BellBoard

In memoriam Corporal Harold Bemrose, a local bellringer who died whilst serving his country in the First Great War on this day 100 years ago.

We will remember them!

[Alan Regin/Rolls of Honour]

Corporal Harold Bemrose DCM, Peterborough, St John’s, Peterborough & District. Died 13/04/1918 age 24. Lincolnshire Regiment 1st Bn. Service No.9388. Commemorated at Nine Elms British Cemetery, Belgium, Grave XIV F 12. Son of Mary Ann Pask (formerly Bemrose) of Peterborough and the late John Bemrose. At the time of the 1911 census, he was working as an apprentice in the boot trade. He died at No 3 Australian Casualty Clearing Station from wounds received earlier in the day at Wytschaete near Kemmel, Belgium. He was awarded his DCM for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when in charge of a party of 20 men. Although isolated, he consolidated a shell hole position and held it all day. At nightfall, he established connection with posts on either flank and volunteered to attack a machine gun which was causing trouble. Born: Peterborough. Enlisted: Lincoln. Resided: Peterborough.

[research by June and Vernon Bull, St John's Church Peterborough]

Corporal 9388, Harold Bemrose, was the son of Mrs. M. A. Paske (latter correct spelling) of River Lane (so within walking distance of St John’s church). Mrs Paske’s first husband died and she remarried. Her brother-in-law was John Thomas Bemrose of 472 Gladstone Street who worked as a railway shunter.

The 1st Lincs Regimental history (1914-18) states: The Battle of Bailleul (4th Battle of Ypres) : 13 April-15 April 1918

By the night of the 11th of April the enemy's line ran just east of Wytschaete ; he had taken Messines, and then by Nieppe, Steenwerck Station, on the Armentieres-Bailleul railway, south- west to Merville, four miles west of Estaires, which we still held. In this battle five battalions of the Regiment took part. On the 10th Lieut.-Colonel B.D. Fisher was posted to the command of the 8th Infantry Brigade (3rd Division) and Major H.W. Gush assumed command of the 1st Lincolnshire. The same night a hurried move was made to Maida Camp, near Chateau Segard, where the battalion was attached to the 64th Brigade for an attack next day. The attack was cancelled, but the Lincolnshire moved into support dug-outs south of the Kemmel-Wytschaete road, returning to the 62nd Brigade. Front-line trenches were taken over on the following night (12th /13th) in the Wytschaete sector and the battalion was ordered to hold the line from Bogaert Farm, exclusive on the right, to Stanyzer Cabaret cross-roads, inclusive, on the left. There was little shelter in this position and the enemy's shell-fire — a heavy and continuous bombardment — caused many casualties. On the afternoon of the 13th the enemy shelled the village very heavily but owing to the vigilance of the Vickers and Lewis guns, no infantry attack developed. Between the evenings of the 12th/13th and 15th /16th April casualties amounted to two officers and eighty other ranks. Thus, Corporal Bemrose was killed as a result of heavy enemy shelling/bombardment at the Battle of Bailleul.

Battle of Bailleul (13–15 April 1918)

From 13–15 April, the Germans drove forward in the centre, taking Bailleul, 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) west of Armentières, despite increasing British resistance. Plumer assessed the heavy losses of Second Army and the defeat of his southern flank and ordered his northern flank to withdraw from Passchendaele to Ypres and the Yser Canal; the Belgian Army to the north conformed.