Photo : Bacon
Newcastle Journal Saturday 12/01/1918
Medal Index Card
Reverend Robert Raggett
CWGC Headstone
In the St Andrews Jesmond Cemetery is a family headstone with the following inscription:-
'In loving memory of Robert Raggett, M.A. priest, born July 15th 1857, died Jan 17th 1912 aged 54 years. R.I.P. "Come unto me all that travail and are heavy laden. Also Elizabeth Hewson Raggett, widow of the above who entered her rest Sep 7th 1919, aged 69.
(Side): Also Bertram Robert Raggett, who gave his life for King and Country Jan 5th 1918, aged 27 and was buried at Lyssenthoek Military Cemetery Poperinghe. Greater love hath no man than this. R.I.P.'
Bertram Robert Raggett was born at 15 Fenwicks Terrace, Preston, Northumberland, on the 5th August 1890, the eldest son of five children to the Reverend Robert Raggett, M.A., born 15th July 1857, Maidstone, Kent and his wife Elizabeth Hewson, [nee Crawford], born at 1 Northumberland Place, Tynemouth, on the 8th December 1859, baptised 3rd February 1860, [daughter of Thomas Crawford, a solicitor, and Ann Isabella nee Hewson, Crawford, {she was the daughter of Shellat Hewson, a well known shipowner}, married at Christ Church 9th June 1857]. She died 7th September 1919.
Robert and Elizabeth were married on the 18th October 1887, at Christ Church North Shields. [Robert was residing at Albion Road, North Shields, and Elizabeth was residing at 1 Northumberland Place, Roberts father was a Railway District Inspector].
The other children were Shallett Hewson Raggett, born 25th December 1892, Annie Luciania, born 1896, John Lawrence, born 14th August 1903, died 1996, [in 1939 was residing at 51 Loose Road, Maidstone, Kent with his wife, Sadie, born 1st August 1907] and Gilbert Edward born 8th January 1906, [in 1939 was residing at 141 Second Avenue, Dagenham, with his wife Emily D. born 15th March 1905].
Robert's younger brother Shallett Hewson Raggett, also served in the Army, but survived the war, he was killed on the 6th October 1940 from the bombing in the Blitz in World War 2.
In 1891 Robert and his family were still residing at 15 Fenwick Terrace, North Shields, his father was educated at Maidstone Grammar School, then went to Oxford , where he studied to be a priest. He took his B.A. in 1884 and his M.A. two years later. Robert was ordained a deacon in 1884 then a priest in 1885, he became curate of Tynemouth in 1884 to 1890, then curate in charge at St Faiths Mission Church 1891 to 1892 at North Shields, then vicar of St Luke's from 1892, [due to the partitioning of the old St Andrew's parish in Newcastle-upon-Tyne], in Spital Tongues, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. He died 17th January 1912.
Bertram came to St John’s in September 1901 as a Foundationer, which entitled him to free tuition and board until he reached the age of 16. During his time at the School, Bertram won a number of School prizes. In 1905, he won the Lower Fifth Form Prize, the Senior Drawing Prize and the Cambridge Local Prize. He passed the Oxford and Cambridge School Examinations Board Lower Certificate in 1906, with First Class in arithmetic and additional mathematics. Bertram left St John’s in the summer of 1906 and went up to Durham University, where he attended Armstrong College. He took a BSc in Mechanical Engineering, passing with First Class Honours in 1909 before he had reached his nineteenth birthday, a remarkable achievement. It is also of interest to note that he joined the University’s Officer Training Corps following its formation in 1908, and served for two years and 1 term.
In 1901 the family were now residing at 6 Claremont Terrace, St Luke's Vicarage, where Robert's father was now a Vicar of St Luke's Church, Spital Tongues, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
Bertram was an apprentice at Parsons Turbine Works in 1911, then located at Shields Road, Heaton.
He was also a member of the Church Lads Brigade of St Gabriel's at Heaton, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
Newcastle Journal 16/05/1911
In a Furious Hurry
Motorist Fined at Shields.
Robert Bertram Raggett, a young man, of St. Luke's Vicarage, Claremont Terrace, Newcastle, was charged at the South Shields Police Court, today, with having ridden a motor bicycle in a manner dangerous to the public in Green Street on Sunday May 7th.
Defendant said that he "was in a furious hurry" at the time and, and might have ridden at a furious pace, but said he had the machine under perfect control, and could have pulled up within six yards.
He was fined 10s and costs.
On the 17th June 1912, Bertram's father died at 'Wymering' Buckland Road, Maidstone Kent where he was recuperating after a long illness.
In December 1913, Bertram started to be employed by the North Eastern Railway Company at Gateshead Fitting works as a Locomotive Fitter.
Bertram enlisted on the 6th August 1914 at Chatham, and arrived in France on the 16th August 1914, as a Motor dispatch rider. He was 24 years old and 2 days, 5 feet 10 inches, 156 lbs, Fresh Complexion, Hazel Eyes and Light Brown Hair and a 1 inch scar over his left eye. Trade was given as Engineer. He was residing at 1 Claremont Terrace, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, then because he had his own motorbike, he was promoted corporal on the same day as he enlisted, service number 28030, and was posted to the Motor Cyclist Section of the 2nd Signal Company, the Royal Engineers. This company was part of the 2nd Infantry Division. And on the 16th August 1914 he embarked for France on board the SS Karnak ship nu 123991, at Southampton, disembarking at Rouen on the 17th August.
The 2nd Signal Company arrived on the 20th August at 11am Wassingny. Orders to march to Maroilles. From the 19th November 1914 to the 30th the 2nd Signal Company is now based at Hazebrouck.
Bertram had written some letters to his parents:-
Newcastle Journal 20/10/1914
DESPATCH RIDERS AT THE FRONT.
NEWCASTLE MEN'S LETTERS
Mr Bertram Raggett, a motor-cyclist dispatch rider attached to the 2nd Signal Company of the Royal Engineers, and a son of the late Vicar of St. Luke's, Newcastle, writing from the front to his mother, under date October 9, says:- We have been stationed here now for about three weeks, and fortunately, the weather has kept gloriously fine, though it is turning very cold. This halt has been a God-send to us all, as it has enabled supplies to find their way pretty regularly to us, whereas when we were on the march from day to day there was always some confusion and delay. We have thus been enabled to go over our motor-cycles and overhaul them, and we have been the thankful recipients of such useful things as clean shirts and socks, blankets, matches (which are very scare), and good English tobacco; but there is a considerable dearth of cigarettes. Fortunately, I have never been at a loss for a blanket, as I had one given to me some time ago by a French peasant, but an extra blanket is a great consideration these cold nights, and one can get quite a comfortable bed on straw, with two blankets and a great coat on top. Of course, we scarcely ever take our clothes off, and a bath is an unheard of accommodation, although I have personally had one quite recently, along with one or two of the other motor cyclists by dint of making a wood fire and borrowing a large tub. They feed us pretty well whilst at the halt. We generally get bacon for breakfast, fresh meat for dinner and tea and bread and jam in the evening. Milk and butter are unknown out here. The number of motor-cyclist dispatch riders with our headquarters have now been increased to fifteen, and we are a very happy crew. The work is very exciting and interesting, and I understand we are proving ourselves invaluable to the British Army in the establishment of the inter-communication which is essential to the co-operation of an organized army. There is no doubt about it that the British Army out here is doing wonderfully well. In spite of the apparent slowness of our movements, our men are making a very fine stand, and our fighting line is deeply entrenched to withstand the severest onslaught of the Germans. By the nature of things progress cannot be very rapid, since when you come to look at it this is the greatest battle that has ever been fought in history, and the fighting line is over 200 miles in length, which means that unless it advances in a body, or approximately as any small portion which advanced unduly would probably be cut off by the enemy. I am not exactly looking forward to winter out here, which is sure to be severe when it comes in earnest, but I am quite sure that we will all do ourselves as well as possible, and, after all what would we not do in order to keep this ghastly war out of our own country?'
Newcastle Journal Thursday, 14/01/1915:
'CYCLISTS' EXCITING TIMES.
Writing home to Newcastle, Private Bertram Raggett, son of the late Rev. R. Raggett of St Luke's, Spital Tongues, says:-"We have been having a most exciting time lately. Wright and I have had the good fortune to be detailed to the 5th Brigade together for three days." Proceeding to describe the fighting the writer of the letter adds: "Shell after shell came pouncing in within a hundred yards of our house the whole day long, making the most frightful din and smoke. Added to this there was considerable firing in the trenches, and as the country is very flat about here, there were thousands of stray bullets flying over us as well, making themselves evident by their sharp whizz. Most of the fellows cleared out to the safer head-quarters' cottage, the Germans seeming to have got range of our little billet. A few others cleared down to the cellar, but Wright and I, feeling somehow pretty confident that the beggars would miss us, continued to sit in front of our wood fire, and tried to read the papers."Whilst we were sitting here there was an ominous crash, worse than any of the others, and we were both partially deafened for a moment or so. Then there was a clattering of lumps of earth and stones on the roof, raised by the bursting shell, but, strange to say, we escaped without a scratch or a burn. When we went to look we found a shell hole within ten yards of the house, eight feet in diameter and five feet deep, right in the centre of the road, and so, deeming discretion the better part of valour we all left the cottage, taking advantage of the next temporary lull in the firing, and it was found necessary to bridge the hole with a plank before we could get our machines to the other side. None of this is in the least exaggerated."
Newcastle Journal 14/01/1915
North Country Soldiers Experiences
How Christmas Was Spent
In an interesting letter to his mother, who lives at 1, Claremont Terrace, Newcastle, Corporal Raggett, a motor cyclist dispatch rider, writes:-
"I must write and tell you about our Christmas and New Year at the Front. You will remember, in the last letter I wrote to you before Christmas our division was resting at Mazebrouck (a fact which made it possible for me to visit you on five days' leave), and at the time of writing there seemed to be every possibility of our staying in that more or less civilized town over Christmas Day. Consequently, I had all my arrangements made re the cooking of the Christmas pudding, the procuring of a turkey, etc. Unfortunately, however, three days before Christmas Day, the division got orders to move into action again into another part of the fighting line. So we motor cyclists moved off early in the morning, and right up to Christmas Eve, whilst our Brigades were going into action, we had a lot of hard work to do keeping up the communications. During these nights the only billet we had was in a garage sleeping as best we could in our cars.
"Then on Christmas Eve, Wright and I were detailed to the ----- Brigade for a couple of days. We took with us all our blankets, and the eider-down, which keeps us so warm at nights, and which I have had for a long time now, and manage to carry about successfully, though bulky. We took the plum pudding and all the little knick-knacks you so kindly sent out from home.
A Christmas Eve Concert
"Arriving at the Brigade that evening we found the lads belonging to the Brigade Headquarters billeted in straw in a shanty, which appeared to be a sort of music-hall, in so much as it had a stage at one end, complete with scenery and foot-lights. One of the boys had quite a presentable concertina, and Christmas Eve was celebrated by a grand concert, in a rather crude style, but none the less enjoyable. The next day somehow felt indescribably like Christmas, although we were all far from home, and with the enemy being fairly silent the motor-cyclists only being used for really urgent messages (there were none), and a real spanking dinner, which I will refer to in a moment, it passed as well as Christmas Day could be expected to pass amidst the toils of war.
"As regards the dinner, I soon found that the civil population had not entirely quitted the village wherein we were situated, and even succeeded in find a butcher from whom I purchased a couple of pork chops. Then I hunted round and soon found a very decent little peasant woman, with a large family of girls and boys, who consented to boil my Christmas pudding for me and fry the chops, together with potatoes out of her back garden. She also undertook to give us broth and find some brandy for the pudding. So when dinner time came we sat down to the above together with Tangerine oranges and crackers. Christmas cakes and raisins, the table being illuminated by the coloured candles you sent. We gave the crackers to the children, and, altogether, we were a very happy party."
Bertram is appointed an Acting/Sergeant on the 10th September 1915. Then on the 9th October 1916, Bertram is transferred to the Dunstable Signal Depot. Eventually being discharged from the Royal Engineers on the 19th January 1917, because of his temporary appointment Commission.
He is admitted to an Officer Cadet Artillery Brigade on the 8th January 1916 at St John's Wood, NW.
On the 20th January 1917, ex cadet Raggett, Corporal Motor Cyclist Dispatch Rider was transferred to No 1 Royal Artillery Officer Cadet 'B' Reserve Brigade Royal Horse Artillery at St Johns Wood NW, with a view to obtaining a commission for the Royal Garrison Artillery. Whilst there he was made a mathematical lecturer at Cadet School. From Officer Cadet to 2nd Lieutenant on the 20th January 1917. He joined the 323 Siege Battery on the 20th February 1917, a unit of the Royal Garrison Artillery. Embarked at Southampton on the 28th April 1917, disembarked on the 29th at Harve. Then was sent on a 6 week Signalling course at II Army Signalling School at Zuytpeene from the 29th May 1917.
Bertram then was seconded to the 8th Heavy Artillery Group for signalling duties from the 15th July.
323 Siege Battery, consisted originally of 4 x 6 in Howitzers (26 cwt) and went out to France, on the 18th January 1917.
While he was part of this unit he was congratulated by Lieutenant- General Hunter-Weston, Commander of VIII Corps for restoring communications between his battery and a forward observation post, under heavy enemy fire on the 24th May 1917, a feat which required "not only pluck but very great skill."
Its recorded in a letter published in the school magazine The 'Johnian', April 1918 which reads:
R. R. RAGGETT
From Lieut-General Sir Aylmer Hunter- Weston, K.C.B , D.S.O., M.P., to 2nd Lieut. B. R. Raggett, R.G.A. (S.R.), 323rd Siege Battery, R.G.A. :—
"It is with great pleasure that I have received an excellent report on your conduct on May 24th, 1917. To establish so quickly, under intense gun fire, destroyed communications with your Battery's Observation Post and Fighting Post, which latter had been put out of action, was indeed a great feat, requiring not only pluck but very great skill. It was due to this that your Battery was enabled to continue the bombardment at an opportune moment."
(Signed) AYLMER HUNTER- WESTON, VIII. Corps, H.Q., Lieut.-General, 10th June, 1917. Com. VIII. Corps.
Then posted in to the R.F.C., on the 14th July 1917. Arriving on the 29th July. From the 4th August Bertram is sent on a months course on observing. On the 10th August 1917, he began training to be an observer with the Royal Flying Corps, gazetted a 2nd Lieutenant on the 10th August 1917. Then on the 30th August at Brooklands. Returning to France after a short course. Appointed Flying Officer, Observer on the 4th December 1917 with the 10th Squadron based at Abeele. The missions involved trying to spot the enemy flashes from their artillery guns, 'flash reece' often known as. On the 5th January with his pilot 2nd Lieutenant Ronald V. Garbett, they were on a 'flash recce' mission in a Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8. [Serial nu B320]. The accident report stated that the upper left wing of the aircraft broke away causing the aircraft to crash close to the airbase at Abeele. There were two bodies which were taken to the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery and lie next to each other.
Bertram was taken to the No 2 Canadian Casualty Station on the 5th January from the effects of a compound fracture of the skull and other severe injuries. He died of wounds.
By this time Bertrams mother was residing at 7 Claremont Terrace, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
There was a letter written by Bertram's commanding officer which reads. "He is the man in the squadron I can least spare, for I considered him the quite the best observer and one of the keenest officers I had, and the whole squadron will miss him for his continual good temper and energy. He was due to go on leave the day before, but offered to wait for a week, so that the next observer on the list, a married man, might go in his place."
His pilot wrote a letter :- "For the last two and a half months he was my observer and must have met his death on the day after I left France for England. I cannot say how much he will be missed for he was the most popular man in the Squadron and liked by everyone."
Bertram's personal effects consisted of 2 Notebooks, 1 Letter Case, 1 Cheque Book, 1 Advance Book, Photos, 1 Photo Case with Photo, 1 pair Eyeglasses in case, 1 Training Brigade Card and Letters cards and stamps etc. Also Wrist Watch and strap with glass missing, 2 Keys on ring with chain, 1 Safety pin brooch damaged, 1 Ring, 1 Pr Scissors, 10 R.G.A. Buttons, 2 Regt badges, 2 Metal Stars, 2 Cloth Stars, 1 RFC Badge, 12 Leather Buttons, 1 Piece of India Rubbing, 1 Paper Clip, 1 Collar and tie, were returned to his mother about the 25th January 1918.
Elizabeth Hewson Ragget died on the 7th September 1919 at 1 Claremont Terrace, after falling down the stairs early morning on the 25th August where she sustained a head injury. The Inquest concluded that death was due to shock following injuries due to the fall. Also Miss Raggett who gave evidence at the inquest also stated that her mother had failing health and the death of her son [Bertram] aggravated the illness.
Shields Daily News Tuesday 09/09/1919
'Sad Death of Mrs Raggett
Newcastle
Sequel To A Fall Downstairs
The death took place at her residence, 1 Claremont Terrace, Spital Tongues, Newcastle on Sunday night, of Mrs Elizabeth Hewson Raggett, widow of the late Rev. Robert Raggett, a former Vicar of St Luke's Church Spital Tongues. Mrs Raggett was a daughter of Mr Crawford of North Shields, and did good work there in the parish of St Faith where her husband was curate. She came with him to St Luke's Parish, Newcastle, where her husband was Vicar for (?0) years before his death in 1912. In her younger days Mrs Raggett was a keen tennis player. She is survived by three sons and a daughter. The funeral will take place at St Andrew's Cemetery on Thursday, and a service will be held in St Luke's Church at 2 o'clock. The same morning there will be a requiem at 7.30.
At the inquest last night, Miss [Annie Luciania], Raggett stated in evidence that Mrs Raggett had been in failing health for a considerable time, and the death of a soldier son in France last year aggravated her illness.
In the early hours of the morning of Aug. 25, witness was awakened by the sound of a heavy fall, followed by groans, and upon going downstairs, found deceased lying face downwards at the foot of a fifteen stair flight. Deceased was badly injured on the head, and although medically treated did not appear to improve, and remained in a semi-conscious state until her death on Sunday.
The jury found that death was due to shock following injuries during a fall.'
Elizabeth Hewson left £98 2s 6d in her will to Shallett Hewson Raggett lieutenant King's Own Royal Lancaster regiment dated the 25th August 1920.
Acknowledgement: Angela Conroy/Sally Dodds/James Pasby
Bertram Robert Ragget is remembered in Spital Tongues on S108.01 and S108.02, in Newcastle on NUT063, NUT087 and NUT263, in Heaton on H91.05 and H91.41 and at Durham in D47.151, page 79, also at York on the N.E.R., Memorial
