Somerset Light Infantry - Roll of Honour of Officers of the Somerset Light Infantry Who Died in the Great War Whilst Serving With 1st Battalion Somerset Light Infantry

No	Date Died	Surname	Forenames	Rank	Decs	Age	Cause	Country	Location/Sector	Cemetery/Memorial	Notes
1914
1	26th August	THOYTS	Francis Gordon Grant	Major	-	44	POW	France	Beauvois, near Le Cateau	La Ferte-sous-Jouarre Memorial	(1)
2	16th September	READ	Arthur Beddome	2Lt	-	23	KIA	France	East of Vailly-sur-Aisne	Vailly British Cemetery (IV.A.12)	(2)
3	19th December	BRADSHAW	Frank Seymour	Capt	-	31	KIA	Belgium	Ploegsteert	Ploegsteert Wood Military Cemetery (II.C.6)	-
4	19th December	HENSON	Stanley Benskin	2Lt	-	27	KIA	Belgium	Ploegsteert	Ploegsteert Wood Military Cemetery (II.C.4)	-
5	19th December	MAUD	Charles Carus	Capt	DSO	39	KIA	Belgium	Ploegsteert	Ploegsteert Wood Military Cemetery (II.B.2)	-
6	19th December	ORR	Robert Clifford	Capt	-	34	KIA	Belgium	Ploegsteert	Ploegsteert Wood Military Cemetery (II.C.3)	-
7	19th December	PARR	George Roworth	Lt	-	23	KIA	Belgium	Ploegsteert	Ploegsteert Wood Military Cemetery (II.C.5)	-
8	20th December	MOORE	Roger Ludovic	Lt	MiD	24	DOW	Belgium	DS near Ploegsteert	London Rifle Brigade Cemetery (I.B.5)	(3)
1915
9	4th May	GLOSSOP	Ernest Edward	2Lt	-	19	DOW	France	CCS at Bailleul	Bailleul Communal Cemetery Nord (I.14)	(4)
10	17th May	KENWORTHY	Donald	Capt	-	27	KIA	Belgium	Near "Irish Farm", west of Wieltje	New Irish farm Cemetery (XXVII.A.14)	(5)
11	1st July	WILLIAMS	Theodore Edward	2Lt	-	25	KIA	Belgium	Yser Canal, north of Ypres	Talana Farm Cemetery (II.C.5)	-
12	6th July	WEBBER	Harold Victor	2Lt	-	19	KIA	Belgium	Yser Canal, north of Ypres	Talana Farm Cemetery (I.D.7)	-
1916
13	1st July	DUNN	Ralph Ellis	2Lt	-	20	KIA	France	"Feste Soden", near Serre	Thiepval Memorial (Pier/Face 2A)	-
14	1st July	FAIR	George Patrick Conroy	2Lt	-	22	KIA	France	"Feste Soden", near Serre	Sucrerie Military Cemetery, Colincamps (I.H.8)	-
15	1st July	KNIGHT	Philip Clifford	2Lt	-	23	KIA	France	"Feste Soden", near Serre	Thiepval Memorial (Pier/Face 2A)	-
16	1st July	LEACROFT	Ronald John Ranulph	Capt	MC	22	KIA	France	"Feste Soden", near Serre	Redan Ridge Cemetery No 1 (C.40)	-
17	1st July	LECHE	Arthur Victor Carlton	2Lt	-	20	KIA	France	"Feste Soden", near Serre	Serre Road Cemetery No 2 (I.A.31)	-
18	1st July	THICKNESSE	John Audley	Lt Col	MiD*	46	KIA	France	"Feste Soden", near Serre	Sucrerie Military Cemetery, Colincamps (I.H.15)	-
19	1st July	TREASURE	William Herbert	2Lt	-	19	KIA	France	"Feste Soden", near Serre	Thiepval Memorial (Pier/Face 2A)	-
20	1st July	WHITGREAVE	Henry Egerton	2Lt	-	34	KIA	France	"Feste Soden", near Serre	Redan Ridge Cemetery No 1 (A.51)	-
21	2nd July	BRAITHWAITE	Valentine Ashworth	Lt	MC	30	KIA	France	"Feste Soden", near Serre	Thiepval Memorial (Pier/Face 2A)	-
22	2nd July	DODINGTON	Thomas Marriot	Lt	-	21	KIA	France	"Feste Soden", near Serre	Thiepval Memorial (Pier/Face 2A)	-
23	2nd July	FORD	Clement Charles	Capt	-	21	KIA	France	"Feste Soden", near Serre	Sucrerie Military Cemetery, Colincamps (I.I.67)	-
24	2nd July	HELLARD	John Alexander	2Lt	-	34	KIA	France	"Feste Soden", near Serre	Serre Road Cemetery No 2 (II.A.1)	-
25	2nd July	JOHNSTON	James Annandale	2Lt	-	26	KIA	France	"Feste Soden", near Serre	Thiepval Memorial (Pier/Face 2A)	-
26	2nd July	MACBRYAN	Edward Crozier	Lt	-	22	KIA	France	"Feste Soden", near Serre	Thiepval Memorial (Pier/Face 2A)	-
27	2nd July	NEVILLE	George Henry	Capt	MC, MiD*	35	KIA	France	"Feste Soden", near Serre	Serre Road Cemetery No 2 (XIV.G.12)	(6)
28	2nd July	PEARSE	Frank Arthur	2Lt	-	24	KIA	France	"Feste Soden", near Serre	Thiepval Memorial (Pier/Face 2A)	-
29	2nd July	WINSTANLEY	George Clement	2Lt	-	28	KIA	France	"Feste Soden", near Serre	Thiepval Memorial (Pier/Face 2A)	-
30	6th July	COLVILLE	Harold Linklater	2Lt	-	22	DOW	France	Military Hospital at Rouen	St Sever Cemetery, Rouen (A.3.5)	(7)
31	8th August	ROSEVEARE	Ronald Chard	2Lt	-	19	KIA	Belgium	Yser Canal, north of Ypres	Essex Farm Cemetery (III.A.6)	-
32	9th August	DE RITTER	Victor Frank	2Lt	-	19	DOW	Belgium	CCS at Lijssenthoek	Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery (IX.A.17)	(8)
33	9th August	GRIFFITHS	Harry James	2Lt	-	22	DOW	Belgium	CCS at Lijssenthoek	Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery (IX.A.18)	(9)
34	9th August	LE PETON	Desmond Alexander	2Lt	-	19	DOW	Belgium	CCS at Lijssenthoek	Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery (IX.B.2)	(10)
35	9th August	SULLY	Donovan Ernest	2Lt	-	20	DOW	Belgium	DS at "Essex Farm", north of Ypres	Essex Farm Cemetery (III.B.8)	(11)
36	9th August	THOMPSON	Reginald Paul	2Lt	-	28	DOW	Belgium	CCS at Lijssenthoek	Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery (IX.A.14)	(12)
37	19th October	BACKLAKE	Denis Ives	2Lt	-	20	KIA	France	"Frosty Trench", east of Lesbouefs	Thiepval Memorial (Pier/Face 2A)	-
1917
38	9th April	TANNER	Hubert John	Capt	-	28	KIA	France	"Chemical Works", near Fampoux	Arras Memorial (Bay 4)	-
39	10th April	CARD	Stormont Hays	2Lt	-	31	KIA	France	Near Fampoux, northeast of Arras	Arras Memorial (Bay 4)	-
40	10th April	GARDNER	Eric Mawdsley	2Lt	-	21	KIA	France	Near Fampoux, northeast of Arras	Arras Memorial (Bay 4)	-
41	11th April	FOY	Ernest Reginald	2Lt	-	19	KIA	France	Near Fampoux, northeast of Arras	Arras Memorial (Bay 4)	-
42	11th April	HERAPATH	Norman Finnis	2Lt	-	22	KIA	France	Near Fampoux, northeast of Arras	Arras Memorial (Bay 4)	-
43	12th April	ELLIOTT	Charles Arthur Boileau	2Lt	-	24	DOW	France	CCS at Etrun	Duisans British Cemetery, Etrun (III.E.32)	(13)
44	12th April	WASBROUGH	Spencer Vere	Capt	-	32	KIA	France	"Chemical Works", near Fampoux	Highland Cemetery, Roclincourt (I.B.32)	(14)
45	3rd May	CODNER	Christopher Cardew	Capt	-	22	KIA	France	Northeast of Arras	Roeux British Cemetery (D.52)	-
46	4th May	MARLER	Wilfred Earlstone	2Lt	-	24	DOW	France	CCS at Aubigny	Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extn (VI.E.15)	(15)
47	8th May	MASSIE	Sidney Edward	2Lt	-	19	KIA	France	Near Fampoux, northeast of Arras	Arras Memorial (Bay 4)	-
48	16th June	DAUBENY	Charles John Odinel	Capt	-	21	DOW	France	CCS at Aubigny	Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extn (VI.H.2)	(16)
49	21st June	WALLINGTON	Nigel Hugh	2Lt	-	19	A	France	North of River Scarpe, east of Arras	Mindel Trench British Cemetery (D.42)	(17)
1918
50	29th March	PARSONS	Alfred Cyril	Capt	-	25	KIA	France	Northwest of Arras	Haute-Avesnes British Cemetery (E.2)	-
51	14th April	DAVIES	James Thomas	Lt	-	?	DOW	France	CCS at Lapugnoy	Lapugnoy Military Cemetery (VI.D.6)	(18)
52	15th April	JOHNSON	Laurence Bertrand	2Lt	-	20	DOW	France	CCS at Pernes	Pernes British Cemetery (I.B.19)	(19)
53	22nd April	MARSHALL	Ernest William	Capt	MC	24	KIA	France	North of Bethune	Chocques Military Cemetery (IV.A.22)	-
54	22nd April	MOORE	Douglas Lewis	Lt	-	19	KIA	France	North of Bethune	Chocques Military Cemetery (IV.A.23)	-
55	23rd April	BOUCHER	Henry Mason	Capt	MC	27	KIA	France	Pacaut Wood, north of Bethune	Chocques Military Cemetery (IV.A.21)	-
56	23rd April	BUSE	Philip	2Lt	-	31	KIA	France	Pacaut Wood, north of Bethune	Chocques Military Cemetery (IV.A.20)	-
57	20th August	MASON	Arthur Pelham	2Lt	-	19	KIA	France	Northeast of Bethune	Gonnehem British Cemetery (H.15)	-
58	21st August	CRABTREE	Walter	2Lt	MM	30	KIA	France	Northeast of Bethune	Gonnehem British Cemetery (H.14)	-
59	29th August	POWELL	Roland Rice	2Lt	-	19	DOW	France	CCS at Ligny-St Flochel	Ligny-St Flochel British Cemetery (III.B.25)	(20)
60	2nd September	WRIGHT	Aislabie Harcourt Nelson	2Lt	-	19	KIA	France	Near Dury, east of Arras	Vis-en-Artois Memorial (Panel 4)	-
61	10th September	PAUL	Edgar Tripp	Capt	MC, DCM, MiD	38	DOW	France	CCS at Aubigny	Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extn (VI.B.15)	(21)
62	24th October	AUSTIN	Percy Edward	2Lt	-	24	KIA	France	Southwest of Valenciennes	Wellington Cemetery, Rieux-en-Cambresis (III.F.5)	-
63	24th October	GARDINER	Ashley James	2Lt	-	31	DOW	France	DS at Escaudoevres	Ramillies British Cemetery (G.2)	(22)
64	26th October	YOUNG	Lucian Albert	Lt	-	28	DOW	France	CCS at Buissy	Queant Road Cemetery, Buissy (I.A.30)	(23)
65	1st November	BOWER	Alfred Percy	2Lt	-	25	KIA	France	Preseau, near Valenciennes	Preseau Communal Cemetery Extn (B.1)	-
66	2nd November	LEWIN	Cecil Charles Humphreys	Capt	MC	31	KIA	France	Southeast of Valenciennes	Querenaign Communal Cemetery (A.9)	-
Notes: 1. THOYTS was wounded near Ligny on 26th August 1914 and died as a POW in a German Field Hospital near Beauvois the same day. 2. READ was originally buried in a battlefield grave to the east of Vailly-sur-Aisne, and reburied in Vailly British Cemetery in May 1924. 3. MOORE was wounded at Ploegsteert on 19th December 1914. 4. GLOSSOP was wounded southwest of Gravenstafel on 2nd May 1915. 5. KENWORTHY was originally buried in a battlefield grave north of "Irish farm", to the west of Wieltje, and reburied in New Irish Farm Cemetery, in September 1920. 6. NEVILLE was originally buried in a battlefield grave south of the "Quadrilateral Redoubt", southwest of Serre, and reburied in Serre Road Cemetery No 2, in February 1928. 7. COLVILLE was wounded at "Feste Soden", near Serre, on 1st July 1916. 8. DE RITTER was gassed at Yser Canal, north of Ypres on 9th August 1916. 9. GRIFFITHS was gassed at Yser Canal, north of Ypres on 9th August 1916. 10. LE PETON was gassed at Yser Canal, north of Ypres on 9th August 1916. 11. SULLY was gassed at Yser Canal, north of Ypres on 9th August 1916. 12. THOMPSON was gassed at Yser Canal, north of Ypres on 9th August 1916. 13. ELLIOTT was wounded at the "Chemical Works", near Fampoux on 9th April 1917. 14. WASBROUGH was originally buried in a battlefield grave north east of Fampoux, and reburied in Highland Cemetery, in November 1919. 15. MARLER was wounded at Roeux Wood, River Scarpe on 3rd May 1917. 16. DAUBENY was wounded near Roeux, River Scarpe on 15th June 1917. 17. WALLINGTON was accidentally killed. 18. DAVIES was wounded near Riez du Vinage, north of the la Bassee Canal on 13th April 1918. 19. JOHNSON was wounded near Riez du Vinage, north of the la Bassee Canal on 14th April 1918. 20. POWELL was wounded southeast of Monchy le Preux on 28th August 1918. 21. PAUL was wounded near Dury, east of Arras on 2nd September 1918. He was also awarded the Croix de Guerre (France) 22. GARDINER was wounded northeast of Haspres and was originally buried in a convent grave at Escaudoevres, and reburied in Ramillies British Cemetery, in May 1920. 23. YOUNG was wounded northeast of Haspres on 24th October 1918.

Those Officers of Other Regiments Who Died in the Great War Whilst Serving With

1st Battalion Somerset Light Infantry

No	Date Died	Surname	Forenames	Rank	Decs	Age	Cause	Country	Location/Sector	Cemetery/Memorial	Notes
1	11th February 1915	PENN	Geoffrey Mark	2Lt	-	28	KIA	Belgium	South of Messines	Rifle House Cemetery, S of Messines (IV.H.6)	(1)
2	17th March 1915	WADDY	John Raymond	Lt	MC, MiD	27	KIA	Belgium	Ploegsteert	Ploegsteert Wood Military Cemetery (I.B.3)	(2)
3	12th May 1915	MACMAHON	John Aquila	Lt	-	25	DOW	UK	Hospital at Twickenham	Twickenham Cemetery (F.A.124)	(3)
4	12th July 1916	ACLAND	John Henry Dyke	Capt	-	36	KIA	France	Somme	Sucrerie Military Cemetery, Colinchamps (I.H.16)	(4)
5	9th April 1917	HILL	Arthur Moberly	2Lt	-	-	KIA	France	SE of Fampoux	Arras Memorial (Bay 1)	(5)
6	2nd September 1918	STEEL	James	Capt	MC	25	KIA	France	NW of Dury, E of Arras	Vis-en-Artois British Cemetery (I.A.1)	(6)
Notes: 1. PENN was detached from the Rifle Brigade. 2. WADDY was detached from the Royal Army Medical Corps and was the Battalion Medical Officer. 3. MACMAHON was detached from the Royal Army Medical Corps and was the Battalion Medical Officer. He was wounded at Yser Canal, north of Ypres, on 29th April 1915. 4. ACLAND was detached from the Royal Army Medical Corps and was the Battalion Medical Officer. 5. HILL was detached from the North Somerset Yeomanry. 6. STEEL was detached from the Royal Army Medical Corps and was the Battalion Medical Officer.

Battalion History

On the Declaration of War on 4th August 1914 the 1st Battalion was based at Colchester, part of 11th Infantry Brigade, 4th Division. After mobilisation was completed on 8th August 1915 and intensive physical and combat training carried to up to 16th August 1914 the Battalion was moved to the 4th Division concentration area at Harrow and then on 22nd August 1914 embarked at Southampton Docks for Le Havre. The Division remained in France and Flanders for the remainder of the war and were engaged in various actions on the Western Front. A detailed history of the operations and major actions undertaken by the 4th Division can be viewed here. At the Armistice the Battalion was en-route by route march to Curgies, southeast of Valenciennes where it remained until 4th January 1919 undergoing military, physical and educational training. On 5th January 1919 the Battalion was billeted at Haine St Pierre, east of Mons, when demobilisation began with 2 officers and 142 men being returned to the UK in January. A draft of 2 officers and 299 men departed for 11th Battalion Somerset LI based in the Calais area on 26th February 1919 and a further 5 officers and 148 men were demobilised in February. The unit cadre returned to the UK in early March 1919. The Battalion was reconstituted as a Regular Battalion at Taunton in late 1919.

Regimental History

The Regiment was formed from the two Battalions of the 13th (1st Somersetshire) (Prince Albert's Light Infantry) Regiment of Foot as the Prince Albert's Light Infantry (Somersetshire Regiment) on 1st July 1881 under the Childers Reforms. As the Regiment consisted of two Battalions, there was no need for it to amalgamate with another Regiment. The reforms also provided for a Depot at Jellalabad Barracks in Taunton, and, as the county Regiment of Somersetshire, the county's Militia and Rifle Volunteer Battalions were integrated into the Regiment as numbered Battalions - 3rd Battalion (formerly 1st Somerset Light Infantry Militia), 4th Battalion (formerly 2nd Somerset Light Infantry Militia), 1st Volunteer Battalion (formerly 1st Somersetshire Rifle Volunteer Corps), 2nd Volunteer Battalion (formerly 2nd Somersetshire Rifle Volunteer Corps), 3rd Volunteer Battalion (formerly 3rd Somersetshire Rifle Volunteer Corps). Within months of the formation, the Regiment was retitled to Prince Albert's (Somersetshire Light Infantry).

In 1908, under the Haldane Reforms, the Militia and Volunteers were reorganised with the 3rd and 4th Militia Battalions almalgamated to form the 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion and the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Volunteer Battalions reorganised into the 4th and 5th Battalions of the Regimental Territorial Force (TF).

After the Declaration of War on 4th August 1914 and at various stages up to 1st July 1918, the Regiment formed and either disbanded, reorganised or reconstituted up of 20 Regular, Territorial Force, Service, Garrison, Reserve and Home Service Battalions.

A detailed history of the Somerset Light Infantry can be viewed here and here.

Analysis of 1st Battalion SLI Officer Casualties

Year	Belgium	France	Total
1914	6	2	8
1915	3	1	4
1916	6	19	25
1917		12	12
1918	-	17	17
TOTALS	15	51	66

Page last updated: 4th January 2025

| Fallen Officers of WW1 of Other Corps and Regiments |