Author name: Graham Adams

10th (Service) Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment Joseph King was born at Leckhampton in 1899, the son of John and Annie King, who were then living at Fountain Cottages, St James’, Cheltenham. By 1911 the family (Joseph had two siblings) were living at Vine Tree Cottage, Chapel Lane, Great Norwood Street, Cheltenham. Joseph was a Boy Scout […]

1st Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment Arthur Forbes Gordon Kilby was born at East Hayes (now Lansdown House), Pittville Circus Road, Cheltenham. He was a career soldier and at just 25 years of age was made a Captain of the 1st Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment in 1910. He landed in France on 13 August 1914 and

2nd Battalion The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) William John Kerr was the eldest son of Captain Russell James and Miriam Matilda Kerr of The Hale, Newnham-on-Severn. He was born in 1890 when his parents were living at Oakley Street, Chelsea. His father was a barrister. He was educated at Bradfield College before going to Sandhurst from

1/5 & 2/4 Gloucestershire Regiment Chelmsford, March 1915: Thomas is sitting at the front with his wife, Agnes Thomas Kilby Keeley was born in Campden on 14 January 1888, the second son of James Edward and Mary Ann Keeley of Lower High Street, and was baptised at St James’s Church on 1 April. His father

1/2 (North Midland) Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps Herbert (Bert) Jotcham was born on 28 August 1888, at Wotton-under-Edge, one of eight children. He left school at 14 and was apprenticed to a gentlemen’s outfitters in the town, where he worked for five years. He also worked in various other towns before ending up

13th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment Hugh Jones was born at Lydney on 21 December 1888 and educated at Wycliffe College, Stonehouse. Here he excelled at cricket and football and was voted the house prize for ‘gentlemanliness and kindness’ by his fellow students. Upon completing education he spent a year with a shipping office in Bristol, before

4th Siege Company Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers Charles Spencer Jones was born in 1888 in Cardiff but came to live at Steam Mills near Cinderford in about 1894. He worked with his father Thomas as iron founders at Teague & Chew, Heywood Engine Works, Steam Mills, an engineering company that specialised in the manufacture of

12th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment Charles Henry Joiner was born in 1874 to Henry and Hester at Hallen near Bristol. He had two brothers and three sisters. Charles was married to Emma Kingscott and they lived at Upper Soudley near Cinderford. He enlisted in ‘Bristol’s Own’ Battalion of the Gloucestershire Regiment at Cinderford in March 1915.

10th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment Richard William Jennings was born on 6 March 1889 in King’s Stanley, the son of the Reverend Arthur C Jennings. He studied law at Cambridge and when war broke out he was due to commence a career as a solicitor, instead he enlisted in the Worcestershire Regiment. He became a respected

1st Battalion Rifle Brigade John Banks Jenkinson was born on 9 June 1881 in London. He was the eldest son of Sir George and Lady Jenkinson of Eastwood Park, Falfield (now part of South Gloucestershire). Educated at Harrow School and Sandhurst, he was a career soldier. He joined the Rifle Brigade in 1899 and served

1st Battalion Hampshire Regiment William James was born in Cinderford in 1898. He was one of seven children, and the eldest son, of Elijah and Jane James of Bilson Green, Cinderford. After leaving school he was employed at The Crump Meadow Colliery near his home. By 1918 lads such as William James were being conscripted