On the Helles Memorial Turkey Gallipoli, Çanakkale, Turkey, is the name of Lieutenant-Commander Wallace Moir Annand serving with the Collingwood Battalion, Royal Naval Division, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve who died 04/06/1915.

In Harton Cemetery is the family headstone of Wallace Moir Annand.

In Loving Memory of
Dora Elizabeth Annand
Died 26th July 1935
Aged 50 years

Lt Cmdr Wallace Moir Annand R.N.V.R.
Husband of the above
Killed in Gallipoli June 4th 1915
aged 27 years.

Wallace Moir Annand was born on Tuesday, 23rd August 1887, at 9 Challonder Terrace, South Shields, the fourth son of six children of Richard Cumming Annand, (born 24th June 1852, baptised 16th July 1852), and Margaret Annand (nee Young), (born 2nd September 1854, died 17th November 1944), of ‘Harton Lea’, South Shields. His father Richard Cumming Annand was Managing Director of the Northern Press and Engineering Co. Ltd, who died at 37 Woodville Road, Ealing, Middlesex, leaving £7096 16s 11d to his widow, on the 27th March 1921, aged 69. He was described in the “Gazette” as a native of Nether Kinmund in the parish of Longside, six miles inland from Peterhead. They were married on the 29th October 1878.

The other children were;-

• James Bruce Annand, born on 22nd November 1883, died 9th September 1967, [27003 Sergeant later promoted to Lieutenant, Canadian Highlanders gassed at Ypres], he married Katherine Symington, on the 7th July 1914, at Camlachie, Lambton, Canada.
• Robert Comyn Annan, born 1882, died 5th December 1938, [married Beatrice Emmeline Evans on the 28th August 1915],
• William Fraser Annan, born 20th September 1879,
• Allan Young Annand, (born 27th November 1890).
• Margaret ‘Marjory or Marjorie’ Sara Annand, born 15th February 1889, died 4th February 1972, cremated 10th February, she left £22485 effects. She was residing at Inglewood Green Lane, Crowborough Sussex when she died.

The father Richard Cumming Annand was a successful Managing Director and an inventor of printing machines, he had joined the Shields Gazette in 1882 with his brother James Bruce Annand. The family were residing at 9 Challoner Terrace West, but by 1901, Richard bought a large property in Harton village and called it ‘Harton Lea’. Moving in, in 1901.
Also in 1901, two sons Robert Comyn and William Fraser  were visiting their grand parents in Jersey,  John and Margaret Fraser at St Aubin, at Mount Cambiune La Valetta.

Wallace Moir Annand was educated at South Shields Boys’ High School, being admitted on the 5th May 1896. Residing at 9 Chalonder Terrace West, Westoe, South Shields in 1891. (Also in 1891, Margaret Annand, a grandmother born 1815, was also residing at this address with the rest of the family). In 1901 he was a visitor at 20 Queens Road, at Jesmond.

He was educated at the South Shields High School from the 5th May 1896 and he left school in July 1904 to go to Durham College of Science. He attended Armstrong College, Newcastle upon Tyne where he studied Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Engineering. He later became a Director in 1913, of the Northern Press Company, having represented it in South Africa and at home for some years. He had joined the Northumberland Fusiliers as a volunteer in 1904, and the R.N.V.R. (Tyneside Division), as a Midshipman on the 11th April 1907, at HMS Satellite, and was promoted to acting Sub-Lieutenant on the 5th May 1907. Promoted to Sub-Lieutenant on the 4th May 1908. Finally Lieutenant on the 15th June 1914. He had applied for a transfer to the motor Boat reserve, but there were no vacancies.

On the 10th January 1914, he married Dora ‘Bessie’ Elizabeth Chapman, at 2pm, (born 20th December 1884, died 26th July 1935), the third daughter, [one of eleven children], of Henry Chapman, ‘Seacroft’, South Shields, {he himself was the son of Robert Chapman JP, a Draper in South Shields}, at St Michaels Church, Westoe, South Shields. Roy Annand, brother to William was the best man, and Margaret ‘Marjery’ Sara was one of the bridesmaids.

Henry Chapman J.P. started a Chartered Accountancy practice and a building society. [Henry and wife Dora had seven sons, {one of whom, Frederick Ernest Chapman, was an England international rugby player, another son, Major Charles Lancelot Chapman, was killed in action on the 22nd August 1917 and is buried in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Poperinge, Belgium}, and four daughters, one who died in WW1 Marion Dorothy Chapman].

On the 15th January 1910, Robert Chapman and his wife left Liverpool, on board the SS Campania, ship number 102086, arriving at New York on the 23rd January going on to Canada to visit their son Dr Annand at Inglewood County. Robert was described as 6 feet, grey hair, brown eyes, with a fair complexion. They returned back to Liverpool from New York on the 28th February 1910, on board the SS Baltic, ship number 118101.

Wallace and Dora ‘Bessie’ were residing at ‘Highfield’ Harton, South Shields in 1914.

William was appointed treasurer of the Tennis section of the South Shields Cricket club in February 1914, and his wife appointed ladies captain for the South Shields Cricket Club. In July 1914, Wallace competed in the 25th South Shields Tennis Tournament at South Shields Cricket Club, for the Westoe Single cup in the gentleman’s singles. He was drawn against a R.W. Leamon. On the 3rd August 1914, Wallace had to pull out due to war being declared. A meeting was held at the Golden Lion Hotel to discuss the Finances of the South Shields Cricket Club on the 13th February 1915. Wallace and his wife both attended. Dora ‘Bessie’ and Wallace had one son, Richard Wallace Chapman Annand, VC., born at ‘Highfield’, November 5th 1914. Dora ‘Bessie’ was residing at 43 Horsley Hill Road, South Shields, in 1935, but died at the ‘Retreat’ in York on the 26th July 1935. She left effects of £2980 8s 8d to her son, Richard Wallace Chapman, a bank clerk.

Wallace originally was in the 3rd Battalion, but after August 1914, large number of men were recruited, and this created a huge burden on the Crystal Palace depot which had opened in September 1914. They eventually formed 2 brigades, The 1st Brigade, consisting of 4 battalions, Drake, Hawke, Benbow and the Collingwood, who were based at Walmer, the 2nd Brigade were at Betteshanger, Nelson, Howe, Hood and Anson Battalions.

On the 15th June 1914, Wallace was promoted to rank of Lieutenant and was now attached to the Collingwood Battalion, Royal Naval Division at Crystal Palace. He was appointed Adjutant on the 28th January 1915. And was gazetted as a Temporary Lieutenant Commander on the 8th May 1915, prior to leaving camp at Blandford where he had been training with his Battalion from January 1915. On the 29th January the battalion received its orders to go overseas. On the 10th May, the Battalion left Blandford on trains for Devonport on board the SS Ivernia, ship number 110643. They reached the island of Lemnos on the 20th May. The Collingwood Battalion with the Hawke and Benbow arrived on the 28/29th May on the peninsula. The Collingwood Battalion joined the 2nd Brigade.

The plan was a direct frontal assault on the whole Turkish forward position. The Naval Division were going to attack with the Howe, Hood and Anson Battalions to attack the first two front line trenches and the redoubt on the right of the brigade boundary, and the assault on the third Turkish line to be carries out by ‘A’ ‘B’ and ‘D’ Companies of the Collingwood Battalion. ‘C’ Company were in reserve. Next to the Anson (on the right of the brigade were the French Colonial troops and next to the Howe {on the left} the Manchester Brigade of the 42nd Division).

The attack was timed for noon. At 11.30 the artillery bombardment was resumed, at 12 noon the Howe, Hood and Anson advanced to the assault. The Turkish fire was ferocious, within the first seconds half of the officers were hit, and half of the men managed to reach the Turkish front line. It was unoccupied. The Anson battalion without stopping stormed the Redoubt in the second Turkish line. 20 officers left with 300 men to hold 800 yards of the line, The Collingwood battalion began their advance, from the Turkish left, on the Kereves Dere Ridge, a ferocious fire broke out, and the Collingwood battalion was decimated over half of the battalion were casualties in this advance including Commander Spearman, R.N. and his adjutant Lieutenant-Commander Annand R.N.V.R. who were killed in the opening moments of the attack.

Wallace Moir Annand was killed near Achi Baba, Gallipoli, in the 3rd Battle of Krithia, Wallace was buried on the battlefield.

From the official History. Royal Naval Division.
At 12 noon the Howe, Hood and Anson Battalions (from left to right) attacked, however within a matter of seconds more than half the officers of the 2nd Naval Brigade were hit. Seen through field-glasses (by Sir Ian Hamilton), it was an orderly and dashing advance but in the captured trenches themselves the impression was far different. There was an ominous inactivity on the right of the line, where the Turks could be seen in force in their original trenches. There was a still more ominous volume of fire pouring in on the trenches which had been captured. The first wave of the RND battalions had succeeded in capturing the second line of Turkish trenches, sustaining terrible casualties, with only half the officers (some twenty) and about three hundred men reaching their objective. The Collingwoods (minus ‘C’ Company, which was held in Brigade Reserve), advancing alone some fifteen minutes after the first wave had gone in, with no support to their immediate right or protection from the ensuing enfilade fire, suffered a substantially worse fate.

The War Diary.
“3rd June Received order for general attack on 4th Issued RND Order No 12
4th June 2nd Bde relieved 1st Bde in trenches Drake Bn and Cyclist Company in close support in reserve trenches. Drake Bn in Dinl Reserve near BACKHOWSE POST
For the attack on Turkish line 2nd Bde was disposed ANSON BN on right HOOD BN in Centre HOWE Bn on left. Collingwood Bn in support. RM Bde and 1st Bde (? Drake Bn) in Corps Reserve the former at bivouac square 168T8 the latter on forward slope of spur N of Hill 138.
8 – 12 noon artillery bombardment was carried out
12 noon 1st line (900 strong of ANSON HOOD AND HOWE dashed from our trenches for the assault
12.5pm ANSON BN captured S face of redoubt opposite RND right flank which was about 200 yards distant.
12.15p.m HOOD and HOWE capture Turkish trenches opposite to them.
The support line COLLINGWOOD BN (500) was launched as soon as ANSON BN had captured S face of redoubt.
12.25 Consolidating part (300) Collingwood BN advanced. Meanwhile the French on the immediate right of the RND who were to have advanced simultaneously with them against the (?) of the S face of the redoubt did not do so.
12.45 One Company Drake Bn sent forward from reserve to reinforce ANSON Bn.
12.47 Message sent to Genl Baillew Commanding nd French Division informing him the RND right was much exposedd asking him to push forward and get contact
12.50 RND right flank was forced back from the redoubt being open to very heavy enfilade fire and have suffered severe losses. This in turn exposed the centre and left to severe enfilade fire and the position became untenable and the Turkish trenches had to be abandoned after severe losses.
1.15p.m Signal Army Corps for another BN from Corps Reserve.
1.20 Drake Bn ordered to move up to attack redoubt after artillery preparation. Attack to start at 1.45 was deferred to 215pm Drake Bn was absorbed into RND 1st line
The artillery support asked for from French guns did not take place.”
Source: RND General Staff Diary

They had arrived at Gallipoli a mere six days earlier and were wiped out in less than thirty minutes, 185 men being killed that day, with between 15 and 20 dying of their wounds on subsequent days. At least seventeen of these men came from South Shields. There were also approximately 400 wounded, leaving only about another c. 400 still available for further active service. An eyewitness recalled that their bodies looked like ‘dead leaves in autumn’. The Collingwood Battalion was brought out of the line by Chief Petty Officer William Carnall from South Shields who was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for his actions that day and later promoted to sub-lieutenant and posted to the Hood Battalion. There were so few left that it was clearly impractical to even begin to think of attempting to reconstitute the battalion, the survivors being later amalgamated with the other battalions. At 12 noon the assaulting RND force had consisted roughly of seventy officers and 1,900 men, almost a third of the officers and half the men belonging to the Collingwood Battalion; by 12.45 pm. there returned to the original British front-line only five officers and 950 men. Other than its involvement in the débâcle at Antwerp, this single half-hour action constituted the Collingwood Battalion’s war! Among the fallen were Lieutenant-Commander Wallace Moir Annand, the Adjutant of the Collingwood Battalion.

In 1939, Wallace’s mother Margaret, was widowed and incapacitated was residing at 7 St Andrews Road, Coventry, with her son William Fraser Annand who was a Medical Practitioner, daughter Margaret Sara Annand and a Robert D. Annnad, (born 6th May 1910, died 31st August 1949). Margaret Annand the mother had moved to Coventry after 1921, then residing at Clive House, Warwick Road, Coventry. Her Daughter Margaret Sara, left Montreal in Canada, on the 29th March 1923, on board the SS Makura, ship number 127802, on her way back to England stating her address as Coventry. On the 20th May 1923 she arrived at Liverpool, via Quebec and Montreal onboard the R.M.S. Montrose, ship number 145919, with her mother Margaret, aged 66, and a Hamish B. Annand. Aged 22. The mother Margaret died on the 17th November 1944 and left effects of £1066 17s 1d to William Fraser Annand and Margaret Sara Annand. She died at Coventry.

Wallace was the father of Captain Richard Wallace Annand, 2nd Battalion Durham Light V.C. D.L. (5th November 1914 – 24th December 2004) who was the first recipient of the Victoria Cross in the British Army in WW2, (15/16th May 1940).

Sources: De Ruvigny Roll of Honour; Mike Todd; Peter Hoy; James Pasby; The British Newspaper Archive; IWM; The Bugle; South Shields Local History; Ann Sharp; The James Hoy Archive; The Western Front Association; The Long Long Trail; The National Archives;

Wallace Moir Annand is remembered at Durham in D47.151, page 3,  at Harton on H104.06, at Newcastle on NUT063, NUT263, and at South Shields on S86.027, S86.086, S86.137.