WW1 Walk – Lives lost but never forgotten.
This walk start at 2.00pm on Sunday 4th August 2024 – 110 years to the day when Britain was at war with Germany. The weather was at the start quite pleasant but towards the end was getting a bit hotter. FoSOC had a smaller crowd but they all state the course and at the end both guides received a round of applauses.
The walk start at William Bagshaw who was Mayor of Southampton from 1913-1915 and was to proclaimed on the 4th August 1914, to the crowd of people that Britain was at war with Germany.
Herbert Kimber. Cook on Hospital ship Asturias when a German submarine torpedoed the ship in the channel. Luckily all the casualties had been off loaded earlier that day but 43 service and medical staff died including Herbert who drowned.
William Chaplow of the RN yacht Mekong was a real hero when he tried to swim ashore for help when the ship hit rocks in treacherous and stormy seas. Sadly, he never made it and drowned and his body was found a few days later.
Francis Staples a colour sergeant of the Portsmouth Royal Marine Light Infantry died in a fight in the street. The witnesses were not reliable so the man responsible for his death walked free from court.
Percy Duncan Abbott was a Corporal in the Army Pay Co and he played football for his regiment. In a match with the Royal Rifles Percy collapsed on the field and died after he was taken off. The inquest blamed a bruised nerve going to his heart.
Andrew Lagan was a Lane Corporal Royal Marine Light Infantry and stationed on a minesweeper the Princess Helena. While the ship was docked at the pier Southampton Andrew went ashore for the evening. Despite Andrew being seen returning to his ship he was missing from roll call the next day. Andrews body was found floating in the Solent a month later. Why he drowned has never been established.
Charles Ensor was a Lieutenant with the Royal Garrison Artillery and he was gassed and wounded in France. He was sent home to recover and was given “home” duties. But sadly, he died from complications on the day of his 21st birthday.
Frank Bagshaw was a Major with the Royal Garrison Artillery and had been wounded in France and had been sent home to recover. Frank was to return to his unit and the night before he left, he went to a farewell party on a houseboat on the Itchen River. It was a stormy night and the gangplank between the boat was thin and wet. Frank left the party alone at midnight and he was never seen again. A few days later his body was found in the Itchen and he had drowned. Death registered 8th November 1918, nine days before Armistice was declared and the war was over. The Coroner recorded a misadventure result as no one knew what happed to him.
