Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of William Warsop, born 1858 in Nottingham and his wife Ellen Warsop (nee Greasley, married on the 5th June 1881 in St. Paul’s Church, Nottingham), a lace clipper, born 1863 in Nottingham. Bernard William was born on the 15th April 1882 in Nottingham, and was baptised on the 13th October 1889 in St. Mary’s Church, Nottingham, his siblings were, Fred Edward, born on the 14th March 1884, and baptised on the 13th October 1889 in St. Mary’s Church, Nottingham and Ada Ellen, born on the 21st September 1886, and baptised on the 13th October 1889 in St. Mary’s Church, Nottingham, both his siblings were born in Nottingham, in April 1891 the family home was at Jackson Terrace, Simkin Street, St. Mary’s, Nottingham. Bernard’s father died in June 1889 in Nottingham, aged 30. In March 1901 Bernard was absent from the family home at 10, Platoff Street, Nottingham, residing there was his widowed mother, a lace worker and his siblings, Fred, a lace worker and Ada, a lace worker, Bernard was employed as a furnace labourer and was residing in the family home at 3, Soho, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, together with his wife, Annie Elizabeth Warsop (nee Johnson, married on the 23rd April 1900 in St. Mary’s Church, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire), born 1881 in Nottingham and their son, Albert William Johnson, born 1900 in Melton Mowbray. In April 1911 Bernard was employed as an iron works labourer and was residing in the family home at 3, Soho, Melton Mowbray, together with his wife and children, Bernard, born on the 24th June 1901 in Melton Mowbray, Ellen, born on the 4th August 1903 in Nottingham and Clara Elizabeth, born on the 4th August 1909 in Melton Mowbray. After the 1911 census, two further children were born, Thomas Isaiah on the 2nd April 1913 and Annie A. Elizabeth on the 24th May 1915, both children were born in Melton Mowbray. On the 30th January 1916, Clara Elizabeth, died from measles and pneumonia, aged 6 years and on the 4th February 1916, Thomas Isaiah, also died from measles and pneumonia, aged 2 years. The war memorial spells his surname as Warsopp.
Bernard attested into the Army on a Short Service engagement (Three years with the Colours.) on the 1st September 1914 in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. He gave his place of birth as Sneinton, Nottingham, his age as 32 years and 158 days and his trade or calling as furnace man. He confirmed that he was married and gave his place of residence as 3, Soho, Melton Mowbray. His medical examination recorded that he was 5 foot 5 inches in height, weighed 160 pounds and he had a chest measurement of between 33½ and 35 inches. His complexion was described as fresh, his hair colour was brown and he had blue eyes. He gave his religion as Church of England. He was pronounced fit for the Army on the 1st September 1914 in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. His record of service began when he joined the Depot of the Leicestershire Regiment as a Private, service number 11748 on the 1/9/14. Embarked to join the British Expeditionary Force in France on the 29/7/15. Reported missing believed killed on the 14/7/16. A summary of his service records: Home Service 1/9/14 – 29/7/15. British Expeditionary Force, France 29/7/15 – 14/7/16. Bernard was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War and Victory medals. Bernard’s surviving service documents are in a very poor condition, and much of the finer detail relating to the period of time that he spent in the Army, is either illegible or missing, hence the sparse overall description of his military and personal family history.
The War Diary records: 14 Jul-16. MAMETZ WOOD. ATTACK ON BAZENTIN LE PETIT WOOD and village by the 110th Brigade. The Battalion was drawn up for the assault in four lines. The first three lines were in front of MAMETZ WOOD and were to move forward in succession at ZERO, the first line to take, clear and hold the German first line, the remainder to push on to capture and consolidate the FOREST TRENCH (enemy support line). The fourth line were drawn up behind the north edge of MAMETZ WOOD to move forward half an hour after ZERO, and push forward through FOREST TRENCH ready to assault the German third line. By 2.55am all dispositions were made, each platoon being on its correct adjustment. A number of casualties were suffered during this operation, one platoon of “C” Company losing almost half its number. The men behaved admirably under trying conditions. At ZERO 3.25am when the barrage lifted our first line trench was hardly close enough to it to rush the first line before the enemy could man it, as a result the advance was rather ragged. The right (“A”) Company in conjunction with the 6th LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT had little difficulty in entering the trench. The left (“D”) Company were momentarily held up by machine gun fire but managed to keep up close to the parapet and rush the line. The two centre (“B” and “C”) Companies were held up for about 20 minutes by machine guns. The pressure was relieved by parties from the right working down a flank. The centre Companies were then able to rush the trench. The second and third lines coming on, swept the remainder of the first line then, and made for the second line (FOREST TRENCH). By this time of the officers of “B” Company only 2nd Lieutenant EVANS was left, in “C” Company only 2nd Lieutenant REED, while in “D” Company all the officers were out of action. The enemy in the first line trench at first made some resistance but many were caught in their dug outs, and the rest seeing that they could not stop our rush retreated into the WOOD and made no resistance in the FOREST TRENCH. By 4.00am our whole line was in occupation of FOREST TRENCH and the work of consolidation was begun. Captain A. A. CLARKE taking command. 2nd Lieutenant EVANS then sent back Company Sergeant Major GEARY to ensure that the German first line was cleared of the enemy. This N.C.O. with his party found a number of the enemy who had been passed over in the rush. In the meantime the left Company (“D”) after pushing on too eagerly under our barrage and being forced to retire, turned towards the flank and established connection with the 8th LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT At 4.25am Captain A. A. CLARKE, leaving 2nd Lieutenant EVANS in charge of the first trench, went forward in charge of the party to capture the third objective. No resistance was met with on the right, but on the left considerable trouble was caused by a machine gun and by snipers and close by the observation post in the tree both Captain CLARKE and Lieutenant WAKEFORD were hit. This left the assaulting line without an officer, but Sergeant WALKER (“A” Company) and Lance Sergeant SHERLOCK (“C” Company) rallied their men and made good this line. There was no German trench in this position and in some cases the men again pressed forward and came under fire from our own barrage. Meanwhile the left (“D” Company) being checked by the machine gun on the crest of the wood and being unable to make headway were rallied by Lance Corporal BUSH, and an attempt was made to get round the position on the right, with the result that this party lost direction in the wood and finally found itself among the 6th LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT Lance Corporal BUSH then placed himself under the orders of an officer of that Battalion. Almost before the barrage lifted, the party under Sergeant WALKER rushed the German trench on the north side of the wood. The enemy made no resistance here and being caught between the barrage of shell fire and our advancing line gave themselves up. By 6.45am we were established in the line on North edge of the wood. Subsequently officers of the 8th LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT bringing up supports took over command of this sector. About 7.15am Captain GWYTHER was commanding the Battalion, ordered 2nd Lieutenant EVANS to push forward from FOREST TRENCH in support of the front line, on reaching the position selected for the strong point on the RAILWAY, this party came under machine gun fire from the north west corner of the wood, 2nd Lieutenant EVANS took up the line covering the strong point and prepared for reconnaissance. The position therefore at 8.00am was:- Northern edge of the wood held by us. Possession of the North West corner doubtful. Line of RAILWAY and strong point secured by us. Throughout the morning the enemy kept up an intermittent bombardment with 150mm Howitzers and a few 77mm’s, which grew in intensity about midday and during the afternoon. About 1.00pm it was believed that the Germans were still holding the entire edge of the wood at the North Western corner and an assaulting party of the 7th and 9th LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT was organised to clear them out. The bushes and trees were very thick round this point which necessarily made progress slow, the enemy evacuating and manning a trench about 30 yards from the wood, before our men could get through we suffered several casualties from a machine gun in the above mentioned trench. An attempt was made about 9 o clock to reorganise the Battalion, as they were considerably mixed up, most of the officers becoming casualties. Lieutenant Colonel DRYSDALE was wounded whilst the Battalion was marching to its position in front of MAMETZ WOOD, Captain and Adjutant A. A. ALDWORTH taking command. Captain’s WRIGHT, GIFFORD, Lieutenant’s. BURNETT, HOLLIS, ABBOTT and 2nd Lieutenant’s. NEWTON, GUTTERIDGE and BAIN being all killed before our troops reached the first line. 2nd Lieutenant PICKERING-CLARKE, SIMPSON and REID also Lieutenant WAKEFORD were killed in the wood. The wounded officers were Captain A. A. CLARKE, Lieutenant HOUGHTON and 2nd Lieutenant’s. THOMPSON, WEBB and ORRIT-NICHOL. Our total casualties were 18 officers and 535 men killed and wounded. Our men along with the 9th LEICESTERSHIRE REGIMENT manned the trenches at the edge of the wood and remained there until next morning. The night was quick.
On Friday July 28th 1916 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “MELTON AND THE WAR.” – MELTONIANS REPORTED KILLED. – Mrs. Southerington, of Soho, has received a letter from her husband stating that Pte. B. Warsopp, of the Leicestershire Regiment, has been very severely wounded or killed, and that Pte. D. Reed has been killed. The news respecting Pte. Warsopp is confirmed by a letter which Mrs. Radford, Norman-st., has received from her husband, Pte. Radford, in which he states definitely that Pte. Warsopp has been killed. The latter’s wife, who lives at 3, Soho, has as yet received no official notification. She is left with four children. Mrs. Reed who resides at 11, Temperance-terrace, and has two young children, is also still awaiting official confirmation of the sad news. The last time she heard from him was July 13th when she received a postcard stating that he was all right. Pte. Reed was in the employ of the Holwell Iron Co., and was in his 29th year. He joined the Leicesters on July 17th 1915, and has been out in France since December 28th. He was first engaged in mining operations, then went into the trenches. He was a native of Twyford, and his brother, who was a petty officer on the Aboukir, went down with his ship early in the war. Mr. John Bradbury, Hawthorn Cottage, Thorpe-rd., on Wednesday received a letter stating that his brother, Pte. Ernest Bradbury of the Leicesters was killed on July 16th, and that another brother, Pte. William Bradbury, also of the Leicesters, had been wounded. Yesterday he received a further letter stating that the latter had also been killed. They were sons of Mr. Edward Bradbury, greengrocer, Whittington Moor, near Chesterfield. Pte. Wm. Bradbury was employed at Holwell Works, and was a prominent member of the Works Football Club. On his marriage he lived on the Saxby-rd. His deceased brother visited Melton as recently as five weeks ago while on leave.
On Friday March 9th 1917 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “MELTON AND THE WAR” – MELTON SOLDIERS DEATH.- On Wednesday morning Mrs Warsop, 3, Soho, Melton Mowbray received an official notification from the Records Office, Lichfield, that her husband, 11748 Pte. Bernard Warsop, Leicestershire Regt., was killed in action at a place not stated on 14th July 1916. A letter from Lord Derby was enclosed expressing the sympathy of the King and Queen. Pte. Warsop who was 34 years of age, was formerly employed at the Holwell Iron Works. He joined Kitchener’s Army in September 1914 and about the latter end of July last year several private letters reached the town from local soldiers stating that he had been killed, and in September his wife received an official intimation that he was missing. He leaves a widow and four young children.