Photographs Copyright © George Pritchard 2005

Lieutenant, 19th (Queen Alexandra's Own Royal) Hussars. Died 24 May 1915. Aged 22. Son of Lt. Col. W. E. T. Bolitho (above), D.S.O., and Mrs. Ethel G. Bolitho, of York House, Trevelloe, Penzance. Served 2 years in the Royal Navy, as midshipman. No known grave. Commemorated on YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Panel 5. See also Penzance and Madron

Extract from Bond of Sacrifice Volume 2:

LIEUTENANT WILLIAM TORQUILL MACLEOD BOLITHO, 19th (QUEEN ALEXANDRA'S OWN ROYAL) HUSSARS, born on the 13th November, 1892, was the only surviving son of Major W. E. T. Bolitho, D.S.O., 1st Royal Devon Imperial Yeomanry, of York House, Penzance, and of Hannaford Ashburton.

He was educated at Warren Hill, Eastbourne, from which he passed into Osborne College, and afterwards Dartmouth, becoming before he left head of each of the latter. Having joined the Royal Navy as a Midshipman, he passed first out of the cruiser H.M.S. " Cumberland," taking three prizes, and while on H.M.S. " Bellerophon " he won the " Stoddart " Cup, presented by Admiral Sir John Jellicoe, for boat-sailing. In 1912 he left the Navy and entered the Special Reserve of the Army, and in May, 1913, received his commission in the 19th Hussars. In August, 1914 he crossed to France with " B " Squadron of his regiment, with which he remained until his death, having been promoted Lieutenant in March, 1915. He was in the engagement at Wieltje, north of Ypres, on the 13th May, and on the 24th May, 1915, after a gas attack at dawn, his squadron was sent to help the 18th Hussars, near the Chateau, Hooge, Ypres where he and five of his men were killed by a shell.

Lieutenant Bolitho was a good rider, was very fond of hunting and polo, and rode in local point-to point races.

Lieutenant Colonel, Royal 1st Devon Yeomanry. Died of ill health 21st Febuary 1919. Aged 56. Son of William Bolitho and Mary H. Bolitho, of Polwithen, Penzance; husband of Ethel Grace Bolitho (nee Macleod), of Trevelloe, Paul, Penzance; father of William Torquill MacLeod Bolitho (below). Served in the South African Campaign. Awarded the Distinguished Service Order (D.S.O.). Buried North-East of the church, beside the path, in ST GULVAL CHURCHAYRD, GULVAL, Cornwall. See also Penzance and also Madron and also Lord's Cricket Ground MCC

Extract from "THE VC AND DSO BOOK - DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER 1886-1915" published by Naval and Military Press. Page 182.

BOLITHO, WILLIAM EDWARD THOMAS, Major, was born at Penzance 2 July, 1862, son of the late William Bolitho, of Polwithen. He was educated at Harrow, and Trinity College, Oxford. He played for Harrow and Oxford at, Lord’s Cricket Ground (two years for Harrow, and two years for Oxford). He joined, as Second Lieutenant, the 1st Royal Devon Yeomanry in May, 1889: served with the 7th Battn. 27th Imperial Yeomanry in the South African War, 1900-1; was wounded at Noitgedacht, Transvaal, Nov. 1900 took part in advance to Pretoria, Battle of Diamond Hill, and holding the Mahaliesburg range of hills. He was mentioned twice in Deapatches, and created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (London Gazette, 27 Sept. 1901): “William Edward Thomas Bolitho, Major, 7th Battn. Imperial Yeomanry. In recognition of services during the operations in South Africa.” The Insignia were presented by the King 29 Oct. 1901. He won the D.S.O. at Noitgedacht, Transvaal, when he led a forlorn hope up the kloof in the early morning, from General Clement’s Camp, to relieve the Northumberland Fusiliers on top of the hill. He was wounded in the thigh, and lay out with his men for two days before being fetched in to an ambulance. He became Captain, 1st Royal Devon Yeomanry, 7 Aug. 1914. He became Acting Lieutenant-Colonel, 2/1st Royal Devon Yeomanry 15 Sept. 1914, and commanded the Regt. until 11 Nov. 1918, when he resigned on account of bad health, and went to Bath for treatment, where he died on 21 Feb. 1919. Lieut-Colonel Bolitho was joint Master of the Foxhounds (Western), and hunted the hounds himself. Hunting was his great passion; he was also a good cricketer and fisherman. He had married, at Iverness, 21 June, 1888, Ethel Grace Macleod, daughter of H. B. Ænæas Macleod, of Cadboll, and they have two sons: William Torquill Macleod (late 19th Hussars; killed in action 24 May, 1915), and Simon Bruce (who died in 1910) : and one daughter, Brenda Grace.

Master, "Antinoe", Mercantile Marine. Drowned at sea when his ship was sunk by enemy submarine 28 May 1917. Aged 44. Born circa 1873 in Newlyn. Resident Mousehole, Penzance. In the 1871 census he was newborn, born Cornwall, son of Ambrose and Mary Rouffignac, resident Trewarveth Street, St Paul, Penzance, Cornwall. In the 1881 census he was aged 10, born Newlyn, Cornwall, a scholar, son of Ambrose and Mary Rouffignac, resident Trewarveth Street, St Paul, Penzance, Cornwall. No known grave. Commemorated on TOWER HILL MEMORIAL, London.

Extract from England & Wales Government Probate Death Index 1918:

DE ROUFFIGNAC Ambrose Charles of Cairn Dhu Ragennis Paul Cornwall master mariner died 28 May 1917 at sea Probate Bodmin 23 February to Caroline Bodinar de Rouffignac widow. Effects £368 15s. 9d.

Private 43903, 9th (Service) Battalion, King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, 64th Brigade, 21st Division. Formerly 164039 Royal Hussars and Royal Field Artillery. Died of wounds on Monday 30th April 1917 age 19. Born at Castallack, Paul and enlisted at Penzance. Son of William and Annie Giles of Bosava, Castallack and later of Sparnon, St Buryan, Penzance. Buried in WARLINCOURT HALTE BRITISH CEMETERY, SAULTY, Saulty, Pas de Calais, France. Plot X. Row E. Grave 13.

Listed in Penzance Book of Remembrance and on headstone in Paul Cemetery, Sheffield Road, Paul. 9 KOYLI, part of 64th Brigade, relieved 1st Cameronians in the line near Fontaine on 25th April 1917. On the following two days they carried out normal trench routine but did suffer from enemy shelling. On 28th both A and D companies carried out a limited attack in order to straighten the line. This was only partically successful, achieving 150 yards but at the cost of over 50 casualties. The following day the enemy counter attacked successfully in the early morning but were ejected from the forward trenches by B and C companies. A further unsuccessful enemy attack took place later that morning.

Petty Officer 2199C, H.M. Trawler "Evadne," Royal Naval Reserve. Missing at sea, believed killed, when his ship was sunk 27 February 1917. Aged 36. Son of Thomas and Mary Martha Matthews, of Mousehole; husband of Lizzie Mary Matthews, of Mill Lane, Mousehole, Penzance. In the 1901 census he was aged 20, born Mousehole, Cornwall, a Drift ficherman, son of Thomas and Mary M Matthews, resident North Street, Regent Terrace, Mousehole, Paul, Penzance, Cornwall. In the 1911 census he was aged 30, born Mousehole, Cornwall, a Fisherman, married to Lizzie Mary Matthews with one son, resident Chapel Street, Mousehole, Paul, Cornwall,. No known grave. Commemorated on PLYMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL, Devon. Panel 23.

Extract from England & Wales Government Probate Death Index 1924:

MATTHEWS Martin of Mill-lane Mousehole Cornwall died 27 February 1917 at sea Administration Bodmin 25 January to Lizzie Mary Matthews widow. Effects £172 1s.

Leading Seaman. 1455C. Royal Naval Reserve. HMS Berwick. Died of pneumonia on Sunday 29th October 1916 age 45. Born at Perranuthoe. Son of John and Elizabeth Ann Pearce of Mousehole; husband of Jane Frances Pearce of Vivian Street, Mousehole, Penzance. Buried in CHOC BAY WAR CEMETERY, ST LUCIA, West Indies (Row C, Grave 16). Also listed in Penzance Book of Remembrance and on his wife’s headstone in Sheffield Road Cemetery, Paul. HMS Berwick, a Monmouth Class Cruiser, formed part of the 4th Cruiser Squadron on the North America and West Indies Station during the war.