William Bernard Whitmore
	14th (Service) Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment (The Birmingham Pals)   Number 133 ('A' Company)

I would love to make contact with others who have relatives who served in the battalion, or have an interest in it. Please email me if you have any information.

Birmingham City Battalions Book of Honour

This book was written in 1920 by Sir William Bowater, Alderman of the City, Honorary Colonel of the 14th Royal Warwickshire Regiment, and chairman of the City Battalions Equipment Committee. The book contains a history of the battalions (from 1915 to early 1917), medals awarded and casualties, and photographs of each platoon. A CD-ROM version of this book is available from Midland Historical Data, for just £10.

The short extract below relates to the battalion that William Whitmore served in: the 14th Royal Warwicks. 

A record of the Birmingham City Battalions

When the history of the Great War is read by succeeding generations few passages will be more inspiring than that which will tell of the readiness with which the young men of our country responded to the call of duty on the outbreak of hostilities. It was not their fault that they were not already trained, because they had been taught that to prepare for war was wrong, and responsible statesmen had failed to anticipate the need. As soon as the Germans invaded Belgium. Before it was generally realised that the vital interests of the British Empire were at stake in the European conflict, the recruiting offices were besieged with young men eager to play their part in resisting the aggressor.

In Birmingham three Territorial battalions were mobilised on August 4th, and their numbers were immediately brought up to full strength. The Lord Mayor of Birmingham at that time was Colonel Ernest Martineau, C.M.G., the Commanding Officer of the 6th Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, and he left the city with his battalion. Consequently it devolved upon the Editor of this record, as Deputy Mayor, to co-operate with the military authorities in organising new methods of recruiting to meet an unprecedented emergency. The Town Hall, the Municipal Technical School and, Curzon Hall were placed at the disposal of the military authorities to receive the overflow from the regular recruiting offices.

When 8,000 men of all classes had been enlisted in the city it was suggested that special battalions should be formed of non-manual workers. The kindred idea of "pals" battalions appears to have occurred simultaneously to those engaged in recruiting in Liverpool and Manchester. In Birmingham, as in the two great towns of Lancashire, City Battalions were offered to the War Office during the last week of August. The scheme was introduced to the citizens by the (‘ Birmingham Daily Post" in a leading article on August 28th, and on the following morning a telegram was sent from the Lord Mayor's Parlour to the Secretary of State for War as follows :-

Lord Kitchener of Khartoum,
War Office, Whitehall, London.

In the absence of the Lord Mayor, who is on military duty, I offer, on behalf of the City of Birmingham, to raise and equip a battalion of young business men for service in His Majesty's army, to be called the Birmingham Battalion. This is in addition to the ordinary recruits who have been enlisted in this city to the number of nearly 8,000.
W. H. BOWATER, Deputy Mayor.

The following reply was received on August 30th, 1914 :-

Deputy Mayor, Birmingham.

The battalion you offer would be most acceptable, and a valuable addition to His Majesty's forces. I presume you mean a regular battalion on the usual terms of service. If so, it might form a battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment to be designated the Birmingham Battalion, with a number. KITCHENER.

Recruiting

Thanks largely to the publicity which was given to the scheme in the columns of the "Daily Post" the call for recruits was promptly responded to by young men of all grades of society engaged in non-manual occupations, including the sons of a number of leading citizens, as well as articled clerks and young professional men, teachers and shop assistants. To prevent the patriotic enthusiasm from evaporating while waiting for the War Office to set up the official recruiting machinery, the " Daily Post " compiled a preliminary list of volunteers, instalments of which were published from day to day. Young men, seeing the names of their relations, friends and school-fellows in the list, determined to follow their example, and, if possible, to join the same battalion. This helped to keep the ball rolling, and the compiling of the register continued steadily for over a week. The figures of each day were as follows :-

Considering that the number asked for at the beginning of the week was only one thousand, the response was remarkable. One result was that before the special recruiting office opened it was decided to apply to Lord Kitchener for permission to raise a second battalion, and when this was done, there remained enough names on the register to form a third, although in the meantime a considerable number of very keen young men had joined other units after putting their names on the preliminary list, there being an idea then among many of them that the war might be over before they had a chance of doing their bit ’’ in the City Battalions - an idea that has, alas, been repeatedly falsified.

The desire of friends to serve together was encouraged by a promise to form 'pals' companies, and the Old Edwardians were among the first to avail themselves of this privilege by holding meetings at their club. At several large offices and works similar lists were prepared and sent to the Lord Mayor’s Parlour for the guidance of the calling-up clerks. In most cases the men on the lists received two days’ notice of the time at which they could be dealt with at the recruiting office, the issuing of postcards being under the voluntary direction of Mr Horatio Lane.

A special recruiting office for the City Battalions was opened in the Art Gallery Extension, Great Charles Street, with Colonel Sir John Barnsley in command. Major Hall-Edwards had charge of the medical examinations, and the clerical work was superintended by Mr. Howard Todd in an honorary capacity. The actual recruiting commenced on September 7th, and the first battalion was completed in a week; the enrolling of the second commenced on September 14tl1, and although the number of rejections on medical grounds increased as the recruiting proceeded, fresh volunteers came in to fill the places of the physically unfit, and the second battalion was ready to be called up for training before a commanding officer had been appointed for the first. The raising of a third battalion was not so easy, owing to the increased competition of other units and doubts as to whether suitable quarters could be found for training, but these obstacles were successfully surmounted, and this battalion was also ready for its commander before he was discovered in his rural retreat by the Deputy-Mayor (Ald. Bowater). Soon afterwards Alderman Bowater was elected Lord Mayor, and appointed Hon. Colonel of the 1st City Battalion (14th R. War. Regt.)

Equipment

It is not necessary now to recall the troubles the raiser of the battalions had in reconciling the varied instructions from the War Office in regard to height, standard and chest measurement, rates of pay, and details of equipment. Suffice it to say that with energy and enthusiasm red tape entanglements were surmounted, or cut through, and the battalions were drilling in mufti as soon as a parade ground and billets were secured.

The original idea was that the city battalions were to be equipped by the citizens at their own expense, and in response to a joint appeal by the Deputy-Mayor and the "Daily Post," thousands of pounds were immediately subscribed by large firms and wealthy residents. Never did money come in so readily, and soon the flow of donations became embarrassing to those responsible for the administration of the fund, for the War Office decided to allot to the City Battalions the normal allowance for equipment, and therefore voluntary contributions were only required for supplementing the necessarily frugal grant from the national exchequer by providing the Birmingham men ,with somewhat better clothing and certain necessary articles not included in the official kit and accoutrements. Before September 1st the Equipment Fund amounted to over £10,000, and it eventually rose to about £17,000 through spontaneous contributions.

The raiser of the City Battalions was directly responsible to the Army Council for housing and equipping them until they were taken over by the War Office in June, 1915, but in the administration of the Equipment Fund he was advised and assisted by the following committee of subscribers :-

Mr. F. Dudley Docker, C.B., Colonel C. J. Hart, C.B., Alderman Neville Chamberlain, Captain Kenneth Davis, Mr. Charles Hyde, Mr. A. T. Keen, and Alderman Sir Hallewell Rogers, J.P. Captain R. S. Hilton acted as Hon. Secretary to the committee, with Mr. A. Folland as Assistant Secretary.

In addition, the officers commanding the City Battalions assisted in an advisory capacity.

At a time when army contractors were fully occupied with more urgent orders, the task of securing satisfactory equipment for 3,300 men at reasonable prices was difficult, but it was successfully carried out, and most of the hardships incidental to membership of the new army were minimised as far as the exigencies of military training would permit during the ten months the battalions were under the immediate care of the Lord Mayor and his committee.

The turnover of the committee was about &50,000, excluding the cost of hutments erected in Sutton Park under the direction of the City Surveyor (Mr. H. E. Stilgoe). Two admirable sites were placed a t the disposal of the first and second battalions by the Corporation of Sutton Coldfield, and the men of these two battalions were fortunate in having such healthy quarters, with such excellent facilities for bathing, boating, football and other recreations. The turf in the neighbourhood of the hutments was very suitable for physical and military drill, whilst the wilder parts of the Park afforded splendid facilities for practising the art of war in its most romantic aspects.

The third battalion was quartered less satisfactorily at Springfield College, Moseley, and it was found necessary, owing to the limited accommodation in the old College buildings, to billet part of the battalion in private houses not far away. A void residence opposite the College was rented as Officers’ Quarters

Training

The War Office was prepared to take over the battalions they were under the direction of temporary commanding officers. As soon as Colonel Sir John Barnsley had finished recruiting the first battalion he took command of it at the request of the War Office, and by the beginning of October he had his men temporarily billeted at Sutton Coldfield, thanks to the help given by the Town Clerk of that ancient borough, Mr. R. A. Reay Nadin. The second battalion soon followed to the neighbourhood of Boldmere, under the command of Captain (now Major) George H. Smith, a Birmingham Territorial officer, who had served in the South African War. The third battalion was afterwards organised by a retired officer who had distinguished himself in the Soudan Campaign and elsewhere, Colonel D. F. Lewis, C.B., of Salford Priors.

Pending the delivery of the first consignment of kit, which included a navy blue uniform, owing to the shortage of khaki, the battalions drilled in civilian clothes, their only distinguishing mark during the first month or two being a buttonhole badge. The distribution of these badges by the Lord Mayor was the occasion of a notable gathering in the Drill Hall, Thorp Street. In the course of his speech, the Lord Mayor described the City Battalions as "the pets of the city," and told them that Birmingham expected great things of them while undergoing training, and especially when they went, in due course, to the Front, Colonel Sir ’John Barnsley also addressed stirring words to the recruits, and gave them important information about their pay, billets and duties. Church Parades followed, at which suitable exhortations were given by Bishop Diggle and others.

On arrival a t Sutton Coldfield, the 1st and 2nd City Battalions, which then became known as the 14th and 15th Service Battalions of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, were warmly welcomed by the townspeople. Various entertainments were provided for them when their daily drills were done, and they also had the exclusive use of Y.M.C.A. Huts, erected in the Park at the expense of Mrs. John Feeney and the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, and under the direction of Mr. F. W. Coffey, General Secretary of the Birmingham Y.M.C.A. The ‘I Crystal Palace" was used as the headquarters of the 14th Battalion, and hutments for the men were erected on  the adjoining land. The 15th Battalion had their quarters in the neighbourhood of Powell’s Pool.

Soon after the commissioned and non-commissioned officers had been appointed, Colonel G. White Lewis took over the command of the 14th and Colonel L. J. Andrews the 15th. Colonel D. F. Lewis, C.B., continued to command the 16th Battalion at Moseley until these men were ready to go into camp at Malvern, when Colonel T. Driver took them in hand.

Camping in Yorkshire

Up to this time the Battalions were handicapped by shortage of rifles, and they were a little disappointed at being kept back from Joining the expeditionary force because other battalions in the division were not sufficiently advanced to go with them. But as they afterwards realised, they were none the worse for the delay, and when the time came to be transferred to a camping ground in the wildest part of Yorkshire, in July, 1915, they found that there was still something for them to learn in the way of roughing in the open. Some city clerks found the hewing of wood and the drawing of water sufficiently strenuous to satisfy all their requirements in these directions, although water was rather scarce at the time.

Owing to the fact that the thousands of troops suddenly transferred to Wharfedale had to be provisioned by means of a single line of railway, the rations for the camps did not come through as well as at Sutton Coldfield, and therefore the Battalions had a foretaste of privations to come. After having their tents nearly washed away by thunderstorms they learned a good deal of the art of trenching, which served them in good stead when they had to occupy waterlogged trenches in France. When quartered near Richmond in the North Riding they were called out at night for divisional manoeuvres, and marched about twenty miles between 10.45 p.m. and 8 a.m. They returned quite cheerfully, and without undue signs of fatigue, so the General Officer reported them fit for France.

The first move in this direction was to Salisbury Plain. In the meantime a Reserve Battalion (the 17th) had been formed (in June), and the recruits occupied for some months the hutments vacated by the 1st City Battalion at Sutton. When they moved out their places were taken by convalescents from the military hospitals, and part of the encampment was used as a Command Depot for the Regiment. Colonel Bowhill raised the reserve Battalion, and the Depot was afterwards commanded by Colonel Driver, late of the 16th Battalion.

Before going on active service the battalions were visited at their camp near Codford St. Mary by the Lord Mayor (Mr. Neville Chamberlain), the Lord Bishop of Birmingham (Dr. Russell Wakefield), and the Deputy Mayor (Col. Bowater). The Hon. Colonel of the 14th Battalion entertained the officers to dinner, and words of encouragement were addressed to the men by the representatives of the city. Reference was made to the fact that about 500 men on the original strength of the battalions had gained commissions.

This compliment was not an unmixed blessing to the officers as it meant considerable changes in personnel and delays in training new men, but as Officers were much needed for even newer units the country had the benefit of the promotions.

At the Front

Our account of the doings of the City Battalions after they left for Salisbury Plain we are indebted to the military authorities, who gave the writer access to official records, so far as they relate to the first year’s war experience of the battalions. The Army Council formally took over the three battalions on June 23rd, 1915. After being brigaded with Gloucestershire men and incorporated in various divisions, both in the Northern and Southern Commands, the Birmingham lads left Codford St, Mary on November 21st, 1915, under orders for France. The experiences of the three battalions were somewhat similar in general, though they differed in several particulars. Sometimes they were in the same brigade and sometimes they were separated, and occasionally they relieved each other in the trenches. It will avoid confusion in the narrative if we first describe the doings of the 1st City Battalion (14th Royal Warwickshire Regiment), and then add a short account of any exploits of the other two battalions which were peculiar to themselves.

The 14th Battalion left Folkestone at 8 a.m. on November 22nd, and arrived at Boulogne at 10.30 a.m. They found it very cold under canvas, and after a railway journey to Cond6 they had to march twelve miles over icebound roads. This was very exhausting, and the men were glad to reach their billets. On December 8th they pushed on to the Front, and had their baptism of fire near Bonfay. There they took over the duties of the Battalion in reserve and gained some first-hand instruction in trench warfare. Working parties were sent into the front line, and they found entrenching both hard and dangerous work. On the first day a casualty occurred, Pte. Hackett being killed by rifle fire.

The trenches were in very bad condition, being in many places thigh deep in mud, and in some places nearly all ,the dug-outs had fallen in, All ranks naturally suffered under these conditions, though the spirits of the men remained excellent, and they soon improved their environment. Parties returned from fatigue duty in the trenches drenched to the skin and with their greatcoats covered with mud, but they went out again the next day quite cheerfully.

Some distress was caused on the 17th of the month by the news that Sergt.-Major Kitchen had died of a bullet wound received while walking outside the trenches after dawn. Nevertheless, when the Battalion was relieved on the following day the Birmingham lads marched from the trenches to their billets in good style. This so-called (‘rest " meant intensive training. The Birmingham lads were fortunate, however, in being out of the front line on Christmas Day, and they made the most of a good dinner, with a pint each of Bass in which to drink success to our cause. On returning to the trenches the 1st Battalion were transferred from the 95th to the 13th Brigade. At the end of the year they began to be troubled by the enemy’s shells and rifle fire, the latter causing the death of L/Cpl. J. B. Burnside, a popular N.C.0. of the Corps.

The New Year was well begun by cutting new trenches in front of the firing line and generally straightening up. While this work was in progress a shell from a German trench mortar fell between the openings d dug-outs full of men, who had a very narrow escape. Only one was wounded. The Battalion left these trenches in much better condition than they found them, it being possible on January 8th, for the first time for months, to pass from one end of the firing line to the other without encountering mud above the ankle.

While resting at Vaux-sur-Somme the Battalion developed measles and had to be segregated till the infection passed away. Then they marched ‘to Arras, in cold, fine weather, singing all the way, and took over part of the front line near the much-battered town. Soon afterwards they were reinforced by three drafts from the Reserve Battalion (the 17th), men of good physique and mentality.

When occupying these trenches patrols from the 14th Battalion did much good work under trying conditions. On April 4th a captain and one man were wounded by rifle fire while engaged in wiring in bright moonlight. The private was first wounded, the officer being shot while helping the man back to the trenches. In addition to the captain, a sergeant and a private displayed great pluck on this occasion, and a second lieutenant distinguished himself by bringing in the wounded captain and the private under difficulties demanding considerable courage and energy.

Several patrols went out in May, and they obtained valuable information as to the movements of the enemy. While in the Arras sector, gas helmets had to be used, and this was an uncomfortable experience, as the weather was becoming hot. To add to the discomfort the enemy kept up a rapid fire with rifles, machine guns and mortars. Fortunately the German artillery was erratic, and the casualties were few. When relief arrived the Battalion marched out of the trenches full of life and vigour.

HARD FIGHTING ON THE SOMME

As the preparations for the great Somme offensive of July, 1916, proceeded the work of the Battalion became more dangerous and difficult. At the end of June the ground in front of the firing trench was reconnoitred by patrols, while the rest of the Battalion rehearsed behind the lines the method of attack. Night work in "No Man’s Land" was hampered by bright moonlight, and there were several casualties among the wire. The trenches were also subjected to a heavy shell fire. In spite of these obstacles 2nd Lieut. Turner carried out successful reconnaissances in broad daylight as far as the enemy’s lines, and obtained very valuable information. For this he eventually received the Military Cross.

So the excitement intensified until it came to a head on July 22nd, when the Battalion received orders to take part in an attack by the 13th brigade in the neighbourhood of Longueval, Delville Wood and High Wood. Here they occupied trenches recently captured from the Germans, and their orders were to make a further push, the 15th Battalion being in reserve. A and B Companies went over the top at 10 p.m., advancing in two waves. As the companies began to extend from sections in file formation the enemy opened an overwhelming machine-gun and rifle volley. The inevitable result was that the two companies suffered heavily, and although supports were thrown in, they received the same treatment. Then there was nothing for it but to fall back to the jumping-off ground and organise the original front line trench to meet a possible counter-attack. This was successfully done, and it was generally agreed that no more could have been achieved. Their neighbours of the West Kent Regiment and the Scottish Borderers were equally unfortunate.

This bitter day’s work cost the Battalion very heavy casualties in killed, missing and wounded. The officers killed were Lieut. R. S . Payton (in charge of the Lewis guns), 2nd Lieuts. J. W. Lygoe, H. L. Greenwood and H. L. Hodes. Those reported as missing but believed to have been killed included Capt. H. S. Matthews, a member of a well-known Birmingham family, 2nd Lieuts. S. H. R. Hewitt and R. Whitbread.

After gathering up the dead and wounded, the Battalion was relieved and received the consolation of a complimentary message from the General on their gallant attack. The gaps made in the ranks by this expensive effort were made up by drafts of men who had good physique but little training- the first instalment of men recruited under Lord Derby’s Scheme.

Another attack on the same enemy trenches at the end of the month failed. C and D Companies were badly cut up on this occasion. It is sufficient to add the commanding officer’s comment : "The spirit of our men during the heavy bombardment previous to the attack, during the attack and immediately afterwards was and still is excellent. From all sources I hear that the attack was carried out with the utmost dash and that everything possible was done.’’

It is interesting to note that on this occasion the 14th Battalion was relieved by the 15th, and that the 16th were in neighbouring trenches, although attached to the 95th Division. The battered Battalion retired to a rest camp to reorganise. The drafts received here included a few old soldiers, but mostly consisted of men who had only had two or three months’ training. A little later they were reinforced by nearly two hundred Territorial cyclists, who were well set up, sound men, who had been previously employed in night patrol along the East Coast of England. They had had very little infantry training. Consequently the few remaining officers of the old Battalion were busy bringing the comparatively raw material up to the required standard of efficiency for offensive work.

The special training included a route march to a charming little village situated in the midst of a rich corn-producing district. The inhabitants gave "Les Anglais" a cordial welcome, and the Battalion thoroughly enjoyed the respite from the desolate, Hun-strafed trenches. Here the Battalion was strengthened by drafting in some war-worn men from the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the Worcestershire Regiment. The influence of the officers and the congenial surroundings soon revived the spirits of the Battalion, and all ranks were made quite happy by two days’ leave to wander over the neighbouring parts of France, Paris alone being out of bounds. This was followed by three weeks’ comparative rest and an enjoyable trip to Le Treport.

Refreshed in body and mind, the Battalion returned to the battle area where they had gained their first experience of trench warfare. They took over some front line trenches near Maricourt towards the end of August, and at once began to prepare for an attack on the position over against them, between Falfemont Farm and Wedgwood. This was part of an offensive in which High Wood, Givenchy and Guillemont were among the objectives. With the French Army on its right, the Brigade was told off to take the Farm, in advance of the main attack, in order to save the French from being enfiladed. A battalion of Scottish Borderers started out in gallant style, but were held up by machine-gun fire before reaching the Farm. Therefore the Birmingham men had to advance without any support and subject to a withering fire from the Farm and the neighbouring gun pits. They went ahead well for a time, although they realised that they had been set a desperate task and were losing heavily. The concentrated fire from machine guns and rifles hidden in the enemy’s position entailed heavy losses on A Company, which still continued to advance undauntedly. B Company, on their left, suffered almost as severely, but, struggling on, managed to occupy and hold the front trench of the position, just south of Wedgewood. The rest of the Battalion also behaved magnificently, but their efforts were in vain.

PRAISED BY THE GENERAL

The General Commanding the Division addressed the Brigade on September 8th, thanking them for the part they had played in an offensive which had been, on the whole, successful, making special mention of the bravery of the 14th Warwicks. To them he specially addressed these words :

"The 2nd King’s Own Scottish Borderers and the 14th Royal Warwickshire Regiment advanced gloriously and with the utmost gallantry. Their advance was witnessed by officers of the General Staff. I am sorry that the Brigade failed to carry through their objective, through no fault of yours. The advance was pressed on with the utmost determination and perseverance.

You have had bad luck in the last three shows, the two previous ones being in the High Wood and Wood Lane area, but I know that whatever the 13th Brigade are asked to do in the future they can be relied upon to carry through as they have done in the past. Thank you very much for all you have done. By advancing as you did under hellish artillery and machine-gun lire you did something better than if you had succeeded. I can trust the 13th Brigade to do anything on earth."

These consoling words were uttered near Luzewood, a place the Battalions were glad to leave. The wood had ceased to exist as such, although a few bare and battered tree trunks stood amongst the churned-up network of shell craters. Broken and twisted masses of timber littered the ground, hiding to some extent the bodies of the slain - Briton and Bosche - many of w