HELP NEEDED

[lacedog82]

Hi all,

This is my first time so please go easy on me.
I'm trying to resolve an old family story, basically I was told that 6 brothers went to war and none came back.
From what I can gather my great grandfather pvt John William Bradbury, 23556, 2/8 ardwick is accounted for (body never recovered ), had 6 siblings, Thomas, Joseph, James, Albert, frank and Arthur, all living in ardwick at the time so I'm assuming joined together and assuming that these accounted for the remaining 5 missing.

I'm trying to find out as much as I can on all of these great men, what they did, where they went, where they fell etc.
I also have no pictures and would love to put faces to names.

Any info or help would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks, Simon.

[mack]

hello simon.
you need to visit st.thomas church ardwick,the family had connections to this church,john,william married annie tushingham there on 6-8-1900,his brother joseph was the best man,her address was 52 garden st,ardwick
on 4-4-1917 james,alfred married mary,ellen derbyshire at st thomas,they gave their address as 52 garden st

albert married elizabeth hambidge/hanbridge ???at st thomas church on 1-5-17,her address was 12 smith st,ardwick,his address was 126 tipping st,west gorton

thomas married hannah reynolds at st thomas on 16-4-1906,his address was 184 tipping st,west gorton,hers was 1 ashton place,ardwick,best man was his brother joseph.

arthur married emily rostron at st.mary,beswick on 23-10-15,his address was 29 birley st,beswick,best man his brother james,alfred

strangely only frank,joseph and thomas appear on the roll of honour in st.thomas church,ardwick

mack

[Tim Bell]

Simon,

Your gt grandad appears to have transferred to 12th Bttn. when he died (from CWGC) :-
BRADBURY, JOHN WILLIAM

Rank:
    Private
Service No:
    23556
Date of Death:
    07/07/1916
Age:
    38
Regiment/Service:
    Manchester Regiment
 
    12th Bn.
Panel Reference
    Pier and Face 13 A and 14 C.
Memorial
    THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

Additional Information:

Son of Thomas and Elizabeth Bradbury; husband of Annie Bradbury, of 12, Smith St, Ardwick, Manchester.

7/7/1916
Battalion arrived at Railway Copse at 6.30am and were distributed in trenches on ridge under hedge 800yards N of Copse which they reached under heavy fire and with some loss. 7.25am Lieut. N.G. Crawhall arrived with orders that we were to assault Quadrangle Support at 8.0am, the 9th Northumberland Fus and 9th West Riding Regt having failed. There being no time to issue written orders, the C.O. (Lieut. Col E.G. Harrison) and Adjutant (Capt. B. DuVal) went up to hedge to organise attack. Attack launched at 7.50am from Ridge to go over 9th Bn Northumberland Fus in Quadrangle Trench. Organisation D and B Coy leading, C Coy support, A Coy Reserve, Battn Bombers held by H.Q. About 10.0am news came of complete failure of attack under barrage and enfilade M.G. Fire. At 2.30pm the C.O. was ordered to go up and organise attack with all available troops in Quadrangle Trench and was wounded on his way up. The Adjutant sent orders to O.C. 9th North. Fus and advised 52nd Brigade. Battalion relieved by 51st Bde at 7.30pm. The following casualties occurred. Lieut. Col. E.G. Harrison CB DSO Wounded. Major G.S.W. Rusbridger wounded. Major H.F. Browell wounded. Capt. H. McKean killed. Capt. E.R. Thompson wounded. Capt. J.H. Betts killed. Lieut. H. Bate wounded & missing. Lieut. N.G. Crawhall wounded & missing. 2nd Lt. E. Kingsley wounded & missing BK. 2nd Lt. F. Latimer killed. 2nd Lt. J. Adams wounded. 2nd Lt. J.S. Greenwood killed. 2nd Lt. A.B. King killed. 2nd Lt. C.J. Alderton killed. 2nd Lt E.F. Smith killed, and 539 O.R.
Night 7/8th Battn returned to Meaulte. from http://www.themanchesters.org/12th%20WD.htm

[Tim Bell]

Thomas died alongside his brother in the same action it seems.  .

BRADBURY, THOMAS

Rank:
    Private
Service No:
    7984
Date of Death:
    07/07/1916
Age:
    27
Regiment/Service:
    Manchester Regiment
 
    12th Bn.
Panel Reference
    Pier and Face 13 A and 14 C.
Memorial
    THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

Additional Information:

Son of Thomas and Mary Elizabeth Bradbury, of 77, Hadfield St., Old Trafford, Manchester.

Name:    Thomas Bradbury
Birth Place:    Cornbrook, Manchester
Death Date:    7 Jul 1916
Death Location:    France & Flanders
Enlistment Location:    Manchester
Rank:    Private
Regiment:    Manchester Regiment
Battalion:    12th Battalion
Number:    7984
Type of Casualty:    Killed in action
Theatre of War:    Western European Theatre

[Tim Bell]

Joseph - Born Oldham?
BRADBURY, J

Rank:
    Private
Service No:
    14192
Date of Death:
    16/07/1916
Regiment/Service:
    Manchester Regiment
 
    24th Bn.
Grave Reference
    B. 32.
Cemetery
    MORLANCOURT BRITISH CEMETERY NO.1

Additional Information:

SDGW-
Name:    Joseph Bradbury
Birth Place:    Oldham, Lancs
Death Date:    16 Jul 1916
Death Location:    France & Flanders
Enlistment Location:    Oldham
Rank:    Private
Regiment:    Manchester Regiment
Battalion:    24th Battalion
Number:    14192
Type of Casualty:    Died of wounds
Theatre of War:    Western European Theatre

In the battle of the Somme the 24th were engaged in converting the german trenchs captaured around Fricourt into strongpoints and consoldating the gains of the 7th Division. Compared with other units the battalion suffered very light casualties of eight men. On the 14th July the battalion followed up the attack on Bazention le Petit, to build a strongpoint in the village, taking 52 casualties. On the 30th August the 7th Division was to make it's attack on the disputed village of Guinchy, the 24th were employed building the support trenches needed, although the attack was not successful, the preparation work cost the battalion 38 casualties.

[Tim Bell]

Arthur?

Name:    Arthur Bradbury
Birth Place:    Manchester
Residence:    Prestwich, Manchester
Death Date:    3 May 1917
Death Location:    France & Flanders
Enlistment Location:    Manchester
Rank:    Private
Regiment:    King's (Liverpool Regiment)
Battalion:    1st Battalion
Number:    52994
Type of Casualty:    Killed in action
Theatre of War:    Western European Theatre
Comments:    Formerly 4892, Manchester Regiment.

[Tim Bell]

Frank may not have died?  ALso 12th Bttn?

Name:    Frank Bradbury
Regiment or Corps:    12/Manch R
Regimental Number:    5509

[mack]

hiya simon.
james didnt die in the war,he was 3757 james,alfred bradbury,royal marines engineers,hes buried in southern cemetery manchester,grave ref.DD.consecrated.1455.date of burial 27-1-1948,in 1918 he lived at 35 garden st,ardwick

i cant be sure about arthur,theres a arthur bradbury buried in southern cemetery,grave ref Z.consecrated.2061,there are members of the rostron family in this grave,your arthur married emily rostron,he could be your uncle,its your call.his age at death matches your arthurs

mack

[mack]

the above thomas,joseph and frank bradbury are not john,williams brothers,both thomas+joseph were over 15yrs to young and frank was 12yrs too young.

to help with the correct research,these are the approx ages of the brothers in 1914

thomas 41
joseph 37
john,william 35.identified
albert 28
james,alfred 25.identified
arthur 23
frank 20

mack

[mack]

joseph enlisted on 9-11-1914 in the 8th kings own royal lancaster regt,as pte 15374,he was born 5th september 1875 and resided with his father thomas at 27 stockport rd,ardwick,occupation drayman+cook,he was badly wounded in the left arm on 18th july 1916,he was transferred to the 1st suffolk regt after he recovered,[new number 52388]he was later living with his married sister mrs jones at 8 goldschmidt st,chorlton on medlock and still at this address in the 1930s

mack

[mack]

thomas is buried in southern cemetery,grave ref T.consecrated.976,his wife hannah and 9yr old daughter jessie are also buried here
thomas buried 1-2-1942
hannah 3-8-1938
jessie 13-3-1919

albert and his wife elizabeth are also in southern cemetery,grave ref U.consecrated.1098,albert buried 14-1-1938

mack

[lacedog82]

Absolutely awesome, I'm speechless, I'll show this to my uncle and I'm sure he will have the same reaction, we will piece this together, it's just a shame the person who wanted this done is no longer with us.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Simon.