Private 15532 Samuel William Langston

Killed in Action on Wednesday, 9th August 1916, age 31.
Commemorated on Pier and Face 7 B of Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.

8th Bn., South Staffordshire Regiment. 51st Brigade of 17th Division.

Husband of Mrs May Langston, of 2 Newhall Street, Tipton, Staffs.
Born: Dudley, Enlisted: Wednesbury, Resident: Tipton.

First landed France & Flanders, 14th July 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, and St. John's memorials.
Commemorated here because he appears on a Tipton memorial.

Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/799335/

Genealogical Data

Samuel William Langston was born Jun Qtr 1885 Sedgley (Dudley Rd) the son of Joseph Langston and his wife Sarah Ann Langston (nee Reynolds).

1901 Census
14 Foundry Street, Tipton, Staffs.
Joseph Langstone (39, Coal Miner - Pikeman, born Hurst Hill), his wife Sarah (37, born Princes End), and their 5 children: William (15, Labourer in Tube Works, born Woodsetton), Emily (11, born Woodsetton), Walter (5, born Pontypridd), Beatrice (2, born Princes End), and Naomi (11 months, born Princes End).

1911 Census
1 Fox House, Sedgley Road, Tipton, Staffs.
Joseph Langston (49, Coal Miner - Hewer, born Sedgley), his wife Sarah (47, born Tipton), and 5 of their 9 surviving children of 14: Samuel William (25, Labourer in Tube Works, born Sedgley), Walter (15, Errand Boy in Coal Yard, born Pontypridd), Beatrice (12, School, born Tipton), Gladys (6, born Tipton), and Freddie (1, born Tipton).

Marriage of William Langston and May Allen registered March Quarter 1914 in Dudley. A daughter, Emily, was born on 7th September 1914.

Personal Data

In an unfortunate coincidence, another Samuel Langston (Samuel Bissell Langston) was also killed on the same day - 9th August 1916. They were probably cousins, at the time of the 1891 Census their families are living next door to each other in 1 and 2 Bridge Street, Coseley. Samuel Bissell Langston was serving with the 9th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial.

After Samuel WIlliam's death, his outstanding army pay and allowances amounted to £3/12/8d (3 pounds, 12 shillings and 8 pence); this was paid to his widow, May, in December 1916. His War Gratuity was £8/0/0d (8 pounds exactly), this was also paid to his widow in March 1920. The value of the War Gratuity suggests that Samuel had enlisted in approximately November 1914.

Samuel WIlliam’s widow, May, was granted a Widow’s Pension of 15/0d (15 shillings) per week effective from 5th March 1917. From 31st August 1920 this was re-calculated to £1/6/8d plus 10/0d for daughter, Emily, making a total weekly pension of £1/16/8d (1 pound, 16 shillings and 8 pence). May's address was given as 5 Tibbington Terrace, Tipton, but later revised to 2 Newhall Street, Tipton.

Action resulting in his death

The 8th Battalion South Staffs, in 17th (Northern) Division, did not attack on the opening day of the Battle of the Somme, 1st July but came into action on the next day. They were subsequently involved in fighting in Delville Wood, and the capture of Fricourt which is commemorated in Fricourt by the naming of "Rue du Major Raper" after the senior officer who led the attack. Following the success of capturing Fricourt, the advance continued slowly northwards towards Contalmaison, with numerous attacks on Quadrangle Support, just south of Contalmaison.

On the 10th July, the 8th South Staffs made the eigth attack on Quadrangle Support. This was at first successful, but they were compelled to withdraw after 3 costly hours due to the lack of progress on their flanks. However, during the evening, the Germans were seen to withdraw and Quadrangle Support was occupied by the 10th Sherwood Foresters, with the weakened South Staffs now in support.
The attack had been costly, with 56 South Staffs men being killed on the day.

The Division next came back into the line at beginning of August, the line having been forced northwards to Delville Wood. Here the 17th (Northern) Division continued the attacks started by the South Africans on 15th July, but the wood was not secured until captured by the 14th (Light) Division on 25th August. The attacks on Delville Wood in the first half of August cost the lives of 17 men from the 8th South Staffs, including Private William Smith on 5th August and Private Samuel Langston on 9th August, neither have a known grave and are commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme.

Newspaper Cuttings

Tipton Herald 16th September 1916
KILLED AT THE FRONT.
In the Casualty List, the names of those "killed" include Private S.W. Langston, Private G.H. Powell and Private W. Smith; all of Tipton and belonging to the South Staffs Regiment. Also amongst those killed is Private E .Cox of the Highland Light Infantry.