1885 - 1916
CPL David Wallace Crawford
1887 - 1916
Lce-Corpl John Joseph Nickle
1894 - 1916
Pte 17911 Morton Neill
1897 - 1916
Lieut Edward Stanley Ashcroft
1883 - 1918
Major John Hewitt Roxburgh (MC)
- Age: 23
- From: Liverpool
- Regiment: Machine Gun Corps
- Died on Wednesday 2nd October 1918
- Commemorated at: Hermies Hill Bc
Panel Ref: III.B.29
John Hewitt Roxburgh was born in Liverpool on 28th June 1895, the eldest son of Hugh Laughland Roxburgh, and his wife Ethel (nee Hewitt) of Crestalta, Reservoir Road, Prenton, Cheshire. His parents married on 03rd June 1893 at St Matthew's Church, Mossley Hill, Liverpool. His father was a cotton merchant.
The Census of 1901 finds the family living at 3 Albert Park Road South, Toxteth park, Liverpool. His father Hugh Laughland is a Cotton Broker born in Liverpool in 1866 whilst his mother Ethel was born in Collingham in 1871. John is 5 years old and his siblings are shown as; Sylvia L. b.1898, Caleb H. b.1900. Also present are two Aunt's Jane and Elizabeth and also 3 servants.
John was educated at Greenbank School and Clifton College, where he was a member of the O.T.C., and head of the School House Corps.
On the 1911 Census his family are living at "Crestalta", Resevoir Rd, Prenton. His father Hugh Laughland is a 45 year old cotton broker born in Liverpool, his mother Ethel is 40 and born in Hull. They have been married for 17 years and have had 4 children all born in Liverpool. Those at home at the time of the Census are shown as: Silvia Laughland 13 at school, Isabel Hart 11 at school, George Peason 8. They also have a cook, waitress and servant.
Before enlisting, John was set to go to Corpus Christi College, Cambridge (another newspaper report states Oxford).
It seems that John spent some time at Ladybrand, Orange Free State, South Africa as he is recorded on the WW1 Memorial in the town. Ladybrand is a small agricultural town in the Free State province of South Africa, situated 18 km from Maseru, the capital of Lesotho. Ladybrand is one of five towns that forms the Mantsopa Local Municipality. Founded in 1867 following the Basotho Wars, it was named after Lady (Catharina) Brand, the wife of the president of the Orange Free State, Johannes Brand. The settlement of Ladybrand was created by Voortrekkers to give them control over the territories conquered and captured after the above-mentioned Basotho war. In 1900, during the Second Anglo - Boer War, Ladybrand came under the control of the British.
It would appear from the description of the town that John must have assisted with the farming of the area.
He enlisted in Liverpool and appointed as 2nd Lieutenant in the 17th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment on 01st September 1914.
He was billeted at Prescot Watch Factory from 14th September 1914, he trained there and also at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 17th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. He arrived in France on 7th November 1915.
Hermies was seized on the morning of the 9th April 1917, by a surprise attack of the 2nd and 3rd Australian Infantry Battalions. It was held against the advancing Germans on the 22nd March 1918, by the 17th Division, but evacuated on the following day; and it was retaken in September 1918. It was later "adopted", with Havrincourt, by the County Borough of Huddersfield. The cemetery was begun in November 1917, and carried on by fighting units until March 1918, and further graves were added in the following September. These original burials comprise nearly the whole of Plot I; the remaining three Plots were added after the Armistice by the concentration of graves from a wide area round Hermies.
There are now over 1,000, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, nearly 300 are unidentified and special memorials are erected to 28 soldiers from the United Kingdom and 3 from Australia, known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials record the names of 6 soldiers from the United Kingdom, buried in two German Cemeteries, whose graves were destroyed by shell fire. The cemetery covers an area of 3,629 square metres and is enclosed by a brick wall.
His Commanding Officer wrote:
“His death was very unfortunate and tragic, he having only returned to billets, from the burial of a brother officer, when our area was shelled, with the result that your son was instantaneously killed. … He had only been with us a few weeks, during which time we had learned to love him, and we all miss him very much.”
His Brigadier wrote:
“He was one of the finest officers imaginable, and he will be a very real loss to the Army. … In spite of his age he was grand, and clearly showed that he was a born leader of men. Over and over again I had reason to be very thankful that he was with us, and he was the most charming lad to deal with – always keen, clear-headed and brave to a fault. We were all devoted to him, and so were his men, who held him in the greatest admiration. I feel I have lost a very great friend.”
A brother officer also wrote:
“He was respected, admired, and loved by us all. … He was an extraordinarily clever fellow, and the way he ran his command, in view of his age and experience, was little short of marvellous. He was wonderful.”
John was mentioned in Despatches (London Gazette, 9th April 1917) by F.M. Sir D. Haig, G.C.B., and was awarded the M.C. (London Gazette, 3rd August 1917 ) for gallant and distinguished service in the field.
In the Liverpool Daily Post on 12th October 1918:
“The death in action is announced of Major John Hewitt Roxburgh, M.C., of the Machine Gun Corps, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Hugh L. Roxburgh, of Prenton, Birkenhead, and grandson of Mr. George H. Hewitt, J.P., of Aigburth. Major Roxburgh, who was 23 years of age, joined the Liverpool “Pals” shortly after the outbreak of the war, and after completing his training was gazette second lieutenant. During his four years of military service, he has seen a great deal of fighting on the Western Front. He was looked upon as an officer of much promise, and earned rapid promotion to the rank of captain. Some time ago his services were rewarded by the bestowal of the Military Cross, and recently he was promoted to be major. He was killed on the 2nd inst., while taking part in the present offensive. Major Roxburgh was educated at Greenbank School and Clifton College, and was about to proceed to Oxford University when he joined the Forces.”
The Birkenhead News of 11th December 1920 featured an article concerning the unveiling of a War Memorial under the header:
John is commemorated on the following memorials:
St Paul's Presbyterian Church
St Stephen's Church, Prenton
Prenton Memorial
Ladybrand WW1 Memorial, Orange Free State South Africa
His mother died in the December quarter of 1928, aged 58.
His father died in the March quarter of 1951, aged 85.
Grateful thanks are extended to Kevin Jordan of Glenwood High School in South Africa for details of John's business in the area.
We currently have no further information on John Hewitt Roxburgh, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.
Killed On This Day.
(109 Years this day)Sunday 22nd April 1917.
Pte 52865 Hyman Barnett Gadansky
28 years old
(108 Years this day)
Monday 22nd April 1918.
Pte 136181 Edwin Williams
19 years old