Raymond Wilson Hoyte
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Raymond Wilson Hoyte was born on 21st September 1896 at Nottingham, he was the son of William Henry Hoyte a land surveyor and Henrietta Mary Hoyte née Merrishaw of ‘Glenthorn’ 20 Private Road, Nottingham. William Henry was born in 1846 at Exeter, Henrietta Mary Merrishaw was born in 1852 at Derby, they were married in 1874 at Derby, they went on to have 11 children, sadly two were to die in infancy or early childhood. In the 1911 census the family are living at 10 Vivien Avenue, Sherwood RISE, Nottingham, William Henry 65 yrs is a retired land surveyor, he is living with his wife Henrietta Mary 58 yrs and 2 of their children, Bessie Francis 27 yrs and William Norman 17 yrs, also in the household are three servants.
Commemorated on the Arras Memorial.On the morning of Thursday 21st March 1918, whilst serving as an officer in 2/7th Sherwood Foresters, Raymond was one of twelve officers killed in the Battle of Bullecourt, some distance south of Arras. Fourteen others were either wounded or taken prisoner on the first day of the German Spring offensive in 1918, their last gamble to try and break through and win the war. The battalion was attacked from the flank and the front by overwhelming numbers and were overrun. The battalion’s positions in the line near Bullecourt were attacked at 9.40am this day and totally overwhelmed. Within the hour the battalion was completely surrounded and virtually ceased to exist. The casualty toll was horrific with 12 officers and 159 other ranks killed and 12 officers and 470 other ranks taken prisoner.Hoyte was a school contemporary of Lance Corporal Frederick George Tinker, 2/7th Bn Sherwood Foresters, who was killed the same day as Hoyte. Both are commemorated on the Arras Memorial.
Raymond Wilson Hoyte’s brother fought with 10th Sherwoods for the first two years of the war, then served on brigade or divisional staff. He wrote the Battalion History of 10th Sherwood Foresters.
