A Royal Marine Who Survived Two Sinkings.

1914 - 15 Trio.
Edward VII Naval Long Service & Good Conduct Medal.
PLY-7115 Pte. F. S. Hansard, R.M.L.I.

Frederick Sidney Hansard was born in Aston, Birmingham on 13th June 1870. He enlisted in the Royal Marines on 14th June 1894 and began his training at the RM Depot at Walmer. His Service Record describes him as being 5' 6" in height with a dark complexion, dark brown hair and hazel eyes. During the following years he passed his musketry and gunnery drills, saw overseas service in Malta and Gibraltar and served on a number of ships, including HMS Majestic, Bulwark and Hermione. He received his Long Service Medal in 1909, having completed 15 years of service.

The outbreak of the First World War found Frederick serving aboard HMS Berwick, a Monmouth Class armoured cruiser. On 13th June 1915, having completed 21 years with the Marines, he was enrolled in the Royal Fleet Reserve. On 26th March 1916, he joined the crew of HMS Avenger, an armed merchant cruiser, which was torpedoed by the German U-Boat U69 in the north Atlantic on 14th June 1917. More details here:

The Sinking of HMS Avenger.
Frederick Hansard's next ship was equally unlucky. On 23rd July 1917, he joined HMS Champagne, an auxiliary cruiser with a complement of 305 (34 officers and 271 other ratings), which was sunk in the Irish Sea on 9th October 1917, after a fight with the German submarine U96 during which three torpedoes struck the ship. 5 officers and about 50 men were lost. Details of the action can be read here:
The Sinking of HMS Champagne.
Frederick next served on HMS Cordelia, a light cruiser that had seen previous action at Jutland, staying with this ship until 31st March 1918. A duplicate Long Service Medal was issued to him in October 1918; his original medal had presumably gone down in one of the torpedoed vessels. In February 1922, his 1914-15 Trio was issued and in June of the same year, he was discharged from the Royal Fleet Reserve. Frederick Hansard died at the age of 72 in Birmingham in 1942.

Pte. John Thomas Giles, 2nd Royal Sussex.

1914 Star. 7462 Pte. J. T. Giles, 2nd Royal Sussex Regiment. Born in the parish of St John's near Tunbridge Wells, John Thomas Giles, a 19 year old labourer serving in the 3rd Royal Sussex Militia, attested for the Royal Sussex Regiment on 12th November 1903, signing on for three years with the colours and nine years in the Army Reserve. His Service Papers describe him as almost 5' 5" in height, weighing 120lbs and with a dark complexion, grey eyes and dark brown hair. In February 1904, he was posted to the 2nd Battalion and subsequently saw overseas service in Malta (18th June 1904 - 28th May 1905) and Crete (29th May 1905 - 24th Oct 1906) before returning to the UK. On 11th November 1906, having completed three years service, John was transferred to the Army Reserve. In 1912, he married Mary Ann Fuller at the church of St John the Divine in Tunbridge Wells. On the outbreak of the First World War, John was recalled from the Reserve to join the 2nd Royal Sussex, his old battalion, and went to France with them on 12th August 1914. At some point in August 1914, he reported sick with chest trouble. In the words of the medical report: "States he first suffered from chest trouble in Malta 1904 while in army. In August 1914 at Le Havre reported sick with chest trouble and was marked as "attending". Susequently got wet in trenches and his trouble became aggravated. At present complains of pain behind sternum, cough, expectoration & suffers from shortness of breath." The condition was diagnosed as tubercle of the lung and he was eventually discharged as "no longer physicaly fit for war service" on 15th July 1915. The opinion of the Medical Board was that his condition was "not the result of but aggravated by active service. Exposure in the trenches." His disability was classed as permanent. In addition to the 1914 Star, John Thomas Giles was also awarded a British War Medal, Victory Medal and a Silver War Badge (No: 04135) for his service in the First World War. He died on 4th October 1918 at the age of 36.

 

 Article from "The Courier" 5th February 1915.

Pte. Sidney Powell, 15th London Regiment.

1914 - 15 Trio.
3349 Pte. S. Powell, 15th London Regiment (Civil Service Rifles).

Sidney Powell lived at 18 Park Street, Cambridge, and attested for the 15th London Regiment on 4th March 1915. His Service Papers describe him as 26 years 8 months old, 5' 6" in height and of good physical development. On the following day, he signed Army Form 624, entitled "Agreement to be made by an officer or man of the Territorial Force to subject himself to liability to serve in any place outside the United Kingdom in the event of National emergency" and 12 days later, on 17th March 1915, he went to France with the 1/15th Battalion of the London Regiment. In the words of the Regimental History: "It was hardly realised when that Battalion went to France that it would soon become the highest of distinctions in the Regiment to be described as a "17th of March man," but this distinction is fully recognised now and he is a much envied man who has the right to attend the Annual Commemoration Dinner." It seems incredible that he got to France just 13 days after joining up, especially as his Papers state he had no previous military service.

Sidney served with the Battalion for just over six months, until suffering a gun shot wound to the leg and left foot on 25th September 1915, the first day of the Battle of Loos. According to the Regimental History: "To the Civil Service Rifles the Battle of Loos was chiefly a spectacle, since, with the exception of two platoons of "B" Company, the whole Battalion looked on from the reserve trenches. The fate of these two platoons, however, brought home to their friends the realities of battle.

"Soon after the attack started, No. 6 Platoon went forward over the top as a bomb-carrying party. Starting out twenty-five strong the party soon suffered heavy losses, and only three men of the party survived unhurt. No. 8 Platoon went to the rescue, and although their fate was much better, they, too, had their losses."

On 8th October 1915, Sidney Powell was sent back to the UK, presumably after a spell in hospital in France. He was discharged from the army on 30th August 1916, having served a total of 1 year and 181 days and was subsequently awarded a Silver War Badge (No: 16105) and a pension of 25 shillings a week. In 1918, he was living at 52 Chestnut Grove, Fulham, London SW12.

Pte. Frederick Haynes, 2nd Dragoons.

Queen's South Africa Medal with clasps "Cape Colony", "Driefontein", "Transvaal" & "Paardeberg".
King's South Africa Medal with clasps "South Africa 1901" & "South Africa 1902".
3899 Pte. F. W. Haynes, 2nd Dragoons.

Frederick William Haynes, a 23 year old labourer, born in Findern, just outside Derby, joined the 2nd Dragoon Guards at Canterbury on 6th July 1892, signing on for 7 years with the Colours and 5 years in the Reserve. His Service Papers record him as being 5' 7" tall, weighing 133lbs and having a fresh complexion, blue eyes and brown hair with scars on the forehead and back of the head. He served with his regiment at home and then in India from 24th January 1893 till 26th October 1894, during which time he was awarded his first Good Conduct Pay. Following this, he served over two years in Egypt, returning to the UK in November 1896. In July 1898, he was awarded his second Good Conduct Pay and in July 1899, on completion of 7 years service, he transferred to the 1st Class Army Reserve.

Following the outbreak of the Boer War, he was recalled to the Colours on 13th November 1899 and posted to the 2nd Dragoons (Scots Greys). The next day, he married Edith Ann Read but had little time to enjoy married life, being sent to South Africa the following month. Frederick served with the 2nd Dragoons in South Africa from 28th December 1899 till 20th March 1903, earning the two medals pictured above. He returned to the UK in March 1903 and was finally discharged from the army on 5th July 1904, having completed 12 years service.