Commemorated: | |||
| 1. Memorial: | Ploegsteert Memorial | Panel 11 Ploegsteert | |
| 2. Book: | The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918 | Pg.136 | |
| 3. Memorial: | The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour | 41C GQS | |
Awards & Titles: | |||
Bother ofHarry Stranger
Family :
Born at St Sampson's, Guernsey, son of William and Ellen Stranger, of Guernsey. Brother of Frank and Harry Stranger, who is also recorded against this roll.Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: 1/Royal Guernsey Light Infantry |
1st (Service) Battalion Formed by the Militia in 1916 and named the Royal Guernsey Light Infantry. Moved to Bourne Park (Canterbury) in May 1917, under orders of 202nd Brigade in 67th Division. 27 September 1917 : left the Division and landed at Le Havre, then transferred to 86th Brigade in 29th Division. 27 April 1918 : left the Division and became GHQ Troops after sustaining heavy casualties in the Battle of the Lys. |
| Action : The First Battles of the Somme 1918 and associated actions |
21 March - 4 July 1918. The Battles of the Somme in 1918 were mostly concerned with stemming the German advance which started in March 1918 and which made considerable gains in the Somme/Arras sector. Utilising surplus troops which had become available following the surrender of Russia after the October Revolution, the Germans gambled on a massive campaign that could win the war in the west before the USA could bring its resources to bear. Initial gains were in places spectacular but eventually dogged resistance coupled with supply problems and sheer exhaustion closed down the battle. Other attacks were launched along the front to probe the Allied defences but the same pattern of initial gains followed by stalemate prevailed. British casualties were almost 345,000.
Detail :
WISDEN AND THE GREAT WAR - The Lives of Cricket's Fallen shows an account of George and Harry: "The two brothers were involved in the gallant attempt to hold the line in the Lys area of northern France, where Portuguese troops had given way against the weight of the German offensive. On April 11, 20 officers and 483 men went into action; three days later, just three officers and 55 others ranks remained. George was first reported missing, but later it became known from men who were taken prisoners, and from the German official reports, that he was killed in action."
"Harry was severely wounded on April 11 when George was killed, and he suffered further wounds and was gassed while at a casualty clearing station; he died in hospital in Calais where his wife, whom he had married the previous year, had been summoned. He was the first member of the RGLI to gain a medal, when he was awarded the MC for his action in holding a bridgehead at Cambrai in December 1917; it was gazetted posthumously. A third brother, Frank, serving with the Australian Infantry, was killed on March 22, 1918, aged 35 - all three dying within seven weeks of each other."
See also: BBC News which writes further about the three brothers.
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | St Sampson's No. 2598 E.C. | Guernsey & Alderney |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
4th December 1917 | 31st December 1917 | 5th February 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