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South Warwickshire Family History Society War Memorial Transcription Project

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The Fallen Men of South Warwickshire - World War One


Trooper 310309 Wallace Arthur SAUL - 1st/1st Warwickshire Yeomanry

Killed in action on Friday 8th November 1917 aged 21


Military History

     
Theatre of War Campaign Medals Commonwealth War Grave or Memorial
Eygpt (Sinai & Palestine) 1914-15 Star, British War & Victory Medals Gaza War Cemetery
     
Arrived in Theatre Bravery & Conduct Medals SWFHS Area Memorials
24 April 1915 in Alexandria, Egypt  ~ Leamington Spa War Memorial
    Leamington Spa St. Mary's Memorial
Action, Battle or Other Reason Died Date and Place Enlisted Warwickshire Yeomanry Memorial
The Affair of Huj  January 1913 in Warwick  
     
Place of Death Previous Regiments or Units Other War Memorials
Huj, Palestine Original Service #1953 
     
  • Wallace survived the torpedoing of the troopship HMTS Wayfayer on 11 Apr 1915. Click here for more.

Circumstances of Death

Wallace is listed as being killed in action on 8 Nov 1917 during the Affair in Huj as described below which is taken from a Wikipedia article:

The Charge at Huj (also known by the British as the Affair of Huj), was an engagement between forces of the British Empire' Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF) and the Ottoman Turkish Empire's, Yildirim Army Group during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of the First World War. It took place during the Pursuit phase of the Southern Palestine Offensive which eventually captured Jerusalem a month later.

The charge was carried out by units of the 5th Mounted Brigade, against a rearguard position of German, Austrian and Turkish artillery and infantry armed with machine guns. 

Huj Map
The only mounted troops in the area were 170 yeomanry - two full squadrons and two half squadrons from the Worcestershire and Warwickshire Yeomanry - part of the British 5th Mounted Brigade in the Australian Mounted Division. The squadrons manoeuvred under cover to a forming up point 1,000 yd (910 m) on the British right. Advancing under cover of the terrain they got to within 300 yd (270 m) of the position, drew their swords and charged. The Warwickshire Yeomanry squadron attacked the main force of Turkish infantry, then turned and attacked the gun line. The regiment's other half squadron and the Worcestershire Yeomanry squadron attacked the guns from the front, while the remaining troops attacked an infantry position located at the rear behind the main force.

The German and Austrian artillerymen carried on firing until the horsemen were around 20 yd (18 m) away then some took cover underneath their guns. Those who remained standing were mostly stabbed by the swords of the attacking British, while others running away from the guns escaped injury by lying on the ground.

The only officer of the Worcestershire Yeomanry to escape uninjured Lieutenant Mercer described the charge; Machine guns and rifles opened up on us the moment we topped the rise behind which we had formed up. I remember thinking that the sound of crackling bullets was just like hailstorm on a iron-roofed building, so you may guess what the fusillade was....A whole heap of men and horses went down twenty or thirty yards from the muzzles of the guns. The squadron broke into a few scattered horsemen at the guns and seemed to melt away completely. For a time I, at any rate, had the impression that I was the only man left alive. I was amazed to discover we were the victors.

All three charges were successful and the British captured the position, seventy prisoners, eleven pieces of artillery and four machine guns after the main force of infantry withdrew leaving the guns undefended apart from their crews. However British casualties were heavy; of the 170 men taking part, twenty-six were killed, including three squadron commanding officers, forty wounded and 100 horses were killed

The charge is claimed to be one of the last British cavalry charges and was immortalised in the above watercolour painting by the noted British artist Lady Butler.


 
 Personal & Family History

 

Birth Date/Place Baptism Date/Place
10 Sep 1896 in Leamington Spa  6 Dec 1896 at Leamington Spa St Mary
   
Parents Names Abode
Alfred and Kate Saul  38 Plymouth Place, Leamington Spa 
   
Schools Colleges
  ~
   
Address History Employment History
1896 - 57 Waterloo Street, Leamington Spa 1901 - School age 
1901 - 53 Waterloo Street, Leamington Spa 1911 - School
1911 - 42 Plymouth Place, Leamington Spa  
1917 - 38 Plymouth Place, Leamington Spa