LEATHERHEAD WAR MEMORIALS - WWI

Private Alex Thomas Songhurst
7th Bn Royal Fusiliers

Town Memorial P7.R4.C3

Taken, Not Given, Liam Sumption, L&DLHS

Private
Alec T Songhurst
7th Royal
Fusiliers
France
Oct 30 1917

The Parish magazine issue of February 1918 reports the death of Alexander T Songhurst. It states that he was a Private and was 'killed in action' in 1917. However it does not mention the Royal Fusiliers but states that he was serving with the Queens Royal West Surreys (The Queens).

Neither the list of the Queens nor the East [sic] Surreys is contained in Soldiers Who Died in the Great War include Alexander Songhurst. Neither do the list of the Royal Fusiliers, the London Regiment or the Machine Gun Corps.

The list contained in the Parish magazine in May 1915 and the last one issued in March 1916 are consistent about him then, at least, serving in the Queens. (1)

[CWGC states 7th Bn Royal Fusiliers]

Notes on sources
1. Parish magazine of St Mary and St Nicholas, Leatherhead, issues of May 1915, March 1916 and February 1918.

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Further research

Private
SONGHURST, ALEX THOMAS
Service Number 62787
Died 30/10/1917
Aged 21
7th Bn Royal Fusiliers
Son of Albert Edward and Ada Alice Songhurst, of Ewhurst Cottage, 193, Kingston Rd., Leatherhead, Surrey.
Commemorated at TYNE COT MEMORIAL
Location: West-Vlaanderen, Belgium
Cemetery/memorial reference: Panel 28 to 30 and 162 to 162A and 163A.

The TYNE COT MEMORIAL now bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The battles of the Ypres Salient claimed many lives on both sides and it quickly became clear that the commemoration of members of the Commonwealth forces with no known grave would have to be divided between several different sites.

It is one of four memorials to the missing in Belgian Flanders which cover the area known as the Ypres Salient.

The site of the Menin Gate was chosen because of the hundreds of thousands of men who passed through it on their way to the battlefields. It commemorates those of all Commonwealth nations, except New Zealand, who died in the Salient, in the case of United Kingdom casualties before 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions).

Those United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. Other New Zealand casualties are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery.

Broadly speaking, the Ypres Salient stretched from Langemarck in the north to the northern edge in Ploegsteert Wood in the south, but it varied in area and shape throughout the war.

The Salient was formed during the First Battle of Ypres in October and November 1914, when a small British Expeditionary Force succeeded in securing the town before the onset of winter, pushing the German forces back to the Passchendaele Ridge. The Second Battle of Ypres began in April 1915 when the Germans released poison gas into the Allied lines north of Ypres. This was the first time gas had been used by either side and the violence of the attack forced an Allied withdrawal and a shortening of the line of defence.

There was little more significant activity on this front until 1917, when in the Third Battle of Ypres an offensive was mounted by Commonwealth forces to divert German attention from a weakened French front further south. The initial attempt in June to dislodge the Germans from the Messines Ridge was a complete success, but the main assault north-eastward, which began at the end of July, quickly became a dogged struggle against determined opposition and the rapidly deteriorating weather. The campaign finally came to a close in November with the capture of Passchendaele.

The German offensive of March 1918 met with some initial success, but was eventually checked and repulsed in a combined effort by the Allies in September.

Leatherhead Parish Magazines

May, July & October 1915: January & March 1916 
C. In the Territorial Battalions, or New Army.
Songhurst, A.T., Queen’s W. Surrey

February 1918
FOR KING AND COUNTRY.
...The following have given their lives for the cause :—
Pte. Alexander T. Songhurst, Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regt., killed in action, 1917.

Him serving with the Queen's West Surreys was as Liam Sumption noted. He evidently was transferred to the Royal Fusiliers, his regiment recorded by the War Graves Commission, before going to the Front, though Liam could not trace him in the Fusiliers records.

WO 95 3119 1  WAR DIARY 7 Bn Royal Fusiliers

On 24 October 1917 the Battalion moved by bus to DAMBRE CAMP, near VLAMERTINGE. Following a route march to IRISH FARM, it was later ordered to proceed to REIGERSBERG CAMP near BRIELIN from where it went into the line.

October 30, 1917 [ the day Alex Songhurst died]

Notice was given to the Coy Cmndrs that the barrage would play 8 minutes on the starting line & not four minutes as previously arranged. 'A' & 'B' Coys reported tapes laid by 1-30 am and 'C' Coy at 3.25. This information was sent by code to Bde at 3.29 am.
The barrage commenced punctually at Zero (5.50 am) and the bosche barrage came down on the supports at Z+2 mins, but not for some 10 mins on the leading companies.

At 8 am O/C Bedfords rang up to see if he could send an officer with one of ours to find out situation. We replied it was impossible until barrage lifted from BURNS HOUSE (Bn HQ). Promised to advise him when possible. 

8.30 am 2/Lt Bardsley went forward as far as aid Post but was checked by barrage and returned. He again visited aid post and interrogated wounded as they arrived. He gathered that some of our men had reached the PADDEBEEK.

9.50 am note received from Cpt Ogilvy stating he could get no information and that he had sent forward 5 runners and only one had returned & he was wounded. This man reported that as soon as he got about 30x beyond BERKS HOUSES he was sniped.

10.45 information from 2/Lt Bardsley stated that the ground had not been properly cleared up and that there were still snipers round BANFF HOUSE. Also that the strong point V27a99 was still untaken and that heavy MG and rifle fire was coming from this source. Two men of 'A' Coy also stated that heavy fighting around SOURD FARM was still continuing.

12.55 pm 2/Lt Wells arrived wounded ('C' Coy) & he stated V27a99 was still very active and men of all Coys were lying out in front of it, the left of the line being held up.

1.0 pm runner from 2/Lt Massey arrived with reports saying he was about 100x S.W. of SOURD FARM, and that he was consolidating. Also mentioned that 2/Lts Bishop and Lenton were wounded. * see note for 1-10pm omitted here & following 3.20 pm.

1-45 pm positions as far as known were marked on map and communicated to Bde.

1.48 pm Wire from Bde stated bosche were massing for attack at V28b77. Runner from Bde arrived at same time with information that the KSLI were sending 2 Coys forward to attack SOURCE TRENCH & the pill box at V28c58.

2.0 pm Captain Ogle arrived & confirmed with CO re taking strong point at V27a99.

*1-10 pm Runner arrived from 2/Lt Smith 'B' Coy stating that Capt Seward was seriously wounded & that 2/Lt Williams T.L. was killed. He gave his position as about 100x from SOURD FARM.

3.20 pm contd. The C.O. decided to employ 2 Stokes guns under 2/Lt Hawkins to attack V27a99. 2/Lt Tricker was to lead the next attack from the flank whilst a few men of 'C' Coy made a feint frontal attack. 2 guns and 100 rounds of ammunition (Stokes) was accordingly got up to BERKS HOUSES & taken forward at dusk.

6.0 pm 2/Lt Bishop arrived wounded in left hand. He told all he knew of the stunt. He said the men went forward splendidly at Zero, but after going about 200x they ran into impossible country. Officers and NCOs ran about trying to find places where the men could pass through. He saw a small pill box on his right taken & one of the escaping Germans shot (2 or 3 came out of the pill box). He stated that our barrage was quite good but the mud & water prevented our men from keeping up with the barrage.

10/30 pm A Marine officer arrived to arrange for our relief by the R.M.L.I on the following night. All arrangements were made & he left us. Then a wire from Bde informed us that the relief had been altered and the relief was to be carried out by the HAWKE BN.

12 midnight Captn Vibart the Div Intell Officer arrived, after working down our whole front (Bde front) through the Artists & Canadians. On getting into our area he had been sniped at from close range near BANFF HOUSE.

The War Diary goes on to say that the attack on the strong point V27a99 which took place at 5am on 31 October had failed. A shell had destroyed one [Stokes] gun & its double crew of 10 men before the attack commenced. The other gun fired six rounds at Zero & then got put out of action by the mud. The strong point had opened a withering MG fire & 2/Lt Tricker had to abandon the attack.

It was noted that stretcher bearers were bringing in our wounded without being sniped at.

The battalion was relieved by the HAWKE Bn RMLI. On the return journey from the line there was scattered shelling including gas.

CASUALTIES 29th, 30th, 31st [October 1917]

APPRECIATION
The following wire was received from 18 Corps Cdr:

"Please convey to the officers and men of the 63rd & 58th Divs engaged in yesterday's operations my thanks & great appreciation of their gallant efforts. Nothing but the impossibility of crossing the mud prevented their usual complete success."

The C.O. adds his appreciation to this message & desires to thank all ranks for the superhuman efforts made in the endeavour to carry out the orders issued for the attack & consolidation of the area. From his personal observation he is able to confirm the statement with regard to the condition of the ground, which no troops could possibly pass over. It is the C.O.s great pleasure to record that the 7th Bn R.F. have upheld the high reputation won in previous engagements.

Incident
As a welcome change from the brutalities of practised by our enemy we wish to give details of the following incident:
"No 62701 Cpl Hancock H, was wounded on 30th October & taken prisoner by the Germans. He was taken into a dug out & given food & attention to his wounds, after which he was handed over to our stretcher bearers, on condition that he gave no information as to the dispositions etc of the enemy."  

Private Alex Songhurst was among the 50 or so Other Ranks who were 'Missing'.

Were the 18 Corps Commander and the CO of 7 Bn perhaps indicating that despite it evidently being obvious that the condition of the ground being such that "no troops could possibly pass over" they were nevertheless carrying out orders from above?

Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser
Saturday 29 December 1917

The list which we present has been compiled from the names that have been recorded in our Columns during the past year....
DECEMBER
SONGHURST, Pte. A.T., The Queen's, whose home was at Leatherhead.

His life

Alexander Songhurst was born on 6 May 1897 and baptised at St Giles', Ashtead, Surrey on 18 July 1897. In some sources he is Alec or Alick.

His father was Albert Edward Songhurst, born 1 March 1867, a House Painter/Decorator from Leatherhead, a son of George Songhurst and Elizabeth Wafforn.

His mother was Ada Alice Page, baptised on 8 November 1868 at St Mary the Virgin Headley, Surrey, a daughter of Alfred Page, a Labourer, and Sarah Page.

Albert and Ada's marriage was registered in April 1889,  Epsom, Surrey.

His siblings were  Leonard Frederick (1889), Frances Eleanor (1891), Evelyn Sara (1898) and Ivy Irene Elizabeth (1907).

In Alex's lifetime, from the Electoral Registers and Census information, the family lived at:

1897 Bridge Street, Leatherhead, Surrey
1901 Census 3 Albany Pk Cottages Kingston Road, Leatherhead, Surrey
1906 The Common, Leatherhead, Surrey
1911 Census Ewhurst Cottage, Kingston Road, Leatherhead
1913-15 Ewhurst Cottage, Kingston Road, Leatherhead

After WW1

His mother and father moved to 15 Alverstone Road, Worthing, Sussex. His mother died in hospital in Worthing on 1 August 1934.

In the 1939 England & Wales Register although resident in Worthing his father was with Alex's sister Ivy and her husband William J Prothero at 40 Fircroft Avenue, Leatherhead. His father died in Leatherhead at 193 Kingston Road on 8 August 1946, according to his Probate record.

Alex Songhurst's nephew (a son of his brother Leonard Frederick) Serjeant Jack Ronald Songhurst RCS/44 Royal Tank Regiment, died of his wounds on 30 November 1943 and like his uncle is named on Leatherhead's War Memorial. Jack had a brother Alexander Peter - was he was named after his uncle?

Alex Songhurst is remembered on the following memorials

Church Lads Brigade Tryptich in All Saints Church
Ladies' War Shrine, Leatherhead Parish Church
Leatherhead Town Memorial
Royal British Legion Roll of Honour, Leatherhead Parish Church
Surrey in the Great War

the website editor would like to add further information on this casualty
e.g. a photo of him, and of any recollections within his family

last updated 26 Aug 20