Fred Hartshorn

West Midland Safari Park

We went with Adam, Anna & Abi to celebrate Adam & Anna’s birthdays.

The cake

Albert Rd War Memorial

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At the remembrance parade service, two families were mentioned who have three names each on the Memorial.

The ATTENBOROUGH’s

These were the sons of Mr and Mrs. H A Attenborough, Druid St, Hinckley

PRIVATE ARTHUR ATTENBOROUGH 9719

Killed in Action Sunday 3rd September l9l6 2ND BATTALION ROYAL WARWICKSHIRE REGIMENT

Thiepval Memorial, France Pier and Faces 9A, 9B and 10B

AGE 31

Born Nuneaton Enlisted Coventry Living in Hinckley

PRIVATE WALTER GEORGE ATTENBOROUGH 15494

Killed in Action Saturday 25th September 1915 with the 2ND BATTALION OXFORDSHIRE AND BUCKINGHAMSHIRE LIGHT INFANTRY

Guards Cemetery, Windy Corner, Cuinchy, France Plot 2 Row B Grave 4

AGE 26

Born Hinckley, Enlisted Rugby, Living in Hinckley

PRIVATE RICHARD FREDERICK ATTENBOROUGH 7693

Killed in Action Friday 15th September 1916 with the 1ST BATTALION LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT

Guards Cemetery, Les Boeufs, France Plot ll Row S Grave 5

AGE 29

Born Hinckley Enlisted Leicester Living in Hinckley

So, only a week after the announced death of Arthur Attenborough of the Warwickshire Regiment. Now, comes the news that another son, Private Richard Frederick Attenborough of the Leicestershire Regiment, fell in the fighting on the Somme on September 15th. This completely wiped out the Attenborough family’s three sons.

The BOLESWORTH’S

CORPORAL WILLIAM BOLESWORTH 10061

Died of Wounds Thursday 13th May 1915 with the 1ST BATTALION LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT

Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, France Plot 1 Row A Grave 12 .

Born Hinckley Enlisted Leicester Living in Hinckley

PRIVATE SYDNEY ‘TOGO’ BOLESWORTH 7832, DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT MEDAL, CROIX DE GUERRE

Killed in Action Monday lst October 1917 with the 9TH BATTALION LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMEN T

Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium Panels 50 to 51

AGE 29

Born Hinckley Enlisted Hinckley j

LANCE-CORPORAL JAMES BOLESWORTH 7521

Killed in Action Friday 15th September 1916 with the 1ST BATTALION LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT

Guillemont Road Cemetery, France Plot 6 Row D Grave 4

AGE 30

Born Hinckley Enlisted Hinckley Living in Hinckley

Husband of Mrs. Sarah Bolesworth, Hanley, Stoke on Trent.

The mother, Mrs. Bolesworth of Druid Street, had also five grandsons and a son-in-law with the colours:

SONS Cpl. William Bolesworth, Leics. Regt.

Pte. Sydney Bolesworth, Leics. Regt

Pte. James Bolesworth, Leics. Regt.

Pte. Walter Bolesworth, Leics. Regt.

GRANDSONS Pte. George Fairfax, Leics. Regt.

Pte. Tom Bolesworth, Leics. Regt

Pte. William Bolesworth, Leics. Regt.

Pte. Sidney Bolesworth, Leics. Regt.

Pte. W Bolesworth, Leics. Regt

SON IN LAW Pte. H. Hackett, Warks Regt.

Hinckley is the center of the #islastones empire.

Isla was laid to rest last Friday (27-july) and we had the Celebration Party in Argents Mead.

Bring History to Life – Private Sydney ‘Togo’ Bolesworth DCM (1889-1917)

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On the memorial to men who died in the First & Second World Wars in Albert Rd Church are 3 men with the surname Bolesworth. They are Private Sydney ‘Togo’ Bolesworth DCM, Corporal William Bolesworth and Lance-Corporal James Bolesworth who lost their lives during the First World War.

They lived at 1 Druid St where the Druid St car park is now. Their Mum was a Methodist and their Father a Catholic, so they were schooled at St Peters.

In December 1905 Sydney decided to join the army (Army Number: 7832) and served at Leicester and Colchester before being posted to the 2nd battalion Leicestershire Regiment in India He was a fine boxer and probably the best the Regiment ever had in the welterweight class, he won the All India title at Madras. He then won the all India army boxing cup at Poona in India, as a middleweight. He returned home and joined the army reserve, he boxed a number of contests across the Midlands gaining a fearsome reputation. It was around this time that he got the nickname ‘Togo’, which stayed with him for the rest of his life.

With the outbreak of the First World War, Togo was recalled to the Colours, he re-joined the Army as a Lance-Corporal but would lose the rank due to a disciplinary. He was sent to France with the 1st Battalion Leicestershire Regiment. He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal and Croix de Guerre for conspicuous gallantry. He was in charge of a picket, and was wounded by a shell in both legs and severely bruised by falling timber. He stuck to his post until relieved and had the presence of mind to deliver a report on the situation to his commanding officer before receiving medical help.

Togo returned to the Western Front and joined 9th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment in Belgium. Employed as a sniper, he quickly re-established himself once more as a man whom his officers could rely upon in any situation. As with the 1st Battalion, he refused the offer of a stripe or stripes, despite the positions of responsibility which he often held.

1st October 1917 During the early part of the morning near Polygon Wood near Ypres, in Belgium the 9th Battalion Togo and a fellow soldier, Private Joe Paul, were designated battalion snipers, and had crawled into a shell-hole in front of the British lines in order to give them a better view over the German positions. They had taken a few shots at the enemy when the German counter-attack erupted before them. Paul was hit in the leg, but managed to escape, while Togo was shot dead. Due to his body last seen in a muddy shell-hole and his remains were not recovered, he is named on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium. The Tyne Cot Memorial is one of four memorials to the missing in Belgium.