Ashtead War Memorials - WWI - Capt Geoffrey Herbert Wigston, East Surrey Regiment
The birth of Geoffrey Herbert Wigston is registered at Kingston for the June Quarter of 1895, he, presumably, having been delivered at the family home in Ridgeway Place, Wimbledon. His father William Jebb Wigston [b 27 June 1849], a son of the Rev William Wigston of Rushmere, Ipswich, was a partner in Wilde Moore and Wigston, Solicitors, 21 College Hill, London, EC.
WJ Wigston’s marriage to Lucy Sophia Stuart had taken place in Lincoln during the autumn of 1878.
About 1900, the Wigstons came to Ashtead to occupy one of the houses erected by Ashtead Land Company Ltd on the New Road (subsequently renamed The Marld) immediately behind Mawmead Shaw [later to become home to the Church family of which Lieutenant Geoffrey William – details elsewhere – was a member]. They named their villa Rushmere as a fond reference to the Suffolk parish.
Geoffrey followed his father and older brothers to Lancing College, Sussex, and he competed at Schools Day, Bisley, in July 1913 as a Colour Sergeant in the school’s Officers Training Corps. He appears to have enlisted with 1st Battalion, East Surrey Regiment at the beginning of WWI and it was not long before he found himself in the thick of fighting, suffering injury as shown by the following extract from the Battalion’s War Diary: -
“Hill 60 near YPRES
20th April 1915
A quiet time till 11 am then heavy shelling of the hill, communicating and support trenches commenced, with great effect, the Germans scoring many direct hits with heavy howitzers; trenches were blown in and many men killed and buried. During this time Capt. & Adjt. Wynyard, seeing some men attending wounded men near a shelled spot, went towards them, moved the men along the trench away from the danger spot, attended the wounded himself and in doing so was blown to bits.
During this time the Germans were crawling up their old communication trenches and flinging bombs in to fire-trenches, but could make no headway owing to our hand grenades and rifle fire. On the death of Capt. Wynyard, Major Paterson, the Comdg. Officer, sent for 2 Lt. Dymott to take over the duties of Adjutant, temporarily. About 2 p.m., Capt. Wynter, Comdg. E Coy., went forward on to the hill to reconnoitre the trenches held by A Coy. before taking over after dark. During this reconnaissance he was wounded in the leg, and placed in a dug-out for shelter; soon afterwards the dug-out was hit by a shell which caused Capt. Wynter's death.
About 3 p.m. the Germans in front of Coy. attempted to assault that trench, but on rising from their trench were hurled back by hand grenades and rifle, fire. In this action, Pte. Dwyer, D Coy., greatly distinguished himself by crawling up the parapet and flinging hand grenades at the enemy, he himself being under a perfect hail of enemy bombs. About this time Lt. Watson who was in the support trench was killed by a heavy howitzer shell.
About 3.30 p.m. Lt. Darwell, the Machine Gun Officer, was sent for by the Comdg. Officer to go to Bn. Headqtrs to take over the duties of Adjutant to the Battn. On arrival there he found Major Paterson, the Com. Officer, killed, and that 2 Lt. Dymott had been seriously wounded and carried to the dressing station. Now a most terrific bombardment of the position commenced, which lasted for two hours, the hill during this time being a mass of smoke flame and debris. The enemy employed shells giving off asphyxiating gases freely. The result of this was every telephone line to the rear was out and communication with the Artillery and Sector Headqrs. made impossible.
By this time, every man from the support trenches had been sent to reinforce the fire, trenches on the hill and still more men were wanted. In taking up these supports 2nd Lt. Norton was killed by a heavy howitzer in the communication trench. Lieut. Roupell, wounded in several places, succeeded in reaching Sector Headqrs. when the bombardment was at its height, and explained to Colonel Griffith., Comdg. Sector, the situation, asking for reinforcements. Corpl. Harding, the Battn. Signalling Corpl. also managed to deliver a message, asking for reinforcements, to Sector Headqrs. An orderly was sent with the S.O.S. signal to the Artillery Observing station on the "Dump".
The reinforcements arrived about 6 p.m. and Major Allison, 1st Bedford. took over command of the hill position. The bombard of front line lasted to about this hour and after this all their Artillery fire was directed against reserve and support trenches and lines of approach: this continued well into the night and abated somewhat about midnight. Throughout the night until 3 a.m. the enemy repeatedly assaulted our trenches on the hill with bombs, only once did they succeed in gaining a footing and then they were immediately driven out. Once, during the night, the enemy attempted to assault the trench held by B Coy. but were immediately driven back by rifle fire. Lateral telephonic communication between Coys. was restored about 10 p.m. from 3 to 6 a.m. the situation was much quieter.
KRUISSTRAAT.
21st. APRIL 1915
At 6 a.m. the position was taken over by the Devon Regt. 2nd Lieut Davis, who was with his Coy. all through the night on the hill was killed as he was being relieved. Capt. Huth was killed on the night of the 19th whilst superintending work on the trench held by his Coy.
After relief, the Battn., now under command of Lt. T. H. Darwell, marched to billets at KRUISSTRAAT bringing with it the body of the Comdg. Officer, Major Paterson, which was interred later on in the day in the Convent grounds YPRES. During the morning the following message was received from G.O.C. 14th Infy. Bde.: - ‘Deeply deplore loss of your C.O., and so many Officers and men but congratulate the Battn. on the gallant example they have set to all. Colonel Thesiger, Comdg. 14th Infy Bde.'
The Battn. remained in billets throughout the day. Total Casualties between 19th and 21st Killed - Major W. K. Paterson; Capt. A. H. Huth; Capt. D. Wynyard; Capt. P.C. Wynter; Lieut. G.L.Watson; 2nd Lieut W. A. Davis; 2 Lieut T. E. Norton.
Wounded - Lieut. G.R.P. Roupell; G.H. Wigston; B. H. Geary; 2nd Lieuts. G.W Kennedy; C.P. Emmett; C.P. Lugard; A. R. .Abercrombie; R. W. Ourrey – attached; B. K.Dymott, Indian Army, - attached.
42 other ranks killed, 158 wounded and 64 missing, believed killed.
KRUISSTRAAT.
22nd. APRIL 1915
Battn. ordered to march to Hutments at OUDERDOM in time for the Comdr.-in-Chief's parade. About 9 a.m. the Army Corps Comdr. visited Battn. and said how he deplored the Battn's losses and congratulated Battn. on its fine performance, adding ‘it was the most magnificent thing yet in the whole war’. He also pointed out Sir John French's praise and satisfaction that the German's should realize what British morale would stand. Afterwards he addressed the Sergt. Major and told him how Sir John French has asked who was holding the front line trenches on the Hill and when told the East Surreys said ‘Thank God the East Surreys are there’.
He asked the Sergt. Major to let the NCO’s know this. Battn. marched to Hutments at OUDERDOM at 11.30 a.m. and, at 2.50 p.m., paraded in field close by with other units which had taken part in the fight on Hill 60 where Sir J. French addressed the troops on their glorious achievement. Orders received from 5th Divn. to stand by.”
German forces used chlorine gas for the first time during this engagement as indicated above.
Probably as a result of the heavy losses, Geoffrey Wigston would have been advanced to the rank of Captain but, at some later stage, he was detached to join the 2nd Battalion Royal West Sussex Regiment in time for the “Battle of Ginchy”, on 9 September 1916, when he was killed in action.
His father, William Jebb Wigston, remained at Rushmere until dying there on 8 June 1935. After WWII, the property which stood beyond the present RC Church Hall was demolished.
Links/sources
Caterpillar Valley Cemetery, Longueval (Somme): http://silentwitness.freeservers.com/cemeteryc/caterpillar.htm
Royal Sussex Living History Group: www.royalsussex.org.uk
CWGC The Battle of the Somme: http://www.cwgc.org/somme/content.asp?
text: Brian Bouchard: if you can add to this page please contact the editor
page added 10 Feb 2009