Life story: Ben Howarth | Lives of the First World War

Timeline

1882

birth Oldham, Lancashire United Kingdom Source:9589501 20th September 1882

1907

marriage Esther Ann Howarth nee Lomax Source:9589518 1st July 1907

1907

marriage Esther Ann Howarth nee Lomax Source:9590097 1st July 1907

1907

children Collinge Jackson Howarth Source:9589518 1907

1907

children Collinge Jackson Howarth Source:9590097 1907

1907

location 115 Crompton St, Coldhurst, Oldham, Lancs. United Kingdom their own address Source:9590097 1907 - 1959

1911

children Edith Howarth Source:9589518 26th April 1911

1911

children Edith Howarth Source:9590097 26th April 1911

1916

enlistment Oldham, Lancs United Kingdom Source:9590097 15th September 1916

1916

service British Army Driver 171680 Royal Field Artillery 31 Divisional Ammunition Column Source:9590047 15th September 1916 - 3rd August 1917

1916

hospitalisation Broke down in health Hospital/Institution Source:9590097 December 1916 - December 1916

1917

theatres France & Belgium: 1a Source:9590097 27th March 1917 - 23rd May 1917

1917

hospitalisation PUO Pyrexia of Unknown Origin - Fever Hospital/Institution Source:9590097 10th May 1917 - 24th May 1917

1917

hospitalisation Myalgia muscular pains Hospital/Institution Source:9590097 25th May 1917

1917

service British Army Driver 171680 Royal Field Artillery 3rd Reserve Brigade, Newcastle Source:9590047 3rd August 1917 - 15th October 1917

1917

service British Army Driver 171680 Royal Field Artillery 31st Battery, Maryhill, Glasgow Source:9590047 16th October 1917 - 7th December 1917

1917

hospitalisation Disordered action of the heart Hospital/Institution Source:9590097 17th November 1917 - 7th December 1917

1918

discharge Source:9590181 14th December 1918

employment Coal merchant Self employed Oldham, Lancs United Kingdom Source:9590097

employment Insurance agent Scottish Legal Life Assurance Company Oldham United Kingdom Source:9590097

1938

death Not War Related Died suddenly of a heart attack. Oldham, Lancashire United Kingdom Source:9589518 24th February 1938

Details

Names

Type	Name
First Names	Ben
Initials	B
Last Name	Howarth
Source	1982383

Gender

Gender	Source
Male

Locations

Address	Country	Type	Date	Source
115 Crompton St, Coldhurst, Oldham, Lancs.	United Kingdom	their own address	1907 - 1959

Contribution

Military Service

Service	Number	Unit	Section	Rank
British Army	171680	Royal Field Artillery	31 Divisional Ammunition Column	Driver
British Army	171680	Royal Field Artillery	3rd Reserve Brigade, Newcastle	Driver
British Army	171680	Royal Field Artillery	31st Battery, Maryhill, Glasgow	Driver

Awards

Award	Type	Source
British War Medal	First World War Campaign/Service Medal
Victory Medal	First World War Campaign/Service Medal

Family

Children

Name	Relationship	Dates
Collinge Jackson Howarth	son	1907
Edith Howarth	daughter	26th April 1911
Collinge Jackson Howarth	son	1907
Edith Howarth	daughter	26th April 1911

Spouse

Name	Relationship	Dates	Source
Esther Ann Howarth nee Lomax	wife	1st July 1907
Esther Ann Howarth nee Lomax	wife	1st July 1907

Physical

Complexion	Eyes	Hair	Source
Fair fresh	Blue	Light brown auburn

Date	Height	Source
1916-09-16	5'5"

Religion

Date	Religion	Source
	Anglican - Church of Eng, Irl, Wales or other

Media

Ben Howarth

Photo taken early 1930s

Contributed by:
Anne154861
115 Crompton St, Coldhurst, Oldham, Lancs.

Home of Ben Howarth and his family from 1907

Contributed by:
Anne154861
Holy Trinity church, Coldhurst, Oldham, Lancs

Church where Ben Howarth married Esther Ann Lomax on 1 July 1907

Contributed by:
Anne154861
26 Eden Street, Coldhurst, Oldham, Lancs

Mid-terrace house where Ben Howarth was born on 20 September 1882 to parents George and Hannah Howarth.

Contributed by:
Anne154861
Ben Howarth's children

Harold Heyes (nephew of Ben Howarth), Collinge Jackson Howarth (son born 1907) and Edith Howarth (daughter) born 1911

Contributed by:
Anne154861
25 Union Street, Oldham, Lancs. (white building)

25 Union Street, Oldham, Lancs, was the premises of the Scottish Legal Life Assurance Society where Ben Howarth was employed as an insurance agent before war broke out.

Contributed by:
Anne154861
Battisfield Park, near Whitchurch, Shropshire

Ben Howarth was posted to D Battery No.2 Reserve Brigade Artillery, Royal Field Artillery on 18 September 1916

Contributed by:
Anne154861
Camblain l'Abbe near Arras, France, C.1910

Shows the square and main road of the village where Ben Howarth was billeted after being sent to France in March 1917. He was in the 31st Divisional Ammunition Column, Royal Field Artillery.

Contributed by:
Anne154861
Royal Artillery cap badge

Contributed by:
Anne154861
A Divisional Ammunition Column on the move

Each wagon carried shells for 18-pounder field guns. The wagon was pulled by six horses, each of the three horses on the left was ridden by a Driver. Ben Howarth was such a Driver as he had had experience of working with horses when he was a young man.

Contributed by:
Anne154861
Bandoleer

This Bandoleer held five rounds of .303 ammunition in five pouches. It was worn cross-wise on the upper body and issued to men who rode horses.

Contributed by:
Anne154861
Housewife

A housewife contained various pieces of kit including a cut-throat razor, knife, fork, spoon, string, shaving brush, brass plate for sliding over buttons when cleaning them

Contributed by:
Anne154861
Postcard of the Royal Field Artillery

Postcard typical of the time: a stirring poem about the RFA!

Contributed by:
Anne154861
Ammunition supply of a Division

Shows in diagrammatic form the 'route' of ammunition from the railhead to the guns.

Contributed by:
Anne154861
Signature of Lt Col Ostrorog, C/O 31 DAC

Signature of Lt Col Ostrorog, Commanding Officer of the 31 Divisional Ammunition Column as he signed the War Diaries showing daily movements of the 31 DAC

Contributed by:
Anne154861
Vimy Ridge Memorial

Huge Canadian memorial commemorating the battle of Vimy Ridge 9-14 April 1917 in which Ben Howarth took part as No.2 Section of the 31 Divisional Ammunition Column was attached to the Canadian forces in an effort to push the German back.

Contributed by:
Anne154861
Casualty form

Chronological listing of treatment Ben Howarth underwent after been taken sick and sent to 11 General Hospital, Camiers, 10 May 1917

Contributed by:
Anne154861
Princesse Elisabeth hospital ship

Princesse Elisabeth hospital ship bringing sick and wounded from France to England

Contributed by:
Anne154861
Hart House Hospital, Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset

View of front of Hart House converted into a Red Cross hospital in 1916.

Contributed by:
Anne154861
Fenham Barracks, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

Built in the Napoleonic period 100 years before the WWI, these barracks housed soldiers again.

Contributed by:
Anne154861
Maryhill Barracks, Glasgow

A bleak picture of the massive barracks and drill grounds

Contributed by:
Anne154861
Letter from Scottish Legal Life Assurance Company

23 October 1917 Letter from Scottish Legal Life Assurance Company to the C/O of 31 Reserve Battery at Maryhhill Barracks, Glasgow, stating they would be pleased to have Ben Howarth back in their employ when he is discharged from the army.

Contributed by:
Anne154861
Ben Howarth's Medal Index card

Shows Ben Howarth's name correctly, i.e Ben NOT Benjamin

Contributed by:
Anne154861
British War Medal and Victory Medal

British War Medal and Victory Medal - NOT Ben Howarth's medals have these have been lost or thrown away, probably in the late 1950s when his wife died and the house was cleared.

Contributed by:
Anne154861
Postcard: Letter home

A Royal Artillery soldier sits by his horse which is lying down while he is reading a letter. The two are obviously friends!

Contributed by:
Anne154861
Burial register Holy Trinity church

Entry in burial record of Holy Trinity church, Coldhurst, Oldham, Lancs

Contributed by:
Anne154861
Burial register

Burial register St Matthew's church, Chadderton, Oldham, Lancs

Contributed by:
Anne154861

Communities

This person is not linked to any communities.

Evidence

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Official Records

Title	Connected by	More information
Medal Index Card

External Evidence

Reference	Connected by	More information
Briitsh Army World War I Pension Records 1914-20	Anne154861
England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995	Anne154861
British Army World War I Service Records 1914-20	Anne154861

Multimedia

Title	Connected by	More information
Ben Howarth	Anne154861
115 Crompton St, Coldhurst, Oldham, Lancs.	Anne154861
Holy Trinity church, Coldhurst, Oldham, Lancs	Anne154861
26 Eden Street, Coldhurst, Oldham, Lancs	Anne154861
Ben Howarth's children	Anne154861
25 Union Street, Oldham, Lancs. (white building)	Anne154861
Battisfield Park, near Whitchurch, Shropshire	Anne154861
Camblain l'Abbe near Arras, France, C.1910	Anne154861
Royal Artillery cap badge	Anne154861
A Divisional Ammunition Column on the move	Anne154861
Bandoleer	Anne154861
Housewife	Anne154861
Postcard of the Royal Field Artillery	Anne154861
Ammunition supply of a Division	Anne154861
Signature of Lt Col Ostrorog, C/O 31 DAC	Anne154861
Vimy Ridge Memorial	Anne154861
Casualty form	Anne154861
Princesse Elisabeth hospital ship	Anne154861
Hart House Hospital, Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset	Anne154861
Fenham Barracks, Newcastle-upon-Tyne	Anne154861
Maryhill Barracks, Glasgow	Anne154861
Letter from Scottish Legal Life Assurance Company	Anne154861
Ben Howarth's Medal Index card	Anne154861
British War Medal and Victory Medal	Anne154861
Postcard: Letter home	Anne154861
Burial register Holy Trinity church	Anne154861
Burial register	Anne154861

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Timeline

1882

1907

1907

1907

1907

1907

1911

1911

1916

1916

1916

1917

1917

1917

1917

1917

1917

1918

1938

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We remember Ben Howarth