Sydney & Albert, sons of John Jeffreys & Hannah of Horseman’s Green
Private (Signaller) Sydney Jeffreys (alt. spelling Sidney Jeffries) 11953 8th RWF
His Medal Index cards states that he first entered a Theatre of War on
28th May 1915 and served in the Balkans. He was demobilised 21st May 1919.
Sydney was born 22ndApril 1895 in Hanmer & went to the local school.
- 1901 with parents & siblings at Horseman’s Green
- 1911 working as a Cowboy for John Reece in Bronington.
He married Ellen Wynne Hill June qtr 1921 in Hanmer and in 1939 they are living at Dunmore Road, Ellesmere Port with six inferred children. Sidney is a Flourpacker in a Flour Mill.
He died 19th April 1953 at Deva Hospital Chester, probate to Sidney John Jeffreys, welder (son?). Probate on Ancestry says of 5 Dunmore Road, Little Sutton.
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Corporal 12801 Albert Jeffreys 3rd RWF
Many of his service records are on Ancestry. Rev. Clive Hughes wrote the following:
Medal Index Card states first landed in France as Private on 19 July 1915. Later Corpl. and demobilised 25 January 1919. National Archives Soldiers’ Service Papers (WO 363) show that he was born at Hanmer 1896. Next of kin (parents) resident Horsemans Green. He was a farm labourer employed by Mr Woodall of Hanmer before he enlisted aged 19 years 2 months at Wrexham on 28 August 1914 (other forms say 1 September). Posted to “B” Company 9th Battalion RWF. Overseas 19 July 1915 and served in France 2½ years. Promoted Lance-Corporal 25 August 1916 and Corporal 8 February 1917. Sick, France 15 July- 16 October 1917. Accidentally wounded by bayonet (slight flesh wound to right leg) 19 December 1917 and evacuated to the UK; treated at Naunton Hospital, Cheltenham from 24 December 1917 to 8 February 1918. Posted to 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion RWF [at Limerick, Ireland] 19 February 1918.
Returned to France 12 June 1918 to serve with 13th Battalion RWF from 10 July. Suffered gunshot wound (shrapnel bullet) to back of left thigh on the Somme 23 August 1918, and sent to the 47th General Hospital, Le Treport, Boulogne before evacuation to the UK on 25 August. He underwent three operations for the removal of shrapnel during August. Treated at 1st Western General Hospital, Fazakerley, Liverpool 27 August-13 September and Camp Hill Auxiliary Hospital, Woolton, Liverpool 13 September-15 November 1918. Attached Western Command Depot, Prescot 22 November 1918 before transfer to Army Reserve Class “Z” on 25 January 1919 aged 22. Demobilised from ?Park Hall, Oswestry. Assessed as under 20% disabled in December 1918, he was awarded a 6-month “bonus” pension of 6 shillings weekly from 26 January 1919. Examined again July 1919 he was awarded an extension for 9 weeks. Given an increase to 8s. 8d for three weeks, his pension reverted to 6s weekly for one year until in August 1920 he was deemed to have no grounds for further award.
[The 9th RWF was a “Kitchener” battalion raised at Wrexham in September 1914. It served with the 19th (Western) Division and went to France in July 1915. It was engaged at the Battle of Loos September-October 1915; the Battle of the Somme July-November 1916; Messines Ridge June 1917; and the Third Battle of Ypres September-November 1917 though Jeffreys would have missed through illness all the latter except the last grim phase, the 2nd Battle of Passchendaele 26 October-10 November. His accidental wounding meant that he wasn’t with the 9th RWF when it was virtually wiped out and reformed three times running during the German offensives of Spring-Summer 1918. He then joined the 13th (1st North Wales) Battalion RWF in 38th (Welsh) Division which was at Bouzincourt Ridge near Albert on the Somme. On 21 August 1918 in the wake of Allied successes the Division began the final advance of the war, but Jeffreys was wounded in its first action, the Battle of Albert 21-23 August as they pressed down through the town and beyond.]
Albert was born 17th May 1896, baptised 7th June in St. Chad’s. He attended Hanmer school.
- 1901 with parents & siblings in Halghton
- 1911, aged 14, he is working at Smithy Farm, Bronington for George Bickerton
Possibilities: Marriage to Catherine Ellen Milburn Sept qtr 1931, in Liverpool . 1939 they are living at ‘General Shop’, Speke Road, Liverpool with a daughter Dorothy (who is working as a Shop Keeper). This birth date agrees with Hanmer school record. Albert is a Brewer. Death 1949 Liverpool North – probate on Ancestry says living at Newhaven, Speke Rd, Woolton, Liverpool. Widow Catherine Ellen. Also mentions Dorothy Jeffreys spinster, who presumably is his daughter.
Hanmer WW1 