Name
Albert Reynolds
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
09/08/1918
35
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Driver
90497
Royal Garrison Artillery
139th Heavy Battery
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
PERNES BRITISH CEMETERY
III. B. 14.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Pirton Village War Memorial,
St Mary’s Shrine, Pirton,
Methodist Chapel Plaque, Pirton,
Pirton School Memorial
Biography
The Reynolds family, headed by Lewis and Mary Ann Reynolds (née Catterell), had fifteen children. More complete details of the family are given in the chapter on Albert’s brother Walter, who died in 1917.
Albert was born in Pirton and baptised on December 25th 1884 and presumably he was born earlier that year. Like Walter and many of his other siblings he attended the Pirton School.
He grew up around Little Green, now part of the High Street near the pond. By 1901 his parents were living in 3 Wesley Cottages, which are the group of cottages behind the terrace which contains the village shop. Albert was sixteen and had moved to Lane House Cottages, Kings Walden, where he was living with his brother, Jacob, Jacob’s wife and their young daughter. Albert was working as a domestic groom probably at the same house as his brother who was a domestic coachman.
In 1904 he was back in Pirton and a witness at his brother William’s marriage to Margaret Baines (possibly Barnes). A few years later, on May 9th 1907, Albert also married. His wife’s name was Caroline Bashford from Croydon and later that year Alfred John Louis, who was their only child, was born there.
The 1911 census shows them living at Foxhills, Chertsey, Surrey and Albert was a gamekeeper. The entry looks like ‘Gamekeeper on Esdale’, but perhaps could be ‘estate’ as no explanation of Esdale has been found. However, Foxhills was a nineteenth century mansion, in a 400 acre estate, so, as that is where he was living, it is likely he was working on that estate. During the war Foxhills played its own part and served as a convalescent home for wounded Officers. This was not Albert’s first job as a gamekeeper, as a later newspaper article confirmed that Albert had previously been a gamekeeper in Shillington for Mr Payne and that was there he had met his wife, who had been the cook. He had then gone on to be a gamekeeper on an estate in Yorkshire, before moving to Surrey. The newspaper does not mention Foxhills or Esdale, but does say that he was keeper and stockman on a large estate in Windlesham when he joined the army. That was in 1915. His enlistment papers are dated December 11th and were signed in Camberley and they confirm his address as Laurel Cottage, Windlesham. Albert became Driver 90497 in the Royal Garrison Artillery and the papers describe him as thirty-two years old, 5’ 9”, with fresh hazel hair.
It was six months before he was mobilised (June 1st 1916) and on July 6th he was posted to the 203rd Heavy Battery. After training and home service he left Southampton for France on January 17th 1917 and on the 22nd was posted to the 127th Heavy (Battery) ‘in the field’.
The Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA) had evolved from the fortress-based artillery used to defend strategic locations on the British coastline. It came into its own from 1914 when the war required heavy guns and the RGA grew into a very large part of the army’s artillery capacity. They were usually armed with 5 inch guns also known as ‘60 pounders’, which were long range guns – sending high explosive shells accurately up to about 10,400 yards (just short of six miles) and potentially at a rate of up to two shells a minute. They were usually towed to position by teams of horses and Albert was one of their drivers, but had other duties once the guns were in position. These large, heavy guns were difficult to move so they tended to remain fairly static if the fighting permitted. Their main purpose was to destroy key enemy targets such as artillery positions, roads and railways, but they were also used in preparation for, and in support of, infantry attacks. They had immense destructive power and were largely responsible for the wholesale destruction of land and property along the Western Front. It is accurate to say that these guns changed the landscape in France and Belgium.
On July 19th 1917, still serving with the 127th Heavy Battery RGA, Albert was injured and suffered a contusion of the ankle. It happened when a horse slipped and pinned him underneath. His ankle was quite badly hurt and he was admitted to the 59th General Hospital St. Omer and then invalided to England on H.M.T.(*1) St. George on July 29th. The incident was reported and one witness statement, from Driver A Hansford, was recorded as “we were returning with rations to wagon lines while crossing railway lines the wheel ride horse stumbled owing to defective state of crossing pinning Dvr. Reynolds left leg under him.” No blame was attached to Albert.
While in hospital, presumably to stave off boredom, he became adept at making items to sell in support of the Red Cross. The local paper notes that he ‘was quickly a favourite of the local ladies for his readiness and cheerfulness to help in any way he could.’ He remained there until November when he was sent to Ireland, but he did manage to visit his family in Pirton on the way, but this was to be the last time they saw him.
Apart from Albert and Walter (mentioned above) two other brothers were also serving; William in the Kings Shropshire Light Infantry and Harry in the Royal Horse Artillery – Harry had also been in hospital around the same time as Albert having been gassed in France. Both William and Harry survived the war.
It is not clear what Albert did immediately after his recovery, his service records read ‘Clg Office’ (possibly clearing office), but on November 25th 1917 he was posted to the Command Depot based at Ballyvonare Camp in Buttevant, County Cork. Then on February 5th 1918 he was posted to the 1st Reserve Brigade, Heavy Batteries and then back to France on April 13th, where, on the 22nd, he joined the 139th Heavy Battery.
One local newspaper reported that Albert had returned to France in April 1918 and was ‘taking part in the gallant actions to stem the German onslaught' – this was the German major Spring Offensive of March and April that year.
From February 18th the 139th Heavy Battery had been in the area around Peronne; their situation had been stable up to March 21st when the Germans launched their offensive. Although this was before Albert arrived and the main thrust of the offensive was over by the time he did, it is relevant to describe their circumstances and that of the front line in the period before he arrived.
The German attack did not come as a surprise, in fact the war diary records a warning of impending attacks as early as March 12th, but its determination and ferocity might have and the rapid success of the Germans certainly was. The attack is recorded as starting at 4:55am and the batteries came under fairly heavy gas attack and had to operate in respirators. It was obviously a major attack and the heavy guns were brought into full action to try to assist in repelling it. On the first day the cumulative fire from the batteries was recorded as 6,330 rounds fired by 4:00pm; that was an average of 1,557 round per battery and nearly 42 tons of shells carried and fired per battery.
The situation in the front line was chaotic and in places bordering on panic. The Germans forced the British back and the big guns, although some distance behind the lines, had to keep far enough back to operate and remain safe. On the 22nd, with little prior information on what was happening, they were ordered to fall back for the first time - an action not to be undertaken lightly given the size and weight of the guns. Having fallen back once, they received orders to do so again, but were then able to recommence firing. The next day they withdrew again, this time to a position near Maurepas and about 6,000 yards behind a line from Rancourt to Sailley Sailisel. On the 24th they were ordered to fire until all the ammunition was gone and then retire towards Maricourt. They ended up beyond Fricourt where, once again, they commenced firing. That evening they were machine gunned by enemy planes. On the 25th they moved forward slightly and fired all day before the withdrawal continued; on the 26th to a line between Bresle and Lavievielle and on the 27th to Warloy. This was too far and on the 28th they were ordered forward and were attached to the 3rd Australian Division (one diary entry suggests that it might have been the 4th).
By early April the situation was stabilising. The German attack had been very successful. In fact too successful; their troops were exhausted, their supply lines were stretched to almost breaking point and they had to stop, which gave the British time to re-establish a proper defensive line. That did not mean that the fighting had stopped or that it was any less dangerous for the Batteries. Although they were behind the front line, they were the target of the enemy’s batteries of similar guns and many impersonal artillery duels were over great distances. On April the 5th the enemy gained ground again and the Batteries again came under fire. Their casualties were recorded as ‘fairly heavy’ with 2 officers wounded, 3 men killed, 43 men wounded plus several horses killed or wounded and on the 9th the 139th were gassed.
These losses may explain why Albert was needed in the 139th, and he joined them on April 22nd. Two days later the Battery suffered a direct hit on one of the guns. On May 5th they lost 2 officers, 1 killed and 1 wounded. Later in the month they assisted the troops to retake part of a trench known as Hairpin; they engaged five enemy tanks and took on the German batteries in yet another long distance duel. On the 20th a giant 8” enemy howitzer got their range and they lost a gun. There were no casualties in the 139th but a nearby battery, the 120th, had 1 man killed and 4 wounded. May ended with an aircraft attack and a gas attack and June commenced with four men being wounded, one of whom later died.
By the middle of June 1918 an epidemic of influenza hit the batteries. Although a number of men fell sick and some were hospitalised, it does not appear to have been the strain that started in1918 and which later became the worldwide pandemic. Between the 27th and 30th they took part in the wire cutting and the destruction of trench mortars prior to an attack. It seems that they did their work well because the following day the troops captured the German front line trench north-west of Albert. The Germans counter attacked twice and the batteries helped repulse them, but the Germans did not give up. They opened up a heavy bombardment along the whole of the Corps line and recaptured their trench, but two days later the tough Australians advanced one and half miles along a four mile front – a huge success, and in the following days the Batteries supported a number of other successful raids.
The entry for July 27th 1918 records interesting statistics and perhaps helps us understand the ferocity of the fight and the sheer hard work done by the guns and their crews. Between dawn on March 21st to 9:20pm on July 27th the 89th Brigade, of which the 139th were part, fired 129,377 rounds; 2 S. Battery 29,507, 3 S. Battery 34,682, 120th Heavy Battery 34,986 and Albert’s Battery 30,202 rounds.
The British had finally stopped the Germans and were beginning to gain the advantage. At the beginning of August the enemy was reported to have abandoned his trenches and as a parting shot blew up Albert Cathedral. At 11:50pm on the 3rd the 139th were ordered forward with four guns and 400 rounds per gun. With growing confidence they scouted for more forward positions and then moved again. Something big was being planned by the Allies for the 8th, zero hour was 4:20am, the 139th’s six guns were allocated their targets and began firing. At 11:20am the enemy were reported as massing and they were targeted by some of the Batteries.
Many argue that the 8th was the start of the allies’ final offensive on the Somme – it was for Albert. On that day, probably in the exchange of artillery fire, he was badly wounded - ‘abdomen penetrated’. He was quickly taken to hospital, probably No. 4 Casualty Clearing Station, and he survived the night, but a newspaper reported that he knew the end was near and that he wrote to his wife that (his death) ‘would be her loss and his gain.’ – strange words perhaps, but so brave.
He is buried in the Pernois British Cemetery, which served the No. 4 Casualty Clearing Station. A small, open cemetery lying in peaceful, green countryside near the villages of Pernois and Halloy, it only contains the bodies of 403 British soldiers, all identified, and 17 German soldiers share their rest.
Still living in Laurel Cottage, Caroline received his personal possessions in January 1919, and his death plaque in June. One hopes they were not all that she had to remember him by - a pierced shilling, disc (probably his identity tag), pipe, belt, silver ring, purse, pocket knife, cigarette holder, match box cover, two letters, badge swivel and ring (possibly ring farthing – the writing is unclear) Caroline signed the receipt, but noted that she had not received his original Will, his watch or his gold ring.
Albert is also remembered on the Windlesham War Memorial and both he and his brother Walter are remembered on their parents’ grave in St. Mary’s churchyard.
(*1) H.M.T. = His Majesty’s Troopship.
Additional Information
Text from the book: The Pride of Pirton
Acknowledgments
The Pride of Pirton book – www.pirton.org.uk/prideofpirton Chris Ryan / Tony French / Jonty Wild
