In Burma With The 1st Rifle Brigade.

India General Service Medal 1854 with clasps "Burma 1885 - 7" & "Burma 1887 - 89".
7052 Pte. J. Foy, 1st Rifle Brigade.

James Foy appears on the 1871 Census as the illegitimate two year old son of Bridget Foy, a 23 year old spoon polisher living in her parents' house at Vale Court, Birmingham. By the time of the 1881 Census, Bridget was living in Digbeth with James, now aged eleven, and Mary, his six year old sister. On leaving school, James found work as a labourer but on 9th October 1884 he met Sergeant Cox of the Coldstream Guards and was persuaded to enlist in the army, agreeing to serve for seven years with the Colours and five years in the 1st Class Army Reserve. James probably lied about his age as, assuming that the information in the Census records is reasonably correct, he can have been barely 15 years old at this point. His Attestation Papers, however, record his age as 18, his religion as Roman Catholic, and describe him as 5' 4" tall with blue eyes, brown hair and a fresh complexion.

On 13th October 1884, James joined the Rifle Brigade at the Regimental Depot in Winchester. After a period of basic training, he was assigned to the 3rd Battalion and spent the next two years on home service. In April 1885, he obtained his 4th Class Certificate of Education.

In October 1886, James was posted to the 1st Battalion of the Rifle Brigade, which was stationed at Belgaum in India. James would stay with the 1st Battalion for the next five years, during which time he would serve over two years in Burma involved in the military operations to bring the country under British rule and earning entitlement to the India General Service Medal. You can read more about the 3rd Anglo-Burmese War here. In addition, he was awarded his 1st and 2nd Good Conduct Pay, advanced to Lance Corporal (June 1888) and then Corporal (May 1889), and obtained his 3rd and 2nd Class Certificates of Education (August 1889 & February 1890).

James Foy returned to England in December 1891 and was transferred to the Army Reserve, his seven years of service having been completed. In April 1893, he married Mary McHale at St Michael's Catholic Church in Birmingham. After five years in Section "A" of the Reserve, James re-engaged for four years in Section "D" and, as a result of this, found himself mobilised for service in the Boer War in May 1900. He served one year and 128 days in South Africa with the 1st Rifle Brigade, his old Battalion, and was appointed Acting Sergeant on 23rd July 1900. He was awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal with three clasps. You can read more about the Rifle Brigade in the Boer War here.

Late in 1901, James was sent back to the UK and was finally dischargd from the army on 18th October at Gosport. His character was described as "very good" and his intended place of residence was given as Bradford Street, Birmingham. He had served a total of 17 years and 10 days, but his military career was far from over.

In September 1902, at the age of 36, James attested for the Royal Garrison Regiment, enlisting as no: 5662 with the rank of Private, and agreeing to serve for two years garrison duty with the Colours. He was quickly appointed Lance Corporal and, in March 1903, sent to Malta to serve with the garrison at Mtarfa. Soon after arriving, he spent six days in hospital because of a hernia, resulting from a rupture suffered in South Africa in 1901. He would have heard of the birth of his son, James Michael, back in Birmingham on 1st August 1903. He was promoted to Corporal in October of the same year.

In March 1904, James was on his way back to England and was discharged on completion of his two years' service on 17th September. His character on discharge was again described as "very good" and his intended place of residence was now Trent Street, Birmingham.

On 29th December 1904, James again enlisted in the Rifle Brigade in order to serve as a volunteer in the Reserve Division of the Militia. His attestation Papers record the fact that he was working as a clerk for the Birmingham City Gas Office at the time. Four years later, on completion of his term of engagement, he was discharged.

Following the outbreak of the First World War, James Foy once more came forward to serve his country. On 9th September 1914, at the age of 48, he again enlisted as a rifleman in the Rifle Brigade at Winchester. He was immediately promoted to Sergeant and posted to the Depot. In September 1915, he was posted to the 14th (Reserve) Battalion of the Rifle Brigade and appointed Acting Company Quarter Master Sergeant. Early in 1916, he was attached to the 21st KRRC and later in the same year joined the 25th (Reserve) Garrison Battalion of the Rifle Brigade. This unit was employed on coastal defence in the Falmouth area and also supplied drafts for the Territorial Battalions of the Rifle Brigade. It was disbanded on 26th March 1919 and on the same day James Foy was discharged from the army for the last time. He had served in the UK for the duration of the war, his service being recognised by the award of a Meritorious Service Medal, which was announced in the Peace Gazette of 3rd June 1919.

Col Sjt. Burrows - 21 Years Of Service.

Edward VII Army Long Service & Good Conduct Medal.

10385 C. Serjt. A. E. Burrows, Royal Fusiliers.

Alfred Ernest Burrows makes his first appearance in history as a 5 year old schoolboy recorded on the 1871 Census as living with his mother, Elizabeth, who is described as a seaman's wife, a younger brother Edmund and two aunts in Basset Street, Budock, near Falmouth in Cornwall. At the time of the 1881 Census, the family was still resident in Falmouth and Alfred, now 15 years old, was apprenticed to a local draper. However, in February 1888, he attested as a private soldier in the Rifle Brigade, was given the service number 9416, and commenced his basic training. He passed his 3rd Class Certificate of Education in April 1888 and was posted to the 2nd Rifle Brigade in June 1888. Early in 1889, Alfred had his first taste of overseas service when he was sent to join the 3rd Rifle Brigade, which was stationed at Rawalpindi in India.
He seems to have made steady progress in his new career, being awarded his 1st Good Conduct Pay and passing his 2nd Class Certificate of Education in February 1890. He was appointed Acting Corporal in April 1890, promoted Corporal in January 1894, appointed Acting Sergeant in 1895 and promoted Sergeant in 1896. In March 1897, Alfred re-engaged for the Rifle Brigade at Rawalpindi, agreeing to complete 21 years service.
In the summer of 1897, the 3rd Rifle Brigade was one of the British Battalions that took part in the Tochi Expedition, whose purpose was to punish the tribesmen living in the village of Maizar and the surrounding area, who had ambushed Mr. H. A. Gee, the Political Officer for Tochi, and his army escort. It was a frustrating campaign, the soldiers having to deal more with heat, flies and disease than with enemy forces. A good description of the expedition can be found here. For his part in the campaign, Alfred Burrows was awarded the India Medal 1895 - 1902 with clasp "Punjab Frontier 1897 - 98".

In December 1898, Alfred was back to England and posted to the 4th Rifle Brigade. In September 1899, he qualified as a Sergeant Instructor in Musketry at the Army School of Musketry in Hythe and was later posted to the Rifle Brigade Depot. The 1901 Census, taken on March 31st, records Alfred as 36 years old, still single and working as a hospital attendant in the military hospital at Alverstoke, Gosport.
In October 1901, Alfred joined the 5th Battalion of the Rifle Brigade and on the 18th December he married Jane Annie Turner. Alfred had little time to enjoy married life, however, as he was soon sent abroad again, this time to serve in the South African War, where British and Imperial forces were engaged in a long and bitter struggle with the Boers. He stayed in South Africa for 10 months, earning entitlement to a Queen's South Africa Medal with clasps for "Cape Colony", "Orange Free State" and "South Africa 1902".

Back in England again, Alfred was promoted to Colour Sergeant on 10th December 1902 and five months later, on 11th May 1903, he was posted for duty to the 4th Volunteer Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers as a Sergeant Instructor. Three children would be born to him and his wife over the next few years: Montague Alfred (b. 25/2/1904), Dorothy Annie (b. 5/2/1906) and Edna (b. 29/1/1907). His Long Service & Good Conduct Medal was awarded on 13th February 1906.
Alfred Ernest Burrows completed his 21 years of army service in February 1909 and was discharged at Hounslow. At the time he was on the permanent staff of the 4th Battalion, City of London Regiment (TF). His Discharge Papers describe him as 42 years and 2 months in age, 5' 5" in height and with a fair complexion, grey eyes and dark brown hair. His conduct had been "exemplary" and it was noted that he was "a good clerk, reliable, painstaking, willing & industrious. Will make an excellent caretaker." His intended place of residence was 44 Charteris Road, Tollington Park, London. Sadly, Alfred Burrows passed away on 12th July 1912.

Pte. Clifford Whiting, 2nd Rifle Brigade.

British War Medal 1914 - 20.
Victory Medal.
3568 Pte. C. H. Whiting, Rifle Brigade.

Clifford Henry Whiting was born in Haggerston, Middlesex, 1886, the second child of George, a groom / bus driver and Hannah Whiting. The 1891 Census records the couple as living at 183 Stewarts Road, Battersea, and lists their children as Claude (9 yrs), Clifford (4 yrs) and Annie Mabel (2yrs). By the time of the 1901 Census, two more daughters, Ethel and Elsie, had been born and Clifford, now aged 14, was employed as a print compositor's apprentice.
On 4th December 1909, Clifford enlisted in the Rifle Brigade at Kingston on Thames, signing up for seven years with the Colours and five years in the Reserve. His Attestation Papers describe him as 23 years and 4 months old, just over 5' 5" tall, weighing 128lbs and with good physical development, a fresh complexion, brown eyes and brown hair. If one reason for joining the army was to see something of the world, he wasn't to be disappointed; in November 1911, Clifford was posted to the 2nd Battalion of the Rifle Brigade in India and would serve almost three years in that country.

On the outbreak of war in 1914, the 2nd Battalion was at Kuldana, a hill station in the Murree Hills. On 20th September, they sailed from Bombay for the UK on the SS Somali, arriving at Liverpool on 22nd October. The Battalion became part of the 25th Brigade, 8th Division, and on 5th October moved to Southampton to embark on the SS Victorian for the short voyage to France. Having arrived at Le Havre on 7th, the men were in the trenches a week later and had their first casualty, 1699 A-Cpl Walter Percy Green, on the 16th. November was particularly cold and conditions in the trenches were miserable; the men's wet boots froze to their feet and 44 men were sent to a field ambulance, suffering from frostbite. In December, there was heavy rain and mud. The casualty figures for 1914 were 4 officers and 18 other ranks killed or died of wounds, 3 officers and 23 other ranks wounded and 224 men sick.

On 9th May 1915, the 2nd Rifle Brigade took part in the Battle of Fromelles, attacking towards the German trenches at Rouges Bancs. The artillery bombardment started at 5.00am, a number of shells falling short and causing severe casualties in the advanced sap where "B" and "D" Companies of the Battalion were waiting to lead the advance. Nevertheless, at 5.40am, they crossed No Man's Land, took their objectives swiftly and began the task of consolidating the captured positions. The problem that soon became apparent was that they were entirely alone, the battalions to either side of them having been annihilated by machine gun fire as they left their trenches. As most of the attacking waves failed to get beyond their own parapet and supporting troops began moving forward from behind, the trenches became hopelessly congested and the advance came to a standstill. In their exposed advanced position, the 2nd Rifle Brigade men continued to consolidate but were subjected to withering fire from both flanks and the rear. Casualties mounted throughout the day and, at around 2.00am, after the men had been fighting since the previous morning, they had to face a German counter-attack. By 3.00am, it was all over; after fierce hand-to-hand fighting, the position was lost. A few men escaped and made their way back to the old British lines, about 50 were captured, about 30 were wounded and picked up by the enemy the next day, and the remainder were dead. At some point in the fighting, Clifford Whiting had been wounded in the right arm by shrapnel. It was a coveted "Blighty" wound and on 17th May he was back in England to recuperate.

By October, Clifford had recovered sufficiently to be posted back to his Battalion in France. On 25th June 1916, the 2nd Rifle Brigade were in trenches opposite Orvillers on the Somme. As part of the preparations for the forthcoming attack, the 2nd Battalion was called upon to carry out a raid on the enemy trenches. The enterprise was well-planned and skilfully executed. After a preliminary discharge of gas and bombardment of the position, two officers and 50 men, armed with knobkerries, daggers, fixed swords, bombs and revolvers, rushed the enemy line, successfully destroying the German wire with "Bangalore torpedoes and, once in the trench, proceeded to kill the garrison either in hand-to-hand fighting or by bombing the dug-outs. In the words of the Rifle Brigade history: "They had been instructed not to bring back more than three prisoners. They brought back one, of the 180th Wurtemberg Regiment - but they left a shambles behind them. A hurried investigation with torches when the fight was over, showed the trench and dug-outs to be choked with dead and wounded - estimated at the least at fifty. The casualties of the raiders, all of which were brought back, were one killed and ten wounded."

Sadly, one of the wounded was Clifford Whiting. He was evacuated to the 92nd Field Ambulance and died there on 26th June 1916. He was buried in Warloy-Baillon Cemetery, five miles west of Albert, and his few personal possessions - 1 identity disc, 1 case with letters, 1 pipe, 1 lighter, 1 pencil and a 1d coin - were returned to his father in London. He was 29 years old and had served in the ranks for five and a half years.

With Most Magnificent Courage.

GV Distinguished Conduct Medal.
5822 Pte. P. C. Blazeby, 2nd Rifle Brigade.

Percy Charles Blazeby was born in Ilford and his birth registered in the last quarter of 1898, but he does not seem to be recorded on the 1901 Census. His army service number would suggest that he enlisted for the army as a career soldier after the outbreak of the First World War. He certainly didn't go to France before 1916 as he is not entitled to the 1914 or 1914-15 Star; presumably he would have been under age until after his 18th birthday in late 1916.
In 1917, Percy was on the Western Front serving in the 2nd Rifle Brigade, a regular battalion which was part of the 8th Division. On July 31st, the 3rd Battle of Ypres began when nine divisions of the Fifth Army attacked east and north east of Ypres. The 2nd Rifle Brigade took part in the 8th Division's attack on the Westhoek Ridge, advancing soon after 10.00am but being unable to keep up with the artillery barrage and suffering heavy casualties from machine-gun and rifle fire on the forward slopes of the ridge. At 1.00pm, the Battalion were holding a defensive line 700 yards in length and orders were later received to consolidate the position.

From 5.00pm till dark, the enemy made repeated efforts to push forward. According to the account published in The Rifle Brigade Chronicle 1919, "The enemy kept all our posts under very heavy rifle and machine-gun fire, and any movement of runners, etc., was attended by great danger." The Rifle Brigade History states: "From 5.00pm onwards the enemy continually threatened the position of the Battalion on the south of the railway. All available S.A.A. was sent up." It seems most likely that it was here that Percy Blazeby's gallantry was recognized by the award of the DCM. The announcement of the award first appeared in the London Gazette on 22nd October 1917 and the full citation on 26th January 1918.

"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when acting as Battalion runner. He carried many messages to advanced positions under the most dangerous conditions, continually volunteering for another run when all the other runners were either killed or wounded. When a hostile counter-attack was attempted he went back through heavy machine-gun and sniping fire and succeeded in bringing up ammunition which was urgently required. Throughout the day he behaved with most magnificent courage."

The 2nd Rifle Brigade took part in another attack in the same area on 16th - 17th August, when their task was to mop up after the two attacking battalions. Following this there was a period of training in Kortepyp Camp before a return to brigade support near Ploegsteert Wood on 11th September. On the 19th, the Battalion moved into the line in the St. Yves - Warneton sector and here, on 23rd, the enemy made an unsuccessful attempt to raid the Battalion's position. According to the Regimental History, no Germans managed to enter the British trenches but casualties were inflicted on both sides. Percy Charles Blazeby is recorded as having been killed in action on this day. He is remembered with honour in Prowse Point Military Cemetery.

A Millionaire's Footman In The Trenches.

British War Medal 1914 - 1920.
Victory Medal.
S-34191 Pte. C. T. Giles, Rifle Brigade.

Charles Thomas Giles was born in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, his birth being registered in nearby Amersham in early 1888. At some point the family moved to London and, by the time of the 1901 Census, were living at 6 Portman Mews South, part of the Portman Estate, in the Parish of Marylebone. Charles' father, Thomas, was employed as a domestic coachman while his elder brother William was a clerk in a merchant's office and his elder sister Cecilia was a short-hand clerk.
At the beginning of 1914 or thereabouts, Charles had sailed for America and found employment in New York. Three years later, on 11th July 1917, he enlisted in the British army for the duration of the war. His Attestation Papers describe him as 27 years old, just over 5' 7" in height, with good physical development and a tattoo of a butterfly on his right leg. He was employed as a footman at 660 5th Avenue, the New York residence of the millionaire, Mr William K. Vanderbilt. Pictures of this impressive building, which had been designed by the architect Richard Morris Hunt, can be seen here and here.

Charles sailed from Halifax, Nova Scotia, and arrived at Liverpool in early August 1917. On the 11th, he was at the Rifle Brigade Depot and was subsequently posted to the 6th Reserve Battalion at Eastchurch. He crossed over to France on 12th January 1918 and joined the 2nd Rifle Brigade, which was enjoying some time in reserve. At the beginning of February, the Battalion marched to Poperinghe and on the 15th was in the front line at Passchendaele, the centre battalion of the 8th Division's front. Except for an abortive enemy raid and occasional shelling with H.E. and gas shells, it was an uneventful tour; according to the Regimental History, casualties for February amounted to one officer and five other ranks killed and sixteen other ranks wounded. One of the latter was Charles Giles, wounded in the right arm on 16th February and evacuated to a field ambulance, then a casualty clearing station and, finally, to hospital. Fortunately, his wound was not serious and in early March he was back in England to convalesce. In mid-June, he was granted 10 days leave, which he spent at the family home at 12 Warriner Gardens, Battersea. He had sufficiently recovered to be sent back to France on 9th November. This time he was posted to the 1st Rifle Brigade and probably joined them just in time to celebrate the Armistice.

Charles was demobbed on 19th February 1919 but had a frustrating few months waiting for the army to arrange for his repatriation back to the USA. Finally, on 14th June, he sailed on the "Orduna" as a steerage passenger, arriving in New York on June 29th. The ship's manifest describes him as a "butler". It would be interesting to know if he went back to his old job, especially since William Vanderbilt died the following year and the 5th Avenue mansion was demolished in 1926. Charles Giles' medals were sent to him in June 1921, by which time he was living at 313 West 29th Street, New York City.