Private 19058 Joseph Cartwright

Killed in Action on Monday, 3rd July 1916, age 26.
Commemorated on Pier and Face 5 A and 6 C of Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.

10th Bn., Worcestershire Regiment. 57th Brigade of 19th Division.

Husband of Lucy Roberts Cartwright, of 251, Dudley Port, Tipton, Staffs.
Born: Tipton, Enlisted: Dudley, Resident: Tipton.

First landed France & Flanders, 4th October 1915.
Medal entitlement: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives did not survive.

Commemorated on the Tipton Library Memorial.
Commemorated here because he appears on a Tipton memorial.

Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1542589/

Genealogical Data

Birth of Joseph Cartwright registered December quarter 1889 in Dudley.

1891 Census
47 Union Street, Tipton, Staffs.
Henry Cartwright (35, Puddler, born Tipton), his wife Phoebe (32, born Tipton), and their 3 children: John (12, born Tipton) Hannah (5, born Tipton), and Joseph (1, born Tipton).

1901 Census
47 Union Street, Tipton, Staffs.
Henry Cartwright (45, Colliery Labourer Underground, born Tipton), his wife Phoebe (41, born Tipton), and their 2 children: Hannah (15, born Tipton), and Joseph (11, born Tipton).

1911 Census
48 Union Street, Tipton, Staffs.
Henry Cartwright (57, Colliery Labourer Underground, born Tipton), his wife Phoebe (56, born Tipton) and 1 of their 3 surviving children of 8: Joseph (21, Iron Moulder, born Tipton).

Marriage of Joseph Cartwright and Lucy Roberts registered June quarter 1912 at Dudley. They had a son, Reginald Joseph, born on 14th November 1913. The birth was registered in December quarter 1913 in Dudley.

Personal Data

After Joseph's death, his outstanding army pay and allowances amounted to £2/10/9d (2 pounds, 10 shillings and 9 pence); this was paid to his widow, Lucy, in May 1917. His War Gratuity was £7/10/0d (7 pounds and 10 shillings), this was also paid to Lucy in November 1919. The value of the War Gratuity suggests that Joseph had enlisted in approximately November 1914.

Joseph's widow, Lucy, was granted a one-off pension grant of £5/0/0d on 7th August 1917. She also received a Widow's Pension of 15/0d (15 shillings) per week for herself and her son, effective from 19th March 1917. Her address was given as 251 Dudley Port, Tipton, but was later stated as 33 Gough Street, Birmingham. Lucy married Lawson Woodward in July 1927; the widow's element of her pension would cease and she would have been compensated by Re-marriage Gratuity about the value of a year's worth of pension. The pension allowance in respect of her son would continue until his 16th birthday.

Action resulting in his death

As the Battle of the Somme started on 1st July 1916, the 10th Worcesters (57th Brigade of 19th Division) were in reserve west of Albert; at 9.00am they were ordered to assembly positions nearer the line. On 2nd July they were to attack the fortified village of La Boisselle which was still in German hands despite the attacks by 34th Division on 1st July, and despite the explosion of the huge mine creating Lochnagar Crater. The journey to the front was chaotic with heavy mud, huge numbers of casualties filling communication trenches and carrying parties going to and from the front. It was after midnight that the 10th Worcesters arrived at the front line opposite La Boisselle, too late for the attack to be carried out and they were withdrawn to trenches on the Usna-Tara ridge to shelter and rest until the attack could be renewed.

On the afternoon of the 2nd July, their comrades of the 58th Brigade attacked the La Boisselle salient, securing a lodgement on the southern face; and orders were sent for the 57th Brigade (including the 10th Worcesters) to move up after midnight. Rather than risk another jam in the communication trenches the 10th Worcesters were moved across open ground to a position at the western end of the La Boisselle salient. There they lay and waited as flares and bursting shells disclosed their position to the enemy, and a heavy fire of shrapnel caused many casualties.

Shortly after 3.00am on July 3rd, an order was passed down the ranks, the whistles blew and the 10th Worcesters crossed no-man's land and charged the German defences. A fierce fight ensued with bomb and bayonet over successive lines of trenches. In small groups the Worcester platoons fought their way slowly into the village, but the enemy numbers were far greater than was anticipated after ten days of intense bombardment. They swarmed up from every direction, and amid the confusion only when light flares and shell bursts illuminated the battlefield was it possible to distinguish between friend and foe. The fighting was hand-to-hand or at point blank range, with bomb, bullet and cold steel.

The first light of dawn allowed the fighters in the village to recognise themselves with certainty, and the struggle reached its climax. Most of the defenders had been killed or captured, although a few German strong-points still held out. These were isolated, surrounded and reduced. Strong German counter-attacks were made against the village, but a defensive line had been hastily organised on the eastern outskirts of the village and the counter-attacks were withered by machine-guns and musketry. By midday the fighting in the village was over, and La Boisselle was in British hands.

The 10th Worcesters had reason to be proud of their first battle as La Boisselle was of immense strength, but success had been costly. 9 Officers and 197 Other Ranks were killed or died of wounds. 106 NCOs and men were missing, and of these the majority were undoubtedly killed and buried either by falling ruins or in wrecked dug-outs. Tipton men Joseph Cartwright, Thomas Marsh and William Walker were killed and have no known graves, all are commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme.

Newspaper Cuttings

The Birmingham Post, March 26th 1917
THE CASUALTY LIST
Previously reported missing, now reported killed: -
WORCESTERSHIRE REGIMENT.
Cartwright, 19058, J. (Tipton).

Tipton Herald 31st March 1917
Pte J Cartwright of Worcs Regiment (Tipton) is officially reported killed.