Reginald Stanley Turner

Reginald Stanley Turner enlisted at Highgate London in September 1914. He is buried in Spoilbank Cemetery Grave Reference: I A 1

His death was reported in the ‘Nottingham Evening Post’, 1st September 1915. “NOTTINGHAM SOLDIER KILLED IN FLANDERS. “DEATH OF LANCE-CORPORAL R. S. TURNER. “The death in Flanders is reported of Lance-Corporal Reginald S. Turner, of Nottingham, killed in action on August 27th. He was struck by a high explosive shell when in the first line trenches, which at this point were only some 30 yards from the German trenches. “The deceased gentleman enlisted in the Nottingham City Battalion [15th Battalion Sherwood Foresters] in September last [1914], and was shortly afterwards drafted into the 10th Sherwood Foresters. Soon after arriving at the front about six weeks ago he was made a lance-corporal, and his death is the first among the N.C.O.s of this battalion. “The late Lance-Corporal Turner was very popular among his comrades of C Company, most of whom are from Nottingham, where also he was much esteemed. He was an articled clerk with Messrs. Turner, Barrows, and Moss, and was well known in rowing and tennis circles. His uncle is Mr. G. A. Turner, principal director of schools for the county, and he was brother to Mr. A. K. Turner, formerly surveyor of taxes in Nottingham.” The circumstances of his death were recorded in a recent history of the battalion. “In an audacious move the Germans brought up a field gun and placed it in their line opposite the 10th Battalion’s position. At virtually point blank range, the gun proceeded to shell the British, and to good effect. Firing over open sights, the German gun team did a good deal of damage, something that their colleagues had failed to do with batteries of guns at longer range. The battalion’s trenches were damaged and men were wounded. Captain Gregory, the second in command of B Company, already wounded in the foot, and Captain Oakden second in command of D Company [Edward Ralph Oakden, died 22 March 1917 of wounds received in action on 2 July 1916; a member of Nottingham Rowing Club] were both slightly wounded and four men were badly wounded. One of these men, Private Reginald Turner, died of his wounds during the day.” Source: Wayne Osborne, “A History of the 10th Battalion, the Notts and Derbys. Volume One: Dorset 1914 to the Ypres Salient 1915,” p. 61, Salient Books (Nottingham), 2009