26/10/1914 35 men enrolled today including Joseph Perkins and Sydney Knapper. Joseph Perkins was born in Berrow Green, Martley in 1878, the son of John and Louisa Perkins who both worked on the land. He volunteered for service with the 1st Imperial Light Horse in South Africa during the Boer War. He served with this unit from August 1901 until June 1902. This unit was raised in Johannesburg in 1899, and a second battalion formed in 1900. It seems likely that Joseph may have been working in South Africa before enlisting. He returned to Worcestershire and married Winifred Maria Millward at Martley in 1906 and they had five children between 1907 and 1914. He worked as a woodman for the Earl of Dudley at Witley Court. He enlisted in the 8th Worcesters, landed in France in June 1915 and served with an Entrenching Battalion digging defences until he was needed as a draft to the 1/8th Battalion. This he did at Hebuterne on 20th February 1916 at which time he was also appointed Lance-Corporal. He was gassed with many of the 1/8th Battalion on 20th July 1916 and returned to the unit four days later. However his health remained poor and he was invalided home to England in May 1917 and served with 17th Gloucestershire Regiment (a home service unit). He was discharged as permanently unfit for war service on 6th July 1917. He died at Sunningdale Sanatorium, Knightwick in 1921 and is buried in Martley Churchyard. He is commemorated on the Martley War Memorial. Albert Sydney Knapper, known as Sid was born in Woolhope, Herefordshire in 1898. He was the son of Albert Knapper a waggoner and his wife Fanny. By 1901 the family were living at Lambs Farm, Coles Green, Leigh. He enlisted today 100 years ago and landed in France on 25th June 1915 with the 100-strong, first draft to the 1/8th Battalion. This draft was held at the base until 27th October 1915 when it joined at Hebuterne. Sid Knapper was also gassed on 20th July 1916; he didnt return to front line duties until 6th December 1916. The following year, German forces retreated to the pre-prepared Hindenburg Line, with British forces in hot pursuit. Resistance stiffened as the Germans got closer to the line, an outpost of which was Gillemont Farm. The 1/8th Battalion attacked this position 24th April 1917 and were forced, eventually to give ground. Sid Knapper was wounded in the initial assault but went out to rescue a school mate, Pte Frederick Thomas Hunt, another territorial and on of Thomas and Ellen Hunt, of Hill View, Smith End Green, Leigh who was entangled in the barbed wire. He was wounded for a second time in the left leg and it rendered him unable to walk or crawl. He was initially reported missing and he lay for 26 hours before help could get to him. He was treated at 5th Casualty Clearing Station in the fiend and then 6th General Hospital at Rouen. Finally the Malvern News reported on 16th June that this gallant soldier had been admitted to the 3rd Western General Hospital in Cardiff. Sid Knapper was not to serve overseas again. He spent the remainder of the war in various hospitals recovering from his wounds. By late 1918 a medical board reported that he walked without a limp which meant that when he married Louisa Wheeler on 27th October 1918 he would have been able to walk confidently walk his bride down the aisle. demobilized in May 1919. Sadly Sids school friend Frederick Thomas Hunt was killed in action on 5th October 1918.
Posted on: Sun, 26 Oct 2014 17:00:00 +0000
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