ever since.

Mrs Cox received only the bare official intimation from the War Office, but she received from Sgt W. Bartram, a letter in which he wrote:

Private Gustavus Bass

Gustavus was born in 1888.

Aged 23 in 1911 he was a straw hat packer and living at No 2 Cross Street in Luton. He was living with 7 other people in this little side street off High Town Road, his 58 year old widowed mother, Georgeina, brother Harry 19,  and aunt Maria who is unmarried at age 64 and is a straw hat machinist. Gustavus' married brother John, 25 who is a brickmaker, has bought his family to live here too, his wife Amy Thurza Gerelda, 25 and his daughters Winifred Nora, 4 and Edith Elizabeth aged 2.

Private Walter Brightman

Walter was one of five sons of Samuel and Sarah Brightman of Great Bramingham who served on the Western Front. Tragically his four brothers were all killed between 1914 and 1917. Walter was taken ill in France in  July 1916 and after convalescing for 12 months joined the Labour Corps to help with the harvest. He was expected to return to the Front in July 1918 but was released on compassionate grounds following an appeal from the Vicar of Streatley.

Private Richard Brightman

Richard was one of five sons of Samuel and Sarah Brightman of Great Bramingham who served on the Western Front. Tragically four of the five brothers were killed. Richard died of wounds on 10th November 1917 in France, aged 24. He was the fourth son to be lost.

Richard died in a Canadian hospital at Etaples, having had both feet amputated one week earlier. His parents received the letter informing them of his wounds on the same day as they received a telegram informing them of his brother Herbert's death.

Pages

Subscribe to RSS - Private