5341, Private Eugene Richard BIDMEAD 1896-1917

For anyone with a WW1 interest or connected to the BIDMEAD family from Newent, one of Eugene's WW1 medals has turned up after being found during a house clearance.

It is now with www.qcmilitaria.com. If anyone is interested in buying the medal before it goes on an auction site, it would be worth contacting them this week.

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Thanks Dink, however that link isn't working for me, so maybe too late ?. I do hope not as always good for such items to be reunited with family wherever possible.

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From this site's Records;

Record_ID: 132860
Entry_Number:
Year: 1896
Month: Jun
Day: 24
Parents_Surname: BIDMEAD
Child_Forenames: Eugene Richard
Fathers_Forenames: Rich[ar]d
Mothers_Forenames: Fanny
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: Church St[reet] Newent
Occupation:
Officiating_Minister: W H Dash
Event: Baptism
Memoranda: Born June 4 [18]96
Notes: Christened Wed[nesday]
Register_Reference: D6026/8/1&2
Page_Number: 35
Parish_Chapel: Newent Congregational
Soundex: B353

1901 Church Street, Newent
Name Relation to Head Age Estimated Birth Year Gender Birth Place
Richard Bidmead Head 31 1870 Male Newent, Gloucestershire, England
Fanny Bidmead Wife 36 1865 Female Newent, Gloucestershire, England
John Bidmead Son 9 1892 Male USA
Arthur Bidmead Son 7 1894 Male USA
Bertha Bidmead Daughter 6 1895 Female USA
Eugene Bidmead Son 4 1897 Male Newent, Gloucestershire, England
Cecil Bidmead Son 3 1898 Male Newent, Gloucestershire, England
Marian Bidmead Daughter 1 1900 Female Newent, Gloucestershire, England

1911 Riverlea, Walham Nr Gloucester.
Name Relation to Head Birth Date Age Gender Marital Status Years Married Occupation Birth Place Address
James Watts Head 1865 46 Male Married Foreman Of Brickworks Longford, Gloucestershire
Emma Jane Watts Wife 1862 49 Female Married 5 yrs Sandhurst, Gloucestershire
Horace Smith Boarder 1884 27 Male Single Tin smith Longford, Gloucestershire
Eugene Bidmead Visitor 1897 14 Male Single Painter Newent, Gloucestershire

I cannot find any record of a marriage.

Record_ID: 463
Year: _
Surname: BIDMEAD
Forename: Eugene Richard
Rank: Private
Regiment: 2nd/4th City of Bristol Battalion Territorial Gloucestershire Regiment ex number 5341
Service_Number: 201812
Residence: Newent
Notes_1: KIA 20_January_1917 Remembered or Buried in St Server Cemetery Extension Rouen O IV Q 3
Notes_2: _
Newspaper: _
Date_Published: _
Image: _
Soundex: B353

CWGC site http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/516012/BIDMEAD,%20E%20R

I've looked-up Pte Bidmead in the old newspapers, and so far have found just this one mention in the Gloucester Journal. I've included the complete article in my next post, as this long list of casualties is such a shocking reminder of that terrible war. What makes it seem even worse is that this weekly list was a "routine" one, and during what was considered a "quiet" period of the War with no major offences so higher casualties !

The Glosters website states;
"In March 1917 the Gloucesters still had twelve battalions on the Western Front, several of which, in various Divisions, were to be involved in the fighting that took place during the cautious pursuit of the German Army as it withdrew back towards the heavily fortified Hindenburg Line.

61st Division (mockingly referred to as the "Sixty-Worst" by some) included 2/4th, 2/5th and 2/6th Gloucesters. Second-Lieutenant W.G. Shipway enlisted as a private soldier with 4th Battalion in 1914, and after his commission in 1916 was posted to 2/4th Battalion, as he explained in his memoir:

"I was posted to the 2/4th Battalion Gloucesters (Territorials) part of the 61st Division (we called it the sixty-worst). This was a second line division which got very few replacements for casualties or wastage. It was not used in main attacks usually but for holding line after attacks and in quiet sectors."
http://www.glosters.org.uk/textonly_timeline/5

Pte Bidmead was also in the 2nd/4th Glosters, his death shows that even life in this so-called "second line" Division was still very dangerous.

The Glosters museum and website have a letter home from the Front dated 24th February 1917 which mentions the death of Eugene Bidmead. It was written by 20314 Private Thomas Charles Stanley Beard, also of 2/4th Battalion Glosters.
http://www.glosters.org.uk/collectionitem.php?id=3876&from=&to=&category=&a...

Sadly the Army Records show that Thomas Beard, who also enlisted in Newent, would die at the Front just a few months later.

(continued next post).

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The full article from the Gloucester Journal of 17th February 1917 reads;

"The British Casualties.

NINE GLOUCESTERS' SUBALTERNS.

Friday week's casualty lists contained the names of 51 officers (22 dead) and 526 rank and file (202 dead). The officers' list included of the Roval Navy, among the killed Commander Francis H. H. Goodhart. D.8.0., R.N. Lieut.-Colonel R. B. Bradford, V.C. (Durham Light Infantry) and Lieut. H. J. P. Howard (Scots Uuards). grandson of Lord Strathcona, are reported wounded. The rank and file wounded included 10922 J. Hall. Grenadier Guards, Cheltenham.
A later list included the following:— Wounded: Sec.-Lieut. 11. L. C. Gill, M.C., Gloucestershire Regt., attached Royal Welsh Fusiliers.
Previously reported wounded and missing, now reported killed :—Gloucester Regt.: H. Butler. Birmingham.
Previously reported missing, now reported killed :—Gloucester Regt. : 20985 J. Boult. Bristol; 27370 A. E. Cecil, Birmingham: 421 Sergt. P. T. Cookley, Cheltenham; 27057 R. J. Davis, Birmingham; 25396 W. Hill, Rhon'rida; F. Mareham, Tilehurst; 2562 Corpl. G. H. Ricketts, Cheltenham; 20751 C. Wilcox, Birmingham.

The week-end casualty lists contained the names of 48 officers (15 dead) and 1,132 men (408 dead). The latter included the following of the Gloucester Regiment:—Killed: 20109 F. J. Day, Bristol; 16734 T. J. Price, Weston-super-mare; 22059 F. Palmer, Bideford; 16663 W. J. Hulin, Bristol; A. Taylor, Gloucester; 20148 F. Young. Bristol.

Monday night's casualty lists contained the names of 51 officers (14 dead) and 642 rank and file (276 dead). The latter included the following:—
Killed.—Gloucester Regiment: 2095 P. Batstone, Weston-super-Mare. Died wounds: Gloucester Regiment: 5341 E. R. Bidmead, Newent; 16192 I. Gillett. Moreton-in-Marsh.
Wounded.—Gloucester Regiment: 37356 H. Baker, Chipping Campden; 11701 Corpl. H. W. Baldwin. Peekham. S.E.; 21329 P. Connolly, Carna; 10531 Sergt. A. E. Edwards, Romford; 25865 W. G. Frankcom. Pucklechurch; 11269 H. Hamblin. Gloucester; 28440 W. Peacock, Bristol: 25910 W. Pearce. Kensington; 6107 Sergt. J. H. Wagner. Maisemore. Devon Regiment: 8380 Sergt. J. Stear Cheltenham.
Previously missing, now reported by the German Government died of wounds: 2567 H. G. Summers. Cheltenham. Gloucester Regiment.

Tuesday night's casualty lists contained the names of 57 officers (23 dead) and 768 rank and file (349 dead).
The list of officers killed includes Sec. Lieuts. H. P. B. Baines. J. E. T. Barnes. W. G. Harris, Gloucester Regiment, and the wounded Sec. Lieuts. W. P. Bridgett. Gloucester Regt att. East Lancs. Regt.. F. A Brown, J. F. Hardie, N F. Hill, F. Stanway, and A. V. Boulton, Gloucester Regt.
The rank and file casualties included the following :—Killed : Gloucester Regiment—l44s6 T. J. Adams. Bristol. Wounded: Gloucester Regiment—23525 J. Cornock, Wotton-under-Edge; 36781 A. Gaskins, Apperley.

Wednesday night's casualty lists contained the names of 28 officers (10 dead) and 457 rank and file (215 dead). The wounded officers include Sec. Lieut. G. Stephens Gloucester Regiment. The rank and file casualties included the following of the Gloucester Regiment:—Killed: 16976 Lance-Corpl. W. Bennett. Birmingham; 20113 W. Burnell, Brisiol; 2041 Lance-Corpl. W. D. Caswell. Gloucester; 22973 E. E. Cooke. Stroud; 23604 J. Criddle. Bristol; 36565 W. Flowers, Cheltenham; 23637 H. W. Jenkins. Cheltenham; 25589 S. Thoyer, Hardwicke; H. C. Westbury. Bristol. Died of wounds: 18142 A. Milliner, Cinderford. Wounded and missing : 12259 Lance-Corpl. T. J. Bayliss. Gloucester; 13813 G. H. Bull. Cinderford; 13549 Acting Sergt. G. Dean. Wandsworth, S.W.; 13070 F. G. Fletcher, Stow on-the Wold.

Mr. Macpherson stated in Parliament on Wednesday that large number of the men of the London Rifle Brigade have been missing since July 1st. The only conclusion was that they were dead, and steps would be taken to communicate with the relatives.

Thursday night's casualty lists contained the names of 27 officers.(9 dead) and 1,007 rank and file (334 dead). The latter included the following :—
Died of wounds : Gloucester Regiment 20706 T. Bumford. Bristol; 22647 R. A. Pullin, Chippenham. Wounded : Gloucester Regiment —4910 Corpl. E. H. Isom, Bristol."

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There are two other Foresters in this list; from this site's WW1 database;

Record_ID: 3738
Year: _
Surname: MILLINER
Forename: Alfred
Rank: Private
Regiment: 13th (Forest of Dean) Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment
Service_Number: 18142
Residence: Cinderford
Notes_1: KIA 20_January_1917 Remembered or Buried in Lijssenthoe Military Cemetery X D 27A
Notes_2: _
Newspaper: _
Date_Published: _
Image: _
Soundex: M456

FreeBMD shows Alfred was born in W-o-S District abt March 1895. However he's not remembered on the Cinderford War Memorial.

Record_ID: 760
Year: _
Surname: BULL
Forename: Gilbert Harding
Rank: Private
Regiment: B' Company, 8th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment
Service_Number: 13813
Residence: Cinderford
Notes_1: Enlisted 07_September_1914 KIA 18_November_1916 Remembered or Buried in Thiepval Memorial, Pier and Face 5 A and 5 B
Notes_2: Wounded, January_1917
Newspaper: _
Date_Published: _
Image: _
Soundex: B400

FreeBMD suggests Gilbert was born in Aston, Warwickshire abt December 1890.
He is remembered on the Roll of Honour at Double View School, Cinderford, and the town's War Memorial in the Triangle.
http://www.forest-of-dean.net/fodmembers/index.php?mode=thread&id=43700
http://www.memorialtranscripts.co.uk/Compressed/gloucestershire_ww1.html

----------------------------------------------------

Regarding the somewhat odd mention of the London Rifle Brigade, and their heavy losses some 6 months earlier, they fought in the First Day of the Battle of the Somme, 1st July 1916.
Far more detail here http://www.gommecourt.co.uk/index.htm
http://www.gommecourt.co.uk/fallenlrb.html

-----------------------------------------------------

Sincere thanks to all these brave men and loved ones for their sacrifices 100 years ago.

R.I.P.

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1911 Census, Dockham Rd, Cinderford.

Name Relation to Head Birth Date Age Gender Marital Status Years Married Occupation Birth Place Address
William H Weaver Head 1866 45 Male Married 21 yrs Colliery Hewer Wales
Sarah Weaver Wife 1870 41 Female Married 21 yrs Horton
Esther Weaver Daughter 1891 20 Female Single At Home Cinderford, Gloucestershire
William Edmund George Weaver Son 1895 16 Male Collier Haulier Underground Cinderford, Gloucestershire
John Albert Stanley Weaver Son 1897 14 Male Collier Haulier Underground Cinderford, Gloucestershire
Alfred Owen Weaver Son 1899 12 Male school Cinderford, Gloucestershire
Charles Herbert Weaver Son 1901 10 Male school Cinderford, Gloucestershire
Florence May Weaver Daughter 1908 3 Female school Cinderford, Gloucestershire
Frederick John Bull Nephew 1890 21 Male Single Collier Haulier Underground Birmingham
Gilbert Harding Bull Nephew 1891 20 Male Single Collier Haulier Underground Birmingham

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1901 Census, 102 Willis Street, Aston, Birmingham, Warks.

Name Relation to Head Age Estimated Birth Year Gender Birth Place
Harry A Bull Head 46 1855 Male Railway porter. Mount Bures, Essex, England
Annie M Bull Wife 40 1861 Female N Wales, Montgomery
Frederick J Bull Son 11 1890 Male Birmingham
Gilbert H Bull Son 10 1891 Male Birmingham
George Bull Son 9 1892 Male Birmingham
Annie Bull Daughter 7 1894 Female Birmingham

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1911 Census, 5 room residence at Brains Green, Blakeney, Glos.

Name Relation to Head Birth Date Age Gender Marital Status Years Married Occupation Birth Place Address
James Milliner Head 1859 52 Male Married 23 yrs Invalid East Dean, Gloucestershire
Harrit Milliner Wife 1863 48 Female Married 23 yrs At Home East Dean, Gloucestershire
George Milliner Son 1889 22 Male Single Coal Miner Hewer East Dean, Gloucestershire
Martha Milliner Daughter 1893 18 Female Single East Dean, Gloucestershire
Alfred Milliner Son 1895 16 Male Single Labourer In Woods East Dean, Gloucestershire
Fred Milliner Grandson 1910 1 Male East Dean, Gloucestershire

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1901 Census, Blakeney Hill, Glos.
Name Relation to Head Age Estimated Birth Year Gender Birth Place
James Milliner Head 40 1861 Male Coalmine horse driver. Soudley, Gloucestershire, England
Harriett Milliner Wife 38 1863 Female Soudley, Gloucestershire, England
James Milliner Son 14 1887 Male Coalmine horse driver. Soudley, Gloucestershire, England
George Milliner Son 12 1889 Male Soudley, Gloucestershire, England
William Milliner Son 10 1891 Male Soudley, Gloucestershire, England
Martha Milliner Daughter 8 1893 Female Soudley, Gloucestershire, England
Alfred Milliner Son 6 1895 Male Soudley, Gloucestershire, England

Record_ID: 15219
Entry_Number: 10
Year: 1887
Month: Sep
Day: 18
Grooms_Surname: MILLINER
Grooms_Forenames: James Isaac
Grooms_Age: 27
Groom_Condition: bachelor
Grooms_Occupation: collier
Grooms_Residence: East Dean
Grooms_Fathers_Surname: MILLINER
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames: William
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation: labourer
Brides_Surname: ENSOR
Brides_Forenames: Harriet
Brides_Age: 24
Brides_Condition: spinster
Brides_Occupation:
Brides_Residence: East Dean
Brides_Fathers_Surname: ENSOR
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: Joseph
Brides_Fathers_Occupation: labourer
Licence_or_Banns: banns
Date_of_Banns:
Signature_or_Mark: Both mark
Witness_1: Henry Gunter
Witness_2: Mark of George Ensor
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister: Jno Jos Ebsworth vicar
Event: Marriage
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P245 IN 1/22
Page_Number: 5
Parish_Chapel: Parkend
Soundex_Groom: M456
Soundex_Bride: E526

Record_ID: 7019
Entry_Number: 1585
Year: 1914
Month: Jan
Day: 29
Surname: MILLINER
Forenames: James Isaac
Residence: Dockham R[oa]d Cinderford
Age_at_death: 54 years
Officiating_Minister: R. J. Hawksworth Curate
Event: Burial
Cause_of_death:
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P85/1 IN 1/14
Page_No: 199
Parish_Chapel: Cinderford St John
Soundex: M456

Record_ID: 8993
Entry_Number: 1961
Year: 1940
Month: Oct
Day: 21
Surname: MILLINER
Forenames: Harriet
Residence: Upper Soudley
Age_at_death: 77
Officiating_Minister: Breenes Miller Methodist
Event: Burial
Cause_of_death:
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P85/1 IN 1/15
Page_No: 246
Parish_Chapel: Cinderford St John
Soundex: M456

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Hello, Harriet Ensor was a sister to my great grandmother Amelia Ensor. Dad Joseph, mother Hannah. Amelia married John Bevan and moved to Clyne in Neath. So are we distantly related. Clare.

--
C E Francis

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Thanks Dink, however that link isn't working for me,

Just remove the excess full stop at the end and it will work.

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oops !, well spotted.

Thankyou.

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From this site's WW1 Database;

Record_ID: 369
Year: _
Surname: BEARD
Forename: Thomas Charles S
Rank: Private
Regiment: 1/4th City of Bristol Battalion (TF) Gloucestershire Regiment
Service_Number: 202624
Residence: Newent
Notes_1: Enlisted 10_September_1914 KIA 28_August_1917 Remembered or Buried in Brandhoek New Military Cemetery No 3 I C 11
Notes_2: _
Newspaper: _
Date_Published: _
Image: _
Soundex: B630

Births Dec 1894 (>99%)
Beard Thomas Charles S Newent 6a 247

1911 Glos' Street, Newent, Glos
Name Relation to Head Birth Date Age Gender Marital Status Years Married Occupation Birth Place Address
James Beard Head 1865 46 Male Married 2 yrs Estate Gardener Oxenhall, Gloucestershire
Mary Beard Wife 1861 50 Female Married 2 yrs Liverpool
Thomas Beard Son 1895 16 Male Farm Labourer Newent, Gloucestershire

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1901 Gloster Street, Newent, Glos.
Name Relation to Head Age Estimated Birth Year Gender Birth Place
John Winter Head 87 Widow 1814 Male Labourer. Dymock, Gloucestershire, England
James Beard Son-in-law Widow 38 1863 Male Labourer. Oxenhall, Gloucestershire, England
Thomas Beard Grandson 6 1895 Male Newent, Gloucestershire, England

So James' wife was daughter of John Winter;

Surname First name(s) District Vol Page
Marriages Dec 1891 (>99%)
Beard James Cheltenham 6a 925
Winter Ellen Cheltenham 6a 925

Deaths Jun 1898 (>99%)
Beard Ellen 37 Newent 6a 148

Surname First name(s) District Vol Page
Marriages Mar 1909 (>99%)
BEAGAN Mary Newent 6a 389
BEARD James Newent 6a 389

Record_ID: 22833
Entry_Number: 379
Year: 1909
Month: Feb
Day: 16
Grooms_Surname: BEARD
Grooms_Forenames: James
Grooms_Age: 46
Groom_Condition: Widower
Grooms_Occupation: Gardener
Grooms_Residence: Gloucester St
Grooms_Fathers_Surname: Beard
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames: John
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation: deceased
Brides_Surname: BEAGAN
Brides_Forenames: Mary
Brides_Age: 50
Brides_Condition: Spinster
Brides_Occupation: Dressmaker
Brides_Residence: Brass Mill
Brides_Fathers_Surname: Beagan
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: Thomas
Brides_Fathers_Occupation: deceased
Licence_or_Banns: Banns
Date_of_Banns: [not stated]
Signature_or_Mark: he marks she signs
Witness_1: Jane Faulks
Witness_2: Arthur Anstey
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister: W H Connor Rector
Event: Marriage
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P225 IN 1/33
Page_Number: 190
Parish_Chapel: Newent
Soundex_Groom: B630
Soundex_Bride: B250

================

I think this is the correct tree - GlosBMD website is currently u/s, so not much to work with, especially with such common names in this area !

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Further to the above, and my post elsewhere today, it seems that GlosBMD is indeed working correctly, or at least in part, even from my ancient PC.

I've found that the general "Simple Search" feature is NOT working, but the individual "Advanced Search..." for Birth, or Marriage, or Death, IS working.

http://ww3.gloucestershire.gov.uk/bmd/MainMenu.aspx

Hence using GlosBMD I can add these records to confirm the accuracy of the above post;

BIRTHS

Child Surname Child Forename Father Surname Mother Surname Mother's Former Name Year District Office Register Entry
BEARD Mary Ellen Florence BEARD BEARD WINTER 1892 Gloucester Gloucester, Newent 23 150
BEARD John James Albert BEARD BEARD WINTER 1893 Gloucester Gloucester, Newent 23 325
BEARD Thomas Charles Stanley BEARD BEARD WINTER 1894 Gloucester Gloucester, Newent 23 495

The full PRs for these births are in the FoD database, but no further records for any of these three.

MARRIAGE

Groom Surname Groom Forename Bride Surname Bride Forename District Parish Building Year Register Entry
BEARD James WINTER Ellen Cheltenham Cheltenham Register Office 1891 27 102

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5341, Private Eugene Richard BIDMEAD 1896-1917 (General)