Keep the Home Fires Burning - detailing wartime life in the towns and villages mentioned.

B.S. 1917 Feb. 17th

Official news was received last Saturday that Sergeant George Bignell, of the Gloucester Regiment, was killed in action on January 25th, whilst serving with the Mesopotamian Force. Aged 22, he was the third son of Mr. and Mrs. Bignell, of Moulsoe, and, as one of the first from the village, joined up at the outbreak of war. Undergoing a period of home training, he then saw severe fighting in France, where he was wounded, and last summer spent a short leave at his home. On rejoining his regiment last October he was sent to Mesopotamia, and during his military service was promoted twice on the battlefield. A memorial service was held in Moulsoe Parish Church on Wednesday afternoon, February 14th, and amongst the many persons present was, accompanied by his wife, Mr. Donald Fraser, J.P., by whom the deceased had been employed as a farm worker before the war. Two other sons of Mr. and Mrs. Bignell are now in France, and a fourth, aged 18, expects to join up in a few weeks.

B.S. 1917 June 16th

Rifleman Reginald Evans, of the Royal Irish Rifles, was wounded in the British advance that followed ‘the great explosion’ (officially reported at the end of last week), which he says “was like being rocked in a cradle hard, and then the guns started and we went over.” Wounded by a gunshot in the left thigh, he is now in Lord Derby’s Hospital, Warrington. From there he writes to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Evans, of Moulsoe, that he is getting on well, with an operation having been successfully performed to extract the bullet. 20 years of age, he joined the 2/5 Beds. Regiment in September 1914, and, having been transferred to the Irish rifles last January, has been in France for five months. Before enlisting he was an apprentice at Messrs. Salmons and Sons’ motor works, Newport Pagnell.

(Whilst his regiment was supplying reinforcements to a battalion about to advance, during fighting in Flanders on November 22nd he would be shot in the shoulder, being subsequently sent to hospital at Eastleigh. He had only been in the fighting line for eleven days, after recovering from his previous injury.)

B.S. 1917 Nov. 24th

Official news has been received that 29 year old Bombardier Horace Bignell, of the Royal Garrison Artillery, died on November 9th of serious wounds received in the fighting in Flanders on November 9th at the 52 Field Ambulance. He was the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Bignell, of Moulsoe. Only a few days his wife, who lives with their child at 77, Percy road, Northampton, had received the following letter from the captain of her husband’s battery;

“It is with deep regret that I write to inform you that your husband has been severely wounded. I can’t express in words how I feel his loss. He has been valuable to his battery and has relieved many by his knowledge of first aid. He was always so willing to help others. I am afraid he is very severely wounded, and fear very much that he will not recover. All the officers and men of the battery sympathise deeply with you.”

6’ 2” tall, before the war he had been in the Northampton Borough Police, and joining up early in the war had been in France for 18 months. A brother, Sergeant Bignell, was killed in action last January 25th, another is fighting in Flanders, and another is in training.

B.S. 1918 Aug. 17th

Private John Bignell, of the Northants. Regiment, is reported as missing in France from July 22nd. He is the second son of Mr. and Mrs. H. Bignell, of Moulsoe, who have received the following letter from Lieutenant Cutting;

“He was one of a raiding party and failed to return. I was in charge of his party, and although I did not actually see him on the return journey, I feel very confident that he was captured, and, I believe, unhurt. I had known your son quite long enough to realise his sterling qualities, and I can assure you the Battalion has lost one of its very best men. He was a man without fear, and as his Platoon Commander I regret his loss immensely”

Private Bignell is aged 25, and, from his employment as a groom, working near Weedon, joined the Northamptonshire Yeomanry at Northampton in September 1914. After a period of training he went to France in February 1915, and later served with the Royal Field Artillery for some 18 months. Eventually he was transferred to the infantry, joining the Northants. Regiment last December, but being almost immediately taken ill he was sent to a hospital in England. He then came home for a few days leave in early January 1918 and during the same month returned to the Western Front, where he was gassed a few months ago.

(From Gefangenen Lager, Limburg, in September 1918 Mr. and Mrs. Bignell would receive a postcard written on July 29th from John, stating that he is a prisoner of war and although wounded is going on well. He hopes to write a letter soon.)

B.S. 1918 Oct. 12th

Private Alec Bignell, of the Worcestershire Regiment, has been officially reported as killed in action in France on September 25th. He was the fourth son of Mr. and Mrs. H. Bignell, of Moulsoe, to whom the Platoon Officer writes;

“He was killed in action by a shell. He was attached to the Battalion Observers about 3 weeks ago, and, since that time, had done excellent work, always being very keen and taking great interest in everything he did. I can assure you that the section has suffered tremendously by his loss, and you have my deepest sympathy in your great trial.”

Private Bignell was aged 19, and, when employed by Mr. D. Fraser, J.P., in the stables at Tickford Park Stud, had joined up in March 1917, being drafted to the Western Front a year later. Two more sons of Mr. and Mrs. Bignell have been killed in the war - one in January 1917 in Mesopotamia, and the other in France in November 1917. Another son is a prisoner of war in Germany, and their eldest daughter is Sister in the 3rd London General Hospital, where she has been nursing for the last three years.

B.S. 1918 Nov. 30th

Driver Lemuel Butcher, of the 119th Battery, Royal Field Artillery, was killed in action in France on November 3rd. He was the second son of Mr. and Mrs. William Butcher, of Moulsoe, and his mother has received a letter from the officer, who, stating that Driver Butcher was killed by a machine gun bullet, continues;

“Driver Butcher has been in my section for some time and I greatly feel the loss. As a soldier he was ideal and was very popular in his Battery. Will you please accept my deepest sympathy in your irreparable loss.”

Engaged to Miss Lynn, of Moulsoe, Driver Butcher was aged 32, and although volunteering at the outbreak of war was rejected due to his eyesight. Then on being called up for service on October 5th, 1916, he joined the Royal Field Artillery, and after training at Woolwich and Bulford went to France in April 1917. There he took part in much of the action, before being drafted to Italy in November. In March 1918 he was transferred to France, and seeing much severe fighting was home on leave in July. Before enlisting he was employed by Mr. Donald Fraser, of Tickford Park, and worked in the gardens for many years. His younger brother, Private Albert Butcher, of the Gloucester Regiment, was reported missing after the Battle of Loos, on September 25th 1915, and is officially presumed to have been killed on that date.