Family :

Service Life:

Campaigns:

• The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.

The Battle of the Somme 1st July - 18th November 1916 is inevitably characterised by the appalling casualties (60,000) on the first day, July 1st 1916. Having failed to break through the German lines in force, and also failed to maximise opportunities where success was achieved, the battle became a series of attritional assaults on well defended defence in depth. The battle continued officially until 18th November 1916 costing almost 500,000 British casualties. German casualties were about the same, and French about 200,000. The Somme could not be counted a success in terms of ground gained or the cost, but it had a strategic impact as it marked the start of the decline of the German Army. Never again would it be as effective whilst the British Army, learning from its experience eventually grew stronger to become a war winning army. The German High Command recognised that it could never again fight another Somme, a view that advanced the decision to invoke unrestricted submarine warfare in an attempt to starve Britain of food and material, and in doing so accelerated the United States declaration of war thus guaranteeing the eventual outcome. 287 Brethren were killed on the Somme in 1916.

Detail :

David: 3468 Seacombe Lodge Year of Warrant 1910 Masonic Hall, Manor Road, Liscard, Cheshire 695860 Lance Bombardier BELSHAW John Royal Field Artillery, ?Y? 57th Trench Mortar Battery The brother of Mrs. F.B. Hobson of Farley Cottage, Crosthwaite, Kendal, Westmoreland he was born at Great Crosby, Lancashire and enlisted at Wallasey, Cheshire. He was a Steward of his Lodge and died of wounds on the 31st October 1918 aged 33. He is buried in Lille Southern Cemetery, France, Grave Reference I.A.30.

Masonic :

Steward.
The Lodge records show the war service, but have a contradiction to date of death, it recording "Killed in Action 1918"

Source :

The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:

• The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• The (UK) National Archives
• Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
• ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry

Additional Source:

• Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
• Researcher : Bruce Littley