Joseph Tideswell’s Gave Stone St Werburgh’s Kingsley

Royal Navy – Petty Officer Stoker K17369

We have previously published an article about who was J Tideswell (link HERE) and it has been a somewhat difficult process of concluding who he was. Its somewhat fitting that he is the last of our 28 men that we feature on this site.

At one point it was any one of four men who might have been J Tideswell – we haven’t got ready access to local papers for the period but in fairness his death would have been from 1919 onwards so a bit of a needle in a haystack.

What clinched it as to which one was based on a gravestone in the church yard of St Werburgh’s, a search of Navy records that showed us a man who served and came from Kingsley plus his death certificate that gave his service number which linked in with the service record.

Joseph Tideswell was born on 16th March 1891 the son of Thomas (an Ironstone Miner / Engine Driver) and Sarah Tideswell being the seventh of their eight children.  The family comprised of:  (Rosa b. 1875, John b. 1876, Isaac b. 1879, Annie b. 1881, Mary b. 1884, Henry b. 1886, Joseph b. 1891 and Lottie b 1901).  In 1891 the family were living at Park Nook, Foxt, (1881 & 1891 Census).  By 1901 the family had moved to Hazles Cross, Kingsley. (1901 Census).   

Joseph enlisted in the Royal Navy on 31st August 1909, aged 18 yrs, for an initial period of 3 years.  He was allocated Service No. K17369 and assigned duties as a trainee Stoker.  During his initial medical examination Joseph was described as being 5 feet 8 inches tall, with blue eyes and fair hair.  In 1912 he extended his naval service by signing on for a further 9 years.  

Joseph Tideswell served on a variety of ships during his naval service attaining the rank of SPO (Stoker Petty Officer). The following is a summary of ships or establishments in which he served during his naval career:

Dec 1912 – May 1913 HMS Cornwall Cruiser

May 1913 – Oct 1913 HMS Vivid 2 Davenport – Training

Oct 1913 – Feb 1914 HMS Indus Davenport – Training

Feb 1914 – Apr 1914 HMS Vivid 2 Davenport – Training

Apr 1914 – Aug 1916 HMS Nottingham Light Cruiser

Aug 1916 – Oct 1916 HMS Vivid 2 Davenport – Training

Oct 1916 – Feb 1919 HMS Glorious Battlecruiser

Feb 1919 – Jun 1919 HMS Vivid 2 Davenport – Training

Jun 1919 – Oct 1919 (Illegible)

Nov 1919 – Jan 1920 HMS Columbine Dublin – Training

Feb 1920 – May 1921 HMS Vivid 2 Davenport – Training

May 1921 – Jun 1921 HMS Colossus Dreadnought Battleship

Jun 1921 – Jul 1921 HMS Glorious Battlecruiser

Jul 1921 – Apr 1922 HMS Vivid 2 Davenport – Training

Apr 1922 – Jul 1922 HMS Capetown Light Cruiser

Jul 1922 – Sep 1922 HMS Malabar Bermuda – Shore Base

Sep 1922 – Dec 1922 HMS Vivid 2 Davenport – Training

As will be seen Joseph spent most of the war serving on HMS Glorious a Battle Cruiser patrolling the North Sea.  (Wikipedia).  He was subsequently awarded the Victory Medal, Star and British War Medal.  (Royal Navy records).  

Joseph Tideswell was retired from the Royal Navy on 6th December 1922, after 13 years service. His Naval record is finalised as, ‘Invalided – Tuberculosis.’   

Joseph died on 2nd January 1924, aged 31yrs, some 13 months after his discharge from the Royal Navy.  The Death Certificate confirms his cause of death as ‘Pulmonary Tuberculosis’.  At the time of his death Joseph was living with his brother Harry (Henry) at No. 1 New Hall Street, Kingsley.  The death certificate confirms he was ex Petty Officer Stoker K 17369 formerly of HMS Collingwood (shore establishment in Hampshire)

Joseph Tideswell is buried in Kingsley Churchyard.  The inscription on his grave reads, “In the prime of years I was cut down.  No longer could I stay; because it was my saviours will to call me hence away.”   His grave is not recorded by CWGC as a ‘War Grave’ as his death was outside of the dates set for inclusion which were 4th August 1914 to 31st August 1921 .  

Footnote 1:  HMS Glorious was the second of the Courageous-Class Battlecruisers built for the Royal Navy during the First World War. Designed to support the Baltic Project championed by the First Sea Lord, Lord Fisher, they were very lightly armoured and armed with only a few heavy guns. Glorious was completed in late 1916 and spent the war patrolling the North Sea. She participated in the Second Battle of Heligoland Bight in November 1917 and was present when the German High Seas Fleet surrendered a year later.  (Wikipedia)

HMS Glorious

HMS Colossus

Footnote 2:  The Second Battle of Heligoland Bight, also called the Action in the Helgoland Bight was an inconclusive naval engagement fought between British and German squadrons on 17 November 1917 during the First World War.  Following the German Navy’s successful raid on the Scandinavian convoy on 17 October 1917, Admiral Sir David Beatty, Commander-in-Chief of the British Grand Fleet, determined to retaliate.

On 17 November 1917 a strong force of cruisers under Vice Admiral Trevylyan Napier was sent to attack German minesweepers, which were clearing a channel through British minefields in the Heligoland Bight. The intentions of the German force had been revealed by British Naval Intelligence, allowing the British to mount an ambush.  The German sweepers were escorted by a group of cruisers and torpedo-boats under Rear Admiral Ludwig von Reuter.  

The action began at 7.30 a.m., roughly 65 nautical miles west of Sylt, when HMS Courageous sighted the enemy. She opened fire at 7:37 a.m. Admiral Reuter, the German commander, with four light cruisers and eight destroyers, advanced to engage his more powerful enemy in order to cover the withdrawal of his minesweepers, all of which escaped except for the trawler Kehdingen, which was sunk. The battle thereafter developed into a stern chase as the German forces, skilfully using smoke-screens, withdrew south-east at their best speed, under fire from the pursuing British ships of the 1st Cruiser Squadron, the 1st and 6th Light Cruiser Squadrons, and, later, HMS Repulse (which had been detached from the 1st Battlecruiser Squadron and came up at high speed to join the battle).

Both sides were hampered in their maneuvers by the presence of naval minefields.  The British ships gave up the chase some two hours later, as they reached the edge of known minefields. At about the same time, the light cruisers came under fire of two German battleships, SMS Kaiser and SMS Kaiserin which had come up in support of von Reuter’s ships; HMS Caledon was struck by one 30.5 cm (12.0 in) shell which did minimal damage; shortly thereafter, the British forces withdrew.  All personnel on the bridge of the light cruiser HMS Calypso, including her captain, Herbert Edwards, were killed by a 15 cm (5.9 in) shell. The Battlecruiser HMS Repulse, briefly engaged the German ships at about 10:00, scoring a single hit on the light cruiser SMS Königsberg that ignited a major fire on board.

It was during this battle that Able Seaman John Henry Carless of HMS Caledon won a posthumous Victoria Cross for his bravery in manning a gun despite mortal wounds.  (Wikipedia)

Footnote 3:  Elsa Bloxham who lives in Barnfiels Lane, Kingsley, is a relative of Joseph Tideswell.  Elsa’s Grandfather, Isaac Tideswell, was Joseph’s older brother.  Her father Joseph Henry Tideswell was named in memory of his Uncle Joe.

Private 65135 – Royal Army Medical Corps

Rowland John Burston was born at Ipstones in August 1887, the son of Rowland John and Elizabeth Burston, the second of their seven children.  During his early life the family lived at various locations with sibling children being born at Consall, Kingsley, Holsley (Worcs) and Bockleton (Worcs).  In 1901 the family were living at Swimley Cottage, Bockleton, Nr Bewdley, Worcestershire.  (1901 Census).  Later in 1915 his parents were living at Foxtwood, Foxt, Staffs.  (Army Records).

In April 1912 Rowland, (then aged 24yrs), married Fanny Everall.  The couple initially lived at The Vineyard, Rowley Lane, Bodenham, Herefordshire.  By this stage Rowland was employed as a Gamekeeper and this may have resulted in him travelling extensively.  In June 1912 the couple were living at Mildenhall, Suffolk. (1911 Census).  Later the couple returned to Herefordshire, living at Pea Green, Bodenham.  There were no children from the marriage. (Army Records).

On 29th July 1915 Rowland Burston (aged 28yrs) enlisted joining the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC), Service No. 65135,  at which stage he was 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighed a little under 9 stone.  Following his initial examination the Medical Officer described him as ‘Bow Legged, Flat Footed, with the tip of his right index finger missing.  Fit for action’.  (Army Medical Records).

In September 1915 following initial training Rowland was posted to Northern France.  In November 1915 he was redeployed to Salonika, (now called Thessalonika), Northern Greece, and allocated to the 68th Field Ambulance, dealing with casualties in that area of conflict.

In December 1917 Rowland Burston contracted Pneumonia.  On 9th December he was admitted to the 31st Casualty Clearing Station at Sarigol, Greece.  He failed to respond to treatment and sadly died on 12th December.  Capt E Davies (RAMC) Medical Officer commented, “His illness was contracted subsequently to enlistment and entirely due, in my opinion, to exposure whilst on active service.” (Army Medical Records).

The memorial to Rowland Burston is at the Sarigol Military Cemetery, Kriston, Northern Greece.

As well as Kingsley Rowland Burston is also commemorated on a memorial in Eriswell Suffolk which is some 10 miles from Mildenhall. Whilst living there before the war he gave his address as in Hertfordshire on enlistment which was in Newmarket Suffolk.

(http://eriswell.net/eriswell_remembers/erisrem.html)

Footnote 1:  In 1914 the Ottoman empire joined the Austro – German alliance against the Allied powers in return for a promise that Macedonia would be returned to Turkish rule. Early Turkish offensives were unsuccessful; an attack against Russia was repelled and ended with Russia seizing Armenia.  Turkish efforts against other western allies fared better.  The landing by British empire forces at Gallipoli in April 1915 was repelled after 9 months while a combined Anglo French force stationed at Salonica in October 1915 was bottled up there until 1918.  (The Times – History of the World).  

Footnote 2:  Rowland John Burston was the uncle of Christine Fowler, (nee Burston), now living in Church Street, Kingsley.

https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/331692/burston,-/

Kenneth Lovatt’s Grave in a Berlin CWWG Cemetary

Fusilier 65586. Northumberland Fusiliers (14th Battalion)

Kenneth Roy Lovatt was born in the period April – June 1899 the son of Fredrick (a Copper Wire Drawer) and Hannah Lovatt, the older of their two children.  In 1901 the family were living at 106 Harewood Road, Cheadle, Staffs.  (1901 Census).  By 1911 the family had moved to 52 Ashbourne Road, Cheadle, Staffs.  (1911 Census).

Prior to enlistment Kenneth Lovatt was employed as a Coal Miner at Parkhall Colliery, Cheadle / Dilhorne. (Andrew Bull)

Kenneth Lovatt enlisted as a teenager during WW1, (date as yet unknown), and was originally posted to the West Riding Regiment, Service No. 39449.  Later he was transferred to the Northumberland Fusiliers, 14th Battalion, Service No. 65586.  Kenneth Lovatt saw active service in France and Flanders. (Ancestry records).

A personal diary kept by Kenneth Lovatt indicates that in May 1918 his regiment were deployed in the area of Cormicy, (north of Reims), in trench defences on the Western Front.  Given this location it is likely the regiment were involved in the ‘Aisne Offensive’, which began in the early hours of 27th May 1918 when the German forces launched the third phase of their ‘Spring Offensive’, a determined attempt to break through the allied defensive lines in the area around Reims.  The diary indicates that Kenneth Lovatt was captured by German forces on 27th May 1918 and became a ‘Prisoner of war’.  

The 14th Batallion Northumberland Fusiliers were a Pioneer battalion in that the soldiers were trained to fight but also to carry out construction work often transferring skills from civilian life. In Kenneth Lovatt’s case his mining background would have been useful.

The war diary for the period has been sourced and on the day of his capture does not make any reference to anything untoward saying ‘enemy bombardment opened up at 1am and in accordance with defence instructions HQ moved to a position near to Hermanville. At 8.30pm HQ moved to Champigonieres where Capt’s E H Hills and (illegible) reported with the remainder of the companies’ It continues to say that on the following day they were instructed to take up a position nearby but found it occupied by the Germans so they had to withdrawal.

There is no mention of casualties or direct fighting but its likely that during the move after the bombardment there were some skirmishes that led to the capture of Kenneth Lovatt. The Northumberland Fusiliers saw 220 men die on 27th May 1918 – all bar a few in France in the same area suggesting they were fighting in the same area despite there being many battalions. There is a CWWG cemetery at Hermoville and there is a single casualty buried there who died on 27th May 1918 and was in the 14 th Battalion.

In October 1918, after some months in transit, Kenneth Lovatt was transferred to the Lamsdorf Prisoner of War Camp, (German occupied Poland).  As will be seen, Kenneth Lovatt was cruelly treated whilst a prisoner of war given only minimal starvation rations and poor health care in circumstances which he understandably found hard to bear.

Kenneth Lovatt died on 5th December 1918, aged 19 yrs, at the Lamsdorf Prisoner of War Camp, less than 3 weeks after the German surrender.  He is buried in the Berlin South Western Cemetery.  

A local newspaper report shortly afterwards comments, “We are sorry to give particulars of the death of one of our brave lads, Pte. Kenneth R Lovatt.  The bereaved father and mother have been anxiously waiting for some definite news of their son and they have been convinced that he died at Lamsdorf Camp on the above date. (5th December 1918).  It has been a great blow to them and we feel sure they have the deepest sympathy of everyone in their great sorrow.  We give a few particulars taken from his diary by one of his chums which has reached his mother.”

“He was captured at Cormicy on 27th May 1918.  Issued out with blanket, pants and shirt and went to baths; had a haircut and shave: lived mostly on elderberries, snails, potato peelings, frogs and hedgehogs.  Sept 19th – moved from Bazancourt to an awful place; awful conditions; up to the neck in mud, and sleeping in huts not fit for pig styes; no letters or parcels been heard of: fell down in a faint through weakness.  Sept 27th – Boots are worn out and no chance of getting them mended; dinners no thicker than water and bread ration down to about 250 grams and more work to do; 21 men went to hospital in 3 days, all sick men who could walk had to march 6 kilos in pouring rain to see the doctor who looks at your tongue and marks you MD (medicine and duty).  Fainted 3 times in one day and went to hospital at Givet and was very well treated – 6 slices of bread and 3 soups a day.  Left hospital about 16th October and had 6 days journey to Lamsdorf, in German Poland.  400 grams of bread, 3 soups a day, and received half a parcel one week and 2 kilos of biscuits and next week 1½ kilos and an emergency.”

Footnote 1:  Battle of Aisne: At 01.00hrs 27 May 1918, over 3,700 German guns opened up in the fire pattern devised by Colonel Bruchmuller, saturating the gun emplacements, isolating the HQs as the communication lines were broken, and disorientating the defenders. The effect of gas shells was not to kill, but to cause every possible form of nuisance to the key personnel of the British Army in carrying out their duties. Everything was made more difficult, everything was more uncomfortable, everything was more tiring and stressful.  The barrage went through its phases until the stormtroopers burst out of their trenches at 03.40hrs. No one in either 8th Division or 50th Division Headquarters had any idea of what was happening. Officers like Captain Lyon (1/6 Durhams, 151 Brigade, 50th Division) had to emerge from their dugouts to check for themselves. When he looked at the German lines he could see that the new German tactics were to put the advance troops immediately behind the barrage so that the British defence had no time to recover. He observed files of German troops immediately in front of his own line. They were advancing leisurely meeting with little or no resistance. When he looked up he could see German aircraft sweeping the trench line with machine gun fire. It soon became apparent that the British defence had crumbled.  (Wikipedia).

Footnote 2.  Lamsdorf Prisoner of War Camp was situated in German occupied south west Poland, near the German border.  It had previously been used as a Prison of War Camp in the the Franco Prussian war.  The camp was reactivated during World War I, when the Germans set up one of the largest camps for prisoners of war, housing roughly 90,000 internees, mostly from the United Kingdom, Russia, Italy and Serbia. Due to poor housing conditions roughly 7000 men died in captivity.  (Wikipedia).

Footnote 3:  Doreen Hawkins, a niece of Kenneth Lovatt, still lives in Cheadle.

Footnote 4: Kenneth Lovatt is commemorated on War Memorials at Kingsley, Cheadle  and Parkhall Colliery.

https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/895709/lovatt,-/

Private 48206. Leicestershire Regiment

John William Salt was born in January 1885 in Caverswall, the son of Henry and Emma Salt, the oldest  of their three children.  In 1891 the family were living at 17 Belle Vue, Leek, Staffs.  (1891 Census).  In 1901 John (aged 17yrs), was working at Kill Hill Farm, Bosley, Nr Macclesfield, for Elizabeth Brindley (Farmer) as a ‘Stockman – Cattle Farm’.  (1901 Census).   

In 1911 John (aged 26 yrs) was living with his parents at Greenhead, Kingsley Moor, near Cheadle, and was employed locally as a Blast Furnaceman.  The Census indicates that he was ‘Married’, albeit his wife is not recorded on the census. (1911 Census).  It seems likely that this was a clerical error by the census compiler as later army records, completed with information directly from John William Salt, make no reference to him being married.

It would appear from the available information that John William Salt had three separate stages of army service. Army records indicate that:

1. John William Salt initially served for a period of 6 years 4 months in the North Staffordshire Regiment.  (Army Records).  (This was presumably in the the period between 1901 and 1911 although it may be a later period whilst serving as a Territorial Soldier)
2. On 11th September 1914, John Salt, then aged 29 years 8 months, enlisted in the British Army for a 3 year Short Service Term, Service No. 37224, being posted to the Royal Regiment of Artillery (RRA).  In a pre-enlistment medical at Leek, he was described as 5 feet 9 inches tall, weighing 9 stone 11 lbs, with a 35 inch chest.  He was ‘Profusely tattooed back and front of both forearms. The middle finger of his left hand was missing.  Records indicate he discharged on 11th November 1914, after 55 days, as ‘Not being likely to become a good and efficient soldier’.  (Army records).
3. From the limited information available it seems that at some later stage, possibly on 10th December 1915, (indistinct reference to this date in Army Records), John William Salt rejoined the army and was allocated to the Leicestershire Regiment, Service No. 48206. (Army records).

John William Salt was involved in active service in France with the Leicestershire Regiment, 7th Battalion, (CWGC Certificate).  Records indicate he died of Influenza on 18th November 1918, one week after the war had ended.  (Army records).

As an indication of the 1918/19 post war confusion the Army wrote to John Salt’s family asking if they were aware of his whereabouts.  His father replied that he was last seen, ‘Over on home leave in September 1918’ and that he ‘Died in France on the 18th November 1918 …. (illegible)…… Leicester Regiment’.  (Army records).

From the period of when he was last home on leave to the date of his death the regiment were still involved in fighting. According to the War Diary in September 1918 34 men were killed, 231 were wounded and 18 listed as missing. October 1918 saw over 100 casualties with 26 other ranks killed plus a number of officers wounded and killed.

Following the Armistice the Battalion retired to the rear and on the date of John Salt’s death were involved on a route march in full fighting kit. There is of course no mention of John Salt. The month’s end casualties detail 38 men wounded in action and 2 killed. There is no mention of men dying through illness.

Of course 1918 / 19 saw the great flu pandemic that killed up to 1 in 20 of the world’s population and clearly John Salt was one such victim.

The end of 1918 saw the Battalion winding down with the first 150 men returned to England identified as ‘miners’ suggesting their need was now at home in the coalfields.

John William Salt is buried in the Caudry British Cemetery in France. The cemetery is situated south east of Cambrai and Arras.

According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Salt is recorded as SALIT and he is also known to the Leicestershire Regimental website by that name and also Salt.  However his medal card is recorded as J W Salt. Whether this is a spelling mistake we shall perhaps never know as his Leicestershire war record has not survived. However his earlier service makes no mention of his subsequent service and clearly the Royal Regiment of Artillery had no idea where he was hence the letter they sent asking for information.

He may have joined under a false name or he may have joined under his correct name once the standards for service had lowered. The 1918 Voters Lists show his mother and father still living on Kingsley Moor but there is no mention of John Salt even as a Naval or Military voter.

As always if anyone can shed any light on his service etc please do get in touch.

Footnote 1.  The 7th Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment, formed part of the 110 Brigade, 37th Division, (The Leicester Tigers), who saw continuous active service on the Western Front in Northern France for the duration of the war, including action at Ancre, Menin Road Ridge, Passchendaele, Havrincourt, Cambrai and Sambre.  (The Long, Long Trail).  

Footnote 2.  In early November 1918 the regiment were involved in heavy fighting near the Sambre River.  At the time of the armistice, the regiment were withdrawn to Brigade HQ at Berlamont, North West France. (Regiment War Diary).

Footnote 3.  It seems a particularly cruel irony that John William Salt survived the duration of the war only to die of Influenza a week after the German surrender.

https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/571984/salt,-john-william/