Adinkerke Military Cemetery
Adinkerke Military Cemetery
Allendale Cottage Reading Room RoH
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Hutton Longstaff was born at Dipton, one of 8 surviving children, he was the 4th born of 5 sons, and had 2 elder and one younger sister. His father Richard William Longstaff of West Auckland born 1847, in 1871, was a boarder in the household of the Little family, he and their daughter Margaret Maria Little born 1849 at West Auckland, County Durham were married in 1871 and settled at Dipton where Richard William was employed as a coal miner. Son William was born in 1872, Sarah Elizabeth 1873, Margaret Jane 1875, John Golightly 1876, Richard 1878, Hutton 1880, Benjamin 1884 and Charlotte 1888.
In 1881 they were living at Old Rows, Collierley and had moved to 19, Allendale Cottages by 1891. Richard had been joined at the colliery by son William (18), John (14) and Richard, who was only 12 years of age, daughter Margaret worked from home as a dressmaker, Elizabeth remained at home assisting her mother while Hutton and the younger children with the exception of Charlotte (3) were scholars. Richard William Longstaff Snr died in 1895 at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, aged 48 years, his widow Margaret was supported by her sons until they themselves were married.
Hutton was married in 1902 in the district of Lanchester, to Isabella Armstrong born 1885 at Greencroft, County Durham and with whom he had 4 children, Charles Moore Longstaff born 1904, Margaret Jane 1907, in 1911 they were living at 33, Allendale Cottages, Hutton was employed as a deputy overman at the colliery, their sons William and George were born in 1913 and1915 respectively.
On the outbreak of war Hutton, along with his elder brother Robert William, was one of the first to enlist at Newcastle-upon-Tyne in September 1914 and was assigned as Private 1297 to the newly formed 16th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers raised by the Newcastle & Gateshead Chamber of Commerce, a Pals Battalion. They began training near home before concentrating in March 1915 in Shropshire at Frees Heath. During the winter months the camp became too wet and the battalion was transferred to Wensley and Richmond in Yorkshire and also trained at the firing ranges at Strenshall.
In August 1915 they moved for final training and firing practice to Codford on Salisbury Plain. Private Longstaff departed via Folkestone to France, November 22nd 1915, as part of the British Expeditionary Force attached to the 96th Brigade, 52nd Division, landing at Boulogne. Entrained at Boulogne all but C Coy who was sent to the 96th Brigade H.Q. at Le Plony, arrived at Domqueur then marched to Flixecourt arriving November 27th, then on to Bourdon and Cardonnette and finally arrived on the Amiens-Bapaume road via Albert. B & C Coy, who had rejoined the brigade, were sent to Dernancourt, A & D to Meaulte, three miles from the front line.
The 16th Battalion went into the front line trenches for instruction from the 54th Brigade, 18th Division, December 1st 1915, where it suffered its first casualty when a Private A. Wilson was wounded. They took over the front line December 8th after the 18th Division was withdrawn, they received a cheeky message from the German lines which simply said, “ hallo Northumberlands.” They spent the following months in and out of the front line trenches in the sector slowly making their way to the Somme where June 29th they were ordered to “stand fast” until the following day when they moved into battle position via Martinsart, Aveluy wood and Black Horse Bridge to relieve the 2nd Inniskillings at 2 a.m., there they waited until 7.30 a.m. when they went over the top in the opening Battle of Albert, July 1st- July 13th 1916. Of the entire battalion only 8 officers and 279 men survived the initial attack, July 14th they were relieved. The 16th Battalion did not participate in any other major battle on the Somme but was involved in the sector in day to day trench warfare. During 1917 they were involved in operation on the Ancre and the pursuit of the Germans to the Hindenburg Line.
Wounded in the line of duty August 8th 1917, gunshot wounds to the abdomen, left thigh and right leg he was evacuated by Field Ambulance back through the lines to the 1st Canadian Casualty Clearing Station. Private 16/1279 Hutton Longstaff Northumberland Fusiliers succumbed to wounds sustained August 15th 1917 and was interred the following day at Adinkerke Military Cemetery, West Vlaanderen, Belgium, grave B 1. He was 37 years of age.
His widow Isabella received money owed to him by the Army, a pension for herself and their children and his awards of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. Charles Moore Longstaff married in 1923, district of Chester-le-Street, to Selina Christie, he died aged 58 years in 1962, Margaret Jane Longstaff married in 1949 to John Lumsden, George Longstaff born June 21st 1915 died in 1982 aged 63 years, all registered in the district of County Durham, details regards William unknown.
Hutton’s mother Margaret Maria Longstaff nee Little died in 1921 aged 72 years, registered in the district of Lanchester, County Durham.
Two of Hutton’s brothers also perished during the Great War, John Golightly Longstaff died of wounds at the hospital centre, Etaples, France, April 9th 1916, and Richard William Longstaff was declared to presumed to have died April 2nd 1918 in France.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Acknowledgments: Jean McMillan
Hutton Longstaff is remembered in Medomsley on M36.01 M36.04
