In Anneux British Cemetery, France is the Commonwealth War Grave of Captain William Alexander Silvertop serving with the 20th Hussars Cavalry Division who died 27/11/1917.

He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. H. T. Silvertop.

Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-

William Alexander Silvertop was one of 4 children offspring of Henry Thomas Silvertop and Rachel Mary Josephine McDonnell.

His father Henry Thomas Silvertop was the eldest son of Henry Charles Silvertop and his first wife Eliza Storer. He had 3 younger full blood siblings, three half sisters and a half brother.

Henry Charles Silvertop, true birth surname, Englefield, was born October 12th 1896 in Paris, France, and was the son of Henry Englefield and Catherine Witham Silvertop. He changed his surname to Silvertop on his accession to the property of Minsteracres Hall, Northumberland, where at the age of 25 years he was living alone, listed as a land owner and assisted by a housekeeper, a footman, a housemaid and under-housemaid, a kitchen maid, coachman and groom. He employed a gardener who lived with his family at Garden Cottage.

Henry Charles Silvertop was married, Tuesday, August 24th 1852 in a private ceremony solemnised by the Rev. Thomas Witham of Lartington Hall, assisted by the Rev. Henry Birks, domestic chaplain, in the private chapel at Stonor Park, Oxfordshire, the family seat of the bride, the Honourable Eliza Stonor. Born February 23rd 1830 at her family seat, Stonor Park, Eliza was the 3rd daughter of Thomas Stonor, 3rd Lord Camoys and Lady Frances Towneley. 

After their marriage the couple settled at Minsteracres, Northumberland, although Henry Thomas Silvertop was born in London in 1853, their daughter Agnes Mary and son George Edward were born in Northumberland, in 1854 and 1856 respectively.

Eliza Silvertop nee Stoner died in Brighton, Sussex, July 24th 1860. Henry Charles Silvertop remarried in Marylebone, London, August 21st 1862 to Caroline Filomena Weld, born in 1844 at Lulworth Castle, Dorset, she was the daughter of Edward Joseph Weld and Ellen Caroline Wrey.

in 1881 Henry Charles and Caroline were residing at 157, Cromwell Road, Chelsea, London, with their children, who with the exception of Arthur Edward (3) were scholars and Henry Thomas Silvertop (27), Henry Charles’ eldest son from his first marriage, listed occupation, gentleman. 

Henry Thomas Silvertop was married, January 19th 1882, at Woodland, the residence of Lord O’Hagan by the Very Reverend P. Starkey, to Rachel Mary Josephine McDonnell, the only surviving daughter of Alexander McDonnell and  Margaret McMullen of Kilmore, Glens of Antrim, Northern Ireland.

Francis Somerled Joseph Silvertop was born, August 1st 1883, at 5, Chapel Street, Park Lane,City of Westminster, London, iWilliam Alexander, December 10th 1884 in Dublin, Ireland, where he was baptised December 13th, Margaret Mary in 1886, in Antrim, Northern Ireland and Charles Randall, September 22nd 1889 in Northumberland. 

In 1891 Henry Thomas Silvertop J. P., his wife and children were living at Minsteracres Hall, they employed a butler who presided over a footman, a housekeeper, a kitchen maid, two house maids a nurse, under nurse and nursery maid and a coachman. Visiting their household was widow Jane Lamb, Elizabeth McDonnell and George Thomas Lambert, director of Greenwich Hospital. December 5th 1891 Rachael gave birth to their youngest child Elise Mary.

Henry Thomas Silvertop of Minsteracres, Northumberland died December 17th 1893. His effects in the sum of £11501 10 shillings 11 pence were assigned, February 29th 1894 to his widow Rachel  Mary Josephine Silvertop and Charles Plumper Johnson, solicitor. In 1901 Rachel was living at “Seaview” Moneyvart House, Cushendall, Antrim, Ireland, where she died, February 12th 1908. Her assets in the sum of £16,121 6 shilling 3 pence were assigned to her sons Francis Somerled Joseph Silvertop and William Alexander Silvertop Esquires.

In 1903 William Alexander Silvertop was a student at Clare College, Cambridge, and upon completion of his education was living at 45, Egerton Gardens and The Cavalry Club, Piccadilly, London, as he had joined the 20th Hussars, with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant, August 11th 1909. The 20th Hussars was based in Ireland from 1908-1911 then moved to Colchester by the beginning of WW1 by which time William Alexander had been raised to the rank of Lieutenant, October 16th 1912. 

Lieutenant Silvertop departed with the British Expeditionary Force to France, August 17th 1914, where it was rushed to Belgium attached to the 5th Brigade, 2nd Cavalry Division, participating during the Battle of Mons, August 23rd 1914, the first major British infantry assault of WW1, followed by the First Battle of the Marne and the Battle of Aisne in September 1914. The following month they were again in action at the First Battle of Ypres, October 19th-22nd 1914.

During 1915 Lieutenant Silvertop was raised to the rank of Captain. His division was in action  at the Battle of Neuve Chapelle, March 10th-12th 1915, the 2nd Battle of Ypres at the Battle of St. Julien, April 26th-May 3rd and the Battle of Bellewaarde Ridge May 24th-25th 1915. They saw little action in 1916 but in 1917 participated during the Arras Offensive, April 9th-May 16th. 

The 2nd Cavalry Division was in action on the first day of the offensive at the 1st Battle of the Scarpe, April 9th-May 5th 1917 and remained in the sector supported by tanks during the attack at Cambrai, November 20th-21st. Their next objective during the offensive at Cambrai was the capture of Bourlon Wood, November 24th-28th, followed by the German counter attack which began, November 30th 1917. 

Captain William Alexander Silvertop was killed in action during the capture of Bourlon Wood, November 27th 1917. Several months prior to his demise he would have been informed that his elder brother 2nd Lieutenant Francis Somerled Joseph Silvertop had been killed in action.

The body of Captain Silvertop was taken for burial to Anneux, which together with Havrincourt and Graincourt was captured by the 62nd West Riding Division, November 20th and 21st 1917. Anneux British Cemetery, Nord, France, was made by the 57th Division Burial, Captain William Alexander Silvertop 20th Hussars is at rest grave II. F. 28. He was 32 years of age and single.

William Alexander had nominated his youngest sister Miss Elise Mary Silvertop as the executor of his Will, she received all monies due to her late brother from the Army also his personal effects in the sum of £8729 15 shillings, January 25th 1918. She also received his awards of the British War Medal, Victory Medal and Military Cross, the latter awarded to him prior to his demise for, “an act or acts of exemplary gallantry during active operations against the enemy on land.” His sister successfully applied on behalf of the late Captain Silvertop for the 1914 Star, October 20th 1919.

On behalf of herself and her brother Charles Randall Silvertop she commissioned at a cost of 8 shillings 5 pence an additional inscription to be added to their late brother’s military headstone, it reads, “IN LOVING MEMORY OF OUR BROTHER R.I.P.”

The sacrifice of Captain Silvertop is commemorated as a Member of the Catholic Soldiers Association Plaque Westminster Cathedral, London and Clare College Oxford Roll of Honour.

The Silvertop brothers’ uncle Commander Arthur Edward Silvertop also perished during WW1 when his ship H.M.S. Vernon was sunk during the Battle of Jutland, with the loss of all hands. Their brother Charles Randall Silvertop served with the Army Service Corps and survived the conflict.

In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.