Cpl
Alfred James Reginald Stonehewer
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 04/04/1890 |
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Place of birth: Salford, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom |
General information
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Profession: Wallpaper Designer |
Army information
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Country: England, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Corporal |
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Service number: 12463 |
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Enlistment place: Manchester, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom |
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Units: — Manchester Regiment, 11th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 16/08/1917 |
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Place of death: The Cockroft, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 27 |
Memorial
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Tyne Cot Memorial Panel: 120 |
Distinctions and medals 3
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1914-15 Star Medal — 12/03/1920 |
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British War Medal Medal — 16/03/1920 |
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Victory Medal Medal — 16/03/1920 |
Points of interest 2
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place |
My story
Corporal Alfred James Reginald Stonehewer served in the Manchester Regiment 11th Battalion, part of the 34th Brigade, of the 11th (Northern) Division.
On the 16th of August 1917 the Division participated in the Battle of Langemarck, a stage of the Third Battle of Ypres. It attacked to the south of Langemarck with one brigade. The 8th Northumberland Fusiliers and the 5th Dorset Regiment were the initial assault troops for the Brigade. Once they had taken their objective the attack was to be taken over by the 11th Manchester Regiment and the 9th Lancashire Fusiliers, with the 7th South Staffs and the 9th Sherwood Foresters - of the 33rd Brigade - in support.
At zero hour the men left their positions west of the Steenbeek stream in wake of a creeping barrage. While the 11th Manchesters were crossing the Steenbeek stream they were caught by a German artillery barrage, which wounded or killed half of the Battalion’s officers. Notwithstanding the heavy casualties the Battalion took up positions near Maison Bulgare, where they awaited the moment of attack.
At 6.40 a.m. the 11th Manchesters finally pushed forward. The 8th Northumberland Fusiliers through whom they were to move through had not reached their objective and were held up by blockhouses and isolated German positions. While trying to advance the 11th Manchesters came under very heavy machine gun fire coming from Maison du Hibou and Triangle Farm. These German strongpoints - in the 48th Divisional area on their right - had not been cleared, as the attack of 48th Division had been stopped dead in its tracks. Although the Manchesters managed to reach the Cockcroft they suffered heavy casualties. The persisting enfilade fire from Maison du Hibou made any further advance neigh to impossible. With their right flank up in the air the Battalion was forced to retreat eventually forming a defensive flank near the Cemetery.
Although the ruins of Langemarck had been captured and while the 11th Northern Division had made some headway on its left flank, the attack had come at a great cost. The 11th Manchesters suffered a total of 251 casualties. Fifty-one men were killed in action, 174 men were wounded and twenty-one men were missing. Almost half of the Battalion had been incapacitated during the attack.
Corporal Alfred James Reginald Stonehewer was killed in action on the 16th of August 1917. He has no known grave and is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
On the 16th of August 1917 the Division participated in the Battle of Langemarck, a stage of the Third Battle of Ypres. It attacked to the south of Langemarck with one brigade. The 8th Northumberland Fusiliers and the 5th Dorset Regiment were the initial assault troops for the Brigade. Once they had taken their objective the attack was to be taken over by the 11th Manchester Regiment and the 9th Lancashire Fusiliers, with the 7th South Staffs and the 9th Sherwood Foresters - of the 33rd Brigade - in support.
At zero hour the men left their positions west of the Steenbeek stream in wake of a creeping barrage. While the 11th Manchesters were crossing the Steenbeek stream they were caught by a German artillery barrage, which wounded or killed half of the Battalion’s officers. Notwithstanding the heavy casualties the Battalion took up positions near Maison Bulgare, where they awaited the moment of attack.
At 6.40 a.m. the 11th Manchesters finally pushed forward. The 8th Northumberland Fusiliers through whom they were to move through had not reached their objective and were held up by blockhouses and isolated German positions. While trying to advance the 11th Manchesters came under very heavy machine gun fire coming from Maison du Hibou and Triangle Farm. These German strongpoints - in the 48th Divisional area on their right - had not been cleared, as the attack of 48th Division had been stopped dead in its tracks. Although the Manchesters managed to reach the Cockcroft they suffered heavy casualties. The persisting enfilade fire from Maison du Hibou made any further advance neigh to impossible. With their right flank up in the air the Battalion was forced to retreat eventually forming a defensive flank near the Cemetery.
Although the ruins of Langemarck had been captured and while the 11th Northern Division had made some headway on its left flank, the attack had come at a great cost. The 11th Manchesters suffered a total of 251 casualties. Fifty-one men were killed in action, 174 men were wounded and twenty-one men were missing. Almost half of the Battalion had been incapacitated during the attack.
Corporal Alfred James Reginald Stonehewer was killed in action on the 16th of August 1917. He has no known grave and is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
Sources 2
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11 Battalion Manchester Regiment , (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/1821/1). http://www.nmarchive.com/ Further reference |
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McCarthy C., Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account, (London, Uniform, 2018), pg. 54-57. Sources used |
More information 3
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/826506 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=fbd776ed-7352-441b-9212-b8af06a0455d |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/4287696 |