The Western Front Association

The Western Front Association News from The Western Front Association (WFA). The WFA was formed in 1980 to further interest and education in The Great War of 1914-1918.

Established in 1980 by noted military historian John Giles, The Western Front Association has grown over the years to in excess of 6,000 members worldwide. The WFA has supported many remembrance and research projects, from saving many millions of servicemens' records from destruction, to re-establishing the 11 o'clock two-minute silence at the Cenotaph on 11 November each year.

Basil Carver was an Olympic athlete, having won a Bronze Medal in the 1908 games. He was from a wealthy family – they ow...
21/08/2026

Basil Carver was an Olympic athlete, having won a Bronze Medal in the 1908 games. He was from a wealthy family – they owned Hollins Mill at Marple and also had offices and warehousing in central Manchester's so-called 'cotton district'.

Basil applied to go to Sandhurst Military College to study for a cavalry cadetship, which he started in November 1913. He was still there when war was declared and left Southampton on 11 December 1914 with the 6th (Iniskilling) Dragoons.

On 21 August 1916, Basil was supervising his men in one of the tunnels near the village of Neuville St Vaast (much infantry labour was needed to support the tunnelling operations) when he learned that four of the Royal Engineers were overcome by toxic fumes.

Basil and several of his men went deep into the tunnel to try to rescue them. They failed and he and four men were also overcome and died probably from carbon monoxide poisoning.
One of the men who tried to rescue him was Sergeant William Fletcher. For his bravery, William was awarded the Military Medal. Mr & Mrs Carver later presented him with a gold half hunter watch inscribed with their thanks for his efforts.

Basil is buried in the Ecoivres Military Cemetery. Mont-St Eloi, and he is also commemorated on the Roll of Honour of Hollins Mill Co, Manchester.

Adjoining Basil’s grave at Ecoivres Military Cemetery are the four other men from the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons who were killed in the rescue operation, and a Sapper from the 175th Tunneling Company, Royal Engineers.

His headstone has the latin inscription “MAJOREM HAC DELECTIONEM NEMO HABET UT ANIMAM SUAM PONAT QUIS PRO AMICIS SUIS” which translates as “No one has greater love than to lay down his life for his friends.”

Using the WFA's pension records, it is possible to find out details of some of the Inniskilling Dragoons who were killed with Basil in this brave but doomed rescue.

As in the UK, many war memorials can be found in small communities in New Zealand – one of the more unusual of these is ...
20/08/2026

As in the UK, many war memorials can be found in small communities in New Zealand – one of the more unusual of these is that of the ANZAC bridge at Kaiparoro, a few miles north of Masterton on the North Island. It commemorates six soldiers from WW1 and three casualties from WW2.

Sergeant Donald Kelway Pallant was the first man to be killed – he died at Gallipoli on 8 May 1915. Born in 1892, and a teacher pre-war, Donald had enlisted on 13 August 1914 – he left New Zealand on 14 October 1914 as a Private in the Wellington Infantry Battalion. He was promoted to corporal in January 1915 and later to Sergeant on 5 May 1915. In early 1916, a Board of Enquiry stated that he was believed to be killed on 8 May 1915. His grave was not located and he is commemorated on the Twelve Tree Copse (New Zealand) Memorial, Twelve Tree Copse Cemetery at Helles.
Trooper Victor Alexander Falkner would later be killed be killed at Gallipoli in August 1915.

The first man killed in France commemorated on the Anzac Bridge was Private Charles Harvey Gibson who died on 20 April 1917. Rifleman Stephen Morgan was killed on 12 October 1917 whilst Sapper John Harold Snell died of wounds in Belgium on 3 January 1918.

Private Arthur Lock Braddick was the sixth and last man from Kaiparoro to be killed in the war – at Havrincourt on 29 September 1918 whilst serving in the Canterbury Infantry Regiment. A farmer in civilian life, he enlisted in February 1917 – a month later he married Madeline Henson. Arthur arrived in Glasgow from New Zealand in October 1917, before proceeding to France later that month. He is buried in Fifteen Ravine British Cemetery at Villers-Plouich.

During the war, Muriel Mina English served in France and Belgium as an ambulance driver with the British Red Cross Socie...
19/08/2026

During the war, Muriel Mina English served in France and Belgium as an ambulance driver with the British Red Cross Society in 1916 and 1917. During her time there, and also in a post war tour of France and Belgium with a group of ambulance drivers and nurses, she took many photographs which are now held by the University of Toronto and have been digitised and made freely available without restriction.

The albums cover the hospital in Bath, her training at the Metropolitan Asylum Board and Aldershot, followed by the overseas photographs which centre on her work transferring wounded soldiers from clearing stations to hospitals, as well as the provision of transport for funerals. Her post war tour included Ypres and Arras, and she even travelled as far as Cologne.

Muriel’s ambulance was a Buick and had been sponsored by her hometown of Bath. These particular ambulances weren’t the easiest of vehicles to drive, and the notoriously fierce clutch is illustrated in a cartoon, which reveals Muriel’s sense of humour.

To read more about Muriel Mina English and her photograph albums, go to>>>
https://www.westernfrontassociation.com/world-war-i-articles/2024/august/muriel-the-ambulance-driver/

As the Battle of Hill 70 continued in 1917 (it commenced on 15 August) a number of Canadians (it was primarily a Canadia...
18/08/2026

As the Battle of Hill 70 continued in 1917 (it commenced on 15 August) a number of Canadians (it was primarily a Canadian battle) were awarded the VC.

One of these is the only known Ukranian to have been awarded this medal.

Acting Corporal Filip Konowal 47th Battalion, 4th Canadian Infantry Division was awarded his VC for the following action (this from the London Gazette):

For most conspicuous bravery and leadership when in charge of a section in attack. His section had the difficult task of mopping up cellars, craters and machine-gun emplacements. Under his able direction all resistance was overcome successfully, and heavy casualties inflicted on the enemy. In one cellar he himself bayonetted three enemy and attacked single-handed seven others in a crater, killing them all.

On reaching the objective, a machine-gun was holding up the right flank, causing many casualties. Cpl. Konowal rushed forward and entered the emplacement, killed the crew, and brought the gun back to our lines.

The next day he again attacked single-handed another machine-gun emplacement, killed three of the crew, and destroyed the gun and emplacement with explosives.

This non-commissioned officer alone killed at least sixteen of the enemy, and during the two days' actual fighting carried on continuously his good work until severely wounded.

To read about the other VCs awarded in this battle click on this link>>> https://www.westernfrontassociation.com/world-war-i-articles/2020/august/the-battle-of-hill-70-victoria-cross-awards/

On this day in 1914, the British Army lost two officers. One of these was the second most senior serving officer to be l...
17/08/2026

On this day in 1914, the British Army lost two officers. One of these was the second most senior serving officer to be lost in WW1.*

Lt-General Sir James Moncrieff Grierson was commanding the BEF's II Corps when he died of a heart attack on a train, near Amiens at 7:00 a.m. on 17 August 1914.

Grierson was a very capable officer and had an excellent understanding of the German forces, having been - at the turn of the century - Military Attaché in Berlin. Immediately prior to the war he was GOC Eastern Command in the UK.

Equal in rank to Sir Douglas Haig, one can only speculate what may have happened had he not died. Would he possibly have been an alternative to Haig as Commander-in-Chief of the BEF?

Of course, such speculation is futile as - being overweight and possibly with underlying health issues (likely high blood pressure) - it is unlikely he would have been fit enough to take on the high-intensity of overall command.

Grierson's body was repatriated to the UK and he is buried Glasgow Necropolis.

* This discounts two Field Marshals who died - Field Marshals technically do not retire. (Lord Roberts, who was aged 82 when he died after inspecting troops in France, and Lord Kitchener who was, when he died, Secretary of State for War)

Edward (Ned) Cooper was born in Stockton in May 1896. He left school at the age of 13 and by 1914 he was selling fruit f...
16/08/2026

Edward (Ned) Cooper was born in Stockton in May 1896. He left school at the age of 13 and by 1914 he was selling fruit for the Co-operative Society. When war was declared, many of the Co-op’s horses were commandeered by the army and Ned was unable to work. He was put on an early holiday, during which he volunteered for the Army, joining the King's Royal Rifle Corps.

On 16 August 1917, he went into action at Langemarck in the most appalling of conditions. As described in a short piece written by his grandson, on the WFA website:
Troops were carrying massive backpacks and weaponry across the flooded terrain delineated by shell holes and concrete blockhouses. His officer and many comrades were cut down by machine guns, but he was determined to continue. With just three remaining men he advanced towards a blockhouse, where, at about 100 yards range, they tried to silence the machine guns with their rifles. This failed, so Ned then went off on his own, with some covering fire from his men, to get beyond the machine guns arc of fire, and attack the blockhouse on his own. He was lucky, very lucky!
Close to the blockhouse the ground became more manageable, as it was in a main street. He edged round to the front and put a shot into one of the machine guns, disabling it. He then rushed to the rear, where throwing a bomb in would be the normal approach. But he did not want unnecessary killing, he just called on them to surrender! And indeed they were coming out until he unfortunately shot the first man dead! This unarmed German was very large and appeared from an unexpected doorway, thus startling Ned as he swung around to face him. Ned was brandishing an unfamiliar pistol, taken from his dead officer, and he squeezed too much on the trigger.

After another trip around the outside of the blockhouse, firing a few shots inside, he again called for their surrender. This time he held his familiar rifle and as all the Germans came out, he lined them up outside, facing the enemy lines. His handful of comrades came forward to help round up the prisoners. But, unfortunately a couple of Germans had previously slipped out, taking a machine gun with them and they soon brought it into action, hitting both British and German troops.

Thankfully Ned had his sniper available, and he put the machine gunner out of action. They captured a total of 45 men and 7 machine guns and also released a wounded British soldier, who had been sheltering in the blockhouse.

After the award, Ned was then given officer training and, through his own insistence, he returned to the Western Front to serve through the last weeks of the war.

He later served in World War 2 in the Home Guard, retiring as a major. He received the Freedom of his home town in 1985, just before he died.

For ten days, commencing on 15 August 1917 the Canadian Corps took part in an action that is now less well known than it...
15/08/2026

For ten days, commencing on 15 August 1917 the Canadian Corps took part in an action that is now less well known than its other attacks. This 'Battle of Hill 70' is overshadowed by the Canadian Corps' brilliant success at Vimy four months earlier, and the ongoing fighting at Ypres.

Yet, on this day 108 years ago, bitter fighting took place just north of the city of Lens. This deserves to be more well known.

Hill 70 was a superb defensive position that had been temporarily taken two years earlier during the Battle of Loos. Since 1915, Hill 70’s defences had been enhanced, containing a maze of deep trenches which were protected by coils of barbed wire up to five feet in height. Machine guns and pill boxes constructed out of reinforced concrete gave further protection.

To read an account of the Battle of Hill 70 click here >>> https://www.westernfrontassociation.com/world-war-i-articles/2020/august/the-battle-of-hill-70/

HMS Prize also Q-21 was previously known as HMS First Prize and originally the German ship Else. She had the distinction...
14/08/2026

HMS Prize also Q-21 was previously known as HMS First Prize and originally the German ship Else. She had the distinction of being the first ship captured in the war in August 1914 (hence the name First Prize). Auctioned off by the Admiralty, her new owners, the Marine Navigation Company, later offered her to the Navy for decoy work in November 1916. Her name would become inextricably linked to that of her Commander – William Sanders.

William Sanders was born in Auckland on 7 February 1883, the son of Edward, a boot maker, and his wife, Emma. On leaving school, he was briefly apprenticed to a mercer before embarking on a sea going career as a cabin boy on the small coastal steamer Kapanui. He later gained experience on a government steamer before joining the Auckland based Craig Line which operated a fleet of sailing ships trading with Australia. He later joined the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand, becoming third officer on ships that would become troopships after the outbreak of the war.
Sanders had applied for the Royal Naval Reserve early in the war but he was not called upon until early 1916 when he was commissioned a sub lieutenant, initially serving on mine sweeping duties. He later volunteered for decoy work with Q Ships, with his experience of sailing ships an attraction, given that a number of the Q Ships were sailing vessels.

Initially he served on the Brigantine conversion Helgoland (Q-17) with Captain Blair, engaging three submarines whilst becalmed and without steerage.

In February 1917, Sanders, now a Lieutenant, took on the command of HMS Prize, now fitted with three 12-pounders and with 170 tons of copper slag in her bottom as ballast. On 26 April 1917, she left Milford Haven for a cruise off the west coast of Ireland. On 30 April, off the Scillies, the Prize encountered U-93. Under fire, Sanders ordered the ‘panic party’ away in the boats, whilst others remained concealed, although several of these men were wounded. U-93, under Kapitanleutnant Freiherr Speigel, drew closer to Prize– Speigel would later state that he had no reason to suspect he was being decoyed. At the critical moment, and after an agonising wait, Sanders gave the order – the White Ensign was raised and the flaps concealing the hidden guns fell down. No fewer than thirty six 12-pounder shells blasted at U-93, which sustained severe damage to its conning tower and hull.

Sanders was awarded the Victoria Cross for his gallantry in this action and was promoted to the temporary rank of Lieutenant Commander. Lieutenant Beaton was awarded the DSO and the rest of the ship’s company awarded the DSM.

Although it was thought that U-93 had sunk, First Leutnant Ziegler managed to nurse the submarine home to Germany on the surface. After a refit, it would finally come to grief on 17 January 1918. But it is quite possible that on his return to Germany, Ziegler would have been able to provide a detailed description of Prize to his superiors. A further encounter with a submarine on 12 June 1917, when Prize sustained further damage and Sanders was injured, might also suggest that a description of the vessel was being gathered by the Germans.

HMS Prize’s last voyage, sailing now under the Swedish flag, would be in tandem with the British submarine D-6 when on 13 August 1917, UB-48 was sighted.
Prize opened fire –but UB-48 disappeared. At this point, Sanders probably should have headed home – his disguise was truly ‘blown’. At dawn on 14 August, the crew of D-6 heard an almighty explosion – there was subsequently no trace of HMS Prize – no wreckage, no bodies, no lifeboats. UB-48 had fired two torpedoes at Prize and William Sanders and 26 members of the RN/RNVR had perished. Sanders’ VC was later presented to his father at Auckland Town Hall in June 1918.

You can read more about HMS Prize here>>> https://www.westernfrontassociation.com/world-war-i-articles/2021/july/q-21-hms-prize-and-william-sanders-vc/

In the days following the ‘awful news’ of the death of Fred Cearns at Passchendaele on 13 August 1917, his younger broth...
13/08/2026

In the days following the ‘awful news’ of the death of Fred Cearns at Passchendaele on 13 August 1917, his younger brother Percy wrote a memorial to his sibling, hoping to provide some comfort for his grieving mother and father.

Two out of a family of thirteen from Plaistow, in London’s East End, the brothers were extremely close. Fred enlisted in November 1914, serving with the London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers) in Egypt and Gallipoli before being transferred to the Western Front in the Spring of 1916, a move that roughly coincided with Percy’s arrival in France.

Fred was injured by a shell blast in March 1917, sustaining injuries to his ribs, diaphragm and collarbone and spent some weeks convalescing at home. Just three months later, Percy heard that his brother, still unable to walk far or carry his kit bag, had been graded fit for active service. Fred died shortly after his return to the front,
his body was never recovered, and he is commemorated on the Menin Gate.

Writing of his brother’s death in ‘the water-logged trenches of bloody Flanders’, Percy said his family could think God rewarded Fred for all the good he did in his short life by ‘taking him quietly and painlessly’, adding, ‘a consoling thought is that.’

Men of the 6th Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry moved to billets in the cellars under the Cloth Hall in Ypres on 10th A...
12/08/2026

Men of the 6th Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry moved to billets in the cellars under the Cloth Hall in Ypres on 10th August 1915. Some 10 days earlier they had been in the thick of fighting at Hooges.

Two days later, on 12 August 1915, at 6.30am the Germans shelled the Cloisters bringing down most of the west end of the cloisters and burying a number of men. The shelling came from what was known as the ‘Ypres Express’ – a large calibre German gun firing from Houthulst Forest. During the barrage, the men remained where they were, thinking that they would be safe. But the Germans became increasingly accurate in their firing and over five hours, inflicted considerable damage in the Cloisters. The war diary of the battalion records that 2 officers and 18 other ranks were killed.

Some men were rescued by others in the battalion and by men of the 11th King’s Liverpool Regiment but it would not be until after the war that sixteen bodies of those killed would be recovered. These were buried in Ypres Reservoir Cemetery in 1921 in Plot V Row AA.

Amongst the dead from this day were Major Carew Barnet and Lt Richard Coore Blagrove – their bodies were buried at the time in the Prison Cemetery in Ypres and later concentrated to the Reservoir Cemetery. The original grave markers were returned to their local churches.

Lance Corporal Albert Armer and Private T C Arthur were amongst those whose bodies were uncovered after the war and buried in Ypres Reservoir Cemetery.

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