First World War heroes

This year will see the centenary of the start of the First World War and for many people the sacrifices of the brave men who died for their country should never be forgotten.

David Eason is one such man. He hopes that someone may know something about Lance Corporal Harold Lofthouse and Private Albert Heaton, who were both from Bolton.

Both men served with the 11th (Prince Albert’s Own) Hussars. Harold died in 1916 and Albert in 1917.

Former soldier David is currently compiling a roll of honour for the men killed in the First World War from the 11th Hussars.

As a former Royal Hussar himself he has devoted much of the last six years to completing a roll of honour for the regiment from the Second World War and now is working on the Great War.

“These men are my regimental forefathers and deserve recognition,” says David, who has devoted time every day during the last six years to his mission.

David’s in-depth research helped him discover men who, up to that point, had never been recognised, including another Bolton man, Lance Sergeant Frank Williams who was killed in action on April 17, 1945, aged 25.

Now, in looking at the regiment’s men from the First World War he finds himself unable to complete his work on two Bolton men.

“I have got as far as I can with my own research and therefore would be very grateful if any of their descendants or local historians can help complete their entries and then I can do justice to them and their memory,” he says.

Here is Albert’s story — see next week’s Looking Back for Harold’s tale— as he knows it from delving into files on ancestry websites and from information supplied by Bolton Museum.

Private Albert Heaton, 8761, 11th (Prince Albert’s Own) Hussars, 1st Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division was killed in action on Thursday, November 22, 1917, aged 26.

He was the son of Charles and Mary Ann (nee Thompson) Heaton.

Charles was born in January 1863 in Preston and died in January 1920 in Bolton, aged 57 and Mary was born in 1867 in Ireland and died in January 1939 in Horwich aged 72.

They were married in July 1888 at Holy Trinity Church in Bolton.

Albert’s brothers and sisters were Mary Alice, born 1889 and died in 1967; Charles, born in 1890 and died in 1892; John, born in 1894; James, born in 1895; Elizabeth, born in 1897; Mary, born in 1900; Annie, born in 1903), Henry, born in 1905; Ada, born in 1906 and Charles Heaton who was born in 1911.

Albert was the grandson of Henry and Alice Heaton.

He was born in April 1892 in Bolton and was living in the St Paul’s Parish by the 1901 census when he was aged nine.

By the 1911 census the family was living at number 13 Foundry Square in Bolton where Albert is recorded as being employed as a fruiterer’s assistant working alongside his father at the family’s wholesale fruit business.

A year later, in 1912, Albert enlisted at Bedford into the 11th Hussars, training with the 12th Reserve Cavalry Regiment both stationed in Aldershot.

At the outbreak of the war the 11th Hussars, still in Aldershot, came under the command of the 1st Cavalry Brigade (Brigadier General CJ Briggs) Cavalry Division. On September 16, 1914 the Cavalry Division was renamed as the 1st Cavalry Division.

On August 15, 1914 the 1st Cavalry Brigade left Aldershot and rode to Farnborough Station and headed for Southampton where the 11th Hussars embarked on the 5,000 ton Liverpool “Cattle Boat” the “Cestrian” arriving in France at Le Havre early the following morning where they remained for a couple of days.

On August 18, 1914 Albert, with the regiment, left Le Havre by train and moved east near the Belgian border where they concentrated in the area between Maubeuge and Le Cateau.

On Sunday, August 23, 1914, the Battle of Mons began in which The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) fought gallantly, holding back the German Army, but due to the French withdrawing, the British flanks were exposed and an immediate withdrawal was ordered. The retreat would end in September at the River Marne, just east of Paris.

During the retreat Albert would have seen action at the Battle of Le Cateau, August 26, and the Action of Nery, September 1, in which C Squadron, 11th Hussars charged German guns with swords drawn, capturing eight of them.

The first Battle of the Marne, September 5 to 12, was where the retreat ended and the BEF prepared to defend Paris resulting in the German Army being decisively beaten into retreating, September 9 to 13, to the River Aisne where they stopped and held at the First Battle of the Aisne and Aisne Heights, September 12 to 20.

The last action of 1914 saw the 11th Hussars in and around the Belgian village of Messines where, during the end of October to the beginning of November, the regiment fought for three days until they were forced back.

In 1915 the regiment saw action during the second battles of Ypres, April 22 to May 25, at the Battles of Frezenberg, May 9 to 13, and Bellewaerde Ridge, May 24.

In 1916 the regiment moved south to the Somme where they were involved in the battles of the Somme, July 1 to November 18, and the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, September 15. The year 1917 began with the regiment moving north of the Somme to east of Arras where they were involved in the Arras Offensive, April 9 to June 29, seeing action at the First Battle of the Scarpe, April 9 to 12, before moving back north to near Ypres where they were heavily involved in the Battle of Cambrai, November 20 to December 3.

The Battle of Cambrai was made up of three phases. The first was the tank attack, the second included the capture of Bourlon Wood, and the third and final phase was the German counter-attack.

The Battle of Cambrai began at 6.20am on November 20, 1917 with 381 tanks leading the assault, Hindenburg Line, whose primary objective was the capture of the village of Bourlon some six miles north east of the 1st Cavalry Division’s start point, opening up the road to Cambrai.

The 11th Hussars, still with the 1st Division was in position in between the 62nd (2nd West Riding) Division on their left and the 51st (Highland) Division on their right just west of Trescault under command of IV Corps.

It was the plan for the 1st Tank Brigade to attack east from their start line capturing Havrincourt, Flesquieres, Graincourt, Cantaing and Fontaine through which would pass the Reserve and the 1st Cavalry divisions swinging north east to attack Bourlon.

By 8.30am the German front line trenches had been taken as the German defenders fled in terror, all apart from IV Corps Sector where the tanks and the 51st Division took heavy casualties from artillery positioned in and around Havrincourt and Flesquieres and by last light 16 tanks had been lost.

The 1st Cavalry division had spent a frustrating first day due to the lack of progress of the two leading divisions.

The following morning, November 21, the attack began again and the 51st division took Flesquieres allowing the 154th Brigade and the 5th Dragoons (1st Cavalry Brigade) to attack Cantaing which was captured by 12.30am. By November 22, Fontaine had been captured and had been retaken by German counter attacks on that day.

It is believed that it was in this area where Albert was killed in action aged 26.

Albert is commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial (Louverval) Nord in France.

Notification of Albert’s death was published in the Bolton Journal and Guardian on Friday, December 7, 1917.

Albert is also commemorated locally in Bolton on a plaque and roll of honour at Holy Trinity Church and within the Roll of Honour Book of Bolton men and women who gave their lives in the Great War.

Albert’s medal index card records his medal entitlement as 1914 (Mons) Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.

If you know anything about Albert — David is hoping someone may have a photograph of the brave young man — or more information about him can contact Gayle McBain on 01204 537269 or email gmcbain@the boltonnews.co.uk