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Casualties in 1914-15

Arthur Fazackerly was the first Bamber Bridge man killed in the War, as the German advance was halted at the Battles of the Marne and the Aisne.

Wilfred Walker was killed at sea, off the coast of Chile, in the Battle of Coronel.

Joseph Flannigan was killed near Hooge in the First Battle of Ypres.

The War soon settled into stalemate.  Robert Dewhurst was killed near Neuve Chappelle during intermittent shelling. 

The Germans started using chlorine gas as a weapon of war in May 1915.  Herbert Moss was killed at Bellewaarde and Robert Cunliffe was killed close by at Frezenberg.

The Battle of Aubers Ridge (9 May) and the Battle of Festubert (15-16 May) were disasters for the British.  Arthur Cowley and John Maudsley were killed at Festubert, Richard Lancaster died of wounds received at Aubers Ridge.

Following the sinking of the Lusitania in May 1915, there was a surge in recruitment and about 100 men from Bamber Bridge joined the Royal Field Artillery.  Robert Baron was one of them, but he died of meningitis at home shortly after enlisting.

The Gallipoli campaign April-December 1915 was characterised by dithering British leadership and ferocious Turkish defence.  Tom Sherlock was born in Bamber Bridge but emigrated to Australia.  He landed at Anzac Cove on 25 April, was wounded a few days later, taken prisoner and died of his wounds in Istanbul.  An attempt was made to open a second front at Suvla Bay in August.  Charles Battersby and William Parkinson served together and were both killed just five days after landing.  Robert Hough was on a troop ship of reinforcements sunk by a German U-boat.  Richard Bilsborough was injured at Hill 60, evacuated to England and died at Netley Hospital.  Walter Bentham was also wounded at Gallipoli, evacuated and died in Cardiff.  Robert Alstead was also evacuated and died at home three years later.

Back on the Western Front, Thomas Banister was killed by a sniper near Fleurbaix.  Thomas Coupe was killed by enemy shelling near Aveluy and Frederick Hunt was killed in the lead-up to the Battle of Loos.  George Wilding was killed on the opening day of the Battle of Loos.  The British laid down a barrage of chlorine gas but the wind changed and gas was blown back on the advancing infantry.  John Mills was wounded in shelling in the aftermath of the attack and died later of his wounds.

The last Bamber Bridge man to die in 1915, William Hilton, was killed in the trenches near Beaumont-Hamel.

Arthur Fazackerly, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, 14 September 1914

Wilfred Joseph Walker, Royal Navy, 1 November 1914

Joseph Hunter Flannigan, Scots Guards, Oct-Nov 1914.

Robert Dewhurst, Royal Garrison Artillery, 11 February 1915

Herbert Worden Moss, King's Royal Rifle Corps, 6 May 1915

Robert Cunliffe, King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment), 9 May 1915

Arthur Cowley, Border Regiment, 16 May 1915

John Maudsley, Scots Guards, 16 May 1915

Richard Lancaster, Rifle Brigade, 27 May 1915

Robert Baron, Royal Field Artillery, 10 June 1915

Thomas William Sherlock, Australian Imperial Force, 13 June 1915

Charles Battersby, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, 9 August 1915

William Parkinson, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, 9 August 1915

Robert Hough, Lancashire Fusiliers, 13 August 1915

Richard Ernest Bilsborough, Army Cyclist Corps, 30 September 1915

Walter Bentham, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, 18 December 1915

Robert Alstead, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, 11 July 1918

Thomas Banister, King's (Liverpool Regiment), 9 September 1915

Thomas Coupe, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, 11 September 1915

Frederick Hunt, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), 13 September 1915

George Wilding, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, 25 September 1915

John Robert Mills, Royal Sussex Regiment, 4 October1915

William Henry Hilton, East Lancashire Regiment, 20 December 1915

Gas! GAS! Quick, boys!—An ecstasy of fumbling 

Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time, 

But someone still was yelling out and stumbling 

And flound’ring like a man in fire or lime.—

Dim through the misty panes and thick green light, 

As under a green sea, I saw him drowning. 

From Dulce et Decorum Est, by Wilfred Owen

British infantry advancing through their own gas,

Battle of Loos, 25 September 1915

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