D Company statistics 1915 (11th Service Battalion Border Regiment)

The following statistics are an analysis of 'D' Company of the 11th Battalion Border Regiment as identified on The Roll of NCO's and Men Proceeding Overseas, 1915, totalling 291 on the roll plus six Officers; casualties - killed and wounded. It is based on newspapers, the roll of honour, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and service records. The data is probably complete for those killed but is currently incomplete for those wounded.

  Marital status & age
Marital status
(Data for 245 men)
Age
(Data for 289 men)

Single
Married
Men with children
Married men killed
Of whom had children
  J. Howsen
  Timmins
  Elliott
  Matthews

167 (68%)
78 (31%)
59 (24%)
17 (28%)
12
  6 children
  4 children
  4 children
  4 children

20 or under
20 to 30
30 or over
Youngest
Oldest

95 (32%)
135 (46%)
59 (20%)
18 years old
42 years old (Captain Dawson)


  Location
(Data for 261 men)
Inside Cumbria Outside Cumbria
  • Abbey Town
  • Aspatria (3)
  • Blennerhasset (5)
  • Brigham
  • Bullgill (5)
  • Carlisle (20)
  • Cleator Moor
  • Cockermouth
  • Dearham (2)
  • Distington
  • Fletchertown (4)
  • Flimby (2)
  • Great Broughton (2)
  • Gresouthen (2)
  • Irthington
  • Keswick
  • Lowca
  • Maryport (19)
  • Mawbray
  • Mealsgate
  • Millom
  • Nenthead
  • Oughterside (2)
  • Parton (2)
  • Penrith (4)
  • Plumbland
  • Silloth
  • Temple Sowerby
  • Wigton (4)
  • Whitehaven (10)
  • Workington (150)
  • Ashington
  • Birmingham
  • Bishop's Waltham
  • Canonbie (2)
  • Clapham
  • Glasgow
  • Lincoln
  • London
  • South Shields
  • Wadhurst

Location refers to birthplace or residence.

  • 250 from Cumberland, 11 from outside, 36 unknown.
  • 250 (95%) of D Company were from Cumberland and 219 (83%) from West Cumberland.
  • 150 (57%) were from Workington.
  • 226 (86%) were from towns or, exceptionally, cities.


  Family relationships
  • Pte. William and Cpl. Thomas Beaty: brothers – both killed in action in 1917, Thomas at Nieuport.
  • Sgt. Alex Blezard brother in law to John McLuskey who was killed in action.
  • Pte. James and Pte. John Bragg: brothers. Both survived. James wounded 1st July & treated at Alnwick.
  • Cpl. James Culley, kia 18/11/1916 – two brothers serving Thomas in RASC & William HMS Bramble.
  • Thomas Edwards brother in law to Joseph Martin both killed on 1st July 1916.
  • Pte. Reuben Hetherington dow 14/7/1916. Brother Frank killed serving in RFA in 1915.
  • Pte. Thomas and Pte. Joseph Rumney: brothers – Joseph kia and Thomas wounded on 1st July 1916
  • Pte. Morrison Timmins (kia 1/7/1916) had four brother serving in forces.
  • 2nd Lieut. Godfrey Tyname, kia 18/11/1916, had 2 brothers kia in 1917. William in 7th Battalion Canadian Infantry and Hugh in RN submarines.


  Occupations
(Data for 243 men)
A to F
  • Analyst
  • Apprentice Engineer
  • Architect's Assistant (off.)
  • Barber
  • Blastfurnaceman (2)
  • Boilersmith
  • Boiler Cleaner
  • Brass Worker
  • Brazier
  • Brick Labourer
  • Bricklayer (2)
  • Butcher (6)
  • Carter (2)
  • Clerk (6)
  • Coke Worker (2)
  • Collector - Corpration Gas Dept.
  • Collier (21)
  • Colliery Pumperman
  • Commercial Traveller (2)
  • Commission Agent
  • Drapers Assistant (5)
  • Dentist
  • Engine Driver (3)
  • Engineer
  • Farmer (3)
  • Farm Servant (12)
  • Farm Worker
  • Fireman (Railway) (2)
G to L
  • Gamekeeper
  • Gardener
  • GasStoker
  • Grocer (4)
  • Groom
  • Hatter
  • Hotel Boots
  • Ironworker (3)
  • Insurance Agent
  • Joiner (2)
  • Labourer (27)
M to R
  • Machinist (2)
  • Mason
  • Miner (55)
  • Moulder
  • Motor Mechanic
  • Outfitter
  • Painter (4)
  • Picture Framer
  • Plasterer (3)
  • Platelayer (2)
  • Plumber
  • Police Constable (4)
  • Postman (2)
  • Printer
  • Railwayman
  • Railway Cleaner
  • Rivetter
S to Z
  • Sailor
  • Schoolmaster (2)
  • Shepherd
  • Shoemaker
  • Signalman
  • Solicitor
  • Stage Carpenter
  • Steelworker (18)
  • Stoker
  • Storeman
  • Tailor (2)
  • Tanner
  • Watchmaker
  • Weighman
  • Officers:
    • Twynam and Robinson, occupations unknown.
    • Barnes – Surveyor in Canada;
    • Corbett – Architect;
    • Dawson – Author and Traveller;
    • Hobson – Solicitor.
  • The majority of men worked in heavy industry – 128 (52%). This figure excludes labourers, 27 (%), of whom most would have worked in towns. At least 77 (31%) men worked in the local pits. Only 20 (8%) worked in traditional rural occupations. This was an urbanised, industrialised workforce reflecting the industrial nature of West Cumberland at the outbreak of the war.


  Transfers to other units

In total 37 men (12%) on the original 1915 roll transferred out of the Company. Eight of these died. Significant unit transfers:

  • Other Border Battalions (8)
  • Labour Corps (7)
  • Royal Engineers (5)
  • Commissioned (2)


  Casualties
Total number of men on roll – 291 (plus six officers as additions)
Wounded Died

Wounded
Somme wounded
SWB Awards
Officers
Other Ranks


Total known Somme Casualties killed and wounded


Total known casualties

66 (incomplete) (21%)
30 (27 on first day)
27
2
62


(24%)


170 (55%)

Killed in Action
Died of Wounds
Total Killed


Granatloch, 5th June 1916
The Somme, 1st July 1916
The Ancre, November 1916
Nieuport, July 1917


Officers
Other Ranks


1916
1917
1918

86
18
104 (34%)


5
42
18
8


4
100


74 (25%)
19 (6%)
11 (3%)


  Notes
  • Wounded only includes men wounded and survived. Only counted once however many times wounded – many men were wounded several times. Doesn't include men who were later killed eg. A soldier wounded at The Ancre and then killed at Nieuport is only counted under KIA. (The exception being Somme wounded and killed - see separate figures.)
  • Figures for killed and died of wounds are likely to be accurate.
  • Figures for wounded are incomplete.
  • Should Granatloch casualties be added to overall Somme casualties?
  • The lists do not include names of men or casualties who joined after ‘D’ Company was posted overseas.
  • The data includes officers of ‘D’ Company. (All ‘D’ Coy. officers proceeding overseas in 1915 became casualties.)

References / notes

  • Carlisle Record Office - The Lonsdale Catalogue, especially:
    • D LONS/L13/13/203 Roll of platoons 13-16 - Not dated [1915]
    • D LONS/L13/13/188 Register (alphabetically arranged) date: October 1914 - January 1915
  • H.C. Wylly. The Border Regiment In The Great War (1925). Gale & Polden Ltd. ISBN 1847342728
  • Roland Edgar
  • Workington Library:
    • 1914 – 1918 – West Cumberland Times
    • 1914 – 1918 – Workington and Harrington Star
Cookies help us deliver our services. By using our services, you agree to our use of cookies.