Today is the 20th Anniversary of the first ever on-line purchase transaction, as it turns out a CD by Sting. Yet I wonder. Given that Private John Lawson Hall died during the first day of the Battle of the Somme, July 1st 1916, was the ability 78 years later to purchase a CD on-line really what he and the one million other men wounded or killed in that Battle gave their life for?
It all began with this photograph of a bible owned by John L Hall. My second cousin Anthony Young got it from my great uncle John. Great uncle John was my grandmothers brother, a Sheridan who's father married a Hall. And that was all we had to go on. A name, and a regiment. I spoke to my father who at 83 is really the only one left with any family history, and he remembered his mother talking about an Uncle Joe who was gassed in the First World War. He didn't know whether he had died immediately or lived after being gassed. Since then, some detective work by another second cousin Jo Breeze amongst others has uncovered some fascinating facts, although some are yet shrouded in confusion.
As already noted, we now know that he died on the first day of the Somme, aged 32. His death is commemorated at the Thiepval Memorial in France. As part of this citation we also were given the information; son of Joseph and Eleanor Hall, of Stanley County Durham and husband of Lucy Hall, 57 Milton Street South Shields. the bible gives the date 27.10.15 Sutton Veny. Why there? Well some research on an army website dedicated to the 34th Division (which contained the 27th Northumberland Fisilliers) reveals this;
"The Division was largely comprised of locally raised units often known as "Pals", notably those raised in the north east and known as the Tyneside Scottish and Tyneside Irish. There were also the Manchester Scottish, the Grimsby Chums and others. After in most cases commencing training near home, the units were moved in mid 1915 to concentrate at Ripon in Yorkshire. It was not until late August that the Division moved for final training and firing practice at Salisbury Plain.
On 3 January 1916 embarkation orders arrived; by 15 January the Division had crossed the Channel and was concentrated at La Crosse, east of St Omer.
The Division then remained on the Western Front for the remainder of the war and took part in the following engagements:
1916
The Battle of Albert* including the capture of Scots and Sausage Redoubts
The Battle of Bazentin Ridge*
The Battle of Pozieres Ridge*
The Battle of Flers-Courcelette* (only 103rd Brigade and the Divisional Pioneers)
* the battles marked * are phases of the Battles of the Somme 1916 "
http://www.1914-1918.net/34div.htm
It turns out then that after Wiltshire he was in France for 6 months or so before he died. His death also highlighted something no one knew, that he was married, and the search is now on to discover what happened to Lucy Hall. From a name in a book, I now discover something about my great great Uncle, son of my great great grandparents on my grandmothers side Joseph and Eleanor Jane Hall (nee Ainslie). Their daughter, Hannah Jane Hall, sister of the above John, married James Patrick Sheridan on 19th August 1899 and my grandmother Ann Eleanor (Nellie) Sheridan was born in 1901. 100 years or so is a long time, but not that long, yet these names whilst familiar in broken conversations with the family in my childhood, are now coming to life. The research goes on.
"The Division was largely comprised of locally raised units often known as "Pals", notably those raised in the north east and known as the Tyneside Scottish and Tyneside Irish. There were also the Manchester Scottish, the Grimsby Chums and others. After in most cases commencing training near home, the units were moved in mid 1915 to concentrate at Ripon in Yorkshire. It was not until late August that the Division moved for final training and firing practice at Salisbury Plain.
On 3 January 1916 embarkation orders arrived; by 15 January the Division had crossed the Channel and was concentrated at La Crosse, east of St Omer.
The Division then remained on the Western Front for the remainder of the war and took part in the following engagements:
1916
The Battle of Albert* including the capture of Scots and Sausage Redoubts
The Battle of Bazentin Ridge*
The Battle of Pozieres Ridge*
The Battle of Flers-Courcelette* (only 103rd Brigade and the Divisional Pioneers)
* the battles marked * are phases of the Battles of the Somme 1916 "
http://www.1914-1918.net/34div.htm
It turns out then that after Wiltshire he was in France for 6 months or so before he died. His death also highlighted something no one knew, that he was married, and the search is now on to discover what happened to Lucy Hall. From a name in a book, I now discover something about my great great Uncle, son of my great great grandparents on my grandmothers side Joseph and Eleanor Jane Hall (nee Ainslie). Their daughter, Hannah Jane Hall, sister of the above John, married James Patrick Sheridan on 19th August 1899 and my grandmother Ann Eleanor (Nellie) Sheridan was born in 1901. 100 years or so is a long time, but not that long, yet these names whilst familiar in broken conversations with the family in my childhood, are now coming to life. The research goes on.
Hi Andrew - thought you might be interested in this! I've come across the death notices posted by the (extended) family after Joseph Lawson Hall's death, in the Shields Daily Gazette, 11 December 1916. Looks like he was reported missing for a long while before finally being confirmed dead, around six months later. The death notices are quite poignant - must have been unthinkably hard to wait all that time, suspecting the worst but never being able to be certain.
ReplyDeleteThey also shed a little light and/or add more complication to the family confusion; according to these notices, Joseph and Ellen (/Eleanor) Hall, had at least four children (Joseph was their 'youngest son' so there must be an elder son; mourned by his 'sisters', ie at least two). Ada Hall (married Tom Mankin) is definitely his sister, as she shows up in census records as well as listed here as his sister, despite her name not coming up in family discussions before! Complicated.
My transcription of death notices:
HALL - Reported missing, now reported killed in action, July 1st, 1916. Joseph Lawson Hall, Northumberland Fusiliers, dearly beloved husband of Lucy Hall (nee Mitchell), 113 George Potts Street, South Shields.
A loving husband, he hath gone,
A father dear and kind;
He's fought the fight, the battle's won,
And we are left to weep behind.
Life was denied for God could see,
Eternal rest was best for thee;
Sleep on, dear husband, as the days go by,
We cannot see the grave where you lie,
For the waters of the ocean keep us apart,
But your smiling face shall shine in our hearts.
- Deeply mourned by his sorrowing wife and children.
HALL - Killed in action July 1st, Private Joseph L Hall, N.F., dearly beloved youngest son of Joseph and Ellen Hall.
No mother's care did him attend,
Nor o'er him did a father bend;
No sister or brother to shed a tear,
Only comrades his last words to hear.
Deeply mourned by his sorrowing father, mother, and sisters and brothers-in-law, Jack and Jim.
HALL - Reported missing, now reported killed in action, on July 1st, Joseph Lawson Hall, N.F., age 33 years.
I did not realise dear brother,
What your great loss would be;
But there are times when I am alone,
That your memory is dearest to me.
However long my life my last,
Whatever land I view;
Whatever joy or grief be mine,
I will always think of you.
- Deeply mourned by his loving sister and brother-in-law, Ada and Tom Mankin; also his brother Jack, somewhere in France.
HALL - Killed in action (previously reported missing), July 1st. Private Joseph Lawson Hall, N.F. - Ever remembered by his brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Jim and Mina; also his niece Mina - "Though death divides, still memory clings"
HALL - Killed in action (previously reported missing), July 1st. Private Joseph Lawson Hall, N.F. - Ever remembered by his brother-in-law and sister-in-law, George (in France) and Minnie - "Though death divides, still memory clings"
HALL - Killed in action (previously reported missing), July 1st, 1916, Pte Joseph Lawson Hall, Northumberland Fusiliers.
O, for a voice that is still
O, for a clasp of a vanished hand
- Ever remembered by his loving father and mother-in-law, Mr and Mrs Mitchell
HALL - Killed in action (previously reported missing), July 1st, 1916. Pte Joseph Lawson Hall (N.F.) - Though death divides, memory still clings - Ever remembered by his loving brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Tom and Jean.