John Somervaille Age 35
Regimental No. 302789 Rifleman 1/5 Battalion(London Rifle Brigade) London
Regiment, 169th Brigade, 56th London Division
Presumed Killed in Action 8/9 October 1916, previously reported missing
Commemorated Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France
Personal Background
John was the youngest of 11 children of Robert and Jessie (Davidson) Somervaille of Charlesfield, St. Boswells. Both his father and grandfather owned and ran the farm and although John did not follow that career path, some of his brothers did. The family exemplifies how far travelled many people were at that time, contrary to common belief that most folk stayed close to home, although there is clear evidence of local connections being maintained.
In 1901 John, who had been a prominent player in the St Boswells cricket team, and the brother closest in age, Robert, were both in London. The Census for Hornsey, Middlesex shows them boarding at Carlton Road in a house owned by a Scotsman, Donald Matheson. John, aged 19, was employed as an Accountant's Clerk, and Robert, 21, as a Shipping Clerk, though he obviously changed tack thereafter. It seems the eldest son, James, migrated to Australia some years before and was a police officer, reaching the rank of Sub-Inspector at West Maitland, New South Wales, before his death in 1915. Middle brother, George, appears to have gone out to India, and is recorded as having passed away at Dehra Dun in 1942. Another brother, Alexander, was still at home helping his elderly parents run the farm at Charlesfield, assisted by sisters Ann, Maggie and Jessie, all now in their 30s.
John's father died in 1903, and in the 1911 Census Alexander, by now married to Lizzie Lawrie Nichol, whose father was a local builder, and with two children, was managing the farm. Mrs Jessie Somervaille was still in the farmhouse with daughters Ann and Margaret, but passed away the following year. The English 1911 Census finds brothers Charles and Robert running Old Hall Farm, Crostwick, Norwich where they had been joined by sister Jessie, acting as housekeeper.
Brother William became a draper and clothier, and moved to London, where he set up a business at Coldharbour Lane, Camberwell. His wife was Helen Lawrie, daughter of James Lawrie, the village Blacksmith. In an interesting twist, his brother James' wife, Elisabeth Jane Ker, was a cousin of Helen Lawrie. In 1911 William had an assistant, Walter Davidson Henderson, working for him who was born at Mertoun. With that middle name, it is feasible he was a related, since Mrs Jessie Somervaille's maiden name was Davidson. The drapery business was still at the same address in 1941, although William and Helen were by then living in the suburbs at Shirley, Croyden.
Information from the Valuation Rolls suggests that after the death of Mrs Jessie Somervaille in 1912, Charlesfield must have been sold, as by 1915 Alexander was living at a house in Hamilton Place, St. Boswells, and ran a motor hire business from a premises adjacent to Ashfield, the house directly opposite the village smiddy. By 1925 he had left St. Boswells and in 1930 appears in rolls as proprietor of a garage in Aberdour in Fife. His son, Robert A Somervaille, continued to run the business after Alexander's death in 1936, at 2 Salisbury Villas. His spinster sisters, Ann and Jessie also died there in 1944 and 1950, so presumably had either gone to live with Alexander's family or inherited his house. Maggie also remained single and died at Southfield, St. Boswells in 1928.
By 1911 John had moved to lodgings at Ferme Road, Stroud Green, Hornsey, but still following the same empoyment. Interestingly all the other boarders were in similar posts, e.g. clerks, draughtsmen, solicitors etc, and amongst them was a young man named James Wood, aged 24, another local lad, a son of the St. Boswells butcher. As John was working in London for so many years, it is not surprising that he and his brother William, who lived closest, had a strong relationship, and it was William who was named executor of his will.
Military Background
It is not clear if John had enlisted earlier or was called up after conscription came into force at the beginning of 1916. He had only been in France a short time before he was reported missing on 9 October 1916.
The Battle of Le Transloy was the final offensive of the 4th Army of the British Expeditionary Force in the Battle of the Somme in 1916. The troops were unable to continue the sequential attacks by the Anglo-French armies achieved in September, because persistent rain, mist and fog grounded aircraft, turned the battlefield into a swamp and greatly increased the difficulty of transporting supplies to the front over the few roads in the area and the land that had been devastated since 1 July.
On 8 October, at 15.30 the London Rifle Brigade began its assault on Hazy Trench, its objective being the green line on the right MAP? containing Le Transloy. Hazy Trench was reached after dark and the Battalion had been able to capture 1 enemy machine gun and 17 prisoners, but the attack was not successful despite the presence of a newly arrived reserve Company. it was soon discovered that both flanks were exposed to enfilading fire and the Battalion had to return to its original trenches.
The main problem was the gun pits on the left flank not having been dealt with, as they were heavily occupied by machine guns which fired on the Battalion in the rear and flank, causing many casualties as a result.
During much of the next day the Battalion was heavily shelled, incurring further casualties. In the evening the Battalion was relieved by the 1st Royal Warwickshires of the 4th Division and the Battalion returned to trenches between Bernafay and Trones Wood.
It is uncertain if Rifleman Somervaille was killed during the assault on 8 October or in the barrage on the 9 October as we do not know which Company he belonged to. Total casualties on these two days were 44 killed, 143 wounded and 97 missing.
