crich area community news
Brief biographies of men on Crich 'Roll of Honour'
These are men in the parish of Crich who served their country in WW1
BOWMER, Vernon
SUPPLEMENT to the LONDON GAZETTE 26 January 1917
Temp. 2nd Lt. Vernon Bowmer, Notts. & Derby. B.
For conspicuous gallantry in action. He led his platoon with great dash and showed marked initiative and ability. He organised bombing parties and accounted for a large number of Germans.
He onced played for Chesterfield Town Football Club – from the Chesterfield FC Official Website
Lieutenant Vernon Bowmer, of Crich, played once for the Town side. He served with the 16th Battalion of the Sherwood Foresters. He survived the shooting war but was badly wounded, and died in a military hospital at Bath on October 9th, 1919. He won the Military Cross in 1917 for conspicuous gallantry in action, having organised bombing parties that, according to his citation, "accounted for a large number of Germans."
Vernon was the son of John Bowmer and Mary Ann Hartstone; he married Dorothy Phillipa Perrett in 1918.
MARTIN, Herbert Wilfred Cpl
He enlisted in the Army Service Corp in September 1914 and was later transferred to the North Staffordshire Regiment (Reg. No. 48762).
Whilst serving with the 8th Battalion in France he was awarded the Military Medal in August 1918 (London Gazette 30872 published 26 August 1918).
He was born in Crich in January 1894, the son of Frederick Martin and Mary Ann Taylor, and was a member of the Boys Brigade and Crich Church Choir in his youth. He was a miner at Wingfield Manor Colliery for most of his working life.
He married Alice Clarke at Crich in January 1915, lived in Crich all his life and died there in November 1965 aged 71.
LOCKEY, Ernest Hanson
He was awarded the Military Medal (Gazette 30715 published 31 May 1918). He served with the Kings Own Royal Lancaster Regiment (Reg, No. 201104). In the citation he is recorded as 2nd Lieutenant Ernest Lockey, whereas on the Roll of Honour he is down as Sergeant. He was commissioned on the 28 May 1918.
Interestingly his address on the medal card is – The Royal Albert Orphanage, Worcester
PATILLA, Frederick
He was aged forty-three when he enlisted, serving as a Pioneer in the Royal Engineers (Reg. No. 21642). From his service record it appears that he was involved in road construction and repair. He served in France and Belgium between 1917 and 1919 before being hospitalized with influenza. This seemed to have triggered acute rheumatism, caused by his previous mining work at Shirland pit. This resulted in a slightly early discharge on medical grounds. His service record was good. Medals – Victory and British.
Frederick was a short man, only five foot two inches tall, the son of William Patilla and Mary Fletcher of Brackenfield. He was married to Sarah Saunders and they lived on Lindway Lane between Brackenfield, Crich and Wessington.
PATILLA, George
His records show that he belonged to the South Wales, Boarders, Army Service Corp (Reg, No, 44334) then the RASC. Medals – Victory and British.
George was a miner, the son of William Patilla and Mary Fletcher of Brackenfield. He was married to Mary Ellen Elliot and they had ten children. He died in 1959 aged eighty-seven.
STREET, Frederick Vernon
On his Repatriation Application after the war he asked to be repatriated to Buenos Aires, Argentina with the comment under "Grounds on which claim is based" as: "To return home where a situation awaits me. Came to England to join up voluntarily in 1914." He arrived at Liverpool aboard the SS Amazon from Buenos Aires, on the 29th November 1914, to join the war effort. The passenger list records him as an engine driver – and he was a driver during WW1 (although absent from roll call a number of times!) and left the war a 2nd Corporal, and returned to Argentina in 1919.
Frederick was the son of JOSHUA STREET & AGNES (nee HAIL), born 1885.
Thank you to everyone who has sent in the above details.
Help Needed
If any of your family are on the roll of Honour, please let us have a few words about them so that they are "more than a name". It is hoped to produce a brief biography of these Crich men who served, and in some cases died, for their Country.
Contact editor@cacn.org.co.uk with your contribution