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HWELL Fred
Sergeant 1717 1st Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers
Fred was born in 1886 in Bury, Lancashire to James and Ann
Rothwell
He joined the 1st Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers as a regular
soldier around 1906.
The Battalion went out to India about 1912.
Meanwhile back in England, Elizabeth Winifred (Win) Bollans
(born Kings Cliffe 1884) had taken a job with Captain Graham’s
family as a nurse to their children. Captain Graham also went
out to India, taking with him his family and nurse. Fred and Win
met in India, courted and married in Mooltan. Win returned to
England just before the Battalion returned to the UK, prior to
their going to Gallipoli.
They sailed from England on 16th March 1915 and arrived at
Gallipoli, via Egypt on 25th April.
The 1st Battalion the Lancashire Fusiliers were part of British
29th Division and had the task of landing and capturing a cove
west of Cape Helles, on the Gallipoli peninsular. This was
designated W Beach. The attack went in at 6.30am with the
men’s skiffs being towed by steam tugs. It had been decided
that it would be better to have a bombardment than attempt a
surprise attack. Unfortunately the navy was short of shells and
did not have the right sort to destroy barbed wire.
The beach was eerily quiet as the boats came into the shore
and the men started to disembark. But once in four foot of water
the Turks opened fire with devastating effect. They were well
above the beach in cover, and the 1st Lancs could not return fire
as their rifles were jammed from the effect of sand and water.
Despite very heavy losses, the Fusiliers maintained a toehold
on the beach and within an hour had advanced up both sides of
the cliff, driving the defenders from their trenches.
The Battalion started with 27 officers and 1002 men. They
finished the day with only 16 officers and 304 men. 189 of the
casualties were deaths and many of the 283 wounded would
die later.
169
Sergeant 1717 1st Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers
Fred was born in 1886 in Bury, Lancashire to James and Ann
Rothwell
He joined the 1st Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers as a regular
soldier around 1906.
The Battalion went out to India about 1912.
Meanwhile back in England, Elizabeth Winifred (Win) Bollans
(born Kings Cliffe 1884) had taken a job with Captain Graham’s
family as a nurse to their children. Captain Graham also went
out to India, taking with him his family and nurse. Fred and Win
met in India, courted and married in Mooltan. Win returned to
England just before the Battalion returned to the UK, prior to
their going to Gallipoli.
They sailed from England on 16th March 1915 and arrived at
Gallipoli, via Egypt on 25th April.
The 1st Battalion the Lancashire Fusiliers were part of British
29th Division and had the task of landing and capturing a cove
west of Cape Helles, on the Gallipoli peninsular. This was
designated W Beach. The attack went in at 6.30am with the
men’s skiffs being towed by steam tugs. It had been decided
that it would be better to have a bombardment than attempt a
surprise attack. Unfortunately the navy was short of shells and
did not have the right sort to destroy barbed wire.
The beach was eerily quiet as the boats came into the shore
and the men started to disembark. But once in four foot of water
the Turks opened fire with devastating effect. They were well
above the beach in cover, and the 1st Lancs could not return fire
as their rifles were jammed from the effect of sand and water.
Despite very heavy losses, the Fusiliers maintained a toehold
on the beach and within an hour had advanced up both sides of
the cliff, driving the defenders from their trenches.
The Battalion started with 27 officers and 1002 men. They
finished the day with only 16 officers and 304 men. 189 of the
casualties were deaths and many of the 283 wounded would
die later.
169
