Officers, N.C.O.s and Men of the 1st Battalion, Buried in Tuileries British Cemetery
This cemetery contains 95 burials of the 1914-1918 war, 14 of which are “Known Unto God“, plus 3 French. This cemetery is situated on the grounds of an old tile works, which is the meaning of ‘Tuileries‘.
It was started in 1915 but subsequently destroyed by shellfire during the war, as its chimneys were an ideal target for enemy guns.
The cemetery is now set out with all the graves around the edge of the plot, as it was found to be impossible to identify the exact location of each grave when the cemetery was rebuilt after the Armistice.
The Cemetery contains 3 soldiers of the original 1st Battalion, Cheshire Regiment. Use the links below to read more about them.
…. use this link to get a full list of all Soldiers buried in this Cemetery
Private 9282 Peter William GREEN – Company n/k
Grave: Sp. Mem. E. 5. Killed in Action: 12 April 1915 Age: 22
Personal: Peter was born in St Peter’s Parish, Birkenhead, Cheshire, on 1st January 1894, the son of Peter and Elizabeth (née Allen ?) Green. He had a younger brother, Edward James Green (see below), and two younger sisters, Emily and Rose Elizabeth
Edwards attended St. Peter’s Schools, Birkenhead and before his enlistment was employed as a “Carter“. [Source: ‘De Ruvigny’s Roll of Honour, 1914-1919′]
The 1901 Census (RG 13/3399) shows Peter and his brother Edward resident (‘Inmate‘) of the Union Workhouse, Tranmere, Liverpool (left).
By 1911 (Census RG 14/21979) Peter was back living with his mother, older brother, Edward James, and younger sisters, Emily and Rose Elizabeth, at 19 Hope Street, Birkenhead.
On 12th July 1914 Peter married Annie Brie at St Alban’s Church, Liverpool. They had one daughter, Hannah, born on 30th August 1915, i.e. 4 months after he was killed.
The “Register of Soldiers’ Effects“shows that in September 1915 Hannah received his total effects of £5 18s 7d [£5.93 – equivalent to about £780 today – 2023]. In July 1919 she received a further £3 [£200 today] as a War Gratuity.
Peter’s Pension Record Card shows that his family were living at 21 Livingston Street, Birkenhead, but not what the value of his Pension was.
Military Service: Peter enlisted in the Cheshire Regiment at Birkenhead, Cheshire. Currently his Army records are unavailable, probably destroyed in Second World War bombing. However, his Army Serial Number would suggest an enlistment date in 1909.
If his terms of enlistment had been 3 + 9 (i.e. 3 years active service, followed by 9 years reserve), Edward would have been transferred to the Reserve List in 1912/1913 and recalled to the Battalion at the outbreak of the War.
Peter’s Medal Index Card shows he entered France on 18th December 1914, not the 16th August when the rest of the Battalion arrived.
The War Diary states that on the 24th December: “‘B’ & ‘D’ Coys in trenches at WULVERGHAN. ‘A’ & ‘C’ Coys in billets. Capt. Lloyd, Lt. Mares, 2/Lt. Hazeon, 2/Lt. Rhodes & 2/Lt. Michener & 444 N.C.O.s & men joined from England. 1 man wounded.” so it could be that Peter was one of these from the Reserve.
According to Peter’s entry in the ‘De Ruvigny’s Roll of Honour, 1914-1919′, “He was killed in action at Ziebeck on 12th April 1915“. The 1st Battalion War Diary for that date shows it was at “Zillebeke” and “Occupying trenches 46-50; 495; 505; 51 (Dugouts)“, where it had been since the day before. [As ‘Ziebeck‘ doesn’t appear to exist, it may safely be assumed that Peter was with the 1st Battalion at Zillebeke.
The 1st Battalion had been in the line earlier in the month at Vlamertinghe and Dickebusch, but the War Diary clearly states “No casualties” on a number of those days. It is possible, of course, that Peter had been transferred to a different Battalion, but without his Service Papers it is impossible to say.
He was, however, killed in action on the 12th and buried in the Tuileries Cemetery, Sp. Mem. E. 5. [N.B. Zillebeke to Tuileries is only 650 metres.]
Peter’s younger brother, Pte. 9506 Edward James GREEN, 1st Battalion, Cheshire Regiment, arrived in France on 111th September 1914.
He died of wounds on 24th December 1914, in The Duchess of Westminster’s Hospital (No.1 B.R.C.S) in Le Touquet and is buried in Grave I.A.14. in the Le Touquet-Paris Plage Cemetery.
The Le Touquet-Paris Plage Cemetery page to read more about Pt. 9506 Edward James Green.
Sergeant 8746 Henry Ambrose SPARROW – ‘D’ Coy
Grave: Sp. Mem. E. 19. Killed in Action: 25 May 1915 Age: 27
Personal: Henry was born in St Paul’s, Birkenhead, Cheshire, on 28th April 1888, the eldest son of John Ambrose Sparrow (Shipwright) and Sarah Ann (née Kelsey) Sparrow.
He was educated at St Catherine’s School, Birkenhead and St Paul’s School, Rock Ferry, Cheshire. [Source: ‘De Ruvigny’s Roll of Honour, 1914-1919′]
He had two older sisters, Ellen Owens and Sarah Alice, and six younger siblings, Louise, Ernest (died as a baby in 1892), Florence, Albert, Ernest and Walter.
The 1891 and 1901 Censuses show the family living at 54 Green Lane, Birkenhead. By 1911 (Census RG 14/21984) they had moved to 102 Oliver Street Birkenhead, where Henry’s listed occupation is ‘King’s Army‘.
When Henry enlisted in 1907, aged 17 years 11 months, he stood 5 ft. 5¼ ins. [1.66 m.] tall, had a ‘fresh‘ complexion, blue eyes and brown hair.
On 7th January 1914 Henry married Mary Morrison, at the Presbyterian Church, Great Victoria Street, Belfast, Ireland.
They had one son, also Henry Ambrose (right) [see Footnote below], born 17th October 1914, i.e. 2 months after Henry sailed for France.
Effective from 13th December 1915 Mary was awarded a Pension of £1 1s 3d [£1.06] for herself and their son – equivalent to about £140 per week today – 2023.
The “Register of Soldiers’ Effects“shows that in January and February 1916 Mary received his total effects of £20 7s 7d [£20.38 – equivalent to about £2,300 today – 2023]. In August 1919 she received a further £8 [£530 today] as a War Gratuity.
In the June quarter 1919 Mary remarried James Henry Holt [see Footnote below], and they lived 8 Kensington Street, Belfast. They had 4 sons, Robert (Bob) James, William Harold, Leslie and Eugene Wilson, all born in Belfast between 1920 and 1930.
She was widowed again in 1940 [see Footnote below], and died in Belfast on 7th May 1972, aged 79.
Military Service: Henry enlisted in Chester on 26th November 1907 and 3 months later was posted to the 1st Battalion. On 26th March 1912 Henry was promoted to (Paid) Lance Corporal and to Acting Sergeant on 20th March 1915. His term of service was 7 + 5 years, i.e. 7 years on active service followed by 5 years reserve.
During his time with the Regiment Henry had a number of runs-in with authority, being ‘Confined to Barracks‘ on a number of occasions, but in October 1913, when he qualified as a “Machine-gunner” he was assessed as “Very intelligent and hard working“.
Henry was a Regular Soldier serving with the 1st Battalion and at the outbreak of War, being 3 months short of the end of his 7 years active service, and was stationed with the Battalion at Ebrington Barracks, Londonderry, but due to be transferred to the Army Reserve on 26th November 1914. His stated future occupation was to be “Tram Driver – Belfast“.
However, the ‘De Ruvigny’s Roll of Honour, 1914-1919′ states that he was a Reservist and was re-called to the Colours at the outbreak of War.
He sailed on the SS Massilia on 14th August and his Medal Card confirms that he entered France on 16th August. He fought under Captain E.R. Jones or Captain W.S. Rich on the right flank of the Battalion’s action at Audregnies on 24th August. (Map left)
Henry was killed on May 25th 1915, the day that the Battle of 2nd Ypres ended when Germans took Bellewaerde Ridge and Mousetrap Farm.
According to Crookenden (page 52) the 1st Battalion were along a line in front of Zillebeke from Hill 60 to the North. carrying out “demonstrations” in support of an attack in the Hooge area. “Enemy shelling was heavy and German retaliation with minenwerfer (short range mortars) was worse“.
The 1st Battalion War Diary for the day Henry was killed shows them at “Dormy House, Zillebeke”, and reads: “Headquarters re-installed at Dormy House which was partially burnt yesterday. C.O. returned from trenches at 10.30 a.m. up to which hour all quiet on our front.
Permanent look-out post established on ridge immediately N. of Head Quarters, with orders to watch Menin Road by day and patrol N & N.E. by night.” There is no record of any casualties.
The “re-installation” of H.Q. was following a gas attack the previous day, when Headquarters was moved to Tuileries. Again no casualties were recorded in the Diary, although it is possible that Henry succumbed to his injuries the following day. Without his Service Papers we cannot say.
Henry’s son, Rifleman Henry Ambrose Sparrow (Jnr.), was awarded the Military Medal in World War 2. (London Gazette 8th March 1945, p. 1301)] (see his picture, in uniform, above)
Henry’s widow’s second husband served in WW2 as Rifleman 25043 James Henry Holt, 6th (Home Defence) Battalion, Royal Ulster Rifles.
He died on the 10th June 1940, aged 50, at Stranmillis Military Hospital, Belfast, and was buried in Grave 704, Belfast City Cemetery 2 days later.
Private 8386 George THOMAS – Company n/k
Grave: Sp. Mem. E. 13. Killed in Action: 21 May 1915 Age: 26
Personal: George was born at 27 Milford Place, Wrexham, Denbighshire, Wales, on 28th December 1888. He was the son of John (Barman) and Eliza (née Amer) Price. He had 5 older siblings, Eliza, Walter, Caroline and Pauline (1891 Census of Wales RG 12/4618). However, his Service Record only names three brothers, William, Frederick and Richard
When George enlisted in January 1907, just after his 18th Birthday, he was employed as a “Grocer’s Assistant“. He enlisted under the name “George Thomas” and stood 5 ft. 5 ins. [1.65 m.] tall, had a ‘pale’ complexion, brown eyes and dark brown hair.
On 6 April 1914 George, using the name “George Thomas Price“, married Mary Jane Lunt at Christ Church, Chester. With effect from 13 December 1915 Mary was awarded a Pension of 10 s. per week. [£0.50 has an equivalent value of about £65 p.w. today – 2023]. An addendum to the Pension Record states that George served under the name of “George Thomas Price“, but no other documentation supports this.
The “Register of Soldiers’ Effects“shows that in November 1915 Mary received his total effects of £9 1s [£9.05 – equivalent to about £1,200 today – 2023]. In July 1919 she received a further £5 [£330 today] as a War Gratuity.
On 1 April 1916, however, Mary Jane Price re-married another soldier, “A. Ratcliffe” (Probably Pte. 8867 Albert Ratcliffe, Cheshire Regiment, posted to France on 18 December 1914). She opted to receive the “Remarriage Gratuity” (a payment equivalent to one year’s pension upon a war widow’s remarriage.) of £51 14s 3d [£51.71 – about £5,750 today].
Military Service: George enlisted in Wrexham on 24th January 1907, aged 18 years 1 month. At the time he was serving as Private 1563 with the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion.
Four months later, on 15 May 1907, George was posted to the 1st Battalion. He was posted back to the “Depot” on 17 July 1910. On 27 September 1910 he was promoted to Lance Corporal, but reverted back to Private on 9 April 1912.
His Service papers record that from the time of his enlistment until 15 August 1914 (7 years 196 days) George was not posted aboard, e.g. to India.
George’s term of service was 7 + 5 years, i.e. 7 years on active service followed by 5 years reserve. George was transferred to the Army Reserve on 19 January 1914, at the end of his 7 years ‘Active’ Service, but was, of course, recalled once War was declared.
On his discharge the Officer i/c wrote: “Honest, hardworking and intelligent man. Has been employed as an Officer’s servant and groom for a short time“. On discharge he stated he was to live at 16 Cecil Street, Broughton, Chester.
George’s Medal Index Card gives the date of his entry into France as the 8th August 1914, which is clearly incorrect. The same date was entered on his Service Papers, but subsequently altered to the 16th, in keeping with the rest of the 1st Battalion. His name does not appear on the ‘official’ list of those who sailed for France on 16 August, but there is little doubt that George would have fought at Audregnies on the 24th.
George’s date of death is ‘officially’ recorded as 21st May 1915, however, the CWGC “Graves Registration Report Form” has the date as 23 April 1915, with the notation: “The following N.C.O.s and men are known to be buried in the enclosure“, i.e. Tuileries British Cemetery.
His Service Papers state that George was “Killed in Action, Place nor stated” on 21 May 1915. Including 187 days in France, he had served a total of 8 years 118 days with the Colours.
The 1st Battalion War Diary for the day George was killed shows them at “Dormy House, Zillebeke”, and reads: “Visited all trenches starting at 8.00 a.m. returning at noon. Parapets of 49 & 50 knocked about and in need of repair. All trenches very wet and dirty. Owing to German occupation of Salient, 47 trench becoming dangerous.” There is no record of any casualties that day.
