Aliens War Medals 1914-18


    LIVERPOOL OFFICER

HONOURED.

LIEUTENANT VENMORE RECEIVES

THE MILITARY CROSS.

 

(b. 1889 Walton, Liverpool d. 1916 France)

It is officially announced that the Military Cross for conspicuous bravery has been awarded to Lieutenant J Frederick Venmore of the 14th Royal Welsh Fusiliers.

On the night of January 30 last Lieutenant Venmore was on duty as patrol officer in front of the British trenches in France, when a sentry in the firing trench reported that three men in an advanced listening post had been wounded. Two of these men were just able to crawl back to the British lines over the barbed wire, but the third man was too seriously wounded to follow, being shot through both legs. Lieutenant Venmore volunteered to go to his assistance, and took with him a non-commissioned officer (Corporal William Williams, a Carnarvon man), who is also awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal.

They went out under heavy fire over the parapet, and after great difficulty successfully brought in the man over the wire and two ditches. This brave action was succeeded by a further gallant act on the following morning, when a message was received that a man had had his arm blown off at another listening post, practically unapproachable by daylight. Lieutenant Venmore again undertook to go to his aid, once more taking with him Corporal William Williams. They crawled across the open ground in the face of heavy machine gun fire. The sufferer was reached his wounds tended to, and he was subsequently brought to safety. Both the officer and his companion were most highly congratulated by the brigade and divisional officers.

Lieutenant Venmore is a son of Mr. James Venmore, a citizen of Liverpool and a justice of the peace in the city. He is twenty-seven years of age, and educated at Liverpool College and at Mill Hill School. He subsequently studied architecture at Liverpool University, and was engaged in that profession in Liverpool until at the outbreak of war he enlisted as a private in the 3rd Battalion of the Liverpool Pals.He received his commission in the 14th Royal Welsh Fusiliers in December, 1914 and proved himself a capable and popular officer.

Lieutenant Venmore's well-earned distinction will give pleasure to his many friends in Liverpool and North Wales.

Read more ....

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Capt. R.W.Jones M.C. and bar
 (b. 1883 Liverpool d. 1945 Liverpool)

Sefton Captain 1912-13

"They advanced in good order with intervals and direction well maintained. Across the advance lay two sunken lanes, the first being the Henin-Neuville-Vitasse road and the second St Martin-Neuville-Vitasse road. Due to German opposition forward of the two sunken roads it was found necessary to deploy under constant artillery fire. On gaining position immediately in front of the German lines it was found that the wire was practically uncut. This wire formed two strong belts in front of the German trenches so Capt.R.W.Jones began the job of consolidating in front of the wire and held on all that day until relieved by the 16th Manchesters at about 3am. All that time under continuous machine gun and rifle fire. That was the end of the 1st Battle of the Scarpe for the 18th Bn."
 Read more on King's Regiment War Diary










                            

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Fred King, Dr E.A.Martinez and captain Stan Kay playing for the 2XV in 1922/23
Fred King and Stan Kay may have joined the Royal Army Medical Corps on the same day as their Numbers are 339197 and 339198




Sjt. S.J. Kay M.M. and bar
(Stanley John b. 1889 West Derby d. 1959 Liverpool)





Probably at the Battle of Arras 1917







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Sjt. Fred King M.M.
(b.1892 Middlesborough d.1982 Halton)
Fred was a schoolteacher at Broadgreen Road school with Stan Kay above, they both joined the RAMC.












London Gazette - 18th June 1917




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Pte. R.A. Roberts M.M.
(Dr Robert Alun, b. 1894 Liverpool d. 1961 Neath)





Read more ....



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World War One - The Missing Heroes of Sefton RUFC

According to Fred Applebee's committee minutes the list of decorated members was 'incomplete.'

NUT Records of 1914-18 have uncovered six Aliens with military decorations (click on links):-
RSM Ernest Edward Bond DCM
Sq/Ldr Frederick Joseph Haney MC DFC
Private Horace Viner MSM
Serjeant James Manning DCM (not ratified)
Lt James William Archibald Taylor MC

Further research has uncovered more decorated Aliens

John Robson WHITTLE M.C.

(b. 1893 in West Derby d. 1990 Okehampton, Devon)

    



              



Medal card of Whittle, John Robson
Corps Regiment No Rank
Liverpool Regiment 1447 Private
Liverpool Regiment Second Lieutenant
Liverpool Regiment Lieutenant
Liverpool Regiment Captain















Liverpool Echo June 18th 1918




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Capt. James Brown M.C.
 (b. 1886 Plumstead, Kent d. 1945 Manchester)




Born in Plumstead, London 1886 James Brown (JB) must have wanted some sort of specialized teacher training to come up north to Liverpool, perhaps at Industrial Schools. He was boarding in Arkles Lane with two other teachers including G.P.S.Brown. Anfield Road School was just over the road, a hotbed for recruitment of Alien players.

Aliens v Barnsley at Barnsley
from J.Brown, Tolson, GPS Brown, Johnstone, Applebee, Stein, Fairley, Jones, Sloss, Stewart, Walker, Williams, Boyce, Massey, Bell

(Liverpool Courier 20th February 1909)


JB returned to his home city, London and became a tutor at Feltham Borstal Institution which opened in1910 when 23 boys were transferred from the Institution at Borstal, Kent (hence the generic term "Borstal"). 

[Boys from the age of 16 to 21 who were taken into custody were either sent to Borstal training for 3 years, or to Boys' prison, where sentences were for a lesser period. Those who demonstrated criminal tendencies and were in need of reform were sent to Borstal. Training included instruction in trades, education, physical fitness and work. Good conduct could secure an early release on licence. - London Archives Prison Records]
Photos from Hounslow Library

With the outbreak of the Great War JB was rapidly sent off for Officer training and distinguished himself as a Lieutenant in the Royal Garrison Artillery. His 35th Siege Battery went over to France in September 1915.


First Mentioned in Dispatches in London Gazette May 1918

Second Mentioned in Dispatches in London Gazette December 1918

Awarded Military Cross in the King's Birthday Honours June 1919

Promoted to Acting Quartermaster May 1921



The Prison Service Roll of Honour on the Isle of Wight contains the name of James Brown.

After the Great War Captain Brown was a well respected civil servant and he was promoted from Amley, Leeds to Deputy governor of Swansea Prison. Huge success came in 1931 when he was appointed the Governor of Hull Prison.

In various newspaper articles he displayed quite liberal and advanced views on prison sentencing.


Leeds Mercury Mar 18th 1937






Leeds Mercury Mar 8th 1938
Leeds Mercury Feb 25th 1936

Rochdale Observer April 4th 1942

JB's impact as Prison Governor was well sought after and he was moved to reform Strangeways, Manchester in 1940 and Leicester Prison in 1943.



There are no more records of James after the end of WW2, we suspect he passed away 1945 in Manchester.
Military Cross
British and Victory Medals
Two Oak Leaves for MID


   Captain James Brown
(1886-1945)
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Pte Kenneth William Lascelles M.M.
(b.1895 Liverpool d.1963 Liverpool)


Ken attended Chester College before WW1 for teacher training and must have met quite a lot of the Aliens members as he joined after the club reformed in 1919.
His first year in Chester was rudely interupted and he joined the Army Service Corps riding a motorcyle with despatches around the trenches in France.

Being attached to the 134th Field Ambulance Unit run by the RAMC he may have been riding the sidecar versions ferrying the injured back to safety.


[Royal Enfield]


[11rfww1.proboards.com]

Towards the middle of 1918 the 39th Division moved further away from the heavy fighting and HQ was moved to Varengevelle.
Ken probably reverted to precarious despatch riding on a Douglas motorbike and in doing so was awarded the Military Medal.





[Awarded Military Medal - 1918]


Ken's later school endeavours are explained in this newspaper article.


[Liverpool Echo - 15th Nov 1952]

Military Medal
Army Service Corps

Pte Kenneth William Lascelles M.M.
(1895-1963)
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Cpl Robert Percy Scaddan M.M.
(b.1894 Liverpool d.1949 Barton, Lancs)
Robert  joined with his workmate Herbert Porter when they were Insurance apprentices with North British and Mercantile Insurance Company.




He was a despatch rider serving with 55th (West Lancs) Divisional Signal Company, Royal Engineers (Territorial force).


Military Medal
Territorial Efficiency Decoration


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Regimental Quarter-Master Sergeant Joseph Fairley MSM
(b. 1884 in Barnsley d. 1952 Edmonton, Canada)

 

Founder Member Fred Applebee recalls in 1971 - Looking back sometimes it seems only a very short time since, at tea time in our diggings at 9 Huntly Road, off Sheil Road, I looked across the table and said to my pal Joe Fairley,
“Well ! If I start a new club will you be the first to join ?”
That is exactly how the club came into being.

Joe was born in Barnsley, Yorkshire in 1884 and came to Liverpool for teacher training around 1907. The census of 1911 states he was a Schoolmaster and was lodging with Fred Applebee in Elm Park, Fairfield.

In early 1914 Joe decided on adventure and followed his younger brother  to Canada, Barker Fairley had taken up a post at the University of Alberta teaching German literature and became a renowned painter.



[Passenger List]

            By August of 1914 war had broken out in Europe and Joe was quickly into action with the Canadian Expeditionary Force.
           

In May 1915, the battalion sailed for England on the Cunard liner RMS Carpathia with a complement of 36 officers and 1033 other ranks. After initial training in England, the battalion fought in Belgium and France, and was often at the forefront of the fighting at Ypres Salient, Vimy Ridge, Fresnoy, the Somme, Passchendaele, the Battle of Amiens, the Battle of Arras and the occupation of the Rhine.

The bulk of the battalion returned to Canada on the SS Cedric on 27 May 1919, and to Calgary on 1 June 1919.



Meritorious Service Medal Citation
From 22nd September 1917 to 24th February 1918 in the field and for consistent good work and devotion to duty. This man enlisted with the 31st Battalion in November 1914 and has risen to the rank of RQMS during an unbroken period of service. He has proved an invaluable assett to the Battalion on account of his keeness at all times to carry out his duties which have been carried out with an exceptional display of thoroughness and ability.
[Thanks to canadiangreatwarproject.com for his military records and citation]



                            Joe passed away in 1952 and is buried at Beechmount Cemetery, Edmonton.

RQMS Joseph Fairley MSM

(1884-1952)

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Colonel FREDERICK JOSEPH BEHN OBE TD

(1902-1975)
See F.J.Behn


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Capt. V.A.F.Bellamy AFC
(1889-1942)
Capt. L.C.F.Bellamy MC
(1884-1964)

See Bellamy Brothers
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E.A.Martinez KGM
(1903-1972)

See E.A.Martinez

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