Lieutenant C.J. Hart, The Sherwood Foresters

Lieutenant
CONWAY JOHN HART
16^th (Service) Battalion (Chatsworth Rifles)
The Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby) Regiment

Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Edward De Santis, MSCE, PE, MInstRE
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Figure 1. Lieutenant Conway John Hart.
(Photograph from the author’s collection)[1]

Tragedies of the Great War of 1914-1918. That is what I must name this narrative. It began as a tribute to the life and service of Lieutenant Hart and evolved also into a tribute to a family named Lilliman from Derbyshire and the tragedy that befell the family during the war.

Conway John Hart was born in Kensington, London on the 4^th of October 1883. He was the son of Rochester William Lee Hart (1852-1932), a Banker’s Clerk and Fanny Mary Hart, née Warren (1844-1898). Young Conway was baptized at St. Paul’s Church in Hammersmith, Middlesex on the 18^th of November 1883. His parents were living at 5 Sinclair Road in Hammersmith when he was baptized.

Figure 2. 5 Sinclair Road, Hammersmith, London.
(Photograph courtesy of Google Earth)

The 1891 Census of England shows the Hart family living at 3 Sinclair Road in Hammersmith. Other members of the family living at this address at the time included his father and mother, his sister Nora (10 years old), his brother Henry Rochester (5 years old),[2] an uncle and several boarders. Apparently the family moved two doors away from their previous residence because more room was needed for the family and boarders. Conway’s mother died in Hastings, Sussex on the 17^th of January 1898 when he was only 14 years old.

Figure 3. 3 Sinclair Road, Hammersmith, London.
(Photography courtesy of Google Earth)

In 1907 Conway was out on his own and living at 31 Victoria Road in Lambeth, London. He was living in a one-room furnished flat on the second floor of the building and was employed as an Underwriter, probably at his father’s bank. The 1911 Census of England shows Conway, aged 27, as a visitor at 25 Pulteney Road in Bath. This was the household of a widow by the name of Constance Georgina Fielding, (51), her bachelor son Edward Fleming Fielding (31), a solicitor, and her married daughter Georgina Maud Bessie Karney (28) along with Georgina Maud’s one-year old son Gilbert Henry Peter Karney. The household employed three domestic servants. As shown in Figure 4 below, 25 Pulteney Road was a rather large, luxurious home. Conway may have been visiting a friend at this address or perhaps he was engaged in an assignment for his bank.

In August of 1914 when the Great War began, Conway John Hart was 30 years old. Hart applied for and received a commission as a Temporary 2^nd Lieutenant in the 16^th (Service) Battalion of The Sherwood Foresters on the 18^th of October 1915,[3] just after his 32^nd birthday and a little over a year and two months after the Great War started. One wonders what prompted him to apply for a commission. Did he feel the need to do his bit for the war effort? Was he afraid of being called a shirker or a slacker by not serving? His motivation is not known. It is also curious that as a Londoner, born and bred, he would seek a commission in the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment. In any case, he and his battalion were mobilized for war on the 6^th of March 1916 and were immediately sent to France with the 39^th Division of Kitchener’s New Army.

The first action that his battalion took part in occurred on the 30^th of June 1916 at Richebourg l'Avoué. This was site of the Battle of the Boar's Head that owes its peculiar name to the shape of a network of trenches forming a salient. This battle aimed to distract the Germans and to make them believe that the Great Offensive would be launched in Richebourg and not in the Somme. Second Lieutenant Hart was wounded at Ferm Du Bois during this battle on the 12^th of July 1916. Apparently his wound was not severe as he was back with his battalion in October. He was promoted Lieutenant on the 22^nd of August 1916, perhaps during a period of convalescence from his wound.

The next action in which his unit participated was the Battle of Ancre Heights, which began on the 1^st of October 1916. This is the name given to the continuation of British attacks after the Battle of Thiepval Ridge from the 26^th to the 28^th of September during the Battle of the Somme. The battle was conducted from Courcelette near the Albert–Bapaume road, west to Thiepval on Bazentin Ridge. British possession of the heights would deprive the German 1st Army of observation towards Albert to the southwest and give the British observation north over the Ancre valley to the German positions around Beaumont-Hamel, Serre and Beaucourt.

Many small attacks were made during the battle, amid interruptions caused by frequent heavy rain, which turned the ground and roads into rivers of mud and grounded aircraft. German forces in footholds on the ridge, at the east end of Staufen Riegel (Regina Trench) and in the remaining parts of Schwaben-Feste (Schwaben Redoubt) to the north and Stuff Redoubt (Staufen-Feste) north-east of Thiepval, fought a costly defensive battle with numerous counter-attacks and attacks, which delayed the British capture of the heights for more than a month.

(Schwaben Redoubt is the network of trenches in the upper right of the photograph)

Lieutenant Hart’s final battle took place at the Schwaben Redoubt, a battle that involved many units and much hard fighting. The area to the right (east) of Schwaben Redoubt was attacked by the 53rd Brigade of the 18^th (Eastern) Division during the Battle of Thiepval Ridge during the 26^th to 28^th of September. The 8^th Suffolks captured Schwabengraben (Schwaben Trench) in a few minutes and after a ten-minute halt, advanced to Zollern Trench by 1:15 p.m., meeting troops of the 54^th Brigade north of Thiepval. The advance towards the redoubt was stopped after 250 yards, by small arms fire from the front and flanks and the troops retired after dark. Attempts on the left to bomb forward during the evening also failed. The 54^th Brigade was to capture the west end of Thiepval and advance about a half mile to Schwaben Redoubt. The battalion on the right captured the east end of Thiepval and the left hand battalion managed to get halfway through the west end of the village. A third battalion sent forward as a reinforcement, was severely bombarded by German artillery as it moved forward and the survivors dug in with the leading battalions, just ahead of the village on the right; the attack on Schwaben Redoubt was postponed.

On the 28^th of September, the 53rd Brigade formed up for a new attack on tapes facing northwest from Zollern Trench, with the left-hand battalion to capture the redoubt. The advance began at 1:00 p.m. and easily captured Bulgar Trench. The Midway Line held out for longer but the area east of the redoubt was approached by 2:30 p.m. On the left, the 7^th Queen's advanced on the redoubt, drifted to the left but managed to get into the southern face of the redoubt and take fifty prisoners. The battalion also managed to take the southwest corner, then attempted to attack to the north but was stopped and established a barricade. By 5:00 p.m., all of the south face had been captured and the troops were ordered to dig in. The capture of the south face of Schwaben Redoubt was observed by the crews of Royal Flying Corps contact patrols and artillery observation aircraft directed artillery-fire, which destroyed 16 gun pits, damaged fifteen and destroyed nine ammunition pits. Poor weather restricted flying on the 29^th of September but the next day was bright and low-flying sorties discovered that most of the Schwaben Redoubt had been captured.

On the 29^th of September the British positions in the redoubt had been consolidated and the 7^th Queen's relieved. On the following day, the 8^th East Surrey was counter-attacked and forced out of the redoubt, until a bayonet attack restored the position, but the west face was lost by the 7^th West Kents. At 4:00 p.m., the East Surreys attacked the northern face and took the objective but the attack up the west face was repulsed. A German counter-attack from the west at 9:00 p.m., forced the defenders of the north face back to the Stuff Trench junction. The 55^th Brigade in the Schwaben Redoubt, was attacked by at 5:15 a.m. on the 2^nd of October. The German attack gained a small area after a bombing fight had lasted all day. Both sides resumed bombing on the 4^th of October, with no advantage gained by either side. The following day the 8^th Norfolks tried a converging attack on the rest of the redoubt at 10:00 a.m., through deep mud which impeded movement and no ground was gained.

The 39^th Division took over from the 18^th Division on the 5^th of October and there were two relatively quiet days. Attacks by the Germans on the 117^th Brigade of the 39^th Division were made during the 7^th and 8^th of October. The German attacks were supported by Flammenwerfer (flame thrower) detachments and were repulsed by two battalions of the 117th Brigade, the 16^th and 17^th Sherwood Foresters, which stood their ground.

Figure 6. German Flammenwerfer Troops.
(Photograph from the author’s collection)

The time now came for Lieutenant Hart’s battalion to attempt to take the German positon on Schwaben Redoubt. At 4:30 a.m. on the 10^th of October 1916 the 16^th Battalion of The Sherwood Foresters made a surprise attack over open ground on the northern face beyond the crest of the redoubt. The attack was made over open ground as the trenches had filled with mud. Germans were waiting and repulsed the attack with the battalion suffering heavy losses.[4] Only the right company reached the trench. Lieutenant Hart was killed in action during this attack.

Lieutenant Hart was buried at Mill Road Cemetery in Thiepval, France, Plot 17, Row G, Grave 5. He also is commemorated on the Rosslyn Park Football Club Rugby Club War Memorial on Upper Richmond Road, Roehampton, London.

For his service during the war Lieutenant Hart was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal. The medals, along with a Memorial Plaque and Scroll (see APPENDIX A) were sent to his father at 24^D Victoria Road, Upper Norwood, London S.E. 19.

Figure 7. The British War Medal and Victory Medal.
(This photograph is from the author’s collection, but the medals are not those awarded to Lieutenant Hart for his service)

During the attack on the Schwaben Redoubt by the 16^th Battalion, three other officers were killed in action. They were:[5]

Ø Temporary 2^nd Lieutenant Alec Bayzand of the 19^th Battalion, attached to the 16^th Battalion. Commemorated on the THIEPVAL MEMORIAL Pier and Face 10 C, 10 D and 11 A.

Ø 2^nd Lieutenant Leslie Wentworth Godwin of the 3^rd Battalion, attached to the 16^th Battalion. His grave is at the CONNAUGHT CEMETERY, THIEPVAL, Plot X, Row L, Grave 1.

Ø 2^nd Lieutenant Claude Godfrey Loveday of the 2^nd Battalion, attached to the 16^th Battalion. He was the son of Harry and Dora Loveday, of 11, Colville Gardens, Notting Hill, London. Loveday was born at Hurstpierpoint, Hassocks, Sussex. He was 19 years old when he was killed. His grave is at the GUARDS' CEMETERY, LESBOEUFS VII. L. 4.

There were 57 Non-Commissioned Officers and Other Ranks of the regiment killed in the assault. Forty-three of the 57 were men of the 16^th (Service) Battalion. The remaining men were attached to the 16^th Battalion for the assault on the Schwaben Redoubt. The men killed that day included:

In addition to the men killed in action on the 10^th of October, one officer (11-10-1916), one Lance Corporal (12-10-1916) and one Private (13-10-1916) of the 16^th Battalion died of wounds on the dates shown. These men most likely were wounded during the attack on the Schwaben Redoubt. The officer was Temporary Lieutenant William Robert Alexander Lehfeldt, the son of Frederick Charles Lehfeldt (later Leyfield)[6] and Mary Eliza Lehfeldt of 40, Kensington Hall Gardens, London. Lieutenant Lehfeldt was 28 years old when he died. He is buried in the Etaples Military Cemetery, France. Plot 1. Row B. Grave 61.

If the deaths of all those mentioned above were not enough, the story of the Company Sergeant Major killed in the attack on the Schwaben Redoubt and the death of his two brothers in the war certainly adds tragedy to this story.

Robert Lilliman was born at Staveley, Derbyshire. He was the son of Henry and Hannah Lilliman of 143, Blake Street, Mansfield Woodhouse, Nottinghamshire and the husband of Lillian Francis Elizabeth Lilliman, of 53 Sherwood Street, Mansfield Woodhouse. He was a coal miner at Langwith Colliery, Derbyshire prior to enlisting at Mansfield on the 21^st of April 1915. He was appointed Lance Corporal on the 17^th of May 1915, promoted to Corporal on the 2^nd of June 1915, to Sergeant on the 25^th of June 1915 and to Colour Sergeant Major on the 24^th of August 1916. He went to France on the 6^th of March 1916 and was killed in action on the 10^th of October 1916 in the attack on Schwaben Redoubt, Thiepval, France during the Battle of the Somme while serving as the Company Sergeant Major of one of the companies of the 16^th (Service) Battalion. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France. Pier and Face 10 C, 10 D and 11 A along with 2^nd Lieutenant Alec Bayzand. He was the last of three brothers to die in the war.

His brothers Private Joseph Lilliman, 9th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby) Regiment and Private William Henry Lilliman, 2nd Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby) Regiment also fell in the Great War.

Private Joseph Lilliman served in the 9th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby) Regiment. He was born at Staveley, Derbyshire, the son of Henry and Hannah of 143, Blake Street, Mansfield Woodhouse, Nottinghamshire and was the husband of Alice Lilliman, Newcastle Street, Mansfield. He enlisted at Mansfield and landed at Gallipoli on the 7^th of August 1915. He was killed in action on the 9^th of August 1915 during the attack at Ismail Oglu Tepe (Chocolate Hill), Gallipoli, Turkey. He is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Turkey. Panel 150 to 152. He was the first of the Lilliman brothers to die.

Figure 8. 12833 Private Joseph Lilliman, 9^th Battalion, The Sherwood Foresters.

Private William Henry Lilliman served in the 2nd Battalion of The Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby) Regiment. He was born at Staveley, Derbyshire, the son of Henry and Hannah of 143, Blake Street, Mansfield Woodhouse, Nottinghamshire and was the husband of Florence Lilliman, of 145 Blake Street, Mansfield Woodhouse. He was a coal miner prior to enlisting at Mansfield. He went to France on the 20^th of July 1915 and was killed in action on the 5^th of October 1915, by German shellfire, prior to their attack on the trenches at Oder Houses, Potijze, Belgium. He is buried in Potijze Burial Ground Cemetery, Belgium. Row D1. Grave 6. He was the second of the Lilliman brothers to die.

So how did an historian who specializes in the history of the Royal Engineers get involved with a study of men in The Sherwood Foresters? It came about through a study of the life and military service of a Sapper officer by the name of Major Robert Cecil Lord, MC, R.E. I started work on Major Lord’s story back in 1979. While doing that work I found that Major Lord had left a pair of gold cuff links in his will to a Mrs. Barbara Harris of Upper Norwood, London, S.E. Lord’s will provided Mrs. Harris address so I wrote to her and received a reply from a friend of Mrs. Harris. Her friend indicated that Mrs. Harris was ill and could not help me directly with my request for information but that she, Mrs. Munzer, would do her best to answer my questions and attempt to find a photograph of Major Lord. Mrs. Munzer contacted me and told me that she had looked through many letters written to Mrs. Harris during the First World War but found none from Major Lord. She found only one photograph of a man in uniform and she sent it to me telling me that she could not identify the officer in the photo. She did tell me that she had read many letters in Mrs. Harris’ collection that were written on the letterhead stationery of the “16^th Battalion, The Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby) Regiment.” These letters were all signed “Conway.” Since by his cap badge the officer in the photograph obviously had served in The Sherwood Foresters and since the letters had been written on letterhead stationery of that regiment, it was not a leap to conclude that the officer’s name was Conway. Except I thought it was his last name! I searched numerous Army Lists for an officer named Conway in The Sherwood Foresters, all to no avail. It was not until I came upon the web site www.the-sherwood-foresters.co.uk that I found the identical photograph identified as Lieutenant Conway John Hart. So although the photograph had been acquired about 1980, it was not until 2020 that I was able to identify it due to the greater amount of information now available on the internet.

As I studied the Lieutenant Hart’s story I came across the story of Company Sergeant Major Lilliman and his two brothers, all killed in action in the Great War. Truly this is a tragic story, but one that was repeated many times in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland during that most devastating war.

Officers and Soldiers Died in the Great War.
Naval and Military Press, Uckfield, U.K.

[1] This studio photograph was taken by Adrian Harding in Godalming, Surrey. Adrian Francis Harding (1882-1968) was a well-known photographer in Godalming from c.1910-1939. See the Godalming Museum web site link.

[2] No evidence has been found to indicate that Henry Rochester Hart served in the Great War of 1914-1918.

[3] The London Gazette, 5 November 1915.

[4] Miles, W. (1992) [1938]. Military Operations, France and Belgium, 1916: 2nd July 1916 to the End of the Battles of the Somme. History of the Great War Based on Official Documents by Direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. II (facs. Repr. Imperial War Museum and Battery Press ed.). London: HMSO. ISBN 978-0-901627-76-6.

[5] Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

[6] It would appear that the Lehfeldts changed their Germanic name to Leyfield to avoid possible antagonism on the part of many in England during the Great War and during the period following the war. It would be most unfortunate if they were subjected to any such treatment after giving their son for King and Country.