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The First Casualties Even before troops arrived on the Western Front, or other theatres of operations, the Regiment sustained fatalities. Both the 4th and 5th Battalions were sent to guard the Great Western Railway in August 1914 and a number of Territorial Force soldiers died whilst there. The very first fatality of the King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment in the First World War is Private James Hall. Private James Hall, 5th Battalion, King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment. Age 19 years, suicide at home at Pilling, Lancashire, 6th August 1914. Full details of the tragic story. 4th Battalion, King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment: The 4th Battalion were allocated a 30 mile section of the railway line from London Paddington to Twyford, with Headquarters established at Slough. From the 4th Battalion history "It was not to be expected that men fresh from the country, many of whom had never seen an express train before, could carry out these duties on a section of line such as the one for which the Battalion was responsible, without some casualties occurring. During the time the Battalion was employed on this duty several good men lost their lives in the service of their country, who would no doubt have preferably made the same sacrifice, had the opportunity been given them, against a more vulnerable fore than an express train." The fatalities below are shown in date order: Sergeant James Tindall, number 1005, 4th Battalion, King's Own
Royal Lancaster Regiment, died 17th August 1914 , struck by train at
London Paddington. Age 22. Lance Corporal Thomas Ward, number 1988, died 31st August
1914, 4th Battalion, King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment, accidentally
shot
at Slough. FATAL ACCIDENT TO LOCAL TERRITORIAL. Lance-Corporal Thomas Ward, of
Grange, was shot by a sentry about 9:20 pm on Monday, at a railway
bridge on the Great Western Railway, between Slough and Burnham Beeches.
He was in charge of the guard at the bridge in question and was taking a
look round before turning in. The sentry seeing someone coming, and not
knowing who it was, challenged three times, but got no response, and
then fired. The bullet passed through the stomach, just above the belt,
and stuck the bridge behind, death resulting in a few minutes. It is not
known whether deceased heard the sentry's challenge or not, but it is
thought possible that he thought someone on the road below was being
challenged. At the inquest Private Fred Benson of Broughton-in Cartmel
(the sentry) described how he challenged the lance-corporal and he
received no reply, and in consequence fired. A verdict of "Justifiable
homicide" was returned. The deceased was a native of Temple Sowerby, and
the interment* took place there on Thursday. The news of the tragedy was
received in Grange with great regret, deceased being a well known and
popular young man. He was in the employ of Dr. Lowther, of Fernleigh, as
a gardener, and was known as a capable and enthusiastic horticulturist. Private Harry Kendall, number 2280, 4th Battalion, King's Own
Royal Lancaster Regiment, died 9th September 1914, accidentally at
Slough. Age 18. Sergeant Leonard Overall Byng Atkinson, number 476, 4th
Battalion, King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment, died 18th September
1914, accidentally at Slough. Age 29. Private William Martindale, number 2161, 4th Battalion, King's
Own Royal Lancaster Regiment, died 26th September 1914, accidentally at
Slough. Corporal Thomas Bett, number 1993, 4th Battalion, King's Own
Royal Lancaster Regiment, died 17th October 1914, accidentally at
Slough. Private Charlie Keith, number 1856, 4th Battalion, King's Own
Royal Lancaster Regiment, died 21st October 1914, accidentally at
Slough. Private John Robert Singleton, number 1573, 4th Battalion,
King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment, died 19th November 1914 on railway
near Slough. Age 20. North Lancashire Territorial Killed 5th Battalion, King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment Private Albert Gordon, number 1817, 5th Battalion, King's Own
Royal Lancaster Regiment, died 29th August 1914, on railway near
Uffington, struck by train. Morecambe Territorial Killed Private Ernest Halton, number 1416, 5th Battalion, King's Own
Royal Lancaster Regiment, died 30th September 1914 on railway, struck by
train. Private James Walton, number 1091,
5th Battalion, King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment, died 30th September
1914 on railway, struck by train. Private John Huartson, number 1741, 5th Battalion, King's Own
Royal Lancaster Regiment, died 30th September 1914 on railway, struck by
train. Private Harold Snowden, number 1718, 5th Battalion, King's Own
Royal Lancaster Regiment, died 19th October 1914, accidentally killed on
railway.
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