Photo of Sub Lieutenant Warren Barclay

Friendly chat, questions, reviews, find old friends or relatives. Not limited to Sydenham only issues but keep it civil!
Post Reply
Guest
Posts: 43
Joined: 28 Sep 2004 09:11

Photo of Sub Lieutenant Warren Barclay

Post by Guest »

I wonder if anyone can assist me - I'm trying to find a photo of Sub Lieutenant Warren Barclay (RND) who lived prior to 1915 at 'Wapella' 26 Silverdale, Sysdenham. He recieved a Military Cross from the King at Aldershot in 1918. Can anyone help please?

Penny from New Zealand
Steve Grindlay
Posts: 606
Joined: 4 Oct 2004 05:07
Location: Upper Sydenham

Post by Steve Grindlay »

Unfortunately, I have no knowledge of any pictures of
Warren Barclay but I do have some information on him.

His parents, Henry James and Mary, lived in
Wapella, Byne Road, Sydenham in the early 1890s. By
1894 they had moved to 61 Silverdale and they were
still there in 1899. The 1901 census shows Henry and
his family living at Wapella, 32 Silverdale. Henry was
still living at that address in 1939, when he was 76.

Warren, the second of 4 children of Henry and Mary,
was born 18 Oct 1889. He attend Dulwich College
1903-1907. After leaving school he worked in the Gas,
Light and Coke Company (probably at Lower Sydenham)
until he enlisted. He was a Lt. in the
RNVR in 1914, and he was twice wounded.

I hope this is of some help/interest.

Steve
Guest
Posts: 43
Joined: 28 Sep 2004 09:11

Post by Guest »

In my deceased Grandfather's WW1 papers there is a letter, as I've
mentioned, from Sub Lieutenant Warren Barclay RNVR (Nelson Battalion) dated
29 May 1915 from the trenches on Sari Bahr - near Gaba Tepe. This letter
was written to my grandfather's parents in Dunedin, New Zealand. My
grandfather, Sergeant A W Johnson (No 2 Platoon, 4th Otago Coy, Otago
Infantry Battalion), was also present in Gallipoli at the time of the
letter, survived the war and became a member of the permanent army staff in
New Zealand.

I obtained some details on Warren Barclay from his personal file at the
Public Records Office, which informs that he was wounded/gassed, and
hospitalised in Greenwich (Oct 1915), Havre (March 1918), Connaught (June
1918) and Royal Victoria Netley (August 1918). At one point in the PRO
record it states "4/9/15 - 6.10.15 Unfit and directed (by MDG?) to proceed
to Seamus(?) Hosp Greenwich for bacteriological examine to determine if he
is a typhoid carrier." He was demobilised on 26 June 1919.

Some of the PRO record, brief that it is, is also very difficult to read in
places. Here is a summary of his career as far as I can make it out:

He joined the RNVR in Oct 1914 when he was posted to HMS Victory at
Portsmouth, which was a depot and the name of the shore establishment, by
the famous ship. He was then posted to the Royal Naval Division, which
means there was no vacancy on a ship for him, and he joined the Nelson
Battalion. There were eight battalions in the division all named after
famous admirals - Anson, Benbow, Collingwood, Drake, Hawke, Hood, Howe and
Nelson. The Royal Naval Division began to move to a new camp at Blandford
Camp in Dorset, a peacetime army camp, at the end of 1914 and had all
assembled there by 28 January 1915.

He first appears in the Navy List as a temporary commission in the rank of
Sub-Lieutenant (the first after Midshipman) with seniority on 7 Oct 1914,
which would be the date of his commission.

He was promoted Lieutenant, temporarily unattached, on 23 July 1915 and was
at the Royal Naval Division Camp at Blandford. The RND were employed in
making a diversionary demonstration in the Gulf of Saros. They fought in
the Gallipoli battles of May and June and had heavy losses and left
Gallipoli on 8/9 Sep 1915.

The Nelson Battalion landed on Z Beach at 8.00 pm on 29th April 1915. They
were first placed in reserve but were later moved up to reinforce the front
line troops. They re-embarked at 11.45 pm on 13 May 1915.

They landed at Y Beach off Cape Helles at 10.30 am on 14 May 1915 and were
placed in general reserve. Having moved up they were relieved from the
trenches by the Royal Marine battalion at 6.00 am on 26 May 1915.

On 4th June 1915 they left to join the Manchester Regiment HQ at 2.00 pm and
arrived at 9.30 pm when they were ordered to dig in.

Warren Barclay left Gallipoli, wounded or sick, and went to Malta where he
left for England on the Hospital Ship Galeka on the 28th August 1915
arriving in England on the 3rd September 1915. I think he must have been
sick because he was examined and found to be unfit for service, posted as a
formality back to HMS Victory and sent to hospital at Greenwich.

In October 1916 he is listed as Lieutenant RNVR 3rd Reserve Battalion 63rd
Division (which is what the RND became) at Blandford Camp.

In January 1917 he is listed as Lieutenant RNVR with the "Hood" Battalion.
The Hood Battalion was the 7th Battalion in 2nd Royal Naval Brigade, 63rd
Division.

He was awarded the MC for gallantry and distinguished service in the field
in France as outlined in the Supplement to the London Gazette, dated 25
April 1918 re Warren Barclay's military cross pages 4994 / 4995. It reads:

"T./ Lt Warren Barclay RNVR

For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty as battalion intelligence
officer. He marked out the assembly position for a counter-attack. He then
went forward to reconnoitre. One of his scouts having been wounded, he sent
the other to help him, and though himself badly wounded, pushed forward and
assisted in organising an attack."

The Divisional History (188th Brigade) gives further details of this event.

The King presented Warren Barclay the military cross at Aldershot and I
thought that perhaps this event might have been covered by whoever the local
journalist/photographer was at the time - hence my question about a
photograph. As Warren Barclay lived at 'Wapella' 26 Silverdale, Sydenham I
thought that someone there might have featured a story about his wartime
accomplishments that I could obtain a copy of.

Warren Barclay did my grandfather's family a great act of kindness in May
1915 from Gallipoli hence my interest.

As a keen genealogist, working on my family history, I'd love to get a photo
/ further information regarding Warren Barclay if you or your readers have
any more to share that is.

Thank you again for your assistance.

Penny from New Zealand
michaelbarclay
Posts: 1
Joined: 10 Oct 2011 16:35
Location: u.k

Re: Photo of Sub Lieutenant Warren Barclay

Post by michaelbarclay »

I have jusr seen the various messages posted in 2004 concerning my father
Sub Lieut Warren Barclay.

I will be happy to send Penny in New Zealand photos of my father if I have an address to post them to. I am afraid I am somewhat inept in understanding how one surmounts privacy walls inherent in forum site exchanges.

My father was evacuated from Gallipoli to Bighi Naval hospital with enteric fever.

More information can be culled about my father's life if one logs on to the site of The Great War Forum to which I have made a contribution.

Michael++
Post Reply