Historic Records Men of 1914

Arrived overseas: 12 August 1914. Connection: Victory Medal. Extensive paperwork survives for Gordon Henry Bridger in series WO 363. This shows that he was born in Eastbourne, Sussex and enlisted with the Worcestershire Regiment at Brighton on the 7th June 905 aged 18 years and two months. He stood five feet, seven inches tall and weighed 115 lbs, which is 8.2 stone or 52kg, and seems incredibly light by today's standards. Gordon served with the 3rd Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment until he was transferred to the Army Reserve in July 1911. Three years later, on the 5th August 1914, he was mobilised and, despite not having served in the army for three years, found himself in France a week later. He was diagnosed with VDH (Valvular Heart Disease) in March 1916, re-diagnosed with DAH (Disordered Action of the Heart) five days later, and returned to the UK. He remained in the UK until November 1916 when he was transferred to the Royal Engineers and sent back to France. He was wounded...

Arrived overseas: 20 August 1914. Connection: A series of eight postcards. When Sidney Clark attested with the Royal Engineers at Dover on the 17th February 1908, he was a 22-year-old carpenter. He signed up for three years with the colours and nine years on the reserve, all of that colour service being undertaken with 56 Field Company.  Three years to the day after he had attested, Sidney was transferred to the Army Reserve, to all intents and purposes a civilian again. His conduct was reported as "Very good. No offence in whole service of three years. He is sober, hardworking, reliable, and thoroughly satisfactory." He was also rated a "superior carpenter." On 5th August 1914, Sidney was mobilised with his old company, arrived in France on the 20th August, and was promptly captured three days later. He would spend the rest of the war as a Prisoner of War. He's in this photo somewhere, almost certainly one of the corporals on the back row, and would have been a...