I am no expert on WW1 and am therefore not in a position to provide a detailed account of the Gallipoli Campaign.
As I understand it, the idea had been to create a new front, as the war on the Western Front had become a stalemate, with troops from both sides staring at each other from a line of trenches which stretched from the English Channel to the Swiss border.
The Gallipoli Campaign: 25 April 1915 – 9 January 1916
The Gallipoli Campaign ended with the evacuation of the allied forces, between December 1915 and January 1916. The Battle of Gallipoli was one of the greatest disasters of the war, poorly planned and badly executed.
The numbers of dead on both sides was high: included in the allied force of 214,000 men were many Australians and New Zealanders, as well as four named on the war memorial here in Chandler’s Ford.
We remember them at Chandler’s Ford War Memorial
About Second Lieutenant Geoffrey Frederick John Reeves
Second Lieutenant Geoffrey Frederick John Reeves was born on 12 October 1894 in St Leonard’s on Sea, the only son of Edward John, a civil engineer and Erica Reeves.
Geoffrey was educated at Victoria College, Jersey, where he was head prefect and colour sergeant of the corps, and Jesus College, Oxford, where he was a scholar and captain of the shooting eight.
Geoffrey was gazetted second lieutenant on 15 August 1914 and joined his regiment, the 3rd Hampshire on 31 August. Geoffrey’s regiment landed in Gallipoli on 25 May 1915 and he was killed in action on 6 June.
He was 20 years old.
He is buried in Redoubt Cemetery, Helles, Turkey. At the time of Geoffrey’s death his parents were living at The Cottage, 16 Lakewood Road. ^
About Private Frank Webb (10062)
Private Frank Webb (10062) was born in Ramally and was baptised in St Mark’s Church, Ampfield, on 22 February 1885, the youngest in a family of twelve. His parents were John, an agricultural labourer, probably at Hiltonbury Farm, and Selina Webb.
The 1911 census shows Frank still living a Ramally, with his now widowed mother, working as a wagon fitter on the railway.
Frank enlisted in Winchester and sailed for Gallipoli with his regiment, the 10th Hampshire, from Liverpool on 7 July 1915, landing on 6 August.
Frank was killed in action on 10 August.
With no known grave, Frank is commemorated on Helles Memorial, Turkey. ^
About Sergeant Frank Parsons (3/4540)
Sergeant Frank Parsons (3/4540) was born in Trent, Dorset, the youngest child of James, an agricultural labourer, and Emily Parsons.
Frank married Alice Maud Marion Dixon in Winchester in 1905. In the 1911 we find Frank and Alice living in Knight Wood View, Southampton Road.
Frank is working as a labourer for the railway and his father James, now a widower, was living with them.
Frank also enlisted in Winchester. He sailed for Gallipoli from Avonmouth with his regiment, the 2nd Hampshire, on 29 March 1915, landing at Cape Helles on 25 April.
Frank was killed in action on 28 October.
He also has known grave and is also commemorated on the Helles Memorial. ^
About Private Frederick William Whitmore (15560)
Private Frederick William Whitmore (15560) was born in 1888 in Battersea, the second child of Frederick and Mary Ann Whitmore.
Frederick Snr was a spring maker for the railway. It must have been this work which brought the family to Common Road, Chandler’s Ford sometime before 1901.
Frederick enlisted in Cardiff in September 1914, initially as a fireman in the merchant navy.
He later transferred to the 6th Battalion Border Regiment who sailed for Gallipoli from Liverpool on 1 July 1915, landing near Lala Baba on 6 August.
Frederick was killed in action on 25 November.
He is buried at Hill 10 Cemetery, Turkey. ^
Post Series: Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Research, by Margaret Doores:
Related Posts:
- Beyond The Sunset
- Remembrance Sunday In Chandler’s Ford 9 November 2014
- Re-dedication Of Chandler’s Ford War Memorial
- Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Rededication
- Story Of Chandler’s Ford War Memorial
- Renovating Chandler’s Ford War Memorial
[…] Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Research: Part 5 […]