Wolston is a large village in Warwickshire some 5 miles to the East of Rugby.
The War Memorial takes the form of a stone cross on the Green in Main Street Wolston recording those who laid down their lives in the Great War 1914 – 1918 and the Second World War.
Those who laid down their lives in the Great War 1914 - 1918 and recorded on the War Memorial in Wolston
David W Anderson
John H Atkins
Walter Atkins Acting Sergeant No 9717 1st Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers. Killed in action 25th September 1915 aged 27 years. Commemorated on the Loos Memorial in Dud Corner Cemetery, Pas-de-Calais. Born Wolston, enlisted Coventry. Son of late Thomas and Eliza Atkins.
William Barker Private No 30065 10th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Died of wounds 15th December 1917. Buried in Orchard Dump Cemetery, Arleux-en-Gohelle, Pas-de-Calais. Born Wolston, enlisted Coventry, residence Wolston.
Arthur Bunney Private No 2667112 1/7th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Died of wounds 21st April 1917. Buried in Templeux-le-Guerard British Cemetery, Somme. Enlisted Leamington Spa, residence Wolston. Son of Mrs C Clarke 82 Princess Street Foleshill Coventry.
Roland Bertie Butlin Rifleman No R/1150 11th Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps. Killed in action 10th July 1916 aged 21 years. Buried in Potijze Burial Ground, Ypres, West Flanders. Born Coventry, enlisted Rugby, residence Coventry. Son of Jesse and Agnes Butlin of Warwick Street, Wolston, Coventry.
Ernest Chambers Gunner No 11019 Royal Horse Artillery and Royal Field Artillery. Died of wounds 7th October 1915 aged 19 years. Commemorated on the Helles Memorial , Cape Helles, Gallipoli. Born and enlisted Coventry. Son of Ernest and Kate Chambers of Rookery Cottages, Church Lawford, Rugby.
Joseph James Clarke Private No 19561 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards. Killed in action 22nd August 1918 aged 20 years. Commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial, Haucourt, Pas-de-Calais. Born Wolston, enlisted Rugby, residence Wolston. Son of Mrs Esther Clarke Priory Row Wolston Coventry.
William Robert Clarke Private No 33175 2/4th Battalion Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (formerly No 19634 Royal Warwickshire Regiment). Killed in action 21st March 1918 aged 20 years. Commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial, Ovillers-La-Boiselle, Somme. Born Wolston, enlisted Wolston, residence Bretford.
Wilfred Bernard Conway Private No 25070 2/5th Battalion Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment). Killed in action 20th October 1918 aged 20 years. Buried in Quievy Communal Cemetery Extension, Nord. Quievy is a village about 13 kilometres East of Cambrai and 4 kilometres North of the N43, the main road from Cambrai to Le Cateau. The cemetery was made by the 62nd (West Riding) Division after the capture of the village in October 1918 and records 89 U.K., 16 French and 99 German burials.
Original Wooden Cross in Quievy Communal Cemetery Extension.
Grave of Wilfred Bernard Conway in Quievy Communal Cemetery Extension.
Wilfred Conway was born on 11th February 1898 at Tachbrook, Warwickshire and enlisted at Rugby. When his mother went to India he came to Wolston, Warwickshire to live with his Aunt, Mrs Agnes Reader and her husband Gerald at Warwick House, Warwick Road, Wolston now the site of Nos. 16, 18 and 20 Warwick Road Wolston.
The Battalion formed at Huddersfield in 1914 and went to France in January 1917: Private Conway almost certainly went with his Battalion to join the B.E.F.
On the 30th January 1918 the 2/5th Battalion of Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment) was absorbed into the 1/5th Battalion, becoming from that date the 5th Battalion.
The Battalion remained in 186th Brigade of the 62nd Division which was in VI Corps and part of the Third Army.
On the 21st March 1918 the German Army launched a massive offensive on the Western Front in a last desperate attempt to score a decisive victory. The results were spectacular. They advanced up to 40 miles, further by far than the British and French had managed in their offensives on the Somme, the Aisne and at Ypres. The British Fifth Army was crushed, and the Allies suffered 212,000 casualties. The French suffered a humiliating defeat at Chemin des Dames and plans were made for the evacuation of Paris. The British were seriously concerned that the French might sue for peace and were uncertain whether they could continue the struggle, and plans were drawn up for the evacuation of the British Army from France if Dunkirk, Calais or Boulogne fell. The German line before the offensive was about 20 miles East of Noyon, on the western edge of St Quentin, 15 miles East of Peronne, 20miles East of Bapaume, 7 miles East of Arras, 5 miles East of Armentieres, 25 miles East of Bailleul and 12 miles East of Ypres. Then the offensive gradually lost momentum, the French counterattacked in July, the British in August and the Germans finally lost the initiative. After the offensive the German Army had reached positions some 15 miles West of Noyon, 45 miles West of St. Quentin, 20 miles West of Peronne, 12 miles West of Bapaume, still 7 miles East of Arras, 28 miles West of Armentieres, 8 miles West of Bailleul and 4 miles East of Ypres.
The Counter-Attack in Champagne by mainly the French Army was from 20th July to 2nd August 1918.
On the 8th August 1918 the Allied forces launched the surprise attack that heralded the end of the First World War. With skill and daring 21 Divisions breached the German lines, supported by 500 tanks (the largest number to have been seen in any one battle of the war) and 1000 aircraft. In their wake they left 50,000 dead or wounded German soldiers along a stretch of 11 miles. On this “black day” for the Germans the Allied forces began to see a glimmer of hope and the dawn of victory that was to come only 100 days later with the Armistice on 11 November 1918. The Advance to Victory can be divided into 7 phases, The Advance in Picardy 8th August-3rd September, The Advance in Flanders 18th August-6th September, The Breaking of the Hindenburg Line 26th August-12th October, The Pursuit to the Selle 9th-12th October, The Final Advance – Flanders 28th September-11thNovember, The Final Advance – Artois 2nd October-11th November and The Final Advance – Picardy 17th October – 11th November 1918.
By the morning of the 10th October 1918 the British front line was in Third Army sector some 4 miles East of Cambrai with some elements to the south of the sector only about 4 miles West of La Cateau.
In VI Corps, in addition to the 62nd Division, were the Guards Division and the 2nd and 3rd Divisions. The 1st Battalion the Irish Guards continued the advance of the 1st Guards Brigade at 0500 on the 10th October and by the afternoon cleared the village of Quievy which was found to be in a tolerably good state of repair and contained supplies of hay and straw reaching their final objective the high ground north-east of Quievy about 2230.
The scene was thus set for the Battle of the Selle from the 17th to the 25th October 1918 part of the Final Advance – Picardy. On the 17th October General Headquarters issued a formal operation order . The Fourth, Third and First Armies with the French First Army co-operating, were to be ready to launch a general attack from the east bank of the Selle on or about the 21st instant with the object of securing the line Sambre canal – the western edge of the Forest of Mormal and northward to the Schelde.
The Fourth Army (to the South of the Third Army) had arrived at the Selle position which included the fortified town of Le Cateau on the 11th October. The German defences along the river were virtually nonexistent; a few trenches and some wire near Le Cateau. The river at this point was no more than a minor obstacle. At its broadest it was but 18 feet wide, to a depth of 3 – 4 feet However in its northern sector was Le Cateau a town of about 10,000 people with solidly built houses and cellars. To its east rose a railway embankment providing excellent cover for machine-guns and field artillery. Between the 11th and 17th October a heavy bombardment was opened on the German defences and the attack went in on Fourth Army front at 0520 on the 17th October: it was successful everywhere the line of the Selle River being forced and Le Cateau captured.
The VI Corps had a less simple task than the V and IV Corps in Third Army, for none of its troops were across the Selle. All the bridges in its sector had been destroyed, and although there was a ford at St. Python, the river was a serious obstacle, being about 20 feet wide and 4 to 6 feet deep, with banks in places about 10 feet above water level, whilst debris from the railway south of Solesmes had partially dammed the stream causing a flood extending for a 1000 yards to the south which practically prevented bridging in this reach. Solesmes was strongly defended in front and as it was full of French civilians the full barrage crept past the sides of the town whilst the barrage overhead was limited to shrapnel and machine-gun bullets which the inhabitants could avoid by going into their cellars. Corps objectives were the ridge to St Martin, after lines in front of and behind Solesmes itself. That of the 62nd Division was along the eastern edge of Solesmes and thence along the Solesmes – Vendigies road. The 86th Brigade was to capture Solesmes. The 2/4th York and Lancaster crossed the Selle river by bridges actually in the 42nd Division sector to take the southern part of the town and was on the eastern bank before zero. Also before zero the 2/4th Duke of Wellington’s operating north of the town took the railway on the western bank with scarcely any opposition and when the barrage lifted at 0200 the battalion continued to the western bank of the Selle River where it attracted considerable machine-gun fire from the other side. Before zero too a company of the 5/Duke of Wellington’ waded across at St Python unopposed and Royal Engineers having placed footbridges unobserved in the dark the rest of the Duke’s crossed without casualties and were also on the eastern bank by zero. After some hard fighting the companies pressed on reaching their first objective which in their case was the final one, the outskirts of Solesmes. The 5/Duke of Wellington’s were followed across by the 2/4th Hampshire and with the York and Lancaster from the south had by 0715 mopped up the town.
The 62nd Division that day gained all its objectives and 699 prisoners at a cost of 452 casualties.
Wilfred Conway was one of six Other Ranks serving with the 5/Duke of Wellington’s killed in action during the offensive, the others being Privates Ernest Edwin Carter, Ernest Franklin, George Henry Marwood, James Taylor and Willliam Benjamin Wood all buried with Private Conway in Quievy Communal Cemetery Extension. Private James William Snowden died of wounds on the 20th October and is buried a little nearer to Cambrai in Carnieres Communal Cemetery Extension.
The 2/4th Hampshire lost 7 Other Ranks killed in action on the 20th October, Privates George Callaway, Ivor Cyril Chedgy, William Morley, Thomas Moscrop, George Munday and Percival Simmonds all being buried in Quievy Communal Cemetery Extension whilst the seventh has no known grave, he being Private William Busby and he is commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial to the Missing who fell in the 1918 Advance and the Memorial is about 7 miles SE of Arras.
Wilfred Conway’s Platoon Commander wrote to his Aunt Mrs. Agnes Reader: “It was in the very early hours of the morning of the 20th that we started an attack against a village where severe hand to hand fighting ensued. It was in the main street that your nephew met his death by a piece of shell. I extend to you my very deepest sympathy and also that from his pals in the platoon which he ever kept lively and in good spirits. He fought and paid the supreme sacrifice, but not in vain, when this dark cloud lifts, there will be a day of reckoning for the fallen brave and pray God a world free of such a cruel enemy. I can assure you he was buried with all respects of a typical fighting Britisher.”
Wilfred Conway had been wounded earlier in 1918 and was admitted to No. 18 General Hospital, Dammes-Camiers (about 10 miles South of Boulogne) on the 27th August 1918 suffering from a severe gun shot wound to his left cheek. He was probably wounded on the 25th August during the Battle of Albert in an attack towards the Favreuil – Mory road, some 10 miles south-east of Arras.
Gerald Reader also fought in the War. He served with the 15th Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers and was captured almost certainly on the 27th July 1917 just before the opening of the 3rd Battle of Ypres when his Company was carrying out a reconnaissance of the German lines to find out if they were occupied or not. 40 out of about 230 men in the Company were killed in action when the Germans opened a murderous fire. On the 15th September 1917 it was reported that he was a prisoner of war at Munster, Westphalia, Gemany. Gerald Reader was repatriated in 1918 and died in 1953.
Private 4688 Percy Hutchinson Reader born St Paul’s Warwick 9th RWR killed in action 10th August 1915 at Gallipoli aged 20 years. (For action see Francis Elliott below). Cousin of Gerald Reader of Wolston. Before joining he was employed at Daimler Works in Coventry and was well known by many of the inhabitants.
Walter Davis
Joseph Philip Heywood Edmans Lance Corporal No 9779 5th Battalion Princess Charlotte of Wales’s (Royal Berkshire Regiment). Military Medal. Died of wounds 5th April 1918 aged 25 years. Buried in Doullens Communal Cemetery Extension No. 1, Doullens, Somme.
Francis John Elliott Private No 3300 9th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Killed in action 10th August 1915 aged 26 years. Commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Cape Helles, Gallipoli.
William John Flowers Rifleman No S/2756 10th Battalion Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort’s Own). Killed in action 3rd September 1916. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme.
Frederick Howard Private No 15312 1st Battalion Worcestershire Regiment. Killed in action 13th March 1915. Commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial, Richebourg-L’Avoue, Pas –de- Calais.
Charles Howkins Private No 16900 “C” Company 10th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Killed in action 18th November 1916 aged 22 years. Buried in Grandcourt Road Cemetery, Grandcourt, Somme.
William Frederick Hacket Huby Private No 202001 7th Reserve Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Died 7th October 1918 (Home Theatre). Buried Welford Road Cemetery, Leicester.
Herbert Harold Kenney Private No 5224 1/6th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Killed in action 4th February 1917. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme.
John Charles Lixenfield Lance Corporal No 41457 Corps of Royal Engineers (H.Q. 9th Division Engineers). Died 13th May 1917 aged 22 years (Home Theatre). Buried Wolston Cemetery, Dyers Lane, Wolston.
Owen Watkin Wynn Hardinge Meredith Second Lieutenant Royal Flying Corps. Died of wounds 20th November 1917 aged 24 years. Buried in Vis-en-Artois British Cemetery, Haucourt, Pas-de-Calais.
William Hubert Morris Private No 11096 2nd Battalion Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. Killed in action 25th September 1915 aged 18 years. Buried in Guards Cemetery, Windy Corner, Cuinchy, Pas-de-Calais.
George Ernest Owen Private No 2824 1st Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Killed in action 25th April 1915. Commemorated on the Menin Gate, Ypres, West Flanders.
Louis Henry Page Corporal No 310258 Warwickshire Yeomanry/1st County of London Yeomanry (Middlesex Due of Cambridge’s Hussars). Died 19th October 1918 aged 32 years. Buried in Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery, Hadra, Alexandria, Egypt.
Thomas Powell
Frederick John Francis Shepherd Royal Warwickshire Regiment (Depot). Died 17th January 1917 ( Home Theatre). Buried in Budbrooke Churchyard, Budbrooke, Warwickshire.
Harry Smith Sapper No 41455 Corps of Royal Engineers (54th Field Company). Died 7th November 1918 aged 25 years. Buried Staglieno Cemetery, Genoa. .
Robert Wells Lance Corporal No 15317 1st Battalion Worcestershire Regiment. Killed in action 1st August 1917 aged 24 years. Buried in Hooge Crater Cemetery, Zillebeke, West Flanders.
Charles Woodings Lance Sergeant No 9903 8th Battalion Prince of Wales’s (North Staffordshire Regiment). Killed in action 6th July 1916. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme.
George Chapman Yeomans Corporal No 242671 1/6th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Killed in action 27th August 1917 aged 33 years. Commemorated on Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing, Tyne Cot Cemetery, Paschendaele, West Flanders.
Those who laid down their lives in the Second World War 1939 - 1945 and recorded on the War Memorial in Wolston
Denys Addison Leading Airman No. FAA/FX.512249 Royal Navy died 5th December 1944 aged 21 years. Commemorated on the Lee-on-Solent Memorial.
Dick Mitchell Fear No 1578542 Sergeant Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve died 9th June 1943 aged 20 years. Buried Coventry (Canley) Crematorium.
William Lucas
John William Oldfield No P/JX 405756 Telegraphist Royal Navy. Croix de Gerre. Died 15th March 1945 aged 20 years. Buried in Hyeres New Communal Cemetery. Served on H.M.S. Emile Bertin. | 
