Gunner 94681 Samuel Stackhouse

Killed in Action on Monday, 1st October 1917, age 30.
Buried in Grave III. F. 9. at Klein-Vierstraat British Cemetery, Heuvelland, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.

Royal Garrison Artillery, 188th Siege Battery.

Husband of Mrs Mabel Stackhouse, of the Britannia Inn, Leabrook Road, Tipton, Staffs.
Born: Wednesbury, Enlisted: Tipton, Resident: Unknown.

First landed France & Flanders, 30th October 1916.
Medal entitlement: British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives survived and transcribed.

Commemorated on the Tipton Library, and St. Mark's memorials.
Commemorated here because he appears on a Tipton memorial.

Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/455784/

Genealogical Data

Birth of Samuel Stackhouse registered September quarter 1887 in West Bromwich.

1901 Census
57 Bell Street, Darlaston, Staffs.
Samuel Stackhouse (39, Coachsmith, born Darlaston), his wife Emily (40, born Darlaston), and their children: Samuel (13, Page Boy, born Wednesbury), James (12, born Wednesbury), Beatrice (5, born Darlaston), Florence (1, born Darlaston), and Harold (2 weeks, born Darlaston.

Marriage of Samuel Stackhouse and Mabel Florence Billingsley registered March quarter 1910 in West Bromwich.

1911 Census
37 Trouse Lane, Wednesbury, Staffs.
Samuel Stackhouse (23, Assurance Agent (Unemployed), born Wednesbury), his wife Mabel (20, born Wednesbury), and their daughter Emily (6 months, born Wednesbury). A further daughter, Mabel Florence, was born on 6th May 1912.

Personal Data

Samuel attested on 9th December 1915, presumably under the Derby Scheme, and posted to the Army Reserve awaiting call-up. He was 28 years old, married and was a Licenced Victualler of Britannia Inn, 90 Leabrook Road, Tipton. He was 5 feet 6 inches tall, with a 36-inch chest. He had married Mabel Florence Billingsley in March 1910, their daughters Emily and Florence being born in September 1910 and May 1912 respectively.

Samuel was mobilised on 6th June 1916, allocated to the Royal Garrison Artillery on the 15th July 1916 as he had requested, and posted to the 188th Siege Battery on 29th July 1916. Samuel landed at Boulogne on 30th October 1916 with the 188th Siege Battery which consisted of 4 9.2-inch Howitzers. On 9th May 1917, Samuel was temporarily attached to the Battery Ammunition Column, 86th Section Heavy Artillery Motor Transport, A.S.C., returning to his unit on 22nd August 1917.

After Samuel's death, his outstanding army pay and allowances amounted to £6/19/4d (6 pounds, 19 shillings and 4 pence); this was paid to his widow and sole legatee, Florence M. D., in January 1918. His War Gratuity was £5/0/0d (5 pounds exactly), this was also paid to his widow, Florence, in November 1919. The value of the War Gratuity suggests that Samuel enlisted in July 1916.

Samuel's widow, Florence Mabel, was awarded a Grant of £5/0/0d on 6th November 1917, and a Widow's Pension of £1/2/11d (1 pound, 2 shillings and 11 pence) per week effective from 22nd April 1918. Her address was still Britannia Inn, Leabrook Road, so it would appear that she had continued to run the pub after Samuel has joined the army, and she was registered as the licencee until 1920 when she married Albert H. Shutt.

Action resulting in his death

From 26th September 1917 to 3rd October 1917, the 188th Siege Battery was allocated to IX Corps for the Battle of Polygon Wood. The Battery HQ was at Dikkebusch, Polygon Wood was about 7 miles to the north-west.

The War Diary of 188th Battery for 1st October 1917 shows that they responded to infantry SOS requests, and engaged in counter-battery fire. The SOS requests were normally to disrupt an impending enemy action endangering our infantry, and the counter-battery fire attempted to destroy the enemy guns and so prevent them inflicting harm on our troops and guns.

The counter-battery fire was aimed at Ten Brielen, 1½ miles south-east of Zandvoorde, and at Kruiseeck, 1½ miles south-east of Gheluvelt. Both these locations are near the infamous Menin Road to the south-east of Ypres.

It would appear that German counter-battery fire was successful on one occasion as the casualties for that day have the appearance of a complete gun crew. The War Diary records casualties for that day as:
“Killed: Sgt Dagg, Gunners Stackhouse and Dodson, Wounded: Bombardier Whitmore and Gunners Clark, Bishop, North, Longstaff and Badger.”
Dagg, Stackhouse and Dodson are buried side-by-side in Klein-Vierstraat Cemetery, Gunner Bishop died from his wounds on the next day, and Gunner North died a month later in a base hospital at Étaples.

Newspaper Cuttings

None.