11528 PTE. C. BATTERSBY. L.N.LAN.R

 

(I am grateful to Janet Davis who researched this biography and found the photo and newspaper article.)

 

Charles Battersby was born in the second quarter of 1878 in Bamber Bridge to Ann Battersby and he was baptised at St Saviour’s on 12 May 1878.  Ann married William Henry Ball about four months later on 31 August 1878. The couple went on to have thirteen children but only six survived.  In the 1881 Census and again in 1891 Charles was living with his mother Ann and William Henry Ball firstly in West Street, Bamber Bridge and then at 11 Dewhurst Row, Bamber Bridge. In both censuses Charles uses the surname Battersby so it seems that William Henry Ball was not his real father. By 1891 aged 13 Charles had started work in a mill as a carding tenter.

 

On 14 February 1900 at Farington St. Paul’s Charles married Maria Nelson (b. 1881 in Farington).  Charles and Maria had a son Vincent the following year when the couple were living at 37 Stanifield Road (Spring Gardens) in Farington.  Charles was working as a scutching frame minder in a cotton mill at the time.  Sadly their son Vincent died before he reached his first birthday.  The couple then went on to have two daughters, Mary (b. 1903) and Norah (b. 1905). By 1911 Charles, Maria and the two girls had moved to 53 Todd Row, Golden Hill Lane, Leyland. Charles by now was working in the rubber works in Leyland.  In the second quarter of 1914 Charles and Maria had a third daughter, Ada.

 

Charles enlisted in the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment when War broke out.  He was assigned service number 11528 and posted to the 6th (Service) Battalion.  6Bn came under orders of 38th Brigade in 13th (Western) Division.  On 17 June 1915 Charles sailed with 6Bn for Gallipoli. The Battalion landed at Anzac Cove on 4 August 1915.

 

On 9 August 1915, just five days after he landed, Charles was one of the many missing presumed killed in the desperate fighting at Chunuk Bair.  The notice above appeared in the Preston Guardian.

 

Charles was later presumed to have died on or about 9 August 1915.  His body was never recovered and so his name was recorded on the Helles Memorial

 

Rank: Private
Service No: 11528
Date of Death: 09/08/1915

Age:  37
Regiment/Service: The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, 6th Bn.
Memorial: HELLES MEMORIAL

 

A. BATTERSBY

F. BATTERSBY

G. BATTERSBY

H. BATTERSBY

L. BATTERSBY

 

St Saviour’s Roll of Honour lists 5 other Battersbys as serving in the War.  These were all brothers and cousins of Charles Battersby.  Their father was Robert Battersby (1851-1912).  Robert was Ann Battersby’s brother.  He was born in Stockport and moved to Bamber Bridge in the 1850s, where he met and in 1874 married Alice Hannah (Ann) Hunt (b. 1854).  They had two children: Mary Alice (b. 1875) and William (b. 1877).  Alice died in 1880 and in 1883 Robert married for a second time.  His second wife was Mary Alice Marsden (b. 1863).  Mary Alice and Robert had 9 children: Herbert (b. 1885), George (b. 1888), Martha (b. 1891), Arthur (b. 1892), Leonard (b. 1895), Frederick (b. 1896), Victor (b. 1900), Hilda (b. 1903) and Eva (b. 1905).

 

Herbert attested he was willing to serve on 10 December 1915.  He was called up on 4 April 1916 and finally mobilized on 6 February 1917.  He served in the Motor Transport section of the Royal Army Service Corps and served in the UK.  He was not posted abroad.

 

Frederick enlisted at the same time, joining the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment.  He was assigned service number 15195 and mobilized on 15 May 1916.  He went to France on 29 August 1916 but was then transferred t0 1/6Bn the Welsh Regiment.  1/6 (Glamorgan) Battalion seems to have been engaged primarily in logisitics work, reinforcing lines of communication.  It was attached to 1st Division which when Fred joined them was engaged on the Somme in the Battle of Pozières.  Fred only served in France for a month, from 29 August – 28 September 1916 and he then returned home.  He was discharged as no longer fit for military service on 1 January 1917.  Fred was barely 5’ tall and weighed only 92lbs.  He was considered to have a poor physique and to be under size (the physical development of a 17 year old) but his medical discharge states he was suffering from ‘mental stupor’ – possibly shell shock.

 

I haven’t been able to trace the military records for George, Arthur or Leonard.

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