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Remembering the First World War

23rd May 2018 @ 6:06am – by Jo Richards
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In preparation for the centenary Remembrance Service in November, St Andrew's has been working with the Tarvin Local History Group to discover more about how the war affected the people who lived in our village. Using local records, parish magazines from the period and local newspapers, we will build up a picture of how Tarvin involved itself in the war effort and glimpse both the men who went to the front and the families they left behind.

The war began in August 1914. In the beginning, The Chester Courant (local weekly newspaper at the time) published the names and place of residence of the men who enlisted in the Cheshire Regiment but as the weeks passed and the numbers grew, they listed names only. Over time, as the casualty lists began to appear, enlistments were reported less frequently.

On September 9th 1914 The Courant listed the following Tarvin men joining the Cheshire Regiment:
Arthur Garner (Hockenhull Cottage), John Broster (Pool Cottage), William Henry Jackson (Rose Villa), Thomas William Dodd (Lower Tarvin), John Hughes (Sheaf Cottage), JJ Barker (School Attendance Officer).

On December 12th 1914, The Courant listed the following Tarvin men joining the Cheshire Regiment:
A T Mort, W. Walker, Alfred Charles Ellwood, W. Woodcock.

There would have been many others who joined other regiments but those enlistments were not often reported in local newspapers which tended to focus on the Cheshires.
Some Tarvin men enlisted in other places.
For example: Thomas Sherwin was one of the first Tarvin men to be killed in action. He enlisted in the Cheshire Regiment in Hyde and died in October 22nd 1914. Frederick Woodcock who joined the Cheshires in Altringham was also killed in action on November 19th 1914.

By July 1915, the St Andrew's Parish Magazine wrote, 'It will soon be a year since the war began. And what a terrible year it has been! And the pity of it is we have to look forward to another year of conflict. Tarvin men have already given their lives for their county and many more are now at the front or will be soon be going.'

Among those who died in 1915 was Samuel Jackson from Rose Villa (who's brother William is mentioned above as enlisting in 1914). Samuel, a lance Corporal in the Cameron Highlanders had enlisted in Liverpool. He was killed in action in March and on April 14th 1915 the Chester Courant printed this article about him:

KILLED IN BATTLE – News has been received by Mr and Mrs Joseph D Jackson, Rose Villa, Tarvin, that their son, Lance-Corporal Samul Jackson, was killed in the great fight of Neuve Chapelle on March 10th. He was 33 years of age and leaves a widow and four children. He enlisted in the Cameron Highlanders in the early part of the Boer War and saw action in that campaign. At the outbreak of the present war, he was working at Wigan. A Wigan newspaper says he was well known there and as a tram guard under the Wigan Corporation was held in great regard. The tramway officials have lost a very painstaking and conscientious servant.
The following is a copy of his letter sent to the Chief inspector, Mr J B Hower and dated France March 1st:

"Dear Chief, – At last I take pleasure in writing a few lines in answer to your most welcome letter, which I was pleased to receive and to hear some news of any fellow workmen. I have not had the pleasure of meeting any of them so far but I shall be delighted if I do. At the present we are a little way from the firing line, getting fit after so long in the trenches. Spring is coming and as our major says, it will become fashionable to take trenches soon. I heard today that number of Germans surrendered opposite to the position we were in when we were relieved on March 1st. On that day they were flying the white flag for some time but we were not to be caught by any of their tricks. Perhaps we missed a chance. We are billeted in some houses now and the people are most kind; they cannot do enough for us. They have a mania for coffee and we have to have a cup with them each time, even if we have had a cup before we got up in the morning ...... you can hear the cannons from here ...... I hope this will find you in the best of health as I am very well at the present. – I remain, yours most sincerely (signed) Samuel Jackson."

(Ed: This is the first of several articles we hope to publish over the coming months)

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