Bernard William Latham
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Bernard William was the son of William Latham and his wife Eliza (née Goodley). His father William was born in Old Basford in 1857, the son of John Latham and his wife Ruth (née Pasfield m. 1842 Aston Juxta Birmingham). His mother Eliza Goodley was born in Basford in 1859. William and Eliza were married in 1875 and had three children, one of whom died in infancy: William Henry b. 1875 d. 1875, Kate Elizabeth birth registered 1879 (J/F/M) and Bernard William b. 1894. All three children were baptised at Basford St Leodegarius, William in August 1875, Kate in March 1881 and Bernard on 20 August 1894. William, a bleacher, Eliza, a hose mender, and their surviving child Kate were living at 18 Queen's Square, Basford, in 1881 but by 1891 William was the beer house keeper at the Duke of Newcastle Arms, 102 Whitemoor Road, Basford, where he was living with his wife and daughter. Bernard was born three years later. William died on 23 December 1899 aged 42. His widow Eliza married Thomas Barnes in 1900, the same year that her daughter Kate married Thomas Scott at St Leodegarius in the November. Eliza, her husband Thomas and son Bernard were living at the Duke of Newcastle Inn in 1901 along with her married daughter Kate and her husband Thomas Scott, a cotton maker-up. By 1911 Thomas Barnes was the licensee of the Duke of Newcastle Inn. Also in the household was his wife Eliza, their son Henry (b. 1901) and his stepson Bernard who was assisting in the business. In 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled, Thomas, now retired, and Eliza were living at 2 Whitechapel Street, Basford, with their unmarried son Henry, a hosiery webbing trimmer. Thomas probably died in 1946 and Eliza in 1949. Bernard, a private in the East Surrey Regiment (attested 1914), married Rosa Lilian Wiles (23), the daughter of Thomas Wiles, a brewery foreman, at St Leodegarius on 31 July 1915. In 1911 Rosa, a neckware machinist (lace frillings) was living with her parents, Thomas and Jane, and her two surviving siblings, Arthur and Gladys, at 48 Eland Street Basford. Bernard and Rosa's son, Bernard Arthur, was born in Bulwell on 6 March 1916. Bernard snr. served in France from December 1915 and there is no evidence that he had home leave before his death in September 1916 so it is unlikely that he ever saw his son other than, perhaps, in a photograph. At the time of her marriage, Rosa was living at 48 Eland Street, Old Basford - her parents' home - and she was still living at the same address when the later CWGC record was compiled. Rosa completed a form for the Army in October 1919 giving the names of her husband's surviving relatives. She named herself and their son, of 48 Eland Street, his mother Eliza Barnes of 102 Whitemoor Road [Duke of Newcastle Arms], half-brother Harry Barnes of the same address and sister Mrs Tom Scott [Kate Elizabeth] of the White Swan, Sutton in Ashfield. Kate died seven years later on 23 April 1926. Rosa and her son emigrated to Canada in 1923, departing on 13 July for Quebec/Montreal (SS Montcalm, Canadian Pacific Railway). Records (transcripts not sighted) indicate that both later moved to America and there is a New Mexico UK Federal Naturalization Record for a Bernard Arthur Latham, and also a US WW2 Army Enlistment Record and a US Social Security Death Index Record for Bernard Arthur Latham.
7th Bn. East Surrey Regiment. Formerly Royal Garrison Artillery (47465 Gunner). The 7th (Service) Bn. East Surrey Regiment was a battalion of the New Armies and formed at Kingston upon Thames in August 1914 as part of Kitchener's First Army. The Battalion landed at Boulogne on 2 June 1915. Bernard attested on 19 October 1914 on a Short Service Engagement (Three years with the Colours). He was aged 20 years 91 days and employed as a factory lace hand. Bernard joined at Newhaven (FGA Depot) on 21 October 1914 and posted to the RGA on 25 November 1914. However, he transferred to the 3rd Bn. East Surrey Regiment, based at Dover, on 9 June 1915. His service record shows that while at Dover he was twice found guilty of offences: (1) 14 November 1915 awarded 7 days CB [confined to barracks] for overstaying pass from 12 midnight until 9.25pm 16 November 1915. (2) 8 December 1915 awarded 3 days CB for having dirty buttons of overcoat inspection. He was posted to the 7th Battalion East Surrey Regiment, which was serving in France, on 29 December 1915 and joined at Etaples on 31 December 1915. According to the Battalion's War Diary, on that date the Battalion was in the Givenchy trenches having moved up from Essars. (See extracts from War Diary below) During Bernard's time at the Front, and a shoulder wound excepted, he had frequent periods of illness. He reported sick on 8 February 1916 and was admitted to No. 2 General Hospital on 14 February, rejoining his unit on 24 February. This was followed by treatment for a rifle wound to his left shoulder at various Casualty Clearing Stations (CCS) from 13 March culminating in admission to No. 4 Stationary Hospital (25 March). Further periods of illness followed: 25 April-1 May (Field Ambulance); 30 May (Field Ambulance, CCS) later discharged to Convalescent Camp at Etaples and then from CC to No. 24 General Hospital 8 June-1 July. Bernard's service record shows that he was posted to the 9th (Service) Battalion King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry on 10 July 1916 and it seems likely that he was still serving with the Battalion when he was killed later that year. (See 'Extra information' for letter from his sister to the military authorities in October 1916) However, apart from his service record, all other military records give his unit as 7th Bn. East Sussex Regiment, suggesting that he was attached to KOYLI rather than transferred permanently. Bernard was killed in action on 16 September 1916. If he was still serving with 9/KOYLI, the Battalion took part in the Battle of Flers-Courcelette (15-22 September 1916). He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, France (Bay 6). The Memorial is in the Faubourg-d'Amiens Cemetery, Arras. Service record: Home 19 October 1914-28 December 1915 (70d). BEF France 29 December 1915-16 September 1916 (1y 263d). Total 1 year 334 days. Bernard qualified for the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. 7th Bn. East Surrey Regiment War Diary (extracts): December 1915. ESSARS. 29th: ‘Men were busy Housemaiding the various keeps in our area. The Divisional Concert Troop are doing a pantomime in the Municipal Theatre Bethune, called Alladin (sic) considering that there were no females it was wonderfully produce (sic), the theatre was crowded with troops from all corps. 30th: Quiet day. 31st: We took over the Givenchy Trenches from the 9th Royal Fusiliers. At 12 midnight all our Field guns fired salvos to announce the new year, the Germans replied on our front with 3 salvos from one battery which did no damage. Then everything was quiet. The month has been quiet but very wet our casualties have been very slight, and sickness wonderfully slight considering that often the men have had to stand up to their middles in water. Appendix. Casualties during the month: Killed Officers nil, Other Ranks 4. Wounded Officers nil, Other Ranks 6. Sick Hospital Officers 1, Other Ranks 40.' September 1916. 6th: 'The battalion was relieved in the Left Sector (F.3) during the morning by the 6th Batt. The Queens, the relief went off well & was complete by 9.30am & the battalion goes back to reserve at RIVIERE. Billets very good … 16th September: The day was extremely quiet scarcely a shot being fired, at about 2pm several of our men claim that they saw a hostile kite balloon burst into flames & that it was completely destroyed, apparently this was the handiwork of one of our aeroplanes.' (www.queensroyalsurreys.org.uk/war_diaries/local/7Bn_East_Surrey/7Bn_East_Surrey_1916) CWGC - History of Arras Memorial (extract): 'The French handed over Arras to Commonwealth forces in the spring of 1916 and the system of tunnels upon which the town is built were used and developed in preparation for the major offensive planned for April 1917 ... The Arras Memorial commemorates almost 35,000 servicemen from the United Kingdom, South Africa and New Zealand who died in the Arras sector between the spring of 1916 and 7 August 1918, the eve of the Advance to Victory.' (www.cwgc.org)
Bernard's cousins, Harry and Horace Latham, the sons of his father's older brother William Latham (b. 1851) also died in the war. Harry served with the 12th Bn. Sherwood Foresters (19647 Private) and was killed in action on 5 July 1916. Buried Kandahar Farm Cemetery, Belgium. Horace served with the 2nd Bn. Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire Regiment) (26874 Private) and died of wounds on 9 April 1917. Buried Bucquoy Road Cemetery, France. (See records on this Roll of Honour) CWGC Additional information: 'Son of Mr and Mrs William Latham of 102 Whitemore Road, Old Basford, husband of Rosa Lillian Latham of 48 Eland Street, New Basford.' Inscription, family gravestone, Basford Cemetery, Nottingham: 'In loving memory of William the beloved husband of Eliza Latham who died Dec. 23rd 1899 aged 42 years. Thy will be done. Also Bernard W Latham son of the above, who was killed in action, Sep 18th 1916, aged 22 years. Also of Kate Elizabeth the beloved wife of Thomas (Scott), who fell asleep April 23rd 1926 aged (-) years.' Letter from Kate Elizabeth Scott dated Oct 9th 1916 (addressee not known): 'Dear Gentlemen, If you please have you received any casualty of my brother Bernard William Latham Pte. He went out to France with the 7th East Surrys (sic) 7th Platoon B Coy then was transferred to the KOYLI Machine Gun Section C.Coy 9th. His number was 10451. Yours Truly, Mrs Scott, 27 Church Street Sutton in Ashfield Notts' Nottingham Evening Post, ‘Roll of Honour’, 18 & 19 October 1916: ‘Latham. Killed in action, September 16th 1916, my dearly loved husband, Bernard W Latham, 48 Eland-street. In grief too deep for words he will never be forgotten by his wife and baby Bernard.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam,’ 17 September 1917: ‘Latham. Bernard W. Latham, killed in action September 16th, 1916, the beloved son of Mrs Barnes, aged 22.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam,’ 18 September 1917: ‘Latham. In loving memory of my dear husband, Bernard W Latham, killed in action September 18th(sic) 1916. There is a chain death cannot sever; love and remembrance will live for ever. Some day we will understand. Wife and baby Bernard.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Registers of Soldiers' Effects: his widow, Rosa Lilian Latham, was his legatee and received payments for herself and her child. His widow received a pension of 18 shillings and 9d weekly for herself and her child with effect from 16 April 1917
