He joined 1st Battalion on 13th September 1916 whilst the Battalion was at Franvillers.   He was killed on 22nd September, just 9 days later.

He attended Cheltenham College between January 1910 and July 1914 where he became a Second Lieutenant in the College Contingent, Junior Division, Officers Training Corps, and Brasenose College, Oxford.   Very soon after the outbreak of war he was appointed to a Territorial Force Commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Gloucestershire Regiment on 3rd October 1914 in the 5th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment (TF) and joined the 2/5th Battalion after it was formed from second line troops of 5th Battalion in September 1914.   The unit later became part of 184th Infantry Brigade, 61st (2nd South Midland) Division and trained at Gloucester, Northampton, Chelmsford and Salisbury Plain.  During this time, on 5th April 1915, he was promoted to the Temporary rank of Lieutenant.   He was with the Battalion when it embarked for France on 24th May 1916 and landed at Le Havre the following morning.   The Division concentrated in the Laventie area and the 2/5th Battalion were billeted at Le Sart then after instruction at Riez Bailleul, first taking over trenches in the front line in the Fauquissart-Laventie Sector on 15th June 1916.   He was promoted to the acting rank of Captain on 24th October 1916 and appointed Officer Commanding "C" Company.   On 6th June 1917 he was promoted to the substantive rank of Captain.

On 18th September 1917, after fighting in the Ypres Salient the 61st Division moved to the Arras area in the Third Army.  On 4th October the battalion moved into the front line in the St Nicholas area to the north of Arras.   During the night of 23rd/24th October 1917, "C" Company under the command of Capt Badcock was ordered to carry out a raid on the German lines which resulted in one hundred and sixty yards of trenches being cleared, some enemy soldiers and a machine-gun captured.   He was awarded the Military Cross for his actions which was promulgated in the Supplement to the London Gazette, Issue 31181 dated 17th December 1917.   The citation, published in the Supplement to the London Gazette Issue 30645, dated 23rd April 1918, read:  Lt (A/Capt) Minden Francis Badcock, Glouc R.   For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in command of a successful raiding party.   The party captured four prisoners and a machine gun, killed fifteen of the enemy, and destroyed several dug-outs.   Before the night of the raid, he personally took out a patrol over the ground and gained valuable information.   When returning, he ran into an enemy post, which he dealt with successfully, bombing them and getting the whole of his party back without casualties.   During the raid he shot one of the enemy with his revolver when he attempted to bayonet him.   He was the last to leave the enemy's trench and, finding a mobile charge which had not been used, returned up the trench and threw it down a dug-out".

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His death was officially reported by his father in The Times published on 12th May 1919.   He is commemorated on the Cheltenham War Memorial, the St Luke's Church, Cheltenham, Roll of Honour, the Cheltenham College Roll of Honour.

Minden Badcock is also commemorated on the grave of his parents at Brompton Cemetery, near Earl's Court, London.

On 28th July 1916 the 48th Division was relieved for a period of rest and re-fitting before returning to the front line north of Ovillers on 13th August where II Corps was in process of attacking German fortifications known as Skyline Trench and advancing north-west towards Thiepval.   On 15th August the Battalion relieved the 1/6th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment in the front line near Ovillers and almost immediately were ordered to attack the Germans at the south-west end of "Skyline Trench".  "A" and "D" Companies were detailed for the attack and a preparatory barrage on the German line was ordered for 2am on the 16th.   The attacking troops crept forward in readiness to assault as soon as the barrage was lifted.   Although it was a very dark night the attackers were met by some rifle fire as they moved forward from their trenches.   As soon as the barrage lifted, the attacking troops rushed forward but were met with violent and overwhelming rifle and machine-gun fire and many grenades.   Despite a determined effort they was unable to make any progress and were forced to withdraw to their own trenches.  "A" Company lost Hubert Baker and 2Lt R Bird killed and Lt Down was seriously wounded.   Down was taken to a Casualty Clearing Station at Puchevillers, 16 miles to the west of Ovillers, but died of his wounds on 17th August.

Hubert Baker's body was never recovered from the battlefield or identified and his name is listed on the Thiepval Memorial.

He was appointed to a Territorial Force Commission as a Second Lieutenant in the 5th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment on2nd September 1914 and was posted to the 1/5th Battalion when it was formed from the first line troops of 5th Battalion in September 1914.   The unit became part of 145th Infantry Brigade, 48th (1st South Midland) Division and trained at Swindon and Chelmsford.  2Lt Barnett was appointed as Officer Commanding No 3 Platoon of "A" Company" and was with the Battalion when it embarked for France on 29th March 1915 and landed at Boulogne later the same evening.   The Division concentrated south-west of Ypres and the 1/5th Battalion were billeted at Steenvorde then at Meteren and after instruction, first took over trenches in the front line, in the Ploegsteert Wood Sector, on 15th April 1915.

On Monday 19th April 1915 whilst the Battalion was based in front line trenches at St Yves, north-east of Ploegsteert Wood, 2Lt Barnett was shot in the head and killed by a German sniper at 5-30pm.   He was buried in the Ploegsteert Wood Cemetery at 9pm the same evening in Plot III, Row D, Grave 9.   He was the first officer of the Battalion to be killed in the Great War.

His death was reported in The Times published on 23rd April 1915 and in the War Office List published in The Times on 26th April 1915.   He left his widow, Ciceley, and 4 children who resided at 21 Alexandra Road, Gloucester and after the war at 2 Berkeley Villas, Cheltenham.   He is listed on Page 88 of "Ireland's Memorial Records, 1914 - 1918" and commemorated on the Gloucester City War Memorial.

(WO 374/4124)

Killed on 15th March 1917 - see War Diary.

On 24th June 1917 he was posthumously promoted to the rank of Lieutenant (temporary Captain) with precedence as from 1st June 1916.

He was educated at Lord William's Grammar School, Thame, and St John's College, Cambridge.   Whilst at St John's he was in the Officer Training Corps there.

On 1st September 1914 he was appointed to a Temporary Regular Commission as a Second Lieutenant in the General List and was posted for duty with 7th (Service) Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment.  The Battalion had formed at Horfield Barracks, Bristol in August and September 1914 under the direction of Lt Col R P Jordan, DSO and moved to Tidworth, Hants, to commence training for active service.   In January 1915 it moved to billets in Basingstoke for further training joining 39th Infantry Brigade, part of 13th (Western) Division.   In February and March 1915, the Division concentrated at Blackdown Camp, near Aldershot, to complete the training for war.   The 39th Brigade was made up of the 7th Bn Glos Regt, 9th Bn R Warks Regt, 9th Bn Worcs Regt and 7th Bn N Staffs Regt.

On 28th July 1916 the 48th Division was relieved for a period of rest and re-fitting before returning to the front line north of Ovillers on 13th August where the II Corps was in process of attacking German fortifications known as Skyline Trench and advancing north-west towards Thiepval.   On 15th August the Battalion relieved the 1/6th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment in the front line near Ovillers and almost immediately were ordered to attack the Germans at the south-west end of "Skyline Trench".  "A" and "D" Companies were detailed for the attack and a preparatory barrage on the German line was ordered for 2am on the 16th.   The attacking troops crept forward in readiness to assault as soon as the barrage was lifted.   Although it was a very dark night the attackers were met by some rifle fire as they moved forward from their trenches.   As soon as the barrage lifted, the attacking troops rushed forward but were met with violent and overwhelming rifle and machine-gun fire and many grenades.   Despite a determined effort they was unable to make any progress and were forced to withdraw to their own trenches.  "A" Company lost Raymond Bird and 2Lt H G Baker killed and Lt Down was seriously wounded.   Down was taken to a Casualty Clearing Station at Puchevillers, 16 miles to the west of Ovillers, but died of his wounds on 17th August.

Raymond Bird's body was recovered from the battlefield and he is buried in the Pozieres British Cemetery, Ovillers-la-Boisselle, Plot .

At the outbreak of war he enlisted into the 19th (Service) Battalion (2nd Public Schools Battalion), Royal Fusiliers.   The battalion landed in France on 14th November 1915 and was posted for service with the 98th Infantry Brigade, 33rd Division, before being transferred to GHQ on 27th February 1916 and finally disbanded 24th April 1916.   Most of the men were then posted to Officer Cadet Units prior to commissioning.   CQMS Ernest Bradbury was selected for commissioning into the Gloucestershire Regiment as a Second Lieutenant on a Special Regular Commission and was initially posted to 3rd (Reserve) Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment before being posted to the 12th Battalion, who were serving in France and Flanders.

Extract from the Supplement to the London Gazette, Issue 29760, dated 22nd September 1916.   Citation for the award of the Military Cross.

Crown Copyright

Reproduced under the terms of the Click-Use Licence

He enlisted into the Army on 15th September 1914 as a Private soldier in the 19th (Service) Battalion Royal Fusiliers (2nd Public Schools)  and was later appointed to a Temporary Regular Commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Gloucestershire Regiment on 29th December 1914.   After training, he was posted to the 10th Battalion Gloucester Regiment and  departed  for France to join them on 24th October 1915, soon after the Battalion suffered grievous losses at the Battle of Loos.   He was promoted to Captain on 4th June 1916.

He served with the Battalion as a Company Commander during the Battle of the Somme and on 23rd July 1916 the Battalion attacked the German trenches at "Switch Line"  south of Martinpuich, as part of a general attack by the 1st Division.  Captain Brewis showed conspicuous gallantry in action leading his Company in taking enemy positions.   He was subsequently awarded a Military Cross which was promulgated in the London Gazette published on 22nd September 1916.

He was later posted for duty with 2/1st Queen's Own Yorkshire Dragoons based in Ireland and on 1st June 1918 was seriously injured in a road traffic accident at the village of Ballin.......... and was admitted to the Military Hospital at Fermoy, County Cork.  He subsequently died as a result of these injuries on 4th June 1918.

He was buried in Cheltenham Cemetery in a War Graves plot on 8th June 1918.   Subsequently, his sisters Eleanor and Robina were buried in the same plot.   He was 24 years of age.

(WO 339/5156)

He was posted to the 1/5th Battalion when it was formed from the first line troops of 5th Battalion in September 1914.   The unit became part of 145th Infantry Brigade, 48th (1st South Midland) Division and trained at Swindon and Chelmsford and he was with the Battalion when it embarked for France on 29th March 1915 and landed at Boulogne later the same evening.   The Division concentrated south-west of Ypres and the 1/5th Battalion were billeted at Steenvorde then at Meteren and after instruction, first took over trenches in the front line, in the Ploegsteert Wood Sector, on 15th April 1915.

On 20th June 1916 he was appointed to a Territorial Force Commission as a 2Lt in the 1/5th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment which was promulgated in the London Gazette, Issue 29667, published on 14th July 1916.   He joined the unit on the 20th June directly from the Officer Training Corps at St Omer and was posted to "D" Company.   He was detached for duty in early August 1916 and returned to the Battalion on 26th August 1916 and was posted to "C" Company whilst the Battalion was based in front line trenches to the north of Ovillers and to the south-east of Thiepval.   The Battalion was ordered to attack the German lines at 7am on the 27th August with "C" Company attacking on the right in two lines across open land after an intense barrage of 3 minutes.   The enemy trench was carried but some casualties were suffered including 2 Lt Brien, 3 other officers (Lt L W Moore, Lt C W Winterbotham and 2Lt A L Apperly) and 14 other ranks.  It appears his body was not found until the Spring of 1917 when the Germans withdrawal to the Hinderburg Line allowed the battlefield to be cleared.   He is buried in Mill Road Cemetery, Thiepval, in Plot VIII, Row B, Grave 7.

2Lt Brien is commemorated on the Cheltenham War Memorial and on the Cheltenham Grammar School Roll of Honour.

(WO 374/8964)

From "War Illustrated" 8th May 1915

He was educated at Park Hill, Lyndhurst and at Eton where he was a member of the Eton Officer Training Corps between 1906 and 1909.   On 1st April 1909 he was appointed to a Territorial Force Commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars but resigned this commission on 8th February 1913 in order to work in management at the Lysaghts Steelworks, Scunthorpe.

At the outbreak of war he applied for and obtained a Special Reserve Commission as a Second Lieutenant in the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment on 15th August 1914 and, after a period of training at Abbey Wood with the 3rd Battalion, was posted to the 1st Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment, in support near Bailleul, on 3rd December 1914.   He saw front-line action at the Defence of Givenchy where he won a Military Cross.   The award of the Military Cross was promulgated in the London Gazette, Issue 29095 dated 10 March 1915.   The citation read:   "Second Lieutenant H G de L Bush, 3rd Battalion The Gloucestershire Regiment, attached to 1st Battalion.   For gallantry at Givenchy on 25th January 1915.  When one of his machine guns with its complement of men had been buried by a shell, he succeeded under heavy fire in digging out the men and gun and brought them into action again".   He was also "Mentioned in Despatches" in the Despatch of Field Marshall Sir John French which was published in the London Gazette, Issue 29200, on 18th June 1915.

He saw further action at Aubers Ridge in May 1915 and was then given leave in July 1915.   During this leave, on 10th July, he married Marjorie Asheton Critchley-Salmonson of Eversley House, Bridgnorth, Salop before returning to the battalion in August who were preparing for the forthcoming battle at Loos.  During this battle, on 6th October, during an attack near Chalk Pit Wood, he was hit in the right thigh by a bullet which required his evacuation by the Army Medical Service to a hospital in the UK for treatment and convalescence.

He died at Mrs Burn's Hospital For Officers, Stoodley Knowle, Torquay on 17th January 1917 and was buried at The St Michael and All Angels Churchyard, Eastington, Glos in the north-west of the churchyard near the boundary.   His death was reported in The Times published on 20th January 1917 and he left his wife, who later re-married an officer of The Buffs in 1918, and a son who was born in 1916.

He is commemorated on the Combe Florey (near Taunton) War Memorial and on the Lysaghts Steelworks Roll of Honour.   His brother, John Stanley, was killed in aerial action on 25th August 1917 over Salvigny whilst serving with the 41st Sqn Royal Flying Corps.

WO 339/22120

He was educated at Bromsgrove School and Jesus College, Cambridge and was appointed to the staff of Clifton College in 1908.

At the outbreak of war he enlisted into the Clifton College Officers Training Corps, and on 6th April 1915 he was appointed to a Temporary Regular Commission as a Second Lieutenant in the 11th (Reserve) Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment.   In June 1915 was selected for duty in the newly formed 14th (West of England) Battalion which had formed up in Bristol in April and May 1915, organised by the Citizens Recruiting Committee, from a cadre of senior NCOs selected from the 12th Battalion.   It was a "Bantam" battalion, set up to enlist volunteers who had previously been turned down for military service on account of being below the required minimum height or weight.   The majority of soldiers were recruited from Bristol and Birmingham, whilst the officers were taken from the Bristol area.

In June 1915 the battalion left Bristol for Masham, Yorks, to commence field training and in August 1915 it was moved to Chiseldon were it joined the 105th Infantry Brigade, part of 35th (Bantam) Division.   Lt Butt was promoted to the rank of Temporary Captain in August 1915 and Lt Col G C Roberts assumed command of the battalion.   After intensive training at Chiseldon the battalion moved to Tidworth at Christmas 1915 and at the end of January 1916 the battalion left for France , landing at Le Havre on 31st January, and by 6th February it was complete in its Divisional concentration area to the east of St Omer, departing to take over trenches east of Festubert in the first week of March 1916.  The battalion saw its first major action during the night of 2nd June 1916 when a German bombing party threw bombs into the battalion's front line trench in the Neuve Chapelle sector.  

Six days later on the 8th June 1916 the battalion made a major raid on opposing German front line trenches at the "Pope's Nose" (map ref 36.SW3.S.11a) in collaboration with local artillery, trench-mortar and machine gun units.   The raid started at 9pm with an artillery barrage on the enemy line.   The Germans were quick to react and in the first retaliatory artillery fire, the CO, Lt Col Roberts was killed.   At 9.20pm the barrage was lifted allowing the raiding party to advance and bomb their way into the German front line trenches.   The first party to enter the German lines was led by Captain Butt, which then engaged in hand to hand fighting.   Capt Butt was shot in the arm by a German officer, who was bayoneted by Pte J T James.   Capt Butt was then hit again, this time in the head and seriously wounded and fell in a shell-hole.   The raid continued with many Germans being killed and an enemy machine-gun captured and more machine-guns destroyed by the clearing party led by 2Lt T F S Menendez.   After satisfying himself that all the bombers had withdrawn and nothing more could be done he gave the order to withdraw.   On returning to the unit lines, he heard that Captain Butt had been seriously wounded and immediately volunteered to go back to find him.   He found Capt Butt in a shell-hole about 80 yards in front of the unit front line trench, assessed his injuries, and returned for stretcher bearers.   He then assisted the bearers in bringing-in the mortally wounded officer, under heavy machine-gun and rifle fire, only to find that Capt Butt was dead.   Despite the fact that Lt Col Roberts and Captain Butt had been killed, the raid was considered a success with about 30 Germans killed and a number of machine-guns destroyed and captured.

Captain Butt's body was taken to the Pont-du-Hem Military Cemetery at La Gorgue, near Estaires.   He was buried in Plot 1, Row C, Grave 11.   In the word of a brother officer, "He died, as he lived, a very gallant English gentleman".

His death was notified in The Times published on Friday 16th June 1916.   His brother, 2Lt Lewis John Dalgleish Butt, was killed in action on 4th July 1916 whilst serving with the 13th Bn Rifle Brigade, near Richebourg-L'Avoue.

(WO 339/41048)

Photograph sourced by, and purchased from, The Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum.

He attended Brynmelyn School, Weston-super-Mare and at the early age of 13 took the first-class honours in the Senior Cambridge Locals and afterwards in the Senior Oxford Locals, being first of all England in Chemistry, and taking first-class honours in Mathematics and Theology.   He was awarded the Somerset, Hobhouse and Dalton scholarships at Manchester University, but had to wait till he was 16 before going to the School of Technology there.  In his first year he was Head of the School, took his intermediate BSc and won four events in the University sports.   He was a member of the University Officer Training Corps between 1913 and 1914.

At the outbreak of war he applied for and was appointed to a Temporary Regular Commission (as a Cadet or ex-Cadet) as a Second Lieutenant on 15th August 1914 and was appointed a Second Lieutenant in the Gloucestershire Regiment on 7th September 1914 and posted to the 8th (Service) Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment.  

On 7th July 1915 he was promoted to the rank of Temporary Captain.

The Battalion was formed at Bristol in September 1914 under the direction of Lt Col J S Hobbs (who was recalled by the War Office after retiring on 23rd July 1914) and moved to Tidworth, Hants, to commence training for active service.   In December 1914 it moved to billets in Weston-super-Mare for further training and, in March 1915, returned to Tidworth where it joined the 57th Infantry Brigade, 19th (Western) Division, with 10th Bn R Warks Regt, 10th Bn Worcs Regt and 8th Bn N Staffs Regt.   During its time in the UK, 2Lt Byers became the musketry instructor and was promoted to temporary lieutenant.   In July 1915 the Division departed for France, the Battalion arriving at Le Havre on 18th July.   The Division concentrated at St Omer and was assigned to the Indian Corps of First Army.   During late August, after training the Division entered the front line in the Givenchy/Festubert sector.   During the Battle of Loos in September 1915 the 57th Brigade were detailed as Army Reserve but were not used in the battle.   Prior to the Battle of the Somme the Division was transferred to III Corps of the Fourth Army and the joined the battle on 3rd July 1916 attacking at La Boisselle.   The Battalion suffered grievously with 6 officers killed and 14 wounded.   280 other ranks were killed, wounded or posted missing.   The CO, Lt Col Carton de Wiart, was awarded the VC for his actions during the battle.

During the morning of 10th September 1915, Capt Byers, OC "D" Company, with 2Lt T D Fitzgerald and 1 other rank, patrolled towards the German trenches in the Richebourg-L'Avoue sector bringing back useful information and various articles of enemy equipment

His death was reported in The Times published on 15th August 1916.

WO 339/13031