Devon Soldiers

Devonshire soldiers

The prayer on the reverse of the Lord’s prayer on a card distributed to the soldiers’ of the 7th Division

A SOLDIER'S PRAYER.

Almighty and most Merciful Father,

Forgive me my sins:

Grant me thy peace:

Give me thy power:

Bless me in life and death,

For Jesus Christ's sake.

Amen.

Joseph BALE [290] was the third of the four sons of John and Mary Jane nee ROWE. He was a great grandson of Salathiel and Mary BALE nee Jones.

He had married Waling Constance GIERTSEN on 4 June 1908 in Abbotsham

Nothing apart from the wedding has been found about her. His name is on the war memorial outside the church at Abbotsham.

Joseph BALE born June quarter 1883 Abbotsham Devon

Private 15334 9th Battalion Devonshire Regiment.

Died Sunday 14 Nov 1915 buried in Grave 111 C. S. Guards Cemetery, Windy Corner, Cuinchy,Pas de Calais France.

9th (Service) Battalion was formed at Exeter 15 September 1914 as part of K2. August 1914 attached as Army Troops to the 20th (Light) Division April 1915. The Left Division landed at L’Havre on the 28th of July 1915. They were then attached to the 20th Brigade 7th Division.

K2 was the second phase of the expansion of the army ordered by Field marshal Earl Kitchener of Khartoum when he took over as Minister for War in 1914.

Cuinchy is a small village located midway between Bethune and la Basee. In terms of the context of the Western Front, put simply it is located about 30 miles south of Ypres and 20-25 miles north of the Somme battlefields.

Fredrick BALE [1954] cousin of Joseph Bale

Gt grand son of Salatiel and Mary BALE nee Jones (our direct line)

Grand son of Joseph and Grace BALE nee DARK. The 6th of 9 children of Charles and Mary BALE nee HEARN.

Devonshire Regiment.

Medical 15 Oct 1908 19yrs 7 mnths 5ft 3 3/8 ins 112 lbs girth 34 ins expansion 2 ins high complexion brown eyes dark brown hair Cof E no distinctive marks

Attested 14 Oct 1908 Exeter

Appointed LC 1 Jul 1916

Promoted Corp 30 Mar 1917

transferred to section B Army reserve on Demobilization to 28 Mar 1919

Discharged on termination of period of engagement 13 Oct 1920

16 Providence Row Bideford

Fredrick Sober clean, honest intelligent willing, hard-working can't read or write 22 10 1913 &1. 7. 1914

1 Mar 1919 Corp No 1 Disposal Unit

Oct 1909 home

11 Sep 1910 -17 Jan 1912 Malta

18 Jan 1912 – 29 May 1912 Egypt

30 May 1912-1 Oct 1812 Cyprus

2 Oct 1912-24 Sep 1914 Egypt

25 Sep 1914-3 Nov 1914 Home

14 Nov 1914-8 Dec 1914 France

9 Dec 1914-22 Feb 1915 Home

23 Feb1915-9 Apr 1918 France

10 Apr 1918-27 Mar 1920? Home

Three medals 1914 Star British War, Victory

Father Charles 6 Park Lane Northam

Mother Mary

Brother younger Arthur

Brother younger Joseph

Sister Elder Bertha 3 New Row Bideford

Wife Muriel Ellen BALE m 11 Aug 1919

Child Violet Ivy Irene BALE born 9 May 1920

Muriel Ellen BATTEN Spinster Parish Church Bideford 11 Aug 1919

Witnesses James BATTEN, E E TURNER

ch Violet Ivy Irene 9 May? 1920 Bideford.