This picture appeared in the edition of the Norwich Mercury dated Saturday, May 19, 1917.
Sergt. R. Pond, Essex Regiment, son of Mr. and Mrs. F. Pond, of Methwold, killed in action in France on March 1st.
(Mildly photoshopped to remove blemishes in the original source).
Serjeant POND, ROWING
Service Number:…………….. 41628
Died:………………………… 01/03/1917
Unit:………………………….1st Bn. Essex Regiment
Commemorated at THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Location: Somme, France
Source: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1548694/pond,-rowing/
Soldier Died in the Great War records that Sergeant 41628 Rowing Pond was Killed in Action on the 1st March 1917 whilst serving in France & Flanders with the 1st Battalion, Essex Regiment. Rowing had formerly been 7073 Norfolk Regiment. He was born and resident Wretton, Norfolk and enlisted Norwich.
The Medal Index Card for Serjeant 41628 R. Pond, Essex Regiment, is held at the National Archive under reference WO 372/16/36719
He was previously Serjeant 29565 Norfolk Regiment.
Source: discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D4671884
He qualified for the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. It has a reference to possibly a duplicate record but there is no additional information on the card. This appears to relate to a Sergeant 1168 Rowing Pond, Norfolk Regiment, who entered the Balkans Theatre of War, (so probably Mudros bound for Gallipoli) on the 6th August 1915. The note on the card says he was “Dis”, i.e. discharged, but doesn’t say when.
Source: discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D4671892
The associated Service Medal shows him as part of a block transfer from the Norfolk Regiment.
In fact it looks very much like the man who was 1168 Norfolk Regiment, 7073 Norfolk Regiment, 29565 Norfolk Regiment and 41628 Essex Regiment are all one and the same person.
This piece appeared in the edition of the Norwich Mercury dated Saturday 11th September 1915.
METHWOLD SERGEANT IN GALLIPOLI.
Mr.and Mrs. Pond, of Brookville, near Methwold, have received two letters from their son, Sergeant Rowland Pond, 1/5th Norfolks at the Dardenelles:-
“You must think I am forgetting you, but not so by far, as I have not been able to send letters to anyone yet, as we have been in the trenches ever since we landed, reserve trenches mostly, but I prefer to be in the front trenches as the blessed old Turks are for ever shelling our reserve trenches where I am now writing this. My word this is a devil of a life. Our battalion was cut up a good bit last Thursday in a big attack we did, and I shall be jolly glad when we get back to the base and get re-organised, as we are split up awful now. I believe all our company officers are wounded or missing, as we cannot find them. We look some right beauties, have not had a wash or a shave or even boots off for eight days, and when we shall is a question. My word, this makes us think of home, and long for a good meal. I have not been able to eat hardly anything at present. We have only had hard biscuits and bully beef at present, just a little jam, and a few fags, but I trust we shall do better now soon, and then I trust to get my appetite back again. We are getting something brown out here, won’t know us when we come back home, which I sincerely trust will not be long, and the chief thing it seems to me to be done here is to take a big hill, and it’s going to take a lot of doing as its straply(?) swarmed with Torks, but I think it will fall before long, as we getting a tremendous lot of troops here now, and also artillery. The shells are buzzing over us all day from the Turks and our battleships. It’s a favourite trick of the Turks to get up the trees and snipe us. How we long for a nice drink out here. I wish I had some lemonade or something like that to make a tasty drink with, as we get a fair amount of water, but its not very tasty. Of course we make tea in our mess tins. Well, you must excuse writing under the circumstances. Will get this off as soon as I get an opportunity. I believe we are doing a move up further to-night.”
Later he says:- “We have had a bit of a roll call, etc, and find several men missing, but it’s quite possible they are in the other trenches. I trust they are. I am closing this letter as there is a chance to get it off today. I like this country fairly well, but it’s awfully hilly and hot.”
On the 23rd August he wrote:- “I am getting on fine now, and have got back my appetite, and also getting a bit used to the climate. Feel much better than I did last week. We have been in one or two tight corners, but God has brought us safely through, and I know every one of us asks Him every day to protect us and bring us safely home to our loved ones again, and I feel sure He will. I saw some of the Methwold boys in the 4th Norfolks. They were all safe. We have several on the missing list, got cut off or boxed up some-how in that big attack we made last Thursday week. About ten of my platoon I am sorry to say are amongst them. The sea looks lovely from where we are now, and I am thankful to say I have been able to have several bathes lately. They do a lot for us, but I should like to get back to the base to my pack and have a change of linen, as we haven’t had one for three weeks, but I trust we shall before long. We get a decent supply of fags and tobacco, better than I expected. There are several Gayton boys here. We are still holding the ridge I mentioned in my last letter, and the only trouble we get is the blessed snipers. They are beggars, potting at you as soon as you show your head, but I believe we accounted for one yesterday. We gave him a fair amount of pills. I got his position through a periscope, but I believe as soon as you settle one others come up and take their places. It is marvellous what things we find lying about, but of course they are no good to us as we cannot carry them about. I might say there are hundreds of pounds worth of stuff lost on battlefields and cannot be helped. It is very cold here during the hights. Our coats are still at the base, but I believe they are bring up our blankets tomorrow.”
If he was serving at Gallipoli he would have been a member of the Territorial Force – no Regular Army or (War) Service Battalions of the Norfolk Regiment fought in that campaign.
For a number of such individuals their enlistments terms, (including up to 12 months extension in time of war), expired in 1915 or the first few months of 1916. While bounties were on offer to get such experienced men to stay, a number took the opportunity to leave.
The initial 1916 Military Services Act that introduced conscription effectively excluded such time-served men from consideration for conscription, so those leaving the Army may well have felt their war was over. However faced with large numbers of such individuals being likely to walk away in 1917 & 1918 and the impact of those who had already left, the Government rushed through an amendment extending conscription to all of them. I suspect that is when he received the new number 29565 with the Norfolks. He was then subsequently transferred to the Essex.
His Service Records do not appear to have survived the incendiary attack during the Blitz on the Warehouse where all the Other Ranks Army Service Records were stored, so the scenario set out above cannot be confirmed.
No match on Picture Norfolk, the County Image Archive.
No obvious Missing Persons enquiry received by the International Red Cross.
No obvious Soldiers Will or Civil Probate for this man.
The Army Register of Soldiers Effects records that he was Killed in Action on the 1st March 1917. The balance of his pay was sent to his widow and sole legatee, Rosa E.
Rosa would also receive her late husbands’ War Gratuity when this was paid out in December 1919.
I believe “Rowing” is also remembered on the War Memorial at Wretton, Norfolk, but as “Rowland”.
1893 – Birth……………………….
The birth of a Rowing William Pond, (transcribed in the normal sources as “Rowling”), was registered with the Civil Authorities in the Downham District of Norfolk in the April to June quarter, (Q2), of 1893.
The most likely marriage of his parents was recorded in the Swaffham District of Norfolk in Q2 1892. This was when a Frederick Thomas Pond married a Maria Medlock.
1901 Census of England and Wales
The 7 year old “Rowen” Pond, born Wretton, Norfolk, was recorded living in a dwelling on Stoke Road, Wretton, Stoke Ferry, Norfolk. This was the household of his parents Frederick, (aged 33, a Carpenter, born Wretton) and Maria, (aged 33, born Wretton). The couple also have a daughter Sarah, aged 10 months and born Wretton.
1911 Census of England and Wales
The Pond family were now recorded living “Near the Church”, Methwold. Parents Frederick T., (43, Rural Postman) and Maria(?), (42, now shown as born Gayton, Norfolk), state they have been married 18 years and have had two children, both then still alive, and also both still living with them. They were Rowing W., (17, Carpenter & Joiner), and Rose Sarah, (10). The couple also have a foster-child, the 9 year old William M. Birkett, born Birkenhead, Cheshire.
Until September 1911 the quarterly index published by the General Registrars Office did not show information about the mothers’ maiden name. A check of the General Registrars Office Index of Birth for England and Wales 1911 – 1983 shows no likely additional children of Frederick and Maria.
1914 – Marriage?...............
The marriage of a “Rowland” W. Pond to a Rosa E. Ashby was recorded in the Downham District of Norfolk in the October to December quarter, (Q4), of 1914.
Checking the General Registrars Office Index of births in England & Wales shows the couple potentially had a child. The birth of a William R. Pond, mothers’ maiden name Ashby, was registered with the Civil Authorities in the Downham District of Norfolk in the January to March quarter, (Q1), of 1917.
On the day………………….
The 1st Battalion were manning the front-line at the time of the death of Sergeant Pond.
The War Diary baldly states:-
“Firing Line.
SAILLY-SAILESEL Sector, Strength 33 Officers, 854 Other ranks, Casualties 3 men.”
