Today | News | Books | Recipes Adventure | Science Fiction | Ghost stories | Poetry | Children | History Bookunm._ He was mentioned in F.M. Sir John (now Lord) French's Dispatch of 5 April [London Gazette, 22 June], 1915, for gallant and distinguished conduct in the field. [Illustration: =Walter D. Vyvyan.=] =WACHER, GEOFFREY GIBBINGS=, Sergt., No. 517, 1/16th Battn. (Queen's Westminster Rifles), The London Regt. (T.F.), yst. _s._ of the late Alfred Wacher, of the Anchor Brewery, Bermondsey, S.E., and Herne Bay, by his wife, Lucy Durant, dau. of Henry Gibbings, of North Tawton, Devon; _b._ Bermondsey, 25 April, 1891; educ. St. Anne's School, Redhill, Surrey; was for some years in the employ of Chas. Morgan & Co., Paper Manufacturers, London; joined the Queen's Westminsters, 22 Jan. 1909; volunteered for Imperial Service, Aug. 1914, and left for France, as Corpl. 1 Nov. 1914; promoted Sergt. June, 1915, and placed in charge of the machine-gun section, to which he had been transferred in Jan.; and was killed in action 9 Aug. following; _unm._ The Queen's Westminsters were in support during the attack on Hooge on 9 Aug., and, after this had proved successful, occupied the first line trenches. During the severe bombardment by the enemy's artillery which followed, our men took refuge in dug-outs. There were a large number of casualties, and Sergt. Wacher gave up his place of safety to some wounded men, and a few minutes later was killed by a shell. He had done valuable work with his battn. before war broke out, during its period of training, and more especially at the Front. One of his officers wrote: "He was one of the most popular fellows in the battn. among all ranks, and his loss is considered a regimental catastrophe"; and another wrote: "Ever since he went to the guns he had done excellent work as well as winning the affections of all the section." He had been recommended for a commission by his Commanding Officer, and expected to return to England any day to take up his new duties, but owing to the heavy fighting could not be spared. An elder brother, Lieut. Walter Ronald Wacher, is (1916) on active service with the 2nd Royal Berkshires. [Illustration: =Geoffrey G. Wacher.=] =WACKETT, FREDERICK JAMES=, Petty Officer, 2nd Class (R.F.R., Ch. B. 3158), 151740, H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914. =WADDY, JOHN RAYMOND=, B.A., M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., Lieut., R.A.M.C., 2nd _s._ of Lieut.-Col. Waddy, late Commanding 2nd Somerset L.I., and grandson of Gen. Sir Richard Waddy, K.C.B., 50th Regt.; _b._ Weston-super-Mare, co. Somerset, 15 Feb. 1886; educ. Clifton College; Pembroke College, Cambridge, and King's College Hospital; qualified M.R.C.S., and L.R.C.P. (London) 1912; volunteered on the outbreak of war, and was given a commission as temporary Lieut., R.A.M.C., 11 Aug. 1914; served with the Expeditionary Force in France, and was killed in action by a stray bullet, Bois de Ploegsteert, 17 March, 1915; _unm._ Buried in Somerset Cemetery, Ploegsteert Wood. He was mentioned in F.M. Sir John (now Lord) French's Despatch of 14 Jan 1915, and was awarded the Military Cross, 18 Feb. 1915. An officer of the Somersets wrote: "We were all, both officers and men alike, absolutely devoted to him; he was brave as a lion, and always ready to help anybody who needed him; no name will go down in the history of the regt. with more honour than his, for everybody loved him and realised his sterling qualities." And the Chairman of the King's College Hospital: "Both at King's College, London, and at King's College Hospital, your son was held in the highest esteem by all who knew him. As you know, he finished a brilliant career at the hospital by obtaining the senior scholarship of this year, and was forthwith appointed House Surgeon to Professor Sir Watson Cheyne; the latter appointment he fulfilled to the complete satisfaction of his seniors, and during his residence in hospital he considerably enhanced that high reputation he had already gained." =WADE, FREDERICK WALTER=, Private, No. 13069, 2nd Battn. The Suffolk Regt., eldest _s._ of Frederick William Wade, of Hall Cottage, Foxhall, near Ipswich, Farm Horseman, by his wife, Edith Florence, dau. of the late Joseph Goodchild; _b._ Bromeswell, near Woodbridge, 24 Sept. 1895; educ. Bucklesham; enlisted on the outbreak of war, 2 Sept. 1914, served with his regt. in France and Flanders, died from wounds received in action, 21 June, 1915, and was buried in the Civil Cemetery at Bailleul; _unm._ =WADE, STAMPER PLASKETT=, Ch. E.R.A., 2nd Class, 269679, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914. =WADE, THOMAS=, Private, No. 2565, 1/7th Battn. London Regt. (T.F), _s._ of John William Wade, of 150, Lansdowne Road, Dalston, by his wife, Emily, dau. of (--) Parker; _b._ Hackney, 2 June, 1890; educ. Wilton Road School, Dalston; volunteered for Imperial service, and joined the 7th London in Sept. 1914, and went to France, 17 March, and died in hospital at Bethune, 5 April, 1915, of wounds received in action, 3 April. Buried in the Town Cemetery, Bethune; _unm._ =WADKINS, WILLIAM FERDINAND=, A.B., J. 3223, H.M.S. Laurel; killed in action in the Heligoland Bight, 28 Aug. 1914. =WADSWORTH, ALFRED CHARLES=, Private, No. 12/1820, 16th Waikato Regt. New Zealand Expeditionary Force, only _s._ of the late John Wadsworth, of 10, Pelham Road South, Gravesend, Kent, Watchmaker and Jeweller, by his wife, Alice (10, Pelham Road South, Gravesend, Kent), dau. of John Hawes; _b._ Cheshunt, co. Herts. 3 Sept. 1889; educ. Christ Church School, Wanstead; volunteered for Imperial service on the outbreak of war and joined the New Zealand E.F., 15 Dec. 1914; left for Egypt, 13 Feb. 1915; took part in the landing at the Dardanelles, 25-26 April, 1915, and was reported missing on 8 May following, and is now assumed to have been killed in action there between those dates; _unm._ [Illustration: =Alfred C. Wadsworth.=] =WADSWORTH, THOMAS EDWIN=, Private, No. 9537, 1/5th Battn. (London Rifle Brigade) The London Regt. (T.F.), 2nd _s._ of John Edwin Wadsworth, of 13, Beech Hall Road, of Highams Park, Essex, an employee of the British Bank of South America, Moorgate Street, by his wife, Helen, dau. of Thomas Brown, Baughurst, Hants, Farmer; _b._ Southfields, S.W., 1 March, 1896; educ. Central Foundation School, Cowper Street, E.C., and on leaving there entered the service of Samuel Montagu & Co., of Old Broad Street, E.C., and was a junior in the bullion department when war broke out. He had joined the London Rifle Brigade, 18 March, 1913, and at once volunteered for active service, and went to the Front with his regt. 4 Nov. 1914. On 27 April he left the shelter of his trench in order to succour a wounded stretcher-bearer, and assist him to the rear. Soon after his return to the firing line he was wounded by the splinter of a shell. As there was a scarcity of stretchers he insisted on walking in order that other wounded men might be carried. The walking caused him to lose a considerable quantity of blood, and he rea |