Harry Hesling Abbott lived in Walkley, Sheffield and was a regular soldier in 3rd battalion Coldstream Guards for at least 10 years before the war. He left in 1910, came back to Sheffield, got married and then went to Canada to try and find work. Harry came back within 6 months in 1911. When war broke out, he was called up straight away and was in service by 30th August 1914. He was wounded at least once, the first time at the first Battle of the Marne in 1914 while setting up the defensive line that would become the trenches of the Western Front. He had a scar on his shoulder for the rest of his life from this wound. He fought for the full duration of the war, beginning it as a private and finishing it as a sergeant and survived to become a carpenter. He died in 1946. || Embroidered handkerchief, made by Harry and depicting all the battles up until 1917 that the Coldstream Guards fought in. Photograph of Harry with another man. Photograph of Harry with his wife. || || Photograph || Harry Hesling Abbott and his wife || || Harry Abbot and other man, possibly his brother || Photograph || || It is possible that this was made by Harry for physical therapy when he was wounded || Embroidered handkerchief made by Harry Abbott depicting major battles fought by the Coldstream Guards || Other

My grandfather William Berrill I know had signed up with the Royal dublin Fusillers in Naas on the 9th September 1898 according to the enlistment papers attached. Prior to the outbreak of the Great War in 1914 Willam had seen service in India, the Sudan, Egypt then finally completing his active service in Galipolli. In 1920 our grandfather had left the army with the rank of Company Sergeant Major. Unfortunately we do not have any of his medals although we do know what he had been awarded: The King and Queens South Africa Medal and both the World War One medals, the British War medal and the Victory Medal. We had after a lot of searching been informed that William's good conduct medal had been lost following a Drunk and Disorderly charge. The highlight of our Grandfather's career, that could not have been taken of him, is the recognition of his efforts by the commander in chief of the British Armies, Sir Douglas Haig. In Haig's Dispatches published in the London Gazette of the Tuesday the 8th July 1919, our grandfather along with many more men were according to Haig worth a mention. We know when our Grandfather had returned to Ireland he seemed to fall on hard times where he started frequenting the Salvation Army on York Street until his death in 1947. || Copy of medals that were awarded for service in Africa and the Great War ; Enlistment paper for the Royal Dublin Fusileers ; Medal cert for the issue of the King and Queens Africa Medals. William's name appearing in the London Gazette.

Will was born on 26th July 1890 in Easton Royal, Wiltshire, the oldest of four brothers born to Joshua and Ellen (Farrow) Beckingham. He died on 19th April 1956 in Savernake Hospital, Marlborough, Wiltshire. He married my grandmother, Phyllis Fitchett on the 5th April 1915 at Milton Lilbourne, Wiltshire and the marriage certificate shows him to be in the 3rd Battalion, the Wiltshire Regiment. Two children, Mary Ellen and Reginald, survived them. I always knew that he had been wounded in WWI, but not as many times as he actually was. I was fortunate in that my Grandmother kept the letters that she received from the Army advising of Granddad's hospitalisations and these have now come into my possession. I have also obtained copies of the War Diaries kept daily by, usually, an Adjutant of the Battalion to record what was actually happening wherever the Battalion was. I think that to make it easier to read, I will try and record Granddad's WWI service as a diary that he may have kept, (but that I have not found). There are several photographs that supplement the narrative and I have inserted these along with the War diary extracts (in italics) in the attached PDF file. || || 16th General hospital at Le Treport. I am standing, sixth in from the left with my arm in a sling. || Photograph || Hospital Group || || William Henry Beckingham || 18619 William Henry Beckingham || Photograph || || Diary || Possible diary for Will Beckingham