Samuel Welbourn
He was a colliery fitter.
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
Samuel Welbourn was born in 1891 at Nottingham, he was the son of Samuel a boot and shoe repairer and Jane Welbourn née Rick of Lenton Nottingham.
His father Samuel was born in 1870 at Grantham his mother Jane Rick was born in 1871 at Basford, they were married in 1891 at Nottingham they went on to have 11 children, sadly 2 were to die in infancy or early childhoos.
In the 1911 census the family are living at 32 Harley Street, Lenton, Samuel 41 yrs is a boot and shoe repairer, he is living with his wife Jenny (Jane) 40 yrs and their children, Annie 18 yrs a hosiery sorter, Daisy 17 yrs a lace mender, Harold 14 yrs an errand lad, Fred 12 yrs a scholar, Cyril 10 yrs a scholar, Emma 8 yrs Albert 3 yrs and Alfred 10 months old
In the same 1911 census we find Samuel has left the family home, he is living at 3 Colliery Huts, Dinnington, he is 21 yrs old, he is a coal miner fitter, he is living with George Dodson 46 yrs a pit sinker and his wife Mary Oxley52 yrs,
Samuel Welbourn enlisted on or around 12 August 1914 at Nottingham and only served with 9th battalion Sherwood Foresters Regiment.
After landing at Suvla Bay, the battalion were told to dig and link with the ANZAC's. To begin with the Turkish trenches were lightly held as they thought it impossible to attack the Sari Bari Ridge with its dense scrub, razor edged spurs and deep gorges. The only way through it was by using goat tracks. At 4.45 am on 9th, the battalion moved forward and at first good progress was made but after 100 yards they came under heavy machine gun fire and suffered many casualties. The men continued on towards Hetman Chair and the scrubby undergrowth became a major problem a sit caught fire trapping men and causing others to file along the goat tracks. Eventually the attack stalled close to Hetman Chair, but at 8 am they had a satisfactory line of defence. It was though at a cost of 8 officer and 150 other rank casualties, many of them dead. The Turks counter attacked and got between two companies. The CO, Lieut -Colonel Bosanquet, seeing the problem moved forward with every man he could muster signallers, runners, servants and anyone who cold hold a rifle. They pushed the Turks back and he ordered a move back some 400 yards to a more tenable line. The Commander in Chief would recognise the heroics of the battalion in a later dispatch but it had left the battalion with 300 'fit' men and only one officer not dead or wounded. Samuel was one of the men killed and has no known grave. He is commemorated on the Helles Memorial Gallipoli. Panel 151 to 153
John Morse
additional research and informatio Peter Gillings
Samuel Welbourn name on Memorial
12401 Private Samuel Welbourn was killed in action, 9 August 1915, on Gallipoli and has no known grave. He is commemorated on the Helles Memorial. Visited, wreath laid, photo taken by John Morse
Photo of Samuel Welbourn
welbourn_samuel photo courtesy of the Sherwood Foresters Regiment roll of honour website.